arcCA and the AIACC take this opportunity to recognize the leadership and devotion of Carol Shen, FAIA, chair of the arcCA editorial board. A member of the board since 1994, Carol has served as its chair since 1996. In this position, she has dedicated herself to improving the integrity and vitality of the journal. Her contagious enthusiasm has provided a new direction for the magazine while preserving the thoughtful and distinctive dialogue that has become the journal’s signature trademark. Carol’s collaborative approach has fostered a synergy among the editorial board, staff, contributing writers, and editor, making each issue more provocative than the last.
From its meager beginning in 1982 as a 32 page, black and white publication with few advertisements, the magazine has gone through several transformations. For a few years, it flirted with full color, more advertisements, and more editorial pages, with six issues a year. In 1990, advertising (which had become a financial drain, rather than a resource) was eliminated, and Architecture California began publishing twice yearly in a modest but thoughtful, 6″ x 9″ format, meeting the challenge, as described by then editorial board chair, Barton Phelps, FAIA, of producing “a meatier, better written, more informative magazine at less expense.” This format, with engaging articles on themes ranging from “Government and Practice” to “The California Coast,” flourished for a decade.
In 2000, under Carol’s and the editorial board’s leadership, AIACC undertook another renovation, the results of which you hold in your hands. Architecture California received a new name—arcCA—a new look, and an increase in frequency and content. A key factor precipitating these changes was the desire for a partner for the publication. Now published quarterly by McGraw-Hill Construction, the publication is more financially stable and less dependent on dues support.
These changes came with a price. The name change gave Architecture California a fresh start, a new life, and a new look, but it also brought the challenge of “branding” this new identity. The design of the publication, which has earned it numerous national awards since its transformation, requires a significant investment in design talent. To support the graphic design effort, Carol and ELS Architecture and Urban Design stepped forward with a $10,000 sponsorship, raised with $6500 in seed money for the enormously successful arcCA t-shirt campaign, which Carol personally managed.
The magazine’s perseverance through tough times to become an award winning publication reflects the outstanding character of the men and women whose vision of excellence it reflects. In its current form, the magazine has a publisher, an editor, and its own graphic designer, but its focus and editorial content are set by the editorial board, comprised of architects and public members from across California. Carol leads this board with determined good humor, welcoming diverse voices while maintaining the highest critical standards.
One editorial board member sums it up: “Carol Shen’s effort to develop a business plan to assure the survival and long term success of the magazine has been most impressive. At the same time, she has maintained the principle that the magazine should remain scholarly, addressing often overlooked issues critical to the profession. Even the design look of the new arcCA has Carol’s imprint and personality behind it—elegant, graphically current without being glossy fluff. The clarity, simplicity, and diversity of the editorial board and of the journal stem from Carol’s pivotal role. She brings great warmth and collegiality to the effort—a great leader!”
Originally published 2nd quarter 2003, in arcCA 03.2, “Global Practice.”
