The American Institute of Architecture Students Annual Report 2012 2013 by American Institute of Architecture Students

The American Institute of Architecture Students Annual Report 2012 - 2013

Table of Contents : 2012 Annual Report From the office of the President and Vice President AIAS Trends and Status Report 2012 AIAS Conferences : Grassroots & FORUM

03 08 12

16 The AIAS is a 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Washington, DC. The AIAS mission is to promote excellence in architecture education, training and practice; to foster an appreciation of architecture and related disciplines; to enrich communities in a spirit of collaboration; and to organize students to combine their efforts to advance the art and science of architecture. To learn more about AIAS programs, services, membership or how to support the AIAS, visit www.aias.org. AIAS Freedom by Design

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The 2012 - 2013 AIAS

National Board of Directors

From Left to Right : Chief Executive Officer : Joshua Caulfield

South Quad Director : Miyuki Tsujimura

West Quad Director : Westin Conahan

Vice President : Brent Castro, Assoc. AIA

Past President : Nick Mancusi

Northest Quad Director : Danielle Mitchell

Midwest Quad Director : Jason Soderlund

President : Matthew Barstow, Assoc AIA

From the Office of the

PRESIDENT:

When we began our transition into our

positions as your national officers, Brent and I made the decision to guide our year by a core principle: to continue with, and finish, what our organization had already started. We made this decision mainly because the AIAS is offering a great deal of good programming, and because our problems do not lie in a lack of valuable initiatives. Rather, they lie in a lack of willingness to forego yearly reinvention in favor of the continued movement of current initiatives. It was with all of this in mind that we set out to improve our relationships with our collateral organizations, improve our training and systems for AIAS Freedom by Design, take a hard look at our finances and financial responsibility, and better ourselves by taking on new partnerships and revenue sources. In nurturing and improving our relationships with our collateral organizations, we began with the AIA by building a new partnership; the plan was to transition graduating AIAS members into the AIA by offering them 18 months of free AIA membership. This partnership plan involved a revamped online AIAS membership form that now includes an AIA box by which our members can

request AIA contact upon graduation. Additionally, we now partner in joint AIAâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;AIAS graduation ceremonies where students are presented with their AIAS graduation cords and a formal welcome into the profession of architecture. We have worked hard to increase the visibility of all our collateral organizations at our national conference, through a variety of engagement mechanisms. One such mechanism was invitations to all collateral presidents and executive directors to participate in a variety of events: general session speeches, breakout sessions, and a panel discussion during our council of presidents meeting. The third of these, in particular, proved to be a huge success. Through this engagement, NCARB has continued its commitment to participate in all our quadrant conferences. We have seen growing interest among our collateral organizations in participation in our Grassroots Leadership Conference. With that in mind, we began working towards creating new programming dedicated to advocating on Capitol Hill, engaging with our leaders in the House and Senate on student issues; this programming is taking place in partnership with the five collaterals of architecture. [04]

With regard to AIAS Freedom by Design, we have reorganized a newly elected and energized base of project managers and created a new system for training and development, as well as documentation of our completed projects and the leaders who make them a reality. This system was outlined in a new AIAS Freedom by Design handbook and training manual, and in our mandatory annual in-person training, yearly reporting, and rechartering. This system also manifests in the reorganization of our Grassroots training, which now puts project managers at the front of the room, leading these training sessions. Such changes have helped us pass real-world knowledge on to our incoming leaders through a more engaging learning experience. These new requirements are now part of the project documentation that is submitted to the national office each year. Finally, we have worked diligently to improve our financial responsibility and our ability to attract new partners. We have tightened our belts and cut back on travel, and requirements for chapters that wish to receive officer visits have become more stringent, to ensure that only visits that benefit the chapter are made, leaving them with the tools to empower them to

