AIA NJ Regional Representative, Bruce D. Turner, AIA, returns from a Successful Governance Week

The week of December 3, 2017, AIA NJ Regional Representative, Bruce D. Turner, AIA traveled to Washington, D. C. to participate in AIA’s annual Governance Week.

The highlights of the program include:

1. Orientation for new members of the Strategic Council

2. Joint Board/Strategic Council Meeting where the following items are on the agenda:

    a. Voting for the following awards:

       – 2018 AIA Gold Medal

       – 2018 AIA Firm of the Year

       – AIA 2018 Kemper Award

       – AIA 2018 Whitney M. Young, Jr. Award

       – AIA/ACSA 2018 Topaz Medallion

3. Strategic Council Assembly

    a. Endorsement of the 2018 Operations Plan

    b. Endorsement of the 2018 Budget

    c. Working Group Year-End Reports

    d. Prioritization of Council work for 2018

4. Honoring outgoing AIA President Thomas Vonier, FAIA and other Board and Council members

5. Inauguration of 2018 AIA President Carl Elefante, FAIA

Convener Turner sharing the Innovative Business Models Working Group presentation with the Strategic Council Assembly on Thursday, December 7, 2017

As the chair of the Innovative Business Models Work Group, Bruce has reported that the efforts of the group this year have built upon similar work of the prior two years which predecessor Bob Cozzarelli, AIA, was involved with. It has focused on architectural business practices, innovation in the profession and prosperity for architects. The results have been well received and are beginning to make an impact with such things as the new “AIA Center for Practice” of which Mr. Turner is on the Advisory Committee. The group hopes the members will begin to see tangible results in 2018.

New Jersey native, Carl Elefante, FAIA, Inaugurated as 2018 AIA President

By Matt Tinder, Edited by Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA

 

Carl Elefante, FAIA, was inaugurated as the 94th President of the AIA during ceremonies held on December 8, 2017, at the National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C. Elefante, a principal at Quinn Evans Architects in Washington, D.C. succeeds the 93rd President, Thomas Vonier, FAIA, in representing over 90,000 AIA members.  While Carl has spent most of his adult years in the Greater Washington, D. C. area, his roots are here in the Garden State.

 

Image of Carl and Adriana Elefante by William Stewart Photography

 

From 2013 to 2015, Elefante served as regional director of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council; he is also a sustainability expert who has worked closely with the AIA Committee on the Environment, the Historic Resources Committee, and the Sustainability Scan Advisory Group. He served as president of AIA Maryland in 2012 and AIA Potomac Valley in 2009. A principal at Quinn Evans Architects in Washington, D.C., Elefante received his B.Arch. from the University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation.

 

 

 

Carl grew up in New Providence, New Jersey, where he attended school; kindergarten through high school graduation. He was interested in architecture from his early teen years. As a freshman and sophomore at NPHS, the chorus performed several times at the New Jersey pavilion of the New York Worlds Fair. “The futuristic architecture at the Fair blew my mind,” Carl recalls. He also noticed that he had the image of every building and a complete sitemap etched in his mind. It gave him confidence that he had an aptitude for architecture.

As a junior and senior, Elefante worked afternoons as an intern for Drake, Tuthill, Convery, and Cueman in Summit, running blueprints on an old-school diazo printer.

“I’m sure I lost a few brain cells from the ammonia! As I recall, there were about 10 architects and 20 career draftsmen – all men. Those draftsmen were true craftsmen. There were three women, all secretaries, including the office manager who was a childhood friend of my mother.

Mr. Drake was the son of the firm’s founder. He was well into his seventies or older. To a teenager, he was ancient. Mostly, he had me find old drawings of projects from the 1920’s and 30’s. Pencil on linen.

Convery and Cueman seemed to be the forces behind the firm. Hewlett-Packard was one of their clients. The firm had several four-function digital calculators, a rare and expensive item, as evidence of the high-tech work they were doing for HP. 

The two cool, young designers were Don Chapman and Peter Bieber, two of the registered architects. Don has one of the best “hands” of any architect I’ve ever know. Both were graduates of Pratt. I had to go to Pratt, period. I did.

