Viva Las Vegas and the 2005 AIA National Convention and Design Exposition!
The 2005 AIA National Convention and Design Expo, May 19–21, offered an amazing range of events
We created this special section of AIArchitect to house convention-related articles that we posted as they were written. Don’t miss the news about the general sessions; legacy project; a conversation with Steve Wynn and Tony Marnell, AIA, and more.

Election Results
• RK Stewart, FAIA, elected 2007 president.
• Michael Broshar, AIA; Norman Strong, FAIA; Ronald J. Battaglia, FAIA; and Jerry K. Roller, AIA, elected to serve as AIA vice presidents.
• Tommy Neal Cowan, FAIA, has been elected treasurer of the AIA.

Calatrava Works his Magic at the AIA Convention
This year’s AIA Gold Medalist Santiago Calatrava, FAIA, gave convention attendees a phenomenal finale to take home with them. Responding to the thunderous standing ovation with which the crowd greeted him, Calatrava told the audience, “It is an honor for me to stand here before you, and the greatest honor to have received the Gold Medal.” He set forth to offer some understanding of the defining elements of his architecture using a “city of images” in the form of slides, a video, and an imaging device that allowed him to draw and paint while having the image projected to the audience directly on large-screen monitors.

ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING
Delegates Vote to Add International Director, Study Registration of Grads
Steidl lists profession-critical issues
A two-thirds majority of delegates to the AIA National Convention voted on May 21 in favor of “Bylaws Amendment 05-A: Addition of International Director to the Institute’s Board of Directors.” This director will represent the almost 1,000 Architect and Associate members who currently reside and work outside the U.S. Additionally, the delegates voted on 12 resolutions.

AIA Honors Koonce with Scholarship, Citation for Exceptional Service
LSU names EVP Distinguished Alumnus
AIA President Douglas L Steidl, FAIA, reminded the audience at the May 21 closing session of the AIA National Convention that Executive Vice President/CEO Norman L. Koonce, FAIA, who has served the Institute in that position since 1999, will be retiring at the end of the year. “Norman, your service to this organization over a lifetime, but especially over the past two decades, first as president of the Foundation and then as the Institute’s EVP/CEO, has been phenomenal,” Steidl said. “What can we say that would express all the thanksgiving we feel for your many accomplishments?”

Paralyzed Veterans Honor Chicago’s Millennium Park for Accessibility
Edward K. Uhlir, FAIA, Receives 2005 Barrier-Free America Award
The Paralyzed Veterans of America recognized Chicago’s Millennium Park and Edward K. Uhlir, FAIA, as the recipient of the 2005 Barrier-Free America Award. Uhlir received the award May 13 at the park’s Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Uhlir served as project design director for the collaborative effort behind Millennium Park. PVA, a national veterans’ service and disability rights organization, praised his efforts to make the design accessible.

project watch
Community Arts Center Inspires Town-Gown Relations
Centerbrook Architects transformed a vacant schoolhouse into the Green Street Arts Center, a vibrant space for community children and adults to take affordable classes and workshops six days a week in dance, visual arts, sound recording, videography, and creative writing. The GSAC is the result of a partnership among Wesleyan University, the City of Middletown, and the North End Action Team (NEAT), a resident-led community revitalization advocacy group.

Your Kiplinger Connection (members only, AIA.org login required)
Privacy: Congress will tighten ID theft laws, affecting large and small firms of all sorts. The economy: Demand for office space is up; some markets are especially hot. Defense cutbacks: Many base closings will be community-building opportunities.
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?
May 2 | May 9 | May 16 | May 23

best practices
Convention Panel Defines Client Demand for Interoperable 3D Documents
The May 20 plenary session theme session focused on a movement across building design, construction, and operations referred to variously as “interoperability” and the “Building Information Model.” Based on the need for 3D-graphic databases that accumulate and store all detailed information on a project, the Building Information Model concept is in demand by clients, fabricators, and constructors alike. The call to action that Friday morning—including from panelist Thom Mayne, FAIA—was for architects to embrace the marvels of this technology, too.

Learn All About the AIA Scopes of Services
AIA presents a Webcast conference that you can join from your office on June 23
Last year, the AIA published several scope of services documents that will give architects the tools to provide client services from the early programming stages to the post-occupancy period. This live Web seminar presents the important features of the scopes of services. Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to describe the content and purpose of the 2004 scope of services documents: Value Analysis, Historic Preservation, Security Evaluation and Planning, Facility Support, Commissioning, and LEED™ Certification; explain the modular B141-1997 document and use it in conjunction with the scope of services documents; and explore the use of the G606 with the scope of service documents. Join presenters Suzanne H. Harness, AIA, Esq., and James Jankowski, FAIA, for the conference, 1–2 p.m. EDT on June 23. Participants earn 1.0 LU, and the registration fee is $45 per connection. For more information, visit the AIA Web site.

Miss Something at the AIA Convention Last Week?
If you weren’t able to join us in Las Vegas this year, or couldn’t attend all of the continuing education sessions that tickled your fancy, order audiotapes of the sessions from ACTS Inc. Tapes of individual sessions are $14 each; the entire set of 132 programs is $1501. Visit the ACTS Web site for details and ordering information.

AIA CAREER CENTER
Here Are This Week’s Featured Opportunities

Calatrava! Santiago Calatrava, a soft-cover, 192-page history by Philip Jodidio (Taschen, November 2003), details the 2005 Gold Medal recipient’s most significant built projects and work on the boards. Santiago Calatrava is available now to AIA members for the special price of $17.99 ($19.99 retail). To learn more or purchase, visit the AIA Store or call 800-242-3837, opt. #4.

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.

Check Out These New Programs—with Transcripts: AIA eClassroom now has available 12 of the most popular programs from the 2004 AIA national convention with full transcripts.

AIA Members Save with United Parcel Service (UPS): Save up to 20 percent on U.S. and international overnight air shipping with UPS, the world’s largest package-distribution company.
Call 800-325-7000, ext. 7600. Reference No. C-000-070-0037.

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.

Save Time! AIA.org now features a trouble-shooting Knowledge Base to address your AIA Contract Documents software questions quickly and efficiently.

Consider Long Term Care for You and Your Spouse: The AIA Trust Long Term Care Quote plan offers you competitive quotes from the leading national carriers for extended care. Click here for specific information about this program. For more information about all AIA Trust programs, visit their Web site.