The Alberti Program is supported through funding from PGAV Destinations; The Divided City: A Mellon-Funded Urban Humanities Initiative; AIA St. Louis; the Linus Foundation: St. Louis Chapter; and generous individual donors.
PGAV Destinations St. Louis-based design firm has pledged $125,000 and the volunteer time of its leading designers to support the Sam Fox School’s Alberti Program for the next five years.
“As we celebrated our 50th anniversary this year, we’ve been exploring opportunities for PGAV Destinations and our community to thrive and grow together,” said Mike Konzen, chair and principal of PGAV Destinations. “Events in Ferguson and elsewhere are a reminder that career opportunities are not equal for all residents of our community, and partnering with the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts and Washington University’s Alberti Program is an ideal opportunity to share our passion with segments of our community that have limited resources, and inspire growth.”
The Alberti Program was launched in 2006 under the guidance of Bruce Lindsey, former dean of the Sam Fox School College of Architecture and Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design. “Architecture, at its core, is about learning to shape one’s environment. It’s powerful, energizing, and inspiring,” said Lindsey, who serves as the E. Desmond Lee Professor for Community Collaboration. “Alberti students learn about sustainability, and they learn to solve problems with multiple variables. They learn to collaborate and come up with solutions. They build self-confidence and experience the joy of making things together.”
“This new partnership with PGAV will be critical to expanding our abilities to provide opportunities for more young people and promote great diversity across the architecture profession,” Lindsey added.
The Alberti Program, now in Partnership with PGAV Destinations, is led by faculty and students in the Sam Fox School who facilitate lectures by guest speakers, field trips, and projects promoting hands-on exploration. Over the years, Alberti has drawn students from 145 regional elementary, middle, and high schools.
Since the spring of 2016, PGAV Destinations designers have volunteered as lecturers and mentors, as well as host students at the firm’s St. Louis headquarters.
“PGAV’s people are passionate in so many ways: passionate about our professional practice, passionate about conservation and our planet, and passionate about helping others,” Konzen said. “Our new partnership with the Alberti Program is an incredible way to share that passion in our community, and open doors for others to pursue a career in architecture and design.”