YAF Connection 11.01

JAN

2013

EMERGENCE

VOL 11 ISSUE 01

CONNECTION THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN JOURNAL OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

CONNECTION EMERGENCE January 2013 Volume 11 Issue 01

ON THE COVER: Holocaust Memorial, Berlin Peter Eisenman, Architect Original Photograph

by Becca Waterloo

2013 ISSUES OF CONNECTION 11 01 11 02 11 03 11 04 11 05 11 06

EMERGENCE ADVANCE LOCUS PROCESS MANIFESTO ORIGINS

CONNECTION EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Editor-In-Chief and Creative Director Assistant Editor, Graphics Assistant Editor, Content Assistant Editor, Articles Assistant Editor, News Assistant Editor, Reviews

Wyatt Frantom, AIA Nathan Stolarz, AIA James Cornetet, AIA Jeff Pastva, AIA Beth Mosenthal, Associate AIA Nicole Martin, AIA

2013 YAF ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Chair Brad Benjamin, AIA Vice Chair Jonathan Penndorf, AIA Past Chair Jennifer Workman, AIA Communications Director Wyatt Frantom, AIA Events Director Virginia Marquardt, AIA Programs Director Joshua Flowers, AIA Public Relations Director Joseph R. Benesh, AIA Advocacy Advisor TBD

AIA Board Representative Wendy Ornelas, FAIA College of Fellows Representative John Sorrenti, FAIA AIA Staff Liaison Erin Murphy, AIA

THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS 1735 New York Ave, NW Washington, DC 20006-5292 P 800-AIA-3837 www.aia.org

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

CONTENT

04 EDITOR’S NOTE

EMERGE-(ing) Wyatt Frantom, AIA

12 FEATURE

NEWS

Emergent Metropolis Sam Garcia, AIA

06

News and resources relevant to young architects

14 FEATURE The Designated Sketcher Jeffrey Pastva, AIA

16 FEATURE

The Boundaries of Architecture Bryce Gamper, PA

20 FEATURE 24 Hours with an Emerging Social

Entrepeneur Beth Mosenthal, Assoc AIA

52 ARTICLES

Climatecture, Carey Walker 22 Our Number Two Dilemma, Sean Sheffler 26 A Return to Reality, Brian Kubecki 28

30 DESIGN Monsters

Sophia Lee, LEED-AP

34 DESIGN What’s In ADD Inc.

40 DESIGN Tangents Tuan Tran, AIA

44 DESIGN

Community Building Catalyst Chris Baribeau, AIA

48 PHOTOGRAPHY Becca Waterloo

50 BOOK REVIEW

Meghan Daum’s ‘Life Would Be Perfect if I Lived in That House’ Nicole Martin, AIA

REVIEW

52 LEADERSHIP PROFILE What I Learned Noe Ramirez, AIA

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

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

EDITOR’S NOTE

EMERGE (-ing) Wyatt Frantom, AIA LEED AP Wyatt is the 2012-2013 Communications Advisor of the YAF National Advisory Committee of the AIA, the YAF CONNECTION Editor-inChief, and a Architectural Designer with Gensler Los Angeles

On stepping stones of their dead selves, men (emerge) to higher things.

- Lord Alfred Tennyson, paraphrased Los Angeles was cast in white … a 5,000-foot layer of wispy white floating ephemera. The high-pressure sodium lamps of the streets and parking lots far below formed an extraterrestrial Lite-Brite path along the clouds just beyond my wing. The hull’s aluminum belly softly skipped along the vapor surface, gently abrading each silvery billow until the cotton was broken by contrail and we occupied the white room within the clouds. Just as suddenly, flight AA238 broke the floor of the white room; and the cloud pinched thin to reveal the city grid below.

I was on a return flight from Dallas after a weekend session for the AIA Leadership Transition at which I’d taken the position of Communications Director for the National Advisory Committee of the Young Architects Forum, and with it, this very position as Editor of the YAF CONNECTION. This new chapter seemed to manifest in that moment, that instance: my emergence from the monochromatic blur of cloud bank to a view of the vibrancy that is my Los Angeles home; it felt like an epiphany.

There are other, likely more tangible, forms of ‘emergence’ that we each experience throughout our lives; from graduation, professional licensure, making partner or some such professional milestone; to marriage, the birth of a child or other personal life landmark. From each, we emerge … different. More so than not, I believe we emerge better.

In his 1922 book Self-Development and the Way to Power, L.W. Rogers wrote,

“We are not the same being, physically, mentally or spiritually, any two days in succession.”

This sentiment captures, for me, the constancy and the infinite nature of emergence relative to our lives. By definition, e•mer•gence

[n. 1. The act or process of emerging (emerge being ‘to arise’)] is a noun with the verbal participles of ‘emerges’, ‘emerging’, and ‘emergent’ all predicated on the infinite act. So, when we have ‘emerged’, it is momentary, a singular instance within a larger lifelong emergence.

‘Dropping-of-science’ starts here: The term ‘emergent’ was coined by the pioneer psychologist G. H. Lewes, who wrote: Every resultant is either a sum or a difference of co-operant forces; (a) sum, when their directions are the same (and a) difference, when their directions are contrary … every resultant is clearly traceable (to) its components. (This is not the case) with emergents, when, instead of adding measurable motion to measurable motion, or things of one kind to other individuals of their kind, there is a cooperation of things of unlike kinds. The emergent is unlike its components insofar as these are incommensurable, and it cannot be reduced to their sum or their difference.”

In simpler terms, emergence is ‘how the individual affects the whole’, not how the individual components amass to create the whole. And this is important because our profession is an emergent practice, not a resultant or linear process.

The seemingly coordinated movement of a school of fish or a flock of birds, for example, is not controlled by any individual leader; its shape is not defined by the bird-asmodule. Instead, it emerges naturally as each individual follows a select set of governing rules such as ‘go in the same direction as the dude next to you’, ‘maintain a 6-foot distance from adjacent wing tips’, and ‘stay away from hawks’.

The processes from which emergent properties or

behaviors result may occur in either the observed or the observing system, and can commonly be identified by their patterns of accumulating change, more generally called “growth”. The complexity of the cumulative behavior is not a property of any single entity or individual. The shape of the school of fish cannot be predicted or deduced from the individual. The shape of a flock of birds is not irreducible to its component.

In our own schools of thought on Architecture and in the practice of design, we can apply the term to an exploration on the origins of novelty, creativity, and authorship in our processes; emerging naturally as each individual follows a select set of governing rules such as ‘go in the same direction as the dude next to you’, ‘maintain a clear distance from others’ intellectual property’, and ‘stay away from litigation’.

All of this to ask … from whence does an authentic idea truly emerge? … in response to the rules of a given project?, … from the dynamic of an extended design team?, … from client consensus gathering?

In fact, Nicolai Hartmann, one of the first modern philosophers to write on the subject of emergence, described the process as categorial novum or ‘new category’. And isn’t that what we, as architects are continually seeking? … the new. Our profession doesn’t seem content unless we’re establishing a weekly zeitgeist; re-shaping our own indefinite “school of fish” into the new-(est), emergent form of architectural practice.

It is with this observation, less so a criticism, that we have compiled our January 2013 issue of CONNECTION, with the simple object of allowing you, our readership to define ‘emergence’ through your submissions on the solicited subject; … to our readers, this issue should serve as a provocation … and perhaps, for each-of-us or all-of-us to find a “stepping stone” from which to emerge to higher things. ■

1 2

‘Emerge’ synonymous with ‘arise’ used in lieu of ‘rise’ from original text.

General citation of ‘emergence’ from Wikipedia

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

05

YAF NEWS in the news

(big issues effecting young architects)

PRACTICING CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM: ARCHITECTURE BILLINGS CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS 2012 COMES TO A CLOSE

SMALL PROJECTS, BIG IMPACTS: YOUNG ARCHITECTS EXPLORE URBANISM ON A "TACTICAL" LEVEL

After riding a bumpy wave since November of 2007, the Architecture Billings Index saw its fourth consecutive gain this past November. With tangible improvements in sectors such as the housing market and more modest rises in business in the publicsector and nonprofit organizations, both architects and relatedindustry professionals hope for a continued increase in projects and related opportunities to bring on new hires.

Whether it's a response to the recession, a desire to improve our urban environments as urban density continues to increase, and/ or a cultural desire to return to ideas of "authenticity" in the cities we live in, young architects across America are getting involved in various movements that address urban planning through creative, low-budget design solutions.

With that said, industry professionals remain "cautiously" optimistic.

Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA and the AIA's Chief Economist suggests that only modest economic growth is projected for 2013 (the average projected revenue increase is 3.0%.) While residential firms will likely experience continued growth, resolving the federal budget and reducing the federal debt remain key issues that will continue to influence the performance of the Commercial and Institutional Sectors.

Despite modest predictions, there is still reason to celebrate. With even modest growth, a feeling of optimism regarding design has begun to re-emerge amongst industry professionals and their clientele. In a recent Wall Street Journal article, "Demand for Architects Builds Momentum," Gary Davis of A. Zahner Co., a Kansas City-based metal fabricator was quoted saying, "People are calling about design questions again, rather than just calling to ask, ' Do you have a cheaper way of doing this?"

A notable movement related to small-scale actions or interventions that result in a larger purpose or impact is "tactical" urbanism; a term coined and written about by the Street Plans Collaborative, an urban planning, design, and advocacy firm.

Over the last two years, the simple principles behind "Tactical Urbanism" have become an international phenomena as well as a foundation for various architects, planners, and related industry professionals to engage in dialogues and resulting projects that aim to both activate and enhance urban areas.

From yarn-bombing to guerilla gardening to events such as "parking day" (a day in which parking spaces are turned into temporary park-like and event spaces,) this renewed interest in improving cities through subtle gestures seems to bode well for using design as a vehicle for positive long-term change.

For related events near you, check out "Tactical Urbanism" on facebook.

get involved (competitions/events) 2012 AIA YAF/COD IDEAS COMPETITION : WINNERS ANNOUNCED ONLINE

PACK YOUR SKIS AND YOUR T-SQUARE: THE 2013 NATIONAL CONVENTION IS COMING TO DENVER

Each year the AIA Young Architect's Forum and the AIA Committee on Design invite architects, students, and related design professionals to participate in an international "Ideas" Competition.

2012's theme was "Active Lifestyles for Better Health." Entrants were asked to explore design solutions that would both educate and encourage Americans to live a healthier life. Winners of the Ideas Competition have recently been announced.

The AIA National Convention is coming to Denver June 20-22, 2013. With the theme of the 2013 conference titled ‘BUILDING LEADERS: leadership for architecture, leadership beyond architecture’, keynote speakers are Blake Mycoskie (TOMS Founder and Chief Shoe Giver,) Cameron SInclair (co-founder of Architecture for Humanity,) and General Colin Powell (former Secretary-of-State.) This access to unique thought leadership paired with a wide array of relevant and timely programming, networking opportunities, and information regarding new products and technologies should not be missed.

For more information, click here to visit the AIA Website

To register, click here to visit the AIA Convention Homepage

JANUARY 2013

yaf faces (get to know active YAF members) The YAF Regional Director spotlight introduces one of the handful of YAF Regional Directors that help gather information about issues facing young architects within their region and share relevant information regarding activities and resources to other young architects.

