2013 CONNECTION YEAR IN REVIEW by AIA Young Architects Forum

CONNECTION THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN JOURNAL OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

JAN

2013

EMERGENCE

MAR

2013

VOL 11 ISSUE 01

ADVANCE

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CONNECTION CONNECTION CONNECTION THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN JOURNAL OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

JULY

2013

PROCESS

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THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN JOURNAL OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

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2013

PLATFORM

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THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN JOURNAL OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

ORIGINS

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CONNECTION CONNECTION CONNECTION THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN JOURNAL OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

2013 YEAR IN REVIEW

THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN JOURNAL OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

WHAT IS THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM? The Young Architects Forum is the voice of architects in the early stages of their career and the catalyst for change within the profession and our communities. Working closely with the AIA College of Fellows and the American Institute of Architects as a whole, the YAF is leading the future of the profession with a focus on architects licensed less than 10 years. The national YAF Advisory Committee is charged with encouraging the development of national and regional programs of interest to young architects and supporting the creation of YAF groups within local chapters. Approximately 23,000 AIA members are represented by the YAF. YAF programs, activities, and resources serve young architects by providing information and leadership; promoting excellence through fellowship with other professionals; and encouraging mentoring to enhance individual, community, and professional development. GOALS OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM To encourage professional growth and leadership development among recently licensed architects through interaction and collaboration within the AIA and allied groups. To build a national network and serve as a collective voice for young architects by working to ensure that issues of particular relevance to young architects are appropriately addressed by the Institute. To make AIA membership valuable to young architects and to develop the future leadership of the profession.

1991

2013

CELEBRATING YEARS OF ADVANCING THE CAREERS OF YOUNG ARCHITECTS

The American Institute of Architects Young Architects Forum 1735 New York Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20006

JAN

2013

EMERGENCE

VOL 11 ISSUE 01

CONNECTION THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN JOURNAL OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

CONNECTION EMERGENCE January 2013 Volume 11 Issue 01

ON THE COVER: Holocaust Memorial, Berlin Peter Eisenman, Architect Original Photograph by Becca Waterloo

2013 ISSUES OF CONNECTION 11 01 11 02 11 03 11 04 11 05 11 06

EMERGENCE ADVANCE LOCUS PROCESS MANIFESTO ORIGINS

CONNECTION EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Editor-In-Chief and Creative Director Assistant Editor, Graphics Assistant Editor, Content Assistant Editor, Articles Assistant Editor, News Assistant Editor, Reviews

Wyatt Frantom, AIA Nathan Stolarz, AIA James Cornetet, AIA Jeff Pastva, AIA Beth Mosenthal, Associate AIA Nicole Martin, AIA

2013 YAF ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Chair Brad Benjamin, AIA Vice Chair Jonathan Penndorf, AIA Past Chair Jennifer Workman, AIA Communications Director Wyatt Frantom, AIA Events Director Virginia Marquardt, AIA Programs Director Joshua Flowers, AIA Public Relations Director Joseph R. Benesh, AIA Advocacy Advisor TBD AIA Board Representative Wendy Ornelas, FAIA College of Fellows Representative John Sorrenti, FAIA AIA Staff Liaison Erin Murphy, AIA

THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS 1735 New York Ave, NW Washington, DC 20006-5292 P 800-AIA-3837 www.aia.org

CONNECTION is a the official bi-monthly publication of the Young Architects Forum of the AIA. This publication is created through the volunteer efforts of dedicated Young Architect Forum members. Views expressed in this publication are solely those of the authors and not those of the American Institute of Architects. Copyright ÂŠ of individual articles belongs to the Author. All image permissions are obtained by or copyright of the Author.

CONTENT

04 EDITOR’S NOTE

EMERGE-(ing) Wyatt Frantom, AIA

12 FEATURE

NEWS

Emergent Metropolis Sam Garcia, AIA

News and resources relevant to young architects

14 FEATURE The Designated Sketcher Jeffrey Pastva, AIA

16 FEATURE

The Boundaries of Architecture Bryce Gamper, PA

20 FEATURE 24 Hours with an Emerging Social

Entrepeneur Beth Mosenthal, Assoc AIA

52 ARTICLES

Climatecture, Carey Walker 22 Our Number Two Dilemma, Sean Sheffler 26 A Return to Reality, Brian Kubecki 28

30 DESIGN Monsters

Sophia Lee, LEED-AP

34 DESIGN What’s In ADD Inc.

40 DESIGN Tangents Tuan Tran, AIA

44 DESIGN

Community Building Catalyst Chris Baribeau, AIA

48 PHOTOGRAPHY Becca Waterloo

50 BOOK REVIEW

Meghan Daum’s ‘Life Would Be Perfect if I Lived in That House’ Nicole Martin, AIA

REVIEW

52 LEADERSHIP PROFILE What I Learned Noe Ramirez, AIA

CONNECTION is sponsored through the generous support of The AIA Trust. The AIA Trust is a free risk management resource for AIA members that offers valuable benefits to protect you, your firm, and your family. For more information on all AIA Trust programs, visit www.TheAIATrust.com

EDITOR’S NOTE

EMERGE (-ing) Wyatt Frantom, AIA LEED AP Wyatt is the 2012-2013 Communications Advisor of the YAF National Advisory Committee of the AIA, the YAF CONNECTION Editor-inChief, and a Architectural Designer with Gensler Los Angeles

On stepping stones of their dead selves, men (emerge) to higher things. - Lord Alfred Tennyson, paraphrased Los Angeles was cast in white … a 5,000-foot layer of wispy white floating ephemera. The high-pressure sodium lamps of the streets and parking lots far below formed an extraterrestrial Lite-Brite path along the clouds just beyond my wing. The hull’s aluminum belly softly skipped along the vapor surface, gently abrading each silvery billow until the cotton was broken by contrail and we occupied the white room within the clouds. Just as suddenly, flight AA238 broke the floor of the white room; and the cloud pinched thin to reveal the city grid below. I was on a return flight from Dallas after a weekend session for the AIA Leadership Transition at which I’d taken the position of Communications Director for the National Advisory Committee of the Young Architects Forum, and with it, this very position as Editor of the YAF CONNECTION. This new chapter seemed to manifest in that moment, that instance: my emergence from the monochromatic blur of cloud bank to a view of the vibrancy that is my Los Angeles home; it felt like an epiphany. There are other, likely more tangible, forms of ‘emergence’ that we each experience throughout our lives; from graduation, professional licensure, making partner or some such professional milestone; to marriage, the birth of a child or other personal life landmark. From each, we emerge … different. More so than not, I believe we emerge better. In his 1922 book Self-Development and the Way to Power, L.W. Rogers wrote,

“We are not the same being, physically, mentally or spiritually, any two days in succession.” This sentiment captures, for me, the constancy and the infinite nature of emergence relative to our lives. By definition, e•mer•gence

[n. 1. The act or process of emerging (emerge being ‘to arise’)] is a noun with the verbal participles of ‘emerges’, ‘emerging’, and ‘emergent’ all predicated on the infinite act. So, when we have ‘emerged’, it is momentary, a singular instance within a larger lifelong emergence. ‘Dropping-of-science’ starts here: The term ‘emergent’ was coined by the pioneer psychologist G. H. Lewes, who wrote: Every resultant is either a sum or a difference of co-operant forces; (a) sum, when their directions are the same (and a) difference, when their directions are contrary … every resultant is clearly traceable (to) its components. (This is not the case) with emergents, when, instead of adding measurable motion to measurable motion, or things of one kind to other individuals of their kind, there is a cooperation of things of unlike kinds. The emergent is unlike its components insofar as these are incommensurable, and it cannot be reduced to their sum or their difference.”

In simpler terms, emergence is ‘how the individual affects the whole’, not how the individual components amass to create the whole. And this is important because our profession is an emergent practice, not a resultant or linear process. The seemingly coordinated movement of a school of fish or a flock of birds, for example, is not controlled by any individual leader; its shape is not defined by the bird-asmodule. Instead, it emerges naturally as each individual follows a select set of governing rules such as ‘go in the same direction as the dude next to you’, ‘maintain a 6-foot distance from adjacent wing tips’, and ‘stay away from hawks’. The processes from which emergent properties or

behaviors result may occur in either the observed or the observing system, and can commonly be identified by their patterns of accumulating change, more generally called “growth”. The complexity of the cumulative behavior is not a property of any single entity or individual. The shape of the school of fish cannot be predicted or deduced from the individual. The shape of a flock of birds is not irreducible to its component. In our own schools of thought on Architecture and in the practice of design, we can apply the term to an exploration on the origins of novelty, creativity, and authorship in our processes; emerging naturally as each individual follows a select set of governing rules such as ‘go in the same direction as the dude next to you’, ‘maintain a clear distance from others’ intellectual property’, and ‘stay away from litigation’. All of this to ask … from whence does an authentic idea truly emerge? … in response to the rules of a given project?, … from the dynamic of an extended design team?, … from client consensus gathering? In fact, Nicolai Hartmann, one of the first modern philosophers to write on the subject of emergence, described the process as categorial novum or ‘new category’. And isn’t that what we, as architects are continually seeking? … the new. Our profession doesn’t seem content unless we’re establishing a weekly zeitgeist; re-shaping our own indefinite “school of fish” into the new-(est), emergent form of architectural practice. It is with this observation, less so a criticism, that we have compiled our January 2013 issue of CONNECTION, with the simple object of allowing you, our readership to define ‘emergence’ through your submissions on the solicited subject; … to our readers, this issue should serve as a provocation … and perhaps, for each-of-us or all-of-us to find a “stepping stone” from which to emerge to higher things. ■

1 2

‘Emerge’ synonymous with ‘arise’ used in lieu of ‘rise’ from original text. General citation of ‘emergence’ from Wikipedia

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

YAF NEWS in the news

(big issues effecting young architects)

PRACTICING CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM: ARCHITECTURE BILLINGS CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS 2012 COMES TO A CLOSE

SMALL PROJECTS, BIG IMPACTS: YOUNG ARCHITECTS EXPLORE URBANISM ON A "TACTICAL" LEVEL

After riding a bumpy wave since November of 2007, the Architecture Billings Index saw its fourth consecutive gain this past November. With tangible improvements in sectors such as the housing market and more modest rises in business in the publicsector and nonprofit organizations, both architects and relatedindustry professionals hope for a continued increase in projects and related opportunities to bring on new hires.

Whether it's a response to the recession, a desire to improve our urban environments as urban density continues to increase, and/ or a cultural desire to return to ideas of "authenticity" in the cities we live in, young architects across America are getting involved in various movements that address urban planning through creative, low-budget design solutions.

With that said, industry professionals remain "cautiously" optimistic. Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA and the AIA's Chief Economist suggests that only modest economic growth is projected for 2013 (the average projected revenue increase is 3.0%.) While residential firms will likely experience continued growth, resolving the federal budget and reducing the federal debt remain key issues that will continue to influence the performance of the Commercial and Institutional Sectors. Despite modest predictions, there is still reason to celebrate. With even modest growth, a feeling of optimism regarding design has begun to re-emerge amongst industry professionals and their clientele. In a recent Wall Street Journal article, "Demand for Architects Builds Momentum," Gary Davis of A. Zahner Co., a Kansas City-based metal fabricator was quoted saying, "People are calling about design questions again, rather than just calling to ask, ' Do you have a cheaper way of doing this?"

A notable movement related to small-scale actions or interventions that result in a larger purpose or impact is "tactical" urbanism; a term coined and written about by the Street Plans Collaborative, an urban planning, design, and advocacy firm. Over the last two years, the simple principles behind "Tactical Urbanism" have become an international phenomena as well as a foundation for various architects, planners, and related industry professionals to engage in dialogues and resulting projects that aim to both activate and enhance urban areas. From yarn-bombing to guerilla gardening to events such as "parking day" (a day in which parking spaces are turned into temporary park-like and event spaces,) this renewed interest in improving cities through subtle gestures seems to bode well for using design as a vehicle for positive long-term change. For related events near you, check out "Tactical Urbanism" on facebook.

get involved (competitions/events) 2012 AIA YAF/COD IDEAS COMPETITION : WINNERS ANNOUNCED ONLINE

PACK YOUR SKIS AND YOUR T-SQUARE: THE 2013 NATIONAL CONVENTION IS COMING TO DENVER

Each year the AIA Young Architect's Forum and the AIA Committee on Design invite architects, students, and related design professionals to participate in an international "Ideas" Competition. 2012's theme was "Active Lifestyles for Better Health." Entrants were asked to explore design solutions that would both educate and encourage Americans to live a healthier life. Winners of the Ideas Competition have recently been announced.

The AIA National Convention is coming to Denver June 20-22, 2013. With the theme of the 2013 conference titled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;BUILDING LEADERS: leadership for architecture, leadership beyond architectureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, keynote speakers are Blake Mycoskie (TOMS Founder and Chief Shoe Giver,) Cameron SInclair (co-founder of Architecture for Humanity,) and General Colin Powell (former Secretary-of-State.) This access to unique thought leadership paired with a wide array of relevant and timely programming, networking opportunities, and information regarding new products and technologies should not be missed.

For more information, click here to visit the AIA Website

To register, click here to visit the AIA Convention Homepage

JANUARY 2013

yaf faces (get to know active YAF members) The YAF Regional Director spotlight introduces one of the handful of YAF Regional Directors that help gather information about issues facing young architects within their region and share relevant information regarding activities and resources to other young architects. This month, Mark A. Schwamel, AIA tells us a little bit about his involvement in the YAF.

Schwamel is the Young Architect Regional Director for the Illinois region 01. How did you get involved with the YAF? When I moved to Chicago in 2003, I used the AIA Chicago website as a source for my job search. They offered links to architecture firm contacts and current job openings. As I was navigating the site, I discovered the Young Architects Forum. Every first Tuesday of every month, the YAF hosted a social happy hour to meet and network with other Young Architects from the Chicago area. I started going to the happy hour events, learned about the YAF and the activities and events the chapter offered while meeting so many great people. I have been involved ever since! 02. What are some of the important issues that Young Architects face in today’s industry? Leadership development and career advancement are a large challenge for Young Architects today. The economic downturn has caused what used to be a constant flow of work at our firms to become less reliable, so, we all have been in 'survivor mode' as of late. It has been really difficult for Young Architects to expand existing skills or even develop new skills in this climate. Another issue that faces Young Architects (and our profession) is the lack of public awareness about the role Architects play in society. Improving public awareness about our activities/role has been largely left undeveloped in any consistent, sustained manner. So, as Young Architects, it is our responsibility to work within our communities to educate them about what Architects can offer and how our work can improve the communities we live in. This will only strengthen our profession as a whole. 03. What type of regional activities and resources do you recommend Young Architects utilize to continue to excel in their careers and professional networks? I still believe mentoring is the best resource we, the AIA, have to advance Young Architects in their careers. Our profession, and the Institute, is rich in experience and knowledge; Young Architects need to harness this resource. In Chicago, we developed the 'Bridge' mentoring program as an effort to extract this knowledge by pairing young architects with Chicago chapter Fellows in mentoring relationships. These type of programs give Young Architects the outlet to ask questions that may be difficult to ask in their place of employment--such as starting or running their own architecture firm, making a career change, or professional advancement within their current firm. We just completed our third session of the Bridge program.

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

connect

(links, resources, and further reading)

AIA’s Young Architects Forum YAF's official website CLICK HERE AIA Archiblog This blog provides YAF-related news in real time. Get involved in the discussion! CLICK HERE YAF KnowledgeNet A knowledge resource for awards, announcements, podcasts, blogs, YAF Connection and other valuable YAF legacy content ... this resource has it all! CLICK HERE Architect’s Knowledge Resource The Architect's Knowledge Resource connects AIA members and others to the most current information on architecture, including research, best practices, product reviews, ratings, image banks, trends, and more. It's your place to find solutions, share your expertise, and connnect with colleagues. CLICK HERE AIA Trust Access the AIA Trust as a free risk management resource for AIA members. www.TheAIATrust.com YAF on LinkedIn Stay connected with the YAF leadership and all the young architects you meet at the convention, and get involved in group discussions. CLICK HERE YAF on Twitter Follow YAF on Twitter @AIAYAF YAF on Facebook Become a Fan of AIA Young Architects Forum on Facebook Know Someone Who’s Not Getting The YAF Connection? Don’t let them be out of the loop any longer. It’s easy for AIA members to sign up. Update your AIA member profile and add the Young Architects Forum under “Your Knowledge Communities.” • Go to www.aia.org and sign in • Click on “For Members” link next to the AIA logo on top • Click on “Edit your personal information” on the left side under AIA members tab • Click “Your knowledge communities” under Your Account on the left • Add YAF Call for Articles Would you like to submit articles for inclusion in an upcoming issue? Contact the Editor at wyatt.frantom@wf-ad.com

YAF NEWS opportunities

(community and leadership opportunities)

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS: AIA YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM ADVOCACY DIRECTOR

Back-up materials Five 8.5”x11” pages maximum, including applicant’s resume at a minimum. Three letters of recommendation, including one from an AIA component leader (such as a Chapter President, Regional Director, or Component Executive).

Application Deadline: February 4, 2013 The Young Architects Forum (YAF) is the voice of architects in the early stages of their career and the catalyst for change within the profession and our communities. Working closely with the AIA College of Fellows (COF), the YAF is leading the future of the profession with a focus on architects licensed less than 10 years. The national YAF AdCom is charged with encouraging the development of national and regional programs of interest to young architects and supporting the creation of YAF groups within local chapters. YAF programs, activities, and resources serve young architects by providing information and leadership; promoting excellence through fellowship with other professionals; and encouraging mentoring to enhance individual, community, and professional development. ADVISORY COMMITTEE POSITION AVAILABLE Advocacy Director The Advocacy Director is a new position on the YAF Advisory Committee. Duties of the director have been outlined but may change as the new position is developed. Volunteers with a proven interest and experience with Advocacy are encouraged to apply. For more information on the Advocacy Director position, see page 24 of the YAF Handbook. Please Note: Director terms are two years. Major meetings of the AdCom are typically scheduled three times a year (AIA Grassroots, AIA National Convention, and a fall YAF conference) along with monthly conference calls. APPLICATION PROCESS / REQUIREMENTS Applicant Letter of Interest: One 8.5”x11” page describing applicant’s interest in a specific position.

Please address application materials to AdCom Selection Committee Chair Brad Benjamin. Please submit application as a PDF document titled: “YAF_AdCom_Application_LastName_FirstName.pdf” and e-mail to yaf@aia.org. Eligibility Nominees must be members of the AIA in good standing, and architects licensed ten years or less for at least the first year of their term. Appointments are based on submitted materials, and selection will be made by the YAF AdCom selection committee. Although the Young Architect Regional Director (YARD) roster often serves as a pool of nominees for the AdCom positions, YARD experience is not required. Other members of the AdCom (in a non-voting capacity) include the immediate AdCom Past-Chair, the Emerging Professionals Director, an AIA Board Representative, and a COF Liaison.

submissions (solicitations for work) The Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) is looking for submissions from Emerging Professionals for our quarterly newsletter, the CRAN Chronicle. Specifically, we would like to find out how EPs contribute to custom residential projects, and what kind of work EPs do in their offices. Brief written descriptions and graphics are welcome. If you would like to be featured in an upcoming CRAN Chronicle, please contact Dawn Zuber.

The AIA CRAN Knowledge Community develops knowledge and information to benefit architects who are engaged in, or who are interested in learning more about, custom residential practice. CRAN presents information and facilitates the exchange of knowledge and expertise to promote the professional development of its members via discussion forums, national symposia and conventions, publications, and local activities.

JANUARY 2013

workshops (continuing education) TEX-FAB 4.0: PARAMETRIC DESIGN AND DIGITAL FABRICATION SYMPOSIUM Parametric Design and Digital Fabrication Symposium featuring Lectures, Workshops and Exhibition of Cast Thicket, winning project of the APPLIED Research Through Fabrication Competition.

#yaf on the web (seen/heard/tweeted) YAF's local chapters nationwide have been keeping busy updating emerging professionals with opportunities, inspiration, and information. Here is a sampling of some recent posts: AIA Young Architect’s Forum | @AIAYAF Who in the World does Research Anymore? Recap of AIA Research Summit by Deepika Padam, AIA via Metropolis ... http://www.metropolismag.com/pov/20121025/who-in-theworld-does-research-anymore AIA Pittsburgh YAF | @YAFpgh For #pittsburgh riverfront’s, we should demand greatness, not blah-ness cc @RiverlifePgh http://triblive. com/aande/architecture/3048258-74/riverfront-riverrivers#axzz2EZK8rcrW AIA Michigan YAF| @AIAMichiganYAF From NOLA Convention: Skid Row Housing Corp believes that good design makes all of the pieces fit together - ideas for Detroit! #AIA #YAF AIA Wisconsin| @AIA_Wisconsin Have you seen the “I AM AIA” video? http://youtu.be/3Wl1AVNAolI

WHAT Workshops will feature content for an enhanced and multifaceted experience for the novice to advanced user. Registration for a workshop covers two days of introductory and applied instruction over the weekend, Saturday (all day) and Sunday (half day). WHO Patrik Schumacher, Keynote Speaker | Zaha Hadid Architects (Thursday Evening, Open to public) Friday Symposium and Workshop Instructors Gil Akos / Ronnie Parsons | Studio Mode David Fano / Nate Miller | CASE, Inc. HKS / Line Studio Jason K. Johnson | Future Cities Lab Chris Lasch | Aranda Lasch Travis McCarra | DSGNFRDG WHERE University of Texas Arlington School of Architecture, Host Institution WHEN Thursday, February 28th - Sunday, March 3rd, 2013 For more, visit ... http://tex-fab.net/

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

Call for News Do you have any AIA/YAF related events or content applicable to young architects? Contact the News Editor, Beth Mosenthal, on twitter @archiadventures

MAP [ depicting locations of article contributors for this issue ]

Geneva, NY Milwaukee, WI

Chicago, IL

Boston, MA

Detroit, MI

Pittsburgh, PA

Philadelphia, PA AIA National Washington D.C.

Denver, CO

Winston-Salem, NC

Fayetteville, AR Los Angeles, CA

Houston, TX

McAllen, TX

This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leadership Profile Noe Ramirez

PUT YOURSELF ON THE MAP GET CONNECTED by contributing to our next issue!

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

FEATURE EMERGENT PRACTICE

EMERGENT METROPOLIS

INFORMING ONE YOUNG ARCHITECT’S PRACTICE Sam Garcia, AIA Garcia is the AIA YAF Texas Young Architect Regional Director (YARD), a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and a Project Architect for ROFA Architects in McAllen, Texas.

In terms of preferences, I’d rather live and work in a frenetic, dense metropolis where I don’t need a car. Personally, I enjoy taking the subway to work and walking to and from the coffee shops, restaurants, and specialty stores that I happen upon. The Big City – with its monumental sights, unmistakable sounds, edgy fashions, interesting people, and contagious energy – inspires me. I don’t live in one of those places.

high density, transit-oriented development?! This initial intuition subsequently led me on a journey of research and discovery that has driven my architectural life. I came to understand this isolated corner of the world – why it came to be settled, why it has thrived, and why today McAllen is the center of a metro area of almost one million residents expected to triple in population over the next thirty years.

Today I practice architecture in my adopted hometown of McAllen, Texas – the place that my family relocated to from Denver when I was 8 years old; the place that at 18, I vowed never to return to. Isolated little McAllen – just barely in the United States, 8 miles from Mexico, at the southern tip of Texas, in an area known as the Rio Grande Valley.

As it turns out, The Rio Grande Valley is a gateway, a trading hub, and an intersection of cultures, languages, goods, and ideas. As one of four metro border regions in the United States, or Gateways to the Empire, the Rio Grande Valley competes with San Diego, El Paso, and Laredo for border supremacy.

During the initial phases of my career, I followed my original intention, securing jobs in two quintessential urban hubs – Boston and San Francisco. Afterwards, I even managed to live in Madrid, Spain for a time. Throughout, I lived and experienced those aspects of dense, walkable, transit-reliant cities. To that kid from the Valley, those places had only been theoretical – seen in slideshow lectures and discussed abstractly in college courses.

In comparison to the other Gateways, the Valley could accurately be said to lag behind in terms of development. On the other hand, with respect to potential, demographic trends, and existing urban layout, the Rio Grande Valley easily supersedes the other Gateways. The Valley, with McAllen as its standard-bearer, has the potential to compliment San Diego as a bookend to the U.S. - Mexico border.

In 2004, while working for an urban design firm tasked with master planning a transit-oriented development for a park-and-ride station on the BART, I had my epiphany. It came to me one day sitting in the neighborhood coffee shop, sketchbook in hand. For reasons unclear, I happened to have map of McAllen with me. And like any good architecture nerd, my work couldn’t help but percolate into my personal time. I began to wonder, “What effect would a lightrail system have on McAllen? Could it logically work?” In that moment, I knew what my career was supposed to be about. My viewpoint drastically changed in that moment. It was as if I discovered something entirely new: Could it be that McAllen – town of about 100,000 residents – was practically hard-wired for

My job, therefore, is to bring clarity to the emergent metropolis. A big part of what distinguishes one part of the world from anywhere else relates to how exactly land is divided up and used. In many respects, human beings and the societies they live in are made up of interrelated stewards of the land interacting in ways that allow complex social systems to emerge. When humans do not use land for a productive purpose we call this wilderness. When humans organize in a highly efficient and compact area, we call this metropolis. In the spectrum from wilderness to metropolis, all levels

Rio Grande Valley Map

of land use will tell us what type of human activity is possible. In the case of small cities, isolated from other human settlements, a certain type of society emerges. In terms of potential for economic, social, and cultural potency, the small town has less vitality than the full-fledged metropolis. The metropolis, on the other hand, must overcome and ultimately subdue the internal pressures of having so many human beings in proximity to one another. Crime, traffic, public space, education, and many other factors must be tended to for the metropolis to enjoy relative harmony. Failure to resolve those issues leads to urban chaos that can prove brutal to the human being. On the other hand, successful resolution and competent leadership can allow a truly magnificent metropolis to flourish. Today, McAllen exists at a point where land use has followed a suburban model for growth and development. In many respects this has allowed a bright, clean, and peaceful city to emerge. Land use, in certain areas, must intensify to keep the quality-of-life that the citizens of the city have come to expect. A turning point is coming.

Metropolis - Spine

times as large, the city (and region) began to earnestly move beyond its small rural roots to become an emerging metropolis. I’m finding that I returned at an opportune time, because a window of opportunity is still open – whereby McAllen will decide what sort of city it will eventually become. Thanks in small part to my efforts; many people have begun to recognize that without a departure from suburban development models, McAllen risks becoming the old, decaying inner city of a much larger suburban region. The main focus of my practice has been to bring awareness while being an advocate for the really great urban hub that I know can emerge. It is exciting work, and I try to connect the dots on the existential choice McAllen faces. The high density, pedestrian-dominant development model which I’m envisioning may require levels of foresight and planning that would break the mold for this part of the world. The challenge is worth it because there is no telling what economic, social, and cultural value that can be unleashed; there is no telling how lofty the ceiling for McAllen’s potential may actually be. ■

Five years ago, when I returned, McAllen had experienced a phenomenal decade of rapid growth. Boasting a commercial/ retail sector typically associated with wealthier cities five-to-ten

Density Model

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

FEATURE EMERGENT PROCESS

THE DESIGNATED SKETCHER A VIRTUAL DESKCRIT Jeffrey Pastva, AIA LEED AP Pastva is an Assistant Editor for the YAF Connection, serves as Chair of the Young Architects Forum of Philadelphia, founder of The Designated Sketcher website and a Project Architect at Haley Donovan in Haddonfield, NJ.

Constructive criticism is valuable currency in the world of the designer. Without it, designers have no litmus against which to test their paper theories and would be unprepared for the gauntlet before them. But with it, we gain perspective from our peers, our professors, and our colleagues before it is presented in front of any authority. Not all feedback is created equal though; the credentials of the source, the level/quality of detail, and the diversity of perspective all affect its value. Realizing a need for high caliber critique, I set out to create an online platform that allows students and professionals from different backgrounds and status to interact regarding their works-in-progress.

up virtually to a community of designers with opinions? This always-on service could be a way to supplement the limited time of professors, while simultaneously offering feedback from a fresh set of eyes. Furthermore, by making students’ work more accessible to a wider pool of players, the site allows an interaction that could lead to opportunities such as employment or collaboration with peers outside of traditional circles. To date, connections have been formed by otherwise disconnected individuals.

The site is called The Designated Sketcher and has been live for just over two years, although the initiative has been years in the making. It was born out of an idea that if we could harness the collective power of Internet message boards and mix them with our image-heavy design culture, we could make a more designer-friendly discussion. The site was also built in response to the various showcase sites that either don’t allow commentary or have very empty feedback such as “likes.” “Liking” something is very easy in the virtual age, but the feedback would have much more meaning if the admirer were to engage with the author. It’s from this engagement that designers can determine whether or not there is value in their design and what they can do to improve in the future.

Despite our offerings of free, community-based advice, we have gone through a steep learning curve to discover what exactly designers desire in the form of feedback. Simply put, there isn’t a clear answer. What we have found is that students and young professionals need help with a number of items. So, even though the goal will always be design feedback for all things in the process purview (sketches, studio work, diagrams, etc.), we have started to focus on the skills that design school doesn’t always deliver. Unfortunately, these holes in the curriculum are often practical and necessary job skills that transcend the world of academia. These items include; assembling a clear portfolio, public speaking, and effectively communicating within a team. This happens mostly through our online platform, but we have run a series of in-person workshops that reinforce the industry standards that help emerging professionals stand out among a crowd.

The results have been overwhelmingly positive, as the site has provided an additional resource for both students and emerging professionals needing feedback on all things design. The success of the site has also reinforced the notion that designers desire a heavy discourse that isn’t always readily available. For example, the traditional methods of a designer’s project discussion happen during a desk crit or pin-up, both requiring the coordinated effort of multiple schedules and engaged parties, which may not be a problem during regular studio or office hours. But what if a designer needs help in the interim? Instead of only turning to his/her peers (whose relative experience is at the same level), what if they could pin-

Part of our duties as we emerge as a leading resource for designers is to adapt and respond to the needs of our community. So, as we continue to offer these opportunities to students and emergent professionals, we are constantly looking for ways to expand the conversation. That includes providing a voice to those seeking constructive criticism, connecting spheres of influence, and helping designers realize that putting work out there will lead to good things. After all of our work, at least one thing is clear: There is demand for an online mechanism for feedback and we will continue to provide as many avenues for personal growth as we possibly can. ■

Sketch posted to TheDesignatedSketcher.com. Image by James Curtis, Phormd.

Rendering posted to TheDesignatedSketcher.com. Image by James Curtis, Phormd.

I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really see the direct correlation between the built work and the whimsical sketch, but nonetheless each one by themselves is quite impressive. What I really enjoy about the space, besides the impossible to pull off pitched skylight, is how the viewing area is set up for a panorama to the exterior. In the absence of a traditional hearth/gathering area (which has started to become the TV room in American vernacular) the inhabitant is set up for view through the picture window, which remains true to its name. Selected example response to the posted project (above)courtesy of TheDesignatedSketcher.com.

ORIGINALLY SUBMITTED IMAGE

BASE ARCHITECTURAL RESPONSE

OVERLAY OPTIONS

SUGGESTED COURSE FORWARD

TheDesignatedSketcher.com process illustrated. Diagram by Jeffrey Pastva

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

FEATURE EMERGENT PRACTICE

THE BOUNDARIES OF ARCHITECTURE Bryce Gamper, PA Gamper studied architecture at the Lawrence Technological University, is an Inaugural Fellow of the Challenge Detroit program, the Design Industry Outreach Coordinator at Spire Integrated Systems and founder of BE.

“Detroit is big enough to matter in the world, but small enough that you matter in Detroit”. It’s a common epithet that I heard the first week I moved to the city, now the louder and more diverse the call, the more I become a believer in what it means. During the time I was moving to downtown Detroit I was trying to decide if being just a ‘designer’ was fulfilling enough in my professional goals when I came upon a progressive program called Challenge Detroit.

It was a tough decision to leave my firm that was assisting my pursuit of licensure but I truly believed I was making a career shift that was much bigger than me. I saw an opportunity to combine my professional and academic experiences into an impactful tool for civic engagement. Challenge Detroit was the conduit to bring my diverse interests together and redefine what it means for me to call myself a designer and architect. Composed of thirty recent highereducation graduates from around the United States, the program seeks to combat the perpetual ‘brain-drain’ occurring in Michigan while making an impact in Detroit. All of the participating Fellows moved to Detroit, supported by the Collaborative Group and began working for each of the thirty participating companies. With the commitment, funding, and fortitude necessary to sustain the momentum, the program allows the participants to work on team challenges every Friday, assisting local non-profits as consultants. Even though I was passionate about the program I was determined to find a connection between Challenge Detroit, civic engagement, and a career in architecture. So I reflected on my experiences with the AIAS Freedom by Design program (a design-build initiative created and run by students), and how architecture and design can impact not only physical spaces but also entire communities.

That reflection helped me to see the importance of architects in our cities, especially in nontraditional roles, and the importance of design in all of our communities.

That’s how I ended up connecting Challenge Detroit with Public

Interest Design. Now more than ever there is a movement for Public Interest Design (PID) and how we define public places; what makes them successful, useful, and relevant (one of the best-known examples being spaces like the highline in New York City). PID (in short) is the point of intersection between design and service; a point where human-centered, community based and driven ideas are focused on social sustainability and responsibility. In addition, a critical role of the architect in modern society is the responsibility to the health, safety and welfare of the public through their creations (a primary reason why the path to licensure is full of copious amounts of schooling, testing, and regulations). Creating safe and successful cities that flourish in the new urban environment is an opportunity for architects to take a prime role in society and Challenge Detroit is giving me the opportunity to invest in bringing Public Interest Design into Detroit. In addition, the program itself is a source of interdisciplinary collaboration; something many businesses and schools are learning has unprecedented benefits and returns. The thirty Fellows come from various backgrounds, with different degrees, from different cities, states, and even countries – something that doesn’t happen in most workplaces, let alone in a group of young professionals. During the monthly challenges Fellows work together and with experienced professionals from the non-profits they are servicing. This enables blending fresh ideas with the resources of the groups who work to make a difference in their community. The collaboration created between the Fellows allows for a greater impact in the community and innovative ideas that wouldn’t be possible without the input from various backgrounds. Fellows encourage design thinking in our work together, and as someone who studied architecture I enjoy leading

Fellows return back to Matrix for more hands-on experience. Photo by Bryce Gamper

A small team of Fellows work in their team during the second challenge of the year. Photo by Bryce Gamper

the discussion and focus in the groups I participate in. The critical thinking that I learned as an architect translates to any challenge we come across during our consulting work, no matter the scope or criteria of the project. That’s where I see the importance of the architect in various non-traditional practices like Challenge Detroit; we don’t just have an eye for design like many like to say. Architects have a trained eye for critical-thinking and problem solving that involves he entire public sector. The community engagement doesn’t stop there though; it extends to our personal lives as well. Fellows live in various areas of Detroit, from downtown to midtown, east side to west side, to facilitate learning about the cultures and communities that exist in the various neighborhoods of the city. Through challenges, Fellows look to members of the community for feedback, answers - problems and solutions. They engage in other workshops (like those run by the Project for Public Spaces) and they become a part

of the communities they live and work in to encourage others to join them. Becoming a part of Challenge Detroit was not a simple luck of the draw, but an experiment for myself on what the boundaries of the definition of ‘Architect’ and ‘architecture’ really are. The success and revitalization of our ailing cities is one of our most pressing challenges and has entered the forefront of our profession’s discussion. That is my mission as an ‘Architect’, even if it doesn’t involve touching a single physical building. ■

(below) Fellows Bryce Gamper and Kathy Tian present their team’s portion of a Community Impact Study to the Human Services group Matrix, which serves the hard hit neighborhoods of Detroit’s North East side. Photo by Bryce Gamper

Fellows cleaning the west end of Detroitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Riverfront as a community service project. Photo by Bryce Gamper

29 Fellows gather after a clean up effort of Detroit's Riverfront. Photo by Bryce Gamper

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

FEATURE EMERGENT PRACTICE

24 HOURS WITH AN EMERGING SOCIAL ENTREPENEUR Beth Mosenthal, Associate AIA Mosenthal is the News Editor for the YAF Connection, a passionate writer and critic that currently blogs on behalf of the AIA Colorado Emerging Professional’s and an Architectural Designer at Gensler in Denver, CO.

I met Shane in 2009 when we were both working for Habitat for Humanity in the Colorado area. Like me, we had both studied and were passionate about architecture. Also like me, we had decided to utilize the recession as a chance to explore a different aspect of the field; to provide service by helping implement affordable, sustainable building practices into Habitat for Humanity’s affordable housing construction programs. In late 2010, our paths split; I moved to Chicago to work for a large corporate architecture firm while Shane went on to create a startup, “BOULD.” Simply put, BOULD’s program, “Everbuild Pro,” provides people of all backgrounds and disciplines opportunities to gain LEED project experience. For a reasonable fee, people are paired with local Habitat for Humanity affiliates building LEED projects. In the end, everybody wins; much of the fee goes to the affiliate towards documenting and building LEED certified homes for low-income families, while the individual gains experience necessary to take any LEED professional exam. Over the last two years, BOULD has gone from a small operation run out of campus computer labs and coffee shops to a company that is gaining national attention. Most recently, BOULD was selected as a winner of the Huffington Post’s “IGNITEgood Millenial Impact Challenge,” amongst many other accolades and opportunities including a summer spent at the Unreasonable Institute in Boulder. As someone that is perpetually on the go, Shane shares 24 hours he recently spent in San Francisco at Greenbuild; a great example of an emerging social entrepeneur building a business, brand, and mission… and trying to figure out if he’ll ever sleep again? 5:00 am PST I stumble around feeling for my misplaced phone, a feeble attempt to turn off the church bells of my alarm. Exhausted after a long first day in San Francisco and an even longer night on my friend’s unforgiving couch. But, alas -- big day ahead. No rest for a young entrepreneur!

EverbuildPRO participants gaining LEED project experience

6:52 am PST Scramble to take the MUNI train towards the Moscone Center to kick off this year’s USGBC Greenbuild International Expo and Conference. Feeling pretty excited and looking forward to catching up, in person, with all those I know simply by their email or LinkedIn profile -- as well as share the efforts of my company! 10:02 am PST Spending the morning volunteering at pre-conference events at Greenbuild, taking advantage of the “Young Professional” discount -- of free! A small price for a week of access to incredible speakers and education sessions. Fortunately, received the easy assignment of manning a check-in booth, so I got plenty of time to practice my speech for the afternoon. 1:45 pm PST Starting to get nervous. People probably think I’m crazy as I’m briskly pacing and mouthing my presentation in the back. It’s the biggest stage for my start-up company BOULD -- can’t blow this opportunity. I have 10 minutes to deliver our concept to respective leadership from each of the 77 USGBC Chapters, across the US and Canada. USGBC Chapters are the lifeblood of catalyzing our efforts in communities and critical to our growth.

EverbuildPRO participants helping to frame a Habitat for Humanity home

5:36 pm PST Got an email from the Huffington Post. BOULD was selected as a Finalist for the IGNITEgood Millenial Impact Challenge. It’s a voting campaign to choose the best impact ideas from different sectors -- and reward them with a fellowship, $10,000 grant, and coverage in national media. Ahh! Incredible, but voting begins tomorrow. How will I fit this all in?

EverbuildPRO participants gaining LEED project experience while helping to build a Habitat for Humanity home

9:34 pm PST Laying on the floor at San Francisco International airport -- wiped. Bracing myself for a long redeye flight to Atlanta. My team will be participating in a business accelerator for the remainder of the week in order to help refine our concept and earned revenue models. Can’t wait -- despite the long hours and stressful moments -- I’ve never felt so alive. ■

2:51pm PST Nailed it! Best pitch I’ve ever delivered. Thank goodness! I received implementation requests from over 40 USGBC Chapters and strong support from both USGBC National and USGBC Emerging Professionals. Big BOULD things ahead for our service learning education! 3:45 PST Unscheduled, but incredibly exciting meeting with a representative from the Make It Right Foundation -- they’re the organization behind some of the rebuilding efforts in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward. Their representative is interested in partnering to provide our experiential education on their LEED projects. Buzzing! So many ideas. 4:44 PST Attend a keynote session at Greenbuild, led by Van Jones -- a remarkable green jobs advocate and founder of Green for All and Rebuilding the Dream. Incredible delivery and vision forward for America. Ready to get to work!

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

Gring giving his pitch at the Unreasonable Institute’s ‘Climax’ Event

Shane Gring Gring is Co-Founder of BOULD, a start-up based in Denver, CO recently selected as a winner of the Huffington Post’s ‘IGNITEgood Millennial Impact Challenge’ and has received national attention for utilizing business to create social change

ARTICLE EMERGENT PRACTICE

CLIMATECTURE

(klahy-muh-tek-cher) Carey Walker, Associate AIA, LEED AP Walker is a graduate of Syracuse University School of Architecture where she researched ‘anticipatory climatic disaster design’ and is a designer with Sasaki Associates in Boston, MA.

For years, there has been a growing concern across the world about the wellbeing of our planet due to climate change and the lack of adaptability. The overwhelming need for strategies to change as buildings are designed, or cities and towns are planned has been overlooked. Efforts have not been focused, but quietly observed so that smart minds can rest easy based off their small effort to try. Programs in the design community have been established, with a positive intent, but have failed when considering the end goal, the only goal, to protect the climate and our planet. Although many university design programs and design practices are giving thought to implementing these programs and guidelines into their daily lives, nothing has been established that incorporates the absolute need for this to be the focus. The question of ‘How architects and designers need to adapt their concepts and develop strategies?’ is in dire need of discussion. Three focus areas are specifically drawn forward. First, the ability to determine whether or not a building should be re-built after being destroyed and, if not, how the remains should be re-used or converted into a different use. Along with that, how then is a community relocated and redefined. Secondly, if a building needs to be rebuilt, how does this process happen? And finally, how materiality is chosen, and how the impact on the site’s environment is studied and appropriated.

When disaster strikes and devastation encompasses our communities, the human instinct is to rebuild one’s ‘home’. To recreate what people have lost, so that they can resume life the way it was before the traumatic experience in hopes to forget. Instead of the logical response of determining the reasonability of this immediate reproduction, the new structure is often aligned plenary to the destroyed. Consider the definition of age value. The thought that as decay exists more and more, the value of the monument or time of

existence is abruptly discovered. While the decay increases, the use value deteriorates. If a structure is continually destroyed, the use value is constantly being affected as well. Why wouldn’t the program be located to a structure that could provide consistent use value? Or, what could change from the original structure to the rebuilt structure to insure this consistency? So the question becomes: how to rebuild? The seemingly obvious base is that the current design is no longer efficient since it has been destroyed. Therefore recognizing the points of destruction can create a starting point for research. Understanding the adaption of the site’s natural habitat has been increasingly effective. The most important realization is recognizing that destruction exists, and creates adaption. Relying on the same system through distinctly different time periods

Realizing that adaption is key, change is necessary, and destruction will occur again are the main points to drive with. Relocating the man-made habitat is also a is a mistake.

consideration. If destruction occurs at a high level, causing no real adaptive possibilities, the most realistic thing is remotion (also a form of adaption). When studying the history of residential architecture, homes in different climates and zones of the world are visibly different. Whether it is their shape, size, or materiality, no home in Galveston Texas would be compared to one in Stowe Vermont. So why is that? Any architect can answer that question. And still there are many areas of the United States that have been developed with similar prototypes when clearly each zone is unique. The simplest way to break the antiphon down is to determine the precise requirements of the natural body of the site. What is the plant life? What is the terrain? What is the natural habitat? What are the natural and anticipated weather systems?

Glaveston Texas

Stowe Vermont

The importance of understanding the site is imprinted into a designer’s brain early in their career, but the techniques seem to fade as the client extends their role. There is a need to bring back this initial evaluation to each project.

product of attachment. Moving forward, this bond must be initiated early in the process, proving to all parties it is the necessary driver.

Consider biomimicry in the sense that each site is individual in its natural habitat, so why wouldn’t it be in its built environment as well? The

strength in understanding ancient design techniques of areas that were impacted by harsh weather conditions, or often hit by natural disasters can create a dynamic dialog between these paired topics. Combining this knowledge and research can create a basis for which direction one should propose to their client. Whether it be to build or not to build, but more importantly, how to build.

Designers must strive to create an end result that not only is connected to the client, but even more importantly, connects the client to their natural habitat through the building by understanding its strengths and weaknesses and adapting to them. ■

In conclusion, an excuse often heard is the strength the client will play in this role of ‘choosing a sustainability level’. That funds or lack of knowledge will limit them in their decision to move forward instead of backwards. Clients often see sustainability as a box that gets checked off when a project is finished, or a plaque that initiates a building into a ‘green’ category. This has been proven to help designers create a dialogue with their clients for the push towards sustainability. But what has been lost is that to be sustainable the building must create a positive connection with the site, climate, and community. It is not a style of design; it is a

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

An analysis of geographic features in Galveston, Texas. By separating the island into smaller pieces and studying the habitats of each, comprehending the advantages and deprivations is more manageable.

ARTICLE PROFESSIONAL EMERGENCE

OUR NUMBER TWO DILEMMA Sean Sheffler, AIA LEED AP Sheffler is the IDP State Coordinator for Pennsylvania, a Project Manager with WTW Architects, has served as the 2011 Chair of AIA Pittsburgh’s Young Architects Forum and Chair for their Communications Committee in 2013.

Consider the following opportunity, one that will really test your chops as an architect: Design a public space that will see a lot of foot traffic, one that needs to be beautiful and inviting, with ample provision for circulation, and will incorporate some high-quality finishes with strict dimensional criteria, as well as a great deal of specialty equipment . There will be mechanical and lighting design concerns, as well as acoustic separation from the surrounding spaces. Let’s not forget about accessibility – we need to be sure that we've complied with all necessary clearances, reach ranges, etcetera. So, in other words, an effective solution requires not only design expression plus technical skill – the very definition of architecture. Interested? Would you still be interested if you found out the design problem was a pair of ganged toilet rooms? Toilet rooms have earned the worst possible reputation in the practice of architecture; no one, it seems, wants to be associated with spaces that are dedicated to the calls of nature. And yet, every project will have at least one toilet room in it, and it's a virtual guarantee that the majority of plan review and building inspection will be concerned with how these rooms are laid out. It’s an essential skill for an architect to have in their bag of tricks. And yet, every young architect cringes when asked to work on them. Our profession is based on licensure -- RA status is our most valued credential, and the AIA has vigilantly defended the title. But despite efforts to raise public awareness of the architect’s role in society, our numbers have dwindled. Enrollment in architecture schools has steadily decreased over the past five years – the National Architectural Accrediting Board’s 2011 Report on Accreditation indicates a total enrollment of 24,478 students in NAAB-accredited degree programs, 59% of which are Bachelor of Architecture programs; this is down from a total of 29,133 (62% BArch) in 2008. Of those that do graduate from their respective programs, some never enter the profession, and an increasing number forgo

registration – NCARB’s website reports 14,465 ARE candidates in 2011, compared to the 17,916 that took the exam in 2008. The AIA has referred to this as “The Associate Crisis,” and it’s one of the largest issues facing the profession. Not the largest, though -- in the grand scheme of things, it ranks as number two on the list. Some of the Crisis stems from the “Gen-Y Effect,” the tendency of the current generation to stray from commitment; studies have shown that Generation-Y (or “The Milennials”) rents instead of buys, remains single instead of getting married, pursues short-term employment instead of long-term positions. In that mindset, a five-to-seven year internship, coupled with a seven-part examination, sounds somewhat daunting. The transient nature of the current generation is only one factor; another is the vast disparity between academia and practice. In architecture school, we’re taught to dream big, to not get bogged down in realities. Essentially, we’re made to believe that each and every one of us is not just a designer, but THE designer. After years of intense studio culture and countless all-nighters in the pursuit of one’s own post-modernist thesis masterpiece, surely we have more to offer the office -- to say nothing of society at large -- than a well-placed hand dryer. Graduates from architecture school very quickly find that the real world of the profession bears little resemblance to the fantasy realm of the studio. We are often left to fend for ourselves in a harsh world of tight deadlines and

The fact that the onus for so much of our training is carried by practice, not academia, is a liability for employer and employee alike -- when it comes to certain skills, like minimal direction.

toilet room layouts, we’re simply not taught that sort of thing in school. The aforementioned lack of direction has emerged as a troubling stat. When developing a set of

Bathroom partition design Photo by Sean Sheffler

Bathroom redlining Photo by Sean Sheffler

skills, oversight from a more experienced practitioner is essential to help identify problems, find potential solutions, and perform in

individual and the profession at large.

That type of guidance is all-toofrequently lost in our hectic schedules, where we are constantly expected to do more with less, and in shorter time frames, than ever before. an efficient manner.

If academia doesn’t advocate for the necessary skills to practice and real world constraints prohibit professional growth, are interns expected to fill the gap? Internship is the time when it’s expected to develop one’s skill set, which includes such things as competent toilet-room layout, in the process of honing one’s craft, becoming an architect instead of a designer. Design requires creativity, intuition, and conviction -- architecture requires all that, as well as a generous helping of knowledge, research, and technical ability. The Intern Development Program was developed to ensure that anyone wishing to call themselves an architect has the ability to competently and responsibly practice on their own, but its underlying goal is to develop and reinforce the importance of a skill set that will form the basis for a career as an architect.

The argument here is not against the importance of design. Every space, even the toilet rooms, deserves to be beautiful as well as functional. In fact, cleanlydetailed tile walls, carefully-located accessories , and uncompromised sightlines are quite an impressive design feat. That level of attention to detail is a good indicator that the rest of the building is equally impressive.

Once we are able to convince our emergent professionals that even ancillary and support spaces play a pivotal design role, we’ll have found a solution to our number two dilemma -- convincing our own ilk that what we do is valid, worthy of their time, effort, and education. Maybe then we can move on to Dilemma Number One -figuring out how to convince the general public of the same thing. ■

It’s the responsibility of the intern to view IDP as more than a numbers game; it’s essential training, and needs to be treated as such. But it’s also an inherent responsibility of the academy and practice to provide adequate opportunity to hone those skills, with the proper coaching and guidance, in the best interests of the

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

ARTICLE EMERGENT PRACTICE

A RETURN TO REALITY Brian Kubecki, AIA Kubecki is an artist and registered architect with six years of experience. His creative and thoughtful approach to the practice of architecture has prompted him to challenge the industry standards of computer-based design.

Christopher Hawthorne’s review of Victor Papanek’s 41-yearold book, Design for the Real World: Human Ecology and Social Change offers a clear synopsis of today’s architectural condition. In short: there is a “fissure in the profession” and it is “never going to go away”. The fissure, described by Papanek as “real engagement” versus “salesmanship” is reflected in the current separation of socially-focused architects versus their style-heavy counterparts. The disparities between the two are most apparent when considering each one’s utilization of technology. Architects that bring a humanitarian bent to their design approach have positioned themselves “in clear opposition to both the bleedingedge technology of Silicon Valley and architecture’s parametric camp, with its sleek digital fantasies.” Alternately, the parametric camp, with Patrik Schumacher as a figurehead, owes an obvious debt to technology. Indeed, Parametricism, as it is called, requires the mastery of “sophisticated parametric techniques” in order to participate. These opposing forces, aversion to and dependency on

Emerging architects and designers must choose between sacrificing their interest in the real world (by embracing the virtual immersion necessary to practice parametric design), or risk becoming a Luddite who rejects technological advances out of fear (a stance which has not historically ended well). Professionally, I have struggled against this technocomputer-aided design, present a difficult scenario.

quandary by trying to integrate hand-drawing into the digitalization process. This gentle attempt at integration is destined for rejection as the prevalence of building information modeling (BIM) increases and continues to encroach on early phases of the design process. A more radical departure from the pull of an exclusively virtual design environment would be to return to the reality of the physical (constructed) environment. Let me explain. BIM’s parametrics are advantageous because of their ability to perform complex calculations and instant global adjustments; in essence, they make design easy (or easier). But, this assessment is relative

to the pre-internet hegemony of communication through printed words and graphics. In our post-internet world, which now includes “smartphones, iPads, Skype, Twitter, Tumblr, and open-source design software” , the very act of communicating a design concept from architect to builder needs reconsideration. Robert Venturi challenges the narrow use of technology by designers, writing in Architecture as Signs and Systems: For a Mannerist Time that “perhaps the appropriate use of computers for architecture in an Electronic Age is not to compose contorted forms but to validate valid surfaces, for an Information Age.” Venturi’s reflection suggests technology as a primarily communicative tool as opposed to a primarily design-generating tool – imagine the implications! Instead of young designers solving virtual problems while tethered to their computers, picture them at job sites with a tablets and sketch apps solving real problems in the real world. As emerging professionals take their positions on either side of the “fundamental fissure”, a reevaluation of our technological capabilities is needed. Rather than accept the status quo, let us ask: How can design technology affect real change for everyday people in the real world? As emerging professionals take their positions on either side of the “fundamental fissure”, a re-evaluation of our technological capabilities is needed. Rather than accept the status quo, let us ask: How can design technology affect real change for everyday people in the real world? ■

1 2 3 4 5

Hawthorne, Christopher. “Rereading Design for the Real World.” Metropolis Nov. 2012: 32-35. Print. Ibid Schumacher, Patrik. “Parametricism as Style - Parametricist Manifesto.” Thesis. 11th Architecture Biennale, Venice, 2008. Http://www.patrikschumacher.com/Texts/Para metricism%20as%20Style.htm. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. Hawthorne. Pg35. Venturi, Robert, and Brown Denise Scott. Architecture as Signs and Systems: For a Mannerist Time. Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard UP, 2004. 100. Print.

... perhaps the appropriate use of computers for architecture in an Electronic Age is not to compose contorted forms but to validate valid surfaces, for an Information Age. - Robert Venturi

On Site, Intuitive, Connected - A New Approach to Computer-Aided Design Digital Collage by Brian Kubecki

DESIGN EMERGENT PRACTICE

MONSTERS

AN EMERGING PRACTICE OF SALVAGE Sophia Lee, LEED AP Lee has recently helped to establish the Philadelphia branch of the University of Virginia School of Architecture Young Alumni Council (UVa AYAC) and works as an Intern Architect at MGA Partners in Philadelphia, PA.

