October 2013 - The American Institute of Architects, East Bay

2013 O C T O B E R
ARCHnews
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE EAST BAY CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS
PROJECT PROFILE
Choi + Robles
Architecture, LLP
Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, San Leandro, CA
A
fter more than a year of planning and design, construction started in July 2013 on the long-awaited Tiburcio
Vasquez Health Center building located in the unincorporated Ashland-Cherryland area of San Leandro. The
building sits on a 55,700 square feet site on East 14th Street and 162nd Avenue and provides 21,000 square feet of medical clinic space. Aimed at providing primary care for the underserved, linguistically isolated and low income families in
the area, the health center is projected to serve an estimated 7,000 patients and will provide an additional 21,000 client
encounters annually.
The $8.2 million project is designed with a two-story building of concrete tilt-up wall panel and metal frame/stucco construction. Concrete panel tilt-up construction was chosen for its time efficiency, cost savings and durability. Design of
building consists of a street pedestrian plaza that invites and directs patients to the main building entrance under an
open portico. Oversized spandrel beams and columns of the portico offer interesting play of sunlight and shade on this
west entry side of building. A framed portal of equal proportions matching the building exterior continues the frontage
and façade of the building and provides an architectural screen wall from the street for the parking located behind it.
Design of the health center takes cues from traditional Spanish mission vernacular architecture. Leading from the entry
portico, the main building entrance is announced with a tall clock tower topped with a mission tile roof. Similarly, smaller tower elements containing the main stairs are located at each end of building as to anchor the building from the parking lot and street. These stair towers are punctuated with windows to invite patients and visitors to use the stairs instead
of the elevator and to provide them a view to the exterior.
Contents
Chapter Reports
2
Codes
4
CoolTechStuff
6
In the News
7
Profiles
8
Building colors with an applied stone base in earth tones surrounding the building lend warmth to the building. Similar
warm color pavement with outdoor furniture and a memorial garden invite visitors and patients to experience the outdoors.
The building is designed to meet CalGreen mandatory measures and to achieve a LEED Gold rating. Solar voltaic systems are installed in the parking areas and on building rooftop to provide a renewable energy source. It’s anticipated the
solar voltaic installation would provide power to cover 80% of the total normal building energy usage, realizing in significant operational cost savings for the health center. ❧
P r e s i d e n t ’s L e t t e r
Does AIA Have Its Charrette Before Its Horse?
AIA East Bay
a chapter of
The American Institute of Architects
1405 Clay Street
Oakland, CA 94612
Tel 510.464.3600
Fax 510.464.3616
info@aiaeb.org
www.aiaeb.org
Twitter.com/aiaeb
ArchNews is a publication of AIA East Bay.
The editors reserve the right to determine
the appropriateness of contributions and
to edit where necessary for length and
clarity. Use of names and images of products and services in either editorial or
advertising does not constitute endorsement by AIA or AIA East Bay. AIA East Bay
does not guarantee accuracy or completeness of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the
results obtained from use of such information.
Editorial contributions and correspondence to the chapter are welcome. All
material submitted for publication must
be in electronic form either via e-mail or
CD. Microsoft Word versions 5 and Text
files are supported.
A rc h Ne w s C o m m i t t e e / E d i t o r s
Harry Jacobs, AIA, Chair
Devi Dutta-Choudhury, AIA
Laile Giansetto, AIA
Larry Mortimer, AIA
Sidney Sweeney
Design
Dean Hunsaker
L
ast week we held a remarkable program at AIA / East Bay. Douglas
Wittnebel, AIA and Paul Choi showed us the new electronic graphic systems they are using as design tools and for client presentations at Gensler. The
constantly evolving software allows the designers to produce vivid, moving, imagery of new buildings and
environments. This is the dramatic cutting edge of today’s architecture.
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
Andre Ptaszynski AIA
andre@JandParchitects.com
Chapter President
People stayed to talk and socialize, and as I cruised the room, I mentioned
to several attendees that Mickey Jacob,FAIA President of the AIA, had
announced that as part of “Repositioning” the National Board of Directors
had voted to restructure itself into a bi-cameral body; a small (11-15 person) Board of Directors will manage the operational business of the
Institute, while a larger Council will develop a strategic course and vision
for the future.
