VSAIA

ArchEx Keynote Announced

Most of us recognize that architecture can have an impact on health, but what if it could actually make us healthier? What if it could help prevent disease? The Society announces Tye Farrow, an internationally recognized expert in salutogenic design, as the Architecture Exchange East keynote speaker.  More>>

Virginia Women Featured at Women in Architecture Dinner

Valerie Hassett, Secretary of the Society, is organizing a presentation during the Women in Architecture dinner at the upcoming national convention. The presentation, moderated by Mary Cox, FAIA, will look back at the past 25 years of women in architecture in Virginia. More>>

Profiles in Emerging Leaders

Designed to develop future leaders in architecture firms, in communities, and in the profession, the Emerging Leaders in Architecture (ELA) program consists of seven intensive day-long seminars focused on essential strategies or skills.  We were curious about them, so we asked members of the ELA class of 2012 the same five questions, and this is what they had to say. More>>

Highlights From readinform.com

On readinform.com this month you will find the Inform Awards recipients (and continue to find highlights of the jury recognitions throughout the year), as well as a discussion of the newly ICC-approved International Green Construction Code. If you have an opinion, this is your opportunity to share that with your colleagues.

Licensure Fees to Remain at 2010 Levels

The administrators for the board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior designers, and Landscape Architects revealed that the APELSCIDLA regulants’ fees would remain constant maybe through 2017. More>>

Call for Entries: Prize for Design Research & Scholarship

The 2012 VSAIA Prize for Design Research & Scholarship will be awarded to a licensed, practicing architect in Virginia or a faculty member at a Virginia institution of higher learning for outstanding design research and/or scholarship in the field of architecture. More>>

Green Code Complicated in Virginia

Green became official in March.  Until then, green was extolled in local and even state ordinances throughout the country.  In Virginia, developers touted their projects’ green features to collect incentives offered by a few localities. More>>

AIA, Students Call for Pro Bono Work in Exchange for Loan Relief

The AIA and the AIAS recently called for Congress to pass legislation that includes architecture school graduates in the same programs that offer other graduates loan debt assistance if they donate their services to their communities and elsewhere. More>>

Results of IPD Awareness Survey Released

The AIA’s Center for Integrated Practice has released the results of an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) Awareness Survey. More>>

Architects Oppose Effort to Repeal Energy Reduction Law

On April 25, 2012, the American Institute of Architects announced its opposition to a House proposal to eliminate Section 433 of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007. More>>

YAF Celebrates 20 Years at Summit

The 2012 YAF summit marks the twentieth anniversary of the group, bringing together more than 60 design professionals to discuss top issues affecting young architects. More>>

Valerie Hassett, Secretary of the Society, is organizing a presentation during the Women in Architecture dinner at the upcoming national convention. The presentation, moderated by Mary Cox, FAIA, will look back at the past 25 years of women in architecture in Virginia.

The Women in Architecture Dinner, sponsored by AIA Diversity and Inclusion, honors the roles women play within the architecture profession and provides a platform to network and engage architects, interns, and architecture students from across the nation. The featured panel, Dina Griffin, AIA, and Suman Sorg, FAIA, will share their professional work, experiences, and greater issues of power, perspective, and success in architecture. All are welcome, and men are encouraged to attend.

Find out more information or register.

Virginia Candidate Gives Speech at Grassroots

Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA, who announced her candidacy for First Vice-president/President-elect of the American Institute of Architects on Dec. 9, 2011, gave a speech at the AIA 2012 Grassroots Leadership and Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.  More>>

This eight-day tour, centered in Dublin, with two days in Northern Ireland, features a broad overview of Ireland’s distinctive classical architecture and the emergence of Irish Palladianism. More>>

Governor Proclaims April 8-14 Architecture Week

Virginia Governor Robert F. McDonnell issued a proclamation recognizing April 8–14, 2012 as Virginia Architecture Week.  More>>

Dilapidated Church with Romeo and Juliet Story Inspires Documentation Project

Founding member of Virginia Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art and Architect (Va. IFRAA) William Robson, AIA, is seeking professionals and students to field measure and document a historic church building that is nearing a point of collapse. More>>

Beach Designs Memorial for Suffragists

Virginia member Robert Beach, AIA, made the news recently for his work with the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial Association (TPSMA). More>>

Emerging Leaders in Architecture Program Profiles at Grassroots

Virginia Society AIA members and staff collaborated with AIA California Council to deliver a session at AIA’s Grassroots Leadership conference in March.  More>>

