CELEBRATING 21 2012 YEARS OF YAF 1991 CONNECTION NOVEMBER 2012 YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM TRAVEL | GREEN BLDG THE YAF CONNECTION IS THE OFFICIAL E-MAGAZINE FOR YOUNG ARCHITECTS PRODUCED BY THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM. EACH EDITION INCLUDES ARTICLES ON LEADERSHIP, MENTORSHIP, AND FELLOWSHIP AS WELL AS BOOK REVIEWS BY YOUNG ARCHITECTS. THE YAF CONNECTION IS A BIMONTHLY PUBLICATION. YAF CONNECTION ISSUE 10.05 | 11.2012
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CELEBRATING 212012
YEARS OF YAF
1991
CONNECTIONNOVEMBER 2012
YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM
TRAVEL | GREEN BLDG
THE YAF CONNECTION IS THE OFFICIAL E-MAGAZINE FOR YOUNG ARCHITECTS PRODUCED BY THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM. EACH EDITION INCLUDES ARTICLES ON LEADERSHIP, MENTORSHIP, AND FELLOWSHIP AS WELL AS BOOK REVIEWS BY YOUNG ARCHITECTS. THE YAF CONNECTION IS A BIMONTHLY PUBLICATION.
YAF CONNECTION ISSUE 10.05 | 11.2012
YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05
The YAF Connection is sponsored through the generous support of The AIA Trust, a free risk management resource for AIA members that offers valuable benefits to protect you, your firm, and your family. Visit www.TheAIATrust.com for complete program information on all AIA Trust programs.
Map Showing Locations of Article Contributors for this Issue. US Map Source: www.cardhouse.com
Editorial Advisory GroupWilliam J. Stanley, III, FAIARobert I Selby, FAIADonna Kacmar, FAIANick Peckham, FAIASean Stadler, AIABrett Taylor, AIA
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Disclaimer: This publication is created by Young Architect members of the American Institute of Architects. Views expressed in this publication are solely those of the authors.
CONTENT04 NEWS
YAF NewsNews and resources relevant to young
architects 06 EDITOR'S NOTEAt the CrossroadsDeepika Padam, AIA
08 EVENTWho in the World does Research
Anymore?Deepika Padam, AIA
16 PHOTOGRAPHYAnn Neeriemer, AIA 16
Eric Beron, AIA 18Luka Nedzbala 20Naomi Cataldo 22Nate Wambold 24
Shelly Scott, AIA 26William Webb, AIA 28
Yelena Ptashinskaya 30Julie Babin, AIA 32
54 MAKING A CASETo Become Leaders in Energy Modeling, We Need to be Building Science ExpertsDaniel Overbey, AIA
48 MAKING A CASEAdopt Living Building Challenge in Fight Against Climate ChangeRobert Webber, AIA
58 MAKING A CASEFuel Cell Technology
Greg Taylor, AIA
52 MAKING A CASEThree Pillars of Success to Reach Net-Zero
Premnath Sundharam, AIA
FOCUS: GREEN BUILDING
12 EVENTElevator Pitch: In ReviewJeffrey Pastva
60 BOOK REVIEWNarrow Houses: New Directions in Efficient Design by Avi FriedmanJorge de la Cova, AIA
FOCUS: TRAVEL
34 SKETCHES34 Amy Wynne36 Lira Luis, AIA38 Mark Pearson, AIA40 STORY
AIA ArchiblogThis blog provides YAF-related news in real time. Get involved in the discussion! www.blog.aia.org/yaf
YAF KnowledgeNetA knowledge resource for awards, announcements, podcasts, blogs, and valuable articles. The archives of YAF Connection and the Young Architect Award winners' entries... This resource has it all!www.network.aia.org/AIA/YoungArchitectsForum
Architect’s Knowledge ResourceThe Architect's Knowledge Resource connects AIA members and others to the most current information on architecture, including research, best practices, product reviews, ratings, image banks, trends, and more. It's your place to find solutions, share your expertise, and connnect with colleagues. www.aia.org/akr
YAF on LinkedInStay connected with the YAF leadership and all the young architects you meet at the convention, and get involved in group discussions.www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=2066423
YAF on TwitterFollow YAF on Twitter @AIAYAF
YAF on FacebookBecome a Fan of AIA Young Architects Forum on Facebook.
Know Someone Who’s Not Getting The YAF Connection?Don’t let them be out of the loop any longer. It’s easy for AIA members to sign up. Update your AIA member profile and add the Young Architects Forum under “Your Knowledge Communities.”
• Go to www.aia.org and sign in.• Click on “For Members” link next to the AIA logo on top.• Click on “Edit your personal information” on the left side
under AIA members tab.• Click “Your knowledge communities” under Your Account
on the left• Add YAF.
CALL FOR ARTICLESWould you like to submit articles for inclusion in an upcoming issue?Contact the 2013-14 editor at [email protected].
2011 AIA YAF/COD IDEAS COMPETITION BOOK AVAILABLE TO PURCHASETo order your copy, visit www.lulu.com and search "2011 AIA YAF/COD Ideas Competition".
2012 AIA YOUNG ARCHITECTS AWARD BOOK AVAILABLE TO PURCHASETo order your copy, visit www.lulu.com and search "AIA 2012 Young Architects Award", or go to this link:http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/aia-2012-young-architects-award-book/12835670
ERRORSThere were a few errors reported in issue 10.04 of YAF Connection. We regret those errors. Corrected version of articles have been sent to the contributors.
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News
AIA INTRODUCES CASE STUDIES ON ARCHITECTURE FIRMS PARTICIPATING IN 2030 COMMITMENT PROGRAMIn order to examine the benefits and lessons learned from firms participating in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2030 Commitment Program, five participating firms were interviewed and case studies documenting their experiences were developed.
Participating firms included High Plains Architects, HMC Architects, HOK, The Miller Hull Partnership and Serena Sturm Architects. Together the firms achieved an average predicted energy use intensity of 49.5% placing them ahead of overall performance reported by participating firms in 2012, but below the target goals of the program.
AIA INTRODUCES ENERGY MODELING GUIDEIn order to help architects more accurately predict the energy consumption in their design projects, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has put together An Architect’s Guide to Integrating Energy Modeling in the Design Process. The guide is an exhaustive, step-by-step map to predicting (and thus reducing) the energy usage of buildings.
Beyond defining and making a case for energy modeling, this primer walks readers through different types of energy modeling and the individual tools and software available for it. As a relatively new technical specialty, the guide also discusses how to bring energy modeling to other building team members, like engineers, and most important of all—to clients. From initial exploratory design concepts to code compliance and ongoing energy maintenance, this manual covers the entire spectrum of design and building.
NCARB'S 2012 SURVEY OF REGISTERED ARCHITECTSThe 2012 survey of U.S. architectural registration boards by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) indicates that there are currently 105,596 registered architects in the United States. You can find past surveys at http://www.ncarb.org/About-NCARB/NCARB-by-the-Numbers/Survey-of-Architects.aspx.
AIA AND NOMA UPDATE MOU DURING YEAR OF NOMA’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION2012 AIA President Jeff Potter, FAIA, and 2012 NOMA President Sanford Garner, AIA, LEED AP, signed the MOU, which reflects a commitment by AIA and NOMA to continue and enhance their combined effort toward a more diverse and inclusive architecture profession and built environment. More information about diversity and inclusion at the AIA: www.aia.org/diversity.
AIA'S LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT, THE HONORABLE HARRY REID, THE HONORABLE JOHN A. BOEHNER, THE HONORABLE MITCH MCCONNELL, THE HONORABLE NANCY PELOSI
Dear President Obama and Congressional leaders:
The American Institute of Architects and its more than 80,000 members would like to express their support for continued efforts to avoid the “fiscal cliff.”
The past few years have been devastating to the design and construction industry. The economic crisis, a lack of access to financing, and the meltdown in the mortgage and commercial real estate lending markets have led to unprecedented levels of layoffs and business failures. In fact, the architecture profession alone has lost 60,000 employees – nearly one quarter of our workforce – since 2008. Given that design and construction make up one in nine dollars in Gross Domestic Product, this industry is vital for the economy’s continued recovery.
Although there are signs of improvement, failure to act on the fiscal cliff would bring that progress to a complete stop. An AIA analysis released in October showed that the budget sequester scheduled to take place in January would reduce federal investments in design and construction by more than $2 billion, with a potential job loss of an additional 60,000 workers across the design and construction industry. Tax increases on thousands of architecture firms, most of which are small businesses, and their employees and clients would cripple the ability of our profession to create jobs and grow the economy.
The AIA agrees that difficult decisions need to be made in order to reduce the deficit, and architects and their allies are committed to doing their part. Indeed, any solution to the fiscal cliff may necessitate reductions in federal design and construction budgets. Page 2 November 15, 2012
However, the indiscriminate nature of the sequester is precisely the wrong way to go. A large portion of agency facility budgets is devoted to repairs, maintenance and retrofits. If those funds are cut, the need does not go away. In fact, cutting these budgets by such a sizable amount will most certainly cost taxpayers more in the long run, as problems get worse and the price tag for repairs rises.
Therefore, we urge Congress and the White House to address the fiscal cliff in ways that do not disproportionately impact the already struggling design and construction industry, and which will end up costing taxpayers more due to deferred maintenance and repairs.
We look forward to working with you to address the nation’s ongoing challenges.
Writer: Deepika Padam, AIAPadam is the 2011-2012 Communications Advisor for the National AIA Young Architects Forum. She lives in San Francisco.
Event
WHO IN THE WORLD DOES RESEARCH ANYMORE?Revisiting the Place of Research in Architecture at AIA Research Summit
What is Research? What are the types of research? Who does research? In today’s day and age of information overload, does anyone have the time
to do research? Does research lead to innovation, especially in the architecture practice? What is the future of research? How can AIA help? To find
these answers and many more, the AIA Research Summit was held in St. Louis on July 23-24, 2012. The delegation of twenty-four was split almost
halfway between academicians and practitioners, with some AIA staff. It was a unique experience for me because research is not spoken in the
same vocabulary or at the same level in my practice as was done at the summit. Bear with me as I dissect the two-day exchange piecemeal.