While a freshman at Pratt, Don and Peter invited Elefante to help them with an award submission over the holidays. They had just opened their own firm, Chapman & Bieber. Mounting photo prints to foam core with rubber cement. More brain cells lost. I completely destroyed one of the large prints with a crease the size of the Rocky Mountains right down the middle.”

                                                                 ~ Carl Elefante, FAIA

Afterwards, life took Carl on to other places, including his latest adventure at AIA.  Elefante was elected AIA President in 2016.  You can learn more about his role at the AIA here.

 

About The American Institute of Architects and AIA New Jersey

Founded in 1857, The American Institute of Architects consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through nearly 300 state and local chapters, AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public wellbeing. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards. AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. The organization’s local chapter, AIA New Jersey, has served as the voice of the architectural profession in the Garden State since 1900. Based in Trenton, AIA New Jersey has 2,000 members in six local sections. For more information, please visit http://www.aia-nj.org.

 

Kim Vierheilig, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, appointed to the New Jersey State Board of Architects

Kim V. Vierheilig, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Vice President of LAN Associates, has been appointed to the New Jersey State Board of Architects by NJ Governor Chris Christie. Ms. Vierheilig was sworn in on December 14, 2017. Her term ends April 29, 2021. The Governor’s Appointment’s office expressed their confidence in Kim’s ability to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of this position with diligence and integrity.

Vierheilig recently concluded her term as 2nd Vice President of the American Institute of Architects New Jersey Chapter, as well as, Chair of the NJ Women in Architecture Committee. past president of the Architects League of Northern New Jersey.

AIA NJ is very pleased to hear the announcement of another registered architect appointed to the board, and especially to see a woman selected.  AIA NJ President Elect Verity Frizzell, AIA, expressed her confidence and congratulations upon hearing the announcement while current President Ben Lee, AIA, is looking forward to Ms. Vierheilig’s service but disappointed that AIA NJ will lose her leadership.

AIA NJ Past President Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA, has worked alongside Kim Vierheilig since they were in school together and during their years serving the Architects League and AIA NJ, released the following statement,

“Kim Vierheilig, AIA, has always presented herself with confidence, professionalism and grace. She is recognized throughout the industry as a fair and thoughtful leader. She is respected by AIA members as an icon of the successful Architect. I am so pleased to hear about her new appointment and know that the good people of the Garden State will be well served by my colleague.”

~ Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA

 

According to the NJ State Board of Architects, the Board is responsible for protecting the public’s health and safety by determining the qualifications of architects seeking licensure in our State, establishing standards for practice, and disciplining licensees who do not adhere to those requirements.

The practice of architecture is the rendering of services in connection with the design, construction, enlargement, or alteration of a building or a group of buildings and the space within or surrounding those buildings, which have as their principal purpose human use or habitation. These services include site planning, providing preliminary studies, architectural designs, drawings, specifications, other technical documentation, and administration of construction for the purpose of determining compliance with drawings and specifications.

Kim is a licensed architect and a LEED-Accredited Professional with a Building Design and Construction Specialty. Vierheilig serves as Vice President of LAN Associates, an Engineering, Planning, Architecture, and Surveying firm, one of the leading architectural/engineering practices in Northern New Jersey.

Vierheilig leads the architecture department at LAN in designing inspirational, functional and comfortable spaces for its educational, senior living and hospitality clients. She is the author of the whitepaper entitled “Breaking out of the Box,” documenting scientific research proving that a holistic building design approach in schools enhances student educational achievement.

Vierheilig oversees the Marketing Department, spearheading numerous marketing and business initiatives that have increased LAN’s market share and positioned the firm as one of New Jersey’s leader in K-12 school design.

Vierheilig’s commitment to excellence has led her to be named one of NJBIZ 2017 Best 50 Women in business, Woman Builders Council 2017 Outstanding Woman and NJBIZ 2016 Forty Under Forty.

AIA NJ extends our appreciation and congratulations.

