October 2013 - The American Institute of Architects, East Bay
Transcription
October 2013 - The American Institute of Architects, East Bay
2013 O C T O B E R ARCHnews THE NEWSLETTER OF THE EAST BAY CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS PROJECT PROFILE Choi + Robles Architecture, LLP Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, San Leandro, CA A fter more than a year of planning and design, construction started in July 2013 on the long-awaited Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center building located in the unincorporated Ashland-Cherryland area of San Leandro. The building sits on a 55,700 square feet site on East 14th Street and 162nd Avenue and provides 21,000 square feet of medical clinic space. Aimed at providing primary care for the underserved, linguistically isolated and low income families in the area, the health center is projected to serve an estimated 7,000 patients and will provide an additional 21,000 client encounters annually. The $8.2 million project is designed with a two-story building of concrete tilt-up wall panel and metal frame/stucco construction. Concrete panel tilt-up construction was chosen for its time efficiency, cost savings and durability. Design of building consists of a street pedestrian plaza that invites and directs patients to the main building entrance under an open portico. Oversized spandrel beams and columns of the portico offer interesting play of sunlight and shade on this west entry side of building. A framed portal of equal proportions matching the building exterior continues the frontage and façade of the building and provides an architectural screen wall from the street for the parking located behind it. Design of the health center takes cues from traditional Spanish mission vernacular architecture. Leading from the entry portico, the main building entrance is announced with a tall clock tower topped with a mission tile roof. Similarly, smaller tower elements containing the main stairs are located at each end of building as to anchor the building from the parking lot and street. These stair towers are punctuated with windows to invite patients and visitors to use the stairs instead of the elevator and to provide them a view to the exterior. Contents Chapter Reports 2 Codes 4 CoolTechStuff 6 In the News 7 Profiles 8 Building colors with an applied stone base in earth tones surrounding the building lend warmth to the building. Similar warm color pavement with outdoor furniture and a memorial garden invite visitors and patients to experience the outdoors. The building is designed to meet CalGreen mandatory measures and to achieve a LEED Gold rating. Solar voltaic systems are installed in the parking areas and on building rooftop to provide a renewable energy source. It’s anticipated the solar voltaic installation would provide power to cover 80% of the total normal building energy usage, realizing in significant operational cost savings for the health center. ❧ P r e s i d e n t ’s L e t t e r Does AIA Have Its Charrette Before Its Horse? AIA East Bay a chapter of The American Institute of Architects 1405 Clay Street Oakland, CA 94612 Tel 510.464.3600 Fax 510.464.3616 [email protected] www.aiaeb.org Twitter.com/aiaeb ArchNews is a publication of AIA East Bay. The editors reserve the right to determine the appropriateness of contributions and to edit where necessary for length and clarity. Use of names and images of products and services in either editorial or advertising does not constitute endorsement by AIA or AIA East Bay. AIA East Bay does not guarantee accuracy or completeness of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from use of such information. Editorial contributions and correspondence to the chapter are welcome. All material submitted for publication must be in electronic form either via e-mail or CD. Microsoft Word versions 5 and Text files are supported. A rc h Ne w s C o m m i t t e e / E d i t o r s Harry Jacobs, AIA, Chair Devi Dutta-Choudhury, AIA Laile Giansetto, AIA Larry Mortimer, AIA Sidney Sweeney Design Dean Hunsaker L ast week we held a remarkable program at AIA / East Bay. Douglas Wittnebel, AIA and Paul Choi showed us the new electronic graphic systems they are using as design tools and for client presentations at Gensler. The constantly evolving software allows the designers to produce vivid, moving, imagery of new buildings and environments. This is the dramatic cutting edge of today’s architecture. PRESIDENT’S LETTER Andre Ptaszynski AIA [email protected] Chapter President People stayed to talk and socialize, and as I cruised the room, I mentioned to several attendees that Mickey Jacob,FAIA President of the AIA, had announced that as part of “Repositioning” the National Board of Directors had voted to restructure itself into a bi-cameral body; a small (11-15 person) Board of Directors will manage the operational business of the