AIASD Member News: Harley Ellis Devereaux acquires Northern California-based architecture firm Deems Lewis McKinley

View original post from HED here.

Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED) is pleased to announce that Deems Lewis McKinley (DLM) has merged with HED.

A recognized leader in K-12 Schools design, DLM brings over 55 years of experience in the design of educational facilities across California.  With offices in Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco, DLM further diversifies HED’s 380-person design expertise and expands the firm geographically.

From Northern to Southern California and beyond, DLM’s designs have advanced the world of hundreds of local communities since 1959.  DLM's notable projects across California include a masterplan and complete campus replacement of the CHPS Demonstration De Anza High School in Richmond; a new Performing Arts Center for Palo Alto High School; a complete campus replacement, including a sustainability plan for Edna Maguire Elementary School in Mill Valley; a new Student Center for Monta Vista High School in Sunnyvale; and a complete design of the new 44,000-square-foot Susan B. Anthony School in Daly City that resembles a modern version of an "old red brick schoolhouse."

“The combination of DLM’s experience and reputation in the Bay Area and Sacramento and HED’s extensive K-12 Schools portfolio will provide our clients with an even broader range of services, thought leadership and design excellence,” says J. Peter Devereaux, Chief Executive Officer of HED.

“We are looking forward to merging the talents of our two teams and are excited to be part of a very talented studio with deep resources,” says Wallace B. (Wally) Gordon, President and Chief Executive Officer of DLM.

DLM staff in San Francisco will relocate to HED’s San Francisco Office in February.  DLM’s Sacramento staff will remain in their current office space.

About Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED) HED advances your world. Founded in 1908, we are focused on delivering creative solutions for complex design challenges to clients around the nation and world.  As a fully integrated practice, we build on what we know — asking and resolving questions with imagination and foresight; sharing ideas and knowledge; and engaging in resourceful collaborations.  We serve clients in a broad range of markets, including Corporate + Commercial, Healthcare, Higher Education, Pre K-12 Schools and Community Education and Science + Technology with offices in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco.  See how we advance your world at www.hed.design and @HED_Corporate.

About Deems Lewis McKinley (DLM) Founded in 1959 in San Diego, California, Deems Lewis McKinley (DLM) provides a broad range of architecture and engineering services for educational institutions across California. With offices in Sacramento, San Diego, and San Francisco, our designs reflect responsible use of public funds, retain community trust in our clients, and serve the long-term needs of our clients’ students, educators, administrators, and neighborhoods. Learn more about DLM at www.dlm.com.

2017 AIASD Presidents Letter to Membership

January 2017 Happy New Year to all AIA|SD Members!

Starting 2017 brings the promise of another excellent year for the Chapter targeting continued member growth and diversity, outstanding programs, and significant community involvement. AIA|SD will reaffirm our ethical duty to foster the design of buildings that contribute to the public health, safety, and wellbeing of our environment and to speak out against negative impacts.  We will advocate for policies that create long-term benefits, more workforce housing, resiliency and jobs for San Diego County.  Our new Housing Taskforce will take on Housing Affordability, at all levels, as the County visions how to absorb another million people over the next 30 years. We will advocate for the Climate Action Plan, water resource and recycling management, ecologically sound infrastructure investments, accessory dwelling units, state of the art health care facilities, restoration and adaptive reuse of our historic buildings, regulatory reform and proactive urban design through our passionate committees.

As an AIA|SD member, you can be assured that your Chapter leaders are committed to offering many practice-enhancing benefits and providing a value proposition that exceeds your annual dues investment.  Among our challenges is meeting the needs of members across a range of practice types.  Our large firm members have their emphasis on large projects with sophisticated delivery models. Our many small firm members operate small design businesses in a very competitive marketplace.  We believe we can assist all our firms to be nimble, more visible, and more efficient through the professional services and tools provided by our phenomenal staff and knowledge community leaders.

2017 highlights:

• Professional development workshops and construction site visits with dozens of continuing education programs exceeding AIA and state-continuing education requirements; many free of charge or at cost to members;
• Monthly meetings of our very active committees including: The Urban Design Committee (UDC), Committee on the Environment (COTE), Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN), Healthcare Committee, Preservation Committee, Women in Architecture, and a new Lean Housing Taskforce and a Small Firm Forum, allowing many opportunities for volunteering;
• Improved programs between AIA|Palomar and AIA|San Diego;
• Assistance to NewSchool and Woodbury in reaching out to firms to support NCARB’s Integrated Path to Architecture Licensure (IPAL) pilot program in San Diego with internships and shadowing;
• Our annual Design Awards, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Archtoberfest events;
• A County-wide Regional Urban Design Charrette “Housing the Next One Million" in cooperation with Housing You Matters, SDAF, ULI, SDGBC, and SANDAG, among others, to vision the 330,000 more housing units required to meet this growth.

Your participation in programs and events and your willingness to offer guidance on sustaining our continued relevance, is essential to the Chapter’s ongoing success and viability. This year, we hope you will make the time to get involved, volunteer for an event, or join a committee.  Next year, AIA|San Diego celebrates its 90th anniversary and will enjoy a proud legacy of service and achievement through its ability to adapt to changing environmental, economic and social circumstances.  We thank you for your commitment to our organization and the values it upholds.

Sincerely,

Philip J. Bona, AIA 2017 President, AIA San Diego

View the 2016 AIA California Council metrics

2017 AIA Institute Honor Awards Recognize Excellence in Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Regional & Urban Design

2017 AIA Institute Honor Awards Recognize Excellence in Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Regional & Urban Design

Contact: Matt Tinder 202-626-7462 mtinder@aia.org

For immediate release: Washington, D.C. – January 13, 2017 – The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has selected the 2017 recipients of the Institute Honor Awards, the profession’s highest recognition of works that exemplify excellence in architecture, interior architecture and urban design. Selected from roughly 700 submissions, 23 recipients located throughout the world will be honored at the AIA Conference on Architect 2017 in Orlando.

Please contact Matt Tinder for high resolution images. View this press release online here: https://www.aia.org/press-releases/26616-2017-aia-institute-honor-awards-recognize-ex

2017 Institute Honor Awards for Architecture

The 2017 AIA Institute Honor Award for Architecture jury includes: Mark Reddington, FAIA (Chair), LMN Architects; Gregory P. Baker, AIA, HNTB Architecture; David Cordaro, AIAS Representative; Leslie K. Elkins, FAIA, Leslie K. Elkins Architect; Timothy J. Johnson, AIA, NBBJ; William Q. Sabatini, FAIA, Dekker/Perich/Sabatini; Adrian D. Smith, FAIA, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture; Beatrice Spolidoro, Assoc. AIA, Rothschild Doyno Collaborative and Marilyn Terranova, PhD, Interim Superintendent, Pocantico Hills CSD.

Aspen Art Museum; Aspen, CO Shigeru Ban Architects; Associate Firm: CCY Architects

Founded in the late 1970s as a non-collecting institution, the Aspen Art Museum worked in tandem with the design team to determine programmatic needs and to ensure its new home completely supported the art it hangs. Adhering to a strict 18-month construction schedule, the new museum opened in 2014 and has seen a 400 percent increase in visitorship and a 1,140 percent increase in the number of students served by the museum’s educational outreach initiatives. Three floors—two above ground, one below—are dedicated to gallery space, while the top floor includes an ample multiuse space, café, and public terrace with sweeping views of the Rockies.

