Below, you’ll find award categories and links to the winners, as well as photos and video. If you would like to receive copies of any images, please email Alexandra Evjen. Enjoy!

2009 Design Award Winners

2009 Special Award Winners

2009 Imagination Cube Winner

2009 SRP Sustainable Award

2009 APS Energy Award

2009 AIA Arizona Firm of the Year – Weddle Gilmore

2009 AIA Arizona Sustainable Firm of the Year – Line + Space

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Photos of the Gala

Tuesday – September 29, 2009
AIA Arizona Office
30 N. 3rd Avenue, Ste. 200
Phoenix, AZ 85003
9:00 a.m. – Registration (Light breakfast and lunch will be provided)
9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Program

$35.00 each – AIA Members
$50.00 each – AIA Members (after 9/18/09)
$50.00 each – Non-Members
$75.00 each – Non-Members (after 9/18/09)

RSVP by Noon on Friday, September 25th. Please fax registration form to the AIA at
602-273-6814 or email to charnissa@aia-arizona.org *NO SHOWS WILL BE BILLED

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

2009 Celebrate Architecture Awards Gala

Single $75.00 on or before September 11, 2009
Single $100.00 after September 11, 2009

Click here to purchase your tickets.

6:00—7:30 pm Cocktail Reception/Silent Auction
6:00—7:30 pm Light Hors d’oeuvres
7:30—9:00 pm AIA Arizona Awards Presentation
9:00—10:00 pm Dessert & Coffee—Celebrate Winners

Questions, please call 602-252-4200.

Become a sponsor! CLICK HER FOR DETAILS!

Registration is now open for one of our biggest events of the year! Don’t miss our 2009 State Conference, “The Next 50: A discourse on our urban landscape.” The event will be on Thursday, August 27, 2009 from 7:00AM – 7:00PM as The Buttes Conference Center in Tempe, Arizona. AIA members can earn up to six learning units.

Speakers will include Joel Garreau, author of Edge City: Life on the New Frontier; Alan Berger, Director of P-REX, Project of Reclamation Excellence at MIT; Darren Petrucci, AIA, Director of SALA at Arizona State Univeristy; Jan Cervelli, FASLA, FCELA, Dean of CALA at University of Arizona; Reed Kroloff, Director of the Cranbrook Academy of Art; Ellen Dunham-Jones, AIA, Co-Author of Retrofitting Suburbia: Urban Design Solutions of Redesigning Suburbs.

Click here for more information and registration.

If you haven’t done so already, make sure to follow our updates on Twitter! http://www.twitter.com/AIAARIZONA

We also have several Facebook groups and a fan page. Check them out and become a fan!

Many firms and sole practitioners are considering multiple strategies to stay viable in this challenging economy.  One of the strategies they are considering is merging with another firm or finding a partner to share the costs and risks.  What should you consider when making this decision?

This seminar will discuss:
1. How to develop a partner “wish-list”
2. How to find a partner
3. What to consider when evaluating partnership/mergers
4. What are the steps to begin the partnership/merging process
5. What are the pitfalls of merging/partnering
6. What are the rewards of merging/partnering

You will leave the seminar with:
1. A defined “wish-list” for your ideal partner
2. Actions to take to begin the process of finding your partner
3. A list of legal, financial, and cultural criteria to evaluate your prospective partners.

Join Andrea Norman, MBA, Principal of Mind the Gap Marketing Solutions, as she takes you through the issues related to partnering or merging your architecture firm.

PLEASE FILL OUT THE REGISTRATION FORM TO RSVP! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

The following topics will be discussed:
·    What is liability insurance and why do I need it?
·    Are you dealing with COBRA Insurance?
·    What about disability insurance?
·    What’s new in health insurance?

