CELEBRATING 212012

YEARS OF YAF

1991

CONNECTIONNOVEMBER 2012

YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM

TRAVEL | GREEN BLDG

THE YAF CONNECTION IS THE OFFICIAL E-MAGAZINE FOR YOUNG ARCHITECTS PRODUCED BY THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM. EACH EDITION INCLUDES ARTICLES ON LEADERSHIP, MENTORSHIP, AND FELLOWSHIP AS WELL AS BOOK REVIEWS BY YOUNG ARCHITECTS. THE YAF CONNECTION IS A BIMONTHLY PUBLICATION.

YAF CONNECTION ISSUE 10.05 | 11.2012

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

The YAF Connection is sponsored through the generous support of The AIA Trust, a free risk management resource for AIA members that offers valuable benefits to protect you, your firm, and your family. Visit www.TheAIATrust.com for complete program information on all AIA Trust programs.

Map Showing Locations of Article Contributors for this Issue. US Map Source: www.cardhouse.com

Editor-in-Chief Deepika Padam, AIA deepika@bashless.comAssistant Editor Josh Flowers, AIAAssistant Editor Bonnie Sen, AIAGraphic Designer Nathan Stolarz, AIAGraphic Designer James Cornetet, AIA

Editorial Advisory GroupWilliam J. Stanley, III, FAIARobert I Selby, FAIADonna Kacmar, FAIANick Peckham, FAIASean Stadler, AIABrett Taylor, AIA

03YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

Disclaimer: This publication is created by Young Architect members of the American Institute of Architects. Views expressed in this publication are solely those of the authors.

CONTENT04 NEWS

YAF NewsNews and resources relevant to young

architects 06 EDITOR'S NOTEAt the CrossroadsDeepika Padam, AIA

08 EVENTWho in the World does Research

Anymore?Deepika Padam, AIA

16 PHOTOGRAPHYAnn Neeriemer, AIA 16

Eric Beron, AIA 18Luka Nedzbala 20Naomi Cataldo 22Nate Wambold 24

Shelly Scott, AIA 26William Webb, AIA 28

Yelena Ptashinskaya 30Julie Babin, AIA 32

54 MAKING A CASETo Become Leaders in Energy Modeling, We Need to be Building Science ExpertsDaniel Overbey, AIA

48 MAKING A CASEAdopt Living Building Challenge in Fight Against Climate ChangeRobert Webber, AIA

58 MAKING A CASEFuel Cell Technology

Greg Taylor, AIA

52 MAKING A CASEThree Pillars of Success to Reach Net-Zero

Premnath Sundharam, AIA

FOCUS: GREEN BUILDING

12 EVENTElevator Pitch: In ReviewJeffrey Pastva

60 BOOK REVIEWNarrow Houses: New Directions in Efficient Design by Avi FriedmanJorge de la Cova, AIA

FOCUS: TRAVEL

34 SKETCHES34 Amy Wynne36 Lira Luis, AIA38 Mark Pearson, AIA40 STORY

Angela Demma, AIA 40Navneet Magon Anand, Associate AIA 42

Saul Moreno, Associate AIA 44Will Stanford, AIA 46

62 DESIGNNexthouse: The Future of Attainable

SustainableJake Grandon 64 DESIGN

Gulf Island Bed and BreakfastJames Tuer, AIA

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

Stay Connected

YAF AT AIAYAF's Home webpage. www.aia.org/yaf

AIA ArchiblogThis blog provides YAF-related news in real time. Get involved in the discussion! www.blog.aia.org/yaf

YAF KnowledgeNetA knowledge resource for awards, announcements, podcasts, blogs, and valuable articles. The archives of YAF Connection and the Young Architect Award winners' entries... This resource has it all!www.network.aia.org/AIA/YoungArchitectsForum

Architect’s Knowledge ResourceThe Architect's Knowledge Resource connects AIA members and others to the most current information on architecture, including research, best practices, product reviews, ratings, image banks, trends, and more. It's your place to find solutions, share your expertise, and connnect with colleagues. www.aia.org/akr

YAF on LinkedInStay connected with the YAF leadership and all the young architects you meet at the convention, and get involved in group discussions.www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=2066423

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Know Someone Who’s Not Getting The YAF Connection?Don’t let them be out of the loop any longer. It’s easy for AIA members to sign up. Update your AIA member profile and add the Young Architects Forum under “Your Knowledge Communities.”

• Go to www.aia.org and sign in.• Click on “For Members” link next to the AIA logo on top.• Click on “Edit your personal information” on the left side

under AIA members tab.• Click “Your knowledge communities” under Your Account

on the left• Add YAF.

CALL FOR ARTICLESWould you like to submit articles for inclusion in an upcoming issue?Contact the 2013-14 editor at wyatt.frantom@wf-ad.com.

2011 AIA YAF/COD IDEAS COMPETITION BOOK AVAILABLE TO PURCHASETo order your copy, visit www.lulu.com and search "2011 AIA YAF/COD Ideas Competition".

2012 AIA YOUNG ARCHITECTS AWARD BOOK AVAILABLE TO PURCHASETo order your copy, visit www.lulu.com and search "AIA 2012 Young Architects Award", or go to this link:http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/aia-2012-young-architects-award-book/12835670

ERRORSThere were a few errors reported in issue 10.04 of YAF Connection. We regret those errors. Corrected version of articles have been sent to the contributors.

05YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

News

AIA INTRODUCES CASE STUDIES ON ARCHITECTURE FIRMS PARTICIPATING IN 2030 COMMITMENT PROGRAMIn order to examine the benefits and lessons learned from firms participating in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2030 Commitment Program, five participating firms were interviewed and case studies documenting their experiences were developed.

Participating firms included High Plains Architects, HMC Architects, HOK, The Miller Hull Partnership and Serena Sturm Architects. Together the firms achieved an average predicted energy use intensity of 49.5% placing them ahead of overall performance reported by participating firms in 2012, but below the target goals of the program.

AIA INTRODUCES ENERGY MODELING GUIDEIn order to help architects more accurately predict the energy consumption in their design projects, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has put together An Architect’s Guide to Integrating Energy Modeling in the Design Process. The guide is an exhaustive, step-by-step map to predicting (and thus reducing) the energy usage of buildings.

Beyond defining and making a case for energy modeling, this primer walks readers through different types of energy modeling and the individual tools and software available for it. As a relatively new technical specialty, the guide also discusses how to bring energy modeling to other building team members, like engineers, and most important of all—to clients. From initial exploratory design concepts to code compliance and ongoing energy maintenance, this manual covers the entire spectrum of design and building.

NCARB'S 2012 SURVEY OF REGISTERED ARCHITECTSThe 2012 survey of U.S. architectural registration boards by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) indicates that there are currently 105,596 registered architects in the United States. You can find past surveys at http://www.ncarb.org/About-NCARB/NCARB-by-the-Numbers/Survey-of-Architects.aspx.

AIA AND NOMA UPDATE MOU DURING YEAR OF NOMA’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION2012 AIA President Jeff Potter, FAIA, and 2012 NOMA President Sanford Garner, AIA, LEED AP, signed the MOU, which reflects a commitment by AIA and NOMA to continue and enhance their combined effort toward a more diverse and inclusive architecture profession and built environment. More information about diversity and inclusion at the AIA: www.aia.org/diversity.

AIA'S LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT, THE HONORABLE HARRY REID, THE HONORABLE JOHN A. BOEHNER, THE HONORABLE MITCH MCCONNELL, THE HONORABLE NANCY PELOSI

Dear President Obama and Congressional leaders:

The American Institute of Architects and its more than 80,000 members would like to express their support for continued efforts to avoid the “fiscal cliff.”

The past few years have been devastating to the design and construction industry. The economic crisis, a lack of access to financing, and the meltdown in the mortgage and commercial real estate lending markets have led to unprecedented levels of layoffs and business failures. In fact, the architecture profession alone has lost 60,000 employees – nearly one quarter of our workforce – since 2008. Given that design and construction make up one in nine dollars in Gross Domestic Product, this industry is vital for the economy’s continued recovery.

Although there are signs of improvement, failure to act on the fiscal cliff would bring that progress to a complete stop. An AIA analysis released in October showed that the budget sequester scheduled to take place in January would reduce federal investments in design and construction by more than $2 billion, with a potential job loss of an additional 60,000 workers across the design and construction industry. Tax increases on thousands of architecture firms, most of which are small businesses, and their employees and clients would cripple the ability of our profession to create jobs and grow the economy.

The AIA agrees that difficult decisions need to be made in order to reduce the deficit, and architects and their allies are committed to doing their part. Indeed, any solution to the fiscal cliff may necessitate reductions in federal design and construction budgets. Page 2 November 15, 2012

However, the indiscriminate nature of the sequester is precisely the wrong way to go. A large portion of agency facility budgets is devoted to repairs, maintenance and retrofits. If those funds are cut, the need does not go away. In fact, cutting these budgets by such a sizable amount will most certainly cost taxpayers more in the long run, as problems get worse and the price tag for repairs rises.

Therefore, we urge Congress and the White House to address the fiscal cliff in ways that do not disproportionately impact the already struggling design and construction industry, and which will end up costing taxpayers more due to deferred maintenance and repairs.

We look forward to working with you to address the nation’s ongoing challenges.

Jeffery Potter, FAIA

2012 President

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

I was appalled to read about one of the projects nominated

for 2012 RIBA Silver Medal. The project that won the 2012

Rawat Award for Best Graduate Design Project. The project

that at its core is the opposite of what the human actions

should be. It is a thesis project by Jack Murno, a 2012 graduate

of University of Westminster in London. Built with bricks

made of blood and sand, the proposal is a brick-making

community in Siwa, Egypt. The positive spin to the thesis

is that the blood being used for the bricks is a byproduct

from slaughtered cows, hence the reuse of a waste resource.

What horror for architects to stoop to this level! I see a direct

correlation between the waste blood and the high levels of

methane generated at slaughter houses. (I won’t get into the

increased potential for diseases from eating meat.) It begs the

question, what is our responsibility as architects? Architects

are regarded among the leaders for the sustainability of the

planet. Does our work start and stop at buildings? Why are

we talking about what to do with waste blood or methane?

Why are we not talking about why so many cows are being

artificially mass-reproduced and then mass-slaughtered?

Should architects be setting an example from our lifestyles

that go beyond designing buildings?

A professor once told me that while talking about project

sites I shouldn’t use the phrase “natural landscape”. He said

that everything we see around us has been touched by

humans. The correct phrase is existing landscape, not natural

landscape. On similar grounds, should we use the phrase

“natural disasters”? I reckon we should call them man-made

disasters instead. Hurricane Sandy... Sick of the news coverage

much? Are you still debating whether climate change is real?

Do you think your actions are so minor that they are a drop

in the ocean? If you are not feeling responsible for Sandy, you

are still living in a dream world. You are the cause for natural

disasters. Together we are all the cause for them.

Photographs of the deserted NYC subway system before

Hurricane Sandy hit may seem rather serene. The aftermath

coverage is jaw dropping. There are multiple lessons to

Editor's NoteAT THE CROSSROADS

Writer: Deepika Padam, AIAPadam is the 2011-2012 Communications Advisor for the National AIA Young Architects Forum. She lives in San Francisco.

Built with bricks made of blood and sand, a

thesis project by Jack Murno, a 2012 graduate of

University of Westminster in London, is a brick-

making community in Siwa, Egypt.

07YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

be learnt from Sandy that have been covered widely. RMI

published a treatise on smart grid vis-à-vis distributed power.

