yaf connection 10.03 issue

celebrating 21

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2012

year anniversary

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CoNNeCTioNJuNe 2012

design + expressionaia iLLinois region

issue 10.03

YouNg ArChiTeCTs Forum

In Honor OfChristopher shawn KeLLey

Remembering

Chr isTopher shAwN KelleY

architect christopher shawn Kelley, aia, passed away on saturday May 26 at the age of 39.

Kelley graduated from the University of Florida with honors, earning a bachelor of Design in 1995 and then a Master of architecture in 1997

from the school. an active member of the aia, he went on to become the first regional associates director from the Florida and caribbean

region for the aia’s national associates committee. He continued his service to the architecture community through his efforts in helping

to lead the young architects Forum where he served as chairman in 2009.

Kelley worked for two firms during his 15-year professional career, first at ruyle, Masters, Hayes + Jennewein architects in tampa, Fla., and

then at the Washington, D.c. office of gensler, where he worked until his death. and during his career, he received several awards, including

the 2010 young architect award. Kelley was also a husband, father, son and friend. “christopher saw the world as a place to engage in and

his career as a means to invest in his profession. His discerning guidance, insightful advice and wonderful sense of humor made a difference

in, and influenced the lives of countless young architects” recalls aia colleague and friend Mickey Jacob, Faia. “With thoughtful leadership,

unwavering enthusiasm and an inspirational style, christopher set a standard of excellence in everything he did that made us all want to be

a better person.”

Kelley was the loving husband of suzanna W. Kelley, the devoted father of ashtyn elizabeth and logan William Kelley, and the adoring son

of Patricia l. Kelly and Harry J. Kelley.

the Kelley children education Fund has been established to help support the future education needs of christopher’s children, ashtyn and

logan.

YAF CONNECTION 10.03

Thanks to YAF Connection Sponsor: AiA TRuST

Starting Out? Need Help? Call AiA Trustthe yaF Connection is sponsored through the generous support

of the aia trust, a free risk management resource for aia members that offers valuable benefits to protect you, your firm, and your family. visit www.theaiatrust.com for complete program information on all aia trust programs.

Map Showing Locations of Article Contributors for this Issue. US Map Source: www.cardhouse.com

05YAF CONNECTION 10.03

Disclaimer: This publication is created by Young Architect members of the American Institute of Architects. Views expressed in this publication are solely those of the authors.

CoNTeNT

06 NewSyaF news

news and resources relevant to young architects 08 ediTOR'S NOTe

yaF at conventionDeepika Padam, aia gives a run down of yaF activities at the aia national convention10 CRiTiQue

aliens, spaceships & strippers:adapting to the new World

James cornetet, aia critiques the international practice of architecture

20 COMPeTiTiONSaia ny enya competition 18

ridge avenue Urban bench competition 22Urban bicycle station competition 26

reclamation competition 30ballet West Fluid adagio 34

50 COMMuNiTYcommunity interface committeescott cryer, aia and nootan bharani, aia share how they are getting the community involved in design

43 deSiGNchicago's First leeD Platinum Homeapril Hughes, assoc. aia reviews chicago's first leeD Platinum home

54 deSiGNUniversity of chicago laboratory schoolssheri andrews, aia reviews the new laboratory

designs for the University of chicago

46 LeAdeRSHiPbecoming young in architecture

Marsha spencer, aia reflects upon the history of chicago Women in architecture as the

organization turns 40

56 deSiGNevolution of an iDe...vladimir radutny, aia and Paul tebben discuss starting a design practice during the great recession60 eveNT

2+2 Douglas l Milburn, assoc. aia reviews the

2011 aia illinois annual conference

FeATuRiNG iLLiNOiS ReGiON

16 LeAdeRSHiPchris baribeau, aiachris baribeau, aia answers questions regarding his practice and taking the leap of faith

40 BOOK Reviewreveal: stUDiO gang arcHitectMichel borg, aia reviews studio gang's latest monograph

62 CALLS FOR SuBMiSSiONSstories, programs, entriescalls for submissions for Connection, programs for 2013 convention, design competitions

Editor-in-Chief Deepika Padam, AIA

Assistant Editor Josh Flowers, AIA

Assistant Editor Bonnie Sen, AIA

Graphic Designer Nathan Stolarz, AIA

Graphic Designer James Cornetet, AIA


News

STAY CONNeCTedyaF at aiayaF's Home webpage. www.aia.org/yaf

aia archiblogthis blog provides yaF-related news in real time. get involved in the discussion! www.blog.aia.org/yaf

yaF Knowledgeneta knowledge resource for awards, announcements, podcasts, blogs, and valuable articles. the archives of yaF Connection and the young architect award winners' entries... this resource has it all!www.network.aia.org/AIA/YoungArchitectsForum

architect’s Knowledge resourcethe architect's Knowledge resource connects aia members and others to the most current information on architecture, including research, best practices, product reviews, ratings, image banks, trends, and more. it's your place to find solutions, share your expertise, and connnect with colleagues. www.aia.org/akr

yaF on linkedinstay connected with the yaF leadership and all the young architects you meet at the convention, and get involved in group discussions.www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=2066423

yaF on twitterFollow yaF on twitter @aiayaF

yaF on Facebookbecome a Fan of aia young architects Forum on Facebook.

Know someone Who’s not getting the yaF Connection?Don’t let them be out of the loop any longer. it’s easy for aia members to sign up. Update your aia member profile and add the young architects Forum under “your Knowledge communities.”

• go to www.aia.org and sign in.• click on “For Members” link next to the aia logo on top.• click on “edit your personal information” on the left side

under aia members tab.• click “your knowledge communities” under your account

on the left• add yaF.

CALL FOR ARTiCLeSWould you like to submit articles for inclusion in an upcoming issue?contact the editor at [email protected].

2012 AiA NATiONAL eLeCTiON ReSuLTShelene Combs dreiling, Faia, elected 2013 First vice President and 2014 Presidentdonald C. Brown, Faia, elected 2013-2014 vice Presidentsusan Chin, Faia, elected 2013-2014 vice Presidentrichard deyoung, aia, elected 2013-2014 secretaryhttp://info.aia.org/aiarchitect/2012/0519/newsletter/elections.html

2012 AiA YOuNG ARCHiTeCTS AwARd BOOK AvAiLABLe TO PuRCHASeyaF has published a book as a compilation of the work and achievements of this year's aia young architects award winners. to order your copy, visit www.lulu.com and search "aia 2012 young architects award", or go to this link:http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/aia-2012-young-architects-award-book/12835670

2011 AiA YAF/COd ideAS COMPeTiTiON BOOK AvAiLABLe TO PuRCHASeto order your copy, visit www.lulu.com and search "2011 aia yaF/cOD ideas competition".


YAF SuMMiT20 uPdATe | ARCHiTeCT FeATuRevolume One of summit20 Outcomes report and a video recording made by aia is available at www.aia.org/YAFSummit20. arcHitect magazine covered the story "come together" in the May 2012 issue http://www.architectmagazine.com/architects/the-yaf-turns-20.aspx.

ARCHiTeCTuRe BiLLiNGS iNdex ReveRTS TO NeGATive TeRRiTORYDecline is possibly a brief pause from unusually strong winter activity

after five months of positive readings, the architecture billings index (abi) has fallen into negative terrain. 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. the american institute of architects (aia) reported the april abi score was 48.4, following a mark of 50.4 in March. this score reflects a decrease in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). the new projects inquiry index was 54.4, down from mark of 56.6 the previous month.

you can see this press release online here: http://www.aia.org/press/releases/AIAB094780

THeMeS FOR 2012 YAF CONNeCTiONissue 10.01 January scale in architectureissue 10.02 March imageryissue 10.03 June Design and expressionissue 10.04 august residential architectureissue 10.05 October travelissue 10.06 December green building

AiA PARTNeRS wiTH BROAdCASTR TO deLiveR GeO-TARGeTed ARCHiTeCTuRAL CONTeNT TO MOBiLe deviCeSthe american institute of architects (aia) is partnering with broadcastr on a project that will raise public awareness of architectural accomplishments, elevate appreciation of the profession, and provide reasoning behind design.

broadcastr is a new application for iPhone and android that links media to places. With thousands of stories and tours curated by experts and users, broadcastr transforms any iPhone or android device into a multimedia guide to the world. aia is curating in-depth architectural interviews that users can discover as they walk, drive, or bike through a particular city. aia is piloting the partnership in new york city, los angeles, and Washington, D.c. the partners hope to expand multimedia tours to other locations nationwide in the coming months. audio interviews will be included in tours within the app. see http://www.aia.org/broadcastr.

ARCHiTeCTS ANNOuNCe Guide TO iNTeRNATiONAL GReeN CONSTRuCTiON COdethe american institute of architects (aia) today introduced the first overview guide on how architects can implement in their practice the international green construction code (igcc), which was introduced in March by the international code council (icc).

the guide, entitled simply, “guide to the igcc,” www.aia.org/igcc is meant as a one-stop-shop document exclusively for aia-member architects working in jurisdictions where the igcc is adopted or soon will be. the announcement was made on the opening day of the aia’s 2012 national convention.

AiA SeLeCTS ReCiPieNTS OF THe JASON PeTTiGRew MeMORiAL ARe SCHOLARSHiPaia has selected nine recipients to receive the 2012 Jason Pettigrew Memorial are scholarship. the recipients will receive compensation for the entire cost of the architect registration examination (are) and a full set of study guides provided by Kaplan construction education. the recipients include: valerie J. amor, Jeff bartosik, tami beck, lauren Dibianca Frye, ryan Heusinkveld, Miki Hirai, tina Hovsepian, andrew Mitchell, and Jill sornson Kurtz. the recipients of the scholarship were chosen by a jury composed of aia members including a national associates committee representative, a young architects Forum representative, iDP coordinators, and a representative from Kaplan construction education. Details at http://www.aia.org/press/releases/AIAB094873

2012 YAF/COd ideAS COMPeTiTiONthe call for submissions and details are available at www.aia.org/ideascompetition


deepika padam, aia, Leed ap, nCarB

Deepika Padam, AIA, LEED AP bd+c is the Communications Advisor for the National AIA Young Architects Forum. Brought up in India and a graduate of University of Michigan, she is a Senior Designer and Project Manager with Heller Manus Architects based in San Francisco, California.

editor's Note

YAF AT CoNveNT ioN

i HaD a horrible first day at Dc during my aia convention trip.

Don’t ask! Oh what a relief it was when the convention started the

following day! it is always a joy to see old friends at this wonderful

annual event. Design connects. as Jeff Potter Faia elaborated, the

theme stood for how the art and science of design connects us to

one another.

the convention was a big success for yaF, and emerging professionals

in general. yaF and nac co-hosted the eP lounge at prime real estate

in the convention center. Our design was fit for the location decked

out with interactive boards, exhibits, multi-media presentations,

and comfy couches. We held several presentations at the lounge,

such as repositioning initiative and Future of architecture by lee

W. Waldrep and David Zach, yaF summit20 Outcomes by Jennifer

Workman aia and brad benjamin aia, and 2012 yaF/cOD ideas

competition by virginia Marquardt aia. a tweetup was held at the

lounge moderated by Joe benesh aia that garnered a huge audience

of social media junkies. Most importantly, the candidates that were

running for the national aia elections made an appearance at our

lounge and addressed questions and concerns of the emerging

professionals. congratulations to all of them for the legacy they

have formed in the aia and beyond, and we hope they will continue

to support emerging professionals moving forward.

yaF organized two sessions – young architects awards Winners

presentation, and leadership Forum panel discussion both

YAF Leadership Forum panel presentation YAF Legacy Lunch


moderated by Matt Dumich aia. in addition, brad benjamin aia

moderated the yaF/cOD 2011 ideas competition panel presentation.

young architects also co-presented with Fellows during the college

of Fellows 2+2 presentation. the 2012 young architects award

winners were honored during the Honors and awards ceremony.