Benedikte Zitouni, in “What is Waste?” discusses the idea that “Waste is ‘matter out of place.’” The Industrial Revolution led to the general current practice of first defining a mass-producible form, then designating a material. Inevitably, form takes precedence over material resulting in material waste. A different word to call industrial waste would be by-product. With a little ingenuity, byproducts can become raw materials for a whole variety of products. What if a practice could emerge that reincorporates “waste” as “product”? In Spring of 2011, Lucia Phinney, Lionel Devlieger, and ten students convened for Studio “Tools for Conviviality” at University of Virginia School of Architecture. Our major interest was to first identify wood industry by-products and then discover their potential uses. Lionel inspired us to call them “monsters,” from the Dutch monster or “specimen,” as a means of elevating each of them as distinct characters. Our final goal was to research methods by which we could reincorporate these rejected or undesirable materials back into society. We began our inquiry by visiting ten forest product industries in Virginia, covering the full spectrum from seeds through landfill and recycling. I personally visited the Augusta Lumber Company which produces flooring. From rough lumber, they plane, rip, bevel, tongue & groove, and finish before packaging it for sale. Until the lumber is tongue & grooved, all the pieces are the same size, but then they cut out all the “imperfections” or knots in the wood – these are our monsters! They collect the knotted wood pieces to burn for fuel. The rest of the flooring, now irregular lengths, continue along in the process. We built a “Wood Systems Model” to visualize the interaction between the different systems involved in the forest industry which are: Forest, Manufacturing Process, Use, Material Recovery Facility, and Landfill. The white ribbons flowing throughout the whole model represent wood as it transforms from living tree to product. We found that most facilities burn wood by-products and sawdust for energy and are very efficient. White portions of the model represent products we can track – the “Use” box is black because here we lose track. The grey box represents a Material

Recovery Facility (MRF): a tiny portion of used products are recovered here as particleboard feedstock, but sadly, the greater part of used products directly enter the Landfill. The open question is: How can post-use forest products be recovered for reuse pre-landfill? Using monsters, we then designed landscape interventions in partnership with Mountainside Senior Living, a local assisted living community. Their back patio is beautiful, but lacked a safe border against car traffic. Sydnor Scholer and I developed the “Freestanding Garden Screen” to help define this border. The form arose from a dialogue between Landscape and Monster. Because of their relatively large size, we decided to use end cuts recovered from local construction sites. The screen’s size needed to be roughly waist high to cover the parking lot, but keep the mountain views; the undulation absorbed the varying sizes of end cuts available to us while mimicking the mountain skyline in the distance. Amongst the challenges of designing with monsters is overcoming the sheer negative perception of using a “waste” product. Originally, we desired to use pallets in recognizable form with monsters as decorative infill, but received much push back because our critics felt our clients would simply see “junk.” We needed to reveal the qualities of wood by transforming its form – by presenting it in a new light. Thus, we first emphasized the infill pieces, but moved towards removing any resemblance altogether. Eventually, we dismantled the pallets and used the pieces for laterally bracing “box connectors”, thereby succeeding in complete transformation. In our trial and error process, we discovered that traditional woodworking joints do not accommodate monsters because this practice assumes straight, planar forms. Monsters are each unique, frequently warped, or simply considered “imperfect” (such as the knots from Augusta Lumber Co.). We first attempted a miter joint … that exploded and led us to use L brackets. These

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

Free standing garden screen installed at Mountainside Senior Living. Photo by Sophia Lee

brackets can accommodate wood whose plane rotates around the axis of its grain. Our most amazing discovery was our Local Salvage Network that grew out of our research. Local architects, contractors, craftsmen, fabricators, and suppliers genuinely wanted to help, as they frequently desired to find a better use for monsters. They even gave us helpful suggestions on how to build our network; one contractor suggested contacting suppliers directly who would know who in the area would be at the point of wood framing buildings which produces the most amount of usable end cuts. In Studio “Tools for Conviviality,” we set out to discover monsters. We did, but along the way we also discovered a regional, and even global network of people and landscapes joined in the productions of forest products. For example, Rock Tenn creates paperboard backing for gypsum wallboard from Old Corrugated Cardboard (OCC). They face increasing pressure to obtain OCC because of China’s growing demand for American OCC. Ken McEntee in “Paper’s Broadening Horizons” (Security Shredding and Storage News) quotes Jimmy Yang of Newport CH International (Orange, Calif.) as saying: “Chinese mills are always going to want OCC from the United States because of our strong fiber.”. The people amazed us with their willingness to help in our endeavor to research monsters. The

key ingredients to instigating positive change are desire and dedication. With this

project, I found both of those passions within myself, and within a whole community of concerned and interested designers. I feel optimistic that if we all continue to work with monsters, we can build a better future together in which we can close the materials loop into a regenerative, sustainable cycle. ■

x y z

Monster Wall at "Woodflows" Exhibit. Photo by Sophia Lee

Common warping patterns in Monsters. Diagram by Sophia Lee [below]

by-product (monster): A by-product is an incidental product of a manufacturing process. They are categorized ‘waste’ though some become inputs for other processes. The term ‘monster’ stems from the Dutch monster or ‘specimen.”

Wood systems model. Photo by Sophia Lee

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DESIGN EMERGENT PRACTICE

WHAT’S IN ADD Inc. Back row from left to right: Ben Stracco, Mika Gilmore, Lisa Walden, Marcus Hamblin, Fred Kramer, BK Boley, Tamara Roy, and Blake Goodwin. Front row left to right: Zach Pursley, Ruthie Kuhlman, Meredith Powell, Melissa Miranda, Aeron Hodges, Derrick Nickerson, Michelle Kim, “Q”uinton Kerns, Dan Connolly, and Chris Neukamm

Q’s Story

Tamara outlined several areas where the city could help:

On the surface, this essay is about an emerging building typology

• create smaller units

called the “micro-unit” and the diverse team of people tasked with

• focus on shared common spaces

bringing the typology to life. Below the surface is young architect

• replace cars with bikes

named ‘Q’ whose story is unfolding in cities across America. Maybe

• create more opportunities and incentives for developers to

you know someone like Q who left college after earning a degree

experiment

and a mountain of debt. Q does not need a luxury penthouse with harbor views nor does he need a doorman, town car or in-house

The Mayor’s staff responded by requiring any residential proposal

laundry service. Maybe you are someone like Q who envisions

in the waterfront area to have an Innovation component, this policy

living in an apartment in the city so that he can walk to work and

change kicked off a surge in the design of developments with

maybe even have enough money left over for craft beers and art

smaller units, shared amenities, urban agriculture and incentivized

museums. He wants to know his neighbors, live within his means,

other innovations in housing. ADD Inc. was tasked with designing

walk to the store, and make a basic apartment feel like home.

four of these projects. Roy (with B.K. Boley, Design Principal-in-

Unfortunately, Q cannot find a place to live in downtown Boston

charge) realized early in the design process that her team lacked

that fulfills his wants

the basic demographic information necessary to their client’s needs, the emerging professional. To better understand the needs

The Call to Innovate

of young creative professional a housing research initiative called ‘What’s In? was born.

The city that you work in, wants you – the driven, young entrepreneur – to live downtown because you drive economic growth and spur

By mid-2011, Q had had enough “rainy days” to warrant a move

community development. In 2010, the year that Q took degree and

back to Beantown. He landed his “dream job” at ADD Inc. and was

moved to Seattle in search of a job and more affordable housing,

asked to lead the What’s In task force with Aeron Hodges.

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino created an “Innovation District”

team set out to answer one question – What is the appropriate

along the waterfront to create new ideas, services and products.

design response to an emerging urban living environment where

He invited five architects, including Tamara Roy, from ADD Inc.,

city-living is preferred but prohibitively costly for most people?

The

to speak to area developers and his staff about what Innovative Housing could be. Roy is a great believer in crowd-sourcing and

The Big Idea Is Little

collaboration and asked her colleagues about innovation. The resounding answer was: “We can’t afford to live in Boston, so

At first, What’s In was just a handful of architects committed to

what does it matter?” It was apparent that designers, developers,

developing a new building typology that promoted affordable

and policy-makers needed to think beyond current luxury housing

urban living. They looked at the cost of urban land and theorized

models if they were to make Boston attractive and affordable to

that using less real estate per person would be the best way to

creative professionals.

achieve affordable rents and encourage diversity in downtown

40 EMERGING PROFESSIONALS ATTENDED THE WHAT’S IN FORUMS ON THE TOPIC OF URBAN LIVING IN BOSTON. OUT OF THE POOL OF ATTENDEES, 81% WERE RENTERS AND 41% SPENT 30-50% OF THEIR MONTHLY INCOME ON RENT ALONE. MOST LIVED ON THE OUTER EDGES OF BOSTON OR IN AFFORDABLE SUBURBS WITH ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. NO ONE LIVED IN THE INNOVATION DISTRICT. MOST SAID THAT THEY WOULD LOVE A CHANCE TO LIVE DOWNTOWN – EVEN IF THAT MEANT SHARING SOME LIVING SPACE WITH OTHER BUILDING RESIDENTS. 55% SAID THEY WOULD LIVE IN A 250 SQ. FT. APARTMENT IN HEART OF BOSTON IF THE RENT WAS LESS THAN $1000/MO.

Boston. In the early days, Q and his team felt certain about three big “if-then” ideas. If traditional studio apartments were 600 sq. ft., then the emerging unit typology would have to be much smaller yet not feel cramped. IF renters were going to live in walk-in-closet-sized apartments, then they need new style of city living – one in which creative and accessible shared spaces would ameliorate the reduction in private space and add value to the urban experience. IF the micro-unit typology was going to be adopted by forwardthinking municipalities, then it would have to support innovation. As work progressed on Boston’s new housing projects, What’s In solicited feedback from outside voices to ensure that ADD Inc.’s designs would fit the needs of emerging professionals. Sure, 300 sq. ft. apartments worked on paper, but would developers and end users buy into the idea that going micro was the new way to live big? Even though Q did not want much more than a small space to sleep, What’s In needed to know if his peers thought otherwise. To find out, the group invited the target demographic, young professionals, 21-34 years in age, to participate in interactive forums designed to address three levels of urban living in Boston: neighborhood amenities, building amenities and apartment amenities.

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

Many 20-34 year olds would like to leverage their building common areas and social media to increase social interaction among neighbors. Some What’s In forum participants wished for accommodations that could feel more like the “good old college days.”

Bringing the Big Idea to Life Armed with end-user data confirming the existence of a market for

Forum participants reported that living in a small space would only be possible if the surrounding area provided vibrant social offerings, easy access to public transit, convenient amenities (grocery, pharmacy, gym, shopping, parking, etc),and was proximal to professional places to work

simple and affordable micro-units in downtown Boston, the What’s In design team set out to share their big idea. What they needed was something bold, informative, and experiential – an exhibit featuring a full-scale mockup that thousands of people could walk through and learn from. Q and his colleagues designed and built a 300 sq. ft. mock-unit (named “Luan” after its plywood shell) that would go on display at the 2012 ArchitectureBoston Expo, one of the largest events for the design and construction industries in the country. Luan sprang to life as a digital 3D model, shaped by the collaborative efforts of the What’s In team. Its modular design accommodated the programmatic components generated by the emerging professionals’ forum, used standard sizes of inexpensive building materials, displayed the What’s In research and provided a physical space for public discussion. After months of planning and off-site construction, Luan was ready for the exhibition. For three days, a bright orange, fully accessorized micro-unit mock-up generated buzz on the floor of the convention center. Developers, city-officials, architects and renters were all raving about microliving, urban affordability, and the future of residential rental development.

Because micro-units encourage people to spend more of their time in shared spaces, this housing typology and innovation are intrinsically linked. The three pillars of micro-unit housing – diversity, density and interaction – add up to a key ingredient for innovation called

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

Unlike conventional buildings that pack all common amenities on the ground floor, micro-unit buildings situate amenity spaces amongst the apartments on different levels to activate the structure in a new way. Fresh patterns of circulation for residents increase opportunities for interaction.

“knowledge spillover.” This phenomenon hinges on the frequent and natural exchange of ideas among acquaintances who may, unwittingly, spark an idea for a feasible way to make cars fly, lower healthcare costs, or end homelessness.

What’s In Is Emerging Architectural Practice Over the course of the What’s In research initiative, Q moved from his walk-up apartment on the outskirts of Boston to an affordable but amenity starved suburban location. He commutes 45 minutes to and from work, every day. His story is a reminder that the cost of urban housing is a complex problem that deserves the attention of policy-makers, city planners, developers and architects. To Q and the What’s In team, emerging architectural practice means approaching an issue in a cyclical manner with the help of a diverse group of stakeholders. It means asking new questions when the old ones are answered so that the emerging professional may one day have an affordable place to live in the city they work in and contribute to the creative community that keeps cities and innovation alive. ■

At the unit level, What’s In forum participants were interested mostly in affordability. If clever storage solutions, fold-away beds, luxury finishes and full kitchens were going to raise rents, participants consistently said ‘no thanks’. They said yes to a modern bath, a kitchenette, polished concrete floors, basic finishes, a bed alcove, decent storage, lots of natural light, and the opportunity for tenant-to-tenant customization.

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DESIGN EMERGENT PRACTICE

TANGENTS Tuan Tran, AIA Tran has served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning and is a partner at Design Fugitives in Milwaukee, WI.

In 2009, firms downsized. Projects went on hold or were cancelled.

inherent in the process of hand forming the steel which made each of

Many colleagues were looking for other work.

Marginalized and

the forty-six light fixtures unique. In addition to visualization, material

discontent with the job prospect, the recession catalyzed the formation

quantity was extracted from the parametric model that allowed

of Design Fugitives. Begun as an eight-person co-op, Design Fugitives

us to accurately forecast our fabrication cost and reduce the overall

has evolved and streamlined into a partnership of four. We are on the

project cost, while increasing our profits. The finished product was

run, but not from mainstream architectural practice. Design Fugitives

an amalgamation of our analog and digital skills and the experience

functions outside the boundaries of traditional architectural design to

gained would aide us in our next project.

explore tangents.

The Light Mobile is a sculpture for the atrium of the recently completed

Unlike other start-ups, we did not have a clear business plan. We saw

Power Solutions building at the Johnson Controls campus in Glendale,

an opportunity in the market for a practice that provides design and

Wisconsin. This was our first collaboration with the Gensler Chicago

fabrication services.

Unlike traditional design-build practices, we

office. Design Fugitives was initially brought on as the fabricator.

leverage computational design and advanced fabrication techniques.

However, our role evolved into designer-maker through a collaborative

This tangential approach gives us the capability to take on projects of

process of refining the initial concept into a manageable, constructible

various scales, scope and complexity.

and cost-effective installation. The sculpture was simplified as we

Our client list has grown to include museums, architects, lighting designers, product designers, furniture makers, restaurateurs and

distilled the fabrication process from nearly one-thousand individually hung thermoformed plastic pieces to only twenty-nine clusters!

homeowners. For these clients we have designed and built exhibits,

A CNC formed stainless steel spine and custom attachment hardware

lighting fixtures, furniture and sculptures. Our projects are not limited

supported each cluster which supports twenty-three wing-shaped

to traditional commissions which are client initiated projects, but we

plastic lenses. These lenses were cut with our in-house CNC router

actively pursue product designs ranging from coasters to furniture and

out of three different types of acrylics: milky white, clear fresnel, and

mobile office solutions.

dichroic mirror.

Our first major commission was for forty-six custom sculptural LED light fixtures for the River Club of Mequon, Wisconsin. The initial concept rendering proposed a light fixture made of bundled black tubes that looked like branches. We employed parametric modelling to approximate the visual aesthetic of bundled branches. Prototypes were made and used to fine tune the overall form. We then experimented with finish options, and test LED wiring. While making the prototypes, we discovered a desirable variability

Light transmission was deliberately manipulated

through the varying use of these materials, the individual orientation of the lenses and the nesting of the clusters. With so many parts to coordinate in fabrication, the delivery and installation logistics turned out to be as complex and energy intensive as making the sculpture. We were able to fabricate and install the project in only three weeks. This project reinforced the effectiveness of our methodology of leveraging digital tools with complimentary craftsmanship. City Blocks: Manhattan is a coaster set we offer through our website. The name references both the cartographic features of New York City

Light Mobile from side view - Tom Harris ÂŠ Hedrich Blessing

(top) Light Mobile view from below Photo by Tom Harris ÂŠ Hedrich Blessing (bottom) Light Mobile detail Photo by Tom Harris ÂŠ Hedrich Blessing

(top) City Blocks: Manhattan packaged (middle) City Blocks: Manhattan in green and blue (bottom) City Blocks: Manhattan in close up

and the geometric shape of the coasters. Manhattan’s iconic landmass and street grid are carved into four square Corian blocks. The carved street grid creates a beautiful and subtle drop shadow. Functionally, the negative relief wicks away condensation from a glass placed on it. This product resulted from our constant and ongoing experimentation with the CNC router. Beyond tool and techniques, this joint venture with New York based designer Jacinda Ross was also an experiment in strategic partnership, which attracted the attention of the MoMA design store. We are excited to announce that the store will carry City

What’s next for Design Fugitives in 2013? Still on the run, we are taking on new projects exploring tangential trajectories.

The experience we gained from

these three projects and others has taught us to embrace the challenges new projects bring. As a young start-up, these challenges are invaluable lessons in running a business and more importantly, they help us identify new tangents for the trajectory of Design Fugitives. ■

Blocks in 2013.

View of installed chandelier

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

Entry Lobby chandelier in the spray booth

DESIGN EMERGING PRACTICE

COMMUNITY BUILDING CATALYST Chris M Baribeau, AIA Baribeau is the recipient of the AIA Arkansas Emerging Professional Award and Principal-In-Charge at Modus Studio in Fayetteville, AR.

In the mass-minded reluctance to change, we find opportunity to break from the norms and elevate ourselves to a thoughtful approach, carefully articulated and rooted in simple ideas with which people can practically connect. Such is the case with Carroll County Airport Terminal and its formal influence from the WWII F4U corsair aircraft. Modus Studio has made a habit of directly engaging these opportunities in pursuit of intelligent responses found by asking good questions and wondering how things should be without a tendency for preconceived notions. As an architect with an awareness of the importance of community, I've found that place-making and sustainability go hand-in-hand

Formal qualities seat the building comfortably into its surroundings.

and more importantly are critical for what I consider to be "good design." Society is astoundingly numb to the lowest common

views. The compression at the public entry to the north provides

denominator of the typical built environment. The masses seem

a release toward the runway to the south, seemingly welcoming

to want and cherish the old and the traditional. While this may be

the planes as they land. From the sky the building is a beacon, a

for good reason—ideas of craftsmanship and real materials come

parked artifact, and a form familiar to visiting pilots. An observation

to mind—we have the opportunity to evolve an understanding

deck, or vulture’s row, offers a unique, lofted view of the runway's

that there is a new level of familiarity to be embraced in modern

approach…a vantage from which one can enjoy a critique of the

materials and designs that are realized through the unbounded

other pilots' skills as they make their landing on the windy hilltop

opportunities of technology. When these elements happily

tarmac in Carroll County.

coalesce, healthy places are born and can be nourished by the community that inhabits and surrounds them.

Though the airport terminal building type is wrought with code and agency approval, these paper limits lead to a thoughtful master

The Carroll County Airport Terminal is a simple and low-tech

planning and a careful insertion of an architectural form into the

example of this complex philosophy. As an architectural machine

site constraints of the rural airport. Distinct program requirements,

it inspires the adventure of flight while lightly landing as a proud

view corridors, and site forces—particularly wind and solar—all

artifact to eagerly engage a growing population of pilots and visitors

emphatically influenced the form making process.

to the quaint airport in rural Arkansas. The building acts as a lens, capturing and projecting pilots to the landing area of the runway.

As the first civic project undertaken by my firm, the terminal evolved

The form of the building seeks to take flight while sheltering the

our capacity to provide a new model for how projects of this scale,

exterior space under its provocative wing-like forms.

occurring all over the rural landscape, can be provocative and enable architects to re-emerge in everyday projects through the act

An unfettered material palette of metal panel, glass, and cement

of community building. This simple idea of community builder—a

fiberboard is carefully articulated as a lightweight skin that captures

status to which architects were perhaps once affectionately

form and floods the interior spaces with natural light and expansive

ascribed—is a role that I believe we must revisit and more actively

A simple gesture goes along way to inspire visitors and pilots to the wonders of flight.

Floor plan, ground level and vultureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s row

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

The wing-like structure shelters an open air patio for the patrons of the Carroll County Airport.

pursue. Our design insight, from planning to building, is valuable

At Modus Studio, we've become aware that most people can

across a spectrum of communities, both rural and urban.

connect with complex ideas if they are translated into simple thoughts and simple forms. While many are able to fundamentally

As an active liaison, critic, and resource for the University of

relate to architecture through their experience of construction—be

Arkansas, Fay Jones School of Architecture, I feel a strong

it growing up on a street where a house is built, or a neighborhood

connection to the community of students that look to my young

school, or the latest town retail center—there is still an incredible

firm for inspiration. The relationship with my alma mater was

disconnect between what people witness in typical construction

evolving during the terminal’s design, and following its completion

and their understanding of an architect's role. The connection has

the subsequent publication and media exposure allowed a large

withered at our own hands and is thus our responsibility to emerge

number of students and community members to take notice.

as an avid community player, indeed a community builder, in order

This successful project has lain the ground work for a symbiotic

for the important role of the architect to become a more tangible

relationship with not only budding young students, but a social

concept in the eyes of our communities. ■

network that we both support and rely upon. Modus Studio is now directly involved with a University design/build project and it is apparent that an opportunity for idea exchange in relation to theory/design/practice/build is healthily unfolding. This level of active engagement in community translates to my recent involvements in our home city, Fayetteville. I am a founding member of two downtown organizations, one focusing on the arts and downtown improvement projects and another rallying downtown businesses into a cohesive, powerful body seeking to enact change and increase the quality of life in a growing city. These extensions of the design-driven studio enable my planning and visioning skills to benefit the greater community as a whole. This is a role toward which I believe architects must be both responsive and responsible. Exploded axonometirc

The southern expanse of glazing affords unobstructed views of the landing strip.

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

PHOTOGRAPHY

Becca Waterloo Waterloo graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 2011 with a Bachelor of Architecture and currently works at Fitzgerald Associates in Chicago, IL.

Bernardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house, Mount Elgon, Uganda

Calatrava bridge, Valencia, Spain

Coffee Mill, Kampala, Uganda

Apartments, Barcelona, Spain

BOOK REVIEW

SEARCH FOR HOME

‘Life Would Be Perfect if I Lived in That House’ Nicole Martin, AIA Martin is the Assistant Editor: Book Reviews for the YAF Connection, was 2012 Emerging Architect of the year in AIA Rochester (NY) and is an Architect at Design-Award Winning In. Site: Architecture in Perry and Geneva, NY.

Meghan Daum’s 256 page noveL, Life Would Be Perfect if I Lived in That House, was published in 2010 – not long after the US economy experienced a severe housing crisis. From Publishers Weekly, “By turns disarming and tedious, Daum’s (The Quality of Life Report) cautionary tale about house lust tracks her dizzying succession of moves from New York City to Lincoln, Neb., to Los Angeles. Place becomes inextricably linked with being, and fashioning an impressive shelter creates a whole life… she eventually migrates from the modest charms of a Lincoln farmhouse to the parched crevices of L.A., where she aims to write a screenplay. Here the locus of her memoir fixes on the purchase of a dilapidated bungalow in Echo Park in 2004: becoming a homeowner translates into being an evolved human. Alas, the outcome is sadly predictable, even the finding-the-man-to-fill-thehouse with, but Daum’s treading in the wake of the burst housing bubble is sweet and timely.” The fact that I read this book at all is a sign of the library’s most powerful phenomena: I would not have stumbled upon this title in a book store, but because libraries understand reader temptation, it was grouped in a small section of ‘new releases’ next to the register. This section has much in common with the candy bars in grocery store checkout aisles. If you take an average person into a candy aisle, they’ll default to old favorites because there are simply too many choices, and because they don’t really need a candy bar to begin with. But standing in the checkout aisle, one begins to understand why so many people buy candy bars they ‘otherwise would not have.’ The selection is limited, and delightful, and yet your favorite candy bar isn’t there, so you try something new on a day when you weren’t going to try anything at all. Another personality quirk that local libraries love to cater to is a simple notion held by many cultures: everything is connected, all topics intertwine, and ‘researching’ any one of them will immediately give a broader understanding of life and of our place in the world. As an architect, I deeply hold – and enjoy – this belief. So I picked up the painfully yellow book with the enticing title, and

really enjoyed it. Daum is ridiculous at times, but in a ‘who knew I wasn’t the only person on the planet having these mental writhings,’ kind of way. Or in a laugh-outloud at her absurdity kind of way. I have always been interested in residential architecture – these buildings become an enormous part of one’s identity. Perhaps one of the largest aspects of this connection between place and self is that we naturally associate life events with the locations where they occurred. Therefore, the places we have lived our lives become containers for all the memories of our very development as people. Another reason why we so identify ourselves with our dwellings is that they are indicative of many of our personal choices – where are they located, what do they say about us? Daum encapsulates this sense of identity in place – and discomfort or confusion about that – here:

“And that is how I came to be the president of my own personal academy of domestic desire, the overseer of a pantheon of architectural structures and corresponding price tags that led to the most adolescent form of existential inquiry: Where should I live? Why can’t I afford to live where I want to live? How come where I live is so tied up in why I live?” (page 72) Daum touches on another concept worthy of exploration in the design process: that of the narrative, of the story, of trying to place oneself in the imagined space and experience it. To what extent could an individual with a love of literature and a long-active imagination be naturally inclined towards the creation of compelling spaces? Certainly, each person has a very individual experience of place. I strongly believe, however, that the imagination of an architect – and their ability to place themselves in the dream-worlds they’re developing – is likely one of our

best tools for creating compelling places that actually work. Daum’s eloquent waxing on wanderlust:

“When you’re as predisposed as I am to wanderlust, any activity that occurs outside your own home (walking to the corner store, for instance) is an exercise in looking around and determining whether you’d rather live there than where you’re currently living. All foreign and domestic travel, all excursions around the city, all books, movies and television shows depicting particular locations become fodder for relocation fantasies. It goes without saying that the real estate section of the newspaper is a form of pornography.’ So, with a few exceptions (Carbondale, Illinois; San Francisco), I think it’s fair to say that I’ve never visited a place without imagining myself permanently or at least semipermanently installed there.” (page 87) made me consider the role in my designs, not only of the literature I seem prone to, but the travel. Many architects feel compelled to ‘see the world.’ And when we come home, we have our very romanticized, very personal maps of the places we’ve been, with our sketches and photographs beautifully compounding that. We then incorporate our memories of all the things that worked wonderfully – or that inspired us to conceive of something that could – into our design lexicon. The most compelling narrative of all, however, was the rapture Daum lifted into regarding the stair landing in one of her homes: “So, having come to terms with the property’s exterior limitations, I tried to focus on its inner beauty. There was, for instance, something incredibly gorgeous and satisfying about the way the upstairs landing was almost a room unto itself. To reach the top of the stairs, which made a graceful, lanky turn at a leaded-glass window, was to come upon the kind of space that seemed to encapsulate everything I loved about farms, about the Midwest, about life itself. No fewer than two hundred square feet, the landing had walls that were painted a shade of pink so pale it was

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

almost as if early morning light were perpetually casting itself on the thick plaster and thicker woodwork. A built-in linen closet with heavy drawers, tarnished brass handles, and a cabinet latch that clicked shut with that perfect alto timbre known almost exclusively to early-twentiethcentury-era door hardware took up most of one wall. The floors, of course, were the same glassy wood that covered the rest of the house. What excited me most about the landing, though, was the marrow of all that it meant to be – and to have – a landing. The fact that a space large enough to be a room was actually not a room but a portal to other rooms, the fact that not two or three but four other rooms jutted out from this mother ship to form magical worlds filled with the promise of nighttime reading and snug, windy nights under patchwork quilts – that was nothing short of delectable. Why was I so stirred? To this day, I can’t quite say. Maybe it was all those years in New York City apartments with their entrails-shaped hallways and sorry excuses for ‘rooms’; maybe it was the collective claustrophobia of the prairie shack and then the apartment in Topanga and then Dani’s hamster cage of a cottage. Maybe my small living spaces had induced a sort of psychological cramping; maybe my acquisition of this farm was not a deliberate act but an involuntary reflex, a yawn and stretch writ large.” (page 118) In my mind, this was a continuation of Daum’s lengthy differentiations between a house and a HOME. And my question as an architect is, have I – and how will I continue – to design these kinds of moments? How can a place or space be better designed to capture a person’s imagination, and become a container, a placeholder, an extension of their being? ■

Photo by Giuseppe Gentile

LEADERSHIP PROFILE

WHAT I LEARNED

INSIGHTS FROM A YAF CHAIR Noe Ramirez, AIA Ramirez is the outgoing Chair of the AIA Houston Young Architects Forum, a graduate of the University of Houston and a Project Architect at Page Southerland Page in Houston, TX.

After becoming a licensed architect and returning to Houston, I wanted to become more involved in the AIA. At the first Young Architects Forum committee meeting I attended, we discussed the logo and branding of the YAF Houston Chapter. I suggested that we avoid using the acronym YAF, and brand ourselves as the Houston Young Architects Forum because the meaning behind the letters YAF are often lost on those who are unfamiliar with our organization. One year later, I became Chairman of the AIA Houston Young

I researched as much information as I could about the committee to fully understand the values of the organization. I read the AIA National Young Architects Forum by-laws and the local chapter by-laws, and discovered that the Forum is open to all members. This gave me the idea to market our events to all AIA members and not just recently licensed architects. I also discovered Architects Forum.

that the Houston Young Architects Forum by-laws were very vague and did not provide enough detail about the responsibilities of committee members.

organize events and sessions that members would be interested in and form a group of core members that would ensure the continued success of the Houston Young Architects Forum. It became clear that it would take My goal for the first year was to

at least two years to enact my plan, because the first year was dedicated to learning the rules and responsibilities of the Chairman position. Now that I am finishing up my second year, I feel that I have positively changed the Houston Young Architects Forum. The following are key lessons that I have learned while serving as chairman of the Young Architects Forum:

GET TO KNOW YOUR FELLOW YAF MEMBERS It is important for Young Architects Forum members to develop personal relationships with each other. My sales background has taught me the importance of creating a personable connection to the people I served. I wanted to know my fellow AIA members, and did this by setting up appointments for lunch or coffee, and visiting the offices of members. During our discussions, I focused on their interests and what skills and knowledge they would be interested in sharing with their peers. Email surveys are impersonal and ineffective and I cannot stress enough the importance of face-to-face meetings. FIND OUT WHAT OTHER YAF COMMITTEES ARE DOING Avoid wasting time trying to reinvent the wheel, discover what others are doing that works and adapt it. I attended many events sponsored by other chapters (in Texas and beyond) and witnessed firsthand how to run a successful event. By looking at what other chapters were doing I developed many great ideasâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;many of which I might have not come up with on my own. One example of an event that I attended the Forum had a recruiter come into talk to the committee about resumes and what potential employers were looking for. I expanded upon this idea and organized an event for the Houston chapter where multiple local professionals and a recruiter came into critique the resumes of Forum members at the event. Newly licensed architects are very busy in their careers and have little time for extracurricular activities. To overcome this challenge the Young Architects Forum must provide great sessions and events to keep members actively involved. CONDUCT FIRM TOURS People enjoy firm tours because it expands their network and gives them an opportunity to step inside the offices of

local design firms that they might not have the opportunity to visit otherwise. Architects like to see how other architects work, and the firm tours allow Forum members a glimpse into the firm’s design philosophy and the way they practice architecture. MARKET, MARKET, MARKET— AND TAKE PICTURES I cannot stress the importance of marketing your events, your committee and yourself. I learned very quickly not to rely solely on email for communication. Social networking sites are good, but I found that a combination of Evite, Facebook, LinkedIn, email and word-of-mouth led to increased attendance of events.

YAF AT COH CODE EVENT

If you do not take pictures of your events, then they did not happen. Pictures of people having fun at events are often the best marketing tool for attracting people to future events. TRY NEW THINGS Feel free to push the limits of marketing, changing up events and developing new ideas on how to improve the committee. Every year our committee has a dinner with the AIA fellows, and each year the committee chair leads the discussion with one selected fellow. This year I decided that another YAF member would be a better person to lead the discussion and this subtle change in tradition allowed for a better discussion with the keynote speaker.

YAF AT PSP FIRM TOUR

THANK THE MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED YOUR EVENTS - MAKE THEM FEEL WELCOME If this seems like a simple concept, it is. At each event I thank every person who attends and take a moment to introduce myself to them and to other Young Architects Forum members. By doing so, I have made many good friends and the YAF Houston community has grown. ■ YAF AT PSP FIRM TOUR

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

MAR

2013

ADVANCE

VOL 11 ISSUE 02

CONNECTION THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN JOURNAL OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

CONNECTION ADVANCE March 2013 Volume 11 Issue 02

ON THE COVER: Apartments, Barcelona Spain Original Photograph by Becca Waterloo

2013 ISSUES OF CONNECTION 11 01 11 02 11 03 11 04 11 05 11 06

EMERGENCE ADVANCE LOCUS PROCESS MANIFESTO ORIGINS

CONNECTION EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Editor-In-Chief and Creative Director Assistant Editor, Graphics Assistant Editor, Content Assistant Editor, Articles Assistant Editor, News Assistant Editor, Reviews Researcher, News and Reviews

Wyatt Frantom, AIA Nathan Stolarz, AIA James Cornetet, AIA Jeff Pastva, AIA Beth Mosenthal, Associate AIA Nicole Martin, AIA Marcus Monroe

2013 YAF ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Chair Bradley Benjamin, AIA Vice Chair Jonathan Penndorf, AIA Past Chair Jennifer Workman, AIA Communications Director Wyatt Frantom, AIA Community Director Virginia E. Marquardt, AIA Knowledge Director Joshua Flowers, AIA Public Relations Director Joseph R. Benesh, AIA Advocacy Advisor Lawrence J. Fabbroni, AIA AIA Board Representative Wendy Ornelas, FAIA College of Fellows Representative John Sorrenti, FAIA AIA Staff Liaison Erin Murphy, AIA

THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS 1735 New York Ave, NW Washington, DC 20006-5292 P 800-AIA-3837 www.aia.org

CONNECTION is a the official bimonthly publication of the Young Architects Forum of the AIA. This publication is created through the volunteer efforts of dedicated Young Architect Forum members. Views expressed in this publication are solely those of the authors and not those of the American Institute of Architects. Copyright ÂŠ of individual articles belongs to the Author. All image permissions are obtained by or copyright of the Author.

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12 FEATURE

Broad Strokes and Baby Steps Brinn Miracle, Assoc. AIA

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CONTENT

20 FEATURE

Thinking “Outside the Box” Jennifer R. Lea

26 ARTICLES

14 FEATURE Shifting Design

Mario Gentile and Shift Design

24 FEATURE Innovative Financing and Architecture Shervan Sebastian

The Big Picture, Kathy Lent and Erike De Verya 26 Sole Practitioners, Frank Musica 28 The InSB, Jeffrey Pastva 29

30 VIRTUAL POLL Top Resources for 31 ARTICLES

‘Starting Your Own Firm’

From Parking Lots, Eileen Allaverdian-Orumie 31 How Do I Get “There”, Matt Murphy 32 Undaunted, Valerie Amor 33 Reflections on Advancement, Jeffrey A. Ehrnman 34 Architect +, Kristi Daniel 35

36 DESIGN SOMA SOMA Architects

38 DESIGN

The Leaps and Bounds of Advancement

Rob Drury, Assoc. AIA

44 LEADERSHIP PROFILE A Story of Leadership and Engagement Matt Dumich, AIA

EDITOR’S NOTE

THE (RE) POSITION Wyatt Frantom, AIA LEED-AP Wyatt is the 2012-2013 Communications Advisor of the YAF National Advisory Committee of the AIA, the YAF CONNECTION Editor-inChief, and an Architectural Designer and Associate with Gensler Los Angeles

“The task of the positional player is systematically to accumulate slight advantages and try to convert temporary advantages into permanent ones …” - Wilhelm Steinitz

We often hear colleagues in our industry suggest that now … more than ever, we are in times of profound change. So often, in fact, that it seems that we are always in times of profound change - and apparently, increasingly so. I guess we can safely say that our profession, then, is everchanging. The consequence of those changes can be measured in what might be at risk – what may be gained or inversely lost. Even as the profession of architecture has been “at-risk” for some time, the game swung dramatically for most of us most recently; risks were taken, gains were had, and an ensuing loss for many as the metronome of global markets swung from one state of imbalance to another. Even with a stabilizing economy, the uncertainty in the security of projects and positions influences many of our daily decisions and ultimately brings change to the profession. As many find themselves still clawing for a firm grasp on a future, others are positioning themselves to ensure a future that isn’t revisited by the recent past. While no game, advancement through our careers can be thought of in the same strategic sense; after all, we’re all in this to win - whether that “win” is simply a steady paycheck or a personal sense of fulfillment and recognition. In the game of chess, moving to a place of advanced position requires achieving short-term goals through the tactics of an immediate maneuver, but winning the game requires the steady and persevering accumulation of these slight tactical advances in an overall, long-term strategy. In evaluating a move, and thus our new position on the chess board, we take into account a variety of factors that helps us determine the value of the pieces on the board and how best to maneuver in relation to them. The possible depth of positioning calculation depends on a player’s ability to foresee his moves unfold in context. The difficulty and risk involved in advancing our careers is not only reflective of the prize itself, but also the amount of effort, thought and strategy that goes into achieving the win.

Advancing one’s career is, for most of us, not only a lifelong undertaking but a very personal journey throughout which we constantly attempt to maintain relevance by evolving, adapting, emerging, and repositioning ourselves. Advancement requires us to move forward into tomorrow often times with a great deal of discomfort; like the underlying itch that prompts the sloughing-off of an old skin to expose something new beneath. It is with this manner of advancement, that the AIA is undertaking its own repositioning. An initiative unveiled by AIA leadership in Spring of last year, the ultimate objective of the AIA Repositioning (not dissimilar to our own reasons for personal advancement) is to remain relevant within our ever-changing profession; to shed a little skin to expose the bright-and-shiny response to tomorrow. To achieve this ultimate win, the AIA must first make a series of tactical maneuvers, positioning itself to become: progressive, not reactionary … a vital resource, not a superficial designation … universally beneficial, not limited and elitist … added value, not an additional financial burden … cutting edge, not a follower … public, not behind closed doors … an architecture resource for all, not just for industry insiders … results- and benefits-focused, not processdriven or self-referential … and representative of the true and worthy value of our profession; an accumulation of these incremental advantages into permanent ones. To take the chess analogy one-step further in the framework of the AIA Repositioning, we could consider the “gambit”: an opening in which a player sacrifices a piece with the hope of achieving a resulting advantageous position. The period that most of our industry is coming out of has been one of sacrifice, yes, but has provided an opening for us nonetheless … an opening that should be fully taken advantage of to (re)-position ourselves, our firms, and our profession for the ultimate win. It is inarguable that each of our careers are worth such effort, but as the graphical statistic at right only begins to suggest, with 1-billion people experiencing

architecture every day, it is just as inarguable that the profession of architecture is worth such effort. Checkmate!

To learn more about the AIA Repositioning initiative, CLICK HERE! ... or let your voice be heard by writing to repositioning@aia.org

Graphics by Wyatt Frantom Statistical source material provided by AIA Repositioning Taskforce Committee

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YAF CONNECTION 11.02

QUICK CONNECT headlined

reviewed

CROWDFUNDING : SMALL CONTRIBUTIONS YIELD BIG CHANGE AND OPPORTUNITY

BOOK REVIEW

by Beth Mosenthal

When it comes to crowdfunding, three is definitely not a crowd. In fact, the recently-released report on crowdfunding (commissioned by the AIA) argues that crowdfunding “can play a role in financing innovative design projects” and that “crowd based funding has helped creative development ideas gain traction with lower denomination, but higher quantity community investors.” (Shervan Sebastian, Manager, Federal Relations.) Crowdfunding, based on the concept of “crowdsourcing” leverages contributions from an online group-based investment campaign to finance a specific project/venture. Rather than rely on a single investor or venture capitalists, risk is spread across a larger population of small dollar contributors. When applied to large-scale architecture projects with big ambitions, crowdfunding encourages increased financing. Furthermore, this financing strategy has the potential to increase infrastructure and development projects that directly benefit communities.

by Nicole Martin

Down Detour Road: An Architect in Search of Practice by Eric J. Cesal

“This text was written quite spontaneously, during a period of unemployment, as both chronicle and catharsis.” It is the kind of book an avid reader can get through in a weekend – a quick yet engaging read. The thesis is much less about Cesal’s own story and more about a prescription for the future health of our profession. It outlines what the specifics might need to address, but then leaves you to grapple with them. And you feel oddly, beautifully equipped – inspired to take up the mantle with gusto. Cesal outlines 10 roles that architects must embrace in order to “surmount the world’s new challenges and while he raises powerful questions of the profession, he makes it clear that it is the individual who must answer.

Successful models of crowdfunding include Colombia’s 66-story BD Bacata, Bogota’s newest, soon-to-be tallest building. For more info, CLICK HERE to read the full report.

“HOW MUCH DOES YOUR BUILDING WEIGH, MR. FOSTER?” Ever wonder how Norman Foster went from draftsmen to Lord / world-famous architect? This film paints an elegant picture of Foster’s development as a multidisciplinary designer with a passion to create buildings, infrastructure, and products across the world that challenge existing norms regarding scale, structure, performance, and form.

NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM OPENS THE EXHIBITION “GREEN SCHOOLS” ON MARCH 03, 2013 by Beth Mosenthal

Rethinking educational institutions has been a hot-button issue for the past decade. As health and wellness becomes more tangibly linked to performance and productivity, the building methods and materials we use in designing educational institutions requires revamp and reconsideration. In the National Building Museum’s “Green Schools” exhibition, examples of potential green building strategies and resources are on display to help inspire the next iteration of school buildings.

#tweeted AIA National | @AIANational Do you know what the five 2013 @AIANational priorities are? Check them out here: http://www.http://www.aia.org/advocacy/ federal/AIAB097271

Mosenthal, Sage Center 2008

BETH’S LISTEN-WHILE-YOUWORK MIX. OF THE MONTH Unlike many fields that require concentration accompanied by silence, one of my favorite aspects of drafting or modeling is that background music or radio often helps me maintain a certain rhythm or pacing. Recently I stumbled on a Spotify Mix entitled “Hipster Soul” by user “hoxsd.” With a mix of retro and contemporary soul favorites, I’d recommend this mix for a day when you’re moving full-speed-ahead on a set of drawings and need an (up)beat. Mosenthal, Records Still-Life 2009

MARCH 2013

reported

featured

JOSEF FUENTES, A YOUNG ARCHITECT HELPING HIS COMMUNITY

This month, Rhet Fiskness, AIA tells us a little bit about his involvement in the YAF ...

by Marcus Monroe

Fiskness is the YAF Regional Director for the North Central Region which includes Minnesota, Wisconsin, South and North Dakota

To say that Josef Fuentes is a “busy man” would be an understatement. A 2004 graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Fuentes founded the DC Chapter of Architecture for Humanity in 2005, and continues to play an active role in the organization. He has also taught classes at Knowledge DC, a floating school hosted throughout DC that offers residents the opportunity to teach and learn, and supported the formation of Fab Lab DC, a laboratory that provides people ready-available access to prototyping tools that impact areas including healthcare, agriculture, housing, and communications. As a result of his design activism, Josef was selected as one the American Institute of Architects “Emerging Architect of the Year” in 2009 and the DC Council of Engineering and Architectural Society’s “Young Architect of the Year” in 2010. A project architect at The Eisen Group, Josef has currently set his focus on the growth of the Box Collective, an initiative to “explore how design could act as a catalyst for community building and empowerment within D.C. through providing access to resources.” As a member of its Core Development Team, Fuentes has helped plan and realize efforts to re-purpose a shipping container to become a “creativity hub” for the community in one of many vacant, blighted lots in D.C. The result is a design solution that is both temporary and mobile, with the potential to activate and address different parts of D.C.’s communities and neighborhoods as needed. With projects like these, Josef is continuing to prove that many emerging architects are committed to architecture rooted in social responsibility and the betterment of the cities in which they live and work.

Image of “Box” Shipping Container Design, photo credit, Peter Krsko

YAF CONNECTION 11.02

01. How did you get involved with the YAF? The local YAF chapter was founded by my architectural mentor while I was still a student. After graduating, my mentor offered me a job and invited me to join YAF. I said yes to both. 02. What are some of the important issues that Young Architects face in today’s industry? With so many new technologies and emerging markets being created everyday, adapting to change is the most important issue facing architects of any age. This is a great opportunity for younger architects to provide the architecture industry with enthusiasm, innovation, and expertise in design software that is missing in the older generation of architects. 03. What type of regional activities and resources do you recommend Young Architects utilize to continue to excel in their careers and professional networks? Getting involved in career related activities outside the office is my number one recommendation for a young architect who is interested in establishing a foundation for success. Participation in local AIA activities and joining professional networks, such as YAF, allows a young architect to establish a support network with other professionals. Getting involved will expand the boundaries of your career by fostering relationships outside the confines of a single office. Since the profession of architecture is filled with ups and downs, the importance of encouragement cannot be understated.

“

Adapting to change is one of the most important issues facing architects of any age. This is a great opportunity for young architects to provide the industry with enthusiasm, innovation, and expertise ...

“

Box Collective members/volunteers constructing a Box design, photo credit, Peter Krsko

QUICK CONNECT made

involved

WHAT DO YOUNG ARCHITECTS IN COLORADO DO WHEN THEY’RE NOT DESIGNING SPACE? THEY DESIGN SKIS.

Nick Seglie was able to pursue his love for architecture in concert with his passion for downhill skiing when he decided to move to Vail, Colorado to pursue high-end residential and mixed-use architecture after attending architecture school at Kansas State University, After relocating to Denver several years later, Seglie remains connected to the mountains by pursuing his interest in ski design and fabrication. A few months ago, he teamed up with a lifelong friend and structural engineer to create their first pair of homemade skis. “We did some research and realized that the process has many steps, but isn’t as complex as one might think. It takes some trial and error, but experimentation is the enjoyable aspect,” Seglie explains. When time allows, Seglie and Max Lehman set up shop in Max’s sun room/workshop and develop prototypes of skis to test in different ski conditions. Concurrently, they’ve been throwing around branding ideas. As ski graphics become increasingly important in regards to product identity, Nick and Max have landed on the idea of “Pitchfork” skis.. a playful nod to their upbringing in the cornfields of Kansas.

Sixty-Nine Seventy invites design teams from around the world to re-envision the circulation areas and passages of two blocks in Salt Lake City’s downtown. The entrants will prepare comprehensive ideas plans for these in-between spaces, developing them into the connective tissue linking the area’s cultural amenities. For more information, CLICK HERE!

Seglie and Lehman in Lehman’s home studio, photo credit: Seglie, 2013

ENTER TODAY! ARCHITECT Live Co-host Contest Get ready for your close-up. Submit a 2-minute audition video March 8-29 for the chance to co-host ARCHITECT Live at the 2013 AIA National Convention with Stephen Chung, AIA, ARCHITECT Live host. Two winners will be selected by popular vote and will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the 2013 AIA National Convention. AIA members, AIAS members, and students are eligible. For more information, CLICK HERE to visit the contest website. Testing Pitchfork’s skis in Vail, photo credit: Seglie, 2013

MARCH 2013

involved

connected

THE ARCHITECTS NEWSPAPER AND ENCLOS PRESENT:

AIA’s Young Architects Forum YAF's official website CLICK HERE

WHEN April 11th & 12th, 2013 Symposium & Workshops

YAF KnowledgeNet A knowledge resource for awards, announcements, podcasts, blogs, YAF Connection and other valuable YAF legacy content ... this resource has it all! CLICK HERE

WHERE New York City WHO Coordinators: Peter Arbour, Seele + Jeffrey Vaglio, Enclos KEYNOTE ANNOUNCED: CHRISTOPH INGENHOVEN WORLD CLASS SUSTAINABLE DESIGN VISIONARY WHY Are you a member of the AEC community: an architect, engineer, or other design professional or student? Do you want to cut through the jargon and consider the heart of high performance building envelopes? Join a broad consortium of your peers for two days this April at facades+ PERFORMANCE, where experts in the industry will analyze, discuss, and dispute the development, implementation, and maintenance of high-performance building enclosures. Day 1: Symposium Day 2: Technology and Dialogue Workshops For more information, CLICK HERE!

2013 CAFM SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY CAFM is now accepting applications for its 2013 scholarship program. All applications must be postmarked by March 22, 2013. Two (2) $4,000 scholarships will be awarded in June 2013. To learn more, CLICK HERE! REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR THE AIA NATIONAL CONVENTION! The AIA National Convention is coming to Denver June 20-22, 2013. With the theme of the 2013 conference titled ‘BUILDING LEADERS: leadership for architecture, leadership beyond architecture’, keynote speakers are Blake Mycoskie (TOMS Founder and Chief Shoe Giver,) Cameron Sinclair (cofounder of Architecture for Humanity,) and General Colin Powell (former Secretary-of-State.) Don’t miss it! To register, visit the AIA Convention Home page

YAF CONNECTION 11.01 11.02

Architect’s Knowledge Resource The Architect's Knowledge Resource connects AIA members and others to the most current information on architecture, including research, best practices, product reviews, ratings, image banks, trends, and more. It's your place to find solutions, share your expertise, and connect with colleagues. CLICK HERE AIA Trust Access the AIA Trust as a free risk management resource for AIA members. www.TheAIATrust.com YAF on LinkedIn Stay connected with the YAF leadership and all the young architects you meet at the convention, and get involved in group discussions. CLICK HERE YAF on Twitter ... follow @AIAYAF YAF on Facebook Become a Fan of AIA Young Architects Forum on Facebook Know Someone Who’s Not Getting The YAF Connection? Don’t let them be out of the loop any longer. It’s easy for AIA members to sign up. Update your AIA member profile and add the Young Architects Forum under “Your Knowledge Communities.” • Go to www.aia.org and sign in • Click on “For Members” link next to the AIA logo on top • Click on “Edit your personal information” on the left side under AIA members tab • Click “Your knowledge communities” under Your Account on the left • Add YAF Call for ‘QUICK CONNECT’ News, Reviews, Events Do you have newsworthy content that you’d like to share with our readers? Contact the News Editor, Beth Mosenthal, on twitter @archiadventures Call for ‘CONNECTION’ Articles, Projects, Photography Would you like to submit content for inclusion in an upcoming issue? Contact the Editor, Wyatt Frantom at wyatt.frantom@wf-ad.com

MAP [ depicting locations of article contributors for this issue ]

This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leadership Profile Matt Dumich AIA

New York, NY Chicago, IL

Philadelphia, PA AIA National Washington D.C.

Vail, CO Kansas City, MO

Los Angeles, CA

Dallas, TX

Houston, TX

Fort Lauderdale, FL

PUT YOURSELF ON THE MAP GET CONNECTED by contributing to our next issue!

YAF CONNECTION 11.02

FEATURE ON ADVANCEMENT

BROAD STROKES & BABY STEPS Brinn Miracle, Assoc. AIA Miracle is the founder of Architangent, works as a designer at PDR in Houston Texas, writes about architecture and design for her blog and guest posts regularly for Archability.

ADVANCEMENT Progress. Forward movement. Elevation in rank or position. Progression to the next stage of development. No matter how we define it, advancement implies a kinetic energy which drives us towards an end goal. The stereotypical view of advancement often calls to mind the ‘corporate ladder’ and offers little advice on how to reach the top. The cliche may be true for some professions or individuals, but for those who desire true advancement, this imagery is nothing more than an illusion. We must first question if there is such a thing as ‘the top’. What if we’re wasting a lot of time and effort trying to reach a place that doesn’t exist? In the very least, the image of a ladder marginalizes the rungs between the bottom and the top and idealizes a singular lofty position as the definition of success. Rather than a single vertical chain, advancement is much more holistic and much more broad. If we conceptualize advancement as a net rather than a ladder, then advancement allows us to take a multitude of paths and directions to realize success. If advancement is defined as a kinetic energy, then motion in any direction must be considered. If you want true advancement, get off the ladder.

and of themselves. The difficulty is that result-specific goals leave nothing left to aim for once that milestone is achieved and require new, possibly unrelated goals to be formed. For this reason, a broad scope allows

us to see how the small steps fit into the bigger picture while allowing for endless pursuit of advancement.

Network In my quest to be influential, I quickly realized that with such privilege would come responsibility: to use my voice, my position and my resources to help others. The words of John Donne suggest that in order to advance, we must rely on the help of others. Successful

advancement requires us to form new relationships in which we both give and receive. Networking provides an outlet for establishing relationships with industry leaders and sharing our expertise with those who need it. Through these new relationships, opportunities are uncovered which lead to personal and professional growth. Growth is certainly a form of advancement.

Define your goal If advancement is not limited to a singular vertical path, then setting a broad goal allows us many more opportunities for success. Focusing on generalities - rather than specific mechanisms for achieving it - opens our perspective to new endeavors and new forms of advancement. While this may seem counter intuitive to typical goal setting, consider the following example. My allencompassing goal is to be influential. The scope for how, when, where and to what degree I achieve this is limitless. Under this sweeping goal, I set more specific action items that contribute to the overall vision. Aiming to obtain my architecture license before age 30 or to grow my blog following by 50% are great in

Leverage your assets Applying skills and knowledge in a meaningful way is pivotal to creating value, but first you have to know your strengths. Take the time to understand your unique skill sets and how they contribute to your network. Once

you have identified your areas of expertise, showcase your strengths and support your weaknesses with strategic partnerships. Networks exist to be utilized; don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Diversify

Ask for it

If there is a question, your answer should always be yes. The concept of not putting all your eggs in one basket implies that diversification is the key to success. The chances for

The biggest obstacle to advancement can be the lack of perceived desire. When was the last time you told someone about your ambitions? Making your intentions known can open doors where none existed. Advancement on the corporate ladder may require putting in time and waiting for someone to notice you, but true advancement is not limited to the opportunities created by others.

advancement increase when we participate in a wide variety of endeavors to the best of our ability.

While it is easy to become over-committed, statistics tell us that the more opportunities we pursue, the more likely weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll meet success in at least one of them. The traditional form of advancement pins all success to reaching the top of the ladder. However, if we embrace the pursuit of many goals simultaneously, we are equipped to temper disappointments while increasing our odds of success.

The secret to advancement is to create your own opportunities and seize those provided to you.

Never stop moving Create value A crucial aspect to advancement is standing out from the crowd. For every goal we strive for, another person is aiming for the same outcome. What ensures success in a world with limited resources? Distinguishing yourself as an expert in your field and providing something that no one else does. The old adage, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;find a need and fill itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rings true with advancement. Strategize ways

to fill the needs of others so that you become indispensable. If you position yourself as the only viable option, advancement is guaranteed.

Advancement is the act of constant motion. Keep setting goals, reaching and surpassing them. Remember that setbacks are only temporary and that two steps forward and one step back will eventually get you to where you want to be. Whatever you do, keep advancing.

Want it Advancement is not for the faint of heart. The effort required can be exhausting; asking for a raise, meeting new people, working nights and weekends instead of playing. The sacrifices required

for advancement must be measured against the potential results. It is rare to find someone who did not give

up something in order to gain their current position, knowledge or income. Ask the hard questions and be willing to do what it takes to reach the goal.

YAF CONNECTION 11.02

FEATURE ADVANCEMENT THROUGH SYNERGY

SHIFTING DESIGN Mario Gentile Gentile is founder and CEO of Shift Space Design LLC in Philadelphia PA and Adjunct Professor at UPenn

In autumn 2012, the team at SHIFT_DESIGN took the chance

something that could be customer friendly and could double as

to reflect upon our past summer accomplishments.

Summer

both a garden side planter and/or a green roof kit. We broke it

had brought a new group of interns, fresh design challenges and

down and tweaked many of the major features, which resulted

technological opportunities. With new viewpoints in the studio,

in a tray that stands 4-inches tall by 15-inches square and

we took the chance to reinterpret a green roof project that we

made of highly-recycled, ultra-light aluminum. We dubbed it the

had designed for the global HQ of internationally-recognized

FAIRMOUNT living tile and initiated strategic partnerships with a

brand Urban Outfitters. We believed that our modular design was

few local suppliers to begin sourcing materials. Coffee roaster

La Colombe provided up-cycled burlap sacks and Gaia Institute engineered the soil. Because of the local supply chain we were able to minimize our carbon footprint and offer LEED points in the process. Transforming a large iconic project into a consumer product was a challenge that energized us, but we were especially excited to help solve the perplexing problem of storm water runoff by appealing to customers at the residential scale. Like many cities with aging infrastructure, Philadelphia suffers from the ever-present issue of storm surges. Even worse, Philly has a combined sewer system, so overflows cause drainage to empty directly into our rivers. Moreover, storm water runoff is prevented from productive application on the earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surface, where it can be used as a valuable resource for cultivating plants. The good news is that Philadelphia is addressing this problem and the city is a national pioneer in offering storm water credits for proper mitigation. Research weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve conducted with the Philadelphia Water Department (another client) and for our Urban Outfitters green roof project enabled us to design a state-of-the-art consumer project. Our studies show a significant reduction in runoff, reduced summer heat transfer to the tune of 75%, and saved a measurable 10% in winter heating costs. Now that we had a working prototype, we hit the streets to gauge interest and solicit feedback. Lucky for us, Philadelphia is home to the nationally recognized, locally influenced DesignPhiladelphia event that celebrates design in all forms. It was a perfect setting for a soft launch; as we prepared for our installation we asked ourselves what was our message, how would we get passersby to engage and how could we collect the fruits of those conversations for later use. Our first order of business was to secure a location for our temporary installation, so we picked up the phone and called our neighbor, Shake Shack. Our working relationship with the Opposite Page Below: Close up of the sidewalk facing installation

Above: An observer interacts with the literature Below: A close up of the modular prototype

YAF CONNECTION 11.02

Y A F

R D O

S A

PlantingÊ1,000sfÊofÊgreenÊ roofÊ isÊ comparableÊ toÊ takingÊ 15Ê carsÊ offÊ theÊ road.ÊÊ

CURBÊAPPEALÊPAYS! WRITEÊITÊOFF!

AÊgrowingÊnumberÊofÊ citiesÊofferÊtaxÊcreditsÊ toÊ homeownersÊ thatÊ installÊaÊgreenÊroofÊonÊ theirÊresidence.

LetÕsÊtake aÊwalk...

HomesÊthatÊhaveÊlandscaping typicallyÊsellÊforÊ10%ÊmoreÊthanÊ thoseÊwithout.

TA X CREDITS

+10%

So, youÕreÊaÊ homeowner...

REINFORCEÊYOURÊROOF

GreenÊ roofsÊ haveÊ beenÊ foundÊ toÊ extendÊtheÊlifetimeÊofÊroofsÊbyÊupÊtoÊ2Ê times.ÊÊ

GOÊAHEADÊANDÊSMILEÊ

StudiesÊ haveÊ shownÊ thatÊ plantsÊ andÊvegetationÊcanÊreduceÊstressÊ andÊenhanceÊselfÊesteem.

YouÕreÊ aÊrenter,Êthen?

Wel ourÊ

TÊ

FLATÊPACKED

LetÕsÊtake aÊride...

Ê1

OurÊtilesÊcomeÊflatpacked.ÊThatÊmean minimalÊ wasteÊ an assembl

PROTECTÊOURÊRIVERS!

AÊbackyardÊfunctionsÊlikeÊaÊspongeÊ duringÊ aÊ stormÊ andÊ keepsÊ stormÊ waterÊrunoffÊfromÊenteringÊourÊ waterways.

NOÊTOOLSÊAL

YouÊ donÕtÊ needÊ toÊ yourÊ screwdriverÊ or tools.ÊJustÊuseÊy

Our first order of business was to secure a location for our temporary installation, so we picked up the phone and called our neighbor, Shake Shack. Our working relationship with the recent Philly import – had us installing a living wall, green roof and wall trellis as part of their welcome to town. We enjoyed working with them, and we also appreciate their mission: to “Stand for Something Good”.

LOWÊMAINTENANCE

PICKÊYOURÊPLANTS!

IntegratedÊdripÊirrigationÊhelpsÊ keepÊ yourÊ plantsÊ aliveÊ evenÊ whenÊ youÊ forgetÊ toÊ waterÊ them.ÊÊ

WeÊ supplyÊ everythingÊ butÊ theÊ plants.Ê UseÊ drought-tolerantÊ sedums,Ê vegetables,Ê grassesÊ orÊyourÊfavoriteÊperennials.Ê

WILDLIFEÊREFUGE

CreatingÊ greenÊ spaceÊ withÊ ourÊ tilesÊ helpsÊ bringÊ natureÊ backÊ toÊ theÊ city.Ê WelcomeÊ back,Êfriends!Ê

STORMWATERÊCREDITS

FF EE

72 10

e b m lo

+$$$

AllÊ ofÊ ourÊ materialsÊ areÊ recycledÊ(aluminum,Êrubber,Ê plastic)ÊorÊupcycledÊ(burlapÊ coffeeÊbeanÊbags).

m lo co

BurlapÊsoilÊbagsÊareÊ madeÊ ofÊ upcycledÊ coffeeÊ beanÊ bagsÊ fromÊPhiladelphiaÕsÊÊ premierÊroasters.

BuildingÊ ownersÊ canÊ cashÊ inÊ onÊ creditsÊofferedÊbyÊwaterÊcompaniesÊ justÊforÊhavingÊaÊgreenÊroof.ÊÊ

MATERIALÊRE-USE

LAÊCOLOMBE

STAYÊCONNECTED

OurÊ universalÊ connectionÊ systemÊ allowsÊ youÊ toÊ lockÊ togetherÊ tiles,Ê asÊ wellÊ asÊ attachÊ allÊ kindsÊ ofÊ edgingÊ finishes.

EASYÊASSEMBLY

FoldÊ itÊ upÊ andÊ plant!Ê WeÕveÊ workedÊ outÊ theÊ detailsÊsoÊyouÊdonÕtÊhaveÊ to.Ê Ê GoÊ fromÊ concreteÊ grayÊtoÊgreenÊinÊminutes!Ê

MADEÊINÊTHEÊUSA

DESIGNEDÊINÊPHILLY!

OurÊ productsÊ areÊ madeÊ here,ÊwhichÊhelpsÊstimulateÊ theÊ localÊ economyÊ andÊ ensuresÊfairÊworking conditions.

ll,ÊhereÕs Êtake...

WeÕreÊ aÊ PhiladelphiaÊ companyÊ committedÊ toÊ transformingÊ theÊ cityÊaroundÊusÊthroughÊ sustainableÊdesign.ÊÊ

DÊ

nsÊ ndÊ ly.

PORTABLEÊANDÊ LONG-LASTING

There growsÊthe neighborhood

TakeÊ theÊ tilesÊ withÊ youÊ whenÊyouÊmoveÊorÊdoÊaÊ littleÊbackyardÊ redecorating.ÊÊ

LLOWED

Ê searchÊ forÊ rÊ anyÊ otherÊ yourÊhands!

EÊCENT ON

AFFORDABLEÊANDÊEXPANDABLEÊ OurÊkitsÊgiveÊyouÊflexibilityÊandÊletÊyouÊexpandÊatÊ yourÊconvenience,ÊwithoutÊtheÊhugeÊstartupÊcostÊ ofÊlandscapingÊorÊaÊtypicalÊgreenÊroofÊsystem.

CLEANÊTHEÊAIR!

PlantsÊ absorbÊ smoke,Ê dustÊ andÊ manyÊ otherÊÊ pollutantsÊ andÊ createÊ oxygen.Ê Ê ThisÊ helpsÊ usÊ allÊbreatheÊaÊlittleÊeasier.ÊÊÊ

CLEANÊOURÊRIVERS!

ManagingÊ stormwaterÊ atÊ theÊ scaleÊofÊourÊownÊhomesÊsimplyÊ keepsÊthingsÊthatÊdonÕtÊbelongÊ inÊourÊriversÊoutÊofÊthem.

REDUCEÊTHEÊHEAT!

ByÊaddingÊvegetationÊtoÊroofsÊ andÊ imperviousÊ surfacesÊ (concrete,Ê asphalt)Ê heatÊ isÊ notÊ storedÊ upÊ asÊ muchÊ andÊ ourÊcityÊcanÊreduceÊtheÊÒheatÊ islandÓÊ effectÊ andÊ scorchingÊ summers.

recent Philly import – had us installing a living wall, green roof and wall trellis as part of their welcome to town. We enjoyed working with them, and we also appreciate their mission: to “Stand for Something Good,” namely by using quality ingredients, employing equal opportunity hiring practices, and endorsing environmental responsibility. In other words, a perfect fit. They were familiar with our work and graciously offered us a guaranteed location as well as a milkshake tasting at the kickoff party. Securing hospitality was the easy part – now came the physical exertion of showcasing the fruits of our labor.

We divvied up the

tasks at hand - some of our team worked on an infographic about the benefits of green roofs, while others designed a streetside bar so visitors could experience our living tiles up close. The pop-up design re-purposed a POD storage box outfit with plywood cladding and a burlap skirt to provide a frame for our green roof diagram Above: The infographic the SHIFT_DESIGN team produced

Below Left: The installation as seen from the street Below Right: SHIFT_DESIGN founder Mario Gentile shares a light moment

YAF CONNECTION 11.02

and a mobile office. We also used this small cube to illustrate the

As the week wore on, we drew attention on a larger scale as well.

flexible applications that our tiles can support; plants above our

We were covered in the media by the local CBS affiliate, hit the

heads, along the ground plane and on any flat surface in-between,

blog circuit (Philly.com, Uwishunu, Foobooz, and Flying Kite) and

positioning planted trays on top of the box and alongside it on the

received a commission for another green construction wall. After

ground.

a whirlwind debut, we knew we were on the right track to get our FAIRMOUNT tiles on the shelves in the Spring of 2013.

As the DesignPhiladelphia festival unfolded, our urge to get on the street and interact with people paid off in innumerable ways.

Our experience with DesignPhiladelphia helped shape our

We expected that we’d be able to talk about our product and the

potential market, but it was so much more than that. Being a

many reasons we believe in it. What we received was far more.

homegrown company, we are very sensitive to the fact that much

Enthusiasts from all sectors were willing to offer their feedback;

of our success is derived from our local production fabrication and

from technical advice from career green roof contractors to plant

our local partners. Community investment is not an easily priced

types with urban gardeners, they gave us an idea of how they

item, but we were able to sell it. From our presence at adopted

would implement it, what they thought and very importantly, how

local eatery Shake Shake to our supply chain of coffee sacks from

much they’d be willing to spend.

Philadelphia superstar La Colombe, we realized the importance of celebrating our local economy. ■

Above: Designing with our future generations in mind Right Above: The team gathering intel from passersby Right Below: Our marketing team’s efforts

Our experience with DesignPhiladelphia helped shape our potential market, but it was so much more than that. Being a homegrown company, we are very sensitive to the fact that much of our success is derived from our local production fabrication and our local partners. Community investment is not an easily priced item, but we were able to sell it. From our presence at adopted local eatery Shake Shake to our supply chain of coffee sacks from Philadelphia superstar La Colombe, we realized the importance of celebrating our local economy.

YAF CONNECTION 11.02

FEATURE ADVANCEMENT THROUGH MULTI-MEDIA

THINKING “OUTSIDE THE BOX” AS A FREELANCE DESIGNER Jennifer R. Lea Lea is a freelance Designer and Teaching Assistant at Harrington College of Design in Chicago, recently received her Master’s Degree in Interior Design and works on projects ranging from Interiors to branding and graphic design.

Thinking “Outside the Box” as a Freelance Designer

Social Networking Sites

Becoming a “freelance” designer was not originally what I had

Don’t underestimate the power of social networking

planned coming out of Graduate School. As a career changer,

sites. There are a number of social networking sites that

I felt that there was something “validating” about getting that job

you can utilize for self-promotion, communication and

offer to guarantee experience and income generation. Although I

knowledge, as well as gain insight on prospective jobs.

was lucky enough to have a paid internship position for 6-months,

The two key networks that I have found to be the most

they were unable to keep me on staff. Due to the challenging job

valuable have been LinkedIn and Twitter.

market, I realized that I might have to explore my options, at least until I could find a “full-time” position. I began to pick up small projects here and there and educate myself on how and where I could find project work on my own. A year and a half later, the majority of my work is still on a contract or freelance basis which I find to be both interesting and rewarding in a number of ways.

You should consider your LinkedIn account as your online professional resume. Not only does LinkedIn come up very high in web search results, it is an outstanding way to present your background and experience as well as increase your professional network. You can join Groups to participate in conversations and learn about industry events, plus Groups can exponentially expand your

Optimizing Your Resources

contact database. Following pages of companies that you may be interested in either working with or working

As a “freelance” designer, I often get a number of questions about

for may provide some insight into open job positions

how and where I find work. First and foremost, make sure to

should they come available.

cultivate your personal network and contacts as most successful freelancers will tell you that the majority of their projects have come from referrals or through people they already know. However, there are many resources nowadays that you can find via the web, social networks, and by branching out into related areas of the profession. So whether you are intending to work on your own, are currently positioned as a “freelance” designer or architect, are trying to pick up some additional projects “on the side”, or are only seeking freelance work until you find your next position, optimizing and expanding upon your resources can improve your chances of gaining project opportunities.

One newer feature to take advantage of (if you have not already) includes adding “Skills and Expertise” to your profile. These are professional “tag words” that describe your skills and other members of your network then can “endorse” these skills to help add clout - (just make sure to return the favor!). Something to take note of is that LinkedIn is in the process of rolling out new media features which will allow you to upload images, presentations, video, and more to your profile page. This will be advantageous if you have portfolio work that you would like displayed in order to make your profile more comprehensive.

does provide you the option to customize your “Public

Profile Page” that anyone can view via a customized URL link without having to be a member of your network. This facilitates potential clients and employers to gain insightful information about you without first having to be a member of your network. Twitter is another recommended resource. Maintaining an active profile on Twitter can provide you with a wealth of information about different industries, your peers and competitors, plus potential clientele and employers. But the biggest advantage is that it provides you opportunities to quickly connect and a platform to communicate with people who you may not normally or that you might find to be “out of reach” due to distance or even prestige. Plus, you can get noticed and gain followers if you are

tweeting and sharing relevant and interesting content. Twitter chats are another way to get in contact with peers or those in industries or professions that you are interested in working with or for.

Just a few twitter chats relevant

to designers and architects may include AIA Chats (#aiachat), Interior Designer Chat (#IntDesignerChat), and Kitchen & Bath Chat (#kbtribechat).

Right Above: Excerpt of my LinkedIn Profile showing the Public URL, examples of projects, and Skills & Expertise. Right Below: Example of a Tweet asking if I would want to write this article for YAF.

YAF CONNECTION 11.02

Online “Marketplaces” for Freelancers

Staffing Agencies & Classifieds

The two largest online “marketplaces” to both find work and hire

Creative staffing agencies can be another way to seek out contract

contractors are Elance and oDesk. Both of these sites allow you

or temporary project work. I recently started working on a 3D

to “bid” or propose for open projects or you can obtain work through

modeling project for a large public company in the Chicagoland

clients visiting the site in search of contractors. This does give you

area through a creative staffing agency. Some examples to take

some control over the type(s) of work you want to do and they

a look at for design and architecture projects include Aquent, The

provide automated ways to keep track of your jobs and receive

Creative Group, Artisan, Digital People, Archipro, Aerotek.

payment for your services. Each of these sites has a “free profile” as well as paid versions - the differentiation usually controls how many projects you can “bid” on.

Often there are a number of smaller projects and contract jobs posted on Craigslist making it another location to identify opportunities for freelancers. Architizer is a network for architects

I maintain profiles and portfolio samples on both of these sites

and designers which features job listings, competitions, projects

and have found that they are amazing at providing opportunities to

and more. InteriorDesignPro is a specialized site for those

work on a variety of projects with people from around the globe. I

seeking professional interior designers.

have designed an investor presentation for someone as close as here in Chicago, put together interior design concepts for a client in Australia, and helped design a new retail store concept for a client in California.

Other great websites include Behance and Coroflot which are focused on providing a platform to display your portfolio work, but also offer Job Boards with both Employee and Freelance opportunities.

Above: Interior view of 3D Retail Clothing Store Concept created for a recent project on Elance.

last year at Harrington College of Design where I received my Master’s degree in Interior Design. It has given me the opportunity to share knowledge and experiences with students going through similar design programs. Teaching also forces me to keep up to date with skills and technology even if I am not using them for current freelance projects. Outside of a formal school setting, there are other avenues you can pursue such as teaching specialized classes in your area(s) of expertise through sites such as Dabble or through your local community center. There is also a private tutoring website called Wyzant Above: 3D model of Retail Clothing Store Concept created for a recent project on Elance.

that enables you to tutor students in a number of subject areas depending on your skills and expertise.

Creative ‘Alternatives’ There are other indirect ways that you can enhance your reputation, gain exposure, and give back; all of which can open up additional resources and possibilities. Pro-bono work is an example of working to grow your own business while also helping those in need. Plus, it can help inexperienced designers build a portfolio and enable experienced designers to do

At the end of the day, whether you want to make a living as a full time freelancer or trying to make some money during a fulltime job search, there are many tools and resources out there to stay involved in the profession, enhance your profile, and find valuable leads and clients. Don’t forget to “think outside the box.” ■

work for causes they care about. There are organizations that are specifically geared toward this type of work – such as the Taproot Organization, however, there are often more local opportunities available in your own community. I have found this to be a rewarding way to stay busy especially during downtimes between jobs. For example, I recently assisted the organization Project Osmosis (a not-for-profit with a mission of “furthering design education for underserved minority youth”) with some design of marketing materials for a fundraising event. Teaching and tutoring can be another option to supplement your freelance work. I started working as a teaching assistant and tutor

YAF CONNECTION 11.02

FEATURE ADVANCEMENT THROUGH CROWDFUNDING

INNOVATIVE FINANCING AND ARCHITECTURE Shervan Sebastian Sebastian is an advocate on behalf of the architecture industry within the House of Representatives, Senate, White House as well as Federal Agencies.

For a profession such as architecture, innovation is the continuous engine of design that advances the relationship between the architect and the community. The AIA understands that creative professionals, particularly young and emerging professionals, require innovative support. And to further that aim we have developed a program titled “The Crowdfunding Initiative” to inform architects nationwide of this inventive funding tool that can make a genuine difference in empowering the architecture community and furthering presently stalled projects.

In addition to these exemplar developments, The Nosara Recycling Center in Costa Rica is a project that the AIA highlighted as a part of a panel discussion on January 31st, titled “The Crowdfunding Initiative.” Tobias Holler, AIA of NYIT and HOLLER architecture was instrumental in helping New York architecture students develop a successful crowdfunding campaign to build a recycling center, primarily composed of local materials, in order to address one of the largest issues facing Costa Rica: reprocessing and waste.

Crowdfunding, the practice of investing in projects through the use of a group-supported web-based fundraising campaign, has show significant promise in attracting investors to developable ventures in our pindustry; getting them off of the architects’ drawing boards and into reality. This possibility inspired the AIA to collaborate with the firm massolution to research, develop and publish the white paper “Crowdfunding Architecture”, which highlights the four kinds of Crowdfunding; best practices for establishing a successful architectural campaign; and highlights several projects that have successfully made use of Crowdfunding to date. In once such project, and in what the developers have called “the first skyscraper built by common people”, Colombia’s 66-story BD Bacatá Downtown will be Bogota’s tallest building when the project is completed. This fundraising drive is being undertaken primarily though a crowdfunding campaign, allowing the organizers to utilize the community’s interest in owning a percentage of the project. The “I Make Rotterdam” pedestrian path in the Netherlands is a great example of how Reward Based crowdfunding allows designers to incentivize financing for a development. The bridge will alleviate pedestrian traffic and investors will have their name listed across visible planks along the bridge’s outward facing beams as an enticement to invest.

View from Road, January 2013 © HOLLER architecture / sLAB

These are just a handful of the projects that have been successfully funded to date. Web portals such as Kickstarter, IndieGogo and RocketHub have experienced significant growth over the past few years, in what has turned into a billion-dollar-a-year industry. The AIA’s goal is to ensure that members are aware of this funding tool and understand best methods of utilization; a goal that has been supported by several informational pieces including the publication of a survey and several articles to date. The question ‘How can we design the communities of the future?’ is a persistent and crucial one.

View from Road, January 2013 © HOLLER architecture / sLAB

“Crowdfunding Architecture” discusses using community-based financing as one of the many tools that can aid in developing modern, energy-efficient, community improvement projects. Crowdfunding provides architects with the ability to work with local communities to discuss, develop and then implement design ideas that benefit the members of the community while creating both short and long term job opportunities.

The AIA is advocating to the SEC’s Chairman and Commissioners to expedite the finalization of the Equity Crowdfunding tool, in order to give entrepreneurs the opportunity to fully utilize this opportunity. Our mission at the AIA is simple. If it affects the architecture community, we believe it is imperative that you hear about it.

It impacts the role of architects in the funding cycle by providing the investment models and communications tools to encourage financing for an array of self-selected projects.

Crowdfunding, like any financial tool, possesses liabilities based on the nature of the project, generated interest, and economic climate.

And it generates support for “passion projects” that may be unable to secure financing through conventional avenues, selection of design concepts.

What distinguishes crowdfunding is that it innately encourages community based collaboration in projects that have a collective goal and shared regional interest. While this approach may not be well suited for some design ideas, for others, it provides a perfect conduit between the designer and the surrounding environment. ■

Crowdfunding applies to such a broad range of investment opportunities, services and physical structures that it opens numerous doors to architects and their clients. While the first three methods of Crowdfunding - Donation Based, Reward Based and Lending Based - are fully operational with numerous successes, the Securities and Exchange Commission is still writing the regulations for Equity Based Crowdfunding.

YAF CONNECTION 11.02

ARTICLE ADVANCEMENT THROUGH INVOLVEMENT

THE BIG PICTURE FAST FORWARD >> PHILADELPHIA Kathy Lent, Associate AIA Lent is a designer at BWA Architecture + Planning in Philadelphia, a Community Design Collaborative project designer, and co-coordinator of Fast Forward >> Philly.

Do you dream about shaping the future of the place you live? On October 10, 2012, AIA Philadelphia Associates and YAF committees challenged its members to dream out loud. The goal: to uncover new ideas from emerging professionals, spark an interdisciplinary cross-pollination of design solutions, and remind ourselves about the world outside of redlines and deadlines ... endless possibilities! Step 1. Pick the Format (Project Delivery Method) Inspired by fast-paced expository events like Talk20 and PechaKucha, we sought a lineup of speakers to deliver 20 slides timed at 20-seconds each for a wide-ranging selection of 6-minute-40-second presentations. To differentiate this new event from other forums for ideas, and to reach-out specifically to young designers, we chose a theme to provoke Phila-centric idea pitches: “What’s Next for Philly?”. Finally, framework in place, we needed a name, a brand, something to reflect the speed of the format and the optimism that the event represented: Fast Forward >> Philly was born. Step 2. Time it Right (Critical Path Schedule) This formulation happened to coincide with the annual DesignPhiladelphia festival organized by University of the Arts; two weeks of open studios, lectures, exhibits, and workshops put on by hundreds of artists, scholars, and designers of all shades of renown and obscurity - the perfect platform for a fledgling event to launch from. After securing seed money from a single sponsor (the Designated Sketcher, a website dedicated to promoting the work of young designers), the event was listed in the festival guidebook and website, guaranteeing visibility by creative-minded folks from around the region. Step 3. Recruit Talent (Bid the Job) How do you find “What’s Next?” which, by definition, is unknown or emerging? We put out an open call to everyone we could think of in the design community: architects, of course, through AIA Philadelphia and Bustler, but also fabricators, entrepreneurs, Philly-focused websites, newspapers, twitter. We set simple entry requirements and deadlines: submit five image slides, send a 200 word topic summary...and waited.

Erike De Verya, Associate AIA De Veyra is a designer at Zimmerman Studio LLC in Philadelphia, co-coordinator of Fast Forward >> Philly, Park(ing) Day Philadelphia Assistant Organizer and recently inducted Associates Director of the AIA Philadelphia.

And waited ... The day before the submission deadline we had one entry. 10 minutes before the cut-off we had more than the available presentation slots! After careful consideration, we ended up with a mix of technologists, advocates, and designers from across the creative spectrum:

The crowd at Fast Forward >> Philadelphia

Amanda Beebe, Senior Sales Manager at Lutron Electronics >> “Manufacture Locally, Compete Globally” Representing a company with 50 years of innovating in the Philadelphia region, explained how energy-efficient lighting plays an essential role in the future of Philadelphia’s built environment. Halee Bouchehrain, founder and principal of Phenomenarch >> “B.Y.O.B. Build Your Own Building” A pitch to consider an approach to development that produces costefficient, space-optimized, and visually-interesting solutions instead of cookie-cutter boxes. Michael Burlando of MGA Partners Architects & Alex Feldman of U3 Ventures Developers >> “Why Can’t Us?: Philadelphia Summer Games 2024″ A tongue-in-cheek, but affectionate assessment of Philadelphia’s infrastructural (and attitudinal) readiness to host an Olympics. Ryan Draving founder of CompeteLeap >> “Silicon Philly” An inspirational look into the growing technology start-up culture in the city. Darla Jackson, owner of Philadelphia Sculpture Gym >>”Building the Creative Economy” Advocated for the feasibility of a small-business creative economy. Simon Kim, principal at IK Studio >> “Are You Ready for the Future? Design and Robotics” Depicted a high-tech vision for the city’s built environment.

The crowd at Fast Forward >> Philadelphia

Kara Lindstrom, operations coordinator at ExCITe, Drexel University >> “Research, education, civic engagement, and entrepreneurship for transformative regional development” Presented a collaborative model for educating tomorrow’s innovators. Joe McNulty, contributing reporter at the blog Curbed Philadelphia >> “Balancing top-down & bottom-up approaches to planning and design” Demonstrated the successes and failures of regulatory and communitydriven designs for public spaces in Philadelphia. Jason Goodman, shop director of 3RD Ward >> “Promoting a Maker Economy” Spoke about expanding this successful New York fabrication workshop to Philadelphia. Sarah Thorp, planner for the Philadelphia Water Department, member of the Design Advocacy Group >> “Flying and Architecture” A unique perspective on how her experience as a Navy pilot has lessons for working toward design consensus. Paul van Meter, cofounder of VIADUCTgreene >> “Making a Gardenpark in the City” Re-imagined an abandoned rail line as a cross-city park.

Step 4. Bring the Beer ... and Hope for the Best! (Site Administration) The pictures are worth more than this thousand-word article, so check out the event blog for the full presentations, and see for yourself! Step 5. Learn Lessons & Set Goals (Post-Event Evaluation) Over a hundred people attended the two-hour event. Admission was kept free by using donated facility space at the Philadelphia Center for Architecture, and we maximized every penny of the $200 reception budget from empathetic manufacturing reps to local businesses. We received some good feedback from event attendees, the hardest being that many of the presenters seemed

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to echo the same vision: the future of Philadelphia driven by a small-scale “maker” economy. In the audience, we met everyone from a neurobiologist to an elementary school teacher, and are inspired to pursue more education, science, and technology perspectives at future events. While appealing to a wider cross-section of forward-looking Philadelphians, the challenge is to differentiate Fast Forward as a forum for up-and-coming doers and thinkers who want to share their vision for the future through the wide lens of design. Some of these presenters’ ideas may shape the future of Philadelphia. We want them to hone their ideas to a powerful 6 minutes and 40 seconds, and the Fast Forward audience to be the first to see and hear them. Finally, we hope to inspire audience members to learn, connect, and maybe make some of these ideas happen: Philadelphia Summer Olympics 2024! ■

AIA Philadelphia Associates and YAF will be revisiting the question “What’s Next for Philly?” again in 2013. Check out the event page (fastforwardphilly.blogspot.com) and follow on twitter (@fastforwardphl): comments and suggestions are very much appreciated. Welcome to the future of Philadelphia: We hope to see you there!

ARTICLE ADVANCEMENT THROUGH PRACTICE

SOLE PRACTITIONERS SHOULD ANTICIPATE MEDICAL CONTINGENCIES Frank Musica Musica, a Senior Risk Management Attorney at Victor O. Schinnerer & Company, Inc. in Chevy Chase MD is an architect, attorney and a frequent speaker at the AIA Convention and other AIA component programs.

As you consider your place within the profession, one of the first discussions flows around where you want to work and whether you see yourself working within a larger group of professionals or with your own firm. Today, professional service firms are increasingly separated into large firms employing many licensed design professionals and small firms that are often sole practitioners or single professional operations. Where do you see yourself fitting in? Here are some things to consider. Large firms rarely face difficulty when an individual licensed design professional is physically unable to complete a project. Most large firms operate with interchangeable staffs where the person signing and sealing required documents often has had only a minor role in the project design and many others are capable of performing the initial calculations or designs. But small firms - especially those that are sole practitioners - could experience catastrophic damage because of any form of incapacitation. Every sole practitioner’s worst nightmare is injury, illness, or some form of incapacitation to the point of inability to provide professional services. While some clients may not fear the delay of a project because of a sudden personal misfortune, others may be hesitant to hire a sole practitioner unless a contingency plan is in place for completing the project. Consequently, it is prudent to structure a backup system and inform the client of its existence. Prepare a Practice Support System No sole practitioner wants to abandon a client or project or see a carefully built practice destroyed by an unplanned absence of several weeks or more. But few have prepared their clients, contracts, or operations for such an interruption in service. The simplest form of preparation for continuity on a project is a prearranged support system. Forming a relationship with another sole practitioner or small firm with a similar practice can provide the continuity of client service and of viability of a professional practice. Rely on Digital Practice With contemporary communications and project software, a colleague in another location can step in quickly to continue or complete a project. The backup practitioner can access communications and files through email or a project website. The backup professional will be able to check client correspondence and emails and access documents without physically disrupting his or her existing practice. By choosing to form a cooperative, reciprocal relationship with another small firm, transition is less disruptive to the client and staff.

Address Laws, Rules and Insurance There are many concerns in taking over a project, including, registration laws, the client’s ability to void a personal services agreement, the legality of software use, confidentiality, and trade secrets. Of course, there is the issue of professional liability insurance coverage to consider. Part of the arrangement for reciprocal backup would include exchanging insurance information, including carriers, limits, and deductibles. Unfortunately, many sole practitioners and small firms still do not carry appropriate insurance coverages. It is wise to exchange insurance information to confirm that both parties have the ability to defend their professional operations. Put it in Writing Once a backup has been identified and contact and insurance information exchanged, the reciprocal arrangement should be memorialized in writing. The agreement should provide the procedures to be followed if the backup practitioner is needed along with compensation decisions and any limitations on the authority of the backup. A provision that clearly indicates that the client reverts to the primary professional upon return to practice is prudent. The agreement should also provide for confidentiality and non-solicitation, not only of active clients but entire client lists, since the backup will have access to that information as well. The arrangement, of course, should be mutual. Develop the Relationship When the decisions have been made and put into an agreement form, the relationship can be nurtured. Tours of the offices should be arranged to familiarize each party with the location of files and the filing system and a demonstration of computer use and organization. Firms should share passwords and keys and candidly discuss office procedures. The reciprocal arrangement should also address the potential necessity to expand the power of the backup professional depending on the circumstance of an absence. Such information should be shared with legal counsel, a business advisor, or anyone else in the position of being the first to learn of an unanticipated absence from practice. The decision to practice architecture is one that should be considered with eyes wide open. Having a plan in place as you start your firm will put you ahead of the game and put you on the path to success. ■

The AIA Trust is a free risk management resource for AIA members that offers valuable benefits ranging from term life, disability and auto insurance to professional liability and business owners insurance to legal information and retirement plans. For more information on all AIA Trust programs, visit www.TheAIATrust.com

ARTICLE ADVANCEMENT THROUGH ACADEMIA

THE InSB Jeffrey Pastva, AIA LEED AP Pastva is an Assistant Editor for the YAF Connection, serves as Chair of the Young Architects Forum of Philadelphia, founder of The Designated Sketcher website and a Project Architect at Haley Donovan in Haddonfield, NJ.

Architectural education has recently become a hotly contested topic. A bevy of contrarian hypotheses have hit the streets; from an article by Aaron Betsky, who stumps for the idea that professional degrees should only be reserved for Master’s study, to the University of Minnesota’s degree-to-licensure program that will only take 7-years, and, finally, the elimination of a number of B.Arch programs from around the nation (and all of Canada).

argues Tabitha, is that it “forces individual students to realize that collaboration and a team attitude is required to succeed in the built environment”. Tabitha positions her approach to be more practical and collaborative, as all parties involved in the process must respect each other’s trade. For example, it seems to be a common stereotype that architects know how to design, but they may not know how to build. Contractors on the other hand, are often suspected of prioritizing profit at the expense of design. Tabitha imagines a world where builders value design and architects understand the need to adapt as budgets are slashed. The hope is that a shared vision will lead to less conflict, less finger pointing and result in improved quality where everyone “will have a larger piece of the pie because [the process] will be more efficient.”

If harmony is the final goal there are a couple of ways that Tabitha thinks the InSB can accomplish that. First is her target audience. It’s an intriguing dilemma and each stakeholder has its own reasons Even though she envisions the school being open to anyone out of or vested interest. Even the accreditation committees that oversee high school, the ideal inaugural class will enter with some experience the process are in constant flux as they tweak what they think will in the field. The field, in this case, applies broadly to anyone who be the best way to get pupils from academia to practice. But with designs or builds. A mix of trades is important since architects must so many differing opinions on what best prepares a student to start learn to manage engineers, builders need to understand design stamping blueprints, it’s very unclear which has actually been the process, and everyone needs to work together to make the most most effective. However, one point is clear. There is a significant efficient project. gap (and frankly a stark contrast) between what is taught in school In addition to exposing all parties to each other, Tabitha’s strategy and what is expected of interns when they graduate. is to introduce skills that are typically reserved for business majors. In the midst of this rigorous debate, I caught up with a motivated Even if accounting and entrepreneurship aren’t a designer’s strong individual and industry outsider, who has a unique approach to suit, they become essential skills for those who eventually want to preparing young architects for success in the real world. Her start their own firm. Her other weapon is to introduce “Lean Process” name is Tabitha Ponte and she is set to launch a movement principles into the curricula. In short, this is a set of ideals about called the Integrated School of Building that will “foster the next tirelessly working to eliminate waste from a process. Once the (best) AEC+ generation”. Aside from that, she has a wealth of students have an understanding of these principles, they move on experience across the AEC universe (including intern architect to project-based work. Through partnerships with local architectural and project manager, construction manager, and owner’s rep) and firms, every graduating class will be required to get their hands dirty brings perspective from almost every angle. on an actual project. This project will require students to address budget concerns, design on the fly, and ultimately help deliver quality During our discussion, we both agreed that many programs have built work. the unintended consequence of creating mini “Starchitects,” as evidenced by students often preferring solo studio projects, To date, the school has been the labor of an indefatigable bunch assuming an unlimited budget, and designing major institutional working at their own expense since September 2011. Eventually undertakings that a miniscule percentage of practicing architects InSB will become a full non-profit, but until they can work up a will ever see in their lifetime. backlog of investible items, these pioneers are going to have to take it course by course. But things are now in motion and by the Unfortunately, this leads to fighting every design battle, creating time this article is published, InSB will have opened its doors in a unnecessary correspondence and potentially missing deadlines downtown Chicago location. Though the school is just beginning its because of unresolved issues. Hour by non-billable hour, these journey to full potential, I urge you to check out the steps InSB has roadblocks create waste in the process and as any design taken to disrupt the institution that is architectural, or rather “building” professional can probably testify, the more time spent in CA, education. ■ the more money that is lost. The remedy, she says, is to create efficiency in the process and to encourage collaboration, not conflict, between the building trades. The Integrated School of Building, or InSB for short, is designed to desegregate the various disciplines of building when creating the next generation of designers. The value of integration,

YAF CONNECTION 11.02

For more info, CLICK HERE!

#TBH a virtual poll: STARTING YOUR OWN FIRM What is your favorite book on the topic of ‘STARTING YOUR OWN FIRM’? Replies to be published in YAF ‘Connection’! @wyattfrantom #aiayaf 24 days ago @wyattfrantom

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Matthew Dumich AIA, Valerio Dewalt Train Chicago ▪ How to Start and Operate Your Own Design Firm by Al Rubeling, FAIA. “The best book I have seen on starting a firm.” Mark Shuler AIA, Principal, Shuler Architecture Seattle ▪ E-Myth Revisited and The E-Myth Contractor by Michael Gerber. “I read both of these every couple of years to get myself refocused.” Ryan Spruston AIA, Gensler Los Angeles ▪ The Business of Design by Keith Granet “A great primer on building a design practice and an essential read for both those who are working at a firm and those looking to start their own. Art Gensler provides an insightful foreword.” Jason Dale Pierce AIA, HOK St Louis ▪ AIA Handbook of Professional Practice by John Wiley & Sons “Maybe not my favorite book but a good resource … A new version is to be released in 2013 and it was developed with Emerging Professionals in mind so it should be an even stronger resource than in the past for those looking to start a new firm early in one’s career.” Scott Feltheim ALA, SDG Architecture Tucson ▪ Professional Practice 101: Business Strategies and Case Studies in Architecture by Andrew Pressman “Tricky question: when I started 7 years ago I used AIA Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice [re: above], Professional Practice 101, and more importantly, many online blogs and articles from others. However, I believe the forces that affect the start-up have changed so dramatically in the past few years that few if any printed books will be as valuable.” m ARCHITECTS Twitter Feed, Houston ▪ The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand “No doubt about it …” David Wischniewski, Frederic Schwartz Architects New York ▪ Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur “Business Model Generation helped me to get a first impression of how to build up a firm and its business model. It is a well written and good illustrated book, which covers a lot if topics (from design, marketing, technical infrastructure, to management).” Enoch Sears AIA, Christiansen Group Visalia CA ▪ BusinessofArchitecture.com “Haven’t found one I love ... lately, books are having trouble keeping up with the latest information.”

ARTICLE ADVANCEMENT THROUGH PRACTICE

FROM PARKING LOTS TO WETSLUMS Eileen Allaverdian-Orumie Allaverdian-Orumie is an intern architect at Waterstudio in The Netherlands, has a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of Toronto and has recently completed a Master of Architecture from Syracuse University.

Blue and orange, and then some more orange. For the past seven-and-a-half years, these two colors have symbolized the two universities that I attended, the University of Toronto and Syracuse University, while studying architecture. Today, I am an intern architect in the “orange nation” of the Netherlands. At the University of Toronto, I learned to see through the eyes of a contemporary, provocative architect. Most, if not all, undergraduate architecture programs in Canada today are not professional programs in themselves but stepping stones of rigorous training for graduate studies in architecture. I decided to venture all the way down “south” (for a Canadian) to upstate New York where I completed a Master’s degree in Architecture at Syracuse University. There, I saw provocative architecture take form, and most importantly, I learned to find potential and relevance in the ordinary, and that architecture is found outside of the way things appear. This eventually led to my thesis: Good Things Happen in Parking Lots, where I proposed to redesign the typology of the parking lot into a flexible public space, which could transform into unexpected functions when not in use. I see potential in the banal and overly pervasive infrastructure of the parking lot. Its simple poles, flat ground, and spray paint lines can be imagined to generate a malleable public space. Think of all the empty parking lots in cities, often near stadiums and exhibition centers that are prime real estate, but underused. By introducing new elements like audiovisual equipment or lights that can easily slide vertically on poles, screens that can span across poles, embedded tent structures, and storage bins for rolled surfaces like turf or water storage that can make ice for skating rinks, ordinary parking lots can become vibrant public spaces.

At Syracuse University, I also assisted teaching freshman history, theory, and in my final year, design. I enjoyed getting to know a large number of designs at a time while being a student myself. In critiquing others’ work, I was also able to critique my own, while feeling like I was getting a break from it. I am grateful for the opportunity to teach at Syracuse, and hope to be in a position to teach again one day. Two years ago, through Syracuse University Study Abroad Programs, which has one of, if not the best, study abroad options in the US, I spent some time in The Netherlands. Although positions are scarce today for young architects in The Netherlands, the opportunities still remain unique. For the past months I have been working at Waterstudio, a firm led by Koen Olthuis, that designs and builds architecture on water. What attracted me to this studio was how uniquely Dutch their design ethos was and how the firm is based on a concept and vision that is actually similar to my own. Although as a Torontonian I have never thought to design floating buildings, I was drawn to Waterstudio because I think they see water the way I see parking lots, as something underused that has an untapped potential for improving city life. Floating architecture can not only combat rising water levels. What I find particularly fascinating is the possibilities for flexibility and planning for change. Floating architecture can be transported as functions become obsolete. The firm is working on building a floating, movable platform for a wetslum in Bangladesh. Interestingly enough, there are plans for Waterstudio to design a floating complex for Oswego, New York, near my alma matter. Needless to say, the learning experience I have found in the Netherlands is unique and I have significantly grown a designer in the past two months. As an emerging architect, the discipline has challenged me for the past eight years and is surely continuing to do so. The possible applications of international internship experiences open the door for many opportunities. This is the great thing about being an architect: you don’t know where it will lead you. There are so many venues to explore, like public spaces in dead infrastructures or floating buildings, but as long as you open your eyes to see great things, you can only go great places. ■

The parking lot as a large, outdoor concert hall with skating and a market.

YAF CONNECTION 11.02

ARTICLE PERSONAL ADVANCEMENT

HOW DO I GET “THERE”? Matt Murphy AIA, WRID, LEED AP BD+C Murphy is an Architect at RMTA in Kansas City MO, a recipient of AIA National’s Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship and serves on AIA Kansas City’s Leadership Development Group.

Advancement in our profession is not linear whether one goes down the conventional path of working for firm or perhaps takes a non-traditional approach. For each person, the understanding of advancement is varied but what is synonymous is not necessarily having a luminous route for getting “there”. One person’s interpretation of amelioration will likely deviate from the next. Positions, salaries, education, history, ambitions, licensure, firm culture, project profiles, partnership and giving back are just some of the throng of betterments which drive all of us, one way or another. But how does one get “there” wherever “there” is or whatever it is?

paper) qualified for. You never know. •

Find your perspective.

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Know your shelf life and understand when it’s time to turn the page.

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if you were given the chance. •

Look fondly upon those who have tripped you up.

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Be honest with people. Be brutally honest with your friends.

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Make lasting connections. Use LinkedIn. You never know when you will need to reach the masses quickly.

For me, there were no hardened rules and no proverbial ladder to climb. It is experience and hard work that has prevailed in getting to my own, personal “there”. I know if I keep my head down, put in the time and focus on quality work, all of the other advancement mechanisms will fall in line.

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The following is a list of quips, quotes and witticism I have gathered over the years while trying to figure out how I was going to advance. These are not a “how to” on succeeding, rather they are what has seemingly worked for me whether I was cognizant of them at the time or not. I advocate any student or intern to simply take them as advice from a recently licensed architect who has had some reasonable prosperity in the industry. ■ In no particular order: •

“You gotta wanna.” From Mr. Mueller, a sixth grade teacher who demanded students to have passion.

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Hard work is knowledge.

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This industry is much more rewarding when you give time and efforts beyond the workday.

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Remember who you love.

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Be relentless in your pursuits even if it means being annoying.

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Pass the ARE as soon as possible.

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You have a mentor. You are a mentor. Realize those opportunities.

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Take responsibility for the future of your profession.

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Know your role then ask for more.

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Apply for salaried and volunteer positions you are not (on

Recognize how you would or would never operate a business

Hand out business cards every chance you get. It’s a personal interaction.

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Put the company’s best interests first.

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“Write down your goals on paper.”

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Titles are meaningless.

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Your degree and where you earned it from does not matter

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Don’t dismiss your education, rather know you can get licensed despite NCARB’s “rules”. Take it from me, I have a pre-professional, non-NAAB accredited fine art degree.

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“It’s just a job.” No, it’s not. Love what you do.

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Find ways to evoke people’s passions. Create a passion plea.

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Keep your head in the clouds.

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Except praise only if you are onto the next task.

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Be impatient. Tell them your goals, what you want and ask how you can achieve those goals.

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“You will never make any money in the arts.” Not true.

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Join things, anything. Any group that will expand your network and vouch for you is worth it.

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They should tell you in school that this profession follows the trade tract in that there will be apprenticeship, journeyman and master stages all of which take years of experience.

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Never accept the status quo.

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Lead by example not intimidation.

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Where hard work meets opportunity you find luck. Take it and use it.

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Thank everyone, always, for everything.

ARTICLE PERSONAL ADVANCEMENT

UNDAUNTED Valerie Amor Associate AIA Amor is the Visionary Founder and CEO of Drawing Conclusions in Fort Lauderdale FL, contributes to national and local periodicals, chapter co-author of 21st Century Security and CPTED and a 2012 Jason Pettigrew Scholarship recipient.

It has been a long and arduous road since I lost my position at a local architectural firm in 2008. From then until the present, these have not been good years for architecture. With so many professionals out of work and firms closing down on a weekly basis, my decision to open an architectural firm in 2010 seemed akin to slowly committing suicide in public. Still I remained undaunted and after a nearly one year struggle with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation of Florida, I was finally granted an architect corporation license in December 2011. It seems ironic now that I really thought that if I opened an architectural firm that somehow the work would flow in my direction. After a few discouraging touches with work probably left better untouched, I came to the realization that following the path of what might be constituted as a normal architectural firm was not going to work. Since that “aha” moment of realization both my firm and my own identify as an architectural profession has morphed in some really remarkable and wondrous ways. I have literally emerged as what I have come to consider the new evolution of architect. I no longer view my role as simply satisfying the needs of the clients rather first exploring and then sifting through the so many talents that an architect brings to her profession. We are master planners, designers extraordinaire, expert listener and makers of miracles creating masterpieces from budget-empty clients who have no concept and even less willingness to embrace sustainability on any level. While some may say that this is fading into the past, still clearly it is all about the bottom line. With these challenges and the lack of any real chance at local projects as heavy hitting architectural firms from outside the area come in regularly with bidding resources that a small, resource-limited architectural firm like mine cannot muster, I have taken a different approach. About four years ago, I designed in concept a multi-phased project that is to demonstrate in real time how architecture can be an economic, environmental and social driver. Clearly, overly ambitious, I approached the City of Fort Lauderdale and was informed as I was shown the door to make sure it didn’t hit me on the way out. I thought it was perfect and brilliant, undaunted (this seems to be a theme with me, did I mention that I am not good accepting “no” for an answer), I hunkered down and re-examined my proposal, ran it past a developer only to end up in what would probably be great material for a comedy routine.

YAF CONNECTION 11.02

Eventually, I decided to become my own developer. Lucky to also be a licensed Florida Real Estate broker, I began to search for possible sites and after much exploration, I finally chose one. Lacking in resources to actually buy the neglected, abandoned property perfect for the start of my urban infill multi-phased project that is to suppose to serve as an example of what is possible, think living research lab that is to be real time responsive, a living environment; I entered the recent AIA Adaptive Reuse Competition. While I pestered them for a response, I found out that my project was not selected as a winner. Undaunted, I again approached the city with my vision entitled s/he#1, translation - Sustainable Helical Experiment #1 as the first phase in my proposed project. This time, with pretty pictures in hand, (a picture is worth a thousand words), it took. While I can’t say to date I have either purchased the building or have successfully managed to get the project financed, it is in progress and I am being taken seriously. With a structural engineer eagerly waiting to sign my non-compete non-disclosure agreement, I continue to build my collaborative team demonstrating that architecture not only can transform the built environment, it can also transform communities, it can transform people’s lives. Some of the directions the firm and myself have been successful have been unexpected and yet within our realm of being expansive, inclusive and connective, making absolute sense. As an example, SCALE (sustainability, community, architecture, leadership and education) is a children’s educational program that I created and currently direct; having started as a one-week spring camp and blossoming to an eight-week summer camp last year where we explored, designed and built with all recycled materials what the City of Fort Lauderdale might be like in the year 2112. This next year we take on the task of collaborating with city staff as both children (ages 5-18) and adults review and, through the power of art, begin to understand and create a personal connection with the city’s Sustainability Action Plan. This is to serve as a prototype replicable with the other thirty cities in the county. Next plans? an i-zine (internet magazine), a re-purposed interior furnishings department, building a box city with the Museum of Discovery and Science, writing climate resilient zoning and lecturing regarding sustainability, scale and evolution and … undaunted. ■

ARTICLE PERSONAL ADVANCEMENT

REFLECTIONS ON ADVANCEMENT Jeffrey A. Ehrnman is Owner of Architect’s Consulting Services in Rancho Cucamonga CA and has over 25 years of experience as an Architect, Construction Manager, Q/C Plan Reviewer and Building Inspector.

Advancement in architecture is the topic. As an Architect myself, I would offer the following observations and thoughts from my experience to young practitioners. First, the joke, “Back in my day we had to carry our drawing boards through the snow to the 12-hour registration exam and then … actually DRAW our solution.” But the practice of Architecture and the exams has changed a great deal since I first worked in an Architect’s office in 1978. Now it is more complex with the technologies and computer programs utilized to communicate and present your ideas. So, I would like to share some of the things that I’ve learned in my career that are a part of the profession of architecture, and being an Architect, that do not change. Be positive In this field, and on a daily basis,, you will be faced with problems or, as a colleague of mine used to say, “challenges”. The client will want changes as soon as you’re done with Construction Documents. Then the Building Department will have their say. Once into construction and on the job site, there will be a multitude of issues to resolve. Be proactive and focused On starting a practice, I recommend a strong client base or a steady source of work. Be sure to have lots of insurance and that all your business licenses and registrations are current. If you are in a smaller community; reach out to local organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce and Service Clubs to become known as the ‘Architect’ in the neighborhood. I have been through ups-and-downs in the economy that have allowed me opportunities to experience many aspects of the building profession. I have worked in two large firms, starting as student Intern and advancing to a Project Architect. A layoff. I was fortunate to find a position as a Construction Manager. This change opened my eyes to the logistics and reality of the builders of we Architects’ visions. For a while I did work as a Plan Quality Reviewer and On-Site Inspector and this shed more light on our field. I believe this diverse experience has advanced my career as an Architect.

Be engaged Architects need to be engaged with Contractors, Owners, AIA, CSI, Building Department Officials, and ultimately our clients. We cannot sit in a vacuum and assume we are in control. I advise all young Architects to be involved in all aspects of the building and design trades. This includes the Arts, Design, Building Codes, and Details down to specifications and the concrete mix design. Be alive Now, for you as a person, by all means have a personal life! Don’t get sucked up strictly into a “professional” life. The wisest advice that I had received in architecture school was from Calvin Straub, FAIA, in a first year lecture. He said, and I’m paraphrasing, “Go outside and experience the environment, go hiking, cook a meal, have a love affair ...”. He was reminding us, as students, not to take it too seriously and have a well-rounded life. Just know that the field of architecture is fragmented and complex. As you advance in your career, be ready to turn on a dime and be adaptable. Meanwhile focus on the details and have fun. ■

ARTICLE PERSONAL ADVANCEMENT

ARCHITECT + Kristi Daniel, Associate AIA Daniel is an architectural intern at Callaway Architecture in Dallas, Texas. Daniel is also actively continuing diversity in her career development and professional education.

I started my journey towards becoming an architect on the traditional path to licensure. I earned a Master’s of Architecture in 2006 and started my first job two short weeks after graduation. I was assigned to a team working on an exciting and engaging project, and a year later I found myself in the role typically reserved for a Project Architect. Not only that, this project was of the kind that I never could have dreamed of, regardless of my stature or experience level. While my dream situation played out in real life, I continued to burn through my IDP hours and I steadily cranked through my registration exams. I had momentum My career was rolling along at an encouraging clip, regardless of the economic floundering in 2007. Even as conditions soured at my firm, I consistently survived staff reductions because layoffs couldn’t break our solid core team. Eventually we completed my project and it was a lock to seamlessly move onto Phase II. We quickly celebrated the turnover with a sense of triumph and focused on our proposal. We were confident our commendable effort would override the other macro-economic factors at play and it would be business as usual. In the summer of 2009, we got the bad news that subsequent phases would be awarded to another design group. The moment that I heard the verdict, I surveyed the office and realized that there wasn’t much else to work on. In my naiveté and self-confidence (a hallmark of my generation), I couldn’t believe that I could lose my job as long as I worked hard and produced well. In fall 2009, I was laid off I found some comfort that several of my peers were cut at the same time and I had even fared well against my fellow interns across the state of Texas. Unfortunately, solace doesn’t pay the bills and reality set deep and fast. Suddenly my whole life was unfocused and my motivation fell victim. The lack of direction led me to spend entire afternoons wandering and losing myself in the monotonous pseudo-grid of my suburban neighborhood.

Two weeks later, I only had one bite – a nibble really – from a mechanical contracting company and it was tentative pending a potential contract award. In my current position, I didn’t have much to bargain with, so I held by breath and awaited the outcome. Shortly thereafter, the company was awarded the contract for a design-build barracks in central Texas and I was hired on as a Project Engineer. I felt foreign at first, even disoriented, but I found a role as translator between the design team and the build side of the operation. I had to fight the urge to jump into the role of “architect” and be the go-to problem solver because my knowledge had become entertaining trivia in my new environment. I had to start at the bottom (again) and learn a whole new skill set that was outside of my original focus. But I adapted, I adjusted and I accepted the challenge. I learned more about MEP than I ever thought would be necessary, I learned the costs of labor and material and I learned about documentation from the school of hard knocks. At the end of the proverbial boot camp, I gained a more intimate knowledge of how a building is built than I believe I would have had I stayed in architecture. I gained valuable insight and experience in contracting and as I write this I am pleased with the opportunities that I had in the contracting world to develop these skills and knowledge. True love is hard to shake I still want to be an architect, even if that dream is on hold. My tangential experience in design-build is something that I believe has made me a stronger candidate for the architectural job market, but am anxious about whether the market values my skills the same way. Luckily, I am not alone in my plight. There is a considerable chunk of my generation who have emerged as “hybrid architects”; those who have assumed non-traditional roles with an eye of returning to architecture. So, despite my anxiety, I’m excited at the possibility of working side-by-side with other crosstrained individuals and can only hope that the rest of the world sees the same value as I do in being “architect +”. ■

Then my resilience kicked in I bucked up and started the job hunt. I quickly became discouraged by the non-existent opportunities for an unlicensed three-year architectural intern, so I cast my net across a broader spectrum.

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At the time that this article’s publication, Daniel was pleased to report that she is enjoying her new position at Callaway Architecture where she is glad of the opportunity to re-enter her chosen profession and continue in her career development.

DESIGN ADVANCEMENT THROUGH PRACTICE

SOMA Architects SOMA has been the vanguard of New York City architecture since its 2003 inception. Mexico City and Beirut subsidiaries subsequently opened in 2006 and 2009 respectively and ensured around the clock success of projects of all scales. An international amalgamation of a young and highly developed workforce spanning 13 nationalities and led by the Principal Michel Abboud allows for the ease of execution of creative and complex programs within complex sites, globally.

SOMA works closely with clients to understand their needs and desires in relationship to external constraints in today’s ever changing cycle of occupancy and uses of buildings; providing adaptable planning so that the buildings they design evolve with their clients. Rather than imposing a ‘parti’ onto a given site, SOMA tends to deploy patterns which are seemingly self-organizing and grow with the site and its intended and un-intended future uses. It is this ability to work in the virtual space of organizational tools, while deploying concrete structures, materials, and things, that places SOMA at the cutting-edge of architectural practice; constantly attempting to extend the boundaries of architectural design while incorporating craft, digital technologies, and environmental responsibility. ■

Workshop Kitchen & Bar. Palm Springs, CA. Completed October 2012

Workshop Kitchen & Bar: Palm Springs, CA. Completed October 2012 Aura: Master Plan. Erbil, Iraq. Ongoing (2014)

BOBO: Condominium / Beirut, Lebanon / Ongion (2013)

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DESIGN ADVANCEMENT THROUGH DESIGN

Rob Drury, Assoc. AIA NCARB Drury is the Founder of Napkin Sketch, Inc. in New York City. Drury is also involved and engaged with many collaborative open-source design publications including workmosis.com & nyc2060.

THE LEAPS AND BOUND

Transit terminal design concept. 2013. Napkin Sketch, Inc.

Downtown Manhattan residential building feasibility study. New York, NY. 2012. Napkin Sketch, Inc.

Being aware of cognitive senses and how I translate inner thoughts and reactions to experience and image influences my process of designing. As a bi-product I become obsessed with point of view. Architecture, as a profession today has the same omnipresent issue as it seems. It has benefited me to some extent that my mind has and will always work backwards. We are all wired differently and our customized hardware has been applied in a plethora of configurations whether we are a designer or not. The term advancement to me has been the quest for self-transparency and acknowledgment that others can provide amazing collaborative experiences, however similar or different. Now that I’ve been working and experiencing the role of a designer, in a variety of forms and capacities for the last decade, I realize how important it is to celebrate and utilize other honed-in design points of view both obvious and subtle. The way I acted on my interest in being a part of design, in a general sense, started with the specific task of sketching over design-to-build house magazines when I was very young. This repetition became regimented in nature by my dissatisfaction until I mastered the given techniques. With my realization of task-to-accomplishment behaviors both visually and theoretically I eventually realized it was the activity of attempting to achieve the perfect 1:1 reproduction rather than the actuality of a finished product. Although enlightening on a literal level the activity unfortunately drove me to apply its analogous process to my career path. I believed, as many, that the path to becoming a sensitive designer was prescriptive. The concept that architecture was to be bundled into a magazine spread itself was intriguing to me at a young age but has become even more prevalently noticeable in my production and engagement with professional tasks. The concise nature of the delineation of architecture and design work, whether in the design-to-build house magazines I sketched over when young or Architecture Record, I continue to enthuse over. This ingrains a deep sub-textual voice within reason while actively participating in the design process that influences and dictates to some extent my shared evaluation of successful design. What is most recently noticeable in my aspirations to build upon the ever-changing path of continuing to refine my methods and ideology while practicing design, is that the indicative qualities of time and place can be utilized as controllable tools in unconventional ways.

“...advancement to me has been the quest for selftransparency and acknowledgment that others can provide amazing collaborative experiences, however similar or different.”

NDS OF This perspective benefits both my own production methods but also the related finished work. The phases of exploration, discovery, and engagement with design from adolescence, architecture school, to entering the professional world, all have provided their respective share of ingrained sensitivities. Juxtaposed to projected notions of â&#x20AC;&#x153;advancementâ&#x20AC;?, a fluid value system unfolds apparent patterns that I continually reevaluate to inform future decisions. I have cemented my own idea of advancement to translate simply to providing a fundamental sense of keen malleability to the basis of relating and contributing to all aspects of my professional work.

As we all do, I went through many phases with questioning motives and impact on the world. I still do not fully comprehend and understand what my meaning of advancement is apart from broad philosophies and relative discoveries Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve picked up over time. Knowing that the unknown will always exist regarding perceivable practices in design has become embedded with ease into my consciousness of self-productivity. The rapid change of both technology in general as well as the connected change of how we experience the world based on new technology continues to mold and manipulate my own design ideas and the decisions made from those thoughts. I believe this is happening across all facets of the architecture and design interconnected professions. We have already realized the developmental reactions to media over-saturation and now we are becoming aware of the produced result in relation to pace and processing time.

parametric tower concept. Napkin Sketch, Inc. 2012.

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Detroit Riverfront Masterplan Concept. 2012. Napkin Sketch, Inc.

