AIA NATIONAL CONVENTION
Revisiting a Work of “Architectural Art” at the Gamble House
Greene & Greene masterpiece subject of AIA national convention, reflection
The Gamble House is “one of the best crafted pieces of architecture in the U.S., and certainly one of the very best houses ever built. When a young architecture student enjoys the experience of spending a year in residence, it is truly a daunting realization, when moving out, to come to terms with the fact that in your entire life you may never live as well again,” says Ronald Altoon, FAIA, partner, Altoon + Porter, about Charles and Henry Greene’s masterwork in Pasadena, Calif. Altoon was the home’s first scholar in residence during his 1967–1968 academic year at the University of Southern California, which now operates the house. Read about Altoon’s other-worldly experiences there and get a preview of the related convention seminar moderated by Historic Resources Group’s Peyton Hall, FAIA.

Chamber of Commerce Taps McEntee for Association Committee of 100
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced the appointment of AIA Executive Vice President/CEO Christine McEntee to the Association Committee of 100 (C100). The C100 is composed of the country’s leading association chief staff executives, who offer advice to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, enhance Chamber lobbying and coalition work, recommend programming, and strengthen outreach to the business and association community.

Convention Offers Options for Small Projects Architects
The AIA Small Project Practitioners Knowledge Community has assembled a roster of programs at this year’s AIA 2006 National Convention and Design Expo—to be held June 8–10 in Los Angeles—that will be of particular interest to architects who think big while doing small. The list includes seminars on best practices and documents, a market exchange, awards reviews, and more. (Pictured is the Vaccaro Loft, by Leeser Architecture, one of last year’s Small Project Awards recipients.) Check it out and register.

spotlight
Houston FBI Office to Be Green…Literally and Figuratively
A joint venture of Leo A Daly/LAN and PageSoutherlandPage designed the new 290,000-square-foot Federal Bureau of Investigation field office in suburban Houston to earn a LEED™ accreditation from the U.S. Green Building Council. Part of the GSA’s “Design Excellence” program, the complex features an eight-story concrete tower that supports a lightweight metal frame holding the building’s “second skin” of thermal glass, some five feet from the actual thermal wall. The almost opaque glass shades the structure substantially from direct heat gain and, according to the architects, “creates a depth and richness of the building’s façade [so that] its massing can be kept very simple and economical.” The concrete thermal walls, sheathed in anodized aluminum shingles, provide backdrop for shadow play from the glass on which to project the constantly changing light and shadow patterns from the glass skin. Lawrence W. Speck, FAIA, of PageSoutherlandPage, served as lead designer for the project, which broke ground in late 2005 and is slated for completion in September 2007. We could tell you more, but . . .

A New Home in 1973; A Greener Home in 2007
Can you imagine the intensity back in the ’60s when AIA members decided to design their own headquarters building? When the new building finally was dedicated in 1973, Max Urbahn, chair of the jury that selected The Architect’s Collaborative to design the Institute headquarters, commented: “Few buildings in history—perhaps none—have been the focus, either in kind or in degree, of such architectural attention, involvement, anguish, dedication, and criticism.”

project watch
NASCAR Hall of Fame Runs Ahead Full Throttle
Pei Cobb Freed’s design captures “the concept of frozen speed”
As with other sports, NASCAR—the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing—always had its stars, but no place to celebrate them, or the sport itself. Albeit hard to fathom, NASCAR is the only major sanctioned organized sport not to have a hall of fame. The brakes were put on several times mainly due to site destination and financial debate. But the wait is over for NASCAR fans. The 100,000-square-foot, $150 million NASCAR Hall of Fame will sit on a five-acre downtown site in Charlotte’s center city, and the designer is none other than Pei Cobb Freed & Partners.

Your Kiplinger Connection (members only, AIA.org login required)
Global warming: High energy costs will help battle environmental ruin.
Energy: In the meantime, high costs are going to wreak havoc.
The economy: Remodeling strong, materials prices will dip.
AIArchitect offers AIA members exclusive access to three stories a week to help them manage their practices and plan for the coming year. Nonmembers may subscribe to The Kiplinger Letter.

Need to catch up on recent editions of AIArchitect This Week?
April 14 | April 21 | April 28 | May 5

This service is brought to you as an AIA-member benefit. The email list used to deliver AIArchitect This Week is maintained exclusively for that purpose by the AIA national component.

