At our March luncheon, our speaker was Amy Stalbosky, AIA, LEED AP, with Major Industries.  Her presentation focused on the benefits of daylighting and how translucent products can help a building's energy performance and meet the latest energy code updates.  For design ideas, details, and specifications for your use, visit their website at majorskylights.com.

The AIA Montgomery would like to thank Dwight LeClair with Sherwin-Williams for sponsoring the March luncheon.  Since it's founding by Henry Sherwin and Edward Williams in 1866, the Sherwin-Wiliams Company has not only grown to be the largest producer of paints and coatings in the United States, but is among the largest producers in the world.

Dwight LeClair is an Architectural Account Executive for Sherwin-Williams, and can be contacted at 678-361-6108 or dcleclair@sherwin.com.  Kenneth Polk, thelocal Sherwin-Williams Sales Representative, can be reached at 334-657-4135 or swrep6260@sherwin.com.  For more information on Sherwin-Williams and its products and service, visit their website at sherwin-williams.com or contact Dwight or Kenneth directly.

APLA & CADC News

Assistant Professor Margaret Fletcher recently received a grant for the project entitled "The Pedagogy of Tools" from the 2015 Daniel F. Breeden Endowed Grant Program.  The work of the grant focuses on the development of several three-dimensional teaching tools to be used in early architectural education to elucidate issues surrounding orthographic projections - namely plan, section and elevation drawings.

Professor J. Scott Finn, Director of the the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture (APLA) International Studies Program in Rome has been named a member of the University's Global Teaching Academy, an Auburn University program that recognizes and celebrates selected members for exceptional teaching in an international context.

Will Ready, a fourth year student in the Interior Architecture Program, was chosen as a finalist in the Metropolis Workplace of the Future 2.0 competition for his entry Transitworks.  The competition entry was completed in the Fall Semester Elements of Interior Architecture course directed by Professor Sheri Schumacher.

Rebecca Retzlaff, PhD, AICP, has been named Interim Chair of the Graduate Program in Community Planning in the APLA.  Retzlaff is an associate professor in the Community Planning Program, specializing in local development regulation, land use planning and historic preservation.  She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

The College of Architecture, Design and Construction is sad to report that Tom Regan, former Dean, 1964 architecture alumnus, and good friend, passed away at his home on Cape Cod, Massachussetts on Thursday, March 5.  He was 74 years old.  Regan served as CADC dean from 1994 until 1998.  He had remained close to many in the CADC.

Auburn 2015 Accessibility Conference

Greetings from the City of Auburn.

The City of Auburn is proud to partner with the Auburn University Office of AA/EEO/ADA, the U.S. Access Board, and Auburn Chamber of Commerce to host the Auburn 2015 Accessibility Conference April 27-28 at the Auburn University Hotel and Conference Center.

The conference is intended to provide the latest information on the 2010 ADAAG and proposed PROWAG (Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines) standards along with implementation strategies, and best practices for achieving compliance.  The topics presented are designed for professionals involved in the dssign and build industries.  Sessions will be presented by the U.S. Access Board, the agency that developed the 2010 ADA Standards of Accessibility.  The ADAAG sessions will address aspects of parking, accessible entrances, accessible routes and interior spaces.  The PROWAG sessions will cover pedestrian access to sidewalks and streets, including crosswalks, curb ramps, street furnishings, pedestrian signals, parking, and other components of public rights-of-way. Sessions wil also cover Chapter 10 of the 2010 ADA Standards of Accessibility, which deals with removing physical barriers that can prevent children and adults with disabilities from accessing all elements of recreational activities, such as playgrounds, sporting facilities and outdoor spaces.

Click here for more information and to register for this free event.

Space is limited to 300 participants, so please submit your registration soon. CEU's will be offered through the International Code Council.

Chambliss King Receives State AIA Award

Chambless King Architects was honored recently with an Alabama Council of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Award for design excellence.
 
