Newsletter - September 30, 2019

AIA Maine | News


news | September 30, 2019
Featured
AIA Maine Launches its Inaugural ARE Workshop / Study Group.
Join AIA Maine for our first ARE Workshop / Study Group. The series is designed to help unlicensed designers prepare to take the Architect Registration Examination (ARE). Based on ARE 5.0, these sessions will provide a blend of content review, study strategies, and test-taking tips. 

*** ** Any unlicensed designer who is working toward licensure is welcome to attend, AIA membership is not necessary. If you are a firm leader, please invite your employees who you think might be interested. *** **

The AIA Maine ARE Workshop / Study Group is a group-driven, 9-month study program that integrates ARE preparation into the demanding lives of aspiring architects.

Each workshop will be led by a local expert to share information and answer questions on the topic of the exam. The format will be open and dialogue-centric. 

To make this series effective, we will need 6-10 people to sign on to our commitment to attend each of the workshops throughout the year. Participants will be encouraged to collaborate to create goals for the group. 

What you get:   

  • Six, workshop presentations by local content experts who will help answer your questions
  • Connection and camaraderie with local peers at similar stages of their careers
  • Access to Brightwood 5.0 study materials 

Pricing:

  • Free for those who sign on to our commitment to attend each of the workshops throughout the year. (10 slots available)
  • $5 drop-in fee.

ARCHtober Fest @ The Pub at Baxter Brewing Co.

AIA Maine’s Women in Design + Construction and Emerging Professionals Committees are collaborating to present our fourth ARCHtober Fest.

Drink in good company and enjoy free food in one of AIA Maine’s 2019 Design Award-winning spaces.

Tour Description:  Architects Thomas Platz, AIA and Gabrielle Russell, LEED AP of Platz Associates will be on hand to discuss their award-winning renovation of the Bates Mill No. 1 Wing, as well as their ongoing work in redeveloping the Bates Mill complex in its entirety.

Free and Open to All

Welcome New Members

Architect Members
  • Sothea Cheney, AIA / JSA Inc. Architects, Interiors & Planners
  • Richard Spencer, AIA
  • Stefanie Wason, AIA / WBRC Architects / Engineers
  • Simon Yates, AIA / Lassel Architects

Associate Members
  • Alexandra Pagan, Assoc. AIA / OPAL
  • Earl Shields, Assoc. AIA / Wright-Pierce
  • Scott Staton, Assoc. AIA
  • Branka Vasic Tomic, Assoc. AIA / Wood PLC
AIA Maine Member News

  • Kaplan Thompson Architects of Portland was the only Maine architecture firm to meet the American Institute of Architects 2030 Challenge goal for 2018. Issued in 2006, the AIA 2030 Challenge asks the global architecture community to commit to designing all carbon-neutral buildings by 2030. In the interim, the current target is a 70% reduction of fossil fuel, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy consumption compared to the regional average/median for the relevant building type. The target increases in 2020 to an 80% reduction and again in 2025 to a 90% reduction.
AIA Resources for Best Practices

  • Site Safety. Risk management is important to all aspects of the architectural profession. We must always be aware of potential risks, especially on a job site. It is important to understand which situations have the potential to result in an architect being faulted, and how to manage a situation before it becomes critical. (members must be logged in to access material) Learn more >

  • 2019 Compensation Report is now available. The 2019 AIA Compensation Report was released on September 6, and a complimentary copy of your regional report was sent to component executives on September 9. Members can get more information, a link to purchase, and the updated salary calculator on the compensation survey landing page. Learn more >

  • Webinar: How does art impact wellness? Earn 1 AIA LU/HSW—Art selection and placement can positively affect outcomes for patients and healthcare professionals. Learn the steps needed to integrate art into the wellness built-environment by looking at several examples and hearing some post occupancy results. October 8 at 2pm ET. Register >

  • Architecture Billing Index August 2019: A significant setback in business conditions. Business conditions at U.S. architecture firms so far this year have been disappointing. Reports from firms regarding their August performance clearly point to another setback. The national ABI score for the month was just 47.2 (any score below 50 signifies a decline in aggregate design activity). Additionally, the national score for new design contracts, which measures new design work coming into architecture firms, was just 47.9 (again, any score below 50 signifies a decline in aggregate new design contract activity). So, architecture firms reported a rare double decline in both new work coming into their firms and design work that was being completed. Learn More>
Awards

AIA Awards: AIA celebrates the best buildings and spaces—and the people behind them—with some of the most prestigious awards in the built environment.
AIA Awards Currently open for submission:
  • AIA/HUD Secretary's Award. Affordable, accessible, and well-designed housing sets important benchmarks in the industry and proves that good design is not exclusive. The Office of the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development teams with AIA’s Housing Knowledge Community to celebrate projects that demonstrate these traits.  Deadline: November 7, 2019
  • Housing Awards. It’s a life necessity, a sanctuary for the human spirit, and many people’s first and most personal encounter with architecture: the house. By recognizing the best in home design, AIA Housing Awards show the world how beauty, safety, sustainability, and comfort can come together. Deadline: November 7, 2019
  • Small Project Awards. A small project can make a big impact, and a single design element can set the tone for large projects. These awards highlight that projects modest in budget and size bring to communities and individuals, and showcase exemplary small projects. Deadline: November 12, 2019
  • Young Architects Awards. Emerging talent deserves recognition. The AIA Young Architects Award honors individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to the architecture profession early in their careers. Deadline: October 8, 2019

The Canadian Wood Council 2019 Wood Design & Building Awards. Deadline: November 26
AIA Opportunities

  • AIA National Committees. The call for nominations for appointment to 2020 AIA national committees is now open. Members interested in submitting their application should be directed to the nominations homepage. Deadline: October 4. Submit your nomination >

  • Design for Aging fellowship grant. The Design for Aging (DFA) Knowledge Community offers a fellowship grant for graduate students and young professionals enrolled in an Architecture Program or aging focused program. The goal is to increase awareness of the needs and nature of aging in place, attracting talented young architects, designers and professionals to the field and advancing the knowledge of planning and design for senior living environments. Awards typically range from $7,500–$15,000. Deadline: November 15. Submit your application >
 
  • Apply for an SDAT. The AIA Sustainable Design Assistance Teams program focuses on the importance of developing sustainable communities through design. It utilizes a multidisciplinary team and requires inclusive public participation to provide broad assessments that help frame policies or design solutions to help communities plan the first steps of implementation. Deadline: December 6. Learn more >
Upcoming Events of Interest
October

November
News from Around the Web
CNN
And yet, the history of its built environment -- as this year's edition of the Chicago Architecture Biennial demonstrates -- remains far from complete.

To the regular student of architecture, journalism may seem as a largely outlandish field. It is, however, largely untapped as a source of intellect.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A Miami woman is on a new career path in architecture thanks to a program designed for students.

Accessibility is often approached as a field related to disability, whether physical or mental. When it comes to architectural design, it always comes up as a peripheral consideration of the project and not as something fundamental.
Jeannette Schram