Presented by:
Scott Schmidt – Stuckey Insurance
Jeff Smith & Dan Hardesty – Southwest Professional Insurance Consultants
Jeff Gerrick – Professional Underwriters
Matt Schmidbauer – Professional Planning Associates

PLEASE FILL OUT THE REGISTRATION FORM TO RSVP! REGISTER HERE

•    Learn new business technology and software
•    Compare features and benefits of technology solutions
•    Calculate money saved by using new technology

Presented by Adrian Vender of eFusion Internet Marketing, LLC

Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Time: 11:30 Registration; 12:00 – 1:00PM Seminar
Cost: $5.00 Member, $20.00 Non-Members
Place: AIA Arizona Offices
Questions: contact Alexandra Evjen.

* Lunch will be provided. This is seminar is also a part of the Phoenix Metro Chapter Small Firm Roundtable.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

Please join us this Sunday, April 26, 2009 from 10:00AM – 5:00PM for the annual AIA Phoenix Metro Home Tour. Click here for the list of homes and a ticket order form. Tickets are $22.00 in advance and $25.00 the day of the tour. You can purchase tickets the day of the tour at location on the tour.

Want to learn about new changes to the 2009 International Codes? Well, now is your chance. This seminar will cover the building codes, residential codes, fire codes, energy conservation codes, mechanical codes, plumbing codes and fuel gas codes changes. Presented By Kelly P. Reynolds & Associates, Inc.

Tuesday – April 28, 2009
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Walker Building
30 North Third Avenue in Phoenix (NW corner of 3rd Avenue and Washington), second floor. Parking is available in the city garage located at the southwest corner of 3rd Avenue and Washington. (Parking in city garage will be validated)

$10.00 AIA Members; $25.00 Non-Members.

REGISTER HERE NOW!

It’s that time of year again…the 2009 AIA Arizona Photography Contest is asking for submissions of your best photos! The deadline for entries is Wednesday, April 22, 2009. Click here for submission requirements. Click here for an entry form.

SketchUp is a 3D modeling program designed for architects and civil engineers and related professions. It is an intuitive, flexible and easy to use program. If you haven’t tapped into this resource or you are in need of assistance using this tool, come to this workshop!

DATE: Wednesday, April 22, 2009
TIME: 8:00 a.m. Registration & breakfast; 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Seminar
LOCATION: AIA Arizona – 30 N. 3rdAvenue, Ste. 200, Phoenix, AZ 85003
*Parking will be validated for the public parking garage on the southwest corner of Washington and 3rd Ave
COST: $10.00 Members; $20.00 Non-members
PRESENTER: Robert Pearce, AIA, Pearce Design Studio, LLC
RSVP to  Alexandra Evjen with registration form (alexandra@aia-arizona.org) by April 21, 2009.

REGISTRATION FORM

DATE: Wednesday, March 25, 2009
TIME: 8:00 a.m. Registration & breakfast; 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Seminar
LOCATION: AIA Arizona – 30 N. 3rdAvenue, Ste. 200, Phoenix, AZ 85003
*Parking will be validated for the public parking garage on the southwest corner of Washington and 3rd Ave
COST:$5.00 Members; $20.00 Non-members
PRESENTER: Adrian Vender, Director of eFusion Internet Marketing, LLC

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Architecture Firm Profile

Professional Affiliate Company Profile

March is AIA Arizona’s “EcoMonth!” We have several building tours and lectures focused on the importantce of sustainability for FREE! These events are also open to the public! Check out the flyer for a list of dates and times!

When: Wed, Feb 18, 2009 from 12:00PM – 1:00PM
Where: AIA Arizona Office (30 N. 3rd Avenue, Ste. 200, Phoenix, Arizona, 85003. Parking across the street and will be validated)
Presenter: Jim Kelley, AIA Arizona Affiliate Director, A&E hiring consultant for Aerotek. He will share his experience, perspective and best resume practices.
Cost: $10.00 AIA members, $25 Non-Members,  $5 for AIA Associates
RSVP: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 to Charnissa Moore (charnissa@aia-arizona.org)

REGISTER HERE

 
AIA Arizona is now on Twitter! Follow us (AIAARIZONA) and find out what’s going on within our component instantaneously! Don’t have a Twitter account? Make one! It’s a great way to stay in the loop quickly. You can even install an application to get “tweets” or messages to your phone!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009 from 8:00AM – 10:00AM, AIA Arizona is hosting a breakfast (FREE for members) for those that are either seeking work or are trying to keep their stuggling business alive. This breakfast is the kickoff to a year full of resources and programs that AIA Arizona is hosting to help you stay afloat! RSVP to Alexanda Evjen by Tuesday, February 10, 2009.

