NEW YORK, June 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects announced that The Avenue, its mixed-use development in Washington, D.C., is one of 29 finalists for the Urban Land Institute's Global Awards for Excellence.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120627/NE31318 )

Widely recognized as the land use industry's most prestigious awards program, the competition rewards real estate developments for best practices in design, construction, economics, planning and management. ULI selected finalists from nearly 200 international entries. Up to 14 finalists will win awards.

Developed by Boston Properties, The Avenue is an urban town center that connects George Washington University to the Foggy Bottom and West End neighborhoods. Adjacent to Washington Circle, the 1.4 million-square-foot development includes a 12-story apartment building and a 10-story, LEED Gold-rated office building. Shops, restaurants, and a Whole Foods grocery store create a vibrant shopping street.

The Avenue establishes a landscaped public courtyard with flowering trees at the center of the 2.6-acre site. This garden is made possible by submerging parking and a full-sized loading dock below grade. A water feature with aquatic plantings anchors the courtyard and provides stormwater management by collecting rainwater for irrigation.

Along Pennsylvania Avenue, a three-story glass-fronted atrium joins the office building's two towers. The lobby's curved travertine walls define a through-building pedestrian passage. A grand two-story granite lobby connects the two towers of the apartment building -- the west tower, with a rooftop pool, and the east, which has a rooftop deck. The 335-unit building is set back from the street, creating a lively pedestrian plaza adjacent to sidewalk dining, shops and the Metro station.

Engineering News-Record chose The Avenue for its "Best of the Best" list. The Washington Business Journal named the project "Deal of the Year" for new office and multi-family development.

About Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects Founded in 1977 and led by Cesar Pelli, Fred Clarke, and Rafael Pelli, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects has designed some of the world's most recognizable buildings, including the World Financial Center in New York, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, and the International Finance Centre in Hong Kong. The firm has been honored with critical acclaim and hundreds of design awards, including the American Institute of Architects' Firm Award and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

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Washington, D.C., development by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects finalist for international award

EPM Architects announced today the opening of the newly expanded state-of-the-art Microsoft EPM Training and Solution Center in Houston, Texas. Upon the June 8th completion date, the new Center opened its doors to the first class.

Houston, TX (PRWEB) June 26, 2012

EPM Architects decided to nearly triple their capacity because of the growing demand for their Microsoft Project 2010 and Project Server 2010 courses and implementations. Students have been so impressed with the quality of the training and caliber of the instructors that demand has been steadily rising. To meet this demand, the training center went from providing enrollment for 12 attendees to now offering availability of up to 50 attendees a day in a multiclass facility. Along with expanding their space, they are also increasing their curriculum. Currently, students can earn up to 28 PDUs by attending EPM Architects Microsoft Project 2010 and Project Server 2010 courses, and with the new growth they will offer fundamental and intermediate Project Management courses as well.

EPM Architects President and CEO, Michael Samadi, commented, Recently, at the PMI Annual Conference and Expo, I had an opportunity to present to over 500 attendees. When I asked the audience how many had used Microsoft Project, nearly every attendee raised their hand. However, less than 10 felt that the Microsoft Project training they had received was valuable or worth the money they spent. Mr. Samadi added, Our training is second to none, our material is entirely internally authored and our curriculum is carefully produced based on the real world experience of our team. Our hands on labs and the flow of the courses are so well thought out, that every student has followed up with praise for our instructors and courses.

The center is located at 6300 West Loop South in prestigious Bellaire, Texas, and is conveniently situated directly off I-610 at Bissonnet, just west of Downtown. The location is near two major airports, the Galleria, the Museum District, the Medical Center, and an abundance of restaurants and hotels. The new center offers ample free covered parking and a fully equipped lunch and break room.

In celebration of the new opening, EPM Architects will be giving away two $1,000 training vouchers every month for the rest of the year. On the third of each month they will be announcing the winners on their Facebook page and on the front page of their website. The drawing is open to everyone. Entries can be made directly on an entry form on their website; only one valid entry per person.

Along with the monthly giveaways, EPM Architects will be hosting several complimentary events and workshops in the coming months to celebrate the opening of the new center. Be sure to visit their website and Facebook page for these events.

About EPM Architects, Inc.

EPM Architects is an Enterprise Project and Portfolio Management consulting firm focused exclusively on the Microsoft EPM solution, mainly Microsoft Project and Project Server. We are one of the top Microsoft Gold Certified Partners in the Project and Portfolio Management competency. As the largest EPM company in the region and one of the premier Microsoft EPM companies in the US, we are quickly building a reputation as the "go-to" EPM company for implementation, development, training and support. Our clients consist of Global 50, Fortune 50, 100 and 500 companies as well as small to mid-sized companies in several industry verticals.

