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PROJECTHIGHLIGHT

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UTAH ARCHITECTSPROJECT

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PRESIDENT’SMESSAGE

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Fellow AIA members,

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Reflexion, a new quarterly publication of AIA Utah.

Reflexion is meant as not only a vehicle for reporting on AIA Utah news, features, and

events, but also as a public relations tool. AIA Utah’s Public Relations Committee,

newly formed for 2013, undertook this publication as its first charge. We hope that you

will appreciate the value this publication provides our profession. Reflexion is also the

new home to the quarterly President’s Messages you have received through my term

as 2013 AIA Utah President.

I am very pleased to report that AIA Utah was recently awarded a $15,000 Innovation

Grant from the AIA. As part of the AIA’s Repositioning initiative, the Innovation Fund supports programs

that creatively address a 21st century vision of member service, collaboration, and advocacy. Thirty-

five AIA Repositioning Ambassadors reviewed 65 applications and chose the eight that best addressed

Repositioning’s goals, put members first, and can be replicated by other components elsewhere for

immediate and future impact for members.

AIA Utah, AIAS, and the University of Utah College of Architecture + Planning offered an outline for how

mentoring can work, which the Repositioning Ambassadors seized as a model for how mentoring should

work: start in schools and connect emerging professionals and established architects with students. Led by

AIA Utah Associate Director Tami Martin, Assoc. AIA, this program connects all levels of membership in a

pipeline development process that helps connect students to a network of professionals. I am very pleased

that the AIA recognized our program with one of the Innovation Grants. The grant will allow us to grow the

program for more mentees and even better programs.

Speaking of students, AIA Utah held its annual Scholarship Golf Tournament at Thanksgiving Point on

September 18. Nearly 50 golfers and many sponsors braved strong winds to help us raise funds for

scholarships to deserving College of Architecture + Planning students. Thank you to all who participated.

In early October, I attended the AIA Western Mountain Region conference and represented AIA Utah in the

WMR business meeting in Jackson, Wyoming, including casting a vote for our own Bruce Fallon, AIA for WMR

Treasurer. You’ll find a report of that conference within this issue. It was a great conference that reminded

me of the strength and creativity of our region and AIA Utah’s significant contributions to it.

2014 will be here before we know it, and with it comes the transition of AIA Utah’s Board of Directors. I look

forward to the leadership of 2014 AIA Utah President Corey Solum, AIA. Corey’s responsible financial hand

has long served AIA Utah and I know AIA Utah will continue to grow and prosper during his term. Also, I

want to thank the Board of Directors for their service and our Executive Director, Heather Wilson, for keeping

us on track and well managed. AIA Utah could not operate without their efforts.

As always, please contact me with any thoughts, questions, or concerns about AIA Utah or how I can better

serve you ([email protected] or 801-534-7261).

Adam T. Mow, AIA, Esq.

2013 AIA Utah President

TABLE OF CONTENTS

AIA UTAH LEADERSHIP

CREDITSPRODUCED By:

AIA Utah - Public Relations CommitteeCommittee Members: Bruce T. Fallon, AIA

Heather A. Wilson Joyce Popendorf, AIA Mike Leishman, AIA Tang Yang, AIA Roger Thom Johnny Maas

DESIGNED By:Roger Thom and Johnny Maas

SPONSORED By:AIA Utah

Certified Reprographics

CONTRIBUTORS:Erin Carraher, AIA

Mark Grabl, AIARyan Hajeb, Assoc. AIA

Joerg Ruegemer, Assoc. AIASoren Simonsen, AIA

Shawn Warnke

AIA UTAH BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Adam T. Mow, AIA, Esq. President-Elect: Corey R. Solum, AIA Secretary: Jesse D. Allen, AIA Treasurer: Tang Yang, AIA Director: Chimso Onwuegbu, AIA Director: Robert Pinon, AIA Director: Clio Rayner, AIA Director: Hannah Vaughn, Assoc. AIA Associate Director: Tami Martin, Assoc. AIA

NORTHERN UTAH SECTION President: Steve Petersen, AIA President-Elect: Jared P. Humphries, AIA Secretery-Treasurer: Don K. Rasmussen, AIA