This month, Mark A. Schwamel, AIA tells us a little bit about his involvement in the YAF.

Schwamel is the Young Architect Regional Director for the Illinois region 01. How did you get involved with the YAF? When I moved to Chicago in 2003, I used the AIA Chicago website as a source for my job search. They offered links to architecture firm contacts and current job openings. As I was navigating the site, I discovered the Young Architects Forum. Every first Tuesday of every month, the YAF hosted a social happy hour to meet and network with other Young Architects from the Chicago area. I started going to the happy hour events, learned about the YAF and the activities and events the chapter offered while meeting so many great people. I have been involved ever since!

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

Leadership development and career advancement are a large challenge for Young Architects today. The economic downturn has caused what used to be a constant flow of work at our firms to become less reliable, so, we all have been in 'survivor mode' as of late. It has been really difficult for Young Architects to expand existing skills or even develop new skills in this climate. Another issue that faces Young Architects (and our profession) is the lack of public awareness about the role Architects play in society.

Improving public awareness about our activities/role has been largely left undeveloped in any consistent, sustained manner.

So, as Young Architects, it is our responsibility to work within our communities to educate them about what Architects can offer and how our work can improve the communities we live in. This will only strengthen our profession as a whole.

03. What type of regional activities and resources do you recommend Young Architects utilize to continue to excel in their careers and professional networks?

I still believe mentoring is the best resource we, the AIA, have to advance Young Architects in their careers. Our profession, and the Institute, is rich in experience and knowledge; Young Architects need to harness this resource. In Chicago, we developed the 'Bridge' mentoring program as an effort to extract this knowledge by pairing young architects with Chicago chapter Fellows in mentoring relationships. These type of programs give Young Architects the outlet to ask questions that may be difficult to ask in their place of employment--such as starting or running their own architecture firm, making a career change, or professional advancement within their current firm. We just completed our third session of the Bridge program.

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

connect

(links, resources, and further reading)

AIA’s Young Architects Forum YAF's official website CLICK HERE AIA Archiblog This blog provides YAF-related news in real time. Get involved in the discussion!

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

CLICK HERE Architect’s Knowledge Resource The Architect's Knowledge Resource connects AIA members and others to the most current information on architecture, including research, best practices, product reviews, ratings, image banks, trends, and more. It's your place to find solutions, share your expertise, and connnect with colleagues.

CLICK HERE AIA Trust Access the AIA Trust as a free risk management resource for AIA members. www.TheAIATrust.com YAF on LinkedIn Stay connected with the YAF leadership and all the young architects you meet at the convention, and get involved in group discussions.

CLICK HERE YAF on Twitter Follow YAF on Twitter @AIAYAF YAF on Facebook Become a Fan of AIA Young Architects Forum on Facebook Know Someone Who’s Not Getting The YAF Connection?

Don’t let them be out of the loop any longer. It’s easy for AIA members to sign up. Update your AIA member profile and add the Young Architects Forum under “Your Knowledge Communities.”

• Go to www.aia.org and sign in • Click on “For Members” link next to the AIA logo on top • Click on “Edit your personal information” on the left side under AIA members tab • Click “Your knowledge communities” under Your Account on the left • Add YAF Call for Articles Would you like to submit articles for inclusion in an upcoming issue?

Contact the Editor at wyatt.frantom@wf-ad.com

07

YAF NEWS opportunities

(community and leadership opportunities)

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS: AIA YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM ADVOCACY DIRECTOR

Back-up materials Five 8.5”x11” pages maximum, including applicant’s resume at a minimum.

Three letters of recommendation, including one from an AIA component leader (such as a Chapter President, Regional Director, or Component Executive).

Application Deadline: February 4, 2013 The Young Architects Forum (YAF) is the voice of architects in the early stages of their career and the catalyst for change within the profession and our communities. Working closely with the AIA College of Fellows (COF), the YAF is leading the future of the profession with a focus on architects licensed less than 10 years. The national YAF AdCom is charged with encouraging the development of national and regional programs of interest to young architects and supporting the creation of YAF groups within local chapters. YAF programs, activities, and resources serve young architects by providing information and leadership; promoting excellence through fellowship with other professionals; and encouraging mentoring to enhance individual, community, and professional development.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE POSITION AVAILABLE Advocacy Director The Advocacy Director is a new position on the YAF Advisory Committee. Duties of the director have been outlined but may change as the new position is developed.

Volunteers with a proven interest and experience with Advocacy are encouraged to apply.

For more information on the Advocacy Director position, see page 24 of the YAF Handbook.

Please Note: Director terms are two years. Major meetings of the AdCom are typically scheduled three times a year (AIA Grassroots, AIA National Convention, and a fall YAF conference) along with monthly conference calls.

APPLICATION PROCESS / REQUIREMENTS Applicant Letter of Interest: One 8.5”x11” page describing applicant’s interest in a specific position.

Please address application materials to AdCom Selection Committee Chair Brad Benjamin.

Please submit application as a PDF document titled: “YAF_AdCom_Application_LastName_FirstName.pdf” and e-mail to yaf@aia.org.

Eligibility Nominees must be members of the AIA in good standing, and architects licensed ten years or less for at least the first year of their term. Appointments are based on submitted materials, and selection will be made by the YAF AdCom selection committee.

Although the Young Architect Regional Director (YARD) roster often serves as a pool of nominees for the AdCom positions, YARD experience is not required. Other members of the AdCom (in a non-voting capacity) include the immediate AdCom Past-Chair, the Emerging Professionals Director, an AIA Board Representative, and a COF Liaison.

submissions (solicitations for work) The Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) is looking for submissions from Emerging Professionals for our quarterly newsletter, the CRAN Chronicle. Specifically, we would like to find out how EPs contribute to custom residential projects, and what kind of work EPs do in their offices. Brief written descriptions and graphics are welcome. If you would like to be featured in an upcoming CRAN Chronicle, please contact Dawn Zuber.

The AIA CRAN Knowledge Community develops knowledge and information to benefit architects who are engaged in, or who are interested in learning more about, custom residential practice.

CRAN presents information and facilitates the exchange of knowledge and expertise to promote the professional development of its members via discussion forums, national symposia and conventions, publications, and local activities.

JANUARY 2013

workshops (continuing education) TEX-FAB 4.0: PARAMETRIC DESIGN AND DIGITAL FABRICATION SYMPOSIUM Parametric Design and Digital Fabrication Symposium featuring Lectures, Workshops and Exhibition of Cast Thicket, winning project of the APPLIED Research Through Fabrication Competition.

#yaf on the web (seen/heard/tweeted) YAF's local chapters nationwide have been keeping busy updating emerging professionals with opportunities, inspiration, and information. Here is a sampling of some recent posts: AIA Young Architect’s Forum | @AIAYAF Who in the World does Research Anymore? Recap of AIA Research Summit by Deepika Padam, AIA via Metropolis ... http://www.metropolismag.com/pov/20121025/who-in-theworld-does-research-anymore AIA Pittsburgh YAF | @YAFpgh For #pittsburgh riverfront’s, we should demand greatness, not blah-ness cc @RiverlifePgh http://triblive. com/aande/architecture/3048258-74/riverfront-riverrivers#axzz2EZK8rcrW AIA Michigan YAF| @AIAMichiganYAF From NOLA Convention: Skid Row Housing Corp believes that good design makes all of the pieces fit together - ideas for Detroit! #AIA #YAF AIA Wisconsin| @AIA_Wisconsin Have you seen the “I AM AIA” video? http://youtu.be/3Wl1AVNAolI

WHAT Workshops will feature content for an enhanced and multifaceted experience for the novice to advanced user. Registration for a workshop covers two days of introductory and applied instruction over the weekend, Saturday (all day) and Sunday (half day).

WHO Patrik Schumacher, Keynote Speaker | Zaha Hadid Architects (Thursday Evening, Open to public) Friday Symposium and Workshop Instructors

Gil Akos / Ronnie Parsons | Studio Mode

David Fano / Nate Miller | CASE, Inc.

HKS / Line Studio

Jason K. Johnson | Future Cities Lab

Chris Lasch | Aranda Lasch

Travis McCarra | DSGNFRDG WHERE University of Texas Arlington School of Architecture, Host Institution WHEN Thursday, February 28th - Sunday, March 3rd, 2013 For more, visit ... http://tex-fab.net/

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

Call for News Do you have any AIA/YAF related events or content applicable to young architects? Contact the News Editor, Beth Mosenthal, on twitter @archiadventures

09

MAP [ depicting locations of article contributors for this issue ]

Geneva, NY Milwaukee, WI

Chicago, IL

Boston, MA

Detroit, MI

Pittsburgh, PA

Philadelphia, PA AIA National Washington D.C.

Denver, CO

Winston-Salem, NC

Fayetteville, AR Los Angeles, CA

Houston, TX

McAllen, TX

This month’s Leadership Profile Noe Ramirez

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

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

11

FEATURE EMERGENT PRACTICE

EMERGENT METROPOLIS

INFORMING ONE YOUNG ARCHITECT’S PRACTICE Sam Garcia, AIA Garcia is the AIA YAF Texas Young Architect Regional Director (YARD), a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and a Project Architect for ROFA Architects in McAllen, Texas.

In terms of preferences, I’d rather live and work in a frenetic, dense metropolis where I don’t need a car. Personally, I enjoy taking the subway to work and walking to and from the coffee shops, restaurants, and specialty stores that I happen upon. The Big City – with its monumental sights, unmistakable sounds, edgy fashions, interesting people, and contagious energy – inspires me.

I don’t live in one of those places.

high density, transit-oriented development?! This initial intuition subsequently led me on a journey of research and discovery that has driven my architectural life. I came to understand this isolated corner of the world – why it came to be settled, why it has thrived, and why today McAllen is the center of a metro area of almost one million residents expected to triple in population over the next thirty years.

Today I practice architecture in my adopted hometown of McAllen, Texas – the place that my family relocated to from Denver when I was 8 years old; the place that at 18, I vowed never to return to.

Isolated little McAllen – just barely in the United States, 8 miles from Mexico, at the southern tip of Texas, in an area known as the Rio Grande Valley.

As it turns out, The Rio Grande Valley is a gateway, a trading hub, and an intersection of cultures, languages, goods, and ideas. As one of four metro border regions in the United States, or Gateways to the Empire, the Rio Grande Valley competes with San Diego, El Paso, and Laredo for border supremacy.

During the initial phases of my career, I followed my original intention, securing jobs in two quintessential urban hubs – Boston and San Francisco. Afterwards, I even managed to live in Madrid, Spain for a time. Throughout, I lived and experienced those aspects of dense, walkable, transit-reliant cities. To that kid from the Valley, those places had only been theoretical – seen in slideshow lectures and discussed abstractly in college courses.

In comparison to the other Gateways, the Valley could accurately be said to lag behind in terms of development.

On the other hand, with respect to potential, demographic trends, and existing urban layout, the Rio Grande Valley easily supersedes the other Gateways. The Valley, with McAllen as its standard-bearer, has the potential to compliment San Diego as a bookend to the U.S. - Mexico border.