AIA Northern Virginia Hosts Reception at 2012 Convention

As architects from around the country gather in Washington, D.C., for the AIA 2012 National Convention and Design Exposition, the Northern Virginia Chapter hosts the region’s architects with a cocktail reception in one of the area’s most vibrant communities.  More>>

Virginia Society AIA Prize Awarded to UVa Student

Over the course of one weekend, students from Hampton University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech Blacksburg, and Virginia Tech WAAC respond to a problem brief written by a faculty member from one of the participating schools. More>>

IDP 2.0 Launches

Implementation of the final phase of the Intern Development Program (IDP) 2.0 took effect on April 5, 2012. It represents a programmatic evolution that has been taking place since 2009 and includes significant updates that are beneficial to interns as they work their way toward licensure.  More>>

NCARB Surveys the Profession

The 2012 NCARB Practice Analysis of Architecture Survey will be sent out in April 2012 by email to more than 80,000 architects, interns, and educators across the country. Others interested in providing their feedback will be able to access the survey from the NCARB website.  More>>

ABI Remains Positive for Fourth Straight Month

Led by the commercial sector, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) has remained in positive territory four months in a row. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. More>>

HUD Seeks Public Comment

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is seeking public comment on its design, construction and technology research agenda. They want to hear your ideas on how they can meet four major goals. More>>

Washington Monument Exhibition Debuts at the VCA

Someday in the Park with George exhibition at the Virginia Center for Architecture focuses on new ideas for the unfinished Washington Monument Grounds. More>>

Call for Entries: Top 40 Under 40 in Housing Award

The Top 40 Under 40 in Housing awards will recognize Virginia’s top professionals under forty who have demonstrated both distinction in their professional accomplishments and dedication to their community. More>>

Call for Presenters: Architecture Exchange East 2012  

Showcase your strategies, theories, ideas, research and results at the most energetic gathering of architects and construction-industry professional in the mid-Atlantic. More>>

2012 Gubernatorial Appointments

The governor will be selecting in 2012 several Virginians to serve as leaders of several agencies.  The VSAIA offers the governor a slate of nominees that the VSAIA Board believes is capable of leading the Commonwealth in becoming more responsive and more efficient in providing services to the public. More>>

Design Forum Focuses on Façade Innovation
Inform Magazine had the opportunity to interview each of the Design Forum speakers, with some interesting results. More>>

Call for Presenters: Architecture Exchange East 2012
Showcase your strategies, theories, ideas, research and results at the most energetic gathering of architects and construction-industry professional in the mid-Atlantic. More>>

ABI Positive for Third Straight Month
On the heels of consecutive months of strengthening business conditions, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) has now reached positive territory three months in a row. More>>

Inform Awards Jury Chair Announced
Inform magazine announced that Michael J. Crosbie, Ph.D., FAIA, will head the Inform Awards jury. More>>

LEED Comment Period Open Until March 20
The LEED 2012 third public comment period is now open from March 1-20, 2012 which marks the start of the LEED 2012 program delivery process. More>>

White House Proposal for Business Tax Reform
On February 22, 2012, the Obama administration issued The President’s Framework for Business Tax Reform, an outline for what would be the first major overhaul of the U.S. Tax Code since 1986. More>>

New SBA Size Standards Reflect Architects’ Concerns
The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced on Feb. 10, 2012, that it will abandon plans to increase by 400 percent the size standard for architects eligible for SBA set-asides.  More>>

Represent the AIA on NAAB Visits
Each year the AIA nominates 10-15 practitioners to serve as AIA representatives on National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) school visits. Nominations are for a four year term, 2013-2016, and AIA representatives may be scheduled for up to one school visit per year.  More>>

AIA and NIBS Sign Partnership Agreement
The American Institute of Architects and the National Institute of Building Sciences Sign Agreement to Work Together on Promoting Building Industry Research and Knowledge. More>>

New HRC Tour Announced
In addition to the April 4 tour of Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, the Virginia Historic Resources Committee announces another event to what is quickly becoming a rich package of programming developed by the committee. More>>

Calling All Experts: ArchEx Seeks Presenters
Showcase your strategies, theories, ideas, research and results at the most energetic gathering of architects and construction-industry professional in the mid-Atlantic. More>>

Clark Elevated to Fellowship
The Society’s Immediate-Past President James P. Clark has been elevated by the AIA to its prestigious College of Fellows. More>> 