It may seem trivial, but Fast Company featured a cell phone

charger for disasters. Story about a few student volunteers

got featured that reached out to old or disabled people stuck

in buildings without power, food and medicine immediately

after the hurricane struck and before the Red Cross could do

anything. Good news is that NYC saw a big upswing on the

number of bicyclists on the roads. We’ve got to do something

about that traffic! Camaraderie was witnessed top to bottom

where people and corporations opened doors to help each

other. People are working hard to rebuild the systems, bring

order to the chaos. However, they say that prevention is better

than cure. Could we have prevented Hurricane Sandy? Maybe

not. But maybe it would not have been so severe had we not

been living in an age of record number and catastrophic

levels of disasters. Had the climate change not soared to

these heights. Had we built smarter from the very beginning.

Some people shun all discussion about climate change either

because they think it is God’s will, or because they think that

they are being forced to feel guilty over something they

didn’t do. They say it is a tactic employed by politicians simply

to control the masses. When a pigeon sees an approaching

predator cat it closes its eyes thinking that now that it can’t

see the cat, the cat won’t see it either. People are pigeons and

the cat is the climate change. And in our case, the pigeons

created the cat.

Disasters are coming; we should expect more of them at

increasing levels in the future. Root cause, Climate Change.

The issue is neither religious nor political. It is Common Sense.

What will you do to prevent the next disaster? You are at the

crossroads, which path would you choose? Acceptance of

the consequences, worship when all fails, war against climate

change, or elopement to the high-ticket underground

caves? Choose carefully, because this is more serious than

the Presidential Election. Failure is guaranteed, the disaster

will strike regardless of your choice. But it may not be as

devastating if you act now.

(Right) Brooklyn subway submerged after Hurrican Sandy

(Below) The BoostTurbine, a hand-cranked cell-phone charger by Etón

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

Writer: Deepika Padam, AIAPadam is the 2011-2012 Communications Advisor for the National AIA Young Architects Forum. She lives in San Francisco.

Event

WHO IN THE WORLD DOES RESEARCH ANYMORE?Revisiting the Place of Research in Architecture at AIA Research Summit

What is Research? What are the types of research? Who does research? In today’s day and age of information overload, does anyone have the time

to do research? Does research lead to innovation, especially in the architecture practice? What is the future of research? How can AIA help? To find

these answers and many more, the AIA Research Summit was held in St. Louis on July 23-24, 2012. The delegation of twenty-four was split almost

halfway between academicians and practitioners, with some AIA staff. It was a unique experience for me because research is not spoken in the

same vocabulary or at the same level in my practice as was done at the summit. Bear with me as I dissect the two-day exchange piecemeal.

Participants of AIA Research Summit. Image by Lindsay Roffe

Back Row L to R: Gerald (Butch) Reifert FAIA, Reg Prentice, Jeffrey W Anderzhon FAIA, J Craig Beale FAIA, Terrence E O'Neal AIA, Peter Hourihan, Sally Augustin,

Ray Pentecost III FAIA, Clark S Davis FAIA, Earle W Kennett, Ken L Ross FAIA, Richard L Hayes AIA. Front Row L to R: Eric West AIA, Keith Diaz Moore AIA, G Z Brown

FAIA, Kirk Hamilton FAIA, Jay Farbstein FAIA, Edward A Shriver FAIA, Alexis Karolides AIA, Terri Stewart, Deepika Padam AIA. Sitting Down L to R: Dennis A Andrejko

FAIA, Donald T Yoshino FAIA

This article was previously published in Metropolis Magazine POV Blog and

AIA College of Fellows' Fellowscope issue 98.

09YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

WHO IN THE WORLD DOES RESEARCH ANYMORE?Revisiting the Place of Research in Architecture at AIA Research Summit

Research has a different meaning for everybody depending on their

backgrounds. It is evident that academicians and practitioners see

research with very different perspectives. Hence, the two distinct

tracks of Academic and Applied Research. The goal of the summit

was to understand the similarities and dissimilarities among the two,

form a connection between them, and make it easier for researchers

to exchange information and learn from each other.

Academic Research focuses on gathering information and deducing

specific conclusions. It generally tends to be lengthy as it includes

background information such as method, experiments, data, and

details in addition to the conclusions. Academics are striving to find

new information and the results are rigorous. Per D. Kirk Hamilton

FAIA, the academics at research universities are required to publish

their research. While many universities collaborate, they still want to

be identified as the leaders in their field of study. Keith Diaz Moore

AIA believes that when a tenured faculty member is known as a

thought leader in a certain area, the institution tends to become a

thought leader in that area, which marginalizes other aspects of the

school.

Applied Research may be understood as simply doing a Google

search, although it would not be considered serious “research” in

academic terms. Applied Research involves finding information,

aggregating the facts, and applying them to practice. Practitioners

look for concise abstracts and many are driven towards visual forms

of information. The method is different for small and large firms.

Small firms have multi-skilled professionals who do research as

part of their other activities. This may be considered a basic level of

research. Most of the large firms today have dedicated researchers in

their staff creating specialized deductions to be used in the design

practice. Peter Hourihan believes that research is done at all scales.

Although small firms spend limited amount of time in research, the

projects don’t require the level of research a large firm might need.

Apart from all this, Terrence E. O’Neal AIA holds that there is Tacit

Knowledge held in the minds of researchers, which needs to be

extracted before the baby boomers retire.

The topics of research vary depending on whether it is academic

or applied research, and whether it is a small or big operation.

The list from the summit participants includes sustainability,

renewable energy, energy efficiency, building materials, envelope

design, elderly neighborhood characteristics, housing, smart

growth, intelligent buildings, how organisms interact with

buildings, evaluation of existing software, environmental impacts

of temperature and humidity, healthcare and education, science

and technology, genetic algorithms for planning, sensitivity of the

skin, embodied energy of materials, water and energy data, BIM

outcomes, social or cultural impacts on place, fuel cells, acoustics,

construction types, neuroscience, hazard reduction, inclusivity

beyond ADA, and design for aging. This is not an exhaustive list of

everything that is being researched in our profession. Research is

being done at many levels including some institutions that focus on

architectural research, such as, ARCC, EDRA, NGO, IDEA, CIMS, and

NTID. The modes of research include observations, case studies,

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

experiments testing comfort levels, interviewing, outcome based

research of modeling and analysis, post occupancy evaluations

(POE), surveys, life-cycle testing and analysis, evidence based

design, quantitative data gathering, etc.

The complexity of the topics, methods and approaches can be

simplified with a Pyramid structure that allows everybody to share

information. The pyramid structure should be taken as a work in

progress and is a direct outcome of the discussions at the Summit.

Meta Analysis, a study of studies, is at the tip of the pyramid followed

by experimental (with control), quasi-experimental (no control),

comparison studies or POEs, case studies, benchmarking, expert

opinion, best practices, tours with anecdotal info, and observation.

These levels are based on the rigor and quality of research.

Researchers of all backgrounds are able to penetrate and contribute

to the pyramid at some level. Some research may be measured vs.

modeled, i.e. built facility vs. simulation study. Some may be peer

reviewed vs. non-reviewed, but all are meant to have a literature

review. Whether the information store is envisioned as a pyramid or

an arch with a keystone or a sphere with a bull’s eye, a database of

research would be beneficial to all.

For continued progress of our profession, sharing of information is

the key. It’s a give and take environment. The more you share, the

more others will share with you. In Reg Prentice’s opinion, “applied

research tends to get proprietary because practitioners need to have

a competitive advantage. Although the surveys and conclusions

may be shared, the database or software to do the analysis is not

shared to avoid replication.” In academia, the research is judged

by the method, whether it was rigorous or experimental. So there

is in-depth sharing of information, including failed experiments.

Firm practices tend to project success and show optimism. In order

to gain the trust of clients, firms hide their failures. Unlike other

professions, failures in architecture put lives in danger on the clients’

dime. Much of the information is shared as Best Practices, without

calling it failures or lessons learnt. In the quandary of these different

approaches, where the intent is to share while the tendency is to

hide, is where AIA can become the crucial conduit for information

exchange.

AIA can fill the role of a “collector” of research. AIA doesn’t need

to be leading research projects or reviewing or curating them,

but simply collecting them for sharing. In Ken L. Ross FAIA’s

words, “knowledgeable leaders are the ones that admit what they

don’t know.” External peer reviewers should be hired to review

the submitted research papers before making them available to

users. Depending on the level of the research on the pyramid, the

submission criteria can be different. The submissions can go to

the peer reviewers, who would then rate each of them. Some may

not get peer reviewed and would be tagged as non-reviewed. The

abstracts and conclusions should be presented in an everyday

understandable language and should have associated keywords for

searching. Per G.Z. Brown FAIA, “Discarding would play an important

function as it helps narrow down the search. Association helps

11YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

because it takes one to associated subjects of one’s research that

may prove useful.” The peer review process is necessary for AIA to be

considered a trusted resource by the readers.

AIA has already begun the process of developing a portal to collect

research and knowledge through a partnership with the National

Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS). One of the components of

the initiative is the creation of the Building Research Information

Knowledgebase (BRIK) as an interactive web portal or website that

would serve as a bank of all types of research. Similar to Wikipedia,

it will be designed for easy access, input, or comment. It will contain

vital, robust, validated, reliable, replicable research with data and

conclusions. Predictive and credible knowledge will be shared that

may not necessarily be rigorous, but will be curated, trustworthy and

useful. It will allow sharing of information and links internally and

externally. It will track the number of downloads, and users will be

able to rank and score their research focus and hold conversations.

The site is scheduled to launch in early January and announced at

the NIBS Conference in DC on January 9.

While the design for BRIK is being envisioned, it would be prudent

to keep in mind the future audience. To avoid creating a site that

gets outdated before it is launched, the design team should involve

the young generation in their 20’s. The upcoming generation of

Twitter and Pinterest users is very visual with not enough time

to read lengthy treatises (this article is one of them). As Gerald

(Butch) Reifert FAIA put it, “sometimes less rigorous research and

water cooler discussion is where innovation occurs”. It would be

essential to make the information available in various lengths: one-

sentence abstract, one paragraph, single page, and the complete

research paper. The format should be interactive with diagrams and

photographs as applicable. Similar to the Khan Academy, videos

should be integrated. The published material should focus on the

reader and user who would apply the knowledge towards further

research or practice benefiting the clients. Ken L. Ross FAIA well

stated that the greatest member value is in making the member

more valuable. Just like the medical, engineering and other fields

that share their research and build upon each other’s findings, when

the members of AIA begin sharing their research through BRIK, the

entire membership and profession will benefit from the increased

value of collective research.

The following action items are suggested for AIA moving forward

towards this initiative:

• Create a blog for continuous dialogue.

• Publish a monthly article in ARCHITECT magazine focused on

research.

• Publish articles in Newswire issues of ARCHITECT.

• Appoint a dedicated AIA staff person for a certain period of time.

• Create a collaboration and research agenda. Make the initiative

known.

• Use the theme of Research at a future convention, which will also

be the focus for the AIA President for the year.

• Create a recognition program with awards and publications.

• Contact foundations for funding support.

• Include the AIA Knowledge Communities in the discussion.

• Provide CEU credits for the research published on BRIK.

• Engage emerging architects and 20-year olds.

• Take an action oriented direction.

• Bring back the Research in Practice Grant in addition to

maintaining the Upjohn Research Initiative and COF Latrobe Prize.

Dennis A. Andrejko FAIA closed with the phrase, “Innovate,

demonstrate, educate, celebrate.”

