Monthly Program Michael E. Willis, FAIA--On the Brink of 20/New Work Takes Flight

On Wednesday, May 28 at 5:30 pm Michael E. Willis, FAIA, NOMA will discuss his firm’s presence in its dominant sectors of water, land, air and place. This talk will focus on the firm’s recent and unprecedented growth as Michael Willis Architects continues to gain momentum at 20 years young, and wrestles with the growing pains [good ones] while accepting the challenge of becoming a signature national practice.

Time: 5:30pm
Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland
Contact: Kellie Hewlett at 510/464-3600
Cost: $15 for chapter members and their guests; $25 for non-members
Click Here for Registration
1 CES/LU

For more information: contact Kellie Hewlett, Program Coordinator at 510/464-3600

Young Architects Lunchtime Forum: Hardwood Floor Finishes

The Young Architects Forum will host a lunchtime presentation on Tuesday, May 27 at noon.

Golden State Flooring will present an informative talk on the appropriate hardwood finish systems, and maintenance for hardwood floor projects. The difference between pre-finished and site finished floors. Finish appearance, sheen variables, performance expectations, and the appropriate maintenance will be introduced.

Time: Noon-1:00pm
Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland
Contact: Kellie Hewlett at 510/464-3600 or Gerard Lee, AIA
Cost: Free; Please RSVP Lunch will be provided
This Forum open to all.
1 CES/LU

For more information: contact Kellie Hewlett, Program Coordinator at 510/464-3600

Professional Practice Forum: Sticks and Stones; Words Can Hurt

On Thursday, May 22 at noon Moya Henderson of Dealey, Renton & Associates and Jordan Rojas of Long Lovitt will lead the discussion on how the misuse of words can hurt you, your client and your practice. The presntation will focus on techniques on how to prevent verbal and written suicide. Join us for lunch and learn the differences between "inspect and observe"

Time: Noon-1:00 pm
Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street , Oakland .
Contact: Kellie Hewlett at 510/464-3600 or Tim Craig, AIA
Cost: None; this program open to all. Please RSVP
1 CES/LU

For more information: contact Kellie Hewlett, Program Coordinator at 510/464-3600

Regional Urban Design Forum: Transit Orient Design and other Multi-Modal Issues

Join the Regional and Urban Design Forum on Wednesday, May 21 at noon for an informative discussion on Transit Orient Design and other Multi-Modal Issues. Presented by Jason Patton, City of Oakland. He will discuss the updated Bicycle Master Plan and the effects on urban architecture.

Jason Patton, PhD is the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager for the City of Oakland Transportation Services Division

Jason received his Ph.D. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in science and technologies studies (STS). His academic work addresses street design for multi-modal transportation, environmental justice planning, and the relationship between material change and social change in the urban built environment.

Time: Noon-1:00 pm
Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland.
Contact: Kellie Hewlett at 510/464-3600 or Ann Panopio, Assoc. AIA
Cost: None; this program open to all. Please RSVP
1 CES/LU

For more information: contact Kellie Hewlett, Program Coordinator at 510/464-3600

Greening Our Practices

On Tuesday May 20 at 6:00 pm the Young Architects Forum will present Greening Our Practices

Bay Area Green Business Certification is an attractive prospect for small- to medium-sized, locally-based businesses seeking to market themselves as environmentally responsible. Enrollment and certification rates have steeply increased, but who can benefit most from this certification, how and why? Alameda County's Green Business Coordinator presents these basics, and compares the Bay Area Green Business certification to other types of 'green' certifications/accreditations.

Pamela Evans has been Alameda County's Green Business Coordinator since the Program's inception in 1997. Since then, Pamela has overseen the 'green' certification of 400 Green Businesses in the East Bay. She has built partnerships with over 35 local partners, including government, utilities, special districts, nonprofit and business organizations to create a local environmental certification process that has served as a model for over a dozen other local green business programs in and beyond California. Pamela has worked in environmental regulation and pollution prevention education since 1980.Agenda (not necessarily in this order): What is the Green Business Program?What is the benefit?Who is it for - and not for?What are the standards? How does it work?

Time: 6:00-7:30pm
Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland
Contact: Kellie Hewlett at 510/464-3600 or Gerard Lee, AIA
Cost: None; this program open to all. Cocktails provided. Please RSVP.

For more information: contact Kellie Hewlett, Program Coordinator at 510/464-3600

What's New in 2009 Autodesk Solutions

On Tuesday, May 20 from 9:15 to 3:15 Ideate will host the new 2009 Autodesk Solutions feature powerful tools to immediately impact your design process and your business, enabling you to experience your designs before they are real. Join us at one of our ‘What’s New in 2009 Autodesk Solutions’ events and see how these tools increase productivity, reduce errors and save valuable time.

Throughout May Ideate is hosting multiple events across Northern California, Nevada and Oregon. Experts from the Ideate team will present their favorite new features in select 2009 Autodesk Solutions including:

Revit Architecture
Revit Structure
Revit MEP
Civil 3D
Map 3D
AutoCAD

Seating is limited at each event so please select the product(s) you have the most interest in. Registration is required for each presentation.

