Use the form on the right to contact us.
You can edit the text in this area, and change where the contact form on the right submits to, by entering edit mode using the modes on the bottom right.
123 Street Avenue, City Town, 99999
(123) 555-6789
email@address.com
You can set your address, phone number, email and site description in the settings tab.
Link to read me page with more information.
Armstrong Yakubu Foster & Partners
Charlotte Skene Catling Skene Catling de la Pena
Michel Mossessian Mossessian Architecture
Alex Lifschutz Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands
Amy Frearson Dezeen
Fred Grier AIA UK President
Sharon Jones Desso
For more information on how to enter, click here.
"The Spirit in Architecture: John Lautner," a production of CZ Productions, was screened January 4th at the Royal Institute of British Architects. PLP Architecture hosted the event as an office gathering and extended the invitation to the UK Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
The documentary film is rich with stunning photography of Lautner's private work, well paced interviews with his contemporary critics, and footage of the Architect recounting his experiences as a young man and then in Los Angeles, from his arrival in 1938 until his death in 1994. Lautner idealised the verdant and unpopulated Michigan landscapes of his childhood and described bucolic years in Wisconsin and Arizona working with Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin, where design and living with nature were inseparable. He spoke critically of the Los Angeles urban environment, and in his work he carefully choreographed the occupants' movements and crafted framed views to achieve a near garden of Eden. Lautner was also interested in the use of new materials and their technological potential, putting to use in some cases for achieving an uncompromising design standard at a reasonable budget. His design embodied the spirit of mid century American optimism, belief in the future and in personal satisfaction.
Honoured by the personal attendance of the director, Bette Jane Cohen, who edited the documentary, and her husband and executive-producer, Steven Zeitzew, the evening's screening included a dialogue with with audience. The occasion for the international tour, including MAD Architects in Beijing, SHL in Copenhagen, and the ESAG in Paris, celebrates the 25th anniversary of the film's original production, for which a new addendum to the film was made exploring how some of Lautner's work has endured with time. Bette Cohen has digitally remastered the film, originally shot for 16mm and VHS format.
Bette Cohen described a visit to Lautner's Garcia residence which inspired her to make the film, and a subsequent meeting to propose the idea of a documentary to Lautner himself, who remarked she was "tall enough to take on the responsibility," and agreed to fully collaborate.
The film will soon be released on dvd, and another screening in London is being planned.
Recently the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) made a big announcement: that Goldstein – who purchased Lautner's Sheats house in 1972 – has bequeathed his home, its contents and surrounding estate, which includes a night club and an infinity tennis court, to the museum. The historic gesture marks the first gift of architecture to the LACMA, and includes an endowment for maintenance and preservation of the historic house, gardens and contents, as well as programming.
Goldstein said that the decision to give his home to the museum was a simple one. ‘I wanted to have the house as an inspiration for architects in the future, as an inspiration for people in general in Los Angeles; to try and continue to make Los Angeles more beautiful, and to open it up to the public for many years to come, so that they can see the great work of John Lautner, and see the possibilities in contemporary architecture,’ he explained to an audience of journalists and trustees at the property.
Read more HERE
Author: Karen Cook, PLP Architecture
This article has been written as part of the AIA Newsletter’s commitment to up-to-date member news. If you are aware of UK Chapter member’s involvement in other newsworthy projects or events, please bring them to our attention via a “comment” follow up note at the end of this article and we will endeavour to publish further feature articles.
While the rest of us maintain our careers – however volatile they may be – safely here in London, peripatetic architecture professor Marga Jann, AIA, RIBA, DPUC, continues to teach her particular brand of socio-environmentally aware, ‘live project’ design in places other architectural practitioners rarely venture.
Since participating in the AIA UK chapter as UK Board Correspondent in 2010/11, Prof Jann – or more commonly, “Marga” - has held teaching positions in Uganda (2011-12) and Saudi Arabia (2013-14) as part of a Cambridge Visiting Fellow/Research Associate research project (2011 to date). Exotic as these places may be, they merely follow her earlier experiences as a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Sri Lanka (2005-6) and as a Visiting Professor in South Korea (2008-9) and Cyprus (2009-11).
Back ‘from the field’ in 2014, she returned to Cambridge for some well-earned rest and a chance to catch up with AIA UK colleagues. She also took the time to record her comparative teaching experiences as a lasting legacy.
Although she had planned to stay in Europe for the time, in 2015 she was invited to teach in The Bahamas and could not resist the offer. After the rigours and political intrigues of Saudi Arabia, it was a welcome change to assume the duties of Visiting Associate Professor at the College of the Bahamas (COB) - an institute of higher education looking forward shortly to becoming a full university in line with its major role in the Caribbean.
Marga’s first teaching priority is typically to get her architecture students involved in live community-service (‘hands-on’) projects. In the Bahamas, her first local contact was with the Adventure Learning Centre & Camp, founded in 1986. In collaboration with ALC Director, Tim Seeley, it was agreed that the COB architecture students should provide design input for two cottages scheduled for construction in 2016/17. These cottages were to employ the latest technology in solar energy and to serve as models for sustainable and affordable hurricane-resistant design throughout the islands, particularly in wake of Hurricane Joaquin.
Encouraged to be inventive while developing indigenous building themes, the resultant student designs included elevated structures; rainwater harvesting; edible landscaping; anti-mosquito screened porches and windows; hurricane shutters, sliding security doors; cooling and protective vegetal walls; natural, cross-ventilation; and solar roofing. For good measure, consideration was also given to seismic design and accessibility requirements. You can view more here and here.