Institute, while a larger Council will develop a strategic course and vision for the future. More than one person at the event responded that they saw this as “rearranging the furniture on the Titanic” . . . “Why is AIA not dealing with the real problems? Why are they not lowering dues?” Their frustration and bitterness was evident. In fact, the National leadership is aware of this and the many other issues that desperately need to be solved. But the AIA is a massive organization and the key to shifting the direction of such a large body is first to change its structure. The current 60 member Board of Directors has been too unwieldy to be an effective force for change. The brief, one-year term of office of the President does not allow for the continuity of policy and leadership necessary to turn the ship. As a result of this current structure, the 200 staff at National, not our members, provide the continuity and direction of the Institute. If we want a truly member-driven organization, these structural changes must happen first. A sleeker and nimbler governance structure will allow us to move more swiftly to take on the essential questions: how can we best support our young architects who are the future of the profession? How can we make the value of good design a value in the mainstream of society? How can the AIA become so effective at serving its members that architects will be eager to join? Repositioning will not be a quick process. It will not be completed in a year or two. It may even take five years. It will require patience on all our parts, and we may become disheartened, even cynical, but if we are to come out of this with a professional association that serves us well (and lowers our dues!), we must continue the process. The alternative is more frustration and bitterness. 2 Hopefully, in a few years, we will be able to say that the AIA has transformed itself as much as the technological wizardry, that Doug and Paul showed us, has transformed the way we practice architecture. ❧ ArchNews Emerging Professionals How Architecture Students can PAVE their Financial Road for the Future. I Caroline Lee, Assoc AIA Associate Director AIAEB recently came across an interesting article about a kind of Kickstarter project called, PAVE. I learned about PAVE from an article featured on ArchDaily titled, “Architecture’s Vicious Equation: High-Cost Education and Low-Paying Jobs. Could PAVE Offer Another Way?” With a title like that, I was immediately interested and eager to read what PAVE was offering because I think emerging professionals can agree with me on the fact that architectural studies are not monetarily cheap compared to other studies. Even after finishing school, architecture related jobs aren’t ranked as being one of the highest paying jobs out there. This makes it difficult for many to pay off school loans and live comfortably. PAVE acts as “a funding community that connects talented young Americans with like-minded investors who provide money and non-financial support. In return prospects pay them a percentage of their earnings down the road.” The concept is interesting because rather than paying back a federal loan; you are paying back a real person who is invested in your career and goal. An example that ArchDaily provides is of a young architect named Daniel Toole, who is starting his M.Architecture in Urban Design at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He is hoping that PAVE will help him finance his schooling and allow him more freedom to take an enriching job within the architecture industry. Toole commented, ““if I take some low-paying jobs in the front end of that first decade after graduation that are rich career-wise i.e. an associate professorship, or a lower paying position in the employment of a renowned architect that might not pay so well, my payments back will be lower than a standard federal payback that would just adjust to my income and be spread out longer. The fact that [PAVE] investors understand this and the fact that they value your professional development is a positive plus.” I think that PAVE is great because it offers students an alternative to taking out loans. They have an option to connect with someone who legitimately wants to see them succeed and partner up with them to achieve their goals. It might not be the answer to every young architect’s financial struggles, but it does have the potential to create public awareness of how expensive architecture education has become. I know many aspiring architects who have turned away from architecture due to high student debt. It’s sad to know that many talented people have switched out of architecture due to financing problems. The fact that PAVE has triggered this conversation about a need for, potentially, an industry-wide reformation is important for architects to consider. Source: http://www.archdaily.com/422099/architecture-s-vicious-equation-high-cost-education-andlow-paying-jobs-could-pave-offer-another-way/ 