Chan of Chan Krieger Sieniewicz elected 75th president of BSA

Lawrence Chan, FAIA has taken office as the 75th president of the Boston Society of Architects (BSA), which this year celebrates its 143rd anniversary as the oldest and one of the nation's largest and most active branches of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). He succeeds James Batchelor, FAIA of Arrowstreet. Chan is a founding principal of Chan Krieger Sieniewicz, an award-winning architecture and urban-design firm in Harvard Sq. Highly regarded for its work on significant community and civic projects, Chan Krieger Sieniewicz's clients include national, state and local government agencies, universities and secondary schools, and medical institutions. "As an architect, I am committed not just to well-designed buildings, but also to the public spaces they shape and the communities they serve," said Chan. "Architects are trained to be optimistic, believing we can make society better through a collaborative design process that considers and improves the broader context in which specific projects are realized. The role I envision for the BSA presidency is a natural extension of this philosophy." "During the first decade of the 21st century, we have experienced changes—including a sea change in the country's presidency, an unprecedented modern economic crisis and an environmental calamity of global magnitude—that will dramatically affect our daily lives and suggest major shifts, challenges and opportunities in the years ahead," said Chan. "Collaboration in the design and construction industry has become more important than ever. As a society that includes the active participation of more than 2,000 non-architect members in its 5,000-member organization, the BSA is in a unique position as a convener to bring architects and non-architects together to serve the profession, affiliated collaborators and the general public." Chan is a member of the Society of Campus and University Planning and serves on the Design Professional Advisory Committee at Wentworth Institute of Technology's Department of Architecture. He received a Master of Architecture degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Architecture in Urban Design degree from Harvard University.