All drawings are by Lindsay Roffe © Ink Factory

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

Event

ELEVATOR P I TCH : IN REV IEW

As Chairs of YAF Philadelphia, we are charged with staying up to

date with the current issues and challenges facing the emerging

professionals under our umbrella. We are particularly concerned

with helping young professionals overcome skill or experience

gaps that may cause them to be overlooked or undervalued by

potential employers. In our search for this form of “mispricing”

within the community, we found that many recent graduates have

limited experience articulating their ideas to audiences outside the

academic sphere.

Our response was to create an event that provided the opportunity

for up and coming designers to pitch a project to a panel of seasoned

professionals in return for constructive criticism. We believe this

simulated environment helps participants achieve the necessary

oral skills to succeed at the next level. It also prepares them with

intellectual agility, exposes them to pragmatic concerns, and gives

them the confidence to speak comfortably to an unknown audience.

These same skills often translate into a coherent interview, the

ability to communicate within a team environment, and ultimately

the ability to convince a client that their design solution is a viable

one. As part of this simulation, participants were required to give

a 30-second introduction that was designed to pique the panel’s

interest. This real-world constraint forced them to be as persuasive

as possible and prompted the title of the event, Elevator Pitch.

The event itself was broken into three phases: The initial Pitch, a

longer prepared presentation, and finally a Q&A/feedback session.

Phase I served as the classic example of having 30 seconds to make

a first impression worthy of hearing more. In our simulation, we

allowed them to continue as planned, but we made them aware

that the initial time frame might be their only chance to make a

convincing argument. When they proceeded to Phase II, they had

an extended period of 4 minutes and 30 seconds to give additional

information and explain the bones of the project. They were allowed

upwards of 20 images to make their point and were directed to

include only the most pertinent information to do so. At the end of

their 5 total minutes, the panel of professionals had the opportunity

to interact with the presenters, asking both follow up questions and

providing feedback where they could improve in the future.

In this particular round of presentations, we had two Thesis level

Writer: Jeffrey PastvaPastva is a Project Architect at Haley Donovan Architecture + Planning in Haddonfield, NJ. Pastva is serving as a Co-Chair of the YAF of Philadelphia, helps run/organize the local ARE Study Session series and is the founder of the website The Designated Sketcher.

13YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

(Top) A shot of the crowd at Elevator Pitch.

(Below) Opening presenter, Britt Chapman, giving her “Pitch”.

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

undergraduate students repurpose their academic presentations

for outside criticism, one Master’s candidate present his idea for a

wearable architectural device, and two professionals discuss their

project for a public installation in a local park. All received great

feedback on how they could improve, but it was clear that the initial

30-second constraint was a challenge, in addition to answering

questions that many clients would be concerned with, like total cost.

For the full presentations (including feedback), please visit the

following link: http://www.youtube.com/user/runtimeHD/videos.

The 4 presentations that are a part of our event are: Auman &

Hartwig, Nam Il Joe, Brian Johnson, and Britt Chapman. For a 90

second overall glimpse of Elevator Pitch, please see here: http://bit.

ly/Pj2elY

In order for our event to run as smoothly as possible, the Young

Architects Forum Committee Chairs – Jeffrey Pastva and Denise

Thompson – served as the point of source for organization. This

included securing a venue, committing a diverse panel of jurors,

creating/advertising/administering a Call for Entries, securing

additional sponsorship as required, and finally promoting the event

to the community.

Of those tasks mentioned, the most pertinent and time intensive

stage was the Call for Entries (CFE) process. Since we thought this

topic spanned the entire spectrum of academic and professional

education, the CFE was broadcast to all area architecture students

and young professionals. Potential applicants were asked to

produce a 150-word synopsis of their proposed presentation, as well

as a few example slides. At the conclusion of the CFE, we selected

the applicants who we thought would best represent themselves

and who would benefit the most. These presenters were then given

instructions to help vet their proposed presentations in preparation

for the actual event.

Elevator Pitch was held at the showroom of Garden State Tile, a local

floor finish distributor in Center City Philadelphia, to an audience

of 50 architecture + design enthusiasts. It was moderated by YAF

Co-Chair Jeffrey Pastva and featured 3 knowledgeable sources

for feedback. They included the following people; George Smith,

Christopher Stromberg, and Denise Thompson.

George is currently a Director at development firm, U3 Ventures.

We really appreciated his outside eye for architectural issues at

a macro scale and his expertise helped him act as a typical client.

A close up shot of one of the many reactions from the Jury.

15YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

Christopher serves as an adjunct faculty member at Philadelphia

University, in addition to owning his own practice. He brought an

expertise that includes both an instructional and practical view.

Denise Thompson is an architectural practitioner as well as an acting

member on multiple committees within AIA Philadelphia.

For Elevator Pitch to reach our desired level of participation we relied

almost entirely on In-Kind donations. To help make it possible, the

following sources have been listed alongside what they contributed:

Venue: Garden State Tile allowed us to use their showroom to

accommodate our audience. To help ensure a proper event, this

included audio amplification equipment, seating, Juror/Moderator

Table and projection screen.

Food/Beverage: Garden State Tile and Co-Chair Jeffrey Pastva

chipped in to provide enough snacks and drinks for those in

attendance.

Video Documentation: RunTimeHD was our sponsor for digitally

capturing the event and providing edited videos as a result. The

videos included both edited renditions of each presentation, as well

as a full arc of the event.

Additional Audio/Visual Equipment: Francis Cauffman provided the

use of a projector for each presentation.

The RunTimeHD crew interviews juror Christopher Stromberg after the

presentations.

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Ann Neeriemer, AIA, is an Associate at Perkins Eastman in Washington, DC. Neeriemer is also the young adult coordinator at National City Christian Church, and a core team member of Washington Interfaith Network, a community organizing group.

Madre e hijaAntigua Guatemala, GuatemalaJune 2011

UnshutteredYangshuo, Guanxi, ChinaFebruary 2010

Numero 46Antigua Guatemala, GuatemalaMay 2011

A N N N E E R I E M E R

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Salento, Quindio, ColomabiaJuly 2008

San Juan la Laguna, Solola, GuatemalaMay 2011

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Beron, AIA is a Principal Architect at DLR Group in Des Moines, Iowa. Beron is also a Trustee Member of the Iowa Architectural Foundation and is an avid photographer in his free time.

New York Skyline from Top of the RockJuly 2012

Empire State Building from Top of the RockJuly 2012

E R I C B E R O N

19

Originally hailing from the East Coast (Delaware-area) - it has been a while since I have made the trek back east, let alone taking the time to visit other sites along the coast. My family and I traveled to New York City in mid-July to visit extended family and show my young sons the beauty and inspiration of the built environment of downtown Manhattan.

On this trip, the weather was not cooperating as one would like for a "sunny, relaxing getaway" - however, rather than let a few clouds spoil the moment, we took to two different vantage points – the fist being above it all at the Top of Rock (Rockefeller Center) and the later being the below the surface in the subway. The landmarks above and below New York City Skyline and just as striking - if not more-so - than if we had had all of the sunshine in the world!

Bank of America Building from Top of the Rock July 2012

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Nedzbala is an architecture student at UNCC in Charlotte, North Carolina. Nedzbala has also lived in Germany, Japan, Turkey, Slovenia, and Italy, and interned at A&B Architects in Vicenza, Italy.

Vicenza StreetVicenza, ItalyAugust 2012

Andrea PalladioVicenza, ItalyJuly 2011

Basilica di Sant'AndreaMantova, ItalyAugust 2012

L U K A N E D Z B A L A

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Santa Maria della Salute from the Grand CanalVenice, Italy

May 2011

Santa Maria della Salute towering over the Grand Canal. People sit on the steps in front of

the church, taking a break from their site-seeing.

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PHOTOGRAPHY Cataldo is an Associate at Ayers Saint Gross in Baltimore, MD. Cataldo is also an Associate AIA and co-coordinator of the Emerging Professionals group at ASG which strives to assist emerging design professionals within the 3 major disciplines at ASG (architecture, landscape architecture, and planning) in the process of professional registration as well as building relationships with their respective professional organizations.

Abbey Road, ReduxMala Strana, PragueJune 2011

Art on a BridgeCharles Bridge, PragueJune 2011

Vineyard ViewVilla Richter, PragueJune 2011

N A O M I C A T A L D O

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UpwardSt. Vitus Cathedral, Prague

June 2011

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PHOTOGRAPHY Nathan Wambold is a registered architect and owner of an architectural photography company out of the greater St. Louis metro area. Although Nathan specializes in photographing “built-environments”, on occasion he needs to get away from it all and goes for a drive with his camera at the ready. See more of his work and the rest of his “Western Splendors Tour” collection at nathanwamboldphotography.com.

“Not Forgotten” - Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, IdahoSept 2007

“Three’s a Charm” - Yosemite National Park, CaliforniaOct 2007

“Sweet Dreams” - Grand Canyon National Park, ArizonaOct 2007

N A T E W A M B O L D

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“Mashed Potato Mountain” - Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming

Sept 2007

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PHOTOGRAPHY Shelly-Anne, AIA is active in the AIA Atlanta Community and is the Public Awareness Co-Director and a member of the AIA ATL Tours Committee organising free monthly tours of recently completed architecture projects for the public. She is an alumni of Florida A&M University and has a MArch degree and an Associate of Arts in Interior Design. Her next passion after design is photography which she actively pursues as a hobby. When she is not doing either of these she can be seen volunteering at many of the local arts and cultural festivals in Atlanta, hiking or Latin dancing.

Baker Hall - Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

School of Computer Science - Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Baker Hall - Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

S H E L LY S C O T T

27

During a spring visit to the Carnegie Mellon Campus I was able to capture these images. It was a very unique visit as this was the only sunny day and it snowed the very next day.Luckily I was able to get en route to Atlanta before the real snow started. It is so interesting how just walking on a college campus and seeing the students eager for knowledge brings you alive again and just makes you want to go back to that super creative stage where you can dream and design anything you want. After being an architecture and interior design student and practically and literally living on campus sleeping on desks, being so tired that you could fall asleep standing, I would love to go to university again, just for the campus activities and creative projects, minus the exams and deadlines.....dream, dream, dream away.

Margaret Morrison Carnegie HallCarnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Home to the Architecture Students

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William Webb, AIA is a Licensed Architect at Hajek & Associates in Austin, Texas.Webb is also a Bilingual architect and licensed abroad, with an interest in Architecture and culture around the World. Avid photography fan, with a passion to capture the aesthetics of the places I travel.

Alexander Calder at Pompidou Museum

Opera, Paris. Black & White”

La Grande Arche de la Défense’

W I L L I A M W E B B

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Notre Dame, Paris

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Yelena Ptashinskaya was born and raised in Belarus and graduated from college there. Now living with here family in Texas working in one of the Dallas area architectural firms.

Lombard St, San Francisco

July 2012

California Academy of ScienceSan FranciscoJuly 2012

YELENA PTASHINSKAYA

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California Academy of ScienceSan Francisco

July 2012

Mission Dolores Park, San FranciscoJuly 2012

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PHOTOMONTAGEJulie A. Babin, AIA, LEED AP is a Project Architect at studioWTA l Wayne Troyer Architects, a collaborative design firm in New Orleans. A 2006 graduate of Tulane University, Julie was the recipient of the John William Lawrence Memorial Medal for Design Excellence. In 2010 Julie and her colleague, Ross Karsen, were awarded first place by the Louisiana Chapter of the USGBC Natural Talent Design Competition for their affordable and sustainable housing submission “Extending Roots."

