You have more talent than they do!!!!!!!!
Hello Architects,
I attended the Gulf States Regional Design Awards in Philly. Did any of you enter the Gulf States Regional Design Awards??? If not, PLEASE enter next year!!!! I sat and watched TN firms win, LA firms win, AR firms win, no MS and no AL. The link to the winners is in the newsletter below. Take a look at them and you will understand why I think you should enter. I saw the winners and I know Birmingham firms have projects that are better. You are so talented, start showing off your work, enter Gulf States so I can sit and watch AL firms win in 2017. We need to show off what you are doing, I want to hear people at national convention talking about AL projects and AL firms. Don’t be shy.
The Philly jury for the Birmingham design awards jury was talking about you. They were so impressed with all the projects and they were talking about your projects (we could not tell them firm names or we would have to kill them). It made me proud.
Birmingham is making a name for itself, let’s make sure that ARCHITECTURE is part of that name.
Help us spread the word about GOOD DESIGN!
Peace & AIA Love, Rhea Williams,
Executive Director, AIA Birmingham & Alabama Center for Architecture ______
2016 Sponsorships
Thanks to all the sponsors who paid in April and May (below).
Gold
Walter Schoel Engineering
Silver
Business Interiors
South Cypress
Bronze
Tennessee Valley Metals______
June Chapter Meeting: ARCHITECTURE for HUMANITY Series & Alabama Center for Architecture Scholarship Awards Ceremony – 1 HSW
Do you remember John Hudson? He worked at Dungan Nequette and then went out on his own. He was building the first LEED home and it caught on fire during construction. Now do you remember? Soon after that he and his family moved to Montana and started the nonprofit 100 FOLD STUDIO. 100 Fold Studio is a nonprofit architecture firm providing affordable and innovative design services to charitable organizations around the world. They are committed to demonstrating the love of Jesus by designing safe, efficient, and inspiring structures for all, regardless of religion, ethnicity or tradition. This is the first of our ARCHITECTURE FOR HUMANITY series. Come be inspired by DESIGN making a difference in lives around the world.
Next month we will hear from Phil Black, AIA and his work in Haiti. July 19th.
RSVP to kathryn@aiabham.org by June 3rd!!
Make all checks payable to Alabama Center for Architecture
Cancellation policy: Must give 24 hours’ notice of cancellation. If you cancel less than 24 hours before or do not show up to the meeting without notice, you will be billed the cost of the meeting.______
AIA Birmingham Design Awards Gala
Don’t you want to know who won??? Of course you do!! So join us for our annual Design Awards gala at the cool Christopher House Antiques (you can even shop) – featuring great music, yummy food and drink, Chris Davis, local comedian will EMCEE again, and of course our Design Award winners! Don’t miss this event!
Buy your tickets by calling or emailing Kathryn at kathryn@aiabham.org or 205-322-4386!
Cancellation policy: Must give 24 hours’ notice of cancellation. If you cancel less than 24 hours before or do not show up to the event without notice, you will be billed for the cost of the ticket.______
ASLA & Victor Stanley Want to take AIA out to the ballgame!
RSVP today! Let’s cheer on the Barons while networking with our landscape architects. AIA members and adults only, please. ______
AIA Alabama State Convention – Earn 11 CEUs!
July 8-10th
Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, AL
Click here for more information.
$$$$!! Save your dollars to buy a raffle ticket to support the Alabama Center for Architecture!! We’ll be at State Convention raffling off this beautiful bowl from Earthborn Pottery (valued at $275) for just $5 a ticket! Email kathryn@aiabham.org if you want to purchase raffle tickets early or if you won’t be at the convention!______
AIA Gulf States: Design Award Winners
Architects from the Gulf States Region of the American Institute of Architects gathered in Philadelphia to celebrate the 2016 Honor Awards program. Fourteen projects were recognized for their thoughtful response, refreshing simplicity, and overall design excellence. Respected jury members chose these projects from those entered by architects practicing in the Gulf States region. The Honor Awards program identifies built works of distinction, and strives to promote the excellent work by architects from Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Click here for the full list of winners.______
Recap: ACFA DreamArchitecture 2016
In May, the ACFA hosted THREE dreamArchitecture ceremonies in THREE cities across Alabama – Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile. We celebrated a total of 77 winners in this year’s Draw Your Dream Skyscraper competition: 33 from Birmingham, 26 from Huntsville and 18 from Mobile. There were a total of 3000 entries. We educated 3000 students across the state of AL about architecture. How cool is that!
Each event was well attended and the kids loved seeing their artwork displayed and winning awesome prizes! Thanks to all our sponsors in all the cities, AIA North Alabama, AIA Birmingham and AIA Mobile volunteers for all your hard work, Gallery Services for graciously framing all the artwork, and Alabama Power for providing all the prizes. We couldn’t have done it without you!