In 2004, while working for an urban design firm tasked with master planning a transit-oriented development for a park-and-ride station on the BART, I had my epiphany. It came to me one day sitting in the neighborhood coffee shop, sketchbook in hand. For reasons unclear, I happened to have map of McAllen with me. And like any good architecture nerd, my work couldn’t help but percolate into my personal time. I began to wonder, “What effect would a lightrail system have on McAllen? Could it logically work?”

In that moment, I knew what my career was supposed to be about.

My viewpoint drastically changed in that moment. It was as if I discovered something entirely new: Could it be that McAllen – town of about 100,000 residents – was practically hard-wired for

My job, therefore, is to bring clarity to the emergent metropolis.

A big part of what distinguishes one part of the world from anywhere else relates to how exactly land is divided up and used. In many respects, human beings and the societies they live in are made up of interrelated stewards of the land interacting in ways that allow complex social systems to emerge. When humans do not use land for a productive purpose we call this wilderness. When humans organize in a highly efficient and compact area, we call this metropolis.

In the spectrum from wilderness to metropolis, all levels

Rio Grande Valley Map

of land use will tell us what type of human activity is possible. In the case of small cities, isolated from other human settlements, a certain type of society emerges. In terms of potential for economic, social, and cultural potency, the small town has less vitality than the full-fledged metropolis.

The metropolis, on the other hand, must overcome and ultimately subdue the internal pressures of having so many human beings in proximity to one another. Crime, traffic, public space, education, and many other factors must be tended to for the metropolis to enjoy relative harmony. Failure to resolve those issues leads to urban chaos that can prove brutal to the human being. On the other hand, successful resolution and competent leadership can allow a truly magnificent metropolis to flourish.

Today, McAllen exists at a point where land use has followed a suburban model for growth and development. In many respects this has allowed a bright, clean, and peaceful city to emerge. Land use, in certain areas, must intensify to keep the quality-of-life that the citizens of the city have come to expect.

A turning point is coming.

Metropolis - Spine

times as large, the city (and region) began to earnestly move beyond its small rural roots to become an emerging metropolis. I’m finding that I returned at an opportune time, because a window of opportunity is still open – whereby McAllen will decide what sort of city it will eventually become. Thanks in small part to my efforts; many people have begun to recognize that without a departure from suburban development models, McAllen risks becoming the old, decaying inner city of a much larger suburban region.

The main focus of my practice has been to bring awareness while being an advocate for the really great urban hub that I know can emerge. It is exciting work, and I try to connect the dots on the existential choice McAllen faces. The high density, pedestrian-dominant development model which I’m envisioning may require levels of foresight and planning that would break the mold for this part of the world. The challenge is worth it because there is no telling what economic, social, and cultural value that can be unleashed; there is no telling how lofty the ceiling for McAllen’s potential may actually be. ■

Five years ago, when I returned, McAllen had experienced a phenomenal decade of rapid growth. Boasting a commercial/ retail sector typically associated with wealthier cities five-to-ten

Density Model

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

13

FEATURE EMERGENT PROCESS

THE DESIGNATED SKETCHER A VIRTUAL DESKCRIT Jeffrey Pastva, AIA LEED AP Pastva is an Assistant Editor for the YAF Connection, serves as Chair of the Young Architects Forum of Philadelphia, founder of The Designated Sketcher website and a Project Architect at Haley Donovan in Haddonfield, NJ.

Constructive criticism is valuable currency in the world of the designer. Without it, designers have no litmus against which to test their paper theories and would be unprepared for the gauntlet before them. But with it, we gain perspective from our peers, our professors, and our colleagues before it is presented in front of any authority. Not all feedback is created equal though; the credentials of the source, the level/quality of detail, and the diversity of perspective all affect its value.

Realizing a need for high caliber critique, I set out to create an online platform that allows students and professionals from different backgrounds and status to interact regarding their works-in-progress.

up virtually to a community of designers with opinions? This always-on service could be a way to supplement the limited time of professors, while simultaneously offering feedback from a fresh set of eyes. Furthermore, by making students’ work more accessible to a wider pool of players, the site allows an interaction that could lead to opportunities such as employment or collaboration with peers outside of traditional circles. To date, connections have been formed by otherwise disconnected individuals.

The site is called The Designated Sketcher and has been live for just over two years, although the initiative has been years in the making. It was born out of an idea that if we could harness the collective power of Internet message boards and mix them with our image-heavy design culture, we could make a more designer-friendly discussion. The site was also built in response to the various showcase sites that either don’t allow commentary or have very empty feedback such as “likes.” “Liking” something is very easy in the virtual age, but the feedback would have much more meaning if the admirer were to engage with the author. It’s from this engagement that designers can determine whether or not there is value in their design and what they can do to improve in the future.

Despite our offerings of free, community-based advice, we have gone through a steep learning curve to discover what exactly designers desire in the form of feedback. Simply put, there isn’t a clear answer. What we have found is that students and young professionals need help with a number of items.

So, even though the goal will always be design feedback for all things in the process purview (sketches, studio work, diagrams, etc.), we have started to focus on the skills that design school doesn’t always deliver. Unfortunately, these holes in the curriculum are often practical and necessary job skills that transcend the world of academia. These items include; assembling a clear portfolio, public speaking, and effectively communicating within a team. This happens mostly through our online platform, but we have run a series of in-person workshops that reinforce the industry standards that help emerging professionals stand out among a crowd.

The results have been overwhelmingly positive, as the site has provided an additional resource for both students and emerging professionals needing feedback on all things design.

The success of the site has also reinforced the notion that designers desire a heavy discourse that isn’t always readily available. For example, the traditional methods of a designer’s project discussion happen during a desk crit or pin-up, both requiring the coordinated effort of multiple schedules and engaged parties, which may not be a problem during regular studio or office hours. But what if a designer needs help in the interim? Instead of only turning to his/her peers (whose relative experience is at the same level), what if they could pin-

Part of our duties as we emerge as a leading resource for designers is to adapt and respond to the needs of our community. So, as we continue to offer these opportunities to students and emergent professionals, we are constantly looking for ways to expand the conversation. That includes providing a voice to those seeking constructive criticism, connecting spheres of influence, and helping designers realize that putting work out there will lead to good things. After all of our work, at least one thing is clear: There is demand for an online mechanism for feedback and we will continue to provide as many avenues for personal growth as we possibly can. ■

Sketch posted to TheDesignatedSketcher.com. Image by James Curtis, Phormd.

Rendering posted to TheDesignatedSketcher.com. Image by James Curtis, Phormd.

I don’t really see the direct correlation between the built work and the whimsical sketch, but nonetheless each one by themselves is quite impressive. What I really enjoy about the space, besides the impossible to pull off pitched skylight, is how the viewing area is set up for a panorama to the exterior. In the absence of a traditional hearth/gathering area (which has started to become the TV room in American vernacular) the inhabitant is set up for view through the picture window, which remains true to its name.

Selected example response to the posted project (above)courtesy of TheDesignatedSketcher.com.

ORIGINALLY SUBMITTED IMAGE

BASE ARCHITECTURAL RESPONSE

+

OVERLAY OPTIONS

SUGGESTED COURSE FORWARD

=

TheDesignatedSketcher.com process illustrated. Diagram by Jeffrey Pastva

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FEATURE EMERGENT PRACTICE

THE BOUNDARIES OF ARCHITECTURE Bryce Gamper, PA Gamper studied architecture at the Lawrence Technological University, is an Inaugural Fellow of the Challenge Detroit program, the Design Industry Outreach Coordinator at Spire Integrated Systems and founder of BE.

“Detroit is big enough to matter in the world, but small enough that you matter in Detroit”. It’s a common epithet that I heard the first week I moved to the city, now the louder and more diverse the call, the more I become a believer in what it means. During the time I was moving to downtown Detroit I was trying to decide if being just a ‘designer’ was fulfilling enough in my professional goals when I came upon a progressive program called Challenge Detroit.

It was a tough decision to leave my firm that was assisting my pursuit of licensure but I truly believed I was making a career shift that was much bigger than me. I saw an opportunity to combine my professional and academic experiences into an impactful tool for civic engagement.

Challenge Detroit was the conduit to bring my diverse interests together and redefine what it means for me to call myself a designer and architect. Composed of thirty recent highereducation graduates from around the United States, the program seeks to combat the perpetual ‘brain-drain’ occurring in Michigan while making an impact in Detroit. All of the participating Fellows moved to Detroit, supported by the Collaborative Group and began working for each of the thirty participating companies. With the commitment, funding, and fortitude necessary to sustain the momentum, the program allows the participants to work on team challenges every Friday, assisting local non-profits as consultants.

Even though I was passionate about the program I was determined to find a connection between Challenge Detroit, civic engagement, and a career in architecture. So I reflected on my experiences with the AIAS Freedom by Design program (a design-build initiative created and run by students), and how architecture and design can impact not only physical spaces but also entire communities.

That reflection helped me to see the importance of architects in our cities, especially in nontraditional roles, and the importance of design in all of our communities.

That’s how I ended up connecting Challenge Detroit with Public

Interest Design. Now more than ever there is a movement for Public Interest Design (PID) and how we define public places; what makes them successful, useful, and relevant (one of the best-known examples being spaces like the highline in New York City).

PID (in short) is the point of intersection between design and service; a point where human-centered, community based and driven ideas are focused on social sustainability and responsibility. In addition, a critical role of the architect in modern society is the responsibility to the health, safety and welfare of the public through their creations (a primary reason why the path to licensure is full of copious amounts of schooling, testing, and regulations).

Creating safe and successful cities that flourish in the new urban environment is an opportunity for architects to take a prime role in society and Challenge Detroit is giving me the opportunity to invest in bringing Public Interest Design into Detroit.

In addition, the program itself is a source of interdisciplinary collaboration; something many businesses and schools are learning has unprecedented benefits and returns.

The thirty Fellows come from various backgrounds, with different degrees, from different cities, states, and even countries – something that doesn’t happen in most workplaces, let alone in a group of young professionals.

During the monthly challenges Fellows work together and with experienced professionals from the non-profits they are servicing. This enables blending fresh ideas with the resources of the groups who work to make a difference in their community. The collaboration created between the Fellows allows for a greater impact in the community and innovative ideas that wouldn’t be possible without the input from various backgrounds.

Fellows encourage design thinking in our work together, and as someone who studied architecture I enjoy leading

Fellows return back to Matrix for more hands-on experience. Photo by Bryce Gamper

A small team of Fellows work in their team during the second challenge of the year. Photo by Bryce Gamper

the discussion and focus in the groups I participate in. The critical thinking that I learned as an architect translates to any challenge we come across during our consulting work, no matter the scope or criteria of the project. That’s where I see the importance of the architect in various non-traditional practices like Challenge Detroit; we don’t just have an eye for design like many like to say.

Architects have a trained eye for critical-thinking and problem solving that involves he entire public sector.

