Baltimore Chapter of the American Institute of Architects collection

The Baltimore Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Collection (BAIA) consists of three major series: 1) Internal Organizational Affairs; 2) Activities, Programs, Publications; 3) Membership Affairs. A universal arrangement scheme is not followed throughout the collection. Arrangement of each series and subseries follows the order most appropriate to the material organized and reflects as much as possible the original arrangement of materials.

Series I: Internal Organizational Affairs, 1947-1993 (Boxes 1-24, 242 folders)

This series contains documents and correspondence pertaining to the organization, management, and operation of BAIA. The series includes files pertaining to the organization’s structure and by-laws, material from the national AIA and regional AIA chapter affairs, legal and financial affairs, and files of material from executive directors, presidents, the executive committee of the board of directors, the board of directors, chapter meetings, and committees.

Subseries 1: Organizational Structure and By-laws, 1947-1989 (Box 1, 12 folders)

This subseries contains chapter by-laws as well as drafts, revisions, correspondence, and planning documents. It also contains lists of officers, directors, and past presidents, as well as a Report on the Future of the Chapter.

Subseries 2: National AIA Affairs, 1956-1985 (Box 2, 13 folders)

This subseries contains material produced by and pertaining to the AIA national organization. Included are copies of by-laws, committees and organization committee structure, organizing material, material pertaining to governmental affairs, and policy statements.

Subseries 3: Regional Affairs, 1954-1989 (Boxes 3-5, 28 folders)

This subseries contains material pertaining to the affairs of regional AIA chapters. Included are meeting minutes, by-laws, correspondence, memoranda, membership rosters, and newsletters. Chapters represented include: Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Valley, Delaware, Maryland, Mid-Atlantic, Northern Virginia, and Potomac. This subseries is ordered alphabetically by regional organization name.

Subseries 4: Legal Affairs, 1964-1987 (Boxes 6-7, 20 folders)

This subseries contains material relating to legal affairs of the BAIA. It includes legal briefs, ‘Friend of the Court’ filings, a court transcript, material concerning licensing professional policies, material concerning political contributions, and material concerning professional liability. This subseries contains court documents, news clipping, BAIA memoranda, and correspondence concerning the legal case against and subsequent suspension of Paul, Thomas, and William Gaudreau of Gaudreau, Inc. and the related legal proceedings against Baltimore County Executive, Dale Anderson. Material concerning the Gaudreau and Anderson cases can be found in with news clippings and press release files in Publications (Series II, Subseries 3) and in Executive Files, Board Files, and General Correspondence (Series I, Subseries 6, 7, and 9). This subseries is ordered alphabetically by folder title.

Subseries 5: Financial Affairs, 1954-1990 (Boxes 8-9, 29 folders)

This subseries contains BAIA budgets, financial reports, income statements, insurance policies, lease agreements, ledgers, income and expense statements, and tax returns as well as notes, memoranda, and correspondence. Also included are photographs of and plans for office space used by BAIA at various locations.

Subseries 6: Executive Files, 1964-1993 (Boxes 10-13, 29 folders)

This subseries contains the office files and correspondence of BAIA executive directors and presidents. Included are correspondence, memoranda, diaries, minutes, agendas, notes, and reports. This subseries contains three types of files: office binder files from the office of the executive director, executive correspondence from both executive directors and presidents, and executive director diaries. Material in each of these categories is ordered chronologically. Executive directors and presidents with significant representation include: Michael Bolinger, James Edmunds, David Gleason, Jim Grieves, Allen C. Hopkins, Karen Lewand, Parker Matthai, Joan Shipley, Ann Stacey, Jane Sterrett, Glen Tipton, and Steve Ziger. Most of the files in this subseries are from 1981-1993. Those interested in correspondence of BAIA executives should also consult other subseries, such as Financial Affairs, Legal Affairs, Board Files, and General Correspondence, in this series.

Subseries 7: Board Files, 1959-1992 (Boxes 14-16, 35 folders)

This subseries contains records of BAIA Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. Included are agendas, meeting minutes, lists of officers, and committee reports. This subseries is ordered chronologically.

Subseries 8: Chapter Meeting Files, 1965-1991 (Box 17, 7 folders to Box 18, folders 1-4)

This subseries contains notes, minutes, agendas, publicity, and correspondence pertaining to BAIA chapter meetings. This subseries is ordered chronologically.

Subseries 9: General Correspondence, 1957-1988 (Box 18, folders 5-9 to Box 19, 9 folders)

This subseries contains correspondence, preparatory notes for and commentary on correspondence, and objects, such as reports, proposals, and news articles, that are the subjects of correspondence. Correspondence from 1957 to 1964 focuses almost exclusively on the BAIA publication Architect’s Report. Correspondence from 1973 to 1988 covers a variety of topics and is signed by BAIA presidents, executive directors, executive secretaries, and committee chairs from that period. This subseries is ordered chronologically.

