Despite the Architects Institute of America (AIA) having an enormous national and state presence–their headquarters in D.C. sit in a beautiful 1973 modern building directly near the White House–the small chapter that serves the Long Beach and South Bay area seems to not gather much attention.

This is particularly disconcerting for incoming president Jonathan Glasgow, given that the chapter’s Biennial Design Awards, which draw entries from all the major firms of the Los Angeles and Orange County area, are just around the corner.

And this lack of notice is something Glasgow is determined to change.

“We have trouble getting noticed–even at the City government level,” Glasgow said. “I want our organization to become, like it is at the national level, something important at the community level.”

This isn’t to say that the group hasn’t slowly-but-surely been extending its arm. Last year, the local AIA chapter hosted two symposiums at the Aquarium of the Pacific–one focused on the history of the Civic Center, with architect Don Gibbs in presence while the other discussed the importance and eventual dilapidation of the Ocean/Pine intersection–as well as a presentation that focused on local architects’ own visions of what they would do with the Civic Center.

{loadposition latestlife}But Glasgow wants–and ascertains the group must have–more, such as having a more formal presence in the City’s recent RFQ that will usher in a new Civic Center, or what he calls “weaseling the AIA in.”

“It seems the architectural community is widely dismissed by governmental people,” Glasgow contended. “Because, particularly with the Civic Center, there is a sense of democracy-in-action, there should be community involvement.”

That community is something Glasgow understands is not to be done alone, having reached out to other design- and history-oriented groups such as City Fabrick and Long Beach Heritage in order to not only coalesce the community in public discussions but use one another beneficially.

“We need to start feeding off each other,” Glasgow said. “I truly believe some of the better ideas are coming out of the community more than the City government. We’re just not seeing much creativity within City Hall while the Creatives That Be just get stepped on in return. But that’s gonna change.”

The Long Beach/South Bay chapter of the AIA will open entries for their Biennial Design Awards this month running through August. For more about the local AIA chapter, visit aialb-sb.org