UT San Diego: Architects honor best local projects

(Read original article here)

Architects honor best projects Awards come at a time of an improving development climate

By Roger Showley 10 P.M.OCT. 30, 2014

The San Dieguito Lagoon master plan won a special award for urban solutions. — Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects

Winding up San Diego's first "Archtoberfest" celebrating local architecture, the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects handed out 31 Design Awards Thursday, ranging from grand monumental landmarks like the new downtown Central Library to a modest infill lawyer's office.

Three outside jurors looked over 67 entries before bestowing five honor awards, five merit awards, three citations and 16 special category awards. The awards were announced at the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union at San Diego State University.

Two individual awards also were announced -- the young architect of the year, J. Antonio Garcia, and the patron of the year, JMI Realty, which oversaw the development of Petco Park and the ballpark district downtown.

Brian Dougherty , an architect with offices in Costa Mesa and Oakland and this year's president of the AIA California Council, said the jury focused on how projects adhered to the "program" or purpose dictated by the builder or owner.

(VIEW MAP OF AWARD WINNERS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY)

"I was very impressed with the quality of design," Dougherty said. "I loved the diversity of scale and types of projects, and overall I thought especially the sensitivity to sustainability and creating buildings appropriate to their site was very high."

The awards come at a time of slow but steady improvement in the development climate after several years in the doldrums following the financial meltdown of 2008.

"I think everybody's is getting busy again, which is great," Dougherty said. "I think there's a whole new wave of new, young architects coming on the scene that are very energized and exciting" -- including his daughter, who is a student at the NewSchool of Architecture and Design in downtown San Diego.

The other two jurors were Ted Hyman, a partner at ZGF Architects in Portland, ands Edward Lifson, architecture and culture writer and lecturer and director of the Pritzger Architecture Prize, the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for architecture.

UT San Diego: San Diego architects' best work

San Diego architects' best work

AIA Design Awards for 2014 go to monumental and small-scale projects

By Roger Showley10 P.M.OCT. 30, 2014

PIRCH Headquarters entry by Hollander Design Group/Photo by John Durant.

View slideshow of winners and original UT San Diego article here.

AIA Foundation, American Institute of Architects and Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture Launch Research Consortium on Design and Health

Request for Proposals Due October 15 For University-led Research 

Contact: John Schneidawind 202-626-7457 johnschneidawind@aia.org

For immediate release: Washington, D.C. – Sept. 16, 2014 – The AIA Foundation, along with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), today announced the establishment of the AIA Design & Health Research Consortium to help fund basic research into the growing influence design has on public health.

The consortium will be comprised of like-minded university teams consisting of experts in architecture and public health. AIA Foundation and its partners will work with consortium members to identify and develop opportunities for funded research, publication, and other resources in design and public health, with the idea that coordination and collaboration will benefit the consortium, its partners and the design and health professions.

The AIA Foundation has set a deadline of October 15, at 11:59 pm PDT for receiving qualification proposals from interested academic institutions. Selection of the schools will be made by late-November.

“In the last ten years, we have accepted that healthy places are sustainable places; that the optimal building of this century will be one that minimizes its ecological footprint while promoting human health and well-being,” said AIA Foundation Executive Director Sherry-Lea Bloodworth Botop. “This consortium will help lay the foundation for making this vision a reality.”

“Good design can improve our well-being, whether in our homes, schools, workplaces, or where we play,” said AIA CEO Robert Ivy, FAIA. “By careful consideration of the human condition and its surroundings, architectural design promotes well-being, mental health and performance.”

The launch of the consortium is the latest effort by the AIA Foundation and its partners to expand the growing body of research into the design and health nexus. In April, the AIA Foundation, AIA, and ACSA held a design and health-focused summit attended by more than 100 design and public health officials. In June, the AIA and McGraw-Hill Construction announced a ground-breaking survey on the attitudes of architects, public health officials and human resource professionals on whether design techniques can make a difference in improving the health of the American public.

The AIA has organized its design and health initiative around six evidence-based approaches that architects can influence through design practices and policies at the building and urban scale.  These six approaches—environmental quality, natural systems, physical activity, safety, sensory environments, and social connectedness—recognize that the physical environment creates health opportunities and facilitates positive health behaviors. The AIA’s Design & Health Leadership Group (DHLG) has convened a research working group to manage the review of qualifications submitted by member candidates. Following an open request for qualifications, the working group will recommend up to ten members working across these six research areas.

