March 19, 2012

By Alanna Malone

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In November 2010, ten city mayors and nine school superintendants met with sustainability experts, architects, and educators at a three-day summit in Sundance, Utah. The goal was to develop an action plan for greening American schools. Toward the end of the conference, Ronald Bogle, president and CEO of the American Architectural Foundation (AAF), committed to a future workshop that would continue the dialogue.

Bogle recently made good on that promise. From March 7 to 9, the AAF collaborated with the USGBCs Center for Green Schools to host the National Green Schools Design Summit in Washington, D.C. This time the agenda examined real issues from five city school districts. We wanted to take the lessons learned from Sundance and expand on them, says Graham Stroh, AAF program manager. Theres a lot of power in bringing these groups together.

The participating cities were: Bismarck, North Dakota; Charleston, South Carolina; Philadelphia; Sacramento, California; and Salt Lake City. Charlestons Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., Sacramentos Mayor Kevin Johnson, and Salt Lake Citys Mayor Ralph Becker had all been at Sundance and were grateful for the opportunity to attend the summit in D.C. Being a part of this group as a follow-up to Sundance is a privilege, said Mayor Becker.

On day one, the city contingents began by presenting one or two problematic case studies from their districts. City and school leaders were then grouped with architects for design charrettes to create tailor-made solutions for each project. On day two, each group presented their results during 15-minute presentations, which varied greatlyfrom broad overviews for district-wide sustainable strategies to specific design enhancements for school buildings.

Salt Lake City shared a plan for a community-learning center, to be built between a middle school and elementary school and combine three programs: adult learning; daycare; and a dental, vision, and mental health clinic. Though the project is currently out to bid, the team learned so much about sustainability and systematic thinking during the workshop that they may put it on hold to reconsider some of the design elements. The Charleston group worked with the architects to revamp the layout of a planned learning center, breaking it into separate mixed-use structures that reflect the historic and local freedmans cottage style. We came with a complicated problem, and we solved it, said Mayor Riley. Likewise, the Philadelphia team presented a strategic plan for one troublesome school that will transform an unseemly chain link fence into a public art project, create a sunflower field in a vacant lot, and help form partnerships with local businesses for school programs.

Tamara Uselman, the superintendant for Bismarck Public Schools, sees broader applications for the suggestions of her teams architects: What we learned is going to have a huge impact across the state.

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Architects, Mayors, and Educators Convene for Green Schools Design Summit

LONDON, March 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Friday 16th March saw key players from Ridgeford Properties, Manhattan Loft Corporation, HOK Architects and Sisk celebrate the topping out of the final phase of the Fitzrovia Apartments development at 50 Bolsover Street, London W1

Fitzrovia Apartments is a joint venture between Ridgeford Properties Ltd and Manhattan Loft Corporation and is a mixed use development of 66 private apartments and 4 penthouses, an orthopaedic clinic and commercial studio space.

HOK Architects are responsible for the distinctive "contextual but modern" design and the main contractor on the project is John Sisk & Son.

Only 7 apartments remain for sale within the development and the 4 penthouses are expected to be released for sale on completion.

Joint sales agents for Fitzrovia Apartments are Knight Frank and Druce.

The project is due for completion in the summer of 2012.

Chris Murray, Managing Director of Ridgeford Properties Ltd comments "The topping out of The Fitzrovia Apartments marks an important milestone in not only this development but the entire Fitzrovia /East Marylebonecommunity.

Together with Manhattan Loft Corporation we have set the new standard for luxury centralLondonliving whilst protecting the integrity and legacy in one of London's premier neighborhoods."

Harry Handelsman, CEO of Manhattan Loft Corporation says "Together with Ridgeford Properties the topping out of Fitzrovia Apartments continues the commitment of Manhattan Loft Corporation to the regeneration ofLondonby introducing diverse and interesting architecture in fashionable areas."

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Ridgeford Properties & Manhattan Loft Corporation Celebrate Topping Out of Their Landmark 'Fitzrovia Apartments ...

Internationally acclaimed architects, designers, writers, artists and curators feature in this year's Communique Autumn Lecture Series at The University of Auckland.

The presenters, whose work span a wide range of disciplines, industries and practices will focus on issues relevant to architecture and planning.

Among the notable speakers are master carver and sculptor Lyonel Grant.

