AIA UK/RIBA 2023 Keynote Lecture - Thom Mayne

The AIA UK/RIBA Keynote Lecture featuring Thom Mayne of Morphosis was held on the 30th of January, having been rescheduled from last autumn.  The event was held at the RIBA headquarters in London to a full house plus an online audience.  Introductions were given by Dr Valerie Vaughan-Dick MBE, RIBA CEO; Muyiwa Oki, RIBA President, Emily Grandstaff-Rice, AIA 2023 National President (via video), and by Gregory Fonseca, AIA UK 2023 President.

Thom Mayne’s presentation was a spellbinding overview of his practice and thinking, using projects as talking points rather than exploring individual buildings in depth.  The talk was loosely configured around the themes of Early, Middle, and Current.  Early projects include several California projects such as the Crawford Residence (1990) and the Diamond Ranch High School (2001).  There was a heavy similarity to the theoretical work of Archigram, and it was no accident that Sir Peter Cook, one of the Archigram founders, was in the audience as Thom Mayne’s guest.

The Middle range of projects then demonstrated a geographically broad range of significant projects.  These included the Eugene Federal Courthouse (2006), Perot Museum (2012), Casablanca Tower (2019), Shenzhen Tower (2020) and many more.  There was an admirable design consistency between the early smaller projects and the much larger commercial projects.  Thom Mayne asserted that despite the seemingly complex geometries, the project budgets on their buildings were in a standard range.

The final portion of his presentation included several unbuilt competition projects such as Performing Art Centers for Rensselaer University and for Taipei, a Beijing Cultural Park, and Unicorn Island in China.

A lively Q&A session followed the presentation, after which attendees carried on discussions over drinks served in the Jarvis Hall foyer.

Written by Lester Korzilius, FAIA, RIBA

FREE AIA Sustainability Resources

AIA UK is pleased to share some FREE sustainability resources on offer from AIA!

FREE AIA SUSTAINABILITY COURSE
AIAU An Introduction to the AIA Framework for Design Excellence (Free till end of 2024!)

Propel your practice’s success with the AIA Framework for Design Excellence—the defining 10 principles of design excellence in the 21st century. In this introductory course, you will learn the origin, evolution, and significance of each of the framework’s principles and examine how they advance progress toward a zero-carbon, healthy, just, resilient, and equitable built environment. Earn 1 LU / HSW. (Free with Discount Code: MHI13UM2RD7R)

FREE AIA SUSTAINABILITY GUIDE
The Guide to Building Reuse for Climate Action

The Guide is a resource aimed at architects engaged in renovating and adapting existing buildings to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Its primary goal is to equip architects with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions that promote sustainability and resilience while minimizing costs. The guide achieves this by outlining key questions architects should consider, directing them to valuable resources, and presenting real-world case studies to illustrate practical strategies.

2024 Annual General Meeting Review

The 2024 Annual General Meeting. Photo by Adelina Koleva, AIA.

The AIA UK proudly kicked off 2024 with its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Herman Miller Showroom in London on Thursday, January 17. The meeting underscored the Chapter’s commitment to transparent governance and marked a pivotal moment not only to reflect on the accomplishments of 2023, but also to outline the Chapter’s plans for 2024 and beyond.

The 2023 AIA UK President, Gregory Fonseca, AIA, commenced the meeting with a welcome and thank you to Chapter sponsors, followed by an engaging presentation entitled, ‘Design with Impact,’ led by Miller Knoll representative Bertie van Wyck. The audience gained fascinating insights on the latest in workplace design research in the era of remote, office, and hybrid work culture.

Gregory Fonseca, AIA, resumed the podium with a ‘Year in Review’ presentation, which summarised the Chapter's mission and activities in 2023. The year showcased a full calendar of initiatives, including flagship events like the Design Awards and Student Charette. Lunchtime Sustainability Lectures and Movie Nights continued, organised by Mark Breeze and Christopher Musangi, respectively.

Other noteworthy moments of 2023 included a ‘super’ successful ‘Super Saturday’ in Canterbury, organised by Brianne Hamilton, which offered substantial continuing education credits to attendees. The signing ceremony for the US-UK Mutual Recognition Agreement was another important highlight which fostered important relationships between AIA National, NCARB, RIBA, and ARB representatives.

The next portion of the evening focused on 2023 chapter operations in greater detail. The financial health of the chapter was presented by 2023 Treasurer, Alex Miller, AIA. The Treasurer reported that the 2023 budget was closely adhered to and included key sponsorship contributions from Beale & Co. and Iris Ceramica. 

The 2023 membership chair, Taylor Rogers, AIA, followed up with the membership highlights. Membership growth was high in 2023 as the AIA UK welcomed 64 new members, bringing the total to 326. Rogers emphasized the importance of updating website directory details for demographic analysis.

A subsequent presentation led by 2022 Secretary Lorraine King, AIA, was conducted in preparation for a vote to approve revisions to the Chapter Bylaws. The initiative to revise the Bylaws was previously approved at the 2023 AGM by vote in response to a memorandum issued by the AIA General Counsel in 2022. The revisions were mainly to organise and clarify the language of the Bylaws and bring them into genuine alignment with the practical ethos of the AIA UK Chapter. The proposed revisions were approved by majority vote.

At the behest of the 2023 President, the AGM then voted to approve the proposed 2024 board slate to ensure AIA UK leadership continuity. Following the vote, the new President, Taylor Rogers, AIA, was officially welcomed into office. Notably, his unique efforts last year led to HMRC approval for tax relief on AIA UK dues, a testament to his proactive approach to enhance member benefits and wider acceptance of the AIA in the UK.

The 2024 President gives the ‘Year Ahead’ presentation. Photo by Adelina Koleva, AIA.