The community engagement doesn’t stop there though; it extends to our personal lives as well. Fellows live in various areas of Detroit, from downtown to midtown, east side to west side, to facilitate learning about the cultures and communities that exist in the various neighborhoods of the city. Through challenges, Fellows look to members of the community for feedback, answers - problems and solutions. They engage in other workshops (like those run by the Project for Public Spaces) and they become a part

of the communities they live and work in to encourage others to join them.

Becoming a part of Challenge Detroit was not a simple luck of the draw, but an experiment for myself on what the boundaries of the definition of ‘Architect’ and ‘architecture’ really are. The success and revitalization of our ailing cities is one of our most pressing challenges and has entered the forefront of our profession’s discussion. That is my mission as an ‘Architect’, even if it doesn’t involve touching a single physical building. ■

(below) Fellows Bryce Gamper and Kathy Tian present their team’s portion of a Community Impact Study to the Human Services group Matrix, which serves the hard hit neighborhoods of Detroit’s North East side. Photo by Bryce Gamper

Fellows cleaning the west end of Detroit’s Riverfront as a community service project. Photo by Bryce Gamper

29 Fellows gather after a clean up effort of Detroit's Riverfront. Photo by Bryce Gamper

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FEATURE EMERGENT PRACTICE

24 HOURS WITH AN EMERGING SOCIAL ENTREPENEUR Beth Mosenthal, Associate AIA Mosenthal is the News Editor for the YAF Connection, a passionate writer and critic that currently blogs on behalf of the AIA Colorado Emerging Professional’s and an Architectural Designer at Gensler in Denver, CO.

I met Shane in 2009 when we were both working for Habitat for Humanity in the Colorado area. Like me, we had both studied and were passionate about architecture. Also like me, we had decided to utilize the recession as a chance to explore a different aspect of the field; to provide service by helping implement affordable, sustainable building practices into Habitat for Humanity’s affordable housing construction programs.

In late 2010, our paths split; I moved to Chicago to work for a large corporate architecture firm while Shane went on to create a startup, “BOULD.” Simply put, BOULD’s program, “Everbuild Pro,” provides people of all backgrounds and disciplines opportunities to gain LEED project experience. For a reasonable fee, people are paired with local Habitat for Humanity affiliates building LEED projects. In the end, everybody wins; much of the fee goes to the affiliate towards documenting and building LEED certified homes for low-income families, while the individual gains experience necessary to take any LEED professional exam.

Over the last two years, BOULD has gone from a small operation run out of campus computer labs and coffee shops to a company that is gaining national attention. Most recently, BOULD was selected as a winner of the Huffington Post’s “IGNITEgood Millenial Impact Challenge,” amongst many other accolades and opportunities including a summer spent at the Unreasonable Institute in Boulder.

As someone that is perpetually on the go, Shane shares 24 hours he recently spent in San Francisco at Greenbuild; a great example of an emerging social entrepeneur building a business, brand, and mission… and trying to figure out if he’ll ever sleep again?

5:00 am PST I stumble around feeling for my misplaced phone, a feeble attempt to turn off the church bells of my alarm. Exhausted after a long first day in San Francisco and an even longer night on my friend’s unforgiving couch. But, alas -- big day ahead. No rest for a young entrepreneur!

EverbuildPRO participants gaining LEED project experience

6:52 am PST Scramble to take the MUNI train towards the Moscone Center to kick off this year’s USGBC Greenbuild International Expo and Conference. Feeling pretty excited and looking forward to catching up, in person, with all those I know simply by their email or LinkedIn profile -- as well as share the efforts of my company!

10:02 am PST Spending the morning volunteering at pre-conference events at Greenbuild, taking advantage of the “Young Professional” discount -- of free! A small price for a week of access to incredible speakers and education sessions. Fortunately, received the easy assignment of manning a check-in booth, so I got plenty of time to practice my speech for the afternoon.

1:45 pm PST Starting to get nervous. People probably think I’m crazy as I’m briskly pacing and mouthing my presentation in the back. It’s the biggest stage for my start-up company BOULD -- can’t blow this opportunity. I have 10 minutes to deliver our concept to respective leadership from each of the 77 USGBC Chapters, across the US and Canada. USGBC Chapters are the lifeblood of catalyzing our efforts in communities and critical to our growth.

EverbuildPRO participants helping to frame a Habitat for Humanity home

5:36 pm PST Got an email from the Huffington Post. BOULD was selected as a Finalist for the IGNITEgood Millenial Impact Challenge. It’s a voting campaign to choose the best impact ideas from different sectors -- and reward them with a fellowship, $10,000 grant, and coverage in national media. Ahh! Incredible, but voting begins tomorrow. How will I fit this all in?

EverbuildPRO participants gaining LEED project experience while helping to build a Habitat for Humanity home

9:34 pm PST Laying on the floor at San Francisco International airport -- wiped.

Bracing myself for a long redeye flight to Atlanta. My team will be participating in a business accelerator for the remainder of the week in order to help refine our concept and earned revenue models. Can’t wait -- despite the long hours and stressful moments -- I’ve never felt so alive. ■

2:51pm PST Nailed it!

Best pitch I’ve ever delivered. Thank goodness! I received implementation requests from over 40 USGBC Chapters and strong support from both USGBC National and USGBC Emerging Professionals. Big BOULD things ahead for our service learning education!

3:45 PST Unscheduled, but incredibly exciting meeting with a representative from the Make It Right Foundation -- they’re the organization behind some of the rebuilding efforts in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward. Their representative is interested in partnering to provide our experiential education on their LEED projects. Buzzing! So many ideas.

4:44 PST Attend a keynote session at Greenbuild, led by Van Jones -- a remarkable green jobs advocate and founder of Green for All and Rebuilding the Dream. Incredible delivery and vision forward for America. Ready to get to work!

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

Gring giving his pitch at the Unreasonable Institute’s ‘Climax’ Event

Shane Gring Gring is Co-Founder of BOULD, a start-up based in Denver, CO recently selected as a winner of the Huffington Post’s ‘IGNITEgood Millennial Impact Challenge’ and has received national attention for utilizing business to create social change

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ARTICLE EMERGENT PRACTICE

CLIMATECTURE

(klahy-muh-tek-cher) Carey Walker, Associate AIA, LEED AP Walker is a graduate of Syracuse University School of Architecture where she researched ‘anticipatory climatic disaster design’ and is a designer with Sasaki Associates in Boston, MA.

For years, there has been a growing concern across the world about the wellbeing of our planet due to climate change and the lack of adaptability. The overwhelming need for strategies to change as buildings are designed, or cities and towns are planned has been overlooked. Efforts have not been focused, but quietly observed so that smart minds can rest easy based off their small effort to try.

Programs in the design community have been established, with a positive intent, but have failed when considering the end goal, the only goal, to protect the climate and our planet.

Although many university design programs and design practices are giving thought to implementing these programs and guidelines into their daily lives, nothing has been established that incorporates the absolute need for this to be the focus. The question of ‘How architects and designers need to adapt their concepts and develop strategies?’ is in dire need of discussion.

Three focus areas are specifically drawn forward. First, the ability to determine whether or not a building should be re-built after being destroyed and, if not, how the remains should be re-used or converted into a different use. Along with that, how then is a community relocated and redefined. Secondly, if a building needs to be rebuilt, how does this process happen? And finally, how materiality is chosen, and how the impact on the site’s environment is studied and appropriated.

When disaster strikes and devastation encompasses our communities, the human instinct is to rebuild one’s ‘home’. To recreate what people have lost, so that they can resume life the way it was before the traumatic experience in hopes to forget. Instead of the logical response of determining the reasonability of this immediate reproduction, the new structure is often aligned plenary to the destroyed.

Consider the definition of age value. The thought that as decay exists more and more, the value of the monument or time of

existence is abruptly discovered. While the decay increases, the use value deteriorates. If a structure is continually destroyed, the use value is constantly being affected as well. Why wouldn’t the program be located to a structure that could provide consistent use value? Or, what could change from the original structure to the rebuilt structure to insure this consistency?

So the question becomes: how to rebuild?

The seemingly obvious base is that the current design is no longer efficient since it has been destroyed. Therefore recognizing the points of destruction can create a starting point for research. Understanding the adaption of the site’s natural habitat has been increasingly effective.

The most important realization is recognizing that destruction exists, and creates adaption. Relying on the same system through distinctly different time periods

Realizing that adaption is key, change is necessary, and destruction will occur again are the main points to drive with. Relocating the man-made habitat is also a is a mistake.

consideration. If destruction occurs at a high level, causing no real adaptive possibilities, the most realistic thing is remotion (also a form of adaption).

When studying the history of residential architecture, homes in different climates and zones of the world are visibly different. Whether it is their shape, size, or materiality, no home in Galveston Texas would be compared to one in Stowe Vermont. So why is that?

Any architect can answer that question. And still there are many areas of the United States that have been developed with similar prototypes when clearly each zone is unique. The simplest way to break the antiphon down is to determine the precise requirements of the natural body of the site. What is the plant life? What is the terrain? What is the natural habitat? What are the natural and anticipated weather systems?

Glaveston Texas

Stowe Vermont

The importance of understanding the site is imprinted into a designer’s brain early in their career, but the techniques seem to fade as the client extends their role. There is a need to bring back this initial evaluation to each project.

product of attachment. Moving forward, this bond must be initiated early in the process, proving to all parties it is the necessary driver.

Consider biomimicry in the sense that each site is individual in its natural habitat, so why wouldn’t it be in its built environment as well? The

strength in understanding ancient design techniques of areas that were impacted by harsh weather conditions, or often hit by natural disasters can create a dynamic dialog between these paired topics. Combining this knowledge and research can create a basis for which direction one should propose to their client. Whether it be to build or not to build, but more importantly, how to build.

Designers must strive to create an end result that not only is connected to the client, but even more importantly, connects the client to their natural habitat through the building by understanding its strengths and weaknesses and adapting to them. ■

In conclusion, an excuse often heard is the strength the client will play in this role of ‘choosing a sustainability level’. That funds or lack of knowledge will limit them in their decision to move forward instead of backwards. Clients often see sustainability as a box that gets checked off when a project is finished, or a plaque that initiates a building into a ‘green’ category. This has been proven to help designers create a dialogue with their clients for the push towards sustainability. But what has been lost is that to be sustainable the building must create a positive connection with the site, climate, and community. It is not a style of design; it is a

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An analysis of geographic features in Galveston, Texas. By separating the island into smaller pieces and studying the habitats of each, comprehending the advantages and deprivations is more manageable.

ARTICLE PROFESSIONAL EMERGENCE

OUR NUMBER TWO DILEMMA Sean Sheffler, AIA LEED AP Sheffler is the IDP State Coordinator for Pennsylvania, a Project Manager with WTW Architects, has served as the 2011 Chair of AIA Pittsburgh’s Young Architects Forum and Chair for their Communications Committee in 2013.

Consider the following opportunity, one that will really test your chops as an architect: Design a public space that will see a lot of foot traffic, one that needs to be beautiful and inviting, with ample provision for circulation, and will incorporate some high-quality finishes with strict dimensional criteria, as well as a great deal of specialty equipment . There will be mechanical and lighting design concerns, as well as acoustic separation from the surrounding spaces. Let’s not forget about accessibility – we need to be sure that we've complied with all necessary clearances, reach ranges, etcetera. So, in other words, an effective solution requires not only design expression plus technical skill – the very definition of architecture.

