News:
Request for Proposals | Pavilion Project
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, is pleased to present an exceptional opportunity for architects, designers and students to submit proposals for a highly visible and temporary pavilion to be designed and constructed on the Museum grounds to complement the featured exhibition Inventing the Modern World: Decorative Arts at the World’s Fairs, 1851–1939 (April 14-August 19, 2012). A design review committee composed of museum director Julián Zugazagoita, curator Catherine L. Futter, and additional members will choose 3-4 proposals for formal presentation and the final selection.
Call for Entries | AIA Healthcare Design Awards
The AIA/AAH Design Awards showcase the best of healthcare building design and healthcare design-oriented research. The awards highlight the trends of healthcare facilities and the future direction of these facilities. Projects should exhibit conceptual strength that solve aesthetic, civic, urban, and social concerns as well as the requisite functional and sustainability concerns of a hospital. The AIA/AAH will recognize the firms for their contribution to the healthcare environment.
Design competition for 2012 KC Design Week
We are super excited to bring “Cut & Paste,” a digital design competition, to 2012 Kansas City Design Week. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before—big, bright, fast, exciting, over-the-top, cream-of-the-crop, worldwide, and leading edge. KC Design Week is bringing C&P to Kansas City for the first time—joining cities like San Francisco, London, Mexico City, and Tokyo that have held C&P events.
The event has a fun twist to the traditional design tournaments. Instead of designing alone by the warm glow of a monitor, the contestants show off their talent in front of a live audience. It will be an energetic display of creative design. Watch a great Cut & Paste trailer by Cool Hunting at http://www.coolhunting.com/culture/cut-paste.php.
This is where we could use your help:
First, mark your calendar and forward this info to your colleagues. Cut & Paste is on Feb 29 (Leap Day!), 2012.
Second, we are seeking contestants who are emerging designers in either 2D or motion design. This is not a firm commitment at this time; we are trying to identify people who would be exciting contestants. This competition is not intended for students; it’s for professionals (of all ages).
Please send your name or other contestant recommendations to Steven Chau, one of the KC DesignWeek organizers, at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
For more information on Cut & Paste visit http://www.cutandpaste.com/index.php/tour.
We want to see a strong showing of architects and designers, so submit your name TODAY!
Dawn Taylor
Executive Director
Call for Nominations | Jury for Fairy Houses & Forts
Fairy Houses & Forts: An Enchanting Garden Adventure coming to Powell Gardens in 2012
Selection Panel Forming Now
Powell Gardens is seeking one AIA Kansas City member to serve on a selection panel for its 2012 juried summer exhibition: Fairy Houses & Forts.
The selected panelist will join a team that includes representatives of the art community and the Gardens staff to evaluate and select up to seven entries for inclusion in the exhibition.
The selection panel will meet from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, at the AIA offices—lunch is included! The backup date in case of inclement weather is Friday, Jan. 13.
Interested candidates should email a brief biographical sketch to (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) by Friday, Dec. 2.
Those interested in participating in the Call for Entries can get full contest details at http://ht.ly/77oe7. Entries are due Monday, Jan. 9.
Endorsed by
AIA Kansas City | Prairie Gateway ASLA | Kansas City Art Institute
In case you missed it | AIA Kansas City’s Award Program featured in The Kansas City Star
Three transformative projects win KC architectural design awards
Bank, high school and factory expansion are honored.
By STEVE PAUL
Three building projects that wholly transformed their existing sites received top honors in this year’s design excellence awards given by the American Institute of Architects/Kansas City.
The winners — a bank, a factory expansion and a high school — were announced at a recent awards event at the Uptown Theater. The awards program, judged by a panel of outside professionals, serves as a periodic report card on how area architects produce new and creative solutions for a wide range of building types and projects.
Click here to read the entire article from The Kansas City Star.
AIA National | Architecture Billings Index Moves Upward
Overall business conditions remain negative
After a sharp dip in September, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) climbed nearly three points in October. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the October ABI score was 49.4, following a score of 46.9 in September. This score reflects an overall decrease in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 57.3, up from a reading of 54.3 the previous month.
“An increase in the billings index is always an encouraging sign,” said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA. “We’re seeing some regions and some construction sectors move into positive territory. But there continues to be a high level of volatility in the marketplace with architecture firms reporting a wide range of conditions from improving to uncertain to poor. It’s likely we will see a similar state of affairs in the coming months.”
Click here to read the rest of the article from AIA National.
Eco-Structure | Greenhouse Winner: Sustainable Residence in Kansas City, Kan.
The house at 3716 Springfield is one of the most unusual spec houses in the United States. At 2,640 square feet, it is not particularly large or imposing. But in the midst of the sedate environs of Kansas City, Kan., its contemporary lines are startling—it looks like a rendering that has been magically Photoshopped onto its site. And, unlike most spec homes, it was designed to be a net-zero-energy house, with rooftop photovoltaics (PV) and a 25-foot-tall wind turbine in the backyard.
AIA San Francisco | “How to Start Your Own Firm”
AIA San Francisco has recently launched “How to Start Your Own Firm” resource guide”. This guide was created with support from the AIA Trust.
Member Firm Summit Review
We enjoyed having 18 firm principals participate in our Member Firm Summit last Tuesday. We had a great exchange among peers, and our AIA Kansas City board and staff gained good insight from hearing about trends, concerns, and opportunities that our members shared with us.
Member firms form an important link for our chapter and are a vital source of support for our programs, such as Pillars Leadership Program. We are excited to roll out enhanced benefits for Member Firms in 2012. If you are a current Member Firm, we look forward to your renewal in the coming weeks. If your firm is interested in joining this group of 83 firms—all shapes, sizes, and types—we welcome your involvement!
Please feel welcome to contact me directly to learn more about firm membership. It’s part of what makes AIA Kansas City one of the top chapters in the country.
Dawn Taylor
Executive Director
AIA Launches Stalled Projects Database
The American Institute of Architects has launched its Stalled Projects Database, where industry leaders can connect with investors and re-start projects nationwide that make solid economic sense but which lack the financing needed to be finished. Find out more about how you can get involved.