On Saturday, March 23, 2019, 56 Region of The Virginias Fellows and guests enjoyed dinner and networking at LeMeridien Arlington.
The 4 new Virginia Fellows were celebrated too! (Burt Pinnock was not able to attend)
Jack Davis, FAIA has been a leader in architecture for more than forty years — representing the profession in Virginia, the middle-Atlantic region, nationally, and internationally. His insightful impact on the profession through service to the AIA as President of AIA Virginia, Invited Member of the AIA Large Firm Roundtable, as well as Vice President of the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction, has blended his professional and academic experiences to the benefit of the future of the profession in a most profound way.
Jack served as President of AIA Virginia in its centennial year. In doing so, he laid out a vision for the next 100 years through his development of the Virginia Accord. The symposium gave the opportunity for professionals across the state to affirm their commitment to the environment, economy, sustainability and quality of life of all Virginians. The several daylong gatherings, envisioned by Jack, assembled architects and members of allied fields together with legislators, economists, and educators to focus on the built environment creating spaces to better serve our society.The Accord has been shared with all national chapter officers, Virginia legislators and additional contacts in 15 states.
Jack has been eminently involved in and responsible for the Professional Degree Programs at Virginia Tech for over thirty years. For most of Jack’s eleven years as dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech, Design Intelligence has ranked the program within the top five, with one year in the first position.
Jack’s career has been a tapestry of constructive research, design, education, public service, and professional practice. He has advanced the profession of architecture within the state, to the nation, and to over a dozen countries internationally. Through both membership and leadership in multiple organizations, he has represented the architects of Virginia in critical professional venues.
Where did you go to college?
Virginia Tech
Would you recommend studying architecture
Absolutely. Both of my children are in the architecture and landscape architecture world. I have enjoyed sharing the fields with young people for 40+ years.
What does it take to be an architect?
A strong work ethic, interested in the potential for change in the world around us.
Was there an architect that particularly inspired you?
It sounds predictable but I would have to say
What are you currently reading?
I read quite a bit, at least 2 books a month, often more. I just finished, The Power of One, and am currently reading, Workin our Way Home: The Incredible true story of an Ex-con and a Grieving Millionaire.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
A picnic of wine, cheeses, breads, and diverse accompaniments on the lawn of the
Why do you volunteer with the AIA?
I enjoy the community of professionals, the discussions and the sharing of design stories.
A Principal with Baskervill, Burt Pinnock has been a profound voice for creative, compelling, and responsible design in Richmond’s urban landscape. Once the Capital of the Confederacy and an epicenter of the nation’s slave trade, Richmond was also home to thriving, independent black communities. His body of work spans projects that seek to preserve and integrate those distinct identities into a more complete version that is contextual to both time and space. Burt has also served on a number of boards and commissions, including the Board of Zoning Appeals, Commission of Architectural Review, Urban Design Committee, Richmond Slave Trail Commission, LISC Advisory Board, Historic Richmond Foundation, Venture Richmond, and many more. He is also the creator and co-founder of Storefront for Community Design, a nonprofit that creates access to architecture and design services while also facilitating community engagement workshops for development efforts throughout the city.
Where did you go to college?
Virginia Tech
Would you recommend studying architecture
Always. Always. Always.
What does it take to be an architect?
The ability to imagine something where nothing exists and to accept the responsibility for what you design to put on this earth.
Was there an architect that particularly inspired you?
Paul Rudolph for his design of the Chapel at Tuskegee University in Alabama where I grew up and Tadao Ando for showing me that architecture rooted in culture is not a proposition of form but the embodiment of spirit.
What are you currently reading?
The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
A traditional Spanish dinner while on vacation with friends outside Camprodon, Spain and the time my father made curried goat and BBQ in the backyard for me and my friends during my third year of college.
Why do you volunteer with the AIA?
See answer #3. I remember when I was at Tech, Professor Gene Egger telling us in one of the weekly studio gatherings, “When lawyers were burning witches at the stake and doctor’s were using leeches, architects were designing cathedrals.” That, I believe, is the vocation we serve. We have an imperative to make our communities and this profession better for those that will come next. The AIA provides the means for us to do that and volunteering time and resources is a small price for such a significant return.
