PAINTSQUARE BLOG

No flights, hotel reservations or nametags are needed; in fact, you could stay in your pajamas and still enjoy National Architecture Week, scheduled to kick off this Sunday, April 8.

The event, presented by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), is entirely virtual—taking place on social media platforms, including Pinterest and Foursquare.

The campaign seeks to engage the public in a “national conversation about design,” said Jeff Potter, FAIA, president in a YouTube video announcing the event.

AIA said the public-awareness campaign is also intended to draw attention to the positive role architects play in our communities and to elevate the public’s appreciation of design.

Potter says in the video, “I think it’s fair to say, that if you’re not an architect, then you probably don’t know what we do. That’s a lot of people and a lot of potential clients.”

He may have a point there.

The theme for the week is “Design Connects” and will formally begin with a welcome address delivered by Potter via the AIA National YouTube channel.

From there, AIA National’s Pinterest site will start to take shape as the institute plans to post its first “pinboard” in honor of Easter Sunday—churches and other religious facilities.

Each following day, a new pinboard will be posted highlighting additional building types, including schools, offices, retail, performing arts and cultural institutions—all with the goal of highlighting how design connects us all, AIA said.

In case you aren’t familiar, Pinterest is a “virtual pinboard” site that allows users to pin online photos to self-created “boards.” (See: D+D Asks: Do You Pin?)

The site allows users to share boards with others, peruse others’ pinboards, comment, repin, and “like” pins.

Now, all of the Pinterest interaction can take place in the comfort of your home—and in your pajamas or whatever strikes your fancy. If you want to be included in the Foursquare activities, well, you need to get moving (with your smartphone in hand, of course).

Foursquare is a location-based social networking website for smartphones, allowing users to “check-in” to locations.
 
During the National Architecture event week, Foursquare users will have the opportunity to win prize gift cards in a special “Check In to Win Sweepstakes.” Users enter by checking in to their favorite local architectural sites and “tweeting” about the experience, via Twitter.

AIA said three winners will be randomly selected from their tweets. The winners will be announced on Sat., April 14, on Twitter.

So, ready, set, pin (or tweet)!

ABOUT THE THE BLOGGER Jill M. Speegle Jill Speegle is the Editor of Durability + Design News. She earned her B.A. in journalism and English as well as her J.D. from the University of Arkansas. In Sketches, Jill shares her thoughts on a number of topics that may be of interest to the D+D community, including architecture, interior design, green building, historic restoration, and whatever else catches her radar. SEE ALL CONTENT FROM THIS CONTRIBUTOR