Passing -- Gary Allen

Gary Allen, the architect behind Qualcomm Stadium and recipient of the AIA San Diego Lifetime Achievement Award, passed away early morning of March 19, 2014. At the moment, there is no service planned for Mr. Allen.

Read more about his work and life:

A New York native, Gary Allen’s father, mother, and uncle were practicing architects.  Before following in their footsteps, he was called to duty during the Korean Conflict.  Honorably discharged in 1955, Gary received his architectural degree from Pratt Institute in 1958, studying under Isamu Noguchi.  His career started as an intern in the New York City offices of Philip Johnson.

Having the ability to produce to Johnson’s satisfaction landed Gary, as Mr. Johnson’s right-hand-man, in meetings with architectural luminaries Eero Saarinen, Paul Rudolph, and Gordon Bunshaft. Gary was the Project Designer for the Sheldon Art Gallery (University of Nebraska), Project Architect for the Yale Science Campus, including the Yale Geology Building and the Kline Science Center, and involved with the Ballet Theater in Lincoln Center.

After 10 years with Philip Johnson’s office, Gary headed west to San Diego working as Vice President/Director of Design for Frank L. Hope and Associates. During his 12 years there, the firm grow from 25 to 150-person office, and Gary’s intuitive understanding for large-scale buildings became apparent. He was involved in complex projects, including academic architecture, campus master planning, hospitals, research laboratories, naval administration and laboratory buildings, and included numerous prestigious national and regional honor awards. Gary Allen is best known for is his work for the San Diego Multi-Purpose Stadium, better known as Qualcomm Stadium, for which the firm won the AIA National Honor Award in 1969.

Gary established his own firm in 1976, choosing to remain a small office. Gary preferred practicing as a “hands-on” principal, favoring his own time bent over the drafting board rather than delegating. Projects include the 170,000 sq. ft. corporate headquarters for Linkabit (now Qualcomm) and Cashman Field Sports Cultural and Convention Complex in Las Vegas, (100,000 sq. ft. convention facilities, 10,000 seat sports stadium). Gary’s residential work includes modern designs in Del Mar, Cardiff, La Jolla, and Point Loma.

Associated with the NewSchool of Architecture and Design, Gary served as professor from 1984-1986, and Dean until 1988. In December 2013, Mr. Allen was awarded the AIA San Diego Lifetime Achievement Award.

New Legislation: National Design Services Act

The AIA and the AIAS announce the introduction of the National Design Services Act (NDSA), which will give architecture students the same relief from crushing student loan debt, which is already granted young lawyers, doctors and others in return for community service. The bipartisan legislation, H.R. 4205, was introduced Tuesday. Please contact your congressman today to support the timely passage of this important legislation.

AIA San Diego Fellow receives Prestigious AIA California Council Distinguished Practice Award

2014 Council Awards by Shannon Calder.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Feb. 25, 2014) The practice of architecture can sometimes be about creating a legacy—either in portfolio or firm culture or contribution to society within other categories. The AIACC Council Awards Program celebrates these attributes with the Council Awards Program. This year’s recipients were announced at the Feb. 21 Board of Directors meeting in Sacramento.

Distinguished Practice Award:

Ione Stiegler, FAIA, of La Jolla, received this honor for her contribution to historic preservation. This award recognizes significant contributions and accomplishments toward a specific building type or practice area. This is a first in council history as one has never before received it for historic preservation. The review committee paid particular attention to her interesting integration or archeology with historic preservation, and thought it highly commendable how her work “indicates research not broadly held.”

For more information, contact Shannon Calder, at 916.642.1718, or scalder@aiacc.org.

Read the full article.

Urban Design Committee Featured In Radio Show

Urban Design Committee Chair, Dan Stewart joins this Sunday's "Community Connection," a 30 minute public service program that airs on the 7 Clear Channel radio stations in San Diego to discuss the Balboa Park Centennial celebration. The program is hosted by longtime San Diego News/Traffic Reporter Mark Zegan. Community Connection examines issues impacting the community and also profiles agencies and citizens working towards improving the lives of citizens.

Show topics have included homelessness, drug abuse, crime and profiles on local agencies including The San Diego Blood Bank, Mama’s Kitchen and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Podcasts of the program are available the Monday following broadcast at KOGO.com.

Day                 Time                            Station

Sunday             6:00am                        KHTS FM (Channel 933)

Sunday             6:30am                        KIOZ FM (Rock 105)

Sunday             7:00am                        KGB-FM 101.5

Sunday             7:00am                        KSSX-FM 95.7 (KISS)

Sunday              6:30pm                         KOGO-AM 600

Sunday             10:30pm                      KMYI-FM (Star 94.1)

Sunday             11:30pm                      KLSD–AM 1360 (XTRA Sports)

Contacts:

Host: Mark Zegan, markzegan@clearchannel.com

Producer: Mary Ayala, mayala@clearchannel.com

The show is recorded at the CC studios at 9660 Granite Ridge, SD Ca 92123 Suite 100

858.292.2000

McFarlane Architects Promotes Two AIA Members To Vice President

McFarlane Architects, Inc. (MA) is pleased to announce the promotions of William J. Rindone, AIA and Joanne Christy, AIA, LEED AP to Vice President.  Together they bring their expertise in project management, firm leadership, and excellence in design to McFarlane Architects and with this promotion will oversee the Firm’s projects and operations.

William J. Rindone, AIA graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Architecture. He is a licensed architect in the State of California and is certified with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.  With over 20 years of experience, he has worked on a variety of project sizes from small to high-rise projects and several building types including Biotech facilities, University housing, dining facilities, office buildings, and theaters.  His most recent project includes the design and construction of 195,000 square foot research and development facility for Dart NeuroScience. MA is pleased to promote William to Vice President and values his skills in project management, leadership, and experience resulting in client satisfaction.

Joanne Christy, AIA LEED AP graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Architecture and is certified with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.  In addition, to her registration in California, she is also a licensed architect in the states of Hawaii and Nevada.  She has completed over 2 million square feet of shell and tenant improvement with a broad range of project types including research and development offices and laboratories, higher education, and life science facilities.  MA is pleased to promote Joanne to Vice President and values her focus on design, project management style, and ability to collaborate with the client and design team to ensure project goals are achieved.

McFarlane Architects, Inc. (MA), San Diego, California based architectural firm, established in 2003 is a dynamic leader in the profession specializing in designing corporate offices, research and development, advanced technology, and manufacturing facilities for the public and private sectors. MA strives to provide superior customer service and innovative design solutions to meet the growth and facility needs of our clients.

How to Choose an Architect for Your Project Video

Licensed architects are specialists. Part of becoming one is to understand a multitude of details, products, and technologies within a specific field of design. This only happens with years of experience and continuing education. In order to find the right residential architect you've got to ask the right questions. Here are a few... Brought to you by CRAN, the custom residential architects network. A knowledge community of the American Institute of Architects.

Pacific Beach, Mission Beach: Redo model for the county?

Pacific Beach, Mission Beach: Redo model for the county?

Local architects paint future of less cars, more safety

By Roger Showley 5 P.M.FEB. 7, 2014Updated9:35 A.M.FEB. 10, 2014 (View the original UT-San Diego article here)

This rendering shows one idea for a pedestrian crossing over Interstate 5 from a trolley station into Pacific Beach. — AIA/SDAT

Local architects moved forward Friday with big thoughts about Pacific Beach and Mission Beach as a possible model for all San Diego neighborhoods.

The American Institute of Architects' local urban design committee mulled over ideas as simple as artistic crosswalks and roundabout intersections and as a ambitious as a major transit-oriented, mixed-use development around the coming trolley station at Interstate 5 and Balboa Avenue.

"This is an opportunity that has popped up immediately," said Dan Stewart, the committee chairman. "It would be nice if we take advantage of this."

Ideas included holding a spring workshop and fall symposium on innovative planning ideas, such as:

• Redesigning the acreage around the new trolley line that will connect UC San Diego with Old Town;
• Replacing unused parking spaces with wider sidewalks and green space; and,
• Beefing up activity at the Pacific Beach branch library park with more play equipment.

A roundabout is one idea for slowing traffic at busy intersections. Such an idea is being considered at the Grand/Garnet split off Interstate 5. — AIA/SDAT

Document

Pacific, Mission Beach design study

DOWNLOAD .PDF

The discussion grew out of a community workshop session last summer and a followup in December from a $10,000 sustainable design assessment team, sent by the national AIA, based in Washington, D.C., to look over the gritty details of living, working and visiting the beach areas.

The team in its analysis, to be followed up in the next few weeks by a formal set of recommendations, noticed that the two beach communities are too dependent on cars, spew too many green house gases into the air and need to think about an environmentally-oriented future.

Danielle Buttacavoli, who chairs the AIA's local Committee on the Environment, said the biggest threat -- sea level rise over the next generation -- does not yet figure into beach residents' and business owners' immediate priorities.

She called it a "hot potato" that the locals didn't want to face.

"The community would not be here in 20 years," she said, if global warming leads to higher sea levels that flood low-lying areas. "How do you say that? How do you approach that?"

[Buttacavoli emailed a note later to say she meant to say that Mission Beach may not be here by 2050 according to predictions by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.]

The intersection at Haines and Diamond streets would get new stop signs, crosswalk and student-inspired pavement mural under plans at Pacific Beach Middle School. — Google Maps Street View

Instead, short-term projects are in the works.

Ernest Remillard, principal of Pacific Beach Middle School where last summer's workshop was held, said an effort is under way to establish safe routes to local schools. By spring he hopes the city will install a set of stop signs and a new crosswalk, embellished by student-inspired murals in the pavement, at the intersection of Diamond and Haines streets, the main entrance to the 575-student school just west of Ingraham Street.

One example of a student mural idea at Pacific Beach Middle School. — Pacific Beach Middle School

Another example of an intersection mural at Pacific Beach Middle School. — Pacific Beach Middle School

"You'd be surprised how fast some of the people drive up and down Diamond there," he said.

Sara Berns, executive director of the Discover Pacific Beach business improvement district, said her group is installing specially designed bicycle racks and taking other steps to improve bike paths and signage.

"I think there's a lot of excitement," she said.

Stewart's committee saw the trolley station development possibilities as playing a key role in changing Pacific Beach and Mission Beach. They imagined beach goers riding the trolley to the Balboa and Morena Boulevard stations and taking shuttles to and from the beach.

Stewart added the idea of turning Fiesta Island into a sustainable parking lot from which beach goers could board water taxis across Mission Bay.

In attendance was Howard Blackson, a new member of the Civic Innovation Laboratory, a unit within the revived city Planning Department, which he said will be looking for ways to help the beaches and all other neighborhoods improve themselves through innovative planning and design.

San Diego Unified School District Oversight Committee Volunteer Sought

San Diego Unified School District Oversight Committee Volunteer Sought AIA is planning to nominate a representative to volunteer and serve on the Propositions S and Z Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee (ICOC).  Please notify Bastiaan Bouma AIA San Diego Executive Director (bbouma@aiasandiego.org)  if you are interested in submitting an application (AIA Board consent required).  

Download application here Prop S & Z Amended & Reinstated Bylaws

Nomination for Prop.S & Z Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee With the passage of Proposition S in November 2008 and Proposition Z in November 2012, voters authorized San Diego Unified School District to execute $4.9 billion of capital improvements.  To ensure accountability, and as required by state law, the Board of Education must appoint an Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee (ICOC).   In the interest of efficiency, the board decided to establish and form a consolidated ICOC for the Prop. S and Prop. Z bond program.

To that end, on February 12, 2013, the board adopted new bylaws setting out the rules for formation and governance of the new consolidated ICOC, which will replace the current Prop. S ICOC.  The Prop. S and Z ICOC is an advisory committee to the board that will have a total of 13 members.  To allow for staggering terms, some ICOC members will start with one-year terms; and some will start with two-year terms.  While all of the members will be formally appointed by the board at a publicly noticed meeting, 10 of the appointees will be nominated by stakeholder organizations.  Your organization has been selected to nominate a member to the new ICOC.

The ICOC is charged with the following duties: •         Informing the public concerning the San Diego Unified’ s expenditures of bond proceeds •         Providing oversight to ensure that bond proceeds are expended only for purposes permitted by state law, and that no bond proceeds are used for any teacher/administrative salaries or other school operating expenses •         Issuing an annual report which includes a statement regarding the district’s compliance with state law and a summary of the capital bond program’s activities for the year ICOC members are expected to volunteer sufficient time to perform the activities necessary to accomplish these duties.  All ICOC members are expected to attend monthly committee meetings; and chair, or join, at least one ICOC subcommittee.  The meetings are usually held at the Physical Plant Operations Center, 4860 Ruffner Street, San Diego (Kearny Mesa) on the third Thursday of every month from 4 to 6 p.m.  All ICOC members are also expected to attend ICOC events such as tours of bond-financed school construction sites.  In addition, ICOC members typically attend groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting ceremonies for bond-financed projects, and assist in preparation of the annual report.  Your organization, of course, is welcomed to add its own duties for its nominee.

The district would like the new ICOC to be established as soon as practicable, as Prop. S projects are in progress; and Prop. Z projects will be starting in the near future.  Accordingly, we would like your organization to nominate a representative to the ICOC no later than February 25, 2013.  Please follow the instructions on the attached form to submit the name of your organization’s nominee.

If you would like more information about the new ICOC, Prop S. or Prop. Z, please visit our district website at http://www.sandi.net/Facilities  or contact our office at 619-637-3516.

AIA San Diego Open House

Please join us for an informal open house at the Chapter offices to enjoy refreshments and meet your dedicated colleagues, the Chapter staff and other AIA members & corporate supporters. To RSVP: Please email Buu Huynh at bhuynh@aiasandiego.org.

2014 AIA San Diego Volunteer Leadership

Board Members

• Matthew Geaman, AIA President
• Michael Roush, AIA Vice-President
• Rich Nowicki, AIA Immediate Past President
• Dan Stewart, AIA Secretary/Treasurer
• Phil Bona, AIA Advocacy Commissioner
• Sue Skala, AIA Membership Commissioner
• Joe Lowe, AIA Practice Commissioner
• Doug Austin, FAIA Public Awareness Commissioner
• Kevin Bussett, Associate AIA Emerging Professionals Commissioner

Demystifying Fellowship Presentation

Please plan to join AIA San Diego's Fellows Committee in early March for a presentation on "Demystifying Fellowship" followed by a Q&A. Stop by to find out what you should be doing NOW in order to begin the submittal process for the current 2014/2015 cycle and/or to help obtain AIA Fellowship at some point in your career.

Learn more here.

Successful Tour of The Headquarters at Seaport District

The Historic Preservation Committee, chaired by David Marshall, AIA and Principal of Heritage Architecture and Planning, organized a members’ tour of the recently rehabilitated former San Diego Police Department headquarters building on the embarcadero (The Headquarters at Seaport District) on Tuesday February 4.  More than 20 AIA SD members were joined by representatives from Carrier Johnson and Terramar Properties for a 90-minute tour of the site and a detailed examination of the challenges faced during the 10-year, $40 million rehabilitation of the 100,000 square foot property, which contains a mix of retail and restaurant attractions.  The tour concluded with a wrap-up session hosted by the country’s newest Cheesecake Factory restaurant, an innovative and creative space carved out of the former police garage.    General Manager Sean Crane talked about the restaurant and the unique development process.  Tour participants were then treated to a fine sampling of some of the Cheesecake Factory’s fantastic appetizers and signature desserts.  Needless to say, the entire experience was a resounding success.  Don’t miss the chance to explore the Headquarters project yourself at 789 West Harbor Drive.

 

Preservation and Modernization Workshop

A portion of the proceeds will benefit La Jolla Library

$20 LJHS members/$30 non-members To register, click here or call 858-459-5335

AIASD At The Spring Home/Garden Show

Attention AIA Residential Members

The San Diego Chapter is again partnering with the local chapters of ASLA and ASID to produce and staff a booth at the Spring Home Garden Show at the Del Mar fairgrounds and we need your help!

The primary purpose of this combined effort is to expand public awareness of the role design professionals play in residential work and the value that we add to residential projects.  We’re also promoting the concept of a team approach to residential design projects.

We’ve been given 800 s.f. of booth space in a very prominent location and the show’s producer is providing great advertising exposure. The combined AIA/ASID/ASLA steering committee has been working for several months on the booth design and we believe we’ll have a very engaging display.

