Post Apocalyptic Buildings and Elegant Bathrooms

Ruth Knapp, AIA says:

I did a radio interview with Minnesota Public Radio. Actually, I've been a built environment news stringer for them for about a year or so, and this is my 2nd interview: http://tinyurl.com/mt2hye

The Broadway/Valdez District Specific Plan

Join us on Tuesday, August 4 when Kari Jo Ricketts-Ferris, Project Manager/Planning for the City of Oakland will discuss The Broadway/Valdez District Specific Plan.

The Broadway/Valdez District Specific Plan represents an effort to guide City officials in developing strategies to provide destination retail and mixed use development along Broadway between 23rd Street and Interstate 580 (Project Area Map). Broadway is viewed as the City’s “Main Street” and is significant due to its proximity to downtown, its location near two BART stations, a major AC transit bus route, as well as its relationship to adjacent residential neighborhoods, the adjacent medical campuses of Kaiser (Plan) and Summit/Alta Bates (Plan), the successful existing Piedmont Avenue retail street, Telegraph Avenue, the revitalization of Uptown, and a variety of development project in the plan area and the edge of Lake Merritt. The Upper Broadway Strategy estimates that potential development of this 10.5 acre section of Broadway could result in approximately 453,000 square feet of retail space and 834 residential units with estimated revenue generating floor area of 1.37 million square feet with the potential to create $1.7 million annually in sales tax revenue.

The Broadway/Valdez District Specific Plan will be developed in a three-phase process over approximately a two year period which began in January 2009. Through a series of community stakeholder meeting and public workshops hosted by the city of Oakland, citizens will be encouraged to be involved at every stage – developing the project goals, planning concepts and validating the final Plan. Recommendations will then be forwarded to the Landmarks Advisory Board, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission, and the Oakland Planning Commission for final review and City Council for its adoption. Reviews of the Plan’s environmental impacts are required and will occur during the later stages of the plan development process.

8/4/09

Regional and Urban Design Forum: The Broadway/ Valdez District Specific Plan

Time: Noon - 1:30pm

Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland.

Contact: 510/464-3600 or Douglas Frazier, AIA

Cost: None; this program open to all. Please RSVP.

1.5 CES/LU

For more information: 510/464-3600

Selling Professional Services in a Challenging Economy

In today's challenging economic environment, there are simply fewer opportunities than before. As a result, every successful business must do all they can to maximize their sales, marketing and business development efforts. During this round table discussion we will be addressing the following topics as well as other issues that you bring to the meeting:

• How to get in front of more new prospects on a regular basis
• How to avoid washing time chasing unqualified projects
• Why we frequently hear "I want to think it over" or some form of "maybe"
• How to shorten the time to close a sale (or get a decision)
• How to avoid cutting fees to get or keep the business
• How to differentiate our services more effectively
• How our attitudes and beliefs can impact our success

About the Speaker:
Joe Diliberto is a nationally recognized speaker. His background includes executive level positions in Sales and Marketing with Fortune 100 companies. An expert in his field, Joe is the owner of Sandler Training. The Sandler System has been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as the number on Sales Management Training Program for the past five consecutive years.

8/6/09

Small Firm Forum: Selling Professional Services in a Challenging Economy

Time: Noon - 1:00pm

Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland.

Contact: 510/464-3600 or Catherine Roha, AIA

Cost: Free for Chapter Members; $3 for non-members

1 CES/LU

For more information: 510/464-3600

10 Words/ 10 Images

Describe yourself, your work, your firm or your philosophy. Challenge yourself to find new ways to reinvent your portfolio presentation. What do you see in store for the coming recovery? This will be a great opportunity for those organizing their portfolio, looking to improve presentation skills or interested in seeing what your colleagues are working on.

8/13/09

Women In Architecture Forum: 10 Words/ 10 Images

Time: 6:00pm - 7:00pm

Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland.

Contact: 510/464-3600 or Laura de la Torre, Assoc. AIA

Cost: None; this program open to all. Please RSVP. Please email the work you will be presenting prior to the program.

1 CES/LU

For more information: 510/464-3600

Women in Green: Voices of Sustainable Design

The Organization of Women Architects and Design Professionals, a non-profit organization that has supported and promoted women in design-related fields since being founded in 1973, will host a panel discussion on Tuesday, August 18, which will focus on women leading in sustainable design and development. The discussion will be moderated by Kira Gould, co-author (with Lance Hosey) of the book Women in Green: Voices of Sustainable Design (Ecotone Publishing, 2007), and will start by addressing the question: “Why women and green?” with a look at the sensibilities that are leading innovation in the green development world.

