Inspire Speakers Series presents: Building Intentionally and Inclusively

In the context of the built environment, the notion of “everyone is welcome” is different from “we built this for and with you in mind.” Green Building Alliance is honored to present internationally recognized architect and universal design advocate Chris Downey, who lost his sight in 2008 and whose transformative work is reshaping design for the visually impaired; inclusivity trailblazer Kimberly Lewis-Inkumsah, Executive Vice President, Equity, Engagement & Events, International WELL Building Institute; and local innovators who are centering accessibility, beauty, and human health at the heart of public spaces and places. 

Join us at MuseumLab®, a living example of inclusive, sustainable design, and explore how the built environment can integrate design strategies that not only accommodate physical needs and requirements but also make everyone feel that they belong and are welcome.

Guests will enjoy food and drink, and the evening will include time for conversation and networking. A speaker-led panel discussion will follow the presentation. Panelists will answer questions from our moderator as well as questions provided by the audience. Childcare will also be available.

Date: February 20, 2025

Time: Doors open 5 pm; lectures begin at 6 pm

Ticket price:      GBA Members, Students, Educators & Nonprofits: $25

Non-members: $40

Ticket + Scholarship Donation: Please consider adding a tax-deductible scholarship donation to your ticket purchase.

Purchase tickets here: gba.org/events/

Featured Speaker

Chris Downey, Architect, Architecture for the Blind

Chris Downey, AIA, has over 35 years of experience as an architect — continuing without sight since 2008. Leveraging this altered perspective as a differentiating strength, he now specializes in projects for blind and low-vision populations along with the broader disability community, as well as cultural, transit and technology projects. Chris also serves on the California Commission on Disability Access, teaches accessibility and universal design at University of California, Berkeley, and speaks internationally.

Projects include the UPMC Vision and Rehabilitation Institute at UPMC Mercy Pavilion, Pittsburgh; Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, San Francisco; Sustainability Pavilion, Dubai; and Salesforce Transit Center, San Francisco. His TED Talk, Design with the Blind in Mind, is available on YouTube.

“It’s not that I’m a better architect for blind people because I’m blind myself, it’s simply that after losing my sight, I have such an appreciation for the richness that a multisensory architectural experience creates. When we take all of the senses into account, it makes for a better experience, not just for the visually impaired, but for everyone.”

— Chris Downey, interview, UPMC Health Beat, UPMC Vision and Rehabilitation Hospital project

Chris Downey has over 35 years of experience as an architect — continuing without sight since 2008. Leveraging this altered perspective as a differentiating strength, he now specializes in projects for blind and low-vision populations along with the broader disability community, as well as cultural, transit and technology projects.

 Appointed as the inaugural UC Berkeley, Department of Architecture Lifchez Visiting Professor of Practice in Social Justice in Design, Chris was honored in 2022 to be the first blind architect known to have taught a graduate architecture studio in the United States. He also serves as chair of the California Commission on Disability Access and served for 11 years on the Board of Directors for the San Francisco LightHouse for the Blind, including four years as its chair. Chris has been featured in numerous media stories including “60 Minutes,” has exhibited internationally including at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and speaks internationally — his TED talk “Design with the Blind in Mind” has been viewed more than one million times. In all that he does, Chris weaves his personal and professional experience with sight loss to creatively and respectfully establish a sense of resilience, hope and delight through the power of design — whether it is seen or not.

Moderator and Speaker

Kimberly Lewis-Inkumsah, Executive Vice President, Equity, Engagement & Events, International WELL Building Institute (IWBI)

A catalyst and executive leader championing diversity, equity, and inclusion as the center of the health, wellbeing, and sustainability, Kimberly will kick off the evening with an introduction to the WELL Equity Rating system, providing insight into how design and policy with the edges of the population in mind can benefit the whole.

The WELL Building Standard™ is a vehicle for buildings and organizations to deliver more thoughtful and intentional spaces that enhance human health and well-being. WELL v2 includes a set of strategies—backed by the latest scientific research—that aim to advance human health through design interventions and operational protocols and policies and foster a culture of health and well-being.

As Executive Vice President, Equity, Engagement & Events for the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), Kimberly champions the return on investment and opportunity cost for investing in a more inclusive culture for organizations, buildings and communities worldwide.  She co-chaired IWBI’s Health Equity Advisory team, along with 200 advisors collaborating to build the WELL Equity rating to address health inequities in buildings, businesses and communities around the world.

Formerly Senior Vice President of Market Transformation and Development, North America, for the US Green Building Council (USGBC), Kimberly directed USGBC’s 40 local community advancement teams (Chapters) along with members, volunteers and emerging professionals delivering on the USGBC mission to improve the quality of life for all through more sustainable buildings, cities, and communities worldwide. Kimberly’s love for people stems from a solid base of faith and family. A movement builder, she developed the award winning Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, which under her guidance became the largest sustainability conference in the world.  Recognizing the journey of women in the built environment, Kimberly fights for gender equality, and is the creator of the global Women in Green (WIG) mentorship program.

