Presidents Message – Fall 2015

2015 has been flying by, as I talk with AIANJ members around the state there are often comments regarding how fast the year has gone, or that we can’t believe it is October.  The good news is, most of our offices are busy with work.  Our firms might not be back to pre-recession levels however most firms have an even workload level, this is promising news.

Similarly, AIANJ and the  local sections have been very busy.  I have been trying to visit the different sections this fall.  Thank You to AIA South Jersey and AIA West Jersey for hosting an informative joint meeting the end of September in Hammonton with AIA partner Houzz.   It was a nice evening of networking and learning how to market our firms online.

In September and October I represented AIA NJ in both the South Jersey Food Bank’s Inaugural Canstruction event at Cherry Hill Mall and AIA Newark and Suburban’s Annual Canstruction event at the Livingston Mall.

All of the entries were so creative and the Food Banks received tons of much needed canned food donations.   The entries are still available for view at Livingston Mall, if you in the area stop by to see the creations.

At the end of this week, AIANJ’s major event of the year will be happening at Hanover Marriott.  The agenda that the committee has organized has something to offer in all areas, from the business of architecture to keynote for associates.    I hope many of you will come take part in this event.

Thanks to all the sponsors who have made this event possible and to the committee who has worked so hard to guide this event forward for all of us at AIANJ.

On Friday evening, October 23rd, there will be a Awards Reception to celebrate architecture in New Jersey.  The Design Awards entries will be on display to showcase the work of NJ architecture and architects.  The reception will end with the announcement of the Design Awards Winners and the years AIANJ Service Award winners.  This year the AIA Newark & Suburban Canstruction committee will also announce the 2015 Canstruction competition winners.

It’s Not to Late – AIANJ State Convention Friday

AIANJ State Convention

Friday & Saturday, October 23-24, 2015
Hanover Marriott, Whippany, NJ

It’s not to late to attend, the two day event starts this Friday.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

AIA South Jersey Meeting

WORKING WITH THE MEDIA – Delivering your Message in an Interview

In our year end review of the 2014 activities of the AIA New Jersey Public Awareness Committee, we asked you to stay tuned for tools that will help you make a splash in the press. Below is the fourth in a series of articles that will help you in that regard. With your help, we hope to be able to leverage our strength in numbers to help promote architects, architecture and AIA-NJ.

Previously, the Working with the Media series has focused on the initial stages of media outreach: Building a relationship, contacting a reporter, and composing written materials on behalf of you or your company. Now, we’ll delve into the hallmark of journalism (and arguably the most important method for successful PR): The interview.

First and foremost, it’s important to understand that news is increasingly “sound-bite” driven. Today’s messages are most effectively delivered through short, to-the-point bits of information – Twitter, “news reader” software, and blog-style news are all evidence of the evolution (or disappearance) of long-form feature stories. But, rather than debating the legitimacy of this age of information, let’s discuss how best to communicate in today’s media environment.

We’ll start by harkening back to high school English class. Remember the inverted pyramid?

The inverted pyramid reflects the important hierarchy of information, which is crucial to making sure that a reporter hears the most vital components of your message. Ask yourself: What makes (this project, my company, this law, etc.) newsworthy? This core message should be stated early and often – don’t be afraid to be redundant. A reporter may well be interested in the details about the processes of your work or your personal background, but it’s vital not to eschew the “newsworthy” aspects of your message in favor of the minutiae.

Remember: In many cases, a 30-minute interview can result in no more than a one or two-sentence blurb about you or your company. And, while some reporters may ask to record your conversation, reporters are human, and it cannot be assumed that they’ll publish your main focal point. As a result, it’s up to you to ensure that your message is being received.