grow their own chapter. We have also worked to reduce our costs—not to mention our carbon footprint—by making our fall board meeting virtual. Overall, these actions saved the organization over $5,000, and they collectively serve as a strong starting point for further improvement. We have also taken steps to make the selection of the forum location one that is made by a committee of chapter leaders, under the guidance of the national office. Ultimately, the goals are to make site selection more cost-effective and to promote a greater diversity of host locations for our national conference. This, combined with new and growing partnerships with companies and organizations—like Graphisoft and the American Galvanizers Association—and our continued partnership with Autodesk and our collateral organizations will help us create a vibrant future for the AIAS. I want to congratulate our board of directors, our chapter leaders, and our members for helping us navigate our way through a year of unique challenges, only to emerge on “the other side” as a new and vibrant AIAS. As I close out my year as president, I encourage you to think beyond your wildest dreams when you are pinpointing

your goals. This is how our organization will continue to grow and champion initiatives like the DEAA. I am proud to have served as your president, and it will always remain one of the most valuable experiences of my life. Sincerely yours,

Matthew A. Barstow President and Chairman The American Institute of Architecture Students

What Do You Believe in? The AIAS will elevate you above the rest of your peers because you will be challenged to do more with your education than just focusing purely on the studio process...

If you allow the AIAS to become a part of your learning process, then this will not just be another resume line item, it will become a catalyst for growth as you are learning to be a designer and steward and leader of the built environment. - Brent Castro, 2012

Like any great solution,

it begins with a thought, a question and a gesture. Then there is research, action and continuation. This process aided my procession with the American Institute of Architecture Students and feeds my desire for the evolution of this great organization. The officer positions will continue to offer up great challenges that force our leadership to commit to introspection so that they serve the student population to the fullest. To advance our mission, the AIAS must never be in a state of stagnation. We move, we change and we continue to improve. These steps helped to define our great legacy and history of the past 56 years. During

The American Institute of Architecture Students believes in communicating a vision of diligent service to causes outside ourselves to guide the creation and education of the future leaders of tomorrow

the 2012 - 2013 year the AIAS Board of Directors and the AIAS Council of Presidents refused to accept the norm in regards to our initiatives and like the great architects we idolize we questioned our moves to further those arguments. The continuation of this process imperative in order to fully represent the future students of architecture throughout and outside of our profession. During my tenure, it has been humbling to be surrounded by hundreds of peers within the academy who are doing more for their education than just focusing on the studio process. Our members allow [06]

the AIAS to become a part of their learning processes. Therefore, I have discovered that the AIAS is not just a resume filler for these students who take pride in the organization. Instead they are using it as a catalyst for growth as designers and stewards of the built environment. Their strong leadership communicates visions of diligent service to causes outside themselves. Such leadership, if practiced correctly will positively affect the culture and the communities they live and work within. I have witnessed the fruits of this service and it is remarkable. One of the greatest aspects of being the vice president is serving on boards, committees and teams for every architectural collateral organization- the AIA, AIAS, ACSA, NCARB and the NAAB. In the end, this gives me an inspired view of the profession and one that is hopeful for our future. Throughout my travels I connected with students from around the country, because of this I am continually reminded of who we are as a generation. The millennials, generation Y, are interested in redefining the heroic. Putting our architectural heroes on a pedestal no longer intrigues us. We are more interested by notions of community, advocacy, leadership and service and how those acts can lead to great ideas and design.

Together we collaborate to make a difference and the leaders take the charge but no one person can only stand on their own. This collective locus is what this organization is about. My positive statements about our generation are proven through our leadership’s involvement in AIAS’s philanthropic outlet Freedom by Design. Students in the midst of tough studio realities make the time to collaborate and organize with one another to make a real change in someone’s life. This is not an easy act, and Freedom by Design continues to grow. As we arrive at the ten-year anniversary of FBD, it must be noted this program has

200 families and affected close to

individuals who were in need of that service. AIAS Freedom by Design is one of our greatest benefits and I see it only growing from here. In our efforts to continually be cautious of the realities of the cost of education, the AIAS put together a Financial Assistance Task Force to discuss the cost of education for the student’s of architecture. In the end, the task force helped the organization make the decision to support only one quad conference a year. In reality, four conferences a year were getting costly for

our members. In place of the fall quad conference, the organization will continue to host its AIAS National Membership Week the first week in October. This is a week that will bring architecture students from around the country together in efforts of service and advocacy to their schools and community.

of architecture and what it should mean for us when we enter in the profession. The statement “Relevancy Starts Here” rings true with the AIAS. Without this relevance, our membership cannot prosper. As students, we are the future, so let us start shaping it. I look forward to our legacy.