Our publications effort didn’t lag behind. We released the 2012

young architects award book created by our editorial team led by

me, and 2011 ideas competition book created by brad benjamin

aia. they were made available at the aia bookstore and sold out by

the last day! the May issue of arcHitect magazine was released at

convention featuring an article about yaF summit20. to get some

real estate in the official national magazine of aia was a big feat that

we will need to continually strive for.

We got some media coverage as well. Jennifer Workman aia

was interviewed and broadcast live on convention tvs talking

about summit20. i had the opportunity to be part of the i aM aia

video campaign. i was also fortunate to be interviewed for the

repositioning initiative.

and of course we socialized! it began with golf with Donald trump in

which adam Palmer aia, Jennifer Workman aia and brad benjamin

aia represented yaF. there was a meet-up of young architects

regional Directors on the first evening organized by Jason Dale

Pierce aia. the yaF advisory committee held the annual yaF legacy

lunch with the past adcom members the following day. some of

us made it to the fab chapter Host Party at the newseum at night.

the emerging professionals reception was the second evening

co-hosted with nac. the attendance was fantastic as usual! We

attended the aias nightcap reception afterwards. We did manage

to take care of some business items the day after in the adcom

business meeting. this evening was taken by the cOF convocation

Dinner, which adam Palmer aia was lucky to attend.

so at the end of it all, i got to participate in yet another fantastic

convention, attend a few great sessions, catch up with old friends,

and form new connections. the weather in Dc was perfect and

aia|Dc did a fabulous job of organizing the event. but my favorite

part was the Michigan alumni reception of course where i got to

see some old friends from school. What a successful and memorable

week!

EP Lounge co-hosted by YAF and NAC Candidates for AIA National Office addressing the emerging

professionals at EP Lounge


If that Pelican looks confused

it is because he is in disbelief

that the 2001 Odyssey: Tampa's

Premiere Adult Nude Club is be-

ing relocated to St. Petersburg's

Pier. Rendering by West 8.

tO say tHat some things have changed in the world since the end

of the 20th century is an understatement. the world is amidst a

revolution fueled by the emergence of a global market, international

travel and instant communication. as our everyday lives grow more

connected, rather than all 196 countries unifying under a new World

Order, the dissimilarities between cultures from around the world are

growing. individuality and one’s unique cultural heritage are more

celebrated now than ever. People demand specificity, the concept

of mass customization is no longer relevant. instead we (architects)

need to re-examine the needs of the new generation. the internet

and the devices that we all use to “plug in” have drastically changed

the way people interact with their environment. individuals are no

longer satisfied with passively participating in their built world,

the new plugged-in generation demands to actively participate in

the formulation of a world that is unique and responsive to their

individual needs and desires.


A d a p t i n g t o t h e N e w W o r l d

critic James Cornetet, aia

Cornetet is a partner and founding member of Process Architecture, LLC in Orlando. Cornetet is also a professor of architecture at the University of Central Florida and is an architectural critic and regular contributor to Florida/Caribbean Architect, Bauwlet and Critique This!

Critique

Al ieNs , spACesh ips & sTr ippers

Other signs have emerged that suggest the world has changed, but

most architects choose to ignore them. Phrases like buy local and

free-cycle have entered our everyday lexicon. some could argue

that the trending of these phrases is based on a return to sustainable

principles in the United states, but this “return” is actually a revolt

against the corporatism that has whitewashed the unique and

discrete cultural institutions across the United states. the new World

supports its aDHD users, the new drug is constant stimulation.

People crave on demand everything, including architecture. the

individual of the 21st century has become a highly defined culture

of one.

During the last quarter of the 20th century, boutiques in every town

were replaced by stores that cater to the lowest common cultural

denominator. the resurgence of the individual, one-off goods and

all that is local is prompting the revival of the boutique.

in June of 2011, st. Petersburg launched an international design

competition to redesign the city’s signature pier. the original pier,

an inverted pyramid designed by William b. Harvard sr., founder of

Harvard Jolly architecture, had little to do with st. Petersburg, Florida.

the structure was different for the sake of being different, and an

oddity in its own right, reflecting the architectural spirit of the 1970s.

at the commencement of the competition, the community of st.

Pete was circumspect to have another architect’s vision forced upon

their beautiful bay shores. the international search for an architect

led to the selection of three finalists: Michael Maltzan architects,

bjarke ingels group (b.i.g.), and West 8. all three are very talented

design firms, and are firms that i have long followed even before

becoming celebrities gossiped about in design studios across the

states.


The similarities are striking. A

paternity test may be in need to

clear up this situation. West 8's

proposal on top, and the infa-

mous 2001 Odyssey is featured

below.

Despite the talent of the finalists, the quality of the designs and the

captivating spaces depicted in the renderings, the competition was

a failure in the sense that none of the entries had anything to do

with the local culture of st. Petersburg Florida and the people that

live there. as kismet would have it, West 8’s design would reveal the

pitfalls associated with designing for a foreign culture. From the

public’s perspective, West 8’s design was little more than an updated

contemporary version of the previous oddity (the inverted pyramid).

the inverted pyramid looked as if it landed from another planet,

while West 8’s design resembles a sea creature that has broached the

surface of the bay. both are alien and foreign. although the form of

the design would prove to be the most problematic fault of West 8’s

proposal, there are other issues not addressed in the design that are

common knowledge to almost any resident living in st. Petersburg.

exposure to the relentless heat of Florida’s hot summers has caused

the death of many poorly designed public spaces in Florida. to put it

bluntly, heat kills, and the success of any public space or esplanade

is dependent on an ample supply of shade. culturally, the entries

show a lack of understanding of the boat culture at st. Pete, which

becomes apparent in how the yachts and other ocean going vessels


The odd inverted pyramid of St.

Pete's existing Pier.

interact with the proposed structure. talk to anyone in st. Pete that

owns a boat, and they will tell you that they do not want to drop

anchor and hang out in the bay all day, they want to be able to dock

at locations and disembark from their boat and interact with the

amenities of the Pier. these are just two of many more problems

that begin to illustrate the lack of specificity to local issues that are

unknowingly neglected by alien architects.

One could assume that these and other issues specific to this region

would eventually come to light as the design process actualizes into

a two-way conversation between the client/user and the architect,

but another international blunder will reveal that many of these

designs never move beyond a superficial understanding of the

local culture that commissions them. these alien spaceships that

unwantedly crash landed in their towns at the cost of the tax payer

are rarely embraced by the people that are dragooned to live with

them.

Down the road just twenty miles away along the Dale Mabry

Highway, is the 2001 Odyssey: tampa’s Premiere Full nude adult

club. the building amounts to little more than a decorated shed

with a spaceship sitting atop it. (if robert venturi is reading this

article, please forward to me your comments regarding a decorated

shed with a duck nesting atop it.) the structure is a landmark in the

sense that it cannot be missed from the highway. Unfortunately for

West 8, the spaceship that they designed for the pier looks as if it

is the same model that brought the nudes to 2001 Odyssey. this

cultural blunder could have been avoided with a greater knowledge

of the local context, which can only be attained from living and

knowing a region. st. Pete Mayor bill Foster commented on the issue

“it comes as a complete shock that anyone would equate art (West

8’s design) with the little flying saucer (2001 Odyssey).” it may come

as a shock to the mayor, but people frequently equate architecture

to objects, and these cultural associations are stronger than any of

the connotations intended by the architect. if West 8’s submission

were to have been selected, it would forever be equated to the duck

squatting atop the decorated shed on Dale Mabry Highway.

another example of alien architects landing their contemporary

spaceships in foreign cities around the world can be found in

guangzhou, china. the guangzhou Opera overlooks the Pearl river,

and is adjacent to the recently completed guangzhou Museum


designed by rocco Design architects, an architecture firm based

in Hong Kong. the proximity of these two structures serves as a

perfect juxtaposition for studying the success of local architecture

as compared to alien spaceships.

During a recent trip to guangzhou, i questioned many of the locals

about the design of the guangzhou Opera House. Most politely

smiled, and stated that they did not care for the structure, while

a few outspoken citizens stated that the structure had nothing to

do with their culture. Fascinated by such disapproval of the Opera

House, i was compelled to visit the structure every day that i was

in guangzhou, because i was curious to see how people interacted

with the structure. each time i visited the Opera House, i never saw

more than a dozen people on the grounds at one time, and most of

the people i saw were employees or security guards.

the heat is relentless in guangzhou, and the public plazas of the

Opera House offer no shade or protection from the hot sun and

afternoon thunderstorms. the reflecting pool had grown dark

green from algae blooms, and the dramatic night images are

rarely experienced, due to the structures lack of use in the evening.

Directly across from the Opera House, however is the guangzhou

Museum which is always alive with activity. Hundreds of people

enter the structure every minute, lines wrap the building. the

building’s dramatic cantilevering super structure provides an

endless amount of shaded public space. the locals visit the museum

just to hang out. the space is cool and sheltered as opposed to the

heat island that is the Opera House. in addition to creating useful

outdoor public space, the architecture is of the local culture. the

design references the local art of chinese puzzle ball making, an

object which is a sphere of ivory carved from the inside out. rocco

yim describes sculpting the interior spaces out of a solid mass, and

articulating the exterior in a manner consistent with this ancient art

form. in addition the red highlights reference the political history

of the country, and the interplay of exterior apertures and veils of

perforated metal on the interior creates an ephemeral quality of

light that rivals the Masters. it is a beautiful structure designed by

a talented Hong Kong architect familiar with the culture, and the

building is revered by the locals.

(top) Guangzhou Opera House designed by Zaha Hadid.

(bottom) Guangzhou Museum designed by Rocco Yim.

Photographs by James Cornetet.


On the 25th of February 2011 the royal institute of british architects

(riba) released an article titled Will Architects Exist in 2025. the article

was based on a study by the institute, and many may find the results

stunning. according to riba two types of firms will thrive after the

world recovers from its first global recession. small, locally focused

and highly specialized boutique design firms will propagate in every

community. their geography of influence will be no greater than a

few miles, and they will be intimately familiar with the specifics of

the culture and district. at the other extreme, super firms, larger

than what exist now, will sustain and continue to grow due to the

infrastructural demands of the 21st century city. as the population

of the world expands, mega-structures and mega-infrastructures

will be required to meet the needs of humanity. the mid-size firms

that currently complete most of the significant projects in the

United states will slowly die due to the fact that they are too large to

compete with the specificity in design offered by the boutiques, and

they will also fail because they are not large enough to handle the

growing international demand for super-sized architecture.