2013 Of ficers and B o a rd o f Di re c t o r s President Andre Ptaszynski, AIA President Elect Jeremiah Tolbert, AIA Secretary/Treasurer Douglas Frazier, AIA Directors Anthony Cataldo, AIA Dong Kim, AIA Andrea Powell, Int’l Assoc. AIA Alice Ross-Leon, Allied Member Maria-Teresa Waldenmier, AIA Malvin Whang, AIA Associate Director Caroline Lee, Assoc. AIA Student Director (vacant) Executive Director Sidney Sweeney 2013 Committees + Fo r u m s + C h a i r s ArchNews Editorial Board Harry Jacobs, AIA Forum on the Environment Andrea Powell, Int’l Assoc. AIA Design Awards Henry Siegel, FAIA Emerging Professionals Committee Kanika Brown, Assoc. AIA Desigh Tours Winston Win, AIA Fellows Rosemary Muller, FAIA Historic Preservation Betsy Yost, AIA Home Tours Kurt Lavenson, AIA Joint Lecture Gray Dougherty, AIA Office Improvement Task Force Rebecca Schnier, AIA Professional Practice Forum Mark Steppan,AIA & Stephen Hovland, AIA Regional and Urban Design Douglas Frazier, AIA & Matt Taecker, Assoc. AIA Small Firm Forum Donald Wardlaw, AIA Doug Coe Linda Randolph, AIA Sponsorship Jeremiah Tolbert, AIA Choi + Robles -see cover 3 ArchNews Building Code Issues Re m e m b e r A l l i e d Me m b e r s W h e n Do i n g Bu s i n e s s Rachel Archibald Meyer Sound Randy Borden Borden Lighting Anthony Boutte AB Plans Michael T. Butler Berkeley Craftsmen GC, Inc. Stephen J. Butler Pension Dynamics Corporation John Chrysler Masonry Institute of America Kers Clausen W.B.Clausen Structural Engineers William Cogshall Archer Norris Pablo A. Daroux Wilson, Ihrig & Associates, Inc. Tony DeJohn Jeld-Wen Windows & Doors Joseph A. Diliberto Sandler Sales Institute Derrick Dinneli Simpson Strong-Tie Craig H. Dodge Ideate Inc. Benjamin R. Duterte Wall and Ceiling Bureau Lynette Fox - Rindner Homes of Enchantment Shane Gross Degenkolb Engineers Shannon L. Hackley Shannon-Leigh Associates Jorn Halle Degenkolb Engineers Robert W Hemphill Division 7 Reps Nellie Ingraham Ingraham DeJesse Associates Inc. Carolyn Isseks, Hon. AIAEB Dealey, Renton & Associates William Jetton Jetton Construction Treve Johnson Treve Johnson Photography Justin B. Johnston Twilight Sounds Joshua B. Kardon Joshua B. Kardon + Co. Structural Engineers Shae Knight Riggs Distributing Scott P. Leary Builders Exchange of Alameda County Alice Ross Leon Creativemark / Richard Leon Photography Linda H.J. Liang Rockridge Geotechnical Jeremy Markham Aerotek Mike McCutchen McCutchen Construction Mark E. Meredith Robles, Castles & Meredith John Mikkelsen ABS - American Building SupplyDoormerica David Monk Arcsource Consulting Inc. Jeff Moore Greenwood & Moore Garret D. Murai Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP James Murphy Dealey, Renton & Associates Robert Murelli Turner Construction Darlene Peterson Peterson Sheetmetal Inc. Detectable Warnings Steven R Winkel, FAIA, CASp The PREVIEW Group, Inc. Architects providing regulatory solutions Kerwin Lee, AIA, CASp I CC - Certified Accessibility Inspector and Plan Examiner ICC - Certified Building Plan Examiner [email protected] Kerwin says: U nder the 2013 California Building Code (CBC) the requirements for detectable warnings continue to be present. This is in light of the 2010 Standards for the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) having suspended the requirements. The State, with support from the disabled community, feels that it is something that should continued. The need for this element will continue to be debated. This is not the question for this article. The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) may bring back this requirement under the regulations for public Right-of Ways. Section 11B-705.1.2 of the 2013 CBC will require detectable warnings at platform edges, curb ramps, islands or cut-through medians, bus stops, hazardous vehicular areas, reflecting pools and track crossings. Section 11B-705.1.2.5 states the following: “Hazardous Vehicular Area. Detectable warnings at hazardous vehicular areas shall be 36 inches in width.” Problem #1 - There is no definition of what a “Hazardous Vehicular Area” is. We will still have the criteria of contrast between the detectable warnings and adjacent surface, Section 11B-705.1.1.3. The formula for determining contrast is in the code, but there is no numeric value for what is contrasting. The Federal Standard requires a minimum 70% difference. That is a 4:1 reflectance difference. Most of the samples I have taken do not meet this criterion and would not comply. Problem #2 - What is contrasting? Section 11B-705.1.1.5 requires the detectable warnings to be “yellow”, no ifs, ands or buts. The yellow needs to meet Federal Standard FS33538, which is a Department of Transportation Standard. Problem #3 – No choice of color. The way the 2013 CBC is written will cause confusion for compliance, interpretation and no choice for color. Take note