Looking forward, I challenge us to redefine our organization as the academy and profession continue to question their relevance. This is our time, a perfect time for us to reevaluate what it means to be a student

Brent A Castro

Vice President 2012- 2013

3115 Members | 51.6% May 2013 2011 - 2012 : 53%

2917Members | 48.4% May 2013 2011 -2012 : 47%

Male | Female Breakdown May 2013

American Institute of Architecture Students Trends & Status Report

2012 - 2013 [08]

Midwest Quad : 23% 1199 Members

Northeast Quad : 21%

West Quad : 23%

1085 Members

1120 Members

South Quad : 33% 1639 Members

AIAS Chapters : 172 May 2013

AIAS Chapters : 165 May 2012

Renewed : 38% Expected Graduates : 1288 6890 Members May 2012

6736 Members May 2011

6620 Members May 2013

Difference: 270 Members

2500 2000 1500 1000 500

A.A. 204 members

B. Arch 2597 members

B.A / B.S. 1522 members

D. Arch 40 members

M. Arch 1275 members

Other 287 members

1400

Membership Distribution 2013

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

2nd year International Graduate Highschool 4th year 1373 members 3 members 893 members 83 members 1114 members 1st year 5th year Faculty Affiliate 3rd year 1213 members 455 members 88 members 22 members 1371members

2013 2012

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As an organization, The AIAS is performing well considering the fact that many other non-profit organizations have seen a substantial decrease in membership over the past few years. The trends from the past 3 years showcase that the membership numbers are staying steady. The majority of studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s join from years 1 -4 and even though B. Arch programs make up the largest category of degrees pursued, we still have very low numbers in the 5th year of school.

The AIAS has a similar distribution to the schools of architecture across the country in regards to the percentage of males to females with this year seeing a slight increase with our female population. It should be noted that our membership numbers are down from the previous year

by roughly which follows the enrollment rate drop across schools of architecture.

Largest Chapter : Cal Poly- Pomona 224 members : May 2013

NCARB Record : 9.8% December 2011

NCARB Record : 938 | 14.2% December, 17th 2012

Average Age: 23

For the past 28 years the AIAS has been preparing future leaders in architecture through our AIAS Grassroots Leadership Conference. Grassroots continues to be at the heart of this organization. Without our great leaders across the country and world we would not be able to operate as a community of thought leaders preparing to change their schools and cities in a positive manner. It is very important that new leaders engender the skills necessary to run an AIAS chapter and then.

AIAS Grassroots 2012 Leadership Conference

Each year the conference brings together chapter leaders, AIAS Freedom By Design program leaders, and other emerging professionals seeking insight and preparation on how to make the most of their year ahead.

The organization continues to see this conference grow at a rapid rate, reaching well over 300 + attendees a year. The conference, which used to just focus mainly on Leadership Training, now offers three tracks so students can return to advance their skills:

Chapter Leadership: Through out the conference, chapter leaders learned how to run and manage a chapter, hold meetings, keep members engaged, plan for the year, budget, and recruit new members. We brought some of the most successful chapter leaders to DC to help train other leaders on their secrets of success. Chapter leaders walked away with a program guide designed to act as their roadmap for the coming year.

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AIAS Freedom By Design Program Orientation: This track focused on gaining clients, preparing projects and the administration of the program at the AIAS chapter level to ensure success. Chapters also networked with other successful AIAS Freedom by Design teams from across the country.

career development, resume and portfolio reviews, interviewing skills (with a limited number of actual interviews being held during the conference), and accessing the hidden job market.

Professional Development :â&#x20AC;¨ This track was geared towards graduating or soon to be graduating students, but everyone was welcomed to attend. We discussed planning their career search, developing a long-range strategy for their overall

300 250 200

Grassroots Growth

150 100 50 2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

AIAS FORUM is the

annual meeting of the American Institute of Architecture Students and the global gathering of the architecture and design students. Our location in Savannah Georgia provided students with the opportunity to learn about important issues facing architectural education and the profession, to meet students, educators, and professionals with common interests, and to interact with some of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading architects through keynote addresses, tours, workshops and seminars. Even though we saw similar numbers to Phoenix and lower numbers compared to Toronto, the conference was a complete success.