Over a three year period, the AIA Foundation and its partners will provide institutional support and capacity building for inaugural consortium members to promote collaboration through local and national partnerships; enable the sharing of knowledge through private listserv activity, conference calls, and face-to-face events; and provide a new portal on AIA.org for Members to share research activity. Whenever appropriate, the AIA Foundation and its partners will promote the activities of the consortium with potential funders.

The full Request for Qualifications, application form, and other resources are available here: http://www.aia.org/practicing/AIAB104553

About AIA Foundation The AIA Foundation preserves, honors and advances excellence in design for the benefit of the public.  As a nonprofit philanthropic extension of the American Institute of Architects, the AIA Foundation is the preeminent voice and advocate for architecture and design in America.  The AIA Foundation is dedicated to the belief that good design is good for all and plays an essential role in transforming lives and building a better world.

About The American Institute of Architects Founded in 1857, members of the American Institute of Architects consistently work to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through nearly 300 state and local chapters, the AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public wellbeing. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards. The AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders, and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit www.aia.org.

About the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture ACSA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, membership association founded in 1912 to advance the quality of architectural education. The school membership in ACSA has grown from 10 charter members to over 250 schools in several membership categories. These include full membership for all accredited programs in the United States and government-sanctioned schools in Canada, candidate membership for schools seeking accreditation, and affiliate membership for schools for two-year and international programs. Through these schools, over 5,000 architecture faculty are represented. In addition, over 500 supporting members composed of architecture firms, product associations and individuals add to the breadth of interest and support of ACSA goals.

AIACC: What Have We Done for You Lately - NEW IPD DEFINITION: NOW AVAILABLE

The American Institute of Architects, California Council, Releases Long-Awaited Update

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Jul. 22, 2014—What do you get when you combine a passionate group of design professionals, some clarification on the Integrated Project Delivery process, and an association who is motivated by both? “Integrated Project Delivery: An Updated Working Definition.”

This document, available for free on aiacc.org, is a long time coming. Initially developed in 2006, this handbook was still largely intact. But the Integrated Project Delivery Task Force recognized it could benefit by refreshing the definition and principles. The Task Force compiled a list of over 200 projects that use multi-party contracts to incentivize and reward their times in project execution, with likely hundreds or even thousands that use the principles of IPD to improve project outcomes. Thus, they began to draw some much needed lines in the sand. “We need a holistic approach to the entire delivery supply chain and stop throwing what we make over the proverbial fence,” said Zig Rubel, AIA, Definitions Committee chair. “IPD is the necessary bridge for our evolution in maturing the industry and this update defines the differentiation needed for clarity to get us there.”

READ MORE HERE

AIASD In The News: Mexico Beckons Architects

MEXICO BECKONS ARCHITECTS

Dozens on tour of landmark projects in Tijuana reminded of less red tape and cheaper costs below the border

By Roger Showley 5:08 A.M.AUG. 10, 2014 VIEW ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE

San Diego architects frustrated with endless regulations have an alternative — work in Mexico.

That was one of the goals of a recent daylong field trip south of the border by about 40 architects, engineers, developers and curious citizens.

Sponsored by the local chapters of the American Institute of Architects and Urban Land Institute, the tour took in five new Tijuana landmark developments, ranging from a cooking school to an addiction prevention center nearing completion. They met up with members of the Tijuana Architectural Association.

“I hope it will continue to grow,” said AIA San Diego President Matthew Geamen of the cross-border collaboration. “I know it will.”

The lure south is obvious.

The Tijuana-Rosarito region with about 2.5 million residents is still growing rapidly and could potentially overtake San Diego County, which is growing much slower, principally by births, not new residents.

Mexican rules and regulations for design and construction are much less restrictive than in the U.S.

One example that astounded the visitors was that a 700,000-square-foot Sanyo television assembly plant went up in seven months, from proposal to completion. It could take years for a San Diego development of that size to open its doors.

Finally, costs can be dramatically less than in the U.S. A cost of $70 per square foot in a commercial building in Tijuana might translate into $300 per square foot in the U.S., the architects agreed.

“It’s much easier,” said Jorge Gracia, 40, designer of the Culinary Art School. “There are rules, but they’re not that strict.”