More than one person at the event responded that they saw this as “rearranging the furniture on the
Titanic” . . . “Why is AIA not dealing with the real problems? Why are they not lowering dues?” Their frustration and bitterness was evident.
In fact, the National leadership is aware of this and the many other issues that desperately need to be
solved. But the AIA is a massive organization and the key to shifting the direction of such a large body is
first to change its structure. The current 60 member Board of Directors has been too unwieldy to be an
effective force for change. The brief, one-year term of office of the President does not allow for the continuity of policy and leadership necessary to turn the ship. As a result of this current structure, the 200 staff
at National, not our members, provide the continuity and direction of the Institute.
If we want a truly member-driven organization, these structural changes must happen first. A sleeker and
nimbler governance structure will allow us to move more swiftly to take on the essential questions: how
can we best support our young architects who are the future of the profession? How can we make the value
of good design a value in the mainstream of society? How can the AIA become so effective at serving its
members that architects will be eager to join?
Repositioning will not be a quick process. It will not be completed in a year or two. It may even take five
years. It will require patience on all our parts, and we may become disheartened, even cynical, but if we are
to come out of this with a professional association that serves us well (and lowers our dues!), we must continue the process. The alternative is more frustration and bitterness.
2
Hopefully, in a few years, we will be able to say that the AIA has transformed itself as much as the technological wizardry, that Doug and Paul showed us, has transformed the way we practice architecture. ❧
ArchNews
Emerging Professionals
How Architecture Students can PAVE their Financial
Road for the Future.
I
Caroline Lee, Assoc AIA
Associate Director AIAEB
recently came across an interesting article about a kind of Kickstarter
project called, PAVE. I learned about PAVE from an article featured on
ArchDaily titled, “Architecture’s Vicious Equation: High-Cost Education and
Low-Paying Jobs. Could PAVE Offer Another Way?” With a title like that, I was
immediately interested and eager to read what PAVE was offering because I
think emerging professionals can agree with me on the fact that architectural
studies are not monetarily cheap compared to other studies. Even after finishing school, architecture related jobs aren’t ranked as being one of the highest paying jobs out there. This makes it difficult for many to pay off school
loans and live comfortably.
PAVE acts as “a funding community that connects talented young Americans with like-minded investors
who provide money and non-financial support. In return prospects pay them a percentage of their earnings down the road.” The concept is interesting because rather than paying back a federal loan; you are
paying back a real person who is invested in your career and goal.
An example that ArchDaily provides is of a young architect named Daniel Toole, who is starting his
M.Architecture in Urban Design at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He is hoping that PAVE will
help him finance his schooling and allow him more freedom to take an enriching job within the architecture industry. Toole commented, ““if I take some low-paying jobs in the front end of that first decade after
graduation that are rich career-wise i.e. an associate professorship, or a lower paying position in the
employment of a renowned architect that might not pay so well, my payments back will be lower than a
standard federal payback that would just adjust to my income and be spread out longer. The fact that
[PAVE] investors understand this and the fact that they value your professional development is a positive
plus.”
I think that PAVE is great because it offers students an alternative to taking out loans. They have an option
to connect with someone who legitimately wants to see them succeed and partner up with them to achieve
their goals. It might not be the answer to every young architect’s financial struggles, but it does have the
potential to create public awareness of how expensive architecture education has become. I know many
aspiring architects who have turned away from architecture due to high student debt. It’s sad to know that
many talented people have switched out of architecture due to financing problems. The fact that PAVE has
triggered this conversation about a need for, potentially, an industry-wide reformation is important for
architects to consider.