Kira will engage the perspectives of a panel of five such leaders. We’l l hear from architect Marsha Maytum and designer Anni Tilt, who, with their respective firms, Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects and Arkin Tilt Architects, have won national design awards and recognition for sustainability leadership; Gail Brager, PhD, is a Professor (Building Science) and Interim Chair of the Department of Architecture, at UC Berkeley, and is the Associate Director of the Center for the Built Environment, an industry/university collaborative research center focused on improving the design, operation, and environmental quality of buildings.; Lisa Michelle Galley, cofounder an managing principal of Galley Eco Capital, advises investors and developers on maximizing returns and environmental value from green investment programs; and sustainability and green building consultant Laura Rodormer.

Please join us for a lively discussion about the sensibilities and ways of working that will be required—and are being tested today by these leaders—to promote needed evolution in the real estate and AEC industries. We have come a long way, and women are better represented in all thes e fields today than a generation ago, but these fields are still slow to change. Together, we can discuss how to increase the pace of change and make these fields more effective on all fronts—ecological, social/cultural, and economic.

PANELISTS

Marsha Maytum, FAIA, LEED AP is a founding partner of Leddy Maytum Stacy20Architects. She has focused her career on the rehabilitation of historic buildings, the adaptive reuse of existing structures and the creation of contemporary buildings within historic settings. Her education in the 1970s at the University of Oregon and Royal Academy in Denmark was founded upon responsible environmental design and historic preservation. By promoting sustainable design with innovative transformation of historic resources, she has demonstrated the link between saving buildings and natural resources. Frequently an invited juror and critic, Ms. Maytum also lectures nationally on the topic of sustainable design and adaptive reuse. Her work has received national and regional design awards from the American Institute of Architects, the National Building Museum, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the California Preservation Foundation.

Anni Tilt is a principal with Arkin Tilt Architects, an award-winning firm founded in sustainable design from its inception. Winner of the Acterra Business Award for the Sustainable Built Environment in 2002, 2 COTE/AIA Top Ten Green Project Awards, and numerous design awards, their work has been published nationally and internatio nally for excellence in design and sustainability. Anni is currently on the board of the Ecological Building Network, and was one of the founding members of the California Straw Building Association (CASBA). Anni has worked as a designer and project manager with Fernau and Hartman Architects in Berkeley and DEGW, an innovative London-based firm specializing in workplace design, as well as a construction coordinator for a major building contractor in Seattle. With a B.S.E. in Civil Engineering from Princeton University, she explored ecological use of wood in construction, taught structures and design, and was awarded the prestigious Branner Traveling Fellowship while pursuing an M. Arch. at UC Berkeley.

Gail Brager, PhD, is a Professor (Building Science) and Interim Chair of the Dept. of Architecture, at UC Berkeley, and is the Associate Director of the Center for the Built Environment, an industry/university collaborative research center focused on improving the design, operation, and environmental quality of buildings. She is also the past Chair of the USGBC Research Committee. As a mechanical engineer teaching in a school of architecture, she has over 24 years of e xperience in teaching and research across multiple dimensions of sustainability. She teaches in the areas of energy and environmental management, sustainable design, natural cooling, mechanical systems and architectural space-making, and architectural research methods. Her research activities focus on the healthy workplace, with a particular interest in promoting operable windows and natural ventilation in office buildings, and post-occupancy evaluation methods combining both physical measurements of the indoor environment with surveys of occupant response.

Laura Rodormer is an independent sustainability consultant who focuses on the built environment in the Bay Area. She previously managed the Green Consulting Services Division of Swinerton Management & Consulting, in San Francisco, where she offered sustainability and LEED consulting and facilitating project team efforts to deliver green building objectives. Prior to joining Swinerton, Laura served as the Commercial Green Building Coordinator for the City and County of San Francisco where she developed and implemented the LEED Gold Priority Permitting program and served on the Mayor’s Green Building Task Force—an organization that set=0 Athe foundation for the development of the 2008 San Francisco Green Building Ordinance. Currently Laura is the Co-Chair of the 2009 Mayor’s Existing Buildings Task Force to determine the opportunities for improving the performance of San Francisco’s commercial building sector. With a Bachelor of Science in Biology/Environmental Science from St. Lawrence University. Laura has 19 years of experience encompassing Sustainable Development, Business Development, Client Relations and Program Management. She is highly regarded for her strong intuitive and analytical abilities, complemented by effective communication with wide audiences; the ability to present complex information in a variety of formats; the vision to develop creative solutions; and the capability to lead, teach and enthusiastically motivate diverse groups. Laura is a LEED Accredited Professional.