While entering the workforce I confronted all of the ramifications that new applied work-flow behaviors and production methods produced, culminating with instilled irrational expectations of time and a disproportionate understanding of what the value of deliverables would ever surmount to both with respect to personal sweat equity and company overhead. With the realization of an omnipresent niatevity (including my own) to the shockwave of dramatic change that is continueing to occur as our buildings begin to fit on indesign spreads and our modeling has the ability to encompass a wealth of metadata, the moment to react happened. How much information is enough? Is it necessary? Should I be focusing on these activities related to a project or another? These are constant questions that gave me a red flag that it was time to put the Home Design-to-Build book away and start sharpening my other skills, senses, and developed utilities to engage and tiein to a macro conversation that ultimately still is ad-hok chatter on the side-lines of pretty pictures and consice presentations. I still fight my own hypocricies and continue to experiment with the bundled execution of making contributable works.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;...now Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m realizing a clever title is burdening in a world where clever lasts in a fifteen second soundbite of time and 3d rendering and photoshop has allowed us to design before digested.â&#x20AC;?

Campus commons mixed-use masterplan FAR study. Collaboration with Architecture, Inc. Reston, VA. 2012

Transit terminal design concept. 2013. Napkin Sketch, Inc.

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Community Hospital Addition and Revitalization Plan. 2012. Napkin Sketch, Inc.

Campus commons mixed-use masterplan FAR study. Collaboration with Architecture, Inc. Reston, VA. 2012

I jumped off the deep end and launched a company. Napkin Sketch, Inc. and now I’m realizing a clever title is burdening in a world where clever lasts in a fifteen second soundbite of time and 3d rendering and photoshop has allowed us to design before digested. I’m finding myself moving very quickly in setting up initiatieves and goals but having more and more trouble filtering and applying the evaluation criteria I have gained to trust. Confrontation of my own design ideology was like going to rehab. I was deeply paralyzed and felt as if I had looked into something too nuanced to understand or too big to bite off. A breath of fresh air mixed with reality keeps the dynamic state of running a small creative agency fluidly optimistic. With the slow days and the busy, the ups and downs, I can take homage in applying newly learned skills to my former means and methods. Leaps can and need to be made, steps within professional careers are never perfectly chronological, but I’ve realized that advancement is the synthesis of these harmonizing elements. With the bits and pieces of new knowledge that continues to pile up delicately, the more vast scalar moves start to stitch themselves together. For the time being, I have found my version of advancement. ■

Downtown Manhattan residential building feasibility study. New York, NY. 2012. Napkin Sketch, Inc.

“...and now I’m realizing a clever title is burdening in a world where clever lasts in a fifteen second soundbite of time...”

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AIR-TRAIN NYC. workmosis nyc2060 concept for express artery connecting 4 major transit hubs in the New York City metropolitan area. Napkin Sketch, Inc.

LEADERSHIP PROFILE

A STORY OF LEADERSHIP AND ENGAGMENT Matthew Dumich AIA Dumich is an Associate and Project Manager at Valerio Dewalt Train Associates in Chicago, serves on the Executive Committee for the AIA Chicago Board of Directors, formerly the Programs Advisor for the AIA National Young Architects Forum Advisory Committee from 2011-2012, and cofounder of the AIA Chicago Bridge mentoring and leadership program. Matt has been honored for his leadership and service with the 2011 Building Design + Construction 40 Under 40 award, 2012 AIA Chicago Dubin Family Young Architect Award, and 2013 AIA National Young Architects Award.

I have been fortunate to be mentored by strong leaders that have taught me the value of hard work and committed service. These lessons have shaped my career, instilled an obligation to lead and create an environment for others to thrive. I am dedicated to promoting the value of design, mentoring and professional development for design and construction professionals. BACKGROUND I didn’t grow up dreaming about being an Architect. I have always had a variety of interests ranging from sports and art to psychology and sociology. I was named “Most Involved” in my high school class for participating in sports, leadership and other extracurricular activities. I was drawn to Architecture because I was fascinated with the idea of becoming a “Renaissance man”. While in architecture school at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, I juggled my studies, while playing on the club volleyball team, and working as a resident assistant. I enjoy exploring my broad interests, but I commit to fully engage in everything I take on. I have a mindset for implementation that compels me to move beyond idle talk and take action to execute good ideas. PROFESSIONAL I received my Bachelors degree in 1999 and went to work at a design-build firm for two years before returning to graduate school at UWM. While completing my Masters degree, I worked parttime for a small firm where I completed the IDP process. After graduation, I moved to Chicago to work for DeStefano + Partners, a respected large firm specializing in large-scale urban projects. In two years at D+P, I earned my Architectural license and was very fortunate that all four of my high-rise projects were actually built in Chicago. I joined Valerio Dewalt Train Associates in 2006. VDTA is a highenergy, national design practice known for innovation, service, and agility. As an Associate in the firm, it is a privilege and responsibility to have a key role in our projects. My work includes a range of commercial, residential, institutional, and mixed-use buildings and interiors throughout the Midwest. I am known for developing strong partnerships with clients, consultants, and contractors that have led to a series of successful projects. SERVICE Architect’s have a responsibility to be leaders in our communities. I believe, to be recognized as a leader, one must lead by example. I

joined the AIA after completing my undergraduate studies, to network and learn more about the profession. There I found a group of passionate leaders that mentored and encouraged me to get involved. As a graduate student, I was selected to serve as Associate Director for the AIA Wisconsin Board of Directors. When I moved to Chicago, I continued my involvement by serving as Chairman of the AIA Chicago Young Architects Forum. I went on to serve as YAF Regional Director for Illinois and the YAF National Advisory Committee. I am now very proud to represent the Chicago architectural community by serving on the Executive Committee for the AIA Chicago Board of Directors. MENTORING My mentors taught me to nurture the next generation of Architects. I have become an advocate for emerging professionals and a leading voice for the future of the profession. In 2009 I co-founded Bridge, a mentoring and leadership program that pairs a select group of Chicago’s young architects one-on-one with local members of the College of Fellows. The participants and their mentors meet regularly to discuss career goals and the future of architectural practice. Bridge has guided over 50 emerging professionals, while becoming a new Chicago tradition and a nationally recognized program. While serving on the YAF Advisory Committee, Clark Manus, FAIA, the 2011 AIA National President asked me to lead a marketing task force focused on reaching new, young members. Our goal was to develop a campaign that captured what it means to be an AIA member. The outcome of our teamwork was a singular message focused on the individuality of AIA members. “I AM AIA” is a call for individuals to engage in the profession and create their own path. I have also been invited to share my thoughts on the future of the profession during the opening plenary address for the 2011 AIA Illinois Annual Conference, keynote presentation for the 2011 Chicago Architecture and Design College Day, and “Future Visions” discussion with Architect Magazine’s Ned Cramer during the YAF Summit 20.

“Matt has improved the profession and the community through his dedicated service to both. He has an outstanding commitment to demonstrating the power of leadership within the architectural community to serve the world at large.” Zurich Esposito, AIA Chicago Executive Vice President

COMMUNITY As a leader in the profession, I strive to increase the value and public awareness of Architects. This responsibility includes working to encourage a dialog about design and issues affecting our community. PechaKucha brings creative people and the community together around the world. I advise PechaKucha Night Chicago by recommending emerging young designers to share their ideas and work. I have also joined the PechaKucha Chicago organizers in sharing our experiences sparking a public dialog about design and creativity in presentations across the country including a sessions at AIA National Conventions in Miami and New Orleans. CONCLUSION Through my service, I have found the more that I contribute to others; the more I personally gain in return.

I have had the opportunity to meet amazing, dedicated professionals from around the country that continue to teach and inspire me. My involvements have helped me to develop organizational, teamwork, and public speaking skills. These experiences have given me the confidence to lead and build the foundation for a successful career. There has never been a greater time for architects to step up as leaders in our communities. We have the skills to address many of the world’s problems through strategic, design thinking. Join me in leading, serving, and shaping the profession and our communities together. I am excited about the future.

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LOCUS

MAY

2013

VOL 11 ISSUE 03

CONNECTION THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN JOURNAL OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

CONNECTION LOCUS May 2013 Volume 11 Issue 03

ON THE COVER: Rue, Paris France Original Photograph by Wyatt Frantom

2013 ISSUES OF CONNECTION 11 01 11 02 11 03 11 04 11 05 11 06

EMERGENCE ADVANCE LOCUS PROCESS MANIFESTO ORIGINS

CONNECTION EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Editor-In-Chief and Creative Director Assistant Editor, Content Assistant Editor, Graphics Assistant Editor, Articles Assistant Editor, News Assistant Editor, Reviews Researcher, News and Reviews

Wyatt Frantom, AIA James Cornetet, AIA Nathan Stolarz, AIA Jeff Pastva, AIA Beth Mosenthal, Associate AIA Nicole Martin, AIA Marcus Monroe

2013 YAF ADVISORY COMMITTEE

THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS 1735 New York Ave, NW Washington, DC 20006-5292 P 800-AIA-3837 www.aia.org

CONTENT

04 EDITOR’S NOTE

On Location Wyatt Frantom, AIA

QUICK 06 and resources relevant to young architects CONNECT News ALASKA

12 FEATURE

MONTANA

Connecting the Dots Jeff Yrazabal, AIA

WASHINGTON OREGON IDAHO JAPAN

HONG KONG

HAWAII GUAM

18 ARTICLE

14 ARTICLE An American in (a Different) Paris Beth Mosenthal, Assoc. AIA

AIA NORTHWEST AND PACIFIC REGION

Mixed(Up)-Use Darren Hand

22 DESIGN

20 ARTICLE Where East Meets West Yu-Ngok Lo

FRPO An Emerging Firm Profile

28 DESIGN 32 DESIGN

Transtectonica: Caribbean Resiliency Ramirez Mendez

The Lost Wall Yu-Ngok Lo

36 DESIGN Hironaka Ogawa

An Emerging Firm Profile

42 LEADERSHIP PROFILE Say ‘Yes’ Derek Webb, AIA

44 COFFEE WITH AN ARCHITECT Jody Brown, AIA

EDITOR’S NOTE PROVOCATIONS

On. Location Wyatt Frantom, AIA Wyatt is the 2012-2013 Communications Advisor of the YAF National Advisory Committee of the AIA, the YAF CONNECTION Editor-inChief, and an Architectural Designer and Associate with Gensler Los Angeles

Ubiquity is the very nature of pop culture. It is the mass media-induced mainstream, the global brand export and expatriated influence, the ‘averaging-out’ of the entirety of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, images and phenomena into a slip-streamed and pre-packaged “relevance”; whether consumerist, sensationalist, or superficial, pop culture is who we are … at least collectively and outwardly. Even within our own relatively insular profession, we are not only influenced by popular culture, we create it. While not nearly as entertaining as the Kardashians, our Starchitects, for instance, serve as a way to commodify what we do, making our profession accessible to a general public looking for … well, generality; not unlike the predisposition to imagine our ilk thoughtfully hunched over “blueprints” on a drafting board. The problem with ubiquity and generalization is the ensuing identity complex. We can leaf through any recent Architect magazine, architectural blog, even this issue of Connection and wonder if our profession is more Mike Brady than Howard Roark; begging the question whether we architects truly practice authenticity or merely create authentic spin-offs to the collective architectural pop culture? If we look at the inception of the internet in the context of our popular culture, we can all agree that it redefined our notions of place by creating a portal for accessing other locales, both physical and virtually-created. More recently, mobile technologies (i.e. notebooks, smartphones, tablets) have un-tethered us from a single place while simultaneously connecting us to every place. Now, through cloud computing, we have the computing power of the largest machines on the planet accessible to anyone with a smartphone in their pocket; allowing for greater data exchange, the streaming of movies, even live-action social gaming … a true sea change in the very way that people access and share information. Yet these means of connecting-to and embeddingin social networks were effectively absent from our collective imaginations until they arrived and altered almost every aspect of our daily lives. And at the center of those digital lives, our personal apps, content and preferences will be synched across multiple

devices and points-of-interface; bouncing between data centers a world away and awakening us further to the notion that data and information and, specifically, ideas are truly transient things. The combination of location-tracking, social media and instantaneous information through cloud-based analytics has made our lives into a short attention span theater of global culture compressed along satellite bandwidth. With the amount of data streaming through the cloud, we control our consumption through the newsfeeds of “citizen journalist” friends and hasty, emoticon-heavy texts, from the skimmed intake of Twitter to the bite-sized content of Pinterest, from the Zagat-replacing restaurant rating system Foursquare with reviews from the likes of “Mayor” Larry1027 to Yelp’s interactive ‘Yellow Pages’, from the social orchestrations of Living Social to communal-shopping with Groupon, and enough intellectual tapas from Flipboard to satiate without the need to ever read a full article. After all, who can afford the benefit of a depth-of-understanding in the fast-paced world in which we live? Steadily, with the ubiquity of data, we ourselves are becoming generalists in how we interact with information.

On The Changing Face of Place As of last month, April 2013, the online forum that we fondly know as Facebook hosted 1.06-billion users. With 1/7th of the total global population and a user base that would make Facebook the third largest nation by population on Earth (behind India and China), it’s hard to deny that this nexus, virtual or not, is in fact its own community … it is a place. On Facebook alone, 17-billion locations have been tagged. We are progressively, increasingly stitching our world together. Quite uniquely in this way, Facebook has become our modern ‘method of loci’, that mnemonic system that positions us, by place, in the world and in the presence of time, history, and even in the constant change of the environments that we occupy at any given moment.

And with an interface built on Shakespeare’s premise

that “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players …”, Facebook’s timeline is positioned to serve literally as the recordation and cataloguing of our lives, documenting an existence in play-by-play fashion through posting of status updates, photos and videos to capture moment and location as event. Through Truman Show-esque depictions, users mold identities, in some cases, brands, individuality and authenticity.

As critical or snarky as we’d like to be about this Orwellian

platform that we submit ourselves to, there is no denying the added meaning that events take in our lives once they are shared with those on our Friends list. So, in an eye-rolling, shoulder-shrugging act akin to accepting the likes of Gangnam Style, Jersey Shore or Paris Hilton’s not-brief-enough music career, I will pose that it doesn’t happen unless it happens on Facebook. Similarly, it’s not a location unless it shows up on Google Maps ... and it’s not a ‘place’ unless someone has ‘checked-in’.

At the end of this year, Google will up-the-ante on virtual

“place-making” by further casting our physical world into 0s-and1s with the release of ‘Google Glass’, a platform as “visionware” that will allow the wearer to access the internet via voice command and retina display; now taking the smartphone from your pocket and putting it on your bright and smiling face.

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

The ‘Google Glass’ could be seen as the next technological leap towards a hive-based data knowledge from some fantastical science fiction movie … that, or something from the empiricallyresearched playbook of American urban planner Kevin Lynch on how individuals perceive and navigate the urban landscape, as detailed in his book The Image of the City (1960). While the commercial success of Google Glass is questionable at best, it reinforces that the movement towards non-intrusive, invisible tech will redefine how we interface with “the cloud” (or computing, as we’ve known it) as well as how we interface with our world. So what do these technologies mean for architecture? Perhaps it means that our cities will become real-time, personallycurated exhibitions of our built environment; that visitors to a locale and locals alike will take a keener interest in those surroundings, thus a greater pride in those communities and, hopefully, a greater appreciation. In this scenario, these ubiquitous technologies

could be the means by which we, as architects, educate the general public to the necessity and value of these places … and the necessity of architects in delivering that value. Whatever the speculation, all of this sums up to something that is pretty extraordinary. This is not the pop culture that we are familiar with. This is not the flat-lining of taste. This is the new authenticity … it’s data-enabled, it’s everywhere and it’s going viral. ■

QUICK CONNECT headlined

reviewed

MORE GOOD NEWS FOR EMERGING ARCHITECTS...

POLISBLOG.ORG: A blog about cities around the world by people around the world.

In a press release issued on April 17th, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and National Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) shared an optimistic report based on a recently issued Internship and Career Survey. Results from the survey demonstrated an increase in employment for intern architects, as well as a shared sense of renewed optimism regarding employment opportunities for architects.

It’s only appropriate that a blog about “cities across the globe” would also be curated by writers from across the globe. With a core team of 16 international bloggers hailing from Romania, America, France, Spain, China, Peru, and Sweden, as well as the review/inclusion of stories from external contributors, Polis’s strategy of populating content about global issues and trends from a cross-section of global authors gives makes this blog hugely successful in its efforts to create a “a virtual gathering place where anyone can address an international community.. on diverse, urbanrelated themes.”

by Beth Mosenthal

Some important findings from the report illustrated an 8% rise in employment for individuals employed in professional architecture work, an 11% decrease from 2010 in unemployment, and 70% of respondents stating they would “remain in the architecture profession after having been laid off.” For more info, CLICK HERE to read the full report.

#tweeted

image of London by Beth Mosenthal

AIA Advocacy | @AIA_Advocacy President Obama released his fiscal year 2014 budget proposal yesterday. How does it affect architects? Find out: http://www.aia.org/advocacy/federal/AIAB098443

Emily Grandstaff-R | @egraia @AIAYAF’s common voice for #EPs is by reaching out regularly with high-value content that inspires--encouraging networking and discussion

reviewed

Koolhaas “Houselife” by Ila Beka and Louise Lemione

With an aim to facilitate dialogue and collaboration regarding improving the quality of life in cities, Polis’s many stories addressing macro and micro urban trends, issues, and events provides the reader with a sense of “real-time urbanism,” in which one visit to the home page provides a quick snapshot into many global themes that illustrate the striking similarities and differences that are occurring in vastly different cities throughout the world. Strictly volunteer-based and open to different types of content including “theory, practice, observation and engagement, research and development, critique and creativity,” the wealth of different content related to life in cities gives the reader a “choose your own adventure” type feeling. Depending on your interests or motivations, the diversity of discussions, topics, and voices well represents the shifts that continue to happen in our society as the world continues to shrink and our collective voice as an international community continues to grow.

KOOLHAAS HOUSELIFE

WHEN TED TALKS, I LISTEN.

What’s it like to maintain a work of art(chitecture) that people call “home?” This gem of a film documents a day in the life of Guadalupe Acedo, the housekeeper of OMA/Koolhaas’s critically-acclaimed Maison à Bordeaux. This rare glimpse into the post-occupancy phase of a critically-acclaimed residence is both funny and almost painfully-honest in illustrating the successes and failures of a functional work of “art.”

In need of inspiration? My co-worker and environmental graphics-design guru recently sent this TED talk to me, and I found it worth sharing. Harry’s summary is as follows: “Massimo Banzi helped invent the Arduino, a tiny, easy-to-use opensource microcontroller that’s inspired thousands of people around the world to make the coolest things they can imagine -- from toys to satellite gear. Because, as he says, ‘You don’t need anyone’s permission to make something great.” 3d Printed Open Source Toy Kits from cunicode.com

Locate the TED talk here: http://on.ted.com/t9xt #TED

M AY 2 0 1 3

reported

featured This month, Adam Harding, AIA tells us a little bit about his involvement in the YAF ... Harding is the AIA Colorado Young Architect’s Forum Chair. He is also a licensed architect, LEED AP, and the Colorado AIA10 Chair.

BUILDING BRIDGES TO IMPROVE LIVES AND COMMUNITIES WORLDWIDE by Marcus Monroe

It’s probably a fair assumption that most readers haven’t had to literally build a bridge in order to access buy food, seek healthcare, or visit their place of employment. This is where Bridges to Prosperity comes into play. The nonprofit has successfully identified the need for and successfully built 105 footbridges to date in 14 countries around the world, providing communities access to important resources and opportunities they would not otherwise be able to utilize. Founded by Avery Bang, an amibitous emerging professional in the field of engineering and Bridges to Prosperity Executive Director since 2008, Bang recalls having her “aha” moment during a study abroad trip in Fiji. After witnessing the power of a simple infrastructure project in which the building of a bridge transformed the lives of the local community, she realized the need for simple, low cost structures. Given the organizations’ success to date, Bang sees strengthening the connection between young architects and the non-profit as a major area of opportunity. Bridges to Prosperity greatly benefits from architects’ knowledge of regional materials and building methods, which are considered during the design phase of each unique bridge project. Furthermore, Bridges to Prosperity actively engages local government and organizations to determine the best approach on building the pedestrian bridge. The results speak for themselves, as each project allows local communities access to school, economic opportunities, and health care. If you’re interested in learning more, CLICK HERE to visit BTP’s website.

A bridge built by Bridges to Prosperity volunteers in El salvador. Image provided by Avery Bang/Bridges to Prosperity.

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

01. How did you get involved with the YAF? It really just popped up in my inbox one day. I was looking to get more involved with the AIA, I had just run for a AIA Board position and did not get elected. A friend of mine knew that I wanted to still take on some sort of position and knew the previous YAF Chair was stepping down in 2013 and was looking for someone to take over. I got an email from her one day asking if I was interested and I thought it would be a great opportunity to get involved. 02. What are some of the important issues that Young Architects face in today’s industry? Professional development is big for me, I think it is valuable for all Young Architects to ask themselves what they really want to do once they are licensed. Is it taking more of a leadership role in the firm they are in? Is it starting a firm of their own? Whatever it is, sitting down and writing out the goals you have and the steps to reach them is key. 03. What changes do you see happening in our industry that young architects should be aware of? Technology is rapidly changing the way we work in the office and the job site. I think staying on top of what is new will give you a leg up and be more efficient. It seems that project schedules and fees are dwindling while expectations are rising. Being able to adapt and react positively to change is how one will continually improve and grow.

“

I think it is valuable for all Young Architects to ask themselves what they really want to do once they are licensed... writing out the goals you have and the steps to reach them is key..

“

Raise your hand if you’ve ever built a bridge?

QUICK CONNECT made

involved

ODE TO GRASSHOPPER: CREATING COMPLEX FORMS USING SIMPLE CODE. Cellular Study is a light filtering screen that was developed by a team of Gensler employees for an annual charity event in Chicago hosted by the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA) called Dining by Design. The screen is made up of over one hundred file folders cut with a pattern that represents the millions of people affected by HIV throughout the world. The file folders are a reference to Allsteel, a manufacturer of filing cabinets that donated the raw materials for construction. The pattern was generated using a process that combined 3D modeling and custom algorithms developed in Grasshopper, a visual scripting environment. First, a base image was selected; in this case, a visualization of the HIV virus at molecular scale. Next, this image was analyzed and populated with points arranged in varying densities, similar to a grayscale Georges Seurat painting. The points were then used as center points for a network of cells that were projected onto a 3D model. The model was finally unfolded, flattened, and prepared into AutoCAD files in preparation for laser cutting. -As told to Beth by David Tracy, architectural designer and grasshopper extraordinnaire

2013 CENTER FOR EMERGING PROFESSIONALS ANNUAL EXHIBITION IS ON DISPLAY

2013 Selected Works sampling, as shown on the AIA Porfessional’s website

What progressive, thought-provoking work are emerging architectural professionals across North America creating? For a glimpse at a wide cross-section of architectural work, art, and designs from emerging professionals across North America, the Emerging Professional’s 2013 exhibition at the American Center for Architecture in DC is not to be missed. Sponsored by the AIA, Center for Emerging Professionals, the exhibition is on display from February through the AIA Grassroots Leadership and Legislative Conference. For more information, CLICK HERE!

Get IDP Credit with the Emerging Professional’s Companion Looking to gain IDP Credit or are you interested in delving deeper into the experience categories and areas of NCARB’s Intern Development Program? The Emerging Professional’s Companion is now available in interactive PDF format. Visit www.epcompanion.org to download the entire PDF document, indiviidual chapters with activities, and updated resources. Utilizing the EPC can help you earn up to 1,624 IDP hours; each activitiy is worth 8 hours. Completing the EPC can earn you up to 40 core hours in each experience area. Above: Image of Grasshopper script Above 2: Image of grasshopper script being applied to pattern in Rhinoceros Below: Image of Gensler | Chicago’s Dining by Design built design, phot credit, John Ruzich, 2013.

For more information, CLICK HERE to visit the contest website.

M AY 2 0 1 3

involved AIA WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT WHEN October 24-26, 2013 WHERE Phoenix, AZ

Connect, Transform, Persuade... ABOUT The 2013 Women’s Leadership Summit is a 2-day national ocnversation among people in all different stages in their career. Whether you’re a student, intern, practicing architect, emerging professional, or Fellow of the Institute, the Women’s Leadership Summit is an opportunity to engage and network with women architects and designers from across the country at this dynamic and inspirational event.

connected AIA’s Young Architects Forum YAF's official website CLICK HERE YAF KnowledgeNet A knowledge resource for awards, announcements, podcasts, blogs, YAF Connection and other valuable YAF legacy content ... this resource has it all! CLICK HERE Architect’s Knowledge Resource The Architect's Knowledge Resource connects AIA members and others to the most current information on architecture, including research, best practices, product reviews, ratings, image banks, trends, and more. It's your place to find solutions, share your expertise, and connect with colleagues. CLICK HERE AIA Trust Access the AIA Trust as a free risk management resource for AIA members. www.TheAIATrust.com

The Summit will focus on supporting women on their path toward and within leadership by providing a forum to recognize, inform, and champion the work being created by women in the design profession. For more information, CLICK HERE to visit the website. Know Someone Who’s Not Getting The YAF Connection? Don’t let them be out of the loop any longer. It’s easy for AIA members to sign up. Update your AIA member profile and add the Young Architects Forum under “Your Knowledge Communities.”

ONLY A FEW WEEKS LEFT TO REGISTER FOR THE NATIONAL CONVENTION!

• Go to www.aia.org and sign in • Click on “For Members” link next to the AIA logo on top • Click on “Edit your personal information” on the left side under AIA members tab • Click “Your knowledge communities” under Your Account on the left • Add YAF

The AIA National Convention is coming to Denver June 20-22, 2013. With the theme of the 2013 conference titled ‘BUILDING LEADERS: leadership for architecture, leadership beyond architecture’, keynote speakers are Blake Mycoskie (TOMS Founder and Chief Shoe Giver,) Cameron Sinclair (cofounder of Architecture for Humanity,) and General Colin Powell (former Secretary-of-State.) Don’t miss it! To register, visit the AIA Convention Home page

YAF CONNECTION 11.01 11.03

Call for ‘QUICK CONNECT’ News, Reviews, Events Do you have newsworthy content that you’d like to share with our readers? Contact the News Editor, Beth Mosenthal, on twitter @archiadventures Call for ‘CONNECTION’ Articles, Projects, Photography Would you like to submit content for inclusion in an upcoming issue? Contact the Editor, Wyatt Frantom at wyatt.frantom@wf-ad.com

MAP

depicting locations of article contributors for this issue

Portland, OR Beijing, China Tokyo, Japan Madrid, Spain Busan, South Korea Shanghai, China

AIA National Washington D.C.

Denver, CO

Macau, China Raleigh-Durham, NC

Los Angeles, CA

Puerto Rico Houston, TX

This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leadership Profile Derek Webb

PUT YOURSELF ON THE MAP

GET CONNECTED by contributing to our next issue!

FEATURE LOCUS. PACIFIC RIM

CONNECTING THE DOTS An Exemplar Mentorship Program Jeff Yrazabal, AIA Yrazabal is a Principal with SRG Partnership in Portland Oregon, a graduate of Washington State University, the AIA Portland President and the Young Architect Regional Director of the AIA Northwest & Pacific Region.

Our Region is geographically huge. With several states spanning thousands of miles and crossing the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii, Guam/Micronesia, and maintained connections to AIA Hong Kong and AIA Japan, our first challenge in implementing a Region-wide mentorship program was how to reach everyone effectively.

ALASKA

MONTANA WASHINGTON

outside of their offices and established professional circles so that they may continue to strive to develop as well-rounded, successful Architects and community leaders. The AIA NWP Mentorship Program has been set-up to build leadership skills and foster career development through crossgenerational interaction between Emerging Professionals (EPs) and members of the College of Fellows; allowing participants to tailor their experience to meet personal goals, build skills and find reliable guidance in a casual yet structured environment. The NWP Mentorship Program offers opportunities to mentor both up and down, and assists EPs on their path toward licensure and beyond. The goals for this program are to:

OREGON IDAHO JAPAN

- Connect our Region’s Fellows with emerging professionals - Enhance the careers of the next generation of Architects.

HONG KONG

HAWAII

- Encourage Architects at every stage of their career to develop strong leadership skills.

GUAM

AIA NORTHWEST AND PACIFIC REGION

To ensure an initial success, and recognizing that the program would grow and develop over time, we decided to focus the launch year in a few key states where we had the highest numbers of members (Washington, Oregon and Hawaii).

GOALS A main goal of the AIA College of Fellows (COF) is to advance the profession of architecture and to mentor young architects. The purpose of the Young Architects Forum (YAF) and the National Associates Committee (NAC) is to address important issues on the minds of emerging professionals (EP’s). The AIA NW&P Region developed this Mentoring Program to bridge the gap between these groups and by doing so, the program advances the missions of all involved. Through participation in this program, our Region’s EP’s will be exposed to meaningful learning opportunities

- Inspire participation and new leadership within the AIA at the local, regional and national levels.

HOW DOES IT WORK The idea is a simple one: pair AIA Fellows with young architects and associate members by identifying twenty Fellow’s who will serve as mentors for the program. Each of these Fellows will then be assigned four emerging professionals composed of two architects and two interns. This mentorship group will then meet at a minimum of six times throughout the year. As a part of the application process for the program, architects and interns will highlight specific areas of interest that will help the Region match them with Fellow mentors that share in those interests. After pairing the groups together based on locale, similar interests and expectations, each group is provided with a “toolkit” of suggested activities such as building tours, sketching trips, round table discussions and more informal social activities. The activities

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” -William Arthur Ward

that the pairs ultimately undertake throughout the year are entirely up to them. Since reaching out to our members about this exciting new mentorship program in late January, we already have a large number of participants lined up and are looking forward to working with each group and our Region’s leadership to evolve this program over time. At the conclusion of the mentoring program, each group will be asked to provide the Region with information about their experiences that will be shared at the Region Board meetings held at the AIA National Convention in Denver and the AIA NWP Conference in Vancouver BC.

NEW PERSPECTIVES ON MENTORSHIP Today mentoring happens in many ways, from multiple sources and from all directions. Whether a mentor is a seasoned professional, peer, student, supervisor, or simply an acquaintance, the goal remains the same: to assist in the growth and development of quality architects and positive contributors to their community. The benefit of the NWP Mentorship Program for both the younger AIA members and the participating Fellows, then, is to gain a new perspective in order to better understand their respective roles in the future of the profession. ■

Street Level Shanghai. Mosenthal

For additional information, contact Jeff Yrazabal at jyrazabal@ srgpartnership.com Street Level Shanghai. Mosenthal

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

ARTICLE

LOCUS. SHANGHAI CHINA

AN AMERICAN IN (A DIFFERENT) PARIS Beth Mosenthal, Associate AIA Mosenthal is an Architectural Designer at Gensler in Denver, CO. She is also a passionate writer and critic that currently blogs on behalf of the AIA Colorado Emerging Professional’s while serving as News Editor of YAF Connection.

I spent the last summer of architecture school living, working, and researching in Shanghai. While I was admittedly ready to return to the United States after a few short months, I still get a little nostalgic and disappointed each time I walk out of my apartment in Denver and no one is waiting with a basket of hot bao to sell me. Even more disappointing is that I find myself riding my bike in a leisurely, recreational fashion. In Shanghai, as soon as I hopped on my non-descript Trek I was launched into a video game that could only be described as real-life Mario Kart. As I pedaled harder and faster, it seems the man with 10 chicken coops tied to a rickety platform attached to the back of his bike always managed to pass me; a defeat I accepted with the justification that perhaps he’d been doing the same commute a lot longer than I had. I went to Shanghai for a few reasons. The first was academic; I was interested in witnessing the rapid urbanization of a globalizing city. Having grown up in Upstate New York and spending many years traveling to visit relatives in

I felt like I had seen a lot of old (pre-War), a lot of new (track homes), and a lot of travesties (strip malls, big malls, auto malls-basically all malls). What I had not seen was a city essentially built from scratch, which was the Vermont and New York City,

world that I didn’t know or understand. While I have “it’s a small world” moments almost daily after watching the news or perusing the travel section of my favorite bookstore, I am reminded how big the world really is. Traveling has helped me recognize commonalities (and to be fair, big differences) that help me contextualize and expand my perspectives and lenses with which I interpret culture as well as the built and natural worlds. In the end, my four months as an American in Shanghai were liberating and, once or twice, completely terrifying. I felt isolated and connected, often inspired, and constantly stimulated. While I eventually moved even farther West rather than East after graduate school, I still marvel at China’s approach to rapid urbanization in contrast with America’s “add another lane on the highway” piecemeal approach to development and infrastructure. Rather than look at its neighboring cities as a baselines for comparison, China continues to consider what is being built, produced, or invented across the world, thus treating our entire planet as both its competition and its muse. ■

case for Pudong New Area—now a 5,000,000+ person city across the river from Shanghai’s Historic Bund area, clad in grand art deco architecture and famed as what is perhaps now the archaic term, “Paris of the East.”

The second was professional; as a graduate architecture student with one semester left under the academic bubble, job prospects were slim in the States but abundant in China. Upon graduation, did I want to compete with every young architect seeking employment in New York, Chicago, or LA or move to China, learn Mandarin, and see in what exotic land (and firm) I might land? The third was personal; I was curious. Having been fortunate to study in Europe, I wanted my next trip to insert me into a chaotic

Street Level Shanghai. Mosenthal

Street view near the French Quarter, Mosenthal

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

ARTICLE

In Transit, Mosenthal

The photographs included in this piece document Shanghai as a city experiencing rapid transition. Many images were taken while riding my bicycle, often stopped at a traffic light, contemplating the frenetic environment around me. When considered as a body of work, the content of the photographs juxtapose my observations of the existing Shanghaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rich, organic street life (a reality and inherent part of Chinese culture,) with the stark contrast of glossy curtain walls, pristine-but-empty parks, and a new skyline that served as an omnipresent reminder of a city rising.

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

The First Kiss, Mosenthal

All the Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s A Stage, Mosenthal

Blue Skies, Mosenthal

Streetscape, Lujiazui, Mosenthal

If You Build It, They Might Come, Mosenthal

ARTICLE

LOCUS. EAST ASIA

MIXED(UP)-USE Darren Hand, AIA Hand is a former Project Manager at PQ Architects in Honolulu and a licensed Architect now wondering around Australia; working to become a better architect and sustainable designer.

In thinking of location specific projects, my first thoughts were of my college professors speaking about genius loci, the spirit of a place. As an architect, I believe that the buildings in urban Korea and Japan most personify this notion of location, of programs specific to locale and of place. The ultra-dense nature of major East Asian cities such as Tokyo, Seoul, Osaka and Busan prompt one to consider how a building is viewed externally as well as used by its occupants in context of those cities. Almost universally, these buildings have limited views to the streets, little in the way of breezes and natural light. We are all familiar with the pictures of the neon signs and the tall buildings that all seem to look alike (Fig.1). The one key difference, however, is in the programming: these are small floor-plate multistory structures typically with an odd assortment of programs and tenants stacked in no seeming rationale; what would be considered a cost prohibitive development investment in the US.

As I was discussing the nature of mixed-use development with a coworker of mine in Japan, I tried to explain how this type of development differs in the sprawling US cities. I concluded that the size and combinations of spaces in East Asian mixed-use would leave a American planning department officials dazed and confused. The beauty of successful location specific programs is that they simply address a need. The projects in East Asia are designed for the needs of that area in their context; reflecting the social, cultural, economic and physical aspects of the sites. Many of these buildings wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be considered award-winning designs, but they are the essence of architectural design. â&#x2013;

One such building that I visited, for instance, was 8-stories, served by one small elevator and stairs that went largely unused. Despite this, all the floors were very busy individual restaurants serving a variety of food. The building was essentially a standalone verticallystacked food court. The streets, in this analogy are the outdoor mall: with colorful and competing signs for each bar, restaurant, office, and business, the streets functions as an outdoor tenant directory for the buildings area (Fig.2) Other buildings may have two or three-stories underground that are occupied by small shops selling electronics or any variety of other goods. Yet, in their own seemingly alien way, the programs work together. The commercial areas are dense and all of the spaces seem not only to be leased, but leased at very high rents. Another very location-specific building type is one that is very tall and narrow (perhaps as wide as a single room), clad in metal with no windows; functioning as elevator parking garages for 10 or more cars. These structures are very common due to their relatively inexpensive construction and ability to quickly accommodate the growing personal vehicle markets within these already heavilytrafficked streets.

(Fig. 1) High rise building near the beach in Busan, Korea. Hand

(Fig. 2) Alley in Central Busan, Korea. Hand

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

ARTICLE

LOCUS. MACAU CHINA

WHERE EAST MEETS WEST The Architectural Preservation of Macau Yu-Ngok Lo, AIA Lo is a project architect in the Los Angeles Office of the Tate Snyder Kimsey Architect, serves on the AIA LB/SB Board of Directors and the AIACC COTE committee. His personal works has been recognized and published by the AIA Inland Chapter, Archdaily and AIArchitect.

Macau is located on the southern coast of China, approximately 60km southwest of Hong Kong. With an area of 29.7 km2 and a population of about 552,300, it is best known to the world for its casino and is regarded as the “Monte Carlo of the Orient”; attracting more than 1.4-million visitors from China last year. The gaming revenue generated in the year 2011 far exceeded Las Vegas. Background Macau was the first European settlement established by the Portuguese more than 450 years ago. It was originally a fishing village and later developed into a trading port. Macanese shared both Eastern and Western culture in a very unique way. The Neoclassical style of the Portuguese mixed with traditional Chinese architecture has been one of the major attractions to many foreign tourists. Macau was turned over to the Chinese government in 1999 and the gambling monopoly ended in 2002; attracting many big enterprise investments such as Wynn, Sands and MGM. The scale of development is enormous and it took Macau’s tourism industry to a whole new level. Despite this, Macau has been relatively successful in historic preservation (compared to other cities such as Beijing). Historic structures like the Ruin of St. Paul’s and the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady are well preserved and maintained. But if so much development occurred in a short time, how did Macau manage to find the balance between historic preservation and the maintenance of the city’s growth? Ideologically and Economically One of the reasons that led to the mass destruction of Beijing’s historic assets was the Cultural Revolution, which attempted to eradicate traditional Chinese elements from society. The movement was wide spread and even penetrated the education system. The effect was so catastrophic that many of the traditional buildings fell victim as a result. Although Macau is connected both physically and economically with China, the level of influence is far less severe. Macau’s educational system was relatively

“protected” under the Portuguese government. Western culture, as well as Chinese language and philosophical ideas, were taught in schools due to the majority of local Chinese population. It is arguable that the spirit of historical appreciation later contributed to the general public’s support in preserving Macau. Macau was transformed from a trading port to a city that relied primarily on tourism. The gaming, tourism and hospitality industry is estimated to contribute more than 50% of Macau’s GDP, and 70% of government revenue. Macau’s interesting mix between European and Chinese architecture has been one of the city’s major tourist attractions and the government realized that it is necessary to preserve that characteristic in order to maintain a sustainable tourism future. Before 1999 In 1987, the process and conditions of Macau’s transfer from Portuguese rule to China was established. The Portuguese’s greatest achievement in Macau was to create a very vibrant city with both Eastern and Western culture and they were determined to maintain that legacy. The first step was to inventory and document existing historic buildings in the City. In December 1992, a list of 128 historically significant buildings was created. The list included both European style architecture and traditional Chinese architecture. The Portuguese government then conceived of two innovative ideas to preserve these historic buildings. The first was aimed at maintaining the growth of the city while not disturbing the city’s historic elements. In order to accomplish this, land reclamation was proposed on the waterfront of the islands. The reclaimed grounds were zoned for high density commercial and residential uses, which would, in turn, take the pressure for development off of the highly congested and largely historic city center.

(Fig. 1) Architect Bruno Soares’ response to preservation of Macau’s BNU bank building. Lo

The second idea was invented by a Macanese architect, Bruno Soares. Maintaining the Neo-Classical façade of the original BNU bank building constructed in 1926, Soares elegantly designed a 23-story office complex behind the existing intact façade (Fig.1). The design solution cleverly readapted the existing structure with new functions while protecting the existing streetscape. The idea was then quickly adapted throughout the city. Almost all of the buildings in the vicinity of Senado Square (Fig.2) had been spatially reconfigured for office and retail use and the facades were kept to maintain the area’s visual characteristics.

new casinos between Coloane and Taipa Island. The development not only completely filled the “water” between the two islands, eliminating most of the water front features along the edges, it also disturbed many bird and animal habitats near Taipa lake. In short, the preservation plan should be more comprehensive and include the old “neighborhoods”. Furthermore, the city’s preservation effort should be parallel to the city’s master plan and a more environmental sustainable strategy is needed. ■

After the 1999 Chinese turnover After the Turnover in 1999, the Chinese government continued to see Macau as a tourist city. Opening the gambling industry to foreign investment, a heavily tourism income driven Macau is inevitable. In 2005, the “Historic Center of Macau” was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The list consists of two zones. Zone 1 is located between Mount Hill and Barra Hill, which includes history buildings such as the A-Ma Temple, Senado Square, Ruins of St. Paul’s, etc. Zone 2 includes Guia Fortress, Chapel and Lighthouse. The UNESCO inscription not only promoted Macau as a tourist destination, it also sparked the community awareness of heritage conservation to a point that now even the Guia Lighthouse has its own blog.

Potential problems and Macau’s preservation future Although many of the historic buildings in the heart of Macau have been well maintained, many old residential neighborhoods are still being regarded as “dirty” or in “lack of maintenance”. They are clusters of 5 to 6-story buildings constructed decades ago. The architectural styles of these buildings are neither 100% Chinese nor Portuguese and they are a symbolic representation of the Portuguese’s colonization. Land Reclamation comes with an environmental cost. Taking the reclamation development of the Cotai area for example, the land is reclaimed from the sea and developed almost exclusively for the (Fig. 2) Senado Square, Macau China. Lo

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

DESIGN

FRPO

LOCUS. MADRID SPAIN Pablo Oriol Educated at Higher Technical School of Architecture in Madrid and College of Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago (95-05). Curator of architecture for the Ministry of Public Works (9902). Member of Arquitectura Viva editorial staf Associate Professor of Design Studio at the ETSA-Madrid, and at the IE School of Architecture. Founding Partner at FRPO. Fernando RodrĂguez Educated at Higher Technical School of Architecture of Madrid and Technische UniversitĂ¤t of Berlin (95-03). Invited Critic for Kees Cristiaanse at TU Berlin (01). Collaborator at MVRD Rotterdam (02). Project Architect for Abalos & Herreros (04-05). Associate Professor of Design Studio at the ETSA-Madrid, and at the IE School of Architecture. Founding Partner at FRPO. FRPO has been awarded Architectural Record Design Vanguard 2012, Europe 40 UNDER 40 Awards 2009, Bauwelt Preis 2007 (Berlin), IX Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Planning 2007, Wallpaper Design Awards 2007 (London), Ortega-Alloza Awards of Architecture 2007 (Santander), 9a Young Spanish Architects Exhibition 2006, VM Zinc Awards 2006 (Paris), and V Iberoamerican Biennial of Architecture and Planning 2006 (Montevideo). Their prizes in international architecture competitions include WTO Head Quarters Extension in Geneva (2009), Campus de la Justicia Access and Service Building (2008), Chicago Burnham Prize Union Station 2020 (2008) and Europan 8 (2005).

EPFL Pavilions

University Facilities for the EPFL International Restricted Competition 2012 Lausanne, Switzerland

LOCUS

“Action thinking: turn your intuition into physical prototypes and let your intellect look it over”

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

DESIGN Systematic freedom The MO House project belongs to a family of projects developed in the office beginning in 2005. These projects explore the possibilities of generating architectural complexity out of the combination of simple elements. Throughout this process of projects, conditioned by a large number of program specifications settled by the clients, we have been forced to systematize every design decision in order to simplify the process to its full capacity. The results produced a nice surprise: the combination of a number of extremely simple spaces offered an extremely rich spatial experience. We had found a new tool to work with. Thus we could transfer this system to other situations, the combinations would be multiple. A compact figure could become many different figures in the future, regarding new and specific project requirements. Some very simple basic rules and a series of pieces with adequate proportions would allow an endless range of solutions. In 2010 we received a commission to design a single family house in a forest in the outskirts of Madrid. The opportunity y to implement this design system was there, again: although the programmatic requirements were more conventional, the site would demand a complex geometry. The powerful presence of the trees and the wish to have a house integrated in the woods led to a disaggregated solution. The program was transferred in a very direct and natural way to a number of simple rectangular pieces. The different topological relations between the pieces determined a series of useful solutions, 24 in the end. The optimal version was selected and the plan of the MO House was this way defined.

MO HOUSE Private Commission 2012 Madrid, Spain

Wood in the woods The final arrangement of the plan opened two technical issues that put the solution into question: the high variety of angles in the joints between pieces and a penalized shape factor that would result in a negative impact on the energetic performance of the house (an elevated façade-volume ratio). In addition to that, another key issue aroused: proximity of trees required a little aggressive foundation system. The technical solution adopted in a first approach –steel skeleton with concrete slabs- did not seem viable. We needed a lighter system that could be assembled in a more accurate way. It had to be simple –like the plan- and thermally favourable. On a visit to his studio, a friend showed us a cross-laminated wood panel by KLH. The product met all the requirements: a solid structural material with high insulating performance and CNC manufactured at their Austrian factory. MO house would be solid wood. Wood in the woods. 72 mm thick walls. Slabs from 95 to 182 mm. The total weight of the structure would not reach one third of a conventional system. The foundations could therefore be made of galvanized steel micropiles only 2 meters long. The panels would be manufactured by numerical control cutting, ensuring accuracy at all angles. The structure would be insulating, continuous, lightweight, precise and extremely thin. The floor of the house could be a direct transposition of the work scheme. The installation process would be fast and accurate. The nature of the project remained intact and its technical requirements had led us to the discovery of a new project matter.

“Playfulness and precision: search for a fertile place between surprise and control and find the unexpected”

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

DESIGN An optimistic building The competition site requires a responsible intervention answering three basic conditions: the needs of a new work and relation space for both WTO officers and visitors, the undeniable representative character of the building itself, and a respectful attitude towards the existing building and the magnificient park in which it lies. From de decision of understanding the full Parc Barton complex, it comes the powerful reality of the whole Parc des Nations in Geneva: a complex of worldwide institutional buildings spread along parks and forests, lying in their sites almost as sculptures, surrounded by greenery and amazing centennial trees. The precise study of the program required claims to condense the whole new working and administrative areas in a sole volume, convex, clear, complete but that slightly vanishes within the park. Every time, every institution, must leave a remarkable architectonic footprint. The proposed extension building, a transparent bubble, global and slightly reflecting, must become the new WTO, the WTO of our days. A transparente building which reflects the whole world it represents, the surrounding natural environment and its reality. Flexible but elegant, smart. Maybe another piece of those you can find when wandering across the lakeshore, among the trees. The park and the former building reflections merge within the new faรงade, regarding the genevoises the colourful trees and the lake. A building for everyone around the world coming to Geneva to work. A building that can be rounded through walking, talking. A building made up from the main sustainability principles, where technology serves echology. Efficient, Flexible, Transparent The project is organized as a green platform that takes the park surface to the very faรงade of the existing building, spreading this way the park beyond the WTO limits. A symbolic element, this slight bubble, lies on this platform, respecting this way the historic values of the old building and those of the park. The transition between both buildings, the new one and the current WTO seat, flows under the new green surface in front of the south old faรงade. Thus, the relationship between both buildings talks about respect, independence and contemporaneity.

WTO Geneva

World Trade Organization Extension in Geneva International Competition 2009. Geneva, Switzerland Second Prize

“Think outside the box: invite the world inside, bring nature, ask, listen, read, analyze and score.”

OS House Private Commission 2005 Loredo Cantabria, Spain With Marcos González

The experience of simple complexity OS House allowed us to put an architectural experiment into practice. The owners challenged us with a program of unusual complexity for this typology that reflected very differing needs. Firstly, a possible variation in the number of users of the house, from 2 to 30 or more, and all the possibilities between. Secondly, the usual seasonal variations in a second home were exacerbated by the number of users. A final factor that was introduced into this array of possibilities was the uncertain future of this program. The owners’ age, the future growth of their children’s families and a possible change from second to first home were the final factors in a situation to which we had to respond with clockwork precision and, at the same time, with sufficient slack to accommodate changes in the programme that cannot be identified in advance. We quickly realised that the experiment should centre on the search for a model of floor plan that would absorb the contemporary time flows expressed in the demands of the program and we were able to recite our working hypothesis: to explore the possibility of organizing a complex domestic space by means of the simple addition of basic spaces. We defined the limits of a work plan, addressing decisions of scale and relation with the setting, and the stipulations of planning regulations. We came up with several models, adjusting surface areas, wall thicknesses, systems of spatial relation and conditions of use, till the process gelled at a point from which we extracted the definitive solution. YAF CONNECTION 11.03

Let’s take a recount: the floor plan of the dwelling is made up of 30 basic spaces associated in 48 simple pairs and 132 complex relations. The basic spaces represent a fragment of the program and a degree of uncertainty. For example, we have the ‘kitchen’ space that will probably continue to be the ‘kitchen’ space for a long time. The uncertainty in this case is nil. But then we have spaces such as the ‘large south living room’, which has a high level of uncertainty because it could be a dormitory, a children’s playroom or a winter living room. The most extreme case of uncertainty centres in the north and south hallways, because as yet no one knows what they will be used for, through various proposals have been made. The simple pairs comprise two basic spaces joined by an empty floor-to-ceiling space. The complex relations are those that include an itinerary between two basic spaces via a third. The system of addition has had some comforting effects on the spatial complexity of the dwelling. The floor plan of OS House is defined as a field of multiple possibilities.

DESIGN

LOCUS. PUERTO RICO

Transtectonica:

Emmanuel Ramirez, AIA President at Ramirez González Studio in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Mr. Ramirez is also president of the AIA Puerto Rico chapter.

Wilfredo Mendez, AIA Designer and biomicry consultant at Ramirez González Studio in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Mr. Mendez is also professor in the Biomicry Studio at the School of Architecture of thePontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. The Caribbean is one of a kind environment on Earth due to its diverse but hazardous weather conditions. It is a zone subjected to floods, hurricanes and it is an active seismic zone. This conditions have embodied the natural resources within many microclimates in such a small territory. Each one of this microclimates have different taxonomies of life forms which have evolved constantly congruently with the hazardous weather. Inspired by Mother Nature’s design, we propose Transtectonica as the upgrading of current architecture to a whole new level based on evolutive systems and responsive materials. Beyond tectonic paradigms, our research fosters important relationships between the Caribbean environment and the resilient capabilities of their natural components in order to maintain their structural integrity and the ecosystems balance after any hazardous event who affect their environment. This concept help us to generate some prototype’s parameters to explore the resilient capabilities of man-made materials and architecture in order to define regenerative design, holistic sustainability and energy reduction design models. We’re searching innovative solutions to ecology thru biology-based resiliency. Hence, from nature perspective, talk about resiliency is being talking about regenerative designs. A regenerative design implies some living features such as environmental adaptation thru tectonic optimization. Growth, healing, energy production and movement are some features that help organisms to achieve resiliency for their environmental adaptation. Our firm aims to produce singularity-driven prototypes with such kind of transfeatures. What would happen if those biological parameters were attributed to architecture?

Ramirez Gonzalez Studio is currently researching on regenerative architecture-based resiliency using the parameters of the Caribbean particular ecosystem. Prototypes inspired by the bone’s morphology for example, shows the adaptive qualities of the material to force. That way a reinforced concrete structure becomes truly sustainable using half the material whilst more efficient to withstand common earthquakes in the Caribbean. It is no longer a common structure but a building’s skeleton. What would become this concrete skeleton if could heal its cracks? What if while aging it could grow and become stronger? Currently, limestone is a commonly used aggregate for concrete structures in the Caribbean. A fascinating fact is that limestone is a sedimentary rock that can be considered biological because it can actually grow. As a bone, limestone is composed mainly by calcium and, as a stalactite, grows due to organic debris accumulated within the rock. This biological behavior is often revealed by the presence of fossils. What if we replace concrete with limestone for future resilient architecture? Another dimension on such resiliency relies on ecosystem behavior itself. What would happen if architecture behaves like an ecosystem? Let’s take for example a Healthcare facility, one of the most dynamic building type. The interaction of a great amount of patients, services and administrative personnel makes this building a complex organization of spaces and utilities. Historically, designs like this building have been made by the approach of creating profitable business in medical real states. However, some strategic mistakes of this model results in the construction of huge monolithic buildings with lots of lost space, based on the paradigm, “more space, means more money”. The complex nature of these buildings requires an integrated and efficient design for its optimum operation. The program and medical interventions help us to understand the built environment of care as a living organism. These analogues are defined by transtectonica, which develop a series of models, systems and processes in co-relation with nature.

CARIBBEAN RESILIENCY We see this building design as a body structure capable to adapt to the conditions and functions needed for the services and environmental parameters. Contemporary building design is not contemplating the rapid evolution of the services housed by these structures. A good example is the constant change of biomedical equipment. This changes, sometimes needs infrastructure improvements, space requirements and service re-organization. Not designing for the nature of the space will affect the improvements delivery and their budget. Various biology studies present the powerful design strategies of living forms to adapt, communicate and interact with the environment. The adaptability of the building to the complexity of healthcare could be compared to Charles Darwing’s theory of evolution: “it is not the strongest or the biggest of the species that survives, but the one most adaptable to change”.

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

DESIGN

Our healthcare center project has been architecturally designed to proportionally expand and adapt to determined further needs of this kind of structures. This becomes possible by a series of modular space-frames volumes which basically acts as the framework or the building skeletal structure. The volumes arrangement is determined by the building function and its context. Hence, instead of a free plan, we have contemplated a free volume space with endless configurations, whilst integrated to both environment and performance. These articulated modules would have the ability to communicate between them as a body communicate and interact with their organs. Utility connections essentially needed like water, electricity, data and also medical gases and oxygen could have proper space to interconnect the needs of various spaces as a nervous or vascular system. This flexibility foster many and different building layouts. All this analogues interact with their business counterparts. Like an organism shall relate with the environment to survive, our concept is no exception. Because the design is based in holistic efficiency, the modular construction and structural resiliency will result in feasible construction cost and less invasive effects when changes and expansions are needed.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We see this building design as a body structure capable to adapt to the conditions and functions needed for the services and environmental parameters.â&#x20AC;?

This entire design concept shall be detailed to have spaces with an identity and spirit. In fact, the design qualities of adaptation with the environment could be made in such way to promote the cultural and climate parameters within the site. Understanding the analogy between architecture and biology should serve to understand the user psychological approach to this built environment. Providing a closer look to the details and finishes will be the opportunity to make a celebration of the life and culture with spaces worthy for quality of care. Optimal resiliency for the future of the built environment must be based on biological resiliency. Such transtectonic structures would be considered more alive than sterile. Furthermore, modular design and construction scope would be also considered within such transtectonic paradigm. In synthesis, the creative process would be focused in the design of â&#x20AC;&#x153;colossal organismsâ&#x20AC;? specially related to ecosystems but also informed by the social dynamics as an ever-changing environment. â&#x2013;

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

DESIGN

LOCUS. BEIJING CHINA

THE LOST WALL Yu-Ngok Lo, AIA Lo is a project architect in the Los Angeles Office of the Tate Snyder Kimsey Architect. He currently serves on the AIA LB/SB Board of Directors and the AIACC COTE committee. His personal works has been recognized and published by the AIA Inland Chapter, Archdaily and AIArchitect.

Background

Concept

With the 1949 communist revolution, the social and cultural values of China were cataclysmically shaken and altered to such an extent that even the long-practiced building methods that had defined urban living in China’s capital city were viewed as outdated and no longer relevant. Chinese communists sought to create a fresh, new socialist utopia, and any cultural icon of China’s past became suspect. In a race to build up China’s industrial capacity, many historic structures were destroyed. They are the victims of the city’s concentric circled ring road highway construction and various infrastructure projects. However, the worst enemy against Beijing’s historic assets would definitely be the city’s huge growing population. During the 1950s, a city redevelopment master plan and the “Weigai” system created in 1980s have been transforming old “Hutongs” (neighborhoods) into new high-density residential neighborhoods to satisfy the city’s housing needs. The promotion of the benefits (modern plumbing fixtures, electricity, HVAC, etc.) of these new residential towers overshadowed the values of Beijing’s historic buildings. The eagerness to build by the government and the lack of Historic Preservation knowledge of the general public dramatically changed the city’s architectural fabric and here are the facts:

The selected site to experiment with is situated within the inner city boundary located immediate adjacent to the city’s 2nd ring highway, where the ancient inner city wall once stood. It is currently a park (green barrier) separating the highway from the adjacent residential neighborhood.