AIAS FORUM Savannah College of Architecture and Design

Thanks to the Savannah College of Art and Design and the historic city of Savannah, the American Institute of Architecture Students was able to host an amazing FORUM filled with students from around the country and world. Over 660 people were in attendance including architects, educators, students with over 86 schools of architecture represented. *left image : one of three night networking/ social events hosted by SCAD *Image below : Skyline of Savannah and marketing for AIAS FORUM 2012

2012 [14]

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ANNUAL REPORT What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other? - George Eliot

STUDENTS CREATING DESIGN . . . THAT BRINGS FREEDOM [02] [16]

Table of Contents : Freedom by Design Annual Report A legacy of Hope : Note from Vice President Castro Notes from : Becky Yannes, 2011 - 2012 Northeast Quad Director - AIAS FBD Task Force Chair Yuriy Napelenok, Programs & Membership Associate Expansion and Goals

18 19 20 21

Current and Past Projects :

- AIAS, The University of Tennessee - AIAS, Clemson University - AIAS, Lawrence Technological University - AIAS, Syracuse University : Play Perch - AIAS, Illinois Institute of Technology

Final Note From: Antoni M. Baca, AIAS Freedom by Design Advisory Group Chairman

22 22 23 24 26 27

Relevance Starts Here AIAS Syracuse University . Designing Freedom

A legagcy of hope AIAS Kansas State

Vice President Castro AIAS Freedom by Designâ&#x201E;˘, the American Institute of Architecture Students community service program, utilizes the talents of architecture students to radically impact the lives of people in their community through modest design and construction solutions. Vital modifications are made to enhance the homes of low-income and disabled individuals by addressing their struggles with everyday tasks such as bathing, ascending stairs and opening doors. Our priority is improving the safety, comfort and dignity of the homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s occupants.

This program has grown from its origional message to a truly special initiative that has affected the lives of hundreds of individuals across the world. Since the pilot program in 2004, architecture students have left their studio environments to advocate for the large numbers of people who are trapped in their own homes. They cannot, with any ease, get into their own showers, ascend steps or reach into a cabinet to get a bowl. There are people who cannot escape their homes in case of emergency. Small changes to their homes can significantly affect their lives positivly. These actions are at the heart of AIAS Freedom by Design. [18]

Dear AIAS Member, Thank you for your generous support of the American Institute of Architecture Students. It is because of your generosity that our organization can expand its programming to better serve both the design community and our greater communities. One of these expansions is the growth of Freedom by Design (FBD). This avenue of community service has brought life changing, built interventions to individuals across the country. FBD is the platform for AIAS members to reach out to community members, offer design services, and construct projects for individual with various challenges. The projects are financed by chapters, who creatively fundraise and campaign to meet their clients’ financial needs. While the program was founded with particular interests in serving those with physical disabilities, AIAS members use the program to serve communities and individuals facing social, economic, and other challenges as well. Because the range of projects is growing, the program is receiving more attention locally and nationally. One of Syracuse University’s (NY) most recent projects involved many students in a charrette to design a tree house for use by Jowonio School. FBD recently surpassed the decade mark for coordinating projects and new programs continue to be established. Clemson University’s young FBD program has successfully

completed projects that may appear small scale, but have provided great change to the every day lives of their clients. Such projects include ramps and reconfigured entries to families with wheelchair bound members. These student led projects not only benefit the aided communities, but also the AIAS participants. Members gain leadership, financial, communication, and project management experience as they coordinate with clients, donors, and supporting professionals. I have been especially fortunate to lead the FBD Task Force [20112012] in concert with AIAS staff. Our group worked to direct the growth of the program and provide support to our growing number of programs. Much of our work culminated at national events, including Grassroots and FORUM, to bring improved discussion and training opportunities to the membership. This leadership experience granted me many connections across the country and the opportunity to learn about exciting projects from their conception through construction. The Task Force proposed the formation of the FBD Advisory Group, which now serves as a standing entity to drive continued growth. It is with your support that AIAS has continued to offer grants to new and established programs to carry out projects. The increase in productivity of programs across the country has sparked interest in industry partner and sponsorships, none of which would have been possible without your

initial endowment to our efforts. Thank you from the AIAS community!

