VSAIA

Join small-business and non-profit consultant Sarah Milston, CFRE, MPA, on July 17 from 1-2 p.m., as she answers the BIG social media question: now what?

You have your business’s Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Houzz accounts up and running.  Now what? How can you use them to help your work, drive engagement, and make your firm stand out?  Learn about tools, tips, and best practices for making your social media time work for you.

Learn more about Sarah Milston at www.thesparkmill.com

This one-hour webinar offers 1 AIA/CES learning unit.

Cost: $25 AIA members, $35 non-members

Register online.

(Login information will be emailed prior to the webinar date)

Robert Lingo of Virginia Tech submitted the winning entry.

The annual Virginia Society AIA Prize competition was held over the weekend of Feb. 1-4, 2013.  This year’s competition has a new partner and Corporate Sponsor, the Virginia Housing Development Authority, who collaborated with faculty from Virginia Tech’s Washington Alexandria Architecture Center to develop the competition program brief.  Students in Virginia’s architecture schools were given the program Friday at 5 p.m.  The students worked over the weekend to create a board presenting their design solution by 9 a.m. Monday morning.

The 2013 Prize program asked the students to propose a design for a mixed-use fire station combined with dwelling units for the Beauregard neighborhood in Alexandria.

From the program:

“The building should consider the well-being of the community, enhancing a sense of place by designing this mixed use building for dwelling and fire protection. Mixed-use/mixed-income developments are important in the revitalization of older communities, complementing existing communities, traditionally designed in proximity of housing to goods, services, transportation and jobs. Giving new life to older communities such as Beauregard will come about by introducing new dwellings and protections (such as a fire station) to these communities. In this design competition you are asked to consider the powerful qualities of both fire and dwelling as you devise a design that reaches beyond pragmatic and efficient means. Your design should emphasize the power of home and fire while creating a potential for happiness, comfort, and security within this new community.”

Faculty from the schools (Hampton University, Virginia Tech WAAC, Virginia Tech Blacksburg, and the University of Virginia) reviewed all the submitted boards and selected ten finalists from each school to send to the Society.  The jury, chaired by Mary Patton Cox, FAIA, met in April to select this year’s winner as well as Best of School boards from each of the remaining schools.

The 2013 Virginia Society AIA Prize Winner is Robert Lingo of Virginia Tech

From the jury:

“We liked the way this entry takes the program from the abstract to the real, all in one board.  We liked the use of the foundry, combining a positive use of fire with a firefighting facility.  We also liked the varying scales, both macro and micro.  This entrant clearly thought beyond the scope of the problem, incorporating a community outreach component, into their solution.  The board is also a nicely designed composition.  Anyone can understand the presentation techniques.”

Best of School WAAC – Liz M. Fibleuil

From the jury:

“We liked the bold expression of fire, and the bold strokes of the presentation.  The entry takes an intangible and gives it three-dimensional expression in the forms and floor plan.  The use of color in the board is very vivid, as is the use of text in the descriptions of the design concepts.  The concept was conveyed well and well executed; we understood what they were trying to say.”

Best of School Hampton University – Alvin L. Mendoza

From the jury:

“This was a project that truly integrates the sense of community into the complex.  Not a traditional fire station per se, but that is partly what makes it remarkable.  It’s an iconic structure which is tied into the community and integrates the programmatic elements.  We liked the lyrical illustration of licks of flame, which is a creative interpretation.”

Honorable Mention – Kevin Gerrity, Virginia Tech

From the jury:

“We understand that this is not really a practical solution, but we liked the strong conceptual design, especially the components that can be plugged in as needed… very adaptable! The design of the board is lovely, very striking. The imagery is quite alluring, it draws you to it. Even the text box lines up with the residential floor plans. The section and floor plans describe it very well. A strong idea.”

The Virginia Society AIA Prize is sponsored by the Virginia Housing Development Authority.

Technological advances provide smart-phone applications for just about everything anyone can imagine, up to and including up-to-date code inspection results on construction projects.  Would it help you in your work?  If so, say so.  And while you are at it, mention other ideas that you have to make implementing or interpreting the building code easier.

The Department of Housing and Community Development begins in June its negotiations for the publishing of the 2012 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code.  In addition to publishing the code, the International Code Council could provide such modern apps.  For what should DHCD negotiate?

Please send any ideas, input or recommendations to Cindy Davis at cindy.davis@dhcd.virginia.gov.