of the Exception in Section 11B-705.1.1.3 under Contrast: “Exception: Where the detectable warning surface does not adequately contrast with the adjacent surfaces, a 1 inch wide black strip shall separate the yellow detectable warning from adjacent surfaces.” Recommendation – The only way to comply without much question will be to install detectable warnings everywhere, using yellow with a black 1-inch strip. Steve adds: I concur with almost everything Kerwin says. I believe the color is to be yellow, as Kerwin says, with “no ifs, ands or buts.” I do believe that the concept and application of “contrast” allows some flexibility to omit the black stripe as the “screaming yellow” truncated domes contrast pretty well with most any kind of paving. I have only seen contrast issues where designers try and make the truncated domes disappear instead of being very visible to demarcate a boundary for visually impaired persons as the strips are intended to. These requirements are meant to assist persons with low vision, not just the blind. I have heard (anecdotally) that the yellow color is often the last part of the color spectrum a person with macular degeneration can detect, so the yellow is visible when other colors are not visible for persons with low vision. ❧ 4 (continued on page 5) ArchNews Green A l l i e d Me m b e r s (continued) The Good the Bad and the Ugly of Envelope Design - 2 I n this second and the last part of “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” series, we will talk about thermal bridging through wall frames and balconies. As mentioned in the last article, using external insulation past the frame and not using any insulation on the steel studs in the infill wall, an assembly can be made with minimum thermal bridging. But then, there is a problem of supporting the cladding with the exterior insulation between it and the insulation. As architects, we all love the masonry veneer and normally they are supported Judhajit Chakraborty. on an angle that is cast either into the concrete slab or more thermally conAssoc. AIA, LEED® AP ductive; by attaching directly to the steel frame (how thoughtful?). Well, this Built Ecology doesn’t go that well because the two dimensional heat transfer hits it bad as we did learn in the last article that steel is an awesome conductor (Figure 2). And with the external insulation, the angle has to be wide enough to accommodate that and thick enough to handle the moment loading. The thicker the angle, the more the heat transfer, resulting sometimes in more heat loss than gain. Phyllis Piepho Piepho Design Lisa Podesto PE Woodworks Holly J. Razzano Degenkolb Engineers Gina M. Sandoval Degenkolb Engineers Daniel Ray Schack Schack & Company, Inc Thomas M. Simmons Archvista Christ Surunis Creston Electronics Lisa Thorburn, LEED AP Thorburn Associates Scott A. Thurber Associated Building Supply Peter Wolfe Peter Wolfe Landscape Architect What is the fix? Steel C sections (Figure 3), tubes or knife edges attached intermittently to the structural frame to hold the angle away from the frame, allowing the insulation to run past the steel angle between it and the frame. Now, in this case, a smaller and standard sized angle can be used as the intermittent C sections do all the structural work. This also has an added advantage for accommodating dimensional variations in the slab edge and allows for better rainwater control. Wow, that wasn’t bad at all. Ne w, t r a n s f e r s i n , & Re t u r n i n g Me m b e r s — Se p t e m b e r ‘ 1 3 Chablis Applewhite, Assoc. AIA Marines Memorial Association Rob Bivens, Allied Member CPG Building Products Ryan Call, AIA ELS Architecture and Urban Design Aaron Michael Cook, AIA BCV Architects Fig-1: Steel C sections supporting the angle. Now comes the worst of the lot, BALCONIES, with it being cantilevered past the structural frame projecting outwards into the wild blue, it is the ultimate thermal bridge. Balconies are an integral part of most residential buildings and it should be designed carefully to minimize thermal bridging. A few ways to integrate thermal breaks in balconies are: ■ 1: Off-set point support design rather than cantilevering the slab. This works well with articu lated slabs where the balcony can be a precast unit that has a gap from the wall which allows for the exterior insulation to run past the balcony. (Figure 4) ■ 2: A non-articulated façade with off set point supported balcony but with threaded rods tied to the columns of the structural frame. (Figure 5) ■ 3: A stand alone balcony having their own structural frame and foundation. (Figure 6) ■ 4: Stainless steel rods welded to reinforcing bars cast into the structural slab where the rods pass through a foam block that acts as a thermal break. (Figure 7) ❧ Sally A. Freedman, Allied Member Sally Freedman Designs William Jetton Jetton Construction, Inc. Jace Garth Levinson, AIA Jace Architecture Benjamin