Participants of AIA Research Summit. Image by Lindsay Roffe
Back Row L to R: Gerald (Butch) Reifert FAIA, Reg Prentice, Jeffrey W Anderzhon FAIA, J Craig Beale FAIA, Terrence E O'Neal AIA, Peter Hourihan, Sally Augustin,
Ray Pentecost III FAIA, Clark S Davis FAIA, Earle W Kennett, Ken L Ross FAIA, Richard L Hayes AIA. Front Row L to R: Eric West AIA, Keith Diaz Moore AIA, G Z Brown
FAIA, Kirk Hamilton FAIA, Jay Farbstein FAIA, Edward A Shriver FAIA, Alexis Karolides AIA, Terri Stewart, Deepika Padam AIA. Sitting Down L to R: Dennis A Andrejko
FAIA, Donald T Yoshino FAIA
This article was previously published in Metropolis Magazine POV Blog and
As Chairs of YAF Philadelphia, we are charged with staying up to
date with the current issues and challenges facing the emerging
professionals under our umbrella. We are particularly concerned
with helping young professionals overcome skill or experience
gaps that may cause them to be overlooked or undervalued by
potential employers. In our search for this form of “mispricing”
within the community, we found that many recent graduates have
limited experience articulating their ideas to audiences outside the
academic sphere.
Our response was to create an event that provided the opportunity
for up and coming designers to pitch a project to a panel of seasoned
professionals in return for constructive criticism. We believe this
simulated environment helps participants achieve the necessary
oral skills to succeed at the next level. It also prepares them with
intellectual agility, exposes them to pragmatic concerns, and gives
them the confidence to speak comfortably to an unknown audience.
These same skills often translate into a coherent interview, the
ability to communicate within a team environment, and ultimately
the ability to convince a client that their design solution is a viable
one. As part of this simulation, participants were required to give
a 30-second introduction that was designed to pique the panel’s
interest. This real-world constraint forced them to be as persuasive
as possible and prompted the title of the event, Elevator Pitch.
The event itself was broken into three phases: The initial Pitch, a
longer prepared presentation, and finally a Q&A/feedback session.
Phase I served as the classic example of having 30 seconds to make
a first impression worthy of hearing more. In our simulation, we
allowed them to continue as planned, but we made them aware
that the initial time frame might be their only chance to make a
convincing argument. When they proceeded to Phase II, they had
an extended period of 4 minutes and 30 seconds to give additional
information and explain the bones of the project. They were allowed
upwards of 20 images to make their point and were directed to
include only the most pertinent information to do so. At the end of
their 5 total minutes, the panel of professionals had the opportunity
to interact with the presenters, asking both follow up questions and
providing feedback where they could improve in the future.
In this particular round of presentations, we had two Thesis level
Writer: Jeffrey PastvaPastva is a Project Architect at Haley Donovan Architecture + Planning in Haddonfield, NJ. Pastva is serving as a Co-Chair of the YAF of Philadelphia, helps run/organize the local ARE Study Session series and is the founder of the website The Designated Sketcher.
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(Top) A shot of the crowd at Elevator Pitch.
(Below) Opening presenter, Britt Chapman, giving her “Pitch”.
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undergraduate students repurpose their academic presentations
for outside criticism, one Master’s candidate present his idea for a
wearable architectural device, and two professionals discuss their
project for a public installation in a local park. All received great
feedback on how they could improve, but it was clear that the initial
30-second constraint was a challenge, in addition to answering
questions that many clients would be concerned with, like total cost.
For the full presentations (including feedback), please visit the
following link: http://www.youtube.com/user/runtimeHD/videos.
The 4 presentations that are a part of our event are: Auman &
Hartwig, Nam Il Joe, Brian Johnson, and Britt Chapman. For a 90
second overall glimpse of Elevator Pitch, please see here: http://bit.
ly/Pj2elY
In order for our event to run as smoothly as possible, the Young
Architects Forum Committee Chairs – Jeffrey Pastva and Denise
Thompson – served as the point of source for organization. This
included securing a venue, committing a diverse panel of jurors,
creating/advertising/administering a Call for Entries, securing
additional sponsorship as required, and finally promoting the event
to the community.
Of those tasks mentioned, the most pertinent and time intensive
stage was the Call for Entries (CFE) process. Since we thought this
topic spanned the entire spectrum of academic and professional
education, the CFE was broadcast to all area architecture students
and young professionals. Potential applicants were asked to
produce a 150-word synopsis of their proposed presentation, as well
as a few example slides. At the conclusion of the CFE, we selected
the applicants who we thought would best represent themselves
and who would benefit the most. These presenters were then given
instructions to help vet their proposed presentations in preparation
for the actual event.
Elevator Pitch was held at the showroom of Garden State Tile, a local
floor finish distributor in Center City Philadelphia, to an audience
of 50 architecture + design enthusiasts. It was moderated by YAF
Co-Chair Jeffrey Pastva and featured 3 knowledgeable sources
for feedback. They included the following people; George Smith,
Christopher Stromberg, and Denise Thompson.
George is currently a Director at development firm, U3 Ventures.
We really appreciated his outside eye for architectural issues at
a macro scale and his expertise helped him act as a typical client.
A close up shot of one of the many reactions from the Jury.
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Christopher serves as an adjunct faculty member at Philadelphia
University, in addition to owning his own practice. He brought an
expertise that includes both an instructional and practical view.
Denise Thompson is an architectural practitioner as well as an acting
member on multiple committees within AIA Philadelphia.
For Elevator Pitch to reach our desired level of participation we relied
almost entirely on In-Kind donations. To help make it possible, the
following sources have been listed alongside what they contributed:
Venue: Garden State Tile allowed us to use their showroom to
accommodate our audience. To help ensure a proper event, this
included audio amplification equipment, seating, Juror/Moderator
Table and projection screen.
Food/Beverage: Garden State Tile and Co-Chair Jeffrey Pastva
chipped in to provide enough snacks and drinks for those in
attendance.
Video Documentation: RunTimeHD was our sponsor for digitally
capturing the event and providing edited videos as a result. The
videos included both edited renditions of each presentation, as well
as a full arc of the event.
Additional Audio/Visual Equipment: Francis Cauffman provided the
use of a projector for each presentation.
The RunTimeHD crew interviews juror Christopher Stromberg after the
presentations.
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PHOTOGRAPHY
Ann Neeriemer, AIA, is an Associate at Perkins Eastman in Washington, DC. Neeriemer is also the young adult coordinator at National City Christian Church, and a core team member of Washington Interfaith Network, a community organizing group.
Madre e hijaAntigua Guatemala, GuatemalaJune 2011
UnshutteredYangshuo, Guanxi, ChinaFebruary 2010
Numero 46Antigua Guatemala, GuatemalaMay 2011
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Salento, Quindio, ColomabiaJuly 2008
San Juan la Laguna, Solola, GuatemalaMay 2011
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PHOTOGRAPHY
Beron, AIA is a Principal Architect at DLR Group in Des Moines, Iowa. Beron is also a Trustee Member of the Iowa Architectural Foundation and is an avid photographer in his free time.
New York Skyline from Top of the RockJuly 2012
Empire State Building from Top of the RockJuly 2012
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Originally hailing from the East Coast (Delaware-area) - it has been a while since I have made the trek back east, let alone taking the time to visit other sites along the coast. My family and I traveled to New York City in mid-July to visit extended family and show my young sons the beauty and inspiration of the built environment of downtown Manhattan.
On this trip, the weather was not cooperating as one would like for a "sunny, relaxing getaway" - however, rather than let a few clouds spoil the moment, we took to two different vantage points – the fist being above it all at the Top of Rock (Rockefeller Center) and the later being the below the surface in the subway. The landmarks above and below New York City Skyline and just as striking - if not more-so - than if we had had all of the sunshine in the world!
Bank of America Building from Top of the Rock July 2012
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PHOTOGRAPHY
Nedzbala is an architecture student at UNCC in Charlotte, North Carolina. Nedzbala has also lived in Germany, Japan, Turkey, Slovenia, and Italy, and interned at A&B Architects in Vicenza, Italy.
Vicenza StreetVicenza, ItalyAugust 2012
Andrea PalladioVicenza, ItalyJuly 2011
Basilica di Sant'AndreaMantova, ItalyAugust 2012
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Santa Maria della Salute from the Grand CanalVenice, Italy
May 2011
Santa Maria della Salute towering over the Grand Canal. People sit on the steps in front of
the church, taking a break from their site-seeing.
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PHOTOGRAPHY Cataldo is an Associate at Ayers Saint Gross in Baltimore, MD. Cataldo is also an Associate AIA and co-coordinator of the Emerging Professionals group at ASG which strives to assist emerging design professionals within the 3 major disciplines at ASG (architecture, landscape architecture, and planning) in the process of professional registration as well as building relationships with their respective professional organizations.
Abbey Road, ReduxMala Strana, PragueJune 2011
Art on a BridgeCharles Bridge, PragueJune 2011
Vineyard ViewVilla Richter, PragueJune 2011
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UpwardSt. Vitus Cathedral, Prague
June 2011
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PHOTOGRAPHY Nathan Wambold is a registered architect and owner of an architectural photography company out of the greater St. Louis metro area. Although Nathan specializes in photographing “built-environments”, on occasion he needs to get away from it all and goes for a drive with his camera at the ready. See more of his work and the rest of his “Western Splendors Tour” collection at nathanwamboldphotography.com.