What tools would help you do your job?  Whether from compliance, design, or construction standpoint, today’s technology and tools are changing, and DHCD would like to be able to provide the products that will most benefit its client groups.

DHCD hopes to negotiate and provide some of these new services or products, or at least encourage their development. If you can imagine it, send it.  This can be as complex as mobile apps for inspections that include a checklist, video, photo or commentary of code requirements when you click on them from your tablet or smart phone. If it will benefit you and your jurisdiction, DHCD wants to know.

© 2006, The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.

The AIA Board of Directors Class of 2013 chose as its name The Original 13 based on Richard Upjohn and the 13 Architects who founded the AIA in 1857. They took their class name from the tradition of the past but are looking to the future.

They want to meet Emerging Leaders at the AIA Convention this June in Denver, and are offering five fellowships in the amount of $1,000 each to attend the Convention, expand career horizons and look to the future.

HOW IT WORKS

Send a Tweet of Interest to share what you hope to learn by attending the Convention as an Emerging Leader. The Class will review your Tweets and select ten finalists. These finalists will write a more detailed narrative of their aspirations. Five Fellowship Recipients will be selected from this group on the basis of their narratives.

Each Fellowship Recipient will be paired with two Class of 2013 Board Directors during the Convention and will receive a $1,000 stipend to offset expenses. They’ll help each Fellowship Recipient realize his/her aspirations at Convention; get to know them personally with the hope of forming enduring relationships. After Convention they’ll ask for a report on the experience to share with other Emerging Leaders.

AIA CONVENTION IN DENVER

June 20-22, 2013

Denver, Colorado

FELLOWSHIP FOR EMERGING LEADERS

Students

Associates

Young Architects

TWEET OF INTEREST

Tweet us at #2013FEL

Tweet period is open until MARCH 30TH

Finalists will be notified via phone by APRIL 12TH

Recipients will be selected by APRIL 29TH

Compelling architectural research happens in universities and firms across Virginia every day. The VSAIA Prize for Design Research & Scholarship was created in 2008 to encourage a healthy dialogue between researchers in the universities and the firms.

The Prize will be announced in July and recognition will be given by the Virginia Society AIA at Architecture Exchange East, the annual conference and expo, held Nov. 6-8, 2013, in Richmond.

DEADLINES

Entries: 5 p.m., Friday, May 3

Submissions: 5 p.m. Thursday, May 30

Eligible papers or articles include those that have been submitted but are pending acceptance, or those that have been published in a journal or conference proceedings within the past two years. Research projects or innovative project case-studies completed within the past three years and summarized in a paper or article are also eligible.

The 2013 Prize for Design Research and Scholarship is sponsored by MTFA Architecture.

Download the entry form or see more information>>

2012 WINNER
The 2012 jury unanimously selected “New Directions in Design Research: The Role of School Architecture in the Prevention of Childhood Obesity” as the 2012 Prize for Research and Scholarship. This paper was submitted by Robert Moje, FAIA, of VMDO Architects in Charlottesville.

To accommodate requests for a little more time to submit registrations for the 2013 Inform Awards, the deadline for registration is extended to March 15, 2013. In fairness to those who have already registered, the deadline for project submission is also extended to March 22. Both days fall on Fridays.

In other news, 2013 Inform Awards Jury Chair L. William Chapin, FAIA, has selected a jury. He will be joined in April by Graham Gund, FAIA; Susan Maxman, FAIA; Bing Thom, AIA, to select the projects highlighted this year in the categories of Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, and Object Design.

The Inform Awards recognize design excellence beyond the more strictly defined realm of whole-building design. Specifically they highlight LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DESIGN, and OBJECT DESIGN.

The Inform Awards are open to anyone in the Inform magazine primary circulation area (Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, and the District of Columbia). The program recognizes the work of  architects, interior designers, landscape architects, furniture designers, industrial designers, students, faculty, and clients.

Position your award-worthy talents for publication in Inform and in news releases to Mid-Atlantic publications and get your work before the eyes of your clients, potential clients, colleagues, and the public.

Entrants must have a business address in Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, or North Carolina, and submitted work must have been completed after January 1, 2008. For members of the Virginia Society AIA, there is a special entry-fee discount.

Award winners in both the Honor and Merit categories will be featured in a special section of Inform magazine and announced to the public. The registration deadline is now March 15, 2013, and you can enter online or via email, fax, or mail using the PDF registration form.

The Inform Awards fee structure for 2013 is $135 per project for members of the Virginia Society AIA, and $175 per project for entrants who are not members of the Virginia Society AIA. Note that the fees are due upon registration, non-refundable, and non-transferable.