Serene Santorini Architectural Elements of Ancient Ephesus

J U L I E B A B I N

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Across Italy From City to Coast

Contemporary Spain

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SKETCHES Amy Wynne is an architect and a principal at OFFICIAL in Dallas, Texas. Wynne has won first place in multiple international design competitions including the Temporary Outdoor Gallery Space competition and, as an architecture professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design was awarded a Presidential Fellowship for the study of materiality and construction in contemporary Japanese architecture.

Section perspective and photo collage of the Naoshi-ma Ferry Terminal by SANNA in Naoshima, JapanPencil on vellum + + digital photography + digital color

Section perspective of the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures at the Tokyo National Museum by Yoshio TaniguchiPencil on vellum + digital color

Section perspective of the Chichu Art Museum by Tadao Ando in Naoshima, JapanPencil on vellum + digital color

A MY W Y N N E

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Section perspective and detail of the Dior Headquarters building by SANAA in Tokyo, Japan

Pencil on vellum + digital color

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Luis, AIA is a Chief Collaboration Architect at ALLL in Chicago, IL. Luis is also ENR Midwest's Top 20 Under 40 for 2012, National Geographic and The Aspen Institute’s Environment Forum Scholar for 2010, the American Institute of Architects’ AIA Athena Young Professional Award recipient, Tile of Spain’s Reign In Spain competition winner, i4Design Magazine’s 2011 Suite 16 Top Picks, and the 2011 AIA Knowledge Scholar on Practice Management. She graduated with a Master of Architecture degree from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin and a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture, Cum Laude, from the University of Santo Tomas.

City of Arts and SciencesValencia SpainGraphite

City of Arts and SciencesValencia SpainGraphite

City of Arts and SciencesValencia SpainCharcoal

L I R A L U I S

SKETCHES

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Airport CeilingValencia, Spain

Graphite

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Pearson, AIA is an Associate Professor of Architecture at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois where he teaches courses in design, presentation, and sustainability.

Pantheon, Rome ItalyPencil, 2009

Petersburg AlaskaPencil, 1997

St. Peters BasilicaRome ItalyPencil, 2012

M A R K P E A R S O N

SKETCHES

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Phaeno Science CenterZaha Hadid

Wolfsburg GermanyPencil, 2007.

Duomo, Florence Italy Pencil, 2012

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Angela Demma, AIA is an Associate at Vinci|Hamp Architects in Chicago, Illinois. Specializing in new building design, museum and gallery installation and historic preservation, she currently leads a team in the restoration of a 7,000 square foot 1920’s era Chicago Apartment.

LEARNING AND TOURING IN CARRARA

Nestled at the base of the mountains and minutes from the Mediterranean Sea, Carrara has long been a source of beautiful stone. From the time of the Romans to today, builders, artists and architects have come here to cut “white gold”, as the locals refer to it, from the mountains. A charming Tuscan town neglected by tourists, Carrara is on the west coast of Italy, sixty miles southeast of Genoa and thirty-five miles northwest of Pisa. This past spring I was fortunate enough to spend time in and around Carrara learning about the material, its extraction, and the history and customs of the people that have long made their living from the white mountains directly above them.

The Italian Chamber of Commerce hosted 25 architects from Europe, North America, South America and the Middle East during a stone expo in Carrara. I was included in this group and attended the biennial “Carrara Marmotec” trade fair. This was my second visit to Carrara; in July of 2011 I went there with residential clients to search for stone. This recent trip, however, was more spectacular as it was organized specifically for architects – to teach us more about the material, its excavation, production and history. We attended the trade fair, met numerous representatives of companies fabricating and excavating stone there and attended events in conjunction with the fair. The highlight of the trip was certainly visiting numerous quarries of the region. With special permission and coordination by our hosts, we ventured up into the Apuana Mountains to see Venatino, Statuary, Calacatta and Zebrino quarries, just to name a few of the many located here.

Marble Quarries, Apuana Mountains, Carrara

A N G E L A D E M M A

STORY

41

To see first-hand the scale, beauty and technology of this industry helped me better understand a material I use regularly in my work. I saw exactly where it came from, witnessed what it takes to get it from the mountain to the job site and all the steps in between. I met the people involved in stone production, watched those responsible for excavating the blocks and transporting them down steep, switch-back roads which illustrated the care, effort and craftsmanship involved.

It was an inspiring experience to complement a beautiful material. One of the joys of architecture is using the beauty of the natural world in the built environment: transforming natural elements for practical use. Nowhere is the simplicity of this idea clearer than in Carrara.

Port and Historic Center of Carrara from the Apuana Mountains

Franchi Umberto Pavillion at Carrara Marmotec, 2012

Zebrino Quarry, Apuana Mountains, Carrara

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! ! !

ʻOne of the Many Viewsʼ Rome, Italy.

! Why did it take me twenty years to get to Rome? With architecture in my blood and design as my career, I asked myself that question on Day 3 of my 5 day visit to what should be called the Architecture Mecca of the world. As an architecture and art history student years ago - learning about Rome and its surrounding cities created a desire to visit ʻone day.ʼ I used to always say ʻWhen I go to Italy, I will just die and go to heaven.ʼWell, I didnʼt die there. But I did see a bit of heaven.

# Rome was truly an inspirational city. Ancient, medieval, renaissance and modern architecture verge into one city. If you look down one street, you see the hustle and bustle of modern city life with renaissance residential buildings, modern ofÞce buildings and beautiful old churches dripping with history and simple grandeur. Turn around and you see another side of Rome, with its little gullies and old architectural ʻwalkwaysʼ. I was in awe of the buildings built so long ago and could only imagine what life was like back then. I loved every minute of Rome. #

R O M E I T A L Y J U L Y 2 0 1 2

Magon-Anand, Associate AIA is the President of Design Veritas in Shrewsbury, MA .Magon-Anand is the Vice President and Chair of the Sustainability Committee of the AIA Central Massachusetts Chapter.NAVNEET MAGON ANAND

STORY

'One of the Many Views' Rome, Italy.

WHY DID IT TAKE ME TWENTY YEARS TO GET TO ROME?

With architecture in my blood and design as my career, I asked myself that question on Day 3 of my 5 day visit to what should be called the Architecture Mecca of the world. As an architecture and art history student years ago - learning about Rome and its surrounding cities created a desire to visit ‘one day.’ I used to always say ‘When I go to Italy, I will just die and go to heaven.’Well, I didn’t die there. But I did see a bit of heaven.

Rome was truly an inspirational city. Ancient, medieval, renaissance and modern architecture verge into one city. If you look down one street, you see the hustle and bustle of modern city life with renaissance residential buildings, modern office buildings and beautiful old churches dripping with history and simple grandeur. Turn around and you see another side of Rome, with its little gullies and old architectural ‘walkways’. I was in awe of the buildings built so long ago and could only imagine what life was like back then. I loved every minute of Rome.

We walked the city and saw every architectural marvel that Rome is known for. The Colosseum blew me away. I still am in awe of Ancient Rome - how did they build all that back then with none of the modern technology that we know today? Truly amazing.

The Pantheon was my absolute favorite experience in everything that we did and saw in Rome. An odd choice one would think but there was something magical and mystical about that one circle that gave light to this entire dark space. I loved how the doors closed when the sunlight went down - reminiscent of a much simpler time of work,rest and play. A time so different from the city life we know today where bright lights kick in when the sunlight does down. We went again the next day just to experience being inside this space. We were delighted - truly delighted to experience an all boys choir singing with their heavenly voices. Talk about acoustics! This space was designed perfectly with that one circle of light and perfect acoustics - how they knew and designed this great architectural masterpiece with none of the modern advances we know today, no firm, architect or designer could achieve that feat today.

43

# We walked the city, saw all the famous sites, ate delicious pasta that was recommended by the locals- had capucinnos and gelatos , visited the Vatican museums and yes - saw Michelangeloʼs famous Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo was and is truly my biggest inspiration of all time.

ʻRome, The Colosseum, Me & a Vespaʼ The Colosseum, Morning Time

! On day 4, we decided to do something different. We hired a vespa and truly became one of the locals. What an experience! We decided to drive by for the last time to all of our favorite places. Whizzing in and out through trafÞc, taking queues from the locals going to and fro, we truly experienced a new side of Rome. We even drove to the outskirts of Rome (we actually got lost) and saw another side to the city of Rome. This is where the locals lived. What a difference from all that we were exposed to with our tourist ʻeyesʼ of Rome. Modern day romans lived like the rest of us. This somehow reminded me of growing up Montreal and visiting ʻLittle Italy.ʼ Now that I was Þnally here in Italy, I realized I loved the culture, the people, the language, the sounds, the words and of course the architectural history of this beautiful country.

R O M E I T A L Y J U L Y 2 0 1 2

ʻWhere the Many Architectural Periods of Rome Meetʼ - a typical Modern Roman Street.

R O M E I T A L Y J U L Y 2 0 1 2

# We walked the city and saw every architectural marvel that Rome is known for. The Colosseum blew me away. I still am in awe of Ancient Rome - how did they build all that back then with none of the modern technology that we know today? Truly amazing. The Pantheon was my absolute favorite experience in everything that we did and saw in Rome. An odd choice one would think but there was something magical and mystical about that one circle that gave light to this entire dark space. I loved how the doors closed when the sunlight went down - reminiscent of a much simpler time of work,rest and play. A time so different from the city life we know today where bright lights kick in when the sunlight does down. We went again the next day just to experience being inside this space. We were delighted - truly delighted to experience an all boys choir singing with their heavenly voices. Talk about acoustics! This space was designed perfectly with that one circle of light and perfect acoustics - how they knew and designed this great architectural masterpiece with none of the modern advances we know today, no Þrm, architect or designer could achieve that feat today.

# # # The Pantheon, Rome. Taken during the morning time.#

R O M E I T A L Y J U L Y 2 0 1 2

'Rome, The Colosseum, Me & a Vespa' The Colosseum, Morning Time

'Where the Many Architectural Periods of Rome Meet' - a typical Modern Roman Street.

The Pantheon, Rome. Taken during the morning time.

We walked the city, saw all the famous sites, ate delicious pasta that was recommended by the locals- had capucinnos and gelatos , visited the Vatican museums and yes - saw Michelangelo’s famous Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo was and is truly my biggest inspiration of all time.

On day 4, we decided to do something different. We hired a vespa and truly became one of the locals. What an experience! We decided to drive by for the last time to all of our favorite places. Whizzing in and out through traffic, taking queues from the locals going to and fro, we truly experienced a new side of Rome. We even drove to the outskirts of Rome (we actually got lost) and saw another side to the city of Rome. This is where the locals lived. What a difference from all that we were exposed to with our tourist ‘eyes’ of Rome. Modern day romans lived like the rest of us. This somehow reminded me of growing up Montreal and visiting ‘Little Italy.’ Now that I was finally here in Italy, I realized I loved the culture, the people, the language, the sounds, the words and of course the architectural history of this beautiful country.

Back on track, after a delicious lunch in a local joint - the afternoon plan was to visit the sea. Ostia was nice - a holiday seaside for mostly the locals. Nothing special - perhaps like any typical boardwalk or seaside town. But what really left an impression on me was the beautiful highway we took to get from Rome to Ostia. This truly was an example of ‘enjoying the ride’ or ‘it is not the destination but the journey that counts.’ This was a stunning journey to our destination. It left me yearning for more of the countryside and I decided then that our next trip would be to visit more of Italy and its countrysides.

We headed back to Rome that evening in time to capture the sunset over the city. We spent several hours on Janiculum Hill with its stunning panoramic views of the city at sunset. What a magnificent way to end our Roman holiday....

