Speakers

Melissa Meyer, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP BD+C holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture and a Master of Architecture from the North Carolina State University College of Design. For more than three decades, she has provided design and technical services to AIA members and the general public while pursuing her passion for community-oriented design, including architecture for urban communities in transition and civic buildings that represent the identity of a place. She is committed to the creation of human-scaled environments that respond to their context, serve the common good, stand the test of time, and promote a return to quality craftsmanship.

As a LEED AP in Building Design and Construction, best known for her ability to understand architecture as a product of cultural evolution, Melissa skillfully interprets the local vernacular by merging traditional building methods with emerging building technologies. Her role in more than thirty significant projects has ranged from schematic design, design development, and construction documents to project coordination, project management, permitting, and construction administration.

Melissa has a keen interest in restoring and maintaining historic places. She was instrumental, along with leading preservationists and historians, in changing the City of Miami’s demolition permit application process to protect Miami’s remaining historic landmarks. As a dedicated community leader, she served on the Executive Board of Directors for the Collaborative Development Corporation, a non-profit organization that strives to improve the quality of life in Coconut Grove’s Little Bahamas community by supporting local businesses and by developing affordable housing in conjunction with the University of Miami

In recent years, Melissa has shared her professional experience with the Miami Dade College School of Architecture and Interior Design as an adjunct professor. Her favorite courses to teach are Architectural Design (studios), Architectural Theory, and Architectural Materials and Construction. Using Miami as her living laboratory along with her connections in the field, Melissa’s courses include regular site visits to some of Miami’s most iconic buildings, often while they are under construction. She emphasizes the cultural, historical, environmental and technological influences on a building and encourages her students to discover their own place in the evolution of design.

Melissa’s current work examines the environmental and community impacts that result when building, zoning, and environmental codes are not consistently enforced to protect historic neighborhoods, mature tree canopies, stormwater systems, and public trust. Through research and civic advocacy, she seeks to promote greater accountability and to encourage more environmentally and socially responsible design.