Thanks to an inspiring interview thin morning with Tim Culvahouse, I came across a great report published last July:
"The 2011 Latrobe Prize, awarded to a group of architectural researchers for their study titled, “Public Interest Practices in Architecture” has completed their research and published the findings.
...The study investigated the needs that can be addressed by public interest practices and the variety of ways that public interest practices are operating.
You can access the comprehensive report on this research here: www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/aia/documents/document/aiab099531.pdf
...Among the findings of the report is that public interest design is transforming architectural practices. This transformation to a more public interest model can be seen as a wide-spread response to the concern that the conventional model of practice responds solely to the paying client, limiting the profession’s capacity to address the problems of our time.
The report concludes with five recommendations:
1. Embrace and support a transformed profession
2. Communicate the profession’s public service values
3. Facilitate best public interest practices and strategies
4. Expand existing and attract new funding sources
5. Educate students and professionals about public interest design."