Interested?

Would you still be interested if you found out the design problem was a pair of ganged toilet rooms?

Toilet rooms have earned the worst possible reputation in the practice of architecture; no one, it seems, wants to be associated with spaces that are dedicated to the calls of nature. And yet, every project will have at least one toilet room in it, and it's a virtual guarantee that the majority of plan review and building inspection will be concerned with how these rooms are laid out. It’s an essential skill for an architect to have in their bag of tricks. And yet, every young architect cringes when asked to work on them.

Our profession is based on licensure -- RA status is our most valued credential, and the AIA has vigilantly defended the title.

But despite efforts to raise public awareness of the architect’s role in society, our numbers have dwindled. Enrollment in architecture schools has steadily decreased over the past five years – the National Architectural Accrediting Board’s 2011 Report on Accreditation indicates a total enrollment of 24,478 students in NAAB-accredited degree programs, 59% of which are Bachelor of Architecture programs; this is down from a total of 29,133 (62% BArch) in 2008.

Of those that do graduate from their respective programs, some never enter the profession, and an increasing number forgo

registration – NCARB’s website reports 14,465 ARE candidates in 2011, compared to the 17,916 that took the exam in 2008.

The AIA has referred to this as “The Associate Crisis,” and it’s one of the largest issues facing the profession.

Not the largest, though -- in the grand scheme of things, it ranks as number two on the list.

Some of the Crisis stems from the “Gen-Y Effect,” the tendency of the current generation to stray from commitment; studies have shown that Generation-Y (or “The Milennials”) rents instead of buys, remains single instead of getting married, pursues short-term employment instead of long-term positions. In that mindset, a five-to-seven year internship, coupled with a seven-part examination, sounds somewhat daunting.

The transient nature of the current generation is only one factor; another is the vast disparity between academia and practice. In architecture school, we’re taught to dream big, to not get bogged down in realities. Essentially, we’re made to believe that each and every one of us is not just a designer, but THE designer. After years of intense studio culture and countless all-nighters in the pursuit of one’s own post-modernist thesis masterpiece, surely we have more to offer the office -- to say nothing of society at large -- than a well-placed hand dryer.

Graduates from architecture school very quickly find that the real world of the profession bears little resemblance to the fantasy realm of the studio. We are often left to fend for ourselves in a harsh world of tight deadlines and

The fact that the onus for so much of our training is carried by practice, not academia, is a liability for employer and employee alike -- when it comes to certain skills, like minimal direction.

toilet room layouts, we’re simply not taught that sort of thing in school. The aforementioned lack of direction has emerged as a troubling stat. When developing a set of

Bathroom partition design Photo by Sean Sheffler

Bathroom redlining Photo by Sean Sheffler

skills, oversight from a more experienced practitioner is essential to help identify problems, find potential solutions, and perform in

individual and the profession at large.

That type of guidance is all-toofrequently lost in our hectic schedules, where we are constantly expected to do more with less, and in shorter time frames, than ever before. an efficient manner.

If academia doesn’t advocate for the necessary skills to practice and real world constraints prohibit professional growth, are interns expected to fill the gap? Internship is the time when it’s expected to develop one’s skill set, which includes such things as competent toilet-room layout, in the process of honing one’s craft, becoming an architect instead of a designer. Design requires creativity, intuition, and conviction -- architecture requires all that, as well as a generous helping of knowledge, research, and technical ability.

The Intern Development Program was developed to ensure that anyone wishing to call themselves an architect has the ability to competently and responsibly practice on their own, but its underlying goal is to develop and reinforce the importance of a skill set that will form the basis for a career as an architect.

The argument here is not against the importance of design. Every space, even the toilet rooms, deserves to be beautiful as well as functional. In fact, cleanlydetailed tile walls, carefully-located accessories , and uncompromised sightlines are quite an impressive design feat. That level of attention to detail is a good indicator that the rest of the building is equally impressive.

Once we are able to convince our emergent professionals that even ancillary and support spaces play a pivotal design role, we’ll have found a solution to our number two dilemma -- convincing our own ilk that what we do is valid, worthy of their time, effort, and education. Maybe then we can move on to Dilemma Number One -figuring out how to convince the general public of the same thing. ■

It’s the responsibility of the intern to view IDP as more than a numbers game; it’s essential training, and needs to be treated as such. But it’s also an inherent responsibility of the academy and practice to provide adequate opportunity to hone those skills, with the proper coaching and guidance, in the best interests of the

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ARTICLE EMERGENT PRACTICE

A RETURN TO REALITY Brian Kubecki, AIA Kubecki is an artist and registered architect with six years of experience. His creative and thoughtful approach to the practice of architecture has prompted him to challenge the industry standards of computer-based design.

Christopher Hawthorne’s review of Victor Papanek’s 41-yearold book, Design for the Real World: Human Ecology and Social Change offers a clear synopsis of today’s architectural condition.

In short: there is a “fissure in the profession” and it is “never going to go away”. The fissure, described by Papanek as “real engagement” versus “salesmanship” is reflected in the current separation of socially-focused architects versus their style-heavy counterparts. The disparities between the two are most apparent when considering each one’s utilization of technology. Architects that bring a humanitarian bent to their design approach have positioned themselves “in clear opposition to both the bleedingedge technology of Silicon Valley and architecture’s parametric camp, with its sleek digital fantasies.” Alternately, the parametric camp, with Patrik Schumacher as a figurehead, owes an obvious debt to technology. Indeed, Parametricism, as it is called, requires the mastery of “sophisticated parametric techniques” in order to participate.

These opposing forces, aversion to and dependency on

Emerging architects and designers must choose between sacrificing their interest in the real world (by embracing the virtual immersion necessary to practice parametric design), or risk becoming a Luddite who rejects technological advances out of fear (a stance which has not historically ended well). Professionally, I have struggled against this technocomputer-aided design, present a difficult scenario.

quandary by trying to integrate hand-drawing into the digitalization process. This gentle attempt at integration is destined for rejection as the prevalence of building information modeling (BIM) increases and continues to encroach on early phases of the design process.

A more radical departure from the pull of an exclusively virtual design environment would be to return to the reality of the physical (constructed) environment. Let me explain. BIM’s parametrics are advantageous because of their ability to perform complex calculations and instant global adjustments; in essence, they make design easy (or easier). But, this assessment is relative

to the pre-internet hegemony of communication through printed words and graphics. In our post-internet world, which now includes “smartphones, iPads, Skype, Twitter, Tumblr, and open-source design software” , the very act of communicating a design concept from architect to builder needs reconsideration.

Robert Venturi challenges the narrow use of technology by designers, writing in Architecture as Signs and Systems: For a Mannerist Time that “perhaps the appropriate use of computers for architecture in an Electronic Age is not to compose contorted forms but to validate valid surfaces, for an Information Age.” Venturi’s reflection suggests technology as a primarily communicative tool as opposed to a primarily design-generating tool – imagine the implications! Instead of young designers solving virtual problems while tethered to their computers, picture them at job sites with a tablets and sketch apps solving real problems in the real world.

As emerging professionals take their positions on either side of the “fundamental fissure”, a reevaluation of our technological capabilities is needed. Rather than accept the status quo, let us ask: How can design technology affect real change for everyday people in the real world?

As emerging professionals take their positions on either side of the “fundamental fissure”, a re-evaluation of our technological capabilities is needed. Rather than accept the status quo, let us ask: How can design technology affect real change for everyday people in the real world?

■

1

2 3

4 5

Hawthorne, Christopher. “Rereading Design for the Real World.” Metropolis Nov. 2012: 32-35. Print.

Ibid Schumacher, Patrik. “Parametricism as Style - Parametricist Manifesto.” Thesis. 11th Architecture Biennale, Venice, 2008. Http://www.patrikschumacher.com/Texts/Para metricism%20as%20Style.htm. Web. 29 Nov. 2012.

Hawthorne. Pg35.

Venturi, Robert, and Brown Denise Scott. Architecture as Signs and Systems: For a Mannerist Time. Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard UP, 2004. 100. Print.

... perhaps the appropriate use of computers for architecture in an Electronic Age is not to compose contorted forms but to validate valid surfaces, for an Information Age. - Robert Venturi

On Site, Intuitive, Connected - A New Approach to Computer-Aided Design Digital Collage by Brian Kubecki

DESIGN EMERGENT PRACTICE

MONSTERS

AN EMERGING PRACTICE OF SALVAGE Sophia Lee, LEED AP Lee has recently helped to establish the Philadelphia branch of the University of Virginia School of Architecture Young Alumni Council (UVa AYAC) and works as an Intern Architect at MGA Partners in Philadelphia, PA.

Benedikte Zitouni, in “What is Waste?” discusses the idea that “Waste is ‘matter out of place.’” The Industrial Revolution led to the general current practice of first defining a mass-producible form, then designating a material. Inevitably, form takes precedence over material resulting in material waste. A different word to call industrial waste would be by-product. With a little ingenuity, byproducts can become raw materials for a whole variety of products.

What if a practice could emerge that reincorporates “waste” as “product”?

In Spring of 2011, Lucia Phinney, Lionel Devlieger, and ten students convened for Studio “Tools for Conviviality” at University of Virginia School of Architecture. Our major interest was to first identify wood industry by-products and then discover their potential uses.

Lionel inspired us to call them “monsters,” from the Dutch monster or “specimen,” as a means of elevating each of them as distinct characters. Our final goal was to research methods by which we could reincorporate these rejected or undesirable materials back into society.

We began our inquiry by visiting ten forest product industries in Virginia, covering the full spectrum from seeds through landfill and recycling. I personally visited the Augusta Lumber Company which produces flooring. From rough lumber, they plane, rip, bevel, tongue & groove, and finish before packaging it for sale.

Until the lumber is tongue & grooved, all the pieces are the same size, but then they cut out all the “imperfections” or knots in the wood – these are our monsters! They collect the knotted wood pieces to burn for fuel. The rest of the flooring, now irregular lengths, continue along in the process.

We built a “Wood Systems Model” to visualize the interaction between the different systems involved in the forest industry which are: Forest, Manufacturing Process, Use, Material Recovery Facility, and Landfill. The white ribbons flowing throughout the whole model represent wood as it transforms from living tree to product. We found that most facilities burn wood by-products and sawdust for energy and are very efficient. White portions of the model represent products we can track – the “Use” box is black because here we lose track. The grey box represents a Material

Recovery Facility (MRF): a tiny portion of used products are recovered here as particleboard feedstock, but sadly, the greater part of used products directly enter the Landfill. The open question is: How can post-use forest products be recovered for reuse pre-landfill?

Using monsters, we then designed landscape interventions in partnership with Mountainside Senior Living, a local assisted living community. Their back patio is beautiful, but lacked a safe border against car traffic. Sydnor Scholer and I developed the “Freestanding Garden Screen” to help define this border. The form arose from a dialogue between Landscape and Monster.