AIA Alabama recognizes projects that exemplify design excellence and achievement in various categories of building design at its annual Design Awards Gala, held on February 28 in Birmingham.  The Chambless King New Office project was granted Honorable Mention. This project was part of a multistory renovation for the historic Teague Warehouse building in downtown Montgomery. Built in the early 1900’s the Teague building boasts three stories of timber framing with a masonry facade and large punched windows. The Chambless King office renovation encompasses about half of the triangular-shaped top floor and accommodates an open studio for a design and production staff with adjacent private offices for senior staff and auxiliary functions.
 
A panel of nationally distinguished judges from the Southeast evaluated 45 statewide entries, and gave special recognition to seven entries, including the Chambless King Architects Office Project. The following are comments about the project: “The careful restraint of the interventions proves that the designers respected this historic building and allowed it to have its own character. The interior is a rich contrast to a very simple exterior.  The creative and honest use of the original materials helps highlight this richness.”
 
Chambless King Architects is an award-winning, multi-faceted architectural firm that offers a variety of services related to architecture, interior design, project management, master planning/urban planning, programming, and cost management. For more information, visit www.chamblessking.com.

April 15
AIA Montgomery Chapter Meeting
Montgomery Country Club
Montgomery, AL

April 27-28
Auburn 2015 Accessibility Conference
Auburn University Hotel and Conference Center
Auburn, AL
Click here for more information and to register for free.

May 5
Draw Montgomery Awards Reception
4 pm at the Armory Learning Arts Center
1018 Madison Avenue
Montgomery, AL

May 14-16
AIA 
2015 National Convention 
Atlanta, GA

June 12-14
Alabama Council of the AIA 
2015 Convention 
Birmingham, AL

April 15, 2015
Noon at the Montgomery Country Club
Montgomery, AL
 

The future of building may not be as far off as you think.  Platt Boyd, the Founder of Branch Technology, a new startup company, will be presenting how they have combined 3D printing technology with conventional construction materials to enable a new way to create buildings.

Platt, one of our own former Presidents of AIA Montgomery, will present the progress towards this new vision that has taken him away from being a Principal with Seay, Seay, & Litchfield Architect a year ago this month.  He will be sharing this technology for the first time in a semi-open way with your membership.  The company has been in "stealth mode" for the last year developing the core technology, proving its results, and finalizing the initial patents.  He is eager to finally be able to share with a wider audience what investors, a national laboratory, and industry partners have supported and gotten excited about.

There will also be the opportunity for an architect's focus group after the meeting to discuss in more depth your reaction and questions about the core technology for those wishing to participate.

Our sponsor for the April luncheon is HCS Group.  Founded in 2009, HCS Group, PC, is an engineering consulting and technical solutions firm located in Montgomery, AL.  HCS Group uses its founding core principles of leadership, integrity, service, and teamwork to deliver outstanding engineering services to commercial, government, and military clients throughout the world.

HCS Group is a small engineering firm on a global mission committed to providing exceptional engineering service.  Whatever the project discipline - electrical, architectural, structural, mechanical, blast, or site-civil - HCS Group structures its worldwide team of skilled professionals to meet clients' engineering needs in the United States and throughout the world.  The HCS Group team consists of engineers with top-notch talent, whose priorities are based on forging long-term relationships that fuel growth for clients and build a sustainable future.

With an experienced professional staff, HCS Group has managed as Prime A/E numerous projects worldwide up to $80 million; including solar, wind and hybrid renewable power systems. HCS Group maintains the most current and complex engineering programs, system modeling, rendering capabilities and BIM.

HCS Group and Patriot Design (A Ft. Hill/HCS Group Joint Venture) were both awarded Indefinite Delivery Contracts from the USACE Mobile for Latin America for $36 million each in 2014.  Patriot Design (A Ft. Hill/HCS Group Joint Venture) was also recently awarded an Indefinite Delivery Contract from the USACE Mobile MILCON Program in the amount of $48 million.

HCS Group supports the Brantwood Children’s Home as well as numerous other charities and organizations.  You can contact Kent Hornsby or Fran Holland at 334.277.6737 or by email at kent@hcsgroupet.com or fran@hcsgroupet.com.