Looking ahead, the new President outlined the focus areas for 2024, emphasizing Membership, Sustainability, and JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion). The agenda for the coming year includes diverse board meetings, continuing education events, and participation in national and international conferences. As the AIA UK embarks on a new year, President Taylor Rogers urged members to get involved, highlighting that the chapter's success relies on the dedication of volunteers. Subscribe and stay tuned for more information on future AIA UK activities!

Overall, the 2024 Annual General Meeting provided a comprehensive snapshot of the Chapter's achievements, financial standing, and strategic initiatives, setting the stage for an exciting and impactful year ahead. Members are encouraged to stay engaged with the AIA UK community and continue to contribute actively to an organisation which allows us to stay connected worldwide.

Written by Adelina Koleva, AIA

Beale & Co News: Market Trends in the Construction Industry in 2023 and how to Tackle Them in 2024

As the first two months of 2024 draws to a close, we feel it is an opportune time to reflect on some of the trends we saw in the construction industry in 2023 and hopefully look with some positivity at what is to come in 2024.

2023 was, in lots of ways, a difficult year for the construction industry. It was plagued by inflation, increased cost of materials, skilled labour shortages, a cost-of-living crisis and the ongoing effects of the Russo-Ukrainian war. It was not all doom and gloom though. We saw a real increase in the focus on climate change and decarbonisation in construction projects globally and in the use of digital technologies to improve efficiencies. We also saw the introduction of secondary legislation under the Building Safety Act which reflected a hugely important step towards a safer built environment.

This article will reflect on these important trends.

Market trends in the construction industry in 2023 and how to tackle them in 2024 | Beale & Co (beale-law.com)

Written by Andrew Croft & Ellie Eastwood

AIA Members Attend London Art Fair

19 January 2024

Our friends at the London Art Fair invited AIA UK members to the annual mega art event held at The Business Design Centre in Islington.  The Fair took place from the 16th of January through the 21st.  The London Art Fair connects the best art galleries from around the world with seasoned and aspiring collectors.  Over 120 galleries were in attendance and there was a full programme of talks and tours.

The Fair was an impressive sight and was teaming with visitors.  There was a wide variety of art on display, all for sale with a broad rage of prices to suit everyone’s budget.  It was a very enjoyable evening help in part by the free glasses of Bubbly!

The Fair was founded 36 years ago with the aim of showcasing Modern and Contemporary art.  The Fair has grown steadily over the years and now, is an important event in the global world of art.  Over 25,000 visitors attended last year.

As this is an annual event, we hope to be invited back and to see you there in 2025!

The US Embassy & the Keynote Lecture - Connections from the Past

In 2002, AIA UK’s 1st Keynote Lecture featured Rick Mather RIBA– the American architect working in London who had earned an exceptional international reputation.  It was held in the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square and offered a rare opportunity for a capacity AIA audience to circumvent the iconic, listed façade and US security guards and to visit the interior of the Eero Saarinen designed building.    

The 2003 Newsletter article extracted below gave an abbreviated, low key summary of Rick Mather’s illustrious career.  He is perhaps best known for his adaptations of four British Museums - the Dulwich Picture Gallery, National Maritime Museum, the Wallace Collection and the Ashmolean in Oxford – the latter celebrated as 2010 Building of the Year and shortlisted for the Stirling Prize. 

Although it is not listed in the extensive online references to his career, Rick Mather was not only RIBA but also International Associate AIA and a bona fide, active member of the AIA UK Chapter. 

Stephan Reinke FAIA – the UK Chapter’s 1st President - recalls him as a Chapter friend who participated in AIA UK’s Design Awards as both juror and winner; served as juror at the 1st AIA UK Charette; and spoke at an early AIA International Conference. 

In 2002, getting the US Embassy to open up – particularly in the post 9/11 atmosphere - was a major achievement for lecture organiser, Lester Korzilius FAIA.  After his first success, Korzilius  continued in cooperation with other AIA UK members to organise subsequent Keynote Lectures. Whenever possible, speakers were selected with America, preferably Anglo-American, connections but the selections were always subject to availability.  

2002 Rick Mather, @ US Embassy

2003 Cesar Pelli, @ Canary Wharf Winter Garden

2005 William Pedersen

2006 Rafael Vinoly

2007 Antoine Predock

2008 Peter Eisenman

2012 Ricardo Legoreta

2015 Tod Williams & Billie Tsien

2016 Thomas Phifer

2017 Steven Holl

2018 James Timberlake & Stephen Kieran

2020 Francis Kéré, @ Virtual Lecture

2021 Tatiana Bilbao

2022 Annabelle Selldorf

In 2005, the AIA Keynote lectures were moved to the welcoming, venerable venue of the RIBA Jarvis Hall where they continue to this day.  They remain a lasting symbol of cooperation and collaboration between two, likeminded institutions. 
In 2018, AIA UK invited the designers of the recently completed US Embassy in London - James Timberlake FAIA and Stephen Kieran FAIA - to be the Keynote speakers.  As per the AIA UK Newsletter,  “Kieran and Timberlake spoke eloquently of the conceptual ambitions of the scheme, to embody ideals of transparency and openness, while balancing the strict security requirements of an embassy and the firm’s quest for pushing the boundaries of building technology”.

Timberlake and Kieran from AIA UK Newsletter at the RIBA (see Here).

As ‘strict security requirements’ remain an issue with US Embassies around the world, it was with great surprise and pleasure that the current Chapter President, Gregory Fonseca AIA, achieved clearance for an AIA UK building tour to the new US Embassy with its own iconic façade in late 2023 (see Here). 

Although the evening was stormy, the Embassy’s welcome was warm, with the AIA group enjoying the hospitality of the Embassy’s private nightspot at the tour’s end.

Written by Lorraine D King, AIA