AIA Kansas City: The American Institute of Architects

THINGS TO BE NEXT TO (Kansas City): September 4-October 15, 2010
La Esquina (a Charlotte Street Foundation Urban Culture Project venue) / http://www.charlottestreet.org
1000 West 25th Street, Kansas City, MO 64108
Opening reception: Saturday, September 4, 6-9pm
Public roundtable conversation with artists + curators: Saturday Sept. 4, 3:30pm
New Expanded Gallery Hours: Wednesdays, Fridays & Saturdays, 12-5pm; Thursdays, 11am-6pm

Charlotte Street Foundation’s Urban Culture Project is pleased to present Things to be Next To, an exhibition collaboration with threewalls, Chicago. Featuring recent and new work by Alberto Aguilar (Chicago), Peter Fagundo (Chicago), James Woodfill (Kansas City), and Warren Rosser (Kansas City), the exhibition will run September 4- October 15, 2010 in Kansas City at CSF’s la Esquina (an Urban Culture Project venue), and at threewalls in Chicago, November 5-December 11, 2010.

Co-curated by Kate Hackman (CSF) and Shannon Stratton (threewalls), this exhibition developed through extensive artist reviews and studio visits by each curator in the partner city. The project stems from each organization’s interest in cultivating relationships with artists, arts professionals, and arts communities in other cities to the benefit of the communities they serve, and extends each organization’s history of collaborating with other artist-centered organizations in the Midwest and nationally.

While the original idea for this project had been for an exhibition exchange or swap (a show of Kansas City artists in Chicago, and a show of Chicago artists in Kansas City), through the course of their visits they decided it would be a more collaborative and more substantial project to co-curate one exhibition combining artists from Kansas City and Chicago and travelling to both cities. Another interest that emerged was in the nature of the cities themselves, and how the conditions of each place, including the characteristics and contexts of the artists’ studios, inform their practices.

As the exhibition travels from one city to the other, the contrasting characteristics of la Esquina in Kansas City and threewalls in Chicago will be used to advantage to evince and amplify a sense of the different contexts in which this work was created, while also drawing out a rich field of connections among these artists. While much of the same artwork will be featured at both venues, there will also be pieces unique to each showing, and all four artists as well as both curators will be involved in the installation of both shows as well as attending the openings and participating in opening weekend public roundtable discussions.

All four artists work both two- and three-dimensionally, and are united in their use of materials borrowed or scavenged from their everyday surroundings. Resourcefulness, playfulness, a sophisticated sense of rhythm, color and texture, and a respect for the inherent qualities and potential of common objects and materials—as they put these materials to work in new configurations—are a few of the shared aspects connecting their work.

Like many Chicago-based artists, Alberto Aguilar and Peter Fagundo both work in their own homes, creating artworks that are intimate in scale and substance. Their work derives from, responds to, comments upon, and participates in the domestic realm, often involving collaborations with family members and knitted into a spectrum of daily life activities. From Fagundo’s gorgeous yet emphatically humble assemblages of painted cardboard, wood, or fabric scraps, to Aguilar’s informally formal “towers” of stacked chairs, draped laundry, toys or rolls of tape, to his tender, transfixing audio-recorded collaborations with his children—these two artists gently, tenderly, and disarmingly mine the potential of domestic environment as studio.

In contrast, James Woodfill and Warren Rosser work away from home, in expansive, high-ceilinged studios in the kind of industrial building characteristic of downtown Kansas City. Woodfill’s sculptural installations and Rosser’s fabric and carpet “paintings” respond to and integrate the architectures of these spaces, extending across walls and floors, and are calibrated to be experienced incrementally, from a range of perspectives and views enabled by the spaces they inhabit. A sense of freedom—to make things, step back and sit with them awhile, make other things, then circle back around again—is evident in these artists’ studios and palpable in their works, which convey a sense of ease, flux, and sustained potential. At the same time, both artists’ works for this exhibition reference the domestic as well, with Rosser employing fabrics and rugs in cut shapes that recall dressmaking patterns, and Woodfill creating structures that suggest—and can readily function as—benches, desks, and screens.

As part of the Galloway Urban Planning Lecture Series at KU’s School of Architecture, Design and Planning, please join us for an evening lecture featuring Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, a leader in New Urbanism, a national movement which seeks to end suburban sprawl and urban disinvestment.

