Update on AIA Emeritus Status

Emeritus Status – Waiver of Age Requirement

At the AIA Convention recently held in Philadelphia, a vote was held at the Annual Business Meeting regarding an optional waiver process for submitting for Emeritus membership.

Emeritus Membership is available to Architect members who has been a member in good standing of AIA for 15 successive years, are 70 years or older and retired.

Based on this business meeting and discussion the Secretary of the Institute may now waive the age requirement “in exceptional circumstances and for adequate cause” for members who submit an appeal.   If you meet this criteria, you could be eligible.
Contact Kelly Biddle at AIANJ Membership Services if you have any questions on this policy.

IDP is Now AXP

Did you know IDP is now AXP ?

The Architectural Experience Program (AXP), formerly the Intern Development Program (IDP), launched June 29.

See the NCARB website for details.  Be sure to update your online resource pages to reflect the new name as follows:

• Replace “IDP” with “the Architectural Experience Program (AXP), formerly the Intern Development Program (IDP)” or
• Hyperlink to the pilot AIA website. No links will be broken when the pilot site transitions to the full AIA website. Licensing Basics, ARE Prep, and AXP Resources are now available on the pilot site

 

Emerge by AIAU Launched

Emerge by AIAU is a new resource providing emerging professionals on the path towards licensure with experience hours through online learning modules. 

 

Are you currently completing NCARB’s Architectural Experience Program? Emerge by AIAU is a great way for emerging professionals to gain extra experience hours.   We provide the tools you need to get on track for a successful career!  Emerge by AIAU helps you gain experience on your own time, on your own terms.

All resources are free for Associate Members.  

AIA Convention Reception Winner

Congratulations Michael Frame, Assoc. AIA

An AIA-NJ member, he was recently announced to be one of the winners of the 2016 AIA Convention New Members Reception.

Winners were randomly selected among those who attended the New Members Reception and submitted an entry for the drawing  at AIA Convention in Philadelphia, PA.

SURVEY – Business Models for Small Architectural Firms

The Small Firm Exchange (SFx – previously called the Small Firm Roundtable, or SFRT) seeks the anonymous input of small architectural firms (10 persons or fewer) on a variety of business practices. Below is a full article by Kevin Harris, FAIA explaining the request. This article will soon appear in the CRAN Journal. But, to help us get a jump on this we are asking for you to participate in the survey now. The survey is very brief and should not take long to complete.

To access the survey click HERE!

CRAN Journal – Summer 2016
Article by Kevin Harris, FAIA

ARCHITECTURAL MODELS FOR SMALL FIRMS

As architects, we are all familiar with the process and benefits of modeling our designs prior to construction. Models are an effective medium to study proposed creations and help communicate those concepts to our clients.

Constructing a model takes time however, it can give us an opportunity to take a break, reflect on new insights, and manipulate the parts until all seems right. Working with a model is a process that helps us elevate our plans from good to better.

As part of their ongoing effort on identifying what information could best benefit members of the AIA, the Small Firm Exchange (SFx) distributed its Small Firm Survey (Beta version) during the 2016 AIA Convention. Its purpose was to identify and measure the variety and commonalities existing in small firm models with the goal of providing meaningful insight to all architects practicing in small firms. It collected data on firm location; staff number, credentials, and commitment; project numbers, types, locations, and budgets; business plan existence and update frequency; contract usage; fee methods; gross revenue; and identified interest areas for additional studies.

The surveys were distributed as paper copies in both the SFx and AIA Fellow/VIP Lounges at the convention. Participants in this “Beta” test group formed a small sampling however, one large enough to reveal certain patterns of important concern to small firm practitioners.

Most notable is the fact that very few responded as having, or updating, a business plan. Those that did have one admitted at best to infrequent review or updating of this important planning tool. A business plan is widely acknowledged as a basic guide that is to be used throughout the lifetime of any business. In order to be of value, the plan must be kept up-to-date!

This brings up the rhetorical question that, as a profession, why don’t architects apply those concepts of creative process improvement modeling used to arrive at better designs, to plans used to guide their own businesses? Why indeed!

I am also guilty of spending little to no time on developing, studying, or “modeling” my own business plan. This SFx survey has piqued my interest on what other things I might learn from observing other practices. What patterns are applicable to my own firm? For example, since I want to improve my financial success, is there a correlation between firm income and the number of projects each year? Or does the number of staff in my outfit restrict the types and sizes of projects I can best handle? What type of contracts do others use? Are there better patterns to distribute the responsibility hats worn by a sole proprietor when in a firm of 2-4 people, or is it any better with 5-10? Is a larger firm more profitable than a sole practitioner without support staff? The data sampling of small firms must be greatly enlarged to properly study these and other relevant questions.

Below is a sample “dashboard” that visually communicates the data gathered from the initial “Beta” version. Similar outputs will be applied to the digital version, and will be made available to all who participate. Follow this link to the survey: http://tinyurl.com/AIASFxBusinessModelSurvey

Answering basic business questions and conducting mid-stream course corrections is required for your basic business survival. Having access to a database illustrating how your peers address these same issues will go a long way towards guiding you towards a more financially sustainable practice.