About AIA and AIA New Jersey

Founded in 1857, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) is the professional organization that helps architects serve the public’s needs and builds awareness of the role of architects and architecture in American society. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the 300 plus local chapters represent 89,000licesnsed architects and allied professionals. The organization’s local chapter, AIA New Jersey, has served as the voice of the architectural profession in the Garden State since 1900. Based in Trenton, AIA New Jersey has 2,000 members in six local sections. For more information, please visit http://www.aia-nj.org.

Equity in Architecture

 

AIA NJ is looking to explore ways to better encourage equity in New Jersey’s architecture profession.

This grows out of a resolution from the AIA National Convention in 2015, and a conversation that started long before that:

“The value proposition

Equitable practice has the potential to foster success on multiple levels—equity in the
workplace, plus socially just access to basic resources, healthier communities and resilient public space in our urban centers. The value proposition of equity at all these levels is rooted in empathy, transparency, education, collaboration, and trust.
The lack of equity in architectural practice and allied professions has made architects
prone to lose talent to other more lucrative career paths. The factors that challenge
retention include long hours, modest pay, work that is misaligned with professional goals, and lack of transparency in promotion and compensation practices.
In order to achieve equity in the built environment, the architecture workforce needs to reflect the rapidly changing demographics of those people we are charged to serve.
Architecture is also susceptible to some public misunderstanding of the value or potential of what architects can bring to the table.
In terms of social impact, design has the power to inform more equitable, resilient,
sustainable, and relevant built environments for the increasingly multicultural population of our nation.”

Rosa Sheng, AIA
Author, AIA Resolution 15-1, May 2015

 

 

In January 2017, the AIA published a report entitled  EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION COMMISSION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. AIA NJ’s 2018 President, Verity Frizzell, AIA, served on the commission that studied the subject and created the summary and priority recommendations in 2016.

“Our resolve and commitment to work toward a more diverse profession is a key value the Institute will not shy away from,” said 2017 AIA President Thomas Vonier, FAIA. “This report gives the AIA a solid framework to move closer to a more equitable and inclusive profession. In the months ahead, we look forward to implementing some of the recommendations put forth.”

You may access the report here. 

 

 

In 2017, under President Ben Lee, AIA, AIA NJ committed themselves to the following statement:

AIA Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

The American Institute of Architects, as part of the global community, champions a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion within the profession of architecture to create a better environment for all. Achieving this vision has a direct impact on the relevance of our profession and the world’s prosperity, health, and future.

 

 

In 2018, we invite you to be a part of the conversation, the evolution, and the solution. Please step forward and raise your hand if you wish to join the AIA NJ Equity in Architecture committee as we plan opportunities to plant the seeds for equity to grow in our community.

For more information and to get involved, please contact the 2018 Equity in Architecture Chair, Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA at staceykliesch@gmail.com.

AIA NJ Wishes for a Peaceful Thanksgiving

Photo of Clinton, New Jersey courtesy of Helaine Chardon

 

Everyone at AIA NJ is thankful for the many colleagues that volunteer on committees, as officers, as mentors and guides.

We are thankful for the sponsors and vendors that contribute to the success of our programs and events.

We are thankful for the experts that lend their knowledge and advice to help our business thrive.

We are thankful for the new members that rejuvenate our ranks and our veterans who guide us from taking missteps again.

We are thankful for the staff that work behind the scenes to carry out the policies of the organization.

We are thankful for every one of our members who continue to stand with AIA NJ as we work to support one another and to promote the public’s understanding of Architecture through advocacy, education, and service.

We hope today that each of you will enjoy a peaceful day in the way of your choosing and time to reflect on all that you have to be thankful for.

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM AIA NJ

The 2017 AIA QUAD Conference is a Great Success

If your office was a little quiet at the end of last week, perhaps your colleagues were participating in the 2017 AIA QUAD States conference in Albany, New York. This program was a joint venture between AIA New Jersey, AIA New York State, AIA Pennsylvania and AIA Connecticut.

 

The evening before the conference, AIA board members from all four participant states were invited to a dinner on Wednesday, the 8th of November.  This event was very well attended by over 80 people. AIA New York State president Robert E. Stark, AIA welcomed all of the guests together with their executive director, Georgi Ann Bailey, CAE.

