CONNECTION

PLATFORM

VOL 11ISSUE 05

SEPT2013

THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN JOURNAL OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

CONNECTION EDITORIAL COMMITTEEEditor-In-Chief and Creative Director Wyatt Frantom, AIAAssistant Editor, Graphics Nathan Stolarz, AIAAssistant Editor, Content James Cornetet, AIA Assistant Editor, Articles Jeff Pastva, AIAAssistant Editor, News Beth Mosenthal, Associate AIAResearcher, News and Reviews Marcus Monroe

2013 YAF ADVISORY COMMITTEEChair Brad Benjamin, AIAVice Chair Jon Penndorf, AIAPast Chair Jennifer Workman, AIACommunications Director Wyatt Frantom, AIA Community Director Virginia E. Marquardt, AIA Knowledge Director Joshua Flowers, AIAPublic Relations Director Joseph R. Benesh, AIAAdvocacy Advisor Lawrence J. Fabbroni, AIA AIA Board Representative Wendy Ornelas, FAIA College of Fellows Representative John Sorrenti, FAIAAIA Staff Liaison Erin Murphy, AIA

THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS1735 New York Ave, NWWashington, DC 20006-5292

P 800-AIA-3837www.aia.org

CONNECTION is a the official bimonthly publication of the Young Architects Forum of the AIA.

This publication is created through the volunteer efforts of dedicated Young Architect Forum members. Views expressed in this publication are solely those of the authors and not those of the American Institute of Architects. Copyright © of individual articles belongs to the Author. All image permissions are obtained by or copyright of the Author.

CONNECTIONPLATFORM

September 2013Volume 11 Issue 05

ON THE COVER:ins and outsOriginal Photographby Rose Disarno

2013 ISSUES OF CONNECTION

11 01 EMERGENCE11 02 ADVANCE11 03 LOCUS11 04 PROCESS11 05 PLATFORM11 06 ORIGINS

aiachat#aiachat

CONNECTION is sponsored through the generous support of The AIA Trust.

The AIA Trust is a free risk management resource for AIA members that offers valuable benefits to protect you, your firm, and your family. For more information on all AIA Trust programs, visitwww.TheAIATrust.com

CONTENT

06News and ResourcesBeth Mosenthal, Assoc AIA

40 LEADERSHIP PROFILEA Platform of Promise

Illya Azaroff, AIA

14 FEATUREGun-Free ZoneJames Cornetet, AIA

04 EDITOR’S NOTEiOS: Manifesto of the ME Generation

Wyatt Frantom, AIA

12 FEATUREBuilding Furniture. Building Community

Ben Hartigan, AIA

22 ARTICLEMobile and Compact ArchitectureYu-Ngok Lo, AIA

18 ARTICLEExpect the Unexpected

Payton Chung

30 DESIGNCOD Spring Conference: Greenbaum House

Deepika Padam

QUICKCONNECT

26 FEATURE#aiachatJoseph Benesh, AIA

42 SERIAL FEATURECoffee with an ArchitectJody Brown, AIA

24 ARTICLEThe Architect and Legislative Advocacy

Tracie Reed, Associate AIA

36 DESIGNAsteriskosEmerging Firm Profile

LESS = MORE{ +/- }

EDITOR’S NOTE PROVOCATIONS

Wyatt Frantom, AIAWyatt is the 2012-2013 Communications Advisor of the YAF National Advisory Committee of the AIA, the YAF CONNECTION Editor-in-Chief, and an Architectural Designer and Associate with Gensler Los Angeles

“The ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”- Steve Jobs

Whatever happened to those apparently bygone times when architects, through the furrowed brow and clenched fist of a scrawled word, declared their beliefs through written manifesto?

Whatever happened to the thoughtful ingenuity and impassioned persona of the master builder or the unifying cry and revolutionary protestations of a generation; the fervor, the zeal, and the utter belief in a profession that could markedly change the world in which we live, and for the better?

Where are today’s Wrights and Gropius’, Corbu’s and Pevsners, the Fullers, El Lissitzkys, van Doesburgs and van der Rohes or the collective CIAMs and Situationists, the Bauhaus’ and De Stijls?

The fact of the matter is - they are everywhere.

… okay, perhaps with little parity to the former -- and, in fact, it would be near-sacrilege to suggest it. But in every academic institution, every firm, every design, every project, every architectural book, magazine and blog, we stand witness to an absolute deluge of thought-made-manifest. Our very profession, our greater culture, is overwrought with thought put into word if not design. So much so that the Azaroff’s, Cornetet’s, and Frantom’s of this issue could hardly begin to offer proclamation enough to incite an industry movement, stir the zealots into a generational zeitgeist, or advocate for an architectural anarchy.

In an age in which we are so inundated by everything, we find it nearly impossible to discern the something.

“Let’s go invent tomorrow instead of worrying about what happened yesterday.”- Steve Jobs

The lack of contemporary manifestoes, however, doesn’t suggest that the profession is without purpose or that we architects are unwilling to make a stand. More so, the sheer magnitude of thought in our industry has simply diminished the value of the word itself. Manifesto now seems dated, too charged for our politically-correct times and too tainted by the wayward dogma of the corpses of architectural campaigns past. The manifesto, as we knew it, has seemingly folded its flags and retreated into obsolescence.

Yet … attitudes and temperaments, even in their most meager form, do amass to philosophic and social basis; perhaps not as a program of manifesto, but when placed purposefully on paper and taken together, individuals may still influence the shape of our profession. I would argue, in fact, that our profession is now moved more by the transformative accumulation of every designer’s actions than by the genius of a handful of heroic gestures or the rule of academic rhetoric.

“Don’t be trapped by dogma ... living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice ... follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become”- Steve Jobs

Our digital presence and online personas are the new needle movers in the propagation of thought. Making one’s mark on our industry is no longer about being shelved amongst the annals of architectural history -- its chasing omnipresence. Now more than ever, visibility, connectivity and amplification are critical in placing ourselves above the field in order to get noticed amid the deafening cacophony of the clinging cattle bells that is the crowd. Even, unfortunately, outweighing substance, the power of technology and multimedia marketing are the new soapboxes upon which we elevate ourselves.

In this age of technology, the word platform then seems a much more fitting term than manifesto. A platform, after all, supports evolution rather than promoting revolution; allowing for change to canon, tenet, values and views as they are steadily engrained, synthesized, and turned into conviction. Rather than the unalterable statements of a manifest declaration, our personal platforms are ever-evolving, collaborative, open-sourced and self-motivating systems of operation. Through the careful curation of a million terabyte stars, we are able to build a personal platform as authentic as each of us are as individuals.

“Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.”- Steve Jobs

We often find ourselves overwhelmed by this inundation of information, however; so much so that my own greatest daily therapy is hitting the keyboard delete button as I peruse my Inbox; emptying my Recycle Bin has taken on the equivalence of a mental colonic.

For a generation where ‘yes is more’ and the days of our lives are measured by architectural spam, it’s necessary to occasionally purge those aspects of ourselves and our industry that no longer have utility, to defragment our mental hard drives and reboot for a new perspective. And sometimes, it’s necessary to upgrade to an entirely new platform.■

iOS MANIFESTO OF THE ME GENERATION

05YAF CONNECTION 11.05

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headlined reviewed

ARCHITECTURE COMPENSATION REPORT SHOWS MINIMAL SALARY INCREASES

by Beth Mosenthal

Whether you are an intern or partner in an architecture firm, the AIA’s 2013 Compensation Survey reflects minimal salary increases across levels in architecture firms since 2011. While the gradual economic recovery has helped increase revenue in architecture firms almost 11% from 2011-2012 (according to U.S. Census Bureau figures), sustained impacts from the “Great Recession” have created minimal gains in compensation levels at firms.

According to a summary of the Compensation Survey in AIArchitect, the “average total compensation for architecture positions - including base salary, overtime, bonuses, and incentive compensation - increased only slightly over 1% per year, barely more than the average increase in compensation between 2008 and 2011, when the construction sector was still in steep decline.”

No need to quit the profession or pursue “Plan B”, just yet; while the architecture market and associated compensation rates can prove to be volatile, increases in salary from 2002-2013 with other so-called “white-collar” professions kept pace with compensation across the entire economy. Furthermore, pay scales for architecture firms seem to vary based on firm size. For example, Intern 1 compensation in architecture firms with 250+ people averaged 10% above the national average, while the same position in a firm of 10 or less people averaged 10% below the national average.

For further reading or to purchase the full Compensation report, CLICK HERE.

AIA National | @AIANationalDiscover key trends that are impacting the architecture profession. Download your copy of the AIA Foresight Report, http://bit.ly/14vfNrb

AIA Dallas YAF | @AIADallasYAF#dalyaf AIA Compensation Report: Get Your Answers http://ow.ly/2z9POl

Young Architect | @YA_BLOGThis Week’s cover: “The Best Architecture Quotes” Read the full story on http://youngarchitectblog.blogspot.com pic.twitter.com/9UGP52aZze

Rem Koolhaas | @OMA_AMOThe march of preservation necessitates the development of a theory of its opposite: not what to keep; but what to give up, erase and abandon.

#tweeted

BOOK REVIEW: “Façadomy” by James Cornetet, AIA

Façadomy offers a comprehensive critique of architecture and its relationship to capitalism. The result of this analysis is a theory that outlines why architectural movements rise and fall, the anatomy of these movements and how dynamic market forces will affect the future of architecture in the United States. The story begins with an analysis of the Revivalist movement of the late 19th century and ends with an examination of the current global economic decline and the effect it has already had on some of the architecture being produced today.

Cornetet’s research reveals that a relatively undocumented architectural movement, known as Mid-Century Modernism, emerged as a response to many of the same problems being dealt with in the United States today, including uncontrolled population growth, limited resources and financial decline. Mid-Century Modern design was the architecture of capitalism and it has come to represent the Golden Age of Capitalism. Mid-Century Modernism embodied a philosophy that contained valuable lessons on process and design that have since been forgotten. These lessons are described in Cornetet’s comprehensive analysis of Mid-Century Modern architecture and supported by an extensive case study that examined nearly 200 structures in Orlando, Florida.

The book’s design, graphics and photography bring to life this uniquely American architecture movement as Cornetet engages in a colorful dialogue that seeks to explain why we build the way we do in the United States.