Ms. Plater-Zyberk’s lecture, Designing for Community, will explore diverse advances in the theory and practice of planning, urban design and architecture. Her lecture will highlight a series of case studies in her recent experience that range from a country-wide plan in Haiti, to a metropolitan city zoning code in Miami, to agrarian urban design in Vancouver, and an infill urban design in Miami Beach.

This lecture in Lawrence is free and open to the public.

Date: Thursday, September 9, 2010
Time: 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Place: Hancock Ballroom, The Oread Hotel, 12th Street and Oread Avenue, Lawrence, Kansas

Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk is a founding principal of Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company. She is dean of the University of Miami’s School of Architecture, where she has taught since 1979. Having initiated the graduate program in Suburb and Town Design in 1988, Elizabeth continues to explore current issues in city growth and reconstruction with students and faculty. She has served as Director of the Center for Urban Community and Design, organizing and promoting numerous design exercises for the benefit of communities throughout South Florida.

Elizabeth is a founder and emeritus board member of the Congress for the New Urbanism, established in 1993. The New York Times has characterized the New Urbanism as “the most important phenomenon to emerge in American architecture in the post-Cold War era.” She has co-authored two books: Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream and The New Civic Art. Elizabeth received her undergraduate degree in architecture and urban planning from Princeton University and her master’s degree in architecture from the Yale School of Architecture.

This lecture series was created by Sharon Perry Galloway and the Galloway Family in honor of the late Dr. Thomas D. Galloway, founding chair of the Urban Planning program at the University of Kansas. Thank you to Sharon Perry Galloway and the Galloway Family for their generous and sustaining support.

Do YOU have a mentor?

Ever CONSIDER being a mentor?

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? THE TIME IS NOW!! The AIAKC Emerging Professionals Committee will be hosting its second annual Speed Mentoring Happy Hour September 9, 2010 at 5:30pm. We encourage all those who are interested in establishing a mentorship relationship to come out and meet your potential matches! The evening will start with some free time to network and socialize, followed by our Speed Mentoring Session, and finishing off with more mingling time. What better way to meet a pool of qualified mentors and to see if sparks fly??

If you are interested in participating as a mentor for the event, please contact Kristen DaMetz at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), or at (816) 221-3485. If you are looking for a mentor, or if you just want to join in on the fun, please be sure to sign up today!

Food and beverages will be served.

For Ready Mix, Contractors, Inspectors, Consultants, Architects, Landscape Architects, Engineers, Etc.

The class covers:
Pervious concrete history
Tools used for placement
Placement and finishing techniques
Curing and timing of curing
Basic layout and depth design
Basic mix design & materials
Overview of current testing and maintenance
Resources & Local Guidelines
Stormwater Compliance, Local Codes

The classroom session will be followed by a 30+ question multiple choice exam, then lunch. After lunch there will be a “hands on” field session where participants will
actually place pervious concrete themselves. Participants should dress appropriately and come prepared with work boots, work clothing and gloves. Everyone pitches in.

All who pass the classroom test (minimum of 80% on the written exam) and participate in the hands-on training, will receive a certificate and pocket card stating they
have successfully completed the course. This certification is required per specifications in most pervious concrete projects, and in projects where the pervious concrete
will be used as part of a Phase II Stormwater BMP. Contractors must have a Pervious Certified Employee on an active job site while pervious concrete is being placed. Certifications are revocable in the event of poor workmanship, or failure to follow the procedures outlined in the Pervious Concrete Training. All active certifications are listed at http://www.concretepromotion.com, under the pervious tab.

Please click here to register.

In Greater Kansas City, we are beginning to understand the benefits of more integrated, robust and impactful sustainability measures at every scale — from our homes and businesses to our neighborhoods and communities. However, we sometimes struggle to define the economic case for sustainability. As an economist and national thought leader, Dr. Eban Goodstein has substantial insight that will help move local sustainability efforts from planning to action.

At this extraordinary moment in human history with increasing populations reaching ever higher levels of consumption, we are up against a critical shortage of global resources. According to Goodstein, sustainability cannot be achieved with minor modifications to business as usual, but instead will require two concurrent revolutions: a clean energy revolution and a sustainability revolution in business and government.

This presentation will focus on the economic case for sustainability, what a green economy looks like and why it is profitable, moving from theory to implementation, why cities and states are the locus of innovation and how to bring your talent to the table while leading the revolution.

Click here for additional information and registration.