Carmel Place; New York City nARCHITECTS

Winner of the 2012 adAPT NYC competition for New York City’s first micro-unit apartment building, Carmel Place represents a new housing paradigm for the city's growing small household population. The design of the 9 story building’s 55 units aims for spaciousness and luminosity through the implementation of 9’-8” ceilings, 8’ tall sliding windows and Juliet balconies. With a goal of conveying the residents’ nested scales of community, afforded by varied interior and exterior shared spaces, the building’s brick exterior massing resembles four slender “mini-towers” – a microcosm of the city’s skyline.

Carnegie Hall Studio Towers Renovation Project; New York City Iu + Bibliowicz Architects LLP

The Carnegie Hall Studio Towers Renovation Project centered on: renovation, reorganization, and repurposing of 167,000 square feet of non-performance venues at the National Historic site. The 7-year project encompassed the creation of a Music Education Wing, new roof terrace, consolidation of administrative offices, expanded backstage space and functionality, and façade lighting to showcase the landmark. Substantial interior structural modifications and infrastructure upgrades aided in the success of the renovation. The project was awarded LEED Silver Certification, one of the oldest and most notable buildings in the country with such distinction.

The Cotton Gin at the CO-OP District; Hutto, Texas Antenora Architects LLP

The reuse of the two existing cotton gin structures is the first piece of a 2012 master plan to revitalize the site, which was purchased by the City of Hutto. Both structures were selectively deconstructed and reused to create a single open-air 6,500-square-foot public events space. The new building is wrapped in perforated stainless steel that reflects the hot Texas sun during the day and provides intriguing transparency at night. The design team succeeded in creating a flexible space for public and private events that complements everything from programmatic functions of the local library and farmer’s markets to artisan fairs and wedding receptions.

Grace Farms; New Canaan, CT SANAA; Associate Firm: Handel Architects

Grace Farms was established with the idea that “space communicates” and can inspire people to collaborate for good. To realize this vision, Grace Farms Foundation appointed SANAA to create a porous, multipurpose building nestled within an 80-acre landscape that would encourage people to engage with nature, the arts, justice, community, and faith. The River building emerged as a new kind of public space that embodies these aspirations. Its sinuous structure is comprised of 203 individually curved glass panels containing five volumes: a Sanctuary; Library; Commons; Pavilion; and partially submerged Court. 

Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts; Chicago Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners; Associate Firm: Holabird & Root

Sitting on the southern edge of Chicago’s Midway, the Center houses the University of Chicago’s visual arts, film, music, and theater programs, finally uniting the programs under one roof.  The building comprises a 10-story tower and an adjacent two-story “podium.” Both are clad in Missouri limestone cut into four-foot lengths and laid as bricks. The material echoes the limestone found on the University’s neo-Gothic structures as well as Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House, also located on campus.  Bathed in natural light, the smaller building is lit by north-facing skylights throughout its many creative spaces. St. Ann's Warehouse; Brooklyn, New York Marvel Architects

Beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, Marvel Architects has brought the brick and mortar ruins of the historic Tobacco Warehouse back to life, creating a new theater space for renowned presenter St. Ann's Warehouse. Leading a team of Silman, Buro Happold and Charcoalblue, Marvel created a controlled acoustical environment using natural state materials - concrete, blackened steel, Douglas fir plywood. With a respectful sleight of hand, a new roof floats atop a ribbon of solid glass brick. Adjacent to the theater is a trapezoidal garden designed with Michael Van Valkenberg Landscape.

The Six Affordable Veteran Housing; Los Angeles Brooks + Scarpa

The SIX is a 52-unit LEED Platinum affordable housing and support services building for disabled veterans. Located in the MacArthur Park area of Los Angeles which has one of the highest densities in the USA with a total population of 120,000 people in 2.72 square miles.  The SIX breaks the prescriptive mold of the traditional shelter by creating public and private "zones" in which private space is deemphasized, in favor of large public areas. The organization is intended to transform the way people live-away from a reclusive, isolating layout towards a community-oriented, interactive space.

Stanford University Central Energy Facility; Stanford, CA ZGF Architects LLP

The Central Energy Facility is the heart of Stanford University's transformational campus-wide energy system, projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 68%. The centerpiece of this composition of large, industrial components is a central courtyard pivoting around a 2.5-million-gallon hot water thermal storage tank, showcasing the energy plant’s mission. The architecture takes its cues from Stanford’s rich heritage: the Stanford arcade is reimagined as PV trellis; integrally colored cast-in-place concrete nods to the prevalent limestone; and weathered CorTen steel accents suggest terra-cotta tile roofs that give the campus much of its character.

Thread: Performing Arts Community Center and Artists’ Residence; Sinthain, Senegal Toshiko Mori Architect

Located in the remote village of Sinthian, Senegal, this project offers multiple programs for the community, including a gathering space, performance center, and residency for visiting artists. In the design, a parametric transformation of the traditional pitched roof inscribes a series of courtyards within the plan of the building while also creating shaded, multi-purpose areas around the perimeter of the courtyard. The inversion of the roof creates an effective strategy for the collection and storage of rainwater, capable of fulfilling substantial domestic and agricultural water needs for the community. Relying exclusively on local materials and construction techniques, the building’s traditional structure is formed primarily of bamboo and spaced-brick walls that absorb heat and promote airflow through the building interior.

Yale Center for British Art Building Conservation Project; New Haven, CT Knight Architecture

Following nearly forty years of continuous operation, the Yale Center for British Art, designed by Louis I. Kahn and recipient of AIA’s Twenty-five Year Award, faced mounting programmatic, infrastructural, and operational pressures which threatened to degrade its extraordinary architectural character. The multi-year conservation project renewed interior finishes that had grown tired and worn; restored and expanded teaching spaces that were oversubscribed and underequipped; fortified spaces for exhibition, storage, and study of the growing collection; and replaced vital building systems which had reached the end of their practical life

2017 Institute Honor Awards for Interior Architecture

The 2017 AIA Institute Honor Award for Interior Architecture jury includes: Hagy Belzberg, FAIA (Chair), Belzberg Architects; Jodi R. Ernst, AIA, Universal Studios; Karen Fairbanks, AIA, Marble Fairbanks; Paula Peer, AIA, Trapolin-Peer Architects and Jim Poteet, FAIA, Poteet Architects, LP.

30 Rockefeller Plaza: 65th Floor, Rainbow Room, SixtyFive; New York City Gabellini Sheppard Associates; Associate Firm: Montroy Andersen DeMarco

Gabellini Sheppard Associates opened a new chapter for the 13,160-square-foot Rainbow Room and 65^th floor, blending contemporary needs with design that rekindled the room’s original Art Deco-inspired spirit and radiant notoriety of 1934. In the Rainbow Room, the revitalization of the rotating dance floor, addition of mesmerizing crystal window veils, and restoration of the chandelier and central dome, reinforce the modern-day grandeur. In Bar SixtyFive, a faceted ceiling composed of glass-reinforced gypsum panels anchor the space, reinterpreting the open-air height the room once had as a sun parlor.