The invasion of alien architects into a town near you is a fad that will soon pass. The next time a new Pier design

is needed by the citizens of St. Pete, you can expect that a local architect will be the designer, and (s)he will be

supported by a super-firm to assist in realizing a vision specific to the region. This is a sharp contrast from the

reckless creation of costly alien spaceships all around the world that upon completion are socially quarantined,

as if the themes at play in the movie District 9 were a commentary on the architectural importation of foreign

styles from other galaxies. That commentary would read that specificity is the desire of the new world, and

aliens are not welcome.Chinese puzzle ball. Photograph by James Cornetet.


did you always want to be an architect?

Oddly enough, i did in fact always want to be an architect. i am

fortunate (i think) to have been able to answer that inevitable and

daunting question of what to do with one’s life from a very early age.

it just made sense to me as a merger of art and science.

describe your educational background.

i studied architecture at the University of arkansas, now rightfully

named the Fay Jones school of architecture. i was fortunate to be

part of multiple visiting professor studios (bryan Mackay-lyons, Julie

snow) and live in rome for a semester. the life of the school, travel,

and the immersion in a creative community are all truly positive

elements in the core of the education i received.

what was your early professional experience like?

My only architectural job prior to having my own practice, was

working for Marlon blackwell architect for 5.5 years. Marlon was

my professor in school, and we evolved an exceptional working

relationship. i never felt like a mere task performer, but an integral

part of a critical design collective. i was running projects and earned

the freedom to push design ideas early in my time there.

Writer: Chris Baribeau, aia

Baribeau is a principal at Modus Studio in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Baribeau is the recipient of the 2011 AIA Arkansas Emerging Professional Award.

Leadership

Chr is bAr ibeAu , A iA

who would you cite as a professional influence?

Definitely Marlon blackwell. bryan Mackay-lyons has also been a

long time inspiration. as he would say, ‘tilling the soil’ is a remarkable

stance to take on regional architecture and his body of work proves

the value of ‘being’ where you live and work. the late ed blake of

the landscape studio was a definite giant in my professional world.

i was very fortunate to spend many calm and educational hours

just walking various sites with ‘cosmic’ ed blake. His manner and

understanding of the forces in the world still affect me in my work

today.

How did you make the decision to start your own firm?

in retrospect, the decision to start the firm seemed easy and

obvious. the logistics to make it happen seemed, at times, daunting

and implausible. economic crashes aside, we knew starting a small

business was difficult at best, but undoubtedly doable. the truth

is that with a tangible project sitting in front of us, my business

partner, Josh siebert, and i knew this was the right opportunity to

make something our own.


How did you decide on the name Modus Studio?

We quickly abandoned any tendency to use our names. We wanted

a clear dispatch from the last name lineage as a mode to allow us

to operate in a modern studio format. so studio seemed like an

obvious word as an open atmosphere of collaboration and design

thinking. We also wanted direction and a way to celebrate the

process of a design, a mode, an operandi, a modus operandi. and

this is how Modus studio was conceived. We also focus our work

on a modern, design-driven language and felt that there was an

appropriate modern connotation to the name.

what was your first project?

Our first project was the green Forest Middle school which recently

won a design Merit award at the aia arkansas convention.

Was there a moment after opening your office that you thought “OK,

this is going to work”?

Our first major presentation to the green Forest Public school board

to show our design for the middle school was a big moment. We

were proposing an introduction of modern design to this small rural

community, and we had no idea how it would be publicly received.

We had put a lot of time and effort into producing inspirational

imagery, telling the story of the site and why our design resulted in

its current form and place. in the end, our presentation was received

with applause and smiles by the 80 people in attendance. For us,

that was a moment of fruition in our decision to start Modus studio.

How is your firm faring during in the current economy?

We have been extremely fortunate during the past 3 years. When we

started Modus in late 2008, Josh and i sat back to back in my 9’x11’

home office. We are now a 9 person firm with a 1600+ sf studio on

the 5th floor of the ball Plaza building in downtown Fayetteville. We

attribute this to our energy and passion for our work and our ability

to hear our clients and respond with appropriate architectural ideas.

what are you working on now?

currently we are wrapping up construction on the first leeD for

Homes Multifamily Platinum project in the state, eco modern

flats. We are also working with the same clients on the project

currently referred to as 555 Maple, one of the largest scale new infill

multifamily projects ever pursued in downtown Fayetteville. We just

completed the green Forest athletics Facility and are about 75%

through construction on a new elementary classroom building for

Heber springs, arkansas as well as a renovation to the Post Winery

in altus, arkansas.


Can you describe your work in one to two sentences?

Our work seeks to be rooted in place while bridging a connection

to the global modern world through architecture, graphic design,

prototyping and fabrication. true sustainability is found in good

ideas, and our work seeks to embody good ideas in a process that

can produce relevant, obtainable architecture positively affecting

the built environment in which we live.

Can you talk about your vision for the future of your firm?

local>regional>national>international. this is a fairly linear and

logical order of aspirations that we take very seriously. We believe

we have the ability and energy to address the subject of architecture

on a global scale and we aim to do so. the south is home to us and in

great need of the type of thinking we offer and yet we have already

found ways to make a more global impact with some of our pro

bono work abroad http://www.modusstudio.com/public/esthers-

house-orphanage/.

Green Forest Middle School Interior


what do you like to do for fun?

right now my life it is all about striking the balance between my

passion for architecture and my passion for my young family. My

wife (also an architect) and i have a 15 month old daughter . she is

a mess and full of life. amazing stuff. i think it is worth noting that

without the understanding and love of another architect as my wife,

i don’t think i would be able to do what i do.

what advice would you offer to young architects?

you have to love it. When you love it, it isn’t ‘working’ it’s living. if

you hate what you do, that isn’t living, it’s slowly dying. i would also

suggest that full immersion is the only route. you can’t just dabble

in striking out on your own, you have to embrace it, jump in, and

wrestle it to the bottom, but make sure you come up for air and

always keep your eyes open.

Green Forest Athletic Center

All images by Rett Peek


Competition

A iA NY eNYA CompeT i T ioN

Competition description:

the emerging new york architects (enya) committee of

the aia ny chapter is proud to announce the winners of its

fifth biennial design ideas competition, the Harlem edge

| cultivating connections . One hundred seventy-eight

(178) teams and individuals registered for the competition

and more than ninety-eight (98) entries from sixteen

(16) countries were submitted for judging. the winning

entries will be exhibited at the center for architecture, 536

laguardia Place, new york, ny, this July and be published in

a competition catalog. in coordination with the exhibition,

enya will be hosting a symposium to discuss design issues

related to the winning entries and possibilities for the future

development of the site and its neighboring community. the

Harlem edge is presented as part of Future now, the 2012 aia

new york chapter Presidential theme. all are invited to the

exhibition Opening at the center for architecture in new york

city on July 12, 2012 .

visit the competition Website for more information:

www.enyacompetitions.org

Competition Jury:

emily abruzzo, ra, leeD aP, partner with abruzzo bodziak architects llc

Meta brunzema, ra, leeD aP, Principal of Meta brunzema architect Pc

Dr. Dickson D. Despommier, Ph.D, Professor of Public Health in env. Health sciences at columbia University

louise Harpman, Principal of specht Harpman

Michael Marrella, aicP, Director of Waterfront and Open space Planning, nyc Dept. of city Planning

Jesse reiser, Principal of reiser + Umemoto rUr architecture

Keith vanDersys, co-founder of Peg office of landscape + architecture

a n A I A N e w Y o r k E m e r g i n g N e w Y o r k A r c h i t e c t s ( E N Y A ) C o m m i t t e e D e s i g n C o m p e t i t i o n


F irsT pl ACeT I N C H I N & Y A N W A N G , n e w y o r k , n e w y o r k


seCoNd pl ACeE L I Z A H I G G I N S , C Y R U S P A T E L L , C H R I S S T A R K E Y a n d A N D R E A V I T T A D I N I , b r o o k l y n , n e w y o r k


Th ird pl ACeR Y A N D O Y L E , G U I D O E L G U E T A , a n d T Y L E R C A I N E , b r o o k l y n , n e w y o r k


Competition

r idge Ave : urbAN beNCh


the riDge ave: Urban bencH design competition is an

idea to design a new urban bench for bus stops along ridge

avenue - a major off-grid avenue connecting the northwest

neighborhoods of Philadelphia to the busy city center. Once a

bustling commercial corridor with a rich history, ridge avenue

seeks to restore and renew its identity as a major artery that

Francisville residents can be proud of. the competition seeks

to further enhance and support plans already in process

for neighborhood redevelopment through the design of

prominent benches along the commercial corridor. this

competition focuses on two locations at the intersections of

girard ave & ridge ave, and at 15th street & ridge ave. these

northbound and southbound bench locations were intended

to provide a landmark at both points of entry into the

neighborhood of Francisville. Following the competition, the

winning entry will be fabricated by neighborhood residents

in partnership with the designer, and installed at the two

sites. Moving forward, the hope is to see more innovative

benches developed along ridge avenue.

Competition Jury:

Paul avazier, assoc. aia, leeD aP – atkin Olshin schade architects & aia Philadelphia

Jules Dingle, aia – DigsaU architecture, Urbanism, & environmental Design

Penolope giles – Francisville neighborhood Development corporation

robin Kohles – community Design collaborative

Joshua goodsell – the Philadelphia social reconstruction congress

Organizers:

Paul avazier, assoc. aia, leeD aP associate Director

erike Deveyre, assoc. aia – Design competitions chairperson

Francisville neighborhood Development corporation

the Philadelphia social reconstruction congress


RIDGE AVE: URBAN BENCH design competition

MATERIALITY: Cast Stone; Formwork built using a Computer Numerically Controlled Milling Machine

COLOR: Light Gray with Fine Exposed Aggregate

FINISH: Acid-Washed and Finished with Polyethylene or similar Non-Staining Waterproof Material

SUPPORT: Free-Standing; Lifted into Place

SITE PLAN1/2” = 1’-0”

ELEVATION3/4” = 1’-0”

PLAN3/4” = 1’-0”

Francisville is growing. Its void spaces have begun to be reclaimed creating promising meadows along Ridge Avenue. To celebrate this growth, the new Ridge Avenue Bench will mark important intersections between the orthogonal city grid and Francisville`s off-grid streets.

Inspired by the resulting irregularities in the surrounding urban fabric, the Bench has a soft, owing form that converges to a central point. From a distance the bench reads as a ower or a leaf. Up close, its formal softness contrasts with its materiality, durable and impervious Cast Stone.

The Bench’s distinctive geometry will allow people to appropriate the surrounding public space in many different ways and will help provide a recognizable identity to Francisville and Ridge Avenue.

F • L • O • R • ARIDGE AVE: URBAN BENCH design competition

RENDERING: RIDGE AVENUE BENCH INSTALLED AT THE SOUTH EAST CORNER OF GIRARD AVENUE AND RIDGE AVENUE

RENDERING: BENCH DETAILRENDERING: BENCH DETAIL

RENDERING: BENCH OVERVIEW

RIDGE AVE

F irsT pl ACeN I C H O L A S S T A N D E V E N , v a n c o u v e r , b c , c a n a d a


seCoNd pl ACeB R I D G E T S A V O Y , p h i l a d e l p h i a , p e n n s y l v a n i a


Omar TyreeOmar Tyree, is a New York Times best-selling author, a journalist, reporter,poet, screenwriter, songwriter, playwrite, event host, lecturer, blogger, publishing consultant and literacy advocate, who has won a 2001 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literature in Fiction, a 2006 Phillis Wheatley Literary Award for Body of Work in Urban Fiction, and a 2010 HBCU Legends Award. He was Born and raised in Phila-delphia, Pennsylvania, where he graduated from the Central High School in 1987. dmpl.org

King Britt is a DJ and record producer from Phila-delphia, Pennsylvania. For two years he toured with Digable Planets under the nickname “Silkworm”. He then founded Ovum Recordings with Josh Wink. Since then he has been releasing records under the names Sylk 130 and Scuba. In a favorable review of the 1998 album When the Funk Hits the Fan, Bill-board compared his sound to that of Soul II Soul and De La Soul. He is a 1986 graduate of Central High School in Philadelphia.

