Designing the Future: Diversity, Representation, and Innovation in Architecture and Design

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Designing the Future-1

About the Event

  Tuesday, December 3, 2024 @6:30PM-9:00PM
Wentworth Institute of Technology - 550 Huntington Ave. Boston, MA 02115

Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Location: Wentworth - CEIS Lobby and Accelerate Space

The event & parking are complimentary.

Parking: Available in the West Lot located at 550 Huntington Ave. Boston, MA 0211. The West Lot is located at the corner of Ruggles Street and Huntington Avenue. The gate will be open when you arrive.

If you'll like to donate to the WIT Design Material Fund, click the button down below:
Wentworth's Design Material Fund

Context and Objective:

According to data from the AIA and NCARB, minority groups remain significantly underrepresented in the architecture profession. Only 1.8% of registered architects are Black, 6% are Asian, and 4% are Hispanic or Latino, while women account for nearly 25% of the field. This highlights the ongoing challenge of diversity and representation within the industry. Although some progress has been made, we need to do more to create a truly inclusive profession​ (AIA)​(Architect).

This event brings together industry leaders, alumni, partners, and Wentworth students to explore the critical role of diversity and representation in shaping the future of architecture. By showcasing Wentworth’s Design Materials Fund—an initiative supporting underrepresented students and fostering innovation—the event aims to address the inequities in the profession. Thought leaders from top architecture firms and associations in Boston will share practical, actionable insights on how their organizations are driving meaningful change and why diversity is not only a matter of equity but also essential for the creative and commercial success of the architecture industry.

This event seeks to inspire and equip attendees with concrete steps they can take to make a lasting difference, encouraging collaborative efforts to promote diversity in hiring, mentorship, and project leadership. Together, we can help shape a more inclusive future for architecture.


Speakers and Panelists: 

Keynote Speaker:

DiMella Shaffer - A leading figure in Boston's architecture scene committed to equity, justice, and belonging, to discuss diversity initiatives including Wentworth’s Design Materials Fund and their impact on the profession. 

Panel Discussion: Diversity & Representation in Architecture and Design 

Moderator: 

  • Yanel de Angel, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, CPHC, PHIUS, NOMA - Principal, Managing Director at Perkins & Will and Wentworth Trustee 

Panelists: 

  • Leila Mitchell - Vice President User Experience Design, Fidelity Center for Applied Technology (FCAT)

  • Patricia Nobre - Principal and Strategy Lab Director at Gensler

  • Nicole Price, J.D. - Vice President for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Wentworth Institute of Technology

  • Robina Shepherd, IIDA - Associate and Senior Interior Designer at  Jacobs and IIDA NE VP of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

  • Tom S. Chung, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C - Principal at Leers Weinzapfel Associates

  • Danyson Tavares, Associate AIA, NOMA - Executive Director of Boston Society of Architects (BSA)

Questions
Please email bennetta5@wit.edu

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