General Motors Design Auditorium; Detroit SmithGroupJJR

In 1956, the General Motors styling team moved from Detroit to a new design space. The complex, originally designed by Eero Saarinen, has become a legendary corporate master piece of planning and design. For SmithGroupJJR, the overall design intent was to modernize the facility but to do so in a manner consistent with the original Saarinen detailing. Technologies of materials, lighting and audio/visual have progressed dramatically and the revised Design Dome is now poised for General Motors to re-establish the relevance of this significant space for the design community.

George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health; Washington, D.C. Payette

Located on iconic Washington Circle Park in the heart of the nation’s capital, this School of Public Health is a rigorous, innovative response to site and program. With its most sustainable solutions so deeply embedded as to be nearly indistinguishable, it keenly demonstrates the symbiotic relationship between sustainability and public health. The building’s unusual skylit atrium, in which classrooms and study areas overlook the city through an open latticework of floor openings, invites exploration and discovery. The building supports a highly effective learning and interaction environment that is equally memorable for its intimacy and transparency.

In Situ; San Francisco Aidlin Darling Design

Located in the recently reopened San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMoMA), In Situ represents a unique intersection of art, design, food and community. The restaurant features a curated collection of culinary innovators from around the world to make their contributions accessible for greater public engagement. Its design operates at many scales from urban to the intimate, and is intended to engage all of the senses with an emphasis on tactility and acoustics. The exposed interior shell of the building provides a backdrop for discreetly placed "artifacts" which include commissioned art, custom designed lighting, custom furniture and a sculptural wood ceiling.

Pinterest HQ; San Francisco IwamotoScott Architecture with Brereton Architects

The new Pinterest headquarters is inspired by the redesign of the company's web platform — clean, simple, intuitive. It occupies a concrete structure in the SOMA district that previously housed a John Deer factory. A key aspect of the design extends the existing atrium through to the ground floor, spatially connecting all four floors. The Knitting Stair occupies this newly-activated heart of the building. The workspace program is organized as porous, concentric layers around the atrium and Knitting Stair, opening up to the city at the ground floor’s lobby, café, all-hands space and maker lab.

University of Massachusetts (UMass) Dartmouth, Claire T. Carney Library; Dartmouth, MA designLAB architects; Associate Firm: Austin Architects

Conceived in 1963 as a utopian community by architect Paul Rudolph, the UMass Dartmouth campus remains a tour de force of late 20^th century architectural exuberance and optimism. The Claire T. Carney Library is the 160,000-square-foot centerpiece of the concentric campus plan. designLAB’s transformation celebrates the historic architecture, while creating a state-of-the-art learning environment, improved group study spaces, a cafe, a lecture space, and a new campus living room. Inspired by Rudolph’s original design intentions, the renovation included the re-introduction of a vibrant color palette, bold supergraphics, and dynamic social spaces.

Writers Theatre; Glencoe, IL Studio Gang

While functional requirements of performance venues often dictate opaque volumes, the 36,000-square-foot Writers Theatre is instead a transparent cultural anchor that embraces its community. A double-height lobby provides a flexible space for outreach, gatherings, and performances, with glass doors that open to the adjacent park. Clad in wood hewn from the site, box office and concessions are treated as furniture, integrated into flexible lobby tribune seating. A canopy walk hung from timber trusses provides an open-air gathering place before, after, and between shows. The two stages are configured to enhance the intimacy for which Writers is known while creating new opportunities for innovative performance.

2017 Institute Honor Awards for Regional & Urban Design

The 2017 AIA Institute Honor Award for Regional & Urban Design jury includes: Susan Chin, FAIA (Chair), Design Trust for Public Space, New York City; David W. Benn, AIA, Cho Benn Holback + Associates, Inc.; James S. Bershof, FAIA, OZ Architecture; Sheila Kennedy, FAIA, Kennedy & Violich Architecture, Ltd. And Robert L. Ooley, FAIA, Santa Barbara County Government, Office of the County Architect.

Cleveland Civic Core; Cleveland LMN Architects

Cleveland’s civic center is one of the most completely realized examples of the City Beautiful movement in U.S. city planning that flourished during the late 1800s. In 1903, architect/planner Daniel Burnham designed the Mall—a large public park flanked by major civic and government buildings on a bluff above Lake Erie. One hundred years later, the Cleveland Civic Core project continues Burnham’s vision while reimagining it for the 21st century, weaving together two public assembly facilities with civic green space to catalyze a dramatic revitalization of the downtown core.

Philadelphia 30th Street Station District Plan; Philadelphia Skidmore, Owings & Merrill,

The master plan for Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station District, created through the partnership of Amtrak, Brandywine Realty Trust, Drexel University, PennDOT, and SEPTA, and developed by SOM in association with WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, OLIN, and HR&A Advisors, will realize the long-awaited vision of a mixed-use urban district centered on a vibrant transportation hub. The plan, determined through a broad and inclusive public process, creates a sweeping transformation of the historic station and the 88-acre rail yard it anchors to build a new neighborhood above the district’s complex transportation infrastructure. 

Reinventing Vilonia; Vilonia, Arkansas UA Community Design Center

The town of Vilonia was leveled by an EF-4 tornado that killed 11 people in 2014.  The reinvention plan, unanimously adopted by the city council in 2015, is built upon a new strategy to employ underground safe rooms as a municipal planning format that can be transferred to other towns susceptible to tornados. To deal with these issues, the plan calls for the implementation of a “safescape” comprising a modulated system of shipping containers buried underground. By combining the network of safe rooms with a park system and new town loop, residents and visitors will be within a five-minute walk of safety during a tornado.

Regeneracion: A vision for the campus and district of the Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico; Monterrey, Mexico Sasaki Associates

“Regeneración”, the new Framework Plan for Monterrey Tec’s flagship campus rethinks the institution’s relationship to its complex urban setting to make a new kind of contribution to the city, the country, and the very nature of higher education in Mexico. Inter-disciplinary learning, mixed-use R&D clusters and cultural facilities are carefully connected to the district by a strong public realm, reinforcing synergies with surrounding neighborhoods. The plan reflects a new pedagogical vision, and sets the stage for continued expansion of the Tec’s influence as an engine of innovation and development in Mexico.

Rock Chapel Marine; Chelsea, Massachusetts Landing Studio

A shared-use road-salt transshipment facility and recreation and habitat landscape, Rock Chapel Marine is a new model for the integration of active industrial uses with public access on the working waterfront. Through design, the project interweaves industrial operations with everyday life, making use of the seasonal nature of the salt industry to expand public recreation during the summertime and then return to industrial use in the winter. Structures from the site’s former use as an oil terminal are re-appropriated throughout, creating new forms of public engagement with the working waterfront.

About The American Institute of Architects Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects consistently works 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.

AIASD Member News: Carrier Johnson's "The Whitson" Project Featured on NBC San Diego

LOCAL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: Hillcrest Hotel To Be Converted Into Luxury Apartments

By Monica Garske

Wednesday, Jan 11, 2017

San Diego-based company, SENTRE, dba Whitson Hillcrest, LLC, recently acquired an 80-room hotel in Hillcrest. The company plans to convert the property, located at 606 Washington Street near State Route 163, into luxury apartments “with a vintage flair.” For the past 20 years, the property has been operating as the Sommerset Suites Hotel. After the conversion, the building will be rebranded as The Whitson, named after William Wesley Whitson, a well-known developer of the Hillcrest community. Here are some renderings of what The Whitson will become once it reopens as apartments this summer:

Rendering Courtesy of Carrier Johnson + CULTURE

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The property in Hillcrest was originally built in 1986 as an 81-unit apartment community before it turned into the Sommerset Suites Hotel in the mid-1990s.