“Not Forgotten” - Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, IdahoSept 2007
“Three’s a Charm” - Yosemite National Park, CaliforniaOct 2007
“Sweet Dreams” - Grand Canyon National Park, ArizonaOct 2007
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“Mashed Potato Mountain” - Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming
Sept 2007
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PHOTOGRAPHY Shelly-Anne, AIA is active in the AIA Atlanta Community and is the Public Awareness Co-Director and a member of the AIA ATL Tours Committee organising free monthly tours of recently completed architecture projects for the public. She is an alumni of Florida A&M University and has a MArch degree and an Associate of Arts in Interior Design. Her next passion after design is photography which she actively pursues as a hobby. When she is not doing either of these she can be seen volunteering at many of the local arts and cultural festivals in Atlanta, hiking or Latin dancing.
Baker Hall - Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
School of Computer Science - Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Baker Hall - Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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During a spring visit to the Carnegie Mellon Campus I was able to capture these images. It was a very unique visit as this was the only sunny day and it snowed the very next day.Luckily I was able to get en route to Atlanta before the real snow started. It is so interesting how just walking on a college campus and seeing the students eager for knowledge brings you alive again and just makes you want to go back to that super creative stage where you can dream and design anything you want. After being an architecture and interior design student and practically and literally living on campus sleeping on desks, being so tired that you could fall asleep standing, I would love to go to university again, just for the campus activities and creative projects, minus the exams and deadlines.....dream, dream, dream away.
Margaret Morrison Carnegie HallCarnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Home to the Architecture Students
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William Webb, AIA is a Licensed Architect at Hajek & Associates in Austin, Texas.Webb is also a Bilingual architect and licensed abroad, with an interest in Architecture and culture around the World. Avid photography fan, with a passion to capture the aesthetics of the places I travel.
Alexander Calder at Pompidou Museum
Opera, Paris. Black & White”
La Grande Arche de la Défense’
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Notre Dame, Paris
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Yelena Ptashinskaya was born and raised in Belarus and graduated from college there. Now living with here family in Texas working in one of the Dallas area architectural firms.
Lombard St, San Francisco
July 2012
California Academy of ScienceSan FranciscoJuly 2012
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California Academy of ScienceSan Francisco
July 2012
Mission Dolores Park, San FranciscoJuly 2012
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PHOTOMONTAGEJulie A. Babin, AIA, LEED AP is a Project Architect at studioWTA l Wayne Troyer Architects, a collaborative design firm in New Orleans. A 2006 graduate of Tulane University, Julie was the recipient of the John William Lawrence Memorial Medal for Design Excellence. In 2010 Julie and her colleague, Ross Karsen, were awarded first place by the Louisiana Chapter of the USGBC Natural Talent Design Competition for their affordable and sustainable housing submission “Extending Roots."
Serene Santorini Architectural Elements of Ancient Ephesus
J U L I E B A B I N
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Across Italy From City to Coast
Contemporary Spain
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SKETCHES Amy Wynne is an architect and a principal at OFFICIAL in Dallas, Texas. Wynne has won first place in multiple international design competitions including the Temporary Outdoor Gallery Space competition and, as an architecture professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design was awarded a Presidential Fellowship for the study of materiality and construction in contemporary Japanese architecture.
Section perspective and photo collage of the Naoshi-ma Ferry Terminal by SANNA in Naoshima, JapanPencil on vellum + + digital photography + digital color
Section perspective of the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures at the Tokyo National Museum by Yoshio TaniguchiPencil on vellum + digital color
Section perspective of the Chichu Art Museum by Tadao Ando in Naoshima, JapanPencil on vellum + digital color
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Section perspective and detail of the Dior Headquarters building by SANAA in Tokyo, Japan
Pencil on vellum + digital color
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Luis, AIA is a Chief Collaboration Architect at ALLL in Chicago, IL. Luis is also ENR Midwest's Top 20 Under 40 for 2012, National Geographic and The Aspen Institute’s Environment Forum Scholar for 2010, the American Institute of Architects’ AIA Athena Young Professional Award recipient, Tile of Spain’s Reign In Spain competition winner, i4Design Magazine’s 2011 Suite 16 Top Picks, and the 2011 AIA Knowledge Scholar on Practice Management. She graduated with a Master of Architecture degree from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin and a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture, Cum Laude, from the University of Santo Tomas.
City of Arts and SciencesValencia SpainGraphite
City of Arts and SciencesValencia SpainGraphite
City of Arts and SciencesValencia SpainCharcoal
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Airport CeilingValencia, Spain
Graphite
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Pearson, AIA is an Associate Professor of Architecture at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois where he teaches courses in design, presentation, and sustainability.
Pantheon, Rome ItalyPencil, 2009
Petersburg AlaskaPencil, 1997
St. Peters BasilicaRome ItalyPencil, 2012
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Phaeno Science CenterZaha Hadid
Wolfsburg GermanyPencil, 2007.
Duomo, Florence Italy Pencil, 2012
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Angela Demma, AIA is an Associate at Vinci|Hamp Architects in Chicago, Illinois. Specializing in new building design, museum and gallery installation and historic preservation, she currently leads a team in the restoration of a 7,000 square foot 1920’s era Chicago Apartment.
LEARNING AND TOURING IN CARRARA
Nestled at the base of the mountains and minutes from the Mediterranean Sea, Carrara has long been a source of beautiful stone. From the time of the Romans to today, builders, artists and architects have come here to cut “white gold”, as the locals refer to it, from the mountains. A charming Tuscan town neglected by tourists, Carrara is on the west coast of Italy, sixty miles southeast of Genoa and thirty-five miles northwest of Pisa. This past spring I was fortunate enough to spend time in and around Carrara learning about the material, its extraction, and the history and customs of the people that have long made their living from the white mountains directly above them.
The Italian Chamber of Commerce hosted 25 architects from Europe, North America, South America and the Middle East during a stone expo in Carrara. I was included in this group and attended the biennial “Carrara Marmotec” trade fair. This was my second visit to Carrara; in July of 2011 I went there with residential clients to search for stone. This recent trip, however, was more spectacular as it was organized specifically for architects – to teach us more about the material, its excavation, production and history. We attended the trade fair, met numerous representatives of companies fabricating and excavating stone there and attended events in conjunction with the fair. The highlight of the trip was certainly visiting numerous quarries of the region. With special permission and coordination by our hosts, we ventured up into the Apuana Mountains to see Venatino, Statuary, Calacatta and Zebrino quarries, just to name a few of the many located here.
Marble Quarries, Apuana Mountains, Carrara
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To see first-hand the scale, beauty and technology of this industry helped me better understand a material I use regularly in my work. I saw exactly where it came from, witnessed what it takes to get it from the mountain to the job site and all the steps in between. I met the people involved in stone production, watched those responsible for excavating the blocks and transporting them down steep, switch-back roads which illustrated the care, effort and craftsmanship involved.
It was an inspiring experience to complement a beautiful material. One of the joys of architecture is using the beauty of the natural world in the built environment: transforming natural elements for practical use. Nowhere is the simplicity of this idea clearer than in Carrara.
Port and Historic Center of Carrara from the Apuana Mountains
Franchi Umberto Pavillion at Carrara Marmotec, 2012
Zebrino Quarry, Apuana Mountains, Carrara
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! ! !
ʻOne of the Many Viewsʼ Rome, Italy.
! Why did it take me twenty years to get to Rome? With architecture in my blood and design as my career, I asked myself that question on Day 3 of my 5 day visit to what should be called the Architecture Mecca of the world. As an architecture and art history student years ago - learning about Rome and its surrounding cities created a desire to visit ʻone day.ʼ I used to always say ʻWhen I go to Italy, I will just die and go to heaven.ʼWell, I didnʼt die there. But I did see a bit of heaven.
# Rome was truly an inspirational city. Ancient, medieval, renaissance and modern architecture verge into one city. If you look down one street, you see the hustle and bustle of modern city life with renaissance residential buildings, modern ofÞce buildings and beautiful old churches dripping with history and simple grandeur. Turn around and you see another side of Rome, with its little gullies and old architectural ʻwalkwaysʼ. I was in awe of the buildings built so long ago and could only imagine what life was like back then. I loved every minute of Rome. #
R O M E I T A L Y J U L Y 2 0 1 2
Magon-Anand, Associate AIA is the President of Design Veritas in Shrewsbury, MA .Magon-Anand is the Vice President and Chair of the Sustainability Committee of the AIA Central Massachusetts Chapter.NAVNEET MAGON ANAND
STORY
'One of the Many Views' Rome, Italy.
WHY DID IT TAKE ME TWENTY YEARS TO GET TO ROME?
With architecture in my blood and design as my career, I asked myself that question on Day 3 of my 5 day visit to what should be called the Architecture Mecca of the world. As an architecture and art history student years ago - learning about Rome and its surrounding cities created a desire to visit ‘one day.’ I used to always say ‘When I go to Italy, I will just die and go to heaven.’Well, I didn’t die there. But I did see a bit of heaven.
Rome was truly an inspirational city. Ancient, medieval, renaissance and modern architecture verge into one city. If you look down one street, you see the hustle and bustle of modern city life with renaissance residential buildings, modern office buildings and beautiful old churches dripping with history and simple grandeur. Turn around and you see another side of Rome, with its little gullies and old architectural ‘walkways’. I was in awe of the buildings built so long ago and could only imagine what life was like back then. I loved every minute of Rome.
We walked the city and saw every architectural marvel that Rome is known for. The Colosseum blew me away. I still am in awe of Ancient Rome - how did they build all that back then with none of the modern technology that we know today? Truly amazing.
The Pantheon was my absolute favorite experience in everything that we did and saw in Rome. An odd choice one would think but there was something magical and mystical about that one circle that gave light to this entire dark space. I loved how the doors closed when the sunlight went down - reminiscent of a much simpler time of work,rest and play. A time so different from the city life we know today where bright lights kick in when the sunlight does down. We went again the next day just to experience being inside this space. We were delighted - truly delighted to experience an all boys choir singing with their heavenly voices. Talk about acoustics! This space was designed perfectly with that one circle of light and perfect acoustics - how they knew and designed this great architectural masterpiece with none of the modern advances we know today, no firm, architect or designer could achieve that feat today.