King Britt

kingbritt.com

Jill Scott is a soul and R&B singer-songwriter, poet, and actress with three Grammy Awards. Born in 1972, Scott grew up in a North Philadelphia neigh-borhood. She attended the Philadelphia High School for Girls. After graduating, she attended Temple University while simultaneously working two jobs. Prior to breaking through the music industry, Scott worked at a variety of jobs, including a number of retail positions and stints at a construction site and an ice cream parlor.

Jill Scott

binsidetv.net

BilalBilal Sayeed Oliver, better known by his stage name Bilal, is a neo soul/jazz singer-song-writer, musician and producer. Bilal was born in northwest Philadelphia. He attended New York’s City’s Mannes Music Conservatory were he was classically trained. After this he was able to sing opera in several languages. Bilal is a member of the Soulquarians collec-tive, along with Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Q-Tip, and D’Angelo.beatsboxingmayhem.com

Lavoy Allen is a professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers. He was selected 50th overall in the 2011 NBA Draft. Born in 1989 in Morrisville, PA, Allen did not play much basketball until eighth grade. He attended Pennsbury High School. Allen committed to Temple University and coach Fran Dunphy. He was a three-time All-Atlantic 10 Defensive Team honoree and a two-time All-Atlantic 10 First Team recipient. He was the recipient of the Robert V. Geasey Trophy honoring the Philadelphia Big Five Player of the Year.

Levoy Allen

Temple Times

Black ThoughtTariq Trotter, better known as Black Thought, is a hip-hop artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots and occasional actor. Black Thought, who co-founded The Roots with drummer ?uestlove (Ahmir Thompson), is widely lauded for his complex and politically aware lyrical content, and his sharply honed live performances. Black Thought was born in 1971 and attended the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts and Millersville Univer-sity.themadbloggers.com

Bunny SiglerBunny Sigler is a pop and R&B songwriter and record pro-ducer who has done extensive work with the team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and who was instrumental in creat-ing the “Philly Sound” in the early 1970s. He is nicknamed “Mr. Emotion.” The singer was born in Philadelphia in 1941. Bunny has worked with most of the artists associated with the Philadelphia stable including The O’Jays, Jackie Moore, The Roots, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Lou Rawls, Barbara Mason, Billy Paul, Patti LaBelle and Stephanie Mills.ring.cdandlp.com

McCoy Tyner has been the most influencial jazz pia-nist and composer of the past 50 years. He introduced complex harmonies, scales, and African rhythms into American jazz. He was born in Philadelphia in 1938, be-gan studying the piano at age 13, and attended Granoff School of Music. He is known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet and a long solo career. McCoy Tyner’s richly harmonic and percussive style of playing has influ-enced countless musicians and contributed to many of jazz’s greatest moments.

McCoy Tyner

nashvillescene.com

QuestloveAhmir Khalib Thompson known professionally as ?uestlove or Quest-love, is an drummer, DJ, music journalist and record producer. He is best known as the drummer for the Grammy Award-winning band The Roots. He has produced for artists such as Common, D’Angelo, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Bilal, Jay-Z, Nikka Costa and more recently, Al Green, Amy Winehouse and John Legend. Born to a musical famly in Philadelphia in 1971, he started his carreer early. By the age of seven, Thompson began drumming on stage at shows, and by 13, had become a musical director. He attended Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts.theowlmag.com

Jacqueline “Jacqui” Frazier-Lyde is a Philadelphia Attorney and a former professional boxer who started practicing boxing at the age of 38. She has a record of 13 wins, 1 loss and 9 wins by knockout.She attended Plymouth-Whitemarsh High in Philadel-phia and she competed in basketball, hockey, softball and lacrosse. She won an athletic scholarship to Ameri-can University, and began her studies as a chemistry major. She then switched into law, which she studied at Villanova University, where she graduated in 1988.

Jacqui Frazier-Lyde

willdo.pwblogs.com

DJ Jazzy JeffJeffrey Allen Townes, also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff or simply Jazz, is a hip hop, R&B record producer, turntablist and ac-tor. He is best known for his early career with Will Smith as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. The group has won three Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, two NAACP Awards, two Soul Train Music Awards, as well as an MTV Music Award. DJ Jazzy Jeff was born in Southeast Phila-delphia in 1965, he began DJing at age 10. Attended John Bartram High School in Philadelphia, where he is enshrined in the school’s “Wall of Fame.”vegasshooter.com

John F. StreetJohn Franklin Street (born October 15, 1943) was the 97th Mayor of the City of Philadelphia. He was first elected to a term beginning on January 3, 2000, and was re-elected to a second term beginning in 2004. He is a Democrat and became mayor after having served 19 years in the Philadelphia City Council, including seven years as its president, before resigning as required under the Philadelphia City Charter in order to run for mayor. He followed Ed Rendell as mayor, assuming the post on January 3, 2000. Street was Philadelphia’s second black mayor.Wikipedia

Dawn Staley is a 3-time Olympic gold medalist basketball player, voted one of Top 15 players in WNBA history along with other numerous awards and championships in playing and coaching. She was a head coach at Temple Univ. for its women’s basketball program, later at Univ. of South Carolina. She was born in Philadelphia in 1970, grew up in the project on 25th Street and Diamond Street. She played as a guard at Dobbins Tech High School then received her scholarship to University of Virginia.

Dawn Staley

vshfm.com

Hands-onUsing simple rectilinear forms and familiar materials for the massing and seating, Hands-on is not only a bus stop bench for Septa riders to comfortably rest on, but also a monument to selected living individuals who have emerged from the city of Philadelphia and carved for themselves inspiring, innovative and successful careers. Hands-on celebrates these Philadelphia living legends by casting their hands directly to the benches concrete vertical surfaces.

These life castings reveal intricate detail, wrinkles, and lines even in a material as ubiquitous and under appreciated as concrete. Hands are expressive of personality and the life of an individual in a way that transcends words. Life cast hands offer a view into a person that is not usually obtainable face to face. It allows us to stare at and contemplate the hands of these people who come from the same place, who have achieved

great success, with hands although individual and unique, are basically not very different from our own.

Hands-on serves and a monument where septa riders can relax and engage with each other on the game top, while simultaneously being reminded of the great people who have emerged from the same place as themselves, and having a unique look at those people, not though their work or their faces, but through the tools with which they, just like everyone else operate with.

Bench Two

Girard Avenue and Ridge Avenue

5 Feet

8 Feet

* the rest of the legends will be placed on the back side

Profile Panel

Chess Table

Concrete

IPE Boards

Bench One

3.5

Feet

15th and Ridge Avenue

*Profire Sources Wikipedia.com, last.fm, Answers.com

Th ird pl ACeM A X L E N T & A Y A K O O K U T A N I , p h i l a d e l p h i a , p e n n s y l v a n i a


Competition

urbAN b iCYCle sTAT ioN


the future of urban transportation, public health, and

environmental conservation requires cities to encourage

their populations to shift to alternative modes of

transportation, with the bicycle offering a leading option.

also with the increase in the presence and fundamental

understanding of bicycles, fueled by urban culture, energy

costs, environmental awareness this year’s young architects

competition challenged each candidate to address these

paramount needs through the design of an 7,000 sf Urban

bicycle station near Market square in downtown Portsmouth,

new Hampshire. the vision of this competition was aimed at

establishing a more bike-friendly city that presents designs

coming to a tectonic resolution responding contextually

and culturally from a detailed urban analysis of the city of

Portsmouth. Proposals were to create a multidimensional

urban environment, layered with activity. the material, and

formal qualities of each proposal were to reflect the larger

initiative to deepen the sense of bicycle culture in Portsmouth.

Website: www.aianhyac.org

Competition Jury:

christopher carley, aia - Principal at c.n. carley associates, concord, nH

rob Harbeson, aia - Project architect at Destefano architects, Portsmouth, nH

liaquat Kahn - aet Department Head at nHti, concord, nH

a n A I A N e w H a m p s h i r e Y o u n g A r c h i t e c t s F o r u m D e s i g n C o m p e t i t i o n


F irsT pl ACeA D A M L E M I R E


seCoNd pl ACeA N D R E W Q U E E N


0 20 40 S c a l e 1 ” = 2 0 ’ GROUND FLOOR PLAN

0 20 40 S c a l e 1 ” = 2 0 ’ SECOND FLOOR PLAN

SITE PLAN WITH CIRCULATION DIAGRAMS

LONGITUDINAL SECTION PERSPECTIVE

BIRDS EYE VIEW OF DOWNTOWN PORTSMOUTH

VIEW FROM MARKET SQUARE OF EXPRESSIVE BICYCLE SHARING FACADE

THE DANIEL STREET WALL PROVIDES A DYNAMIC MOVEMENT LEADING INTO MARKET SQUARE

1 . B i c y c l e S t o r a g e ( c a r d a c c e s s )2 . P u b l i c I n t e r i o r S t r e e t3 . L o b b y / E n t r a n c e4 . A m e n i t y S p a c e ( c a r d a c c e s s )5 . B i c y c l e S h o p6 . C a f e7 . L o u n g e ( c a r d a c c e s s )8 . C o u r t y a r d9 . L o a d i n g 1 0 . R a m p1 1 . B i c y c l e S h a r i n g S t a t i o n s1 2 . P u b l i c P l a z a1 3 . G a l l e r y / E x h i b i t S p a c e s1 4 . L a n d s c a p e d Te r r a c e s

F u l l P u b l i c A c c e s s

S e r v i c e A c c e s s

S e m i P u b l i c A c c e s s

S e c u r e d A r e a ( c a r d a c c e s s )

Legend to Plans

INSPIRATION: The spokes of a bicycle wheel create a form and iconic image that is recognizable throughout our social culture. This image is translated and expressed in the most vital and visible location on the edge of Daniel Street viewed from Market Square in downtown Portsmouth. The expression found in the bicycle storage facade celebrates bicycle culture’s positive force for the environment, personal health and a deeper refined quality of life.

Objectives:-A design that is for this time, this place inspired by bicycle culture and its future

-A building the inspires alternative modes of transportation

-A destination that celebrates bicycles and promotes healthy living

Strategy:-utilize the historic character of Daniel street to generate the building scale and building form

-utilize solar generated power for lighting, heating and amenities.

-utilize Bicycle Friendly community and culture

Building Expression: Life Cycle creates a civic presence that blends with the Historic surrounding of Portsmouth with scale and continuation of the its street facade line. It presents a tectonic expression on the bicycle storage facade that celebrates the bicycle culture by boldly displaying the bicycles within a dynamic glass jewel box that is broken up with mullions that represent the spokes of a bicycle wheel. The buildings facade is then broken up by a glass enclosed pedestrian street that allows for public bicycle racks, small social events and acts as a main circulation and entrance to the major programmatic spaces of the building. The façade along Daniel Street is then further presented with a lined skin the wraps the glass enclosed lobby and gallery spaces of the building. The wrapping skin represents the movement of the circulation along the exterior of the buildings and provides a sense of dynamic movement leading towards Market Square.