More information: 888-662-7238 x 6892 or marketing@ideateinc.com

Time: 9:15am-3:30pm
Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland
Contact: Freddy Vasquez at 415.814.5539
Cost: None; Lunch will be provided by Ideate, Inc.
To register: http://www.ideateinc.com/2009products/

For more information: Freddy Vasquez at 415.814.5539

Transbay Taskforce Meeting, 5/13

Next Transbay Taskforce MeetingTuesday, May 13, 2008Noon-1:00 p.m.
The Latest on TransLink and Fare Change Proposals

You won’t want to miss the next Transbay Taskforce meeting on Tuesday, May 13. We’ll have a representative from the TransLink team to provide the latest updates and answer questions. We’ll also further discuss the fare change proposals being considered by AC Transit’s Board of Directors at a public hearing on May 21. We’re sure you'll want to have a say in what happens to Transbay fares, so come and have your voice heard. As usual, bring your lunch and we’ll provide beverages and treats.
PG&E Conference Center, Room 1417245 Market St. (at Beale)

For more information: San FranciscoQuestions? Contact Karen Bakar (510) 891-7153, kbakar@actransit.org

Architecture for Humanity - Myanmar Rebuilding Appeal

Architecture for Humanity is raising funds to support reconstruction effortsafter this weekend's devastating cyclone in Myanmar.

Architecture for Humanity: Myanmar Rebuilding Appealhttp://www.architectureforhumanity.org/node/754 http://www.architectureforhumanity.org/myanmar

Often media attention focuses on relief efforts. Months later, after thecameras have left, communities face the difficult task of rebuilding with little support. Architecture for Humanity offers long-term technicalexpertise when it is needed most during the reconstruction phase. Our work will focus on rebuilding sustainable clinics, schools, communitycenters and other critical infrastructure as well as housing. Past experience has shown that these buildings serve as critical anchors inhelping communities rebuild and families restart their lives.

How your contribution can make a difference:
* $15,000 supports a design team for six months to a year.
* $50,000 builds a transitional school (Just about the most important thing you can do as it allows parents to rebuild and begin working again)
* $150,000 builds a community complex (health clinic, daycare center, jobstraining center, government offices.)

If you are interested in getting involved, contact us at: volunteers@architectureforhumanity.org .
To support sustainable reconstruction, make a donation today by visiting: http://www.architectureforhumanity.org/donate We will be posting updates to our site as well.

For more information: Barb@Architectureforhumanity.org
Architecture For Humanity, 848 Folsom Street #201, San Francisco, CA 94107 415.963.3511

WIA: Mitigating Risks – Non-Traditional Thinking

Risk is defined as hazard or chance of loss. Join the Women In Architecture Forum on Thursday, May 8 at 6:00 pm as they discuss active and passive risk management.

“What do you stand to lose?” The list is long: money, business, current and future clients, business relationships and employees…. And above all the life safety and welfare of the public is at risk.

Traditionally design professionals think about reviewing documents, but they don’t think about the other things that can cause a team to perform poorly. All the things on the following list are actually active ways to mitigate risk, but not what we generally think of at first.

· the decision to pursue a project
· terms of your contracts,
· record keeping, policies and procedures
· client relationship
· quality assurance procedures,

Time: 6:00-7:30pm
Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland
Contact: Kellie Hewlett at 510/464-3600 or Jamie Brown, Assoc. AIA
Cost: None; this program open to all. Cocktails provided. Please RSVP.
1 CES/LU

For more information: contact Kellie Hewlett, Program Coordinator at 510/464-3600

Lunchtime Learning: Oakland's Planning and Zoning

Wednesday, May 7 at noon the City of Oakland's Planning and Zoning Department will discuss the updates on the Planning and Zoning regulations to make them consistent with the General Plan, which the City adopted in March 1998. The zoning regulations are being streamlined and tailored to reflect community needs. The revised Planning Code will be an updated, more user-friendly framework for reviewing and approving development projects.

Time: Noon-1:00pm
Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland
Contact: Neil Gray , Strategic Planning (510) 238-3878
Cost: None. This meeting open to all chapter members.
Click here for more information

For more information: contact Kellie Hewlett, Program Coordinator at 510/464-3600

Announcing May Workshops on the Regional Transportation Plan

Help Plan the Bay Area's Transportation Future

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is currently in the process of updating the region's long-range transportation plan and invites you to participate in the discussion about how to spend our transportation dollars over the next twenty-five years. A series of nine public workshops - one in each of the nine Bay Area counties - is being held in May and all members of the public are encouraged to attend.

For more information: Find a workshop in your area click here.

2008-09 Grants for Research in Architecture Announced

This November, Rafael Viñoly Architects will award up to five grants of US$60,000 each for studies focused on transformations in the built environment within dynamically changing societies. Singular grants have been a vital component of the practice's Training and Research Programs since their 2005 introduction. This year, to commemorate the firm's twenty-fifth anniversary, multiple grants will be conferred..Proposed projects should emphasize original research focused on any region of the world, though there is particular interest in studies addressing relevant issues in China, the Middle East, Russia, and South America. Study subjects might include new demands for housing and infrastructure due to urban immigration in China, South Asia, and Africa; the proliferation of new cities in sparsely populated regions of the Middle East; threats to historic resources posed by development or changing political climates in Russia, Eastern Europe, and former European colonies; and more. The firm seeks insights into how these and other transitions are reshaping the work of architects and others charged with managing our physical surroundings..Studies may be framed in reference to aspects of architectural design, engineering, construction, planning, project delivery, and conservation; the techniques, technologies, practices, and materials associated with these; the governmental policies, economic, and social factors that shape them; or the trades, crafts, and professions with which they are involved..Citizens of all countries are eligible to apply for the grants individually or as teams. In addition to receiving financial support to pursue their studies, Rafael Viñoly Architects Research Fellows may elect to spend a portion of their time in residence at the firm's New York offices. In 2010, the firm intends to publish the Fellows' final papers in book form and to sponsor a New York conference at which the Fellows will present and discuss their work.

The deadline for submitting grant proposals is August 1, 2008. Grant recipients will be notified in November.

For more information: www.rvatr.com for more information.Click here for Calendar Listings Text