Of Te Arawa and Ngati Pikiao descent, Lyonel employs various media including wood, stone, bronze, flax, ceramics and paint. His practice encompasses the traditions of whakairo rakau, arising from his training at the NZ Maori Arts and Crafts Institute in Rotorua and contemporary modes of art production.

He has designed and carved innovative meeting houses such as Ngakau Mahaki ('heartfelt humility') at the Unitec campus. The rear wall of the house with its embossed shadowy figures signifies all those who have gone before, the centre pillar or pou, constructed of bronze, represents everything up to 1840, while the front of the wharenui embodies contemporary Auckland.

His other notable meeting houses are Te Matapihi o te Rangi in Tokoroa and Ihenga at the Tangatarua Marae on the Waiariki Institute of Technology campus in Rotorua. With Damian Skinner he collaborated on the book Ihenga: Te Haerenga Hou, an important introduction to the evolution of Maori carving in the 20th Century.

Another highlight is the lecture and tour by Japanese architect Taira Nishizawa, who has been recognised as "one of the ten design vanguards of architecture in the 21st Century" by the prestigious Architectural Review magazine. Taira's work, which ranges from small houses to large sports facilities and makes particular use of innovative timber structures, has attracted numerous awards, including the prestigious Japan Institute of Architects Young Architect of the Year Award.

Among Nishizawa's best-known projects is the Forestry Hall To-mochi, a sports hall commissioned as part of the internationally renowned Kumamoto Artpolis programme - a programme that matches public building projects with exciting young architects. Located in southern Japan and completed in 2004, this community centre and sports hall employs a dramatic, irregular three-dimensional wooden truss structure that was a world first.

The inclusion of such distinguished experts has been made possible by the funding of NZ Wood - the marketing arm of the Wood Council of New Zealand. Thanks to their generous support Taira Nishizawa will also lecture in Wellington and Christchurch.

"The sponsorship will assist the School of Architecture and Planning to engage more fully with the wider architectural community while also supporting the academic development of students", says Professor Jenny Dixon, Dean of the National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries at The University of Auckland.

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Architectural and planning issues to the fore

On Saturday, March 24, the Farnsworth Art Museum will be presenting a panel discussion entitled The Homestead Architects. The architects and architectural designers participating in the panel discussion will present and discuss their re-envisions of a modern day homestead located in downtown Rockland.

Rockland, Maine (PRWEB) March 16, 2012

For the exhibition The Homestead Project, ten architectural firms have been asked to present their designs for a house on the same lot as the existing Homestead, one that meets the needs of a twenty-first century Farnsworth family. The architects and architectural designers participating in the panel discussion will present and discuss their re-envisions of a modern day homestead located in downtown Rockland.

The architects and architectural designers participating in the panel are:

The fee for the discussion is $8 for members and $10 for nonmembers. For more information or to make a reservation, please contact the museums Education department at 207-596-0949 or online at farnsworthmuseum.org/education.

After the discussion, the Farnsworths newest membership group, The Collective, will be hosting Art Trivia 101 with a Twist! at the future home of Fog Bar, 328 Main Street in Rockland. Those interested in reserving a spot for a team of up to 6 players should contact the Membership Department at 207-596-6256. The fee for the Trivia is as follows: Collective members play for free, Farnsworth members $5, nonmembers $10. This Collective event is sponsored by Bangor Savings Bank and Fog Bar.

The Homestead Project is made possible through the generous support of: A.E. Sampson & Son, Anonymous, Bench Dogs, Inc., Cold Mountain Builders, J.C. Stone Inc., Marvin Windows and Doors, Thos. Moser Fine Furniture, Tidewater Millwork, and Windsor Chairmakers. The primary media sponsor for the exhibition is Maine Home + Design.

David Troup Farnsworth Art Museum 207-596-6457 128 Email Information

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Farnsworth Presents a Panel Discussion: The Homestead Architects

MONTREAL, March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - GENIVAR Inc. (TSX: GNV.TO - News) ("GENIVAR" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Smith Carter Architects and Engineers Inc. and Smith Carter (USA) LLC (collectively referred to as "Smith Carter"), international leaders in the areas of integrated architectural design and engineering, are joining the GENIVAR team. Headquartered in Winnipeg and with offices in Calgary, Ottawa, Atlanta and Washington, DC, Smith Carter has a workforce of some 190 employees and has designed some of the world's most complex buildings in some of its most challenging environments.