WHY ARCHITECT’S TRAVEL: Snapshot of a Recent Trip to Peru

What keeps you inspired? For me, it is the juxtaposition of the inherent beauty of simple daily routines, interrupted by momentous journeys to far off places and cultures. This year, that momentous journey for me was traveling to Peru to trek the Incan Trail, culminating in a visit to Machu Picchu.

To share your architecture-related travel photos, send me a tweet:@archiadventures.

MUSEUM

Model Type:Urbanism Festival

• Bi-annual street festival, lecture and workshop series, and temporary built projects - takes place over the course of three days.• Occurs both in the museum and the neighborhood immediately surrounding it. • Theme changes each time (2013 theme was “untapped capital”), overall idea is to explore the future of cities. • Part of New Museums mission to become a community hub.

New MuseumIdeas City

MUSEUMART MOBILE

• Series of trucks renovated to be mobile museums - interior conditions resembled actual museum conditions as closely as possible. • Visited remote sites throughout the state of Virginia.• Displayed exhibits from the permanent collection.• Travelling curators accompanied exhibits to give tours of the shows.

Model Type:Distributed Site

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Artmobile

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YAF CONNECTION 11.05

ACTIVATING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT : Meet Elizabeth MacWillie, the next “bfFellow” for the non-profit, “buildingcommunity Workshop” in Dallas, Texas

by Marcus Monroe

WHO:

This Fall, Elizabeth MacWillie will be entering her final semester at Harvard to finish a dual degree as a Master in Design Studies (MDesS) with a concentration in Art and the Public Domain and a Master of Architecture in Urban Design (MAUD). She’ll be spending her summer as a “bcFellow” at buildingcommunityWORKSHOP (bcWORKSHOP) in Dallas, TX. bcWORKSHOP is a Dallas based nonprofit community design center seeking to improve the livability and viability of communities through the practice of thoughtful design and making.

WHAT:

With a passion for urban design, art, and community planning, one of MacWillie’s primary focuses will be on activating and strengthening the presence and outreach of Dallas’s Art District. MacWillie will find ways to develop long-term collaborations between bcWORKSHOP and local organizations such as art groups and other nonprofits. This work will be directly tied to her work on the “Activating Vacancy” project that explores how design and art can re-imagine forgotten or neglected spaces in the Tenth Street community. Elizabeth will be working with community members, local artists, and designers to develop projects ranging from installations to performances.

WHAT’S NEXT:

After finishing her final semester via the “Rotterdam Study Abroad Studio” and graduating in December, Elizabeth plans on pursuing her IDP credits while continuing to pursue work related to public design.

REFERENCE:

For more information on the “Activating Vacancy” project,CLICK HERE

07

featuredreported

Image courtesy of Elizabeth MacWillie01. What organizations are you involved in as an emerging professional?

In the past I have served as an Associate Director for AIANH, Director for the Young Architects Forum in New Hampshire and IDP State Coordinator for New Hampshire. Currently, I am involved with the Boston Society of Architects (BSA) Emerging Professionals Network (EPnet) with events such as speed mentoring, networking evenings, Leadership Lunches and planning a new Pictionary style event called “What the Sketch”. I also serve as the IDP State Coordinator for Massachusetts, working with Harvard, Northeastern and Wentworth on developing presentations to help broaden the understanding of the path to licensure. Lastly, I am the graphic designer for the AIA National Young Architect Forum (YAF) Connection and Co-designer of the annual AIA National Young Architects Award Book.

02. What are some of the important issues that Young Architects face in today’s industry?

I believe that there are two main issues that Young Architects are currently battling with. First, is job security and the battlefield which we call “job hunting.” Its seems ever since the recession in late 2008, young architects have been frustrated with this issue. What’s scary is that this is becoming the new normal and we might not ever go back to the ways things were. I always suggest before looking for a job that you understand what your best qualities/skills are and have a complete understanding on how to sell yourself. Create a brand that will make a firm want to hire you. Confidence, flexibility and finding a career and not just a job are key factors that will help you find a position in today’s volatile market; also network, network, network!

Secondly, mentorship and guidance to grow in the profession has been lacking and difficult to find. We need more seasoned Architects at all levels to step up and guide/mentor Emerging Architects. Programs such as the Leadership Lunches through the BSA is something every local AIA chapter should adopt. Its a six month program where a small group of four emerging, young or intern architects get together to meet with a different architecture firm each month to discuss any issues or topics they have related to architecture.

This month,Nathan Stolarz, AIAtells us a little bit about his involvement as a young architect living and working in Boston.

He is currently a Senior Staff Architect with cbt Architects in Boston, MA, primarily focusing on building envelope design and architectural visualizations. Nathan is also the Graphics Assistant Editor for YAF Connection, as well as the state IDP coordinator for Massachusetts.

Image by Nathan Stolarz, Fan Pier-Parcel CImage courtesy of Elizabeth MacWillie

QUICK CONNECT

made

Richard Cole, “Workshop Through WIndow”

SHIFTING SCALESMAKING THE LEAP FROM URBAN AND RESIDENTIAL FABRIC TO DENIM

by Beth R. Mosenthal

After studying urban design and geography and working for Habitat for Humanity, Richard Cole talks about his recent transition to pursuing his true passion; launching a brand of hand-made jeans, “PaleoDenim”

BRM: What is your background (academically and professionally) and how did that help you get to where you are now? RC: I studied documentary film and geography (emphasis on urbanism and urban design) in undergrad, and then worked in non-profit housing and carpentry after graduation. Urban studies taught me patient observation and systems thinking. Carpentry taught me patient craftsmanship. Non-profit housing taught me patient frustration and that I didn’t want to work in housing.

BRM: How did you become interested in making jeans? RC: I was frustrated planned obsolesce and with my lack of hand skills. I had my mother teach me how to sew and I quickly moved to making jeans just to try and make the most durable product that sprung to mind. When I took apart a pair of Levi’s to make my first pair it became very obvious there was an entire production logic I wasn’t aware of and that ignited a lot of curiosity. I started researching and discovered the stunning level of craft and material design being achieved in Japan. I wanted to explore why there was such a difference and then I fell down the indigo rabbit hole.

BRM: What are the most challenging aspects of making jeans?

RC: In terms of technical challenges the pattern is the most difficult aspect. Pattern engineers are the most skilled and highest paid labor in the design process for a good reason. It often feels like trying to learn pattern-making without formal training is a fools errand. I do have the luxury of taking as much time and making as many samples as I feel necessary before releasing a product. Sewing is fun, it’s easy to focus on because it’s romantic and it photographs well but the whole design production chain starts with the pattern. It has to be perfect for technical and aesthetic reasons.

Other than that the logistics of getting equipment and mentorship from the American clothing manufacturing industry is a real challenge, especially operating in Austin which has no history in the industry. Many of the best machines used to make jeans have been sold over seas. The skilled workers, mechanics and technical designers are close to retirement age. The last two decades were terrible for most of them so rousing excitement for a new venture can be difficult.

BRM: What are the most rewarding aspects of making jeans? RC: I know I just complained about what a pain in the a*^ the industry can be, but exploring it is just so interesting. I get to see musty warehouses with old steel beasts of industry scattered everywhere, meeting crazed old timers with plenty of stories. I hate to call it a glimpse into a different era but the grittiness is really refreshing because it’s so different than the expectations set for our generation, ordained from birth to be “knowledge workers”. It’s a trip.

On the design and construction side, the standards I have set for myself are more exacting and specific than my peers or the market expect. Even if I’m not entirely satisfied with a prototype or the first iteration of a sample it’s almost always a completely usable product. There’s a sense of relief, even if that specific product was an idiosyncratic piece it will still have a unique and usable lifecycle because the principles and production methods are strong. I like that.

BRM: Do you see any parallels between your urban design education and the industrial design process?

RC: There are many parallels between how you’re able to operate as a student and how I’m able to operate as a mostly one man show. I workshop my products with small circle of maker-designers before releasing them. I’m not burdened with any corporate or market structures beyond the fact that my work has to be accessible enough to sell so I can keep working. Towards that end the experimental work is only received enthusiastically by a much smaller proportion of my demographic.

Thanks Richard!

To contribute to PaleoDenim’s current kickstarter campaign,CLICK HERE to visit this site.

Even if I’m not entirely satisfied with a prototype or the first iteration of a sample, it’s almost always a completely usable product. There’s a sense of relief, even if that specific product was an idiosyncratic piece it will still have a unique and usable lifecycle because the principles and production methods are strong.

Richard Cole, Rearpocket top copy image and Inside jeans detail, 2013

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AIA’s Young Architects ForumYAF's official website CLICK HERE

YAF KnowledgeNetA knowledge resource for awards, announcements, podcasts, blogs, YAF Connection and other valuable YAF legacy content ... this resource has it all!CLICK HERE

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 connect with colleagues.CLICK HERE

AIA TrustAccess the AIA Trust as a free risk management resource for AIA members. www.TheAIATrust.com

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 ‘QUICK CONNECT’ News, Reviews, EventsDo you have newsworthy content that you’d like to share with our readers? Contact the News Editor, Beth Mosenthal, on twitter @archiadventures

Call for ‘CONNECTION’ Articles, Projects, PhotographyWould you like to submit content for inclusion in an upcoming issue? Contact the Editor, Wyatt Frantom atwyatt.frantom@wf-ad.com

YAF CONNECTION 11.05 09

connectedinvolved

Connect, Transform, Persuade!AIA WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

WHENOctober 24-26, 2013

WHEREPhoenix, AZ

The 2013 Women’s Leadership Summit is a 2-day national ocnversation among people in all different stages in their career.

Whether you’re a student, intern, practicing architect, emerging professional, or Fellow of the Institute, the Women’s Leadership Summit is an opportunity to engage and network with women architects and designers from across the country at this dynamic and inspirational event.

The Summit will focus on supporting women on their path toward and within leadership by providing a forum to recognize, inform, and champion the work being created by women in the design profession.

For more information, CLICK HERE to visit the website.

Celebrate Excellence! The American Institute of Architects has a long tradition of recognizing individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievements in support of the profession of architecture and the AIA. Learn more about AIA National awards programs, submission information, and deadlines.

Deadlines for the 2014 awards programs will be posted as submission sites open.

For open awards, CLICK HERE to visit this website.

PUT YOURSELF ON THE MAPGET CONNECTED by contributing to our next issue!

MAPdepicting locations of article contributors for this issue

Los Angeles, CA

Denver, CO

AIA NationalWashington D.C.

