Gabrielle Bullock, principal and director of global diversity at architecture and design firm Perkins&Will, was sworn in Sunday as president of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA)’s international board of directors. She is the first African-American woman to preside over the world’s leading industry group for interior designers.
Bullock, who served as vice-president of IIDA’s international board from 2017-2018, has made significant contributions to the architecture and design field over the last three decades, tirelessly advocating and creating opportunities for the underrepresented.
“As one of 430, or 0.2 percent, of black female licensed architects in this country, it is my passion – and, I would argue, my moral obligation – to pursue social justice and equity through my work,” Bullock said. “I am honored, yet humbled, to serve as president of IIDA’s international board. I look forward to using this platform to continue to be a change agent, to advance the value of interior design, and to further our industry’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and engagement.”
A Change Agent
Bullock’s role as director of global diversity for the world’s second-largest architecture and design firm, when announced in 2013, was an industry-first. It quickly set off a wave of similar roles, programs, and initiatives across the design profession designed to support and promote diversity on both a micro and macro level – both in and out of the studio. Since then, Bullock has become a sought-after speaker and educator on issues related to social equity in design, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and physical and mental ability.
“The work we do is directly tied to cultural differences,” Bullock said Sunday at her induction ceremony during the IIDA’s annual meeting at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. “That’s why the design profession should mirror the community and clients we serve. We change what we design by who designs it.”
A Distinguished Career
Before becoming Perkins&Will’s director of global diversity, Bullock was the managing director of the firm’s Los Angeles office from 2005 to 2013. She was the first African-American – and first woman – to rise to the position of managing director at the firm. Prior to that, she worked in Perkins&Will’s New York studio. Over the course of her career, she has led numerous complex projects, including the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, one of the largest building projects ever completed for the University of California system.
“I learned and developed my skill in the built environment by focusing on the exterior [of buildings] and planning. But at the same time, I acknowledged and embraced the importance of interior designers, and [understood] that their talent was different,” Bullock said. “I’m not one of those architects who thinks we can do it all, that we can do both architecture and interior design. I recognize the unique skill that interior designers have, and the magic of the interdisciplinary approach.”
The ability to bridge the divide between the two design professions is one of the many distinguishing characteristics that made Bullock an ideal candidate for the role, says IIDA CEO Cheryl Durst.
“Throughout her time on the IIDA international board, Gabrielle has contributed in-depth industry knowledge, a distinct perspective, and an enduring passion for interior design and its practitioners. As the new board president, her leadership and commitment to diversity will be instrumental in our continued effort to cultivate a strong culture of inclusivity within the profession as a whole.”
个人和专业成就
布洛克于1984年毕业于罗德岛设计学院，获得美术和建筑学学位，成为第二位获得该大学建筑学位的非洲裔女性。 2014年，她被同行选为友达研究员，现为友达建筑公平委员会成员。 她是全国少数民族建筑师组织 （NOMA） 的成员，大洛杉矶女童子军的前任董事会成员，洛杉矶建筑和城市设计中心的董事会成员，以及 LEED 认证专业人员。
作为IIDA国际董事会主席，布洛克的职责包括执行国际开发协会的章程，主持所有董事会会议，确保所有命令和决议都得到执行，以及执行协会。 她于去年10月当选总统，总统任期至2019年。
自2016年以来，她一直担任IIDA董事会成员。