- Click here to view Birmingham’s winners & photos from the event: http://www.alcfa.org/dreamarchitecture-2016-the-artwork/
- Click here to view Huntsville’s winners & photos from the event: http://www.alcfa.org/dreamarchitecture-2016-huntsville/
- Click here to view Mobile’s winners & photos from the event: http://www.alcfa.org/dreamarchitecture-2016-mobile/______
Emerging Professionals Section
Site Visit: Jimmie Hudson Park & Pratt City Park Community Safe Rooms – 1 HSW (pending)
Thursday, June 30
4:30 pm
RSVP to kathryn@aiabham.org.
More info to come!! Stay tuned for an email with more details. ______
NCARB Headlines
IDP Saved Reports May Be Affected by the AXP Launch
On June 29, 2016, the Intern Development Program (IDP) will be updated to reflect six broad areas of current architectural practice—and renamed the Architectural Experience Program (AXP). See more at: http://www.ncarb.org/News-and-Events/News/2016/May-AXP-Launch-Affected-Reports.aspx
NCARB to Reduce Fees and Streamline Path to Architectural Licensure
Starting this June, architects and licensure candidates will benefit from updates to two key programs: the Architectural Experience Program (AXP) and the NCARB Certificate. See more at: http://www.ncarb.org/News-and-Events/News/2016/May-NCARB-programs-fees.aspx ______
AIA National Corner
AIA Convention Recap by Jonathan Meadows, AIA
The AIA National Conference rolled into Philadelphia two weeks ago, bringing together diversity of creative fields to share how design is shaping our collective future. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the incredible comedian known for her role on Seinfeld and more recently Veep, spoke to her approach to acting through innovation, disruption, and risk-taking. Neri Oxman helmed the second keynote, and through her MIT-based research at the intersection of architecture, fashion, 3D fabrication and ecology, delivered a presentation which was equal parts technical marvel and vibrant awe, and gave attendees a glimpse of the bleeding-edge of contemporary design. Rem Koolhaas, in his interview with Harvard Graduate School of Design dean Mohsen Mostafavi, made a case for a diversity of approaches when creating architecture.
Alabama was proudly showcased twice at the keynotes before more than 8,000 architects, once for the tornado relief project hosted by the AU Urban Studio here in Birmingham, and again for the amazing work Rural Studio has created in Hale County. It was amazing to witness our state put on stage and as an example of architectural design having a positive impact in our communities. The videos shown are linked below.
This is but a taste of the offerings at AIA Philadelphia – from the numerous CEU sessions covering a remarkable variety of topics, to the enormous trade show, and my personal favorite: the Emerging Professionals party, featuring hundreds of young designers dancing at the feet of Benjamin Franklin. I think the statesman would have approved.
AU Rural Studio video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKqCE1V8u-U
AU Urban Studio video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGAqhVqZHfA
Awards Opportunities and Webinars
- The AIA Housing Awards Presentation Grant is open to all past AIA Housing Award and AIA/HUD Secretary’s Award winners, to help them present their winning projects for publication or presentation at conferences & seminars. Deadline: June 24, 5:00 PM EDT.
A full list of Knowledge Community events is always available at network.aia.org/RoundUp ______
Career Center
Jobseekers – check out the AIA Career Center for all the hottest jobs and access to the Career Learning Center, which encourages an integrative career and professional development process that enhances your skill set. Also don’t miss AIA Birmingham’s Career Page for the latest local opportunities.
Employers – post your jobs on the AIA Birmingham website! FREE for local member firms. Email Rhea or Kathryn for more details.______
RSVP by April 15th to 
On March 15, 2016, AIA Birmingham and CSI Birmingham members met at the Federal Reserve Bank building to hear a presentation about historic rehabilitation tax credits. More than 100 people showed up to hear Jennifer Bailey and Cloe Mercer of the Alabama Historical Commission discuss federal and state tax credits. Hoar Construction led guests on a tour of the building. Thanks to Harbert Realty Services for partnering with us on this event! 
Thursday, April 21 | 4:00-5:30 p.m.
Starting this summer, design professionals with more than five years of experience will be able to pursue licensure through NCARB’s new e-Portfolio option. – See more at: 
On Tuesday, March 22, AIA Birmingham and the ACFA hosted students and mentors from ACE Mentor of Alabama, a program that helps mentor high school students and inspires them to pursue careers in design and construction. More than 25 high school students from all around Birmingham attended the meeting, where Kathryn told them about the ACFA scholarship for collegiate architecture students. The students split into groups to start their final projects – design and construction of a working trebuchet! Thanks so much to ACE for allowing us to host. To get involved in ACE, email Cale Smith at 
Ward Scott Architecture, a full service architectural firm located in Tuscaloosa is pleased to announce promotions for three leadership positions:
