VSAIA

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

Photo by Jay Paul.

Registration is now open for the Society’s 25th annual conference and trade show— Architecture Exchange East. Held Nov. 7–9, 2012, in historic Richmond, Va., ArchEx features nearly 70 educational sessions, spectacular behind-the-scenes architectural tours, engaging special events, and more than 100 vendors in the ArchEx Exhibit Hall.  This year’s Keynote Speaker, Tye Farrow, discusses health and how architects are destined to change the meaning of the word. His work, called “breathtaking” by Society Vice President for Professional Excellence A. Ray Pentecost, III, FAIA, has been recognized internationally for the design of public and private sector buildings that enhance health.

Register online today or download the registration brochure.

Check out these highlights

Keynote Address
Active Health: How Architects Will Change the Meaning of Health
Thursday 2:30–4 p.m.
Featuring Tye Farrow, internationally recognized expert in salutogenic design and senior partner at Farrow Partnership Architects
Sponsored by Scott Long Construction and The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company

ArchEx Exhibit Hall
Thursday: 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m. and 5:30-7 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Discover the latest trends, products and technologies in the ArchEx Exhibit Hall.

Virginia IFRAA Series
The Nature of Sacred Space: Church in the City
Friday, 8:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Discover the special design challenges faced by urban churches, urban congregations, and their (often historic) urban contexts.
presented with Virginia IFRAA
Sponsored by Scott Long Construction

Virginia Women in Design Series
Thursday
Discuss the challenges faced by women in the profession in this third annual series on women in design.
presented with Virginia Women in Design
Virginia Women in Design is sponsored by Glavé & Holmes Architecture,  Pace Collaborative, and Draper Aden Associates

NEW! Health and Healthy Buildings Series
From improving indoor air quality to designing healing environments, discover the latest trends in building design to improve human health and wellbeing.

The Mid-Atlantic Design Showcase
MADS places your work in front of architects, engineers, interior designers, planners, landscape architects, contractors and students from Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia at Architecture Exchange East.  Spaces are still available. Download the application to exhibition your work.

CONNECTIONS Cocktail Party
Thursday: 5:30–7 p.m.
Make CONNECTIONS at ArchEx! Enjoy networking, drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and fun.
Sponsored by Riverside Brick & Supply Company and Shade & Wise Brick Co.

ArchEx Exhibit Hall Education
ArchEx is offering expanded educational opportunities right in the Exhibit Hall! Vendors will deliver content-rich information in 15-minute sessions on our Presentation Stage. If you attend a minimum of one hour, you can self-report product research, based on the time listening to presentations or speaking with exhibitors.

Virginia Society AIA Annual Meeting
Hear about vital developments, elect officers, and conduct other business affecting your professional society.

Coffee Breaks and Prizes in the Exhibit Hall
Join us in the Exhibit Hall during the breaks for a cup of coffee and prize giveaways. Take some time to chat with exhibitors and discover the latest in cutting edge products and innovations in the industry.
Cash prizes are sponsored by  Ames & Gough and Gropen, Inc.

ArchEx Bookstore
Don’t miss your chance to explore a wide selection of books and gifts in the ArchEx Bookstore hosted by the Virginia Center for Architecture Museum Shop.

Lounges
Check your email or relax in our lounges.
Sponsored by  Technology Assurance Group (TAG) and Diversified Educational Systems (DES),

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

In addition to educational sessions, architectural tours, special events, and the cutting-edge vendors you’ll find at ArchEx, AIA national is sending Kyle McAdams to interview you on behalf of its repositioning project. The year-long process is exploring the perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, needs, and value of architects. The data will be used to inform the development of a comprehensive plan to advance the position of architects and bolster the national dialogue about their role in society.

The design and marketing firm Pentagram and the association consultant firm LaPlaca Cohen have been hired to help with the effort, which began in March 2012. In CEO Robert Ivy’s words, their research will “filter up through the organization. They’re not telling us what to do. What they’re really doing is active listening.” Their findings will offer a new way to communicate about architecture and the AIA’s role within the profession. Once this message is synthesized, the two firms will investigate what communications channels would best serve to disseminate these messages to target audiences. Their findings will be announced at the 2013 AIA Grassroots conference.

ArchEx is the Society’s annual conference and expo — now celebrating its 25^th year — and it takes place Nov. 7–9, 2012, in Richmond. Online registration for ArchEx is open through Oct. 30; register by Sept. 26 to secure the Early Bird rates.

Credit Valley Hospital. Photo by Tom Arban.