REGISTER FOR FREE!
First-time architect, associate, and international associate members who join the AIA between May 18, 2008 and May 2, 2009, are invited to attend the 2009 national convention free of charge. Register today to experience the full benefit of your membership by attending the leading design and construction industry event. NOTE: Lapsed, national and local allied or affiliate members, and Public Architect registrants are not eligible for this offer.

The profession of architecture is in the midst of incredible change. As our world becomes more complex and diverse, so too does our work.

San Francisco, the host city for the AIA 2009 National Convention, embodies the changes occurring not just in our profession, but the world. Considered one of the most European of American cities, San Francisco also stands as a gateway to the Pacific Rim–an exciting bridge between west and east. Few cities embody the true spirit of diversity as clearly as our 2009 convention site. Learn more…

Register now and received the early bird rate!

2009 is in full swing and we sure have a lot of events going on! Make sure to check out our web calendar to find out about continuing education events, ARE seminars, lectures and chapter meetings!

BEFORE IT HAPPENS
If your firm is in downsizing mode, here are a few things to do to prepare yourself:

1.       Have all of your medical tests, annual exams etc. done now – before you are downsized and before your insurance runs out.  This includes eye and dental exams too.
2.       Refill all of your prescriptions.  If your plan permits it, buy 3 months worth.  If you need a new pair of eye glasses, do it now.
3.         Update your resume.

THE DAY
4.         Don’t take it personally.  This is all about the bottom line.
5.         Leave gracefully because you never know when you may work with any of your colleagues at that firm again.
6.         Sign up for COBRA medical coverage at your exit interview or as soon as possible.
7.         Your colleagues may have leads for your next job, so give your friends your home contact information (phone numbers and email address)
AFTER
8.         Sign up for unemployment the next business day after your employment has been terminated.  Yes, you may land a job within days or weeks of your downsizing event, however the unemployment benefits take a while to process.  And a percentage of your weekly salary is better than nothing when you’re unemployed or employed and waiting for that first check from your new employer.
9.         Your colleagues may have leads for your next job, so keep in touch. (Also it’s good for socialization needs.)
10.       If you don’t have an answering machine or answering service on your phone plan, then now is the time to invest in one of these. 
11.       Find one thing to do first thing every morning.  Choose a physical activity to get you moving into the day.  (I climbed Diamond Head at 6:30 am every morning for several months – 198 steps in the 1.4 mile trail.  My nephew kayaked across a lake in Georgia every morning while he was in transition between jobs.)
12.       Remain sociable.  The biggest adjustment when you’re unemployed is being alone more than you were during your normal work day.  (In Hawaii, we use to joke about buying 2 or 3 items at a time at the grocery store just so you would need to go through the check out line again later in the day.)  Check in with your local AIA Chapter.  In addition to job boards, sometimes they will host informal gatherings for the recently unemployed (resume updating, networking, interview skills, how to post resumes on the internet and how to search internet job postings).

Downsizing is never pleasant, however these tips may make it less stressful for you and may be helpful to your fellow associates.

Melina Renee Meshako, CCS, LEED AP
CAPITAL SPECS, LLC
melina@capitalspecs.com
www.capitalspecs.com

Out of a Cocoon of Colon Cancer…
A Butterfly Has Taken Flight

On Sunday, March 30, 2008, A. Paul Moran, AIA, devoted and loving husband, father of five beautiful children, son, brother, colleague and environmental design leader, was transformed and has begun a new journey of discoveries.