Source: http://www.archdaily.com/422099/architecture-s-vicious-equation-high-cost-education-andlow-paying-jobs-could-pave-offer-another-way/
2013 Of ficers and
B o a rd o f Di re c t o r s
President
Andre Ptaszynski, AIA
President Elect
Jeremiah Tolbert, AIA
Secretary/Treasurer
Douglas Frazier, AIA
Directors
Anthony Cataldo, AIA
Dong Kim, AIA
Andrea Powell, Int’l Assoc. AIA
Alice Ross-Leon, Allied Member
Maria-Teresa Waldenmier, AIA
Malvin Whang, AIA
Associate Director
Caroline Lee, Assoc. AIA
Student Director
(vacant)
Executive Director
Sidney Sweeney
2013 Committees
+ Fo r u m s + C h a i r s
ArchNews Editorial Board
Harry Jacobs, AIA
Forum on the Environment
Andrea Powell, Int’l Assoc. AIA
Design Awards
Henry Siegel, FAIA
Emerging Professionals Committee
Kanika Brown, Assoc. AIA
Desigh Tours
Winston Win, AIA
Fellows
Rosemary Muller, FAIA
Historic Preservation
Betsy Yost, AIA
Home Tours
Kurt Lavenson, AIA
Joint Lecture
Gray Dougherty, AIA
Office Improvement Task Force
Rebecca Schnier, AIA
Professional Practice Forum
Mark Steppan,AIA
& Stephen Hovland, AIA
Regional and Urban Design
Douglas Frazier, AIA & Matt Taecker, Assoc. AIA
Small Firm Forum
Donald Wardlaw, AIA
Doug Coe
Linda Randolph, AIA
Sponsorship
Jeremiah Tolbert, AIA
Choi + Robles -see cover
3
ArchNews
Building Code Issues
Re m e m b e r
A l l i e d Me m b e r s
W h e n Do i n g Bu s i n e s s
Rachel Archibald
Meyer Sound
Randy Borden
Borden Lighting
Anthony Boutte
AB Plans
Michael T. Butler
Berkeley Craftsmen GC, Inc.
Stephen J. Butler
Pension Dynamics Corporation
John Chrysler
Masonry Institute of America
Kers Clausen
W.B.Clausen Structural Engineers
William Cogshall
Archer Norris
Pablo A. Daroux
Wilson, Ihrig & Associates, Inc.
Tony DeJohn
Jeld-Wen Windows & Doors
Joseph A. Diliberto
Sandler Sales Institute
Derrick Dinneli
Simpson Strong-Tie
Craig H. Dodge
Ideate Inc.
Benjamin R. Duterte
Wall and Ceiling Bureau
Lynette Fox - Rindner
Homes of Enchantment
Shane Gross
Degenkolb Engineers
Shannon L. Hackley
Shannon-Leigh Associates
Jorn Halle
Degenkolb Engineers
Robert W Hemphill
Division 7 Reps
Nellie Ingraham
Ingraham DeJesse Associates Inc.
Carolyn Isseks, Hon. AIAEB
Dealey, Renton & Associates
William Jetton
Jetton Construction
Treve Johnson
Treve Johnson Photography
Justin B. Johnston
Twilight Sounds
Joshua B. Kardon
Joshua B. Kardon + Co. Structural
Engineers
Shae Knight
Riggs Distributing
Scott P. Leary
Builders Exchange of Alameda County
Alice Ross Leon
Creativemark / Richard Leon Photography
Linda H.J. Liang
Rockridge Geotechnical
Jeremy Markham
Aerotek
Mike McCutchen
McCutchen Construction
Mark E. Meredith
Robles, Castles & Meredith
John Mikkelsen
ABS - American Building SupplyDoormerica
David Monk
Arcsource Consulting Inc.
Jeff Moore
Greenwood & Moore
Garret D. Murai
Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP
James Murphy
Dealey, Renton & Associates
Robert Murelli
Turner Construction
Darlene Peterson
Peterson Sheetmetal Inc.
Detectable Warnings
Steven R Winkel, FAIA, CASp
The PREVIEW Group, Inc.
Architects providing
regulatory solutions
Kerwin Lee, AIA, CASp
I CC - Certified Accessibility Inspector and Plan Examiner
ICC - Certified Building Plan Examiner
kleecodes01@gmail.com
Kerwin says:
U
nder the 2013 California Building Code (CBC) the requirements for detectable warnings continue
to be present. This is in light of the 2010 Standards for the American with Disabilities Act (ADA)
having suspended the requirements. The State, with support from the disabled community, feels that it is
something that should continued. The need for this element will continue to be debated. This is not the
question for this article. The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) may bring back this requirement
under the regulations for public Right-of Ways.
Section 11B-705.1.2 of the 2013 CBC will require detectable warnings at platform edges, curb ramps,
islands or cut-through medians, bus stops, hazardous vehicular areas, reflecting pools and track crossings.
Section 11B-705.1.2.5 states the following:
“Hazardous Vehicular Area. Detectable warnings at hazardous vehicular areas shall be 36 inches in width.”