Rendering Courtesy of Carrier Johnson + CULTURE

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The property is located at one of Hillcrest’s major axes – Washington Street, near Fifth Avenue and State Route 163.

Rendering Courtesy of Carrier Johnson + CULTURE

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“With San Diegans increasingly searching for high quality, amenity-rich, and centrally located places to live, we saw an opportunity to return the property to its original apartment use, creating a perfect addition to our growing ‘SENTRE Living’ portfolio,” said SENTRE President and CEO Doug Arthur.

Rendering Courtesy of Carrier Johnson + CULTURE

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The Whitson will be designed by San Diego-based architecture firm, Carrier Johnson + CULTURE.

Rendering Courtesy of Carrier Johnson + CULTURE

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SENTRE said the renovation efforts will cost more than $3 million and will include a new indoor-outdoor lounge and hotel-style pool and sun deck.

Rendering Courtesy of Carrier Johnson + CULTURE

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The Whitson will also feature a new top-notch fitness center, plus upscale apartment interiors with a boutique, vintage feel.

Rendering Courtesy of Carrier Johnson + CULTURE

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HFF represented both the buyer and seller in the transaction. SENTRE purchased the Sommerset Suites Hotel for $19.5 million, or $245,000 per unit.

View original article here: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/SENTRE-to-Convert-Hillcrest-Sommerset-Suites-Hotel-Into-Apartments-410430875.html#ixzz4VaxCQZDU

AIASD President SD Union Tribune Op-Ed: To tackle development issues, San Diego must become city of 'Great Villages'

To tackle development issues, San Diego must become city of 'Great Villages'

Valley Center Station in San Diego (HAYNE PALMOUR IV/SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE)

PHILIP J. BONA

“Transit-Oriented Development” (TOD) needs a makeover. The term has become toxic and evokes fear in neighborhoods where well-meaning planners seek to implement the concept. But TOD’s holistic approach is in fact an elegant solution to the complex problem facing our region. Affordable housing, parking, traffic congestion and air quality are all interrelated. These issues must be tackled together if we hope to accommodate projected population growth and maintain our quality of life. But if transit-oriented development is dead on arrival, let’s reframe the conversation, starting with a new term and some updates to the basic idea. But first, here are some facts.

Housing: 90 percent of available land in San Diego is occupied; cheap suburban development in the city is gone — the other 10 percent includes unbuildable sites. Because of the limited inventory of homes for rent or for sale, the prices continue going up. This is aggravated by the high cost of entitlements and permits, which has been reported to be 40 percent of home construction cost.

Traffic and parking: Most of our houses are in low-density single-family neighborhoods with jobs spread out over diverse employment centers. Current bus service doesn’t penetrate into neighborhoods, failing to service the “last quarter mile” proximity to homes — the walkability distance found to be critical to the success of public transportation usage. This makes the city’s Climate Action Plan for increased public transit difficult to achieve; perpetuating traffic and air pollution for years to come. There are at last count eight parking spaces in San Diego for every car. Why? Because typically where we park during the day, working or shopping, are not the places we want to park on weekends and evenings.

However, using public transit, we can stop the car culture of congested freeways and asphalt parking lots.

The way forward: Remember the concept of the “City of Villages”? It was conceived to address growth and improve existing communities by combining housing, commercial, employment centers, schools and civic uses together in areas where a high level of activity already exists. It has struggled because there has never been sufficient money to pay for the needed public services. TOD calls for mixed-use development to be located around public transit stations with increased housing density — often a deal-breaker.

Combining the two concepts into a new and better nontoxic concept of “Great Villages” would be a step up in the evolutionary ladder of urban planning.

With a network of Great Villages connected by efficient public transportation — down to the last quarter mile — we can live and work in our own neighborhood and move about the county without our own private vehicle. Those of us who still need a car to do our jobs would face fewer cars on the roads. College students could ride a trolley to any of the university campuses. We could get to a doctor appointment or a hospital without having to time it around rush hour traffic. There could be parks and schools a few blocks from home. Best of all, a coffee shop a block from my house!

This basic idea has been around for years but rarely succeeded in San Diego. It appears the public has a series of concerns that are misinformed. First of all, Great Villages will not diminish property values in the surrounding area. In fact, the opposite is true: Historically the value of the surrounding neighborhoods has increased because of the improved services. The second fallacy is that it will attract the wrong people, whoever “they” are. Again, the reverse is true. If planned correctly, Great Villages create a balanced community for all ethnic and economic classes, particularly the young and elderly. Increasing traffic is the third myth. Traffic is in fact reduced by this strategy of well-planned and well-engineered communities.

San Diego is going to continue to grow. Most of that growth will come from births, not immigration. This isn’t about keeping some people out of San Diego; and we aren’t going to keep our wives and daughters out of the hospital maternity wards. To accommodate inevitable growth, San Diegans need to stop being NIMBYs and become YIMBYs. Our communities need to demand that our city grow wisely along accessible public transportation that connects our new Great Villages into a brilliant necklace.

Bona  is 2017 president of the San Diego chapter of the American Institute of Architects and a practicing architect with BNIM.

AIASD Member News: Bill Bocken, AIA Featured in San Diego Magazine

Bill Bocken Architecture & Interior Design was recently featured in the January 2017 issue of San Diego Magazine. View all photos and original article here.

A Little House with Big Style in Point Loma

A San Diego couple downsizes from 5,000 square feet to 1,300—and discovers the perfect empty nest

BY KIMBERLY CUNNINGHAM | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHELLEY METCALF

Published: 2016.12.23 11:59 AM

La Cantina doors along the back of the house slide fully open, merging the indoors and out and providing extra space for family gatherings.

It’s a predicament empty nesters often find themselves in: to keep the old house or sell it? A few years ago Jeanne and Mark Smith looked around their 5,000-square-foot traditional Pennsylvania farmhouse in Point Loma. What had once been a bustling hub of activity had since become all too quiet. It was time for a change.

They bought a decidedly smaller, 1,300-square-foot house in the same area and hired architect and interior designer Bill Bocken to give it a makeover. Jeanne knew she wanted it to be modern, a stark contrast from the traditional home where she’d spent so much of her life.

The kitchen’s marble-clad island serves as the focal point for the entire living area, complementing the cabinetry’s three different finishes: stainless steel, oak, and a white conversion varnish.

“I loved everything about our old home. We raised our kids there and have so many wonderful memories,” she says. “But when we decided to downsize, I knew I wanted a clean look with fewer things.”

And yet, Jeanne still wanted to be able to host gatherings for her clan of five children and their spouses, with ample room for her 12 grandchildren to play.

Bocken, along with Patrick Phillips of Phillips Construction, tore down the walls and simplified the layout.

The Smiths’ back porch, with powder-coated aluminum beams and ShadeTree canopies, overlooks a large bed of drought-tolerant grass, planted lavender, and cement pavers lined with creeping thyme.

“Bill listened to everything we wanted and was able to transform the original tiny house with a maze of walls into an open indoor-outdoor living space that works great for our large family,” Jeanne recalls.