CENTRAL UTAH SECTION President: Jay V. Taggart, AIA President-Elect: Gerrit W. Timmerman, AIA Secretery-Treasurer: Dallas B. Nelson, AIA

SOUTHERN UTAH SECTION President: Dennis B. Patten, AIA President-Elect: Rob E. McQuay, AIA Secretery-Treasurer: Todd L. Benson, AIA

COMMITTEE CHAIRSUtah Urban Design Committee

Soren D. Simonsen, AIA

Committee on Architecture for Education

Skyler R. Rubel, AIA

Committee on Design and the Environment

Whitney Ward, AIA and Jeff S. Juip, AIA

Continuing Education Committee

Mimi Locher, AIA and Michael A. Dolan, AIA

Government Affairs Committee

Eric Tholen, AIA

Young Architects Forum

Greg Walker, Assoc. AIA

Fellowship and Honors Committee

Michael J. Stransky, FAIA

Public Relations Committee

Bruce T. Fallon, AIA

AIA UTAH ExECUTIvE DIRECTOR Heather A. Wilson [email protected]

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 2

UPCOMING EvENTS 4

ARCHITECTURE LINkS 4

MEMBER PROFILES 6

PROJECT HIGHLIGHT 8

UTAH ARCHITECTS PROJECTS 10

CHAPTER & SECTION NEWS 12

TECHNICAL CORNER 14

WMR CONFERENCE REPORT 16

TRAvEL CORNER 17

268 South State Street, Suite 190

Salt Lake City, Utah 84111

801.532.1727

EvENTS

LINkS

upcoming

architecture

18DECEMBER

LOCATION: THE TASTING ROOM

TIME: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

08NOvEMBER

LOCATION: 357 WEST 200 SOUTH

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

ROOM: TASTING ROOM

TIME: 7:00 - 9:30 PM

AIA UTAH DESIGN AWARDS

20NOvEMBER

LOCATION: AIA UTAH OFFICE

TIME: 11:30 AM

ExECUTIvE COMMITTEE MEETING

• blog.buildllc.com

• blog.gessato.com

• blog.archpaper.com/wordpress

• archidose.blogspot.com

• www.detail.de/daily

• www.lifeofanarchitect.com

MEMBERPROFILE

MEMBERPROFILE

RyAN HAJEB, ASSOCIATE AIARyan Hajeb was born in Salt Lake City and raised amid Utah’s relatively young and emerging design community.

Following worldwide design inspiration, he studied Renaissance art and architecture in Italy while attending

Florence University of the Arts in 2007, and completed a B.S.ARCH degree from the University of Utah in 2010. He

continued his study of architecture in Australia and obtained an M.ARCH degree from the University of Melbourne

in 2012. Ryan has participated in a number of design competitions, both locally and internationally, and his work

has been published and displayed at public exhibitions in both the United States and Australia. In addition to

exhibition work, Ryan has spent time in architectural research, working with scholars and professionals on a number

of architecture and design publications. Working and studying internationally has provided him a diverse and

invaluable design understanding that he aspires to share with his native Utah. Ryan currently lives in Salt Lake City

where he works with HKS Architects. He holds AIA Associate and LEED Green Associate credentials.

MARk GRABL, AIAMark has been a licensed Architect

in Utah since 1998 and a member of

the AIA for over 10 years. He has a

Bachelors of Architecture Degree

from the California Polytechnic

State University, San Luis Obispo,

Ca. and a Masters of Business

Administration from the University

of Utah. During his career he has

been involved in architecture

from pre-design through post-

construction. Currently he is a

Project Planner for the University

of Utah focused on planning new

academic, research, and health care

projects. He has also worked on

projects across the nation while in

private industry.

Create.Connect.Lead.

Elevate your career path. Join us at the AIA.Become a member today, and instantly expand your support network by over 81,000 colleagues—a valuable professional resource to draw upon, and a powerful, collective voice to advocate for a stronger economic climate for architects nationwide. Join today and get the tools you need to enhance and sustain your practice at every stage of your career.

*Some restrictions apply. Offer is valid for fi rst-time new architect, associate, and international associate members who join between June 23, 2013, and June 28, 2014. Go to www.aia.org/join to learn more, including contest terms and conditions.