Lisa Michelle Galley is cofounder of Galley Eco Capital and its Managing Principal. Recognized as one of the “First Ladies of Sustainability” by Sustainable Industries Magazine, she advises investors and developers on maximizing returns and environmental value from green investment programs via financial structuring, incentive=2 0and grant funding strategies. Her engagements include advising on green fund investment strategies, zero-energy neighborhood developments, triple bottom line investments, renewable energy finance, hotels, R&D campuses, and retail energy efficiency. She has also advised community owners on federal, state and local funding opportunities for their sustainable real estate, energy efficiency and transportation initiatives. Lisa is the treasurer of the US Green Building Council’s Northern California Chapter and an advisor on San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom’s Task Force on Existing Building Efficiency. She is the co-author of a new paper on Responsible Property Investing metrics, slated for distribution later this year.

MODERATOR

Writer Kira Gould is Director of Communications for William McDonough + Partners; she works from the firm’s San Francisco studio. She was the 2007 chair of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment and co-author of Ecology and Design, that group’s report on ecological literacy and architecture education. She is co-author, with Lance Hosey, of Women in Green: Voices of Sustainable Design (Ecotone Publishing, 2007). She has written about design and sustainability for Metropolis magazine, Architectural Record, Architecture Boston, The Boston Globe, and other publications. Kira is a LEED Accredited Professional and an Associate member of the AIA.

8/18/09

Women in Green: Voices of Sustainable Design

Hosted by the Organization of Women Architects and Design Professionals (OWA).

Cosponsored by AIA East Bay.

Time: 6:00pm for refreshments and appetizers; 6:30pm discussion begins

Location: Hafele Showroom, 151 Vermont Street, Suite 9, San Francisco.

Contact: Stacy Webb at stacy@owa-usa.org

Cost: $3 for OWA/AIA Members; $5 for non-members

1 CES/LU

For more information: 510/464-3600

VRV, An Innovative HVAC Technology for Green Building

An informative overview of variable refrigerant volume (flow) systems. VRV systems have been designed and applied around the world for more than 27 years. They are flexible, quiet, space saving, energy efficient and surprisingly simple to design and apply. The VRV system is ideal for many applications from residential to large commercial buildings.

Speaker, Jonathan Zumwalt, P.E. from Daikin Inc. will share the wealth of his air conditioning industry experience to help architects make better informed decisions regarding HVAC systems.

8/28/09

Committee on the Environment Forum: VRV, An Innovative HVAC Technology for Green Building

Variable refrigerant volume system is a fast growing HVAC system for green buildings. Get familiar with this growing HVAC technology and make better-informed design decisions.

Time: Noon - 1:30pm

Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland.

Contact: 510/464-3600

Cost: None; this program open to all.

1.5 CES/LU

For more information: 510/464-3600

The New AIA Contract Documents and Standards of Care

Come to the Professional Practice Forum to discuss the New AIA Contract Documents and Standards of Care. Joining the discussion will be industry experts Carolyn Isseks, Hon. AIAEB, Vice President of Dealey Renton & Associates; William Coggshall, Allied Member, Attorney with Archer Norris; and Garrett Murai, Allied Member, Wendel Rosen Black & Dean.

Come armed with questions, quandaries, and opinions! (Also, bring a lunch.)

Please let us know if you plan to attend so we can have appropriate seating.

7/16/09

Professional Practice Forum: The New AIA Contract Documents and Standards of Care

Time: Noon - 1:00pm
Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland.

Contact: 510/464-3600 or Tim Craig, AIA

Cost: None; this program open to all.

1 CES/LU

For more information: 510/464-3600

Tour: Fox Theater

Take a glimpse into the past of an era where going to the theater was full of glitz and glamour. The Fox Oakland Theater is an architectural and community treasure that was at-risk for demolition numerous times since the theater's closure in 1970. The original Weeks & Day theater was state of the art for the 1920's. Architecture firms Architectural Dimensions, ELS Architecture & Urban Design, and Starkweather Bondy worked hard to preserve the original grandeur and beauty while updating it for the 21st Century. It was through successful efforts and combined hard work of a team of developers, architects, contractors, local government, federal groups, and local citizens that the Fox Theater was able to reopen its' doors in 2009.



This adaptive reuse project maintains the original intended use as a theater, while also housing much-needed space for Oakland's School for the Arts. The addition of retail and dining establishments adds vibrancy to the neighborhood community, ensuring that when the Theater is not open for shows, people continue to visit the neighborhood.

8/12/09

Tour: Fox Theater

Time: Noon - 1:00pm

Location: Fox Theater, 1912 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland.