This month’sLeadership Profile

Illya Azaroff

Raleigh-Durham, NC

Brooklyn, NY

Orlando, FL

Port Au Prince, Haiti

Des Moine, IA

Boston, MA

San Francisco, CA

Portland, ME

Phoenix, AZ

FEATURE

Ben Hartigan, AIA joined MASS in 2011 as a Global Health Corps Fellow based in Kigali, Rwanda. During that year he was able to apply design as a relevant tool for addressing the problem of global health inequity through working on the Nyanza Hospital and Butaro Doctor’s Housing. He currently lives and works in Port-au-Prince, Haiti where his responsibilities include construction management, furniture fabrication, and design. Ben received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Illinois in 2008 and his Masters of Architecture from the University of Virginia in 2011.

PLATFORM OF OUTREACH

BUILDING FURNITURE BUILDING COMMUNITY

There is nothing like the highlands of Rwanda after a heavy rain. The clouds hang lazy on the hilltops, obscuring the patchwork fields and meticulously cultivated terraces. I found myself looking out across the highlands one day while taking shelter in a wood shop. A carpenter there asked: “Why are you in Rwanda?” It was there, on a mountainside in rural Rwanda that I found the need to retrace my steps, to look back and answer the question what brought me here?

It all began in the summer of 2011 with a one-year fellowship with the Global Health Corps, a multidisciplinary group of people committed to promoting global health equity. I was placed with the MASS design group in Rwanda, where I worked on a variety of projects, including furniture design and fabrication.

Furniture for global health? How can furniture have an impact on the extreme inequity that exists in the world? I know, it sounds strange.

During my placement with MASS, I learned firsthand the impact that buildings (design) can have on local communities. I witnessed a town grow around the newly constructed Butaro hospital; I saw jobs created, small businesses formed, and houses built. Through the design and fabrication of custom furniture we were able to create jobs, train new carpenters and transfer knowledge from one culture to another.

While in Butaro, a small town in northern Rwanda where I was working, I met a carpenter named Fidel. Every day on my walk to work I could hear him using his table saw, behind a massive pile of sawdust. There were other carpenters in Butaro, but I noticed Fidel because he took great pride in his work.

When we had the opportunity to design furniture for the Butaor Doctors’ Housing project, I made a point to meet him and visit his shop. To my surprise, I found that Fidel was not from Butaro like other carpenters. He arrived years before with his family to fabricate doors and windows for Butaro’s hospital.

Since the hospital had been completed for some time, I asked him why he decided to stay? He replied, “To work on your project.” I was surprised, given that most carpenters are paid as skilled laborers and can make more money working in large cities like Kigali. Because of his experience, dedication and eagerness to collaborate, we chose to work with Fidel and assembled a local team to begin constructing furniture.

Photos by Ben Hartigan

13YAF CONNECTION 11.05

By focusing on local labor we were able to refine our design and fabrication processes to maximize the resources at hand. Because we used local labor and techniques we were able to have a positive economic impact on the community of Butaro. Fidel’s knowledge of building furniture in Butaro helped us overcome the challenges of building in a resource-limited rural setting. Material availability was a significant constraint. Only the simplest, most durable tools are used and electricity is scarce. Kiln-dried wood was only available if we constructed a kiln on site. But of all the limitations, the greatest was overcoming the language barrier. I did not know Kinyarwanda, the regional language, and I struggled to communicate my team’s design ideas to Fidel.

After producing some designs and putting together shop drawings, I met with Fidel to discuss the first mock-up. I quickly discovered that my typical plan, section and elevation architectural drawings had betrayed me. I needed a better kind of drawing, and developed a hybrid form of drawing that combined drawing in the dirt with hand drawn sketches. Finally, I was able to communicate with Fidel. Learning how to overcome our communication barrier is a small example of the many lessons I learned from working with the local craftsmen.

Another project we worked on, the cast-in place concrete sinks we constructed is an example shows how we overcame local material constraints, labor opportunity and on-site customization. Culturally, strength and durability are important aesthetic values to the Rwandans. Towards the end of my fellowship year in Rwanda, I began to understand the impact that this modest project had on the community. The entire construction team stood in a circle, and gave speeches of encouragement of a job well done. One of the craftsmen stopped me and said, “I never thought of using concrete like this and I’ll be sure to do the same for my own house.” The beauty of the exchange was that it became clear to me that the community had learned as much from me, as I had from them.

By implementing a new design process that made use of local customs and construction techniques, we were able to create work that not only looked beautiful, but improved the lives of the people we helped. Our team was able to create beautiful vernacular solutions that helped to create jobs and lift those we worked with out of poverty. Working in Butaro showed me that a humble, location-specific design process has the potential to instigate change not only in developing countries but anywhere we work and that the finished product is as beautiful as the process that created it. ■

Photos by Ben Hartigan

Photos by Ben Hartigan

FEATURE

James Cornetet, AIA is a Partner and Co-Founder of Process Architecture in Orlando, Florida. You can read more of Cornetet’s critiques on society, culture, capitalism and its relationship to architecture in his recent book: Façadomy: A Critique on Capitalism and Its Assault on Mid-Century Modern Architecture, now on sale at Amazon.

GUN-FREE ZONEA GUIDE TO DECREASING MURDER COUNTS IN MASS SHOOTINGS

I hope that you find the title of this article appalling, shocking and offensive, because it should be. It seems that our society has “evolved” to a point that mass-violence pervades media outlets across the country. This article is not about the great gun debate, it is not about assigning blame. It is my personal opinion that the focus on these two issues by the media, politicians and society after each tragic event is the reason that little has changed since the mass-murder that occurred at Columbine High School in 1999.

Over the course of the last year, I have interviewed several of my professional peers that specialize in the design of public elementary and high schools. I repeatedly asked “What has changed in school design since Columbine?” I continually heard the following responses: “Metal detectors, cameras, controlled access points….” but discovered that the way we fundamentally design an elementary school or high school has not changed.

Recently I toured a new elementary school in Central Florida, and other than the technology in the classrooms, the partí for the school was similar to the schools that I attended as a child over twenty years ago. As I walked down the endless corridors of this elementary school, a feeling of nostalgia quickly turned to one of fear. The echo from the hard surfaces, the low light levels and the endless corridor reminded me of another building type, but I could not quite place the origin of the feeling. Then it hit me, like a punch in the stomach, I was walking down the lane of an indoor gun range.

It became clear to me at that moment that best practices for school design, like providing a clear line-of-sight and controlled access points so that teachers can police student behavior, were also the same features that have created optimum killing conditions during mass-shootings. Classrooms all exit onto a common corridor, which means that an armed murderer has clear line-of-sight, enabling the killer to shoot anyone who enters the hall and trapping defenseless students in their classrooms.

Gun-Free Zones

It has been argued by many that Gun-Free Zones are unsafe, and simply do not work. In fact, nearly all mass-shootings occur in Gun-Free Zones. The reason for this has been attributed to the fact that criminal deviants know that there is less of a chance of encountering a legally-armed, law-abiding citizen.

As we have learned more about the Colorado movie theater shooting, it is now known that the murderer drove to a theater that was 20 minutes away from his apartment, avoiding 9 other movie theaters that were all closer. John Lott author of “More Guns, Less Crime” notes that “There was also a theater just slightly further away, 10 minutes. It is the “home of Colorado’s largest auditorium,” according to their movie hotline greeting message. The potentially huge audience ought to have been attractive to someone trying to kill as many people as possible.” Lott goes on to note that this theater and others were not gun-safe zones and allowed their patrons to carry concealed weapons in its theater.

Now I know what you are thinking, great this guy(me) is going to tell me that everyone should own and holster a firearm. As promised, this debate is outside of the scope of this editorial. The question that I would like to propose is how can a public or private property owner, announce to the world “come here it’s safe, nobody has guns!” and not take any preventative measures to ensure the safety of the people using the space other than a placard? Armed security guards and metal detectors may help, but is it possible to reduce the number of casualties and victims in mass-shootings through good design?

A sign similar to this one was displayed at the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado.Although Colorado is a concealed carry state, none of the patrons of the movie theater were

armed, because the theater was a Gun-Free Zone.

PLATFORM OF POLICY

15YAF CONNECTION 11.05

Building Codes

Today it seems that every aspect of the built environment is the result of a number of regulatory agencies. Building codes even mandate the design of staircases in single-family residences, much to the chagrin of residential architects everywhere. If you want to build in the state of Florida, then you better be familiar with the over 3,000 pages of building codes, zoning ordinances and legislation that governs the design of the built environment. This does not even include the codes and ordinances that are specific to local municipalities, nor the extra 500 or so pages from the EPCOT Building and Fire Prevention Codes that regulate development in the Reedy Creek Improvement District. I don’t even want to talk about the variations of the 2010 ADA Standards in Florida: the 2012 Florida Accessibility Code that EPCOT Accessibility Code. I was tempted to quit architecture altogether, when I was informed by my local HOA that the proposed paint scheme for my house was in violation of the HOA’s design standards which forbids a garage door from being painted a different color from the house! REALLY?!

Do you know how many pages in the building code, state or local discuss the topic of Gun-Free Zones? Zero. It pains me to admit that if we are going to allow schools, businesses and other establishments to be declared a Gun-Free Zone, then this too, like everything else, must be regulated.

(top) Typical gun-range styled school design. This partí presents the worst case scenario and promotes high murder counts in mass shootings.

(middle) Shifting the floor plan once, drastically reduces the clear line-of-sight of the murderer and helps to limit the total number of students that are vulnerable to becoming victims.

(bottom) If more aggressive tactics are employed by school designers the clear line-of-sight of the murderer can be limited to a point that only a few students are vulnerable to the attack, students are able to seek cover by reaching a bend in the corridor which shields them from the murderer’s barrage of bullets.

Illustrations by Ryan Begley

FEATURE

What if existing schools were retrofitted with panic room doors, inflatable slides or a second means of egress? Perhaps every student would be safe, and the murderer would then be the one trapped.Illustration by Ryan Begley

What is a Gun-Free Zone? The concept known today as a Gun-Free Zone first emerged in the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990. The law is brief, and well-written in the sense that the basic concept is easy to grasp, no guns in a school zone, or within a 1,000 feet of a school zone. Some states also contain “Opt-Out” statutes which allow private business to declare themselves a Gun-Free Zone. The problem with this law, however, is that it allows zones to be created where our fundamental rights to bear arms are revoked and no additional protection is granted. Herein lies the problem. Gun-Free Zones have become a haven for the deranged and mentally ill to carry out their twisted plots.