• A major earthquake struck the city of Beijing. More than 28,000 buildings collapsed and 100,000 buildings were classified as dangerous (majority of them are old Beijing Courtyard houses). • More than 200,000 families were relocated and their courtyard houses were demolished during the “Weigai” system era. • Almost the entire inner city wall was demolished in 1965 for the 2nd ring road construction. • The eastern, southern and western sections of the inner city wall moats were covered over and became a part of the city’s sewage system during 1960s. • More than 150.7 million square feet of courtyard houses have been destroyed since the early 1950s.

The program of the design shall align with the interest of the city’s development and at the same time capture the characteristics of both the site’s history and its existing condition. Therefore, mid density housing along with a public park has been proposed for this study experiment. The long and narrow form of the building, on the other hand, is derived from the shape of the demolished inner city wall. The aggressiveness of the structural is a symbolic disruption against the city’s poor historic preservation practice. The solid thick wall on the north side of the building isolates the adjacent neighborhood from the 2nd ring road traffic in a way similar to the protective function that the demolished city wall once offered. Immediately behind the barrier wall is the atrium space where the identity of the existing park is preserved. It is allocated to be a public green space serving the surrounding communities. The idea of the central atrium space also connects to the courtyard of Beijing’s old houses. Functionally, it invites natural light into the dwelling units. Individual units are organized vertically with entrances on the first floor. Such organization eliminates the “Motel” style walkway and maximizes the amount of natural light by enabling windows on both ends of the units. It also helps facilitate air circulations combining with the stairwell central to the unit. Balconies are traditionally ideal to be placed on the south side of the building. With the help of overhangs, these balconies shall minimize the heat gain during summer time while keeping the unit warm during Beijing’s long and cold winters.

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

DESIGN

The green and vegetated area on the roof is an effort to maintain the amount of green area (equal or greater than what the previous park provided) to avoid any heat island effect contribution this proposal might trigger. It also expresses concerns about Beijing’s dire needs of a sustainable living environment. Beijing’s development into a contemporary city is inevitable and the proposed study project is never meant to be a physical revival of what’s lost, but rather an ideological intervention through the use of controversial architectural intrusion. It redefines the project site by sharply contrasting with the surrounding environment, an allegory of modern China and its destructive treatment of Beijing’s historic buildings in the past century. The project’s intention is to serve as a symbol in creating an architectural dialogue among different communities and government officials. ■

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

DESIGN

LOCUS. TOKYO JAPAN

Hironaka Ogawa & Assoc.

Forest Chapel

Hironaka Ogawa Ogawa is an Architect at Hironaka Ogawa & Associates in Tokyo, Japan. Ogawa is also teaching at Toyo University, Kagawa University, Nihon University in Japan There are two distinctions I use for works of Hironaka Ogawa & Associates. One is to weave time into architecture. This is not limited to phenomenal changes of architectural appearance by time. I try to create new environments by considering the site’s landscape, history, and memories of the people into the architecture. Another distinction is to unite structure and design. My technique is not to design structure, but to handle design as structure. Architecture should not be limited to just structural design. First, I consider a design needed for the site, and then I weave the structure into the design. By implementing the two distinctions, I believe designsustainable architecture would be possible which involves not just focusing on the facilities and structures but adapting to the surrounding environments.

wall + glass

steel beam

organdie

tree-shape columns

forest

chapel

water

ISOMETRIC

“...rigid angle irons created the silence and tense that is appropriate for a place like a wedding chapel ...”

Gunma, Japan 2011

LOCUS This is a new chapel built in the garden of an existing wedding facility which is surrounded by trees.

The building looks like a simple white box floating in the air to be in harmony with the existing facility. On the other hand, I took in the trees in the garden as a design motif and proposed a chapel with randomly placed, tree-shape columns using angle irons. In detail, I gathered eight angle irons composed of four 90 x 90 x 7mm L-angle irons and four 75 x 75 x 6mm L-angle irons to create a cross-shape column. I intended to create a column that branch out up above depicting gentle curves of a tree. I applied two different curves for both size L-angle irons and created two types of tree-shape columns. I intended to create various looks by rotating the columns and placing them throughout the space. The tree-shape columns serve as decorations as well as important structural elements that receive the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vertical load and wind pressure. Each tree-shape column is placed a decent distance from each other by their branched out, angled irons. It is also rational for the building structure. The forest in the nature also consists of trees that keep certain distances from each other under different conditions. The distances and shapes of the columnsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; branches made by rigid angle irons created the silence and tense that is appropriate for a place like a wedding chapel where people make their vows.

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

photos: Daici Ano

DESIGN

“By folding walls and sheets, it has become a functional and beautiful architecture.”

Pleats M

Saitama, Japan 2012

The site is triangulate. The solution to the irregular site was to introduce the pleated walls. These walls expand or contract to fit the site and express gorgeousness. Also these work as structural members and sound reflector. The walls consist of steel frame with 1.6mm thick steel sheets and stucco finish. The shade and shadow, that the pleats wall creates, gradationally changes throughout the day and season. The walls also adopt several different personas inside out. The idea of the pleats wall is threading even through the furniture and fixtures as well as the fabrics. The design rule is simple. By folding walls and sheets, it has become a functional and beautiful architecture. 1. entrance piloti 2. entrance 3. foyer 4. waiting room 1 5. cloak 6. closet 7. staff room 8. kitchen 9. meeting room 10. storage 1 11. toilet 1 12. corridor 13. locker room 14. toilet 2 15. banquet room 16. storage 2 17. toilet (men) 18. multipurpose toilet 19. toilet (woman) 20. nursing room 21. kitchen 2 22. kitchen entrance 23. storage 3 24. ELV

20 19 18

22 15 21

14 13 9

8 7

0 1 2

10m

1F PLAN

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

photos: Daici Ano

DESIGN

Sundial House Kagawa , Japan 2009

“...the client can feel the seasons’ change from winter, spring, summer and fall as a farmer.” This house stands in the middle of the fields in the country. The client does firming on the side. The site draws attention from the street; however it is not a place from which one can enjoy beautiful scenery in particular. Yet the client desired to live openly in this home. Modern housing lacks the feelings of seasonal and time changes by the artificial environment. My goal was to build a home where the client can feel the seasons’ change from winter, spring, summer and fall as a farmer. In order to accomplish this, I proposed this courtyard house with a two-storied unit in the middle of the site, surrounded by a one-storied unit. I purposefully placed the two-storied unit on the south part of the site to block the sun. As a result, the shadow of the tower moves slowly though out the day. In addition, the shadows of objects and places to stay within the home move accordingly. In the summer, there would be a summer shadow. In the winter, there would be a winter shadow. The house shows different appearances in each of the four seasons. There would be a rhythm in the home’s atmosphere created by the shadow of the tower, intentionally constructed on the south part of the site. Also, the client can feel the sense of privacy at the same time as the indication of the each room by placing a small courtyard in the one-storied unit to maintain the distances in the house. This house is like a sundial where one can feel the change of the seasons along with the surrounding fields.

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

photos: Daici Ano

LEADERSHIP PROFILE

SAY “YES” Derek C. Webb, AIA Webb is a Principal at m ARCHITECTS in Houston Texas and currently serves as chair of the AIA National Membership Committee.

In 2008, a movie entitled ‘Yes Man’ starring Jim Carrey opened in theaters. And while neither I nor the American Film Institute would regard it as a classic piece of American cinema, I will confess that I feel a certain affinity with it. Allow me to explain. I can actually pinpoint the day ... check that, the minute that my journey within the AIA began. I was sitting at my desk at about a quarter-to-noon on a Wednesday. My boss at the time was walking out the office door on his way to a YAF meeting and, for the eighth and last time, asked if I’d like to join him. Needing a break from whatever I was doing, I decided to along. Historically, our local YAF group had lagged in attendance and programming suffered due to lack of ample participation so I didn’t have a lot of expectations going in. Despite that, I met some great people (including a certain current YAF Connection Editor who was the YAF Houston Chair at the time). I quickly became involved with initiatives that would take this fledging group and supercharge ultimately into a motivated and effective committee; an energy that continues to this day. In fact, after having attended just two meetings, I was asked to serve as Chair-Elect; to which, of course, I said ‘yes’ (because, quite frankly, I really didn’t know better at the time). It turned out to be a great decision and an even better experience. Of course all good things must come to an end, as did my own Chairmanship of the local YAF, and I found myself needing something to transition to. At about that time I saw the call for applicants from the national YAF for Regional Liaisons and the Advisory Committee members. A good friend of mine suggested that I apply for the Public Relations Advisor position; and before I could even decide, he sent over a recommendation letter on my behalf. I’ve often joked with myself that I must have been the only candidate who applied because I somehow managed to be selected. The initiative that I was tasked with by our committee was to develop a social media strategy and campaign. I found it incredibly ironic actually, since I was one of the handful of GenXers that had never had a Facebook account or really knew what it meant to ‘tweet’. ‘On the job training’ was how I would define my first year on the Advisory Committee; and the reality is that nearly all of my responsibilities during those two years of service came as a completely new experience. Whether it was writing press releases about the YAF’s activities, developing and maintaining

our KnowledgeNet page (or practically anything else for that matter), I had to learn it before I could do it. During the closing months of my term, I concluded that I had taken it as far as I could and decided that the only alternative to continue was to apply for the Vice-Chair position, which automatically rolls into the Chair position after. But I just didn’t think that I wanted to be the Chair of a national level committee. So two months later when I received a call asking if I would chair the national Membership Committee, I of course said ‘yes’. So now here I am, well into year two of a three year commitment that is dealing with some very weighty issues pertaining to AIA membership and the very future of our profession. I must reiterate at this point

that never was I comfortable in taking on any of these roles, but then that was the point. I’ve learned that you can’t grow if you’re always in your comfort zone. And thanks to these experiences, I can honestly say that I have an enhanced skill set that directly benefits the way I practice. One of the many things that the YAF and the AIA offers to a small firm guy like myself is the experience and ability to work in larger teams. In our practice, I operate much of the time as the ‘Lone Ranger’, fighting for truth, justice, and the proper execution of a finely drawn detail. Committee work however, is different. It’s communal. It’s cooperative. It can also be challenging when leading and working with individuals who may not have the same motivations or agendas, with limited or no resources to achieve the committee’s goals. Much like I envision working at one of those super large firms with three letters on the door. These are experiences I wouldn’t have had if I stayed within my little bubble. I would have missed out on some great friendships as well. So if you’ve been mulling over the idea of getting more involved, or even if you haven’t, just say ‘yes’. ■

I’ve learned that you can’t grow if you’re always in your comfort zone.

YAF CONNECTION 11.03

architecture + angst

COFFEE WITH AN ARCHITECT

Postcards from the Architect by Jody Brown – as first published at coffeewithanarchitect.com, March 5 and 19, 2012 I know It’s only been 2 weeks since my Architectural world tour, but, I was still emptying my suitcases this morning. Sorry, I got caught up in the pressure at the office and just had not gotten around to unpacking. Mainly, because I’m awesome. And,wouldn’t you know it?, right in the bottom of the suitcase, were 6 more postcards that I totally forgot to mail. No wonder Herzog was so pissed at me ... It’s really hard to be back at the office this morning. - Jody [Coffee with an Architect]

Jody Brown, AIA, Leed AP BD+C Brown is an Architect running his own firm (Jody Brown Architecture, pllc.) in Durham, NC. His work focuses on urban infill projects, mixed-use, urban design, and urban renewal. Over the last 18 years, he has built on his passion for planning and urban design, and has worked on enhancing, adding-to, reusing, renovating, and sometimes creating-from-scratch the places where people meet, learn, play, and become inspired. His work is grounded in the belief that Architecture can save cities. When he’s not doing that, he can be found making fun of himself and his profession, and blogging about his ideals at – Coffee with an Architect. Or, you can find him sipping coffee with someone at a cafe near you, blathering on-and-on about Le Corbusier, while looking aloof and interesting at the same time somewhere over in the corner. In other words, he’s just an Architect, standing in front of an ideology, asking it to love him.

JULY

2013

PROCESS

VOL 11 ISSUE 04

CONNECTION THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN JOURNAL OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

CONNECTION PROCESS July 2013 Volume 11 Issue 04

ON THE COVER: Alley, Central Busan Korea Original Photograph by Darren Hand

2013 ISSUES OF CONNECTION 11 01 11 02 11 03 11 04 11 05 11 06

EMERGENCE ADVANCE LOCUS PROCESS PLATFORM ORIGINS

CONNECTION EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Editor-In-Chief and Creative Director Assistant Editor, Graphics Assistant Editor, Content Assistant Editor, Articles Assistant Editor, News Marketing Researcher, News and Reviews

Wyatt Frantom, AIA Nathan Stolarz, AIA James Cornetet, AIA Jeff Pastva, AIA Beth Mosenthal, Associate AIA Alexis Green Marcus Monroe

2013 YAF ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Chair Brad Benjamin, AIA Vice Chair Jon Penndorf, AIA Past Chair Jennifer Workman, AIA Communications Director Wyatt Frantom, AIA Community Director Virginia E. Marquardt, AIA Knowledge Director Joshua Flowers, AIA Public Relations Director Joseph R. Benesh, AIA Advocacy Advisor Lawrence J. Fabbroni, AIA AIA Board Representative Wendy Ornelas, FAIA College of Fellows Representative John Sorrenti, FAIA AIA Staff Liaison Erin Murphy, AIA

THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS 1735 New York Ave, NW Washington, DC 20006-5292 P 800-AIA-3837 www.aia.org

CONTENT

04 editor’s note

Process Wyatt Frantom, AIA

12 feature

QUICK 06 and Resources Beth Mosenthal, Assoc AIA CONNECT News

Lending an Open Hand Matthew McGrane, AIA

14 article

Watch the Words Fly Off My Desk Kenneth Miraski

16 article

Design Build: Now is the Time! Kevin Singh, AIA

18 ARTICLE Everyone’s a Critic Mark Shaw

20 ARTICLE

Paying for Retail and Restaurant Claims Frank Musica

26 DESIGN

#aiachat

22 feature #aiachat Joseph Benesh, AIA

SSD An Emerging Firm Profile

32 leadership profile Opportunity 34 serial feature

Coffee with an Architect Jody Brown, AIA

Luke McCary, AIA

EDITOR’S NOTE PROVOCATIONS

I KNOW WHERE FOOD COMES FROM (AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS OF DESIGN) Wyatt Frantom, AIA Wyatt is the 2012-2013 Communications Advisor of the YAF National Advisory Committee of the AIA, the YAF CONNECTION Editor-inChief, and an Architectural Designer and Associate with Gensler Los Angeles

We are in a constant and continuous process of making ourselves. Founded by the act of a single choice, informed by a moment of change, forged through the accumulation of many; we decide who we are through our acts and how we live, in our behaviors and how we interact with others, in the trajectories taken. In the best of instances, we are “by design”. In any case, we are product. I spent my formative years growing up in rural West Central Ohio. My father’s side of the family had been farmers for generations; most of my cousins, on that same side of the family, remain in agriculture today. So I was fortunate enough during my childhood to have been exposed, to some degree, to that “way of life”. And farming, more than an occupation, truly is a way of life - if not religion - at least in the way that its values are practiced and, like well-sown crops, cultivated from generation-to-generation. The lessons that I took away from those experiences, as with any childhood happening, shaped me - making me the man that I am today. In witnessing the process of raising cattle and dairy farming, I learned the value in one life nurtured and given in support of many; and with it empathy, compassion and the balance of temperance with necessity. In witnessing the process of crop cultivation, I learned land stewardship; and with it patience, being grounded in steady values, and founding one’s actions on integrity and one’s words on simple forthrightness. I now live in Los Angeles. <Insert quippy expression and laugh track retort here> … because Los Angeles is a place that is as far-removed from the rolling hills and green fields of my rural upbringing as Carhart is from Gucci, the farm-to-market road is from Rodeo Drive, or Duck Dynasty is from … well, Dynasty. When Angelenos enter Ralph’s to buy milk, meat and produce, little thought is likely given to the process of how that food “came to be”; a shrink-wrapped cellophane gift for each of us, readycut, bleached-or-dyed, and waxed-to-bead under the mechanical misters as if the shimmering cornucopias sprouted to full maturity right there in the display shelves. With recent global food shortages and the prognostication for more such struggles in the future, this perceived detachment from our food sources will become ever more commonplace among our millions of urban denizens. While nearly 50% of the world’s population already occupy our cities, this number is expected to

reach 70% by 2050. As populations grow and our processes of living become more automated in order to support that growth, each of us is affected by this commentary to some degree or another; each of us takes on a mantle of superficiality and of lives lived above the mechanisms that truly support it. Just as mankind graduated from its hunter-gatherer past to farming and animal husbandry, as country cousin eventually left the farm to live among the towering spires of our modern cities, our transition to the online ordering of groceries, or perhaps even governed food stipends, is closer to a new normal for our future as city dwellers than the rural counterpart that my own upbringing had been. And while I take some pride in the fact that I know where my food comes from, so to speak, I couldn’t begin to fathom what makes an iPhone work or even to describe the magic of WiFi that enables our mobile technologies. Eventually, superficiality becomes reality. And that, to push the analogy, is what dairy farming and food production has to do with the process of design and the profession of architecture. It’s recognition that we continue to break down our greater processes into modes of specialization and expertise, of automation and systemization, of mass production and mechanization. It is an analogy for our greater societal divisions of labor; processes, at their most benevolent, that are employed to sustain humanity; processes at their most practical, that are employed to maintain the masses; and processes, in the often unquestioned immediacy, that are employed to supply the status quo. The same analogy can be applied to our profession of architecture. With some reflection, similarities in our processes may be derived; those processes that are benevolent and charitable, those that are prolific in their productivity or industrious in their innovation, and those processes that simply keep the doors of our firms open and food on our tables. As with any profession, we can choose to disconnect from our processes of “life-support” by employing our services superficially - or we can take ownership of them, more fully engage those processes in ways that allow us to not only meet our societal obligations, but excel beyond our own profession’s aspirations ... ultimately benefitting the end product … not only the field of architecture, but life, yours and mine. ■

ROUND

SHORT LOIN

SIR LOIN

RIB CHUCK

FLANK

RIB PLATE

SHANK

NECK

BRISKET

1 TRAP MILK IN TEAT BY CLAMPING AT TOP WITH THUMB AND INDEX FINGER 2 SQUEEZE MILK DOWN INTO TEAT BY ADDING LOWER FINGERS 3 PULL TEAT DOWN WITH ALL FINGERS TO EXPEL MILK INTO RECEPTACLE 4 PASTEURIZE AND PROCESS MILK

1 ORDER MILK ONLINE 2 RECEIVE DELIVERY 3 ENJOY!

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

QUICK CONNECT

headlined

reviewed

RETURN OF THE McMANSIONS ...?! by Beth Mosenthal

A RENEWED PERSPECTIVE: NEOCON 2013 Reviewed by Jenny West

The housing market is currently experiencing its strongest growth since 2005, which has led to a tangible increase in home size.

A disclaimer: This article is not about trends, or the best showroom, or the best … whatever. There are hundreds of journals to tell you who was the most innovative, best in class, most sustainable, etc. This article is intended to share one NeoCon-ists approach to make the trip its best yet.

In 2010, CNBC issued an article titled “The Shrinking House: Downsizing the American Dream.” This article illustrated that the median home size in America was about 2300 square feet during the economic boom of 2007, and had dropped to 2100 square feet in 2010. This seemingly negative economic indicator had what might be considered “positive” repercussions that included a shift away from the “McMansion” in favor of an open, flexible floor plan and homes that required less maintenance for homeowners with full-time jobs and little time to clean. Fast forward to 2013, an improving economy, and a vastly improving residential market, and it becomes clear that shifts towards New Urbanist development based on principles of economy of space and shared amenities are once again competing with previous attitudes and preferences for “bigness.” This has been demonstrated in a significant increase in home size in 2013 for custom and high-end homes, as well as renovations to existing homes. As noted by AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, PhD and Hon. AIA, there has also been a shift in creating spaces that blend indoor and outdoor living and increase in “informal” spaces. He attributes this to the idea that while lot sizes aren’t increasing, homeowners want to maximize their current square footage to “its highest potential.” For further reading and statistics regarding overall home layout and size trends, visit http://www.aia.org/press/AIAB099194.

Some head to the Windy City for baseball. Others for world class culture and the best food … ever. But not me. I was on assignment in Chicago: attending the globe’s largest interior design convention - one of the super bowls of the A+D industry: NeoCon. As a 4-time NeoCon veteran, I knew the ropes. Take the stairs. Wear comfortable shoes, bring mints, map your route and stay the course. Hydrate. Go digital. Preparedness aside, I set forth to the Merchandise Mart this year with a familiar feeling of curiosity. Intuitively, I knew what NeoCon would bring, and remained hopeful and eager to witness new ideas and tools that make a good idea great a good designer better. In years’ past, I’ve approached NeoCon with a journalist’s mindset: take as many photos as possible, see everything, report it all back in themes and simplified trends. This approach was thorough, but admittedly a bit exhausting. 2013 was going to be different. I set forth to rekindle my curiosity about design thinking, and to take time to truly understand the unique point of view of the exhibits and product stories as sources of inspiration. Stepping into the Mart with this perspective gave me a new drive to listen and to learn. Soon I felt at home again, weaving through the crowds of rookies and veterans alike, window shopping for the next great story. Here is a sampling of some of the more progressive stories I found: Herman Miller. A re-launch of a work philosophy idea that was ahead of its time: 45 years later, Living Office re-emerges to win the Best of NeoCon (and 5 other awards) and the hearts of metric-minded designers everywhere.

#tweeted Live tweets from the 2013 National Convention ... AIA 2013 Convention | AIANatlConv “When you incorporate giving into your practice or brand, you attract amazing partners.” - Blake Mycoskie #aia2013

Momentum. Soft stone is an idea rooted in sentimental artifacts Artist Sheila Hicks translated into modern, yet nostalgic soft sculptures. Material Connexion. The innovative manufacturing processes sometimes were more exciting than the product outcome itself. In this case of 3d printed impact-resistant wall paneling, it had both.

AIA National | @AIANational “To be an architect is to be of service. If that service is done with love, it can be noble.” - Billie Tsien Tremmel Design Group | @TDGarchitects “The most sustainable building in the world is the one that is loved.”- Cameron Sinclair #aia2013

Images courtesy of Jenny West

Guilford of Maine. Exhibit design manifested its own set of celebrations as the conduit to communicate their unique value add story.

The deliberate mindset I took to seek out the stories yielded inspiring results. As a near-veteran of NeoCon, my advice is this: make it personal. Don’t stress about missing something. Take time with the things that interest you, personally, most. This will produce the meaningful seeds of ideas you take home to nurture and transform/ evolve your thinking, work and process.

QUICK CONNECT

reported

featured

PUBLIC WORKSHOP: GROWING COMMUNITY DESIGN LEADERS By Marcus Monroe

This month, William Villalobos tells us a little bit about his involvement as a young architect living and working in London.

Image by Public Workshop

A self-proclaimed “cheerleader of possibility,” Alex Gilliam founded Public Workshop with a goal of pushing young adults to play a hands-on role in the design of their communities and cities. Through partnerships with organizations and institutions such as the National Building Museum, Charter High School for Architecture and Design in Philadelphia, and Open House New York, founder Allex Gilliam has created a strong model in which individuals, schools, and communities utilize design to impact their surrounding environment. Public Workshop helps people positively change the places they live, work and play by partnering with an organization and helping them accomplish their goals by creating projects, tools and/or events that directly benefit both the organization and its surrounding community. For example, after the Tiny WPA (Works Progress Administration) was established to help stimulate community improvement projects, Public Workshop was able to utilize this resource as an opportunity to guide young people in Philadelphia to complete a pop-up adventure playground. In addition, Public Workshop recently helped facilitate the “Building Hero Project,” in which a diverse group of Philadelphia teens were given the opportunity to participate in a summer design leadership program. Teens were challenged to launch a micro-business that would benefit their local communities, thus fostering civic innovation and awareness. By finding opportunities for youth in the community to engage in the design process, Public Workshop has made strides in motivating the next generation of designers and providing early exposure to “the power of design.”

He has worked for Norman Foster for over 4 years and cofounded Two Islands, a design studio based in London and Madrid that recently won the ‘Flat Lot Competition’ in Flint, Michigan, with a proposal for a floating house. 01. What are you most passionate about as a young architect? Using Architecture and Design as a way to tell narratives that eventually translate into experiences and lifestyles. 02. What are some of the important issues that Young Architects face in today’s industry? Young architects face the crude reality of trying to earn trust and gain clients without having much built or having a large repertoire of projects. That is probably, in my opinion, the initial hurdle that a young practitioner that wants to own their own studio faces, creating a solo trajectory. 03. What type of activities and resources do you recommend Young Architects utilize to continue to excel in their careers and professional networks?. The best activity is to stay curious, ask colleagues what they’re doing, how are they doing it, and how they got to do it. Even if you don’t personally like what they’re doing, there is always something to learn from any kind of process, from others triumphs and failures besides your own. Those around you are your best resource.

For more Public Workshop at publicworkshop.us.

Flat Lot Competition Rendering, Two Islands

Image by Public Workshop

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

Image by Two Islands

QUICK CONNECT

made DESIGNING SOUND by Beth R. Mosenthal Can architects design sound? According to Joe Benesh, digital music composition might be the acoustic parallel to designing space...

BRM: You’ve suggested that composing music can be almost structural. Can you elaborate on how your process of composing might relate to the architectural design process? JB: If you look at how a building goes together, the process (from schematic design to construction documents) the schematic design part is equivalent to establishing which instruments you’re going to use. It’s also where you establish the instruments and style of the song. In the design development process of song writing, I have to decide what the song actually looks like; is it 3 minutes? 5 minutes? Does it have a solo? Is there an intro? Once this is decided, the construction documentation equivalent in song writing is making the chorus/pre-chorus, assembling the song and adding the detail pieces that can augment and enhance what is already there. Construction is when you start to flatten the song, put it in Itunes, see how it sounds, and make final edits. From there, you can iterate, tweak, and refine. BRM: Does composing music inform your built work?

Image courtesy of Joe Benesh

BRM: How did you begin composing music digitally? JB: I was in a band in high school and had been interested in music since I was little. I first started playing the trumpet and guitar, and then taught myself how to play the cello over the course of a summer--eventually becoming the principal cello in high school. I was also tangentially interested in technology and was on track to be an electrical engineer. While I decided against it in favor of architecture, I started tinkering with different programs with music, and took what I’d learned from playing the guitar and cello to create digital compositions.

JB: Yes. One of the latest buildings I’m working on is an addition to an arena in Iowa. It is circular. When I was looking at the final design, I noticed that there was a specific effort to define how these spaces radiated out/were defined. There are intangibles when you’re listening to music; outliers that exist as flourishes. It’s hard to put into words; the things that draw me into music, that encourage me to experiment and push certain aspects of it. In this design, there is a whimsical nature inherent in the architecture, in which the walls are a series of fins, and they’re radiating out from the center line of the gymnasium. There is a definite analog to how music is composed to how the fins radiate out in amplified fashion. I think this has a lot to do with how things resonate with me. Thanks Joe!

BRM: What software do you use? JB: I currently use Logic Pro, made by Apple. It’s essentially a recording studio in a box. Not an easy program – it’s kind of like learning complex 3d Studio Max vs learning more simple AutoCAD. The program is easy in the sense you can track through what regions do what in the interface, but when you start adding effects (blue bars) such as delay, phasing, chorus, getting these to work correctly can be difficult. BRM: How do you compose a song? JB: I have two different approaches to song writing. The first is analog, the second is digital. Sometimes I’ll start writing a song and it will come out with simple patterns in place. Other times I will write a song on the guitar or keyboard and then in-put it (the software records me playing.) The way you write when you have fingers on a key feels different than programming something; it’s as if you’re dictating it into the computer rather than playing it, so songs end up with a different feel. Sometimes I’ll have a song in my head, and to get it out, I’ll pull out the keyboard or guitar and then it will start to iterate, in which case I’ll then in-put it into the software. Whenever you sit down, you write a song. You put music into the computer and build around it. Sometimes it’s successful, sometimes it’s not. The piece that I started with often disappears by the final version. Once you redesign and redesign, it might act as the catalyst but may not fit as the song evolves.

Images courtesy of Joe Benesh and RDG Design

There are intangibles when you’re listening to music; outliers that exist as flourishes. This can also translate to design.

QUICK CONNECT

involved

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS AIA Young Architects Forum Advisory Committee Application Deadline: Monday, August 26, 2013 The Young Architects Forum (YAF) is the voice of architects in the early stages of their career and the catalyst for change within the profession and our communities. Working closely with the AIA College of Fellows (COF), the YAF is leading the future of the profession with a focus on architects licensed less than 10 years. The national YAF AdCom is charged with encouraging the development of national and regional programs of interest to young architects and supporting the creation of YAF groups within local chapters. YAF programs, activities, and resources serve young architects by providing information and leadership; promoting excellence through fellowship with other professionals; and encouraging mentoring to enhance individual, community, and professional development. Advisory Committee positions available January 1, 2014:

Vice Chair (2015 Chair) Public Relations Director Community Director

Director terms are two years. Vice Chair term is three years (including Chair and Past Chair positions). Major meetings of the AdCom are typically scheduled three times a year (YAF Annual Meeting, AIA National Convention, and a fall YAF conference) along with monthly conference calls. CLICK HERE to read more about volunteer expectations. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS •

Applicant Letter of Interest: one 8.5”x11” page describing applicant’s interest in a specific position.

•

Back-up materials: five 8.5”x11” pages maximum, including applicant’s resume at a minimum.

•

Three letters of recommendation, including one from an AIA component leader (such as a Chapter President, Regional Director, or Component Executive).

Please submit application as a PDF document titled: “YAF_AdCom_Application_LastName_FirstName.pdf” ... and address your submittal to the AdCom Selection Committee Chair, Jon Penndorf at yaf@aia.org ELIGIBILITY Nominees must be members of the AIA in good standing, and architects licensed ten years or less, for at least the first year of their term. Appointments are based on submitted materials, and selection will be made by the YAF AdCom selection committee in late August. Although the Young Architect Regional Director (YARD) roster often serves as a pool of nominees for the AdCom positions, YARD experience is not required. Other members of the AdCom (in a non-voting capacity) include the immediate AdCom PastChair, the Emerging Professionals Director, an AIA Board Representative, and a COF Executive Committee Liaison.

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

Know Someone Who’s Not Getting The YAF Connection? Don’t let them be out of the loop any longer. It’s easy for AIA members to sign up. Update your AIA member profile and add the Young Architects Forum under “Your Knowledge Communities.” • Go to www.aia.org and sign in • Click on “For Members” link next to the AIA logo on top • Click on “Edit your personal information” on the left side under AIA members tab • Click “Your knowledge communities” under Your Account on the left • Add YAF Call for ‘QUICK CONNECT’ News, Reviews, Events Do you have newsworthy content that you’d like to share with our readers? Contact the News Editor, Beth Mosenthal, on twitter @archiadventures Call for ‘CONNECTION’ Articles, Projects, Photography Would you like to submit content for inclusion in an upcoming issue? Contact the Editor, Wyatt Frantom at wyatt.frantom@wf-ad.com

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depicting locations of article contributors for this issue

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Des Moine, IA

New York, NY

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AIA National Washington D.C.

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Raleigh-Durham, NC Los Angeles, CA Columbia, SC

Monroe, LA

This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leadership Profile Luke McCary

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Leicester, UK

FEATURE

PROCESS AND THE CITIZEN ARCHITECT

LENDING AN OPEN HAND Matthew McGrane, AIA is an Associate at Cannon Design in Chicago. McGrane is a designer in the Corporate Commercial market and a leader of the firm’s Open Hand Studio.

As a young professional embarking upon a career at a large firm, it is sometimes difficult to feel as though your day-to-day work is truly making an impact. Projects are large, budgets are tight, and deadlines constantly loom. You spend long hours perfecting the latest renderings, wrestling the BIM model, and working through the final set of redlines. You find yourself working on multi-million dollar projects in distant cities, countries, or continents with limited access to clients or the building’s eventual occupants. While the sexy skyscraper or stadium project a half a world away may excite us as designers, it can present a disconnect for young practitioners who are also attracted to the profession’s ability to engage local communities, address pressing social issues, and fundamentally improve the lives of those around us. In 2008, a group of young professionals at the Chicago office of Cannon Design got together to discuss how we might be able to use our skills as designers to more actively engage with the city in which we lived and worked. Many of us were active in design organizations outside of our office, including Architecture for Humanity, which regularly worked with not-for-profit organizations and under served communities around the city. Although this work was satisfying, the fact that it was in addition to our day jobs made it easy to peripheralize and neglect. Instead, we sought a better way to incorporate the passion that we felt for impactful community engagement into our everyday practice. As a result, the Open Hand Studio was born.

Solar trellis at the Academy for Global citizenship, design and fund raising by Open Hand Studio

We eventually caught the ear of the design and operations leadership of our office who began providing the support and resources to help us realize our vision. Our first step was to sign on to Public Architecture’s 1% program, committing to spend 1% of our time on communitybased and pro-bono design efforts. Although our scope was small, the leadership of the office quickly recognized that this work reinforced our firm’s core values while providing an opportunity to cultivate leaders from the next generation of designers. In the process, those of us who otherwise were fairly naive relative to the nuts and bolts of our practice received a crash course in what it truly meant to get things done.

In order to begin the interior build-out project with a worthy not-for-profit organization, we first had to receive an education in proposal-writing, contracts, and project planning. In order to put on the event showcasing successful partnerships between designers and community groups, we first had to create a budget, secure grants, and network with partner organizations. All of this effort led to successful projects and partnerships while also elevating our own sense of responsibility and satisfaction in what we had accomplished. Not only were we making a real impact, but we also saw the very real career benefits that these opportunities had afforded us. In turn, the initiative and leadership demonstrated in making these small-scale pro-bono projects work was rewarded with promotions and increased responsibility on our day-to-day large-scale project work. Open Hand Studio leaders and guests at the National Building Museum, Washington DC for the Open Hand Studio Forum 2012

p s s e r s o e

Central Space, an Open Hand Studio designed and constructed community plaza in Rosslyn, VA.

Since 2008, the Open Hand Studio has completed numerous projects, hosted events, and created lasting partnerships with many inspiring organizations and community groups. Consequently, what began as a small collection of individuals in one office has ballooned into a robust program that is recognized firm-wide in each of our 15 global office locations. Open Hand Studio projects now involve not just architects, but also engineers, graphic designers, IT professionals, and sustainability consultants, each bringing their unique expertise to solving critical problems. Ultimately, with increased involvement and awareness, Open Hand Studio is becoming endemic to the culture of our firm as a whole. Every year we organize an Open Hand Studio Forum that brings together the leaders from each office location to establish the vision and direction of the program. The majority of these leaders are young professionals who are spearheading exciting efforts within their respective cities through support from their local office leadership. These efforts include the design and construction of a public plaza in Virginia, an event connecting eager designers to not-for-profit organizations seeking design services in San Francisco, and assistance with clean-up and construction for the city of Joplin, Missouri, to name a few. This past Spring, the Forum was held in Washington DC to coincide with the AIA National Convention. Here we were able to connect not only to our colleagues within the firm, but also to the broad network of like-minded professionals working throughout the world who are concerned with the topic of public interest design and social justice.

Cannon team members volunteer through AmeriCorps to help remove debris in Joplin, Mo

We were able to discuss ways in which our different offices, firms, and organizations could pool resources and expertise in order to address broader global issues with the goal of creating scalable strategies which could be implemented in multiple contexts locally and abroad. It was amazing to see what began as a small group hoping to connect to our city was now helping to shape the conversation relative to this topic for the profession as a whole.

t , g , h d

All in all, as I sit at my desk for what will inevitably be another late night at the office, I am comforted by the fact that my job allows me to work on exciting projects around the world while also supporting me and other young professionals looking to make a greater impact in the places right outside my door. From the skills and expertise that I have gained, as well as the robust network of which I am now a part, I feel more than equipped to begin to tackle the most pressing challenges facing our built environment. â&#x2013;

g e p k r Open Hand Studio leaders and guests at the National Building Museum, Washington DC for the Open Hand Studio Forum 2012. Kimberly McDowell of SEED network presenting.

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

ARTICLE

PROCESS AND THE INTERN ARCHITECT

WATCH THE WORDS FLY OFF MY DESK Kenneth Miraski Miraski is an Intern Architect at Loci Architecture in New York, NY. Miraski is also pursuing licensure in New York state and is an aspiring writer covering topics such as urbanism and transportation.

At the beginning of my first job after college, I was certainly anxious about talking to clients, understanding my office’s CAD program, and completing work to hit a deadline, but I wasn’t in the least worried about writing an e-mail.

So my asking a fellow co-worker to proofread an

By this point in my life, I had written many professional e-mails, composed numerous cover letters, kept my resume well tweaked, and believed that I understood the full importance that proper communication has in the workplace. I soon learned, however, that writing a concise e-mail is as important as drawing a precise detail.

subjects of anecdotal experiences from my supervisor.

Almost immediately, it became clear that certain words carried greater weight than others. Understanding the difference, for instance, between ‘Install’, ‘Furnish’, and ‘Provide’, among others, became necessary to properly communicating intent. And while these three words in particular may have similar meaning, their misuse in a drawing’s note could leave you in a sticky situation once construction begins. Similarly, the words that you use in an e-mail, or how you use them, can alter the meaning of a message; and, if miscommunicated, may have serious repercussions for your firm.

important e-mail became a valuable process. As my own experience grew, I began to recognize those words and phrases that require care in their use. Three words in particular that I found troublesome to use, ‘Approve’, ‘Recommend’ and ‘Confirm’ were often the I’d like to share my own thoughts on these words, their meanings and some tips for their proper use in correspondence. APPROVE This is the first word that I learned to use cautiously in my correspondence. My firm’s principal would always say to be careful “approving” anything, especially when speaking to a contractor. Most importantly, when you approve something in writing, it is akin to setting something into concrete and there may be legal consequences. It is a commitment and often difficult to renege. However, there are obviously times when the firm must provide approvals when, for instance, the project team reviews material and product samples, shop drawings, mock-ups and other submitted components to be used in construction. Architects also require others to provide approvals as with clients approving a design scheme as a final and decisive statement as to whether or not the Architect may proceed into the next phase of the project. Conversely, if an Architect approves something that conflicts with the client-approved design intent, the code, or the contract, the Architect could be in some trouble.

I believed that I understood the full importance that proper communication has in the workplace. I soon learned, however, that writing a concise e-mail is as important as drawing a precise detail.

As a tip, never approve a highly visible design element without

open-ended request that will likely go unanswered. But

first reviewing a mock-up or sample. You may get a surprise with

this vagueness can also be useful. I have found it helpful

the final product. Similar words to approve: accept, allow, and

to ask a contractor to confirm an installation, material,

authorize.

price, etc. when I question a contractor’s performance.

RECOMMEND This is a loaded word because it appears to be fairly straightforward. To recommend something assumes a level of authority for the person making the statement. When an Architect recommends something, they are using their authority as an expert in building practices and design in order to advise or to provide credibility to a statement. When you are a representative of a firm, to make a recommendation means that you are using your firm’s authority. This can be a scary position, but one that most of us will surely face during our careers. When you recommend something, those that you are advising may base an important decision on your recommendation. For example, if you recommend to a client that off-white is better than beige, and the client selects off-white, you maintain a level of responsibility for the color selection. Another tip, be cautious when recommending a contractor. Construction could turn into a nightmare if your recommended contractor fails. If a client requests suggestions, give a list of

Without being accusatory, it places responsibility on the contractor to state whether that requested item is correct or incorrect. The request for confirmation must be fulfilled, otherwise critical information may be wrongfully denied and may affect the project. For example, a paint color was incorrectly provided and the Architect’s request for confirmation was never answered. It is unlikely a contractor could blame the Architect for this misstep if the contractor is responsible for confirming the paint color. One last tip, always confirm a meeting time and place, even if it seems unnecessary, because you never know when someone may forgets to show up. Similar words to confirm: acknowledge, assure, and verify. Words are tricky, especially when Architects are known to make them up. Clear and carefully worded

contractors who have worked with the firm on previous projects.

communications will not only produce stronger letters,

Similar words to recommend: advise, suggest, and support.

e-mails, and discussions, it will ensure a greater quality of work that comes from your desk.

CONFIRM I love this word. It conveys much responsibility, with little

As a guide, it helps to review e-mails from higher-level

consequence to the person using it. Asking someone to confirm

associates, marketing materials, and other documents

something is simply a request. When in doubt, it does not hurt

issued by your firm. Three years later, I continue to

to ask someone to confirm a fact. However, when you use this

develop a greater level of written communication. I look

word, make sure that you are clear about what is requested. Have

back at older e-mails from those first few weeks and do

you ever received a similar e-mail: “Meeting is next Thursday.

a peer review for myself. Spend a lunch break re-reading

Please confirm.” Confirm what? Our response? A meeting time?

a few older e-mails; you may be surprised how your own

Place? Without a clear direction for the reader, confirm can be an

words have changed. ■ The statements and opinions in this article are solely the author’s and do not constitute legal advice. You should retain your own attorney or professional advisor(s) to counsel you as to your specific set of circumstances.

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

ARTICLE

PROCESS AND THE ARCHITECT BUILDER

DESIGN-BUILD: NOW IS THE TIME! Kevin J. Singh, AIA Singh is an Assistant Professor of Architecture at Louisiana Tech University and past Young Architect Regional Director for the Gulf States region. He is the Director of the HabiTECH Design-Build program and the Community Design Activism Center (CDAC).

With approximately 100-out-of-123 NAAB accredited architectural institutions currently utilizing some form of designbuild in their curriculums (either required or elective courses), it is now time to make it a required component of a professional degree in architecture. Design-Build education started with Yale’s Building Project in 1967 and new programs rapidly expanded in the 1990’s with publicity from Auburn University’s Rural Studio. Design-build has become a unique, collaborative model of educating architecture students with the reality of practicing today. This type of education provides students with the opportunity to truly participate, interact, and be a member of a design and construction team. The traditional relationships of the owner, architect, and contractor are experienced through this interaction and collaboration. My students have expressed the importance that their designbuild experience has had on their architecture education. Many would not have had the opportunity to work with a real client or get construction experience while in school. Others said the experience was a key factor in being offered summer internships and fulltime employment after graduation. Indeed, potential employers in architecture firms understand that the students’ design-build experience has accelerated their knowledge, productivity, and marketability in the profession. Since over 80% of our institutions are currently engaged in some form of design-build, the initial requisite organizational structure and monetary expenses (tools, equipment, etc.) have already been incurred. So as the new NAAB Conditions for Accreditation cycle comes around, additional capital expenditure should not be a concern. The real challenge is to strike a balance between the organizations that are divided along the lines of education (ACSA and AIAS) and practice (AIA, NCARB). For design-build to be successfully added to the program, NAAB must also realize the value add that it brings to education. NAAB plays a major role in this process and needs to establish criteria in which schools can utilize their unique locations, situations, faculty, tools, and pedagogical approach to meet the criteria expectations. Once established, individual institutions can design their curriculum to meet the objectives set forth.

I believe that the NAAB design-build criteria should address the following aspects for all programs: DEFINED CLIENT COMMUNITY Designing and building should not be for the sake of creation of the work itself. An engaged client/community is important to provide input and direction for the project. Students need to have this engagement in order to refine and defend their designs. ESTABLISHED BUDGET AND SCHEDULE Students need to learn the reality of designing for a budget and meeting a project schedule. Design decisions need to be made that address the means and methods to execute them, while being co-requisite with the budget and schedule. LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES Design-build projects need to have clear learning objectives and outcomes prior to project inception. The learning and project outcomes need to be evaluated (by all involved parties) at the end of the project and used to refine the process of future projects. PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT Students need to work/interact with local professionals. These can be architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors, etc. Students need to understand the collaborative nature that is a part of the design and construction of projects. Learning directly from these professionals will reinforce lessons from the classroom and instructors. These are very loose criteria from which NAAB can create the objectives that schools must define to meet them. ACSA, AIA, AIAS, and NCARB leadership must work together to bridge the current educational and practice divide. Design-build is uniquely positioned to bridge this divide by bringing design into the real world. The marginalization of design-build in architecture programs must end. Design-build for all students and future practitioners! ■ “House Divided: Challenges to Design/Build from Within” - W. Geoff Gjertson (2011 ACSA Fall Conference)

Design-build is uniquely positioned to bridge this divide by bringing design into the real world. The marginalization of design-build in architecture programs must end. Design-build for all students and future practitioners!

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

ARTICLE

PROCESS AND ARCHITECTURAL CRITICISM

EVERYONE’S A CRITIC

TECHNIQUES OF EFFECTIVELY DEALING WITH NEGATIVE CRITICISM Mark Shaw Shaw is an experienced Project Architect, and a former tutor at Birmingham University, England, he is passionate about architecture and although suffering from epilepsy he strongly believes disability should not be viewed as a barrier to achievement.

As we emerge from University, we are placed in a variety of circumstances on a daily basis in which we deal with criticism. While universities educate us in the critical analysis of our own work by hardening us to the fact that “everyone’s a critic”, this training may not provide a choice of solutions, or “tool box”, on how to handle criticism effectively.

Take a moment to consider the following situation and, being totally honest in your response, write down your thoughts and feelings on how you would respond to the hypothetical critic.

Criticism is a negative psychological construct of an observer’s point of view, communicated to another, directly or indirectly, via sensory perception. The dynamic effects that criticism may has on someone is dependent upon their beliefs and the social behavioral skills that they had acquired in childhood.

Did you notice any variances between your answers?

While everyone responds differently, the fundamental human psychological response to criticism is that of emotional rejection. This rejection of the criticism may lead to submissive, passive or aggressive, defensive behavioral patterns; and ultimately preventing the criticism from being embraced as a positive learning experience. Constant exposure to criticism is also very damaging; even resulting in psychological and physical reactions such as reduced self-confidence, anxiety, depression and weight gain or loss.

An unknown person tells you, “I don’t like you and I don’t like the work you’ve produced!” Do the exercise again; this time replace the unknown person with the following individuals: your partner, a work colleague, a client - and note your thoughts and emotions in the same way.

Depending on who the critic is, your emotional feelings will range from shock, surprise, anger, fear, disbelief, dismay, apathy, panic, betrayal, rejection and feeling unloved. These emotions will have dictated how you define and communicate your response to the critic. This hypothetical scenario may make you aware of how your communication and personal emotional state are affected by different forms of criticism. What you may have discovered is your primary “behavioral type”; i.e., how you have been “trained” to respond to criticism and how you behave when challenged or confronted. Recognizing and understanding your personal behavioral type is the first step towards finding effective ways of adapting that behavior in order to take advantage of the positive opportunities that criticism creates. Most people will respond, dismissively and possibly aggressively to the unknown person; work colleagues may leave us feeling dismayed, anxious and insecure; while feelings of betrayal, guilt and rejection may occur in reaction to the criticism of a partner. There should be a marked difference between these responses to those responses that we would have with a client. Our responses to a client will often be more positive, because we will be more curious and willing to investigate and discover what had provoked the client to make the statement, in order to positively alter these perceptions, reassure them and maintain their future business.

Clients have the prerogative to question the quality of work during a project. In order to maintain a professional relationship, you must be prepared to question them objectively in order to positively understand their perspective and make necessary changes.

In all cases, the response which should have been given is,

Distancing techniques include: •

setting a future date to objectively consider and discuss issues

This statement is appropriate because it:

•

recording criticism so that it can be reviewed and discussed later confidentially discussing the issue with work colleagues

“I did not know that. Tell me more!”

directly challenges the statement in a positive way while requesting justification for their statement and clarification on how the perception was reached,

•

maintains a line of communication,

All of these techniques utilize reframing and venting. Venting is a technique to reduce the emotional pressure; feelings of anger, betrayal, loneliness, paranoia, depression and self-criticism.

•

removes any emotional response you may have and allows you to distance yourself

Venting techniques include:

•

reframes the criticism by ensuring that the critic retains ownership of the issue,

•

prevents you jumping to conclusions,

•

allows you to remain objective, positive and open to their response

While listening to the response you should maintain eye contact, your body language should be open and you should allow the communicator to finish prior to responding yourself. This is a positive way of challenging, reframing, venting and distancing yourself from the negative emotions that criticism creates, thereby reducing their overall psychological impact. The way to deal with someone who fails to provide you with a suitable explanation for their critical opinion is to state, “Having listened to your opinion, unfortunately I don’t fully understand or agree with it! But as we need to move on, I suggest that we discuss this in more depth later.” Both sentences use distancing as a way of ensuring ownership is retained by the communicator. The line of communication is maintained and the negative emotional impact is reduced, allowing you to detach yourself from a person or problem, thereby limiting your emotional involvement while also allowing you to remain open, professional, and objective.

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

•

challenging the situation by requesting additional information and offering to discuss the issue later; thereby limiting emotional reactions such as passive aggressive behavior, loneliness, inadequacy and paranoia.

•

discussing the issue with another person; to expose your emotions, reduce stress, gain an external opinion, and objectively review the issue.

•

Maintaining a confidential diary, about daily events and your emotional responses, which can be review later

•

Taking physical aggression out on an inanimate object or using sport; to vent anger

The technique of reframing involves changing your approach to a situation in order to remain emotionally detached. Thus, when a work colleague tells you that they don’t like you”, you should change the way that you think about the situation by placing that work colleague into the position of a client. In order to maintain a professional client relationship and their business, you must be prepared to question them objectively, in order to positively analyze this data and make necessary alterations to their perception. In this situation you will be more open to change then you would with a work colleague, partner, friend or relative in the same situation. Once you begin to approach and address future situations in this way, you will be better equipped to effectively cope with all forms of criticism as you progress throughout your career. ■

ARTICLE

PROCESS AND LITIGATION

MANAGING RISK

A LOOK AT THREE RETAIL AND RESTAURANT CLAIMS Frank Musica Musica, a Senior Risk Management Attorney at Victor O. Schinnerer & Company, Inc. in Chevy Chase MD is an architect, attorney and a frequent speaker at the AIA Convention and other AIA component programs.

A review of Schinnerer and CNA’s claims statistics from 2002 to 2012 reveals that most claims involving retail and restaurant projects were made against architects. In fact, architects accounted for 50% of these claims in terms of frequency and 42% of the payments in terms of severity. Civil engineers were the second major target with 25% frequency and 24% severity. Although 42% of the claims involved delays and extras, property damage accounted for 32% of these claims. Interior construction and plumbing, HVAC, and fire protection generated the highest frequency rates; while claims involving the building superstructure and site preparation had the highest severity rates. Following are several examples of the types of claims prompted by retail and restaurant projects.

Case Study 01 An architect provided design and construction phase services for a new car dealership. The project budget grew from $6-million to $10-million and was 15 months behind scheduled completion. As a result, the contractor’s services were terminated due to cost overruns and delays. The client filed a $4.5-million claim against the contractor and design team based on lost revenues, extras and delays. The architect was vicariously liable for the structural engineer, a subconsultant, who caused a 3-4 month delay by refusing to supply additional information about foundation dimensions. The contractor went bankrupt and settled with the client. To prepare for trial, the architect’s attorney estimated the need for 40 depositions at a cost of $450,000. This large expense was partly because of the architect’s poor record keeping. There were no RFI or change order logs and everything had to be reconstructed to determine what happened. The claim ultimately settled for $1.5 million. The structural engineer paid his policy limits of $250,000 and the architect paid the remaining $1.25-million in addition to more than $500,000 in expenses and a waiver of $270,000 in fees. Case Study 02 An architect agreed to design a restaurant for a “partnership” between a celebrity chef and a father and his son. The architect contractually agreed to turn over a fully completed restaurant within 15 weeks at a cost of no more than $1 million for design and construction. After the project was underway, the chef demanded a new “state of the art” kitchen. He also demanded that his office, originally located in the kitchen, be enlarged and relocated. These changes took seven seats from the restaurant and delayed the opening by a month. It also increased the cost to $1.7-million.

Architects accounted for 50% of these claims in terms of frequency and 42% of the payments in terms of severity.

The father/son partnership filed suit against the architect for $2-million, claiming lost profits from the delay, future lost profits from the lost seating, cost overruns and defective design. The father and son made the claim difficult to settle in mediation. Although it was felt that the architect had minimal liability, his greatest exposure was due to his contractual guarantee that the restaurant would be completed within a certain time and budget. In addition, the architect’s file documentation was poor, making it impossible to prove what the father and son knew and when. There was concern that if the claim went to arbitration, an award might be rendered that exceeded the architect’s remaining policy limits. The claim finally settled for $400,000, with the remaining $600,000 in policy limits spent on expenses.

Case Study 03 An architect was retained to provide design services to extend the front parapet of a video store so that it matched the height of other stores in a strip mall. Eight years later, high winds toppled bricks and an awning from the store, killing a father and his 7 year old son. A $250-million lawsuit was filed against the video store, building owner and more than a dozen contractors and design professionals. During discovery, it was learned that a former owner had taken a conceptual marketing plan prepared by the architect and hired a contractor to do the work without plans or a permit. According to expert testimony, the wall was so poorly anchored that it was obvious that no architect ore engineer had been involved. The claim settled in mediation for $5.9-million, with the contractor paying $2-million, the former owner paying $2-million, the current owner paying $1-million, the video company paying $750,000, and the awning company paying $140,000. However, the architect was required to pay $110,000 in expenses. ■

MANAGING THE RISKS Below are a number of ways that the architects involved in the prior Case Studies could have better managed their risk and exposure to such claims. While specifically referencing retail and restaurant projects, these riskmanagement means are universally applicable. • •

Select clients carefully. Understand each party’s role and responsibilities and communicate accordingly.

Communicate with the client regarding their commitment to follow proper design and construction requirements and procedures.

• Select projects that have a realistic budget and schedule. • Don’t make promises regarding budget and schedules. • Pay appropriate attention to the quality of the design. •

Develop a systematic and objective documentation process to record all recommendations, decisions and changes.

•

Develop a well-defined scope of services that is agreed to in a professional services contract.

•

Establish and follow appropriate contract administration services to respond to RFI’s, change orders and submittals.

•

Understand what damages may result from any “delays” with the project.

The statements and opinions in this article are solely the author’s and do not constitute legal advice.