We did visit all the ‘touristy’ places Rome is known - one simply has to do that. We turned a corner one evening and discovered the Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Fountain was not only a sculptural masterpiece but truly an experience. We sat on the steps just watching the water fall. This was truly a beautiful backdrop to the hustle of locals and tourists gathered there. This almost reminded me of being in NYC watching a broadway show. We were surrounded by this Baroque drama - with all the lights, action, emotions, lively excitement and entertainment - we simply sat back and enjoyed!

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Moreno, Assoc. AIA is a Designer at Thornton Tomasetti in Chicago, IL. Moreno has undertaken mentorships alongside Marshall Brown and Antony Wood in his travels to Morocco, Africa and Mumbai, India; he has presented the results from these experiences in the 2011 Chicago Area Undergraduate Research Symposium and CTBUH Remaking of Mumbai Journal.

S A U L M O R E N O

STORY

BRAZIL: A MODEL FOR NATURE AND TECHNOLOGY

Brazil; imagery of the festivities, upbeat lifestyle, and colorful favelas start rushing in our heads. Over the past few years, Brazil has redefined itself globally and is taking on a new role. Today it is recognized as one of the four BRIC countries. The spotlight is on Brazil as we near the 2014 World Cup and gets closer to the 2016 Olympics. Brazil’s rapid growth is partly due to the fact that it has remained unaffected by the global economic recession. This is largely due to President Lula da Silva’s implementation of conservative fiscal policies. This summer I had the opportunity of exploring three major cities in Brazil; Sao Paulo, Rio de Janiero, and Brasila. Each city had unique characteristics that made them unrecognizable from one another.

Sao Paulo, the central business district of Brazil was the first destination on this tour. The city was populated with a diversity of people from all parts of the world. The city can be described as a hybrid of L.A. and New York; Paulistas face heavy traffic every day en route. In the years that follow designers and planners will work together to improve the cities and quality of life for many, especially those in large developing cities like Sao Paulo. Sao Paulo aside from its largely metropolitan atmosphere holds a number of revolutionary modernist works of architecture.

Rio de Janiero, the city of culture, was the next stop on this tour. The scenic Imagery, such as the favelas and carnival, many call “Brazil” link back to Rio. The urban fabric consists of patterned sidewalks and monolithic concrete obelisks juxtaposing against newly erected steel structures. Much of architecture in Brazil is created from concrete structures, but as arable land becomes limited civilians look up to the skies for answers. The purpose of the trip was not only to develop new relationships and learn from students and professionals in the building industry, but to take part in the Rio+20 summit. UN leaders, NGOs and people in the private sector congregated in Rio for the duration of a week. The discussions involved topics on sustainable development, reduction in poverty, and ensuring social equity as many developing countries are on the rise. One of the most memorable moments was when Vandana Shiva took the microphone. She raised questions concerning the welfare of the people, not from what heard or seen but from personal experience. It is our responsibility as whole to come together and ensure that everyone has a voice. Many of the decisions constituted in Brazil come from Brasilia.

Capital District: Brasilia June 25, 2012Conjuncto Nacional Shopping Centre

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Brasilia, the Districto federal of Brazil was the last stop on this tour. Brasilia is the 50 year city constructed in 5 years. Julien Kubitschek assigned Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer as Brasilia’s urban planner and architect; the vision of creating a city dedicated exclusively to the government was created. Many of Niemeyer’s projects can be found throughout Brazil. He is known by everyone in the country, even those who did not study architecture. Today one would find Brasilia to be a set from the film Blade Runner. The fluorescent lighting illuminating from the bill boards above create a gateway to the markets within the building. When one thinks of Brazil, not many would think such landscape could exist, considering the majority of the amazon rainforest is contained within Brazil. In Brasilia, I was able to visit the SEBRAE headquarters. It is a non-profit organization funded by the government and private sectors in order to help small enterprises grow and create environments for sustainable development. SEBRAE had been present in the Rio+20 conference; it was also one of the first partners in the Rio+20.

This trip had been a compilation from previous experience with other traveling studios. I decided to embark on a journey on my own; in hopes of learning a new language, making new friends and learning about a new culture. The results were much more than what I’d expected. We are no longer living within our own boundaries; we are globally connected with one another. In this day and age, ideas and tools are shared at a global scale. Escaping your routine and entering uncharted territory is beneficial in helping one create new friendships and develop new dialogues. The built environment is rarely discussed, but as countries continue rapidly growing, we need to speak from experiences and state what we believe is right. The future holds a landscape where both technology and nature exist in harmony.

Promenade: Rio de Janeiro June19, 2012 Downtown corridor in Rio de Janeiro

Arena+20 Discussion: Rio de Janeiro June18, 2012Márcia Valle Real, Paulo Moutinho, Host, Rômulo

Paes de Sousa, Vandana Shiva

SEBRAE Headquarters: Brasilia June 27, 2012 Project built - 2008-210 Architect - Gruposp - Alvaro Puntoni, Luciano Margotto,

João Sodré, Jonathan Davies Client - SEBRAE

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William A. Stanford II, AIA is a Staff Architect at BTBB, Incorporated in Macon, Georgia. Stanford is also an advocate of reusing historic structures in practice and as a member of Historic Macon organization. W I L L S T A N F O R D

STORY

CERVARA DI ROMA – THE STORY

My 5th year experience in Architecture school in Mississippi State was tremendous for many reasons, not least of which is the change of venue from Starkville to the great capital city of Jackson. But I never imagined that I would travel over 5,300 miles to visit Italy and France. You see, to that point, I had never travelled outside of the United States. The adventure began in the Mid-March of 2007 and extended into early April – a once in a lifetime, 3 week Euro-excursion that began with 5 days in Rome and concluded with a frantic sweep to see everything in Florence, Venice and Paris that I could over a week’s time. However, it was the interim destination that I most cherish…

The city of Cervara di Roma is an medieval fortified city situated among the Simbruini Mountains within a National Park – but only 2.5 hours outside of Rome. The mountainous terrain leading up to this community is treacherous (as evidenced by the sound of our bus scraping the rock). The city itself only has around 400 inhabitants during the winter months, but it is not without fame. The famous composer Ennio Morricone has inscribed the wall of the town square with a song written about the quaint city titled “Notturno-Passacaglia per Cervara” as a part of a music festival which sees some 5,000 people descend on the city each summer. In our timeframe, it was distinctly winter.

The city in snow March 2007

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Upon entering the city by bus, you may park at the base of the slope or take the road to the top. THERE ARE NO INTERSTITIAL ROADS. To me, this is great – it slows the pace of life. It was as if the 10-day visit was a chance to exhale from the hustle and bustle of the preceding visit to Rome and the forthcoming tour of Florence, Venice and Paris. This lack of roads, along with the steep terrain, created a city of stairs. This proved difficult to navigate over the first few days, and the high altitude made frequent stops necessary. Wherever you stopped there was no lack of breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains or of the microcosm of the limitless number of experiential moments where a stairway would lead to a courtyard outside someone’s home. There are exactly 2 restaurants, from which we rotated meals (some of the best food I’ve ever had) and 1 grocery store which carried a myriad of incredible bakery items.

The various groups rented houses for the week. These were spread throughout the city, making it difficult to find one another but always rejoicing when we did. From the moment we arrived, my group decided that we would conquer the highest point – a statue of the Virgin Mary overlooking the city. As we ascended to this peak, we quickly noticed one of the wonderful idiosyncrasies of this place; the local artists had been carving faces, poetry other forms of their expression into the hillside. It seemed ancient, somehow – like viewing hieroglyphs or Sanskrit. As the wind fell and the snow drifted, we made our way to the top and to one of the most beautiful 360-degree vantage points on earth. The valley below was painted with other small towns and the engulfing shadows from the cloud formations overhead.

Despite the experiences mentioned above, our primary visit was not site-seeing. The city had commissioned our studio to provide some guidance to adaptively reuse the site of a previous graveyard (which had been re-located nearby) into a community space – connecting the church and their arts center. The site manifested its clear “medieval-ness” with a stone screen wall, lower courtyard which a staircase transitioned to a stone platform and soaring rock-face backdrop. With the light powdering of snow, I could see the ominous nature of this space from its bleak past. Consequently, we sketched, modeled and planned several wonderful solutions which I hope this lovely city has put to good use.

Our studio professors also assigned something quite unique to another classmate and me. Using a video camera we captured footage of our 10-day inhabitation in Cervara and made a short film so that our memory of being there could be revisited. Of course this was correlated with one of the best songs ever written “A Day in the Life” by the Beatles.”

Reflecting on my time spent in Cervara di Roma, I am inspired as an architect to create spaces and moments in my own work that begin to approach the beauty encountered in one of the most extraordinary places on Earth. I am inspired as a human. And I thank God for the opportunity to be there and hope to return – sooner, rather than later.

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

Focus

GREEN BU ILD ING

Rendering © 2012 by The Miller Hull Partnership

Currently under construction in Seattle WA, The Bullitt Center by The Miller Hull Partnership is seeking Living Building certification. The Bullitt Center is designed

to be Net Zero Energy, utilizing high performing wall and glazing systems, an energy efficient ground source heat pump, and an extensive photo voltaic array that

will generate 100 percent of the building's energy.

49YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

Architecture as a profession has embraced the reality of climate

change.1 Yes, the man-made, fossil-fuel burning, carbon emitting

kind of climate change. The kind whose primary cause is from the

construction and operations of buildings.2 While there is still a

‘debate’ to the validity of climate change in mainstream American

culture, most architects recognize the threat posed by a built

environment reliant on fossil fuels. Here we will look at some of

the drivers of this environmental problem and see why the Living

Building Challenge is the right tool for architects seeking a solution.

Why Living Building Challenge

For any climate change believing hold-outs, a brief attempt at

conversion: it has taken the Earth the last 350 million years to

sequester the carbon based fossil fuels of coal, oil, and gas from

decayed organic tissue (see photosynthesis…stored energy from

the sun!) and we humans have burnt much of this, by some estimates

over half of the total, in the last 200 years. This quick release of

carbon, combining with oxygen to form the greenhouse gas CO2,

greatly impacts the delicately balanced, life sustaining climate we

currently enjoy on Earth. This very fast transformation of the Earth’s

atmosphere is certain to have an effect.3

If we accept that climate change is a problem, then we must discuss

solutions to the problem. There is virtually no meaningful dialog

from our policy makers in Washington and very limited successes on

the global political stage. Fortunately for us, architects are extremely

empowered to talk about this subject. After all, the greenhouse gas

emissions from the operations of buildings are the highest piece

of the total pie, above industry and travel. As architects, it is our

responsibility to talk about this.

Since 1998, LEED has provided a useful tool to push the building

industry toward higher levels of sustainability, and in many cases

better energy efficiency, i.e. burning less fossil fuel. LEED however

does have its limits to effectiveness. Because LEED is a checklist,

with most credits being optional, it is possible to design even

a LEED Platinum certified building that is only minimally more

energy efficient than a non-LEED building. LEED is good at helping

to reduce energy consumption, but the reality is that most LEED

Making a Case

ARCHITECTS ADOPT LIVING BUILDING CHALLENGE IN FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE

Writer: Robert Webber, AIAWebber is an architect at Valerio Dewalt Train Associates in Chicago and leads VDTA’s advancement of sustainable design. Robert is also a co-founder of the Living Building Challenge Collaborative in Chicago, an organization that promotes the Living Building Challenge through community connections and education.

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

buildings are still highly reliant on fossil fuels.

In 2005 Jason McClennan decided that good wasn’t good enough.