While logic and planning serve as the foundation for collaboration in the design process, artistic intention is essential in Manoj Dalaya’s approach to design. His high-performance, fortified spaces embrace art, environment, and community — all while integrating the security, infrastructure, and technological requirements of secure campuses. A principal at KGD Architecture, Dalaya serves on the AIA Northern Virginia Chapter Executive Committee and chairs their Design Awards Committee. He lends his architectural and real estate expertise to several Washington, D.C. area urban development committees and to architecture and real estate students at local universities. He was honored with AIA Virginia’s Award for Distinguished Achievement in 2018.
Where did you go to college?
I received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Sir J.J. College of Architecture, Bombay, India. I also attended the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center (WAAC) Consortium while obtaining a Master of Architecture degree from Miami University of Ohio.
Would you recommend studying architecture to a young person?
Architecture presents a unique opportunity for young people to make a profound and positive impact on society through creating the built environment, and I like to inspire young people to be part of this dynamic field.
What does it take to be an architect?
The architect engages all stakeholders and interprets their needs and aspirations to create a successful built environment. While logic and planning can serve as the foundation for the collaboration, artistic and creative intent is necessary to create successful projects that will inspire and serve society.
Was there an architect who particularly inspired you?
When I was in high school, someone gave me a book called Individual Creations that featured some outstanding architects. The building that really inspired me was Rock Church (Temppeliaukio Kirkko)
in Helsinki, designed by brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen, who won a design competition. I recognized that there existed a profession in which one could blend science and art.
What are you currently reading?
I enjoy reading the Swedish crime fiction writer Henning Mankell, the author of the Wallander series. His final novel, Quicksand, published in English four months after his death, is turning out to be a beautiful book with its perspective on humanity’s existence during great chunks of time between ice ages.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
One of the best meals was at Dionysos Zonar’s, Pnyx Hill in Athens. The meal was simple: cheese, wine, olives, and fresh bread. The view overlooking the city’s hills and the Acropolis was magnificent.
Why do you volunteer with the AIA?
We have unprecedented challenges that we face with climate change and deteriorating infrastructure. Understanding and influencing the architect’s role in designing a better future for our communities are best done by engagement with the AIA. If we wish to be architects of a better society and a promising future, our collective voice is more likely to be clear, sharp, and better heard by policymakers.
Charles Matta, FAIA is Director for the Center for Building Information Programs, and Deputy Associate CIO for US GSA. Prior to this role he served as national Director for Federal Buildings & Modernizations overseeing a program of 120+ buildings nationwide. He garnered several federal and corporate awards, including the CoreNet Global Innovator’s Award, the GSA Achievement Award for Real Property Innovation, and the top eight for ‘igniting innovation’ by the American Council on Technology ACT-IAC.
Before joining US GSA, Charles established ‘Matta Architects’ (1994- 2002), a diversified practice in municipal, recreational, and residential projects. His work was published in the Washington Post, Washington Times, House and Garden, Inform, Builder, and Remodeling magazines. He is the recipient of several design industry awards including AIA Award for Excellence in Architecture for an embassy project in Washington.
Charles is former President of AIA Northern Virginia and a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects for his industry contributions to the practice of Architecture. He also served (2010 -2016) as Vice Chair on the Arlington County Historical Affairs and Landmarks Review Board.
Where did you go to college?
My first 2 years of College included a stimulating Beaux Arts education in Beirut, followed by 3 years in the Architecture program at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Upon
Would you recommend studying architecture
Studying architecture does not stop upon graduation. I recommend it to anyone who has the talent, drive, resilience
What does it take to be an architect?
I see architecture as a lifelong pursuit. It is a way of life, rather than simply a job within the building industry. It is a commitment, one could say a calling, to make positive contributions to the built environment.
Was there an architect that particularly inspired you?
I tend to be less focused on a specific architect, but rather inspired by completed works that move me with awe and admiration. I remember having such an uplifting architectural experience upon seeing the following modern era masterworks for the first time, and ever since:
• Bibliotheque Nationale (Paris 1868) by Henri
• Chrysler Building (New York 1928-30) by William Van Alen
• Fallingwater (Pennsylvania 1935) by Frank Lloyd Wright
• TWA terminal (New York 1962) by Eero Saarinen
• Heydar Aliyev Center (Baku 2013) by Zaha Hadeed
What are you currently reading?