A Gun-Free Zone must do more than disarm law-abiding gun owners. There are standards that our food must meet before it can be labeled as Organic or our buildings as sustainable, but how is it that we can design buildings that support hundreds if not thousands of people every day and their safety is solely reliant on the power of a sign? Would you place a sign in your front yard that read “we do not own or store guns in our home, and they are not permitted on our property, violation of this decree will result in criminal prosecution,” as the sole means of protecting your family? I find this strategy not only ineffective, but irresponsible.

What if existing schools were retrofitted with panic room doors, inflatable slides or a second means of egress? Perhaps every student would be safe, and the murderer would then be the one trapped. Resulting in 99% fatality reduction.

Illustration by Ryan Begley

17YAF CONNECTION 11.05

What if existing school corridors were retrofitted with smoke screens installed at every classroom door and teachers could activate them as the escape, so that the murderer’s line-of-sight is diminished?Illustration by Ryan Begley

The Role of Architecture

The good news is that there are several ways that theaters, schools and our workplaces could be made safer, and you may be surprised when I tell you that none of these solutions involve guns. I believe that a Gun-Free Zone should be a title that you earn as a result of implementing innovative design strategies that will deter violent criminal activity and protect the patrons, employees and school children that use buildings that are declared Gun-Free Zones.

As architects, I believe we often focus too much on place making, aesthetics and the superficial elements of design. The reality is that architects have a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. This duty applies to creating spaces that implement design strategies that would reduce the murder counts of mass-shootings. The goal of this article is not to provide all of the answers, but to start the conversation about developing a set of standards that must be met before a building can be declared a Gun-Free Zone.

If you want to declare your place of business or school a Gun-Free Zone, then you have to limit clear line-of-sight. I do not know what metrics we should use to define this limit, but I do know that super-sized movie theaters, shopping centers and 300’ long corridors provide mass-murderers with the optimum conditions needed to reach their sadistic goal of killing as many people as possible.

Controlled access is one of the most important procedures practiced by schools all across the United States, but unfortunately egress paths all exit into the gun-range-styled corridors that organize classrooms and movie theaters. In Florida, kindergarten classrooms must have two egress exits, this standard of care should be expanded to all classrooms and assembly spaces that are labeled as Gun-Free Zones. Where existing conditions do not permit multiple egress paths due to designs that make use of multiple stories, fire escapes should be retrofitted onto buildings. As stated, controlled access is extremely important and these secondary exits should be secure and only permit one-way travel. Additionally the doorways that connect classrooms to common corridors should be designed at the bare minimum to allow teachers and students to barricade their selves in the classroom as they safely wait for the police.

Airplane seats may be used as a flotation device, why not design theater and classroom seats that can be used as shields for bullets? Furniture designers have managed to combine multiple uses and functions into a single piece of furniture, perhaps now their creative efforts will focus on the intelligent design of classroom furniture that can transform into a barricade to the classroom. What if each classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary had a bulletproof door that protected students until the police arrived, trapping the murderer in the corridor? What if each classroom was provided a second means of egress leading directly outside? What if the windows to classrooms of multi-story facilities had inflatable slides that allowed students to safely slide to safety? What if?

Unfortunately it has been 14 years since the Columbine massacre, and very little has changed. In fact, the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School has shown that a condition can always worsen. If you examine the laws being drafted in Congress today, none would have prevented the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary, and they will unfortunately have little effect in the future. To paraphrase Jacque Fresco, laws are needed to supplement bad design. If there is any truth to this statement, then good design has the potential to save many, many lives. I challenge my peers to take action, and strive to design a better, safer school. Our children are depending on you. ■

Footnote

The past 10 years have been the best in the country’s aviation history with 153 fatalities. That’s two deaths for every 100 million passengers on commercial flights, according to an Associated Press analysis of government accident data. A USA TODAY analysis of FBI records has identified 186 mass killings since 2006. That includes 146 mass shootings, which are defined by the FBI as incidents where four or more people are killed, resulting in 934 unnecessary deaths. These statistics show that we can safely fly, now lets try and figure out a way that our children can safely go to school.

ARTICLE

Payton Chungis Public Policy Consultant at the American Institute of Architects in Washington, D.C. Tatyana Brown, Public Policy Manager, and Inderpal Lamba, Government Relations Intern, contributed.

New exterior entrance. Photo: Bob Schatz

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTEDA FIELD GUIDE TO RE-POSITIONING SPACE

20 years since shopping mall construction has slowed to a halt, hundreds of once-popular malls are now largely vacant. CoStar Group, a real estate analytics firm, found that over 200 large shopping centers in the United States are more than 35-percent vacant. In many cases, these monolithic buildings are plagued by high vacancy rates and are likely to be closed and demolished.

Vacant malls contain large quantities of conditioned and strategically located space. The communities around these malls are anxiously looking for new proposals to transform these highly public and massive blights into thriving urban and suburban centers. “These properties are [generally] on excellent real estate, and reworking assets that have outlived their format or usefulness to better serve modern needs is a better solution than tearing them down,” says Kristin Mueller with real estate brokerage Jones Lang LaSalle. Urban Land Institute CEO Patrick Phillips adds that local governments’ “regulatory and financing structures are evolving [to] allow more of these properties to be repurposed in a productive way.”

The following case studies showcase multiple solutions to the problem of the abandoned shopping mall, revealing that there is life after death for the abandoned shopping malls littered across the American landscape.

Now: Vanderbilt Medical Center at One Hundred OaksWas: 100 Oaks MallLocation: Berry Hill, Nashville, TennesseeArchitect: Gresham Smith and Partners

When 100 Oaks Mall opened in 1967 it was the first enclosed mall in Nashville, Tennessee. Even as tenants vacated the mall, big-box retailers thrived, complicating future plans. Rather than demolish the mall, a new hybrid research-shopping center emerged.

When the Vanderbilt University Medical Center needed to expand their facilities, they found the opportunity to renovate the mall into 440,000 square feet of outpatient clinics and keeping the existing retail in operation, an attractive solution. Not only did this move outpatient services to a more convenient location, it also freed up on-campus Medical Center space for much needed research programs.

The LEED-CI certified redevelopment required updated data, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, as well as additional windows and skylights for daylighting. The Gresham Smith and Partners’ design turned a 1970s neon-lit metal shed into “a dignified institutional space, a space that would inspire confidence” in patients, according to project designer Jeff Kuhnhenn, AIA. “These sites are typically viewed as blighted, but they are in fact great untapped resources. They were developed to have excellent vehicular access, but usually never came close to realizing the floor area potential to match the access potential … because they are so underdeveloped they are seen as barriers or great asphalt deserts. Properly redeveloped and renovated, they could really become agents for creating connectivity and foster much more enjoyable and sustainable communities.”

Over 50 such “medical malls” exist around the country, according to Don Hunter, a real estate consultant in Annapolis, Maryland. The idea was originally pioneered by Jackson Medical Mall in inner-city Jackson, Mississippi.

PLATFORM OF RESEARCH

19YAF CONNECTION 11.05

Now: “The Castle,” Rackspace headquartersWas: Windsor Park MallLocation: Windcrest, TexasArchitect: TBG (site planning), Studio 8 (Phase 3)

Windsor Park Mall was a shopping mall located in the northeast side of San Antonio. It was abandoned just 20 years after it was built and remained a blight to the suburb of Windcrest for another 10 years until Rackspace, a web hosting firm that generated $1.3-billion in revenue in 2012, decided to expand its operations by renovating the abandoned Windsor Park Mall. Rackspace purchased the mall (1.2 million square feet) for $27-million! The company began a phased transformation of the entire complex, gradually filling the mall with zany touches emblematic of tech offices. A slide in the center court, refurbished neon signs, amusement park rides and food truck caravans in the parking lot all added to the new ambiance created by Rackspace.

The success of Rackspace’s adaptive reuse of the once abandoned Windsor Park Mall is just the first step of CEO Graham Weston’s vision, which also includes the construction of a live-work development in downtown San Antonio. Weston says that the development funded by his company “… is about helping San Antonio become a city over the next decade that’s more attractive to young and single people looking to live in a city for the experiences it can give them, for the people they can meet, the things they can do.”

We don’t design for the life-cycle of buildings like we used to 50 or 60 years ago.

Robert Yuricic, RA, of Greenbergfarrow

(left) View of old exterior Montgomery Ward entrance. Photo: J.E. (Blogger)(middle) Interior view of abandoned mall: Scooter Simpson (Flickr)

(right) A two story slide makes going down a floor more fun. Photo: Mark Nottingham (Flickr)

Redesigned exterior entrance into Rackspace HQ. Photo: Scott Beale (Flickr)

ARTICLE

Now: 5MWas: San Francisco Chronicle BuildingLocation: SoMa, San Francisco, CaliforniaArchitect: Gensler

When the San Francisco Chronicle was forced to reduce its size and staff because of the loss of advertising revenue due to the rise of internet media outlets, its 1920s character became an attractive anchor for the 5M Project which redefines large-scale development. In San Francisco, developers and entrepreneurs “are trying to invent a new kind of work environment that is going to work for the economy of the future,” says Gabriel Metcalf, executive director of SPUR, a local urban advocacy group.

What began as few subleases to early stage startups has grown to a project that is home to over 1,000 companies whose focus ranges from technology, manufacturing and the arts. The project has evolved into what the Chronicle calls “a radical cross-sector collaboration with entrepreneurs and innovators working to create social change.” Recently, plans have been unveiled that take the community skyward by adding 8 new buildings and 1.85-million square feet of office, residential, retail, cultural and public space. When completed, the development will meet 5M’s goal of “help[ing] individuals and enterprises reach their goals faster, surrounded by a community that makes everyone smarter and more effective.” By building from (and including) an existing community, they hope to avoid the antagonistic process that often accompanies development in major cities.