Thursday morning kicked off with AIA New Jersey members participating in their very well attended board meeting. State president Ben Lee, AIA, presided and welcomed AIA National president Tom Vonier, FAIA, and 2019 national president, William Bates, FAIA, to join the meeting and share their perspectives on the Institute and profession.

At this meeting, AIA New Jersey’s executive director Joseph Simonetta, CAE, gave us a summary of what changes we might anticipate based on the results of the election earlier that week. Our Regional Representative, Bruce Turner, AIA, also provided an update on happenings at National and progress since the last AIA NJ Board meeting. Incoming AIA NJ president, Verity Frizzell, AIA, advised us that she has everything well in-hand for the transition at the end of the year.

 

Seth Leeb, AIA, New Jersey’s QUAD States conference chairman, said he was very pleased with the registration from New Jersey. The conference offered a full three days of tours, seminars and social activities featuring the Friday Expo floor, which was completely sold out.

For any members who had not been to Albany before, they were in for a wonderful surprise. The compact city is chock-full of interesting history and architecture, and AIA NYS secured the most experienced and knowledgeable tour guides. That is not to say that our fact-filled, AIA NJ PA Committee Co-Chair Bill Martin, AIA was not able to correctly expand upon the statements made by the guide on more than one occasion.

Our members participated in tours that took us to the New York State Capitol building, SUNY Polytechnic institute’s Zen Zero Energy Nanotechnology building, EMPAC, University at Albany School of Business, the Philip Schuyler mansion and The Egg Performing Arts Center on the Empire State Capital Plaza.

Friday afternoon, AIA New Jersey president, Ben Lee, AIA and co-workers Michael Ferment, AIA and Andrew Lewis, AIA, all of NK architects in Morristown New Jersey, presented a seminar entitled How Architects can Lead Change for Health and Wellness to the Built Environment. This program was well attended and provided an engaging learning experience for new ways to consider designing for wellness.

Thursday evening, all registrants were invited to attend the QUAD States Design Awards presentation and opening night party held at the New York State Museum. New Jersey was light on submissions for awards, but our members did attend the ceremony a-plenty and had a great time at the party. Some even rode the carousel!

Friday morning started off with the early morning Spec Academy and then rolled into a series of continuing education programs. The highlight of the Friday schedule was the opening of the Expo floor with over 80 exhibitors from across the region. Exhibitors commented on their satisfaction with the event, meeting plenty of architects and allied professionals.

Right before the Expo closed, AIA New Jersey management staff Laura and Lisa from PSI drew the lucky winners’ names for the distribution of Expo Contest prizes. They really enjoyed seeing the smiles on the faces of all the winners.

Later that afternoon, AIA New Jersey executive board members Kim Vierheilig, AIA and Jessica O’Donnell, AIA participated in a panel discussion about Designing your Career Path through Equity, Engagement, and Leadership.  This panel was filled with women leaders in architecture from each of the host states.

Following that, Friday night included a conference cocktail party in the Capital Center, an emerging professionals party and the New York State Design Awards reception. AIA NJ members that forgot their tuxedos gathered at The Merry Monk for a casual, festive dinner!

Photo by W. Martin, AIA

Photo by W. Martin, AIA

Photo by W. Martin, AIA

On Saturday, AIA New Jersey Young Architects Regional Director Jessica O’Donnell, AIA and Regional Associates Director Brandon Warshofsky, AIA, each were part of an educational seminar. Jessica’s was entitled Activating the Next Generation of AIA Architects while Brandon’s was called Emerging Advocates: Ways to Get Involved.

The convention also featured three outstanding keynote presentations. The first was presented by Steve Dumez, FAIA, of Eskew + Dumez + Ripple in New Orleans, LA. On Friday, members were treated to a healthy workplace presentation by Leigh Stringer from EYP in Washington DC. Saturday morning, our members learned about Automation in Design, Design by Automation by Michael Pryor, Pavlina Vardoulaki and Li Chen, all from Design Morphine in New York City.