But the lure northward for Mexican architects is just as strong. The salaries are higher, the transportation less hectic and the opportunities wide open. And employers welcome Mexican architects for one reason: Their experience tends to be broader and less dependent on particular building specialties.

“We are forced to be more versatile — we have to be able to adapt,” said Arturo Echánove, 50, who led the tour.

Echánove offered many examples of adaptation when dealing with Mexican projects.

The original roof of the Amber Museum for addiction-prevention education among youths was to consist of concrete panels. But waterproofing became an issue and Echánove stepped in and recommended a tensile fabric roof with a waterproof coating similar to that on the San Diego Convention Center’s Sail Pavilion.

But architects north and south face similar disappointments in the field. At the Center for Teaching of the Arts, budget overruns meant that air-conditioning systems had to be deleted. Dancers now have to perform in virtual hot boxes that cannot be kept cool from small natural-air intake ducts. The Tijuana mayor had left office, and his successor, with other priorities, apparently had no interest in making up the difference. “The administration ended and there was no way to add to (the budget),” Echánove said.

A green wall of vines and other vegetation also succumbed to money woes and treelike limbs were pasted to the green-painted wall instead.

Still, the projects on the tour offered some commendable design approaches.

The Autism Treatment Center, which won a Design Award from AIA San Diego last year, was carefully arranged to handle different stages of the disorder. One example was raising a railing from 40 to 52 inches and incorporating cleverly frosted glass panels instead of a solid wall. The idea was to let kids look through the panels and dissuade them from climbing over the 52-inch railing and falling to the floor below.

The Culinary Art School incorporates a basement wine cellar and tasting room set in a gravel-filled flooring — adding a unique sensory experience to the pleasures of palate.

San Diego public-school music education has suffered in recent years, but in Tijuana, the Center for Musical Arts was built to introduce hundreds of kids to instrument playing on a regular basis. The courtyard doubles as a performance space and a recording studio is being installed.

For all the innovations and modern design beckoning the talents of Mexican and American architects, many Mexican architects have set up practices or joined firms in San Diego.

Ivan Zepeda, 29, earned his architectural degree in 2008 in Guadalajara, but today works for The Brown Studio, headed by Lindsay and Rory Brown.

“Codes are pretty stringent in the U.S.,” he said. “I wish they were a little more (in Mexico).”

roger.showley@utsandiego.com (619) 293-1286 Twitter: rogershowley

Urban Design Committee: Summer 2014 Report

Download the report as a pdf here.

2015 AIA San Diego - SLATE OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENT 2015 AIA San Diego SLATE OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

OFFICERS

President* Michael Roush, AIA

Vice-President/Pres-Elect Dan Stewart, AIA

Secretary/Treasurer Richard Nowicki, AIA

COMMISSIONERS

Advocacy Philip Bona, AIA (2^nd year of term)

Membership Sue Skala, AIA

Practice Katherine Lord, AIA

Public Awareness Douglas Austin, FAIA (2^nd year of term)

Emerging Professionals Kevin Bussett, Assoc AIA

AIACC DIRECTORS**

President Michael Roush, AIA

President-Elect Dan Stewart, AIA

Immediate Past President Matthew Geaman, AIA

*          Automatically succeeds from president-elect position.  Not put to the membership for a vote.

**     The chapter’s three AIACC directors, per our chapter bylaws, are the president, president-elect, and immediate past president.  In effect, they are ex-officio positions.

TIMELINE:

May 30        President and President-Elect determine composition of Nominating Committee.

Jul 21        Nominations due from Committee.

Jul 24        Nominating Committee requests the AIASD Board approve the proposed slate at July 24 Board of Directors meeting.

Jul 24        AIASD Board-approved slate mailed to members 60 days before election.

Aug 19        Deadline for additional nominations from the members. (Requires five letters/nominations from members in good standing as well as an electronic profile to be distributed to the membership).

Aug 23        If no additional nominations received, Board Secretary can cast one ballot on behalf of all members for any/all uncontested seats.

Sep 3        Distribute ballots and post electronic profiles. (Only when additional nominations occur.)

Sep 16        Deadline for votes to arrive (if a mail ballot has been sent).

Sep 23        Annual Meeting/Election if Needed; votes tabulated and President declares elections.