(top) Chronicle Building on seen on corner of 5th Street. Photo: Niall Kennedy (Flickr) (left) Interior co-work office space for Hub SoMa. Photo: Hub Bay Area Group (Flickr) (right) Conceptual diagram of interior space layout and design. Photo: The 5M Project

PLATFORM OF RESEARCH

21YAF CONNECTION 11.05

Now: Henry Ford Academy: Power House HighWas: Sears, Roebuck & Co. Power HouseLocation: Lawndale, Chicago, Illinois

Architect: Farr Associates

Changes to the nation’s air quality standards have led to the closing

of one-quarter of the coal power plants in the United States. These

buildings, with their vast infrastructure and steam turbine-filled

halls, are not representative of typical industrial warehouse space

found throughout Chicago’s urban core. The 5-million square foot

Sears catalog warehouse on Chicago’s west side had its own on-

site power plant. Its impressive scale of which made it a natural

focal point. When the surrounding property was re-developed as

mixed-income housing, many questioned what would become of

the Sears, Roebuck & Company Power House. Ben Shaw, a major

benefactor, recalls “it was beyond a lot of people’s imagination how

you could make this into a practical space.”

The resulting LEED Platinum space fulfills the Henry Ford Learning

Institute’s vision of removing “boundaries between school and the

real world” by placing “teaching tools everywhere,” notes Jonathan

Boyer, AIA. Equipment left in place, like coal conveyor belts and

hoppers, along with new systems like geothermal wells and a green

roof system serve as learning opportunities for the students of the

community center and charter school that now call the building

home. ■(top) Turbine hall before renovation. Farr Associates.

(middle) Turbine hall after, with Jonathan Boyer, AIA. Farr Associates. (bottom) Learning studios open up with foldaway panels. Farr Associates.

ARTICLE

Yu-Ngok Lo, AIA Lo is a project architect at Clive Wilkinson Architect, serves on the AIA LB/SB Board of Directors and the AIACC COTE committee. His personal works has been recognized and published by the AIA Inland Chapter, Archdaily and AIArchitect

Regional subway and light rail system

MOBILE AND COMPACT ARCHITECTURE

The single family house, complete with expansive yards and the lifestyle that came with it, was for many decades deeply rooted in the psyches of Americans as the “American Dream”. With the recent economic recession, many people’s perception of home ownership has changed; especially that of younger generations. With about 5-percent of Americans who hold at least a bachelor degree unemployed, graduates are finding themselves willing to take whatever opportunities are available, even if that means relocating to other cities or states. Given that career futures are less predictable, the traditional 30-year mortgage is a less popular notion as well.

According to a 2010 study of the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, the number of renters has risen nearly 10-percent between 2004 and 2009, making for a more transient way of life. To further reinforce the increasingly transient lifestyle, the Annual Geographical Mobility Rates published by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2010 states that more than 34-million people have moved each year within the United States for the past 10 years. That is to say, more than 11-percent of the American population have moved every year for the past decade. Furthermore, between 2007 and 2009 when the recession was in full force, this number increased by nearly 6-percent from the previous year. While the motivation for moving is driven by many factors, the modern “nomad” is as much an outcome of the overall economic climate as a reaction to local job opportunities.

In 1956, the Federal Aid Highway Act encouraged the concept of “bedroom communities” and made living in outlying suburban neighborhoods possible through increased commuting via the automobile. A comprehensive network of roads and freeways cut down travel time between the city job and the suburban home. The popularity of automobiles skyrocketed to what is now a necessary means of transportation in most American cities. However, the freeway system in the Los Angeles metropolitan area has reached an apparent maximum capacity with travel efficiencies reduced by 20-to-50-percent during rush hours. This reduction adds an estimated 70-million vehicle-hours wasted in 2001 alone. In California-at-large, nearly 5-percent of commuters suffer an extreme 90-minute commute every day. Not only do automobiles create major traffic jams during peak hours and delay travel time dramatically, they’ve also created major environmental problems for our cities. In 2004, U.S. cars and light trucks emitted 314-million metric tons of carbon-equivalent. In fact, the amount of CO2 emitted for transportation in the U.S. is similar to that of coal burned to generate electricity domestically.

The development of the Recreational Vehicle (RV) and Trailer Home is an interesting response to the demand of mobile housing. Thousands of “Parks” were built all over the country for the parking and housing of these units. Some of them were built solely for short term parking while many were designed with utility connections for longer term housing. Recreational Vehicles are designed for mobilized recreational use; essentially putting wheels on a house to support short stays on the road. These vehicles are usually big and often equipped with diesel generators for power. These may be great for mobility and accommodating all of the modern conveniences while away from home, but they aren’t exactly environmentally friendly.

Country wide conventional transportation system

PLATFORM OF SPECULATION

23YAF CONNECTION 11.05

Trailer homes or mobile homes, in comparison, are designed for longer term use, but can still be relocated using oversized trucks. The trailer parks that accommodate these homes are built not only for the purpose of staging the home, but also provide utility connections and other community amenities. Located away from city centers where land value is generally low, these “bedroom communities” have the advantage that they can be readily moved in response to sudden economic shifts (whether personal or local).

From wheeled prefabricated structures to recycled shipping container homes, more and more attention in recent years has been paid to the field of “Mobile Architecture”. The popularity of this “building type” may have less to do with its mobility, however, than the price tag of these units; offering an economy to the modern home that can’t be matched by those built “ground up”, and literally tied to the land and its mortgage.

A good example is the Micro Compact Home by Architects Horden Cherry Lee and Haack + Hopfner, which showcases a very clever, compact spatial use, but also an innovative means of mobility. The standardized Micro Compact Home measures 9’ x 9’ x 9’ and can be relocated via a variety of transportation means - from helicopters to ships to trucks. It is a new concept that offers an energy efficient lifestyle and has the ability to relocate to more densely developed areas; potentially even stacked into vertical applications.

The implementation of mobile and compact architecture continues to increase in Europe and other densely congested cities around the world. Despite the ever-present American desire for a more traditional and spacious lifestyle, the development and promotion of mobility and compact architecture will only continue to be fostered in the U.S. ■

ARTICLE

Tracie Reed, Assoc. AIAReed is an Intern Architect at PDT Architects in Portland, ME. She co-Chairs the USGBC Maine Chapters’ Green Schools Committee. She also serves as a member of the Obama for Maine Finance Committee and served as Presidential Elector representing Maine in 2008.

WHAT IS AN ARCHITECT?AND WHAT DO WE DO, ANYWAY?

In the simplest terms, we are licensed professionals who design buildings for clients. However, architects have the ability to anticipate and visualize the future, to see the social, environmental, and economic impacts of change and are especially suited to engage in political action. Architects are experts in planning, negotiating, and in bringing people together to craft a building program. We also excel at defining problems and generating unique solutions. This skill set of building consensus, advocating for a concept, and drafting solutions to complex problems makes us well suited for legislative advocacy. The realization that these skills make an effective architect is what drew me to the profession.

In politics, it is often difficult to see the fruits of your labor.

Even when an effective bill passes, it often takes many

years to be implemented. As architects, the buildings we

conceptualize go from idea to paper, from raw materials

to enclosed space, and from nothing to occupied by our

clients. The physicality resulting from the services we

provide is gratifying and undeniably real. It is no surprise

that many a politician, including our President and Vice

President, has stated that their dream job is to be an

architect.

IF POLITICIANS WISH TO BE ARCHITECTS, DO ARCHITECTS WISH TO BE POLITICIANS? As a political junkie, I am often asked if I intend to run for office. I do not harbor ambitions for political office. However, I do want to be involved in shaping legislation that affects the work that I do and improves my community. After all, I am (or aim to be) an expert in my field. Most politicians aren’t experts in design or the built environment. They rely on experts like us to identify problems that hamper economic progress or create unnecessary bureaucratic road blocks. Complaining about an issue doesn’t cut it, though. We must craft solutions to turn these challenges into opportunities. And that is where legislative advocacy becomes important within our profession.

HOW DO WE START? We start by identifying something that can be improved upon; something we all agree on and are passionate about. No one will get exactly what they want in the process, but progress should be made from the perspective of all involved. That is how change works. As architects, we know that a final building doesn’t embody all the components or ideas that were originally envisioned, but it works and the occupants are proud of the result. Step-by-step, inch-by-inch, progress is made.After a challenge is identified, a coalition must be developed in support of the initiative. This must come from within the profession, among allied groups, and among lawmakers key to the initiative’s passing. Develop a relationship with them before you need their support, because It’s too late to call your representative in a crisis. In certain instances you may be introducing legislation; in others, you may be urging them to support or vote

against a bill that you haven’t introduced.

THE ARCHITECTAND LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY

PLATFORM OF ADVOCACY

25YAF CONNECTION 11.05

Most politicians aren’t experts in design or the built environment. They rely on experts like us to identify problems that hamper economic progress or

create unnecessary bureaucratic road blocks.

HOW DOES ONE DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR LAWMAKER? Just as we would with a client. Call them, take them to lunch, schedule a meeting and always follow-up. In the process, find out what they are passionate about and how “what you do” is connected to their interests. Help find them answers to their questions and always be honest. The same goes for developing relationships with allied organizations. I am a member of my state’s AIA Chapter, but I am also a member of the USGBC and several other allied groups. We’re working to form a coalition for the built environment with representatives from these groups because we recognize that we care about many of the same issues. If we work together, we are able to tap into a larger member base and access more fiscal resources. One of the synergies is that the group has contracted with a lobbying firm to track legislation that may affect our shared interests.

As a coalition, we will determine if a piece of legislation is worth monitoring, or testifying for or against on a case-by-case basis. We will coordinate testimony among our members and, when needed, call upon our membership to contact their legislators to speak in favor or against bills. The majority of our work is staying up-to-date on what is going on in the state house and staying organized in case an issue we care deeply about is at stake.

The idea of testifying before a legislative committee sounds terrifying, but it is simple. We present short remarks to a small group of people on how an issue would affect a group of people and why that group cares about the issue. Facts and figures are helpful to use. It’s

painless and easy.

What is even simpler than preparing testimony before a committee is this fact: if we aren’t in the room we won’t get a say on key issues that impact our work. This is why legislative advocacy not only makes sense as citizens, but as experts representing the built environment.

As emerging professionals, we represent the future of our profession. The initiatives before us in state houses across the country, as well as in Congress, will have lasting impacts on our careers. That is why advocacy is critical within the profession and to our careers.