Contact: 510/464-3600

Cost: Free for AIA East Bay Chapter Members; $10 for non-members

Registration Required. Click here to register.

1 CES/LU

For more information: 510/464-3600

Inaccessible : Violations of the ADA

Join us on Wednesday, July 29 for a moderated panel discussion on the misinterpretations, violations and misapplications of the ADA in the built environment. The program will be followed by a wine and cheese reception and informal networking.

Moderator:
Bonnie Blake-Drucker, AIA

Panelists:

Kevin Knestrick, Lawyer for Disability Rights Advocates (DRA)

Kevin Knestrick joined Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) as a Disability Rights Advocates Fellow in 2003 and is currently a Senior Staff Attorney. Mr. Knestrick practices in all areas of disability discrimination, enforcing civil rights through class action litigation in state and federal courts in the areas of public accommodations, public entities and employment. He received his law degree from U.C. Hastings College of Law in 2003 and his B.A. from Stanford University, American Studies in 1996. Mr. Knestrick is admitted to practice in all California Courts, the U.S. District Court of California (Northern, Central, Eastern and Southern Districts) and the U.S. Court of Appeals (Ninth Circuit).

Susan Henderson, Executive Director, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc. (DREDF)

Susan Henderson, Executive Director, has been with Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc. (DREDF), since 1997. At DREDF her work includes direction of the Children and Family Advocacy and the Media & Disability Programs. In 2006, she helped start DREDF's Foster Youth Resources for Education (FYRE) project to heighten awareness and protect the rights of children with disabilities in the child welfare system. Ms. Henderson has worked in non-profit and law firm management and finance for 20 years. She serves on the board of the Ed Roberts Campus, a collective of seven non-profit agencies in the disability community that are collaborating on the construction of a universally-designed building in Berkeley, CA. She serves on the board of Community Resources for Science, an agency dedicated to strengthening science education in elementary schools. Ms. Henderson received her undergraduate degree in Anthropology from the University of California at Davis. She holds an MBA degree from the California State University, Hayward.

Christine Calabrese, Assoc. AIA - City of Oakland, ADA Coordinator. Christine plays a unique role as an access compliance specialist, applying her architectural design and project management skills to the implementation of disability civil rights laws. Ms. Calabrese started her career in 1985 after earning a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from SUNY Buffalo. She has spent the last twelve years working as the City of Oakland ADA Coordinator, participating in every aspect of local government and ensuring that city programs and facilities are accessible to people with disabilities.

Dawn Anderson, AIA – Dawn Anderson, AIA, CSI, is a registered architect, a California access specialist, and OSHPD / ICC certified inspector with 30 years of contract document production, quality assurance, and construction administration experience. She teaches building code courses at San Mateo College and Advanced Plans Reading seminars for CSI Santa Clara Valley chapter. Her firm, As It Stands, provides quality assurance and peer review services, code research and appeals, and construction inspection for large hospitals and other institutional and commercial projects. Accessibility surveys, reports, as-built documentation, property certifications, and expert witness services are provided for clients desiring to correct existing non-compliant conditions.

7/29/09

Monthly Program: Inaccessible - Violations of the ADA

A panel discussion of misinterpretations, violations, and misapplications of the ADA in the built environment.

Time: 5:30pm

Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland.

Contact: 510/464-3600

Cost: $15 for AIA East Bay chapter members; $30 for non-members

Registration is Required. Click here to register.

1.5 CES/HSW LU (MCE)

For more information: 510/464-3600

City of Richmond RFP

The City of Richmond is seeking proposals from qualified professionals to prepare a Historic Structure Report and additional materials including a Geotechnical Report, Seismic Evaluation, and Schematic Design Drawings for Rehabilitation of the Riggers Loft Building located at historic former Shipyard 3 in Richmond, California. The purpose of the RFP process is to solicit proposals from qualified consultants who are able to complete the project within the specified time frame. The complete solicitation process for the above referenced RFP will be done through the City’s BidsOnline system. Please register and download the RFP directly from our site to obtain the RFP. This will also ensure that you will receive E-mails and addenda to this solicitation. Please contact Ofelia Alvarez if you have any questions with the registration process.

For more information: See link: http://vendors.planetbids.com/Richmond/biddtl.cfm?BidNo=303&Status=Bidding.

The New Urban Village: A Design for Intergenerational Living

AIA East Bay’s August 26^th Monthly Program will feature the architect, developer and executive director team for the Taube-Koret Campus for Jewish Life in a presentation and discussion sharing their experiences. The program will be followed by a reception and informal networking.