Join for 2014, Benefi t NowSign up for 2014 membership and get complimentary membership for the rest of 2013.

www.aia.org/join

Free Convention Registration* New members receive complimentary registration for the AIA 2014 National Convention and Design Exposition in Chicago, June 26-28. (That’s a value up to $875.)

Win a 21.5-inch iMac or Autographed Book By Our 2013 Firm Award Recipients!*Join by December 31, 2013, and be entered to win either a 21.5-inch iMac or an autographed copy of The Architecture of the Barnes Foundation: Gallery in a Garden written by 2013 Firm Award recipients Tod Williams, FAIA, and Billie Tsien, AIA.

Rosannah Sandoval, AIAMember Since 2013

PAGE

7

PROJECTHIGHLIGHT

PROJECT: ARCHITECTURE

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE + PLANNING

Erin Carraher, AIA

Professor Joerg Ruegemer, Assoc. AIA

Project: ARCHITECTURE is a new partnership between the Girl Scouts of

Utah and the University of Utah’s College of Architecture + Planning to

raise the awareness of career opportunities in the built environment for

girls by exposing them directly to women practitioners, providing female

student mentors in design-related programs and offering opportunities to

visit architecture firms and construction sites.

The kick-off project for this partnership will be the design and construction

of three new cabins for the Circle K site at the GirlScouts’ Trefoil Ranch in

Provo Canyon. Over the course of the 2012-13 academic year, a group of

architects, architecture student mentors and a core group of Girl Scouts

developed the designs and are overseeing the construction of the cabins,

which is underway as of summer 2013.

Construction for the cabins will be in collaboration with Euclid Timber,

a company based in Heber City, to utilize Interlocking Cross-Laminated

Timber (ICLT) as the primary material for the buildings. This is an

innovative and highly-sustainable material developed by researchers in

the College that incorporates wood damaged by pine beetle infestation

making it otherwise unusable for construction into the assembly of solid

wood walls. Euclid Timber will serve as the general contractor for the

project.

The Girl Scouts’ involvement in the project has been two-fold - a

leadership group of girls was organized to follow the project through all

stages and a general interest event was held in Spring 2013 where the

larger membership was invited to a day-long event using projects specific

to the cabin to learn about architecture in general.

UTAHARCHITECTS

PROJECT

LAUNCHING THE UTAH

ARCHITECTS PROJECTArchitecture may be a very public

art, but the architects behind even

our most important buildings usually

remain a mystery.

The Utah Center for Architecture

(UCFA) changed that on October

17 with the launch of the Utah

Architects Project, a searchable

database that links architects

with their significant buildings

throughout the state. It captures 102

years of creative work, from 1847 to

1949, when the University of Utah

established a professional degree

program in architecture. The next

phase will bring this archive into the

21st century.

For the first time, the architects who

shaped Utah’s built environment are

collected in one place--a remarkable

contribution to Utah’s cultural

history.

Anyone with a computer may search

by architect name, city, building

type, building name or time period.

The database includes photos of

the buildings and the architects,

when available. While most of the

buildings included are public, secular

structures, the collection includes

significant Mormon church buildings,

religious structures of other faiths,

and a few of the most important

private homes. Important buildings

designed by non-resident architects

are included as well.

HOW IT BEGANAlthough a project of the Utah

Center for Architecture, it was

architect Burtch W. Beall, Jr., FAIA,

a much-honored member of the

profession, who carried out the

research and donated it to UCFA. He

credits the idea to Lloyd Snedaker,

a Harvard-educated Utah architect,

who died in the late 1980s.

“It was basically Lloyd’s idea that we

needed to promote the contribution

of architects to the urban built

environment. He said we simply

don’t get enough publicity for

what we do and the efforts we put

forward. That was the core of it. We

met and decided during our first

meeting that neither he nor I were

researchers per se so we invited

[architectural historian] Peter Goss.

We made a pitch to the national AIA

Foundation but were not accepted.

So the project died on the vine.”

In the early 1990s, Robert Olpin,

then Dean of the College of Fine

Arts, approached Beall about

creating a book documenting the

work of Utah architects. Olpin had

just published a book about Utah

art and artists and recognized the

value of a similar publication about

architecture. But Beall was too

busy. Once he retired in the mid-

2000’s, however, he picked up the

challenge and devoted five years

to combing through public records

and photographing buildings to

assemble a comprehensive book.

“I was interested in showing the

development of the architect and

wanted to get the projects in order

of creation,” he says.

Beall’s gift of the Utah Architects

Project to the Utah Foundation

for Architecture in 2008 was the

catalyst to re-think and then to

re-brand the Foundation (the

charitable/educational non-profit

of AIA Utah that had become

inactive) into the Utah Center for

Architecture. New board members

saw the potential for an online,

searchable database that could

be continuously augmented and

improved.

“The concept deepened from

collecting the work of architects

to showing the cultural value and

impact of design,” said Bob Herman,

AIA, UCFA president at the time.

Many people have contributed

countless hours to translate what

UTAH ARCHITECT PROFILEWALTER ELLSWORTH WARE

PLACEOFBIRTHNeedham, Massachusetts USA

BIRTHANDDEATHDATESb. August 26, 1861d. April 23, 1951

ESTABLISHEDBUSINESS1893

ADDITIONALDATAUtah Association of Architects, member, 1910Salt Lake City Institute of Architects, director, 1891The American Institute of Architects, Fellow, 1940

FIRMS(S)/PARTNERSHIPS(S)/YEAR(S)Walter E. Ware 1933 & 1935 - 1938Ware & Cornell 1893W. E. Ware 1890 - 1892, 1896 - 1903, 1923 - 1932 & 1934Associated with E. Piers on Becker Residence 1915Ware & Treganza 1904 - 1921Ware & McClenahan 1939 - 1948Ware, Treganza & Cannon 1922

SIgNIFICANTBUILDINgS

w/LOCATION

Horticulture Building (Promontory)

155 North 1000 West, Salt Lake City

1902

Manufacturing & Mining Building (Grand)

155 North 1000 West, Salt Lake Fity

1905

Horticulture (Promotory) Building

Utah State Fair Park, Salt Lake City

1902

Manufacturing & Mining (Grand) Building

Utah State Fair Park, Salt Lake City

1905

Rio Grande Hotel

428 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City

1911

First Presbyterian Church - Salt Lake Ccity

347 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City, BCBD

1903

San Juan County Courthouse

117 S. Main Street, Monticello

1920

Crane Building


1910

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church - Salt Lake City

261 S. 900 East, Salt Lake City

1918

Matthew H. Walker Residence (Aviation Club)

610 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City

1904

Henderson Building


1897

Carnegie Library - Lehi

51 N. Center Street, Lehi

1922

Garden Hotel (Squatters Pub)

147 West 300 South, Salt Lake City

1909

First Church of Christ, Scientist

352 E. 300 South, Salt Lake City

1898

University Club Building - Demolished

Salt Lake City

Carnegie Library - Springville

175 S. Main Street, Springville

1922

Karl G. Maeser Building

BYU Campus, Provo

1911

was to become a book into a digital resource. No one has put more work into this than Burtch Beall himself. Warren

Lloyd, AIA, Rebecca Romney from his office, and Elizabeth Mitchell have devoted significant time to fixing glitches.

Peter Goss sent eight pages of comments and corrections. Super Top Secret, an advertising and web development

company, while compensated for much of its work also has contributed significant staff time and expertise to

creating the UAP web design and platform.

CAPTURING THE NExT 50 yEARSThe volunteer phase is now over. UCFA is seeking contributions to fund a Fellowship with the American West

Center at the University for a graduate student to build the next 50 years of data and augment what is already in

place with more photos and architectural descriptions. This graduate fellow’s expertise coupled with the oversight

of academic historians and architects will assure that the Utah Architects Project remains credible and interesting.

“We want to add digital interviews, videos of places, links to online mapping resources, and opportunities for

people to contribute to and comment on the material,” says Elizabeth Mitchell, UCFA president. “To get there, we’ll

need support from those who believe in this idea.”

UCFA board members Roger Jackson, AIA, and Stephen Smith, FAIA, are focused on getting this next phase going.

To check out the Utah Architects Project, go to www.utahcfa.org/search. Imagine what it can become. And don’t

miss the “donate” button.

TREMONTON SDATShawn warnke, City Manager

treMonton City

Tremonton, Utah was one of seven communities

nationwide to receive the American Institute of Architect

(AIA) technical assistance grant for sustainable

design. The grant is part of AIA’s Sustainable Design

Assessment Team (SDAT) which in Tremonton City’s

case was focused on revitalizing and planning the future

of Tremonton City’s Main Street. The SDAT brought a

national team of architects, planners, land use experts,

economists, and other professionals to Tremonton for

three days, August 14th – August 16th, to work with

the residents, business owners, the Bear River Valley

Chamber of Commerce, community leaders and officials.

The AIA national team was supported by the AIA

local team comprised of the Northern Utah Section

of AIA and the Urban Design Committee. The local

team participated in assessing and recommending the

solutions to revitalize and plan Tremonton City’s Main

Street. Moreover the local team created illustrations

to demonstrate design solutions. The illustrations are

significant as they allow the stakeholders to more readily

understand and envision what the City’s Main Street can

become by implementing the design solutions. The City

has received a remarkable response from stakeholders

due to high quality of work provided by AIA to

Tremonton City.

A large part of the success of the SDAT process is

attributed to the participation of the AIA local team

comprised of Joe Beck, AIA Utah State University;

Søren Simonsen, AIA, Community Studio; Laura Clayton,

Architectural Nexus; Dan Roberts; Nancy Evenson,

Evenson Architecture; Eric Madsen, Naylor Wentworth

Lund Architects; and David Evans, USU. Tremonton

City is extremely grateful to AIA and the local team and

their associated firms for giving of their time, talent, and

resources to benefit Tremonton City.

wANTTOkNOwMOREABOUTTHEAIA’SSDAT

PROgRAM?VISITwww.AIA.ORg

kEYwORDSEARCH:SDAT

THE UTAH URBAN DESIGN

COMMITTEE

The American Institute of

Architects SDAT program is a

collaborative program that brings

together multidisciplinary teams

of professionals from across the

country to work with residents,

community stakeholders and

decision-makers through an

intensive charrette planning

process. SDAT teams are composed

of volunteer professionals

representing a range of disciplines

customized to match local needs,

including architects, urban

design professionals, economic

development experts, land use

attorneys, and others. The goal of

the program is to provide technical

assistance and process expertise to

help communities develop a vision

and framework for partnerships

to address their key issues. The

approach is designed to address

many of the common challenges

communities face by producing

long-term sustainability plans

that are realistic and reflect each

community’s unique context.

AIA Utah recently participated

in an SDAT for Tremonton, Utah.

Participants included members of

the Utah Urban Design Committee

(formerly the Capital City

Committee) which meets monthly

to discuss and act on issues of the

built environment in the state of

Utah. This committee is open to

all members, as well as our allied

partners in the APA and ASLA.

For information, or to participate,

please contact the committee chair,

Soren Simonsen:

[email protected].

CHAPTER & SECTION

NEWS

www.aia.org/liv_sdat

Public Realm Improvement: Enhanced Gateway at Malad River PAGE

13

Our profession has been in a state

of constant evolution for more than

two thousand years. Change is not

new to us; architects have historically

adopted and invented tools that

allow for them to practice more

efficiently and to push their designs

in new directions. Change is simply

happening more rapidly now.

Many factors are contributing to

greater collaboration in the field.

Architects certainly need to do

more work more quickly with fewer

resources, but technology is driving

the trend. Technological tools that

foster a collaborative, integrated,

and streamlined workflow allow

for smaller firms to take on bigger

projects and for larger firms to be

more efficient.

Additionally, digital fabrication

technologies are allowing architects

to have more control in the design-

to-construction process. Rather

than developing designs based on

existing construction practices,

we are now able to develop new

fabrication processes and explore

forms that would have been

previously cost prohibitive or

difficult to achieve based on their

geometry or complexity. Elements

of this work often require a degree

of specialization that makes

collaboration inevitable.

You are a co-chair of the FOREFRONT

conference. One of its objectives is

to provide architects with skills so

they can reclaim their role as leaders

in the design and construction of our

built environment. Historically, when

do you think architects relinquished

that role? And why do you think this

happened?