The Johnson County, Kansas Facilities Management and Information Technology Services departments are sponsoring a golf tournament as a fund raiser for the County’s “Feed the Need” program on Friday Sept 10 at the Gardner Golf Course. All proceeds will be equally distributed among ten Johnson County food pantries. The charity, under the 501-C-3 Johnson County Charitable Foundation Inc., provided over 186 tons of food during the 2009-10 campaign.

This attached flyer has all of the registration information. Please return your completed application and registration fees to Mike Chamberlin (see address below) no later than Friday, August 27. The tournament is limited to 48 teams, and we will return all applications and checks after we meet that capacity. Your donation is tax deductible, and anything you can give would help us make our tournament a success and benefit families
in need in Johnson County.

This is our sixth annual tournament. Each year has shown a dramatic increase in the amount of money raised. Last year we raised over $8,500. Please accept our gratitude for helping with this worthwhile cause. We truly appreciate your generosity and with your participation, the area food pantries are able to serve families in need.

Click here for more information.

We invite you to attend an important discussion with our special guest, Derek Richey, Vice President of the KCMO School Board. Mr. Richey is interested in meeting with our group to speak with architects about the historic “repurposing process” undertaken by the school board to evaluate and repurpose its vacated properties.

Background:
In March of this year the district gained national attention by closing 26 school buildings. The district now has 37 vacated or closed school properties. Over the summer, the school board developed the “repurposing process” through a series of public workshops and is seeking a “repurposer.”

Check out the web pages set up by the school district:
http://www2.kcmsd.net/Pages/Repurposing.aspx
https://kcmsd.schoolrecruiter.net/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=1234

Key discussion topics – What is the repurposing process and what is the Repurposing process for the District’s 26 properties – Who is a repurposer? Hiring a Repurposer to guide the community engagement for recommending and selecting projects – How does this process differ from the usual development process? – How can architects be involved? – What is the time line?
Superintendent John Covington, has said of the Right Sizing plan, that “we are fully aware that the entire nation is watching.” No school district in the nation has ever closed over half of its buildings all at once.

Be a part of this historic discussion.

The Architects Roundtable Meeting is an open forum for architects mainly focuses on 3 tracks: job search, Career development and Training, and helping small firms. If you have any questions or topic you would like to suggest for the Architects Roundtable Meeting please feel free to contact Hosam Habib, AIA : (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) .
Special thanks to Cecelia Dillon, AIA a member of the Architects roundtable who suggested this event to our roundtable meeting.

Please feel free to bring your own lunch.

The Board of Directors and staff of AIA Kansas City invite you to our 2010 Annual Meeting / Chapter Elections. Come and enjoy Food, Beverages and Special Entertainment at the new AIA Kansas City office on Tuesday, September 14 beginning at 5:30 p.m. See you there.

Candidate Statements will be out soon, so be sure to read up on all the candidates. All AIA and Associate AIA members are eligible to vote. If you are not able to join us on September 14th, please feel free to fill out an absentee ballot at the AIA Kansas City office during office hours (8:00am – 5:00pm) from September 7 – September 14.

William J. DeBauche, an attorney with Brown & Ruprecht, P.C., will speak on recent legislative action affecting the design and construction industry on both sides of the state line. The Builders’ Association will host a presentation to review the statutes and how they impact business in an already challenging economy.

This seminar will explain the new Missouri mechanic’s lien statute, R.S. Mo. 429.016. This statute establishes a different system with unique notice deadlines for new residential construction, which includes condo, townhome, and mixed-use construction. It also introduces the idea of bonding off liens and slander of title statutes into Missouri lien law.

In addition, the speaker will explain amendments to the Kansas Fairness in both Public and Private Construction Acts, involving changes to retainage provisions.

Event Registration:
Date: September 14, 2010, 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Location: The Builders’ Association Education & Training Center 105 W 12th Avenue North Kansas City, MO 64116

Fee: $10

Register at http://www.buildersassociation.com or by contacting Tiffany Moore at 816.595.4143.

Join Young Architect’s Forum for Cartesian Eco-Fem Darkanism, a lecture/performance event exploring the philosophy behind the green design movement.

Cartesian Eco-Fem Darkanism is presented by Black Lantern Synergy, a Portland, Oregon based organization dedicated to advancing environmental awareness. Through a lecture-exhibit series that blends academic research, poetic verse, natural imagery, and experiences in the American wilderness, they seek new ground in the social dialogue about the environment. With a thesis that began as an article in the Environmental Law journal, they seek to “not only re-think our current environmental conundrum, but to re-feel it.”

This event is free and open to the public.

http://www.blacklanternsynergy.com