Overview of the Nominating/Election Process for the 2015 Board of Directors

BYLAWS SECTION 4.3

(4.31)       Nominations.  [Committee’s] slate shall be approved by the Board of Directors and published in the Chapter newsletter at least 60 days prior to the election.  Noticed in this same publication will be the qualifications for each officer/director position and a time schedule and procedure that would allow more names to be added to the slate by the general membership. All Institute assigned members, in good standing, may be added to the Nominating Committee’s slate by producing letters from five (5) Institute assigned members (in good standing) nominating him/her for a specific officer or director position. Additional nominations are to be received by the Chapter no later than 25 days after the mailing of the Chapter’s newsletter announcing the Nominating Committee’s slate. Profiles of all qualified candidates shall be published in the Chapter’s newsletter and mailed to the membership 20 days prior to the election.

(4.32)       Voting; When Required.  If there is only one nominee for any office or directorship, 20 days before the election, the Secretary may cast a ballot for the full number of votes of the membership for the said nominee, whereupon the President shall declare the candidate(s) elected by acclamation. Otherwise, each contested office and directorship shall be placed on ballots for the voting thereof. Such voting shall be by ballot in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws.

Julia Morgan, FAIA, Posthumously Awarded AIA Gold Medal

Architects, authors, and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein celebrate the enduring legacy of Julia Morgan, FAIA, the first great American female architect. Morgan was posthumously awarded the 2014 AIA Gold Medal at AIA Convention 2014 in Chicago, where Morgan's grandniece, Ellen North and her daughter Lauren Woodland, accepted the award, followed by remarks from Beverly Willis, FAIA.

Legislative Update: June 2014

State Budget is Kind to Court Facilities Program For the first time in several years the Administrative Office of the Court’s ambitious $5 Billion court construction and modernization program has not been harmed by the State Budget. The past several budgets, when the state was facing significant and painful budget revenue deficits, the Legislature and Governor took or borrowed nearly $2 Billion from the court construction and modernization program, causing the cancellation of some projects and delays in several others. This year’s budget did not take any additional funds, actually returned some the funds previously taken, and appropriated new funds into the program. The budget returned $130 Million borrowed in prior years and appropriated $40 Million in new money. Over $200 Million is expected to be returned over the next two budget cycles. Most of the money taken, however, is gone and expected to never be returned.

Read full article here

Architecture & Design Day Trip

Join AIA San Diego, the Urban Land Institute San Diego-Tijuana and Tijuana Architects Association for an exciting and informative day-trip exploring the sophisticated, compelling places and spaces of Tijuana illuminating Mexico's continuing transition to a vibrant and successful economy and culture.

Participants will visit the AIA San Diego 2013 Design Award winning Tijuana Autism Clinic as well as the city's impressive Art Center, Children's Museum, Musical Arts Center and Culinary School.

The tour will begin Saturday morning, July 12 at 9:00 am, just over the Mexican side of the San Ysidro border-crossing and conclude at about 5:00 pm the same day.

Throughout the program, the group will be accompanied by a representative of the Tijuana Architects Association & the AIA San Diego as well as a qualified English/Spanish speaking interpreter/guide. The journey will be coordinated with local officials to ensure smooth and secure operation.

Participants must have a valid U.S. or other passport (exceeding 6 months from expiration at the time of re-entry to the U.S.) and are responsible for ensuring they are eligible to enter Mexico as tourists/visitors and to return to the United States.

Cost: $50

Working with City of San Diego Development Services Department

On May 15, 2014 the Director of the City of San Diego’s Development Services Department and his team provided to nearly 30 AIA-members a 2 ½-hour, in-depth review of DSD policies and procedures with a particular focus on how to facilitate working with the department and its plan reviewers, as well as other issues pertaining to field inspections and technology changes.

A veteran “Plan Consultant” was also on-hand to discuss the pragmatic, day-to-day issues that, when identified and managed, can greatly ease the review process and speed approvals.  Attendees were offered ample opportunity to present specific questions and concerns to the DSD executive team on-hand, who responded with candid and practical advice on how to mitigate challenges and speed the process of review and approval.

We hope to organize another workshop with Development Services for AIA members in fall 2014 for those unable to attend.

First Ever Large Firm Roundtable

AIA San Diego hosted its first “large firm roundtable” on May 8, 2014 aimed at gaining a better understanding of the priorities and concerns of the region’s largest architecture firms and how the Chapter might shape its programs and activities to better serve this important cohort.

