An Update from our Licensing Advisor

Posted on by cguske

Hello and happy autumn, Candidates, Supervisors, and fellow Advisors! I am so excited to take on the role of Architect Licensing Advisor for the Commonwealth and to help you along your career journey, no matter the season. In case you’re wondering why I’m here and what this is all about, here’s a little background on the role.

Architect Licensing Advisors are volunteers who share their time to assist licensure candidates and architects as they work toward initial licensure, reciprocity, supervision, or mentorship. Anyone can be an Advisor and most volunteer with their firms, however, some are appointed by their university or (like myself) their AIA Component. Some Advisors only serve for a few years, and others have done so for decades. The community of Advisors includes students, new graduates, mid-career professionals, educators, licensing board members, and retirees.

No matter how we came to the role of Advisor, or how long we’ve been in it, we all share a commitment to assisting current and aspiring architects as they navigate the sometimes overwhelming path ahead. This could not have been made more clear than at NCARB’s biannual Licensing Advisors Summit, held this summer in Kansas City. Attendees came from all over the US and beyond (one from as far as Guam!) to connect with others, share their ideas and perspectives, and learn about NCARB’s new initiatives, policies, and support they have to offer their members. I have already learned so much from the vast network I connected with at the Summit, and left energized and full of ideas for ways to engage with our AIA Virginia community.

It’s easy to look at a large national organization like NCARB and feel like you’re just a Record Number sending emails and frustration into the void but I promise; they, like us, are real people. And they really are invested in supporting the licensure candidates and architects that they serve. If you ever reach a point where you feel helpless, hopeless, or like you’re going backward instead of forward – that’s where your Licensing Advisor can step in. Advisors have access to our greatest resource, the knowledge and experience of others, and can crowdsource advice or solutions if an answer isn’t readily available.

Thanks to our previous Advisor Michael Hammon, AIA for setting the bar high. I’ll be sharing additional resources and guidance with you during my two-year term. Please feel free to reach out, especially if there’s a topic you’re curious to learn more about, or a resource you think would be helpful to others. Questions about AXP, the AREs, or NCARB in general are always welcome and encouraged. I’m looking forward to connecting with you and supporting your path in any way that I can.

Gina Robinson, AIA
Architect Licensing Advisor – Virginia
gina.robinson@hdrinc.com  

Introducing Irem Sezer: our AIA Virginia VASG Resiliency Fellow

Posted on by cguske

As a direct result of our ongoing and substantial strategic partnership with Virginia Sea Grant (VASG), we are pleased to welcome Irem Sezer as the AIA Virginia VASG Resiliency Fellow.

Irem received a Bachelor of Architecture from Istanbul Technical University and is licensed as an architect in Turkey. Irem graduated in May 2023 with a Master of Architecture from Virginia Tech and is now pursuing licensure in the United States.

As the Resiliency Fellow, Irem will contribute to the resiliency and sustainability activities and programming organized by AIA Virginia, VA COTE, and the Outreach Advisory Council (e.g., Resiliency Week).

Irem will also support Virginia Sea Grant’s Adaptation Design Network (ADN). The ADN looks to integrate diverse disciplinary and sector-specific perspectives to generate transformational hybrid and nature-based solutions to issues such as flooding, sea level rise, and extreme weather.

Other potential projects include working with community-based resilience and design needs emerging from the Collaboratory with Wetlands Watch, or communities participating in the Resilience Adaptation & Feasibility Tool (RAFT) initiative with the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Old Dominion University.

The fellow will be a member of the VASG fellowship community with access to professional development training and cohort services that aim to enable the teamwork needed to find solutions to our climate challenges. The fellow will also work with professional mentors from within the AIAVA community.

This fellowship presents a massive opportunity for us to strengthen our continuing efforts to address issues concerning resiliency and sustainability across the commonwealth and become a significant influencer of statewide policy; an objective identified in our current Strategic Plan.

Please contact Paul Battaglia if you or your firm would be interested in collaborating with Irem on resiliency activities.

Join Me At ArchEx

Posted on by cguske

As I sit here, on this rain-soaked Saturday afternoon, I find myself thinking about the upcoming AIA Virginia event annual convention, Architecture Exchange East (ArchEx). This is one of my favorite yearly AIA Virginia events. I look forward to the opportunity to be with friends and colleagues; share stories; create new memories; celebrate with the Honors and Design Award winners;  tours; seminars; and to be exposed to and learn about new products and materials.  This event has it all. Frankly, I am always saddened when ArchEx is over.

ArchEx 2023 starts on Wednesday, November 1, with a Keynote speaker with a military background discussing teamwork, collaboration, risk management, and readiness. All terms we are familiar with but this will offer a different viewpoint.  This will be followed by our AIA Virginia Annual Meeting where we review the AIA Virginia year, look at things planned for the coming year, and elect new AIA Virginia Officers. Wednesday finishes off with a number of different workshops, seminars, and tours.

I am particularly looking forward to Thursday.  The day kicks off with Networking Coffees centered around various topics of conversation. The morning is filled out with our Firm Size and Career Stage Round Table conversations and discussions. Don’t forget to visit the Expo Hall for lunch on Thursday and a chance to check out the latest materials and trends from our vendors and sponsors. Lunch is followed by an afternoon full of great workshops and seminars. My favorite seminar occurs on Thursday afternoon…the “2023 Design Award Winners”, with thoughts and commentary by the Jury Chair. The seminar always offers interesting and sometimes curious insight into the Award winners.  This is followed by another of my “must do” events, the Connections Cocktail Party. An opportunity to relax while you mix and mingle with sponsors, vendors, friends, and colleagues.  Always a great time!!

This year the Connections Cocktail Party is a prelude to Visions; our signature Honors and Awards celebration.   Visions offers a chance to celebrate the 2023 Honor and Design Award winners.  This year, Visions will be held at the historic Hippodrome Theatre, only a short distance away from the Convention Center. The celebration offers opportunities to celebrate & connect with old and new friends, over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.  Visions celebration is always the highlight of ArchEx. Purchase your tickets before October 23, 2023.

ArchEx 2023 wraps up on Friday with a morning packed with seminars and workshops. Seminars on risk management, collaboration, preservation, and sustainability; something for everybody.

ArchEx 2023 is an event you do not want to miss! Registration is open and the discount period ends Friday! Register today>>

I look forward to seeing everyone at ArchEx.

Mitch Rowland, AIA
President
AIA Virginia

Brian Frickie Recognized as 2023 Noland Medalist

Posted on by cguske

The William C. Noland Medal, as the highest award bestowed on a member architect, is intended to honor a distinguished body of accomplishments, sustained over time, that spans a broad spectrum of the profession and that transcends the scope of normal professional activities. For 2023, the medal is awarded to Brian J. Frickie, FAIA.

As senior principal, president, and CEO of Arlington’s Kerns Group Architects, Frickie has helped his firm earn more than a dozen design awards. Within the firm he has institutionalized a practice culture that encourages young professionals to take on leadership roles on projects, in the office, in the AIA, in the profession, and in their communities.

But it is his service to the profession at state, local, and national levels that sets him apart as a worthy recipient of the Noland Medal. As his nomination asserts, “his visionary activism and collaborative, participatory style uphold the profession’s stature, elevate the organization’s relevance, and empower individual architects.” Over four decades, Brian has worked through local, state, regional, and national AIA components and in community organizations to highlight the instrumental roles architects can have in solving society’s most pressing issues.

As president of AIA Virginia, Frickie implemented initiatives to reconnect architects in schools and firms, to rebuild relationships among architects at all levels of the AIA, and to prepare future leaders. As charter member and later chair of the AIA National Small Firm Roundtable (SFRT), Brian refined and refocused the SFRT to… “advance the mutual interests of architects practicing in small firms,” and rebranded it as the Small Firm Exchange (SFx). Within the SFx mission, Frickie conceived AIAKinetic, the SFx APP (Architects’ Professional Primer), and served as its program director and managing editor. And, while representing The Virginias on the AIA National Strategic Council, he convened the Professional Development Study Group and chaired the AIA National Strategic Planning Committee in creating AIA’s 2021-2025 Strategic Plan, which is now being implemented.

Frickie has devoted his career to preparing future generations of architects to take on the mantle of creating a better environment for society, becoming more effective leaders, and developing a better profession. His vision of a year-long leadership development academy for emerging professionals came to fruition in 2009 as AIA Virginia’s Emerging Leaders in Architecture (ELA) program, now one of the oldest and longest continuously operating leadership programs for architects in the country.

For his passionate service, Brian Frickie, FAIA, will be presented with the Noland Medal at the Visions for Architecture event on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, at the Hippodrome Theatre in Richmond.

Dowling is 2023 Recipient of Award for Distinguished Achievement

Posted on by cguske

Shannon Dowling, AIA, principal and learning environments strategist at Ayers Saint Gross in Richmond, will be presented AIA Virginia’s 2023 Award for Distinguished Achievement. The Award for Distinguished Achievement recognizes either a singular achievement by an architect or the work of an entire career in any of the following: design, practice, education, service as a “citizen architect,” service to the profession, or initiatives to advance social justice, equity, diversity, or inclusion.

Dowling focuses on creating research-driven and student-centered learning environments. Equipped with an extensive knowledge of educational trends and challenges, she always works with the physical and psychological needs of students in mind. She collaborates closely with educators, students, and administrators to create inspirational yet functional space in which every student feels comfortable, safe, and ready to succeed.

in 2020 and 2021, as the recipient of a fellowship from the Society for College and University Planning, Dowling worked with students to create a playbook for the planning and design of diverse, equitable, and inclusive campus environments. The playbook, including the voices of more than two dozen institutions and more than 200 students, offers student-informed design strategies to create a more supportive physical environment for historically marginalized students.

Published in 2022, Dowling’s research project entitled Peripheral Vision: Planning and Designing Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Learning Environments – and its accompanying playbook – breaks down simple steps that institutions and designers can take to eliminate barriers to access and make existing and future spaces more welcoming and comfortable for a diversity of student populations. Dowling has written about her research and collaboration with students in numerous national publications and presented it widely. As the SCUP leadership notes, “The project has been far-reaching and impactful, not only for our SCUP constituency but many others who are committed to equitable and inclusive design.”

Dowling’s advocacy has extended to her local community and Richmond Public Schools. She lent her graphic design support to teachers in the Support Our Schools movement, actively contributing to raising awareness about the need for improved facility conditions and better teacher pay. Shannon’s dedication to fostering diversity and equity is evident through her volunteer work with Full STEAM Ahead, introducing middle school females to STEM professions, as well as her participation in numerous Career Fairs at local schools. Additionally, she has taken the initiative to lead camps and workshops, introducing children to the profession of architecture and inspiring the next generation of architects.

For her passionate service, Shannon Dowling, AIA, will be recognized with the Award for Distinguished Achievement at the Visions for Architecture event on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, at the Hippodrome Theatre in Richmond.

Welcome to Delaney Ogden, Director of Education

Posted on by cguske

We are very excited to welcome Delaney Ogden to the AIA Virginia team as our Director of Education.

Delaney arrives with considerable skills and experience in program and project management, client and vendor relationships, and event planning.

We look forward to the impact Delaney will have on our current and future programs. And to the opportunity to introduce you to her in the very near future.

You can reach Delaney at dogden@aiava.org

Delaney is a Richmond native who loves nothing more than LEARNING, creating long-lasting, meaningful relationships, and serving/helping others. She spent the first fifteen years of her career in the financial insurance industry, with positions expanding from Finance, Human Resources, Marketing, and Learning & Development. Through these roles and experiences, Delaney developed a deep passion for people, relationships, learning, and events management. She then spent the next two years in the hospitality industry selling and orchestrating hundreds of seamless events leaving a lasting impression on clients and attendees alike. In her free time, you’ll find Delaney spending time with her husband Jarrod, daughter Kerris, son Beckett, and their pup Ruby, exploring Richmond’s amazing culinary and wine scene, entertaining friends + family, hiking in the mountains (her happy place), traveling for new experiences, and enjoying a fine glass of bourbon (preferably, Buffalo Trace)!

Calling all YARs!

Posted on by cguske

A YAR is a Young Architect Representative; an AIA member who has been licensed for less than 10 years and who serves as a liaison between the state chapter (in our case, AIA Virginia) and the Young Architects Forum (YAF) focusing on issues that concern Emerging Professionals (EPs; architects in the early stage of their career). For several years Carrie Parker, AIA has been serving, admirably, as our YAR.

Carrie has recently been appointed YAF Strategic Vision Director at the national level. Please join me in congratulating Carrie on that achievement. Having co-authored the recent strategic plan for that group, we look forward to Carrie applying her substantial leadership and project management skills to its execution. And while we celebrate and look forward to Carrie’s achievements, we also realize that this leaves us in need of a new YAR, for a two-year term, beginning 1 January 2024.