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# We walked the city, saw all the famous sites, ate delicious pasta that was recommended by the locals- had capucinnos and gelatos , visited the Vatican museums and yes - saw Michelangeloʼs famous Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo was and is truly my biggest inspiration of all time.
ʻRome, The Colosseum, Me & a Vespaʼ The Colosseum, Morning Time
! On day 4, we decided to do something different. We hired a vespa and truly became one of the locals. What an experience! We decided to drive by for the last time to all of our favorite places. Whizzing in and out through trafÞc, taking queues from the locals going to and fro, we truly experienced a new side of Rome. We even drove to the outskirts of Rome (we actually got lost) and saw another side to the city of Rome. This is where the locals lived. What a difference from all that we were exposed to with our tourist ʻeyesʼ of Rome. Modern day romans lived like the rest of us. This somehow reminded me of growing up Montreal and visiting ʻLittle Italy.ʼ Now that I was Þnally here in Italy, I realized I loved the culture, the people, the language, the sounds, the words and of course the architectural history of this beautiful country.
R O M E I T A L Y J U L Y 2 0 1 2
ʻWhere the Many Architectural Periods of Rome Meetʼ - a typical Modern Roman Street.
R O M E I T A L Y J U L Y 2 0 1 2
# We walked the city and saw every architectural marvel that Rome is known for. The Colosseum blew me away. I still am in awe of Ancient Rome - how did they build all that back then with none of the modern technology that we know today? Truly amazing. The Pantheon was my absolute favorite experience in everything that we did and saw in Rome. An odd choice one would think but there was something magical and mystical about that one circle that gave light to this entire dark space. I loved how the doors closed when the sunlight went down - reminiscent of a much simpler time of work,rest and play. A time so different from the city life we know today where bright lights kick in when the sunlight does down. We went again the next day just to experience being inside this space. We were delighted - truly delighted to experience an all boys choir singing with their heavenly voices. Talk about acoustics! This space was designed perfectly with that one circle of light and perfect acoustics - how they knew and designed this great architectural masterpiece with none of the modern advances we know today, no Þrm, architect or designer could achieve that feat today.
# # # The Pantheon, Rome. Taken during the morning time.#
R O M E I T A L Y J U L Y 2 0 1 2
'Rome, The Colosseum, Me & a Vespa' The Colosseum, Morning Time
'Where the Many Architectural Periods of Rome Meet' - a typical Modern Roman Street.
The Pantheon, Rome. Taken during the morning time.
We walked the city, saw all the famous sites, ate delicious pasta that was recommended by the locals- had capucinnos and gelatos , visited the Vatican museums and yes - saw Michelangelo’s famous Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo was and is truly my biggest inspiration of all time.
On day 4, we decided to do something different. We hired a vespa and truly became one of the locals. What an experience! We decided to drive by for the last time to all of our favorite places. Whizzing in and out through traffic, taking queues from the locals going to and fro, we truly experienced a new side of Rome. We even drove to the outskirts of Rome (we actually got lost) and saw another side to the city of Rome. This is where the locals lived. What a difference from all that we were exposed to with our tourist ‘eyes’ of Rome. Modern day romans lived like the rest of us. This somehow reminded me of growing up Montreal and visiting ‘Little Italy.’ Now that I was finally here in Italy, I realized I loved the culture, the people, the language, the sounds, the words and of course the architectural history of this beautiful country.
Back on track, after a delicious lunch in a local joint - the afternoon plan was to visit the sea. Ostia was nice - a holiday seaside for mostly the locals. Nothing special - perhaps like any typical boardwalk or seaside town. But what really left an impression on me was the beautiful highway we took to get from Rome to Ostia. This truly was an example of ‘enjoying the ride’ or ‘it is not the destination but the journey that counts.’ This was a stunning journey to our destination. It left me yearning for more of the countryside and I decided then that our next trip would be to visit more of Italy and its countrysides.
We headed back to Rome that evening in time to capture the sunset over the city. We spent several hours on Janiculum Hill with its stunning panoramic views of the city at sunset. What a magnificent way to end our Roman holiday....
We did visit all the ‘touristy’ places Rome is known - one simply has to do that. We turned a corner one evening and discovered the Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Fountain was not only a sculptural masterpiece but truly an experience. We sat on the steps just watching the water fall. This was truly a beautiful backdrop to the hustle of locals and tourists gathered there. This almost reminded me of being in NYC watching a broadway show. We were surrounded by this Baroque drama - with all the lights, action, emotions, lively excitement and entertainment - we simply sat back and enjoyed!
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Moreno, Assoc. AIA is a Designer at Thornton Tomasetti in Chicago, IL. Moreno has undertaken mentorships alongside Marshall Brown and Antony Wood in his travels to Morocco, Africa and Mumbai, India; he has presented the results from these experiences in the 2011 Chicago Area Undergraduate Research Symposium and CTBUH Remaking of Mumbai Journal.
S A U L M O R E N O
STORY
BRAZIL: A MODEL FOR NATURE AND TECHNOLOGY
Brazil; imagery of the festivities, upbeat lifestyle, and colorful favelas start rushing in our heads. Over the past few years, Brazil has redefined itself globally and is taking on a new role. Today it is recognized as one of the four BRIC countries. The spotlight is on Brazil as we near the 2014 World Cup and gets closer to the 2016 Olympics. Brazil’s rapid growth is partly due to the fact that it has remained unaffected by the global economic recession. This is largely due to President Lula da Silva’s implementation of conservative fiscal policies. This summer I had the opportunity of exploring three major cities in Brazil; Sao Paulo, Rio de Janiero, and Brasila. Each city had unique characteristics that made them unrecognizable from one another.
Sao Paulo, the central business district of Brazil was the first destination on this tour. The city was populated with a diversity of people from all parts of the world. The city can be described as a hybrid of L.A. and New York; Paulistas face heavy traffic every day en route. In the years that follow designers and planners will work together to improve the cities and quality of life for many, especially those in large developing cities like Sao Paulo. Sao Paulo aside from its largely metropolitan atmosphere holds a number of revolutionary modernist works of architecture.
Rio de Janiero, the city of culture, was the next stop on this tour. The scenic Imagery, such as the favelas and carnival, many call “Brazil” link back to Rio. The urban fabric consists of patterned sidewalks and monolithic concrete obelisks juxtaposing against newly erected steel structures. Much of architecture in Brazil is created from concrete structures, but as arable land becomes limited civilians look up to the skies for answers. The purpose of the trip was not only to develop new relationships and learn from students and professionals in the building industry, but to take part in the Rio+20 summit. UN leaders, NGOs and people in the private sector congregated in Rio for the duration of a week. The discussions involved topics on sustainable development, reduction in poverty, and ensuring social equity as many developing countries are on the rise. One of the most memorable moments was when Vandana Shiva took the microphone. She raised questions concerning the welfare of the people, not from what heard or seen but from personal experience. It is our responsibility as whole to come together and ensure that everyone has a voice. Many of the decisions constituted in Brazil come from Brasilia.
Capital District: Brasilia June 25, 2012Conjuncto Nacional Shopping Centre
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Brasilia, the Districto federal of Brazil was the last stop on this tour. Brasilia is the 50 year city constructed in 5 years. Julien Kubitschek assigned Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer as Brasilia’s urban planner and architect; the vision of creating a city dedicated exclusively to the government was created. Many of Niemeyer’s projects can be found throughout Brazil. He is known by everyone in the country, even those who did not study architecture. Today one would find Brasilia to be a set from the film Blade Runner. The fluorescent lighting illuminating from the bill boards above create a gateway to the markets within the building. When one thinks of Brazil, not many would think such landscape could exist, considering the majority of the amazon rainforest is contained within Brazil. In Brasilia, I was able to visit the SEBRAE headquarters. It is a non-profit organization funded by the government and private sectors in order to help small enterprises grow and create environments for sustainable development. SEBRAE had been present in the Rio+20 conference; it was also one of the first partners in the Rio+20.
This trip had been a compilation from previous experience with other traveling studios. I decided to embark on a journey on my own; in hopes of learning a new language, making new friends and learning about a new culture. The results were much more than what I’d expected. We are no longer living within our own boundaries; we are globally connected with one another. In this day and age, ideas and tools are shared at a global scale. Escaping your routine and entering uncharted territory is beneficial in helping one create new friendships and develop new dialogues. The built environment is rarely discussed, but as countries continue rapidly growing, we need to speak from experiences and state what we believe is right. The future holds a landscape where both technology and nature exist in harmony.
Promenade: Rio de Janeiro June19, 2012 Downtown corridor in Rio de Janeiro
Arena+20 Discussion: Rio de Janeiro June18, 2012Márcia Valle Real, Paulo Moutinho, Host, Rômulo
Paes de Sousa, Vandana Shiva
SEBRAE Headquarters: Brasilia June 27, 2012 Project built - 2008-210 Architect - Gruposp - Alvaro Puntoni, Luciano Margotto,
João Sodré, Jonathan Davies Client - SEBRAE
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William A. Stanford II, AIA is a Staff Architect at BTBB, Incorporated in Macon, Georgia. Stanford is also an advocate of reusing historic structures in practice and as a member of Historic Macon organization. W I L L S T A N F O R D
STORY
CERVARA DI ROMA – THE STORY
My 5th year experience in Architecture school in Mississippi State was tremendous for many reasons, not least of which is the change of venue from Starkville to the great capital city of Jackson. But I never imagined that I would travel over 5,300 miles to visit Italy and France. You see, to that point, I had never travelled outside of the United States. The adventure began in the Mid-March of 2007 and extended into early April – a once in a lifetime, 3 week Euro-excursion that began with 5 days in Rome and concluded with a frantic sweep to see everything in Florence, Venice and Paris that I could over a week’s time. However, it was the interim destination that I most cherish…
The city of Cervara di Roma is an medieval fortified city situated among the Simbruini Mountains within a National Park – but only 2.5 hours outside of Rome. The mountainous terrain leading up to this community is treacherous (as evidenced by the sound of our bus scraping the rock). The city itself only has around 400 inhabitants during the winter months, but it is not without fame. The famous composer Ennio Morricone has inscribed the wall of the town square with a song written about the quaint city titled “Notturno-Passacaglia per Cervara” as a part of a music festival which sees some 5,000 people descend on the city each summer. In our timeframe, it was distinctly winter.