Image: Junkanooer, 1 Jan 2016, Marga Jann
This tropical initiative was seen both as an opportunity to share sound design principles with the larger Caribbean community and to help sustain the environment and culture through the encouragement of traditional ‘Bahamian aesthetics’ —especially with regard to local detailing and colour palette. On a wider level, Marga has been exploring the Bahamian ‘Junkanoo’ tradition and its potential to inform and positively impact future design projects.
Will Marga settle in paradise? She has a US home base in Hawaii - where she has also taught - as well as in her native New York. However, as she puts it, ‘I have a propensity for islands and the Tropics, but am glad to serve where need should arise—there is so much design work to be done in the world, particularly in developing regions, if architects would only dare to reach out and explore more, particularly now that the “world is flat”.’
Author: Lorraine King
For over 20 years, The American Institute of Architects UK Chapter Excellence in Design Awards programme has proven highly valued by architects as they confer trans-Atlantic recognition for design excellence.
Professional entries are sought from architects, industrial designers, urban planners, landscape architects and interior designers based in Britain, and from around the world for completed projects in the UK.
In past years, this broad mix has resulted in winning projects from, among others, Haworth Tompkins, David Chipperfield Architects, Sauerbruch Hutton, Rick Mather Architects, Zaha Hadid Architects, Ian Simpson Architects, Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Edwin Cullinan, Allies & Morrison Architects, Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners, Grimshaw Architects, Eric Parry Architects and Eva Jiricna Architects.
Starting in 2015, the programme opened a Young Architect category, with design directors under 40 years-of-age, to encourage and reward work by a new generation of architects.
In parallel with the Professional and Young Architect awards, the chapter also recognises future talent through the Noel Hill Student Travel Award. With the generous support of Laufen, each year this program awards each applicant with a travel grant of £1000.
The winners will be announced at the Awards Gala on Monday 18th April, held this year at the Institute of Contemporary Arts.
On 12 Nov 2015, the 2015 AIA International Region Design Awards were announced at the Awards Ceremony held at Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong, with two winners from UK architectural companies – David Chipperfield Architects (DCA) and Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM).
This is the second year for the IR Design Awards, and the jurors – George H Miller FAIA (chair), Prof Fumihiko Maki Hon FAIA, and Giancarlo Alhadeff FAIA, RIBA – reviewed submissions in four design categories – Architecture, Interior Architecture, Urban Design and Open International. Following AIA awards programme guidelines, all full AIA licensed architects in the International Region were allowed to submit projects in all categories; however, all International Associate AIA members were also invited to submit in the Urban Design and Open International categories.
The Open International category was established to encourage International Region members to participate. The category recognises architectural design solutions that are respectful of their local culture and have unique programmes in an international context. This year’s Honor Award – the highest recognition - for Open International Architecture was won by David Chipperfield Architects, represented by David Chipperfield Hon FAIA, for the Museo Jumex project in Mexico City, Mexico. The Project Architect was Peter Jurschitzka who worked from DCA’s London office in collaboration with a Mexican partner, TAAU.
This was DCA’s second AIA Award for 2015 as the practice also won the overall AIA UK Design Excellence Award last year for its office building at Moganshan Road, Hangzhou, China, completed in 2013.
DCA currently has offices in London, Berlin, Milan and Shanghai and has been taking on an increasingly international workload to complement its European roots. This includes at least two recent museum projects in the United States – the Saint Louis Art Museum, Missouri (2013), and the Anchorage Museum, Alaska (2009).
Photo Credit: Simon Menges
Photo Credit: Simon Menges
In the same Open International category, a Merit Award was won by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), represented by Wade Scaramucci AIA, Associate Director, for the Burntwood School, London. The Project Director was Paul Monaghan; the Project Architect was Lukas Ochendal.
Not only was AHMM successful at the International Region Design Awards this year, it was also one of last year’s winners.
The Burntwood project has been the winner of multiple architectural awards, most notably as the unanimous decision of the judges for the 2015 RIBA Stirling Prize. The school was described by the RIBA as being a genuine collaborative effort, with superb integration of artwork, landscaping and engineering.
Wade Scaramucci served for many years on the AIA UK Board and was responsible for initiating the successful building tour programme that has continued to run for the past several years. Fittingly, the AIA UK Chapter hopes to arrange a tour to Burntwood later this year.
Photo Credit: Timothy Soar
Photo Credit: Timothy Soar
Other International Region Design Award winners were:
Given the success of UK architectural companies in the International Region Design Awards, the AIA UK Chapter strongly encourages the chapter membership to participate in the 2016 awards programme. Please be alert for the invitation to submit projects that will be issued later this year.
Author: Lorraine King
The AIA UK Chapter’s Annual General Meeting was held on 13 January, at Herman Miller’s Showroom. Once again, our members were treated to a generous spread of food and drinks courtesy of Herman Miller. They also introduced us to their on-going research into how to keep employees happy at work. These include the fundamental desires of employees including “Achievement, Security, Purpose, Status, Autonomy and Belonging”. These are true for any type of office, but I personally feel they are particularly true for creative fields, such as our own.
Our 2015 AIA UK President, Brianne Hamilton, recapped the year with a presentation highlighting events, photos and memories from our time together. It was a great year, and we look forward to another ahead.
At the end of the evening, the membership nominated and elected the Board of Directors which now include:
At Large:
Correspondents:
The executive positions were elected as follows: