Name: Brenna Martin-Shaffer
Firm: Gensler
Family: Kevin, Hazel (7), and Kai (5)
Years in practice: 14
Education: Master of Architecture, University of Pennsylvania; Bachelor of Architecture and Minor in Dance, Penn State University
Project you’re proudest of: FNB Financial Center is nearing completion and the vision for the Lower Hill Redevelopment as a connector, catalyst, and destination is becoming reality! I’m looking forward to seeing how the work that we are doing today builds momentum for continued growth in the Greater Hill District.
Favorite tool: Construction calculator – the math needs to math!
Favorite building: On my bucket list is to visit every Olympic host city and experience the legacy of Olympic architecture on the built environment. The architecture of these venues provides a window into the most salient values of a local culture and our shared humanity at a particular moment in time. The post-games fate of these structures is even more fascinating and unique to each city. That said, I very much appreciate Frei Otto’s 1972 Munich Olympic Stadium – past and present.
Favorite outdoor space: The Art Institute of Chicago South Garden
Architect you’d like to have coffee with: Lina Bo Bardi, Yvonne Farrell, Shelley McNamara, and Walter Netsch
If you hadn’t become an architect, what would you have been? Materials Scientist
The secret to my success: I love what I do.
Advice to young architects: Question everything.
Architectural quote to practice by: “When I am working on a problem, I never think about its beauty, I just think about how to solve the problem, but when I finish it, if the solution is not beautiful… then I know it’s wrong” – Buckminster Fuller
What were your top takeaways from Next to Lead? When the AIA introduced the inaugural Next to Lead program, I immediately knew that I wanted to be part of it. The program challenged us to explore our own authentic approach to leadership, envision a more equitable profession, and develop strategies for affecting positive change. Our cohort of 17 women understood that to fully engage in these barrier-breaking and vulnerable conversations we needed to have unwavering trust in one another. The sustained focus on strengthening our relationships was foundational to the success of the program and we’ve developed lasting bonds that will undoubtedly endure throughout the entirety of our careers. Our time in the program has ended, but we continue to nurture these friendships with the sharing of life events, the amplification of one another’s achievements, resolute support, and shared optimism for a bright future.
Why is it important to see diversity in leadership? We need to first acknowledge the erasure of women, particularly women of color, in architecture. The minimization of the contributions of women of color to the profession throughout history and the overwhelming focus on Western work perpetuates the false narrative that architectural excellence is a pursuit that is only accessible to a select, predetermined few. Diverse architects are critically questioning these narratives and rethinking the profession every day – not how we can better fit into the systems that are established, but how we can fundamentally transform practices that are intentionally exclusionary. The benefits of diverse leadership teams have been widely acknowledged in nearly all industries, and the persistent lack of diversity in architectural leaders does not bode well for the sustained relevance of the profession as we know it.
How can architects better support ethnically diverse women in the field? Allyship, mentorship, sponsorship, education, amplification, and genuine respect for perspectives different from your own is a great place to start!
Applications for AIA’s 2024 Next to Lead program are now open. Next to Lead is the first program of its kind to support association leadership for ethnically diverse women aspiring to be leaders of the AIA. Racially and ethnically diverse women who are AIA members and have at least five years of experience in architecture are invited to apply for the upcoming program, which will kick-off in September 2024 and conclude in June 2025. Learn more and apply here by August 13.