Important Midterm Elections

In November Americans go to the polls for what has been termed the “most important midterms in a generation”. If you are an American citizen living outside of the United States, voting by an absentee ballot is easy!

Voting from abroad is an easy 3-step process.  You need to:

1. Request an absentee ballot (you can register as a new voter at the same time)

2. Receive your ballot (Your state will send out ballots at least 45 days before the election)

3. Return your ballot before the deadline.  

Deadlines vary by state. 

Go HERE and follow the instructions to get started!

NCARB Launches Free Practice Exams

NCARB has announced the launch of a suite of free practice exams for ARE candidates. The full-length, fully-scored tests have been created for each of the six divisions which comprise the ARE exam.

"The availability of high-quality, free practice exams will help ensure equitable access to exam preparation materials, leading to a more equitable experience for diverse candidates,” said NCARB CEO Michael Armstrong upon the initiative’s announcement.

Please click HERE to read more.

The 2022 AIA UK Design Awards

The American Institute of Architects UK Chapter hosted the 2022 Excellence in Design Awards Ceremony at the Barbican on 12 May 2022 - the first time the awards ceremony has been conducted live since 2019.  For over 20 years, these awards have proven highly valued by architects as they confer trans-Atlantic recognition for design excellence. 

Professional entries are sought from architects, industrial designers, urban planners, landscape architects and interior designers based in the UK for projects built anywhere in the world, and from practitioners based around the world for projects built in the UK.  Practitioners are not required to be members of the AIA as long as the criteria are achieved.

The night was indeed a special night as it also marked a first for the AIA UK Excellence in Design Awards with presentations delivered both live from the Barbican and virtually from New York!

The 2022 London jury was accomplished and well-rounded, consisting of: 

The artist, Morag Myerscough; a renowned sustainability expert, Patrick Bellew; a practitioner academic, Javier Castanon; an emerging professional, Adelina Koleva; and Giacomo Bertoni, representing Iris Ceramica, our sponsor for the evening.  

A world class international architect, Andrew Whalley (Chairman of Grimshaw Architects), was our man in New York for the Professional Large Projects presentation.

Not only were there a record number of submissions this year, but the submissions were also exceptional - making the task of the jury even more difficult and challenging. The submissions were also diverse, ranging from private residences to corporate headquarters.  Unusually, 4 Bridges were submitted, and they too showed diversity in scale, function and location. 

The following awards include relevant Jury’s comments:

A special commendation for an Emerging Practice went to Architecture for London for ‘Low Energy House.’ “Sustainability was an important consideration for the jury across all award categories. Low Energy House received a commendation for its use of natural materials to improve the thermal performance and comfort of an existing Edwardian house. This was achieved by adding insulation, improving airtightness, and upgrading the central heating system - a series of interventions that respects the overall original envelope whilst creating contemporary living spaces with attention to detail and materiality.”

The winner of the Emerging Practice category was ConForm Architects for ‘Repoussoir,’ which means “an object in a painting, photograph, placed in the foreground and to one side, serving to direct the viewer's attention to the main subject of the painting.” “Repoussoir is a thoughtful and bold statement on the refurbishment of a London terraced house. The remarkable use of steel framing creates architectonic apertures for the domestic viewer. The jury felt the winning design juxtaposed old and new in a way which improved the entirety beyond the sum of its parts.”

A special commendation for Exemplary Performance in Sustainability was awarded to Knox Bhavan Architects for ‘March House.’

The winner of the Exemplary Performance in Sustainability category was awarded to Wright & Wright Architects for ‘St John’s College Library and Study Centre.’  “As well as adding to the College’s architectural narrative, the Study Centre sets new benchmarks in sustainable design, achieving a zero-carbon strategy through the use of renewable energy sources, utilizing a ground source heat pump and photovoltaics, and passive means of environmental control, including natural ventilation and roof glazing to admit an abundance of natural daylight.” Unknown to the jury during deliberations, it is fitting that Max Fordham LLP founded by the acclaimed engineer, pioneer of sustainable building design, orchestrated the M&E of this project.

A special commendation for a Professional Practice Small Project was awarded to William Matthews Associates and Ney & Partners for ‘Tintagel Castle Footbridge.’ “The Tintagel bridge is simple and beautiful at the same time: every element is doing its job; it is doing it well and it is doing it simply. As a result, every member is doing its job beautifully. Foot bridges need parapets, handrails and guards to prevent suicides. Here, all three are the lacework edge worthy to meet the sky.”