Students Compete in Virginia Society AIA Prize
Students from Virginia’s four architecture schools took part in the 32nd annual Virginia Society AIA Prize competition over the weekend of Jan. 27–30, 2012. More>>

Member Named Among Most Admired Educators
Robert Dunay, FAIA, the T.A. Carter Professor of Architecture in the School of Architecture + Design at Virginia Tech, has been named one of the 25 Most Admired Educators of 2012 by the magazine DesignIntelligence. More>>

AIA Announces National Legislative Agenda
The American Institute of Architects recently unveiled an ambitious 2012 legislative agenda that has creating jobs in the hard-hit design and construction industry as its top priority. More>>

The Future of the Past
Noted expert and author Steven W. Semes discusses the challenges faced by review boards, architects and designers, and the difficulties inherent in following sometimes confusing historic standards. More>>

Jameson Wins Institute Honors
Virginia member David Jameson’s Record House Revisited in Owings Mill, Maryland, was selected as a 2012 recipient of the Institute Honor Awards from the American Institute of Architects. More>>

2012 Gubernatorial Appointments
The governor will be selecting in 2012 several Virginians to serve as leaders of several agencies.  The VSAIA offers the governor a slate of nominees that the VSAIA Board believes is capable of leading the Commonwealth in becoming more responsive and more efficient in providing services to the public. More>>

Design Forum Speakers Announced
The Virginia Society AIA has assembled some of the world’s most acknowledged experts on building skins to speak at the upcoming tenth Virginia Design Forum: SKINS in Charlottesville on March 16 and 17, 2012. More>>

Abbott’s Work Featured in VCA Exhibition
See a collection of Carlton Abbott’s artwork including drawings, models, paintings, mixed media, sculpture and metal work on display at the Virginia Center for Architecture from Jan. 19 through March 25, 2012. More>>

Tech’s LumenHAUS Wins AIA Honor Award
Virginia Tech’s acclaimed LumenHAUS has earned another feather in its much-adorned cap. More>>

National Awards Deadlines Pending
COTE Top Ten Projects and several other national AIA awards programs have deadlines coming up soon. More>>

Q&A Resource Developed for IDP
AIA Emerging Professionals has developed an IDP question and answer resource for members. More>>

Member Thomas K. McLaughlin, Jr., AIA, Dies
Virginia member Thomas McLaughlin died Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012. He had been treated for non-Hodgkins lymphoma for the past two years. More>>

Virginia LID Design Competition
Low impact development (LID) focuses on maintaining or restoring a site’s natural hydrology. Retaining and filtering storm water on-site rather than conveying it to storm sewers recharges groundwater, reduces the scouring of stream banks, and helps keep watersheds clean and healthy. More>>

Dunay Named Among Top 25 Design Educators
Virginia member Robert Dunay, FAIA, was named among the nation’s top 25 design educators by Design Intelligence. More>>

Changes to HSW Education Requirement and Self-Reporting
The AIA Board of Directors has voted to modify the AIA’s calendar year HSW continuing education requirement. More>>

Jefferson Award Goes to Virginia Fellow
This year’s Thomas Jefferson Award for Public Architecture honors Virginia member Daniel Feil, FAIA, an experienced public-sector architect with a long history of enlisting the finest design talents to produce trendsetting public works. More>>

Upcoming CES programs
See which educational programs are coming to your area. More>>

Virginia member Robert Dunay, FAIA, Director of the Center for Design Research and T.A. Carter Professor of Architecture at Virginia Tech’s School of Architecture & Design was named among the nation’s top 25 design educators by Design Intelligence.

From the Design Intelligence announcement:

“Dunay has taught at all levels of Virginia Tech’s graduate and undergraduate programs. His work bridges interests in industrial design, architecture, and planning and includes objects, buildings, and planning initiatives. Dunay was one of the primary faculty advisors for the 2002 and 2005 Virginia Tech entries in the Solar Decathlon. He was recently awarded the NCARB Prize for creative collaborative between the academy and the profession.”

Read the complete Design Intelligence list of top educators.