Show dates and times:

Friday        February 28^th:       11:00AM to 6:00PM  Saturday   March 1^st:              10:00AM to 6:00PM  Sunday      March 2^nd:             10:00AM to 5:00PM

Here’s how you can help! Staff the booth:  We’re looking for members to fill 3½ to 4-hour shifts in the booth – two members per shift.  You’ll be talking with the public about what architects do and how we can add value to their projects.   You will also have the opportunity to display some of your work in the booth and participate in private consultations.  The primary goal at this show is to promote the AIA and its residential members, but who knows, you may come away with some project leads.  Please contact Kent Prater, kent@praterarch.com if you want to sign up to staff the booth.

Private Consultations:  The public will have an opportunity to reserve a time slot for a personal, complimentary 30 minute consultation with one of our members.   This feature has been very well received at past shows and much appreciated by folks wanting to discuss the preliminary stages of their project with a professional without having to make a commitment.  These sessions will take place in our booth.

Please plan to spend some time with us during the show.  You’ll be helping promote architect involvement in residential work, meet colleagues from our allied organizations and have an opportunity to show off your work!

Community Planning Groups: Upcoming Board Elections

Community Planning Groups: Upcoming Board Elections

As part of AIA San Diego’s on-going efforts to engage our communities, we are asking our members to join their local planning group this year!

An important way that members can affect real influence in their own communities is to be involved with their Community Planning Group. Many of our communities are at important stages of updating their community plans. Now is a great time to work alongside your friends and neighbors and contribute your training and experience as design professionals.

Time is of the essence!

Elections occur in March and the CPG bi-laws require that candidates must have attended at least one regular meeting within the last 12 months in order to be eligible for election, meaning attendance at your February meeting is critical. Details regarding the locations and meeting times for the various groups around the City can be found at www.sandiego.gov/planning/community . This site has a lot of information about the status of the community plan updates for your community.

AIA San Diego: Building for Life

2014 UCSD Campus Tour Series

2014 UCSD Campus Tour Series. 10 HSW units available for complete tour series. San Diego's most important collection of contemporary buildings is found on and near the UCSD Campus.  Join the former Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Design and Construction & Campus Architect and AIA San Diego 2013 Patron of the Year, Boone Hellmann FAIA, for a unique series of mid-day, 90-minute walking tours that will explore the most important buildings in four campus "neighborhoods": Warren College (Mar 25) Revelle College (May 27) Muir College (July 29) North Campus (September 23)

The tours will include both interiors and exteriors and provide thorough insight into the planning and execution of the ambitious postwar campus development plan.

In addition, tour series participants will receive signed copies of "University of California, San Diego: The Campus Guide" & "San Diego Architecture: Downtown", both written by well-known San Diego architectural writer Dirk Sutro, as well as an invitation to an October workshop (date TBD) to explore goals and plans for the next 50 years of campus development with key UCSD staff.

Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of something special.

Full tour series: -Includes four tours -UCSD Campus Guide & the Downtown San Diego Guide  both by Dirk Sutro -Post-tour series workshop invitation in October $150 for AIA $175 for general public

Note: Capacity is limited.  If places remain following initial availability, individual tickets will be available for $40/tour for AIA members and $50 for the general public.

Stop the Jobs Tax Petition

Dear AIA Member, We need your help.  As you are aware, the San Diego City Council recently voted to increase the Workforce Housing Offset, better known as the Linkage Fee, which dramatically increases the fees for commercial projects.

While the American Institute of Architects supports affordable workforce housing, we believe the linkage fees are a short-sighted solution that does very little to solve San Diego’s housing crisis.  There are better and fairer ways to provide affordable housing solutions than specially taxing just one type of business.   The duty to address the issue of affordable housing falls to the entire community.

Please join us to sign the Stop the Jobs Tax petition: Tuesday January 21^st 12:00 to 6:00 pm (wine & cheese after 4:00 pm) AIA San Diego Offices 233 A Street, Suite 200 San Diego, CA 92101

Parking is available in the pay lot across A Street from the AIA offices.  Metered street parking is also available nearby.