Subseries 10: Committees, 1952-1992 (Boxes 20-24, 51 folders)

This subseries contains the files of particular BAIA committees. Material in these files includes minutes, agendas, notices, rosters correspondence, and other material pertinent to committee business. Committees are both standing and ad hoc. Committees with significant materials include: Advocacy, Awards, By-laws, Continuing Education, Crisis, Cultural Advisory, Design, Government Relations, Industry Relations, Legislative Affairs, Membership, Newsletter, Planning, Practice, and Urban Design. Material pertaining to BAIA committees may be found elsewhere in the collection. For example, Awards Committee material is found in Awards files in Series II, Membership Committee material is found with Membership Affairs files in Series III, and Publication Committee material is found Publications files in Series II. This subseries is ordered alphabetically by committee name and thereunder chronologically.

Series II: Activities, Sponsored Programs, Publications, 1952-1993 (Boxes 25-44, 224 folders)

This series contains material documenting the professional activities of BAIA. Included are activities primarily for professional architects, such as awards and competitions, seminars, lectures and lecture series, and social events; activities designed for the general public, such as walking tours of Baltimore neighborhoods; cooperative enterprises with other organizations and government agencies; and publications of the BAIA.

Subseries 1: Awards and Competitions, 1960-1990 (Boxes 25-29, 45 folders)

This subseries contains material related to architectural design awards and competitions. Some, such as the Design Awards, are sponsored solely by BAIA. Others, such as the Baltimore Magazine Residential Design Awards, are co-sponsored. Included in the files are competition entries, including in some instances photographs and slides; administrative material, such as records, correspondence, financial documents, and publicity; documentation of winning entries, including photographs, newspaper accounts, and magazine articles. Most of this subseries is devoted to Design Awards, Baltimore Magazine Residential Design Awards, and Honor Awards. Also included are files on Chapter Service Awards, the Inner Harbor Design Competition, Rock Creek Building Competition, the National Aquarium Design Competition, and other competitions. The subseries is arranged alphabetically by competition or award name, and thereunder chronologically.

Subseries 2: Cooperative Enterprises, 1953-1991 (Boxes 30-33, 60 folders)

This subseries contains records documenting activities carried out by BAIA in cooperation with other organizations and government agencies. Numerous organizations and government agencies are represented in this subseries, including universities, minority businesses, the American Society for Interior Design, Citizens’ Planning and Housing Association, the national AIA, the Maryland Historical Society, and the Maryland Historic Trust. Among the projects documented are the Camden Yards Project, Historic Preservation Guidelines, purchase of the Latrobe Portrait and Collection by the Maryland Historical Society, the Morgan State University Environmental Design Program, Neighborhood Design Center, Johns Hopkins University Continuing Education Seminars, Urban Design Center, and a Proposal for the Reorganization of the Professional Program in Architecture at the University of Maryland, College Park. The subseries is arranged alphabetically by either project title or the name of the cooperating organization.

Subseries 3: Publications, 1952-1993 (Boxes 34-37, 49 folders to Box 38, folders 1-4)

This series contains publications produced by BAIA. Included are issues of the Annual Report, BAIA Bulletin, Broadsheet, Broadside, BAIA Newsletter, Memo, and Member’s Resource Catalog. The subseries also contains press releases prepared by BAIA and news clippings concerning BAIA activities. The subseries is arranged alphabetically by publication title and thereunder chronologically.

Subseries 4: Sponsored Programs and Events, 1963-1992 (Box 38, folders 5-10 to Boxes 39-44, 64 folders)

This subseries contains files documenting programs and events sponsored by BAIA. Programs and events include AIA Fellowship program, Architects’ Week, BAIA Bookstore, lectures and lecture series, seminars, social events, and Women’s Architects’ League. Documents include program brochures, fliers, and notices, as well as correspondence and documents used in planning events and programs. The subseries is arranged alphabetically by program or event title and thereunder chronologically.

Series III: Membership Affairs, 1927-1989 (Boxes 49-53, 286 folders and two ledgers)

This series contains documents relating to members and membership in BAIA. Included are individual member files, files on membership issues and special classes of membership, and dues ledgers. Subseries 1 and Subseries 2 of this Series contain substantially the same types of records, but differ in organization and dates as noted below.

Subseries 1: Member Files, 1927-1967 (Boxes 45-48, 240 folders)

This subseries contains files on individual members from 1927-1967 (with the bulk from 1954-1967) and 1984-1989. Files within each of these date ranges are ordered alphabetically by member name. Each member has a separate folder with application and correspondence pertaining to membership as well as resignations, terminations and other membership matters. Records documenting individual members for the years not covered in this subseries may be found in the next subseries.

Subseries 2: Membership Issues, 1956-1989 (Boxes 49-53, 46 folders)

This subseries contains files relating to applications for regular, associate, and corporate memberships; files on deceased members; membership directories and rosters; and files on resignations and transfer of membership. Most of the records are from 1968 to 1985. Documents include applications, correspondence, and records of official BAIA actions as they relate to membership. The subseries is arranged alphabetically by folder title and thereunder chronologically. Records for individual members from years preceding and succeeding those found in this subseries can be found in the previous subseries.

Subseries 3: Dues Ledgers, 1967-1969 (Box 54, 2 hardbound dues ledgers)

This subseries contains ledgers recordings of dues payments made by regular and associate members from 1967-1969.