As a clarification, the Object Design category covers furniture, appliances, fixtures, and building components and systems, as opposed to full-building design. For more details, click on one of the registration links above.

On March 28, 2013, the Virginia Society AIA is offering a Significant Changes to the International Building Code 2012 seminar in Charlottesville. Learn about the important changes from the 2009 edition of the code. You’ll discover the reasoning behind the changes and how they affect accessibility. Hear a summary of significant changes and discuss the intent behind each change and how it could affect designs and enforcement.

The seminar includes a book detailing each of the critical changes. Each change analysis features the affected code sections and identifies the change as newly added text, a modification of the existing language, or deleted text. Accompanying each change are detailed illustrations and concrete examples, which bring the technical jargon of the code to life in a real-world setting.

Registration is $170 and continental breakfast and lunch are included. (Non-members pay $230). The registration deadline is March 7. Register here>>

The deadline to submit a project for the Inform Awards has been extended to  March 22, 2013. The program recognizes and encourages outstanding landscape architecture, interior design, and object design. The awards are open to anyone in Inform magazine’s primary circulation area—architects, interior designers, landscape architects, furniture designers, industrial designers, students, and faculty. Your business address must be located in Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, or North Carolina. All work submitted must have been completed after January 1, 2008.

Award winners in both the Honor and Merit categories will be featured in a special section of Inform magazine and announced to the public.

Find out more or enter>>

The Society’s annual convention, Architecture Exchange East, is the mid-Atlantic’s premier educational event and expo for the design and construction industry.  Celebrating its 26^th year, ArchEx  is now accepting proposals for presentations at the conference which will take place Nov. 6-8, 2013, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, in Richmond. Va.

ArchEx will offer more than 70 engaging seminars and workshops, allowing attendees to earn as many as 18 AIA/CES learning units . These sessions, along with tours, the ArchEx Exhibit Hall, and a keynote address, will inspire and challenge the audience of architects, engineers, contractors, interior designers, planners, industry leaders, and students.

Conference attendees tell us they want new and advanced content — the latest developments in the industry. Specific, focused seminars should be proposed, in one of these formats:

• Three- or six-hour workshops, offered on Wednesday, Nov. 6.
• 90-minute or three-hour seminar presentations to be offered on Thursday, Nov. 7 and Friday, Nov. 8.
• Tours (duration variable), to include projects in progress, recently completed projects, historical interest, etc.

Read an overview of the program selection process and a list of suggested topics.  Propose an offering you think is relevant and timely, or pick something from the list. To propose an offering, complete and submit the Presentation Proposal Form by April 30, 2013. Your proposal will be reviewed and you will be contacted by June 2013.  Incomplete forms may not be accepted.

The Presentation Proposal Form may be completed online or downloaded (PDF, Word) at www.archex.net

The 2013 VSAIA Prize Competition was held over the weekend of Feb.1-4, 2013.  The competition has a new partner and Corporate Sponsor, the Virginia Housing Development Authority, who collaborated with faculty from Virginia Tech’s Washington Alexandria Architecture Center to develop the 2013 competition program brief.

Students in Virginia’s architecture schools were given the program brief Friday, Feb. 1, at 5 p.m.  The students worked over the weekend to create a board presenting their design solution by 9 a.m.  the following Monday.

The 2013 Prize program called for a mixed-use fire station combined with dwelling units for the Beauregard neighborhood in Alexandria.  From the program:

“The building should consider the well-being of the community, enhancing a sense of place by designing this mixed use building for dwelling and fire protection. Mixed-use/mixed-income developments are important in the revitalization of older communities, complementing existing communities, traditionally designed in proximity of housing to goods, services, transportation and jobs. Giving new life to older communities such as Beauregard will come about by introducing new dwellings and protections (such as a fire station) to these communities. In this design competition you are asked to consider the powerful qualities of both fire and dwelling as you devise a design that reaches beyond pragmatic and efficient means. Your design should emphasize the power of home and fire while creating a potential for happiness, comfort, and security within this new community.”

Faculty from the four participating schools — Hampton University, Virginia Tech-WAAC, Virginia Tech, and the University of Virginia — will review all the submitted boards and select ten finalists from each school to send to the jury.

The jury, chaired by Mary Patton Cox, FAIA, will meet in early March to select the 2013 VSAIA Prize winner as well as Best of School boards from each of the three remaining schools.