Engagement is critical because if we’re not at the table, our opinions will not be heard. ■

#aiachat #archcareers2 #yafcaradv2

aiachat#aiachat1,108 Twitter Followers

Repositioning and Career Advancement60 Minutes17 July, 2:00pm Eastern Time

@AIAYAF [Moderator] I’m Joe Benesh, the AIA YAF Public Relations Director. Today’s chat is the second in a series of 7 on Career Advancement. #yafcaradv2

@AIAYAF [Moderator] At the end of 2013, we will produce an electronic document with some of the highlights of these chats for distribution. #yafcaradv2

@AIAYAF [Moderator] This deliverable will serve as a supporting document for the YAF 20 strategic planning session conducted in 2012. #yafcaradv2

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q1 - Please identify the top three priorities for you, as a member of AIA and a member of the profession. #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni A1 - Increased Social Relevance, Knowledge & Resource Sharing, & Architects’ Leadership in Communities. #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@JRSorrenti A1 - Repositioning will not be effective unless NAAB gets involved. It is important to start the process early in our career. #yafcaradv2

@alison_j_d < young architect @payettepeople A1 - connections among generations/mentoring, supporting diversity, & agree w/@LFrabbroni #2 #yafcaradv2

@Architect1122 A1 - Increase Societal Awareness, Demonstration of the value of an Architect beyond the traditional design role, more Architects #yafcaradv2

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q2 - What “quick win” action or demonstrable change should the AIA take to signal real change to members? #yafcaradv2

@CIArchCouncil A2 - Greater direct impact on end users. Break “ivory tower” image. #yafcaradv2

@_rockhill @AIAYAF A2 - Encourage employee engagement through social media to bring a better connection between firm and employee. #yafcaradv2

@PivoArch #yafcaradv2 A2 - Taking back responsibility from the contractors and assuming more risk would be a great priority.

@alison_j_d @AIAYAF A2 - programs for YAs & EPs that connect them w/many professionals of all types directly & through social media #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni A2 - Harness technology to create more dynamic and user-friendly portals for dialogue and information sharing. #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@PivoArch @AIAYAF A2 - Technology can help, quality design/documentation. Architects need to earn respect back on the job site. #yafcaradv2

27YAF CONNECTION 11.05

LOOK FOR FUTURE TWITTER CHATS @AIAYAF

@Architect1122 A2 - Actively provide direct information on value of AIA Architects to decision makers -ex. govt officials, business leaders #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf @arch_girl A2 - AIA members outside of the large cities lack ability to network with others beyond the annual meeting. This needs to change. #yafcaradv2

@alison_j_ @AIAYAF A2 - been lucky to do this in person through leadership lunches @BSAAIA but twitter is useful to find new people to admire #yafcaradv2

@arch_girl @AIACenterforEPs @AIAYAF CEUs are motivation, what else motivates? Happy hour? Lunch meet & greet? Site visits? Mentor programs? #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni @AIAYAF @arch_girl Key is to utilize comprehensively and adapt. Tech is not slowing down. We’ll be using something new soon. #yafcaradv2

@AIAYAF [Moderator] 22 minutes in...let’s amp it up! Q3 - How will repositioning affect your career as an architect? #yafcaradv2

@_rockhill @AIAYAF A3 - Better stakeholder input will determine needs and required specializations driving business process needs planning. #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni A3 - Broaden umbrella of Archs involved in AIA - present new opps for collaboration and share most innovative practices #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@Architect1122 A3 - Demonstrates our active efforts to solve current problems to ourselves and the public, very timely I might say. #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q4 - Do you feel that Career Advancement is a key component of the Repositioning? #yafcaradv2

@alison_j_d @AIAYAF A4 - Yes! Help in navigating career advancement one of the reasons I’m even interested in participating in #aia #yafcaradv2

@_rockhill A4 - New tech is creating new business and a firm is more than a collection of just architects ... hybrid jobs are needed. ##yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni A4 - As long as career advancement focuses not just on individuals but on collective leadership in the profession and society. #yafcaradv2

@Architect1122 A4 - Yes, there are too many ways to “play Architect”, more real ones make good company #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

#aiachat #archcareers2 #yafcaradv2

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Which leads me to Q5 - Will the AIA engage emerging professionals more as a result of the repositioning? #yafcaradv2

@alison_j_d @AIAYAF A5 - I’m still trying to figure out what “repositioning” means, if that isn’t clear then how can EPs become more engaged? #yafcaradv2

@rkitekt A5 - I should hope so! The institute must reposition for many groups, but the EP without a doubt, is the key to the future. #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni A5 - Key is the local chapter. How does repositioning reinforce cultivation of tomorrow’s leaders, support small chapters #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@arch_girl A5 - As an emerging professional (1 ARE left!) I feel a greater need to connect in person or online. As a job seeker, it’s crucial #yafcaradv2

@alison_j_d Alison Duncan @AIAYAF A5 good point @LFabbroni connections & leadership @ local level are key greater relevance to everyone including EPs/YAs #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni @alison_j_d @AIAYAF Maybe discussion of perpetual repositioning needs to be included. World is changing faster by the day #yafcaradv2

@melissamorancy A5 - We can’t decide if AIA will engage more with EPs, but we as EPs can decide to engage more with @AIANational. #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni @AIAYAF Point being how do we plan for obsolescence of today’s solutions. If we recognize it will happen we become more nimble #yafcaradv2

@GregorySpon A5 - We can’t decide if AIA will engage more with EPs, but EP’s must start MENTORING UP and engaging leadership @AIANational. #yafcaradv2

@Architect1122 A5 - AIA will be emerging professionals, now or later. Is there something to wait for? #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@erinmurphyaia - I argue this point every day. MT @Architect1122 AIA will be emerging professionals, now or later. #yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q6 - Is there anything missing from the list of ten areas for reassessment? Anything that must be added to this list? #yafcaradv2

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q7 - What surprises or worries you the most about the recommendations and why? #yafcaradv2

29YAF CONNECTION 11.05

About the Moderator:Joseph R. Benesh, AIA, NCARB, CDT, LEED AP, is currently a Focus Market Leader and Project Manager for RDG Planning + Design in Des Moines, Iowa and is licensed in Illinois and Florida. He is currently President of the AIA Iowa Central Iowa Architects Council in addition to serving as the AIA YAF Public Relations Director. Joe received his Bachelor of Architecture from Iowa State University. @joebenesh

@LFabbroni A7 - Key is in the actions. We’ve been talking about all of these issues for the decade+ I’ve been involved w/AIA #hurry up #yafcaradv2

@Architect1122 A7 - Conversation about boards size / structure feels left out of the follow up interactions...#yafcaradv2 #aiayaf

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Q8 - What is the best advice you can offer the AIA on how to improve Career Advancement Strategies for EPs? #yafcaradv2

@_rockhill #yafcaradv2 A8 - Honestly? Offer better engagement practices with employers and give ample opportunities to demonstrate skills.

@alison_j_d A8 - @BSAAIA has great program-brings a small group of EPs to a new firm each month to discuss career advancement w/firm leaders #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni A8 - cultural shift valuing competency over tenure. Less about paying dues, more about ability to pay forward #yafcaradv2

@arch_girl I’m told the roadblock to networking in La Crosse, WI was competition: don’t want other firms to take our projects away #yafcaradv2

@arch_girl In Madison, WI there are some who show up to network & those people create an environment that inc. these opportunities & #’s #yafcaradv2

@LFabbroni @arch_girl Right, how do we increase knowledge sharing: successes AND failures, to lift the entire profession -more work for all #yafcaradv2

@_rockhill A8 - Content marketing of members’ skills. A social-media-based showcase costs literally nothing compared to print. #yafcaradv2

@Architect1122 A8 - An Architects mold may be shaped the same, its contents will be made of a more dynamic material. Material research time! #yafcaradv2

@AIAYAF [Moderator] Please feel free to keep the conversation going...our next chat is August 21 at 2pm Eastern. Details to follow. #yafcaradv2

DESIGN

Deepika Padam AIA, LEED APis a Principal at BLEND architecture in San Francisco CA, an award winning and versatile leader with a collaborative approach, global perspective, and cultural sensitivity. She has been been the editor-in-chief/communications advisor for the national AIA Young Architects Forum in 2011–12 and was most recently award the AIA 2013 Young Architects Award.

Homes are expressions of our individualities. The home emerges out of the ground wrapping around the space we need to lead a comfortable life. Comfort has a direct correlation with the climate. Following our individual expression, it is the climate that is the primary determinant of the home design and construction. Exploring the mid-century modern architecture, the AIA Committee on Design (COD) held its annual Spring Conference at Palm Springs, CA on May 9-12, 2013. The conference led us to many homes built between 1930s to current date in this desert climate. I was one of the two lucky winners of the COD Knowledge Scholarship, and was able to avail the opportunity of being a part of the tremendous conference through the generous support of couple donors.

Palm Springs is a unique city located off the major arteries of Los Angeles region, sitting on a detour between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The city was born and put on the map when celebrities travelling between LA and LV would leisure at Palm Springs having a good time away from the tourist traffic. The practice continues today. This pattern has led to many homes away from homes in Palm Springs. We toured many of the luxurious residences and other prominent projects during the COD conference. The architects of the projects we visited included Albert Frey, Palmer & Krisel, John Lautner, Donald Wexler, Stewart Williams, William Cody, Jim Jennings, Marmol & Radziner, O2 Architecture, Ana Escalante, and Frederick Fisher. We had the privilege of hearing from William Krisel, Jim Jennings and Fred Fisher, among others.

Responding to the local climate, each home we visited had a large private swimming pool, which seemed to be a checklist item for all construction in Palm Springs. Each project also made the best use of the surrounding views, so much so that one forgot the house while looking out. Of all the projects we saw, I was immediately taken by the Greenbaum House designed by Ana Escalante, completed in 2006. This is a residence where the boundary between the outdoor swimming pool and the large living room completely melts, a house where the individuality of the owner shines, and a house that begins to speak to the Palm Springs climate.

GREENBAUM HOUSE:

Owner Swimming as Seen from Living Room Photo: Deepika Padam

31YAF CONNECTION 11.05

“Each project also made the best use of the surrounding views, so much so that one forgot the house while looking out.”

The inspiration for the house came from the owner who loves to swim. The initial thought was to design something very environment appropriate, which slowly turned to be exhibitionist as well. The house expresses the individuality of the owner by bringing the outdoor swimming pool at your face as soon as you enter the house. The entrance of the Greenbaum House is sunken, approached by a sloping ramp from the street level culminating at a shaded outdoor vestibule. One enters the living room directly facing the swimming pool beyond the concrete wall with punched openings.