The city in snow March 2007
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Upon entering the city by bus, you may park at the base of the slope or take the road to the top. THERE ARE NO INTERSTITIAL ROADS. To me, this is great – it slows the pace of life. It was as if the 10-day visit was a chance to exhale from the hustle and bustle of the preceding visit to Rome and the forthcoming tour of Florence, Venice and Paris. This lack of roads, along with the steep terrain, created a city of stairs. This proved difficult to navigate over the first few days, and the high altitude made frequent stops necessary. Wherever you stopped there was no lack of breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains or of the microcosm of the limitless number of experiential moments where a stairway would lead to a courtyard outside someone’s home. There are exactly 2 restaurants, from which we rotated meals (some of the best food I’ve ever had) and 1 grocery store which carried a myriad of incredible bakery items.
The various groups rented houses for the week. These were spread throughout the city, making it difficult to find one another but always rejoicing when we did. From the moment we arrived, my group decided that we would conquer the highest point – a statue of the Virgin Mary overlooking the city. As we ascended to this peak, we quickly noticed one of the wonderful idiosyncrasies of this place; the local artists had been carving faces, poetry other forms of their expression into the hillside. It seemed ancient, somehow – like viewing hieroglyphs or Sanskrit. As the wind fell and the snow drifted, we made our way to the top and to one of the most beautiful 360-degree vantage points on earth. The valley below was painted with other small towns and the engulfing shadows from the cloud formations overhead.
Despite the experiences mentioned above, our primary visit was not site-seeing. The city had commissioned our studio to provide some guidance to adaptively reuse the site of a previous graveyard (which had been re-located nearby) into a community space – connecting the church and their arts center. The site manifested its clear “medieval-ness” with a stone screen wall, lower courtyard which a staircase transitioned to a stone platform and soaring rock-face backdrop. With the light powdering of snow, I could see the ominous nature of this space from its bleak past. Consequently, we sketched, modeled and planned several wonderful solutions which I hope this lovely city has put to good use.
Our studio professors also assigned something quite unique to another classmate and me. Using a video camera we captured footage of our 10-day inhabitation in Cervara and made a short film so that our memory of being there could be revisited. Of course this was correlated with one of the best songs ever written “A Day in the Life” by the Beatles.”
Reflecting on my time spent in Cervara di Roma, I am inspired as an architect to create spaces and moments in my own work that begin to approach the beauty encountered in one of the most extraordinary places on Earth. I am inspired as a human. And I thank God for the opportunity to be there and hope to return – sooner, rather than later.
Currently under construction in Seattle WA, The Bullitt Center by The Miller Hull Partnership is seeking Living Building certification. The Bullitt Center is designed
to be Net Zero Energy, utilizing high performing wall and glazing systems, an energy efficient ground source heat pump, and an extensive photo voltaic array that
will generate 100 percent of the building's energy.
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Architecture as a profession has embraced the reality of climate
change.1 Yes, the man-made, fossil-fuel burning, carbon emitting
kind of climate change. The kind whose primary cause is from the
construction and operations of buildings.2 While there is still a
‘debate’ to the validity of climate change in mainstream American
culture, most architects recognize the threat posed by a built
environment reliant on fossil fuels. Here we will look at some of
the drivers of this environmental problem and see why the Living
Building Challenge is the right tool for architects seeking a solution.
Why Living Building Challenge
For any climate change believing hold-outs, a brief attempt at
conversion: it has taken the Earth the last 350 million years to
sequester the carbon based fossil fuels of coal, oil, and gas from
decayed organic tissue (see photosynthesis…stored energy from
the sun!) and we humans have burnt much of this, by some estimates
over half of the total, in the last 200 years. This quick release of
carbon, combining with oxygen to form the greenhouse gas CO2,
greatly impacts the delicately balanced, life sustaining climate we
currently enjoy on Earth. This very fast transformation of the Earth’s
atmosphere is certain to have an effect.3
If we accept that climate change is a problem, then we must discuss
solutions to the problem. There is virtually no meaningful dialog
from our policy makers in Washington and very limited successes on
the global political stage. Fortunately for us, architects are extremely
empowered to talk about this subject. After all, the greenhouse gas
emissions from the operations of buildings are the highest piece
of the total pie, above industry and travel. As architects, it is our
responsibility to talk about this.
Since 1998, LEED has provided a useful tool to push the building
industry toward higher levels of sustainability, and in many cases
better energy efficiency, i.e. burning less fossil fuel. LEED however
does have its limits to effectiveness. Because LEED is a checklist,
with most credits being optional, it is possible to design even
a LEED Platinum certified building that is only minimally more
energy efficient than a non-LEED building. LEED is good at helping
to reduce energy consumption, but the reality is that most LEED
Making a Case
ARCHITECTS ADOPT LIVING BUILDING CHALLENGE IN FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
Writer: Robert Webber, AIAWebber is an architect at Valerio Dewalt Train Associates in Chicago and leads VDTA’s advancement of sustainable design. Robert is also a co-founder of the Living Building Challenge Collaborative in Chicago, an organization that promotes the Living Building Challenge through community connections and education.
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buildings are still highly reliant on fossil fuels.
In 2005 Jason McClennan decided that good wasn’t good enough.
Jason transformed several years worth of his work and research into
a codified standard and created The Living Building Challenge (LBC).
The LBC is an advanced building rating system, philosophy, and
advocacy platform whose mission is to “lead the transformation to a
world that is socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative.”4
In short, to create buildings that cause no harm. This includes no
harm to the environment and no harm to the climate. A Living
Building is required to be Net Zero Energy.5 The exact requirement
of the LBC Net Zero Energy imperative is that “One hundred percent
of the project’s energy needs must be supplied by on-site renewable
energy on a net annual basis.” This means no on-site combustion,
no burning natural gas, and that electricity is produced with on-site
renewable energy such as Photovoltaic panels, solar thermal hot
water systems, and wind turbines. This means no fossil fuel burning,
carbon emitting energy usage.
2 Reasons to Net Zero
The reason for architects and building owners to adopt a Net Zero
Energy building strategy is actually two-fold: While the status quo
of building design and construction promotes the negative climate
impact of burning fossil fuels (climate costs), it also makes us a slave
to the ever diminishing, limited resource of these fossil fuels (financial
costs).
As Richard Heinberg brilliantly describes in his book The End of
Growth, the recent economic recession can be directly tied to the
limits of Earth’s fossil fuels and natural resources. After all, we exist
in a global economic model that relies on continued and unending
financial growth. If you need further proof, read the business op-
ed from the NY Times or Wall Street Journal; in the public’s mind
the economy is all about growth, growth, growth. But based on
the resources of a finite planet, it is inevitable that we will reach
the economic limits of forever burning fossil fuels. Some such as
Mr. Heinberg believe we are already there. We must live, and build,
within our means and Net Zero Energy buildings are proof that this
is possible.
The climate costs can be further explained by Bill McKibbon,
founder of 350.org. Mr. McKibbon tells us that, “to preserve our
planet, scientists tell us we must reduce the amount of CO2 in the
atmosphere from its current level of 392 parts per million (ppm)
to below 350 ppm.”6 It can be taxing for a non-scientist (like
an architect) to sort through all of the many different claims of
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maximum ppms and maximum allowable temperature increases,
but the 350 ppm maximum is generally agreed upon as the target to
avert irreversible climate change. Unfortunately, we are already over
it. Since buildings are the largest contributor to carbon emissions,
architects must make the dramatic shift to a better way of designing
buildings. Net Zero Energy buildings are the solution.
Advocate
Most architects have not yet had the opportunity to work on a Living
Building Challenge project. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the
problem of climate change and to feel somewhat responsible when
we know that buildings are the largest contributor to the problem.
As a young architect, you may feel especially powerless in a firm’s
every day decision making process to make a real difference. The
good news is that The Living Building Challenge is just as effective
as an advocacy tool as it is a building rating system.
Even if you do not work directly on a Net Zero Energy building,
you can advocate on behalf of the mission. You can write letters to
political leaders and code officials, or contact other architects and
engineers, to raise awareness of climate change and to discuss the
Living Building Challenge as a real-world solution to the problem.
Advocacy can be just as effective as actual practice, especially if the
same message is spread by many. There are many young architects
out there, including you, to help spread this important message.
Notes
1. From The AIA, Architects and Climate Change, see www.aia.org/
advocacy/federal/AIAS077675
2. From www.architecture2030.org, The Building Sector was
responsible for nearly half (46.7%) of U.S. CO2 emissions in 2010.
3. For a detailed history of carbon’s effect on the Earth’s atmosphere,
see Eric Ralston’s excellent book, The Carbon Age.
4. For more information on the Living Building Challenge, see Living
Building Challenge v 2.1, https://ilbi.org/lbc/standard
5. Net Zero Energy is one of the twenty imperatives, or requirements,
of the Living Building Challenge checklist. For a full description of
the Living Building Challenge and all of the 20 imperatives, see
https://ilbi.org/lbc/standard
6. For more information on the 350.org mission, see http://www.350.
org
7. Image used by permission of the International Living Future
Institute.
The Living Building Challenge imagines a building designed and con-
structed to function as elegantly and efficiently as a flower: a building
informed by its bioregion’s characteristics, generates all of its own energy
with renewable resources, captures and treats all of its water, and operates
efficiently and for maximum beauty.