Now it’s that indoor-outdoor space the Smiths love most. Thanks to La Cantina doors around the perimeter, virtually every room in the house has the ability to open up to the back or front yard. The porches then become an extension of the interior, making it easy to entertain.

La Cantina doors make the master bedroom, styled with John Robshaw linens, feel like a resort.

“We have Christmas, Easter, and family events here for 35 people,” Jeanne says. “It’s plenty big and never too small.”

Their project is proof that downsizing can actually increase style and functionality. The Smiths certainly seem to have embraced the change.

As Jeanne explains, “That was our chapter with our kids. This is a new chapter.”

A'17: AIA Conference on Architecture 2017, April 27-29, Orlando

Plan your year around A'17! A'17 is the architecture and design event of the year. It's about designing a better world. It's about tapping into the architects and design professionals who are shaping our industry. And it's about moving our communities, our profession, and ourselves forward.

Join us this April for three days of fast-paced, hard-hitting ideas, inspiration, education, networking, and innovation from industry-leading architects, firms, and building product manufacturers.

AIA members save $300 with early bird rates.

Claim what's yours

Early bird member rates through Feb. 15

FREE registration for new AIA members

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AIASD Member News: Jonathan Segal, FAIA featured in San Diego Magazine's "17 Big Ideas for 2017"

17 Big Ideas for 2017: From blue technology to workforce housing to social innovation, San Diego surpasses major hubs around the country

By Erin Meanley Glenny with Kimberly Cunningham and Ann Wycoff | Photography by Jay Reilly

Let’s make it possible to live in Little Italy for $1,500 per month.

Jonathan Segal, FAIA, Architect and Developer

Architect Jonathan Segal, the brains behind the North Parker and Hillcrest’s Mr. Robinson building, wants more “efficiency unit lofts,” a sexier term for workforce housing (not to be confused with affordable housing). The building at Columbia and Cedar—which he hopes to get approval on early this year and move-in ready within six months—would have 35 600-square-foot units, each with built-in cabinetry and a fold-out bed—no furniture required—and a 6 by 10' deck.

The catch? Zero parking. He wants the bartenders and store clerks who work in Little Italy to be able to live in the same community and walk to their jobs, rather than commute in. To legally forgo parking, he’ll provide four affordable housing units ($600 per month rent). “Nine parking spaces are required for a project like this and we’re saying we want none. Zero.”

His agenda isn’t to demand people get rid of their cars. “My intention is to provide housing that hopefully, by design, will attract people that don’t have a car or that work in the area.” Not owning a car brings expenses down for both developer and tenant, in addition to being better for the environment and easing traffic. Currently, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Little Italy is $2,000, while 46 percent of millennials don’t even have a driver’s license.

Segal thinks workforce housing is the way of the future. Good candidates for this type of development are North Park, Barrio Logan, around Morena Boulevard, our university areas, and anywhere near mass transit.

“I am trying to change the planning code to allow developers to build workforce housing anywhere the zoning allows medium to high density,” he says. “I want to build workforce housing by right, with no community involvement.” But he’s facing “tremendous pushback” from the NIMBYs. “The residents don’t understand. It’s a sophisticated thing to make a city right, and leaving it up to the community doesn’t accomplish anything other than delaying a project. It’s extortion and a waste of time.”

To that end, he is educating people through his lecture series, Masters of a Generation, which raises awareness of good design in San Diego. Top architects in the nation participate; this month’s dates are January 13 and 20.

View the complete list and read the original article here

AIA National: Architecture Billings Index ekes out another small gain

Architecture Billings Index ekes out another small gain New design contracts also return to positive levels, signifying future growth in construction activity  

Contact: Matt Tinder 202-626-7462 mtinder@aia.org

Washington, DC – December 21, 2016 – Coming off a modest increase after two consecutive months of contraction, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) recorded another small increase in demand for design services.  As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the November ABI score was 50.6, essentially unchanged from the mark of 50.8 in the previous month. This score reflects a slight increase in design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings).  The new projects inquiry index was 59.5, up from a reading of 55.4 the previous month.

“Without many details of the policies proposed, it’s still too early to tell the likely impact of the programs of the new administration,” said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD. “However, architects will be among the first to see what new construction projects materialize and what current ones get delayed or cancelled, so the coming months should tell us a lot about the future direction of the construction market.”

Key November ABI highlights:

• Regional averages: South (51.3), Midwest (50.9), Northeast (50.8), West (48.6)
• Sector index breakdown:  multi-family residential (51.7), mixed practice (51.3), commercial / industrial (50.4), institutional (49.5)
• Project inquiries index: 59.5
• Design contracts index: 50.2

The regional and sector categories are calculated as a 3-month moving average, whereas the national index, design contracts and inquiries are monthly numbers.

About the AIA Architecture Billings Index The Architecture Billings Index (ABI), produced by the AIA Economics & Market Research Group, is a leading economic indicator that provides an approximately nine to twelve month glimpse into the future of nonresidential construction spending activity. The diffusion indexes contained in the full report are derived from a monthly “Work-on-the-Boards” survey that is sent to a panel of AIA member-owned firms. Participants are asked whether their billings increased, decreased, or stayed the same in the month that just ended as compared to the prior month, and the results are then compiled into the ABI.  These monthly results are also seasonally adjusted to allow for comparison to prior months. The monthly ABI index scores are centered around 50, with scores above 50 indicating an aggregate increase in billings, and scores below 50 indicating a decline. The regional and sector data are formulated using a three-month moving average. More information on the ABI and the analysis of its relationship to construction activity can be found in the recently released White Paper, Designing the Construction Future: Reviewing the Performance and Extending the Applications of the AIA’s Architecture Billings Index on the AIA web site.

About The American Institute of Architects Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects consistently works 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.

AIASD Member News: RJC Architects Receives Merit Award for Commander's Award for Design Excellence

NAVFAC announces Design Excellence Award for RJC’s Design Guidelines at Naval Base Coronado, San Diego! RJC Architect's Area Development Plan for the Naval Base Coronado Coastal Campus has received a national design award from the Naval Facilities Engineering Command! The ADP received a merit award for planning in the the 2015 Commander's Design Awards.

"We congratulate this year's winners for exemplifying NAVFAC's planning and design excellence," said NAVFAC Chief Engineer and Capital Improvements Business Line Director Joseph Gott. "This program recognizes exceptional planning and design projects that are based on excellence in global and regional planning, facility plans and studies, new facility design, family housing, building alteration, reuse, and interior design," he explained.

The Coastal Campus allows the Navy to create a state-of-the-art campus on 167 developable acres to meet the evolving needs of Naval Special Warfare Command. Construction activities have begun and will continue over a 10-year period at a cost of approximately $850 million, providing nearly 1.5 million square feet of new facilities supporting growth and maintaining operational readiness of the Naval Special Warfare Command on the west coast.

See original press release for the awards here.

AIASD Member News: Elizabeth Valle Joins Cavignac & Associates as Certificate Department Coordinator

NEWS FROM:  Cavignac & AssociatesCONTACT:  Bonnie Kutch, Kutch & Company (619) 299-1010, bkutch@kutchco.com

Elizabeth Valle Joins Cavignac & Associates as Certificate Department Coordinator

SAN DIEGO, CA -- (December 12, 2016) – Elizabeth Valle, a 16-year veteran of the insurance industry, has been named certificate department coordinator for Cavignac & Associates, a downtown San Diego-based risk management and insurance brokerage firm, announced Jeffrey W. Cavignac, CPCU, RPLU, CRIS, company principal and founder.