With thanks and respects,

Becky Yannes

Drexel University Architecture Student ‘13 AIAS Northeast Quadrant Director, 2011-2012 Legacy

2011- 2012 Task Force:

Becky Joyce, Nick Mancusi Brent Castro, Bryce Gamper Yuriy Napelenok, Zach Bache Bonnie Netel, Joy Newberry Antoni Baca, Wayne Mortensen

A note from Yuriy Napelenok

The American Institute of Architecture Students has empowered its members to make a powerful impact in their communities through the AIAS Freedom by Design program. The program continues to grow and evolve, while maintaining its core mission of providing safety, comfort, and dignity to people in need.

AIAS Freedom by Design also provides students with an opportunity to lead. Over the past two years, the program has moved from being fully administered by a single staff member at the National Office to an advisory council run by student leaders. This improved the way in which the program operates. There is now a formal application and orientation process that all chapters must complete each year. We have already seen an improvement in the quality and impact of projects across the country.

Above : Freedom by Design leaders working and learning together at AIAS Grassroots.

At the AIAS Grassroots Leadership Conference in 2012, the AIAS hosted a record 64 attendees at the AIAS Freedom by Design Orientation. The Beyond Architecture Campaign fund was used to provide $100 scholarships for members to attend. This was also the first year that experienced AIAS Freedom by Design participants led orientation. Members learned from their peers about how to complete a successful project and the kinds of challenges to expect.

opportunity to celebrate AIAS Freedom by Design. Three chapters presented their completed projects to their peers. These presentations inspired others to serve their communities. We expect to see even more attendees at AIAS FBD Orientation in 2013. The AIAS Freedom by Design Advisory Council is working hard on ways to improve the program. Chapters continue to face challenges with finding mentors, clients, and funding. To assist chapters with these challenges, the advisory Council is increasing the visibility of the program and it is reaching out to potential partners. They hope to continue to grow the program so that students have an even greater opportunity to use their talents to radically impact the lives of people in their community through modest design and construction solutions. Thanks to your continued support, AIAS Freedom by Design will continue to impact the lives of students and people in their community. Yuriy Napelenok Programs & Membership

AIAS FORUM 2012 in Savannah, At

Georgia,

had

the

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Completed by

2013

62 Chapters and Communities 39 lives directly impacted

2012 - 2013

60 Chapters and Communities 38 lives directly impacted

2011 - 2012

55 Chapters and Communities 36 lives directly impacted

2010 - 2011

50 Chapters and Communities 36 lives directly impacted

2009 - 2010

47 Chapters and Communities 35lives directly impacted

The following table represents milestones for growth based on previous participation and current estimates:

2008 - 2009

Arizona State University, Auburn University, Ball State University, Boston Architectural College, The Catholic University of America, Clemson University, Florida Atlantic University, Iowa State University, Judson College, Kansas State University, Lawrence Technological University, Miami University, Mississippi State University, Montana State University, Northeastern University, Oklahoma State University, Pennsylvania State University, Philadelphia University, Ryerson University, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Southern Polytechnic State University, Texas A&M University, Truckee Meadows Community College, University at Buffalo, University of Colorado at Boulder, University of Colorado at Denver, University of Houston, University of Idaho, University of Illinois, University of Kansas, University of Kentucky,

Total Projects

38 Chapters and Communities 12 lives directly impacted

Since 2004, the following teams have participated in the AIAS FBD program and forever change the lives of those in need.

University of Louisiana at Lafayette, University of Maryland, University of Miami, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, University of New Mexico, University of North CarolinaCharlotte, University of Oklahoma, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at Austin, University of Virginia, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Washington State University, and Wentworth Institute of Technology

2007 - 2008

Expansion Goals: While the AIAS opened the door for all 150+ chapters to participate in AIAS FBD since 2006, we do not expect them all to do so. The commitment required to successfully complete an AIAS FBD project is significant. Coupled with the young nature of the program and the relatively small number of schools which have participated in the program to date, we expect the program to grow slowly, even if at a significantly faster pace than previous years.