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Writer: Premnath Sundharam, AIAPrem is an architect with passion for leadership, sustainability, and technology. With nine (9) years of architecture experience in K-12, higher-ed, justice, and commercial, Prem serves as DLR Group's southwest region practice leader, where he collaborates with 100+ employees on business practice innovations to provide the best design solution and design service experience for clients. Prem also leads at a national level on sustainable business practices and champions integrated design process to provide high-performance design solutions to clients.
Making a Case
THREE P I LL ARS OF SUCCESS TO REACH NET-ZERO DES IGN
Perhaps more than any other building type, school facilities have the
potential to experience the greatest benefit from sustainable design.
This is evidenced in the industry through standards for design
such as the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Schools rating
which addresses factors affecting student health and achievement.
Sustainable design has also been the topic of study for several years,
confirming that factors such as daylighting improves the ability to
learn and that a “healthy building” translates to healthy people.
Tackling a “near net-zero” elementary school that can produce nearly
as much energy as it consumes, was the recent challenge presented
to DLR Group’s designers. And while most any design firms can
technically create a facility that reaches net-zero, it takes a team of
committed, passionate stakeholders to make it a reality. Such was
the case in Paradise Valley Unified School District’s new Fireside
Elementary School. Three factors stand as the pillars of success
in designing a near net-zero school. They include: Client Vision
and Commitment, Aggressive Energy Modeling and Reduction/
Production Strategies.
Client Visioning & Commitment
Prior to any new construction or renovation, the client must
determine the vision for sustainability. This requires that they have
an established benchmark for existing facilities that allows them to
understand energy use, cost and demand. The visioning exercise
must involve all stakeholders including staff, building users and
the design team. The goal of the exercise is to create a plan for
“energy independence” based on energy reduction and production
initiatives. This commitment and vision, if established early, can
then be incorporated in the client’s Request for Qualification/
Proposal process.
The vision-casting sessions help establish design goals which
become guiding principles for the project and become the metrics
for measuring success. These goals may include elements related
to technology usage, educational flexibility of space, and specific
sustainable goals such as: Inspiring future green global citizens to a
high level of environmental awareness, and utilizing the campus as
a sustainable teaching tool.
Aggressive Energy Modeling
Energy modeling tools can accurately measure amounts of daylight
and glare entering a building at certain times of the day and
through every season of the year. They can measure the operational
Fireside Elementary School,
Paradise Valley School
District, Phoenix, AZ
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THREE P I LL ARS OF SUCCESS TO REACH NET-ZERO DES IGN
impact of setting a building in a slightly different orientation for
tremendous energy savings, or find the “hot spots” in a specific room
that requires moving a window to a different location.
For building owners like Paradise Valley Unified School District
who are committed to energy reduction solutions for their schools,
energy modeling helped them decide how best to apply the dollars
they had for achieving a near net-zero facility for Fireside Elementary
School. This included everything from the building envelope design,
to insulation, to glazing options, space conditioning methods,
rainwater harvesting and Energy Star equipment. Different scenarios
were graphically communicated to the client using infographics. For
each strategy, an infographic related the specific energy demand,
the amount of energy consumed before and after applying
renewable energy.
Reduction/Production Strategies
As much as reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment
requires commitment to reduction efforts, reaching that golden ring
of “Net-Zero” nearly always requires an equal commitment to some
production of renewable energy to offset even minimal energy use.
Renewable energy encompasses a vast array of solutions including
solar photovoltaic panels, wind turbines or geothermal heating
and cooling. A rule of thumb in net zero design is to shoot for 75%
reduction of energy (compared to energy use of similar type of
building in the same zip code using EnergyStar target finder), leaving
25% energy use to be met through renewable energy technologies.
At Fireside Elementary, the design reduced the energy usage by 55%
from average buildings using high performance envelope systems
such as Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) walls; low-e glazing for
different orientations; highly reflective roof, extensive daylighting
solutions, high efficiency chillers, economizers and variable drive
motors in towers and pumps. Such reduction strategies left an
energy deficit requiring a photovoltaic system to produce 340KW at
full building capacity.
Conclusion
Moving forward, these three elements of client commitment, energy
modeling and reduction/production strategies will be reviewed as
Fireside Elementary School moves into operation during the 2012-
2013 school year. And all three will continue to be the pillars that
define their sustainable success.
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Writer: Daniel Overbey, AIAOverbey is the Director of Sustainable Design Practices for Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects in Indianapolis. Daniel’s work focuses on high-performance building design and construction, environmental systems research, LEED-related services, and energy modeling. He is a regular contributor to EDC magazine and teaches environmental systems at the Ball State University College of Architecture and Planning.
Making a Case
IN ORDER TO BECOME LEADERS IN ENERGY MODEL ING, ARCHITECTS NEED TO BE BUILD ING SCIENCE EXPERTS
In a marketplace increasingly attuned to high-performance
strategies, design teams and clients alike are becoming ever
savvier with regard to building science. Consequently, there is a
growing expectation that architects exhibit the tools and technical
knowledge to go beyond design rules-of-thumb and actually test
conceptual notions, compare the performance design options,
and refine chosen strategies. This can be accomplished through
schematic-level energy modeling. This kind of energy modeling
is simplified through basic forms, generalizations, and gross
approximations, which makes it quite different from the highly
detailed comprehensive modeling effort that is commonly executed
near the end of a project for green building certification or energy
code compliance. This preliminary type of energy modeling provides
teams with a dynamic opportunity to compare the performance
of different design options during the conceptual and schematic
(Top) This academic building features faculty offices along a curving
west-facing façade. The office windows are flanked with shading “fins.”
Using energy modeling software, a solar access study revealed the ability
design phases when most of the major design decisions are made
and the consequences of significant changes are minimal.
The design community is already seeing a big push for preliminary
energy modeling. This fall, the AIA will release the AIA Energy Modeling
Practice Guide. This document will provide basic information along
with valuable tips and resources for architects interested in utilizing
such procedures in the design process. Moreover, the latest draft of
LEED Version 4 promotes the implementation of energy modeling
earlier in the design process to “support high-performance, cost-
effective project outcomes.” The new “Integrative Process” credit
rewards teams for performing preliminary “simple box” energy
modeling analyses during the schematic design phase.
Software developers are meeting this market demand head-on.
Many publicly-funded research institutions – such as the Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and the National Renewable
Energy Laboratory (NREL) - provide specialized analysis tools
for free, while various commercial developers such as Autodesk
and Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES) offer more robust,
comprehensive packages.
These early-stage tools are easy to use, the results are visually
stimulating, and online tutorials abound. However, the validity
of the results – albeit preliminary in nature – necessarily hinges
on the designer’s knowledge in regards to building science. This
is a topic with which architects are generally competent, but are
not necessarily experts. Perhaps the most overt indication of the
architectural community’s lack of building science expertise is the
emergence of the building science consultant. By one international
firm’s definition, the term building science is defined as, “…the
study of the interaction between the various materials, products
YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05
and systems used in building construction, the occupants of these
buildings, and the environments in which they are located.” By this
definition, a building science consultant would assume many of the
implicit responsibilities of the architect. Over time, the architectural
profession has surrendered these services and responsibilities to
contractors, consultants, and the like. It would be a detriment to
the profession if we ceded the ground of “building science expert”
to yet another discipline. If architects will not meet the demand for
building science expertise, someone else will.
A deeper knowledge of building science will facilitate the
effectiveness of the architect’s leading energy modeling efforts in
three important ways:
1. Error catching. It has been my experience that architects can pick
up the basics of energy modeling programs fairly quickly – especially
the schematic-stage energy modeling programs. It is fairly easy to
create a compelling visual with these programs. The advantage of
understanding building science largely relates to error catching.
Designers should never trust energy modeling outputs at face value.
One incorrectly-entered parameter can throw off an entire analysis.
If an architect is well versed in building science, he/she will quickly
recognize inconsistent or illogical performance results.
2. Maximizing Software Capabilities. Too often, architects merely
scratch the surface of the capabilities of energy modeling programs.
I have seen many examples in which designers will frequently use
powerful daylighting software for shading studies but never utilize
the program to analyze natural light levels, illuminance, daylight
autonomy, or zone-specific daylight factor values. Without a deep
understanding of building science, architects will forfeit seminal
opportunities for performance studies because they are not familiar
or comfortable with many of the tools and types of analyses offered
by energy modeling software.
3. Testing Hypotheses and Comparing Options. When architects
(Left) The lobby of the Scouts Education and Program Center in
Indianapolis, Indiana. Photograph by Susan Fleck Photography. Image
courtesy of Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects.
(Below) For this education center in Indianapolis, Indiana, the design team
needed to assess how the direct sun would penetrate the lobby and gift
shops. Using energy modeling software, sun angles and the accessibility to
direct sunlight were assessed with specificity.
57YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05
exhibit a deep understanding of building science and leverage it
with energy modeling software, they can more readily formulate
hypotheses and better anticipate outcomes. Such designers are
more keenly aware of the interrelationships between competing
performance metrics and are better equipped to carry out
parametric studies and compare various design options for
performance differentials.
In order for architects to use energy modeling and utilize it
effectively throughout the design process, our profession must
become more technically proficient with building science. It is not
enough to plug-in numbers into a building simulation program and
accept the output at face value. Rather, architects must apply a deep
understanding of building science to truly harness energy modeling
and better understand the impact of design decisions on building
performance.
(Top) For a student housing renovation project in Honolulu, Hawaii, the design team
sought to utilize natural ventilation for passive cooling. Illustration courtesy of
Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects.
(Below) Using computational fluid dynamics software, the design team obtained
a better understanding of how gentle breezes could migrate through the various
residential units. As a result of the wind flow studies, the design team made several
discoveries that led to improvements of the passive cooling strategy.
YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05
Writer: Greg Taylor, AIATaylor is a Project Manager at LCD Architect and Associates in Dallas, TX. Taylor is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army Reserves with 23 years of Active and Reserve service in the US Army Corps of Engineers branch. He has combined his civilian expertise as a PM with his military background to become a well-rounded military Engineer officer.