For more details on EPM Architects products and services, please visit us at http://www.epmarchitects.com or call us at 1.888.444.EPMA.

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EPM Architects announces expansion of its dedicated EPM Training and Solutions Center

SANTA MARIA, Calif., June 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --After a comprehensive selection process, BCA Architects was selected to design the new 400-seat performing arts center for Pioneer Valley High School. The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District administration prepared a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to solicit architectural services for the planning and construction of the performing arts center at Pioneer Valley High School. Letters and RFQs went to 165 firms requesting proposals. Proposals came in from 19 firms and a committee of five reviewed and narrowed them down to six firms who were interviewed for consideration.

Ultimately, two firms were selected by the committee for a second round of interviews that included a member of the Board of Education. The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District administration recommended BCA Architects as the firm to contract with to design the performing arts center. The Board of Trustees ratified this decision in their regular meeting on June 20, 2012.

"After an extensive interview process, we are thrilled with our decision to select BCA Architects as our district architects for the design of the new 400-seat Performing Arts Center at Pioneer Valley High School. It was clear to us that BCA Architects emerged from the pack as the most qualified architectural firm to design our new Performing Arts Center -- I have absolute confidence that they will create an outstanding performing arts center for our students and community," said Doug Kimberly, Superintendent of Schools, Santa Maria Joint Union High School District.

Situated on 53.5 acres of land, Pioneer Valley High School is one of the district's largest high schools. The Performing Arts Center will be the newest addition to the school's facilities which include six full computer labs, a college and career center, library, cafeteria and multipurpose facility with indoor and outdoor seating, and an outdoor amphitheater.

"We are excited about this challenge and look forward to designing a performing arts center that is imaginative and rooted in the community's traditions and mission of the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District," said Paul Bunton, AIA, president of BCA Architects.

BCA Architects is recognized for its educational facilities, including its performing arts centers. Last year, ABC San Diego presented BCA Architects with an Award of Excellence for its performing arts facility at Chula Vista High School, which is a part of a two phase project including a library that is seeking LEED Platinum certification, the highest level for energy design.

"The BCA team looks forward to planning the district's new performing arts center with a focus on arts instruction as well as live events for the campus and local community," stated Steve Pollock, vice president, Auerbach Pollock Friedlander, a leading theater, media facilities, and lighting consulting firm working with BCA Architects on the project. "The design will be student-friendly, relevant, and turn-key without the need for additional staffing by the district."

Construction of the performing arts center will begin in 2013.

BCA Architects partners with clients on a mission to achieve excellence in design. Since 1989, BCA strives to strengthen communities through projects to: design facilities, help define partnerships, locate financing, and save energy or present alternate delivery methods. BCA goes above and beyond the task at hand to ensure their clients succeed. Visit: http://www.bcaarchitects.com.

Media Contact: Rachel Del Fierro (925) 785-1435 or RachelD@bcaarchitects.com

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BCA Architects Selected to Design New 400-Seat Performing Arts Center for Santa Maria Joint Union High School District

Media Release 25 June 2012

Auckland Art Gallery Wins International Award

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tmaki has won the International Award for Architectural Excellence from The Royal Institute of British Architects the first time a New Zealand building has won.

The awards, the winners of which were announced last Thursday, are given to only 12 buildings a year and recognise some of the worlds most imaginative, dramatic and green buildings. Other winners in 2012 include the worlds tallest building, the Guangzhou Finance Centre. From this round of winners, a visiting jury will select the winner of the prestigious Lubetkin Prize.

Gallery director Chris Saines said, We set out to develop a world class gallery and FJMT+Archimedias elegant and considered design has been instrumental to achieving that goal. Judged on the response of the near 600,000 visitors to date, this heritage restored and expanded building has become a flag-bearer for the citys architectural and urban design future.

The development of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tmaki was commissioned and project managed by Auckland Council and included a series of emblematic, sculpted tree-like canopies cut from massive Kauri trees that enclose the forecourt, atrium and gallery areas.

This international award comes within a month of the gallery also winning the supreme award, the New Zealand Architecture Medal, at the New Zealand Architecture Awards and the highest accolade as the countrys top commercial property development for 2012 at the annual Property Industry Awards.

Projects such as this reflect the Mayors vision to make Auckland the worlds most liveable city and are a strong benchmark for other developments and transformations in the City Centre planned by Auckland Council as part of the City Centre Master Plan.