The Memorial Service will be Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 11:00 am at St. Joan of Arc Parish, 3801 E. Greenway Road in Phoenix. Immediately following, a luncheon in Paul’s honor will be held at the Parish Hall.

Condolences may be sent to the Moran residence at 3001 E. Calaveros Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85028. The family is in the process of identifying two organizations or repositories that would receive donations.

Please keep this family and members of this firm – in your thoughts and prayers.
Tina Litteral, Hon. AIA
AIA Arizona

This year marks the first time in nearly a century that neither a sitting president nor vice president is running for the presidency. There is an incredible opportunity to be part of the change that is coming with a new administration. The American Institute of Architects and its more than 80,000 members have a chance to play an active role in the process. By being a strong, united voice in this election, we can ensure that the issues important to architects are heard above all of the noise of this campaign.

For over 150 years, AIA members have advocated for policies and programs that have benefited the built environment and the practice of architecture.  We have enacted change at every level of government, and we have done it both as strong individual leaders and as a group unified by the same goals and values.

AIA Arizona has partnered with AIA National DesignVote08 to provide you with information that may help you to participate in the upcoming Arizona Presidential Primary. DesignVote08 is a non-partisan program focused on getting issues important to architects front and center in the 2008 campaign, as well as enabling architects to get involved in the political process by sharing information and resources.

AIA National DesignVote08 has put together the following Web site to assist you with the Arizona Primary: www.aia.org/designvote_supertuesday.  If you have any questions regarding the election, or if you would like to know more about DesignVote08, please contact AIA National at designvote@aia.org or (202) 626-7403. In addition, feel free to send us an e-mail or call us with any interesting stories, news, or other important information about the election.

 CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

During the fall meeting of the MASTERSPEC Architectural Review Committee, Ronald L. Geren, AIA, CSI, CCS, CCCA, SCIP, was selected to fill one of six positions on the committee.  Ron’s nomination, along with two other new members, was approved by the AIA in January 2008.  Architectural Computer Services, Inc. (ARCOM) is the publisher and distributor of MASTERSPEC, a master guide specification having over 12,000 licensed users throughout the country and internationally.  MASTERSPEC is a product of the American Institute of Architects.

The position is a one-year assignment, involving quarterly trips to ARCOM’s offices in Alexandria, Virginia.  The assignment can be renewed annually for up to three years. Committee members do not write the specifications for ARCOM, which has its own staff of qualified specification writers, but members review and provide technical advice on existing specification sections that are due for revision or new sections that are being added to the MASTERSPEC libraries.

ARCOM’s Vice President of Architectural Specifications, Paul Brosnahan, AIA, CSI, CCS, states that Ron Geren’s location in the desert southwest provides a perspective from an area of the country that has been under-represented on the committee in the past.  He adds that Ron’s knowledge of building codes provides a technical expertise that is not typical for this committee.

Although many firms are busy, the newspaper warns us that slow times are ahead. If you work in housing, you feel it already. How can you lessen the effect on your firm and your family?

Pay off the credit cards. Why? If you don’t have much work, you won’t want to be paying the income you benefit to your firm or your family. Move your credit debt to a lower interest – often introductory offer – account, then pay it off as fast as you can.

· But don’t close them: In prolonged slow times, many families and firms have “lived on their credit cards”. You will want them unused but available.

Pay cash. When you don’t have enough cash on you, use your debit card.

Keep the cash-flow coming. Don’t wait 1.5 months to discover that your clients are late paying your invoice. Don’t let your invoices get 60 or 90 days out. People don’t like dealing with people they owe money to. It makes them feel guilty.

· Invoice as soon as the project merits. Don’t wait for a standard billing cycle. Bill when the project ends a phase or as soon as your contract allows.

· Learn your client’s approval and payment system. Many companies have layered approval systems. Your invoice can languish on someone’s desk unnecessarily.

· 1-week after you send the invoice. Call to see if it has been received. Ask if it is clear and if there are any questions. If not, can you approve it now to move on to the next person? “Wonderful! We appreciate your help, Sam.”

