AIA South Jersey Member, Catherine Lorentz, AIA is featured in the news

The Press of Atlantic City has featured Catherine’s home restoration project in their April Home and Garden section. Congratulations, Catherine, from your colleagues at AIA NJ. 

Jerome Leslie Eben, FAIA, Elevated to American Institute of Architects College of Fellows

 

Jerome Leslie Eben, AIA

New Jersey Architect Recognized with National Distinction

On Thursday April 27, 2017, the New Jersey chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA-NJ) will celebrate the elevation of Jerome Leslie Eben, FAIA, a beloved member, mentor and leader, to the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) prestigious College of Fellows.

 

The fellowship program was developed to honor those architects who have made a significant contribution to architecture and society, and who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession. The program recognizes architects in several categories, including outstanding service to the profession, service to the community, design, architectural education and career or volunteer excellence beyond the built environment. Election to fellowship not only recognizes the achievements of architects as individuals, but also their significant contribution to the profession and to society at a national level. The 2017 fellows will be honored at an investiture ceremony at the National AIA Conference on Architecture 2017 in Orlando FL.

 

Upon receiving word of his elevation, Eben stated “I have been incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve the public in a career that has included the completion of buildings for all types of construction and uses, across the entire country, while at the same time supporting my colleagues through volunteer efforts with the AIA.  I am truly honored that the AIA has recognized me as a Fellow.”

 

In a career now in its fifth decade, Mr. Eben has served in more than forty different leadership positions, always acting tirelessly as an advocate and representative for the profession and the AIA. Soon after becoming a licensed architect, Jerry assumed leadership positions in AIA Newark and Suburban Architects, one of six (6) local sections of the Chapter.  In fact, he has served in every position available, in AIA-NJ and in each he has not only fulfilled his duties, but done more.  When his term as President of the Chapter coincided with the 150^th anniversary of the AIA, he inaugurated an original public affairs effort, employing a firm to gain press and deploying 150 architects to visit middle and high schools from which they graduated during the annual National Architecture Week.

 

Jerry’s personal touch and grassroots approach have been the key to his ongoing success.  In 2011 he began a three-year stint on the AIA National Board, serving on various committees with a concentration on advocacy and reaching out to government officials regarding the elimination of urban Brownfields to help “bring back from the brink,” America’s cities.

 

From the time of his move to West Orange, he worked for the rehabilitation of the Edison Battery Building with the goal of enhancing the historic downtown.  Enlisting members of Congress from both sides of the aisle in this cause, he organized symposia to educate local leaders on the potential of these sites.  He has testified on Capitol Hill as an expert witness on the subject. He has spoken at AIA Conferences, teaching his colleagues how to promote beneficial legislation.

 

Jerry’s dedication to community is unrelenting.  He has written frequent opinion pieces in the local press, with the goal of educating the public of the importance of architecture and this commitment as an art, as well as a social necessity.

 

He strongly believes that the promotion of architecture and its profession must start with our children, future architects, clients, and citizens.  For thirty years, he has spoken to 10,000 young adults about making architecture a career choice.  His lectures include building safety ideas, so when you go on vacation and your child counts how many hotel room doors to the nearest fire exit, you know that they have heard this from one of Mr. Eben’s presentations.

 

This year begins Eben’s 45^th in the AIA and as he has often stated, “that many of his former employers encouraged his involvement in the organization, and I want to sincerely thank them for the encouragement.  In addition, I want to thank friends and colleagues at the New Jersey Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the support of my family for allowing me to participate.”

 

Out of a total AIA membership now surpassing 90,000, there are just three per cent distinguished with the honor of fellowship. The elevation to fellowship is conferred on architects with at least 10 years of membership in the AIA who have promoted the aesthetic, scientific, and practical efficiency of the profession; advanced the science and art of planning and building by advancing the standards of architectural education, training and practice; coordinated the building industry and the profession of architecture through leadership in the AIA and other related professional organizations; advanced the living standards of people through an improved environment; or made the profession of ever-increasing service to society.

 

To join the celebration at the AIA NJ Fellows Reception, find us at Copper Canyon Grill, 9101 International Dr #1220, Orlando FL at 6PM on April 27, 2017. Festivities hosted by President Elect, Verity Frizzell, AIA.

 
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., its 300 plus local chapters represent 90,000 licensed architects and allied professionals. The organization’s local chapter, AIA New Jersey, has served as the voice of the architecture 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 www.aia-nj.org.