To keep up with the universe of information the AIA gathers exclusively for members, visit the AIA's Web page.

AIArchitect® This Week is published by the AIA, 1735 New York Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20006. Copyright 2006 The American Institute of Architects. Home page

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You receive this e-mail at:
%%TO_EMAIL%%
because your address is on file in the AIA's membership database.

To change your e-mail address, send an e-mail with your name, AIA member number, old e-mail address and new e-mail address to AIA Information Central. Or make the changes yourself.

To remove your email address from this distribution list—but not from the AIA membership database—simply click here.

Note: If you are receiving this email at multiple addresses and want only one, simply go into the email you want eliminated, and then follow this link.

To manage your entire list of AIA e-mail newsletters, use the online form here: www.aia.org/about_memberProfile.

2006 Update is here! The fourth companion volume to the Thirteenth Edition of The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice, the 2006 Update (edited by Joseph A. Demkin, AIA, published by John Wiley & Sons, 2006) offers information on services architects can offer in program management, geotechnical investigations, parking planning, furniture acquisition, and demolition planning—plus much more. The book lists for $85.00; AIA members may purchase for $76.50. AIA members can buy the Update with the Architect’s Handbook and save even more. Order online or phone 800-242-3837, option #4.

International Practice Alternatives: Join instructors George H. Miller, FAIA; Gordon H. Chong, FAIA; Raymond V. Gomez, AIA; and Stephan C. Reinke, FAIA, RIBA, for eClassroom distance learning course “International Practice Alternatives,” as they illustrate through case studies how architects/firms have maintained their high standards in design through construction while dealing with different legal contexts for practice. This course, which offers 1.5 HSW CES credits, is available through May 19 at a 10-percent-off discounted price, $89.05 AIA members/$121.95 nonmembers (regular price: $98.95 AIA members/$134.95 nonmembers).

Free Summer Job Postings: Are you looking for extra help in your office this summer? The AIA Career Center again allows firms to post limited-time summer job offers for free on its popular job board. Click “Post Jobs” on the Employers page; log in if you are a regular user, or register if you are new to the service; then enter all relevant information. When you get to “Type” option, be sure to check “Summer Job.” You will not be charged for the listing. Offer runs through July 31. The AIA is working with the American Institute of Architecture Students to get the word out to candidates.

New AIA Members—Attend the AIA National Convention Free! Join the AIA and attend the 2006 convention at no cost. All new architect and associate members (including members whose status has changed from Assoc. AIA to AIA) who join between May 22, 2005, and March 31, 2006, are invited to attend the 2006 annual convention free of charge. This value (up to $675) will give you the opportunity to spend time with your colleagues and peers and experience the full benefit of your membership.

Crack the codes for learning units through AIA San Diego.

Special Delivery: DHL saves you up to 25 percent on next morning, next afternoon, second day, and now, ground delivery services. Call 800-MEMBERS (636-2377), or visit www.membersales.com/AIA.

Free Continuing Education: After reading the standards and other information on environmental issues and products, references, and more in each MASTERSPEC topic, licensed users can access online tests to earn AIA/CES learning-unit hours.

Answers to Your AIA Contract Documents Questions “24-7”: The online Knowledge Base for AIA Contract Documents has been expanded to include information about the documents’ content as well as how to use AIA Contract Documents software. Available on the Contract Documents page on the AIA’s Web site, the Knowledge Base now provides you with concise answers to nearly 250 frequently asked questions (FAQs). You can find what you need to know via multilevel Table of Contents, or, with key words, go directly to the FAQs.

Integrated Practice: Technological change is one catalyst accelerating radical improvement through the entire construction industry, from owner to architect to contractor to facility manager, through the full length of the project and building lifecycle. Learn more about how this change will transform architectural practice into Integrated Practice at www.aia.org/ip.

Press Tap News Service: Reporters from The Wall Street Journal to Michigan Construction News have signed on to get full access to AIA’s news service. Post your news today.

Free Condo Risk Management Tools: The AIA Trust commissioned attorney-architect Bill Quatman, FAIA, to develop “Risk Management Ideas for Condominium Projects,” a white paper now available on the AIA Trust Web site along with contract clauses, risk management tools, sample letters, statutes and an overview of the high risk condo market. The AIA Trust is also cosponsoring a seminar on “Aggressive Condominium Risk Management” at the upcoming AIA Convention in Los Angeles on June 10, 8:15–9:45 AM. Visit the AIA Trust site for more information.