During our visit, once we absorbed the blue glow of the light coming from the pool filtering into the living area, we were surprised by the sudden appearance of the owner waving at us from the pool. We found ourselves drawn immediately to the glass wall separating the pool from the living room. Only after exploring the pool did we take in the rest of the space. The effect is mesmerizing to the first time visitor.

This house is about the pool, built around a pool, engulfing the pool, exhibiting the pool, with the owner almost living in the pool. But the pool was not just meant to be a pool during the design phase. It was imagined that because the pool will stay at 70 to 80 degrees temperature throughout the year and the windows between the pool and the living space are well insulated, it will help control the temperature within the house. But the owner jokes today that it is similar to being in a plane at 42,000 feet and mistakenly thinking that those plane windows also insulate. In reality, the Greenbaum house controls temperature well because it is part subterranean and insulated in the superstructure very well. The pool certainly helps keep it cool, yet is not the primary insulator. However, the pool remains the central attraction for everybody. When the owner holds parties at the house, everybody has a lot of fun with the pool and the picture windows, where everybody has taken a Facebook™ picture.

GREENBAUM HOUSE: COD 2013 Spring Conference Photo: Marco Garcia

DESIGN

There is more to this house than a beautiful 25m lap pool sunken in the ground. The house is located 500 feet above the valley floor in a gated community with dramatic views of the desert and the city below. “The developer of the community created the home site by leveling the existing natural mountain features. The project carves back into the site as well as hovers over it, in order to restore its original dramatic topographical features.” – Escalante Architects. Not only does the form of the house address the local terrain in this fashion, but it also takes advantage of the natural insulation offered by the ground due to being subterranean. Ample daylight is allowed into the interiors while controlling the heat gain through shutters, projections and canopies. The indoor spaces flow into the outdoor spaces with large glass expanses that open up into terraces. These terraces are used for entertaining guests during the milder temperatures in the evening.

The organization of the house functions is not atypical. The living room seating area steps down following the site terrain and opens up to the valley view beyond. The kitchen and dining area are in the opposite direction with a guest bedroom in the back. The second floor is perched above the swimming pool, crosses over and lands on the detached fitness room alcove on the other side of the pool. The upstairs consists of two separate bedroom suites. Flanked by the two bedroom suites is a small library / seating alcove that opens up to a large terrace fully equipped with barbeque appliances. When you walk out to the back at the mid-level, you are welcomed by the pools. The sunken lap pool provides the illusion of an infinity pool casting a blue glow over the second floor slab above. There is also a separate sauna building adjacent to the fitness room.

Deepika and Dorothy Taking a Break from the Palm Springs HeatPhoto:Steven K. Alspaugh

Greenbaum HousePhoto: Steven K. Alspaugh

33YAF CONNECTION 11.05

“The sunken lap pool provides the illusion of an infinity pool casting a blue glow over the second floor slab above.”

At about 4,300 SF, the Greenbaum House is a good size house built in steel frame construction. The owner shared with us that it took about a year and a half of construction time to build the house. The construction had to stop a few times because the engineers wanted to reinforce the living room/pool demising wall with redundancy. So they kept re-engineering it. It is designed to withstand an 8-point earthquake. The glass windows are composed of four layers of glass and four layers of mylar, making them a total of 4.5” thick pane windows. The utility bill, which in the Palm Springs desert could be up to $25,000 a year, is under $100 a month on average for the Greenbaum House with the integrated active and passive solar systems. Standing in the Living Room and pointing to the East wall with punched openings to the pool, the owner is confident that the pool helps insulate along the Eastern edge. He proudly swims every day.

When the house was built, the design team took as many eco-friendly measures as they could at the time. A small token of it is the tile in the pool, bathrooms, etc. made of recycled bottle glass. Using materials and finishes that speak of the desert, the house sets an example for responsible architecture at Palm Springs. It turns out, the house is currently for sale. As the owner spends much of his time in the Bay Area, he has decided to move. When asked what his next house will be like, he says with a smile that it will be smaller.

Second Floor Perched Above the Swimming PoolPhoto: Deepika Padam

Floor Plan: www.escalantearchitects.com

DESIGN

A majority of the work we visited during the COD conference was done in the 50s. The Greenbaum House is one of the few that is done by a contemporary architect. These custom homes not only express the owners’ individualities, but also the unique design approach to the climatic conditions of the desert and the styles prevalent during the time of construction. The Greenbaum House, although may seem to be a rather usual house with expected functional organization, orientation to views, and response to climate, gets away from the design approach of its Palm Springs predecessors. This is evident in the site manipulation to make it a 3-level residence in essence, and in the use of contemporary measures to environmental control and envelop design. However, the house fails to accomplish many shaded outdoor spaces that some of the older homes at Palm Springs so generously provide. Ultimately it is a functional modern home that could be located in another climate or locality very easily. However, having lived in a desert home for many years myself, the $100 energy bill on average seems quite a feat!

The Greenbaum House screams simplicity. It is a simple home that springs from a pool with living spaces suspended above the pool. The interior finishes and furnishings are modern and simple as well

along the language of the contemporary desert architecture. It is a place built to entertain with blurred indoor and outdoor boundaries. The house delivers the owner’s desire of focusing on the lap pool. This was the one house we visited during the entire conference where I finally removed my shoes and wet my feet.

Although Greenbaum House left a permanent imprint on my mind, the whole conference was an eye-opening experience for me. It broadened my perspective for the committee, and I was able to connect with professionals from various spectrums, levels, and backgrounds. COD is a great group to get involved with for emerging professionals and seasoned architects alike. The conference itself is an out-of-the-box experience with the majority of the time spent in visiting architecture instead of talking about it in a freezing conference hall. The work is carefully chosen along the theme for the year. I took the time to enjoy the conference and the great company during the three days, but also stayed in touch with the outer world through my tweets and images. I returned overjoyed, energized and inspired. ■

Staircase with Pool Level at Mid LandingPhoto: Deepika Padam

35YAF CONNECTION 11.05

Entrance to Greenbaum House Photo: Steven K. Alspaugh

DESIGN

Keegan D. Quickis Co-Founder of Asteriskos. Being the son of a general contractor/developer shaped Keegan’s affinity for architecture, construction, development, and fabrication. A graduate of Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Design: Architectural Studies and a minor in Urban Planning and Development and a M Arch from SCI-Arc.

Mikhail M. Gladchenkois Co-Founder of Asteriskos. Born in Russia to academic parents, he immigrated with his family to the U.S. when he was 14. Mikhail found an outlet for his language barrier by experimenting in the emerging 3D modeling and visual software industries. He is a graduate of the University of Buffalo with a Bachelor’s of Science and SCI-Arc with a M Arch.

EMERGING FIRM PROFILE

After an initial period of introductions between all parties, Mikhail Gladchenko and Keegan Quick, Co-Founders of Asteriskos, provided answers to the following questions asked by Jeff Pastva of YAF Connection.

JP: For starters, what was your role in the MOCA exhibit for Tom Wiscombe? How were you able to connect? And how much design influence were you able to exert?

KQ: Tom was a former professor of ours (at SCI-ARC) and we’ve had a lot of extended contact with him over the years. We first helped him as students with a piece called Cantilever, a large sculptural piece on permanent display at SCI-ARC. After that, we invited him to sit in as a jury member for a University of Arizona final review for a studio we were teaching. Around that time he approached us about fabricating his installation for the MOCA exhibit and the journey started there.Since Tom was very involved in the design, the large task was making it structurally feasible and bringing it in on budget. As designed, we thought that it was possible to build, but not with the money Tom had. It became our duty to figure out different materials and methods of construction to make it work. Since it was a very complex piece, we employed a digital fabrication process that enabled prototyping to test components and ideas one at a time. This allowed us to see our successes and failures at a small scale, before ramping up into full production. Along the way, we really branched out from the traditional architectural materials palette and explored such items as EPS foam, sandwich core composites, and fiberglass assemblies that are typically reserved for marine and/or aircraft applications. These materialscreate a structural surface and don’t rely on an internal structural frame, so weight can be significantly reduced for a more efficient form.

WiscombeMOCALos Angeles

ASTERISKOS

37YAF CONNECTION 11.05

We can plug in different variables into our algorithm – cost, materials, core strength – and

present a series of iterations to the client.

JP: Since the Tom Wiscombe project was a one-off scenario, can you talk about a typical project? What is your design process, how involved is the client and what does your role tend to be?

KQ: We have a very collaborative process and everything is based on prototyping to define the boundaries we want to push. The Yeasayer project was much more indicative of a typical project for us. We use what we call an Informed Design process to make decisions and that allows changes to happen intelligently. For example, we can plug in different variables into our algorithm – cost, materials, core strength – and present a series of iterations to the client. We are able to do this because we have written our own code and scripts to fit our needs and each one is part of the computational process.

MG: One thing that sets our process apart is that we aren’t limited to 1 software per application. A traditional architecture may work through a project in CAD throughout an entire project, but we jump from software to software, picking the best aspects of each. If we find that one doesn’t work well enough for our liking, we’ll write a script so it does.

KQ: Despite our efforts to script and customize our tools, we eventually have to export back to a format that integrates with our clients’ workflow. This has been another key part of our success.

DESIGN

JP: Can you explain a little bit more about how the Yeasayer project happened? How did you secure such a high profile commission at such an early stage?

KQ: This was a result of the power of a few connections. The director of visual production for the band, Casey Reas, reached out to the boutique NY design firm Aranda\Lasch. At the time, Christopher Lasch was teaching graduate studios at Arizona State University and University of California at Berkeley, where he had hired me to assistant teach.He knew that Mike and I were starting a digital fabrication studio and asked us to help with the production of a backdrop for Casey’s visuals.

MG: From the beginning this project had a lot of constraints; we had 4 weeks from conception to fabrication, it had to be rapidly deployable, it needed to be flat packed, it needed to be easy to reorder parts, it needed to be simultaneously a backdrop for Casey’s graphics and capture the kinetic energy of the stage/crowd. And if that wasn’t enough, we had to be very precise. 1/1000th of an inch precise. The precision was necessary because of the integration of a ‘living hinge’. The stage set would act very much like a tic-tac container; the lid needed to be able to open an infinite number of times without hitting a failure point and thus, it if were too thick or too thin, it wouldn’t work. We ended up using orthopedic and prosthetic grade polypropylene, which has a high modulus of elasticity.