There are many who would argue

over when, or even if, this occurred,

so I like to frame it not by lamenting

the “good old days,” but by looking

critically at where we are in the

current context. I think this is a very

exciting time to be practicing and

teaching architecture as there are so

many developing technologies, and

we all have the opportunity to frame

what contemporary practice is to us.

Many believe BIM, digital fabrication,

and alternative delivery strategies

like IPD are allowing architects

to lead in the implementation of

new technologies in the design-to-

construction process, which places

us in a position of leadership, though

not necessarily a position of authority.

For me, being an architect will always

have specific connotations in terms

of our professional responsibility

to protect the public health, safety,

and welfare. How we achieve this is

constantly evolving and expanding.

Before you became a professor at the

College of Architecture and Planning

at the University of Utah, you worked

on several institutional projects with

BKSK Architects. Can you discuss

how collaboration and broad-based

decision-making enhanced one of

those projects—either in process or in

the resulting building?

I think collaboration works best

when there is an open exchange of

ideas and expertise amongst team

members with a goal of enriching a

common project. It also needs to be

valued by all parties—from owner

to architect, and from consultant to

contractor.

For example, I worked on a team that

designed a public library where we

had a truly phenomenal client in the

form of the head librarian. Having

lived in the area for several decades,

she could share a deep insight and

understanding of the community’s

cultural practices that would have

been impossible for us to achieve

ourselves.

Through constant engagement

with her, the team was able to

develop a design that is not only

a great building, but also one that

truly represents the diverse and

rich community it serves. This was

because she had insight into the way

ERIN CARRAHER, AIACO-CHAIR OF THE FOREFRONT CONFERENCE DISCUSSES TRENDS IN COLLABORATION

Erin, we often hear that the architectural profession is becoming more

collaborative, but we don’t often hear about what’s driving this change. Do

you think the profession is being forced to change because of economics—

doing more with fewer resources—or is it evolving because of new

technologies? Or is design simply becoming so complex that collaboration is

necessary?

TECHNICALCORNER

different user groups used the space in conventional as

well as non-traditional ways and understood that modern

libraries are evolving into hybrid programs that include

various community and educational activities.

She also recognized that it was important to engage the

community at all stages of the design process—especially

the grand opening. That involved a ceremonial parade of

books from the old library to the new, accompanied by a

20-foot long Chinese dragon and other giant puppets that

the community members had made, which were featured

throughout the space. Despite the fact that it was a public

bid project, her tenacity and dedication to the project

matched ours, and because we collectively bought in to

the vision of the project, we were all willing to fight to

preserve key elements when they were threatened.

How is architectural education preparing future architects

to collaborate, to be receptive to broader participation by

all members of a design team?

Collaboration is critical to architectural practice. However,

this wasn’t a focus until my last studio in graduate school.

Working on a design with a partner taught me the power

of cooperative teamwork to create projects that no

individual would be able to achieve on his or her own. This

positive experience continued during my time in practice,

where I often worked with architects, clients, consultants,

and contractors who were truly dedicated to utilizing their

individual strengths in working toward a collective goal.

I was lucky to have experiences where collaboration

was fostered by the process, but I think we should be

much more conscious of preparing students by having

them work on collaborative projects throughout their

education. At the University of Utah, we start this on day

one in the first-year undergraduate studios, and we are

seeing great results as the cohort of students moves up

through the years together. Particularly in the beginning

of their education, students have wildly diverse skill sets.

Collaborative projects function as great team-building

exercises and also as a way to show students early on that

they can learn as much, if not more, from each other as

they do from their faculty.

FOREFRONT is jointly sponsored by the AIA Center for

Integrated Practice, AIA Utah, and the University of Utah

College of Architecture + Planning. Are the techniques

employed in collaborating on a conference similar to

what architects might experience in their work? Is there

an approach you found particularly useful that could be

implemented in the design process?

The idea for the conference grew out of a continuing

education resource, Leadership in Collaborative

Architectural Practice (LCAP), that Ryan Smith, an

associate professor at the University of Utah and director

of the Integrated Technology in Architecture Center,

invited me to take part in. During the course of our

research, we have been working transcontinentally (he

is in Scotland for the year) as well as with AIA staff and

leadership consultants in other parts of the country.