Problem #1 - There is no definition of what a “Hazardous Vehicular Area” is.
We will still have the criteria of contrast between the detectable warnings and adjacent surface, Section
11B-705.1.1.3. The formula for determining contrast is in the code, but there is no numeric value for what
is contrasting. The Federal Standard requires a minimum 70% difference. That is a 4:1 reflectance difference. Most of the samples I have taken do not meet this criterion and would not comply.
Problem #2 - What is contrasting?
Section 11B-705.1.1.5 requires the detectable warnings to be “yellow”, no ifs, ands or buts. The yellow
needs to meet Federal Standard FS33538, which is a Department of Transportation Standard.
Problem #3 – No choice of color.
The way the 2013 CBC is written will cause confusion for compliance, interpretation and no choice for
color. Take note of the Exception in Section 11B-705.1.1.3 under Contrast:
“Exception: Where the detectable warning surface does not adequately contrast with the adjacent surfaces,
a 1 inch wide black strip shall separate the yellow detectable warning from adjacent surfaces.”
Recommendation – The only way to comply without much question will be to install detectable warnings
everywhere, using yellow with a black 1-inch strip.
Steve adds:
I concur with almost everything Kerwin says. I believe the color is to be yellow, as Kerwin says, with “no
ifs, ands or buts.” I do believe that the concept and application of “contrast” allows some flexibility to omit
the black stripe as the “screaming yellow” truncated domes contrast pretty well with most any kind of
paving. I have only seen contrast issues where designers try and make the truncated domes disappear
instead of being very visible to demarcate a boundary for visually impaired persons as the strips are
intended to.
These requirements are meant to assist persons with low vision, not just the blind. I have heard (anecdotally) that the yellow color is often the last part of the color spectrum a person with macular degeneration
can detect, so the yellow is visible when other colors are not visible for persons with low vision. ❧
4
(continued on page 5)
ArchNews
Green
A l l i e d Me m b e r s
(continued)
The Good the Bad and the Ugly of Envelope Design - 2
I
n this second and the last part of “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” series,
we will talk about thermal bridging through wall frames and balconies. As
mentioned in the last article, using external insulation past the frame and not
using any insulation on the steel studs in the infill wall, an assembly can be
made with minimum thermal bridging. But then, there is a problem of supporting the cladding with the exterior insulation between it and the insulation.
As architects, we all love the masonry veneer and normally they are supported
Judhajit Chakraborty. on an angle that is cast either into the concrete slab or more thermally conAssoc. AIA, LEED® AP
ductive; by attaching directly to the steel frame (how thoughtful?). Well, this
Built Ecology
doesn’t go that well because the two dimensional heat transfer hits it bad as we
did learn in the last article that steel is an awesome conductor (Figure 2). And
with the external insulation, the angle has to be wide enough to accommodate that and thick enough to
handle the moment loading. The thicker the angle, the more the heat transfer, resulting sometimes in
more heat loss than gain.
Phyllis Piepho
Piepho Design
Lisa Podesto PE
Woodworks
Holly J. Razzano
Degenkolb Engineers
Gina M. Sandoval
Degenkolb Engineers
Daniel Ray Schack
Schack & Company, Inc
Thomas M. Simmons
Archvista
Christ Surunis
Creston Electronics
Lisa Thorburn, LEED AP
Thorburn Associates
Scott A. Thurber
Associated Building Supply
Peter Wolfe
Peter Wolfe Landscape Architect
What is the fix? Steel C sections (Figure 3), tubes or knife edges attached intermittently to the structural
frame to hold the angle away from the frame, allowing the insulation to run past the steel angle between
it and the frame. Now, in this case, a smaller and standard sized angle can be used as the intermittent C
sections do all the structural work. This also has an added advantage for accommodating dimensional
variations in the slab edge and allows for better rainwater control. Wow, that wasn’t bad at all.
Ne w, t r a n s f e r s i n , & Re t u r n i n g
Me m b e r s — Se p t e m b e r ‘ 1 3
Chablis Applewhite, Assoc. AIA
Marines Memorial Association
Rob Bivens, Allied Member
CPG Building Products
Ryan Call, AIA
ELS Architecture and Urban Design
Aaron Michael Cook, AIA
BCV Architects
Fig-1: Steel C sections supporting the angle.