M. Lueck, Assoc. AIA Wiss Janney Elstner Associates, Inc. Andrea M. Nadell, AIA Ratcliff Architects Anna P Phe, Assoc. AIA Tamara Shroll, AIA Fig-3 nonArticulated Slab Fig-2 Articulated Slab Fig-4 Stand alone slab Jesiesis C. Tan, AIA SmithGroupJJR Julio Mauricio Vasquez, AIA Julio M Vasquez . Fig-5 Stainless steel rods through form back 5 ArchNews Images courtesy: www.buildingscience.com CoolTechStuff W ant to see who’s calling when you’re not available to answer the door? Here’s a device that can answer your doorbell, let you see who’s there, and talk to them. It’s called DoorBot. Larry Mortimer, AIA [email protected] What Does It Do: DoorBot replaces, or augments your existing door bell. This app-enabled, WiFiconnected device lets you see who’s at your door, and communicate with them (even if you’re not there). System Requirements: Works with smart phones & tablets using iOS 6+, and Android 2.3+, plus computers with Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox and Safari browsers What does it cost: DoorBot costs $199 How Does it Work: DoorBot replaces your doorbell, and acts as a visual/audio communication device through a smart phone app. Key Features: ■ Easy to install, installs with six screws •Dual power, powered by internal lithium polymer battery, and optionally, existing door bell wires (will keep the battery charged, otherwise it needs to be recharged about once a year) ■ No limit to the number of smart devices (phones, tablets, etc) you can connect to DoorBot ■ Theft resistant mounting bracket, if DoorBot is stolen it will be replaced free of charge ■ Weather resistant aluminum enclosure only 2.39” x 5.68” x 1.80” •Adjustable camera, infared-equipped, so you'll be able to see who's there at night ■ You can open or close a deadbolt door lock with the addition of the optional Lockitron device (sold separately - $179) Pros: Clean design, very easy to install, and with optional Lockitron you can operate your deadbolt lock from your smart phone. Cons: DoorBot is not available yet, but should be by the time you read this article. Conclusion: If you want to respond to visitors when you’re not available, this is a device you should take a look at. 6 More Information at: http://www.getdoorbot.com ArchNews Member & Firm News Call for Nominations Los Gatos Library — A Winner! Noll & Tam’s Los Gatos Library has been recognized by The American Institute of Architects, California Council (AIACC), with a 2013 Merit Award for Sustainability. Our design for this LEED Gold certified public library for the Town of Los Gatos optimized energy efficiency through the thoughtful incorporation of daylighting, glazing, skylights, louvers, and photovoltaic panels. Ideate Launches the New CADLearning Portal Ideate CADLearning is designed to provide on-demand training to architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC), and media & entertainment (M&E) design professionals at every skill level. Access to the Portal is available around the clock and around the world from any computer. Ideate CADLearning tools provide: · Self-paced training to further knowledge and maximize performance with Autodesk BIM and CAD solutions, and Ideate-developed Autodesk Revit-based solutions. · A ‘knowledge search for targeted training’ feature that guides the user to immediate, highly selective help for specific aspects of a project, and includes recommendations for training modules. · Assessment, including exams that pinpoint areas for skill strengthening and applicable trainings. Call for nominations for the 2014 AIA East Bay Board of Directors. Please send nominations via email to [email protected] by Wednesday, October 30, 2013, at 5:00 pm identifying the nominee (a member-in-good-standing of the Chapter), the proposed office and a brief statement of merit. Members may self-nominate. The following 2014 Board positions are open: ■ Vice-President/2015 President-elect (may be an Architect or Emeritus Member) ■ Director-at-Large (may be an Architect, International Associate, Associate, or Emeritus member) ■ Associate Director ■ Allied Director ■ Student Director President, Vice President/President Elect, and Student Diretor positions are oneyear terms. The other positions listed are two-year terms. Sent questions regarding the nominating and election process, the roles of the various positions or other issues to [email protected]. For more information, call Ideate Education at 888.662.7238 x1012, email [email protected], or visit the Ideate CADLearning Portal. ❧ Ratcliff Promotes Ratcliff announces the promotion of Peter Tsugawa, AIA to principal of the firm and of Katy Taylor Ford and Gary Jereczek, AIA to associate principal. Ratcliff has also promoted Brian Feagans to senior associate and Minning Gao, AIA, Lisa Meniketti,AIA and Nina Pakanant to associate. Peter Tsugawa, AIA Katy Taylor Ford Gary Jereczek, AIA Choi + Robles -see cover 7 ArchNews Firm Profile: Andrew