 

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AIANJ 2017 Special Meeting

AIA Special Meeting All AIA New Jersey Members are welcome to attend the organization’s Special Meeting to review and vote on a ByLaws change. Date:         Wednesday, May 17, 2017 Time:         6:00 pm Location:  Trenton Country Club 201 Sullivan Way Trenton, NJ 08628 **Due to the venue’s wardrobe policies, jeans are not permitted. Thank you.** Please RSVP to Lori Lee at llee@njpsi.com by Wednesday, May 10th. For more details on the proposed Bylaws revisions which we will be voting on, please click here or view the entire document with revisions here. Though not required for attendance, responding will assist in planning purposes.
PROPOSED 2017 BYLAWS CHANGES ARTICLE 6 – THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE  Table 6.2.1 was revised to reflect the deletion of the two (2) Vice President positions. Section 6.3.4 Vice Presidents was deleted. Section 6.3.7 Immediate Past President was added. ARTICLE 7 – BOARD OF TRUSTEES Sections 7.0.1 through 7.0.8 were revised to reflect the proposed new governance model. Table 7.0.2 was deleted. MISCELLANEOUS Table of Contents added to bylaws. Various corrections and formatting changes made throughout the bylaws.

YAF Connection – Spring 2017

The focus of this quarter’s publication is Sheltering where AIA New Jersey’s Stephen Schoch, AIA, LEED-AP BD+C from Kitchen & Associates was a contributing writer.

Read the latest issue here.

YAF Connection is a quarterly publication created by members of the AIA Young Architects Forum, a community of Architects licensed less then ten years.

Interested in contributing for an upcoming publication? Topics include Global Practice, humanitarian work and the theme of Certification. Contact your YAF Regional Representative Jessica O’Donnell, AIA, for more information on article requirements.

WE GOT ONE!

By Jerome L Eben, FAIA

 

The line “we got one” comes from the 1984 film Ghostbusters.  I chose this as the title of this article after reading another article about the world’s first film studio, hence a connection to film.  The article appeared in my home town weekly, the West Orange Chronicle.  I look forward to reading this paper every week and normally turn first to an always interesting article about the township’s history.  Joseph Fagan is the author and serves as the official historian of West Orange.  West Orange like the AIA is nearly 160 years old. While on the National Board (2011-1013) I often spoke, and was extremely proud of the township’s architectural history.  Three of our founders were very much involved in designing and supervising some of the early architecture, that was built .  Richard Upjohn, FAIA designed two churches and Calvert Vaux, AIA and A.J. Davis, AIA were helped Fredrick Law Olmstead with the design of the first planned community in the nation call Llewelyn Park.

We all read stories in our local weeklies that will from time to time speak about architecture and planning.  I have found that most always the architect that is responsible for created these buildings is not mentioned.   Joe Fagan is a friend of mine and I sent him an E-mail after he wrote a beautiful story about two old school buildings in town and did not mention who the architects were.  Joe wrote back to me that he “is not qualified or well versed in architectural nomenclature to know the unique differences, so he keeps it simple.”  I told him where to find the architect’s name in the future and if he still has a hard time, to contact the West Orange Historic Commission. Marty Feitlowitz, AIA, is Vice Chairman and I am sure that he would be helpful in securing for him any information he requires about the architect of a specific building in town.

Joe’s article was entitled World’s first film studio in WO spawned global industry.  He described an oddly shaped small black building that sits behind a fence near the entrance of the Thomas Edison National Historical Park.  Joe went on to explain that the original building was built in 1893 and served as the first motion picture studio.  Called the “Black Maria,” because working inside it was like being in a police van, also referred to as black Marias.  The building was mounted on a circular track so that it could move with the sun, because the film speed was so slow that only natural sunlight would work in the production of these early films.

In this article, Joe gave credit to Bernard Grad, AIA a Newark Architect, who designed a replacement black Maria, in 1954, for the National Park Service.  This Black Maria still stands there today.  Maybe you and your children or grandchildren have visited it?

I immediately sent Joe an E-mail thanking him for providing the architectural credit, and so proclaiming in the spirit of when the Annie Potts announces to the Ghostbusters, “WE GOT ONE,” when a fancy Manhattan hotel calls asking for the ghost exterminating specialists.

Joe Fagan, is ONE journalist who now knows that when he writes about history and it includes the mentioning of a building, we can be sure that the proper credit of the architect’s name will appear in the article.