Scott Stirton, Smith Carter's current Chief Executive Officer, will be joining GENIVAR's National Leadership Committee, where he will play a key role in developing an architectural platform. All of Smith Carter's partners applaud this transaction and will become GENIVAR shareholders.

Smith Carter's core specialities are designing and engineering complex projects in the science and technology, healthcare, security and defence as well as urban impact markets. Known for excelling at high-profile projects, the firm is a world leader in bio-containment laboratory design. Its clients include a mixture of government, academic and healthcare agencies undertaking critical missions, including Boston University, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Defence Construction Canada, the Centers for Disease Control, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and the Army Corps of Engineers.

Smith Carter's outstanding track record has been recognized with numerous awards, including a Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Innovation Award for the use of business information modeling in connection with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in 2011; a Canadian Architect Award of Excellence for the Women's Hospital at the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre in 2010; most Innovative Building and Best Building Award for structural, mechanical and electrical engineering in 2005; LEED Platinum status for their headquarters building in 2009; and the Governor General's Medal in ArchitectureCanada's highest architectural honour in 2006.

"We are very pleased to welcome Smith Carter into the GENIVAR family. Smith Carter is recognized as a leading firm in the architectural/engineering building industry. With this transaction, we have achieved two expansion objectives, which were to strengthen our presence in Western Canada and enter the U.S. market, where we believe there are many other opportunities for growth," said Pierre Shoiry, GENIVAR's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Over the past few years, our architecture partnerships has grown significantly, with firms like PBK Architects, ANO Architects, WHW Architects, the Arcop Group and most recently AE Consultants tying up with GENIVAR. The time has now come to unify these practices and their respective areas of expertise. This will be Scott's main responsibility. Under his leadership, we are confident that this architecture practice will become an essential component in GENIVAR becoming a leading global player in the building market," he added.

"We are delighted to be joining GENIVAR, which has a reputation for promoting solid values while focusing on excellence and strong client relationships," said Scott Stirton. "Contributing to GENIVAR's continued success while spearheading the long-term growth of our combined architectural and engineering practices will be a wonderful opportunity for our respective teams. We have similar market capabilities and expertise, complimentary cultures, a focus on design excellence and a passion for professional service delivery that responds to market opportunities and client expectations. Through the power of partnership, we are convinced that GENIVAR will benefit from the knowledge we have honed through years of experience."

ABOUT SMITH CARTER ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS INC. Established in 1947, Smith Carter is one of North America's leading integrated architectural design and engineering firms. With offices in Winnipeg, Calgary, Ottawa, Atlanta and Washington, DC, Smith Carter works with government, institutional and private-sector clients from across Canada and around the world. Offering expertise on all types of complex projects, the firm specializes in designing healthcare and research environments. Smith Carter is committed to supporting the vital urban fabric of the communities in which its projects are located.

ABOUT GENIVAR INC. GENIVAR is a leading Canadian consulting services firm providing private and public-sector clients with a full range of professional consulting services through all project phases, including planning, design, construction and maintenance. Ranging in size, its clients operate in various market segments, including the building, industrial and energy, municipal infrastructure, transportation and environmental sectors. GENIVAR is one of the largest engineering services companies in Canada by number of employees, with more than 5,500 managers, professionals, technicians, technologists and support staff in over 100 cities in Canada and internationally. http://www.genivar.com

Forward-looking statements Certain information regarding GENIVAR contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Although GENIVAR believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and may be based on assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. GENIVAR's forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The complete version of the cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements as well as a description of the relevant assumptions and risk factors likely to affect GENIVAR's actual or projected results are included in the Management Discussion and Analysis for the three and nine-month periods ended October 1, 2011 and the year ended December 31, 2010, which are available on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and GENIVAR does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless expressly required by applicable securities laws.

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Smith Carter joins forces with GENIVAR

WARROAD, MN--(Marketwire -03/13/12)- Architects from around the world have a chance to inspire and be inspired by the myMarvin Architect's Challenge, which is accepting entries for its fourth annual competition.