Full list of awards won by Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tmaki in 2012: 2012 Royal Institute of British Architects - International Award for Architectural Excellence

2012 NZ Museum Awards - Project Achievement Award for Museum or Gallery Development

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Auckland Art Gallery Wins International Award

By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 00:00 EST, 23 June 2012 | UPDATED: 09:51 EST, 23 June 2012

Barbie's Dream House, the Mall of America and Trump Tower have all earned the ire of a slew of architects that say the world would be better off without them.

In the most recent issue ofCalifornia Home + Design magazine, 25 'eye-searingly awful' buildings have been formally elected to be forgotten forever.

The list runs the gamut of modern monstrosities to futuristic fiascoes and no doubt answers the question for whom the wrecking ball tolls.

The Blob: Formerly known as The Experience Music Project, a museum celebrating popular music and science fiction, this building was designed by none other than the famed Frank Gehry. Guess that makes the EMP Museum in Seattle, Washington, his biggest mistake

Eyesore: Oakley Headquarters in Orange County, California, has some architects seeing red. 'Their Star Wars-esque headquarters, built as "a monument to the machine age, a building designed to honor invention," hasn't been cool since, well, ever'

Black and White and Bad All Over: 8500 Melrose Avenue, in Los Angeles, California, just might be Tinseltown's great tragedy. 'Maybe we would let the building stand as a monument to ugliness,' joked architect Rebecca Rudolph

Bored to Death: Both the AT&T Central Office in Houston, Texas, right, and the Ziggurat Building in West Sacramento, California, left, are the opposite of inspiring

Xana-don't: Even New Jersey Governor Chris Christie hates the Meadowlands Xanadu in East Rutherford, New Jersey. 'It's by far the ugliest damn building in New Jersey, and maybe America,' he said

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Are these America's ugliest buildings? Architects name structures they'd like to see leveled for the love of design

MIAMI LeBron James walked over to the side of the championship stage before proudly facing the other members of "The Four Horsemen" standing about 20 yards away. With his NBA Finals Most Valuable Player trophy cradled in his arm and a championship hat on his head, the Miami Heat forward yelled out, "Yo."

James then pointed at his friends, saluted them with his right hand and put his hand on his heart before dipping his head to give a silent thank you. The moment was missed by most of the celebrating Miami Heat fans as red and black confetti fell to the court after Miami's clinching 121-106 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night. But for Maverick Carter, Randy Mims and Rich Paul, James' longtime friends and business managers, that show of love and appreciation after their bumpy road together will never be forgotten.

"He has us in his heart and we've been there with him the whole way," said Carter, wearing one of James' old Nike "Witness" T-shirts.

Said Sims: "It's a long time coming for him. I know everything he has been through."

[Related: Victorious Gatorade bath for Erik Spoelstra]

This group of childhood friends, who called themselves "The Four Horsemen," formally announced their arrival in 2005 when James fired agent Aaron Goodwin. They decided as a team they would determine the All-Star's fate off the court. The move seemed ridiculous at the time given their inexperience. Goodwin also had negotiated more than $135 million in endorsements for James, including a $90 million Nike contract.

"The Four Horsemen" gave birth to their own marketing firm to not only represent James but other athletes like Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul and NFL wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. James did eventually sign to be represented by agent Leon Rose with Creative Artists Agency. But Carter, the CEO of the LRMR group, led James' endorsement portfolio.

LRMR was initially laughed at. Now seven years after departing from Goodwin, James was recently ranked fourth on Forbes' list of richest athletes after making $53 million from June 2011 to June 2012. He is the top-ranked NBA player in that group.

"Being young and black and going into a business where you are trying to establish position and where you are able to make business decisions with the lack of what people would call an education, not having a degree, no one wanted to give us a chance," Paul said. "We were able to come through that and learn from a lot of people that we had around us and position ourselves to be, not necessarily just successful economically, but successful from a positioning standpoint to have a bright future.

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Architects of 'The Decision' get to enjoy LeBron James' moment of glory as NBA champion

The Irish Times - Friday, June 22, 2012

EMMA CULLINAN

TWO IRISH public buildings have won architectural awards from the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, and have been included on its British equivalents 50 best new buildings list for 2012.

The Lyric Theatre in Belfast, designed by ODonnell and Tuomey Architects, won the Best Culture Project award from the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI), it was announced last night.

The Wexford County Council headquarters, by Robin Lee Architecture, with Arthur Gibney and Partners, won the RIAIs Best Public Building award.

Both are also on the Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba) 50 best new buildings of 2012 list. This puts them in the running for the Stirling Prize shortlist later this year.