The principals of the 20 largest firms gathered with the Executive Committee of AIA SD Board of Directors Executive Committee for a 90 minute workshop followed by a networking event attended by the full-board and other key local contacts at Co-Merge in downtown San Diego.

An important outcome of the program was the expression by attendees that our largest member-firms can also lever their networks and resources to assist the Chapter better serve the full membership, including emerging professionals and medium/small design practices.

2013 Design Awards Unbuilt entry may come to life

2013 AIA San Diego Design Awards Unbuilt winner - Coronado Bridge Tube by domusstudio architecture was recently featured in the UT-San Diego. After many years of putting the dream on the backburners, Lew Dominy's vision is being supported by San Diego County Supervisor Greg Cox. Read the full article here: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may/19/bridge-bike-pedestrian-study/

How to Choose an Architect for Your Project

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.

DeForest Architects -- Wenatchee Cabin DeForest Architects -- Wenatchee Cabin Eck MacNeely Architects -- Block Island House Hutker Architects -- Kings Shade Estes/Twombly Architects - Field House Eck MacNeely Architects -- Block Island House

Written by David Andreozzi and John Isch. Produced, edited and narrated by Doug Patt.

CEOs To Launch “Alliance for a Resilient Tomorrow"

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) will be among 20 organizations taking part in an unprecedented announcement that commits designers, builders, operators and managers of the built environment to promoting resilience in a unified way. The event will feature panel discussions with several of the 20 organizations’ CEOs who will explore how this industry and its members can make the nation's infrastructure and environment safer and more secure.

What: Press Conference/Announcement

Where: National Building Museum, 401 F St NW, Washington, DC 20001

When: 10 a.m., May 13, 2014

Participants:

Randy Fiser, Executive Vice President, American Society of Interior Designers Henry Green, President/CEO, National Institute of Building Sciences Jason Hartke, Senior Vice President, U.S. Green Building Council Robert Ivy, FAIA, CEO, the American Institute of Architects Jim Kendzel, Executive Director/CEO, American Society of Plumbing Engineers Tom Phoenix, President-Elect, ASHRAE Chase Rynd, Hon. ASLA. Executive Director, National Building Museum Michael Gardner, EVP, International Code Council Nancy Somerville, Hon. ASLA, American Society of Landscape Architects

See original press release here.

AIA Architect Featured in SDBJ Sustainable Homes Article

AIA member, and 2013 AIA San Diego Design Award recipient, Heather Johnston, is featured in the April 28, 2014 San Diego Business Journal issue for her award-winning residential project "Casabrava."

Read more about the sustainable homes article here:  http://www.cbjonline.com/a3sdbj/resources/supplements/PDF/20140428_SSD.pdf.

Engineering Firm Continues to Promote From Within To Sustain Core Business Values

Burkett & Wong Engineers has always had a philosophy of promoting from within. Since its inception, the firm has embraced meaningful mentoring, assessment over time and specific training to ensure that all key personnel are able to provide services that exceed the expectations of everyone that works with the firm. From the President to Associates, the firm’s dedication to this philosophy is evident with the promotions of several key staff members over the past few years. Recently, the Board of Directors named Thomas Newsom as its third President. Mr. Newsom has been with Burkett & Wong Engineers since 2001 and is a licensed Civil Engineer in California, Nevada and Arizona. He comes from a Geotechnical Engineering background with extensive experience associated with the development and construction of residential, commercial and infrastructure projects. Mr. Newsom is also a Registered Geologist, Civil Engineer and Certified Engineering Geologist in California. In addition to the responsibilities associated with running a 40 person firm, he provides consulting services for the resolution of construction defect cases in California, Nevada and Arizona. He was promoted to Principal Associate in 2005 and Principal in 2007. Prior to working at Burkett & Wong Engineers, Mr. Newsom was a Principal at Lejman Geotechnical, Inc. in Laguna Hills, CA.

He succeeds Timothy Yeun who served as President for over 13 years, who succeeded Bob Burkett, the founding President.