While this conference was much smaller than a National Convention, with only 300 attendees, it offered a diverse, invigorating schedule from an educational perspective as well as for sightseeing and learning about the architecture and history of Albany.

The city was a great setting for this event, allowing for ease of transfer from the two featured hotels to the Capital Convention Center and beyond, to external tour sites. Everything is very compact and the city is clean and quiet.

New Jersey had around 60 members attend this event that replaced our annual Design Day program, and it was a success from every vantage point. Thank you to everyone who made this possible!

All photos by Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA, unless noted otherwise.

AIA NJ Announces the 2017 Service Award Winners

Each of the applicants for the AIA New Jersey 2017 Service Awards demonstrated a high degree of major architectural accomplishments regarding professional, technical and community-based attributes.  We congratulate the selected award recipients for their distinguished excellence involving their professionalism, extensive backgrounds, diverse involvements, as well as their clear commitments to the community.                                                    ~ George Fellner, AIA

 

The 2017 Service Awards Chairman, Robert Cozzarelli, AIA

and The Jury and Confirm the 2017 Service Award Recipients

The Jury 

AIA Connecticut President – George Fellner, AIA

gfellner@fellnerarch.com

AIA New York State President – Robert E. Stark, AIA

rstark@cjsarchitects.com

AIA Pennsylvania President – Robert Kelly, AIA

bkelly.aia@gmail.com

AIA NEW JERSEY

2017 SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS

Architect of the Year Award

Ben P. Lee, AIA

Firm of the Year Award

HDR

Young Architect of the Year

Matthew Fink, AIA

Intern Architect of the Year

Joshua Barnett, Associate AIA

Resident of the Year Award

Richard Bettini, Associate AIA

Special Distinguished Service Award

Kimberly Bunn, AIA

(Nominated by Executive Committee, Confirmed by AIA Board)

Robert Cozzarelli, AIA  – AIA NJ Service Awards Chairman

Bob@CozzCirmArchitects.com

 

All recipients will be presented with their awards at the 2018 AIA NJ Inauguration and Awards Gala:

When: Saturday, January 13, 2018

 

Time: 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM

  (Cocktails, Dinner, Dancing)

 

Where: Clarks Landing, Sampson Road, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742

Cost: $130.00/person (early bird rate – ends 11/23)

  $150.00/person (regular rate after 11/23)

  $75 associates/students

Registration at Early Bird rates is open! Click here to purchase tickets or sponsor the event!

 

NJ INAUGURAL AND AWARDS GALA

AIA NEW JERSEY
AIA JERSEY SHORE  

NJ INAUGURAL AND AWARDS GALA

 

 

REGISTER/SPONSOR TODAY!

RSVP BY 12/16

(Special Rate Expires 11/23) 

When: Saturday, January 13, 2018

 

Time: 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM

  (Cocktails, Dinner, Dancing)

 

Where: Clarks Landing, Sampson Road, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742

Cost: $130.00/person (early bird rate – ends 11/23)

  $150.00/person (regular rate after 11/23)

  $75 associates/students

 

* Black tie optional affair celebrates the distinguished service of our past year’s presidents and their boards of trustees at our gala event.

 

* Presentation of our Service Awards, which highlight the best of our organizations members. These awards include: Distinguished Service Award, Architect of the Year, as well as many others.

 

* Attendance between 130 – 170 attendees. Many of whom are current or past leaders of our two organizations.

 

 

Sponsorship Prospectus Information

 

 

REGISTER / Sponsor Today 

You Want Us to Do What? The First Day of Architecture School…

by Aric Gitomer, AIA

 

Image taken & altered from Virginia Tech: http://www.archdesign.vt.edu/home/images/home-1.jpg

 

Close to 40 years ago I walked into Cowgill Hall, the School of Architecture building at Virginia Tech. I was directed to what was to be my home for my first year away from home. You might think your dorm room is your home but you would be mistaken! I went down to the basement level to be greeted with a sea of tables in long linear rows with each station delineated by a metal four-legged stool positioned in even divisions. This “design studio” would house half of the first year class of ‘84. As I excitedly walked in to start my journey I randomly selected an area in the middle and took a seat and waited, as did everyone else. No one knew what to expect. Back then no one had the internet to look up anything and the only resource I recall was the school’s published course catalog.

 

 

We all waited and waited and eventually two professors walked in, very late, (I think it was intentional to build up the suspense) and handed everyone a single sheet of a heavy stock paper approximately 18 inches by 24 inches and some balsa wood sticks. We were instructed to create beautiful curves only using those two items. We all looked at each other wondering what is going on. But who were we to question such a request, so we all started manipulating the paper about the stick to create our beautiful curves. As we did what we were instructed the professors walked around and whispered to each other, “what are they saying and why is one snickering”? We also whispered amongst ourselves, psst, what makes a curve beautiful? It would be my understanding that all curves are beautiful. Once we completed the task we had to take out our sketchbooks and draw the beautiful curves and then the negative space the curves formed. These drawing exercises continued and evolved into more and more requests and ended up being the warm-up exercise to get us ready for the next critical step. One professor in a very theatric manner instructed us to go outside and find ourselves a nice twig (not too big) lying about on campus and return. Upon our return our new instruction was to rotate the twig and draw the space formed as we rotated the twig. Not the twig itself, but the actual volume of space formed. The next step was to make it three dimensional model limited to two sources and no glue. Quite a few people took a beating from the professor on the dimensionality of their model. “THIS IS NOT THREE-D”! Until this day I am unclear on the aspect of their criticism. Maybe they just wanted to belittle people. As we worked obscure references were made to individuals unknown to all of us, names such as John Ruskin, Henry Greenough and Thomas Kuhn.

As we created our models out of Strathmore cardboard one poor soul, Ian, decided to put his exacto knife up against the edge of his plastic triangle to cut a straight line into his cardboard. The professor saw what he was doing and that was the end of Ian’s triangle. The professor snatched it away and told him if he did not know how to use his tools correctly he did not deserve to have them! It was so embarrassing and I felt so bad for Ian. But the professor did not stop there because later that same morning he saw Ian drawing a straight line using his triangular architect’s scale. That’s right he seized that as well. Ian was not going to have a good day or week for that matter because he did eventually lose more supplies. We did not see Ian again after the first semester. It was rumored he switched to Accounting.

I never lost anything on that first day or my five years in school for that matter but I will always remember that lesson. I respect all of my tools!

That first day had an incredible influence on me because it unlocked my perception of common things just lying about. Then, as I walked around campus I became more sensitive to details. My world of understanding objects had been transformed. The exercises gave me another dimension of appreciation for an object and how it impacts its surroundings. How did the light affect the space via highlights and shadows? What spaces did the inverse of a solid create? How did the negative and positive voids come together. Spatial relationships and how can I make a connection without any bonding agent. I think about that simple twig until this day. So for me my introduction to architecture via the design studio was quite impactful.

As I reflected back on that inspirational day I wondered what my peers experienced on their first day and what shaped their own journey into the world of architecture. The following are those memories;

I drew my hand.

I did a technical drawing of an exacto knife.

I created a guest house for an existing modernist house.

Our professor had us design a “regeneration unit” another term for a bathroom an exercise in rethinking a common place.

The prompt was when is a box not a box… we had three days to respond.

Had to drop my keys on my desk and explore the patterns.

We took a piece of famous art and made a square, rectilinear representation of it.  Then, from that, we developed a 3-d representation, in the form of a cube.

We had to read Louis Kahn’s “Between Silence and Light” then go out and photographically capture concepts within the book such as Order, Joy, Touch, Site, Wonder et al. (Grad School)

We were required to do sketches of everyday objects (10 a day) for about a week. Then chose one sketch, abstract it, and create a 3D model of the abstraction. I made a “beautiful” abstract 20oz coke bottle out of cardboard.

We had to walk for an hour through town sketching as we walked never letting the pencil leave the paper.

We were given a sheet of paper and instructed to create depth by scoring, cutting or folding.