Because of their relatively large size, we decided to use end cuts recovered from local construction sites. The screen’s size needed to be roughly waist high to cover the parking lot, but keep the mountain views; the undulation absorbed the varying sizes of end cuts available to us while mimicking the mountain skyline in the distance.

Amongst the challenges of designing with monsters is overcoming the sheer negative perception of using a “waste” product. Originally, we desired to use pallets in recognizable form with monsters as decorative infill, but received much push back because our critics felt our clients would simply see “junk.” We needed to reveal the qualities of wood by transforming its form – by presenting it in a new light. Thus, we first emphasized the infill pieces, but moved towards removing any resemblance altogether. Eventually, we dismantled the pallets and used the pieces for laterally bracing “box connectors”, thereby succeeding in complete transformation.

In our trial and error process, we discovered that traditional woodworking joints do not accommodate monsters because this practice assumes straight, planar forms. Monsters are each unique, frequently warped, or simply considered “imperfect” (such as the knots from Augusta Lumber Co.). We first attempted a miter joint … that exploded and led us to use L brackets. These

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Free standing garden screen installed at Mountainside Senior Living. Photo by Sophia Lee

brackets can accommodate wood whose plane rotates around the axis of its grain.

Our most amazing discovery was our Local Salvage Network that grew out of our research. Local architects, contractors, craftsmen, fabricators, and suppliers genuinely wanted to help, as they frequently desired to find a better use for monsters. They even gave us helpful suggestions on how to build our network; one contractor suggested contacting suppliers directly who would know who in the area would be at the point of wood framing buildings which produces the most amount of usable end cuts.

In Studio “Tools for Conviviality,” we set out to discover monsters.

We did, but along the way we also discovered a regional, and even global network of people and landscapes joined in the productions of forest products. For example, Rock Tenn creates paperboard backing for gypsum wallboard from Old Corrugated Cardboard (OCC). They face increasing pressure to obtain OCC because of China’s growing demand for American OCC. Ken McEntee in “Paper’s Broadening Horizons” (Security Shredding and Storage News) quotes Jimmy Yang of Newport CH International (Orange, Calif.) as saying: “Chinese mills are always going to want OCC from the United States because of our strong fiber.”.

The people amazed us with their willingness to help in our endeavor to research monsters. The

key ingredients to instigating positive change are desire and dedication. With this

project, I found both of those passions within myself, and within a whole community of concerned and interested designers. I feel optimistic that if we all continue to work with monsters, we can build a better future together in which we can close the materials loop into a regenerative, sustainable cycle. ■

z

x y z

y

Monster Wall at "Woodflows" Exhibit. Photo by Sophia Lee

Common warping patterns in Monsters. Diagram by Sophia Lee [below]

by-product (monster): A by-product is an incidental product of a manufacturing process. They are categorized ‘waste’ though some become inputs for other processes. The term ‘monster’ stems from the Dutch monster or ‘specimen.”

Wood systems model. Photo by Sophia Lee

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DESIGN EMERGENT PRACTICE

WHAT’S IN ADD Inc. Back row from left to right: Ben Stracco, Mika Gilmore, Lisa Walden, Marcus Hamblin, Fred Kramer, BK Boley, Tamara Roy, and Blake Goodwin.

Front row left to right: Zach Pursley, Ruthie Kuhlman, Meredith Powell, Melissa Miranda, Aeron Hodges, Derrick Nickerson, Michelle Kim, “Q”uinton Kerns, Dan Connolly, and Chris Neukamm

Q’s Story

Tamara outlined several areas where the city could help:

On the surface, this essay is about an emerging building typology

• create smaller units

called the “micro-unit” and the diverse team of people tasked with

• focus on shared common spaces

bringing the typology to life. Below the surface is young architect

• replace cars with bikes

named ‘Q’ whose story is unfolding in cities across America. Maybe

• create more opportunities and incentives for developers to

you know someone like Q who left college after earning a degree

experiment

and a mountain of debt. Q does not need a luxury penthouse with harbor views nor does he need a doorman, town car or in-house

The Mayor’s staff responded by requiring any residential proposal

laundry service. Maybe you are someone like Q who envisions

in the waterfront area to have an Innovation component, this policy

living in an apartment in the city so that he can walk to work and

change kicked off a surge in the design of developments with

maybe even have enough money left over for craft beers and art

smaller units, shared amenities, urban agriculture and incentivized

museums. He wants to know his neighbors, live within his means,

other innovations in housing. ADD Inc. was tasked with designing

walk to the store, and make a basic apartment feel like home.

four of these projects. Roy (with B.K. Boley, Design Principal-in-

Unfortunately, Q cannot find a place to live in downtown Boston

charge) realized early in the design process that her team lacked

that fulfills his wants

the basic demographic information necessary to their client’s needs, the emerging professional. To better understand the needs

The Call to Innovate

of young creative professional a housing research initiative called ‘What’s In? was born.

The city that you work in, wants you – the driven, young entrepreneur – to live downtown because you drive economic growth and spur

By mid-2011, Q had had enough “rainy days” to warrant a move

community development. In 2010, the year that Q took degree and

back to Beantown. He landed his “dream job” at ADD Inc. and was

moved to Seattle in search of a job and more affordable housing,

asked to lead the What’s In task force with Aeron Hodges.

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino created an “Innovation District”

team set out to answer one question – What is the appropriate

along the waterfront to create new ideas, services and products.

design response to an emerging urban living environment where

He invited five architects, including Tamara Roy, from ADD Inc.,

city-living is preferred but prohibitively costly for most people?

The

to speak to area developers and his staff about what Innovative Housing could be. Roy is a great believer in crowd-sourcing and

The Big Idea Is Little

collaboration and asked her colleagues about innovation. The resounding answer was: “We can’t afford to live in Boston, so

At first, What’s In was just a handful of architects committed to

what does it matter?” It was apparent that designers, developers,

developing a new building typology that promoted affordable

and policy-makers needed to think beyond current luxury housing

urban living. They looked at the cost of urban land and theorized

models if they were to make Boston attractive and affordable to

that using less real estate per person would be the best way to

creative professionals.

achieve affordable rents and encourage diversity in downtown

40 EMERGING PROFESSIONALS ATTENDED THE WHAT’S IN FORUMS ON THE TOPIC OF URBAN LIVING IN BOSTON. OUT OF THE POOL OF ATTENDEES, 81% WERE RENTERS AND 41% SPENT 30-50% OF THEIR MONTHLY INCOME ON RENT ALONE. MOST LIVED ON THE OUTER EDGES OF BOSTON OR IN AFFORDABLE SUBURBS WITH ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. NO ONE LIVED IN THE INNOVATION DISTRICT. MOST SAID THAT THEY WOULD LOVE A CHANCE TO LIVE DOWNTOWN – EVEN IF THAT MEANT SHARING SOME LIVING SPACE WITH OTHER BUILDING RESIDENTS. 55% SAID THEY WOULD LIVE IN A 250 SQ. FT. APARTMENT IN HEART OF BOSTON IF THE RENT WAS LESS THAN $1000/MO.

Boston. In the early days, Q and his team felt certain about three big “if-then” ideas.

If traditional studio apartments were 600 sq. ft., then the emerging unit typology would have to be much smaller yet not feel cramped.

IF renters were going to live in walk-in-closet-sized apartments, then they need new style of city living – one in which creative and accessible shared spaces would ameliorate the reduction in private space and add value to the urban experience.

IF the micro-unit typology was going to be adopted by forwardthinking municipalities, then it would have to support innovation.

As work progressed on Boston’s new housing projects, What’s In solicited feedback from outside voices to ensure that ADD Inc.’s designs would fit the needs of emerging professionals. Sure, 300 sq. ft. apartments worked on paper, but would developers and end users buy into the idea that going micro was the new way to live big? Even though Q did not want much more than a small space to sleep, What’s In needed to know if his peers thought otherwise.

To find out, the group invited the target demographic, young professionals, 21-34 years in age, to participate in interactive forums designed to address three levels of urban living in Boston: neighborhood amenities, building amenities and apartment amenities.

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

Many 20-34 year olds would like to leverage their building common areas and social media to increase social interaction among neighbors. Some What’s In forum participants wished for accommodations that could feel more like the “good old college days.”

35

Bringing the Big Idea to Life Armed with end-user data confirming the existence of a market for

Forum participants reported that living in a small space would only be possible if the surrounding area provided vibrant social offerings, easy access to public transit, convenient amenities (grocery, pharmacy, gym, shopping, parking, etc),and was proximal to professional places to work

simple and affordable micro-units in downtown Boston, the What’s In design team set out to share their big idea. What they needed was something bold, informative, and experiential – an exhibit featuring a full-scale mockup that thousands of people could walk through and learn from. Q and his colleagues designed and built a 300 sq. ft. mock-unit (named “Luan” after its plywood shell) that would go on display at the 2012 ArchitectureBoston Expo, one of the largest events for the design and construction industries in the country. Luan sprang to life as a digital 3D model, shaped by the collaborative efforts of the What’s In team. Its modular design accommodated the programmatic components generated by the emerging professionals’ forum, used standard sizes of inexpensive building materials, displayed the What’s In research and provided a physical space for public discussion. After months of planning and off-site construction, Luan was ready for the exhibition. For three days, a bright orange, fully accessorized micro-unit mock-up generated buzz on the floor of the convention center. Developers, city-officials, architects and renters were all raving about microliving, urban affordability, and the future of residential rental development.

Because micro-units encourage people to spend more of their time in shared spaces, this housing typology and innovation are intrinsically linked. The three pillars of micro-unit housing – diversity, density and interaction – add up to a key ingredient for innovation called

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Unlike conventional buildings that pack all common amenities on the ground floor, micro-unit buildings situate amenity spaces amongst the apartments on different levels to activate the structure in a new way. Fresh patterns of circulation for residents increase opportunities for interaction.

“knowledge spillover.” This phenomenon hinges on the frequent and natural exchange of ideas among acquaintances who may, unwittingly, spark an idea for a feasible way to make cars fly, lower healthcare costs, or end homelessness.

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What’s In Is Emerging Architectural Practice Over the course of the What’s In research initiative, Q moved from his walk-up apartment on the outskirts of Boston to an affordable but amenity starved suburban location. He commutes 45 minutes to and from work, every day. His story is a reminder that the cost of urban housing is a complex problem that deserves the attention of policy-makers, city planners, developers and architects. To Q and the What’s In team, emerging architectural practice means approaching an issue in a cyclical manner with the help of a diverse group of stakeholders. It means asking new questions when the old ones are answered so that the emerging professional may one day have an affordable place to live in the city they work in and contribute to the creative community that keeps cities and innovation alive. ■

At the unit level, What’s In forum participants were interested mostly in affordability. If clever storage solutions, fold-away beds, luxury finishes and full kitchens were going to raise rents, participants consistently said ‘no thanks’. They said yes to a modern bath, a kitchenette, polished concrete floors, basic finishes, a bed alcove, decent storage, lots of natural light, and the opportunity for tenant-to-tenant customization.

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DESIGN EMERGENT PRACTICE

TANGENTS Tuan Tran, AIA Tran has served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning and is a partner at Design Fugitives in Milwaukee, WI.