Program:The entire site is sculpted to encouraged public interaction with the bicycle community. It creates a public realm and bicycle facility that works in tandem with one another. Public roofs on the second level of the building provided landscape zones for relaxation and social interaction. While on the street level a new public bicycle sharing plaza is created along the bicycle storage facade. Located on the ground level also are the amenity spaces which are buried deeper in to the building to provide for security and comfort while the Daniel street facade is lined with the public spaces consisting of the bicycle shop and cafe which opens up to a public courtyard. Also on the second level of the building is a large public gallery that overlooks Daniel Street which will be used as a flexible space showcasing bicycling culture & history.

Sustainable Concepts:-Provides alternative modes of transportation-Carbon Neutral building-Maximizing Natural Light, Significant natural light is introduced through the buildings transparent façade, and diffused with wrapped skin system were direct sun exposure calls for it.

-New high efficiency light fixtures are controlled by sun sensors

-Public Green Roofs collecting rain and storm water runoff.

-Bamboo flooring in Gallery and Retail areas-New geothermal radiant heating and cooling system

-Low flow water fixtures in amenity spaces-Landscape and open space enhancements-Photovoltaic Panels to be placed on rooftop to power project

Exhibit/Gallery:Flexible Public Gallery showcasing bicycling culture & history

Photovoltaic Panels:Utilize solar generated power for lighting, heating and amenities.

Cornice Heights:Civic Presence that blends with the Historic surrounding of Portsmouth within its existing scale and by the continuation of the street facade line.

Pedestrian Street:Glass enclosed pedestrian street that allows for public bicycle racks, small social events and acts a main circulation and entrance to the major programmatic spaces of the building

Charging Stations:Public Parking for Electric Cars to recharge

Wrapped Building Form:Building form wraps around the corner engaging

the movement around the site

Landscaped Terraces:Public Green Space allows interaction

with the building and it uses.

Bicycle Storage:Secure card access, covered storage.

Expressive symbolic representation of bicycle culture

Bicycle Sharing:New Street Plaza is created

Bicycle Lane:New lane created along Daniel Street is created

URBAN BICYCLE STATIONP O R T S M O U T H , N H

MAIN BUILDING ENTRANCE/ DANIEL STREET ELEVATION

CONCEPT SKETCH

AS AN AGENT FOR CHANGE, LIFE CYCLE PROMOTES A HEALTHY AND SOCIAL LIFESTYLE WHILE FURTHER ENCOURAGING ALTERNATIVE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION CREATING A NEW SYMBOLIC CENTER IN PORTSMOUTH”

“

LIFE CYCLE

5 63

4

7

10

131

1414

10

9

8

2

1

11

12

T r a f f i c F l o w / C r e a t e i n f i l l b u i l d i n g e d g e

P o p u l a t e d V i e w

t o w a r d S i t e

M A R K E T

S Q U A R E

V i s i b i l i t y

A l l o w m o v e m e n t a r o u n d

a n d t h r o u g h b u i l d i n g

seCoNd pl ACeN A T H A N S T O L A R Z , A I A


Competition

reCl AmAT ioN


reclamation, a single stage local design competition

dedicated to examining and finding solutions to some of the

large urban design challenges facing the city of Milwaukee.

this year's competition focused upon reclaiming a parcel

of land which was segregated and chopped up by the city

and state during the construction of the interstate through

downtown and the recent reconstruction of the Marquette

interchange. there was no set program for this competition.

teams were encouraged to develop a program as part of their

entry. competitors were limited to the area bounded by st.

Paul avenue on the south, clybourn street on the north, 5th

street on the east and 6th street on the west. the site included

the undeveloped parcel, land underneath the freeway and

6th street as well as the existing pump station and billboard

column. competitors could propose solutions that occupied

any reasonable percentage of the total site area.

Competition Jury:

eric resch - Founder, President stone creek coffee; community representative

erica lee, assoc. aia, leeD aP - Project Designer at broihn Design group; emerging Professional representative

ray isaacs - associate Professor of architecture, sarUP; Faculty representative

Matthew edwards aia, leeD aP - architect at engberg anderson, aia Milwaukee President; aiaM representative

brian Hatzung aia, leeD aP bD+c - vice President, Zimmerman architectural studios; licensed Professional representative

claudia Peterson - technical services chief, Wisconsin DOt; Owners representative

a n A I A M i l w a u k e e E m e r g i n g P r o f e s s i o n a l s D e s i g n C o m p e t i t i o n

Competition Sponsors:

aia Milwaukee

Kahler slater architects

stone creek coffee

Plunkett raysich architects

Wisconsin Department of transportation

Zimmerman architectural studios


F irsT pl ACeE r i k H a n c o c k , A I A


seCoNd pl ACeC R A I G H E U B N E R


Th ird pl ACeM I R A N D A M O T E , A S S O C A I A


Competition

bAlleT wesT Flu id AdAg io


the goal of this temporary installation is to create a unique

spatial experience within the urban context of salt lake city.

the objective of the project is to provide visitors with an

outdoor recreational/leisure area and a much-needed refuge

in an urban envi-ronment, while making the best use of the

pre-existing space and available materials. the winning team

must respond to the program and tight budget, and will be

involved in every aspect of the design, development, and

construction of the project.

the broader purpose of this competition and resulting

installation is to advocate quality design and encourage

artistic endeavors in salt lake city. With this in mind, aia

Utah is providing young designers the opportunity to design

and build a temporary outdoor “adagio” or leisure space. this

installation will heighten the purpose and exposure of design

within the city and inspire greater design awareness by the

public.

Competition Jury:

lisa c. Henry benham, assoc. Professor, school of architecture, University of Utah

tim Dolan, Westminster scholars Program Director, Westminster college

Julie McHood, iiDa

adam Price, executive Director, salt lake art center

John P. sparano, aia, aia Utah President, saparano + Mooney architecture

gage Williams, Department of theatre chair and Head of the Performing arts Design Program Professor

Organizers:

aia Utah

Diverse salt lake county

salt lake city arts council

a n A I A U t a h a n d Y A F U t a h D e s i g n C o m p e t i t i o n


F irsT pl ACeS W A Y ' D b y D a n i e l L y m a n

The winning entry was constructed and is currently enjoyed

by local residents and visitors.

images by Trevor Muhler.

image by Daniel lyman image by trevor Muhler

image by trevor Muhler


image by Daniel lyman

image by trevor Muhler


seCoNd pl ACeI N V E R S I O N b y D a v i d B r a c h , H a n n a h V a u g h n a n d S c o t t Y r i b a r

Th ird pl ACeL I T O T E S b y J e f f S v i t a k a n d M i l e n e G u e r m o t


tHis is a book you can use. this is a book i have already used. as both

a practicing architect and an adjunct professor of an architectural

design studio, i am amazed at how many monographs of our most

renowned architects do not show the process by which a design has

evolved. to mentor young talent in an architectural firm, i attempt

to use examples of not only my own methodology, but expose them

to other’s means of working, so that eventually they can find their

own voice in this world of design. to expose students to both the

linear and abstract thinking that informs the direction and shape of

a building’s character, it is important to show that this concept of

process does not end with architecture school and design studio.

reveal appeals to both the student and the practitioner equally.

in this very first book of her firm’s work, Jeanne gang gets it right.

We are invited to become Dorothy, as she enters the emerald city

and peers behind the curtain to see which levers the Wizard is

pulling. in her opening remarks, Jeanne testifies that this is a book

“…that rescues ideas, including those paths-not-taken…” and

about this, she would be correct. as one flips through the pages and

reads the accompanying thoughts, there are certainly moments of

scintillating discovery, as well as intoxicating confusion, as one tries

to ascertain just how an idea evolved – why this piece of inspiration

worked, and that other did not.

Her most recognizable building to-date is, of course, aqua. rarely

does an architect happen upon such an elegantly simple idea

replete with so many possibilities. Here, studio gang re-invents the

entire concept of how a balcony can create a truly unique identity

for a building. Others have imitated this concept with varying

degrees of success, but none are as visually powerful as the original

876-foot tall edifice. We are introduced to this project via the

reviewer: Michel borg, aia

Borg is an architect and educator who lives and practices in Orlando, Florida. He has written for several publications, including Texas Architect and Columns magazine. He is currently the Regional Design Director for HKS' Southeast offices and the National Design Director of the Education Studio..

Book Review

reveAl : sTud io gANg ArCh iTeCTs

humble nom de guerre, “a topographical tower.” the twenty-seven

pages of inspiring imagery belonging to this specific construction

begin with a long, horizontal elevation of the grand tetons being

compared to a black and white panoramic of downtown chicago.

the accompanying words lay claim to the notion that buildings

clustered together are visually comparable to a mountain range

seen from afar, and offering the same promise of opportunity.

there are numerous, enrapturing diagrams: one in which (what

appears to be a quarter-scale model of the downtown area) yarn

is used to identify viewing corridors from specific points vertically

on the tower’s specially-shaped balconies; one that describes the

character of the projections as flares, swells, clefts, waves, and

combinations of the above (swell/flare, for example) hand marked

over a 3D extrusion of the façade; one of a hazy black and white

photograph of the building under construction, where the edge of

the balcony is complete, but the railing, or exterior glass is not set;

and, finally, one of a delicate line drawing that shows the distinctive

position of each balcony on every floor overlaid on top of one

another, giving the allusion of rapunzel letting down her golden

braid. among the provocative diagrams are also those which pose

a bit of an intellectual stretch (these may be “the paths-not-taken”),

such the marked-up perspectival illustration of a ski map. yet, the

agglomeration of all this material paints a fascinating picture into

the deliberate and unrelenting process being revealed to us of how

this brilliant piece of architecture was incubated, birthed, taught

to speak, waddled through adolescence and then matured to

adulthood.

the other, unfamiliar projects featured in this volume are no less

rigorously examined. studio gang had the insight to limit the

investigations, analysis and development of some design projects,


and expound on others. this creates a rhythm through the book

of big, medium and small expositions, instead of all projects being

weighted the same. the firm’s prowess is displayed through the

depth of scrutiny into different building materials: brick, concrete

and paper-thin cut marble, among others. the work is not just about

the exterior forms, but the meaning imbued through materials,

color and texture.

Whereas the graphics delight and invigorate, the written words

pique the corners of the mind. the introductory comments by

Moshen Mostafavi are a particularly good synopsis of the book’s

contents. Jeanne gang’s commentary makes strong references

to le corbusier’s notion that architecture resonates in a world

equally informed by art and engineering (or science), and toys

with the recollection of the Machine in early modernist philosophy.