Download the survey link NOW! http://tinyurl.com/AIASFxBusinessModelSurvey

Updated small firm model statistics will follow in a future issue of the CRAN Journal.

CRAN Journal – Summer 2016
Article by Kevin Harris, FAIA

Historic Preservation Program Fall 2016

New Historic Preservation Program at Rutgers University—Camden will offer AIA credits!

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities (MARCH) at Rutgers University—Camden has announced a new Historic Preservation Continuing Ed Program!

What better place to learn the processes and techniques of historic preservation than the living laboratory of Camden and nearby Philadelphia?!

Registration is now open for Fall 2016 courses, AIA credits available. More information on the program’s website.

Gilded Age Architecture Featured in ASID Event

Join ASID for a Summer Networking Event

Gilded Age Architecture and Jazz in the Garden at Van Vleck House in Montclair.  Enjoy the tastings of Celebrity Chef Ariane Duarte, the music of Manouchebag, and connect with NJ’s finest design professionals, students and industry partners.

Ticket sales end on July 18. At the door price: $60

Thank you to our Sponsor:

WHEN       Tuesday, July 19, 2016 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

WHERE    Van Vleck House & Gardens – 21 Van Vleck Street, Montclair, NJ 07042

AIANJ Regional Representative Election Results

The 2016 elections are complete, Thanks to all members who voted.

The position of AIA New Jersey Regional Representative had two candidates running for the open position,
Laurence Parisi, AIA,   and  Bruce D. Turner, AIA.

This position is our AIANJ representation on the AIA national Strategic Council.  They are our conduit to the latest information from national and also our voice in discussion.

Congratulations to Bruce D. Turner, AIA,
who will represent AIANJ as our next Regional Representative.

Bruce will take over the position from Robert Cozzarelli, AIA, who will finish his current three-year term in December.

AIANJ 2016Service Awards Nominations Open

Submissions are open for the 2016 AIANJ Service Award nominations.

The AIA NJ annual Service Awards are given to recognize accomplishments of individuals and firms that have provided distinguished service to the profession and to the Society. They are designed to focus on the accomplishments of members and non-members on issues of public awareness of the built environment, service to the community and other non-design aspects of Architecture.

Awards are awarded in the following categories:
• Distinguished Service
• Architect of the Year
• Young Architect of the Year
• Firm of the Year
• Intern Architect of the Year
• Resident of the Year

Submission Deadline is September 16, 2016
For more information or to download Nomination Forms visit our website.

Congratulations to the 2015 AIA NJ Service Award Recipients:

Distinguished Service Award	Verity L. Frizzel, AIA
Architect of the Year	Robert F. Barranger, AIA
Architectural Firm of the Year	Tokarski Millemann Architects
Young Architect of the Year	Kyle S. Rendall, AIA
Intern Architect of the Year	Alicia Weaver, Associate AIA
Resident of the Year	Dr. George Pruitt

WORKING WITH THE MEDIA – “Bridging” your Message

Below is the sixth in a series of “Working with the Media” articles. With your help, we hope to be able to leverage our strength in numbers to help promote architects, architecture and AIA-NJ. The other installments of the Working with the Media series can be found here.

Previously in Working with the Media, we focused on the basic elements of delivering your message in an interview. In a nutshell, this strategy recalled the principles of the “inverted pyramid,” by which the interviewee emphasizes the most salient points first, followed by supporting details and minutiae. This strategy helps to ensure that your most important insights are recognized as such by the reporter.

That said, a reporter will often begin working on a story with a specific “angle” in mind. Perhaps they’re looking for commentary on a new piece of legislation from an architectural perspective, or maybe they’re writing about a controversial development project. These interviews carry several professional sensitivities, making it important as ever to prepare a clearly mapped message. While it’s always ideal to cooperate with reporters as much as possible, there will be times when a reporter is seeking response to a question you’re unable to answer for legal or other reasons – or because you don’t have expertise on that specific topic.

If, in the course of an interview, you are asked such a question, you may want to “bridge” your answer – that is, gently transition the topic of conversation in your response. This is naturally preferable to a “no comment” response, since you may be able to offer some valuable information for the reporter without hitting on the topic’s specific sensitivities.

A few phrases that can help you bridge your conversation:

• “While I’m not at liberty to discuss specifics on that right now, I can tell you that…”
• “I think what’s most relevant is…”
• “I can’t speak for any of the involved parties, but it is generally true that…”

The goal in bridging your message is not to be evasive and avoidant, but to guide the conversation to a space where you can provide valuable commentary without overstepping any professional boundaries. In some cases, the journalist’s “probing” questions may actually have the simple goal of moving the conversation forward, and your relevant comments, which don’t necessarily answer the question directly, will give them the additional color they were seeking.

Ultimately, while bridging within an interview may feel somewhat unnatural at first, it’s preferable to providing a reporter with an on-the-record comment that could have negative legal (or other) ramifications.

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

Working with the Media Pays Off

Building Relationships

Writing a Letter to the Editor

Personal Engagement

Composing a Press Release

Composing a Boilerplate

Kyle Kirkpatrick
Account Supervisor
Beckerman PR Real Estate Team