Jason transformed several years worth of his work and research into

a codified standard and created The Living Building Challenge (LBC).

The LBC is an advanced building rating system, philosophy, and

advocacy platform whose mission is to “lead the transformation to a

world that is socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative.”4

In short, to create buildings that cause no harm. This includes no

harm to the environment and no harm to the climate. A Living

Building is required to be Net Zero Energy.5 The exact requirement

of the LBC Net Zero Energy imperative is that “One hundred percent

of the project’s energy needs must be supplied by on-site renewable

energy on a net annual basis.” This means no on-site combustion,

no burning natural gas, and that electricity is produced with on-site

renewable energy such as Photovoltaic panels, solar thermal hot

water systems, and wind turbines. This means no fossil fuel burning,

carbon emitting energy usage.

2 Reasons to Net Zero

The reason for architects and building owners to adopt a Net Zero

Energy building strategy is actually two-fold: While the status quo

of building design and construction promotes the negative climate

impact of burning fossil fuels (climate costs), it also makes us a slave

to the ever diminishing, limited resource of these fossil fuels (financial

costs).

As Richard Heinberg brilliantly describes in his book The End of

Growth, the recent economic recession can be directly tied to the

limits of Earth’s fossil fuels and natural resources. After all, we exist

in a global economic model that relies on continued and unending

financial growth. If you need further proof, read the business op-

ed from the NY Times or Wall Street Journal; in the public’s mind

the economy is all about growth, growth, growth. But based on

the resources of a finite planet, it is inevitable that we will reach

the economic limits of forever burning fossil fuels. Some such as

Mr. Heinberg believe we are already there. We must live, and build,

within our means and Net Zero Energy buildings are proof that this

is possible.

The climate costs can be further explained by Bill McKibbon,

founder of 350.org. Mr. McKibbon tells us that, “to preserve our

planet, scientists tell us we must reduce the amount of CO2 in the

atmosphere from its current level of 392 parts per million (ppm)

to below 350 ppm.”6 It can be taxing for a non-scientist (like

an architect) to sort through all of the many different claims of

51YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

maximum ppms and maximum allowable temperature increases,

but the 350 ppm maximum is generally agreed upon as the target to

avert irreversible climate change. Unfortunately, we are already over

it. Since buildings are the largest contributor to carbon emissions,

architects must make the dramatic shift to a better way of designing

buildings. Net Zero Energy buildings are the solution.

Advocate

Most architects have not yet had the opportunity to work on a Living

Building Challenge project. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the

problem of climate change and to feel somewhat responsible when

we know that buildings are the largest contributor to the problem.

As a young architect, you may feel especially powerless in a firm’s

every day decision making process to make a real difference. The

good news is that The Living Building Challenge is just as effective

as an advocacy tool as it is a building rating system.

Even if you do not work directly on a Net Zero Energy building,

you can advocate on behalf of the mission. You can write letters to

political leaders and code officials, or contact other architects and

engineers, to raise awareness of climate change and to discuss the

Living Building Challenge as a real-world solution to the problem.

Advocacy can be just as effective as actual practice, especially if the

same message is spread by many. There are many young architects

out there, including you, to help spread this important message.

Notes

1. From The AIA, Architects and Climate Change, see www.aia.org/

advocacy/federal/AIAS077675

2. From www.architecture2030.org, The Building Sector was

responsible for nearly half (46.7%) of U.S. CO2 emissions in 2010.

3. For a detailed history of carbon’s effect on the Earth’s atmosphere,

see Eric Ralston’s excellent book, The Carbon Age.

4. For more information on the Living Building Challenge, see Living

Building Challenge v 2.1, https://ilbi.org/lbc/standard

5. Net Zero Energy is one of the twenty imperatives, or requirements,

of the Living Building Challenge checklist. For a full description of

the Living Building Challenge and all of the 20 imperatives, see

https://ilbi.org/lbc/standard

6. For more information on the 350.org mission, see http://www.350.

org

7. Image used by permission of the International Living Future

Institute.

The Living Building Challenge imagines a building designed and con-

structed to function as elegantly and efficiently as a flower: a building

informed by its bioregion’s characteristics, generates all of its own energy

with renewable resources, captures and treats all of its water, and operates

efficiently and for maximum beauty.

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

Writer: Premnath Sundharam, AIAPrem is an architect with passion for leadership, sustainability, and technology. With nine (9) years of architecture experience in K-12, higher-ed, justice, and commercial, Prem serves as DLR Group's southwest region practice leader, where he collaborates with 100+ employees on business practice innovations to provide the best design solution and design service experience for clients. Prem also leads at a national level on sustainable business practices and champions integrated design process to provide high-performance design solutions to clients.

Making a Case

THREE P I LL ARS OF SUCCESS TO REACH NET-ZERO DES IGN

Perhaps more than any other building type, school facilities have the

potential to experience the greatest benefit from sustainable design.

This is evidenced in the industry through standards for design

such as the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Schools rating

which addresses factors affecting student health and achievement.

Sustainable design has also been the topic of study for several years,

confirming that factors such as daylighting improves the ability to

learn and that a “healthy building” translates to healthy people.

Tackling a “near net-zero” elementary school that can produce nearly

as much energy as it consumes, was the recent challenge presented

to DLR Group’s designers. And while most any design firms can

technically create a facility that reaches net-zero, it takes a team of

committed, passionate stakeholders to make it a reality. Such was

the case in Paradise Valley Unified School District’s new Fireside

Elementary School. Three factors stand as the pillars of success

in designing a near net-zero school. They include: Client Vision

and Commitment, Aggressive Energy Modeling and Reduction/

Production Strategies.

Client Visioning & Commitment

Prior to any new construction or renovation, the client must

determine the vision for sustainability. This requires that they have

an established benchmark for existing facilities that allows them to

understand energy use, cost and demand. The visioning exercise

must involve all stakeholders including staff, building users and

the design team. The goal of the exercise is to create a plan for

“energy independence” based on energy reduction and production

initiatives. This commitment and vision, if established early, can

then be incorporated in the client’s Request for Qualification/

Proposal process.

The vision-casting sessions help establish design goals which

become guiding principles for the project and become the metrics

for measuring success. These goals may include elements related

to technology usage, educational flexibility of space, and specific

sustainable goals such as: Inspiring future green global citizens to a

high level of environmental awareness, and utilizing the campus as

a sustainable teaching tool.

Aggressive Energy Modeling

Energy modeling tools can accurately measure amounts of daylight

and glare entering a building at certain times of the day and

through every season of the year. They can measure the operational

Fireside Elementary School,

Paradise Valley School

District, Phoenix, AZ

53YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

THREE P I LL ARS OF SUCCESS TO REACH NET-ZERO DES IGN

impact of setting a building in a slightly different orientation for

tremendous energy savings, or find the “hot spots” in a specific room

that requires moving a window to a different location.

For building owners like Paradise Valley Unified School District

who are committed to energy reduction solutions for their schools,

energy modeling helped them decide how best to apply the dollars

they had for achieving a near net-zero facility for Fireside Elementary

School. This included everything from the building envelope design,

to insulation, to glazing options, space conditioning methods,

rainwater harvesting and Energy Star equipment. Different scenarios

were graphically communicated to the client using infographics. For

each strategy, an infographic related the specific energy demand,

the amount of energy consumed before and after applying

renewable energy.

Reduction/Production Strategies

As much as reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment

requires commitment to reduction efforts, reaching that golden ring

of “Net-Zero” nearly always requires an equal commitment to some

production of renewable energy to offset even minimal energy use.

Renewable energy encompasses a vast array of solutions including

solar photovoltaic panels, wind turbines or geothermal heating

and cooling. A rule of thumb in net zero design is to shoot for 75%

reduction of energy (compared to energy use of similar type of

building in the same zip code using EnergyStar target finder), leaving

25% energy use to be met through renewable energy technologies.

At Fireside Elementary, the design reduced the energy usage by 55%

from average buildings using high performance envelope systems

such as Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) walls; low-e glazing for

different orientations; highly reflective roof, extensive daylighting

solutions, high efficiency chillers, economizers and variable drive

motors in towers and pumps. Such reduction strategies left an

energy deficit requiring a photovoltaic system to produce 340KW at

full building capacity.

Conclusion

Moving forward, these three elements of client commitment, energy

modeling and reduction/production strategies will be reviewed as

Fireside Elementary School moves into operation during the 2012-

2013 school year. And all three will continue to be the pillars that

define their sustainable success.

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

Writer: Daniel Overbey, AIAOverbey is the Director of Sustainable Design Practices for Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects in Indianapolis. Daniel’s work focuses on high-performance building design and construction, environmental systems research, LEED-related services, and energy modeling. He is a regular contributor to EDC magazine and teaches environmental systems at the Ball State University College of Architecture and Planning.

Making a Case

IN ORDER TO BECOME LEADERS IN ENERGY MODEL ING, ARCHITECTS NEED TO BE BUILD ING SCIENCE EXPERTS

In a marketplace increasingly attuned to high-performance

strategies, design teams and clients alike are becoming ever

savvier with regard to building science. Consequently, there is a

growing expectation that architects exhibit the tools and technical

knowledge to go beyond design rules-of-thumb and actually test

conceptual notions, compare the performance design options,

and refine chosen strategies. This can be accomplished through

schematic-level energy modeling. This kind of energy modeling

is simplified through basic forms, generalizations, and gross

approximations, which makes it quite different from the highly

detailed comprehensive modeling effort that is commonly executed

near the end of a project for green building certification or energy

code compliance. This preliminary type of energy modeling provides

teams with a dynamic opportunity to compare the performance

of different design options during the conceptual and schematic

(Top) This academic building features faculty offices along a curving

west-facing façade. The office windows are flanked with shading “fins.”

Using energy modeling software, a solar access study revealed the ability

of the fins to provide shading for each office window. Rendering © Ennead

Architects.

(Below) The design team recognized that a series of identical vertical

shading fins would perform differently as the curving façade altered the

orientation of the office windows and fins about the sky dome.

55YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

IN ORDER TO BECOME LEADERS IN ENERGY MODEL ING, ARCHITECTS NEED TO BE BUILD ING SCIENCE EXPERTS

(Below) During schematic design, it was determined that the lobby of the

Henderson (Nevada) Police Department’s North Division Community Police

Station had too much sound reverberation. Through energy modeling, the

design team discovered that a custom wood chandelier could soften the

acoustical “hardness” of the space.

(Right) Completed lobby. Image © Tate Snyder Kimsey Architects

design phases when most of the major design decisions are made

and the consequences of significant changes are minimal.

The design community is already seeing a big push for preliminary

energy modeling. This fall, the AIA will release the AIA Energy Modeling

Practice Guide. This document will provide basic information along

with valuable tips and resources for architects interested in utilizing

such procedures in the design process. Moreover, the latest draft of

LEED Version 4 promotes the implementation of energy modeling

earlier in the design process to “support high-performance, cost-

effective project outcomes.” The new “Integrative Process” credit

rewards teams for performing preliminary “simple box” energy

modeling analyses during the schematic design phase.

Software developers are meeting this market demand head-on.

Many publicly-funded research institutions – such as the Lawrence

Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and the National Renewable

Energy Laboratory (NREL) - provide specialized analysis tools

for free, while various commercial developers such as Autodesk

and Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES) offer more robust,

comprehensive packages.