This is the final opportunity to sign the petition!  Let’s find ways to provide large-scale and effective solutions to San DiegoCounty’s housing problems that embrace collective responsibility and creative thinking!

AIA San Diego: BUILDING for LIFE

PS For those who can’t make it Tuesday, the petitions are available at the locations indicated below.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

URGENT – LAST WEEK TO SIGN THE JOBS TAX PETITIONALL NAIOP MEMBERS: This is the final week to sign the jobs tax petition.  WE NEED 34,000 SIGNATURES AND YOUR SUPPORT IS CRITICAL!!! All registered voters who live in the City of San Diego are eligible.  Remind your colleagues, friends and neighbors that this is the last week to sign the petition.   The following NAIOP members have petition booklets at their offices: Turner Construction 9330 Scranton Road, #300, San Diego Johnson and Jennings General Contracting 6165 Greenwich Dr.  Suite 180, San Diego Voit Real Estate Services 4747 Executive Drive, Suite 800, San Diego Cassidy Turley4350 La Jolla Village Dr #500, San Diego CBRE 4365 Executive Drive, Suite 1600, San Diego Sheppard Mullin 501 West Broadway, #1900, San Diego JLL 4747 Executive Drive, Suite 300, San Diego Information previously provided is below.  If you have any questions please contact Craig Benedetto at craigb@calstrat.com or James Lawson at jlawson@calstrat.com. BACKGROUND On December 10, the San Diego City Council voted to increase the Workforce Housing Offset, also known as the Linkage Fee. This is a direct tax on job creation – a jobs tax – charged to ALL new commercial construction projects. Every commercial use, including non-profits, hospitals, restaurants, hotels and offices, are charged on a square foot basis. The City Council increased this tax by 350 to 750 percent, depending on the type of use.  To protect San Diego job creators and working families, a JOBS Coalition of small and large businesses has launched a referendum to STOP THE JOBS TAX. WHY WE NEED TO REPEAL THIS MASSIVE TAX INCREASE: It hurts the local economy, kills business expansion and jobs and drives businesses to other cities. The impact to an individual business could be thousands – if not millions – of dollars. It puts San Diego at a competitive disadvantage. San Diego is the ONLY city in the county that charges this tax. In addition, many cities San Diego competes with across the country for new jobs do not charge this tax. The jobs tax also is a “zombie tax” because it will continue to automatically increase year after year without any review or approval by elected officials. While its impact on jobs is devastating, it will not produce a significant number of new subsidized housing units. Best-case projections call for 100 new units a year; San Diego has 45,000 families waiting for subsidized housing.  It’s time to find real solutions.  The financial impact is shown below:

Classifieds: CONTEMPORARY FLAT FILES – DARK CHOCOLATE W/ STAINLESS STEEL

JWGAA is an art consultancy firm located in downtown La Jolla. We are currently in the process of leasing out our front office and need to sell a few of our flat file drawers. We have 4 contemporary 8-drawer flat file blocks available. They are all-wood construction, custom-built, with a dark chocolate wood finish and stainless steel handles.

Great for storing artwork and/or large-scale blue prints. As seen in the photos, they are gently used in amazing, like-new condition. Table top shown, however is not for sale.

Interior Drawer Size: 47 ¼”W x 37”D x 2”H. PRICE IS NEGOTIABLE.  Make us an offer we can’t refuse!

Please contact Pearl for additional info and/or to set up an appointment for viewing. Please text 858.254.4141 or email: pearlevargas@gmail.com.

Winning gateways: Bridge Balboa Park's canyon

Winning gateways: Bridge Balboa Park's canyon

Architects choose 3 ideas to link park's east, west sides

By Roger Showley 8:49 P.M.DEC. 11, 2013 Updated 7:57 A.M.DEC. 12, 2013

"Balboa Park Experience," by David Garcia, Mariano Ramirez and David Harrison of the NewSchool of Architecture and Design, proposes a pedestrian bridge on the Park Boulevard overpass of Interstate 5. — AIA San Diego

"Gateway of Connectivity," by Pauly De Bartolo and Craig Howard of De Bartolo +Rimanic Design Studio, won one of three top prizes for proposing a bridge across Florida Canyon.— AIA San Diego

"Park the Dump/Dump the Cars," by Wayne Holtan of Domus Studio, won of three top awards for a plan to bridge Florida Canyon and reclaim the Arizona Landfill on the east side of the park.— AIA San Diego

"Park Boulevard is not an Edge," by Neil Looney of N. Looney Architecture, was one of three first-place winners. He proposed a bridge across Florida Canyon leading to a new building complex, including possibly a new city hall.— AIA San Diego

Three ideas for bridging Balboa Park's east and west sides won top honors Wednesday in an architects' design competition for creating new gateways to San Diego's crown jewel.