Mark schendel’s short essay on “Making is thinking” is particularly

appealing to my own sensibilities. it decries the overuse and misuse

of laser cut model-making (something my student’s still haven’t yet

figured out) and the reliance on digital media to represent concepts,

yet elevates the almost lost art of physical model making and hand

sketches. it encourages without disparagement, and enlightens

without condemnation.

the singularly most visually disturbing image to me is the display by

the Fatal light awareness Program (FlaP) of 2,500 catalogued bird

carcasses to demonstrate the dangers that glass and light pollution

pose to this migrant class of tetrapod vertebrates. it is one of the

graphics featured in the subdued, yet discerning, Ford calumet

environmental center project.

this book’s possesses an evocative power, and so i end with Jeanne’s

own words, which reveal is “an idea which recognizes that pleasure

and discovery often stem from looking at the world with openness,

as if we are seeing it for the first time.”

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 03

Featuring

A iA i ll iNo is reg ioN


Writer april Marie hughes, associate aia, Leed ap Bd+CPhotographer Christopher Barrett photography

April Marie Hughes, Associate AIA, LEED BD+C is a designer and project manager with Farr Associates in Chicago, Illinois. She has helped lead the design of three LEED Platinum projects, as well as two net zero energy designs in Chicago—the Yannell Residence and the soon to be completed commercial Harmony House for Cats. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Kansas, and believes the Jayhawks will win the 2012 NCAA Basketball Tournament.

design

leed pl AT iNum homeC h i c a g o ' s F i r s t


Aerial view from South West.

tHe yannell resiDence is illinois’ first leeD-Homes Platinum-

certified home, boasting the nation’s highest score total for an urban,

net-zero energy residence (115.5 points). as chicago’s first net Zero

energy design, it demonstrates that beautiful, sustainable, energy-

positive housing can be integrated seamlessly into existing housing

stock in northern climates. located two blocks from a commuter rail

stop in the dense, walkable ravenswood neighborhood, it sits on

the site of a formerly mold and lead contaminated building.

the design began in March 2006 with floor plans that feature two

narrow wings, maximizing solar penetration for winter heating, and

aid in natural ventilation. connected by an entry/passageway foyer,

each wing faces a landscaped interior courtyard garden that creates

views of outdoor rooms and habitat certified by the national Wildlife

Federation. each wing features a butterfly-shaped roof: capturing

rainwater, hiding the home’s photovoltaic array, and providing

solar shading and access. interestingly, the high albedo roof is so

reflective that the southern portions of the butterfly roof aid in the

increased energy production of the solar panels, mounted on the

northern portions of the butterfly roof facing it. the passive solar

design features low-e windows on the south face of each wing,

significantly reducing energy transmission. the massing allows solar

access from the one-story south wing, housing kitchen, dining and

living spaces, to the two-story north wing including bathrooms and

bedrooms.

advanced, integrated energy systems include a geothermal system,

cooling forced air in summer, and warming radiant floors in winter.

the north walls of each wing feature an interior mass wall/plenum

air return system that allows heated air to pass along the front and

back of the mass wall, re-circulating that air through the house to

minimize mechanical energy usage. the 10KW photovoltaic array

is coupled with four evacuated tube solar panels, providing 100%

of domestic hot water and excess heat to the radiant floor system,

and aims to produce more energy than the home consumes over

the course of a year.


the grey-water and rainwater systems demonstrate that water

conservation is critical for truly sustainable design. spent water from

the washing machine is collected and filtered to provide potable-

equivalent water for dual flush toilets. rainwater is collected in a

cistern and used to water landscaping. the courtyard fountain

serves as a design element and a way to keep the water in the cistern

in constant motion, inhibiting stagnation and bacteria growth. both

of these water reuse functions are not considered code compliant

in the city of chicago or state of illinois, however the design team

obtained the permission to be the first in the state to install such

a system for single-family residence. 100% of the paving on site

is permeable and all of the landscaping for green roofs, site and

parkways is ‘turf free’, requiring little water due to its native, non-

invasive nature.

sustainable building materials feature Fsc cabinetry and structural

wood, recycled newspaper countertops, recycled-glass wall tiles

and no-vOc paints. Oak flooring that once covered the floors of

the home that was formerly on the site was salvaged and refinished

to clad the stairs. artfully placed Fsc rain screen cedar cladding

provides a combination of privacy, functionality and beauty to the

exterior.

Most importantly, the residence has proved an icon for the

neighborhood and community since its completion in May 2008.

it sheds light on what is possible now and gives further credibility

to the identity of chicago as being on the forefront of sustainable

design and living.

South Wing - Living Dining South Wing - Kitchen

T h e C h i c a g o W o m e n i n A r c h i t e c t u r e a t 4 0


Writer Marsha spencer, aia, Leed ap, nCarB

Marsha Spencer is an architect and project manager at Proteus Group, LLC, in Chicago, and is currently Vice President of Chicago Women in Architecture.

Leadership

beComiNg YouNg iN ArCh iTeCTure

cHicagO WOMen in architecture is approaching its 40th year of

being an organization servicing the community of women in the

field of architecture and related fields. Over these 40 years the role

of the organization has varied in intensity but has endured to offer

support for the professional life of women through networking,

continuing education, fellowship, (or commiseration). the influence

of our members can be felt not only throughout the chicago area,

but also nationally and globally.

chicago Women in architecture is a not-for-profit, volunteer

organization that exists as a forum for women in architecture and

related professions. the primary goal of cWa is to advance the

status of women in these professions by:

Increasing the visibility of women in architecture

Guiding and encouraging women to consider a career in architecture

Establishing liaisons with other professional organizations

Networking for job placement and career advancement

Advocating for issues of concern to women within the profession


beComiNg YouNg iN ArCh iTeCTure

in 1973 gertrude lempp Kerbis sent out letters to women in the

chicago architecture community. she welcomed these women to

join her after work to discuss the status of women in architecture. in

the midst of the Women’s Movement, and shortly after the founding

of similar organizations in new york and san Francisco, in a small office

at 664 north Michigan avenue, chicago Women in architecture was

founded. Founding members who included gertrude lempp Kerbis,

natalie de blois, carol ross barney, cynthia Weese, nancy abshire,

gunduz Dagdelen, laura Fisher, and Jane M. Jacobsen would meet

every month to discuss issues in the workplace. slowly, the group

became more formalized and by 1975 had its first President (carol

ross barney) and letters of incorporation. Many of these founders

continue to be involved in the organization today and advocate for

our members.

in the beginning, cWa was somewhat of a counterpoint to the

aia, which was perceived as unwelcoming, lacking diversity and

having very few women members. cWa provided networking

opportunities, a resource to keep skills updated and a forum for

discussion of issues peculiar to women in the architecture office.

Each year the organization reconsiders itself

and asks the question “Is CWA still a relevant

organization?” Does there need to be a separate

architectural organization that caters to the

experiences of women only? The response seems

always to be yes – sometimes to a greater or lesser

extent.


there has been an ebb and flow of activity within the organization

over time, which may parallel trends within the architectural

community at large. With the recent “downturn” in the economy, we

anecdotally found that a greater number of women in the chicago

architectural community were losing their positions in comparison

to their male counterparts. interest in the cWa has expanded and

its mission goals seem to be just as important as in the beginning.

cWa accomplishes its goals through planning educational,

professional and social networking events, a lecture series in

conjunction with the art and Design society of the art institute

of chicago and the Museum of contemporary art, and an annual

scholarship awarded to an architecture student in her last year of

study. Our membership includes architects, designers, planners,

engineers, educators, landscape architects, students and many other

professionals whose careers parallel the field of architecture. cWa

strives to provide a programme of topics in architecture of interest

to not only women architects and designers, but more broadly and

simply to all architects and designers.

after 40 years, cWa has become a cornerstone in the chicago

architectural community, and has witnessed a good deal of change.

since the early days, the cWa has gone on to assist and nurture

more than a couple generations of young architects. Women who

have made connections with each other and can call on one another

for mentorship and guidance.

in the upcoming year, cWa will endeavor to celebrate and showcase

the contributions that women have made to the profession over

the decades. Founding members are Fellows of the aia. scholarship

winners over the years have gone on to win competitions, found

firms, and practice around the world. cWa members have won

awards and been recognized nationally and even internationally.

so, after 40 years, is the cWa still a relevant and necessary body? in

the practice of architecture, 40 years is considered young - the cWa

is really just getting started.


Writers scott Cryer, aia & nootan Bharani, aia

Cryer is a project architect at Nagle Hartray Architecture, is Co-Chair of Design Knowledge Community and Co-Founder & Co-Chair of Community Interface Committee.

Bharani is an architect with Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure and the Carbon Solutions national practice in Chicago, and managing director for the Shaw Sustainable Design Solutions of Illinois practice. She is co-founder and co-chair of the Community Interface Committee and serves on the AIA Illinois Board of Directors.

Community

CommuNiTY iNTerFACe CommiTTee

in early 2009, a group of emerging architecture professionals

came to the conclusion that there was a disconnect between the

dozens of local public interest and community-based design

entities and the profession at large. in an effort to bridge that gap

this group of young architects, who were brought together thanks

to their involvement in aia chicago’s inaugural bridge Mentorship

Program, founded the community interface committee (cic), a sub-

committee of chicago chapter of the aia dedicated to increasing the

visibility and participation of architects within community groups

and nonprofit organizations. initially, the goals of the cic were to

act as: a network and forum for exchange of knowledge related to

public interest work, a point of contact for community groups and

non-profit groups that seek solutions, a liaison between the aia and

established pro-bono design groups, and to provide support for

architects' involvement in civic activities.

Julianne Scherer, AIA, and Dirk Danker, AIA, both with Nagle Hartray

Architecture, lead students in an exercise meant to illustrate how a column

works.

Tour participants observe an aeroponic vegetable garden at O’ Hare Airport.


CommuNiTY iNTerFACe CommiTTee

to help shape the programming goals of the cic, committee

members conducted a survey of aia chicago membership with the

intent to capture the current local climate of how architects and

design professionals are engaged in their communities. some of the

highlights of this survey include the following:

The most popular project types served by volunteering architects include community planning, cultural

and education projects.

Over half of the respondents have an interest in participating in design charrette opportunities.

Respondents would prefer to establish a sustained, longstanding relationship with a specific non-profit organization.

Respondents' top motivators for providing pro bono work include: involvement with collaborating organizations, social relevance, design opportunities and having a personal impact.

75% of respondents would be more likely to participate if there were a database of community groups seeking pro bono services or a website with posted pro-bono design opportunities the survey results were used to help the CIC shape the programming of events and opportunities.

in the three years since it’s founding, the cic has been involved in a

variety of activities. One of the main initiatives has been to provide

educational programming focused on public interest design and

construction activities. as a basic goal, the cic has tried to provide

6-8 programs per year. these events have included building tours

and visits to the offices of firms who treat public interest design

as a core principle of their work. in 2010, cic organized a panel

discussion at the annual aia illinois conference, and cic co-chair

nootan bharani contributed to another similar panel discussion at

the same event in 2011. in early 2011, the cic led an effort to provide

continuing education credits along with marketing and financial

support for structures for inclusion 11 conference. this was the

first time an aia component provided such support in this event’s

history.


the 2012 educational campaign marks a first for the cic in that the

majority of programming is falling under one conceptual banner. a

year to grow is a year long exploration of the role architects can play

in the development of urban agriculture and community-centered

food systems in the chicago area. the series of events has included

visits to inspiration Kitchens, a seeD-winning project offering

contemporary american cuisine prepared and served by students

and graduates of an award-winning food service training program,

a bee apiary and aeroponic vegetable garden at O’Hare airport, and

an upcoming tour of growing Home’s Wood street Urban Farm.in

Public interest Design in 2010.