As the health care debate rages on in the public arena, chronic disease and illness are threatening to overwhelm the health care system. The cost of treating diseases like obesity, asthma, diabetes and heart disease is an enormous financial burden on the economy. 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? Reduce violence? Increase productivity? Architecture Exchange East, the Society’s annual conference and design expo, announces Tye Farrow, an internationally recognized expert in salutogenic design, as the keynote speaker.

For those not familiar, it may be easiest to understand the word salutogenic by first defining its opposite. If pathogenic is disease-causing, then salutogenic is health-causing. Salutogenic design focuses on creating, enhancing and improving physical, mental and social well-being through well designed and planned environments — environments where making healthy, sustainable choices is easy.  Farrow, senior partner with the Farrow Partnership, has gained international recognition for the design of public and private sector buildings that enhance health.

The concept of salutogenic design moves beyond conventional notions of sustainability to encompass not just the building’s impact on the environment, but also its impact on users.  It becomes another measure of good design.  “… we’re no longer going to settle for design that is simply profitable, or efficient, or sustainable, or programmatically compliant, or any of a dozen other measures of design success,” says Ray Pentecost, FAIA, the Society’s Vice President for Professional Excellence, in an interview with Bill Mallard in Architect magazine. “We are going to look for design standards that address and respect public health.” And the idea doesn’t just apply to hospitals, but to the workplace, schools, institutions, and homes. Now that sustainable design has moved from a niche specialty to something expected — even demanded — by clients, Pentecost believes that salutogenic design is the next great wave of theory and practice.

Farrow will present his keynote address at Architecture Exchange East on Thursday, Nov. 8 at Architecture Exchange East in Richmond, Virginia. Watch www.archex.net for information and registration details. The ArchEx Keynote Address is sponsored by Scott Long Construction.

About Tye Farrow

Tye Farrow

Farrow has designed award-winning projects across Canada and around the world. Recently, the Stockholm-based World Congress on Design and Health identified him as a global leader who is making “a significant contribution to health and humanity through the medium of architecture and design.”

His groundbreaking approach to promoting wellness at the Credit Valley Hospital and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre in Canada is viewed internationally as setting a new standard for health care design.

His work has been published in the British journals Architectural Review Magazine, AD Architectural Design and HD Hospital Development. He has been designated by The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business magazine as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40; recognizing Canada’s “best and brightest.” The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) in the United Kingdom selected Farrow’s design for Credit Valley Hospital as 2007′s Best International Design.

He holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Toronto, and a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from Harvard University.

Follow his firm on Twitter @FarrowPartners

Visit the website http://www.farrowpartnership.com/

Read the blog http://farrowpartnership.wordpress.com/

Showcase your strategies, theories, ideas, research and results at the most energetic gathering of architects and construction-industry professional in the mid-Atlantic. Architecture Exchange East is seeking proposals from qualified speakers. Join nearly a thousand design professionals in historic Richmond for the 25th Architecture Exchange East, Nov. 7–9, 2012.

Feedback from prior conferences tells us that  attendees want information on the latest developments in the industry. Specific, focused seminars should be proposed that can convey information in one of these formats:

• Three- or six-hour workshops
• 90-minute or three-hour seminar presentations

Keep in mind that we are looking for sessions that are interesting, relevant to an audience of architects, and reflect current or emerging practice.  To propose an offering, please complete the required Presentation Information Form and submit it to us by Friday, April 27, 2012. Your proposal will be reviewed by the Program Advisory Group and you will be notified if your proposal has been accepted.

Tell us about your presentation. Be prepared to include:

• A description of your workshop
• Your presentation format
• Audience level (introductory, intermediate or advanced)
• Your presentation style
• Main learning objectives
• A short biography for you and for any co-presenters along with any recommended reading

Submit your presentation proposal online at www.archex.net.

Mark your calendar for Nov.7–9, 2012, for the 25^th Architecture Exchange East.

Inevitably, change moves us forward without stopping.  My children are already in high school and relish when they can identify another grey hair on my head and any evidence that I am, as they claim, “from the age of the dinosaurs.”  Their case grows stronger when I have to admit that hand-held calculators were the new technology of the day when I was in high school.  Laptop computers, the internet, emails and cell phones just did not exist when I was their age. Changes in communications and information technologies over my lifetime have accelerated faster than ever.

We often forget, however, that humans are wired to change slowly.  Some think that all this technology makes working and learning in the presence of others a thing of the past, but that’s not the preference that people have exhibited.  Edward Glaeser, professor of economics at Harvard University, in his brilliant new book entitled Triumph of the City says “faxes, e-mails, and video conferencing were all supposed to eliminate the need for face-to-face meetings, yet business travel has soared over the last twenty years.  To defeat the human need for face-to-face contact, our technological marvels would need to defeat millions of years of human evolution that has made us into machines for learning from the people next to us.”