The Levant history and archaeology in the eastern Mediterranean, Konemann Press.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
A sumptuous meal prepared by a young master sushi chef in Tokyo in 2015
Hugh C. Miller. FAIA, FAPT, a 28-year veteran of the National Park Service served as the Service’s 2nd Chief Historical Architect between 1979 and 1988. During that tenure, he was Executive Architect for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and principal steward of the many nationally-significant historic buildings and landscapes in the Service’s care. Throughout his career, Miller was a leading voice for the “professionalization” of Service
Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as a son of a corporate gypsy, Hugh Miller lived in eleven houses in four states by the time he was twelve. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. He then served as Unit Commander, 94th Engineer Battalion (Construction), in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany and France. Returning to the States, he worked in private architectural practice in Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware, before joining the National Park Service in 1960. He worked in the Service’s Eastern Office of Design and Construction until 1966. He then became supervisory architect/ planner for the NPS/USAID planning team stationed in Jordan and Turkey. Starting in 1971 he served as Assistant NPS Chief Historical Architect in Washington, DC until assuming the Chief Historical Architect position in February of 1979.
Throughout his professional career, Miller advocated for America’s and the Service’s role in the international community of heritage conservation and historic preservation. For five years, he served as advisor for cultural tourism and the development of park systems and the preservation of cultural properties in Jordan and Turkey. He undertook or participated in special studies of cultural properties in Lebanon, Greece, Iran, Singapore, Macau, Mexico, and Great Britain. He is a member of the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and was made a fellow in 1995.
Miller was, and remains, a leading national and international voice for the science- and research-based investigation, maintenance, and restoration of historic buildings. Hugh Miller has been a member of APT International since 1972, a Director of their Board (1974-1981), and founder and past president of its Foundation for Preservation Technology. He currently serves on the APT Technical Committee on Sustainable Preservation. In 1998, he was made a Fellow of APT and presented with the organization’s highest honor – the Harley J. McKee Award for Lifetime Achievement. Hugh Miller is also widely recognized nationally as a founding leader in identifying, recording, and conserving what today are identified cultural or living landscapes – a recognition of the inter-connectedness of history, historic place, land use, and the natural environment and how each affected the other.
After retirement from the Service in 1988, Miller served as first Director of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and as Virginia State Historic Preservation Officer (1989-1994). He was an Adjunct Professor in the Goucher College’s Master’s Program in Historic Preservation(1964-2016) , instructing in historic building technology and directing the graduate thesis program. As NPS Chief Historical Architect or in retirement Miller influenced countless projects affecting historic places outside the NPS System including Philadelphia City Hall, the Amana Colonies (Iowa), the Fan Historic District (Richmond, VA), the Octagon and Calwell-Abbe Houses in Washington, DC, and, in the Commonwealth of Virginia -Stratford Hall, Menokin, Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, Monticello, and the Academical Village of the University of Virginia.
In 1952, Hugh married the former Stella Hawkins. Together they have three children, four grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. Stella died 1 June 2016.
Hugh Miller lives in the Fan Historic District of Richmond, Virginia, lectures frequently nationwide on such wide-ranging topics as sustainability and historic preservation and heritage landscapes, serves on innumerable advisory boards, and continues to be an important figure in national and international heritage preservation professional practice.
Where did you go to college?
The University of Pennsylvania, School of Fine Arts, now School of Design
Would you recommend studying architecture to a young person?
YES
What does it take to be an architect?
Imagination and attention to detail…Problem solving…designable, buildable, maintainable.
Was there an architect that particularly inspired you?
Buckminster Fuller. The
What are you currently reading?
Toward A Simpler Way Of Life The Arts & Crafts architects of California
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
Any filet mignon cooked rare by my wife Stella.
Why do you volunteer with the AIA?
To meet other architects and work on interesting projects and programs. First with AIA HRC in the 1970s.
Where did you go to college?
I went to three universities. I received my Bachelor of Environmental Design from Miami University, my Master of Architecture and Master of Construction Management from Washington University and my Master of Business Administration and Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration and Urban Theory (Urban Planning) from Old Dominion University. I’ve also attended four military schools – Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, Air War College
Would you recommend studying architecture
I would definitely recommend to young people that they study architecture. The wide breath of coursework that architects take make them very valuable in many areas/jobs in the built-environment. The broad knowledge base and ability to understand complex projects
What does it take to be an architect?