The New Urban Village: A Design For Intergenerational Living

A new 12-acre community combining a variety of housing types, a cultural center, recreational facilities, and educational opportunities is opening this fall in Palo Alto. The Taube Koret Center for Jewish Life includes affordable and market-rate housing for families as well as independent, assisted and nursing level care for seniors. A community center and gym, pre-school and after school activities are available for both residents and the larger neighborhood. The architect, with the campus and housing developers, will discuss their strategic partnership to realize this new cultural hub.

Designed to bring generations together and foster a strong sense of community, a pedestrian street is the main artery that provides circulation between retail outlets; adult, senior, and teen activities; and learning centers. A series of age-appropriate courtyards are designed to host a variety of social activities. The result is a transformation—from brownfield (the former SUN Microsystems site) into a vibrant community that does not remove seniors or youth from mainstream society, but places them in an opportunity-rich environment that provides stimulation as well as safety and insulation.

Speakers:

Steinberg Architects—Rob Steinberg, FAIA, is president of the 100-person planning, architecture, and interiors firm. His background is in master planning and programming for long-range development, future trends in senior housing, and service-oriented approaches to continuing care retirement communities. http://www.tsgarch.com/

Bridge Housing—Lydia Tam, Interim President and CEO, supervises real estate development and project finance activities for the BRIDGE Housing Corporation and its for-profit affiliate, BRIDGE Urban Infill Land Development (BUILD). As the largest nonprofit developer in California, BRIDGE creates and manages a range of affordable, high-quality housing for working families and seniors. http://www.bridgehousing.com/

Taube-Koret Campus for Jewish Life— Shelley Hébert, as executive director, led the $265 million nonprofit project from acquisition through project design and development, fundraising and completion. She currently serves as the Executive Director for Public Affairs at Stanford Hospital & Clinics.

This program is presented by the Northern California Regional Design for Aging Committee.

8/26/09

Monthly Program: The New Urban Village - A Design for Intergenerational Living

Sponsored by Forell/Elsesser Engineers, Inc.

Time: 5:30pm

Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland.

Contact: 510/464-3600

Cost: $10 for AIA/DFA members & guests; $15 for non-members

Registration required. Click here to register.

1 CES/LU

For more information: 510/464-3600

NAC wants YOU!

The National Associates Committee (NAC) is looking for a few good Associates. They are conducting focus groups to look at member benefits and would like a 'fresh perspective'. This is YOUR chance to be heard!!

The type of people that should respond are:

1. Licensure track Associates

2. Non traditional Associates

3. Eternal Associates

For more information: send your name and contact info to Jaclyn: jaclyntoole@aia.org. The deadline is Friday, July 10th, 9am (12 noon EST).

Tackling Green Building and the Future of Virtual Design

Learn from experts in the field about what BEM is, the future of integrated solutions, and how building information modeling (BIM) can help with the current codes, certifications and sustainable design.

Speakers:

John Haymaker from Stanford and ARUP representative will discuss BEM and the future of information modeling and integrated solutions.

Thomas Simmons is the President and Owner of ArchVista and will discuss the uses of ArchiCAD in building information modeling and architectural technology.

Eric Bobrow is the principal of Bobrow Consulting Group, a full-service firm focused on sales, implementation and use of Building Information Modeling tools.

7/24/09

COTE Forum: BEM, BIM Tackling Green Building and the Future of Virtual Design

Time: Noon-1:00pm
Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland.

Contact: 510/464-3600 or Hafsa Burt, AIA

Cost: None; this program open to all. Please RSVP.
1 CES/LU

For more information: 510/464-3600

Passive Energy Buildings for California Climates

The Passive House Standard is the most rigorous energy label available internationally. A Passive House building has a high quality envelope that offsets the need for conventional space conditioning. Since HVAC equipment is reduced, total construction costs are competitive with conventional buildings, while energy consumption is dramatically reduced. Dan Johnson will illustrate passive design principles by applying the Standard to several prototype California buildings.

Dan Johnson studied best practices in the construction industry in Sweden while earning his M.Arch at the University of Washington in Seattle. He is a project manager at Arkin-Tilt Architects in Berkeley.

7/23/09

Pleasanton Lunchtime Learning: Passive Energy Buildings for California Climates

Dan Johnson will illustrate passive design principles by applying the Standard to several prototype California buildings.

Time: Noon - 1:30pm

Location: Dahlin Group, 5865 Owens Dr., Pleasanton

Contact: 510/464-3600

Cost: None; this program is open to everyone. Please RSVP.

1.5 CES/LU

For more information: 510/464-3600