In this position, Valle is charged with ensuring accurate performance and timely processing relative to the issuance of certificates of insurance, making sure that all certificates are completed within 24 hours.  Among other responsibilities, she trains and supervises staff members who process certificates of insurance, coordinates and monitors daily processing and issuance of certificates of insurance, maintains and updates spreadsheets, stays abreast of certificate-related technology and applications, and makes recommendations, where applicable, on how to streamline processes in order to better serve clients.

Before joining Cavignac & Associates, Valle served as office manger of National Life Group in San Marcos, where she was employed for nine years.  There she managed contracting and licensing of new agents and advisors; handled employee relations, benefits and training; and planned, directed and coordinated the administrative functions of the agency.   She also processed and managed new business.

Prior insurance career experience includes four years with Matrix Direct in San Diego, where she served as a senior account specialist, and another two years with Collins & Associates in El Cajon, Calif., where she was a sales associate.

Valle graduated from Southwestern Community College in Chula Vista, Calif., with an Associate of Arts degree.  Currently she serves as a parent board member of the Steel Canyon Regiment High School Band.

A native of San Diego, Valle lives in the community of Spring Valley with her husband and high school sweetheart, Jimmy Valle.  They have a 19-year-old son, Jimmy Valle II, a 15-year-old daughter, Lilliana, and a nine-year-old dog, Angel.  She is very active in her children’s band, cheerleading, baseball, dance and gymnastics activities.  In her leisure time, she enjoys reading and taking road trips with her family.

About Cavignac & Associates:

Founded in 1992, Cavignac & Associates is a leading risk management and commercial insurance brokerage firm providing a broad range of insurance and expertise to design and construction firms, as well as to law firms, real estate-related entities, manufacturing companies and the general business community. Company principals are Jeffrey W. Cavignac, CPCU, ARM, RPLU, CRIS, MLIS; James P. Schabarum II, CPCU, AFSB; Scott A. Bedingfield, AAI, CIC, CRIS; Patrick Casinelli, RHU, REBC, CHRS; Matthew Slakoff, CIC, CRIS; and Matthew Noonan, RHU, CIC, CHRS, CCWS. The firm employs a staff of 45 at offices located at 450 B Street, Suite 1800, San Diego, Calif., 92101.  More information about the company can be found on the Web at www.cavignac.com.

AIASD In The News: "Housing You Matters" aims to mediate growth debate

"Housing You Matters" aims to mediate growth debate By Roger Showley (View original article here)

A new coalition of builders, employers, environmentalists and community planners has launched a campaign to solve San Diego’s affordable-housing problem once and for all.

Called “Housing You Matters,” the organization has raised tens of thousands of dollars to hire a staff and map out an ambitious agenda for 2017.

“I would say it’s the year of reckoning,” said Borre Winckel, president and CEO of the Building Industry Association of San Diego County. “We can’t go on like this anymore.”

The most recent evidence demonstrates the crisis that some observers believe San Diego is experiencing.

The median price of a home in October topped the $500,000-plus mark for the first since the housing crash began in 2006.

But in spite of low apartment vacancy rates and inventories among for-sale homes, production is half what it was a decade ago.

Housing You Matters, unlike previous task forces, ad hoc committees and endeavors, currently counts 51 members from 39 organizations drawn from a variety of interests, ranging from grassroots organizations to big corporations like Qualcomm.  It is run by an eight-member executive committee, chaired by Lori Holt Pfeiler, former Escondido mayor  and currently head of the local Habitat for Humanity housing group.

Mary Lydon, the former executive director of the local Urban Land Institute chapter, has been hired as the group’s consultant with the job to coordinate research projects, public events and outreach efforts. She said the group grew out of a report by economist Lynn Reaser at Point Loma Nazarene University  that estimated that 40 percent of new housing costs was due to regulation and fees. Only a slight reduction in housing regulations could increase  the current annual housing input by about two-thirds, the study said.

“We can all agree that housing affordability will impact each of our organizations that represent thousands of residents and businesses in our region,” Lydon said.

But she said the group will focus on policy, not on individual project battles.

Such was the case last month with two land-use decisions in which the organization played differing roles.

Pfeiler, in her capacity at Habitat for Humanity, pleaded on Nov. 15 with the Poway City Council to approve a 22-unit for-sale affordable housing project aimed at veterans. The council voted 3-2 to deny approval on a variety of grounds.

By contrast the day before, the San Diego City Council voted to approve a new Uptown Community Plan, after Housing You Matters as well other advocates argued for retaining the current zoning rather than reducing the total by 1,900 homes.

A third project — a $40 million, 41-unit apartment, grocery and park-and-ride lot — is scheduled to be voted on a second time by the San Diego Association of Governments next week. It represents a compromise from earlier plans by SANDAG and a previous developer for the 3.6-acre site at  Clairemont Drive and Morena Boulevard.

James LaMattery, an area real estate agent who formed a group called “Raise the Balloon” to fight the previous 60-foot-high proposal, said the new plan represents the best form of compromise.

“What we found was if the community is listened to, things do change,” LaMattery said. “You can mitigate how you do provide housing.”

Housing You Matters leaders hope to add military, church groups and organized labor to the coalition.

Murtaza Baxamusa, director of planning and development for the San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council Family Housing Corp., said the coalition’s focus would be better narrowed to dealing with the most vulnerable — the homeless and people trying to get their first apartment or buy their first home.

“People are already well aware of the housing crisis and they don’t need to be convinced there is a crisis of affordability in housing,” Baxamusa said. “The question is what do we do about it.”

Lydon said the immediate plans for the coalition are to launch a countywide educational campaign and research effort to convince the public and elected officials that action is needed to build more housing. Members speak of publishing a scorecard that highlights what projects cities and county are or are not approving in line with their general land-use plans.

“Instead of us against them, it is all of us and we need to have a conversation,” Lydon said. “We can build housing, give developers certainty and be more sensitive to neighborhoods they’re building in.”

Among the initiatives planned next year:

• Design workshops organized by the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects to sketch what San Diego neighborhoods with more housing might look like in 2050.
• A day-long session on innovative housing concepts presented by the San Diego Architectural Foundation.
• Best practices in housing regulation, production and finance as compiled by the Urban Land Institute’s Terwilliger Center and presented by the local ULI chapter.
• A workshop by the coalition to analyze the impediments to housing production regionally and how to overcome them.

Nicole Capretz, executive director of the Climate Action Campaign and a member of the steering committee, said she joined the coalition because it dovetails with other issues — climate change, transportation bottlenecks, homelessness and housing shortage.

“I feel, literally, all these issues are so critically important to the future of our city and the quality of life,”  Capretz said, “and we’ve seen, for once, agreement among all these diverse stakeholders.”

But LaMattery, the activist in Clairemont who successfully battled against a large housing project at the midcoast trolley stop, echoed grassroots concerns that San Diego can’t grow forever.

As long as everyone in the whole country wants to move here, “there’s never going to be enough housing in Southern California,” he said.