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

#aiachat #archcareers 920 Followers

users participated in the chat 69,000 Twitter accounts were reached (through tweets and retweets)

# aiachat

@AIAYAF [Moderator ] Q1 - What is the best career advice that you have received? #archcareers #aiachat -1:11 PM May 1st, 2013 @JDGarch #aiachat #careers best advice ... stay active in #AIA -1:13 PM May 1st, 2013 @rkitekt Q1. It was a simple one, but great piece of advice for #business and #life was to “never burn a bridge” #aiachat -1:15 PM May 1st, 2013 @melissamorancy A1- make sure you love what you’re doing. #aiacareers #aiachat -1:16 PM May 1st, 2013 @wyattfrantom @AIAYAF Best career advice: be proactive. navigate ur own career. don’t just let it happen. understand what you want. go get it! #aiachat -1:16 PM May 1st, 2013 @AishaDBdesigner @AIAYAF And nurture relationships! Networking is nothing if you don’t pay attention to the relationship. #aiachat -1:17 PM May 1st, 2013 @SnarkitectDC Best career advice? Be honest. People may not like honesty but they respect it. #aiachat -1:17 PM May 1st, 2013 @jenworkman013 Best career advice: always confirm a question never ask a question. #archcareer #aiachat #aiayaf -1:17 PM May 1st, 2013 @bradbenjam @AIAYAF Best career advice: be the change you want to see in the profession. #archcareers #aiachat -1:18 PM May 1st, 2013 @kizmutt71 #aiachat. Best career advice: don’t wait for opportunities to present themselves....create your own -1:19 PM May 1st, 2013 @NCARB We agree! MT: [Moderator] Question 1 - What’s the best career advice that you’ve received? RT @globalsiteplans: Never stop learning #aiachat -1:21 PM May 1st, 2013

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q2 - How have you known it was time to leave one job for another? #archcareers #aiachat -1:19 PM May 1st, 2013 @RitaSaikali A2) When it was no longer a learning / challenging position to help with professional growth. #aiachat #archcareer -1:21 PM May 1st, 2013

@HenneberyEddy a2 - When you wake up in the morning and are no longer excited to start working. #aiachat -1:21 PM May 1st, 2013

@bradbenjam A2 for Q2 When you can no longer achieve the professional goals you have set for yourself. #archcareers#aiachat -1:22 PM May 1st, 2013

@GlobalSitePlans A2: Great to see that we all want a challenge, respect, and professional growth! #aiachat #archcareers -1:24 PM May 1st, 2013

LOOK FOR FUTURE TWITTER CHATS @aiayaf

@AIAYAF [Moderator ] Q3 - What is your biggest career regret? #archcareers #aiachat -1:27 PM May 1st, 2013

@AishaDBdesigner Q3: Staying too long at a toxic firm (bad work envir.). Not having enough confidence earlier on. Not asking enough questions. #aiachat -1:30 PM May 1st, 2013

@wyattfrantom @aiayaf A3: biggest regret: allowing others to limit my perception of what it is (or could be) to be an Architect #aiachat #archcareers -1:32 PM May 1st, 2013

@AishaDBdesigner *Clapping* RT @AIAYAF: [Moderator] -@wyattfrantom - No limits. We can do so many things as an Architect. #archcareers #aiachat -1:35 PM May 1st, 2013

@apertedesign Re: biggest career regret? That I didn’t allow myself a few (several!) years to ‘taste test’ firms/ project types #archcareers #aiachat” -2:05 PM May 1st, 2013

@AIAYAF [Moderator ] Q4 - What did you learn from the biggest mistake you ever made on the job? #archcareers #aiachat -1:37 PM May 1st, 2013

@BusinessofArch @AIAYAF A4 always double check the elevator dimensions - again. #aiachat -1:38 PM May 1st, 2013

@melissamorancy A4- make sure you double check that you hit forward and not reply when making a snarky comment about a client. #aiacareers #aiachat -1:44 PM May 1st, 2013

@wyattfrantom A4. Create the level “playing field” for your contractor and owner thru honesty and mutual respect. It’s a partnership. #aiachat -1:46 PM May 1st, 2013

@SnarkitectDC A4: I feel like I would have benefited from more training in management - schedules, proposals, etc. Non-design topics need more. #aiachat -1:49 PM May 1st, 2013

@AIAYAF [Moderator ] Q5 - What skills do architects need that are missing from architecture education today? #archcareers #aiachat -1:47 PM May 1st, 2013 @BusinessofArch @AIAYAF A5 how to make money. #aiachat -1:47 PM May 1st, 2013 @kurtneiswender regarding q5 schools should train architecture students in office culture #aiachat -1:48 PM May 1st, 2013 @RitaSaikali @AIAYAF #archEdu is missing business & leadership skills. #archcareers #aiachat -1:49 PM May 1st, 2013 @AIACenterforEPs A5 Business skills: how to operate/run your own firm, manage finances & human resources, etc. #archcareers #aiachat -1:50 PM May 1st, 2013 @mdumich A5: Architects need to learn facilitation and persuasion skills to lead collaborative teams #archcareers #aiachat -1:50 PM May 1st, 2013 @Archncik @AIAYAF A5: communication skills, and leadership. Architects don’t know every thing but need to

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

#aiachat #archcareers

be able to work with everyone #aiachat -1:51 PM May 1st, 2013

@erinmurphyaia Q5. Architects need to know how to write, not just draw. #archcareers #aiachat -1:52 PM May 1st, 2013

@JRSorrenti @AIAYAF @SnarkitectDC Yes architectural curriculum needs to be modified to include business. Repositioning must include this. #aiachat -2:05 PM May 1st, 2013

@AIAYAF [Moderator ] Q6 - How does your firm articulate what it takes to advance in responsibility, salary, or position? #archcareers #aiachat -1:55 PM May 1st, 2013 @mdumich Informal mentoring RT @aiayaf Q6 How does your firm articulate what it takes to advance in responsibility, salary, or position? #aiachat -1:57 PM May 1st, 2013 @GlobalSitePlans A6: Our internship program comes with performance evaluations. Mark high in those and be a team player for advancement. Innovate. #aiachat -2:01 PM May 1st, 2013

@AIAYAF [Moderator ] Q7 - What is more important: meaningful work or a higher salary? Why? #archcareers #aiachat -2:02 PM May 1st, 2013 @_clinger_ @AIAYAF - A7 - You have to strike a balance between the two. Salary only can be soulless, work only will starve you.#aiachat -2:03 PM May 1st, 2013 @mdumich Meaningful work, learning, autonomy A7: RT@aiayaf Q7: What is more important: meaningful work or a higher salary? Why?#archcareers #aiachat -2:05 PM May 1st, 2013 @SnarkitectDC A7: You need to love what you do, or you cannot possibly judge yourself successful. #aiachat -2:05 PM May 1st, 2013 @LFabbroni A7. Need to learn how to be more efficient with meaningful work. Too much time goes unbilled. Too many hours wasted. #aiayaf #aiachat -2:06 PM May 1st, 2013 @AishaDBdesigner A7: Cash is great. REALLY great. But waking up with a purpose is priceless. #Love #aiachat -2:06 PM May 1st, 2013

@AIAYAF [Moderator ] Q8 - How do you work creativity into career advancement? #archcareers #aiachat -2:07 PM May 1st, 2013 @AishaDBdesigner Q8: I think it goes back to learning how to craft your own career. Once you know how to guide it, the creativity comes easier. #aiachat -2:09 PM May 1st, 2013 @mdumich Be creative in redefining your careers = design entrepreneurship RT @AIAYAF Q8: How do you work creativity into career advancement? #aiachat -2:14 PM May 1st, 2013 @_clinger_ Learning so much from the #aiachat today. Great insights on career development.

About the Moderator: Joseph R. Benesh, AIA, NCARB, CDT, LEED AP, is currently a Focus Market Leader and Project Manager for RDG Planning + Design in Des Moines, Iowa and is licensed in Illinois and Florida. He is currently President of the AIA Iowa Central Iowa Architects Council in addition to serving as the AIA YAF Public Relations Director. Joe received his Bachelor of Architecture from Iowa State University. @joebenesh

@AIAYAF [Moderator ] Q9 - Is volunteer service important for career advancement? #archcareers #aiachat -2:14 PM May 1st, 2013 @PlusLab @AIAYAF yes, public service for a greater good, or those in need, expands your contacts and gets your name out there.#aiachat -2:16 PM May 1st, 2013 @GlobalSitePlans A9: I think it is important. I learned a lot about what I didn’t want to do by volunteering in #AmeriCorps for two terms. #aiachat -2:16 PM May 1st, 2013 @SnarkitectDC A9 it can be. Service to AIA very developmental. To other orgs yes: exposure to other ways of doing things & good for the spirit. #aiachat -2:17 PM May 1st, 2013 @rkitekt Q9 Being a citizen architect is important not only for your career but for your profession and #architecture in general!#aiachat -2:18 PM May 1st, 2013 @CGerrity @AIAYAF Volunteering can give opportunities outside of the cubical to learn about business practices, community, etc.#aiachat #aiachat -2:18 PM May 1st, 2013 @mdumich But an architect/design entrepreneur has more to contribute to the world than just designing buildings... @AIAYAF#aiachat -2:18 PM May 1st, 2013 @AIAYAF [Moderator] - @mdumich - YESSIR! We can design almost anything - organizations, buildings, thought processes, etc...#archcareers #aiachat -2:20 PM May 1st, 2013 @melissamorancy A9- it can never hurt to volunteer. Learn about the community and teach the public more about architects #aiachat -2:20 PM May 1st, 2013 @mdumich It sounds cheesy, but Architects have the skills to solve the complex problems of the world through design @AIAYAF#aiachat -2:21 PM May 1st, 2013 @CGerrity @mdumich Agree! Design is more than just buildings - it’s a creative way to look at a problem #aiachat @AIAYAF #aiachat -2:23 PM May 1st, 2013

@AIAYAF [Moderator ] Q10 - Have you turned your passion into a career? #archcareers #aiachat -2:19 PM May 1st, 2013 @LFabbroni @PlusLab Agreed. It’s all about personal relationships. Bring value and authenticity to each person, SHARE your passion.#aiayaf #aiachat -2:27 PM May 1st, 2013 @mdumich #aiachat I challenge you all to be #mentors and nurture others career advancement as well @ AIAYAF -2:28 PM May 1st, 2013 @AIANational Hopefully you’ve met new colleagues today. Make plans now to join us June 5 for our next chat. See you then?#aiachat -2:30 PM May 1st, 2013

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

DESIGN

PROCESS

SSD

Jinhee Park AIA is a principal at SsD with offices in Cambridge, MA, New York, NY, and Seoul, Korea. She is a Design Critic in Architecture at the Harvard GSD and her firm was recently featured in the 2012 Design Vanguard issue of Architectural Record.

White Block Gallery

John Hong AIA, LEED AP is a principal at SsD with offices in Cambridge, MA, New York, NY and Seoul, Korea. He is Adjunct Associate Professor at the Harvard GSD and his firm recently won a 2012 Emerging Voices Award from the Architectural League of New York. SsD is an architecture firm that approaches design as a convergent, interdisciplinary venture that aspires to bridge the utopian and the pragmatic. Instead of separating aspects of architecture, urbanism, landscape, history, social systems, and codes into their constituent disciplines, these essential design ingredients are simultaneously explored so that minimum form gains maximum effect. In this way sustainability emerges as an integrated rather than additive result. Along with being published in major media such as Metropolis Magazine, Dwell Magazine, Architectural Record, The New Yorker, and PBS, SsD has received many prestigious design awards including the AIA Young Architects Award, the Emerging Voices Award and the Young Architects Forum Award by the Architectural League of NY, an Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction Award, the Metropolis Next Generation Prize, and twelve AIA awards. They have lectured and exhibited at many universities and conferences including venues at the Harvard GSD, Ohio State University, and Seoul National University, as well as at several national design conferences. SsD is a certified Minority and Woman owned business.

“High” and “low” tech strategies are used for daylighting: A parametrically developed frit pattern optimizing for daylight distribution while minimizing heat gain.”

Heyri, Korea | 2011

PROCESS Saved by the Section: A Project (Almost) Lost “Why are we wasting our time with this drawing?” It was 7 hours before our flight to Seoul and we were now officially in panic mode putting our competition submittal together for the White Block Gallery. Rewind 6 weeks: Jinhee Park had won the AIA Young Architects Award earlier in the year. Through a combination of happenstance and the fact that Architectural Record (which featured Jinhee as one of the YA winners) has a high readership in design-savvy Korea, we had been invited to compete for a breakthrough project – the design of one of the largest new galleries at the center of the Heyri Art Valley, a community of 300+ art houses near the border of North Korea. In putting together the presentation, we were faced with a perennial dilemma: Through the design process, we had created work that those in the profession might appreciate and understand, but now it was time to edit (or redo) the materials so that they could communicate to a larger audience - in this case a jury of art collectors and curators, financiers, and a minority of architect advisors. One of our key drawings was an ‘unfolded section’ showing the sequence through the building. Because our work is not overtly sculptural from the outside but attempts to deal with the exterior and interior simultaneously, the section has become a key design tool. We were confident that the experience of the actual building would be compelling, but would the jury be able to understand the design in its abstraction? Fast forward to the presentation: As we showed our models, plans, and perspectives, we were met with a combination of stone-cold stares and tired yawns. Nothing seemed to pique any level of action beyond the occasional glance at a wrist watch. But when we showed our unfolded section mid-way through our presentation as an animated scrolling drawing, something clicked. The diagrams, the verbal barrage, the renderings, all of a sudden made sense to the jury. When we finally left the room, we realized we had been held 30 minutes beyond our presentation time with a multitude of questions, comments, and engaged criticism. Even if we did not win, we were happy we were able to make a connection. After all, we were not sure how the six other talented competitors all with their gorgeous models displayed in the foyer had done.

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

DESIGN

PROCESS

At the end of the week, we received ‘the call’ and it was as watershed moment for us. We had finally shaken off our ‘winning streak’ of honorable mentions and 3rd place projects and had landed an actual commission through the formal competition process. Speaking of the other competitors’ gorgeous models, months later during construction, one of the jurors now turned client’s rep, recounted for us the internal doubt of the jury prior to our presentation. Having reviewed all the models the previous day, they had unanimously written us off as our model was admittedly flat, minimal, and mute in comparison to the enthusiastic exteriors of the other teams. As the only foreign office that was invited, they believed we had not taken the brief seriously and had glibly submitted a schematic under-cooked proposal. It was indeed the unfolded section drawing that had single-handedly turned the tide however. As simple as it was, it was the one drawing that showed the clarity of thought as well as demonstrated the disciplined effort it takes to synthesize multiple complex factors into a succinct solution. The completed project is a 20,000sf exhibition and cultural space at the center of the internationally recognized Heyri Art Valley. A matrix of 3 solid gallery volumes carefully positioned creates 7 additional galleries in a compact but open ended configuration. Designed to showcase global contemporary art from super sized sculpture and paintings to multi-media installations, the individual spaces are unique in proportion and lighting allowing curators to accommodate new future forms of art and media. Integration with the landscape of the prominent lake-front site is also of crucial importance: The design places the intense and controlled experience of art side-by-side with informal social and landscape interactions. Passive heating and ventilation are integrated into the art house’s high efficiency environmental systems and runoff control measures become part of the spatial experience of art. Completed in 2011, it has won two AIA awards, an American Architecture Award, and has been featured in multiple magazines including Architectural Record, Metropolis Magazine, and SPACE magazine. ■

“The fritting pattern takes on more figural volumes to create areas of privacy and publicity. The shapes merge with the patterns of early morning fog. A functional space of the fire stair becomes a main feature as a public viewing platform at the building’s corner.”

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

DESIGN

PROCESS

The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Supercoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is an organizational void space that mediates between the autonomy of each gallery space and its connection to the surrounding landscape. A series of bridges cross the space and become viewing platforms for artwork.

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

LEADERSHIP PROFILE

OPPORTUNITY Luke McCary, AIA McCary is an Associate at Stevens & Wilkinson in Columbia, South Carolina. McCary is also the President of the South Carolina Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

I moved to Columbia, South Carolina after graduating from Virginia Tech in 2003. I became involved in AIA through an invitation to play on the AIA Columbia softball team in 2004. Our team was terrible; we joked that the next year we should switch our name to “Batting Practice”, but it was great to meet the other Interns and learn more about how my experiences compared to theirs. Shortly thereafter, I was asked to run for a position on the AIA Greater Columbia Board. As a small component, being asked to run was the same as volunteering to serve and I jumped at the opportunity. After two years on the local section board, I was elected President just as I finished up my last registration exam. In 2006, I was on a fund-raising trip to the Columbia Museum of Art for a conservation group. Somehow our messages became crossed and the museum staff thought I was there to give a donation instead of receive one. I found myself in a room with Directors of the Museum and nothing to offer. Luckily, on the way in to the museum, I passed a sign advertising the Frank Lloyd Wright Exhibit coming to the Museum, and I thought to myself what a great opportunity for AIA Columbia to promote Architecture in our community. I left with a water bottle and tote bag for my fund-raiser and a promise that AIA Columbia would support their exhibition. It turned out to be one of the best impromptu meetings I had ever had. AIA Columbia and the Columbia Museum of Art worked together to develop several programs over the course of the exhibit. One of the most successful was “Kids in Architecture”, an all day event in which students toured the exhibit and worked with Architects on a design project. The success of the program led to a yearly “Kids in Architecture” event held at the museum and run by volunteers from our membership. We helped promote special programs during the exhibition, organized tour leaders for a trip to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Auldbrass and, as a Board, approved our largest donation ever of $10,000 to support the exhibit. The Museum had record attendances for the exhibit. Nationally, our small section of under 200 people received a component excellence award at Grassroots; a first for any section in South Carolina. On the local level, a teacher who heard of our program contacted us to help develop a District-wide curriculum that focused an entire school year around Architecture. We pulled together over 40 volunteers to mentor 4th and 5th graders that year, and every two years since.

In 2009, I was elected Midlands Director of AIA South Carolina. I was one of 3 people representing my region on the Board. The State Board definitely had a different feel to it from my small section board. We were dealing with bigger, sometimes national issues. We had paid staff to support our efforts and what seemed to be an overwhelmingly large and complicated budget. For several meetings, I mostly listened. I was fortunate to be surrounded by great advocates for our profession, colleagues and mentors, many of whom have become lifelong friends. I learned to rely on their expertise, but equally important, I learned to speak up with conviction on issues that I am passionate about. I soon found my niche working on the community outreach programs. I, and another Board member Seth Cantley, developed the first AIASC Legacy Project. The concept was to bring something tangible to the community hosting our annual state conference. We had all of these Architects in one place; why not try to solve a problem? We had no idea how hard it would be to find a problem. After months of searching, Seth wound up sitting beside Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter at our Legislative breakfast. She was working with a Child Advocacy center that had recently purchased an old home and needed a plan to renovate. Seth and I met with the staff and visited similar facilities. We measured the building and developed a program. Together we pulled together the materials to facilitate a half-day design charrette at the state conference. About 3 months later, Seth and I presented the findings to the staff and worked with them to further develop the design. On nights and over the weekends, we finished renderings and plans the center could use for fundraising. Even though the charrette was over months ago, we kept working until we delivered what the Children’s Center needed. Representative Cobb-Hunter is now one of our best friends and allies in the South Carolina

When I look back at my beginnings in AIA, I am thankful for the opportunities I have been given, but I also know that if I had not embraced those opportunities I would not be where I am today. Legislature. In the fall of 2011, I had received a call from our current President Todd Reichard. He asked if I would be willing to run as VP/ President Elect for the upcoming year. This definitely caught me by surprise. I was coming up on the last year of my 3 year term, was one of the youngest members on the Board, and quickly doing the math this would have me as President of the Chapter in 2013. 2013 is the 100 year anniversary of AIA South Carolina. I wasn’t there for the conversations behind closed doors, but I was told I was chosen because I took ownership of the Legacy Project and did not quit until the job was done. January 1st, 2013 I formally became President of the South Carolina Chapter of the American Institute of Architects at age 33. When I look back at my beginnings in AIA, I am thankful for the opportunities I have been given, but I also know that if I had not embraced those opportunities I would not be where I am today. Nationally, AIA has recognized the importance of our emerging professionals and young Architects. Last year a resolution from the South Atlantic Region was passed almost unanimously to allow Associate members to serve on Executive Committees of components. The January 2013 “Architect” magazine focuses the next generation of Architects. We have been given the opportunity to be involved, to speak and be heard, and even to lead. Don’t miss these opportunities; you never know where they might take you. ■

Photos / Images (top to bottom) Justin Abrams, AIA and Luke McCary, AIA accepting the Component Excellence Award on behalf of AIA Columbia AIASC 100 year Anniversary logo Presenting the project for the first AIASC Legacy Design Charrette

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

architecture + angst

COFFEE WITH AN ARCHITECT As written by Jody Brown and first published online at coffeewithanarchitect.com, September 30, 2012

Architects Should Show Their Work Architecture is an undervalued profession. There, I said it. I feel like I spend a large amount of my time with clients (particularly new clients) justifying my cost. Clients come to me with a list of things they need completed, and more often than not, they have an idea of how much those “things” are going to cost, and, more often than not, my fees are more than that “idea”. I’m guessing I’m not the only one who’s had this experience.

The photo is from pucci.it’s photostream on flickr (used under the creative commons license).

So, why are we as a profession continually undervalued? I think I know. I think it’s because my clients don’t really know what I do. They hire me to design something. We meet to talk about what they need, and what they want, then I retreat to my desk and start working. When I’m ready, I call for a meeting and I present the design to the client. Before that, I spend weeks and weeks coming up with that design. But, to my client, it must seem like the drawings magically appeared in front of them. Plus, most of the time I missed something in that first round of concept design. The first pass is never exactly right. And, my client has to sheepishly tell me that maybe this thing that they’re seeing for the first time today isn’t quite what they had in mind. That is a hard thing to say to someone. But, I, as an architect, stiffen my upper lip,

Jody Brown is just an Architect, standing in front of an ideology, asking it to love him.

take the criticism to heart, and go back the drawing board. Because, to me, the solution is ALWAYS within the design. So, I’ll keep at it; refining, and revising, and exploring alternatives, and variations. I walk down blind alley after blind alley, until I see a solution. And when I “see” that solution? Finally? It just seems so obvious. It’s the clearest most straight-forward path to the idea. And, I always ask, “why didn’t I think of this before”. But, I’ve come to realize that that simple clarity of a solution doesn’t ever come early in the process. It always arrives after a series of lesser, more complex solutions, stumble around the potential design and cloud my vision. And I probably need to pass through all these alternatives, and flesh out their weaknesses, before I can fully understand the problem. I probably need to endure this series of failures before I can arrive at a solution. But to my client? Do they understand the circular path I run in to find the best solution? Do they value the missteps and the false-starts and the blind alleys that I knock around in before I come up with something that works? Do I tell them about that path? I don’t. And, I doubt if any architect really does. We tend to present the final solutions. We rarely expose the path we followed to get there. We never show the process. So, of course our clients don’t value what we did to get to the final solution. Of course they don’t understand how many long hours we put into this. Of course they don’t understand how much we put into this idea. How many failed concepts we had to trash to get to this one, how many mistakes, how many missteps, how many ideas we had to discard. Of course they don’t understand that. Because we never tell them. We only present the best representation of our ideas to our clients. Only those ideas that worked. Nothing less. And, if that’s all they ever see? Then that’s all they’ll know. And that’s all they’ll have to use as a guide to value our work; That final solution that magically appeared before them. Maybe, if we want our clients to value the work that we do? We should show them all the work we did to get here. ■ Jody Brown, AIA, LEED AP BD+C Brown is an Architect running his own firm (Jody Brown Architecture, pllc.) in Durham, NC. His work focuses on urban infill projects, mixed-use, urban design, and urban renewal. Over the last 18 years, he has built on his passion for planning and urban design, and has worked on enhancing, adding-to, re-using, renovating, and sometimes creating-from-scratch the places where people meet, learn, play, and become inspired. His work is grounded in the belief that Architecture can save cities. When he’s not doing that, he can be found making fun of himself and his profession, and blogging about his ideals at – Coffee with an Architect. Or, you can find him sipping coffee with someone at a cafe near you, blathering on-and-on about Le Corbusier, while looking aloof and interesting at the same time somewhere over in the corner.

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

SEPT

2013

PLATFORM

VOL 11 ISSUE 05

CONNECTION THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN JOURNAL OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

CONNECTION PLATFORM September 2013 Volume 11 Issue 05

ON THE COVER: ins and outs Original Photograph by Rose Disarno

2013 ISSUES OF CONNECTION 11 01 11 02 11 03 11 04 11 05 11 06

EMERGENCE ADVANCE LOCUS PROCESS PLATFORM ORIGINS

CONNECTION EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Editor-In-Chief and Creative Director Assistant Editor, Graphics Assistant Editor, Content Assistant Editor, Articles Assistant Editor, News Researcher, News and Reviews

Wyatt Frantom, AIA Nathan Stolarz, AIA James Cornetet, AIA Jeff Pastva, AIA Beth Mosenthal, Associate AIA Marcus Monroe

2013 YAF ADVISORY COMMITTEE

THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS 1735 New York Ave, NW Washington, DC 20006-5292 P 800-AIA-3837 www.aia.org

CONTENT

04 EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NOTE

iOS: Manifesto of the ME Generation Wyatt Frantom, AIA

12 FEATURE

QUICK 06 and Resources Beth Mosenthal, Assoc AIA CONNECT News

Building Furniture. Building Community Ben Hartigan, AIA

14 FEATURE Gun-Free Zone James Cornetet, AIA

18 ARTICLE

Expect the Unexpected Payton Chung

22 ARTICLE

Mobile and Compact Architecture Yu-Ngok Lo, AIA

24 ARTICLE

The Architect and Legislative Advocacy Tracie Reed, Associate AIA

30 DESIGN

#aiachat

COD Spring Conference: Greenbaum House Deepika Padam

26 FEATURE #aiachat Joseph Benesh, AIA

36 DESIGN

Asteriskos Emerging Firm Profile

40 LEADERSHIP PROFILE A Platform of Promise

Illya Azaroff, AIA

LESS = MORE { +/- } CONNECTION is sponsored through the generous support of The AIA Trust. The AIA Trust is a free risk management resource for AIA members that offers valuable benefits to protect you, your firm, and your family. For more information on all AIA Trust programs, visit www.TheAIATrust.com

42 SERIAL FEATURE Coffee with an Architect Jody Brown, AIA

EDITOR’S NOTE PROVOCATIONS

iOS

MANIFESTO OF THE ME GENERATION Wyatt Frantom, AIA Wyatt is the 2012-2013 Communications Advisor of the YAF National Advisory Committee of the AIA, the YAF CONNECTION Editor-inChief, and an Architectural Designer and Associate with Gensler Los Angeles

“The ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.” - Steve Jobs Whatever happened to those apparently bygone times when architects, through the furrowed brow and clenched fist of a scrawled word, declared their beliefs through written manifesto? Whatever happened to the thoughtful ingenuity and impassioned persona of the master builder or the unifying cry and revolutionary protestations of a generation; the fervor, the zeal, and the utter belief in a profession that could markedly change the world in which we live, and for the better? Where are today’s Wrights and Gropius’, Corbu’s and Pevsners, the Fullers, El Lissitzkys, van Doesburgs and van der Rohes or the collective CIAMs and Situationists, the Bauhaus’ and De Stijls? The fact of the matter is - they are everywhere. … okay, perhaps with little parity to the former -- and, in fact, it would be near-sacrilege to suggest it. But in every academic institution, every firm, every design, every project, every architectural book, magazine and blog, we stand witness to an absolute deluge of thought-made-manifest. Our very profession, our greater culture, is overwrought with thought put into word if not design. So much so that the Azaroff’s, Cornetet’s, and Frantom’s of this issue could hardly begin to offer proclamation enough to incite an industry movement, stir the zealots into a generational zeitgeist, or advocate for an architectural anarchy. In an age in which we are so inundated by everything, we find it nearly impossible to discern the something. “Let’s go invent tomorrow instead of worrying about what happened yesterday.” - Steve Jobs The lack of contemporary manifestoes, however, doesn’t suggest that the profession is without purpose or that we architects are unwilling to make a stand. More so, the sheer magnitude of thought in our industry has simply diminished the value of the word itself. Manifesto now seems dated, too charged for our politically-correct times and too tainted by the wayward dogma of the corpses of architectural campaigns past. The manifesto, as we knew it, has seemingly folded its flags and retreated into obsolescence.

Yet … attitudes and temperaments, even in their most meager form, do amass to philosophic and social basis; perhaps not as a program of manifesto, but when placed purposefully on paper and taken together, individuals may still influence the shape of our profession. I would argue, in fact, that our profession is now moved more by the transformative accumulation of every designer’s actions than by the genius of a handful of heroic gestures or the rule of academic rhetoric. “Don’t be trapped by dogma ... living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice ... follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become” - Steve Jobs Our digital presence and online personas are the new needle movers in the propagation of thought. Making one’s mark on our industry is no longer about being shelved amongst the annals of architectural history -- its chasing omnipresence. Now more than ever, visibility, connectivity and amplification are critical in placing ourselves above the field in order to get noticed amid the deafening cacophony of the clinging cattle bells that is the crowd. Even, unfortunately, outweighing substance, the power of technology and multimedia marketing are the new soapboxes upon which we elevate ourselves. In this age of technology, the word platform then seems a much more fitting term than manifesto. A platform, after all, supports evolution rather than promoting revolution; allowing for change to canon, tenet, values and views as they are steadily engrained, synthesized, and turned into conviction. Rather than the unalterable statements of a manifest declaration, our personal platforms are ever-evolving, collaborative, open-sourced and self-motivating systems of operation. Through the careful curation of a million terabyte stars, we are able to build a personal platform as authentic as each of us are as individuals. “Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.” - Steve Jobs We often find ourselves overwhelmed by this inundation of information, however; so much so that my own greatest daily therapy is hitting the keyboard delete button as I peruse my Inbox; emptying my Recycle Bin has taken on the equivalence of a mental colonic. For a generation where ‘yes is more’ and the days of our lives are measured by architectural spam, it’s necessary to occasionally purge those aspects of ourselves and our industry that no longer have utility, to defragment our mental hard drives and reboot for a new perspective. And sometimes, it’s necessary to upgrade to an entirely new platform.■

BUFFERING

YAF CONNECTION 11.05

QUICK CONNECT

headlined

reviewed

ARCHITECTURE COMPENSATION REPORT SHOWS MINIMAL SALARY INCREASES

BOOK REVIEW: “Façadomy” by James Cornetet, AIA

by Beth Mosenthal Whether you are an intern or partner in an architecture firm, the AIA’s 2013 Compensation Survey reflects minimal salary increases across levels in architecture firms since 2011. While the gradual economic recovery has helped increase revenue in architecture firms almost 11% from 2011-2012 (according to U.S. Census Bureau figures), sustained impacts from the “Great Recession” have created minimal gains in compensation levels at firms. According to a summary of the Compensation Survey in AIArchitect, the “average total compensation for architecture positions - including base salary, overtime, bonuses, and incentive compensation - increased only slightly over 1% per year, barely more than the average increase in compensation between 2008 and 2011, when the construction sector was still in steep decline.” No need to quit the profession or pursue “Plan B”, just yet; while the architecture market and associated compensation rates can prove to be volatile, increases in salary from 2002-2013 with other so-called “white-collar” professions kept pace with compensation across the entire economy. Furthermore, pay scales for architecture firms seem to vary based on firm size. For example, Intern 1 compensation in architecture firms with 250+ people averaged 10% above the national average, while the same position in a firm of 10 or less people averaged 10% below the national average.

Façadomy offers a comprehensive critique of architecture and its relationship to capitalism. The result of this analysis is a theory that outlines why architectural movements rise and fall, the anatomy of these movements and how dynamic market forces will affect the future of architecture in the United States. The story begins with an analysis of the Revivalist movement of the late 19th century and ends with an examination of the current global economic decline and the effect it has already had on some of the architecture being produced today. Cornetet’s research reveals that a relatively undocumented architectural movement, known as Mid-Century Modernism, emerged as a response to many of the same problems being dealt with in the United States today, including uncontrolled population growth, limited resources and financial decline. Mid-Century Modern design was the architecture of capitalism and it has come to represent the Golden Age of Capitalism. Mid-Century Modernism embodied a philosophy that contained valuable lessons on process and design that have since been forgotten. These lessons are described in Cornetet’s comprehensive analysis of Mid-Century Modern architecture and supported by an extensive case study that examined nearly 200 structures in Orlando, Florida.

For further reading or to purchase the full Compensation report, CLICK HERE.

The book’s design, graphics and photography bring to life this uniquely American architecture movement as Cornetet engages in a colorful dialogue that seeks to explain why we build the way we do in the United States.

#tweeted

WHY ARCHITECT’S TRAVEL: Snapshot of a Recent Trip to Peru

AIA National | @AIANational Discover key trends that are impacting the architecture profession. Download your copy of the AIA Foresight Report, http://bit.ly/14vfNrb AIA Dallas YAF | @AIADallasYAF #dalyaf AIA Compensation Report: Get Your Answers http://ow.ly/2z9POl Young Architect | @YA_BLOG This Week’s cover: “The Best Architecture Quotes” Read the full story on http://youngarchitectblog. blogspot.com pic.twitter.com/9UGP52aZze Rem Koolhaas | @OMA_AMO The march of preservation necessitates the development of a theory of its opposite: not what to keep; but what to give up, erase and abandon.

What keeps you inspired? For me, it is the juxtaposition of the inherent beauty of simple daily routines, interrupted by momentous journeys to far off places and cultures. This year, that momentous journey for me was traveling to Peru to trek the Incan Trail, culminating in a visit to Machu Picchu. To share your architecture-related travel photos, send me a tweet: @archiadventures.

QUICK CONNECT

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Artmobile reported

Model Type: Distributed Site featured

ACTIVATING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT : Meet Elizabeth MacWillie, the next “bfFellow” for the non-profit, “buildingcommunity Workshop” in Dallas, Texas

This month, Nathan Stolarz, AIA tells us a little bit about his involvement as a young architect living and working in Boston.

by Marcus Monroe

ART MOBILE Image courtesy of Elizabeth MacWillie

eries of trucks renovated to be mobile museums - interior conditions resembled actual WHO: eum conditions as closely as possible. sited remote sites throughout the state of Virginia. splayedThis exhibitsFall, from the permanent collection. Elizabeth MacWillie will be entering her final semester avellingat curators accompanied exhibitsato dual give tours of the shows. Harvard to finish degree as a Master in Design Studies

(MDesS) with a concentration in Art and the Public Domain and a Master of Architecture in Urban Design (MAUD). She’ll be spending her summer as a “bcFellow” at buildingcommunityWORKSHOP (bcWORKSHOP) in Dallas, TX. bcWORKSHOP is a Dallas based nonprofit community design center seeking to improve the livability and viability of communities through the practice of thoughtful design and making. WHAT: With a passion for urban design, art, and community planning, one of MacWillie’s primary focuses will be on activating and strengthening the presence and outreach of Dallas’s Art District. MacWillie will find ways to develop long-term collaborations between bcWORKSHOP and local organizations such as art groups and other nonprofits. This work will be directly tied to her work on the “Activating Vacancy” project that explores how design and art can re-imagine forgotten or neglected spaces in the Tenth Street community. Elizabeth will be working with community members, local artists, and designers to develop projects ranging from installations to performances. WHAT’S NEXT: After finishing her final semester via the “Rotterdam Study Abroad Studio” and graduating in December, Elizabeth plans on pursuing her IDP credits while continuing to pursue work related to public design.

REFERENCE: Model Type: New Museum For more information on the “Activating Vacancy” project, Urbanism Festival Ideas City CLICK HERE

MUSEUM

He is currently a Senior Staff Architect with cbt Architects in Boston, MA, primarily focusing on building envelope design and architectural visualizations. Nathan is also the Graphics Assistant Editor for YAF Connection, as well as the state IDP coordinator for Massachusetts.

01. What organizations are you involved in as an emerging professional? In the past I have served as an Associate Director for AIANH, Director for the Young Architects Forum in New Hampshire and IDP State Coordinator for New Hampshire. Currently, I am involved with the Boston Society of Architects (BSA) Emerging Professionals Network (EPnet) with events such as speed mentoring, networking evenings, Leadership Lunches and planning a new Pictionary style event called “What the Sketch”. I also serve as the IDP State Coordinator for Massachusetts, working with Harvard, Northeastern and Wentworth on developing presentations to help broaden the understanding of the path to licensure. Lastly, I am the graphic designer for the AIA National Young Architect Forum (YAF) Connection and Co-designer of the annual AIA National Young Architects Award Book. 02. What are some of the important issues that Young Architects face in today’s industry? I believe that there are two main issues that Young Architects are currently battling with. First, is job security and the battlefield which we call “job hunting.” Its seems ever since the recession in late 2008, young architects have been frustrated with this issue. What’s scary is that this is becoming the new normal and we might not ever go back to the ways things were. I always suggest before looking for a job that you understand what your best qualities/skills are and have a complete understanding on how to sell yourself. Create a brand that will make a firm want to hire you. Confidence, flexibility and finding a career and not just a job are key factors that will help you find a position in today’s volatile market; also network, network, network! Secondly, mentorship and guidance to grow in the profession has been lacking and difficult to find. We need more seasoned Architects at all levels to step up and guide/mentor Emerging Architects. Programs such as the Leadership Lunches through the BSA is something every local AIA chapter should adopt. Its a six month program where a small group of four emerging, young or intern architects get together to meet with a different architecture firm each month to discuss any issues or topics they have related to architecture.

MUSEUM Image courtesy of Elizabeth MacWillie

• Bi-annual street festival, lecture and workshop series, and temporary built projects - takes place over the course of three days. • Occurs both in the museum and the neighborhood immediately surrounding it. • Theme changes each time (2013 theme was “untapped capital”), overall idea is to explore the future of cities.

YAF CONNECTION 11.05

Image by Nathan Stolarz, Fan Pier-Parcel C

QUICK CONNECT

made Even if I’m not entirely satisfied with a prototype or the first iteration of a sample, it’s almost always a completely usable product. There’s a sense of relief, even if that specific product was an idiosyncratic piece it will still have a unique and usable lifecycle because the principles and production methods are strong.

SHIFTING SCALES MAKING THE LEAP FROM URBAN AND RESIDENTIAL FABRIC TO DENIM by Beth R. Mosenthal After studying urban design and geography and working for Habitat for Humanity, Richard Cole talks about his recent transition to pursuing his true passion; launching a brand of hand-made jeans, “PaleoDenim”

BRM: What are the most rewarding aspects of making jeans? RC: I know I just complained about what a pain in the a*^ the industry can be, but exploring it is just so interesting. I get to see musty warehouses with old steel beasts of industry scattered everywhere, meeting crazed old timers with plenty of stories. I hate to call it a glimpse into a different era but the grittiness is really refreshing because it’s so different than the expectations set for our generation, ordained from birth to be “knowledge workers”. It’s a trip.

Richard Cole, “Workshop Through WIndow”

BRM: What is your background (academically and professionally) and how did that help you get to where you are now? RC: I studied documentary film and geography (emphasis on urbanism and urban design) in undergrad, and then worked in non-profit housing and carpentry after graduation. Urban studies taught me patient observation and systems thinking. Carpentry taught me patient craftsmanship. Non-profit housing taught me patient frustration and that I didn’t want to work in housing. BRM: How did you become interested in making jeans? RC: I was frustrated planned obsolesce and with my lack of hand skills. I had my mother teach me how to sew and I quickly moved to making jeans just to try and make the most durable product that sprung to mind. When I took apart a pair of Levi’s to make my first pair it became very obvious there was an entire production logic I wasn’t aware of and that ignited a lot of curiosity. I started researching and discovered the stunning level of craft and material design being achieved in Japan. I wanted to explore why there was such a difference and then I fell down the indigo rabbit hole.

On the design and construction side, the standards I have set for myself are more exacting and specific than my peers or the market expect. Even if I’m not entirely satisfied with a prototype or the first iteration of a sample it’s almost always a completely usable product. There’s a sense of relief, even if that specific product was an idiosyncratic piece it will still have a unique and usable lifecycle because the principles and production methods are strong. I like that. BRM: Do you see any parallels between your urban design education and the industrial design process? RC: There are many parallels between how you’re able to operate as a student and how I’m able to operate as a mostly one man show. I workshop my products with small circle of maker-designers before releasing them. I’m not burdened with any corporate or market structures beyond the fact that my work has to be accessible enough to sell so I can keep working. Towards that end the experimental work is only received enthusiastically by a much smaller proportion of my demographic. Thanks Richard!

BRM: What are the most challenging aspects of making jeans? RC: In terms of technical challenges the pattern is the most difficult aspect. Pattern engineers are the most skilled and highest paid labor in the design process for a good reason. It often feels like trying to learn pattern-making without formal training is a fools errand. I do have the luxury of taking as much time and making as many samples as I feel necessary before releasing a product. Sewing is fun, it’s easy to focus on because it’s romantic and it photographs well but the whole design production chain starts with the pattern. It has to be perfect for technical and aesthetic reasons. Other than that the logistics of getting equipment and mentorship from the American clothing manufacturing industry is a real challenge, especially operating in Austin which has no history in the industry. Many of the best machines used to make jeans have been sold over seas. The skilled workers, mechanics and technical designers are close to retirement age. The last two decades were terrible for most of them so rousing excitement for a new venture can be difficult.

Richard Cole, Rearpocket top copy image and Inside jeans detail, 2013

To contribute to PaleoDenim’s current kickstarter campaign, CLICK HERE to visit this site.

QUICK CONNECT

involved

connected AIA’s Young Architects Forum YAF's official website CLICK HERE

Celebrate Excellence! The American Institute of Architects has a long tradition of recognizing individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievements in support of the profession of architecture and the AIA. Learn more about AIA National awards programs, submission information, and deadlines. Deadlines for the 2014 awards programs will be posted as submission sites open. For open awards, CLICK HERE to visit this website.

Connect, Transform, Persuade! AIA WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT WHEN October 24-26, 2013 WHERE Phoenix, AZ The 2013 Women’s Leadership Summit is a 2-day national ocnversation among people in all different stages in their career.

YAF KnowledgeNet A knowledge resource for awards, announcements, podcasts, blogs, YAF Connection and other valuable YAF legacy content ... this resource has it all! CLICK HERE Architect’s Knowledge Resource The Architect's Knowledge Resource connects AIA members and others to the most current information on architecture, including research, best practices, product reviews, ratings, image banks, trends, and more. It's your place to find solutions, share your expertise, and connect with colleagues. CLICK HERE AIA Trust Access the AIA Trust as a free risk management resource for AIA members. www.TheAIATrust.com

Whether you’re a student, intern, practicing architect, emerging professional, or Fellow of the Institute, the Women’s Leadership Summit is an opportunity to engage and network with women architects and designers from across the country at this dynamic and inspirational event.

Call for ‘QUICK CONNECT’ News, Reviews, Events Do you have newsworthy content that you’d like to share with our readers? Contact the News Editor, Beth Mosenthal, on twitter @archiadventures

The Summit will focus on supporting women on their path toward and within leadership by providing a forum to recognize, inform, and champion the work being created by women in the design profession.

Call for ‘CONNECTION’ Articles, Projects, Photography Would you like to submit content for inclusion in an upcoming issue? Contact the Editor, Wyatt Frantom at wyatt.frantom@wf-ad.com

For more information, CLICK HERE to visit the website.

YAF CONNECTION 11.05

MAP

depicting locations of article contributors for this issue

This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leadership Profile Illya Azaroff

Portland, ME Boston, MA Brooklyn, NY Des Moine, IA

Denver, CO

San Francisco, CA

AIA National Washington D.C.

RaleighDurham, NC

Los Angeles, CA Phoenix, AZ

Orlando, FL

Port Au Prince, Haiti

PUT YOURSELF ON THE MAP

GET CONNECTED by contributing to our next issue!

FEATURE

PLATFORM OF OUTREACH

BUILDING FURNITURE BUILDING COMMUNITY Ben Hartigan, AIA joined MASS in 2011 as a Global Health Corps Fellow based in Kigali, Rwanda. During that year he was able to apply design as a relevant tool for addressing the problem of global health inequity through working on the Nyanza Hospital and Butaro Doctor’s Housing. He currently lives and works in Port-au-Prince, Haiti where his responsibilities include construction management, furniture fabrication, and design. Ben received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Illinois in 2008 and his Masters of Architecture from the University of Virginia in 2011.

There is nothing like the highlands of Rwanda after a heavy rain. The clouds hang lazy on the hilltops, obscuring the patchwork fields and meticulously cultivated terraces. I found myself looking out across the highlands one day while taking shelter in a wood shop. A carpenter there asked: “Why are you in Rwanda?” It was there, on a mountainside in rural Rwanda that I found the need to retrace my steps, to look back and answer the question what brought me here? It all began in the summer of 2011 with a one-year fellowship with the Global Health Corps, a multidisciplinary group of people committed to promoting global health equity. I was placed with the MASS design group in Rwanda, where I worked on a variety of projects, including furniture design and fabrication. Furniture for global health? How can furniture have an impact on the extreme inequity that exists in the world? I know, it sounds strange. During my placement with MASS, I learned firsthand the impact that buildings (design) can have on local communities. I witnessed a town grow around the newly constructed Butaro hospital; I saw jobs created, small businesses formed, and houses built. Through the design and fabrication of custom furniture we were able to create jobs, train new carpenters and transfer knowledge from one culture to another.

While in Butaro, a small town in northern Rwanda where I was working, I met a carpenter named Fidel. Every day on my walk to work I could hear him using his table saw, behind a massive pile of sawdust. There were other carpenters in Butaro, but I noticed Fidel because he took great pride in his work. When we had the opportunity to design furniture for the Butaor Doctors’ Housing project, I made a point to meet him and visit his shop. To my surprise, I found that Fidel was not from Butaro like other carpenters. He arrived years before with his family to fabricate doors and windows for Butaro’s hospital. Since the hospital had been completed for some time, I asked him why he decided to stay? He replied, “To work on your project.” I was surprised, given that most carpenters are paid as skilled laborers and can make more money working in large cities like Kigali. Because of his experience, dedication and eagerness to collaborate, we chose to work with Fidel and assembled a local team to begin constructing furniture.

Photos by Ben Hartigan

By focusing on local labor we were able to refine our design and fabrication processes to maximize the resources at hand. Because we used local labor and techniques we were able to have a positive economic impact on the community of Butaro. Fidel’s knowledge of building furniture in Butaro helped us overcome the challenges of building in a resource-limited rural setting. Material availability was a significant constraint. Only the simplest, most durable tools are used and electricity is scarce. Kiln-dried wood was only available if we constructed a kiln on site. But of all the limitations, the greatest was overcoming the language barrier. I did not know Kinyarwanda, the regional language, and I struggled to communicate my team’s design ideas to Fidel. After producing some designs and putting together shop drawings, I met with Fidel to discuss the first mock-up. I quickly discovered that my typical plan, section and elevation architectural drawings had betrayed me. I needed a better kind of drawing, and developed a hybrid form of drawing that combined drawing in the dirt with hand drawn sketches. Finally, I was able to communicate with Fidel. Learning how to overcome our communication barrier is a small example of the many lessons I learned from working with the local craftsmen. Another project we worked on, the cast-in place concrete sinks we constructed is an example shows how we overcame local material constraints, labor opportunity and on-site customization. Culturally, strength and durability are important aesthetic values to the Rwandans. Towards the end of my fellowship year in Rwanda, I began to understand the impact that this modest project had on the community. The entire construction team stood in a circle, and gave speeches of encouragement of a job well done. One of the craftsmen stopped me and said, “I never thought of using concrete like this and I’ll be sure to do the same for my own house.” The beauty of the exchange was that it became clear to me that the community had learned as much from me, as I had from them. By implementing a new design process that made use of local customs and construction techniques, we were able to create work that not only looked beautiful, but improved the lives of the people we helped. Our team was able to create beautiful vernacular solutions that helped to create jobs and lift those we worked with out of poverty. Working in Butaro showed me that a humble, location-specific design process has the potential to instigate change not only in developing countries but anywhere we work and that the finished product is as beautiful as the process that created it. ■

YAF CONNECTION 11.05

Photos by Ben Hartigan

FEATURE

PLATFORM OF POLICY

GUN-FREE ZONE

A GUIDE TO DECREASING MURDER COUNTS IN MASS SHOOTINGS James Cornetet, AIA is a Partner and Co-Founder of Process Architecture in Orlando, Florida. You can read more of Cornetet’s critiques on society, culture, capitalism and its relationship to architecture in his recent book: Façadomy: A Critique on Capitalism and Its Assault on Mid-Century Modern Architecture, now on sale at Amazon.

I hope that you find the title of this article appalling, shocking and offensive, because it should be. It seems that our society has “evolved” to a point that mass-violence pervades media outlets across the country. This article is not about the great gun debate, it is not about assigning blame. It is my personal opinion that the focus on these two issues by the media, politicians and society after each tragic event is the reason that little has changed since the mass-murder that occurred at Columbine High School in 1999. Over the course of the last year, I have interviewed several of my professional peers that specialize in the design of public elementary and high schools. I repeatedly asked “What has changed in school design since Columbine?” I continually heard the following responses: “Metal detectors, cameras, controlled access points….” but discovered that the way we fundamentally design an elementary school or high school has not changed. Recently I toured a new elementary school in Central Florida, and other than the technology in the classrooms, the partí for the school was similar to the schools that I attended as a child over twenty years ago. As I walked down the endless corridors of this elementary school, a feeling of nostalgia quickly turned to one of fear. The echo from the hard surfaces, the low light levels and the endless corridor reminded me of another building type, but I could not quite place the origin of the feeling. Then it hit me, like a punch in the stomach, I was walking down the lane of an indoor gun range. It became clear to me at that moment that best practices for school design, like providing a clear line-of-sight and controlled access points so that teachers can police student behavior, were also the same features that have created optimum killing conditions during mass-shootings. Classrooms all exit onto a common corridor, which means that an armed murderer has clear line-of-sight, enabling the killer to shoot anyone who enters the hall and trapping defenseless students in their classrooms.

Gun-Free Zones It has been argued by many that Gun-Free Zones are unsafe, and simply do not work. In fact, nearly all mass-shootings occur in GunFree Zones. The reason for this has been attributed to the fact that criminal deviants know that there is less of a chance of encountering a legally-armed, law-abiding citizen. As we have learned more about the Colorado movie theater shooting, it is now known that the murderer drove to a theater that was 20 minutes away from his apartment, avoiding 9 other movie theaters that were all closer. John Lott author of “More Guns, Less Crime” notes that “There was also a theater just slightly further away, 10 minutes. It is the “home of Colorado’s largest auditorium,” according to their movie hotline greeting message. The potentially huge audience ought to have been attractive to someone trying to kill as many people as possible.” Lott goes on to note that this theater and others were not gun-safe zones and allowed their patrons to carry concealed weapons in its theater. Now I know what you are thinking, great this guy(me) is going to tell me that everyone should own and holster a firearm. As promised, this debate is outside of the scope of this editorial. The question that I would like to propose is how can a public or private property owner, announce to the world “come here it’s safe, nobody has guns!” and not take any preventative measures to ensure the safety of the people using the space other than a placard? Armed security guards and metal detectors may help, but is it possible to reduce the number of casualties and victims in mass-shootings through good design?

A sign similar to this one was displayed at the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. Although Colorado is a concealed carry state, none of the patrons of the movie theater were armed, because the theater was a Gun-Free Zone.

Building Codes Today it seems that every aspect of the built environment is the result of a number of regulatory agencies. Building codes even mandate the design of staircases in single-family residences, much to the chagrin of residential architects everywhere. If you want to build in the state of Florida, then you better be familiar with the over 3,000 pages of building codes, zoning ordinances and legislation that governs the design of the built environment. This does not even include the codes and ordinances that are specific to local municipalities, nor the extra 500 or so pages from the EPCOT Building and Fire Prevention Codes that regulate development in the Reedy Creek Improvement District. I don’t even want to talk about the variations of the 2010 ADA Standards in Florida: the 2012 Florida Accessibility Code that EPCOT Accessibility Code.

I was

tempted to quit architecture altogether, when I was informed by my local HOA that the proposed paint scheme for my house was in violation of the HOA’s design standards which forbids a garage door from being painted a different color from the house! REALLY?! Do you know how many pages in the building code, state or local discuss the topic of Gun-Free Zones? Zero. It pains me to admit that if we are going to allow schools, businesses and other establishments to be declared a Gun-Free Zone, then this too, like everything else, must be regulated. (top) Typical gun-range styled school design. This partí presents the worst case scenario and promotes high murder counts in mass shootings. (middle) Shifting the floor plan once, drastically reduces the clear line-of-sight of the murderer and helps to limit the total number of students that are vulnerable to becoming victims. (bottom) If more aggressive tactics are employed by school designers the clear line-of-sight of the murderer can be limited to a point that only a few students are vulnerable to the attack, students are able to seek cover by reaching a bend in the corridor which shields them from the murderer’s barrage of bullets. Illustrations by Ryan Begley

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FEATURE

What if existing schools were retrofitted with panic room doors, inflatable slides or a second means of egress? Perhaps every student would be safe, and the murderer would then be the one trapped. Illustration by Ryan Begley

What is a Gun-Free Zone? The concept known today as a Gun-Free Zone first emerged in the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990. The law is brief, and well-written in the sense that the basic concept is easy to grasp, no guns in a school zone, or within a 1,000 feet of a school zone. Some states also contain “Opt-Out” statutes which allow private business to declare themselves a Gun-Free Zone. The problem with this law, however, is that it allows zones to be created where our fundamental rights to bear arms are revoked and no additional protection is granted. Herein lies the problem. GunFree Zones have become a haven for the deranged and mentally ill to carry out their twisted plots.

A Gun-Free Zone must do more than disarm law-abiding gun owners. There are standards that our food must meet before it can be labeled as Organic or our buildings as sustainable, but how is it that we can design buildings that support hundreds if not thousands of people every day and their safety is solely reliant on the power of a sign? Would you place a sign in your front yard that read “we do not own or store guns in our home, and they are not permitted on our property, violation of this decree will result in criminal prosecution,” as the sole means of protecting your family? I find this strategy not only ineffective, but irresponsible.

What if existing school corridors were retrofitted with smoke screens installed at every classroom door and teachers could activate them as the escape, so that the murderer’s line-of-sight is diminished? Illustration by Ryan Begley

The Role of Architecture The good news is that there are several ways that theaters, schools and our workplaces could be made safer, and you may be surprised when I tell you that none of these solutions involve guns. I believe that a Gun-Free Zone should be a title that you earn as a result of implementing innovative design strategies that will deter violent criminal activity and protect the patrons, employees and school children that use buildings that are declared Gun-Free Zones. As architects, I believe we often focus too much on place making, aesthetics and the superficial elements of design. The reality is that architects have a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. This duty applies to creating spaces that implement design strategies that would reduce the murder counts of mass-shootings. The goal of this article is not to provide all of the answers, but to start the conversation about developing a set of standards that must be met before a building can be declared a Gun-Free Zone. If you want to declare your place of business or school a Gun-Free Zone, then you have to limit clear line-of-sight. I do not know what metrics we should use to define this limit, but I do know that supersized movie theaters, shopping centers and 300’ long corridors provide mass-murderers with the optimum conditions needed to reach their sadistic goal of killing as many people as possible. Controlled access is one of the most important procedures practiced by schools all across the United States, but unfortunately egress paths all exit into the gun-range-styled corridors that organize classrooms and movie theaters. In Florida, kindergarten classrooms must have two egress exits, this standard of care should be expanded to all classrooms and assembly spaces that are labeled as Gun-Free Zones. Where existing conditions do not permit multiple egress paths due to designs that make use of multiple stories, fire escapes should be retrofitted onto buildings. As stated, controlled access is extremely important and these secondary exits should be secure and only permit one-way travel. Additionally the doorways that connect classrooms to common corridors should be designed at the bare minimum to allow teachers and students to barricade their selves in the classroom as they safely wait for the police.

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Airplane seats may be used as a flotation device, why not design theater and classroom seats that can be used as shields for bullets? Furniture designers have managed to combine multiple uses and functions into a single piece of furniture, perhaps now their creative efforts will focus on the intelligent design of classroom furniture that can transform into a barricade to the classroom. What if each classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary had a bulletproof door that protected students until the police arrived, trapping the murderer in the corridor? What if each classroom was provided a second means of egress leading directly outside? What if the windows to classrooms of multi-story facilities had inflatable slides that allowed students to safely slide to safety? What if? Unfortunately it has been 14 years since the Columbine massacre, and very little has changed. In fact, the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School has shown that a condition can always worsen. If you examine the laws being drafted in Congress today, none would have prevented the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary, and they will unfortunately have little effect in the future. To paraphrase Jacque Fresco, laws are needed to supplement bad design. If there is any truth to this statement, then good design has the potential to save many, many lives. I challenge my peers to take action, and strive to design a better, safer school. Our children are depending on you. ■

Footnote The past 10 years have been the best in the country’s aviation history with 153 fatalities. That’s two deaths for every 100 million passengers on commercial flights, according to an Associated Press analysis of government accident data. A USA TODAY analysis of FBI records has identified 186 mass killings since 2006. That includes 146 mass shootings, which are defined by the FBI as incidents where four or more people are killed, resulting in 934 unnecessary deaths. These statistics show that we can safely fly, now lets try and figure out a way that our children can safely go to school.

ARTICLE

PLATFORM OF RESEARCH

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

A FIELD GUIDE TO RE-POSITIONING SPACE Payton Chung is Public Policy Consultant at the American Institute of Architects in Washington, D.C. Tatyana Brown, Public Policy Manager, and Inderpal Lamba, Government Relations Intern, contributed.

20 years since shopping mall construction has slowed to a halt, hundreds of once-popular malls are now largely vacant. CoStar Group, a real estate analytics firm, found that over 200 large shopping centers in the United States are more than 35-percent vacant. In many cases, these monolithic buildings are plagued by high vacancy rates and are likely to be closed and demolished. Vacant malls contain large quantities of conditioned and strategically located space. The communities around these malls are anxiously looking for new proposals to transform these highly public and massive blights into thriving urban and suburban centers. “These properties are [generally] on excellent real estate, and reworking assets that have outlived their format or usefulness to better serve modern needs is a better solution than tearing them down,” says Kristin Mueller with real estate brokerage Jones Lang LaSalle. Urban Land Institute CEO Patrick Phillips adds that local governments’ “regulatory and financing structures are evolving [to] allow more of these properties to be repurposed in a productive way.” The following case studies showcase multiple solutions to the problem of the abandoned shopping mall, revealing that there is life after death for the abandoned shopping malls littered across the American landscape.