Making a Case
FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY
You can think of a fuel cell kind of like a battery. However, unlike
a battery, a fuel cell will not run down or lose its charge. The
premise behind a fuel cell is that they are an alternate energy
source beginning to rise in popularity. Occasionally when fuel
cells have been mentioned in the past, people would think of
futuristic spaceships and laser guns. This is not the case with fuel
cell technology anymore. Fuel cells are electromechanical devices
that use oxygen and a replenished fuel to produce electricity. These
individual cells are stacked in modules to create the desired energy
output required for a specified application. These cells are nearly
pollution-free and generally operate two times more efficiently than
traditional combustion technologies. Some applications which use
fuel cells are: laptop computers, utility power plants, and residential
facilities. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), when the
heat is captured from the fuel cell and utilized in combination with
the electrical power, they have efficiency rates between 70-85%.
One of the advantages of this technology is that hydrogen
fuel can be derived from many different domestic resources such
as biomass, propane, natural gas, methanol, and water electrolysis.
The process of producing hydrogen through water electrolysis can
be useful when combined with renewable energy technology such
as solar and wind. This can be important to architects, since the
hydrogen that stores this unused electrical energy can be classified
as a renewable fuel and energy source - possibly earning the
building LEED credits for a green building.
For many years, NASA has used this technology in the space
program with direct application to providing electricity and water
for astronauts in their spacecraft since it took up very little space
and is efficient. They are also used in industrial applications. These
are classified into three categories: transportation, stationary power
stations, and portable power.
Advantages of this technology that are of interest to architects
and building owners are as follows:
• Close to zero emissions at the point of operation
• Reduction in current and future electricity costs by using
renewable technology
• A reliable, linear and consistent energy source
• Fuel flexibility in using the fuel cell technology
• 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, silent operation
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FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY
In today’s world where energy efficiency is so important along
with minimizing the emissions (CO2) released by building systems,
fuel cell technology just makes plain sense. An important note to
mention is that the heat generated by a fuel cell can be used to heat
a building through hydronic loops and other means. Architects
can help promote the use and further development of fuel cell
technology by designing new facilities with this technology. Also,
education is an important part of understanding how fuel cells
can save precious resources and support green building and
sustainability. Collaboration with consultants who specialize in
this technology can advance its installation in facilities and make it
more mainstream in the construction industry instead of historically
relying on electricity provided by the power grid.
Fuel cell technology that was once thought of as science fiction is
now a viable source of electricity for the building community and
beyond.
Fuel Cell Diagram by ClearEdge Power
YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05
Book Review
NARROW HOUSES : NEW D IRECT IONS IN EFF IC IENT DES IGN BY AV I FR IEDMAN
Writer: Jorge de la Cova, AIAJorge obtained his Masters degree in Architecture from the Georgia Institute of Technology. His professional focus is the interdisciplinary union of architecture and interior design in four- and five-star hotels, with experience in many of the major companies and brands. For fun, Jorge periodically renews his Geek Card with regular doses of graphic novels, sci fi and The Big Bang Theory.
With public interest in sustainable living at an all-time high, the
housing market at an astounding low and the economy still
struggling, the notion of a smaller home as one answer to the
question of sustainable living has gained surprisingly little traction.
Narrow Houses: New Directions in Efficient Design aims to rectify this.
With Narrow Houses, author and architect Avi Friedman sets out to
extol the virtues of building small (by his definition a house no wider
than 25 feet). He argues for the narrow house's cost effectiveness,
efficiency and sustainability and shows examples of successful
narrow homes.
The book itself is divided into two distinct parts. The first three
quarters of the book includes images and drawings of contemporary
narrow houses throughout the world. The last fourth of the book is
comprised of essays about narrow houses. The effect of the book's
framework provides for something of a disconnect within the work.
Architects, presumably the primary target market for this book, are
strongly visual. The separation of image and narrative disconnects
that narrative from some very good examples of the issues described
therein.
When it comes to images, it's hard not to love the multitude
included in this work. Most of the photographs taken for this study
are beautiful, some stunningly so. From the cover image of the
Sliding House in Nova Scotia to the final example, the Outeiro House
in Porto, Portugal, it is clear that Friedman bears a true affection for
his area of study. And every house included in the book differs from
the others enough to maintain a reader's interest for a long time.
The aforementioned Sliding House, for example, boasts an interior
clad in narrow boards of bleached, clear poplar in varying shades.
This effectively makes the house feel longer and more gracious
than it probably is. It also gives the interior of the house a sense of
movement and activates the space very successfully. The exterior
simplicity of House MS belies the sophistication of its design. The
plan unfolds from front door to a playroom and mechanical room,
to bedrooms on the second floor, to the main public area on the
third floor. This unexpected layout affords the best views to the
bedrooms and public areas and helps heat the southwest-facing
bedrooms.
To help explain the Chameleon House, the author has included a
beautiful exploded axonometric view documenting the layers
of structure and finish that combine to give this house's facade a
texture much richer than its fairly simple cubic geometry. The
illustration truly helps the reader to understand what is an extremely
deep, layered system, and serves as one of the better diagrams in
the book. Indeed, in many of the houses chose for this book, there
is a distinct and symbiotic relationship between form and function.
Narrow Houses includes examples from around the world; from
places as disparate as Canada, Japan, Europe and China. Although
most of the designs are strikingly contemporary, the broad
distribution of the projects throughout the world helps diversify
the look of the houses such that each house retains uniqueness and
interest. Predictably, the houses are furnished starkly and sparsely,
placing this book more squarely within the realm of architecture
than interior design. While I realize that professional architectural
photography relies on order and staging to a strong degree, I would
61YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05
have welcomed seeing more "living" in these images and have them
appear less stark.
The essays at the end of the book account for just over fifty of its 229
pages, and as mentioned before, would have been better served had
they been interspersed within the compelling collection of images.
The first essay covers the design advantages inherent in smaller
houses. Smaller houses allow for more efficient use of resources.
Energy for lighting the house can be reduced due to proximity to
daylighting. Heating and cooling a smaller space taxes resources
less than a larger house. Arguments for the sustainability of a
smaller house are many, and factor well in our world of diminishing
and sometimes harmful resources.
The analysis of footprints and volumes is sound and thorough. In
this analysis, we see the hand of the educator at work. Friedman
teaches coursework in sustainability and affordable housing at
McGill University. Narrow Houses shows that he clearly understands
the opportunities and challenges inherent in his building type.
More importantly, the enthusiasm he holds for his subject matter is
most evident in this essay. He breaks down each of the small house's
elements and offers insights into the repercussions of the decisions
made in the layout of these elements. I found this essay my favorite,
as the most tangibly usable text in the book. His analysis continues
in the next essay, "Interiors," where he describes, room-by-room,
each space in the house and the different factors determining their
siting and relation to the other rooms.
The final chapter, “Historical Chronology,” outlines the evolution
of narrow houses from the Middle Ages to the present. Medieval
narrow houses arose, at least in part, from the need to divide land into
narrow lots to maximize equitable rents. The Renaissance’s narrow
house, appealing to the burgeoning upper class, transformed into
the very diagram of public person and social class.
The Neoclassical age saw a variety of narrow house floor plans,
which allowed for the development of a retail-oriented first
floor typical of the (especially French) eighteenth century urban
landscape. The Romantic Movement of the nineteenth century, saw
an explosion of eclecticism, with Gothic, Greek Revival and Italianate
elements engaged in a war of styles facilitated by the introduction
of machinery to manufacture elements at will. In the modern era,
the rise of the suburbs saw a dearth of narrow house architects, the
most notable of which was likely Le Corbusier. The suburban exodus
necessitated a reinvention of the urban townhouse as a viable
housing option with plenty of opportunity for personalization and
appeal for the new middle class.
Notably lacking after this final chapter, however, is any studied
analysis of where the narrow house is going. The book ends in a
somewhat unsatisfying manner, with two rushed paragraphs
summing up current thought regarding the narrow house (especially
those showcased in this book), but with no real forecast regarding
the future of this type of construction.
In all, Narrow Houses: New Directions in Efficient Design, succeeds
most in its compelling photographic images, but suffers somewhat
from a disconnect between these images and the text as well as a
lack of prognostication of the future of this fascinating building type.
YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05
Writer: Jake GrandonJake Grandon is a graduate student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. As a student project manager, Jake helped in the design and construction of the Nexthouse.
Design
NEXTHOUSE : THE FUTURE OF ATTA INABLE SUSTA INABLE
The Nexthouse is the second endeavor of the Neighborhood Infill
Program located in Lafayette, Louisiana. As a joint venture between
the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority, King Contractors,
and the Building Institute, the Nexthouse initiative involved
the collaboration of architecture graduate students under the
supervision of Professor Geoff Gjertson to design a market-rate home
within an at-risk neighborhood near the university and downtown
Lafayette. Incorporation of sustainable strategies permeated the
design and construction process as the students sought to minimize
construction waste, energy use, and maintenance cost while
producing a uniquely modern yet contextual home. The resulting
solution is an attainable sustainable example of responsible
architecture.
Within walking distance from downtown Lafayette, the 319
Jackson Street location is surrounded by a historic and traditional
neighborhood with a well established cultural identity. Minimal
new construction has occurred in the neighborhood for over thirty
years, and the typologies of the houses remains similar. Using this
seasoned communal identity as the canvas for design collaboration,
the students carefully considered the impact of the inhabitant within
the community while promoting neighborhood rejuvenation. The
result is a seamless integration of public and private space. Designed
for socially active inhabitants, the Nexthouse offers a private retreat
that transforms into an impressive public space through simple
intervention. By opening two doors to the generously dimensioned
outdoor porches, the entire public space becomes a single room
open to the community. High ceilings in the bedrooms alongside
a second story loft in the living room allow the NEXThouse to be
simultaneously fitting for personal office work or a celebratory
crawfish boil.
Several techniques were used to make the Nexthouse an affordable
and appropriate solution to sustainable housing while maintaining
Ample porch space allows an active connection with the neighborhood.
63YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05
NEXTHOUSE : THE FUTURE OF ATTA INABLE SUSTA INABLE
an innovative and modern sensibility. A raised slab-on-grade
foundation converses with the traditionally elevated houses of the
neighborhood, and random use of various widths of hardiplank
siding upholds a traditional exterior charm while providing a modern
twist. Based on the local vernacular of the shotgun and camelback
style houses, operable casement windows allow control of natural
ventilation. Three solar panels on the south-facing roof cut energy
costs by supplementing power. Advanced framing techniques
produce greater quantities of insulation while other framing
techniques utilize standard fencing and handrail components to
provide an inexpensive, industrial allure to the home. This modern
appeal is also prevalent throughout the interior with exposed
ventilation ducts, appliance selections, and a balcony guardrail of
cattle wire framed by galvanized pipe. Students also utilized excess
materials to build custom cabinetry and furniture that further
express the design motif. The added craftsmanship helped to create
a truly unique home with an increased value.
The design and construction of the Nexthouse provided an
opportunity for the architecture students to take part in a unique
process that allows freedom in design while simultaneously
exposing them to budget restrictions and market concerns. The
practical aspects of the design/build program create an awareness
that will benefit the students in future design endeavors unlike
anything found inside the classroom. While they are more informed
of the products, processes, and social benefits of conscientious
collaboration, they are also encouraged by their capabilities as
responsible designers.
The Next House has 1300 SF of living space with another 400 SF of
covered porches. There are two bedrooms and two baths with a loft
above the kitchen. It was begun in May 2012 and completed at the
end of September 2012.
(Above) Advanced framing techniques
create more insulation while preserving
material and waste.
(Below) Modern and contextual while
efficient and affordable, the Nexthouse
represents an attainable sustainable
architecture that is positively influencing
its surroundings.
YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05
Design
GULF ISL AND BED AND BREAKFAST
Writer: James Tuer, AIATuer is a principal with JWT Architecture and Planning. Tuer was recently named by Western Living Magazine as the One to Watch for Eco-Design in the coming years. Tuer is a registered landscape architect as well as an architect and is an adjunct professor with the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at the University of British Columbia.
This project is a 2,400 sf home and bed and breakfast now under
construction on Bowen Island, which is a Island Municipality located
in the northern gulf Islands (20 minutes by ferry to West Vancouver).
Bowen is a rural yet vibrant community. Approximately half the
Island’s population commutes to Vancouver while the other half
makes their living on Bowen. The Island like many rural “edge”
communities has succumbed to the pressures of suburban sprawl.
While not solving all the issues associated with development in an
edge community, this project investigates the paradigm of rural
sustainable development.
As a neighbourhood, Evergreen is a first of its kind on Bowen Island,
having strict environmental guidelines to protect the site’s inherent
beauty and unique and sensitive ecology. The design code requires
every new home to meet a Built Green Gold Standard (including
certification). Within the overall neighbourhood, home sites have
been clustered together. Over half of the site is dedicated as open
space; the impacts of road building is minimized (it is accessed by
a low impact one lane travel way; home sizes are capped (homes
cannot be greater than 2,500sf ); and the site’s hydrology is protected
(cisterns are required and each project must demonstrate zero run
off from the base line condition of a forested site).
The building site is located at the edge of a granite bluff and is
relatively flat. The view is to the west, and there is a rockyknoll to
the north and Evergreen Road to the east. Evergreen has a common
drain field but with individual buildings having their own ‘Type III’
tertiary sewage treatment plants (near potable effluent). The site
has a drilled well which the owner has dedicated for irrigation usage
only. All drinking water will be via two large cisterns that (filled by
rain water harvesting) and a dedicated water treatment plant.
65YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05
Integration of Sustainable Design
Three main themes of sustainability emerged during the design
process: energy, water and materials.
Energy: Energy efficiency provided some obvious challenges given
the site’s outstanding views and the client’s desire to capitalize on
them. With the use energy modeling, several building envelope
designs were tested and a final specification was prescribed that
brings the house up to an Energuide 82 rating (very efficient).
The design strategy focused on a custom window package, that
integrates triple pane argon filled units with in-situ structural
mullions. The typical wall assembly is 2x8 plates with staggered 2x4
studs and open cell foam insulation to minimize thermal bridging.
Given the significant ratio of footprint to floor area four inches of
rigid insulation was below a thermally broken slab.
To meet the Energuide rating the mechanical system includes an air
source heat pump and solar domestic hot water.
Water: Water conservation is a major theme of the project and is
reflected in the architecture. This home is not connected to a well or
a serviced water line. All of the domestic water needs are supplied
through rain water harvesting. The building contains three roofs,
two lower ones over the first floor and an upper one covering
the second floor. Large overhangs on all three roofs protect the
building envelope. The upper roof consists of a curved standing
seam food safe roof that drains to a common low point. This water
is then captured via a scupper and diverted to a primary treatment
tank (screened for larger debris). The water is then collected in two
2,500 gallon cisterns. Excess water overflows back onto the site and
is absorbed through the introduced wetlands and rain gardens.
The cisterns provide all of the buildings domestic water demands
YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05
(drinking, cleaning and toilets).
The two lower roofs contain a key element of the owner’s vision:
her desire to create a green roof. They will be seeded with the very
same drought resistant native grasses that populate the open rocky
bluffs. The green roofs will also provide storm water mitigation
absorbing and storing rainwater within the root mat and growing
medium during storm events. These two roofs drain into introduced
wetlands located to the west and east.
Materials: To meet the intent of the Built Green Gold standard
finishing materials are low in VOC content. These include plyboo
cabinetry veneers, American Clay wall plasters, and cedar ceiling
finishes. The glue laminated timbers were chosen to create a low
cost solution to the sculptural nature of the design but also reduce
the necessity for larger sawn timbers. Recycled D. fir flooring is
specified for the second floor. A simple concrete waxed floor on the
main level creates thermal mass to mitigate the inside temperatures
during the summer and provides a medium for the radiant heating
in the winter months (including passive solar).
Innovation and Budget Considerations
The client’s desire for a curved roof required significant innovation as
the project budget is modest (estimated at $750K). During the design
exploration stage design utilizing three dimensional sketches, the
idea of using inverted curves emerged. This led to the final design
of the ‘petal-like’ roof structure. The ability to manufacture the roof’s
curvature in the glue lam factory rather than on site allowed the
budget to align with the client’s expectations. The curved purlin/
rafters provide a perpendicular alignment for 2x6 d.fir decking to
be applied lengthwise without bending. Up front work in provided
detailed ‘cut sheet’ information for each post greatly reduced the
labour estimate at tendering and the framing was sub-contracted
as a fixed bid. To further explore the relationship between roof and
floor plan (an idea inspired by Alvar Alto’s Villa Mairea) the entire
west wall is laid out on a 75 foot radius.
67YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05
IF YOU ARE…… an emerging professional (from school, from internship, etc)… involved in a recent start-up… involved in emerging modes of practice… pursuing a design career tangential to architecture and design… an emerging voice in the field of architecture and design, then ... Then be heard!
SHARE YOUR STORY AND HELP US DEFINE THE EMERGENT PROFESSION.
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SUBMISSIONS
The YAF Connection Editorial Committee is actively and continually seeking content for inclusion in upcoming issues of CONNECTION, the official bi-monthly publication of the Young Architects Forum of the AIA.
We are currently soliciting articles for the January 2013 publication centered on the subject of EMERGENCE.
ARE YOU AN EMERGING VOICE? THEN BE HEARD!
YA F C o n n e c t i o n I S S U E 1 1 . 0 1 | 0 1 . 2 0 1 3
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omIf you are interested in submitting a written article,
project (art, architecture, sketches, photography) or other content for publication, please contact the YAF Communications Advisor, Wyatt Frantom [email protected] for details.
All articles for the January 2013 issue are due no later than December 1st.
EMERGENCE
2012 YAF ADVISORY COMMITTEE
2012 ChairJennifer Workman, AIA
Vice ChairBrad Benjamin, AIA, CSI, LEED AP
Past ChairAdam W. Palmer, AIA, LEED AP
Programs AdvisorMatthew M. Dumich, AIA
Communications AdvisorDeepika Padam, AIA, LEED AP bd+c
Young Architect Regional Directors AdvisorJason Dale Pierce, AIA, LEED AP
Public Relations AdvisorJoseph R. Benesh, AIA, CDT, LEED AP
College of Fellows LiaisonWilliam J. Stanley, III, FAIA, NOMA
AIA Board RepresentativeWendy Ornelas, FAIA
AIA Staff Director, Emerging ProfessionalsErin Murphy, AIA, LEED AP
The American Institute of Architects Young Architects Forum1735 New York Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20006
http://www.aia.org/yaf
WHAT IS THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM?
The Young Architects Forum is the voice of architects in the early stages of their career and the catalyst for change within the profession and our communities. Working closely with the AIA College of Fellows and the American Institute of Architects as a whole, the YAF is leading the future of the profession with a focus on architects licensed less than 10 years. The national YAF Advisory Committee is charged with encouraging the development of national and regional programs of interest to young architects and supporting the creation of YAF groups within local chapters. Approximately 23,000 AIA members are represented by the YAF. YAF programs, activities, and resources serve young architects by providing information and leadership; promoting excellence through fellowship with other professionals; and encouraging mentoring to enhance individual, community, and professional development.
GOALS OF YAF:To ENCOURAGE professional growth and
leadership development among recently licensed architects through interaction and collaboration within the AIA and allied groups.
To BUILD a national network and serve as a collective voice for young architects by working to ensure that issues of particular relevance to young architects are appropriately addressed by the Institute.
To MAKE AIA membership valuable to young architects and develop the future leadership of the profession.