The RIAI judges, headed by Eddie Conroy, county architect of South Dublin County Council, praised the Wexford County Council HQs rhythmic balance of solid and void and the power of the materials, while the Lyric was admired for its robust and expressive forms, in particular the interlocking relationship of volume and movement of its public spaces.

Also on the international scene Heneghan Peng architects working out of Dublin on projects in Egypt, Riyadh, Germany and London took the International RIAI award for its Olympics bridge in London. Henchion Reuter based in Ireland and Germany was awarded Best Leisure Project for a Tropical Biome in Leipzig, Germany, that recalls the glass globes at the Eden Project in Cornwall by Nicholas Grimshaw Architects and the British Museum Great Court cover by Foster and Partners.

The awards recognised established practices: McCullough Mulvin won RIAI Best Health Project for its Dublin Dental Hospital; and Paul Keogh Architects won Best Housing Project for the Sen Treacy House scheme in Dublin.

There was also recognition for relative newcomers, including Steve Larkin, who took the Emerging Practice Award, but also the prize for Best House, for Bog west, Co Wexford.

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Award-winning Irish public buildings shortlisted for top British prize

MERCED, Calif., June 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Along with focusing on education in a 21st century learning environment, safety was of utmost concern to President Paul Bunton's BCA Architects, the community-based Steering Committee and the Merced Union High School District Administration that collaborated together to design the new El Capitan High School in Merced, CA. The new 2,000-student school just reached the 50% complete milestone and is on track to open for classes in fall 2013.

"This is truly a school designed by the community," said Paul Bunton, AIA, president of BCA Architects. "This collaboration is evident in the design of several buildings on campus such as the gymnasiums, the performing arts center, cafeteria and the library that each are sited to allow after-hours access by the public while maintaining security in the quadrangle."

According to Bunton, the design of the new high school, from start to finish, responded to the Board of Trustees objectives of "providing students with a quality learning environment the students will respond to with pride, commitment, and respect."

"It is an incredible environment that will both motivate and challenge the students that enter it to excel in life. The desire to convey an attitude of Student Achievement in a high-quality, safe, educational environment was paramount," said Bunton.

Michael Belluomini, the District's Director of Facilities, stated, "Having worked on the planning of two high schools in the district prior to BCA's involvement, I was struck by BCA's attention to obtaining stakeholder input regarding the design of the school. The final design of the school is tailored to the needs of teachers, students, administrators and staff."

During the course of the design, the Merced Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team reviewed BCA's design and offered valuable information that would help the Police Department evaluate "lock down" procedures and intruder scenarios at the school. These collaborative efforts even inspired a change in the design from interior corridors to exterior corridors so school administrators would be able to aid the Merced SWAT team should an unfortunate Columbine type of event occur at Merced.

"BCA's clear awareness of the importance of student safety in schools led them to include the Merced Police Department early in the design of the new Bellevue Road Area High School," said Chief of Police Norm Andrade of the Merced Police Department. "This holistic vision of their public school design has led to an incredibly integrated and safe solution."

El Capitan High School was designed primarily as a two-story campus with interconnected buildings that wrap around a large central landscaped quadrangle and provide exceptional visual supervision. The sweeping curve of the main educational building is reflective of Fehrens Creek that runs directly behind the new high school.

The project has been designed as a Collaborative for High Performance Schools facility and is being built with durable products and materials such as masonry, steel, and energy-efficient mechanical equipment. The end design always kept the community's goals in mind: Student Achievement, Safety, Family and Community Partnerships.

"BCA Architects successfully and skillfully led the complex design process for the new (El Capitan) High School in Merced. As a member of the Steering Committee and a member of the local Community, I was impressed with the design of the new high school, and BCA's responsiveness to the Committee," said Bill Cahill, assistant city manager, City of Merced. "BCA's design solution for this new High School integrated the community's perspective on diverse issues, while responding to a very difficult site."

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Paul Bunton's BCA Architects Partners with Community to Design a School that Optimizes Learning and Student Safety

Yeekai Lim started a coffee company in 2009 due to a slowdown in architectural work.

The recession and its aftermath have clearly taken a toll on the architecture profession. In May, during the AIAs annual convention, Kermit Baker, the institutes chief economist, reported that 60,000 payroll jobs had been lost at firms over the past four years, with 36,000 of them being designers and architects. Of that group, about a third have found work outside of architecture, according to surveys conducted by the AIA.

Roughly 6,000 of these architects will likely quit the profession for good, the surveys founda move that could have serious ramifications. This doesnt even account for recent graduates who, unable to find jobs at firms, may pursue work in entirely different fields. According to sources we interviewed, these new career paths vary widely, from culinary endeavors to digital game design.