Roles and duties of the Young Architect Representative (YAR)

Young Architect Representatives represent young architects within AIA at the state and national level. They are the primary connection between local AIA chapters and the national YAF Advisory Committee (AdCom).

The Young Architect Representative communicates information from AIA National to local emerging professional groups and vice versa by:

  • Maintaining quarterly communication with all YAF chapters within their state
  • Serving as a conduit between local YAF chapters and the AdCom

The Young Architect Representative contributes to the direction and planning of the YAF by:

  • Participating in the YAF Annual Meeting and attending YAF full committee conference calls
  • Working with the AdCom on various national issues through participation in at least one YAF Focus Group
  • Attending AIA Leadership Summit and AIA National Conference, when possible

The Young Architect Representative serves young architects at the state level by:

  • Providing reports regarding the activities of the YAF and emerging professionals groups when requested
  • Maintaining quarterly communication with the following counterparts from their state: National Associates Committee (NAC) state representatives, Strategic Council representatives, and College of Fellows (COF) regional representative
  • Attending monthly AIA Leadership Exchange calls
  • Suggesting or encouraging young architects for nomination for state or national awards, positions or committees/subcommittees.

Young Architect Representatives have the option to represent YAF within the larger AIA National community by serving as a member of or liaison to any of the following: Strategic Council work groups, Knowledge Communities, Board Committees, Member Interest Groups, or Task Forces. These opportunities may vary from year to year.

Additional responsibilities may be required by each respective state. Young Architect Representatives are required to work with their states to ensure that expectations from state leadership are clearly defined and met. The AdCom encourages all applicants to discuss the position with their state leadership (either the state AIA President and/or Executive Director) to fully understand the role and commitment that the Young Architect Representative will have to their respective state prior to submitting an application.

Activities of a YAR

Every month this position will require 4-5 hours of your time. The state representative should expect to participate in the following calls and meetings:

  • Full committee Annual meeting (Q1, travel and lodging paid by AIA National)
  • Bi-monthly Full Committee Calls (2 hours each call)
  • Working group calls (frequency depends on the workgroup and their current load, but assume 1-2 hours a month)
  • Special calls as needed (generally no longer than an hour)
  • AIA Leadership Exchange calls (1 hour quarterly)

Term: Two-year commitment.

Application Requirements
AIA Membership – Applicant must be an AIA member in good standing within AIA Virginia (AIA Blue Ridge, AIA Central Virginia, AIA Hampton Roads, AIA Northern Virginia, and AIA Richmond) and must be licensed not more than 10 years at the time of submission.

Letter of Interest – From Applicant. Indicate understanding of the position, qualifications/experience, and reasons for seeking election. Limit one-page.

Letter of Nomination – From an AIA local or state component Board Member. Indicate the connection between the YAR position and the Nominee’s leadership qualities. Limit one-page.

Letter of Recommendation – From an AIA member. Indicate the Nominee’s qualifications for the YAR position. Limit one-page.

Letter of Support – From Employer. A Principal (or Officer) within the candidate’s firm must commit to supporting the candidate in fulfilling the role’s obligations. Limit one page on company letterhead.

Personal Resume – Indicate education, employment history, organizations, activities, honors, and awards. Limit two pages (It is NOT in the applicant’s best interest to simply submit a firm resume with project experience).

Timeline

  • Completed applications must be submitted by email as a single PDF to Paul Battaglia, AIA, Executive Vice President of AIA Virginia no later than Wednesday, 4 October, 2023.
  • The YAR is selected by the AIA Virginia Board of Directors.
  • Notification/updates of new YARs are sent to the new YAR and the AIA YAF staff liaison by 27 October 2023. 
  • Positions begin in January 2024, with AIA National-paid travel to the 2024 YAF Annual Meeting (date TBD).

VANOMA Spotlight

Posted on by cguske

Join VANOMA for their upcoming Spotlight event, featuring Mira Abdalla! Mira is a designer at VMDO as well as an active participant of the AIA Virginia Emerging Leaders in Architecture (ELA) Class of 2023. She received her Bachelor of Design in Architecture at the University of Florida and holds a minor in Sustainability and the Built Environment. Mira has a strong interest in the intersection of psychology and architecture, and designing spaces that improve the health of both people and the planet. Register today to reserve your spot for the event!

Please note, this is an in-person event at VMDO in Charlottesville, Virginia with a hybrid option to attend virtually via Zoom.