The Architect's Challenge is fast becoming one of the premier showcases in the architectural world. Winning projects in previous years have displayed the remarkable inspiration of designers in styles both traditional and contemporary, in both the residential and commercial arenas.

Among the projects that impressed the judging panel were a San Francisco townhouse, a Minnesota hunting lodge, a Mediterranean villa and a Catholic church in Wisconsin. There are no limits to the creations you can enter; all that's required is that they use Marvin windows or doors.

"Marvin is the preferred window and door of architects because we provide tailored solutions to a project to help achieve design objectives," said Christine Marvin, director of marketing for Marvin Windows and Doors. "In that spirit, we're proud to showcase the work of architects who have been inspired by Marvin to create some of their best work."

Entries will be judged on solution-driven design, classical beauty, innovative use of windows and sustainability. William J. Devereaux Jr., Mark Scheurer, AIA, and David Furman, FAIA, will judge this year's challenge.

Winners will be promoted through traditional and social media and will be featured in our permanent Winners Gallery. We invite architects to submit their best designs featuring Marvin windows and doors by May 31, 2012. Find complete entry information and contest rules at:

http://www.marvin.com/window-door-ideas/mymarvin-project/architects-challenge

ABOUT MARVIN WINDOWS AND DOORSMarvin Windows and Doors brings its "Built around you" philosophy to life with every customer and every solution. A premier manufacturer of made-to-order wood and clad wood windows and doors, Marvin offers the industry's most extensive selection of shapes, styles, sizes and options to fit the diverse needs of builders and match the personalities of homeowners.

Marvin's tradition of delivering the finest craftsmanship in windows and doors began in Warroad, Minn., a small town just six miles from the Canadian border, where the privately-held, family-owned and operated company is still headquartered today. Learn more at http://www.marvin.com.

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Marvin Windows and Doors Now Accepting Entries for Prestigious Fourth-Annual myMarvin Architect's Challenge

MARC GREENHILL

Kirk Hargreaves

TEAMWORK: Andrew Charleson, an associate professor in architecture at Wellington's Victoria University speaks to the commission today.

Engineers and architects must work together to integrate earthquake technology into new Christchurch building designs, an inquiry has heard.

New technology for the central-city rebuild was discussed before the Canterbury earthquakes royal commission today.

Academics, senior engineers and professional engineering organisations have been invited to debate building design philosophies, such as life safety versus building survivability, and associated economic impacts.

Andrew Charleson, an associate professor ofarchitecture at Wellington's Victoria University, today told commissioners the interaction between architects and engineers was "always a struggle", but the challenge now was to work together to achieve a design that met the needs of both professions. "It's particularly challenging in the area of seismic design because the structure we need to resist earthquake forces is so much larger in its plan area than the structure needed just to resist the weight of the building," he said. The use of new seismic technology need not reduce the architectural quality, Charleson said. He once asked a group of architecture students to determine the "most exciting" design from 10 cities with high seismic activity and 10 with low seismic activity without knowing which category each city was in. "When we analysed all the results, it came out that if anything, the buildings that were in the seismic zones had more architectural appeal than the buildings in non-seismic zones," Charleson said. "This was incredibly encouraging because intuitively you would think of the constraints imposed on architects because of the need for large shear walls and large braced frames. You'd expect that the architecture would be somewhat blander and less interesting, but that was proven not to be the case."

- Fairfax NZ News

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Engineers, architects 'must work together'

REHOVOT, Israel, March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Rietveld Architects, a NY-based architecture firm known for its large-scale international projects, acquired its Objet 3D Printer and now creates architectural models in just a few hours - a fraction of the two-month turnaround time it required previously. Rietveld Architects has also discovered that the Objet 3D Printer can help secure new projects.

The Objet 3D Printer was a fairly straightfoward choice for Rietveld Architects. "We were particularly impressed by the ability of this system to quickly produce highly detailed, accurate models with minimal office clean-up," Rijk Rietveld, the firm's partner, commented. "Other technologies produced brittle models and just didn't have the fine detail of the Objet solution".

Soon after installing the Objet 3D Printer, the architects discovered that the 3D Printer also boosted sales. According to Piet Meijs, a Senior Associate at Rietveld Architects, the Objet prototyping capabilities have helped the firm secure new projects. "There is still very much a 'wow' factor. A potential client asked us to produce a completely re-designed plan because the program changed. Within two weeks we put on the table a 1:400 model of a new design. They knew they could only get it from us and not from other architects."