You can get involved in this educational process, by pointing out to your local journalists who might write about a building…………any building, that the proper credit should be given to the architect who designed it.  Should the architect not be mentioned, take five minutes and write an E-mail to that journalist and remind him/her that “every building has an architect, or should have one!”   If each of the nearly 2,000 of you takes on this charge, we will begin to have more of them and state that we have TWO, THREE, or MORE journalists providing the public with the pertinent information that the building they are writing about was designed by and architect.

Thank you!

Jerry

12th Annual AIAWJ Photography Competition

AIA West Jersey Annual Architectural Photography Competition

2017 – Call for Entries

AIA West Jersey is accepting entries to the 12th Annual Photography Competition.   Submit your interesting images of everything architectural – from the buildings around the corner to a new place you visit.

ELIGIBILITY: Competition is open to all AIA members and affiliates, students and the general public.

Best Overall Entry – Bruges Church Glenn Goldman, FAIA

 

ENTRY DEADLINE:

September 5, 2017

CATEGORIES:

Color
Black & White

AWARDS:
Each year three cash prizes are awarded for Overall Best Entry, Best Color, and Best Black & White.  All entries are narrowed by a jury to select the top finalists, these finalists are put online for a public vote to selected the 3 prize winning photographs, the cover image of the calendar and 12 “monthly” images that will be printed in the 2018 AIA-WJ Calendar.

Best Overall Entry   – $ 250 prize
Best Color   – $ 150 prize
Best Black & White  – $ 150 prize

CONGRATULATIONS to the 2016 AWARDS:

2016 Best Color
Kennebunkport Chapel
Amy Nowak-Palmerini, AIA

Best Overall Entry –
Bruges Church
Glenn Goldman, FAIA

2016 Best Color –
Kennebunkport Chapel
Amy Nowak-Palmerini, AIA

2016 Best Black & White –
Palace Stairway
Jacob Goldman

 

2016 Best B&W
Palace Stairway
Jacob Goldman

THANK YOU to our 2016 participants

 

Additional Information about the competition or questions please contact :
Kimberly Bunn, AIA – Photography Competition Chair
856-234-7367   or    photo@aiawestjersey.org

LEARN MORE:

Get more information, Click here.

Download Competition Entry Form here.

Architecture Week 2017 applauds great architecture! Porcelanosa – Exterior Facade Restoration, by CTS Group, wins an AIA NJ Honor Award in the historic preservation category.

PORCELANOSA – EXTERIOR FACADE RESTORATION

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE

202 Fifth Avenue which is located in New York City’s Madison Square North Historic District is a 6-story building constructed in 1918 as offices for the Thomas Cusack Company. Designed by architects Buchman & Kahn with Zimmerman, Saxe and Zimmerman the steel and reinforced concrete structure was faced with polychrome, glazed terra cotta which terminated in a large over-hanging cornice and a stone storefront with a stone cornice The highly visible 25th Street, south façade was originally treated as a promotional billboard, brightly lit after dark and covered with the firm’s name and services between windows and in a roof top sign.

Major Building alterations commenced in the early 1940’s and continued for decades for new occupants and owners. These included removing window and closing all window opening son the south façade’s east and west bays and removing the extensive building-mounted signage. Decorative terra cotta spandrels were covered with stucco panels. Deteriorated terra cotta cornice brackets were removed and that cornice section was covered with stucco over wire lath. Finally the parapet was simplified and covered with stucco and the 1st floor storefront was completely replaced in 1991. The terra cotta

cornice and clad ding was adversely affected by limited maintenance. There was some response to the deterioration but virtually all was inappropriate. Remedial work included poor patching and the use of problematic and non-matching coatings over terra cotta facing, cornice and parapet elements.

When Porcelanosa USA–a major European building tile and products manufacturer–acquired the property in 2012 it had twin goals. These were to create 21st century offices and showrooms for its American operations and to provide a 1st class exterior restoration which returned the façade to their original appearance and conditions to the greatest extent possible. The CTS Group was retained by Porcelanosa USA to prepare design and construction documents for the exterior restoration.

FAÇADE RESTORATION

The Project included restoration of the existing polychrome terra cotta and stone façade elements. Although construction documents were generated based on extensive building surveys these were all from the ground. Once scaffolds were erected all facades were re-surveyed to confirm and add to the base scope of work. All terra cotta was cleaned which included the removal of numerous compound which required many mockups to achieve the correct effect. Removal of stucco cornice cladding revealed severely compromised structure all of which was replaced with new stainless steel structure and anchors. New terra cotta cornice features were fabricated based on existing remaining elements including some uncovered during the work. Openings on the south façade east and west bays which had altered and closed were re-opened. New terra cotta trim was fabricated for these openings as well as for all 6th floor lintels which had been damaged due to deteriorating steel supporting structure. Six carefully considered colors were chosen for the new terra cotta to match the dozen or so colors, and sheen, of the original.