In addition, Burkett & Wong Engineers has named two new Principals, Charlie Colvin and Casey Lynch. Charlie Colvin is a licensed Structural Engineer in multiple states, including California, and has been with the firm for over ten years. His project management experience covers a wide variety of assignments ranging from education and military structures, to hotels and corporate centers. He coordinates projects for several large institutions and Fortune 500 companies on an as-needed basis for the structural engineering design of new construction, retrofit, and repair needs. His most notable projects include an award-winning remodel of Ferring Pharmaceuticals in San Diego, CA and ongoing projects with Grand Pacific Resorts, which he began when he first joined the firm. Since then, Mr. Colvin has provided project management support on over 12 buildings for Grand Pacific Resorts.

Mr. Lynch joined Burkett & Wong Engineers in 2007 as a Land Surveyor and quickly began his ascent to become the firm’s first Principal Land Surveyor. He was the 2010 President of the California Land Surveyors Association, San Diego Chapter and the founding member of the Land Surveyors Advisory Council on Technical Standards. Mr. Lynch also serves as an instructor for the Land Surveyor Review Session, teaching the Subdivision Map Act and Land Surveyors Act to Professional Land Surveyor candidates. In the office his responsibilities include directing, planning, reviewing, and approving projects for the land surveying department as well as providing strategic oversight for the Civil Engineering Department. His experience encompasses residential developments, military, healthcare, civic, and commercial projects. He has worked on several prominent projects such as the New Central Library for the City of San Diego, Miramar National Cemetery, and UCSD’s Jacobs Medical Center.

From Burkett & Wong Engineers’ Civil Engineering Department, Tom Eagling and Carl Fiorica have been promoted to Principal Associate, along with Jeff Densley in the Structural Engineering Department. Mr. Eagling joined Burkett & Wong Engineers in 2009 and has been responsible for the civil engineering design and project management for dozens of projects including the firm’s largest project, UCSD’s Jacobs Medical Center. Mr. Fiorica also worked on the Jacobs Medical Center providing design and BIM expertise. He started with the firm over three years ago and has since worked on over 20 projects as a project manager. Mr. Densley started with Burkett & Wong Engineers over five years ago and has over ten years of Structural Engineering experience, including his involvement on over 50 projects for Burkett & Wong Engineers. He holds a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree from UCSD’s Structural Engineering program, graduating Magna Cum Laude both times.

At the Associate level, the firm has promoted Mike Wagner and Hansol An. Mike Wagner, a licensed Professional Engineer, has been with the firm for over four years. He is currently the project manager for the modernization of Pershing Middle School in San Diego, CA and is overseeing the completion of Los Angeles Southwest College School of Career and Technical Education. Mr. An was brought on seven years ago as the Director of Marketing. Today he oversees the day-to-day operations of the Administrative Department as well as business development and marketing activities.

“Our company’s success ultimately relies on our employees’ abilities to perform at a high level and provide our clients with the technical ability and service they have come to expect. At Burkett & Wong Engineers, we believe that promoting from within ensures that the right people are placed into the right situations to succeed. It also allows us to maintain our high standards of excellence for our clients and the community we serve,” said Mr. Newsom.

Burkett & Wong Engineers is a consulting design firm located in San Diego. Founded in 1971, the firm provides structural and civil engineering design services, land surveying, land planning, expert witness consultation and project administration. More than 11,000 projects have been completed for the public and private sectors throughout the Southwestern United States and beyond.  

Architects Laud Introduction of Bipartisan National Design Services Act As Way to Cut Spiraling Student Loan Debt

AIA and AIAS Commit to Making Bill Reality; Enlist Help of Architecture Student Community Nationwide

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) today committed to timely passage of the National Design Services Act (NDSA), which will give architecture students the same relief from crushing student loan debt, already granted to young lawyers, doctors and others – in return for community service. The bipartisan legislation, H.R. 4205, was introduced Tuesday by Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) and co-sponsored by Rep. Greg Meeks (D-NY), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) and Rep. Dennis Ross (R-FL)

“Millions of young people aspire to help their communities build a better future – but a lack of opportunity and the crushing cost of education hold them back,” said AIA CEO Robert Ivy, FAIA. “As a result, the design and construction industry faces a severe shortage of talent at exactly the moment America needs to rebuild for the future.

“We commend Congressman Perlmutter for recognizing this issue, for introducing the NDSA and for enlisting his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to work for its ultimate passage,” Ivy said. “I promise that they will have the full resources of the AIA as well as the architecture student community behind them when more than 600 AIA members convene in Washington, D.C. next week as part of the AIA’s annual grassroots conference.”