These early-stage tools are easy to use, the results are visually

stimulating, and online tutorials abound. However, the validity

of the results – albeit preliminary in nature – necessarily hinges

on the designer’s knowledge in regards to building science. This

is a topic with which architects are generally competent, but are

not necessarily experts. Perhaps the most overt indication of the

architectural community’s lack of building science expertise is the

emergence of the building science consultant. By one international

firm’s definition, the term building science is defined as, “…the

study of the interaction between the various materials, products

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

and systems used in building construction, the occupants of these

buildings, and the environments in which they are located.” By this

definition, a building science consultant would assume many of the

implicit responsibilities of the architect. Over time, the architectural

profession has surrendered these services and responsibilities to

contractors, consultants, and the like. It would be a detriment to

the profession if we ceded the ground of “building science expert”

to yet another discipline. If architects will not meet the demand for

building science expertise, someone else will.

A deeper knowledge of building science will facilitate the

effectiveness of the architect’s leading energy modeling efforts in

three important ways:

1. Error catching. It has been my experience that architects can pick

up the basics of energy modeling programs fairly quickly – especially

the schematic-stage energy modeling programs. It is fairly easy to

create a compelling visual with these programs. The advantage of

understanding building science largely relates to error catching.

Designers should never trust energy modeling outputs at face value.

One incorrectly-entered parameter can throw off an entire analysis.

If an architect is well versed in building science, he/she will quickly

recognize inconsistent or illogical performance results.

2. Maximizing Software Capabilities. Too often, architects merely

scratch the surface of the capabilities of energy modeling programs.

I have seen many examples in which designers will frequently use

powerful daylighting software for shading studies but never utilize

the program to analyze natural light levels, illuminance, daylight

autonomy, or zone-specific daylight factor values. Without a deep

understanding of building science, architects will forfeit seminal

opportunities for performance studies because they are not familiar

or comfortable with many of the tools and types of analyses offered

by energy modeling software.

3. Testing Hypotheses and Comparing Options. When architects

(Left) The lobby of the Scouts Education and Program Center in

Indianapolis, Indiana. Photograph by Susan Fleck Photography. Image

courtesy of Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects.

(Below) For this education center in Indianapolis, Indiana, the design team

needed to assess how the direct sun would penetrate the lobby and gift

shops. Using energy modeling software, sun angles and the accessibility to

direct sunlight were assessed with specificity.

57YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

exhibit a deep understanding of building science and leverage it

with energy modeling software, they can more readily formulate

hypotheses and better anticipate outcomes. Such designers are

more keenly aware of the interrelationships between competing

performance metrics and are better equipped to carry out

parametric studies and compare various design options for

performance differentials.

In order for architects to use energy modeling and utilize it

effectively throughout the design process, our profession must

become more technically proficient with building science. It is not

enough to plug-in numbers into a building simulation program and

accept the output at face value. Rather, architects must apply a deep

understanding of building science to truly harness energy modeling

and better understand the impact of design decisions on building

performance.

(Top) For a student housing renovation project in Honolulu, Hawaii, the design team

sought to utilize natural ventilation for passive cooling. Illustration courtesy of

Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects.

(Below) Using computational fluid dynamics software, the design team obtained

a better understanding of how gentle breezes could migrate through the various

residential units. As a result of the wind flow studies, the design team made several

discoveries that led to improvements of the passive cooling strategy.

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

Writer: Greg Taylor, AIATaylor is a Project Manager at LCD Architect and Associates in Dallas, TX. Taylor is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army Reserves with 23 years of Active and Reserve service in the US Army Corps of Engineers branch. He has combined his civilian expertise as a PM with his military background to become a well-rounded military Engineer officer.

Making a Case

FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY

You can think of a fuel cell kind of like a battery. However, unlike

a battery, a fuel cell will not run down or lose its charge. The

premise behind a fuel cell is that they are an alternate energy

source beginning to rise in popularity. Occasionally when fuel

cells have been mentioned in the past, people would think of

futuristic spaceships and laser guns. This is not the case with fuel

cell technology anymore. Fuel cells are electromechanical devices

that use oxygen and a replenished fuel to produce electricity. These

individual cells are stacked in modules to create the desired energy

output required for a specified application. These cells are nearly

pollution-free and generally operate two times more efficiently than

traditional combustion technologies. Some applications which use

fuel cells are: laptop computers, utility power plants, and residential

facilities. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), when the

heat is captured from the fuel cell and utilized in combination with

the electrical power, they have efficiency rates between 70-85%.

One of the advantages of this technology is that hydrogen

fuel can be derived from many different domestic resources such

as biomass, propane, natural gas, methanol, and water electrolysis.

The process of producing hydrogen through water electrolysis can

be useful when combined with renewable energy technology such

as solar and wind. This can be important to architects, since the

hydrogen that stores this unused electrical energy can be classified

as a renewable fuel and energy source - possibly earning the

building LEED credits for a green building.

For many years, NASA has used this technology in the space

program with direct application to providing electricity and water

for astronauts in their spacecraft since it took up very little space

and is efficient. They are also used in industrial applications. These

are classified into three categories: transportation, stationary power

stations, and portable power.

Advantages of this technology that are of interest to architects

and building owners are as follows:

• Close to zero emissions at the point of operation

• Reduction in current and future electricity costs by using

renewable technology

• A reliable, linear and consistent energy source

• Fuel flexibility in using the fuel cell technology

• 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, silent operation

59YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY

In today’s world where energy efficiency is so important along

with minimizing the emissions (CO2) released by building systems,

fuel cell technology just makes plain sense. An important note to

mention is that the heat generated by a fuel cell can be used to heat

a building through hydronic loops and other means. Architects

can help promote the use and further development of fuel cell

technology by designing new facilities with this technology. Also,

education is an important part of understanding how fuel cells

can save precious resources and support green building and

sustainability. Collaboration with consultants who specialize in

this technology can advance its installation in facilities and make it

more mainstream in the construction industry instead of historically

relying on electricity provided by the power grid.

Fuel cell technology that was once thought of as science fiction is

now a viable source of electricity for the building community and

beyond.

Fuel Cell Diagram by ClearEdge Power

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

Book Review

NARROW HOUSES : NEW D IRECT IONS IN EFF IC IENT DES IGN BY AV I FR IEDMAN

Writer: Jorge de la Cova, AIAJorge obtained his Masters degree in Architecture from the Georgia Institute of Technology. His professional focus is the interdisciplinary union of architecture and interior design in four- and five-star hotels, with experience in many of the major companies and brands. For fun, Jorge periodically renews his Geek Card with regular doses of graphic novels, sci fi and The Big Bang Theory.

With public interest in sustainable living at an all-time high, the

housing market at an astounding low and the economy still

struggling, the notion of a smaller home as one answer to the

question of sustainable living has gained surprisingly little traction.

Narrow Houses: New Directions in Efficient Design aims to rectify this.

With Narrow Houses, author and architect Avi Friedman sets out to

extol the virtues of building small (by his definition a house no wider

than 25 feet). He argues for the narrow house's cost effectiveness,

efficiency and sustainability and shows examples of successful

narrow homes.

The book itself is divided into two distinct parts. The first three

quarters of the book includes images and drawings of contemporary

narrow houses throughout the world. The last fourth of the book is

comprised of essays about narrow houses. The effect of the book's

framework provides for something of a disconnect within the work.

Architects, presumably the primary target market for this book, are

strongly visual. The separation of image and narrative disconnects

that narrative from some very good examples of the issues described

therein.

When it comes to images, it's hard not to love the multitude

included in this work. Most of the photographs taken for this study

are beautiful, some stunningly so. From the cover image of the

Sliding House in Nova Scotia to the final example, the Outeiro House

in Porto, Portugal, it is clear that Friedman bears a true affection for

his area of study. And every house included in the book differs from

the others enough to maintain a reader's interest for a long time.

The aforementioned Sliding House, for example, boasts an interior

clad in narrow boards of bleached, clear poplar in varying shades.

This effectively makes the house feel longer and more gracious

than it probably is. It also gives the interior of the house a sense of

movement and activates the space very successfully. The exterior

simplicity of House MS belies the sophistication of its design. The

plan unfolds from front door to a playroom and mechanical room,

to bedrooms on the second floor, to the main public area on the

third floor. This unexpected layout affords the best views to the

bedrooms and public areas and helps heat the southwest-facing

bedrooms.

To help explain the Chameleon House, the author has included a

beautiful exploded axonometric view documenting the layers

of structure and finish that combine to give this house's facade a

texture much richer than its fairly simple cubic geometry. The

illustration truly helps the reader to understand what is an extremely

deep, layered system, and serves as one of the better diagrams in

the book. Indeed, in many of the houses chose for this book, there

is a distinct and symbiotic relationship between form and function.

Narrow Houses includes examples from around the world; from

places as disparate as Canada, Japan, Europe and China. Although

most of the designs are strikingly contemporary, the broad

distribution of the projects throughout the world helps diversify

the look of the houses such that each house retains uniqueness and

interest. Predictably, the houses are furnished starkly and sparsely,

placing this book more squarely within the realm of architecture

than interior design. While I realize that professional architectural

photography relies on order and staging to a strong degree, I would

61YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

have welcomed seeing more "living" in these images and have them

appear less stark.

The essays at the end of the book account for just over fifty of its 229

pages, and as mentioned before, would have been better served had

they been interspersed within the compelling collection of images.

The first essay covers the design advantages inherent in smaller

houses. Smaller houses allow for more efficient use of resources.

Energy for lighting the house can be reduced due to proximity to

daylighting. Heating and cooling a smaller space taxes resources

less than a larger house. Arguments for the sustainability of a

smaller house are many, and factor well in our world of diminishing

and sometimes harmful resources.

The analysis of footprints and volumes is sound and thorough. In

this analysis, we see the hand of the educator at work. Friedman

teaches coursework in sustainability and affordable housing at

McGill University. Narrow Houses shows that he clearly understands

the opportunities and challenges inherent in his building type.

More importantly, the enthusiasm he holds for his subject matter is

most evident in this essay. He breaks down each of the small house's

elements and offers insights into the repercussions of the decisions

made in the layout of these elements. I found this essay my favorite,

as the most tangibly usable text in the book. His analysis continues

in the next essay, "Interiors," where he describes, room-by-room,

each space in the house and the different factors determining their

siting and relation to the other rooms.

The final chapter, “Historical Chronology,” outlines the evolution

of narrow houses from the Middle Ages to the present. Medieval

narrow houses arose, at least in part, from the need to divide land into

narrow lots to maximize equitable rents. The Renaissance’s narrow

house, appealing to the burgeoning upper class, transformed into

the very diagram of public person and social class.

The Neoclassical age saw a variety of narrow house floor plans,

which allowed for the development of a retail-oriented first

floor typical of the (especially French) eighteenth century urban

landscape. The Romantic Movement of the nineteenth century, saw

an explosion of eclecticism, with Gothic, Greek Revival and Italianate

elements engaged in a war of styles facilitated by the introduction

of machinery to manufacture elements at will. In the modern era,

the rise of the suburbs saw a dearth of narrow house architects, the

most notable of which was likely Le Corbusier. The suburban exodus

necessitated a reinvention of the urban townhouse as a viable

housing option with plenty of opportunity for personalization and

appeal for the new middle class.

Notably lacking after this final chapter, however, is any studied

analysis of where the narrow house is going. The book ends in a

somewhat unsatisfying manner, with two rushed paragraphs

summing up current thought regarding the narrow house (especially

those showcased in this book), but with no real forecast regarding

the future of this type of construction.

In all, Narrow Houses: New Directions in Efficient Design, succeeds

most in its compelling photographic images, but suffers somewhat

from a disconnect between these images and the text as well as a

lack of prognostication of the future of this fascinating building type.

