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ARCHITECT | AIA Billings Index Contracts in April
After five straight months where the American Institute of Architects’ Architecture Billings Index reported growth for the design and construction professions, April’s numbers report mild contraction, a disappointment for many who were hoping that the economic recovery had finally caught some steam and that growth, moderate though it has been, would continue through the spring and summer. April’s score was 48.4, beneath the metric’s growth threshold number of 50. (March’s billings score was 50.4.)
April’s project inquiry index also dipped to 54.4, from March’s 56.6. This does still mean growth in inquiries for architectural work, just at a lower level than the profession has seen since September 2011. (The project inquiries index has come in above 50 every month since February 2009—that’s 39 straight months.)
This drop in billings could be an aberration, or it could be a market correction caused by a mild hangover from the unseasonably warm winter. Some have argued that this would happen, saying essentially that work which would have been done this spring was instead performed over the winter because there were no harsh conditions to prevent doing so (i.e., firms didn’t need to wait for snow to melt before beginning construction). They would say that now there is a lag in production and work because we didn’t really witness an excess of demand over the past six months, just work that was performed earlier than expected. Others have opined that applying historical trends in this way to our current economic situation doesn’t apply, and that instead, we are in a unique situation due to the long, jobless recession and the extraordinary actions taken by the Federal Reserve and federal government over the past few years, in addition to the continuing output gap and accompanying buildup of demand. One data point does not make a trend, though, and it is too early to prove or refute either story.
The score for all four industry sectors is down in April, although half of those remain in growth territory. And three of the four regions of the country also saw their billings score decrease. Only the West region defied this condition.
Regional Averages
Northeast: 51.0
Midwest: 50.1
South: 49.0
West: 48.0
Sector Index
Commercial/Industrial: 53.8
Multifamily Residential: 50.5
Institutional: 46.6
Mixed Practice: 45.0
(The regional and sector categories are calculated as a three-month moving average, whereas the index and inquiries are monthly numbers.)
Call for Entries | Urban SOS: Frontiers
This year, we are seeking integrated design, planning, environmental restoration and engineering responses that address border, gateway and edge/fringe conditions in cities worldwide. Proposals should address urban sites currently facing chronic liveability challenges that are largely the result of a city’s location on a physical, political, cultural or economic border. Proposals should be implementable. In addition to a cash prize for the winning team, we will be engaging a local organization to help advance the proposed project. Responses can range from a strategic framework to a surgical micro-response, from a whole landscape system to a single piece of architecture. Entrants should demonstrate a holistic and sustainable approach. Judges will value creativity and innovation, but your response must be fundamentally feasible.
The competition is open as of April 16 to students worldwide. Students may work as individuals or in teams of up to four. The deadline for final submissions is 31 August, and pre-registration must occur by that deadline any time prior to the final submission. Finalists will be announced by October 1. During the week of November 12, finalists will present their submissions to a panel of judges in Shanghai, and a final winner or winners will be announced. At stake is USD$15,000 as a cash prize, as well as USD$25,000 to help see the winning scheme implemented. For full submission requirements and competition details click here.
Call for Entries | ReSpace Competition
The ReSpace Competition is an effort to raise awareness of reuse materials while showcasing creative and successful small space designs inspired by their use.
A total of $3,000 in awards will be presented to multiple winners. The Grand Prize winner’s design will be constructed in a 48-Hour Build overseen by Habitat for Humanity of Wake County and will receive $1,000 in prize money. The final ReSpace structure will be sold and proceeds will benefit Habitat for Humanity of Wake County.
AIA National | 2012 AIA/HUD Secretary’s Awards
The Housing and Custom Residential Knowledge Community of the AIA, in conjunction with HUD, recognizes excellence in affordable housing architecture, neighborhood design, participatory design, and accessibility. Good design is a cornerstone of thriving homes and communities of all incomes and backgrounds. These awards demonstrate that design matters, and provide examples of important benchmarks in the housing industry.
The categories of the program include (1) Excellence in Affordable Housing Design Award (2) Creating Community Connection Award (3) Community-Informed Design Award (4) Housing Accessibility – Alan J. Rothman Award. View all 2012 AIA Awards Recipients.
AIA National | AIA Launches New Sustainable Practice Resources for 2012
New practice resources for the IgCC, the 2030 Commitment, sustainable project documents, and energy modeling
In 2012, the AIA will launch a number of resources and tools to raise member awareness and understanding of sustainable practice issues. From the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) to LEED 2012, the practice of architecture is rapidly changing—and greening. The AIA is committed to helping its members succeed in this new practice environment, remaining competitive as code, technology, and legal requirements evolve, pushing the design envelope toward carbon neutrality.
ARCHITECT | Missouri Bank Branches
Grant Burcham, the CEO and president of Missouri Bank, is adamant that his Kansas City, Mo.–based financial institution is different—a point that is driven home when he flashes a photo of himself and two other bank officers attending the company’s annual costume party, dressed, quite convincingly, as punk rockers. The bank is different. It loans money to odd entrepreneurs. It puts on huge rock-paper-scissors tournaments for customers. And it’s not afraid to embrace its differences: During the recent financial crash, Burcham thought of putting up a billboard with his own personal commentary on one of the banking industry’s more unsavory elements. The mock-up reads: “Dear Goldman Sachs, Because of you, we’re embarrassed to tell people we’re a bank.”
AIA offers Free ADA Webinar Series
A three part webinar series sponsored by the Universal Design member-created community on AIA KnowledgeNet will address residential and commercial applications through a series of case studies.
How to incorporate Universal Design principles in commercial facilities (free)
Apr 11, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Residential Universal Design
May 9, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Excellence in Universal Design Case Studies
Jun 13, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
View a complete list of free CE webinars: http://network.aia.org/AIA/Events/Webinars.
AIA | AIA to Fund Research of Residential Practice Methods
The AIA plans to fund one emerging professional’s research focused on budding approaches to the practice of residential architecture among small firms. Sponsored by the association’s Knowledge Community and Small Project Practitioners, the 2012 Innovation and Practice in House Design Research Grant will award $7,000 for the research equivalent of a 12-week, full-time architectural internship. Undergraduate or graduate students in NAAB-accredited architecture programs, architectural interns pursuing licensure, and architects who have been licensed for fewer than 10 years are eligible to apply; the researcher must be an AIA Associate member or AIAS for the duration of the grant. The research period is scheduled to occur June 4, 2012, to Oct. 31, 2012. For more information, visit network.aia.org. The deadline to apply is May 23, and the winner will be announced May 30.
Request for Improvement Projects
The Downtown Council’s Infrastructure Committee is seeking Capital Improvement project ideas from the neighborhoods within the Greater Downtown Area Plan (GDAP) boundaries. Potential projects can be seeking funding for phases of Study, Design and Engineering, or Construction in categories of Catalyst, Connectivity, Neighborhood Projects or other.
The Infrastructure Committee will compile all submitted requests into a master list and begin reviewing them over the next couple of months. It will then prioritize its recommendations for improvement projects to the GDAP Implementation Committee prior to the PIAC request deadline on August 31, 2012 for Fiscal Year 2013-2014.
Capital Improvement project suggestions need to be received no later than June 7th 2012.
Please submit to Mark Rowlands at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or fax to (816) 421-1661.