For Immediate Release: May 7, 2009
Media Contacts: Emma Filar, Marketing & Communications Associate
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APA and NBM Recognize 100th Anniversary of the First National Planning Conference
Afternoon Symposium, 1909 – 2109: Sustaining the Value of American Planning, to be held on May 21 at the National Building Museum
Washington, D.C. — To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the First National Planning Conference in America, the American Planning Association (APA) and the National Building Museum will co-present a symposium on May 21, 2009 that looks at the past, present, and future of planning sustainable cities. Confirmed speakers for the Symposium include The Honorable Adolfo Carrión, Jr., director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs and Columbia's Ambassador to the United States Her Excellency Carolina Barco.
The Symposium is part of the Museum's Green Community exhibition, which highlights communities where citizens, political leaders, planning and design professionals, developers, and government agencies are working together for a more sustainable future. Exactly one century after the First National Planning Conference was held in Washington, D.C., 1909-2109: Sustaining the Lasting Value of American Planning brings together federal officials, planners, academics, and grassroots advocates who will focus on the successes and challenges of America's first 100 years of planning and designing sustainable communities.
APA Executive Director and CEO W. Paul Farmer, FAICP, said, "We can point to many significant accomplishments in those 100 years—some of which can truly carry the "sustainable" label. But as we enter our second century, we also have a new preoccupation: the nation's pressing need to deal with climate change, diminishing water resources, and, of course, to find renewable sources of energy."
With this concept in mind, speakers will explore today's state of planning and present timely solutions for designing the next 100 years of sustainable growth. They will also provide real world examples of how citizens are directly affecting social and environmental change in their neighborhoods. There is growing consensus that it is necessary to convince political leaders and our fellow citizens that thoughtful planning is essential to reducing our energy consumption and carbon footprint, which impact climate change. "As we plan for the future we must consider how we can create green communities that encourage density, multiple transit options, walkable communities, and the conservation of natural resources including open space, water, and clean air," said Scott Kratz, Vice President for Education, National Building Museum.
Keynote speaker Carolina Barco, a former director of the City Planning Department in Bogotá and adviser to the Ministries of Development, Culture, and Environment, as well as to the National Planning Department and the Office of the Mayor of Bogotá, will provide an international perspective on planning in her address. Adolfo Carrión, Jr., closes the Symposium with a speech on the role of the federal government in creating green communities. Elinor R. Bacon, president of E.R. Bacon Development, will moderate the Symposium. She has more than 30 years experience in housing, real estate, and community development in the public and private sectors.
Planners help communities meet the challenges of growing populations, new technologies, and the need to conserve natural resources and create healthier, more efficient neighborhoods. The 100th Anniversary of the First Planning Conference provides an opportunity to examine the context of planning—performing the key function of planning history: to illuminate the past in order to explain the present and inform the future.
Event Information
1909 – 2109: Sustaining the Value of American Planning
Thursday, May 21, 2009 / 2:00 – 6:15 pm
Prepaid registration required. $20 Museum and APA members; FREE for Students; $35 Non-members. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.nbm.org or call 202.272.2448.
Continuing Education: 4.0 LU (AIA) / 4.0 CM (AICP) / 4.0 CE (ASLA)
1909 – 2109: Sustaining the Lasting Value of American Planning is co-presented by the National Building Museum and the American Planning Association as part of the Green Community exhibition.
The presenting sponsor of Green Community is the American Planning Association. Major funding is provided by The American Public Transportation Association; The Nathan Cummings Foundation; Discovery Communications; U.S. Department of Energy; James G. Davis Construction Corporation; RTKL Associates Inc.; The Tower Companies; U.S. Green Building Council; and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; among others. The Sustainable Communities Lecture Series is sponsored by United Technologies Corporation. McGraw-Hill Construction is the official media partner. Sustainability initiatives at the National Building Museum are generously supported by The Home Depot Foundation.
About the National Building Museum
The National Building Museum is America's leading cultural institution dedicated to exploring and celebrating architecture, design, engineering, construction, and planning. Chartered by Congress in 1980 and open to the public since 1985, the Museum has become a vital forum for exchanging ideas and information about the built environment through its exhibitions, education programs, and publications. The Museum is located at 401 F Street NW, Washington, DC. Museum hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. Admission is free. Museum Shop. Café. Public inquiries: 202.272.2448 or visit www.nbm.org.
About the American Planning Association
The American Planning Association and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, are dedicated to advancing the art, science and profession of good planning—physical, economic and social—so as to create communities that offer better choices for where and how people work and live. APA's 44,500 members help create communities of lasting value and encourage civic leaders, business interests, and citizens to play a meaningful role in creating communities that enrich people's lives. APA has offices in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, IL. For more information, visit its website at www.planning.org.
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The National Building Museum is America’s leading cultural institution dedicated to advancing the quality of the built environment by educating people about its impact on their lives. Through its exhibitions, educational programs, online content, and publications, the Museum has become a vital forum for the exchange of ideas and information about the world we build for ourselves. Public inquiries: 202.272.2448 or visit www.nbm.org. Connect with us on Twitter: @BuildingMuseum and Facebook.