Now comes the worst of the lot, BALCONIES, with it being cantilevered past the structural frame projecting outwards into the wild blue, it is the ultimate thermal bridge. Balconies are an integral part of most
residential buildings and it should be designed carefully to minimize thermal bridging. A few ways to integrate thermal breaks in balconies are:
■
1: Off-set point support design rather than cantilevering the slab. This works well with articu
lated slabs where the balcony can be a precast unit that has a gap from the wall which allows for
the exterior insulation to run past the balcony. (Figure 4)
■
2: A non-articulated façade with off set point supported balcony but with threaded rods tied to
the columns of the structural frame. (Figure 5)
■
3: A stand alone balcony having their own structural frame and foundation. (Figure 6)
■
4: Stainless steel rods welded to reinforcing bars cast into the structural slab where the rods pass
through a foam block that acts as a thermal break. (Figure 7) ❧
Sally A. Freedman, Allied Member
Sally Freedman Designs
William Jetton
Jetton Construction, Inc.
Jace Garth Levinson, AIA
Jace Architecture
Benjamin M. Lueck, Assoc. AIA
Wiss Janney Elstner Associates, Inc.
Andrea M. Nadell, AIA
Ratcliff Architects
Anna P Phe, Assoc. AIA
Tamara Shroll, AIA
Fig-3 nonArticulated
Slab
Fig-2
Articulated
Slab
Fig-4 Stand
alone slab
Jesiesis C. Tan, AIA
SmithGroupJJR
Julio Mauricio Vasquez, AIA
Julio M Vasquez
.
Fig-5 Stainless
steel rods
through form
back
5
ArchNews
Images courtesy:
www.buildingscience.com
CoolTechStuff
W
ant to see who’s calling when you’re not available to answer the door? Here’s
a device that can answer your doorbell, let you see who’s there, and talk to
them. It’s called DoorBot.
Larry Mortimer, AIA
lmort@kmort.com
What Does It Do: DoorBot replaces, or augments
your existing door bell. This app-enabled, WiFiconnected device lets you see who’s at your door,
and communicate with them (even if you’re not
there).
System Requirements: Works with smart phones &
tablets using iOS 6+, and Android 2.3+, plus computers with Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox and
Safari browsers
What does it cost: DoorBot costs $199
How Does it Work: DoorBot replaces your doorbell, and acts as a visual/audio communication
device through a smart phone app.
Key Features:
■ Easy to install, installs with six screws •Dual power,
powered by internal lithium polymer battery, and
optionally, existing door bell wires (will keep the battery charged, otherwise it needs to be recharged
about once a year)
■ No limit to the number of smart devices (phones,
tablets, etc) you can connect to DoorBot
■ Theft resistant mounting bracket, if DoorBot is
stolen it will be replaced free of charge
■ Weather resistant aluminum enclosure only 2.39” x
5.68” x 1.80” •Adjustable camera, infared-equipped,
so you'll be able to see who's there at night
■ You can open or close a deadbolt door lock with the
addition of the optional Lockitron device (sold separately - $179)
Pros: Clean design, very easy to install, and with
optional Lockitron you can operate your deadbolt
lock from your smart phone.
Cons: DoorBot is
not available yet,
but should be by
the time you read
this article.
Conclusion: If you want to respond to visitors when
you’re not available, this is a device you should take
a look at.
6
More Information at: http://www.getdoorbot.com
ArchNews
Member & Firm News
Call for Nominations
Los Gatos Library — A Winner!
Noll & Tam’s Los Gatos Library has been recognized by
The American Institute of Architects, California Council
(AIACC), with a 2013 Merit Award for Sustainability.
Our design for this LEED Gold certified public library
for the Town of Los Gatos optimized energy efficiency
through the thoughtful incorporation of daylighting,
glazing, skylights, louvers, and photovoltaic panels.
Ideate Launches the New CADLearning Portal
Ideate CADLearning is designed to provide on-demand training to architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC), and media & entertainment (M&E) design professionals at every skill level. Access to the
Portal is available around the clock and around the world from any computer. Ideate CADLearning tools
provide:
·
Self-paced training to further knowledge and maximize performance with Autodesk BIM and CAD
solutions, and Ideate-developed Autodesk Revit-based solutions.