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

NewSchool Master of Construction Management Program

NewSchool is offering a special 10% tuition scholarship discount for architecture and construction management professionals interested in enrolling in our Master of Construction Management online degree in January 2017. The degree is very flexible, and can be completed in 12 months. More info about the degree here: http://newschoolarch.edu/academics/school-of-architecture/cm-programs/master-of-construction-management/

More info about the tuition discount here: http://newschoolarch.edu/admissions/scholarships/master-of-construction-management-winter-start-discount/

AIASD Member News: Coronado News - Christian Rice Architects Honored

Christian Rice Architects HonoredPosted: Wednesday, November 30, 2016 4:33 pm | Updated: 5:34 pm, Wed Nov 30, 2016.

Christian Rice Architects, Inc. of Coronado has received the prestigious President’s Award by The American Institute of Architects San Diego Chapter. The award was given to Christian Rice, AIA for “notable contribution to the architecture and design community of San Diego County.” The award was presented at the 2016 AIA San Diego Design Awards Ceremony held at the Auditorium at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California on Oct. 27, 2016.

The President’s Award is given at the discretion of the AIA San Diego President and the association’s officers for a notable or important contribution to the architecture and design community in San Diego County, that falls within the goals of the AIA.

“I am thrilled to receive this recognition from AIA San Diego. It means a great deal coming from my peers,” said Rice. “I have been very fortunate over the past several years to have many incredible clients. I truly believe that the best projects directly stem from the best clients, and I am grateful for the many opportunities I have had here in Coronado and greater San Diego.”

Christian Rice Architects, Inc. is a full-service architecture firm based in Coronado. Founded in 2004 by Rice, a University of California, Berkeley graduate, the firm offers clients innovative design solutions in architecture, planning, and interior design.

Rice has given back to his community as a six year member of the Coronado Design Review Commission, and served as the Chairperson for the last two years.

View original article here

AIA|SD Board President Message

 

The American Institute of Architects, San Diego Chapter

November 16, 2016

Dear AIA San Diego Member:

Considering the recent communique from AIA Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Robert Ivy, to President-Elect Trump, the Board of Directors of AIA San Diego feels that it has a responsibility to you, our membership and our community, to comment.

In simple terms, the AIA|SD board believes Mr. Ivy’s message insufficiently acknowledged or addressed core values and key issues for our profession. We wish to reinforce our position on some that we feel are particularly critical as we face the transition to a new administration:

• We are committed to a country in which every person is respected. AIA must reaffirm that equity, diversity and inclusion are central to our professional mission;
• We are committed to protecting our climate. We do not support policies that ignore science or undermine our ethical duty to make buildings that improve public health and safety while reducing climate change;
• While we support investments in infrastructure, they must be subsidiary to the larger goal of building a just, fair, and transparent society. Our priorities must focus not on short term political objectives, but on strategies that create long-term value for our country. In addition to repairing our roads, bridges, sewers, and water systems, we must strengthen our education system and employ emerging technologies that reduce our reliance on increasingly unsustainable urban forms.

As a voice for our profession and a resource for our members in service to society, AIA|SD remains committed to the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. At this moment in time, we believe it is important to emphasize tolerance and kindness in our core values. It is clear that parts of our country are hurting in ways that many, including ourselves, may not have realized.

We’d like to close with what we feel is the most meaningful part of Mr. Ivy’s message.

“It is now time for all of us to work together to advance policies that help our country move forward.”

We ask for your support in pursuing this goal.

Respectfully,

Dan Stewart, AIA 2016 President

Philip Bona, AIA 2017 President

How to effectively communicate with your clients

The AIA Message Book is your guide for crafting clear, positive, and memorable messages While there is great respect for architects, there’s little understanding of what we do, or how our work affects others.

It’s our job to help others understand what we do, and more importantly, why it’s important to them. We know well that when we collaborate closely with clients, we can design and build better homes, communities and public spaces that benefit us all.

Supported by a tremendous amount of research and developed with AIA members, this guide helps bridge the gap between architects and the public.

The AIA Message Book assists you in explaining the work of architects. It uses message points, statistics, and anecdotes grouped in topic areas that you can customize or share as examples with potential clients.

Learn more about the guide book, and download it for free here.

AIA National: Architects Issue Statement on 2016 Election Results

Architects Issue Statement on 2016 Election Results

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

For immediate release: Washington, D.C. - November 9, 2016 – The American Institute of Architects (AIA) today issued the following statement on the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States, as well as the incoming 115^th Congress. Please attribute to AIA Chief Executive Officer Robert Ivy, FAIA.

“The AIA and its 89,000 members are committed to working with President-elect Trump to address the issues our country faces, particularly strengthening the nation’s aging infrastructure. During the campaign, President-elect Trump called for committing at least $500 billion to infrastructure spending over five years. We stand ready to work with him and with the incoming 115^th Congress to ensure that investments in schools, hospitals and other public infrastructure continue to be a major priority.”

“We also congratulate members of the new115^th Congress on their election. We urge both the incoming Trump Administration and the new Congress to work toward enhancing the design and construction sector’s role as a major catalyst for job creation throughout the American economy.”

“This has been a hard-fought, contentious election process. It is now time for all of us to work together to advance policies that help our country move forward.”

About The American Institute of Architects Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects consistently works 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.

AIASD Member News: AVRP Skyport Studios' Seaport San Diego Approved by San Diego Port Commission

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AVRP Skyport Studios is extremely pleased that today the San Diego Board of Port Commissioners adopted a resolution to select the Seaport San Diego development team, officially concluding the Request for Proposals process. Approved because of its world-class design, Seaport San Diego is envisioned to be more than a set of buildings; it will be a new district of downtown, and connected experiences will maintain and develop cohesion, vitality, and public good. Seaport San Diego's 70-acre, 2.2 million-square-foot design includes a mix of hotels, shops, restaurants, a public beach, an aquarium, an educational facility, a Smithsonian Media attraction, and a 480-foot observation tower. AVRP Skyport Studios' plan for the $1.2 billion project is led by Principal Randy Robbins, AIA, LEED AP, working with Principal and design leader Frank Wolden leading the dynamic weaving of City to Bay, and Principal Doug Austin, FAIA as an integral contributor in the design process.

Collaborating on the project to date includes: Vaughn Davies, ISAA, known internationally for precedent-setting and large-scale waterfront projects. For Seaport San Diego, he has been working with the team in the planning of the waterfront and public spaces. BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) has provided design for Seaport San Diego's iconic aquarium. BIG is a Copenhagen and New York-based group of designers dominating the architectural scene from Denmark to New York City. Also, internationally-renowned lighting artist Peter Fink, who won the international competition to transform the Coronado Bridge into a light sculpture using renewable energy, has been working with the team to develop special artistic lighting for Seaport San Diego.

Frank Wolden, Principal at AVRP Skyport Studios, says, "Seaport San Diego provides an amazing opportunity to link our city's greatest assets. As Seaport lives up to its ultimate goal, it will be 70 acres that knits together the Bay, the City, the air, Coronado Bridge, and the Midway Museum into incredible experiences."

About AVRP Skyport Studios In a world of "decorated boxes" and formula design, AVRP Skyport Studios strives to find and develop an original idea that drives the creative process for each project. The firm is led by Principals Douglas H. Austin, FAIA; Christopher T. Veum, AAIA, IIDA; Randy Robbins, AIA, LEED AP; and Frank Wolden. Celebrating 40 years of creativity and accomplishment in 2016, the firm and its principals have earned nearly 150 design awards. For more information, visit www.avrpstudios.com.