· 1-week later: “Did you receive our invoice from Sam?” “Is it clear? Do you have any questions about it?” If all is well, “When will you be cutting checks on this?” (Mark your calendar for one day after that date.) “Great. It is such a pleasure to work with you and your company, Janice.”

· Check cutting day + 1: Call their accounting department or office manager: “Janice said you’d be cutting checks about now. Do you have all the information you need on our invoice? Oh, you did it yesterday? Wonderful! It is great to deal with you; you are so efficient.”

Get those expense accounts to your accounting department quickly. Those charges need to go with the next invoice to keep the cash in your pocket and avoid paying credit card interest on them.

Supplies – mine desk drawers! Check any empty-desk drawers for pencils, pens, post-its, etc. It is amazing how you can replenish your supply cabinets with partially used items still in your office. While you are at it, ask everyone to mine their desk. Keep one of each kind of drawing tool, and so on, and turn the rest back to the cabinet. Some firms have been known to avoid buying supplies for a month or two based on the items returned to the cabinet.

Cut FedEx costs. When we’re rushed, we send many things same-day. Consider before you send, whether the recipient actually needs the item that fast. Can it wait a day? Next day or 2-days later can save your contract ½ the cost or more. Better yet, is someone from the office going over for a meeting? Hand carrying costs nothing!

Service vehicles and equipment now. In slow times, we put it off. Then if the slow times persist, we end up with repair charges. Run that car in now.

Architects tend to need a growth economy. Economies are cyclical by nature. Following these suggestions can help you, your family, and your firm through the show times.

AIA-backed provisions to improve building efficiency become law

President Bush signed into law historic energy legislation Wednesday that will shape U.S. energy policy for decades to come. The law seeks to dramatically reduce U.S. energy consumption over the next 25 years by applying the AIA’s 2030 carbon-reducing targets to federal buildings, increasing fuel efficiency standards for automobiles, and establishing new energy efficiency standards for appliances.

The new law includes numerous provisions advocated by the AIA to promote sustainable design in the built environment. Christine W. McEntee, the AIA’s executive vice president and chief executive officer, praised the efforts of policymakers as she attended today’s bill-signing ceremony at the Department of Energy’s Washington, D.C., headquarters.

“In crafting this law, Congress and the president have recognized what architects have long known: that improving the energy efficiency of our buildings will do more to promote energy independence and reduce our nation’s reliance on fossil fuels,” McEntee said.

Bill includes 2030 targets for federal buildings

 
2007 AIA President RK Stewart, FAIA, (second from left) testifies before a House Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee on energy-efficient building legislation.
 
Nearly two years after the AIA Board of Directors approved a policy position setting incremental energy reduction targets for all buildings, Congress included these goals for federal buildings in the bill the president signed today. Under the new law, all new and significantly renovated federal buildings are required to be carbon-neutral by 2030, dramatically reducing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by the built environment.

Register today. Then join us in Boston, May 15-17, for an incredible convention.

See the new Boston, from the Big Dig and Fenway Park to the stunning Institute of Contemporary Art. Dine in the company of some of Boston’s most auspicious firms. Visit cutting-edge biotech and medical facilities, and tour diverse architecture across the city and beyond.

> See more from the Boston Society of Architects/AIA

Explore this year’s theme, We the People, and learn how architecture works on behalf of all people and society

Participate in a variety of education formats–workshops, seminars, tours, and expo education–and earn all the learning units you need over four days
> Search continuing education listings

Visit more than 800 exhibitors and discover new products and technologies you can use in future projects
> Preview exhibits

Download your copy of the complete convention guide now at www.aiaconvention.com/guide.

Remember, register by February 22 and take advantage of the Early Bird Discount.

REGISTER TODAY AT WWW.AIACONVENTION.COM

Head over to Cantina at the Old Artisan Courtyard @ 201 North Court Avenue. It’s very informal. All you can eat for $4.00 per person. Please RSVP to Tracy Miller at tracy.miller@thomasrepro.com

If you interested in attending this event or you would like more information click here.