Virginia Member Announces AIA Presidential Candidacy
Today, Virginia member Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA, announced her candidacy for First Vice-president/President-elect of the American Institute of Architects. More>>

Codifying Green Design
If scientific evidence cannot convince holdouts that climate change demands a response, then the cost of architecture’s business as usual—challenged by increasingly cash-strapped governments—might.  More>>

Honors Presented at Visions for Architecture 2011
The Virginia Society AIA Awards for Excellence in Architecture and the Society’s Honors Awards were presented at the 2011 Visions for Architecture gala at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on Friday, Nov. 4, 2011. More>>

ICC Code Seminars for 2012 Announced
VSAIA announces the schedule of International Code Council seminars for Winter-Spring 2012. More>>

AIA and ABC Announce Contract Document Agreement
The American Institute of Architects and Associated Builders and Contractors recently announced a marketing partnership agreement, designed to foster a greater understanding and exchange of ideas between architects and contractors in the construction community.  More>>

AIA Healthcare Design Awards Call for Entries
The AIA/AAH Design Awards showcase the best of healthcare building design and healthcare design-oriented research. The awards highlight the trends of healthcare facilities and the future direction of these facilities. More>>

Federal and Pro Bono Business Opportunities
The AIA has compiled a list of opportunities and resources to help grow your business with projects funded by federal stimulus dollars and pro bono projects.  More>>

Coalition Asks President, Legislators for Action
On Dec. 7, 2011, a broad coalition of design and construction industry organizations asked the White House and Congressional leaders to put aside partisan differences and enact legislation that will return this sector to its role as one of the biggest job-producing engines of the American economy. More>>

Call for Applications: 2012 Sustainable Cities Design Academy
The American Architectural Foundation (AAF) announces the call for applications for its 2012 Sustainable Cities Design Academy (SCDA).  More>>

National Advocacy Update
Over the past few months, the AIA has spearheaded an effort to bring the design and construction industry together to press lawmakers to address the challenges that are holding our industry back.  More>>

Thanks …Giving
It’s appropriate that Thanksgiving and the end of my term as president coincide closely in time.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not giving thanks that the year is over.  Rather, it’s an appropriate time for us to give thanks for what the AIA provides us in a challenging time. More>>

Highlights from ArchEx 2011
Well over a 1,000 professionals benefitted from Architecture Exchange East this year. 113 experts presented the latest topics, tools and techniques in over 60 sessions. More than 40% of our exhibitors were new in a redesigned ArchEx Exhibit Hall. Thanks to all of our members, speakers, exhibitors, sponsors and attendees for supporting ArchEx 2011. More>>

International Green Construction Code Comment Period
The final action hearings on the International Green Construction Code were held Nov. 2-6 in Phoenix, Arizona. More>>

Renewal Incentives
Although your membership payment isn’t due until Jan. 15, you might want to consider renewing now. Renew by Dec. 31 and you’ll receive one free continuing education course from the AIA Virtual Convention. More>>

AIA Call for Issues
The AIA Board Advocacy Committee sent out the 2012 Call for Issues with the goal of gathering members’ views on the issues most important to them. More>>

Reducing Unlicensed Practice
Exaggeration?  Maybe.  But In this economy, we are hearing more tales of unlicensed practice. More>>

2012 Officers Elected
Officers for the 2012 Board of Directors were elected at the Annual Meeting of the Membership on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. More>>

Hanbury Circle Announced at Visions
To honor individuals who have contributed at least $10,000 over their lifetime or as part of a bequest — or organizations that have given at a level above $100,000 — the Virginia Center for Architecture announced the establishment of the Hanbury Circle at Visions for Architecture on Nov. 4, 2011. More>>

AIA Launches Stalled Projects Database
The American Institute of Architects has launched its Stalled Projects Database, where industry leaders can connect with investors and re-start projects nationwide that make solid economic sense but which lack the financing needed to be finished. More>>

USGBC Discounts for AIA Members
AIA members receive a 15% discount on select USGBC publications and webinars because of a new AIA/USGBC agreement.  More>>

Changes to Self-Reporting HSW Hours
Beginning in calendar year 2012, aligning closer with state licensing boards’ practice,  AIA Continuing Education System providers will need to report HSW courses for you to receive HSW credits.  More>>

Henry Vannier Shriver Dies
Henry Vannier Shriver of Norfolk, Va., Virginia Tech alumnus and architect of Cowgill and Burchard halls, died on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2011. He was 84 years old. More>>

Join your colleagues at the Annual Meeting of the Membership of the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects. The meeting will take place at the Greater Richmond Convention Center during Architecture Exchange East at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011. During the meeting, the slate of officers for the Society will be placed in nomination.

Ed Gillikin, AIA
First Vice President/ President-Elect

Nicholas E. Vlattas AIA
Treasurer

William E. Evans AIA
Vice President, Government Advocacy

A. Ray Pentecost, III, FAIA
Vice President, Professional Development

Louis Wolf, AIA
Vice President, Communications and Outreach