Lee Architects AIA East Bay Members In Public Ser vice If you are, or know of a member who volunteer service to their or share efforts or expertise beyond their employment demands, please contact ArchNews c/o AIAEB via e-mail, fax, or mail. CALIFORNIA Nancy Anderson, AIA Commissioner, Architectural Board of Examiners Tom Butt, FAIA Chair, Local Government Commission Member of the League of California Cities Environmental Quality Policy Committee Alan Dreyfuss, AIA Chair, State Historic Building Safety Board Robert Duncan Nicol, FAIA Member, Universal Design Advisory Board, OSA= Eric Mikiten, AIA Commissioner California Building Standards Commission Steven Winkel, FAIA Architect Commissioner Member, California Building Standards Commission Contra Costa County I started my firm in 2007, after eight years working at a number of Bay Area firms on a range of project types, from custom residential all the way to largescale commercial buildings, performing arts venues, and regional shopping malls. My practice is not dogmatic about a particular style or aesthetic philosophy; rather, the priority is on personal relationships, careful listening, and working creatively and conscientiously within timelines and budgets. The longer I practice, the more I appreciate how much there is to know and how much more I can learn; but at the same time I’ve come to realize that I’m good at what I do and that I offer an excellent value for a given design budget. Part of professional life, I find, is maintaining both realities in one’s head at the same time. Gene Metz, AIA John Marsh Historic Trust, President, Board of Directors Alameda County Jeff Moore Allied Member Planning Commission Alameda Dennis Owens, AIA Chair, Alameda Historical Advisory Board Maggie Maiers, AIA Harbor Bay Isle Owner's Association Albany David Arkin, AIA Planning & Zoning Commission Stacy Eisenmann, AIA Planning and Zoning Commission Berkeley The great majority of my projects have been single-family residential additions and remodels, mostly in the East Bay but also a few in San Francisco, in Marin County, and on the Peninsula. In 2011 I took on my first significant commercial project, a ground-up two-story retail building in Walnut Creek, which is currently under construction. I also produced permit drawings for a community-service group based in West Oakland on a pro bono basis, and I’ve done small commercial interiors projects and as-built sets of drawings. Gene Metz, AIA U.C.B. College of Environmental Design, Mentor Program (Arch) Reeve Gould, AIA Board, I House, UCB Founding Trustee, Cal Performances Berkeley Symphony Advisory Board Brentwood Lance Crannell, AIA Chairman, Planning Commission Member, Design Review Sub-Committee Benicia Rae Lynn Fiscalini, AIA Sustainability Commission Danville Newell Arnerich, AIA Mayor Douglas A. McQuillan, AIA Design Review Board Heritage Resource Commission David Banducci, AIA Design Review Board El Cerrito Glen Wood AIA Design Review Board Christophe Laverne, AIA Design Review Board Radziah Loh, AIA Design Review Board Emeryville Steven Steinberg, AIA Emeryville Planning commission Fremont Theresa Ballard Dias, AIA Vice-President of the Board of Directors, Allied Housing, Inc Vice-President of the Board of Directors, Abode Service 8 (continued on page 11) I’m a lifelong environmentalist, so integrating green materials and systems into my projects is always on my mind as I speak with clients— although I find it’s a constant challenge to stay up on all the information that’s out there, and of course to preserve those features in the face of the realities of the economy and people’s budgets, which are often stretched to begin with. Looking forward, I hope to take on larger and more challenging projects and to expand my expertise to more project types, and to have more success in integrating sustainability measures into my work. Firm growth has been on my mind a great deal in the past year as I struggle to keep up with a busier practice (a nice problem to have!)—and I invite other small firm practitioners to engage in knowledge-sharing and mutual support. And of course I will continue to take part in and enjoy AIA East Bay programs.❧ ArchNews Member Profile: Sophie Buchite, Assoc. AIA S ophie Buchite, Assoc. AIA recently graduated with distinction from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a minor in Sustainability Studies. In the future, she would like to continue her education and complete an M.Arch program that focuses on the importance of sustainability in the built environment. It was for this reason that Sophie chose to move to the Bay Area to begin her career. With the state of California’s reputation as a leader in the nation for sustainable measures, the Bay Area seemed like a great opportunity for a new beginning after 5 years of schooling. In order to take a break from academia, the next logical step for Sophie was move outside her comfort