VMDO
200 E. Market Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902

All attendees, please register in advance.

Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwoceGsrjktHdaz-xC98Htf9uz7NEC2bfNN – /registration

Annual Meeting and Slate of Officers Announced

Posted on by cguske

Join us in person to hear about vital developments with your professional society, elect officers, and conduct other business at the AIA Virginia Annual Meeting of the Membership. Then, join us in a celebration of newly licensed architects, emeritus members, new fellows, and our Emerging Leaders in Architecture class of 2023. Earn 1.5 AIA LU|Elective. The meeting will be held during Architecture Exchange East at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on Wednesday, Nov. 1 starting at noon. 

Register for the annual meeting through the ArchEx registration site here>>

Agenda>>

Minutes from 2022 Annual Membership Meeting>>

The 2023 Nominating Committee has placed the following members for nomination for 2024:

President-Elect: Meagan Jancy, AIA (Northern Virginia)
Treasurer: Bill Hopkins, AIA (AIA Hampton Roads)
Associate Director: Ashleigh Walker, Assoc. AIA (Richmond)

The following board members continue into the second year of a two-year term:

President: Kelly Callahan, AIA (AIA Central Virginia) “Ascends from 2023 President-Elect”
Secretary: Karen Conkey, AIA (AIA Northern Virginia)
At-Large Director: Warees Smith, AIA (AIA Northern Virginia)

AIA Virginia members can attend the annual membership meeting for free. If you are not attending anything else at ArchEx, but would like to attend the annual meeting, email cguske@aiava.org


Women’s Rights are Human Rights

Posted on by cguske

The internationally celebrated poster show on gender-based inequality, violence, and discrimination comes to The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design.

RICHMOND, VA – August 29, 2023 – A graphic design exhibition titled Women’s Rights are Human Rights will be on view at The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design from October 6th, 2023, through February 17th, 2024. In their collective visual voice, the posters speak from various backgrounds to address globally intersecting themes of gender-based inequality, violence, and discrimination. Designed by both women and men, the posters reflect the idea that all citizens must play a vital role in protecting and advancing human rights.

Women’s Rights are Human Rights was originally curated by Elizabeth Resnick, Professor Emerita, Graphic Design Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston. In her curator’s statement, Resnick says “Gender inequalities remain deeply entrenched in every society. Women lack access to decent work and face occupational segregation and gender wage disparities. Women are often denied access to basic education and health care, suffer from violence and discrimination, and are under-represented in political and economic decision-making processes.”

The Branch will host programs and events dedicated to spreading the message created by Women’s Rights are Human Rights, “We feel that this exhibition of graphic design work by such a diverse group of artists is a strong example of how design can make an impact on everyday life. By bringing attention to this topic and providing space for dynamic discussions, we can inspire change in our community,” said The Branch’s Deputy Director, Heather Ernst.

The term women’s rights are human rights was used as early as the 1830s but was famously coined in a speech by Hilary Rodham Clinton in 1995. “If the term women’s rights were to be interchangeable with the term human rights the world community would be a better place because human rights affect the women who raise the world’s children, care for the elderly, run companies, work in hospitals, right for better education and better health care,” said Clinton.

Although they vary in language, message, and purpose, the posters create a unified voice that boldly declares that women’s rights are human rights.

About The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design (or The Branch):
The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design – housed in a 1919 John Russell Pope building on the National Register of Historic Places – explores the impact of design in everyday life, working with individuals and communities to create a more equitable, beautiful, and productive future. Through thought-provoking exhibitions, we aim to spark creativity, joy, and appreciation for design excellence. Through forward-thinking programs, we empower people to recognize and advance successful design solutions to better lives.

General Information:
The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design is located at 2501 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA 23220. The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday 10am – 5pm, and Sundays 1pm – 5pm. Admission in pay-what-you-can. For general information please call 804-655-6055 or visit www.branchmuseum.org.
FB: @museumofarchitectureanddesign
IG: @branchmuseum

About Women’s Rights are Human Rights:
Organized and curated by Professor Emerita Elizabeth Resnick, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston. Learn more at www.womensrightsarehumanrights.org.

Image Credits:
Fight Like RBG 2016 © Nigel Buchanan
Allowed 2013 © Mohammad R. Sharaf
New Forms of Slavery 2002 © Antonio Mena
My Body My Rights 2017 © Ewa Wein