Structures for Inclusion 11 (SFI 11) convenes in the School of the Art Institute Ballroom.

in addition to the educational programming, cic utilizes a variety

of technologies to act as a conduit between members and the wide

variety of opportunities that exist in the chicago metropolitan area.

volunteer opportunities are broadcast across the committee’s blog

(www.communityinterface.org), their linkedin page (community

interface – aia chicago) and via email. Most recently, a community

calendar has been established on the blog to act as a one-stop shop

for architects interested in public interest design opportunities. the

calendar has been designed by cic members so that contributing

organizations are able to log on and update the shared calendar with

any important meetings, volunteer opportunities, presentations or

any other pertinent info that a community-minded architect might

need to know.


Participants at the

AIA NE Illinois /

Habitat for Human-

ity Dupage design

charrette.

On a recent CIC tour of the

new Rosa Parks Apartments,

designed by Landon Bone

Baker, Rose Fellow Daniel

Splaingard describes his role

as an architectural de-

signer working for developer

Bickerdike Redevelopment

Corporation. A mosaic wall

constructed by community

group Architreasures is also

visible, adjacent to the front

door of the apartment.

along with being a conduit for volunteer opportunities with other

groups, the cic has also gotten its hands dirty with direct volunteer

opportunities of its own. cic members have participated in design

charrettes with Habitat for Humanity Dupage, growing Home, and

we are in talks to potentially take part in two more charrettes during

2012. the cic has also partnered with the chicago architecture

Foundation to train architects on their wonderful elementary

education curriculum, schoolyards to skylines, and pair them with

local teachers.

it has been exciting to see the aia cic evolve into a useful resource

for aia chicago members, providing a new local forum that is

beginning to flourish just as national and international organizations

like architecture for Humanity and Public architecture are getting

more and more attention for the amazing work they have done.

it seems that the interest in public interest design has great

momentum, and is taking root at local and even national levels,

with the recent completion of aia’s Owner/ architect agreement for

Pro bono services, a valuable resource for anyone thinking of doing

volunteer design work. We hope that this momentum continues,

and look forward to the role we may play in helping promote the

effort.


Writer sheri andrews, aia

Andrews is an Associate at Valerio Dewalt Train in Chicago, Illinois. As a senior project manager at VDTA, Sheri played an integral role in the renovation and expansion of the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools.

design

uN ivers iTY oF Ch iCAgo l AborATorY sChools

tHe labOratOry scHOOls at the University of chicago were

founded in 1896 by philosopher John Dewey, who set forward a

set of educational principles built on a philosophy for a new age

following the civil War. His principles introduced a radical shift in

education. instead of learning by memorization and repetition,

Dewey believed in a hands-on approach that encouraged students

to become independent thinkers with lifelong passion for learning.

starting with a small class of local students from Hyde Park, the

laboratory schools now serve students from nursery through 12th

grade and is one of the leading 20 private schools in the United

states.

three years ago, valerio Dewalt train associates of chicago were

asked to join FgM architects of Oakbrook, illinois, to serve as the

Design architect for the expansion and renovation of the laboratory

schools. given the schools’ rich history and high standards of

excellence, we at vDta knew our research-based design philosophy

would be a perfect fit for the project.

currently comprised of five buildings that wrap around two

courtyard spaces, lab schools are about the diversity of the students

and the rich learning environment that has made the school a

success for the last 100 years. before we started to sketch our design

Early Childhood Center - Main Entrance

Renderings courtesy of VDTA


uN ivers iTY oF Ch iCAgo l AborATorY sChoolsof the school, we wanted to know more about the students of lab,

what drives the student community and how the methodologies of

Dewey have molded the current school pedagogy.

What is the best way to understand what makes the lab schools

unique? become part of them. Over a three-week period, the core

members of our design team participated in the life of the school.

they rode the bus with kids in the morning, shared an art activity

with a kindergartner, served lunch to middle school students,

shadowed a high school student for a day, and attended an evening

basketball game among other activities. along the way, the team

discovered not only why the lab schools work so well as a teaching

environment, but also the critical role of architecture in fostering

exploration and learning.

because the lab schools pedagogy is built first on ideas, our

research also looked forward to understand how architecture would

adapt to embrace new tools of education as our world evolves.

Our conversations led us to visit schools across the country where

facilities have become an integral part of teaching children. Working

with teachers, we also identified key questions for the future on

topics such as technology, changes to the way students interact

with knowledge, and the importance of students working with

each other. also, we reached out to leaders in a variety of related

areas, ultimately interviewing 15 leaders in educational practice. the

findings were summarized in a booklet titled “lab+ the Future of

education”.

With the research phase complete, we developed a series of master

plans and massing studies, which were presented and evaluated

with the client stakeholder group over several weeks. Program

proximity, access to outdoor space and preliminary pricing exercises

were used as tools to find the most efficient planning solution for

the lab campus. the approved master plan divided the project into

three pieces: early childhood center, existing buildings and the arts

Wing.

Our research of the lab schools pedagogy translated directly into

the architecture of the early childhood center (nursery to 2nd

grade). located on adjacent property near the lab schools campus

and across from the historic Jackson Park, the ecc was designed

for flexibility and interaction. inside/outside spaces stitch together

along the north/south core of the building through courtyards,

corridors and full height glass walls. classrooms on the first floor will

have direct access to an outdoor teaching area. large open areas

at the center of the building allow for small breakout groups and

spontaneous class activities. the three-story building also includes a

gym, art and music classrooms and a large library with a storytelling

area that cantilevers over the main entrance of the building.

the five buildings that make up the existing laboratory schools

campus range in age from 1903 to 1995. While respecting the

historic architecture of the oldest buildings, the renovation will

bring the buildings up to date (MeP, life safety, a/v) and provide an

innovative environment to encourage learning. classrooms will be

reorganized and resized, staff offices added and libraries expanded

in response to the program requirements. the design will also

add new hallway connections between the buildings to make the

circulation throughout the campus more fluid and allow for more

student interaction between the grade levels.

situated between the three-story historic gothic towers of belfield

Hall, the exterior architecture of the arts Wing addition is a modern

translation of the collegiate gothic architecture of the historic

University of chicago campus. the east and west ends of the

addition mimic the gable masses of belfield and the faceted north

glass façade pull the exterior into the buildings. limestone solar

chimneys pull the eye upward and provide a vertical anchor to the

building. the state of the art addition will include three performance

spaces, art classrooms, music rooms with a recording studio and

rehearsal spaces.

the entire lab school project scope, including the new construction

and renovations, is approximately 500,000 square feet. construction

began on the early childhood center in December 2011. the new

early childhood campus will open in september 2013. renovation

of the five historic building and construction of a new arts Wing is

projected for completion in 2016. the early childhood center and

arts Wings are anticipating leeD silver certification.

Arts Wing - Faceted North Elevation


Studio IDE... partners Paul Teb-

ben & Vladimir Radutny, AIA,

LEED AP in their design studio.

Writers Vladimir radutny, aia, Leed ap & paul tebben

Vladimir and Paul are partners and founders of Studio IDE...

design

evoluT ioN oF AN ide . . .T h e B i r t h o f a P r a c t i c e i n V o l a t i l e T i m e s

On tHe Heels of a small stroke of good fortune and with a collective

leap of faith, we decided to jump. Our opportunity came in the form

of an investor, a family member determined to pursue the chicago

real estate market.

at the time we were both situated comfortably, working at the

chicago practice of Krueck and sexton, alongside a collection of

people with inspiring talent. One of us manned the job site of the

new spertus institute building while the other worked on a collection

of exciting projects in the office.


Our investor approached us with a small financial commitment that

promised to fund our start-up, a design practice. in return, he hoped

to find long-term benefit through the creation of a development arm

of the company, one that would focus on the design, construction

and sale of environmentally-responsible residential projects

throughout the chicago area. He would fund the operation and we

would design and manage the construction.

We saw a window of opportunity and, after careful deliberation,

we jumped through it head-first. the process unfolded and the

brainstorming began. Where do we start? What should we do first?

Who should we call for legal advice, accounting services, health

insurance & it? these were just a few of the hurdles standing

between us and the pending decision we both had already made,

to leave a good thing for the uncertain hope of something better.

in 2008, stUDiO iDe… was born, a company with a name reflective

of our collective determination to innovate, Design & explore.

We set out to find a way to practice architecture collaboratively,

intertwining ourselves with people of various trades and disciplines

to develop a product conceived and built by architects.

several months passed as we reached out to people in the design

industry, studied residential typologies & neighborhoods and

created financial pro-formas. to minimize our risk, we agreed that

our first projects should be single-family residences built in more

established chicago neighborhoods. We saw what was being

built--the endless monotony of housing being offered--and were

determined to find a better way. Our homes, we thought, should


Exterior of Locomobile Lofts.

Interior views of Planted Environment project.


All images courtesy of Studio IDE...

speak to lifestyles, context and the environment. these, we

believed, would stand in stark contrast to the houses being built by

developers which spoke only to the bottom line.

Unfortunately, the months following the launch of iDe… paralleled

the rapid decline in the U.s. economy. lending practices previously

sympathetic to the entrepreneurial spirit had quickly withered up,

closing off many of the opportunities on which we had based our

business model. and just like that, the well was dry. What now?

the options for iDe… were simple; fight or flight. Our first move was

to switch gears. although design development continued on three

sustainable housing prototypes, immediate income-producing

work was fundamental to our survival. casting a wide net, we

labored forward, taking on work without discrimination. the first

stroke of fortune came with a call from a former colleague. a design

studio she was teaching at the school of the art institute of chicago

(saic) was in need of additional instructors. someone had dropped

out at the last minute, opening the door for us to teach. We also

The stage was set for an exciting whirlwind of

design and construction. We were at once excited

and terrified but marching forward all the while.

encountered an opportunity to create custom furniture. Our design

for a desk was published, and we were able to sell a duplicate piece

to a client. its success gave us the motivation to create more.

Our greatest blessing, however, arose out of the goodwill of a

close friend. He’d taken a job with a large property manager on the

south side and thoughtfully began passing along steady drafting,

surveying and code research work.

these service-based jobs, along with a growing number of design-

driven projects, have enabled us to move forward slowly. Our steady

growth since 2008 has been the product of focused will, stubborn

persistence and determination. We owe much of our good fortune

to the talented and hardworking people with whom we’ve been

so fortunate to work in our studio. Our team, now four members

strong, brings a unique enthusiasm and energy that fuels our

everyday explorations and drives us. Most of all, we can attribute

our office’s trajectory to an unspoken mantra that has accompanied

us since day one – don’t be afraid to fail.

We‘ve been given a chance to live our dream, and we intend to live

it passionately.

Interior of Locomobile Lofts.