zone. After a well-rounded but strongly conceptual educational experience, it seemed to be the right time to learn what only practical experience can impart. Since early August, Sophie has been working as an intern with TWM Architects + Planners in San Rafael. To further her career, Sophie plans to begin taking her ARE exams in the near future. She also has plans to complete the exams for CDT and LEED GA credentials. ❧ Members in Public Service — continued Kensington Don Dommer, AIA Board Member, Fire Protection District Lafayette Andre Ptaszynski, AIA Member Design Review Commission Newark Theresa Ballard Dias, AIA Planning Commissioner OAKLAND Dave Byrens, AIA Chair: Shoreline Cleanup - Kiwanis Michael Coleman, AIA Member Planning Commission Member, Board of Directors Museum of Children's Art (MOCHA) Alan Dreyfuss, AIA Member, Oakland Landmarks Advisory Board Claudia Falconer, AIA President, Montclair Village Business Assn Patrick G. Gaughan, Assoc. AIA Council on Architecture, Oakland Museum Reeve Gould, AIA Board, Piedmont Montclair Rotary Club Harley Jensen, AIA Member of the Council on Architecture Oakland Museum Dong Kim, AIA Oakland Kiwanis Foundation Board John Nelson, AIA Board Chair, Oakland Chamber of Commerce Andre Ptaszynski, AIA President of the Council on Architecture, Oakland Museum Gary Struthers, AIA Board of Directors for East Bay Habitat for Humanity Helene Vilett, AIA Council on Architecture Oakland Museum of California Orinda Rich Bartlett, AIA Public Works Aesthetic Review Committee George Miers, AIA Planning Commission Piedmont Melanie Robertson, AIA Planning Commission Pleasant Hill George Corrigan AIA Architecture Review Commission Richmond Andrew Butt, AIA Chair, Design Review Board Tom Butt, FAIA Choi + Robles -see cover Member, Richmond City Council Representative of Richmond on the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee Representative of Richmond on the Water Emergency Transit Authority Citizens Advisory Committee Joann Pavlinec, Assoc. AIA Historic Preservation commission Ray Welter, AIA Member, Richmond Design Review Board Rio Vista Mark McTeer, AIA Chairman of the Planning Commission San ramon Judy Hemmingway, AIA Architecture Review Board Walnut Creek David Crawford, AIA Design Review Commission Phillip Volkmann, AIA Design Review Commission 9 ArchNews Allied Member Firm Profile: Tom Simmons Archvista ARCHVISTA is an East Bay technologies company with over fifteen years experience implementing BIM (Building Information Modeling) into architecture and construction companies. Our team has successfully deployed solutions into a wide range of project types including residential, multifamily housing, commercial, retail and hospitals. As authorized resellers for leading BIM technology products, we offer BIM implementation services, technology training and model coordination services. To support technology implementation we developed LEARNVIRTUAL, a comprehensive online training portal for building professionals. This portal offers a wide range of AEC industry-focused classes including How to Implement BIM into the Practice of Architecture, ArchiCAD and Revit training and LEED exam prep courses. Our courses are designed to teach best practices either for real world application or your own continuing education. For professionals interested in improving design knowledge our DESIGN[realized] online event series explores the vision, as well as the practical aspects of building projects. Topics covered include Techonology in Practice, Adaptive Reuse & Renovation, and Eco-Responsible Design 2030. Our 2013 program includes speakers from companies such as HOK, SOM, Perkins+Will, Arup, Wiley|Wilson, Hensel Phelps Construction, CO Architects and ZGF. Thomas M. Simmons, the Founder and President, has a Masters of Architecture from U.C. Berkeley and over 25 years experience in the AEC industry. Mr. Simmons drove transformation of BIM into over a thousand AEC clients throughout the west coast. He began his career with EHDD Architects where he led the firm to be a pioneer in BIM, improving efficiencies in documentation and coordination. After he left the firm he launched ARCHVISTA and became one of the leading Virtual Building solution consultants for Graphisoft North America, integrating BIM solutions into a wide variety of clients including Anshen + Allen / Stantec, Quattrocchi Kwok Architects, Studio Meng Strazzara, Walker Warner Architects and KAA Design. To learn more about our services go to: ■ ARCHVISTA BIM Solutions: http://www.archvista.com ■ LEARNVIRTUAL Online Education for BIM, CES and LEED Exam Prep: http://www.learn virtual.com ■ DESIGN[realized] Online Events: http://www.designrealized.com To contact us call 800-522-0554 or email us at [email protected] ❧ 10 Choi + Robles -see cover ArchNews AIA East Bay a chapter of The American Institute of Architects 1405 Clay Street Oakland, CA 94612 www.aiaeb.org 11 ArchNews