20(a) Provide the name and full description of the community that the applicant is committing to serve

Prototypical answer:

The .archi gTLD is a new gTLD string exclusively reserved to a community consisting of:
- Architects who are members of the International Union of Architects (UIA);
- Architecture Firms that employ one or more architects who are members of the UIA;
- Companies or associations that employ one or more architects who are members of the UIA;
- List of architecture schools, museums, professional press⁄media, defined by the .archi Policy Advisory Committee in collaboration with the UIA and its member sections.

The International Union of Architects (UIA) founded in 1948 in Lausanne (Switzerland) is an international nongovernmental organization responsible for spanning the entire architectural profession in 130 countries and territories, covering five geographical regions (Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, North and South America, Asia, Oceania and Africa) and representing 1.3 million architects.

The UIA General Secretariat is located in Paris, at the following address: Tour Maine Montparnasse, 33, avenue du Maine - 75755 PARIS Cedex 15 – France (tel. +33 1 45 24 36 88; email: uia@uia-architectes.org).

To carry out its missions, the UIA is structured in such a way that it remains in permanent contact with professionals and their representatives, and manages in a democratic and collegial way the relations of the same at the international level.

There are four decision-making levels within the UIA:

- The General Assembly, which is the supreme legislative body of the UIA. The General Assembly meets every three years. It is made up of delegations from all the Union’s Member Sections and the UIA Council members;
- The Council, which consists of the Bureau members and four representatives from each of the five Regions of the UIA. It meets twice a year;
- The Bureau, which consists of the President, the Immediate Past President, the Secretary General, the Treasurer, and the five Vice-Presidents. Each Vice-President is responsible for the professional activities in his⁄her Region. It meets twice a year, in between Council meetings.
- 124 Member sections, The UIA Member Section in a country is the most representative professional organization of architects in that country. Each Member Section is independent on a national level and is, vis-a-vis the UIA, responsible for its relationship with governments, the other Member Sections, and the Union itself. Any professional organization wishing to join the Union must submit a written application to the Secretary General who shall ascertain if the applicant meets all the requirements defined by the UIA in its bylaws. The eligibility of a new Member Section must be approved by a 3⁄4 majority of those present and voting at a Council Meeting. In the case of the rejection of an application, an appeal against the decision may be made to the Assembly. The Assembly shall ratify the admission of new Member Sections whose eligibility has been approved by the Council since the last meeting of the Assembly, unless a motion to ratify is defeated by a 3⁄4 majority of those voting. In the case of a Member Section representing a territory, the Assembly must ratify Councilʹs recommendation by a 3⁄4 majority of those voting. Only one UIA Member may represent the architects of a country, group of countries, or territory.

In representing the world community of architects and promoting their activities, the UIA works in co-operation with high-ranking organizations around the world. As an example, following intergovernmental institutions have recognized the UIA as the single official organization spanning the world community of architects:

- UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. The UIA is the only world organization of architects that has formal consulting relations with UNESCO. During its world congresses, the UIA awards the only prize for architecture granted by UNESCO, to recognize a brilliant project by a student of architecture.
- UN-HABITAT: United Nations Centre for Human Settlements
- UNEP: United Nations Environment Program
- UNECE: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
- UNIDO: United Nations Industrial Development Organization
- WHO: World Health Organization
- WTO: World Trade Organization
- IOC: International Olympic Committee

The UIA has also develop extensive interdisciplinary relationships with Non-governmental organizations, such as:

- ISOCARP: International Society of City Region Planners;
- IFLA: International Federation of Landscape Architects;
- ICOMOS: International Council of Monuments and Sites;
- ISC20, ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on 20th Heritage
- DoCoMoMo, Documentation and Conservation of buildings, sites, and neighborhoods of the Modern Movement;
- AU, Emergency Architects Foundation.

The UIA works also closely with regional organizations of Architects:

- ACE, Architectsʹ Council of Europe;
- FPAA, Pan-American Federation of Associations of Architects;
- ARCASIA, Architectsʹ Regional Council Asia;
- AUA, African Union of Architects
- UMAR, Union of Mediterranean Architects.

Since its establishment the UIA has developed an extensive working program. Through its commissions, the UIA contributes in three key areas to the improvement of architecture and the architectural profession worldwide: architectural education, international competitions, and professional practice.

As part of its mission, the Professional Practice Commission has drafted an Accord on Recommended International Standards for Professionalism in Architectural Practices that has been unanimously adopted by the UIA.

Accordingly, the UIA defines the practice of architecture and the profession of architect as follows:

- The practice of architecture consists of the provision of professional services in connection with town planning and the design, construction, enlargement, conservation, restoration, or alteration of a building or group of buildings. These professional services include, but are not limited to: Planning and land-use planning; Urban design; Provision of preliminary studies; Designs; Models; Drawings; Specifications and technical documentation; Coordination of technical documentation prepared by others (consulting engineers, urban planners, landscape architects and other specialist consultants) as appropriate and without limitation; Construction economics; Contract administration; Monitoring of construction (referred to as “supervision” in some countries); Project management.
- The designation “architect” is generally reserved by law or custom to a person who is professionally and academically qualified and generally registered⁄licensed⁄certified to practice architecture in the jurisdiction in which he or she practices and is responsible for advocating the fair and sustainable development, welfare, and the cultural expression of society’s habitat in terms of space, forms, and historical context.

The UIA, in terms of size, geographical reach, community involvement and international and professional recognition, is fully representative of the world community of architects and completely dedicated to this community.

Accordingly, the .archi gTLD will be exclusively reserved to a community consisting of:

- Architects who are members of the International Union of Architects (UIA);
- Architecture Firms that employ one or more architects who are members of the UIA;
- Companies, associations that employ one or more architects who are members of the UIA;
- List of architecture schools, museums, professional press⁄media, defined by the .archi Policy Advisory Committee in collaboration with the UIA and its member sections.

Architects have been practicing their art and science since Antiquity. The profession as we know it today has undergone extensive growth and change. The profile of architects’ work has become more demanding, clients’ requirements and technological advance

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