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17 December 2010
CHICAGO– Few architecture firms get the opportunity to work with renowned
architect Renzo Piano on ground breaking design and construction of a world
iconÑin this case the new Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago, but that
is exactly what Interactive Design, Inc. (IDEA) of Chicago did. What is more
unusual, however, is that firm is helmed by Dina A. Griffin, a black womanÑin
fact one of only 262 black women architects in the US.
Griffin, however, takes it all in stride. And why shouldn't she? She is president
of a small firm that, in their words, creates designs that enrich and inspire
people's lives. The backgrounds of the IDEA staff are as diverse as the projects
that they undertake. The firm only hires licensed architects. Currently they
have 10 professionals with experience ranging from ten years to 30. Half of
the staff are womenÑa testament to Griffin's commitment to bring more diversity
into the field. Each architect specializes in a specific area of architecture--from
design for zoo enclosures to cultural, governmental and historic preservation.
Given this scenario, Interactive Design is the "can do" and "go to" firm.
Says Griffin, "The culture of our firm is very different from that of other
architectural firms. We are small and decidedly not corporate. We have no administrative
staff. We hire based on areas of expertise and personality that expand and round
out our capabilities. Each of the architects handpicks a team of consultants
that reflect the creativity and goals that we have set forth for our client."
Griffin, a graduate of the University of Illinois School of Architecture at
Urbana-Champaign, knew that she was entering a male dominated field and certainly
one that was devoid of minority women. In high school, rather than taking the
normal female-oriented courses, such as home economics, she opted to take industrial
education and learned architectural drafting. This was her introduction into
the profession. She was the only female in the class. Then, in an engineering
class at Western Illinois University, where she was not only the only female
in class, but the only person of color, a professor told her that there was
absolutely no way that she could major in architecture. He told her, "You may
as well try a less intense major". This, of course, only fueled Griffin's determination
to break barriers in the field of architecture. And that she has. In fact, Griffin
was asked to deliver the commencement speech for the University of Illinois
School of Architecture in May of 2010, where she shared her journey to the profession
and how she used her love for technology to shape her career in architecture
with the graduating class of 2010.
Griffin used her skills in computers skills to open doors in the architectural
field. She initially secured a position in the facilities department of Montgomery
Ward, which, at the time, used cutting edge technology in architecture and design.
This was the genesis of her passion for computers. She then moved on to Perkins
and Will with Andrew Heard and Associates. However, after seven months of working
there, she realized that she would be pigeon holed solely working with computer
3-D modeling and CAD drawing and feared that she would never get the on-hands
architecture experience she so needed and desired. So she brought it up with
her superior and asked that she be transferred to work "in the field" This brought
her some of the on-site construction experience she wanted; working on-site
during the construction of the International Terminal at Chicago's O'Hare Airport.
She used her improved computer skills and field work to land a position at OWP/P
(recently merged with Cannon Design) in their Corporate Interiors Group. Having
built up substantial experience both in building design and interiors, Griffin
was recruited to Interactive Design to work on a major village hall and police
station project. This was the break she had been waiting for.
She was groomed to take over the firm and in 1999 was made president. Griffin
was also president of the Illinois Chapter of National Organization of Minority
Architects (NOMA) and now sits on the boards of both the Illinois and Chicago
Chapters of the American Institute of Architects and has recently been appointed
a board member to the Leadership Advisory Committee for the Art Institute of
Chicago. Since then, Griffin and her firm have worked on a multitude of projects
including Farm in the Zoo at Lincoln Park Zoo, the Wilmette Public Library,
the Anti-Cruelty Society and, one of her favorites, St. Leo Apartments, a 14-unit
apartment building for disabled residents. Griffin relishes in the gratification
she gets through interacting and getting feedback from the residents who enjoy
the finishing touches designed by IDEA to make these apartments their homes.