Now: Vanderbilt Medical Center at One Hundred Oaks Was: 100 Oaks Mall Location: Berry Hill, Nashville, Tennessee Architect: Gresham Smith and Partners When 100 Oaks Mall opened in 1967 it was the first enclosed mall in Nashville, Tennessee. Even as tenants vacated the mall, big-box retailers thrived, complicating future plans. Rather than demolish the mall, a new hybrid researchshopping center emerged. When the Vanderbilt University Medical Center needed to expand their facilities, they found the opportunity to renovate the mall into 440,000 square feet of outpatient clinics and keeping the existing retail in operation, an attractive solution. Not only did this move outpatient services to a more convenient location, it also freed up on-campus Medical Center space for much needed research programs. The LEED-CI certified redevelopment required updated data, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, as well as additional windows and skylights for daylighting. The Gresham Smith and Partners’ design turned a 1970s neon-lit metal shed into “a dignified institutional space, a space that would inspire confidence” in patients, according to project designer Jeff Kuhnhenn, AIA. “These sites are typically viewed as blighted, but they are in fact great untapped resources. They were developed to have excellent vehicular access, but usually never came close to realizing the floor area potential to match the access potential … because they are so underdeveloped they are seen as barriers or great asphalt deserts. Properly redeveloped and renovated, they could really become agents for creating connectivity and foster much more enjoyable and sustainable communities.” Over 50 such “medical malls” exist around the country, according to Don Hunter, a real estate consultant in Annapolis, Maryland. The idea was originally pioneered by Jackson Medical Mall in inner-city Jackson, Mississippi.

New exterior entrance. Photo: Bob Schatz

We don’t design for the life-cycle of buildings like we used to 50 or 60 years ago.

Robert Yuricic, RA, of Greenbergfarrow

Now: “The Castle,” Rackspace headquarters Was: Windsor Park Mall Location: Windcrest, Texas Architect: TBG (site planning), Studio 8 (Phase 3)

(left) View of old exterior Montgomery Ward entrance. Photo: J.E. (Blogger) (middle) Interior view of abandoned mall: Scooter Simpson (Flickr) (right) A two story slide makes going down a floor more fun. Photo: Mark Nottingham (Flickr)

Windsor Park Mall was a shopping mall located in the northeast side of San Antonio. It was abandoned just 20 years after it was built and remained a blight to the suburb of Windcrest for another 10 years until Rackspace, a web hosting firm that generated $1.3-billion in revenue in 2012, decided to expand its operations by renovating the abandoned Windsor Park Mall. Rackspace purchased the mall (1.2 million square feet) for $27-million! The company began a phased transformation of the entire complex, gradually filling the mall with zany touches emblematic of tech offices. A slide in the center court, refurbished neon signs, amusement park rides and food truck caravans in the parking lot all added to the new ambiance created by Rackspace. The success of Rackspace’s adaptive reuse of the once abandoned Windsor Park Mall is just the first step of CEO Graham Weston’s vision, which also includes the construction of a live-work development in downtown San Antonio. Weston says that the development funded by his company “… is about helping San Antonio become a city over the next decade that’s more attractive to young and single people looking to live in a city for the experiences it can give them, for the people they can meet, the things they can do.” Redesigned exterior entrance into Rackspace HQ. Photo: Scott Beale (Flickr)

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PLATFORM OF RESEARCH

Now: 5M Was: San Francisco Chronicle Building Location: SoMa, San Francisco, California Architect: Gensler When the San Francisco Chronicle was forced to reduce its size and staff because of the loss of advertising revenue due to the rise of internet media outlets, its 1920s character became an attractive anchor for the 5M Project which redefines large-scale development. In San Francisco, developers and entrepreneurs “are trying to invent a new kind of work environment that is going to work for the economy of the future,” says Gabriel Metcalf, executive director of SPUR, a local urban advocacy group. What began as few subleases to early stage startups has grown to a project that is home to over 1,000 companies whose focus ranges from technology, manufacturing and the arts. The project has evolved into what the Chronicle calls “a radical cross-sector collaboration with entrepreneurs and innovators working to create social change.” Recently, plans have been unveiled that take the community skyward by adding 8 new buildings and 1.85-million square feet of office, residential, retail, cultural and public space. When completed, the development will meet 5M’s goal of “help[ing] individuals and enterprises reach their goals faster, surrounded by a community that makes everyone smarter and more effective.” By building from (and including) an existing community, they hope to avoid the antagonistic process that often accompanies development in major cities.

(top) Chronicle Building on seen on corner of 5th Street. Photo: Niall Kennedy (Flickr) (left) Interior co-work office space for Hub SoMa. Photo: Hub Bay Area Group (Flickr) (right) Conceptual diagram of interior space layout and design. Photo: The 5M Project

Now: Henry Ford Academy: Power House High Was: Sears, Roebuck & Co. Power House Location: Lawndale, Chicago, Illinois Architect: Farr Associates Changes to the nation’s air quality standards have led to the closing of one-quarter of the coal power plants in the United States. These buildings, with their vast infrastructure and steam turbine-filled halls, are not representative of typical industrial warehouse space found throughout Chicago’s urban core. The 5-million square foot Sears catalog warehouse on Chicago’s west side had its own onsite power plant. Its impressive scale of which made it a natural focal point. When the surrounding property was re-developed as mixed-income housing, many questioned what would become of the Sears, Roebuck & Company Power House. Ben Shaw, a major benefactor, recalls “it was beyond a lot of people’s imagination how you could make this into a practical space.” The resulting LEED Platinum space fulfills the Henry Ford Learning Institute’s vision of removing “boundaries between school and the real world” by placing “teaching tools everywhere,” notes Jonathan Boyer, AIA. Equipment left in place, like coal conveyor belts and hoppers, along with new systems like geothermal wells and a green roof system serve as learning opportunities for the students of the community center and charter school that now call the building home. ■

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(top) Turbine hall before renovation. Farr Associates. (middle) Turbine hall after, with Jonathan Boyer, AIA. Farr Associates. (bottom) Learning studios open up with foldaway panels. Farr Associates.

ARTICLE

PLATFORM OF SPECULATION

MOBILE AND COMPACT ARCHITECTURE Yu-Ngok Lo, AIA Lo is a project architect at Clive Wilkinson Architect, serves on the AIA LB/SB Board of Directors and the AIACC COTE committee. His personal works has been recognized and published by the AIA Inland Chapter, Archdaily and AIArchitect

The single family house, complete with expansive yards and the lifestyle that came with it, was for many decades deeply rooted in the psyches of Americans as the “American Dream”. With the recent economic recession, many people’s perception of home ownership has changed; especially that of younger generations. With about 5-percent of Americans who hold at least a bachelor degree unemployed, graduates are finding themselves willing to take whatever opportunities are available, even if that means relocating to other cities or states. Given that career futures are less predictable, the traditional 30-year mortgage is a less popular notion as well.

In 1956, the Federal Aid Highway Act encouraged the

According to a 2010 study of the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, the number of renters has risen nearly 10-percent between 2004 and 2009, making for a more transient way of life. To further reinforce the increasingly transient lifestyle, the Annual Geographical Mobility Rates published by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2010 states that more than 34-million people have moved each year within the United States for the past 10 years. That is to say, more than 11-percent of the American population have moved every year for the past decade. Furthermore, between 2007 and 2009 when the recession was in full force, this number increased by nearly 6-percent from the previous year. While the motivation for moving is driven by many factors, the modern “nomad” is as much an outcome of the overall economic climate as a reaction to local job opportunities.

has reached an apparent maximum capacity with travel

concept of “bedroom communities” and made living in outlying suburban neighborhoods possible through increased commuting via the automobile. A comprehensive network of roads and freeways cut down travel time between the city job and the suburban home. The popularity of automobiles skyrocketed to what is now a necessary means of transportation in most American cities. However, the freeway system in the Los Angeles metropolitan area efficiencies reduced by 20-to-50-percent during rush hours. This reduction adds an estimated 70-million vehiclehours wasted in 2001 alone. In California-at-large, nearly 5-percent of commuters suffer an extreme 90-minute commute every day. Not only do automobiles create major traffic jams during peak hours and delay travel time dramatically, they’ve also created major environmental problems for our cities. In 2004, U.S. cars and light trucks emitted 314-million metric tons of carbon-equivalent. In fact, the amount of CO2 emitted for transportation in the U.S. is similar to that of coal burned to generate electricity domestically. The development of the Recreational Vehicle (RV) and Trailer Home is an interesting response to the demand of mobile housing. Thousands of “Parks” were built all over the country for the parking and housing of these units. Some of them were built solely for short term parking while many were designed with utility connections for longer term housing. Recreational Vehicles are designed for mobilized recreational use; essentially putting wheels on a house to support short stays on the road. These vehicles are usually big and often equipped with diesel generators for power. These may be great for mobility and accommodating all of the modern conveniences while away from home, but they

Regional subway and light rail system

Country wide conventional transportation system

aren’t exactly environmentally friendly.

Trailer homes or mobile homes, in comparison, are designed for longer term use, but can still be relocated using oversized trucks. The trailer parks that accommodate these homes are built not only for the purpose of staging the home, but also provide utility connections and other community amenities. Located away from city centers where land value is generally low, these “bedroom communities” have the advantage that they can be readily moved in response to sudden economic shifts (whether personal or local).

A good example is the Micro Compact Home by Architects Horden Cherry Lee and Haack + Hopfner, which showcases a very clever, compact spatial use, but also an innovative means of mobility. The standardized Micro Compact Home measures 9’ x 9’ x 9’ and can be relocated via a variety of transportation means - from helicopters to ships to trucks. It is a new concept that offers an energy efficient lifestyle and has the ability to relocate to more densely developed areas; potentially even stacked into vertical applications.

From wheeled prefabricated structures to recycled shipping container homes, more and more attention in recent years has been paid to the field of “Mobile Architecture”. The popularity of this “building type” may have less to do with its mobility, however, than the price tag of these units; offering an economy to the modern home that can’t be matched by those built “ground up”, and literally tied to the land and its mortgage.

The implementation of mobile and compact architecture continues to increase in Europe and other densely congested cities around the world. Despite the ever-present American desire for a more traditional and spacious lifestyle, the development and promotion of mobility and compact architecture will only continue to be fostered in the U.S. ■

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PLATFORM OF ADVOCACY

THE ARCHITECT AND LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY Tracie Reed, Assoc. AIA Reed is an Intern Architect at PDT Architects in Portland, ME. She co-Chairs the USGBC Maine Chapters’ Green Schools Committee. She also serves as a member of the Obama for Maine Finance Committee and served as Presidential Elector representing Maine in 2008.

WHAT IS AN ARCHITECT?

IF POLITICIANS WISH TO BE ARCHITECTS, DO

AND WHAT DO WE DO, ANYWAY?

ARCHITECTS WISH TO BE POLITICIANS?

In the simplest terms, we are licensed professionals who design buildings for clients. However, architects have the ability to anticipate and visualize the future, to see the social, environmental, and economic impacts of change and are especially suited to engage in political action.

As a political junkie, I am often asked if I intend to run for office. I do not harbor ambitions for political office. However, I do want to be involved in shaping legislation that affects the work that I do and improves my community. After all, I am (or aim to be) an expert in my field. Most politicians aren’t experts in design or the built environment. They rely on experts like us to identify problems that hamper economic progress or create

Architects are experts in planning, negotiating, and in bringing people together to craft a building program. We also excel at defining problems and generating unique solutions. This skill set of building consensus, advocating for a concept, and drafting solutions to complex problems makes us well suited for legislative advocacy. The realization that these skills make an effective architect is what drew me to the profession.

unnecessary bureaucratic road blocks. Complaining about an issue doesn’t cut it, though. We must craft solutions to turn these challenges into opportunities. And that is where legislative advocacy becomes important within our profession. HOW DO WE START? We start by identifying something that can be improved upon; something we all agree on and are passionate about.

No one will get exactly what they want in

In politics, it is often difficult to see the fruits of your labor.

the process, but progress should be made from the

Even when an effective bill passes, it often takes many

perspective of all involved. That is how change works.

years to be implemented. As architects, the buildings we conceptualize go from idea to paper, from raw materials to enclosed space, and from nothing to occupied by our clients. The physicality resulting from the services we provide is gratifying and undeniably real. It is no surprise that many a politician, including our President and Vice

As architects, we know that a final building doesn’t embody all the components or ideas that were originally envisioned, but it works and the occupants are proud of the result. Step-by-step, inch-by-inch, progress is made. After a challenge is identified, a coalition must be developed in support of the initiative. This must come from within the profession, among allied groups, and

President, has stated that their dream job is to be an

among lawmakers key to the initiative’s passing. Develop

architect.

a relationship with them before you need their support, because It’s too late to call your representative in a crisis. In certain instances you may be introducing legislation; in others, you may be urging them to support or vote against a bill that you haven’t introduced.

Most politicians aren’t experts in design or the built environment. They rely on experts like us to identify problems that hamper economic progress or create unnecessary bureaucratic road blocks.

HOW DOES ONE DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR LAWMAKER? Just as we would with a client. Call them, take them to lunch, schedule a meeting and always follow-up. In the process, find out what they are passionate about and how “what you do” is connected to their interests. Help find them answers to their questions and always be honest. The same goes for developing relationships with allied organizations. I am a member of my state’s AIA Chapter, but I am also a member of the USGBC and several other allied groups. We’re working to form a coalition for the built environment with representatives from these groups

What is even simpler than preparing testimony before a committee is this fact: if we aren’t in the room we won’t get a say on key issues that impact our work. This is why legislative advocacy not only makes sense as citizens, but as experts representing the built environment. As emerging professionals, we represent the future of our profession. The initiatives before us in state houses across the country, as well as in Congress, will have lasting impacts on our careers. That is why advocacy is critical within the profession and to our careers.

because we recognize that we care about many of the same issues. If we work together, we are able to tap into a larger member base and access more fiscal resources. One of the synergies is that the group has contracted

Engagement is critical because if we’re not at the table, our opinions will not be heard. ■

with a lobbying firm to track legislation that may affect our shared interests. As a coalition, we will determine if a piece of legislation is worth monitoring, or testifying for or against on a caseby-case basis. We will coordinate testimony among our members and, when needed, call upon our membership to contact their legislators to speak in favor or against bills. The majority of our work is staying up-to-date on what is going on in the state house and staying organized in case an issue we care deeply about is at stake. The idea of testifying before a legislative committee sounds terrifying, but it is simple. We present short remarks to a small group of people on how an issue would affect a group of people and why that group cares about the issue. Facts and figures are helpful to use. It’s painless and easy.

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#aiachat #archcareers2 #yafcaradv2

1,108 Twitter Followers Repositioning and Career Advancement 60 Minutes 17 July, 2:00pm Eastern Time

# aiachat

@AIAYAF [Moderator] I’m Joe Benesh, the AIA YAF Public Relations Director. Today’s chat is the second in a series of 7 on Career Advancement. #yafcaradv2 @AIAYAF [Moderator] At the end of 2013, we will produce an electronic document with some of the highlights of these chats for distribution. #yafcaradv2 @AIAYAF [Moderator] This deliverable will serve as a supporting document for the YAF 20 strategic planning session conducted in 2012. #yafcaradv2 @AIAYAF [Moderator] Q1 - Please identify the top three priorities for you, as a member of AIA and a member of the profession. #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni A1 - Increased Social Relevance, Knowledge & Resource Sharing, & Architects’ Leadership in Communities. #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@JRSorrenti A1 - Repositioning will not be effective unless NAAB gets involved. It is important to start the process early in our career. #yafcaradv2

@alison_j_d < young architect @payettepeople A1 - connections among generations/mentoring, supporting diversity, & agree w/@LFrabbroni #2 #yafcaradv2

@Architect1122 A1 - Increase Societal Awareness, Demonstration of the value of an Architect beyond the traditional design role, more Architects #yafcaradv2

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q2 - What “quick win” action or demonstrable change should the AIA take to signal real change to members? #yafcaradv2

@CIArchCouncil A2 - Greater direct impact on end users. Break “ivory tower” image. #yafcaradv2

@_rockhill @AIAYAF A2 - Encourage employee engagement through social media to bring a better connection between firm and employee. #yafcaradv2

@PivoArch #yafcaradv2 A2 - Taking back responsibility from the contractors and assuming more risk would be a great priority.

@alison_j_d @AIAYAF A2 - programs for YAs & EPs that connect them w/many professionals of all types directly & through social media #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni A2 - Harness technology to create more dynamic and user-friendly portals for dialogue and information sharing. #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@PivoArch @AIAYAF A2 - Technology can help, quality design/documentation. Architects need to earn respect back on the job site. #yafcaradv2

LOOK FOR FUTURE TWITTER CHATS @AIAYAF

@Architect1122 A2 - Actively provide direct information on value of AIA Architects to decision makers -ex. govt officials, business leaders #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf @arch_girl A2 - AIA members outside of the large cities lack ability to network with others beyond the annual meeting. This needs to change. #yafcaradv2

@alison_j_ @AIAYAF A2 - been lucky to do this in person through leadership lunches @BSAAIA but twitter is useful to find new people to admire #yafcaradv2

@arch_girl @AIACenterforEPs @AIAYAF CEUs are motivation, what else motivates? Happy hour? Lunch meet & greet? Site visits? Mentor programs? #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni @AIAYAF @arch_girl Key is to utilize comprehensively and adapt. Tech is not slowing down. We’ll be using something new soon. #yafcaradv2

@AIAYAF [Moderator] 22 minutes in...let’s amp it up! Q3 - How will repositioning affect your career as an architect? #yafcaradv2

@_rockhill @AIAYAF A3 - Better stakeholder input will determine needs and required specializations driving business process needs planning. #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni A3 - Broaden umbrella of Archs involved in AIA - present new opps for collaboration and share most innovative practices #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@Architect1122 A3 - Demonstrates our active efforts to solve current problems to ourselves and the public, very timely I might say. #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q4 - Do you feel that Career Advancement is a key component of the Repositioning? #yafcaradv2

@alison_j_d @AIAYAF A4 - Yes! Help in navigating career advancement one of the reasons I’m even interested in participating in #aia #yafcaradv2

@_rockhill A4 - New tech is creating new business and a firm is more than a collection of just architects ... hybrid jobs are needed. ##yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni A4 - As long as career advancement focuses not just on individuals but on collective leadership in the profession and society. #yafcaradv2

@Architect1122 A4 - Yes, there are too many ways to “play Architect”, more real ones make good company #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

YAF CONNECTION 11.05

#aiachat #archcareers2 #yafcaradv2

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Which leads me to Q5 - Will the AIA engage emerging professionals more as a result of the repositioning? #yafcaradv2 @alison_j_d @AIAYAF A5 - I’m still trying to figure out what “repositioning” means, if that isn’t clear then how can EPs become more engaged? #yafcaradv2 @rkitekt A5 - I should hope so! The institute must reposition for many groups, but the EP without a doubt, is the key to the future. #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni A5 - Key is the local chapter. How does repositioning reinforce cultivation of tomorrow’s leaders, support small chapters #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@arch_girl A5 - As an emerging professional (1 ARE left!) I feel a greater need to connect in person or online. As a job seeker, it’s crucial #yafcaradv2

@alison_j_d Alison Duncan @AIAYAF A5 good point @LFabbroni connections & leadership @ local level are key greater relevance to everyone including EPs/YAs #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni @alison_j_d @AIAYAF Maybe discussion of perpetual repositioning needs to be included. World is changing faster by the day #yafcaradv2

@melissamorancy A5 - We can’t decide if AIA will engage more with EPs, but we as EPs can decide to engage more with @AIANational. #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni @AIAYAF Point being how do we plan for obsolescence of today’s solutions. If we recognize it will happen we become more nimble #yafcaradv2

@GregorySpon A5 - We can’t decide if AIA will engage more with EPs, but EP’s must start MENTORING UP and engaging leadership @AIANational. #yafcaradv2

@Architect1122 A5 - AIA will be emerging professionals, now or later. Is there something to wait for? #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@erinmurphyaia - I argue this point every day. MT @Architect1122 AIA will be emerging professionals, now or later. #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q6 - Is there anything missing from the list of ten areas for reassessment? Anything that must be added to this list? #yafcaradv2 @AIAYAF [Moderator] Q7 - What surprises or worries you the most about the recommendations and why? #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni A7 - Key is in the actions. We’ve been talking about all of these issues for the decade+ I’ve been involved w/AIA #hurry up #yafcaradv2

@Architect1122 A7 - Conversation about boards size / structure feels left out of the follow up interactions...#yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q8 - What is the best advice you can offer the AIA on how to improve Career Advancement Strategies for EPs? #yafcaradv2

@_rockhill #yafcaradv2 A8 - Honestly? Offer better engagement practices with employers and give ample opportunities to demonstrate skills.

@alison_j_d A8 - @BSAAIA has great program-brings a small group of EPs to a new firm each month to discuss career advancement w/firm leaders #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni A8 - cultural shift valuing competency over tenure. Less about paying dues, more about ability to pay forward #yafcaradv2

@arch_girl I’m told the roadblock to networking in La Crosse, WI was competition: don’t want other firms to take our projects away #yafcaradv2

@arch_girl In Madison, WI there are some who show up to network & those people create an environment that inc. these opportunities & #’s #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni @arch_girl Right, how do we increase knowledge sharing: successes AND failures, to lift the entire profession -more work for all #yafcaradv2

@_rockhill A8 - Content marketing of members’ skills. A social-media-based showcase costs literally nothing compared to print. #yafcaradv2

@Architect1122 A8 - An Architects mold may be shaped the same, its contents will be made of a more dynamic material. Material research time! #yafcaradv2

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Please feel free to keep the conversation going...our next chat is August 21 at 2pm Eastern. Details to follow. #yafcaradv2

YAF CONNECTION 11.05

DESIGN Deepika Padam AIA, LEED AP is a Principal at BLEND architecture in San Francisco CA, an award winning and versatile leader with a collaborative approach, global perspective, and cultural sensitivity. She has been been the editor-inchief/communications advisor for the national AIA Young Architects Forum in 2011â&#x20AC;&#x201C;12 and was most recently award the AIA 2013 Young Architects Award.

GRE ENB AUM

HOU SE:

Homes are expressions of our individualities. The home emerges out of the ground wrapping around the space we need to lead a comfortable life. Comfort has a direct correlation with the climate. Following our individual expression, it is the climate that is the primary determinant of the home design and construction. Exploring the mid-century modern architecture, the AIA Committee on Design (COD) held its annual Spring Conference at Palm Springs, CA on May 9-12, 2013. The conference led us to many homes built between 1930s to current date in this desert climate. I was one of the two lucky winners of the COD Knowledge Scholarship, and was able to avail the opportunity of being a part of the tremendous conference through the generous support of couple donors. Palm Springs is a unique city located off the major arteries of Los Angeles region, sitting on a detour between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The city was born and put on the map when celebrities travelling between LA and LV would leisure at Palm Springs having a good time away from the tourist traffic. The practice continues today. This pattern has led to many homes away from homes in Palm Springs. We toured many of the luxurious residences and other prominent projects during the COD conference. The architects of the projects we visited included Albert Frey, Palmer & Krisel, John Lautner, Donald Wexler, Stewart Williams, William Cody, Jim Jennings, Marmol & Radziner, O2 Architecture, Ana Escalante, and Frederick Fisher. We had the privilege of hearing from William Krisel, Jim Jennings and Fred Fisher, among others. Responding to the local climate, each home we visited had a large private swimming pool, which seemed to be a checklist item for all construction in Palm Springs. Each project also made the best use of the surrounding views, so much so that one forgot the house while looking out. Of all the projects we saw, I was immediately taken by the Greenbaum House designed by Ana Escalante, completed in 2006. This is a residence where the boundary between the outdoor swimming pool and the large living room completely melts, a house where the individuality of the owner shines, and a house that begins to speak to the Palm Springs climate.

Owner Swimming as Seen from Living Room Photo: Deepika Padam

e c n e r e f n Co g n i r p S 3 C O D 201

o Garcia

Photo: Marc

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Each project also made the best use of the surrounding views, so much so that one forgot the house while looking out.â&#x20AC;? The inspiration for the house came from the owner who loves to

This house is about the pool, built around a pool, engulfing the pool,

swim. The initial thought was to design something very environment

exhibiting the pool, with the owner almost living in the pool. But the

appropriate, which slowly turned to be exhibitionist as well. The

pool was not just meant to be a pool during the design phase. It

house expresses the individuality of the owner by bringing the outdoor swimming pool at your face as soon as you enter the house. The entrance of the Greenbaum House is sunken, approached by a sloping ramp from the street level culminating at a shaded outdoor vestibule. One enters the living room directly facing the swimming pool beyond the concrete wall with punched openings. During our visit, once we absorbed the blue glow of the light coming from the pool filtering into the living area, we were surprised by the

was imagined that because the pool will stay at 70 to 80 degrees temperature throughout the year and the windows between the pool and the living space are well insulated, it will help control the temperature within the house. But the owner jokes today that it is similar to being in a plane at 42,000 feet and mistakenly thinking that those plane windows also insulate. In reality, the Greenbaum house controls temperature well because it is part subterranean and insulated in the superstructure very well. The pool certainly

sudden appearance of the owner waving at us from the pool. We

helps keep it cool, yet is not the primary insulator. However, the pool

found ourselves drawn immediately to the glass wall separating the

remains the central attraction for everybody. When the owner holds

pool from the living room. Only after exploring the pool did we take in

parties at the house, everybody has a lot of fun with the pool and the

the rest of the space. The effect is mesmerizing to the first time visitor.

picture windows, where everybody has taken a Facebookâ&#x201E;˘ picture.

YAF CONNECTION 11.05

DESIGN There is more to this house than a beautiful 25m lap pool sunken in the ground. The house is located 500 feet above the valley floor in a gated community with dramatic views of the desert and the city below. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The developer of the community created the home site by leveling the existing natural mountain features. The project carves back into the site as well as hovers over it, in order to restore its original dramatic topographical features.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Escalante Architects. Not only does the form of the house address the local terrain in this fashion, but it also takes advantage of the natural insulation offered by the ground due to being subterranean. Ample daylight is allowed into the interiors while controlling the heat gain through shutters, projections and canopies. The indoor spaces flow into the outdoor spaces with large glass expanses that open up into terraces. These terraces are used for entertaining guests during the milder temperatures in the evening. The organization of the house functions is not atypical. The living room seating area steps down following the site terrain and opens up to the valley view beyond. The kitchen and dining area are in the opposite direction with a guest bedroom in the back. The second floor is perched above the swimming pool, crosses over and lands on the detached fitness room alcove on the other side of the pool. The upstairs consists of two separate bedroom suites. Flanked by the two bedroom suites is a small library / seating alcove that opens up to a large terrace fully equipped with barbeque appliances. When you walk out to the back at the mid-level, you are welcomed by the pools. The sunken lap pool provides the illusion of an infinity pool casting a blue glow over the second floor slab above. There is also a separate sauna building adjacent to the fitness room.

Deepika and Dorothy Taking a Break from the Palm Springs Heat Photo:Steven K. Alspaugh

Greenbaum House Photo: Steven K. Alspaugh

Second Floor Perched Above the Swimming Pool Photo: Deepika Padam

“The sunken lap pool provides the illusion of an infinity pool casting a blue glow over the second floor slab above.”

Floor Plan: www.escalantearchitects.com

YAF CONNECTION 11.05

At about 4,300 SF, the Greenbaum House is a good size house built in steel frame construction. The owner shared with us that it took about a year and a half of construction time to build the house. The construction had to stop a few times because the engineers wanted to reinforce the living room/pool demising wall with redundancy. So they kept re-engineering it. It is designed to withstand an 8-point earthquake. The glass windows are composed of four layers of glass and four layers of mylar, making them a total of 4.5” thick pane windows. The utility bill, which in the Palm Springs desert could be up to $25,000 a year, is under $100 a month on average for the Greenbaum House with the integrated active and passive solar systems. Standing in the Living Room and pointing to the East wall with punched openings to the pool, the owner is confident that the pool helps insulate along the Eastern edge. He proudly swims every day. When the house was built, the design team took as many ecofriendly measures as they could at the time. A small token of it is the tile in the pool, bathrooms, etc. made of recycled bottle glass. Using materials and finishes that speak of the desert, the house sets an example for responsible architecture at Palm Springs. It turns out, the house is currently for sale. As the owner spends much of his time in the Bay Area, he has decided to move. When asked what his next house will be like, he says with a smile that it will be smaller.

DESIGN

Staircase with Pool Level at Mid Landing Photo: Deepika Padam A majority of the work we visited during the COD conference was done in the 50s. The Greenbaum House is one of the few that is done by a contemporary architect. These custom homes not only express the ownersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; individualities, but also the unique design approach to the climatic conditions of the desert and the styles prevalent during the time of construction. The Greenbaum House, although may seem to be a rather usual house with expected functional organization, orientation to views, and response to climate, gets away from the design approach of its Palm Springs predecessors. This is evident in the site manipulation to make it a 3-level residence in essence, and in the use of contemporary measures to environmental control and envelop design. However, the house fails to accomplish many shaded outdoor spaces that some of the older homes at Palm Springs so generously provide. Ultimately it is a functional modern home that could be located in another climate or locality very easily. However, having lived in a desert home for many years myself, the $100 energy bill on average seems quite a feat! The Greenbaum House screams simplicity. It is a simple home that springs from a pool with living spaces suspended above the pool. The interior finishes and furnishings are modern and simple as well

along the language of the contemporary desert architecture. It is a place built to entertain with blurred indoor and outdoor boundaries. The house delivers the ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desire of focusing on the lap pool. This was the one house we visited during the entire conference where I finally removed my shoes and wet my feet. Although Greenbaum House left a permanent imprint on my mind, the whole conference was an eye-opening experience for me. It broadened my perspective for the committee, and I was able to connect with professionals from various spectrums, levels, and backgrounds. COD is a great group to get involved with for emerging professionals and seasoned architects alike. The conference itself is an out-of-the-box experience with the majority of the time spent in visiting architecture instead of talking about it in a freezing conference hall. The work is carefully chosen along the theme for the year. I took the time to enjoy the conference and the great company during the three days, but also stayed in touch with the outer world through my tweets and images. I returned overjoyed, energized and inspired. â&#x2013;

Entrance to Greenbaum House Photo: Steven K. Alspaugh

YAF CONNECTION 11.05

DESIGN

EMERGING FIRM PROFILE

ASTERISKOS

Keegan D. Quick is Co-Founder of Asteriskos. Being the son of a general contractor/ developer shaped Keegan’s affinity for architecture, construction, development, and fabrication. A graduate of Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Design: Architectural Studies and a minor in Urban Planning and Development and a M Arch from SCI-Arc. Mikhail M. Gladchenko is Co-Founder of Asteriskos. Born in Russia to academic parents, he immigrated with his family to the U.S. when he was 14. Mikhail found an outlet for his language barrier by experimenting in the emerging 3D modeling and visual software industries. He is a graduate of the University of Buffalo with a Bachelor’s of Science and SCI-Arc with a M Arch.

After an initial period of introductions between all parties, Mikhail Gladchenko and Keegan Quick, Co-Founders of Asteriskos, provided answers to the following questions asked by Jeff Pastva of YAF Connection. JP: For starters, what was your role in the MOCA exhibit for Tom Wiscombe? How were you able to connect? And how much design influence were you able to exert? KQ: Tom was a former professor of ours (at SCI-ARC) and we’ve had a lot of extended contact with him over the years. We first helped him as students with a piece called Cantilever, a large sculptural piece on permanent display at SCI-ARC. After that, we invited him to sit in as a jury member for a University of Arizona final review for a studio we were teaching. Around that time he approached us about fabricating his installation for the MOCA exhibit and the journey started there.Since Tom was very involved in the design, the large task was making it structurally feasible and bringing it in on budget. As designed, we thought that it was possible to build, but not with the money Tom had. It became our duty to figure out different materials and methods of construction to make it work. Since it was a very complex piece, we employed a digital fabrication process that enabled prototyping to test components and ideas one at a time. This allowed us to see our successes and failures at a small scale, before ramping up into full production. Along the way, we really branched out from the traditional architectural materials palette and explored such items as EPS foam, sandwich core composites, and fiberglass assemblies that are typically reserved for marine and/or aircraft applications. These materialscreate a structural surface and don’t rely on an internal structural frame, so weight can be significantly reduced for a more efficient form.

Wiscombe MOCA Los Angeles

We can plug in different variables into our algorithm – cost, materials, core strength – and present a series of iterations to the client.

JP: Since the Tom Wiscombe project was a one-off scenario, can you MG: One thing that sets our process apart is that we aren’t limited to 1 talk about a typical project? What is your design process, how involved software per application. A traditional architecture may work through a is the client and what does your role tend to be? project in CAD throughout an entire project, but we jump from software to software, picking the best aspects of each. If we find that one KQ: We have a very collaborative process and everything is based on doesn’t work well enough for our liking, we’ll write a script so it does. prototyping to define the boundaries we want to push. The Yeasayer project was much more indicative of a typical project for us. We use what we call KQ: Despite our efforts to script and customize our tools, we an Informed Design process to make decisions and that allows changes to eventually have to export back to a format that integrates with our happen intelligently. For example, we can plug in different variables into our clients’ workflow. This has been another key part of our success. algorithm – cost, materials, core strength – and present a series of iterations to the client. We are able to do this because we have written our own code and scripts to fit our needs and each one is part of the computational process.

YAF CONNECTION 11.05

DESIGN

EMERGING FIRM PROFILE

JP: Can you explain a little bit more about how the Yeasayer project happened? How did you secure such a high profile commission at such an early stage? KQ: This was a result of the power of a few connections. The director of visual production for the band, Casey Reas, reached out to the boutique NY design firm Aranda\Lasch. At the time, Christopher Lasch was teaching graduate studios at Arizona State University and University of California at Berkeley, where he had hired me to assistant teach.He knew that Mike and I were starting a digital fabrication studio and asked us to help with the production of a backdrop for Casey’s visuals. MG: From the beginning this project had a lot of constraints; we had 4 weeks from conception to fabrication, it had to be rapidly deployable, it needed to be flat packed, it needed to be easy to reorder parts, it needed to be simultaneously a backdrop for Casey’s graphics and capture the kinetic energy of the stage/ crowd. And if that wasn’t enough, we had to be very precise. 1/1000th of an inch precise. The precision was necessary because of the integration of a ‘living hinge’. The stage set would act very much like a tic-tac container; the lid needed to be able to open an infinite number of times without hitting a failure point and thus, it if were too thick or too thin, it wouldn’t work. We ended up using orthopedic and prosthetic grade polypropylene, which has a high modulus of elasticity. KQ: We were able to overcome the constraints, but some of the results we were particularly proud of was our ability to coordinate replacement parts and creating a design that could be easily transported. This set was put up/taken down almost daily during the tour and had to travel via international shipping. Our ability to adapt had very real quantitative benefits to the tune of $14,000. That is what we were told we saved the group in shipping costs as they traveled across Europe and Asia. And since we devised a numbered panel system, so if and when a part broke,we could easily and efficiently send a replacement. JP: It seems like the lines between architecture and design are increasingly blurred because of technological advancements. Do you see design as an extension of architecture or is this the beginning of another discipline? KQ: We consider ourselves very multi-disciplinary by nature. We are both passionate about architecture, design, and digital fabrication. My background is in construction and Mike has considerable knowledge of 3D modeling and rendering from working in the gaming industry. Because we have such diversity between the two of us, we are able to offer new services and techniques borrowed from multiple disciplines. Since we fabricate as well as design, we can offer real time cost estimates tothe end client as well as consult with designers to implement front-end design changes that produce back end cost savings. MG: We take great pride in our ability to streamline the design through construction process. With the two projects we just talked about, we were able to reduce the amount of material used, which reduces the amount of time it takes to fabricate and assembly it. All of this adds up to direct cost savings to the end client. We’ve actually gotten to the point that customization doesn’t equal more expensive and is actually preferred. By engineering each piece, we can find the most efficient way possible each and every time without intense human calculations. JP: Thank you both for your time and we’re all looking forward to more of your work in the future. ■

Yeasayer Concert Stage

Photos: Evan Emery

YAF CONNECTION 11.05

LEADERSHIP PROFILE

A PLATFORM OF PROMISE DISASTER RECOVERY, RESILIENCE AND REBUILDING Illya Azaroff, AIA Azaroff is founder of +LAB architects in Brooklyn New York, an Associate Professor at New York City College of Technology (CUNY), serves on AIANYS board as New York Regional Director for YAF and is co-chair of DfRR Design for Risk and Reconstruction committee.

Illya Azaroff, AIA finds it necessary to empty his voicemail inbox at least once a day. He is as busy as an architect and an educator as he is sought after for his other his expertise: disaster recovery, resilience and rebuilding. An expertise that made him a natural source of leadership throughout the post-Hurricane Sandy recovery campaign; and made him an increasingly popular resource among government officials, fellow architects and engineers.

Recently, Azaroff was invited to speak on disaster resilience and rebuilding along with David Dixon FAIA and Lance Brown FAIA at the AIA National Convention in Denver, under the title ‘Design for Risk in the 21st Century’. “It’s great to be popular,” he says, “but it’s hard to make sure everyone’s getting the answers. I want people to be helped,” he says.

As the founder of +LAB architects in Brooklyn, Azaroff has built his practice on trans-disciplinary collaboration and new technologies. Experimentation and inquiry underpin his work; work that often includes prototyping disaster relief shelters and rapid response systems. In addition to his studio, Illya is on the faculty at New York City College of Technology (CUNY) where he enjoys the fact that he has one foot in practice and one in education.

Azaroff is helping on the local, state and federal levels. On a recent trip to Washington, DC, Azaroff and other AIA leaders presented the Post-Sandy Initiative report to members of Congress and met with legislators to discuss disaster recovery and resilience. The visit inspired the formation of the AIA Post-Sandy Regional Working Group, an alliance of architects and allied professionals from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island, who share information and advice as their states recover from the same problems.

Azaroff’s leadership is apparent in that he has served on the board of directors for AIA New York eight of the last ten years including three years on the executive committee. He also serves on various boards such as d3 architecture and is currently on the board of AIA New York State representing the YAF as New York’s Regional Director. His expertise has placed him in a unique position to contribute broadly to recovery efforts tapping into a many agencies and working groups. Illya is a consultant to RCPT- Regional Catastrophic Planning Team and the Housing Recovery Center in NYC. He is an instructor with NDTPC-National Disaster Training Preparedness Center educating fellow design professionals and stakeholders alike to be prepared for the next storm. And along with his teaching at CUNY he is part of RAMP-Resiliency Adaptation Mitigation and Planning program at Pratt Institute. Prior to Sandy, Azaroff co-founded and is currently co-chair of the Design for Risk and Reconstruction Committee, a task force formed by the New York chapter of the AIA. The task force works with planning, engineering, housing, landscaping and other organizations involved with sustainable design on issues of building codes, the environment, transportation, infrastructure, urban planning and design, zoning, health facilities, waterfronts and other areas of concern. “What got me interested in designing for resiliency is the combination of my degrees in geography and architecture, which gave me the opportunity to think about the relationship of earth science to the way we build and live,” says Azaroff, “Growing up in tornado-prone Nebraska helped me see the aftermath of this type of destruction.”

“When word got out that we were meeting to talk Sandy and a unified effort, leaders came forward and we are on a path to unprecedented knowledge sharing”. The Working group recently conducted a Long workshop in Newark NJ and is planning to reconvene later this year and again in the spring in other troubled areas. “Mayors may want to build back affected areas the way they were before, but that’s not listening to or understanding the new paradigm,” he explains. “Their cities need to be redesigned. Resiliency requires rethinking how the power grid is distributed, how services are delivered, for example, and how to make it safe. The goal is to get businesses back in business and people back in their homes as soon as possible, in the safest way possible.” In keeping with that need, Azaroff was asked to lead a task force to review the NYS 2100 Commission’s report, Recommendations to Improve the Strength and Resilience of the Empire State’s Infrastructure, and provide feedback to Governor Cuomo’s office. In New York City, he is part of a team that confers with the Mayor’s Office, City Council and Department of City Planning on damage assessment, identifying areas of continued risk and making recommendations about recovery, flood prevention and rebuilding.

“I was fortunate to have excellent mentors along the way as I developed throughout my career, many of whom I rely on to this day. Those mentors showed me the value of practitioners who were involved in education and were committed to bring up the next generation of architects with a sense of social consciousness and professionalism. I try to practice that every day.

Azaroff acquired his experience working in Germany, Italy and Holland prior to coming to New York. That experience exposed him to many scales of design and building methodology that he relies on to this day. “Working in another country makes you a bit fearless given the innate difficulties in communication and differences in training. In the end it was a very formative experience that I would not trade for anything”. His recent disaster recovery expertise stems from years of research and training sessions offered by the California Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Safety Assessment Program (SAP) for Rapid Damage assessment and as a certified Hurriplan Trainer by Hawaii’s National Disaster Preparedness Training Center (NDPTC). Azaroff and his colleagues have been leading local workshops about recovery and resiliency, and more are planned. His calendar for the next few months is filling up. On October 10 he will be part of the TED x NYIT conference talking about Meta Resilience. At the OEM-Office of Emergency Management in Brooklyn, AIA members in partnership with AFH-Architecture for Humanity lead a damage assessment certification training course for architects on June 15, and on September 27 and 28, the Center for Architecture in Manhattan will host Hurriplan workshops for students and architects, teaching them how to better prepare for hurricanes, and make buildings and communities more resilient. Says Azaroff, “As climate change, storms and manmade disasters increase in our region, we need to adapt to these new realities. My advice to my fellow New Yorkers is to stay informed. Education is the best resilience. Everyone should know what evacuation zone they are in, what evacuation routes and destinations are designated for them, and how each person can contribute to the future of the city. If I could recommend one thing to my fellow emerging professionals the imperative of our time is at hand, incorporating resilient building strategies and knowledge in your practice or personal skill set is necessary to address the needs of our communities for the foreseeable future.”

YAF CONNECTION 11.05

architecture + angst

COFFEE WITH AN ARCHITECT As written by Jody Brown and first published online at coffeewithanarchitect.com, February 19, 2013

ARCHITECTURE = FORM + FUNCTION FINANCING

ARCHITECTURE = MY CONCEPT + YOUR MONEY

← note: you can’t divide by zero

ARCHITECTURE = FLASH OF BRILLIANCE + DOOR SCHEDULES

ARCHITECTURE =

→ probably should have added a door

MATH IS HARD

( or at least heard to hear )

FLOOR + WALLS + ROOF + WINDOWS - BORING

Jody Brown is just an Architect, standing in front of an ideology, asking it to love him.

ARCHITECT = CREATIVE TYPE SLEEP

CLIENT =

GOOD IDEA TINY BUDGET + UNREASONABLE DEADLINE

← why yes! it is available in a T-shirt!

LESS = MORE {

+/-

CLICK HERE

} → less than it could be though

MY EGO

IT SHOULD BE

Jody Brown, AIA, LEED AP BD+C Brown is an Architect running his own firm (Jody Brown Architecture, pllc.) in Durham, NC. His work focuses on urban infill projects, mixed-use, urban design, and urban renewal. Over the last 18 years, he has built on his passion for planning and urban design, and has worked on enhancing, adding-to, re-using, renovating, and sometimes creating-from-scratch the places where people meet, learn, play, and become inspired. His work is grounded in the belief that Architecture can save cities. When he’s not doing that, he can be found making fun of himself and his profession, and blogging about his ideals at – Coffee with an Architect. Or, you can find him sipping coffee with someone at a cafe near you, blathering on-and-on about Le Corbusier, while looking aloof and interesting at the same time somewhere over in the corner.

YAF CONNECTION 11.05

ORIGINS

NOV

2013

VOL 11 ISSUE 06

CONNECTION THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN JOURNAL OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

CONNECTION ORIGINS November 2013 Volume 11 Issue 06

2013 ISSUES OF CONNECTION 11 01 11 02 11 03 11 04 11 05 11 06

EMERGENCE ADVANCE LOCUS PROCESS PLATFORM ORIGINS

CONNECTION EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Editor-In-Chief and Creative Director Assistant Editor, Graphics Assistant Editor, Content Assistant Editor, Articles Assistant Editor, News Researcher, News and Reviews

Wyatt Frantom, AIA Nathan Stolarz, AIA James Cornetet, AIA Jeff Pastva, AIA Beth Mosenthal, Assoc. AIA Marcus Monroe, Assoc. AIA

2013 YAF ADVISORY COMMITTEE

THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS 1735 New York Ave, NW Washington, DC 20006-5292 P 800-AIA-3837 www.aia.org

CONTENT

QUICK 04 AND RESOURCES Beth Mosenthal, Assoc. AIA CONNECT NEWS

10 FEATURE

MIND THE GAP Jon Penndorf, AIA

12 ARTICLE

CURATING A CAREER Mary Breuer

14 ARTICLE

YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE PERCEIVED TO BE Frank Musica

16 ARTICLE

THE PARADOX OF PROGRESS Matthew Wood

18 ARTICLE

ARCHITECTURE AND BEYOND Lee Waldrep

20 ARTICLE

TRANSVANCEMENT Alex Coulombe

22 DESIGN

URBAN CHIAROSCURO Fatima Olivieri

24 DESIGN

A LESSON FROM THE INTERNS GenslerLA’s Intern Research Program

28 FEATURE #aiachat

#aiachat

Joseph Benesh, AIA

34 SERIAL FEATURE

COFFEE WITH AN ARCHITECT Jody Brown, AIA

32 LEADERSHIP PROFILE A SEAT AT THE LEADERSHIP TABLE Haley Gipe, Assoc. AIA

ar·chi·tec·ture /ˈärkiˌtekCHər/ noun

QUICK CONNECT

headlined

reviewed

LOOKING FORWARD TO A DECADE OF DESIGN by Beth Mosenthal

MOVIE REVIEW: Fallingwater: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Masterwork by Beth Mosenthal

Have you ever sat in traffic and wondered when a corporate or federal entity was going to finally utilize architects’ holistic thinking in order to change our cities for the better? According to Brooks Rainwater, Director of Public Policy,the Decade of Design, a Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action, might be one big leap in prioritizing design thinking as a means of envisioning and implementing solutions related to “the design of the urban built environment in the interest of public health and effective use of natural, economic, and human resources.” Working with partner organizations, the AIA hopes to build on existing programs to utilize design as a catalyst for impactful change in urban environments. By encouraging evidence-based research with areas related to walkable communities (based at Texas A & M University), citywide food scenario plans (University of Arkansas), and health-related architecture curriculum (based at the University of New Mexico), the Decade of Design hopes to infuse both academic and architectural practices with a focus on health and the environment. For further reading, CLICK HERE. To watch the videos, click the links below. VIDEO 1 VIDEO 2

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Fallingwater, Richard A. Cooke

There are few things that make architects as excitable as a good Frank Lloyd Wright debate. Was he a genius or a control freak? Were his designs for himself or his clients? Is he passé or still one of the greatest architects in history? While everyone has his/her own opinions on the matter, watching Kenneth Love’s visually poetic documentary in HD, Fallingwater: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Masterwork, quickly inserted me into a time and place in which Wright (1867-1959) could do no wrong. In his mission to tie the Kaufmann house (affectionately dubbed “Fallingwater” due to its location crowning the waterfalls of a stream in Bear Run, Pennsylvania) to nature, Wright not only created a masterpiece of architecture, but a timeless object carefully informed by the natural setting with which it is inserted. Love, a cinematographer and photographer for National Geographic, shares footage of the house in all four seasons, creating a dramatic portrait of the clean but textural lines and forms of the house as a perfect frame and integral object to its surroundings. Narrated by Edgar J. Kaufmann Jr., the son of the industrialist and original owner of Fallingwater, the movie delicately spins the tale of why his family commissioned the house in 1935. Kaufmann’s personal, articulate account of his experiences and impressions of Wright, paired with testimonials from Wright’s interns, Edgar Tafel, Bob Mosher and Wes Peters, paint a rich picture of the thought and design process behind Fallingwater, as well as underscoring the home’s lasting impact on architecture enthusiasts worldwide.

WHY ARCHITECTS TRAVEL Snapshot of a Recent Trip to Montana

NCARB | @NCARB We caught up with students, educators, and practitioners to learn how receiving an NCARB Award impacted their careers http://bit.ly/1es97Cf AIA YAF | @AIAYAF What would YOU like the YAF to do next year? AIA National | @AIANational Preservationists are creating 3D models of historic buildings . . . just in case, http://bit.ly/15qRTQI Robert Ivy | @robertivy Why This Is the Year of the Architect http://www.archdaily. com/435095/why-this-is-the-year-of-the-architect/ … via @ archdaily

After several weeks of being buried in the minutiae of Construction Administration, I headed West for a conference in Montana. As I passed over the patchwork quilt of Bozeman’s fields and streams, I was transported from the micro to the macro, and reminded of the many scales and planning considerations we must consider in regards to context, culture, and footprint, regardless of project scale. To share your photos, send Beth a tweet: @archiadventures.

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featured

RESILIENCE BY DESIGN : DESIGNING FOR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS By Marcus Monroe

POD Charrette, image courtesy of Lindsey Brugger

More and more, phrases such as “disaster recovery” and “resilient communities” are becoming part of the everyday language in our profession and young designers such as Lindsay Brugger are finding ways to pursue these new challenges; focusing on humanitariancentric design opportunities. During her thesis year at Roger Williams University, Lindsay traveled to Kolkata and focused on ways architecture could enhance social, economic, and environmental resiliency. After graduating in 2010, she landed a job at BBG-BBGM in Washington, DC. It was during this time that Brugger set her sights on becoming involved in disaster-management-related design. In order to do so, Brugger first became involved in the Architecture for Humanity (AFH) DC chapter and began to further question the role of architecture within the realm of disaster management after the Haiti earthquake. In 2012, she learned of the AIA-AFH Disaster Response Plan Grant and eagerly applied. Shortly thereafter, Lindsay took on the roles of Grant Manager and shared the role of Grant Author with another AFH member. The goal of the Disaster Response Plan Grant was to create a holistic approach to disaster management that engaged local design professionals while developing a roster of local design professionals interested in disaster management. This group became known as “Resilience by Design,” which Brugger volunteered to Co-Chair. The group first worked with the DC Department of Health to re-design 15 Points of Dispensary (PODs). Utilized to dispense mass amounts of medicine in the case of an emergency, it was critical that the Department of Health have layouts that would optimize POD efficiency. Secondly, the team researched and authored a Design Professional’s Guide to Disasters that introduces the design professional to the various roles within disaster management and provides resources on how to get involved. For more information, click the links below.

This month, Jeff Pastva AIA tells us a little bit about his involvement as a young architect living and working in Philadelphia. Pastva is an Assistant Editor for YAF Connection, serves as Chair of the Young Architects Forum of AIA Philadelphia, founder of The Designated Sketcher website and a Project Architect at JDavis Architects in Philadelphia, PA. 01 What organizations are you involved in as an emerging professional? I’m currently involved in both my local AIA component, AIA Philadelphia, and on the national level with YAF Connection. For AIA Philadelphia, I serve as the Chair of the Young Architects Forum and as a Co-Chair to our long running ARE study sessions. For YAF Connection, I am currently an Assistant Editor. Outside of AIA, I sit on my neighborhood association’s Architectural Review Committee. We preempt any project requiring zoning approval to ensure that any proposed variances will meet the aesthetic, massing and character of the surrounding context. 02 What are some of the important issues that Young Architects face in today’s industry? There are a few big ones that jump out for me. Unfortunately the first one is just getting their career started. We are in an environment where simply landing a job is hard enough, let alone an ideal situation. Standing out among the crowds that includes fellow classmates and more experienced candidates is a tricky challenge that is hard to overcome. Another is staying on track to reach licensure. Since many emerging professionals have had to postpone their entry into the workplace via grad school, temporary jobs, alternative careers or unemployment, it has lengthened the time that it takes to complete IDP. This coupled with the fact that many firms don’t reward registered architects the way that other professions do their licensed professionals, it has become more difficult to stay the course. 03 What type of regional activities and resources do you recommend Young Architects utilize to continue to excel in their careers and professional networks? I believe what has exponentially changed my career path has been the use of networking. And the critical thing I discovered is that not all networking is created equal. I have attended events that are within architecture, but I have also sought events in tech, craftsmanship/woodworking, business, startups, TED/Pecha Kucha/Ignite, etc. In each instance, I make goals for each night. It could be to walk out with “x” number of business cards, to make “x” number of new connections, to learn something about another industry, to sell my services as an architect, etc. It may take a few times to get to know people, but if you are identified as the only architect in a group it has the potential to turn into the chance to share your knowledge, to spread an architect’s worth or to connect for a business opportunity.

LINK 1 LINK 2

Image courtesy of Lindsey Brugger

YAF CONNECTION 11.06

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made THOUGHTS FROM AN ARCHITECT-TURNED”INTEGRATION ENGINEER” by Beth Mosenthal Matthew is currently an Integration Engineer for Thornton Thomasetti, utilizing architectural software to make your designs more intelligent, one algorithm at a time...

Computation enables a nearly infinite set of possibilities that one could almost certainly never ascertain – the trick is to understand this and be intelligent about how and when you employ computation while designing. With that understanding it is a really powerful toolset to have at your disposal.

BRM: What is your background (academically and professionally)? How did it help you get to where you are now?

BRM: What is your typical work flow when participating in a project? How are roles typically divided between a project team?

MN: I received a Bachelors of Architecture from Philadelphia University and a Masters of Engineering from the Product Architecture Lab at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ. Following my undergrad degree, I spent several years doing design/build architecture with a heavy emphasis on the build side as a response to what I felt was missing from my architectural training – knowing how buildings are actually put together. Ultimately this led me to question whether technology could better support the way we build, and landed me back in school at the Product Architecture Lab. While at Stevens I focused my research on programming, parametric design and software interoperability, all with the aim of how it could be applied in practice. After spending some time with Front Inc in Brooklyn and consulting for digital fabrication, I joined the CORE Studio (formerly the Advanced Computational Modeling Group) at Thornton Tomasetti, where almost all of my prior endeavors play a role in the work I am involved with on a day-to-day basis.

MN: Our group works in a number of ways, often assisting project teams where some type of computation can better provide a solution. This may be by utilizing parametric modeling for the generation of a complex structure to creating an automated way of producing drawings for a CD set. Outside of project specific work we also work on a number of R&D projects at any given time. Our largest R&D effort right now is the creation of an inner office file type called TTX. It is similar to IFC (Industry Foundation Classes), however, it is custom tailored to the various software packages we use between design, analysis, and documentation. It allows us to update a model in one piece of software and read those changes instantly in another, breaking free of the traditional linear workflow of Design – Analyze – Document into a more collaborative, efficient process where information is retained from step to step. So, depending on the scope, scale and the demands of any given R&D project, we may become part of a project team for the duration of the project, or simply provide assistance for a few hours to help a team through a specific problem.

BRM: What does your job title, “Integration Engineer,” entail? MN: Being an “Integration Engineer” is pretty close to what you may decipher from the title – I spend my time finding ways to better integrate modeling workflows within the company, developing software tools, and working on a variety of project types across a number of our practice sectors. BRM: How does your work relate to architectural design? MN: While I don’t spend very much time “designing” in the traditional sense, I get to focus on the technical problem solving aspects of design. Whether it is trying to rationalize curved surfaces for fabrication or running optimization studies on curtain wall designs and structural systems, all of these pieces end up as part of the much larger architectural whole.

Matthew Naugle, Truss model scripted in Grasshopper, 2013

Matthew Naugle, Truss model, analyzed with Grasshopper, 2013

BRM: Do you feel that computational software frees you or limits you in terms of working intuitively while designing? MN: I still begin most problem solving exercises with pen and paper; it is the best place for me to get my thoughts in order before sitting down to create a model or write code. And honestly, I am a much better designer than the computer. It is up to me, or any other designer for that matter, to carefully decide the goals and constraints of a problem. Then, I let the computer do what it is good at – solving complex and often time consuming problems. Computation enables a nearly infinite set of possibilities that one could almost certainly never ascertain – the trick is to understand this and be intelligent about how and when you employ computation while designing. With that understanding it is a really powerful toolset to have at your disposal. Thanks Matthew!

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connected AIA’s Young Architects Forum YAF's official website CLICK HERE

Invested in the human scale? This may be the AIA Community for you. Looking for a way to get involved in the AIA but not sure which group makes sense? After perusing the diverse menu of options for a young architect to get involved in the AIA, I was struck by the group “AIA Communities by Design.” This organization is actively seeking members who are “committed to healthy, safe, and sustainable communities.” Goals of this group are to “assist citizens and community leaders to improve their community’s quality of life through design and form relationships to build your career.” For more information, CLICK HERE

2013 YOUNG ARCHITECTS AWARD BOOK Who are your professional contemporaries? How are they changing the face of architecture? And will you be next? The 2013 Young Architect’s Award book, compiled by YAF members and sponsored by the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects showcases recipients of the AIA 2013 Young Architects Award; highlighting “individuals who have shown exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to the professional in an early stage of their architectural career.” This snapshot of profiles and work by 15 award recipients shows a diverse group of motivated young professionals that are exploring and transcending different boundaries in the constantly-evolving field of architecture. For more information, CLICK HERE

YAF CONNECTION 11.06

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depicting locations of article contributors for this issue

This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leadership Profile Haley Gipe

Syracuse, NY

New York, NY Philadelphia, PA

Des Moine, IA San Francisco, CA

Denver, CO

AIA National Washington D.C.

