Three high-profile representatives from the American Institute of Architects – Mr. Joel Mills, Senior Director of the American Institute of Architects; Ms. Erin Simmons, Senior Director of Design Assistance – Center for Communities at the American Institute of Architects; and Mr Wayne Feiden, Director of Planning & Sustainability for the City of Northampton, Massachusetts – have visited FCC to explore opportunities for supporting FCC in planning the city.
During the first two days (22nd & 23rd January) of their week long visit, the representatives of AIA met with ward councillors and senior council officials, funding agencies and MDAs, including the Ministry of Lands, the Ministry of Transport & Aviation, and the Monument & Relics Commission.
They also had a site tour of the city before engaging with architects practicing in Sierra Leone to share ideas on placemaking, creating public spaces and CBD regeneration around the proposed cable car stations which will be the primary focus of their collaboration with FCC.
This visit from the AIA is a preliminary engagement. A larger multidisciplinary AIA team will now be constituted for a longer working visit to Freetown as FCC progresses with the detailed feasibility studies required by funders for the proposed Freetown Cable Car system.
We are grateful for the generous pro-bono support being offered to FCC by the American Institute of Architects and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership.