Having key team members in remote locations has

magnified the importance of the critical collaboration

principles that we discuss in LCAP—having clear lines

of communication, articulating shared project goals,

having all team members understand their individual

responsibilities and be held accountable for them, and

utilizing technology to aid in the process. These principals

underlie collaboration in any field.

When beginning to plan the conference, we built off our

research and looked to David Scheer, conference co-chair

and former director of the Technology in Architectural

Practice Knowledge Community (TAP), as well as other

leaders from the Center for Integrated Practice to help

bring together applied examples of these principles to

have a discussion about what works and what doesn’t.

We’ve learned a lot already from the research and

conference planning process and are excited to have

the national leaders in their fields who are implementing

these principles in practice—architects, engineers,

consultants, and clients—coming to Salt Lake City in

October to discuss exemplary projects that demonstrate

collaboration at its best.

WMRCONFERENCE

REPORT

WMR CONFERENCE REPORT

The AIA Western Mountain

Region held its annual conference

October 3rd through 5th in

picturesque Jackson, Wyoming.

The Four Seasons resort in Teton

Village served as the conference

headquarters for AIA members

attending from AIA Utah, host

chapter AIA Wyoming, and other

WMR chapters AIA Arizona, AIA

Colorado, AIA Nevada, and AIA New

Mexico.

Until the week of the conference,

Grand Teton National Park and the

Jackson Lake Lodge were to be the

conference location. Unfortunately,

the federal government shut-down

closed the entire park and required

AIA Wyoming to find new venues

and new lodging for the conference

attendees within 24 hours.

They literally “repositioned” the

conference and did a terrific job of it

under less than ideal conditions.

The conference theme, Architecture

Matters, focused on how architecture

is the only element of our material

culture that can simultaneously

shelter, shape, and inspire us. In spite

of this, architecture is commonly

underappreciated and devalued

in the face of ostensibly more

important demands and short term

considerations outweigh the long

term potential that architecture

promises.

Nationally renowned speakers

included Tom Kundig, FAIA on

Landscape, Community, Craft,

Julie Snow, FAIA on Design

Performance, and architecture

critic Paul Goldberger. AIA Utah

Young Architects Forum Chair, Greg

Walker, Assoc. AIA, presented Talk

Less Do More, which highlighted the

many successful recent competitions

and events of our Young Architects

Forum. Greg’s presentation was

well-received, and he was invited

to join a panel discussion on Why

Architecture Matters.

In all, AIA Wyoming put together a

terrific, educational, and inspiring

conference despite logistical

challenges. Thanks to all who

attended.

TRAvEL CORNER

TOkyO, JAPANJOyCE POPENDORF, AIAI would like to share with you some images from Tadao

Ando Design Sight building located in the gardens at

Tokyo Midtown.

Tadao Ando received the AIA gold medal in 2002.

Of particular interest is the mission statement of the

Design Sight 21_21 museum, which opened in 2007 with

the following goal:

“21_21 Design Sight - It derives from the term in English

for perfect vision, 20/20 vision (or sight) and was

named to express our wish to become a venue that

will generate design that sees even more clearly what

is ahead. The logo is designed after the often seen

Japanese address number plates, which represents

21_21 Design Sights’ being a ‘place’ of design and the

importance design plays in every day life.”

TRAvEL CORNER

BRUCE T. FALLON, AIA, LEED AP

I began my professional practice in San Diego, California,

and whenever I get a chance to return for whatever

reason, I’m always excited to see what’s happening

in the architectural world. During a recent trip, I had

hoped to see three different areas in the county. First,

my time there included finishing my graduate studies at

Newschool of Architecture, located in the East Village of

downtown. Since we left, there has been much that has

happened in the area due to the construction of Petco

Park, so I’m always interested to see what’s come from

this.