Using Objet 3D printing, highly accurate architectural models can be produced within hours - reflecting the most recent change requests and updates. Clients can view a physical model with the most intricate details, feel confident about the overall design and how it fits with the surroundings, and reach faster decisions.

Watch the video to learn how Rietveld Architects shortens decision cycles and secures more business with Objet 3D Printer.

About Rietveld Architects

In 1993 Margaret Rietveld founded Rietveld Architects and Rijk Rietveld joined a year later. Presently, Rietveld Architects has an international staff, interior projects in New York City, and substantial new construction in the Netherlands. The built projects reflect the result of fifteen years of the successful cross-fertilization between European design sensibility and American ingenuity and know-how. In recent years, the work of Rietveld Architects has been commended in publications and recognized.

About Objet

Objet Ltd. is a leading provider of high quality, cost effective inkjet-based 3D printing systems and materials. A global company, Objet has offices in North America, Europe, Japan, China, Hong Kong, and India.

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Rietveld Architects, NY-based Architecture Firm Wins New Projects with an Objet 3D Printer

Reporting from Shichigahama, Japan

Five architects made presentations to a design jury, hoping for a chance to design a replacement for the local middle school, heavily damaged a year ago by the earthquake and tsunami that killed an estimated 19,000 people, including at least 58 here, and destroyed more than 120,000 buildings.

Kumiko Inui, a 42-year-old rising star of the Tokyo architecture scene, ultimately won the competition with an impressive design featuring tall glass-wrapped classroom wings paired with smaller wooden pavilions in a lush tree-covered landscape.

INTERACTIVE PHOTOS: Before and after tsunami cleanup

But an ugly reminder of the disaster loomed over the presentations: A three-story-high pile of tsunami debris, visible through large picture windows along the side of the room, that didn't so much mock the architectural discussion as dwarf it.

As Japan nears the anniversary of the disaster this Sunday, such scenes are playing out all over northeastern Japan. Huge, neatly sorted piles of debris dot the Tohoku region, symbols of a recovery that has stalled at the cleanup stage.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, his approval rating in danger of sinking below 30%, has faced wide criticism for failing to articulate a broad vision for rebuilding. The national Reconstruction Agency wasn't officially launched until February, 11 months after the disaster.

And though Toyo Ito, Kazuyo Sejima and other leading Japanese architects have joined emerging talents like Inui in sketching out thoughtful plans for new housing and civic architecture, their efforts have so far garnered little support from politicians in Tokyo.

The most intractable issue is whether the hardest hit fishing villages, already losing population before the disaster, should be rebuilt as they were or consolidated. In a broader sense, the nation has struggled with basic issues at the core of reconstruction, particularly the way the tsunami has exposed gaps between rich and poor, young and old, rural and urban, and between the nation's technological haves and have-nots.

In much the same way that Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath gave Americans a discomfiting picture of their own society, the events of March 11 have laid bare a Japan more divided than the national discourse here lets on.

Continue reading here:
Japan Disaster: A Year Later: Without a blueprint

New campus buildings get designed, built and renovated no matter who's leading the University of Memphis.

But Shirley Raines has the university building architects as well as their designs, and she's using design to engage the campus with the surrounding community, architects say.

American Institute of Architects Memphis is honoring the U of M president's contribution to the field by bestowing its 2012 Francis Gassner Award on Raines during its annual Celebration of Architecture Design Gala on March 31.

The Francis Gassner Award honors each year an architect or member of a related profession for outstanding contributions to the quality of Memphis' built environment.

In her first 10 years as university president, Raines has led more than a dozen key building projects, including the new University Center, Honors residence hall, the FedEx Institute of Technology, the Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality and Resort Management, and the relocation of the law school to the historic Downtown location on the Mississippi River.

The new or improved facilities "have had an immeasurable impact on the student body and surrounding community," AIA Memphis states.

Raines said Monday she's accepting the award on behalf of the university.

"We have sought to build environments representative of one of America's great metropolitan research universities," she said.

"We seek to create environments that promote learning and involve students' and community members' engagement on and off the campus."

There's always been a construction cycle on campus.

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Local architects to honor University of Memphis president Shirley Raines