·
A ‘knowledge search for targeted training’ feature that guides the user to immediate, highly selective
help for specific aspects of a project, and includes recommendations for training modules.
· Assessment, including exams that pinpoint areas for skill strengthening and applicable trainings.
Call for nominations for the 2014 AIA
East Bay Board of Directors. Please send
nominations
via
email
to
sidney@aiaeb.org
by Wednesday,
October 30, 2013, at 5:00 pm identifying
the nominee (a member-in-good-standing of the Chapter), the proposed office
and a brief statement of merit. Members
may self-nominate.
The following 2014 Board positions are
open:
■
Vice-President/2015 President-elect
(may be an Architect or Emeritus
Member)
■
Director-at-Large (may be an
Architect, International Associate,
Associate, or Emeritus member)
■
Associate Director
■
Allied Director
■
Student Director
President, Vice President/President Elect,
and Student Diretor positions are oneyear terms. The other positions listed are
two-year terms. Sent questions regarding
the nominating and election process, the
roles of the various positions or other
issues to sidney@aiaeb.org.
For more information, call Ideate Education at 888.662.7238 x1012, email education@ideateinc.com, or
visit the Ideate CADLearning Portal. ❧
Ratcliff Promotes
Ratcliff announces the promotion of Peter Tsugawa, AIA to principal of the firm and of Katy Taylor Ford
and Gary Jereczek, AIA to associate principal. Ratcliff has also promoted Brian Feagans to senior associate and Minning Gao, AIA, Lisa Meniketti,AIA and Nina Pakanant to associate.
Peter Tsugawa, AIA
Katy Taylor Ford
Gary Jereczek, AIA
Choi + Robles -see cover
7
ArchNews
Firm Profile: Andrew Lee Architects
AIA East Bay Members
In Public Ser vice
If you are, or know of a member who volunteer service to their or share efforts or expertise beyond
their employment demands, please contact
ArchNews c/o AIAEB via e-mail, fax, or mail.
CALIFORNIA
Nancy Anderson, AIA
Commissioner, Architectural Board of
Examiners
Tom Butt, FAIA
Chair, Local Government Commission
Member of the League of California Cities
Environmental Quality Policy Committee
Alan Dreyfuss, AIA
Chair, State Historic Building Safety Board
Robert Duncan Nicol, FAIA
Member, Universal Design
Advisory Board, OSA=
Eric Mikiten, AIA
Commissioner
California Building Standards
Commission
Steven Winkel, FAIA
Architect Commissioner Member,
California Building Standards Commission
Contra Costa County
I
started my firm in 2007, after
eight years working at a number of Bay Area firms on a range
of project types, from custom
residential all the way to largescale commercial buildings, performing arts venues, and regional shopping malls. My practice is
not dogmatic about a particular
style or aesthetic philosophy;
rather, the priority is on personal relationships, careful listening,
and working creatively and conscientiously within timelines
and budgets. The longer I practice, the more I appreciate how
much there is to know and how much more I can learn; but at the same time I’ve come to realize that I’m
good at what I do and that I offer an excellent value for a given design budget. Part of professional life, I
find, is maintaining both realities in one’s head at the same time.
Gene Metz, AIA
John Marsh Historic Trust, President, Board
of Directors
Alameda County
Jeff Moore Allied Member
Planning Commission
Alameda
Dennis Owens, AIA
Chair, Alameda Historical Advisory Board
Maggie Maiers, AIA
Harbor Bay Isle Owner's Association
Albany
David Arkin, AIA
Planning & Zoning Commission
Stacy Eisenmann, AIA
Planning and Zoning Commission
Berkeley
The great majority of my projects have been single-family residential additions and remodels,
mostly in the East Bay but also a few in San
Francisco, in Marin County, and on the Peninsula.
In 2011 I took on my first significant commercial
project, a ground-up two-story retail building in
Walnut Creek, which is currently under construction. I also produced permit drawings for a community-service group based in West Oakland on a
pro bono basis, and I’ve done small commercial
interiors projects and as-built sets of drawings.