The winner for a Professional Practice Small Project was Allford Hall Monaghan Morris for the ‘Alder Centre.’ “There are actions, gestures, relationships between human beings that reach unsuspected heights and depths within the human heart. These relationships have to take place somewhere. If architecture is the materializing of an idea, a concept or even a feeling, this project does that. It offers spaces that relate to each other in such a sensitive way that they can harbour and embrace the relationship between the helper and the helped one.”

The winner for a Professional Practice Medium Project was Foster + Partners for ‘Le Dome Winery.’  “The jury was attracted to the buildings ability to blend seamlessly with the World Heritage Cultural Landscape of the region. There was a further interest in the uninterrupted domed structure and the arrangement of curved tapering beams avoiding the need for an internal ring beam around the oculus.  The overall concept and geometry of the building facilitates the visitors experience allowing you to walk through the different stages of the wine process giving the building its spatial clarity.”

A special commendation for a Professional Practice Large Project was awarded to Grafton Architects for ‘The Marshall Building.’

The winner for a Professional Practice Large Project was Zaha Hadid Architects for ‘Infinitus Plaza.’  “The jury was intrigued by Infinitus Plaza’s form and response to the site, which straddles the metro’s sub-surface tunnel, dividing the architectural expression into two buildings that interconnect at multiple levels. Given the size and scale of the building, the jury was impressed by its creative sustainable approach.  Located in Guangzhou’s humid subtropical monsoon climate one aspect, the building powered by photovoltaics, a network of sprinklers sprays atomised particles of collected rainwater onto translucent membranes above each atrium employed to dissipate heat by evaporative cooling.” 

United States and United Kingdom Ratify Reciprocity Agreement for Architects

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)’s Member Boards have passed a resolution ratifying a new Mutual Recognition Agreement with the United Kingdom’s Architects Registration Board (ARB), expanding the reach of U.S. architects.

Please click HERE to read more about the move towards reciprocity from the NCARB website.

The Architects Registration Board (ARB) has reached an important milestone in the process that will help UK registered architects seek registration in the USA, and vice versa. 

Please click HERE to read more about reciprocity from the ARB website.

AIA UK Members Attend Roca Gallery Opening

Guests enjoy Roca Gallery’s hospitality among prominent displays of Zaha Hadid’s innovative designs.

On the 24 May 2022, the AIA UK Chapter sponsor Roca held a reception at their London Showroom to celebrate the opening of their major new exhibition entitled Everything Flows – Zaha Hadid Design Exhibition.  A large crowd of over 150 attendees, including a number of AIA UK members, had the opportunity to see key objects developed by Zaha Hadid Design over the last 15 years.

A wide variety of objects have been expertly displayed in the Roca Showroom Gallery, which was also designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.  Among the objects displayed were pioneering designs ranging from fashion and jewellery to home accessories, as well as furniture, carpets, and lighting.  The objects date back to the founding of the design practice in 2006 and are brought up to the present with a collection of elegant wooden furniture made with Japanese brand Karimoku.

As well as collaboration with Karimoku, Zaha Hadid worked with other design companies, including Lalique.

Cultural Programme Manager for Roca, Saoirse Walsh, says, “It has always felt like a deep privilege to work within the unique, organic spaces of our Zaha Hadid showroom.  Zaha Hadid Design is constantly pushing the boundaries of material and form and this exhibition will help reaffirm just how radical an innovator Zaha was and how her ideas and spirit live on through her practice.”

This important exhibition will be in place until the 22nd of December.  It is well worth a visit to Imperial Wharf, and our friends at Roca will be happy to see you and show you around their amazing showroom and gallery.  

Our short slide show includes more Zaha designs plus images of AIA UK attendees -  past presidents Stephen Reinke, Lorraine King and Michael Lischer; newer board members Celia Fiallos and Martin Varela Vivona; as well as long standing member Pierre Baillargeon. 

Written by Michael Lischer, FAIA

EMERGING PROFESSIONALS MEET THEIR MENTORS

Rosa Rogina and her mentees met in the relaxed atmosphere of AIA Sponsor, Herman Miller’s London Showroom.

For a young single person in an unfamiliar city, launching a career in architecture can be incredibly challenging. Few of us succeed without help. Like many other 20-somethings moving to London in 2014, I needed mutual support. This is where the story of Speed Networking begins.

The AIA UK was not what I initially had in mind for a community of peers. Indeed, when I joined the chapter there were only a couple of members under the age of thirty-five. What most would call a gap in age, experience, and interests looked to my young self like an insurmountable chasm.