"Collectively, they captured important goals for the park," the five-member jury said, "connecting the Central Mesa to the east side of the park and neighborhoods east of the park; addressing the Central Mesa parking needs; activating the former landfill; enhancing pedestrian access along the Prado axis; and helping fulfill the vision of the park's master plan."

The local chapter of the American Institute of Architects sponsored the Balboa Park Gate Competition in anticipation of the 2015 centennial of the park's Panama-California Exposition.

Winners received cash prizes. No funding for actually building any of the proposals has been raised. There were 44 entries, submitted by both registered architects and architectural students, and they are on display into the new year at the San Diego Museum of Art, where the results were announced at a reception.

"As conceptual ideas, they identified many exciting opportunities and offered a stimulating vision for the future," the jury said.

The three winners, tied for first place, were Pauly De Bartolo and Craig Howard of De Bartolo + Rimanic Design Studio; Wayne Holtan of Domus Studio; and Neil Looney of N. Looney Architecture. They all proposed building a bridge across Florida Canyon, extending the east-west axis of the Laurel Street, Cabrillo Bridge and El Prado.

Second place went to Tony Salamone, Jordan Anderson and Justin Freeman from the NewSchool of Architecture and Design for a fruit tree farm that would be planted at the park's northern entrance at Park Boulevard and Upas Street.

Special recognition went to five other entrants: Kevin Bussett and four colleagues at Di Donato Associates for architectural monuments and a covered pedestrian walkway; two ideas for streetcars and a tramway from Derek Emery, representing San Diego Historic Streetcars Inc., and Don J. McLaughlin of Place Architecture; David Garcia, heading another team from the NewSchool, for a pedestrian entryway at the south entrance to the park at Park Boulevard and Interstate 5; and Jonathan Chau and other team members for "Soaring Above," a network of towers.

A 10th award went to architect Jeff Taitano for "Reflections," a framework on the Park Boulevard bridge over I-5 that has strips of mylar the reflect the city skyline on one side and the park on the other. The award was based on voting by visitors to the art museum.

Jury members were landscape architect Laura Burnett; graphic designer Simon Andrews; local artist Matthieu Gregoire and architects Rob Quigley, designer of the new Central Library, and David Rice, director of architecture and planning at the San Diego Zoo.

Read original article here: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/dec/11/balboa-gateway-architects-bridge/

Donald J. Reeves, Santa Claus' Workshop Artist Died on Sept 20.

Donald J. Reeves, an Emeritus AIA member passed away on September 20, 2013 of a brain virus. During the holiday season, Reeves was known for sending out holiday cards depicting a blueprint of Santa's workshop. You can read an article on Mr. Reeves' career at the UT-San Diego. To learn more about the history of his Santa's workshop drawings, go here.

Gordon Carrier & Robin Carrier Featured in UT San Diego

AIA member, Gordon Carrier of Carrier Johnson + Culture, was recently featured in the UT-San Diego along with his wife Robin, an interior designer. HARMONY AT HOME by Roger Showley Architect and interior designer have learned to merge tastes at their house, which is on annual holiday tour in Point Loma

Architect Gordon Carrier, a principal at Carrier Johnson + Culture, and his interior designer wife, Robin Wilson, whose firm is co-located at Carrier’s downtown office, spend their days planning for others — from big skyscraper office towers to home remodels.

But when they doff their business duds and return to their historic Point Loma home off Catalina Boulevard, they become their own clients.

Does their advice for others apply to themselves?

You’ll see for yourself when they show off their 3,300-square-foot home on the annual All Souls Episcopal Church home tour Dec. 7, which includes four other homes on the Point.

Read the full article