VSAIA board members tour Va. Tech

This reminds me of an AIA board meeting we had last year at Virginia Tech.  About two thirds of the board went to Virginia Tech and one third decided to connect by video conference.  Even though video and audio reception was great, we felt disconnected from those on the video.  Why?  Perhaps the answer is in Blink, a book by Michael Gladwell.  He describes that our very subtle body and facial gestures play a significant role in how we communicate with others.  The resulting impact of communication is so much more powerful when we are physically next to someone.  It’s like the difference between visiting a building in person and reading a book about a building.  The experience of being there has an entirely different dimension.

Our regional Associate AIA director pointed out that the AIA creates many events where we can meet, but we must work to make them more relevant.  That is precisely what the Virginia Society AIA has done when shaping this year’s program for ArchEx.  Architecture Exchange East — our regional conference in Richmond, Virginia — is the mid-Atlantic’s largest conference and expo for architects.  Sessions are relevant to students, emerging professionals and seasoned professionals.  ArchEx brings real experiences and people together in one location.

If you are an emerging professional or student, take part in a series of sessions that are tailored to your needs. There are sessions about interviewing in this tough economy, designing your best mentoring experience, portfolio reviews, and much more.  Celebrate newly registered architects at CONNECTIONS, our opening reception.   Most of all, you will have the opportunity to meet architects who want to help you create a successful career path in architecture.

Hear from top designers in architecture, including ArchEx’s Keynote Speaker Michelle Kaufmann as she proposes rethinking the business of architecture.  She is called the “Henry Ford of green homes.”  If you are like me, you will buy a signed copy of her new book, Prefab Green, in the convention products exhibition hall.

Practioners, women and designers – there is something for each one of you!  We are fortunate to have the National AIA Practice Knowledge Community bring a provocative and inspirational program about practice management to challenge existing paradigms.  Virginia Women in Design will have a series discussing the challenges faced by women in the profession.  Designers will have their choice of tours, presentations about Master Architects, a series about sacred architecture, and more.  Hear critiques and commentary directly from the jury chairs for the design award programs.

I’m just touching the tip of the iceberg, but see for yourself!  ArchEx is the place to get together, exchange information, and learn.  I hope to see you there in person on November 2–4!

JIM

James P. Clark, AIA

VSAIA President

ArchEx 2010 Keynote Address. Photo by Jay Paul.

Registration for the mid-Atlantic’s largest conference and expo for architects is now open. Early bird rates are available for only a short time, so register now to secure the discounted registration rate.

Architecture Exchange East, Nov. 2-4, 2011, in historic Richmond, Va., features over 60 educational sessions, spectacular behind-the-scenes architectural tours, engaging special events, and over 125 vendors in the ArchEx Exhibit Hall.  Download the registration brochure.

Who should attend?

Architects, engineers, interior designers, landscape architects, planners, builders, firm administrators, emerging professionals

Architecture Exchange East,  featuring Keynote Speaker Michelle Kaufmann, LEED® AP, takes place Nov. 2­-4, 2011, in Richmond, Va. at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.  You can find out more or register at www.archex.net.

Special Events + Highlights

Keynote Address
Thursday 2:30-4 p.m.
Simplicity: Reinventing our Practice
Michelle Kaufmann, LEED® AP, discusses rethinking the standard architecture business.
Sponsored by Hourigan Construction and MTFA Architecture, Inc.

ArchEx Exhibit Hall
Thursday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Discover the latest trends, products and technologies in the ArchEx Exhibit Hall.

Mid-Atlantic Design Showcase
Delight in the work being done by your colleagues! To exhibit your work, call (804) 237-1776.

CONNECTIONS Cocktail Party
The popular opening reception returns in 2011 with networking, beverages and hors d’oeuvres, live entertainment and fun.  AIA Regional Director Mary Cox, FAIA, will make special remarks congratulating newly-registered architects.
Sponsored by Riverside Brick & Supply Co., Inc and Shade & Wise Brick Company.

NEW! Practice Management Series
Wednesday-Friday
This provocative, inspirational program of sessions on practice management will challenge existing paradigms.
presented with the AIA Practice Management Knowledge Community

NEW! ArchEx Exhibit Hall Education
Vendors will deliver content-rich information in quick, 15-minute sessions on our Presentation Stage. If you attend a minimum of one hour, you can self-report product research, based on the time listening to presentations or speaking with exhibitors.