Speaker

Anne Fullenkamp, Senior Director of Creative Experiences, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh / MuseumLab 

Located adjacent to the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh in the historic 1890 Carnegie Library, MuseumLab served as the first test project for the Innovative Solutions for Universal Design (isUD) standard. Anne leads Universal Design practices on the Museum campus and is working with cultural organizations in Pittsburgh to advise on best practices for updating physical amenities to help make the city a hub for accessibility in the arts. Anne will discuss how the user-centered isUD program goes above and beyond ADA building practices to improve human performance, health and wellness, and social participation.

MuseumLab offers growing kids experiences in art, tech and making. The creation of MuseumLab required renovating the building to reveal much of its original 1890 archways, columns and mosaic floors, and designing a unique space that honors the past while welcoming the future. The project achieved LEED® Gold status for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions in areas including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. MuseumLab received the Dezeen Award 2020 for Civic and Cultural Interior of the Year.

With nearly 25 years of experience in the museum design and architectural fields, Anne is responsible for design and execution of museum experiences at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. She oversees the Museum’s permanent exhibits and collections, artist residencies, traveling exhibit program, design consulting and other business development programs, leading complex design teams consisting of artists, scientists and researchers. Since joining the Museum of Pittsburgh in 2006, Anne has served as lead designer, contributing to the on-going development of the Museum’s Play with Real Stuff design philosophy for informal learning environments that advocates for authenticity in all museum experiences. In addition, she is leading the Museum’s universal design initiative, working with cultural organizations in Pittsburgh to advise on best practices for updating physical amenities to help make the city a hub for accessibility in the arts.

As part of this work, she was part of the team to coordinate the implementation of Universal Design practices on the Museum campus, that resulted in MuseumLab, a major capital project on campus, receiving isUD certification from the University at Buffalo, School of Architecture and Planning’s Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access (IDEA Center). Anne is the point person for ongoing research with the IDEA Center in the application of universal design principles on the Children’s Museum campus. Likewise, she has received training from the IDEA Center in the practice of universal design and continues to pursue continuing education opportunities in the discipline. Anne’s work in inclusive design practices has expanded to include her design consulting work with k-12 schools. As part of the Museum’s vision to transform education, Anne serves as an experience consultant for school districts, teachers and architects to help maximize the informal learning opportunities within the formal school environment, focusing specifically on the convergence of social-emotional learning and STEAM curriculum with overall health and wellbeing of the school community.

Speaker

Brandon Riley, Director of Community Projects and Engagement, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy 

The Frick Environmental Center newest addition, the Outdoor Discovery Space and Sensory Trail will be a first-of-its-kind space in a public park in Pittsburgh. Encompassing three acres adjacent to the Frick Environmental Center, the site will feature an accessible 1/3-mile trail that will wind through the woodlands, with discovery stations along the way that encourage visitors to pause and participate in activities that promote nature-based learning and engage the senses. Gathering spots will allow visitors to the site to rest, reflect, and reap the benefits of time outdoor

Using this project as a case-study, Brandon will guide the audience through the importance of in-depth community engagement, how feedback and shared experiences can impact design, as well as addressing the physical limits of a space while still providing an inclusive experience.

After graduating from Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture, Brandon spent more than 17 years working almost exclusively on parks and public open space projects. He has seen the positive impact that parks have on communities and individuals, and he is driven by the opportunity to create places that enrich people’s lives. As Director of Community Projects and Engagement at the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Brandon brings his passion and expertise to help create transformative spaces for communities throughout Pittsburgh.

Speaker

Renee Piechocki, Artist, Founder Pittsburgh Office of Public Art

Renee Piechocki is passionate about developing projects and initiatives to engage artists and communities in the public realm, and has provided technical assistance and public art planning services to nonprofit organizations, municipalities, community development corporations, artists, and others across the United States.  She founded Pittsburgh’s Office of Public Art (now Shiftworks) in 2005 and served as director until 2017.  Under her leadership, OPA produced more than 50 works of permanent and temporary public art and developed ongoing commissioning programs with entities in the public and private sector including the Allegheny County Airport Authority, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, Neighborhood Allies, and Community Builders, Inc. She developed the framework and implemented Office of Public Art Residencies, which pairs artists and community based organizations to develop a creative project. Previously she was facilitator the Public Art Network, the national service program in the field of public art, (2000-2004); studio manager for Vito Acconci (1998-2000); and project manager for the City of New York’s Percent for Art Program (1994-1998).

Green Building Alliance is proud to offer scholarships and travel reimbursement for residents of the Hazelwood, Homewood, and Hill District. Please contact the event organizer to request an event scholarship or transportation reimbursement.     

More about Inspire Speakers Series 

Green Building Alliance has welcomed more than 100 national and local speakers to the Inspire Speakers Series stage since 2012. This beloved series has shared the perspectives of nationally and internationally recognized thought leaders, designers, writers, artists, activists, students and many more in an intimate setting aimed, with a vision for creating lasting change.

For more information about the Inspire Speakers Series, sponsorship opportunities, or other ways to get involved, please contact Destiny Knetzer.

Green Building Alliance thanks the PA Department of Environmental Protection and Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh for their support in making this event possible.