It takes tenacity, creativity, the ability to understand both broad and detailed concepts, and an ability to work with people.
Was there an architect that particularly inspired you?
I thought for a long while and didn’t come up with one architect. So here are the traits I find in good architects and their buildings. 1) Their buildings are well thought out – inside, outside, front, back, all sides. The details are precise. The movement for users is intuitive. The response to the community improves the community. 2) Their buildings inspire and the volumes make sense from both the exterior and the interior. (While I enjoy buildings with unusual volumes, I think the most of buildings where the unusual volume makes sense from both the exterior and the interior.) 3) Buildings that effortlessly incorporate sustainability, energy and resilience measures while remaining pleasing to the eye. 4) Buildings that make good, beautiful architecture out of everyday materials. 5) Architects that give back to others through teaching and community work as well as encourage people to grow in the profession.
What are you currently reading?
I am currently reading a book on the development of the Panama Canal. I’ve been researching the development of Olympic Sites and World’s Fair Sites and how they are reused after the games. I’ve got some books on the “reading pile” on Olympic site development. (Steve and I recently made a trip to Montreal to see an Olympic and World’s Fair sites there). I’m also writing a book on American Military Architecture highlighting the well-known architects who designed military buildings such as Albert Kahn, Richard Upjohn, Richard Neutra, Michael Graves and Bernard Simon (who was aide-de-camp for Napoleon, military planner for Paris as well as designed Ft Monroe and Wool in Virginia, Fort Adams in Rhode Island and Fort Morgan in Alabama) to mention a few.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
I had a buttered trout stuffed with crab, capers
Why do you volunteer with the AIA?
I work for the government/military and am constantly surrounded by engineers. Engineers tend to think/manage “inside-the-box”. I volunteer with AIA and teach to stay in touch with the profession, to grow professionally and to do some “out-of-the-box thinking”. I love to investigate topics and alternative ideas. I then take those ideas back to my office and challenge others. (They either love or hate that).
Saturday, March 23, 2019
6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Le Méridien Arlington
1121 19th Street N.
Arlington, VA 22209
Join us for cocktails, dinner, and a celebration of our new fellows!
announcement coming in February 2019
Purchase tickets here
Registration closes March 15, 2019
Hotel:
There is a block of rooms reserved at Le Méridien Arlington for the evening of Saturday, March 23 at the rate of $159 per night (+taxes). Book your hotel at this discounted rate using this link. Deadline for room reservations is February 22, 2019.
Parking:
Hotel parking $8 hourly, $30 daily
Optional:
Walking Tour of Old Town Alexandria
Saturday, March 23, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
The Old Town walking tour starts and ends at City Hall (301 King Street), south plaza entrance. Highlights of the tour will include private tours of the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum and the Carlyle House — one of the nation’s finest examples of Georgian architecture.
This event will take place on Saturday afternoon, rain or shine. Suggested parking is located at Market Square garage (110 N. Fairfax Street). There is no charge for the tour, but pre-registration is required.
Optional:
2019 Fellows Golf Outing at Mount Vernon Country Club
The event is planned for Sunday, March 24 at Mount Vernon Country Club. Please contact Baird Smith, FAIA at bairdmsmith98@gmail.com for more information.
Mount Vernon Country Club is a championship golf course which winds its way through the original forest of George Washington’s Mount Vernon plantation. It is an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary that protects the environment through habitat management, chemical use reduction, and water conservation. The course is also enhanced by the presence of Dogue Creek, a tidal tributary which lends a water hazard challenge on 14 of Mount Vernon’s 18 holes.
Thank you to our sponsors
Show your support for this event through sponsorships. Contact Judy Cheadle, jcheadle@aiava.org for more information.
American Institute of Architects College of Fellows Region of The Virginias cordially invites you to the 2019 Fellows Fête.
Saturday, March 23, 2019
6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Le Méridien Arlington
1121 19th Street N.
Arlington, VA 22209
Attire is Black Tie.
Join us for cocktails, dinner, and a celebration of our new fellows!
Manoj Dalaya, FAIA
Jody Lahendro, FAIA
Burt Pinnock, FAIA
Nick Vlattas, FAIA
Registration is now closed.
Hotel:
There is a block of rooms reserved at Le Méridien Arlington for the evening of Saturday, March 23 at the rate of $159 per night (+taxes). Book your hotel at this discounted rate using this link. Deadline for room reservations is February 22, 2019.
Parking:
Hotel parking $8 hourly, $30 daily
Optional:
Walking Tour of Old Town Alexandria
Saturday, March 23, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
The Old Town walking tour starts and ends at City Hall (301 King Street), south plaza entrance. Highlights of the tour will include private tours of the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum and the Carlyle House — one of the nation’s finest examples of Georgian architecture.
This event will take place on Saturday afternoon, rain or shine. Suggested parking is located at Market Square garage (110 N. Fairfax Street). There is no charge for the tour, but pre-registration is required.
Optional:
2019 Fellows Golf Outing at Mount Vernon Country Club
The event is planned for Sunday, March 24 at Mount Vernon Country Club. Please contact Baird Smith, FAIA at bairdmsmith98@gmail.com for more information.
Mount Vernon Country Club is a championship golf course which winds its way through the original forest of George Washington’s Mount Vernon plantation. It is an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary that protects the environment through habitat management, chemical use reduction, and water conservation. The course is also enhanced by the presence of Dogue Creek, a tidal tributary which lends a water hazard challenge on 14 of Mount Vernon’s 18 holes.
Thank you to our sponsors
Show your support for this event through sponsorships. Contact Judy Cheadle, jcheadle@aiava.org for more information.
Where did you go to college?
I received my Bachelor of Architecture degree from The University of Texas in Arlington and Yes, I am a Texan and wear cowboy boots on occasion!
Would you recommend studying architecture to a young person?
Yes, there has been an increase in the interest in Architecture because of the relationship of the Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Math but let’s not forget the “Arts.” Also, there are a few Schools of Architecture and AIA chapters that are forming architecture camps to provide this inspiration to young adults in becoming Architects. Architecture has been one of the most critical points in shaping my life.
Now, with the advent of STEM programs and legislation in the US House of Representatives to officially consider architecture a part of STEM education young people will have additional support and many different programs available to them.
What does it take to be an architect?
To be an Architect, you must have patience and a genuine love of the art, design, and science.
In addition, a talent that one is often lacking in our profession is an in-depth understanding of the “business” side of architecture. Possessing the relevant knowledge of and skill in finance, negotiation, and strategic planning are critical keys to a successful practice.
And the aptitude to successfully both offer and accept criticism is an oft-overlooked skill, in architecture as in so many other fields. When offering criticism, take care to frame your thoughts in a way that will be respectful of, and constructive to, your colleague. In taking criticism, listen carefully to any concerns, and do not take them as a personal attack. Criticism may not be comfortable, but it is necessary for our profession at every level.
Was there an architect that particularly inspired you?
In college, one of my professors introduced me to O.M. Ungers who, at that time, was considered a minimalist architect. After college, I was inspired by the work of California Architect Paul R. Williams not only for his style of architecture but for his professional and personal life experiences during his extensive career. It was great to see Paul Williams receive the AIA’s Gold medal which was awarded posthumously in 2017 for his significant body of work and his influence he had in the architecture industry.
What are you currently reading?
I am currently reading two books. One, Malcolm Gladwell’s “David & Goliath” and two, “The Fellowship: The Untold Story of Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Fellowship” by Harold Zellman and Roger Friedland. I love reading books about Frank Lloyd Wright!
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
The Steak Au Poivre at the Le Diplomate in Washington, DC along with my favorite bourbon cocktail there called the “Clouseau.” It reminds me of my honeymoon with my wife in Paris.
Why do you volunteer with the AIA?
My grandmother taught me to always give back to the community where you live and to serve in the organization you believe in. I have a love for architecture and helping in this organization gives me the pleasure of giving back and making a difference. Since 1987, the AIA Northern Virginia chapter has provided me with that springboard and platform on which my participation is based such as from the Young Architects Forum, the Virginia AIA Board, providing my expertise on the City of Alexandria’s Parker-Gray Historic District Board of Architectural Review and on to the AIA College of Fellows today. The AIA’s “Citizen Architect” is a reflection of these qualities. And the use of one’s insights, talents and experiences to give back to the community should be a necessity for all architects in the industry.
