Architecture firms urged to move beyond self-promotion toward public education

Sean Joyner, a writer from Los Angeles, contends that major architecture firms have the potential to inform the public about the built environment, moving beyond mere self-promotion. His writings have been featured in publications such as The Architect's Newspaper, Architect, Dwell, and Archinect. Joyner highlights a long-standing hesitance within the profession to engage in advertising, tracing it back to the AIA's ethical guidelines established in 1909. Although antitrust measures in the 1970s resulted in complex communication systems, he argues that these primarily serve to reinforce firm identities. He compares this to historical corporate communications like The Furrow by John Deere (1895) and the Michelin Guide. Joyner advocates for firms to showcase buildings in use over time, enhancing public comprehension of architecture's impact on daily life while still attracting commissions.