Contact: Beth Binger BCIpr 619-987-6658 beth.binger@BCIpr.com

NewSchool teams up with City of Portland, Design Firm Mackenzie Inc., and Intrinsic Ventures

San Diego CA, October 18, 2016 – NewSchool of Architecture & Design (NewSchool) has teamed up with the City of Portland, integrated design firm Mackenzie Inc., and real estate company Intrinsic Ventures in an exciting new project to revitalize a rapidly growing neighborhood in the Central Eastside industrial district of Portland, Oregon. Under the direction of NewSchool faculty member, Daniela Deutsch, more than 60 undergraduate architecture students will work over the next several months to collaborate with a variety of industry partners and create a vision and strategies for the development of a new, sustainable urban neighborhood in the Ford District.

This project is part of NewSchool’s Integrated Design Studio and was developed to engage students in the ongoing conversation about contemporary directions in urban design and architecture. The project also aims to disseminate the experience of the City of Portland area to other regions of the West Coast and their adaptation to local climate, cultural and economic conditions.

NewSchool strives to provide students with experiences to learn from other regions in the country, which will sharpen their understanding of customized, simple and innovative solutions in the city.

“At the core of the NewSchool academic experience is the desire to encourage students to engage in community projects,” said Marvin J. Malecha, president and chief academic officer, NewSchool of Architecture & Design. “This project represents the best of the aspirations of the NewSchool learning experience as it begins with the optimism of engaging the community in a meaningful manner and continues by engaging design professionals and academics in a multidisciplinary team to guide students.

The project also supports our “Here For Good” corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiative, as we are providing students with the opportunity to give back and help improve the lives of those impacted by this revitalization. This holistic approach to learning represents the true DNA of the NewSchool community.”

The Integrated Design Studio will run over two quarters - fall (October - December) and winter (January - March). The studio consists of three main parts: Lectures by experts, technical workshops, and studio work. In addition, students will be given an opportunity to participate in a three-day field trip, including a visit of the sites, multiple lectures, as well as workshops and pin-ups with the Portland team that will give important feedback and impulses. Visits of similar state of the art green neighborhoods and highly performative buildings will provide further suggestions.

The studio will also combine the holistic urban and district planning with integrated design solutions on the building level, and addresses architecture and development, transit oriented urban areas, sustainable neighborhoods, and energy efficient building design. The project’s ideal aim should develop into a viable strategy for new city communities, as well as communicate, via their technical systems, materiality and programmatic optimization, that architecture is capable to address current social and ecological challenges, and deliver an innovative solution. Students will present their master plan and the scale model of the proposed new Ford District to public in April 2017, in both San Diego and Portland.

“What’s special about this course is the confluence of three major architectural concentrations: architectural design, real estate development, and construction engineering,” said NewSchool faculty leader Daniela Deutsch. “While these topics often remain part of specialized programs or elective studios, our philosophy is that they must be treated as equally relevant, and opened to discussion and research for each student of architecture in an accredited program before they finish their diploma. In our program the goal is achieved by developing an integrated design approach in the framework of a mandatory Integrated Design Project.”

The complete collaborative team this year, consists of:

• Mackenzie Inc. (Architecture/Engineering/Interiors/Planning)
• Intrinsic Ventures in Portland
• NewSchool of Architecture and Design faculty and students
• The Green Building Initiative
• Glumac Engineers
• KPFF Consulting Engineers
• UCSD Structural Engineering Department
• SDSU Civil Engineering Department

This week, the students and faculty will travel to Portland from Thursday, Oct. 20 to Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016. During the trip, students will visit the site, attend workshops and lectures and engage in collaborative discussions with industry partners.

For more information on The Ford District please visit: http://www.pdxforddistrict.com/

For more information on NewSchool of Architecture and Design please contact Rachael Lighty at rlighty@newschoolarch.edu.

AIASD Member News: Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects Staff Promotions

Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects, Inc. (RNT) recently named Tyson Cline, AIA, a Partner and Bernhard Bosch, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, GGP, a Senior Associate. Three staff members were promoted to Associate: Luc Allard, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Gemma Hsiueh, NCARB, LEED AP, and Chris Bradbury, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C.

Tyson Cline, Partner, has been leading RNT's Ventura office since 2006. He fosters a strong studio culture and encourages staff to explore what it means to work within the local region. Tyson holds a Bachelor of Architecture and a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from NewSchool of Architecture in San Diego. A licensed architect, he has more than 22 years of experience in all phases of architecture and urban planning. Tyson has a passion for exploring creative and contextually appropriate design solutions while engaging sustainable and energy efficient strategies that work together to create a true sense of place. His project approach entails utilizing the same consensus-building skills he demonstrates in community outreach efforts by carefully listening to assist clients in realizing their goals. Currently Tyson is the Project Architect/Manager of the design effort for the Montecito Union School District's Facilities Master Plan and is leading the New Corporate Headquarters project for Patagonia. (Pictured top left)

Bernhard Boesch, Senior Associate, has been with RNT since 2008 and began working as project manager on the award-winning Math & Social Science (MS) Building and Parking Garage for San Diego City College. Bernie – that’s what we call him – is someone we can always count on. He has an excellent sense of design with solid technical knowledge. While he is very passionate about his work, he is open-minded and fun to collaborate with. A licensed architect, Bernie earned his Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, Architect Diploma, from ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Wintherthur, Switzerland, and has more than 25 years of experience working on international projects in education, residential, industrial and commercial areas. He is currently working on the Grant K-8 Modernization and New Central Elementary School for San Diego Unified School District. (Pictured center left)

Luc Allard, Associate, joined the firm in 2012. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Laval University, in Quebec City, Canada. Luc is a licensed architect with 18 years in the profession and his project experience includes healthcare – ranging from new acute care hospitals to complex inpatient and outpatient space renovations – institutional, civic, educational, mixed-use and multi-family residential work costing from $100,000 to more than $100 mil. in construction. Luc brings a meticulous attention to detail that is enlivened by his witty sense of humor. Currently he is the project manager on several San Diego-based projects: a 90,000 SF class A office remodel, a whole-site modernization of a charter school and a new laboratory for a medical center. (Pictured center right)

Gemma Hsiueh, Associate, has been with RNT since 2008 and has 10 years of experience in architecture design. She graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. She has worked on award-winning projects varying from a new public high school campus, an existing library modernization, child development centers and a National Parks Service visitor center. Gemma has a keen eye for design. She brings strong organizational and dynamic leadership skills, which make her a highly responsive project manager and an inspiring mentor to junior staff. Gemma is currently the project manager for two new Fallbrook Union Elementary School District projects and for the new Performing Arts Center facility at Torrey Pines High School. (Pictured bottom left)

Chris Bradbury, Associate, joined RNT in 2012 and has over 14 years of experience in architectural design ranging from civic/institutional, higher education, commercial, and multi-family housing development projects throughout California.  A licensed architect, he graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Architecture, and a minor in Sustainable Environments. Chris is known for his extraordinary effort in going out of his way to be supportive of colleagues and RNT's clients. Currently he is the Project Architect working with the Ventura County Fire Department on the Newbury Park Fire Station #35 and Fillmore Fire Station #27 (both under construction). Chris is also working on five research laboratory renovation projects, which are located in various buildings across the UC Santa Barbara campus. (Pictured bottom right)