In fact, given the size and composition of the firm, all of these works are
a source of pride to Griffin and her partners, firm co-founder Charles Young,
Bob Larsen and Paul Steinbrecher. IDEA has received numerous awards and accolades
for their designs, such as the 2003 Distinguished Building Award for Farm in
the Zoo by the American Institute of Architects, two Chicago Landmark Awards
for Preservation Excellence by the City of Chicago for the 2004 Washington Block
Faade Restoration, 2008 Carlson Cottage Renovation at Lincoln Park Zoo, and
the 2005 Excellence in Masonry Design Award for St. Peter Claver Courts Apartments.
They received many more for the crown jewelÑthe Modern Wing at the Art Institute
of Chicago including the 2010 Merit Award for New Construction by the Chicago
Building Congress, the Friends of Downtown 2010 Best New Cultural Space Award;
and the Midwest Construction Best of 2009 Awards for Outstanding Architectural
Function and Aesthetic and Project of the Year in the area of Cultural.
When the Modern Wing subject is broached, Griffin's eyes light up in delight.
When the firm was approached by long-standing client, The Art Institute, to
become the Architect of Record to implement the design for the new 264,000 square
foot Modern Wing by Renzo Piano, Griffin knew that this was a golden opportunity
for her firm. And, while IDEA was credited as Architect of Record, the team,
headed by Charles Young and Bob Larsen, actually worked side by side with both
the Art Institute and Renzo Piano's Building Workshop (RPBW).
Over the course of the 10-year project, the core team, including Griffin, flew
to Paris and Genoa multiple times per year to confer with RPBW. In addition
managing the project website, she was very involved in the selection of the
furniture, fixtures and equipmentÑthe final touches that help shape the visitor's
experience in the museum. "It was such an honor to work with Renzo Piano Building
Workshop and the Art Institute on The Modern Wing as it was truly a collaborative
project. Most Architects of Record do not have the opportunity to have much
input on the overall project design, so our firm was able to have an impact
on the finished product. It was very gratifying to be a part of a project that
has garnered national and international recognition and to work with someone
as acclaimed as Renzo Piano. I found him inspirational and personable, as he
was the embodiment of someone who stays true to their craft." Griffin's source
of pride from that project is seeing IDEA's name as Architect of Record etched
into the cornerstone of the Modern Wing alongside that of Renzo Piano Building
Workshop.
Despite the successes that she has experienced, Griffin is keenly aware of the
gender and racial voids in her field. Says Griffin, "I would like to see more
minorities, and specifically, more minority women in the field of architecture.
When giving lectures to students in minority institutions, I educate and encourage
them to consider architecture as a professionÑmany do not know it is even a
field of study." Additionally, her passion for technology remains unabated.
When few firms were utilizing websites as a method of communication between
disparate parties, Griffin and IDEA hosted and administered the Art Institute's
Modern Wing project site to ensure the project's confidentiality and integrity
were maintained, and that the flow of information was instantaneousÑan important
aspect considering that the design team was located in three countries. This
also proved an ingenious cost cutting move that saved the Art Institute hundreds
of thousands of dollars.
Griffin and her partners look forward to expansive new projects that take the
firm nationally and internationally. Currently, the firm is working on projects
for the University of Chicago, the Chicago Public Library, the Public Building
Commission of Chicago and the Anti-Cruelty Society. The firm also holds a term
contract for General Services Administration Region 5 enabling them to respond
to projects in a six-state area, specifically, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan,
Minnesota and Wisconsin. "When our firm logo was created, the "E" in the acronym
for our name and brand, IDEA, stood for Interactive Design ?Eight Architects.
The word IDEA speaks volumes about who we are--we have creative and inspired
IDEAS. Since that time, our staff has grown and we've taken on a multitude of
projects that have tested and expanded our wealth of talent. So the "E" has
now evolved into engaging, edgy, environments, enthused and excitingÑwords that
reflect who are as firm and the type of projects that we like to undertake.
We bring IDEAS together."
About Interactive Design:
A Chicago based architecture firm founded in 1992, Interactive Design, Inc.
(IDEA) creates environments, structures and interiors for governmental, cultural,
educational, libraries, preservation, zoological, commercial and housing entities.
IDEA is a WBE/MBE certified company. For more information, visit www.idea8.com
or call 312.482.8866.
