January 6th, 2021 will forever be remembered as a dark day in our American history. I stood, paced, and cried in horror as I watched the events of this day unfold on the screen in front of me. As the AIA South Dakota Advocacy committee chair, and a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, I watched a siege happen in our America, the land of the free. As an architect, I watched windows smashed, ledges climbed, historical paintings and sculptures vandalized.
Our history.
As former First Lady Michelle Obama stated, “They desecrated the center of American government.”
Going forward, we must repair. As the members of Congress so bravely continued in their mission that night, we must as well continue to repair – the Capitol and our relationships with each other as Americans, for equity and justice for all.
See below for how architectural and art curators reacted to the potential damages to our history that happened on this day.
Allison Dvorak, AIA, CPHC, is a member of the AIA South Dakota Board of Directors, liaison to the Emerging Professionals and Communication committees, and an architect in Sioux Falls. She received her M.Arch from North Dakota State University and continues to develop her Master’s thesis of researching and implementing design theories focused on human centered design through speaking engagements, design practice, and one-on-one client education. Allison lives in Sioux Falls with her husband, son and daughter.