I hung on to my desk as long as I could afford to, but I realized I wasnt going in nearly as much, says Yeekai Lim, 39, who ran his own practice while also holding down jobs at various firms over the years. In 2009, he decided to pursue his second passion: coffee.

For years, Lim had been experimenting with beans and brewing styles at his California home and had become obsessed with this notion of the perfect cup. This ultimately led him to found Cognoscenti Coffee, which began as a coffee cart. Today, Lim has six employees and two coffee shops: one in Los Angeles and another opening soon in Culver City. Moreover, his business is turning a profit, he says.

Lim hasnt abandoned architecture entirely. He designed his two stores, and hes working for a client on a restaurant in Los Angeles. He doesnt know if he will ever return to architecture full time, but if he does, his coffee company experience will be a boon. Pouring lattes has definitely provided a lot of insight on client-architect relationships, he says. I better understand the service side, which is what architects should be focusing on.

Also drawn to food service was Natasha Case, who, after graduating from UCLA in 2008, went on to design hotels for Disney. But after her six-month contract wasnt renewed due to the recession, Case started an ice cream company in 2009 with a friend. Coolhauswhose name is an amalgam of Koolhaas and Bauhausnow has 10 trucks, two carts, and an L.A. storefront, where customers can choose flavors such as Louis Pe-Kahn and Mint-alism. The companys ice cream sandwiches are also sold in certain Whole Foods Markets. Case says her architecture know-how has been helpful, particularly in regard to packaging design. Im obviously not working in CAD, she says, but theres a huge amount that has translated from my background.

Some architects determined to stick with the profession are expanding the services they offer. Robert Vecchione, of Sarasota, Florida, has run a private practice since 1997. Two years ago, he began advising nonprofit clients on how to drum up additional revenue in the face of declining public funding. He helped the Easter Seals of Southwest Florida, for instance, conceive a plan to sponsor design competitions for toys that can later be sold in stores.

Vecchione encourages clients to take a more studio-style approach to brainstorming sessions. I tell them, you cant just sit there with a pen and paper hunched over a table, he says. Better is to hash out ideas with brown paper, on a wall, and black markers. Like architecture, it should be a visual, creative process, he says.

For aspiring architects, finding a job is no easy feat. Those who recently completed undergraduate architecture programs have the highest rate of unemployment, at 14 percent, of any profession, according to a recent report from the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University. (In contrast, the rate for those working in law is 8 percent; for journalists, 7 percent.) These headwinds come against a national overall jobless rate of 8.2 percent.

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Battered by the Recession, Architects Pursue New Lines of Work

TORONTO, June 19, 2012 /CNW/ - ACE Canada, the Canadian-based operating division of the ACE Group, today announced the launch of ACE Advantage Architects and EngineersSM professional liability insurance. This new product provides domestic and international coverage against the numerous perils faced by design professionals including, professional negligence, pollution incidents, and personal injury.

The challenges faced by today's design professional have proliferated -- broadening contractual requirements, increased emphasis on sustainability, new developments in design technologies and heightened client expectations are but a few difficulties faced by professionals practicing in this industry. In addition to these challenges, any ensuing litigation can threaten a design professional's financial stability and carefully cultivated reputation.

"Canadian design professionals are increasingly called to conduct business in emerging economies," said Michael Trendler, Vice President, ACE Professional Risk. "ACE Advantage Architects and Engineers professional liability policy provides global coverage supported by ACE's worldwide network of offices located in all principal markets."

ACE Advantage Architects and Engineers Professional Liability Coverage Highlights:*

To learn more about ACE Canada's Professional Risk portfolio, please contact Michael Trendler at (416) 594-3073 or michael.trendler@acegroup.com or visit http://www.ace-ina-canada.com.

*Product highlights are summaries only; please see actual policy for terms, conditions and exclusions. Product remains subject to ACE Professional Risk's underwriting criteria.

ACE Canadarefers to ACE INA Insurance and ACE INA Life Insurance, subsidiaries of the ACE Group, and is rated AA- (Very Strong) by Standard & Poor's and A+ (Stable) by A.M. Best Company. ACE Canada, through its underwriting companies, provides insurance products and services throughout Canada. Additional information on ACE Canada and its products and services can be found at http://www.ace-ina-canada.com. The ACE Group is one of the world's largest multiline property and casualty insurers. With operations in 53 countries, ACE provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. ACE Limited, the parent company of the ACE Group, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ACE) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Additional information can be found at: http://www.acegroup.com.

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ACE Canada® Launches New Professional Risk Product to Address Challenges Faced by Design Professionals