Champaign, IL

Fresno, CA

Raleigh-Durham, NC

Los Angeles, CA

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FEATURE

ORIGINS

MIND THE GAP

THE NEED FOR MORE SOFT SKILLS IN ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION Jon Penndorf AIA is a Project Manager and Sustainability Leader in the Washington, DC office of Perkins+Will, the 2013 Vice-Chair of the YAF, has served as the 2012 President of AIA|DC, and received the 2012 AIA Young Architects Award.

Anyone who has completed architecture school and has practiced for a few years will probably agree that you don’t learn everything you need to know by obtaining your professional degree. It’s often been generalized that architecture school teaches you how to think like an architect (design theory, defend your ideas, etc.) and the required internship teaches you how to be an architect. The AIA acknowledges that architecture is ever-changing and requires continuing education after licensure, but the education goes from structured course load to independent study. In 2012, the Young Architects Forum (YAF) held Summit20, which served to both commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the YAF and help find the strategic ideas for the group to focus on over the coming years. Prior to that event, the YAF had issued a survey to recently-licensed professionals to find out what was important to them within the profession. When asked in what arenas Young Architects felt least prepared, over sixty-percent responded with business ownership and legal contract issues. Other areas that scored high in that question dealt with contracts and administration. In contrast, topics of technical documentation, design, and sustainability scored very low (with less than twenty-five percent responding to those options). Another question asked respondents to identify areas in which their skills could be improved, and the overwhelming responses focused on firm management and marketing. For several years, I have felt like topics of management have been overlooked as key skills to teach emerging architects. Management can take on many forms and facets, but design and technical capability need to be paired with business understanding and project management in order to run a successful architectural practice.

Sure, some of these topics can be learned in the process of doing, and others can be modeled after successful examples. But can we better prepare future architects – the next generation of firm principals, directors, educators and mentors – with formal training or required experience in areas such as business administration, marketing, project management, and even time management? Project management encompasses a wide variety of skills and understandings. The umbrella category is addressed in one course during formal education (if that, depending on the school) and then in the Intern Development Program with 120-hours of experience. However, the one course taken is usually at least three years away from licensed practice, and the hours logged in IDP do not always address all of the core competencies that NCARB lists under Project Management. Project process is rarely taught as a timeline, and skipping to concept design omits several steps that an architect will encounter in reality (and right away on a project). To me this is a gap in architectural education (and I use “education” in the continuum sense, not just ending with a degree). Emerging professionals need some exposure to concepts such as marketing and business development, project scheduling, estimating fees, composing project teams, and expository writing as all of these come into play before a fat black pen is put to trace paper. Management continues once the project is secured, obviously. Personnel management (and conflict resolution as a part of that) may not be three credits during undergraduate studies, but anyone in an office environment could benefit from understanding differences in generational work patterns, recognizing personality traits, and formulating constructive criticism. Office management and development are somewhat separate from project management, but these skill sets are also lacking in formal training or experience. Many architects successfully obtain their license without ever participating in decisions that impact the running of a firm or office. Topics such as insurance, risk management and accounting may not seem completely relevant to becoming an architect, but having at least a basic grasp of key concepts can lead to more informed decision making down the road.

Emerging professionals need some exposure to concepts such as marketing and business development, project scheduling, estimating fees, composing project teams, and expository writing as all of these come into play before a fat black pen is put to trace paper.

I am not advocating making the formal education process longer or requiring additional categories be added to IDP. Instead, there should be known avenues for emerging professionals to obtain training and guidance in these areas throughout the early years of their careers. Opportunities can begin early though. Where I received my degrees, undergraduate architecture students were required to take at least two electives in social sciences (psychology, anthropology, etc.). These classes broaden the human perspective of architecture and give greater insight to how people interact with each other and their surroundings. The AIA may want to consider offering continuing education options highlighting the business “soft skills” not focused on design or construction. Perhaps these could be a portion of the required continuing education for the first few years after licensure – something like a temporary version of the Sustainable Design (SD) units we all had to obtain for a while. Fortunately I am not alone in my feelings on gaps in the education of our profession. Several AIA components have created leadership “boot camps” that focus on the skills mentioned above. While the hope in these programs is to foster the next generation of leaders, the training is often focused around communication (writing, presentation skills), management (office psychology, time management, business primers), and conflict resolution. The AIA Young Architects Forum Summit20 provided for six focus areas for the group moving into the future, and many can be housed under the umbrella notion of “career advancement.” On the surface, the focus areas sound more varied, but each was tied to the desire for participants to build their own futures on more solid foundations. Architects need to be thoughtful problem solvers but also thoughtful practioners. ■

YAF CONNECTION 11.06

ARTICLE

ORIGINS

CURATING A CAREER Mary Breuer Breuer is the Principal of the Breuer Consulting Group in San Francisco, has worked in the executive search field within the architectural industry for more than 30 years, and the author of the blog, Dogpatch Dispatch, focusing her timely research on leadership issues within design firms. You can find her at www.breuerconsulting.com or at www.dogpatchblog.com.

Professionals in the various fields engaged in the built environment -- architecture, landscape architecture, planning and urban design -- are natural problem-solvers. They are driven by a process of analysis and synthesis: a concerted effort to understand what drives an owner to make a physical change, physical constraints and opportunities, and available resources. In the process, design firm professionals accumulate a track record … a professional history that can tell as much about their own judgment as it does about the actual experience they accumulate. But many design professionals don’t recognize the inflection points in their own careers that could lead them to the kind of opportunities they seek … or which raise questions for potential employers. If you regard your own career as something you can actually curate rather than something that just happens, you might consider the following ideas:

• If you want to work on large, complex projects, where you live matters: in general, you need to be in an urban center … preferably Chicago, Boston, New York City, Washington D.C., San Francisco or LA. Possibly Seattle, Houston or Atlanta. That’s where you’ll get the experience you seek. If you seek experience with a cutting edge firm, Wyoming won’t necessarily be as attractive. • Early in your career, choose a firm that exposes you to many choices and makes you aware of what a design firm can be. This might be a larger firm. You can make intelligent choices about next steps with this knowledge as a base. • Be aware of the practice … not just your projects. How does work come into the firm? How profitable is the firm? How is work forecasted? Who gets to work on what? How do you build a practice? • If the firm you are in is not a design-first firm (one that is nationallyrecognized design-focused, sought-out for design expertise), specialize in a client-type that you find stimulating and energizing … whether as a designer or project manager. • Recognize that strong project managers are the backbone of any firm. Project management is a noble path, and one that can lead to practice management … a rare skill. If you have interest in upward mobility as a project manager, focus on practice dynamics. • Hiring firms look at four big things, in this order (but none can be excluded): 1. the firms you have worked for: they must be admired by the hiring firm 2. the quality of the projects in which you have been involved and the role you played

... design firm professionals accumulate a track record … a professional history that can tell as much about their own judgment as it does about the actual experience they accumulate.

3. stability: even in the heart of the recession, firms looked askance at people who have made frequent moves. An average position tenure of less than three years will raise eyebrows and more than three jobs in nine or so years will be considered to be job-hopping by most employers. 4. the scale of projects you have worked on (if the hiring firm

Mary interviews a potential candidate for placement in a key leadership position

focuses on large projects). Where you went to school is very important, but stellar performance out of school can trump a school that may not be everyone’s first recruiting choice.

• If you are ambitious and want more responsibility, your positions need to show growth in an obvious way. Select a path: design, project

management,

construction

administration

…

and

demonstrate what you have done to gain proficiency. • People with general backgrounds … especially in non-urban areas … will have a very difficult time convincing a high-profile,

Mary at work in her Dogpatch neighborhood studio in San Francisco

urban firm that they can add value to the firm. • Seek assignments in other countries. We live in a global environment: people with experience living abroad, who speak languages other than English and who are obviously adventurousyet-stable are rare. • There is no downside to being able to bring work to your employer. While this may not be your favorite thing to do, it is incredibly valuable and will help launch you into what you want to do next. • Be open to relocation. There are many reasons to stay where

Mary seated in her shared studio library with her husband, Architect Olle Lundberg

you are, but if you are career-driven, consider another location. Experienced specialists for leadership positions are hard to find and firms usually need to look nationally. ■

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

ARTICLE

ORIGINS

YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE PERCEIVED TO BE Frank Musica AIA Musica is a Senior Risk Management Attorney at Victor O. Schinnerer & Company, Inc. in Chevy Chase, Maryland. He is an architect, attorney and a frequent speaker at the AIA Convention and other AIA component programs.

Partnerships. Professional corporations. Limited liability companies. Joint ventures. Strategic alliances. Teams. Associations.

Looking at Your Business Card First, look at your title. Are you still using “partner” if your firm is no longer a partnership? Is there a corporate title even if you have no corporate structure? Can your title (or lack thereof) mislead your client? Look at your firm’s name and whether your firm is an “Inc.”, “P.C.”, or “LLP”? If so, is it clearly indicated on your card and correspondence? And if you are “sharing” the project with other firms, how is that communicated to your client?

Do you understand the forms of practice through which many design professionals pursue commissions?

your future clients? In most states, design professionals have access to a diversity of business forms. In every jurisdiction, however, the organizational form for the delivery of professional services may be more dictated by client perceptions and court interpretations than by the intent of the design professionals. Not all clients are sophisticated in the business of

Image courtesy of AIA Trust and Schinnerer/CNA

design. Many rely on representations made to them and their perceptions. Others do know how to interpret contract language and may, in fact, be able to use cogent arguments to extend the business risks of service providers. In presenting a firm to a client, it is important to keep two concepts in mind. One can be called “the holding out rule”, and the other “the eye of the beholder rule”. The first examines the perceptions you create. The second stresses the frame of reference of your client. The goal is to make your organizational structure and scope of services clear to your client and to minimize your client’s unwarranted, but perhaps justifiable, detrimental reliance on a relationship that does not exist.

Signing on the Dotted Line Contracts do matter. They will usually be interpreted to protect your client. Think about how you are indicating the parties to the contract. Is it a simple prime-subconsultant relationship? Are you in a structured, or unstructured, “joint venture”, where both firms will be looked at as partners? As a general rule, each partner is jointly and severally liable for business risks. This means that each partner’s assets stand behind every act of the other partners. Partnerships can be extremely formal in nature or created without the partners really understanding their responsibilities for the actions of the other. At times, firms may act “in association” or “cooperatively” or by “teaming” to provide services. The firms may think they are separate entities, but if they sign a contract with a client to provide services, it is likely that each is responsible for the entire commitment and, usually, for the acts of the other. In any event, firms billing themselves as providing services “together” face the danger that in the eyes of the client (and the court) are likely to be bound as partners.

... the organizational form for the delivery of professional services may be more dictated by client perceptions and court interpretations than by the intent of the design professionals.

As with a general partnership, each party in a joint venture can be held fully liable for the joint venture and each party’s acts and omissions that do not constitute negligence in the performance of professional services. If you are contemplating setting up a formal joint venture agreement that parses out internal responsibilities and rights, you should be aware that the AIA C101-1993, Joint Venture Agreement for Professional Services can serve as a basic contractual relationship or as a model for a more extensive documentation of a shared-effort, shared-risk arrangement. Image courtesy of AIA Trust and Schinnerer/CNA

Forming a Formal Joint Venture Firms “cooperating” on a project should establish a formal structure. If a prime-sub relationship is not realistic, a joint venture can be formed. A joint venture is essentially a partnership, but only for a specific, and usually limited, purpose. Both partnership agreements and joint venture agreements usually allocate responsibility and liability between the parties. But that allocation is internal only. To the rest of the world, the partners or joint venturers are in essence, co-promisers, and are “jointly and severally” liable. That means an injured party may recover the full scope of damages awarded by the trier-of-fact (for example by a court or arbitration panel) from either party or from both parties in any combination. While each firm’s professional liability insurance usually covers the specific firm for its exposure to professional liability claims caused by its negligence in the performance of professional services and the negligence of the joint venture because of the shared liability, a firm might be concerned that its policy would be eroded by negligence that is essentially out of its control.

For a professional liability perspective, the clear lines of authority and responsibility of a prime-sub arrangement are preferable to the murky division of liability that often accompanies a joint venture or any of the other legally fictitious combinations of efforts on the part of professional service firms. Of course, a limited liability partnership (LLP) is a recent alternative to a joint venture. However, LLP’s (or Limited Liability Corporations) do not change the responsibility of each party for harm caused by the negligent professional services provided by either party, but they do provide protections from business risks that might not be properly addressed in a joint venture agreement. ■

Often, unrelated design professional firms who wish to form a partnership to perform services on a particular project through a joint venture attempt not only to state a requirement for similar professional liability insurance coverages and deductibles (on similar policy forms), but also establish a fund for deductible obligations so that both policies can respond as efficiently as possible. This only provides additional protection for claims of negligent performance.

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

ARTICLE

ORIGINS

THE PARADOX OF PROGRESS Matthew Wood Wood is a recent graduate of Syracuse University School of Architecture in Syracuse New York and a self-trained musician whose compositions have been featured in award-winning college films.

The overwhelming majority of architect graduates began their professional sojourns as self-expressive artists in high school. Our gift, superseding technique and concept, is a sensory understanding of our own souls. The abstraction that takes place, and the practice it requires, makes art a means of speaking that rivals any verbal language. Yet when us teenage Van Gogh’s choose to become twenty-year old Frank Gehry’s, we see the business of architecture as a shelter them from starving-artist wasteland. Architect graduates are soul-savvy and impressively intelligent. But how many of us are street smart? How does it affect our ability to succeed? Consider the most infamous of street-smart professionals: politicians. An immense portion of their success depends on their ability to win hearts with a kind smile and a strong handshake. After this, they win minds by presenting a platform that any mind can palette. A welldefined, compelling platform is absolutely crucial. It is the rhetorical medium used to elegantly frame a politician’s message and its corresponding spectrum of ideas. The intent, vis-à-vis its physical definition, is to set oneself apart from the mass, rising above a chatty sea, that one might gain focused eyes and listening ears. Fortunately, architects gain much of their notoriety through their completed buildings; a much more concrete proof of promise than lukewarm legislation of a pandering politician. On the other hand, there is something to be said about investing effort into an architectural platform. Marquis architecture firms establish a clear, defined profile of what they do, some even specializing in one building type. Household names in architecture raised themselves above the rest with articulate publications, and vibrant lectures. It is hard to stand on a platform without the ability to communicate your message and ideas clearly and vividly.

As a recent graduate, I attest that our professors seldom emphasized the importance of communications skills . In limbo between artistic abstraction and everyday jargon, we adopted the rhetoric of our professors, many of whom are theorists, or designers who have not made a living completing buildings. Architecture school may be an artistic blank check, but ultimately it is a false reality, for which we are not well prepared when college instantly ends with the turn of a tassel. I witnessed this reality in an unforgettable meeting with an unforgettable professor. An architect had recently visited the school, renowned as a bastion of business, toting it as the key to success. This unforgettable professor claimed that if he could grace the architect’s head with a baseball bat, he would take the opportunity. Asking why, he revealed that they studied at Harvard together, he being an “A-designer” and the other being a “B-designer; he wasn’t very good.” Following school, the B-designer cleverly worked the professional system, gradually growing into a position of international notoriety. The professor scoffed at his ascension, claiming he could never do that. Why, I inquired? His response, nuanced with bewilderment and almost hurt, was, essentially: “I believe so strongly in my art. What are you to do, when you feel like you know design better than most? I can’t let it go.”

... [the greatest architects] stand on a platform in which he/she is listening, and reinterpreting, manifesting something to the audience in a way beyond what they expected.

This is the baton that many of us carry. A baton containing rolls

Of course, achieving this is a balancing act. Consider the

of diagrams that are better than anyone else’s diagrams, period.

musician on a stage. If that musician performs music of

A baton handed off with instructions that: “you are a mini-god,

their choice, they are standing on a platform of self-interest.

you create worlds, you are better.” I am worried this attitude

If that musician performs the crowd’s choices, they are

will partition us from our clients in the future, and ultimately our immense potential for success. Does this mean we should begrudgingly embrace humility? If we, in fact, want to work our way up the professional ladder, is it possible to do so without an unwavering conviction in ourselves? Is our arrival into the business world truly the demise of our artistic yearnings? Questions like these elude the true issue at the heart of the matter: ego. Architecture thrives on ego, and that’s not something to boast

standing on a platform without identity or character. The greatest musicians (and the greatest politicians, and the greatest architects) stand on a platform in which he/she is listening, and reinterpreting, manifesting something to the audience in a way beyond what they expected. The audience responds, and a feedback loop begins.

To succeed as an architect, descend from the pedestal, listen and articulate, and you will rise to the platform. This is the paradox of progress. ■

about. In the years prior to architectural school, I handcrafted mine like a fine Italian Chianti. Witnessing collegiate narcissism was encouragement to drink all of it. As an alternative to a selfindulgent, and perhaps destructive drunken stupor, I offer a paradox of progress. If we lose our ego, if we acknowledge that we don’t know everything, if we realize we’re not superior to anyone, success will find us. These attitudes establish a platform of personality that permits us to become an expert in communication. Be confident in your beliefs, have conviction in your artistic sensibilities! If you can not express them to a coworker, a client, a contractor, they will remain yours and yours alone. You want to be a person that can fulfill anyone’s desire for good company, not just your artistic counterparts whom no one understands either. I truly believe that a stroke of brilliance completely depends on its articulation. Don’t you want others to delight in your enlightenment?

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

ARTICLE

ORIGINS

ARCHITECTURE AND BEYOND EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES Lee W. Waldrep Ph.D Waldrep is the Assistant Director of the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, IL, the author of Becoming an Architect: A Guide to Careers in Design, and contributor to the AIA Handbook of Professional Practice.

“The future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created – created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them changes, both the maker and the destination.” - John Schaar, Futurist

DESIGN and CONSTRUCTION The relatively new delivery system of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is another potential avenue for architects to prove their value. As stated by architect Ron Green, “If architects want to retain whatever edge they tenably hold in the area of building construction, they need to expand their knowledge of building technology and construction documents; architects must also take a leadership role in the design and construction process.” Buildings are

Over the last year, there has been much media attention about architecture not being a viable career path; articles have degraded architectural education and the profession. Despite this negative attention, the career of an architect (and the architectural education), serve as a springboard to a myriad of career pursuits both in architecture and beyond.

consistently becoming more complex and architects can increase their career opportunities by becoming leaders again. Similar to the opportunities in IPD is the use of BIM technology. BIM has created a whole new business model for architects and firms that create virtual designed environments, including the management and facilitation of the additional layers of information.

SUSTAINABILITY Green building technology or sustainable architecture is one of the fastest potential career paths for architects. Many architects and architectural graduates are pursuing LEED accreditation where opportunities exist through increased use of renewable energy technologies (e.g., wind, geothermal, hydropower), eco-friendly construction materials, and recyclable building materials. As of 2005, nearly all of the largest 150 corporations had a Chief Sustainability Officer – who better than an architect to fulfill these positions. While architects may not be overly involved with residential architecture, an opportunity exists by helping homeowners convert their homes to zero-energy homes. Kermit Baker, an economist for the American Institute of Architects (AIA), says, “Sustainability and architecture are now intertwined.” In a recent AIA survey, architects reported that 47 percent of their clients in 2008 used green building elements.

SOCIAL CONSCIENCE Another area of great potential for the future of architecture is Public Interest Design. Perhaps ignited by Architecture for Humanity, Design Corps, Public Architecture, and others, it has emerged as a viable alternative to traditional practice. In March 2012, Architectural Record dedicated an entire issue to “Building for Social Change.”

research by RIBA, many recent architectural graduates and students chose a career in the built environment professions because of its social agenda. Further proof in its growth is the Public Interest Design Institute® and the SEED (Social Economic Environmental Design) Network; both believe that design can play a vital role in the critical issues facing communities and individuals, in crisis and in every day challenges.

Despite this negative attention, the career of an architect (and the architectural education), serve as a springboard to a myriad of career pursuits both in architecture and beyond.

COMPUTER GRAPHICS Today’s architecture students spend more time on the computer than ever before and is has translated into yet another career path. Architects design real buildings, but there are opportunities in designing virtual worlds & communities. With the advent of the smartphone and now the tablet, architects have the opportunity to enter the fast growing industry (38%) of simulation development. One such example of architect turned tech entrepreneur is Evan Sharp, founder of Pinterest. He was in the midst of his architectural education at Columbia when he created the popular phenomenon, which has become one of the most visited social networks.

BEYOND ARCHITECTURE Over the years, numerous resources highlight careers that “look beyond architecture,” -- landscape architecture, interior design, lighting design, acoustical design, engineering, construction, urban and regional planning, architectural history, theory and criticism, and environmental and behavioral research. Once such resource is Archinect’s ongoing series, Working Out of the Box, that profiles individuals educated as architects in pursuit of other paths. So, the next time someone asks of your future, reply confidently that you intend to use what you have learned as an architect to improve the quality of life in the built environment and are just pondering the details to fully implement your desired path. As Leslie Kanes Weisman, of the New Jersey Institute of Technology has stated, “I am certain that … those who are in command of the powerful problem-defining and problem-solving skills of the designer will be fully capable of designing their own imaginative careers by creating new definitions of meaningful work for architects that are embedded in the social landscape of human activity and life’s events.”

YAF CONNECTION 11.04

Keeping in mind that the current President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Chrysler Brand for Chrysler Group LLC, Saad Chehab, holds a degree in architecture, below are just a sampling of possible career fields and occupations that are not only open to, but would benefit from, those having received an generalist architectural design education ... Advertising Automotive Book Publishing Energy Conservation Environmental and Codes Environmental Scientist Ethics and Sustainability Fabric Structures Fashion Design Festival Architecture Financial Services Furniture Design Gaming Environment Design Graphic Design Global Web Technologies Historic Preservation Magazine Publishing Media and E-Commerce Product Analysis Production Designer Sales and Marketing Management Set Design Social Media Space Architecture User Experience ■ REFERENCES 1. Jamison, Claire, (2012). The Future for Architects. London: Royal Institute of British Architects. (http://www.buildingfutures.org.uk/think/year/2012) 2. Architectural Record, Building for Social Change, March 2012 3. SEED Network - http://www.seednetwork.org 4. Public Interest Design Institute® - http://www.publicinterestdesign.com 5. http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/news/4314253 6. http://www.brighthub.com/office/career-planning/articles/99031.aspx 7. http://specsandcodes.typepad.com/specsandcodes/2011/10/towards- a-more-irrelevant-architect.html

ARTICLE

ORIGINS

Alex Coulombe Assoc. AIA is a designer and consultant at Fisher Dachs Associates in NYC. Coulombe is also a founding member of the Warehouse Architecture Theatre and an award-winning board game designer.

Transvancement

Ragdale Ring Design Competition - Day

Out of habit, allow me coin a new word: transvancement. I define this as such: advancing your career by sidestepping it. Here’s how I transvanced. Architecture is one of those college majors that would seem to have a pretty straightforward career path in front of it. An Art major could become anything from a graphic designer to an animator. A Philosophy major could become... anything at all. But when you tell someone you majored in Architecture, and that your degree is being used gainfully, they’re going to assume that you are -- you guessed it -- an architect. I am not an architect. I was-- kind of. This time last year, I was on the path to licensure; virtually done with my NCARB hours and ready to to start taking the ARE’s. I graduated from Syracuse University with my B. Arch in 2010 and worked for four different architecture firms of varying size and scope. The firm I was employed by at the time positively thrilled me, as my work involved many things I loved-- Revit, 3ds Max, Vray, travel, and collaborating on some truly excellent, sustainably-designed buildings.

Ragdale Ring Design Competition - Night So there I was, appreciative, if not a little resentful, of my career trajectory, when something interesting happened-- I was furloughed. My office simply did not have enough paid work for me to do, but they didn’t want to fire me, so I simply became temporarily

And yet, if I was completely honest, there were a few realities about the field that I wasn’t so thrilled with: not-great pay, not-great hours, not-great design to administration work ratio, and some not-great staff time management. Let me be clear-- this wasn’t specific to the firm I was at, rather, these were trends I had come to accept as part of the architectural career-path, and I was appreciative these issues were minimal at my firm. After all, at one point I worked for a slave-driving starchitect who would have had me laying out parking garage floor-drains for the rest of my natural life. So I counted my blessings and simply felt grateful I had a satisfying job at a good company.

unemployed. Now at first, it didn’t even occur to me to look for

Still, I longed for a world that allowed architects to focus on design, be well-compensated, and keep standard office hours. And there’s this other problem: I enjoy a lot of things besides architecture. Theatre, music, film, my home life, and attending a breadth of unique NYC events. I always held the belief that these outside activities enriched my architectural design sensibilities, but unfortunately, architecture.

theatre consultant. “What’s that?” I asked myself. My curiosity was

another job. I simply looked at this as a small (unpaid) vacation that would give me time to write a few plays, play some more music, and maybe even help plan that wedding I had coming up. But then a week turned into two weeks. And two weeks turned into a month. And for the first time in my life, I wasn’t employed. Yes, technically I was, but when your bank account’s sputtering like an empty fuel tank, it sure doesn’t feel like it. It was around then that I received an e-mail from Syracuse’s Director of Career services about an available position for a sufficiently piqued for me to pose myself a challenge: Apply to the job. Not seriously-- but just to get a tour of the office. Maybe instead of floor samples and material palettes, they might have theatre seats and stage lifts! (They did.)

“By looking outside of my expected career radius, I found a specialized field where my skills are valuable”

NY Philharmonic 360 at the Park Avenue Armory I landed an interview, and long story short, a week after going back to work, I was given an offer to join this theatre consultancy. There was a lot of back and forth, weighing of pros and cons, and singing “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash. I genuinely liked my firm and the work I was doing, but ultimately it came down to wanting the chance to turn architecture from a soul-sucking succubus into the good friend who knows you’ll help them move heavy furniture. As it happened, I heard some magical things during what was supposed to be only an exploratory interview. I learned of a world full of glorious architecture and design, but also 7.5 hour workdays and generous benefits. I heard the term ‘summer hours’ for the first time, and realized that not only could I go to the theatre with this job, I’d be encouraged to. The only sacrifice? That I couldn’t become an Architect with a capital A. Despite how similar many of my tasks would be at this office to the architectural offices I already worked at, the lack of licensed staff meant it didn’t meet NCARB’s standards. Frankly, I’m not that broken up about it. The prospect of expensive tests and endless years of ‘continuing education’ never really appealed to me. I take a certain joy in knowing I may never take another test for as long as I live, that the only lunch n’ learns I need attend are ones where I’ll genuinely enjoy the topic (and/or the food), and that instead of through rote memorization, I’m learning what I need to learn on the job through doing it.

YAF CONNECTION 11.06

Photo: Chris Lee

Today I’m coming up on three years out of school and I’m thoroughly happy. I spend the workday on projects as exciting and random as a giant 360 degree performance by the NY Philharmonic Orchestra at the Park Avenue Armory, an opera house in China, or even the occasional cruise ship lounge. My free time gives me a well-balanced life filled with a myriad of extracurricular activities, and now, because I’m not so burnt out when I leave work, I’m designing a lot of other things (yay, boardgames!). My friends and I even enter the occasional competition, something that would have seemed like an overwhelming amount of extra work on top of any of my previous jobs. And here’s the final great thing-- there’s job security. At the sacrifice of having all the general qualifications that would allow me to work at nearly any normal architecture firm, quoth Liam Neeson, “what I do have is a very particular set of skills,” and those skills keep me employed. By looking outside of my expected career radius, I found a specialized field where my skills are valuable. Without the baggage I previously associated with the thrill of creating architecture, I get to work in parallel with many of the world’s great designers in an advisement capacity. And let’s face it, the witty sidekick always has more fun than the hero. ■

DESIGN

ORIGINS

Fatima Olivieri Assoc. AIA is an Intern Architect at KieranTimberlake in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a guest critic at various universities and a contributing writer to HiddenCity Philadelphia.

Urban Chiaroscuro

Plan & Section

“During the last few years, therefore, measures involving light have taken new directions in the way of placing it at people’s service, revealing presences, magnifying spaces, shapes and materials thus allowing us to perceive the multifaceted nature of places and events unfolding in light. Light has started playing new roles mainly in the way it may help quite decisively to forge new ties of identity between people and the places they live in.” (Alvés 1257)

In her article Art, Light and Landscape New Agendas for Urban Development Teresa Alvés talks about the relationship between light and the active public realm of many cities such as London. It is through the manipulation of light that public areas are transformed from areas of everyday use to spaces of event, and leisure. In tropical climates such as those in most Latin American countries, light becomes integral to the development of urban life. Shade and shadows become spaces of inhabitation during the day, and as the day and the seasons change, so do the flow of people from spaces of darkness to spaces of light. Thus my graduate thesis sought to redefine the way in which we construct our public realm using light and shade as place-makers and design tools in my native island of Puerto Rico. A site in Puerto Rico’s capital, San Juan, provides a testing ground for the development of this “new” public space. Three “light languages” are created to define spaces of gathering, inhabitation, and movement that can transform through the day and seasons. These light languages; dappled [canopy], diffuse [light path] and direct [topography]; relate to various adjacencies and stitch together what is currently a fragmented urban site. The proposal stemmed from a concern about the emptiness of plazas adjacent to stops in Puerto Rico’s first metro line, established in 2004. This metro line with a network of public spaces was established in response to the continued and dispersed extramural growth of San Juan. The goal was that each stop would become the new urban hub.The plazas however, although contemporary in context, still try to adhere formally and spatially to the Spanish Colonial idea of public space; based on the Laws of the Indies set in place in 1523. The result has been a series of empty paved zones adjacent to each stop that neither responds to current social interaction nor addressesclimatic issues; both of which are important to public interaction in a tropical context.

Site Plan The site for this project; the Hato Rey metro stop, is singular to the other stops in that it acts as the primary public access for the Puerto Rico Stadium.The existing large-scale plaza was designed to accommodate the flow of people on stadium nights, but lacks activity the rest of the year. The site also lies adjacent to a wetland/ wildlife preserve,an estuary of the San Juan Bay, and a water taxi station that goes to the historic part of San Juan. These adjacencies provide opportunities to connect with various modes of public infrastructure, environmental systems, and cultural life.The proposal integrates these disparate pieces, allowing inhabitants to engage with these conditions, climate and the public space in new ways.

Light as Spatial Language The project addresses the site at three scales; the metro line, the site and two anchors within the site. However, all three scales implement the idea of three overarching “light” languages” [dappled, diffuse, and direct] as formal and experiential constructs to establish a new type of public space. Each light language has a different architectural and spatial representation and addresses different issues on the site.

“The topography also serves to mediate adjacencies such as the water’s edge and the stadium”

Perspective The first element; the “dappled light”; is expressed through a shade structure [canopy] that defines zones of gathering and circulation at different points throughout the site. The striations of the perforations vary according to the function underneath the canopy, becoming denser in areas of gathering, and more permeable along circulation paths. The circulation paths provide covered connections from multiple points of the site to the metro stop, thus allowing people from the nearby residential area to cross the site no matter what the climatic circumstance. Many of the gathering spaces are left without a specific program, with the goal that the inhabitants will program these spaces as needed, such as for a daily market. Diffuse light, or “light paths” serve as the primary night routes and anchor interior programs that can work both during the day and at night. These paths become registered on the ground place as illuminated surfaces, but become a louvered structural glass system to house interior programs such as a water taxi station in place of the original, and a new media library. This system can work with passive ventilation and also give the diffuse light quality to the interior of the spaces. The louvers also serve to project information and media during the evening at various locations, expanding the “event space” from the stadium into the rest of the site.

YAF CONNECTION 11.06

Sketches

The idea of “direct light” responds to the development of a constructed landscape. The existing topography contains a very low slope; most of the land of the site was formerly part of the wetlands and was in-filled in the 1950s. This is why this new proposed ground, or constructed topography, is meant to serve various purposes on the site; the first of which is to provide areas of direct sunlight during the day. The topography also serves to mediate adjacencies such as the water’s edge and the stadium, both of which are currently hard boundaries. By mediating these adjacencies, the topography moves and folds and creates outdoor gathering spaces such as an outdoor amphitheatre that negotiates the grade change between the stadium entrance and the ground level. These pieces begin to bring activities from the stadium and integrate it onto the site, at a smaller scale. This new ground also serves to bring vegetation existing in the wetlands into the site creating a tertiary planted shading structure. The interactions among the pieces are further developed at the two anchors within the site; the adjacency to the stadium, and the adjacency to the water. In each anchor, the functions and formal designs become more particular to each site condition, therefore providing opportunities for people to interact more intimately with their context in a collective environment. ■

DESIGN

ORIGINS

A LESSON FROM THE INTERNS GenslerLA’s Intern Research Program Intern research program at Gensler Los Angeles asks Interns to look in depth at Los Angeles In the summer of 2010, as Gensler’s Los Angeles office prepared to move to Downtown LA, the office asked its summer interns to develop research related to Downtown, helping them and their colleagues to have a better understanding of their new surroundings. Since that summer, the interns’ research has continuted to center on Downtown LA and the characteristics that make this area vibrant, challenging, and uniquely Los Angeles. Each project investigates a topic that has plagued Los Angeles for years - a forgotten park, never-ending traffic, a graffiti subculture, and an underwhelmging supply of green space - ang proposes solutions. The projects on the following pages are a sampling of the outstanding work that these interns have produced over the past four summers.

-07 AUGUST 2013 WEDSince the advent of digital technology, our ability to communicate and interact as humans has been drastically altered. Social networking, media sharing, blogging - these are a few of the many vehicles that have constructed a cult of the individual - perfectly curated lives constructed within iron-clad bubbles, in full view of everyone else, but unable to reach out and interact. This is particularly true of Los Angeles, where the motor vehicle has become a physical personification of this individual bubble. Angelenos travel from their homes to their cars to their place of work and back again, often times never even stepping outdoors. The opportunities for new and unexpected encounters is reduced to almost zero. With little incentive to take public transit or walk or bike through the city, most Angelenos learn to love their bubble, and some choose to never leave. This ‘parklet’ aims to regenerate an interest - and passion - for surprise, for exploration, for the playfulness of youth that so many drift from as they grow older. The draw is simple - a place to charge the electronics that so many feel naked without. But this is simply an incentive - an incentive to step into a space full of opportunities, to interact and explore in a tangible sense incapable of being produced by a piece of hand-held technology. Charging one’s phone or tablet puts it temporarily out of commission - within sight but just out of reach - enabling visitors to look up, away from their screens, and at one another instead. This parklet utilizes our dependence on digital technology to foster physical, spontaneous social interaction.

[INTER]REACT

Rebirth of Spontaneous Social Interaction Chance encounters that once birthed meaningful relationships have now evolved into self-contained, highly-curated digital identities. By creating a space to charge one’s technology without the ability to use it, people are forced to turn from their screens and to one another instead.

NEIGHBORHOOD ADJACENCIES

BUNKER HILL THEN

NOW

WHAT’S NEXT?

FINANCIAL DISTRICT

[INTER]REACTIVE TECHNOLOGY Charging Station As new devices are inserted and removed from the charging stations, the tower will react, instantly changing its color of emitted light until the next device is activated.

PERSHING SQUARE

[INTER]REACT Kirk Bairian / Kyle Houge / Sophie Kwok / Ping Zhou Summer 2013 Social networking, media sharing, and blogging have drastically altered our ability to communicate and interact as humans. We live our lives constructed in virtual bubbles, in full view of everyone else, but unable to reach out and interact. This ‘parklet’ aims to regenerate an interest - and passion - for surprise, for exploration, for the playfulness of youth. The draw is simple - a place to charge the electronics that so many feel naked without. But this is simply an incentive - an incentive to step into a space full of opportunities, to interact and explore, in a tangible sense, incapable of being produced by a piece of handheld technology. Charging one’s phone or tablet puts it temporarily out of commission,enabling visitors to look up at one another instead of their screens. This parklet utilizes our dependence on digital technology to foster physical, spontaneous social interaction.

BAIRIAN / HOUGE / KWOK / ZHOU / GENSLER SUMMER 2013

JEWELRY DISTRICT Sound Each tower is embedded with sensitive sound detectors. As the volume around each tower increases, as will the intensity of its emitted light. Acting almost like a musical equalizer, the tower will react to the ebb and flow of conversation and ambient city noise.

STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS PV Panel

Wired to base through structure

Exterior Cladding

3/8” Powder-coated Steel, White

Interior Hinge Connection

Interior Cladding

Motion Within each tower is also a motion detector. When there is no movement detected in the area, the pods remain in their closed, resting position. As soon as movement is sensed, the panels pull up along an embedded track, creating an instant canopy under which visitors can position the free-moving benches and rest, charge their phones, and possibly interact.

Primary Structure

Flexible LED Panel Lighting

1/4” Powder Coated Steel Tube, White

Secondary Structure

1/8” Tensioned Steel Cable [cross-bracing]

Charging Pad

1/4” Acrylic Pad, wired to base through structure

Bench

Wood seat [Teak], Powder-coast Steel, White

Base

Charing pad electronic base, Battery Pack

Elevation @ 1/4” = 1’ // Morning [Low Usage]

Elevation @ 1/4” = 1’ // Afternoon [High Usage]

Elevation @ 1/4” = 1’ // Night [Low/Med Usage]

Summer 2013 Intern Research Project

TRANSFORMING AUTOPIA Erin Cuevas Summer 2010 The car is the heart of Los Angeles culture. It reflects the Angeleno “identity” and this dependence signals how Los Angeles has developed through decentralization, building freeways as an “easy” way to connect to the suburbs. The network of freeways has led to the development of “Autopia,” a car-centered society. Core qualities of Autopia can seem surreal and fantastic; who wouldn’t want to live in a city filled with fast transportation and beautiful automobiles? However, freeways are packed 24/7, and sitting in rush hour can mean keeping your car in “park” for extended periods of time. How do you solve issues of traffic and sustainability while still maintaining the Autopian lifestyle? We should mimic the advertising tactics of car makers to give mass public transit the appeal that is typically only associated with the personal automobile. Taking cues from these marketing campaigns should increase the number of transit riders.

YAF CONNECTION 11.06

ORIGINS

DESIGN

STREET ART Jessica Chang Summer 2011

EAST LA

LITTLE TOKYO

VENICE BEACH 1997

1985

2005

1989

1995

Shepard Fairey designs the OBEY poster which ultimately spreads all over the world

1979

LOS ANGELES Chas Bojorquez hired to design a graffiti style logo for hte film the warriers

PHILIDELPHIA Modern day graffiti as we know it becomes prevelant in Philidelphia.

2000

1994 1992

Banksy hangs his Mona lisa in the Louvre

LOS ANGELES Venice Beach art walls become legal spots for graffiti Invader starts putting tile space invaders all aroudn the world

1988

LOS ANGELES Painting Freeway signs becomes popular NEW YORK Keith Haring starts to sell cheap products with his art on it.

2008

1966

PARIS Student Riots - Graffiti with anarchist slogans are posted around the city

LOS ANGELES Anti police graffiti outburst during the Rodney King riots

NEW YORK SUPER KOOL 223 & HONDO start showing up on subway cars.

1986

1968

1972

LOS ANGELES The Z-boys open up a surfshop in Venice beach and their style is influenced by cholo graffiti

1998

graffiti.org First website dedicated to graffiti

2004

1982

LOS ANGELES Wild Style is introduced to LA

Banksy nominated for an Academy Award for Exit Thorugh the Gift Shop

2010

1975

LOS ANGELES The first book to focus on cholo graffiti is pubished

Banksy tags the Israeli/Palestinian border with thought provoking images

LOS ANGELES Ed Templeton opens a skate shop with strong ties to graffiti

1993

1949

Edward Seymour invents spray paint

LOS ANGELES Saber paitns the largest graffiti piece in history in the LA river

LOS ANGELES A graffiti war in the Belmont Tunnel is televised

NEW YORK The term Wild Style is coined to describe a writing style that is more complex and almost illegible.

1973

LOS ANGELES Zoot Suit Riots break out amongst Mexican American Youth.

LOS ANGELES A street art exhibit opens on East First St. The sloped concrete floors attract skaters.

LOS ANGELES Chaz Bojorquez first tags his senor suerte motiff on the 110 freeway. Later the symbol is adopted by chiano gangs for protection

1969

LOS ANGELES The Venice Beach Pavillion is built - later to be a large graffiti site

1943

WWII - James J Kilroy writes “kilroy was here on ship parts and equipment. These pieces spread all across the world

1961

1941

1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Shepard Fairey designs Obama’s iconic campaign imagery

Though the beginnings of modern day graffiti are often attributed to New York , Los Angeles has had a much older history of graffiti in the barrios. While the New Yorkers spread their styles through tagging subway cars, the taggers of LA were much more provincial. Graffiti was most prevalent amongst Latino youth and concentrated in East Los Angeles. Beyond tagging, the painting of full size murals became very popular. The act of painting larger more intricate graffiti was named “piecing.” Rather than being a name quickly scrawled, pieces take more artistic thought, time, and skill. While the pieces were often more beautiful and intricate than regular tags, they were also more disruptive and harder to remove. While its easy to admire the international and commercial street artists such as Banksy and Shepard Fairey and look down upon messy scribbles on a freeway sign, one must remember that the simple graffiti is just as legitimate. Almost all of the critically renowned street artists today had their roots in simply tagging their names. For some, graffiti is the only means of expressing his or her thoughts; it is an accessible art that does not require any sort of expensive training. Graffiti and street art in general is unique in that it is predominantly practised and spread by youth. It is also one of the oldest arts, as many of the first signs of painting showed up on the walls of caves or ancient greek scratchings in temples. Anthropologically speaking, graffiti lends light to a generation’s thoughts, styles, and lingual patterns. Though much of the graffiti in LA can have gang- related, violent connotations, these marks act as a clear sign of a much larger problem beyond vandalism and can be used to create change. As seen through these works, street art can have a large impact on a community and even on a nation. Hopefully LA can house and encourage the next generation of street artists.

2.45 miles/ 12,945 ft

Los Angeles - Summer Internship Program 2010

2.41 miles/ 11,303 ft

LINEAR CITY: a morphology Tiffany Chen Summer 2010 Many have assumed that Downtown LA will never qualify as the heart of the city, in part because Wilshire Boulevard already exists as a “linear downtown,” but the geometries, nodes, solids, voids, and temporal dimensions of the city are all variables that ultimately make up a dynamic network of relationships that evolve and define it. The evolution of the LA freeway system has also redefined transportation from an interstitiary element to a solid formal foundation of Los Angeles urban language. Wilshire Boulevard was the first traffic corridor to the ocean after the automobile became the primary means of transportation. Though initially the street was residential, the amount of traffic using Wilshire gradually became more attractive for commerce and YAF CONNECTION 11.06

2.72 miles/ 14,308 ft

2.9 miles/ 15, 325 ft

2.71 miles/ 14, 306 ft

2.58 miles/ 13,622 ft

2.64 miles/ 13,982 ft

METRIC: Green vs.inGrey goo” the “in-betweens”

business. As Los Angeles developed, Wilshire became a city within a city on a linear trajectory. With Wilshire Boulevard stringing together the dialogue between the city’s many distinct neighborhoods, it is perhaps these variable iterations of scale and proportion fundamental to the city block, which can ultimately enable the dissection of LA’s diverse spatial DNA. While the shiny towers of the “centralized” city nuclei are indeed present along the stretches of Wilshire Boulevard, what then lies in the interstitiary spaces within the urban fabric? Not quite city, yet not exactly surburban, “Grey Goo,” is the massive territory between city centers and the “exburbs.” Endless and without clear structure, this “goo” is quite literally the grey concrete and asphalt that has seeped into the infrastructure of transportation throughways and city blocks. Wilshire illustrates the graphic proliferation of “grey

of defined neighborhood fabrics. With the quaint proportions of LA’s Westwood Village morphing into the corporate scale of Century City, the significant increase in buildable FAR perhaps gives an indication of Grey Goo as “the actual material apparatus necessary to sustain the shiny façade of the city center.” Perhaps development of green space or pedestrian space is most advantageous at these nodes of transition, where travel, time, and interactivity with the built environment are often forgotten. Whether green or built, it is an experiential “intention” that these abandoned spaces are missing. In reinterpreting Wilshire’s cyclical structure through scale, distance, and time, we can transform a disjointed linear city into an urban rhythm of interactivity and informed spatial anomalies.

#aiachat #archcareers4

1,276 Twitter Followers Repositioning and Career Advancement 60 Minutes 18 September, 2:00pm Eastern Time

# aiachat

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Welcome to the September 2013 AIA YAF Tweet-Up. This is the 4th in a series designed to illuminate best practices. #archcareers4 @AIAYAF [Moderator] I’m Joe Benesh, the AIA YAF Public Relations Director. I’ll be your host for the chat today. Just a note on format: #archcareers4 @AIAYAF [Moderator] I will ask a question “Q1”. Please use “A1” or the corresponding number so we can track your responses. #archcareers4 @AIAYAF [Moderator] At the end of 2013, we will produce an electronic document with some of the highlights of these chats for distribution.

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q1 - How do you see the AIA Repositioning will change the way you present yourself as an Architect or your firm to the public? #archcareers4

@Architect1122 (Rob Anderson) A1 - I can specifically show others how our profession is beginning to chisel its way out of the past and into the 21st century #archcareers4

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q2 - Do you consider yourself a designer or something else? #archcareers4

@Architect1122 (Rob Anderson) A2 - No, I am an Architect. #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) A2 - Almost every architect thinks he/she is a designer first. But this term is so vast, the whole humanity can fit into it! #archcareers4

@AIAYAF [Moderator] @BLENDarchCom That’s true. It is a vast term. Does it need to be refined? #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) A2 - Not really, it’s like everybody speaks English. Everybody designs. No need to narrow down the scope of it! #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) A2 - What architecture needs to do instead is to embrace & collaborate with designers beyond architecture. #archcareers4

@Shoegnome (Jared Banks) A2 - architect #archcareers4 http://t.co/0oOPtpDPgl

LOOK FOR FUTURE TWITTER CHATS @AIAYAF

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q3 - What things are important to you as an Architect from the standpoint of design? #archcareers4

@Architect1122 (Rob Anderson) A3 - Conviction in decision making. #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) A3 - Doing work that makes a difference. I want to help people before anything else. Not the best business model some might say #archcareers4

@Shoegnome (Jared Banks) @AIAYAF A3 - The why behind what the team is trying to create. http://tco/2c5FzfUNl2 #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) Hey, we could have met over coffee and done this! Looks like it’s just the three of us today! #archcareers4

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q4 - Are there values you try and instill in your clients? #archcareers4

@Architect1122 (Rob Anderson) A4 - Perspective of use outside their specific interests. Further development of meaningfulness in a community context. #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) A4 - Look beyond profits. Haven’t been lucky to find responsible clients on my own yet, but have worked w/ a few in past firms. #archcareers4

@Shoegnome (Jared Banks) @AIAYAF A4 - hire me. #archcareers4

@Shoegnome (Jared Banks) @AIAYAF A4 - pay your bills. #archcareers4

@AIAYAF [Moderator] @BLENDarchCom Do you think that clients understand the value of what you do? #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) No way! Talk of environment/responsibility to community & clients deduce architects r crazy romantics w/ no sense of business. #archcareers4

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q5 What do you think of the AIA’s repositioning manifesto? #archcareers4

@_rockhill (J. James Rockhill) A5 - I’d like to give a thoughtful answer but I’m going to need a modest salary. ;) #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) A5 - It’s a great step forward to educate the masses about architecture as a profession. There’s a long road ahead! #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) A5 - Even architects don’t know what repositioning is.

YAF CONNECTION 11.06

#aiachat #archcareers4

Rather AIA members at local level don’t know what it is! #archcareers4

@_rockhill (J. James Rockhill) A5 - Look at the Facebook page of @KohnPedersenFox or @ FosterPartners. You’ll find less than 3 or 4 direct interactions. #archcareers4

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q6 What’s your PERSONAL design manifesto? #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) A6 - Refer to A3 and A4. ;) #archcareers4

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q7 How does your personal design manifesto impact others? How do you evangelize your “brand”? #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) A7 - Evangelize! I like to believe that our values/ commitment inspire others even if they don’t act on it. Stick to your guts. #archcareers4

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q8 - What is the best way to interact about design in the virtual world? #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) A8 - Post valuable content everywhere. Not just your marketing material. @CannonDesign is a good example. #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) A8 - @Architizer and @ArchDaily are great platforms to utilize. Now @ArchitectMag is also offering firms to self-publish! #archcareers4

@rkitekt (Adam Palmer) A8 - Making intentional posts on all media outlets about your own and other great design. Support design by recognizing others #archcareers4

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q9 - What have you learned from your clients about design? #archcareers4

@rkitekt (Adam Palmer) A9 - Many simply don’t know what it means, so we always need to encourage and teach them that design should be in everything! #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) A9 - They rely on you, and they actually TRUST you. That’s why they hired you! Folks that don’t hire an architect are trouble. #archcareers4

About the Moderator: Joseph R. Benesh AIA is currently a Focus Market Leader and Project Manager for RDG Planning + Design in Des Moines, Iowa and is licensed in Illinois and Florida. He is currently President of the AIA Iowa Central Iowa Architects Council in addition to serving as the AIA YAF Public Relations Director. Joe received his Bachelor of Architecture from Iowa State University. @joebenesh

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q10 What is the one thing you want to be remembered for? #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) A10 - Educating #archcareers4

@rkitekt (Adam Palmer) A10 - Mentoring and educating the profession and the public about the profession and design. #archcareers4

@Shoegnome (Jared Banks) @AIAYAF A10 - not something I worry or think about. #archcareers4

@AIAYAF [Moderator] For those of you playing along at home, I have gotten through the INXS albums Shoobah Shoobah and The Swing. Kick up next. #archcareers4

@BLENDarchCom (Deepika Padam) @JoeBenesh TY for your sense of humor. You enliven any dead space! #archcareers4

@rkitekt (Adam Palmer) Totally off topic, but ... @rkitekt - Adam, I cut my hair. I am sorry you had to find out this way. #archcareers4

@rkitekt (Adam Palmer) I am so distraught right now! Short is the way to go though, keeps it out of your eyes so you can think more clearly!?! #archcareers4

@rkitekt (Adam Palmer) You could make the argument that I never think clearly. =) #archcareers4

@AIAYAF [Moderator] This has been a good discussion, even though we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the turnout we have had in the last few chats. #archcareers4

@rkitekt (Adam Palmer) Small crowd today, i hope everyone remembers to tip their bartenders and waitresses! I need to bounce, thx and great job Joe. #archcareers4

YAF CONNECTION 11.06

LEADERSHIP PROFILE

A SEAT AT THE LEADERSHIP TABLE BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN ACADEMIA AND PRACTICE Haley M. Gipe Assoc. AIA is a Project Manager at Darden Architects in Fresno CA, the 2013 Chair of the NAC, and has recently been awarded the 2013 California Architectural Foundation Paul W. Welch Jr. ARE Scholarship, as well as the 2013 AIACC AEP Associates Award.

The transition from academia to practice, school to the ‘real-world’, university studio to professional firm, student to intern; it can all feel a bit vast at times. While I graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, (gasp) seven years ago, I still find myself gravitating to the ‘recent graduate’ corner of any room. They always told us in school that your education didn’t stop at graduation, that you’d continue to learn about architecture and how to be an ‘architect’ well after receiving your diploma. It still rings true for me today, with my diploma on the wall, six years of ‘real-world’ experience, IDP finished, and halfway through my AREs, I still inevitably feel like a student of Architecture. When I started at Darden Architects as a wide-eyed architecture graduate, I was eager and anxious to start my professional career. A few months into my architectural-intern position I joined the AIA, which I believed to be the logical next step in career development. The AIA symbolized a community to be a part of, something bigger than me alone. My local AIA San Joaquin Chapter is a modest smaller chapter, and their events and meetings became an integral part of my schedule. The more I became involved, the more I learned about the licensure process, our profession, the three tiers of the AIA, and the role of the five collaterals as a whole. This newfound understanding ultimately led to my desire to deepen my volunteer involvement on the single principal of making an impact in the profession.

The opportunity to advocate on behalf of AIA Associate membership came when I was elected to serve as the California Regional Associate Director (RAD) to the National Associates Committee (NAC) in 2012.

This

coincided with being selected to serve as the AIA Internat-Large to the IDP Advisory Committee. Both volunteer opportunities gave me the national perspective of volunteer involvement and the greater ability to affect positive change. In 2013, I was elected to a three year term, first serving as Chair of the NAC, then the 2014 Associate Director to the National Board, and the 2015 Associate Director to the Executive Committee. My national involvement has remained fueled by that initial desire to be part of the larger professional community through the AIA. While my story and journey to national leadership volunteer work is somewhat unique in the speed in which it’s happened, I don’t think it’s unusual to the recent generation of architecture school graduates. Having been engrained with this conceptual gap between education and practice, along with the negative economic climate of recent years, has fueled a generation to seek out leadership in the collateral organizations in order to make a difference. We recognize that our voice, our input, our perspective, is vital to making the changes we

Educating others about the licensure process was a way for me to fully understand the requirements, but also help others on their own path to licensure. Serving as the IDP State Coordinator for California from 2009-2011 was the beginning of my volunteer work with AIA California Council. With such a populous state of architects and AIA members, it was apparent that our Californian interns needed licensure outreach and education as IDP was a relatively newer requirement in our state. In California, our IDP State Coordinators are integrated into our Council of Advisors for the Academy for Emerging Professionals. This leadership position fueled my desire to volunteer on a much larger level, and gave me the perspective of statewide involvement.

want to see in the licensure process and practice itself. Astoundingly, all of the collaterals have collectively realized the profession is changing, with affects to both academia and practice. Relevance is at the forefront of many conversations and task forces, and historic decisions and revisions are being made in all arenas. Members at all levels of the AIA are continuing to volunteer their time and energy for the sake of something greater than the individual. This is what I love about the AIA, even in tough times, in times of change, members still believe in the profession and want to make it better.

Whether traditional career track, licensure track, alternative career, or unemployed, I have met emerging professionals that love being a part of this great profession. Harnessing their energy and passion is the key to relevance. Students, Interns, Associate AIA members, and Young Architect AIA members are coming together at all levels of our organizations to be a part of these conversations affecting our profession. This is the gap between academia and practice, the space where passion for this profession fuels great ideas for change. For all these reasons, it is paramount for emerging professionals to get involved and take a seat at the leadership table. My origins have been humble, but my passion for this profession and our AIA is great. I saw this gap between academia and practice as a world of opportunities. Opportunities for involvement and development as a professional as well as a person. My volunteer work has continued to shape the person I am and how I interact with my community. I challenge all emerging professionals to take advantage of the time between academia and practice, seek out opportunities, sharpen your skill set, and discover what kind of citizen architect you will be. â&#x2013;

This is the gap between academia and practice, the space where passion for this profession fuels great ideas for change. For all these reasons, it is paramount for emerging professionals to get involved and take a seat at the leadership table.

YAF CONNECTION 11.06

architecture + angst

COFFEE WITH AN ARCHITECT As written by Jody Brown and first published online at coffeewithanarchitect.com, June 15, 2011

ar·chi·tec·ture /ˈärkiˌtekCHər/

noun

The act of artfully placing complex forms in remote locations to be photographed for magazine covers.

noun

Public disinterest derived from a combination of self importance and greed.

noun

The memory of that which could have been, that is invoked by the residual form remaining after extensive value engineering.

noun

The compromise arrived at by the client and the designers after the president of the firm and the client played golf yesterday.

DEFINITION OF ARCHITECTURE I can’t believe I’ve written this blog for over a year [at that time] and never bothered to define Architecture. A glaring ommission to be sure. Perhaps I could get some help on this one? What’s a good definition of “Architecture” ?

Jody Brown is just an Architect, standing in front of an ideology, asking it to love him.

ar·chi·tec·ture /ˈärkiˌtekCHər/

noun

The hard metallic outer shell surrounding confused school children pointing at the large early period Calder mobile hanging from the ceiling.

noun

Profession wherein ones salary is amusing to the majority of other professionals.

noun

The touch, the feel of titanium. The fabric of our lives.

Creativity plus financing minus creativity.

Jody Brown AIA Brown is an Architect running his own firm (Jody Brown Architecture, pllc.) in Durham, NC. His work focuses on urban infill projects, mixed-use, urban design, and urban renewal. Over the last 18 years, he has built on his passion for planning and urban design, and has worked on enhancing, adding-to, re-using, renovating, and sometimes creating-from-scratch the places where people meet, learn, play, and become inspired. His work is grounded in the belief that Architecture can save cities. When he’s not doing that, he can be found making fun of himself and his profession, and blogging about his ideals at – Coffee with an Architect. Or, you can find him sipping coffee with someone at a cafe near you, blathering on-and-on about Le Corbusier, while looking aloof and interesting at the same time somewhere over in the corner.

YAF CONNECTION 11.06

YAF GET CONNECTED

1991

2014

YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

CELEBRATING 23 YEARS OF ADVANCING THE CAREERS OF YOUNG ARCHITECTS