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

Writer: Jake GrandonJake Grandon is a graduate student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. As a student project manager, Jake helped in the design and construction of the Nexthouse.

Design

NEXTHOUSE : THE FUTURE OF ATTA INABLE SUSTA INABLE

The Nexthouse is the second endeavor of the Neighborhood Infill

Program located in Lafayette, Louisiana. As a joint venture between

the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority, King Contractors,

and the Building Institute, the Nexthouse initiative involved

the collaboration of architecture graduate students under the

supervision of Professor Geoff Gjertson to design a market-rate home

within an at-risk neighborhood near the university and downtown

Lafayette. Incorporation of sustainable strategies permeated the

design and construction process as the students sought to minimize

construction waste, energy use, and maintenance cost while

producing a uniquely modern yet contextual home. The resulting

solution is an attainable sustainable example of responsible

architecture.

Within walking distance from downtown Lafayette, the 319

Jackson Street location is surrounded by a historic and traditional

neighborhood with a well established cultural identity. Minimal

new construction has occurred in the neighborhood for over thirty

years, and the typologies of the houses remains similar. Using this

seasoned communal identity as the canvas for design collaboration,

the students carefully considered the impact of the inhabitant within

the community while promoting neighborhood rejuvenation. The

result is a seamless integration of public and private space. Designed

for socially active inhabitants, the Nexthouse offers a private retreat

that transforms into an impressive public space through simple

intervention. By opening two doors to the generously dimensioned

outdoor porches, the entire public space becomes a single room

open to the community. High ceilings in the bedrooms alongside

a second story loft in the living room allow the NEXThouse to be

simultaneously fitting for personal office work or a celebratory

crawfish boil.

Several techniques were used to make the Nexthouse an affordable

and appropriate solution to sustainable housing while maintaining

Ample porch space allows an active connection with the neighborhood.

63YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

NEXTHOUSE : THE FUTURE OF ATTA INABLE SUSTA INABLE

an innovative and modern sensibility. A raised slab-on-grade

foundation converses with the traditionally elevated houses of the

neighborhood, and random use of various widths of hardiplank

siding upholds a traditional exterior charm while providing a modern

twist. Based on the local vernacular of the shotgun and camelback

style houses, operable casement windows allow control of natural

ventilation. Three solar panels on the south-facing roof cut energy

costs by supplementing power. Advanced framing techniques

produce greater quantities of insulation while other framing

techniques utilize standard fencing and handrail components to

provide an inexpensive, industrial allure to the home. This modern

appeal is also prevalent throughout the interior with exposed

ventilation ducts, appliance selections, and a balcony guardrail of

cattle wire framed by galvanized pipe. Students also utilized excess

materials to build custom cabinetry and furniture that further

express the design motif. The added craftsmanship helped to create

a truly unique home with an increased value.

The design and construction of the Nexthouse provided an

opportunity for the architecture students to take part in a unique

process that allows freedom in design while simultaneously

exposing them to budget restrictions and market concerns. The

practical aspects of the design/build program create an awareness

that will benefit the students in future design endeavors unlike

anything found inside the classroom. While they are more informed

of the products, processes, and social benefits of conscientious

collaboration, they are also encouraged by their capabilities as

responsible designers.

The Next House has 1300 SF of living space with another 400 SF of

covered porches. There are two bedrooms and two baths with a loft

above the kitchen. It was begun in May 2012 and completed at the

end of September 2012.

(Above) Advanced framing techniques

create more insulation while preserving

material and waste.

(Below) Modern and contextual while

efficient and affordable, the Nexthouse

represents an attainable sustainable

architecture that is positively influencing

its surroundings.

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

Design

GULF ISL AND BED AND BREAKFAST

Writer: James Tuer, AIATuer is a principal with JWT Architecture and Planning. Tuer was recently named by Western Living Magazine as the One to Watch for Eco-Design in the coming years. Tuer is a registered landscape architect as well as an architect and is an adjunct professor with the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at the University of British Columbia.

This project is a 2,400 sf home and bed and breakfast now under

construction on Bowen Island, which is a Island Municipality located

in the northern gulf Islands (20 minutes by ferry to West Vancouver).

Bowen is a rural yet vibrant community. Approximately half the

Island’s population commutes to Vancouver while the other half

makes their living on Bowen. The Island like many rural “edge”

communities has succumbed to the pressures of suburban sprawl.

While not solving all the issues associated with development in an

edge community, this project investigates the paradigm of rural

sustainable development.

As a neighbourhood, Evergreen is a first of its kind on Bowen Island,

having strict environmental guidelines to protect the site’s inherent

beauty and unique and sensitive ecology. The design code requires

every new home to meet a Built Green Gold Standard (including

certification). Within the overall neighbourhood, home sites have

been clustered together. Over half of the site is dedicated as open

space; the impacts of road building is minimized (it is accessed by

a low impact one lane travel way; home sizes are capped (homes

cannot be greater than 2,500sf ); and the site’s hydrology is protected

(cisterns are required and each project must demonstrate zero run

off from the base line condition of a forested site).

The building site is located at the edge of a granite bluff and is

relatively flat. The view is to the west, and there is a rockyknoll to

the north and Evergreen Road to the east. Evergreen has a common

drain field but with individual buildings having their own ‘Type III’

tertiary sewage treatment plants (near potable effluent). The site

has a drilled well which the owner has dedicated for irrigation usage

only. All drinking water will be via two large cisterns that (filled by

rain water harvesting) and a dedicated water treatment plant.

65YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

Integration of Sustainable Design

Three main themes of sustainability emerged during the design

process: energy, water and materials.

Energy: Energy efficiency provided some obvious challenges given

the site’s outstanding views and the client’s desire to capitalize on

them. With the use energy modeling, several building envelope

designs were tested and a final specification was prescribed that

brings the house up to an Energuide 82 rating (very efficient).

The design strategy focused on a custom window package, that

integrates triple pane argon filled units with in-situ structural

mullions. The typical wall assembly is 2x8 plates with staggered 2x4

studs and open cell foam insulation to minimize thermal bridging.

Given the significant ratio of footprint to floor area four inches of

rigid insulation was below a thermally broken slab.

To meet the Energuide rating the mechanical system includes an air

source heat pump and solar domestic hot water.

Water: Water conservation is a major theme of the project and is

reflected in the architecture. This home is not connected to a well or

a serviced water line. All of the domestic water needs are supplied

through rain water harvesting. The building contains three roofs,

two lower ones over the first floor and an upper one covering

the second floor. Large overhangs on all three roofs protect the

building envelope. The upper roof consists of a curved standing

seam food safe roof that drains to a common low point. This water

is then captured via a scupper and diverted to a primary treatment

tank (screened for larger debris). The water is then collected in two

2,500 gallon cisterns. Excess water overflows back onto the site and

is absorbed through the introduced wetlands and rain gardens.

The cisterns provide all of the buildings domestic water demands

YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

(drinking, cleaning and toilets).

The two lower roofs contain a key element of the owner’s vision:

her desire to create a green roof. They will be seeded with the very

same drought resistant native grasses that populate the open rocky

bluffs. The green roofs will also provide storm water mitigation

absorbing and storing rainwater within the root mat and growing

medium during storm events. These two roofs drain into introduced

wetlands located to the west and east.

Materials: To meet the intent of the Built Green Gold standard

finishing materials are low in VOC content. These include plyboo

cabinetry veneers, American Clay wall plasters, and cedar ceiling

finishes. The glue laminated timbers were chosen to create a low

cost solution to the sculptural nature of the design but also reduce

the necessity for larger sawn timbers. Recycled D. fir flooring is

specified for the second floor. A simple concrete waxed floor on the

main level creates thermal mass to mitigate the inside temperatures

during the summer and provides a medium for the radiant heating

in the winter months (including passive solar).

Innovation and Budget Considerations

The client’s desire for a curved roof required significant innovation as

the project budget is modest (estimated at $750K). During the design

exploration stage design utilizing three dimensional sketches, the

idea of using inverted curves emerged. This led to the final design

of the ‘petal-like’ roof structure. The ability to manufacture the roof’s

curvature in the glue lam factory rather than on site allowed the

budget to align with the client’s expectations. The curved purlin/

rafters provide a perpendicular alignment for 2x6 d.fir decking to

be applied lengthwise without bending. Up front work in provided

detailed ‘cut sheet’ information for each post greatly reduced the

labour estimate at tendering and the framing was sub-contracted

as a fixed bid. To further explore the relationship between roof and

floor plan (an idea inspired by Alvar Alto’s Villa Mairea) the entire

west wall is laid out on a 75 foot radius.

67YAF CONNECTION 10 | 05

IF YOU ARE…… an emerging professional (from school, from internship, etc)… involved in a recent start-up… involved in emerging modes of practice… pursuing a design career tangential to architecture and design… an emerging voice in the field of architecture and design, then ... Then be heard!

SHARE YOUR STORY AND HELP US DEFINE THE EMERGENT PROFESSION.

CALL FOR

SUBMISSIONS

The YAF Connection Editorial Committee is actively and continually seeking content for inclusion in upcoming issues of CONNECTION, the official bi-monthly publication of the Young Architects Forum of the AIA.

We are currently soliciting articles for the January 2013 publication centered on the subject of EMERGENCE.

ARE YOU AN EMERGING VOICE? THEN BE HEARD!

YA F C o n n e c t i o n I S S U E 1 1 . 0 1 | 0 1 . 2 0 1 3

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omIf you are interested in submitting a written article,

project (art, architecture, sketches, photography) or other content for publication, please contact the YAF Communications Advisor, Wyatt Frantom wyatt.frantom@wf-ad.com for details.

All articles for the January 2013 issue are due no later than December 1st.

EMERGENCE

2012 YAF ADVISORY COMMITTEE

2012 ChairJennifer Workman, AIA

Vice ChairBrad Benjamin, AIA, CSI, LEED AP

Past ChairAdam W. Palmer, AIA, LEED AP

Programs AdvisorMatthew M. Dumich, AIA

Communications AdvisorDeepika Padam, AIA, LEED AP bd+c

Young Architect Regional Directors AdvisorJason Dale Pierce, AIA, LEED AP

Events AdvisorVirginia Marquardt, AIA, LEED AP, CDT

Public Relations AdvisorJoseph R. Benesh, AIA, CDT, LEED AP

College of Fellows LiaisonWilliam J. Stanley, III, FAIA, NOMA

AIA Board RepresentativeWendy Ornelas, FAIA

AIA Staff Director, Emerging ProfessionalsErin Murphy, AIA, LEED AP

The American Institute of Architects Young Architects Forum1735 New York Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20006

http://www.aia.org/yaf

WHAT IS THE YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM?

The Young Architects Forum is the voice of architects in the early stages of their career and the catalyst for change within the profession and our communities. Working closely with the AIA College of Fellows and the American Institute of Architects as a whole, the YAF is leading the future of the profession with a focus on architects licensed less than 10 years. The national YAF Advisory Committee is charged with encouraging the development of national and regional programs of interest to young architects and supporting the creation of YAF groups within local chapters. Approximately 23,000 AIA members are represented by the YAF. YAF programs, activities, and resources serve young architects by providing information and leadership; promoting excellence through fellowship with other professionals; and encouraging mentoring to enhance individual, community, and professional development.

GOALS OF YAF:To ENCOURAGE professional growth and

leadership development among recently licensed architects through interaction and collaboration within the AIA and allied groups.

To BUILD a national network and serve as a collective voice for young architects by working to ensure that issues of particular relevance to young architects are appropriately addressed by the Institute.

To MAKE AIA membership valuable to young architects and develop the future leadership of the profession.