195 Total Lives Have Been Directly Impacted by the FBD Program

The England F a m i l y Backyard Makeover The University of Tennessee in Knoxville AIAS Chapter AIAS Freedom by Design at the University of Tennessee is only in its third year of existence. After a rocky first year of getting our feet wet and figuring out what it would actually require to complete a full project, the design team set out on it’s second year with one goal in mind: to make a difference. Although in the beginning we were not sure what this would entail, by the end of the year, we truly had changed the life of an entire family.

Through a contact at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, located right here in Knoxville, they were put in touch with a family whose one year old little boy has centronuclear myopathy, a condition that means he will be bound to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. The family did not have a wheelchair accessible way in and out of their home, and they knew they would not be able to afford this addition when it came time to have it built.

of circulation for all members of the house, and a nice flat area in the backyard where he and his sister could both play.

UTK AIAS

The design process began with a few short charettes including a reimagining of the word “ramp”. Through these charettes, we were able to identify three main ideas to be included into the design: A deck area off of the little boy’s room so that he could have easy access to the outdoors, a ramp that was the main form porch complete with a paved pathway.

Clemcon AIAS FBD Project: Clemson AIAS designed and built a wheelchair-accessible porch for a veteran’s wife, who will be a wheelchair user the rest of her life because of a crippling illness. It all began when their AIAS Chapter decided to take their skills and apply them to a medium of disability.

The following is their solution:

2011 marks the first program of AIAS Freedom by Design at Clemson University. The group’s first project was a big one. It involved helping an elderly couple in Easley. The woman has degenerative disk disease and Freedom by Design decided to build she and her husband an accessible porch complete with a paved

“ ‘We wanted to do a larger scale project to establish our chapter,’ said Kerri Patton, one of the team leaders. They knew the project would be a big undertaking, but did not expect as many people to help out. ‘We had more than 40 people come during the five days we were working,’ Patton said.

by the students, Patton said. ‘We went back a few weeks later and saw they had planted flowers along the pathway leading up to the porch,’ she said.’” - Clemson Univerity Features

Clemson AIAS

‘Working to build this porch for the couple was rewarding in its success and in its fulfillment. The team members completed the porch after five days of hard work. The elderly couple stayed behind the scenes during the process, but they appreciated all the work done by the students, Patton said.’ [22]

Lawrence Technological University Freedom by Design program Over the past 8 years, AIAS chapters from all over the country have used their AIAS Freedom by Design Teams as a catalyst for growth as designers and stewards of the built environment. Lawrence Technological Universities’s Freedom by Design program has communicated a vision of diligent service to causes outside themselves. Through their practice of design and with their passion to give, they have greatly affected the community they live and work within. Since the summer of 2011, their AIAS Freedom by Design team has worked on 6 Freedom by Design projects while involving themselves with multiple non-profit organizations to expand the reach of their organization. Much of their chapters participation has revolved around the Freedom by Design team and the relevance it has to their students at LTU. “Our Members are “do-ers” and they like to participate in hands on things, get real experience, and make a difference; I feel that this has been the reason why FBD has made such a big impact.” - Michael Mondo Sanctuary Kitchen Project : The Lawrence Tech Team joined with Rebuilding Together on another project to renovate a local youth shelter’s outdated kitchen.

The Common Ground Sanctuary serves Oakland County adults, children and families through a variety of programs. This extensive project began with students meeting with the contractor to discuss the design and construction documents of the kitchen. Once the designs were finalized, Freedom by Design volunteers took steps to acquire cabinetry and tile for the project. After many extensive hours and days, volunteers, members and the contractor came together to install cabinets, tile and countertops, re-paint the kitchen and install a new pantry system. LTU AIAS Freedom by Design helped to coordinate donations from Masco Corporation for cabinetry, Pewabic Pottery for back splash tiles, Sherwin Williams for paint, and Daltile for draperies. Hoop House: This second project consisted of building a greenhouse in Downtown Detroit to help foster urban farming within the 20 in 20 Hoop House Project. With the 20 in 20 hoop house project the AIAS chapter was able to participate in the assembly of a greenhouse in the Edison district. On an empty plot of land where an elementary school once stood, over twenty AIAS members learned about plans for the land’s renewal as an urban farm and worked with other volunteers to erect

the site’s greenhouse in under one day. By reaching out to the 20 in 20 team our chapter and our Freedom by Design program became more engaged with our community and impacted numerous lives through a project that is predicted to spur growth in the surrounding area. The Sain Project Revisit is an example of the chapter’s dedication to making sure they are taking care of their past clients. The concrete assibility path, a previous FBD project, was revisited since poor weather conditions allowed for cracking. The team met with the client again and observed that some of the landscaping had not recovered from previous transplanting. From this

client meeting the FBD group decided to revisit the project to complete some additional work for the client and to patch the cracked concrete path. The team replaced the front entry sidelights, the entry way light for safety, and redid the clients front landscaping. The project was an example of being able to revisit past projects, keeping positive client relations, and being able to fix problems that were not expected.

beginning concept

AIAS Syracuse has broken ground on its latest AIAS Freedom by Design project, Play Perch. At Syracuse Architecture, we aspire and continue to produce work that consistently exhibits a greater attention to design than typical community service projects. After completing three accessibility ramps for private homes in just two summers, we have moved on to this larger scale endeavor: a tree house and outdoor classroom for the students of the Jowonio School on East Genesee Street in Syracuse, NY. Play Perch represents an even greater opportunity for design, with a budget five times that of prior works and a 14-student Independent Study course devoted to its design, in addition to our dedicated team of AIAS Freedom

By Design volunteers. The design and construction is led by Professor Larry Bowne in consult with Professor Sinead MacNamara. Both have, for a number of years, served AIAS Syracuse as faculty advisors for our Freedom by Design team. Our design process began the first week of the semester with the class splitting into three groups, each creating a design proposal for the client. Shortly after, we presented our options to a panel that included Syracuse Architecture faculty with Jowonio administration, faculty, and parents. We departed the review with great enthusiasm for the project and a mandate to combine the best of each scheme.

AIAS SYRACUSE PLAY PERCH

Play Perch is a unique elevated outdoor classroom built around an old growth tree on the nature trail of the Jowonio school.The tree house will act as an environmental educational tool for Jowonioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s students and teachers in which the natural environment becomes the basis for learning. In keeping with Jowonioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s philosophy, the Play Perch is designed to be fully wheelchair accessible from the existing nature path. The Play Perch itself initiates a multi-phase reworking of a five-acre site which is projected to include additional outdoor play environments, trail improvements, and unique exterior gathering and performance spaces. Syracuse Architecture students and their collaborators at Jowonio envision a contribution not [24]

www.facebook.com/PlayPerch only to their local affiliates but also to the broader architectural design community. Students plan to merge on site and prefabricated assemblies, optimizing the delivery of a community service design-build project within a campus setting and on the academic calendar. Play Perch represents a great number of successes for Freedom By Design at AIAS Syracuse and the students of Syracuse Architecture. We have expanded the audience of our work from private homeowners to a diverse and ever-changing group of students at the Jowonio School. Further, through the determined production of built, architectural work on an extra-curricular basis, Syracuse Architecture has

responded to our desires to learn by doing and is now providing us with degreefulfilling credits for our work. Design and construction continues on the Play Perch, and we welcome your support

George Guarino

Past AIAS Syracuse President

The Lissette Project :

Note from the Freedom By Design Advisory Council Chairman:

IIT In only its first year as an active team, the students of the Illinois Institute of Technology AIAS Freedom by Design group have already started making an impact in its surrounding city of Chicago. They have launched their lasting dedication to their community with a simple renovation of the bathroom of 13-year-old Lissette, who was born with spina bifida. Prior to the renovation, Lissette depended entirely on her family for showering and using the bathroom. The door was too narrow to allow for wheelchair access, and the bathtub restricted Lissette from entering the shower without the help of her mother. Other problems included the array of piping under the sink, preventing Lissette from rolling under the sink to brush her teeth on her own, and the lack of handlebars to ensure Lissette remained stable while in the bathroom. These were the challenges that the IIT AIAS Freedom by Design team sought to solve through their design. After an intense charrette, the team reached a final design that gave Lissette freedom and independence that she desired.

The most prominent change made was replacing the previous bathtub with an ADA-accessible shower and a pull-down bench. Between the shower and toilet is a shelving unit that acts as a barrier to contain water in the shower area while also providing an abundance of storage for the family’s toiletries. The next adjustment was replacing the previous 26inch swing door with a 36inch bi-fold door to ensure that Lissette was easily able to enter the bathroom in her wheelchair and close the door behind her. The bathroom was then wrapped with inset handlebars to guarantee Lissette had a source of stability regardless of where she was in the bathroom. With the implementation of a fan and a final splash of color, construction was ready to begin. Freedom by Design is currently in the process of obtaining permits in order to begin construction.

“WE ARE

IIT

AIAS”

As we continue to grow, we hope to continue contributing to the university, our students, and most of all, our community. - IIT AIAS Freedom by Design

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Once again it is an honor to report to you as Chairman of the Freedom By Design Advisory Council. This group unfortunately had a slow start into the New Year but as of Febuary we have caught a serious stride and hope to continue this momentum until the term of this Advisory Council adjourns at Grassroots. This group has remained focused on three main issues that we consider most important to the success of Freedom By Design. These three issues include; analyzing the health of the FBD Programs throughout the country, new partnerships on the National and Local level, and finally, the promotion of Freedom By Design not only to our local chapters but also to outside organizations and potential clients. These three items will most likely occupy our time for at least the next two months and we hope to have sound results when we are finished. We felt strongly that in order for this Group to have a meaningful impact on local level programs we need a method to assess the health of each program. To do this we created an open source online survey that each Director could access. We asked the Directors to give us a 1-5 answer, 1 being “HELP US!”, 3 being “Neutral” and 5 being “We Got This!” The 12 questions included Fundraising, Student Participation, Procuring Materials, etc… As you might imagine, the results of this survey were diverse and insightful. We had 22 out of 49 programs respond to

the survey. I am happy to report that this Advisory Council would consider the overall health of Freedom By Design as good. But there are many programs out there that are still struggling. In order to try and provide support to these struggling programs, we believe the best solution would be to establish avenues of communication between the different Programs. Our hope is to, by the Quad Conferences, mirror the Quadrant Pods [1], and facilitate conversations between the programs that are struggling and those who have experienced success. By fostering the exchange of ideas between different programs, we believe this will be effective in helping to improve every program in the country. At the moment I have the group thoroughly researching organizations on our list so that we can better assess how we might be able to partner with each one of them. This is important because the nature of each partnership with each organization will be different. For example we may be able to procure grants from the Safeway Foundation but a partnership with the Veterans Administration would potentially be more about finding clients. We consider the Promotion of Freedom By Design to be a very important issue that should be addressed by this group. But, in regards to this issue, and though we are aware that it requires additional resources, it is our collective belief that one of the most important ways to

promote Freedom By Design is through the AIAS website. Lastly, once we have completed the first three priorities we have laid out, successfully, we will move on to taking another look at the FBD Manual for revisions as well as the Grassroots FBD Orientation.

[1] Quad Pods : Regions within the Quadrants set up by each Quad Director

In conclusion, with the great momentum we have enjoyed as of late, we hope to achieve our goals and leave this program in better shape then we found it. I want to thank the members of the Freedom By Design Advisory Council for all of their dedication and hard work over these past 7 months. I would also like to thank the Board of Directors again for allowing me the opportunity to lead this amazing group of dedicated individuals. Respectfully yours,

Antoni M Baca Freedom By Design Advisory Council Chairman - An Exerpt from the Council’s spring report to the AIAS Board of Directors

2012- 2013 Advisory Council: Antoni Baca, Alex Alaimo Korey White, Zachary Harwin, David Andrus, Samantha Raburn Joel Pomenville

The American Institute of Architecture Students Annual Report 2012 - 2013