We were asked to create a model of an object whose “differential was the resultant of a tetrahedron.”

We were called over to a large work table; the professor placed a sweet onion on it. With a grin the professor said something to the effect of, “I’ll be back in 20 minutes and we will discuss the onion and how it can teach you about architecture.”

A bag full of unshelled peanuts was emptied from a sack and then asked “what are these?”

We had to take 10 strips of paper approximately 1” x 18” each and a box of paper clips and construct a tower. No other items could be used.

We had to create a single unit into many and that many would become a new unit.

Professor walk into studio presents a box of computer cards and a bundle of piano wire and tells us to make something architectural

We created a sloped and a flat platform out of chipboard and then with just toothpicks and glue we had to create structures to support bricks.

Take a simple object and make it complex… I turned in a crumpled up piece of paper.

We were handed a hunk of heavy gage copper wire and instructed to make something beautiful.

We give a very complex multiple day project involving the manipulating of two 4”x4” cubes and their intersections to create one object. The assignment involves a two dimension (cruciform) pattern which is to be folded creating a transformation from the abstract to the concrete. Three terms considered are: superposition, twinning and interpenetration.

Students get into small groups of 5-6, and on a large piece of paper (6’ square) draw a series of concentric, freehand circles. One student begins by drawing a circle in graphite, about the size of a fist. The next student attempts to correct the imperfections in that circle by drawing one around it, also in graphite (1” bar of soft graphite). They continue on this way for a few days until the circle is about 4-5 ft. in diameter. We discuss the idea of circle, of what makes a circle, and the tension between the relative and absolute, between the idea of a thing and the forces acting on something coming into the physical world. The project is simple in that everyone knows a circle, but most haven’t spent much time thinking about them. In just a few days, large questions about the role of media, tools, drawing, ideas, geometry, history, and context have been introduced, and these are returned to throughout the year.

The Take Away:

So if you thought you were going to walk into design studio your first day of Architecture School and start designing buildings you would have been sadly mistaken, but the journey they take you on to get there is magical!

You can review additional posts on my blog page:  http://www.aricgitomerarchitect.com/blog/

Aric Gitomer AIA is an architect and sole practitioner in Morris Plains, NJ – Aric Gitomer Architect, LLC. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech and has been practicing architecture for over 30 years. The focus of his current practice is residential design inclusive of alterations, additions and renovations as well as new structures.

Editorial Disclaimer

The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the author(s) and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of AIA NJ or any employee thereof. AIA NJ makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use.

AIA NJ reserves the right to delete, edit, or alter in any manner it sees fit comments that it, in its sole discretion, deems to be obscene, offensive, defamatory, threatening, in violation of trademark, copyright or other laws, or is otherwise unacceptable.

 

 

WHAT WE’RE UP AGAINST

By Jerome Leslie Eben, FAIA

 

Please do not let the title of this article scare you. It is not about Zoning or Planning Boards.  It is borrowed from a new off-Broadway play that I saw this past Halloween weekend.   The WP Theater at 2162 Broadway at 76^th Street just 40 or so blocks north from the BIG Theater District, though this most enjoyable play should probably move downtown.

Adrienne Campbell- Holt, directs this dark comedy of construction problems and unreconstructed attitudes.  A New York Post article described the play “as the battle of the sexes – not from the casting couch of Hollywood, but from the field of cubicles in an architect’s office.  I knew that I was going to like it from the start because as I walked into the theater, the set included a drafting board, yellow trace, a light box and an electric eraser.  Tools of the trade back in 1992, when the play takes place.

The play written by Theresa Rebeck, follows the story of Eliza (Krysta Rodriguez) a talented architect who has joined a firm, four months earlier.   She has found her chauvinist colleagues do not seem to be able to design themselves better working relationships.  All I know was back in ’89 this male architect told girls ( ok, young women) in my career day presentations that they too can become architects…………and many did!

The run is short; don’t delay. Information for tickets can be had by calling (866) 811-4111 or on their website, by clicking here.

Do not forget to take a male colleague or two. Above all, enjoy the performance!