KQ: We were able to overcome the constraints, but some of the results we were particularly proud of was our ability to coordinate replacement parts and creating a design that could be easily transported. This set was put up/taken down almost daily during the tour and had to travel via international shipping. Our ability to adapt had very real quantitative benefits to the tune of $14,000. That is what we were told we saved the group in shipping costs as they traveled across Europe and Asia. And since we devised a numbered panel system, so if and when a part broke,we could easily and efficiently send a replacement.

JP: It seems like the lines between architecture and design are increasingly blurred because of technological advancements. Do you see design as an extension of architecture or is this the beginning of another discipline?

KQ: We consider ourselves very multi-disciplinary by nature. We are both passionate about architecture, design, and digital fabrication. My background is in construction and Mike has considerable knowledge of 3D modeling and rendering from working in the gaming industry. Because we have such diversity between the two of us, we are able to offer new services and techniques borrowed from multiple disciplines. Since we fabricate as well as design, we can offer real time cost estimates tothe end client as well as consult with designers to implement front-end design changes that produce back end cost savings.

MG: We take great pride in our ability to streamline the design through construction process. With the two projects we just talked about, we were able to reduce the amount of material used, which reduces the amount of time it takes to fabricate and assembly it. All of this adds up to direct cost savings to the end client. We’ve actually gotten to the point that customization doesn’t equal more expensive and is actually preferred. By engineering each piece, we can find the most efficient way possible each and every time without intense human calculations.

JP: Thank you both for your time and we’re all looking forward to more of your work in the future. ■

EMERGING FIRM PROFILE

YeasayerConcert Stage

39YAF CONNECTION 11.05

Photos: Evan Emery

LEADERSHIP PROFILE

Illya Azaroff, AIAAzaroff is founder of +LAB architects in Brooklyn New York, an Associate Professor at New York City College of Technology (CUNY), serves on AIANYS board as New York Regional Director for YAF and is co-chair of DfRR Design for Risk and Reconstruction committee.

A PLATFORM OF PROMISEDISASTER RECOVERY, RESILIENCE AND REBUILDING

Illya Azaroff, AIA finds it necessary to empty his voicemail inbox at least once a day. He is as busy as an architect and an educator as he is sought after for his other his expertise: disaster recovery, resilience and rebuilding. An expertise that made him a natural source of leadership throughout the post-Hurricane Sandy recovery campaign; and made him an increasingly popular resource among government officials, fellow architects and engineers.

As the founder of +LAB architects in Brooklyn, Azaroff has built his practice on trans-disciplinary collaboration and new technologies. Experimentation and inquiry underpin his work; work that often includes prototyping disaster relief shelters and rapid response systems. In addition to his studio, Illya is on the faculty at New York City College of Technology (CUNY) where he enjoys the fact that he has one foot in practice and one in education.

Azaroff’s leadership is apparent in that he has served on the board of directors for AIA New York eight of the last ten years including three years on the executive committee. He also serves on various boards such as d3 architecture and is currently on the board of AIA New York State representing the YAF as New York’s Regional Director. His expertise has placed him in a unique position to contribute broadly to recovery efforts tapping into a many agencies and working groups. Illya is a consultant to RCPT- Regional Catastrophic Planning Team and the Housing Recovery Center in NYC. He is an instructor with NDTPC-National Disaster Training Preparedness Center educating fellow design professionals and stakeholders alike to be prepared for the next storm. And along with his teaching at CUNY he is part of RAMP-Resiliency Adaptation Mitigation and Planning program at Pratt Institute.

Prior to Sandy, Azaroff co-founded and is currently co-chair of the Design for Risk and Reconstruction Committee, a task force formed by the New York chapter of the AIA. The task force works with planning, engineering, housing, landscaping and other organizations involved with sustainable design on issues of building codes, the environment, transportation, infrastructure, urban planning and design, zoning, health facilities, waterfronts and other areas of concern.

“What got me interested in designing for resiliency is the combination of my degrees in geography and architecture, which gave me the opportunity to think about the relationship of earth science to the way we build and live,” says Azaroff, “Growing up in tornado-prone Nebraska helped me see the aftermath of this type of destruction.”

Recently, Azaroff was invited to speak on disaster resilience and rebuilding along with David Dixon FAIA and Lance Brown FAIA at the AIA National Convention in Denver, under the title ‘Design for Risk in the 21st Century’. “It’s great to be popular,” he says, “but it’s hard to make sure everyone’s getting the answers. I want people to be helped,” he says.

Azaroff is helping on the local, state and federal levels. On a recent trip to Washington, DC, Azaroff and other AIA leaders presented the Post-Sandy Initiative report to members of Congress and met with legislators to discuss disaster recovery and resilience. The visit inspired the formation of the AIA Post-Sandy Regional Working Group, an alliance of architects and allied professionals from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island, who share information and advice as their states recover from the same problems.

“When word got out that we were meeting to talk Sandy and a unified effort, leaders came forward and we are on a path to unprecedented knowledge sharing”. The Working group recently conducted a Long workshop in Newark NJ and is planning to reconvene later this year and again in the spring in other troubled areas.

“Mayors may want to build back affected areas the way they were before, but that’s not listening to or understanding the new paradigm,” he explains. “Their cities need to be redesigned. Resiliency requires rethinking how the power grid is distributed, how services are delivered, for example, and how to make it safe. The goal is to get businesses back in business and people back in their homes as soon as possible, in the safest way possible.”

In keeping with that need, Azaroff was asked to lead a task force to review the NYS 2100 Commission’s report, Recommendations to Improve the Strength and Resilience of the Empire State’s Infrastructure, and provide feedback to Governor Cuomo’s office. In New York City, he is part of a team that confers with the Mayor’s Office, City Council and Department of City Planning on damage assessment, identifying areas of continued risk and making recommendations about recovery, flood prevention and rebuilding.

41YAF CONNECTION 11.05

Azaroff acquired his experience working in Germany, Italy and Holland prior to coming to New York. That experience exposed him to many scales of design and building methodology that he relies on to this day. “Working in another country makes you a bit fearless given the innate difficulties in communication and differences in training. In the end it was a very formative experience that I would not trade for anything”.

His recent disaster recovery expertise stems from years of research and training sessions offered by the California Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Safety Assessment Program (SAP) for Rapid Damage assessment and as a certified Hurriplan Trainer by Hawaii’s National Disaster Preparedness Training Center (NDPTC).

Azaroff and his colleagues have been leading local workshops about recovery and resiliency, and more are planned. His calendar for the next few months is filling up. On October 10 he will be part of the TED x NYIT conference talking about Meta Resilience. At the OEM-Office of Emergency Management in Brooklyn, AIA members in partnership with AFH-Architecture for Humanity lead a damage assessment certification training course for architects on June 15, and on September 27 and 28, the Center for Architecture in Manhattan will host Hurriplan workshops for students and architects, teaching them how to better prepare for hurricanes, and make buildings and communities more resilient.

Says Azaroff, “As climate change, storms and manmade disasters increase in our region, we need to adapt to these new realities. My advice to my fellow New Yorkers is to stay informed. Education is the best resilience. Everyone should know what evacuation zone they are in, what evacuation routes and destinations are designated for them, and how each person can contribute to the future of the city. If I could recommend one thing to my fellow emerging professionals the imperative of our time is at hand, incorporating resilient building strategies and knowledge in your practice or personal skill set is necessary to address the needs of our communities for the foreseeable future.”

“I was fortunate to have excellent mentors along the way as I developed throughout my career, many of whom I rely on to this day. Those mentors showed me the value of practitioners who were involved in education and were committed to bring up the next generation of architects with a sense of social consciousness and professionalism. I try to practice that every day.

COFFEE WITH AN ARCHITECTarchitecture + angst

As written by Jody Brown and first published online at coffeewithanarchitect.com, February 19, 2013

ARCHITECTURE=

FORM + FUNCTIONFINANCING

ARCHITECTURE=

MY CONCEPT+

YOUR MONEY

ARCHITECTURE=

FLASH OF BRILLIANCE

+DOOR

SCHEDULES

ARCHITECTURE=

FLOOR+ WALLS+ ROOF

+ WINDOWS- BORING

MATH IS HARD( or at least heard to hear )

←note: you can’tdivide by zero

→probably should

have added a door

43

Jody Brown, AIA, LEED AP BD+CBrown is an Architect running his own firm (Jody Brown Architecture, pllc.) in Durham, NC. His work focuses on urban infill projects, mixed-use, urban design, and urban renewal. Over the last 18 years, he has built on his passion for planning and urban design, and has worked on enhancing, adding-to, re-using, renovating, and sometimes creating-from-scratch the places where people meet, learn, play, and become inspired. His work is grounded in the belief that Architecture can save cities.

When he’s not doing that, he can be found making fun of himself and his profession, and blogging about his ideals at – Coffee with an Architect. Or, you can find him sipping coffee with someone at a cafe near you, blathering on-and-on about Le Corbusier, while looking aloof and interesting at the same time somewhere over in the corner.

Jody Brown is just an Architect, standing in front of an ideology, asking it to love him.

YAF CONNECTION 11.05

CLIENT=

GOOD IDEA-

TINY BUDGET+

UNREASONABLE DEADLINE

ARCHITECT=

CREATIVE TYPE-

SLEEP

LESS = MORE{ +/- }

MY EGO>

IT SHOULD BE

←why yes!it is availablein a T-shirt!

CLICK HERE

→less than it

could be though

ARE YOU AN EMERGING VOICE? THEN BE HEARD!

YAFGET CONNECTED ADVANCE YOUR CAREER

CONNECTION welcomes the submission of ARTICLES, PROJECTS, PHOTOGRAPHY and other design content. Submitted materials are subject to editorial review and selected for publication in eMagazine format based on relevance to the theme of a particular issue. If you are interested in contributing, please contact the CONNECTION Editor-In-Chief Wyatt Frantom at wyatt.frantom@wf-ad.com

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YAF CONNECTION

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONSWe are currently soliciting articles for the NOVEMBER 2013 issue focused on the subject of O R I G I N S

ORIGINSP

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car

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Wya

tt Fr

anto

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Oge

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1991

2013

CELEBRATING 22 YEARS OF ADVANCING THE CAREERS OF YOUNG ARCHITECTS

The American Institute of Architects Young Architects Forum1735 New York Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20006

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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 THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

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 to develop the future leadership of the profession.

ORIGINS

Pho

to c

are

ofW

yatt

Fran

tom

by O

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nter

natio

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YAFGET CONNECTED ADVANCE YOUR CAREER

www.aia.org/yaf