Hundreds of ferrous anchors, which had been left in place from the building-mounted signage, were removed and patched with restoration mortar. Hundreds of additional areas of cracked and damaged terra cotta were patched as well. All patched terra cotta was coated with new glazing to match the colors and sheen of the original terra cotta.

Architecture Week 2017 applauds great architecture! NJ Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health, by Ballinger, wins an AIA NJ Honor Award in the built project category.

NJ INSTITUTE FOR FOOD, NUTRITION + HEALTH

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health (IFNH) underscores the

commitment of Rutgers University to new transformational initiatives across the many disciplines impacting food, nutrition, and health. The IFNH draws upon the strengths of the entire university as it physically co-locates and strategically aligns diverse disciplines to address society’s pressing challenges in cardio-inflammatory disease, cancer and obesity.

This interdisciplinary research building is the centerpiece of the Institute. The highly sustainable facility embodies the concepts of movement, activity, and wellness that are central to the Institute’s mission, while engaging local communities through its outreach focus to promote healthy lifestyles. The building features a student health clinic, a human performance lab, a nutrition research clinic, a healthy eating courtyard and a preschool dedicated to educating parents and children on diet and nutrition. The remaining spaces house wet and dry labs, faculty and administrative offices and outreach meeting spaces.

The sloping site for IFNH is located at the edge of the agricultural campus’ academic core overlooking bucolic research fields and barns to the south. Situated on a main campus pathway between the academic core to the northwest and residential precinct to the southeast, the building is located to maximize its outreach mission. The immediate adjacency to the Campus’s Food Science Building enables direct collaboration between the University and Institute.

The site presents a “building in the round” challenge demanding unique responses to each of it’s four orientations including a new campus amphitheater and quad, vehicular court, pre-school play yard and a sloping meadow. The Institute coalesces beneath an iconic shading “parasol” which organizes the formally articulated programmatic elements and expresses the Institute’s commitment to sustainability. The terra-cotta rain screen clad “bar” positioned on the north side of the granite faced piano-nobile, consolidates the more private and cellular room functions, terminates the axis of the new campus quad and responds to the brick campus context. The bar also serves as the backdrop to the south facing, naturally lit, open research environment with panoramic views of the campus. An abundance of openness and transparency unites all of these functions into a convergent environment to reinforce the collaborative mission of the Institute.

Organizing this open environment is a centrally positioned “hearth” that is the symbolic and functional nutrition source for the building. It is clad in sustainably sourced wood, sponsors an iconic green wall and formally integrates all three floors of the Institute’s diverse program with an adjacent open stair.

Architecture Week 2017 applauds great architecture! The Biotrial North America Headquarters, by Francis Cauffman, wins an AIA NJ Merit Award in the built open project category.

biotrial / north american headquarters / newark, nj

A contract research organization based in France with offices in Paris, London and Montreal, strategically sought an architecture firm to design a North American Headquarters. Setting a precedent for future city development, Francis Cauffman was engaged for the first phase of the research organization’s master plan located in the University Heights Science Park of Newark, NJ. Although 70,000 SF is considered modest, smaller and relatively narrow floor plates were opted for. This resulted in a five-story building that conveyed significant impact in its architectural design.

transparentsolid / privatepublic / openclosed

The basic concept of the building is formed by two interlocking planes: one plane

made primarily of solid black brick with matching mortar and the other made of

a fritted curtain wall. Brick paneling on the east exterior surrounds the support

spaces, circulation areas and core of the building. The fritted curtain wall allows

sunlight into the lobby, office, and short/medium stay areas. Varying levels of

daylight create different patterns, resulting in an exterior that is not only visually

interesting, but also provides a layer of privacy. A ribbon of metal panels ties the

two planes together and represents the fluid nature of chemistry and science. This metal ribbon begins on the private side of the building by forming the canopy, moves through the building as the lobby ceiling, emerges on the public side as a frame for the vestibule and completes itself as the canopy for services.

   

Save the Date for AIA-NJ

Don’t forget to clear your calendar to attend these important AIA-NJ events…

May 19. NJ Re-Forum. Municipal Land Use Law. Details and registration here.

June 12. Architects Action Day. Register Here.

June 22. East Coast Green: Health, Safety & Wellness. Registration is open!

August 1. Community Resilience Course. Limited capacity; register here.

November 9-11. Quad States. AIA NJ Design Conference is at this event! Click here.