Piedmont Triad Piedmont Triad Architectural Education Architectural Education

Feasibility StudyFeasibility Study

11 June 2009Rodner B. Wright, AIA

Sharon Carter Matthews, AIA

Needs, Aspirations, ExpertiseNeeds, Aspirations, Expertise

Needs… Economic growth in the region Additional architects based on population statistics Increased life-long educational opportunities Diversity both in the profession and in academic programs

Aspirations… Opportunities for community interaction Stronger architectural dialogue in an educational setting Collaboration among academic institutions and within the

building industry

Expertise to… Build on the existing base of practitioners and educators Take advantage of local strengths in related areas of

design, construction, preservation, and adaptive re-use Add a global dimension

How best to address the future of How best to address the future of the region and the profession?the region and the profession?

The most likely and productive intellectual focus for study, lectures, and workshops at a regional center—or in a new academic program—would be hands-on projects involving sustainable reuse of existing buildings in the Piedmont Triad region with input from national and international experts on green design, adaptive re-use, and community engagement.

What is feasible right now?What is feasible right now?

1 Establishment of a place with an international presence to bring together practitioners, students, experts, and the Piedmont Triad community to present/confront/resolve local architectural and planning conditions

2 Development of an action team which would organize funding for a staff person for a first year, find that person, and hire him/her

3 Exploratory academic planning to determine how a new 3-3 ½ year graduate (masters or doctoral) program with courses offered nights and weekends might best fit with local or state-wide strategic planning and NAAB requirements

PLACE REQUIREMENTS…PLACE REQUIREMENTS…

Free for one year◦ Donated by a patron/s◦ Funded by a foundation◦ Part of a municipal arrangement

Neutral◦ Named for the region (not a particular city)◦ Could be an RV that moves around the region◦ Could be near or a part of another regional institution (ie, the

airport)Architecturally interesting

◦ “design matters” …it should reflect the aspirations of the center Flexible

◦ Able to be used for a variety of activities …lectures, workshops, meetings

Accessible◦ Universal design◦ Close to an interstate exit

Action Team AgendaAction Team Agenda

Include local practitioners, academics, students, community leaders, and representatives of the building construction industry as members◦ Executive committee◦ Predictable meetings, blog space◦ Initial support from the PTP (agendas, space, communications)

Be diverse by firm size, private/public institutions, special interest groups, ethnicity, gender, appropriate expertise◦ Task groups by interest to work on specific projects◦ Help with group dynamics (leadership institute? Boston Society of

Architects?)

Establish a sounding board from outside the Piedmont Triad with state, national, and international experience to support the local group◦ Measure relevance◦ Building resources and network

Academic Planning First StepsAcademic Planning First Steps

For a UNC program: write the mission and vision statements for an architecture program in the language of the UNC Tomorrow document

For a private institution: write the mission and vision statements for an architecture program to reflect institutional strategic planning goals

Public or private: review the NAAB 2009 Procedures section on applying for candidacy for accreditation and, as soon as possible, the NAAB 2009 Conditions for Accreditation

FIRST YEAR GOALS 2009-10 ACTION TEAM SOUNDING BOARD STAFF SCHOOLS COMMUNITY

FIRST YEAR,FIRST YEAR,2009-102009-101. Action Team

Sounding Board Members

Staff

Academic Institutions

Community Groups

Action Team

Draft working vision/mission collaboratively with AIA North Carolina

Recruit one staff and funding for salary

Work with staff for second-year funding

Find a “place” for the first year Decide on an executive

committee Work with PTP to establish

agendas, goals, and benchmarks as part of creative cluster

FIRST YEAR,FIRST YEAR,2009-102009-10Action Team

2.Sounding Board Members

Staff

Academic Institutions

Community Groups

Sounding Board Members

Review vision/mission drafts Suggest other participants as

sounding board members Share knowledge of relevant

global resources and events Work with staff for second-year

funding Send CV’s for website

FIRST YEAR,FIRST YEAR,2009-102009-10Action Team

Sounding Board Members

3.Staff

Academic Institutions

Community Groups

Staff

Support leadership group in writing of vision/mission

Establish a website with simple blog capability (PTP help?), calendar, information, links

Organize three events: “place” dedication, community workshop in High Point, community workshop in Winston-Salem

Publicize existing resources Apply for second-year funding

FIRST YEAR,FIRST YEAR,2009-102009-10Action Team

Sounding Board Members

Staff

4.Academic Institutions

Community Groups

Academic Institutions

Rewrite vision/mission statements to include architecture (in the language of overall strategic planning)

Review NAAB documents Communicate intentions to

faculty, upper level administrators, other programs

Attend NAAB accreditation workshops

Develop an appropriate timeline Take part in activities at the

“place” Plan collaborative activities for

year two

FIRST YEAR,FIRST YEAR,2009-102009-10Action Team

Sounding Board Members

Staff

Academic Institutions

5.Community Groups

Community Groups

Participate in action team activities and as sounding board members

Provide community-based projects for workshops

Share information about resources and events

Establish link on their websites Work with staff on second-year

funding

And into the future…And into the future…

Second Year 2010-11Center… add two interns, lecture series (six—two each in High Point, Winston-Salem, Greensboro), work on “place” renovation, organize international trip/work experience for students at existing programs (NC State, UNCC, UNCG, NC A&T, Forsyth, Guilford), offer LEED certification classesSchools pursuing accreditation… letter to NAAB, submit candidacy materials, preliminary visit

Third Year 2011-12Center…work with AutoDesk to provide training for software programs, offer space to existing programs for studios with special focus, partner with Habitat for Humanity for projects involving adaptive re-use, revise business model for CenterSchools pursuing accreditation…Board decision to review for candidacy, submit Architecture Program Report (APR) for initial candidacy

Years four and five…Years four and five…

Action Team, Center Staff, Community Groups, Academic Institutions

Continue to support the website, the lecture series, the workshops, and the LEED certification courses.

Add seminars for passing the ARE, and continuing education classes

Expand knowledge base with international expertiseDevelop collaborative project with Center for Design

InnovationFund-raising for projects in year six

Schools pursuing accreditationVisit for initial term of candidacyNAAB decision to grant candidacy (2 year term)Submit APR for continuation of candidacy

Years six and seven…Years six and seven…

Action Team, Center Staff, Community Groups, Academic Institutions

Continue to support activities from previous years

Strategic planning for future of CenterTake on a special project with a community

groupFund-raising for projects in year eight

Schools pursuing accreditationVisit for second term of candidacyNAAB decision to continue candidacygraduate first classsubmit APR for initial accreditation

Year Eight and beyond…Year Eight and beyond…

Action Team, Center Staff, Community Groups, Academic Institutions

Revise business model Update facilityAdd to IT capabilities

Schools pursuing accreditation Visit for initial accreditation NAAB decision to grant accreditation

Visit a “Center” in action!Visit a “Center” in action!

Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center (with Virginia Tech and others)

Preservation Institute: Nantucket (with the University of Florida architecture program)

The Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Warren, VT

City Center in New Orleans, LA (with Tulane University)

The University of Michigan Detroit Center