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Hello AIA Members!
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Architecture is a very unique profession. The general public is not really sure what an architect does as a profession. They think they know…but really have no idea. Architects have to keep their license renewed in each state you practice in on a yearly basis. Architects have to have so many hours of continuing education; the number of hours vary in each state. Architects are responsible for the health, safety and welfare of all who enter a building. Architects constantly have BIG BROTHER watching over them and changing codes and permitting. Architects are one of the first professions to feel an economic crisis. Friends and others often ask if you will come over and see “what you think” of a space or think you should do a design FREE. Clients and budget LIMIT what you really would like to do with a project. Your creativity is not appreciated. Schools do not promote the profession of architecture…..
BUT architects are in the profession because you love it! Architects never retire. There is always one more project. There are those clients who “get” your profession. Architects can never walk into a building without making mental notes of good design and bad design. Architects are survivors and remember you were also voted SEXIEST PROFESSION Click here to remember the article.
Stay strong and know architecture does make a difference!
Peace,
Rhea Williams
Executive Director
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Another Public Relations Opportunity for AIA members. PORTICO has requested AIA members projects for a FEATURE. This is great MARKETING WHEN YOU NEED IT!
Click here for details
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Design
Awards
Deadline
Electronic Submittals Due
April 7th, 2009
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 2009 Sponsors – Thank You!
We would like to thank the following companies for renewing their sponsorships since the last newsletter March 2009. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Platinum Sponsors Gold Sponsors Silver Sponsors
HOAR Construction Business Interiors Alagasco
Jenkins Brick Builders Millwork Brice Building Company
Robins & Morton PMT Publishing Gallet & Associates
McGraw Hill Construction/Dodge
WELCOME NEW AIA BIRMINGHAM SPONSORS
Ferguson
McGraw Hill/F.W. Dodge
Pinnacle Lighting Group
Therma-Green Steel Structures
2009 SAVE THE DATES
April 16 Emerging Professionals Meeting
V & W Supply Showroom Tour
3320 2nd Avenue South
11:30 – 1:00
Lunch provided by V& W Supply Company
RSVP for FREE lunch, danya@aiabham.org
April 21 1SDU Greening Your Kitchen
European Kitchens of Alabama
Carl Seville http://www.sevilleconsulting.com
2717 2nd Ave. South Suite A
$15 Members $10 Emerging Professionals $25 non members
11:30 – 1:00
RSVP by April 17th to aiabirm@aiabham.org
April 23 Emerging Professionals - ARE Study Session
Electrical Systems
HKW Office, 2 North 20th St.
5:30 – 7:30,
RSVP by April 22 to danya@aiabham.org
April 30 Emerging Professionals - ARE Study Session
Mechanical & Plumbing Systems
HKW Office, 2 North 20th St.
5:30 – 7:30
RSVP by April 29 to danya@aiabham.org
May 1st– 3rd National AIA Convention
May 7 Chapter Meeting - FREE
dreamArchitecture Awards Ceremony
Saw Works Studio
130 19th St. South
5:30p.m. – 7:00p.m.
RSVP by May 4th
The Smorgasbord by Danya Humaideh
Birmingham AIA Members Are The Tops!
   
Birmingham AIA members – you have done so much great work for the community. Let us take a minute to reflect….
AIA members donated $6,800 to the Birmingham Architectural Foundation in 2008
- With the help of your contributions, the BAF was able to award $5,000 in scholarships to future architects
- The BAF was able to award 35 K-5th graders with art supply prizes for their dreamArchitecture artwork
In February 2008, AIA members came out in full force to design a low-income single family residential home for the Aletheia House. Eleven teams competed to design a home for a family to build a new stable life.
In July 2008, AIA members teamed up to build 8 dog houses that were donated to the Gimme Shelter Charity Auction to benefit the Greater Birmingham Humane Society.
All this on top of all the pro-bono work you each do within your own firms! You all deserve a round of applause for a job well done!
   
A Little Different Chapter Meeting – March 24 – 1SDU
We had a great turnout for the LOCAL chapter meeting. Beth Stewart with Cahaba River Society presented on low impact development and we are very appreciative she uses all local projects (and recognizes the architects in her presentation) for examples.
If you are interested in the Cahaba River Society presenting to your firm, visit their website for more information www.cahabariversociety.org.
We would also like to thank the Alabama Designer Craftsmen for giving AIA a private exhibit of their work. They welcome commissioned work! Photos of the artists work. Photos from the meeting.
   
2009 Design Award Jury
We have a record number of entries this year, 42 entries total! The numbers of entries in each category are: Institutional – 17, Commercial – 10, Renovation/AR – 6 and Residential – 9. The 2009 Birmingham Design Awards entries will all exhibited at the Green Expo and there will be a presentation during one of the general sessions at the Green Expo.
*All boards will be on display with the winners show cased.
*There will be a 20 minute AIA Birmingham Design Awards Presentation during a GENERAL SESSION.
*All entries will scroll on screens every chance a screen would have been blank
THE JURY
Stanley Saitowitz www.saitowitz.com
Walter Hood www.wjhooddesign.com
Marsh Maytum www.lmsarch.com
Lisa Iwamoto and/or Craig Scott www.iwamotoscott.com
Media person from Green Source or Arch Record
Deadlines
April 8th Electronic Submissions due/disc + 8 x 10 “signature” photograph
June 1st Boards DUE
June 11th Design Awards Gala – Boards displayed
July 28th – 29th Green Expo – boards displayed
Congratulations to David Scheirer with Morrison & Scheirer Architects for finding the PSA announcement in the BIRMINGHAM HOME & GARDEN magazine March/April Issue page 42 (check it out).
David won two FREE tickets to Design Awards.
AIA Emerging Professionals Update
   
Site Visit at the Lakeshore Foundation - Thank you Ronnie Collis of KPS Group for giving the Emerging Professionals group an architectural tour of the Lakeshore Foundation. Click here for photo gallery
**Principals and Intern Mentors – We need your HELP! Please post study session and site visit dates on bulletin boards in your offices and internal calendars. This would be a great help in building a stronger Emerging Professionals network.
**GAIN 32 HRS (+/-) IN PROFESSIONAL & COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER WORK. Click here to find out how EYEBEAM
ASLA AL & MS Twin States Conference
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
ASLA invites AIA members to their AL & MS Twin States Conference April 17th – 18th at the Botanical Gardens. A special interest to AIA members is the Friday Night Celebration Dinner with speaker Jeff Speck.
Jeff Speck, a city planner and architectural designer who, through writing, lectures and built work, advocates internationally for smart growth and sustainable design. As Director of Design at the National Endowment for the Arts, from 2003 through 2007, he oversaw the Mayors’ Institute on City Design and created the Governors’ Institute on Community Design, a federal program that helps state governors fight suburban sprawl. Prior to joining the Endowment, Mr. Speck spent ten years as Director of Town Planning at Duany Plater-Zyberk and Co., a leading practitioner of the New Urbanism, where he led or managed more than forty of the firm’s projects. He is the co-author of Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream as well as the forthcoming Smart Growth Manual. For more on Jeff Speck – www.jeffspeck.com
Click here for registration for the dinner or conference
   
MEGA NETWORKING EVENT RESULTS!
ACE – Architect Contractors & Engineers Mentoring Program
AIA – American Institute of Architects, Birmingham Chapter
ACEC – Alabama Council of Engineering Companies of Alabama
ABC – Associated Builders & Contractors
ASLA – American Society of Landscape Architects, Alabama
IIDA – International Interior Design Association
ASID –American Society of Interior Designers
SMPS – Society of Marketing Professional Services
DBIA – Design Build Institute of America
We had a great time at our MEGA NETWORKING event to promote the ACE Mentor Program. There were give or take 75 people who attended the event. The architects and designers collected the most money for a scholarship! The largest check collected was a $250 check from the designers! The CONTRACTORS came in 2nd and ENGINEERS 3rd.
Be on the look-out for more opportunities to get involved with the ACE MENTOR program. (see more photos from the event)
ACE helps Alabama high school students discover the many exciting and rewarding career opportunities available to them in the building design and construction industry.
For more info, please visit the website http://www.acementor.org/
   
Sponsor Architect Panel – HUGE SUCCESS
Our architect panel for “How to get an Architects Attention” was a huge success. Pat Conrad was our mediator and our architects on the panel were Susan Lineberry Barron, Ty Cole, Karen Reynolds and Robert Thompson. It was held at O’Kafes, a great coffee shop in Pepper Place There were a total of 42 people who attended the seminar. Thank you again sponsors for renewing your AIA Birmingham Sponsorship. (see more photos)
ARCHITECTS IN THE SCHOOLS
AIA has many request for architects to speak to their classrooms. We have had several request due to our dreamArchitecture k – fifth grade educational program. Adrienne Retief, AIA with Davis Architects recently took the time to travel to a rural Jefferson County school to give a presentation to a small group of fifth graders on sustainable design. The students asked lots of questions, wanted to learn how to draw steps and buildings and were very interested in the career of architecture. Adrienne also presented to 150 fifth graders at Council Elementary! That may be too many for one person to manage.
We realize many of you volunteer at different schools and would like to know when you do a presentation at a local school. Thank you architects for your VOLUNTEER time promoting the profession. (photo gallery)
   
FREE REGISTRATION FOR THE GREEN EXPO
AIA Birmingham will give away one FREE registration for the Green Expo, a $395 value. We will collect business cards at EVERY AIA event between now and the July Chapter Meeting. The more AIA events you attend, the better your chances to win! We will draw for the winner at the JULY Chapter meeting.
Click here to register
“The Movement of Now Frozen in Time”
The Kentuck Museum Presents: Contemporary Glass Artist SAM CORNMAN
Opening on Thursday April 2nd. 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Glass Flame Working Demonstration on Sat. April 11th. 2 p.m. For more info call: 205.758.1257.
Need Assistance With AIA Contract Documents? 
Here is a list of numbers and useful websites that can help.
- Questions regarding content or usage - call 202-626-7526 Monday—Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time or send an e-mail to docinfo@aia.org.
- General Documents Help - access through your software by clicking on the Documents Help icon on the desktop of your AIA Contract Documents software.
- Search the AIA Contract Documents Knowledge Base - Save Time! AIA.org now features a trouble-shooting Knowledge Base to address your AIA Contract Documents software and content questions quickly and efficiently with an easy to use search feature and nearly 250 frequently asked questions.
- E-mail Technical Support from Your Software - You can access technical support via e-mail through your own software by clicking on the Help tab and then clicking on "E-mail Software Support" icon on your AIA Contract Documents software. Most e-mail requests for support are addressed within 4 business hours.
- Call AIA Technical Support: 800-942-7732 - Technical Support representatives can address your AIA Contract Documents software questions. Technical Support can be reached Monday-Friday, from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm Eastern Time.
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