A few tips:

• Repeat or rephrase your core message at least two to three times throughout the interview
• Draw the reporter’s attention to your core message (i.e. “The main point here is…”)
• Condense your main themes into a statement that can be conveyed in 30 seconds or less
• Make sure that any examples, supporting points, or details relate directly to your core message

If you would like to read the previous articles in this series, please see the following links:

Building Relationships

Writing a Letter to the Editor

Composing a Press Release

Press Release Boilerplates

Kyle Kirkpatrick
Account Supervisor
Beckerman PR Real Estate Team

Bruce D. Turner, AIA
Chair, AIA New Jersey Public Awareness Committee

AIA Look Up Film Challenge

American Institute of Architects (AIA) Look Up Film Challenge Winners Selected, Public Vote to Commence

CHICAGO, Oct. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The winners of The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Look Up Film Challenge have been announced at the inaugural Chicago Architecture Biennial. A jury comprised of architects and media professionals selected three top prize winners and recognized seven additional films in themed categories. The public can view and vote on their favorite video to win the Public Choice Award here: ilookup.org/filmchallenge. Public voting will be open until November 1^st.

Film Challenge Winners:

AIA Small Firm Roundtable – the Business of Architecture Summit 2015

AIA SFRT Co-sponsors Business of Architecture Summit 2015
October 29-30, 2015

Is your firm ready for the next 5 years?

Are you jumping at every opportunity that comes your way, or are you taking a long-term, sustainable approach that is based on a winning strategy?

As the economy heats up, don’t let the ‘urgent’ get in the way of that which is most important.

This October 29th-30th, the AIA Small Firm Roundtable is co-sponsoring a 2-day live, virtual event with Business of Architecture focused on preparing your firm for the next 5 years. Better yet, the SFRT leadership has negotiated half-off the registration cost for SFRT members (details below).

Over the 2-day tele-broadcast Summit, you’ll hear from some of the leading thinkers on creating a sustainable practice with a focus on long-term strategy, success, and financial security.

Here are a few comments about last year’s event: “Attending…the Summit will be one of the most important things I do for my practice this year, if not this decade!” (architect Cary Westerbeck) and “The Business of Architecture Summit was the most ‘profitable’ 2 days I have spent in a long time,” (architect Frank Heitzman).

During this event, you will get over 10 AIA LU’s and, as an AIA Small Firm Roundtable member, you can get 50% off by using the special coupon code “sfrt-summit-2015” as you register (hint: if you’re a small firm, you’re a member).

You won’t want to miss this event created specifically for small firm owners.

Go here to reserve your seat: The Business of Architecture Summit

This is an online broadcast event – no travel is required. When you register you’ll also get access to all the session recordings so that you can watch them on-demand at your leisure.

NJ State Convention – 3 Weeks Away

AIANJ State Convention 

Register Now on the convention web page to not miss a single keynote or tour.

Friday October 23rd and Saturday October 24th.
Hanover Marriott

More information and online Registration:

http://www.aianjconvention.com/

A change is being made to the Friday night event –

The Friday night dinner has been changed to a Reception similar to year’s past.  For those who register for a full two day package or Friday only get the reception included.  If you would like to attend just the Reception with none of the other sessions or keynotes, it will cost $50.00 a la carte, and includes two drinks and hors d’oeuvres.   Announcement of Design Award winners will happen at reception.

If you have already registered for the dinner, you will be receiving an email soon with information about refunds.

This years Convention also hosting a Student Design Competition, entry deadline October 16th.  Find out more online.

Student Design Competition

Essex County’s Branch Brook Park holds a Cherry Blossom Festival every year. Design a stage pavilion to be used for festival activities such as jazz performances and theatre plays.

CALL FOR SESSIONS – 2016 NJ History & Historic Preservation Conference

Building a Place for History 2016 NJ History and Historic Preservation Conference June 8 & 9 at Seton Hall University

CALL FOR SESSIONS Help shape the 2016 Conference – Submit a Session Proposal! Proposals are due by November 23, 2015 The NJ History & Historic Preservation Conference attracts a broad audience of professionals, historic site and museum managers, historic preservation commission members, and more. The conference planning committee seeks to balance its program by offering educational sessions that target the conference’s primary audiences.  Proposals that address topics of interest to more than one of the target audiences will be given preference by the selection committee.

Call for Sessions (PDF) Submit a Session

for more Information:  www.njpreservationconference.org

NJ Canstruction Update

Two Canstruction events are happening in New Jersey this fall.  

AIA Newark & Suburban is hosting it’s annual Canstruction event to benefit the Community Food Bank of New Jersey at Livingston Mall starting this week.

Build day is Thursday, October 8th, and the structures will be on display until October 18th.    Stop by and see the creative build-outs the teams develop this year – Livingston Mall, Livingston NJ.

Find out more information – at www.aians.org/canstruction-2015/

In South Jersey, the South Jersey Food Bank just finished it’s first annual Canstruction Event at Cherry Hill Mall.  Three teams put their imaginations and architectural skills to the test in the inaugural competition.  Participants included GREYHAWK, a construction management and consulting firm; Lammey & Giorgio, an architectural and planning firm, and Adams Rehmann & Heggan (ARH), a consulting design firm.

The judging panel included representatives from Lockheed Martin, Rowan University’s College of Engineering, Home Depot, and AIA New Jersey (AIA-NJ).  A number of awards were presented at an Awards Ceremony this past Sunday, October 4th.

Greyhawk Construction CAN-Dole

Lammey & Giorgio
“The Wave”

Adams Rehmann & Heggan
CAN-Do “Wit”

Both events are sanctioned by Canstruction®, a non-profit organization that has helped hunger-relief organizations like FBSJ raise 30 million pounds of food through its innovative twist on conducting food drives.

Gruskin Group Takes Honors at AIA Newark & Suburban Competition

Gruskin Group™ Designs SPEEDVEGAS

 

Gruskin Group Takes Honors at AIA Newark & Suburban Competition for Design of Las Vegas’ Premier Driving Experience Venue

 

Springfield, NJ, (October 5, 2015) — Gruskin Group has created an award-winning design for SPEEDVEGAS, an exhilarating, 100-acre supercar experience located minutes from the Las Vegas strip.  Scheduled for completion in early 2016, the 1.5-mile Formula One-inspired course includes 60 feet of rising elevation, banked corners and a half-mile straightaway.

According to Kenneth A. Gruskin, AIA, founder and principal of Gruskin Group, “The team designed the entire complex around creating the best possible driving experience for SPEEDVEGAS visitors.  It begins with the track, designed for drivers to experience exotic supercars in all their glory.  The track has a strong visual presence to the adjacent highway as well as from SPEEDVEGAS’ Welcome Center.  Drivers on South Las Vegas Boulevard and the I-15 can view the supercars swooping through the ‘S’ curve up a hill in a long banked curve, and see the exotics accelerating from the starting grid along the track’s merge lane.  This creates an exciting visual canvas of the SPEEDVEGAS experience.”

Gruskin Group designed the master site plan and the 21,000-square-foot Welcome Center to evoke a motorsports character of track and racing facilities, while amplifying the intensity of getting up-close and personal with these exciting vehicles both on and off the track.  Among its key features:

• The facility incorporates red, yellow, and silver – colors typically associated with racing/motorsports events – which stand out in contrast to the sand coloration of the surrounding terrain.
• The Welcome Center has exposed structure and mechanical systems, along with a standing seam barrel roof, metal siding, stucco accent walls, industrial-style lighting, and stained concrete flooring to authentically mirror the lean and purposeful engineering aesthetic inherent in exotic cars.  The long exterior horizontal walls feature racing style graphics to enhance the overall visual appeal and excitement.  The facility’s elongated linear design emphasizes the horizontal nature of driving and the blur of traveling at “SPEED!”
• A “Vegas-sized” sign tops off the Welcome Center and stretches nearly 100 feet.  It features internal and external back lighting to make the building “pop” in the dark desert evenings and provide a Vegas vibe.  The Welcome Center’s interior public spaces are designed to maximize the visceral connection to the track and cars.
• To conserve energy, the various overhangs were designed to minimize solar heat gain and shade the windows, providing comfortable shaded seating on the exterior terraces.