Writer douglas L. Milburn, associate aia

Douglas L. Milburn, Assoc. AIA is an Associate at IGW Architecture in Urbana, Illinois focusing on athletic, commercial, educational, retail and senior living projects. He has been actively involved in the AIA since 2006, currently serving as an AIA Illinois Associate Director and President of the Champaign-Urbana Section of the AIA Central Illinois Chapter.

event

2+22 0 1 1 A I A I l l i n o i s A n n u a l C o n f e r e n c e O p e n i n g P l e n a r y

tHe Past FeW years have brought many changes to the architectural

profession both in practice and perception, and from this author’s

perspective these changes are leading to an exciting future with

architecture diversifying possibly more than ever. these changes

are not without complication however and could broaden the

challenge of communicating the value provided by the profession

and our role within our communities and the world as a whole, not

to mention the understanding of what it is that an architect does.

the 2011 aia illinois annual conference aimed to explore

collaboration and innovation opportunities that exist as a result of

the changing landscape of the profession. the opening plenary of

the 2011 conference was a moderated panel discussion debating

areas of significance within this changing landscape, exploring

the themes of design, community, collaboration, the environment,

innovation and practice. in an effort to gain varying perspectives,

two fellows and two emerging professionals were sought as jury

members. Panel members included carol ross barney, Faia; Peter

exley, Faia; Mark a. schwamel, aia; and Douglas l. Milburn, associate

aia with Matthew Dumich, aia serving as the panel’s moderator.

the panel opened the plenary and the 2011 aia illinois annual

conference exploring the future of the profession and ideas of the

“next architect”, discussing changes coming in the next 10 years to

the architectural profession and construction industry, and what it

will, or should, look like as it adjusts to the aforementioned changing

landscape. topics discussed by the panel were: the relevance of the

profession and design in general, expansion of services/roles outside

of traditional architectural practice, architectural education, project

delivery methods, technological tools, collaboration, innovation,

changing practice models, and sustainability.

relevant to the themes above, both as subjects in their own right,

as well as a subset of the overarching future of the profession

were the recent economy’s impact on the future of the profession

and challenges the profession faces in the coming years. Panelist

carol ross barney, Faia said, “to adapt to the current economic

climate, the industry must provide value. that being said, i think

that larger societal changes are required to restore prosperity. the

key is prioritizing the building of community infrastructure over

speculative, bottom-line-oriented business.”


the world has become a global society with an ever-expanding

population that is already testing our current lifestyles and their

ability to exist in the future. a transformational shift is sorely needed,

and has likely begun. as the profession emerges from the challenges

of the recent past, as architects, we must work together to find the

best solutions. We must ensure lessons from the past are provided

to developing best practices of the future, creating a profession well

equipped to address the needs of a rapidly changing world.

the session produced lively conversation and as the panelists shared

their thoughts and insights to the questions presented by the

moderator, rarely was their consensus, indicating the opportunities

and challenges that lie ahead. these differing viewpoints on the

subjects discussed provided the attendees a unique perspective from

current and future leaders of the profession while offering a glimpse

of potential generational conflicts that could exist. Ultimately the

challenges of our future will rely on our innovative and collaborative

efforts that can help bridge these differing perceptions, facilitating a

profession that will move forward together, present and future.

Peter Exley, FAIA, shared the following story, “There’s a great tale about John Cleese and Graham Chapman

of Monty Python. Cleese had spent an entire week agonizing and crafting a sketch about a broken toaster.

His partner, Chapman, was apparently goofing off. Cleese, anxious for input, challenged him to contribute.

Chapman immediately sketched a scene involving a pet shop owner and a customer arguing over a dead

parrot. Cleese’s broken toaster was abandoned and what resulted is one of Monty Python’s most famous

sketches. Architects are the Monty Pythons of the building profession and the best ones are the Cleeses and

Chapmans – the ones who percolate ideas, listen, calibrate, envision, lead nimbly, and ultimately create the

iconic, appropriate, beautiful, witty, memorable, and thoroughly appropriate.”

All images courtesy of AIA Illinois


The AIA 2013 National Convention and Design

Exposition

June 20- 22, 2013The Colorado Convention Center

DENVERCall for Presentations

Call for Presentations Due

Call for Presentations Open

Advance to Round 2

500+ submissions

Round 2Submit Presentation

Round 3Peer Review:Quality Assurance

Call for PresentationsSubmission Period

Notification of Selection

250 submissions

Advance to Round 3

Round 4

Revisions/Modifications

Round 1Peer Review:Course Selection

125 submissions 100 submissions

Program Design Content Development Presentation Delivery

Speaker Knowledge and SkillsContentProgram Design/Delivery

Upload full set of complete visual and handout course materials

AIA 2013 Call for Presentations: Submit a Proposal

Augu

st 20 Oc

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r 1 De

cemb

er

1 Dece

mber

15Ju

ly 1 Ma

y 120

12

Submission advanced

Submission declined


“Designing with reused materials turns the entire process on its head. You have to start in the middle, by seeing what materials are available. Then you figure out what you can create.”

“This contest is a great way for people who care about design to be introduced to working with reused materials."

Joel Lubell, DeConstruction Manager, Habitat for Humanity of Wake County

“Many times good design comes from tight restrictions. Small spaces, material availability, budget…all things are seen as obstacles, but so often it is creative answers to these questions that spur innovation.”

Matthew Szymanski, AIA Triangle Young Architects Forum

respace design

competition:you design it!

we build it!Open Registration: May 15, 2012

Close Registration: June 15, 2012

Submission Deadline: August 15, 2012

Winners Announced at SPARKcon: September 13-16, 2012

48-Hour Build of Grand Finalist: January 2013

[See the website for more information]

ca

ll fo

r

en

trie

s

This competition is powered by the following organizations…

The challenge: design a small, unique, and transportable structure with reuse materials at the core, from concept to construction.You design it. We build it.

w w w . r e s p a c e . o r g

A total of $3,000 in awards will be presented to multiple winners.

The Grand Prize winner's design will be constructed in a 48-Hour Build overseen by Habitat for Humanity of Wake County and will receive $1,000 in prize money. The final ReSpace structure will be sold and proceeds will benefit Habitat for Humanity of Wake County.

2 0 1 2Emerging Professional Component Grants

National Associates CommitteeCollege of Fellows

G U I D E L I N E S

The College of Fellows has established a small grants fund to assist

AIA components in the development of programs which foster the

mission of Young Architects and Associates. These funds may be

used to enhance the activities of an existing Emerging Professionals group

or as seed money to help start a new one. Because one of the goals of the

component grants program is to make Emerging Professionals groups a

vital component activity, an explanation or demonstration of component

commitment and support is essential.

All grants must be for a specific program or activity of a local, state, or

regional Emerging Professionals group and should address at least one

of the following: advancement of the profession, career advancement,

the value of design, starting one’s own firm, economy and change, and

the value of licensure. General component activities or programs are not

eligible. Grants for travel or meal reimbursements will also not be funded.

All grants are made to an AIA component. There is a total of $25,000

available for the program this year with a maximum limit of $5,000 for

each grant. Proposals with matching funds are encouraged.

The College of Fellows

The purpose of the College of Fellows is

to stimulate a sharing of interests among

Fellows, to promote the purposes of the

Institute, to advance the profession of

architecture, to mentor young architects,

and to be of ever-increasing service to

society.

The Young Architects Forum

The mission of the Young Architects Forum

(YAF) is to promote the professional growth

and leadership development of architects

during their first 10 years of licensure by

addressing relevant issues, providing a

national communications network, and

acting as a collective voice for young

architects nationwide. The goals of the YAF

revolve around the themes of leadership,

fellowship and mentorship.

The National Associates Committee

The National Associates Committee (NAC)

is dedicated to representing and advocating

for Associates, both mainstream and

alternative, in the national, regional, state,

and local components of the AIA.

Application

All applications must be submitted as a PDF no larger than 4 MB. Submissions should be no longer than 6 pages and must include the following information:

1. Proposal Summary (limit one page) • Title of program• Applicant: name, address, phone, fax, e-mail• Component: name, address, phone, fax, e-mail, executive director• Concise abstract (150 words or less)

2. Proposal

• Title• Purpose and description• Expected participation/audience• Budget—income and expenses, in-kind support, matching funds• Schedule• Grant requested • Key project participants: name, project responsibility, one paragraph biography. Key project participants should be AIA members.

3. Brief description of background and activities of component’s young architects and Associates (limit one page)

4. Reference letter from component president

Evaluation Criteria

In order to evaluate requests for component grant funding, special attention will be paid to:

Purpose—Is the purpose of the program consistent with the YAF and NAC missions? Will it assist the development of a local/state/regional chapter? Will it advance the professional development of Emerging Professionals?

Key participants—Are the program leaders AIA members? Emerging Professionals? Are there enough volunteers involved to accomplish the proposed activity?

Audience—Is the intended audience primarily Young Architects and Associates? Does the anticipated attendance warrant the expenditure?

Budget—Is it realistic for the project? Is there local support, such as contributions in-kind, money from a component(s) or sponsors? Are the participants’ fees realistic, neither too high nor too low for the value? Are there matching funds as part of the proposal?

Component—Is this entity an established Emerging Professionals group with component backing? If new, does this group have the leadership and component support to grow into an on-going program?

Deadlines and Notification Schedule

Applications for funding in calendar year 2012 must be received no later than Friday, July 6, 2012. A jury composed of the COF Executive Committee, with one representative each from the NAC Executive Committee and the YAF Advisory Committee will review all applications in August. The jury reserves the right to make awards that are less than the amount requested. Applicants will be

notified of their decision by Friday, August 31, 2012.

Submission

Please e-mail your application to [email protected] by Friday, July 6, 2012.

Questions

Please refer questions to Tamzin Howerton, Specialist, Practice & Knowledge Resources: phone, 202-626-7358 or [email protected].

2 0 1 2Emerging Professional Component Grants

G U I D E L I N E S

National Associates CommitteeCollege of Fellows

2012 yaF adVisory CoMMittee

2012 chairJennifer Workman, aia

vice chairbrad benjamin, aia, csi, leeD aP

Past chairadam W. Palmer, aia, leeD aP

Programs advisorMatthew M. Dumich, aia

communications advisorDeepika Padam, aia, leeD aP bd+c

young architect regional Directors advisorJason Dale Pierce, aia, leeD aP

events advisorvirginia Marquardt, aia, leeD aP, cDt

Public relations advisorJoseph r. benesh, aia, cDt, leeD aP

college of Fellows liaisonWilliam J. stanley, iii, Faia, nOMa

aia board representativeWendy Ornelas, Faia

aia staff Director, emerging Professionalserin Murphy, aia, leeD aP

The American institute of Architects Young Architects Forum1735 New York Avenue, Nwwashington, dC 20006

http://www.aia.org/yaf

what is the young arChiteCts ForuM?

the young architects Forum is the voice of architects in the early stages of their career and the catalyst for change within the profession and our communities. Working closely with the aia college of Fellows and the american institute of architects as a whole, the yaF is leading the future of the profession with a focus on architects licensed less than 10 years. the national yaF advisory committee is charged with encouraging the development of national and regional programs of interest to young architects and supporting the creation of yaF groups within local chapters. approximately 23,000 aia members are represented by the yaF. yaF programs, activities, and resources serve young architects by providing information and leadership; promoting excellence through fellowship with other professionals; and encouraging mentoring to enhance individual, community, and professional development.

goaLs oF yaF:to encOUrage professional growth and

leadership development among recently licensed architects through interaction and collaboration within the aia and allied groups.

to bUilD a national network and serve as a collective voice for young architects by working to ensure that issues of particular relevance to young architects are appropriately addressed by the institute.

to MaKe aia membership valuable to young architects and develop the future leadership of the profession.

yaf connection 10.03 issue

Documents

aia members

aia colleague

aia truststarting

aia trustthe yaf connection

aia trust programs

young architect members

logan william kelley

kelley children education