Virginia IFRAA Series
Friday, 8:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
The Nature of Sacred Space: Sustainability and Spirituality
Discover how sustainable design solutions are redefining sacred spaces.
Sponsored by SunTrust. and presented with Virginia IFRAA, a Knowledge Community of Virginia Society AIA

Virginia Women in Design Series
Thursday
Discuss the challenges faced by women in the profession in this second annual series on women in design.
presented with Virginia Women in Design

Virginia Society AIA Annual Meeting
Thursday, 1-2:30 p.m.
Hear about vital developments, elect officers, and conduct other business affecting your professional society.

In FOCUS: Emerging Professionals
Thursday
Take part in a series of sessions that was assembled especially to support the needs of emerging professionals and students.

The 2011 AIA Knowledge Scholarship will fund a dedicated and knowledgeable person to attend a Knowledge Community fall conference in order to cover the event via social media, capture the content and deliver a variety of products to wider audiences during and after the conference. The Virginia Society AIA’s Architecture Exchange East is among those conferences included in the scholarship opportunity.

AIA Young Architects (licensed less than 10 years), Associate AIA members, and AIAS members are eligible to submit an application.

The AIA Knowledge Scholarship seeks to provide a dedicated and knowledgeable person on-site to capture the content from the conference and deliver a variety of products to wider audiences during and after the conference. Some existing products are listed below for reference and innovative methods are highly encouraged.

• Project profiles by site on tours (text and images)
• Real-time blogging on AIA KnowledgeNet
• Audiocast with speaker/expert in the field
• Videocast on topic
• Transcript of panel discussion or interview for a KC Newsletter
• Topical article related to conference theme for AIArchitect
• Keynote/Session summaries
• AIA Best Practice on topic

Scholarship funds will be awarded to compelling applications that address creativity, feasibility, impact and outcomes. Applications will be evaluated on: quality and quantity of knowledge products; innovation; demonstrated skill in area of knowledge delivery (for example writing or video editing experience); how the end product will interest the intended target audience; coverage of conference/knowledge topics in demand; thoroughness of application.

Applications must include: a complete application form, resume, two professional references, and a purposed budget including the cost of conference registration, travel expenses and supply expenses. The completed application must be submitted by August 15, 2011. Submit the application to knowledgecommunities@aia.org as a single letter-sized PDF document titled “2011kcscholarship_firstnamelastname.pdf.” The PDF should not exceed 5mb in size or 10 pages in length.

All applicants will receive an email confirmation of receipt of their application within two business days. If you do not receive an email confirmation, contact Tamzin Howerton at 202-626-7358. All applicants will receive notification of the jury’s decision by September 1, 2011.

Michelle Kaufmann, photo by Garret Curtis

The Virginia Society AIA is pleased to announce Michelle Kaufmann as the 2011 Architecture Exchange East Keynote Speaker. Her firm, Michelle Kaufmann Studio, recipient of the 2008 TOP FIRM AWARD by Residential Architect, specializes in sustainable design including single family homes, eco-luxury resorts, and multi-family communities.  She is also a consultant for builders, developers and architecture firms on sustainability and prefabrication, and an advisor to Architecture for Humanity, and Cradle to Cradle Products Institute.

Her book, Prefab Green describes off-site construction and the green design principles of Kaufmann-designed homes such as the Glidehouse®, the Sunset® Breezehouse®, the mkLotus® and others. She has been called “the Henry Ford of green homes” by the Sierra Club and was named “2009 Green Advocate of the Year” by the National Association of Home Builders. She was also included in Business 2.0 magazine’s list of “100 People Who Matter Now,” and listed as one of the “The Green 50” by INC magazine. She has been featured on the Sundance channel, HGTV, Discovery, Planet Green and in numerous magazines including Town+Country, Dwell, Sunset, Time, and the Smithsonian.

Working to help extend education and awareness about the beauty of sustainable design, Michelle has had a number of her homes showcased in museums. A full-size replica of Michelle’s home, the Glidehouse® home was built at the National Building Museum as part of the exhibit The Green House, and a fully-functioning 3-story Smart home is on display at the Museum of Science and Industry. The home is the exhibit on green building called The Smart Home: Green + Wired. Her work has also been on display at MOCA, the Walker Art Center, the Vancouver Art Center, and the Virginia Center for Architecture.

Kaufmann received her undergraduate degree from Iowa State University, and her Master’s from Princeton University. A well-known and highly-acclaimed speaker, she has taught at Iowa State University and Woodbury University, and prior to founding Michelle Kaufmann Designs, she was an Associate with Frank O. Gehry.

The 2011 Architecture Exchange East Keynote Address is sponsored by MTFA Architecture, Inc. and Hourigan Construction.