"The National Design Services Act will help promote sustainable economic development and jobs by ensuring aspiring architects are able to gain valuable experience while giving back to their communities designing public projects such as schools, health clinics, housing facilities and libraries,” said Rep. Perlmutter. “In return, the bill will alleviate some of the barriers new students face as they pursue their dreams in architecture."

“There is no shortage of enthusiasm in our membership for passing this bill,” said Joshua Caulfield, Chief Executive Officer of AIAS. “And we intend to leverage that enthusiasm to the hilt as we go forward and call on our members of Congress.”

Student debt is one of the most critical issues facing the economy – not to mention the next generation of design professionals. Roughly 40 million Americans owe $1.2 trillion in student-loan debt, an amount that surpasses every other type of household debt except mortgage debt. Architecture student graduates come out of school with approximately $40,000 in student loan debt, ranking architecture as one of the disciplines with the highest loan balances in the country.

The NDSA eases this burden by providing loan assistance to architecture students and recent graduates who contribute their design services to underserved areas. The bill would authorize the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to create a program allowing architecture students to work with Community Design Centers in exchange for assistance with their student loans.

As a result, communities will receive a broad range of architecture services that may not have otherwise been available, and architecture graduates will be induced to stay in the profession.

At a recent meeting of AIAS Milwaukee-Wisconsin where AIA National staff discussed the proposal, architecture students immediately began organizing a phone bank for students to call their members of Congress to urge them to support the bill.

Indeed, enthusiasm for such legislation knows no bounds on the campuses of architecture schools and elsewhere among the emerging professionals community. One young architect, Evan Litvin of Philadelphia, has launched an online petition that enlists the support of architects nationwide for speedy passage of the NDSA. The link to that petition can be found here: http://www.change.org/petitions/members-of-congress-support-the-national-design-services-act-ndsa?utm_source=supporter_message&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=supporter_message.

For more information on the NDSA and how you can become involved, please visit this link on AIA.org:

http://www.aia.org/advocacy/federal/AIAB099522

Contact: John Schneidawind 202-626-7457 johnschneidawind@aia.org http://twitter.com/AIA_Media

AIA Unveils New Leading Indicator in Construction Research White Paper

Fluctuations in volume of design contracts can predict changes in billings By measuring the movement of design contracts in the monthly Architecture Billings Index (ABI), the American Institute of Architects (AIA) is now able to trace the path of resources into the design and construction industry from the earliest conceptualization until it results in finished projects. This new indicator is being spotlighted in an AIA economic research white paper, Designing the Construction Future.

“We have been tracking new project inquiries – bids, general solicitations, interview invitations – which tend to be rather subjective, so we began looking for a more precise way of estimating future levels of billings activity at architecture firms,” said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA. “We determined that the most accurate predictor of future design workloads is the monthly change in the volume of new design contracts.”

Design contracts are the agreements between the client and architecture firm on the scope of, and compensation for, new design projects. Similar to how construction contract awards act as a leading indicator of future construction spending, design contracts are expected to provide a comparable glimpse of future billings and design activity. Trends in the dollar volume of design contracts end up filling an important gap between trends in project inquiries and actual design billings.

The AIA began collecting data on design contracts in October 2010 and with over three years of data there is enough information to seasonally adjust the index. Preliminary analysis suggests that a change in firm billings follows a change in design contacts by approximately six months.

Contact: Scott Frank 202-626-7467 sfrank@aia.org http://twitter.com/AIA_Media

The Miller Hull Partnership Announces Death of Co-Founder, Robert Hull FAIA

Seattle, Wash. April 8, 2014 It is with great sadness that The Miller Hull Partnership today announces the recent passing of beloved colleague and founding partner, Robert Hull FAIA, from complications related to a stroke suffered while on sabbatical in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Always generous and gracious with his knowledge and time, throughout the years Bob was an inspiration, mentor and role model to numerous design staff at Miller Hull, the architectural community, and students. Those who have benefited from the power and beauty of his inspirational work are legion.

A family funeral service will be held in Cape Town, South Africa on Sunday, April 13, 2014. Details of a Seattle celebration of Robert Hull’s life will be announced when confirmed.

Formal Announcement (PDF, 361Kb)