In 2009, firms downsized. Projects went on hold or were cancelled.

inherent in the process of hand forming the steel which made each of

Many colleagues were looking for other work.

Marginalized and

the forty-six light fixtures unique. In addition to visualization, material

discontent with the job prospect, the recession catalyzed the formation

quantity was extracted from the parametric model that allowed

of Design Fugitives. Begun as an eight-person co-op, Design Fugitives

us to accurately forecast our fabrication cost and reduce the overall

has evolved and streamlined into a partnership of four. We are on the

project cost, while increasing our profits. The finished product was

run, but not from mainstream architectural practice. Design Fugitives

an amalgamation of our analog and digital skills and the experience

functions outside the boundaries of traditional architectural design to

gained would aide us in our next project.

explore tangents.

The Light Mobile is a sculpture for the atrium of the recently completed

Unlike other start-ups, we did not have a clear business plan. We saw

Power Solutions building at the Johnson Controls campus in Glendale,

an opportunity in the market for a practice that provides design and

Wisconsin. This was our first collaboration with the Gensler Chicago

fabrication services.

Unlike traditional design-build practices, we

office. Design Fugitives was initially brought on as the fabricator.

leverage computational design and advanced fabrication techniques.

However, our role evolved into designer-maker through a collaborative

This tangential approach gives us the capability to take on projects of

process of refining the initial concept into a manageable, constructible

various scales, scope and complexity.

and cost-effective installation. The sculpture was simplified as we

Our client list has grown to include museums, architects, lighting designers, product designers, furniture makers, restaurateurs and

distilled the fabrication process from nearly one-thousand individually hung thermoformed plastic pieces to only twenty-nine clusters!

homeowners. For these clients we have designed and built exhibits,

A CNC formed stainless steel spine and custom attachment hardware

lighting fixtures, furniture and sculptures. Our projects are not limited

supported each cluster which supports twenty-three wing-shaped

to traditional commissions which are client initiated projects, but we

plastic lenses. These lenses were cut with our in-house CNC router

actively pursue product designs ranging from coasters to furniture and

out of three different types of acrylics: milky white, clear fresnel, and

mobile office solutions.

dichroic mirror.

Our first major commission was for forty-six custom sculptural LED light fixtures for the River Club of Mequon, Wisconsin. The initial concept rendering proposed a light fixture made of bundled black tubes that looked like branches. We employed parametric modelling to approximate the visual aesthetic of bundled branches.

Prototypes were made and used to fine tune the overall form. We then experimented with finish options, and test LED wiring.

While making the prototypes, we discovered a desirable variability

Light transmission was deliberately manipulated

through the varying use of these materials, the individual orientation of the lenses and the nesting of the clusters. With so many parts to coordinate in fabrication, the delivery and installation logistics turned out to be as complex and energy intensive as making the sculpture. We were able to fabricate and install the project in only three weeks. This project reinforced the effectiveness of our methodology of leveraging digital tools with complimentary craftsmanship.

City Blocks: Manhattan is a coaster set we offer through our website.

The name references both the cartographic features of New York City

Light Mobile from side view - Tom Harris Š Hedrich Blessing

(top) Light Mobile view from below Photo by Tom Harris Š Hedrich Blessing (bottom) Light Mobile detail Photo by Tom Harris Š Hedrich Blessing

(top) City Blocks: Manhattan packaged (middle) City Blocks: Manhattan in green and blue (bottom) City Blocks: Manhattan in close up

and the geometric shape of the coasters. Manhattan’s iconic landmass and street grid are carved into four square Corian blocks. The carved street grid creates a beautiful and subtle drop shadow. Functionally, the negative relief wicks away condensation from a glass placed on it.

This product resulted from our constant and ongoing experimentation with the CNC router. Beyond tool and techniques, this joint venture with New York based designer Jacinda Ross was also an experiment in strategic partnership, which attracted the attention of the MoMA design store. We are excited to announce that the store will carry City

What’s next for Design Fugitives in 2013?

Still on the run, we are taking on new projects exploring tangential trajectories.

The experience we gained from

these three projects and others has taught us to embrace the challenges new projects bring. As a young start-up, these challenges are invaluable lessons in running a business and more importantly, they help us identify new tangents for the trajectory of Design Fugitives. ■

Blocks in 2013.

View of installed chandelier

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Entry Lobby chandelier in the spray booth

43

DESIGN EMERGING PRACTICE

COMMUNITY BUILDING CATALYST Chris M Baribeau, AIA Baribeau is the recipient of the AIA Arkansas Emerging Professional Award and Principal-In-Charge at Modus Studio in Fayetteville, AR.

In the mass-minded reluctance to change, we find opportunity to break from the norms and elevate ourselves to a thoughtful approach, carefully articulated and rooted in simple ideas with which people can practically connect. Such is the case with Carroll County Airport Terminal and its formal influence from the WWII F4U corsair aircraft. Modus Studio has made a habit of directly engaging these opportunities in pursuit of intelligent responses found by asking good questions and wondering how things should be without a tendency for preconceived notions.

As an architect with an awareness of the importance of community, I've found that place-making and sustainability go hand-in-hand

Formal qualities seat the building comfortably into its surroundings.

and more importantly are critical for what I consider to be "good design." Society is astoundingly numb to the lowest common

views. The compression at the public entry to the north provides

denominator of the typical built environment. The masses seem

a release toward the runway to the south, seemingly welcoming

to want and cherish the old and the traditional. While this may be

the planes as they land. From the sky the building is a beacon, a

for good reason—ideas of craftsmanship and real materials come

parked artifact, and a form familiar to visiting pilots. An observation

to mind—we have the opportunity to evolve an understanding

deck, or vulture’s row, offers a unique, lofted view of the runway's

that there is a new level of familiarity to be embraced in modern

approach…a vantage from which one can enjoy a critique of the

materials and designs that are realized through the unbounded

other pilots' skills as they make their landing on the windy hilltop

opportunities of technology. When these elements happily

tarmac in Carroll County.

coalesce, healthy places are born and can be nourished by the community that inhabits and surrounds them.

Though the airport terminal building type is wrought with code and agency approval, these paper limits lead to a thoughtful master

The Carroll County Airport Terminal is a simple and low-tech

planning and a careful insertion of an architectural form into the

example of this complex philosophy. As an architectural machine

site constraints of the rural airport. Distinct program requirements,

it inspires the adventure of flight while lightly landing as a proud

view corridors, and site forces—particularly wind and solar—all

artifact to eagerly engage a growing population of pilots and visitors

emphatically influenced the form making process.

to the quaint airport in rural Arkansas. The building acts as a lens, capturing and projecting pilots to the landing area of the runway.

As the first civic project undertaken by my firm, the terminal evolved

The form of the building seeks to take flight while sheltering the

our capacity to provide a new model for how projects of this scale,

exterior space under its provocative wing-like forms.

occurring all over the rural landscape, can be provocative and enable architects to re-emerge in everyday projects through the act

An unfettered material palette of metal panel, glass, and cement

of community building. This simple idea of community builder—a

fiberboard is carefully articulated as a lightweight skin that captures

status to which architects were perhaps once affectionately

form and floods the interior spaces with natural light and expansive

ascribed—is a role that I believe we must revisit and more actively

A simple gesture goes along way to inspire visitors and pilots to the wonders of flight.

Floor plan, ground level and vulture’s row

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45

The wing-like structure shelters an open air patio for the patrons of the Carroll County Airport.

pursue. Our design insight, from planning to building, is valuable

At Modus Studio, we've become aware that most people can

across a spectrum of communities, both rural and urban.

connect with complex ideas if they are translated into simple thoughts and simple forms. While many are able to fundamentally

As an active liaison, critic, and resource for the University of

relate to architecture through their experience of construction—be

Arkansas, Fay Jones School of Architecture, I feel a strong

it growing up on a street where a house is built, or a neighborhood

connection to the community of students that look to my young

school, or the latest town retail center—there is still an incredible

firm for inspiration. The relationship with my alma mater was

disconnect between what people witness in typical construction

evolving during the terminal’s design, and following its completion

and their understanding of an architect's role. The connection has

the subsequent publication and media exposure allowed a large

withered at our own hands and is thus our responsibility to emerge

number of students and community members to take notice.

as an avid community player, indeed a community builder, in order

This successful project has lain the ground work for a symbiotic

for the important role of the architect to become a more tangible

relationship with not only budding young students, but a social

concept in the eyes of our communities. ■

network that we both support and rely upon. Modus Studio is now directly involved with a University design/build project and it is apparent that an opportunity for idea exchange in relation to theory/design/practice/build is healthily unfolding.

This level of active engagement in community translates to my recent involvements in our home city, Fayetteville. I am a founding member of two downtown organizations, one focusing on the arts and downtown improvement projects and another rallying downtown businesses into a cohesive, powerful body seeking to enact change and increase the quality of life in a growing city.

These extensions of the design-driven studio enable my planning and visioning skills to benefit the greater community as a whole.

This is a role toward which I believe architects must be both responsive and responsible.

Exploded axonometirc

The southern expanse of glazing affords unobstructed views of the landing strip.

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

47

PHOTOGRAPHY

Becca Waterloo Waterloo graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 2011 with a Bachelor of Architecture and currently works at Fitzgerald Associates in Chicago, IL.

Bernard’s house, Mount Elgon, Uganda

Calatrava bridge, Valencia, Spain

Coffee Mill, Kampala, Uganda

Apartments, Barcelona, Spain

BOOK REVIEW

SEARCH FOR HOME

‘Life Would Be Perfect if I Lived in That House’ Nicole Martin, AIA Martin is the Assistant Editor: Book Reviews for the YAF Connection, was 2012 Emerging Architect of the year in AIA Rochester (NY) and is an Architect at Design-Award Winning In. Site: Architecture in Perry and Geneva, NY.

Meghan Daum’s 256 page noveL, Life Would Be Perfect if I Lived in That House, was published in 2010 – not long after the US economy experienced a severe housing crisis. From Publishers Weekly, “By turns disarming and tedious, Daum’s (The Quality of Life Report) cautionary tale about house lust tracks her dizzying succession of moves from New York City to Lincoln, Neb., to Los Angeles. Place becomes inextricably linked with being, and fashioning an impressive shelter creates a whole life… she eventually migrates from the modest charms of a Lincoln farmhouse to the parched crevices of L.A., where she aims to write a screenplay. Here the locus of her memoir fixes on the purchase of a dilapidated bungalow in Echo Park in 2004: becoming a homeowner translates into being an evolved human. Alas, the outcome is sadly predictable, even the finding-the-man-to-fill-thehouse with, but Daum’s treading in the wake of the burst housing bubble is sweet and timely.”

The fact that I read this book at all is a sign of the library’s most powerful phenomena: I would not have stumbled upon this title in a book store, but because libraries understand reader temptation, it was grouped in a small section of ‘new releases’ next to the register.

This section has much in common with the candy bars in grocery store checkout aisles. If you take an average person into a candy aisle, they’ll default to old favorites because there are simply too many choices, and because they don’t really need a candy bar to begin with. But standing in the checkout aisle, one begins to understand why so many people buy candy bars they ‘otherwise would not have.’ The selection is limited, and delightful, and yet your favorite candy bar isn’t there, so you try something new on a day when you weren’t going to try anything at all.