Second, the campus of the University of California at

San Diego has come to be well known as using some

of the most prominent architects in the country. Many

new, cool and innovative projects are located on UCSD’s

campus, dorms by Kieran Timberlake, labs by MillerHull

+ Safdie Rabines, music halls, medical facilities by SOM

and Gensler, lecture halls by KdA, modernistarchitecture.

blogspot.com/, and dining by Studio E, Carrier Johnson,

etc. As much as I was hoping to get to campus, it was

just one place we couldn’t make it to.

Third, I’ve also come to respect the work of several firms

in the area, and I continue to follow the work of these

firms. Studio E Architects (www.studioearchitects.com/)

is one of those firms, and I had just learned of a senior

housing facility they had completed in the suburb city of

El Cajon, which also happens to be where we lived.

The construction of Petco Park, which opened in 2004,

is a great example of architecture being a catalyst

to other development surrounding it. Designed by

Antoine Predock in association with HOK Sport, the

ballpark for the San Diego Padres has transformed

the area of East Village from a rundown area where

many homeless would be found to a growing area

with an influx of residential units and other commercial

buildings. According to a report by Conventions, Sports

& Leisure International, “As of year‐end 2009, 3,585

residential units, 957 hotel rooms and approximately

610,000 square feet of commercial space had

been constructed and opened within the Ancillary

Development surrounding PETCO Park, with a total

estimated market value of approximately $1.79 billion,”

(Analysis of the Economic & Fiscal Impacts Generated by

the Development of Petco Park, Conventions, Sports &

Leisure International, July 14, 2010).

Perched on the upper deck of the ballpark we looked to

the north across the ball diamond, new condos and other

buildings cover the skyline. We walked by a bank that

when I was a student, was the only building on the block,

but was now surrounded with multi-story housing and

significant commercial development. What were once

empty blocks and lifeless streets are now bustling with

life and energy. A variety of forms and scales now sculpt

the urban environment that has been transformed over

many years of community efforts. The Gaslamp Quarter,

located just north of the ballpark, grew from a dirty and

underdeveloped area into an active area for nightlife,

mostly because of the construction of the eclectic

Horton Plaza. This is certainly a model that has worked

for San Diego.

Moving out of downtown, we went out to look at the

growing suburban area where we used to live. The

SolTerra Senior Apartments in El Cajon is a 4 story,

49 unit affordable apartment complex located in the

west end of downtown. The city has a population of a

little more than 100,000 and is quickly becoming the

urban core for the east county area of San Diego. Split

between two buildings the apartments are located

across the street from each other. On the street level is

architectureSAN DIEGO STyLE

commercial space for the apartment complex as well as

leasable space with a secured parking area behind the

commercial space. The parking is covered, providing

a private outdoor space for residents to use for social

gatherings, as well as for roof top gardens.

In many ways, the complex is pretty basic. What makes

it an interesting study is the texture created in the form

of the buildings along with the choice of materials. The

base colors used were pretty basic allowing for the

wood enclosed patios for each unit and the colorful

canopies used to shade the building to emphasize their

purpose and importance in the southern California sun.

A strong base was created with a darker stucco material

along with the black ceramic tile base. Each entrance

is secured for resident safety, with the public space for

each resident floor surrounded with a lattice of wood

punctured to provide opportunities for light and visibility

for residents. Vertical circulation is clearly identified with

a colorful metal siding offset from the earth tone colors

used around the building.

The buildings are placed in the urban setting, providing

a nice pedestrian experience, though sometimes with a

feeling that the commercial spaces are not accessible

for the general public. This is due to the low canopies

along the street face and the recessed commercial space

that sets back from the sidewalk. The north building,

however, is accessorized with a wonderful hardscaped

area with benches and landscape to provide a place

for public gatherings and other events. All, in all, from

what could be seen from the outside space, the SolTerra

Senior Apartments is a wonderful addition to a growing

and developing urban area of El Cajon.

If you are looking for exposure to some really great

architecture, put San Diego on your list of places to visit.

The AIA National Convention will be held once again in

San Diego in a few years – make this close trip a priority

for the future. Be prepared to take lots of pictures, or if

you have time, spend the afternoon walking through the

East Village or the Gaslamp Quarter of Downtown San

Diego sketching. You will find yourself lost in a variety

of sights, sounds, textures and forms and along the way

you might even want to get yourself one of the best

tacos on the planet.

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