Despite the intimidating lack of youth, I knew to appreciate the role that the AIA had to play in my future. This belief came to me from an architect I admired – the only person ever, in fact, who directly encouraged me to get licensed. The advice reflected her own experiences at a time when she was striving to gain wider respect for her work. It was a sharp foresight into my own future.

This mentor is the reason I decided to attend the earlier rendition of Speed Networking in 2015. The event was advertised as a mentorship “one-on-one.” It was a pivotal moment for me, as I was able to make my first professional connections in London. Since then, mentorship has improved my career in countless ways, and became an experience I increasingly wished to share.

Fast forward to 2022 – my first year serving on the AIA UK Board as chair of Emerging Professionals. Naturally, reviving the Speed Networking event after a 7-year hiatus was one of my first priorities for the year. I am proud to report that last Thursday, Speed Networking returned with fanfare at its original home in the London Herman Miller showroom.

Overseeing the evening was Michael Lischer, whom I met at the original 2015 event. Also attending from AIA UK were Martín Varela Vivona and social media coordinator Celia Fiallos, who streamed the evening on Instagram Live to an audience of followers.

Attendees and mentors alike were welcomed by music, food, and drinks before dispersing into small groups to begin the Speed Networking activity. Each group was given approximately 5 minutes to converse with a mentor who was seated at an assigned location throughout the showroom. These discussions had to take place rather quickly, however, since groups were required to switch mentors before the start of the next interval.

Mentors on the night. From left to right: Carlos Luis Gómez Gonzalez, Cristina Sánchez Jiménez, Armor Gutiérrez Rivas, Rosa Rogina, Andy Watts, Rachel Hoolahan, and Ricardo Sosa-Mejia.

It was a rush to keep up with the unnatural pace. Rosa Rogina (London Festival of Architecture) and Ricardo Sosa-Mejia (Heatherwick Studio) were among the mentors who warranted more time for discussion. Rosa’s curatorial range includes the Venice Biennale and Vienna Design Week, while Ricardo is design lead on a multitude of R+D projects, some in association with Google. Though it is impossible to package these experiences into five-minute time slots, both did their best to break the ice and ensure that everyone present got their share of face-to-face conversation.

One mentor prepared for the face-to-face aspect in a most fitting way: Carlos Luis Gómez Gonzalez (Foster+Partners) brought a tablet device along to the event to demonstrate the latest projects and visualization work produced by his team. The added visual element captivated his eager audience, as did the presenter himself. Carlos recently received a promotion to Partner at his firm, an achievement which I announced and congratulated at the start of the event.

On the opposite side of the room, Rachel Hoolahan (Orms), Andy Watts (Grimshaw), and Cristina Sánchez Jiménez (Lendlease) focused their discussions on the technology and sustainability aspects of design practice. Rachel – recipient of the 2021 AJ100 Sustainability Champion Award – seemed to share my appreciation for mentorship and delivered sincere and reliable advice to every group.

A few paces away, Cristina met with attendees in a private conference room. Her current role as BIM Manager at a global real estate company left everyone with a keen sense of architecture’s ongoing advances in construction and technology. These advances are likely the same reason her neighbour, Andy Watts, was overheard being enthusiastically described as a “genius.” His work spearheading the implementation of computational design, BIM, virtual and augmented reality technology, data-driven intelligence, and DfMA certainly deserves such a compliment.

Armor Gutiérrez Rivas (UEL, Atelier la Juntana) followed Andy and Cristina with his own unique background in design and creative fabrication. Having worked previously at BIG, MVRDV, and KPF, he also took on a role as BIM project architect and even achieved BREEAM Outstanding on the recently completed One Bank Street in Canary Wharf. He now works full-time at the University of East London and runs Atelier la Juntana, a modelmaking and fabrication workshop he co-founded in 2015.

Small groups encouraged individual attention. Pictured: Carlos Luis Gómez Gonzalez (left) and Ricardo Sosa-Mejia (right).

As I moved around the showroom that evening to take photos and keep time, my attention soon shifted from the mentors to the attendees. They were a diverse, energetic, and ambitious bunch who reminded me very much of myself. Some of them were friends and colleagues. Others were people I’d met briefly in previous years, and still others were new faces I had hoped to get to know better.

Unfortunately, there was not enough time for that – and even when we ran over by hour, I was already getting questions about when the next event would be. I had thought nothing could be more satisfying to an event organizer than having people show up. I was wrong – it was even more satisfying to see people taking part in earnest. I realized that Speed Networking had finally come full circle to become what I always believed it could be.

Written by Adelina Koleva, AIA