Another personality quirk that local libraries love to cater to is a simple notion held by many cultures: everything is connected, all topics intertwine, and ‘researching’ any one of them will immediately give a broader understanding of life and of our place in the world. As an architect, I deeply hold – and enjoy – this belief.

So I picked up the painfully yellow book with the enticing title, and

really enjoyed it. Daum is ridiculous at times, but in a ‘who knew I wasn’t the only person on the planet having these mental writhings,’ kind of way. Or in a laugh-outloud at her absurdity kind of way.

I have always been interested in residential architecture – these buildings become an enormous part of one’s identity. Perhaps one of the largest aspects of this connection between place and self is that we naturally associate life events with the locations where they occurred. Therefore, the places we have lived our lives become containers for all the memories of our very development as people.

Another reason why we so identify ourselves with our dwellings is that they are indicative of many of our personal choices – where are they located, what do they say about us? Daum encapsulates this sense of identity in place – and discomfort or confusion about that – here:

“And that is how I came to be the president of my own personal academy of domestic desire, the overseer of a pantheon of architectural structures and corresponding price tags that led to the most adolescent form of existential inquiry: Where should I live? Why can’t I afford to live where I want to live? How come where I live is so tied up in why I live?” (page 72) Daum touches on another concept worthy of exploration in the design process: that of the narrative, of the story, of trying to place oneself in the imagined space and experience it. To what extent could an individual with a love of literature and a long-active imagination be naturally inclined towards the creation of compelling spaces?

Certainly, each person has a very individual experience of place. I strongly believe, however, that the imagination of an architect – and their ability to place themselves in the dream-worlds they’re developing – is likely one of our

best tools for creating compelling places that actually work.

Daum’s eloquent waxing on wanderlust:

“When you’re as predisposed as I am to wanderlust, any activity that occurs outside your own home (walking to the corner store, for instance) is an exercise in looking around and determining whether you’d rather live there than where you’re currently living. All foreign and domestic travel, all excursions around the city, all books, movies and television shows depicting particular locations become fodder for relocation fantasies. It goes without saying that the real estate section of the newspaper is a form of pornography.’

So, with a few exceptions (Carbondale, Illinois; San Francisco), I think it’s fair to say that I’ve never visited a place without imagining myself permanently or at least semipermanently installed there.” (page 87) made me consider the role in my designs, not only of the literature I seem prone to, but the travel. Many architects feel compelled to ‘see the world.’ And when we come home, we have our very romanticized, very personal maps of the places we’ve been, with our sketches and photographs beautifully compounding that. We then incorporate our memories of all the things that worked wonderfully – or that inspired us to conceive of something that could – into our design lexicon.

The most compelling narrative of all, however, was the rapture Daum lifted into regarding the stair landing in one of her homes: “So, having come to terms with the property’s exterior limitations, I tried to focus on its inner beauty. There was, for instance, something incredibly gorgeous and satisfying about the way the upstairs landing was almost a room unto itself. To reach the top of the stairs, which made a graceful, lanky turn at a leaded-glass window, was to come upon the kind of space that seemed to encapsulate everything I loved about farms, about the Midwest, about life itself. No fewer than two hundred square feet, the landing had walls that were painted a shade of pink so pale it was

YAF CONNECTION 11.01

almost as if early morning light were perpetually casting itself on the thick plaster and thicker woodwork. A built-in linen closet with heavy drawers, tarnished brass handles, and a cabinet latch that clicked shut with that perfect alto timbre known almost exclusively to early-twentiethcentury-era door hardware took up most of one wall.

The floors, of course, were the same glassy wood that covered the rest of the house.

What excited me most about the landing, though, was the marrow of all that it meant to be – and to have – a landing. The fact that a space large enough to be a room was actually not a room but a portal to other rooms, the fact that not two or three but four other rooms jutted out from this mother ship to form magical worlds filled with the promise of nighttime reading and snug, windy nights under patchwork quilts – that was nothing short of delectable. Why was I so stirred? To this day, I can’t quite say. Maybe it was all those years in New York City apartments with their entrails-shaped hallways and sorry excuses for ‘rooms’; maybe it was the collective claustrophobia of the prairie shack and then the apartment in Topanga and then Dani’s hamster cage of a cottage. Maybe my small living spaces had induced a sort of psychological cramping; maybe my acquisition of this farm was not a deliberate act but an involuntary reflex, a yawn and stretch writ large.” (page 118) In my mind, this was a continuation of Daum’s lengthy differentiations between a house and a HOME. And my question as an architect is, have I – and how will I continue – to design these kinds of moments? How can a place or space be better designed to capture a person’s imagination, and become a container, a placeholder, an extension of their being? ■

Photo by Giuseppe Gentile

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LEADERSHIP PROFILE

WHAT I LEARNED

INSIGHTS FROM A YAF CHAIR Noe Ramirez, AIA Ramirez is the outgoing Chair of the AIA Houston Young Architects Forum, a graduate of the University of Houston and a Project Architect at Page Southerland Page in Houston, TX.

After becoming a licensed architect and returning to Houston, I wanted to become more involved in the AIA. At the first Young Architects Forum committee meeting I attended, we discussed the logo and branding of the YAF Houston Chapter. I suggested that we avoid using the acronym YAF, and brand ourselves as the Houston Young Architects Forum because the meaning behind the letters YAF are often lost on those who are unfamiliar with our organization.

One year later, I became Chairman of the AIA Houston Young

I researched as much information as I could about the committee to fully understand the values of the organization. I read the AIA National Young Architects Forum by-laws and the local chapter by-laws, and discovered that the Forum is open to all members. This gave me the idea to market our events to all AIA members and not just recently licensed architects. I also discovered Architects Forum.

that the Houston Young Architects Forum by-laws were very vague and did not provide enough detail about the responsibilities of committee members.

organize events and sessions that members would be interested in and form a group of core members that would ensure the continued success of the Houston Young Architects Forum. It became clear that it would take My goal for the first year was to

at least two years to enact my plan, because the first year was dedicated to learning the rules and responsibilities of the Chairman position. Now that I am finishing up my second year, I feel that I have positively changed the Houston Young Architects Forum.

The following are key lessons that I have learned while serving as chairman of the Young Architects Forum:

GET TO KNOW YOUR FELLOW YAF MEMBERS It is important for Young Architects Forum members to develop personal relationships with each other. My sales background has taught me the importance of creating a personable connection to the people I served. I wanted to know my fellow AIA members, and did this by setting up appointments for lunch or coffee, and visiting the offices of members. During our discussions, I focused on their interests and what skills and knowledge they would be interested in sharing with their peers. Email surveys are impersonal and ineffective and I cannot stress enough the importance of face-to-face meetings.

FIND OUT WHAT OTHER YAF COMMITTEES ARE DOING Avoid wasting time trying to reinvent the wheel, discover what others are doing that works and adapt it. I attended many events sponsored by other chapters (in Texas and beyond) and witnessed firsthand how to run a successful event. By looking at what other chapters were doing I developed many great ideas—many of which I might have not come up with on my own. One example of an event that I attended the Forum had a recruiter come into talk to the committee about resumes and what potential employers were looking for. I expanded upon this idea and organized an event for the Houston chapter where multiple local professionals and a recruiter came into critique the resumes of Forum members at the event.

Newly licensed architects are very busy in their careers and have little time for extracurricular activities. To overcome this challenge the Young Architects Forum must provide great sessions and events to keep members actively involved.

CONDUCT FIRM TOURS People enjoy firm tours because it expands their network and gives them an opportunity to step inside the offices of

local design firms that they might not have the opportunity to visit otherwise. Architects like to see how other architects work, and the firm tours allow Forum members a glimpse into the firm’s design philosophy and the way they practice architecture.

MARKET, MARKET, MARKET— AND TAKE PICTURES I cannot stress the importance of marketing your events, your committee and yourself. I learned very quickly not to rely solely on email for communication. Social networking sites are good, but I found that a combination of Evite, Facebook, LinkedIn, email and word-of-mouth led to increased attendance of events.

YAF AT COH CODE EVENT

If you do not take pictures of your events, then they did not happen. Pictures of people having fun at events are often the best marketing tool for attracting people to future events.

TRY NEW THINGS Feel free to push the limits of marketing, changing up events and developing new ideas on how to improve the committee. Every year our committee has a dinner with the AIA fellows, and each year the committee chair leads the discussion with one selected fellow. This year I decided that another YAF member would be a better person to lead the discussion and this subtle change in tradition allowed for a better discussion with the keynote speaker.

YAF AT PSP FIRM TOUR

THANK THE MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED YOUR EVENTS - MAKE THEM FEEL WELCOME If this seems like a simple concept, it is. At each event I thank every person who attends and take a moment to introduce myself to them and to other Young Architects Forum members. By doing so, I have made many good friends and the YAF Houston community has grown. ■ YAF AT PSP FIRM TOUR

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YAF CONNECTION The YAF Connection Editorial Committee is actively and continually seeking content for inclusion in upcoming issues of CONNECTION, the official bi-monthly publication of the Young Architects Forum of the AIA.

SUBMISSIONS CALL

We are currently soliciting articles for the MARCH 2013 issue focused on the subject of ADVANCEMENT

for

ADVANCE ARE YOU AN EMERGING VOICE? THEN BE HEARD!

YAF GET CONNECTED ADVANCE YOUR CAREER

BE A VIRTUAL MENTOR! SHARE YOUR STORY OF PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Do you have experience or insight in ‌ starting your own firm ... negotiating a raise ... earning a promotion ... getting involved in the community ... studying for registration exams ... gaining clientele ... be heard.

CONNECTION welcomes the submission of ARTICLES, PROJECTS, PHOTOGRAPHY and other design content.

Submitted materials are subject to editorial review and selected for publication in eMagazine format based on relevance to the theme of a particular issue.

If you are interested in contributing, please contact the CONNECTION Editor-In-Chief Wyatt Frantom at wyatt.frantom@wf-ad.com

WHAT IS THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM? The Young Architects Forum is the voice of architects in the early stages of their career and the catalyst for change within the profession and our communities. Working closely with the AIA College of Fellows and the American Institute of Architects as a whole, the YAF is leading the future of the profession with a focus on architects licensed less than 10 years. The national YAF Advisory Committee is charged with encouraging the development of national and regional programs of interest to young architects and supporting the creation of YAF groups within local chapters. Approximately 23,000 AIA members are represented by the YAF. YAF programs, activities, and resources serve young architects by providing information and leadership; promoting excellence through fellowship with other professionals; and encouraging mentoring to enhance individual, community, and professional development.

GOALS OF THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM To encourage professional growth and leadership development among recently licensed architects through interaction and collaboration within the AIA and allied groups.

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

To make AIA membership valuable to young architects and to develop the future leadership of the profession.

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CELEBRATING YEARS OF ADVANCING THE CAREERS OF YOUNG ARCHITECTS

The American Institute of Architects Young Architects Forum 1735 New York Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20006

YAF GET CONNECTED ADVANCE YOUR CAREER

www.aia/yaf.org