Gene Metz, AIA
U.C.B. College of Environmental
Design, Mentor Program (Arch)
Reeve Gould, AIA
Board, I House, UCB
Founding Trustee, Cal Performances
Berkeley Symphony Advisory Board
Brentwood
Lance Crannell, AIA
Chairman, Planning Commission
Member, Design Review Sub-Committee
Benicia
Rae Lynn Fiscalini, AIA
Sustainability Commission
Danville
Newell Arnerich, AIA
Mayor
Douglas A. McQuillan, AIA
Design Review Board
Heritage Resource Commission
David Banducci, AIA
Design Review Board
El Cerrito
Glen Wood AIA
Design Review Board
Christophe Laverne, AIA
Design Review Board
Radziah Loh, AIA
Design Review Board
Emeryville
Steven Steinberg, AIA
Emeryville Planning commission
Fremont
Theresa Ballard Dias, AIA
Vice-President of the Board of Directors, Allied
Housing, Inc
Vice-President of the Board of Directors, Abode
Service
8
(continued on page 11)
I’m a lifelong environmentalist, so integrating
green materials and systems into my projects is
always on my mind as I speak with clients—
although I find it’s a constant challenge to stay up
on all the information that’s out there, and of
course to preserve those features in the face of the
realities of the economy and people’s budgets,
which are often stretched to begin with.
Looking forward, I hope to take on larger and
more challenging projects and
to expand my expertise to more
project types, and to have more
success in integrating sustainability measures into my work.
Firm growth has been on my
mind a great deal in the past
year as I struggle to keep up
with a busier practice (a nice
problem to have!)—and I
invite other small firm practitioners to engage in knowledge-sharing and mutual support. And of course I will continue to take part in and enjoy
AIA East Bay programs.❧
ArchNews
Member Profile: Sophie Buchite, Assoc. AIA
S
ophie Buchite, Assoc. AIA recently graduated with distinction
from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science
in Architecture and a minor in Sustainability Studies. In the
future, she would like to continue her education and complete an
M.Arch program that focuses on the importance of sustainability
in the built environment. It was for this reason that Sophie chose
to move to the Bay Area to begin her career.
With the state of California’s reputation as a leader in the nation for sustainable measures, the Bay Area seemed
like a great opportunity for a new beginning after 5 years of schooling. In order to take a break from academia,
the next logical step for Sophie was move outside her comfort zone. After a well-rounded but strongly conceptual educational experience, it seemed to be the right time to learn what only practical experience can impart.
Since early August, Sophie has been working as an intern with TWM Architects + Planners in San Rafael. To further her career, Sophie plans to begin taking her ARE exams in the near future. She also has plans to complete
the exams for CDT and LEED GA credentials. ❧
Members in Public Service
— continued
Kensington
Don Dommer, AIA
Board Member, Fire Protection District
Lafayette
Andre Ptaszynski, AIA
Member Design Review Commission
Newark
Theresa Ballard Dias, AIA
Planning Commissioner
OAKLAND
Dave Byrens, AIA
Chair: Shoreline Cleanup - Kiwanis
Michael Coleman, AIA
Member Planning Commission
Member, Board of Directors
Museum of Children's Art (MOCHA)
Alan Dreyfuss, AIA
Member, Oakland Landmarks Advisory Board
Claudia Falconer, AIA
President, Montclair Village Business Assn
Patrick G. Gaughan, Assoc. AIA
Council on Architecture, Oakland Museum
Reeve Gould, AIA
Board, Piedmont Montclair Rotary Club
Harley Jensen, AIA
Member of the Council on Architecture
Oakland Museum
Dong Kim, AIA
Oakland Kiwanis Foundation Board
John Nelson, AIA
Board Chair, Oakland Chamber of Commerce
Andre Ptaszynski, AIA
President of the Council on Architecture,
Oakland Museum
Gary Struthers, AIA
Board of Directors for East Bay Habitat for
Humanity
Helene Vilett, AIA
Council on Architecture
Oakland Museum of California
Orinda
Rich Bartlett, AIA
Public Works Aesthetic Review Committee
George Miers, AIA
Planning Commission
Piedmont
Melanie Robertson, AIA
Planning Commission
Pleasant Hill
George Corrigan AIA
Architecture Review Commission
Richmond
Andrew Butt, AIA
Chair, Design Review Board
Tom Butt, FAIA
Choi + Robles -see cover
Member, Richmond City Council
Representative of Richmond on the West
Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee
Representative of Richmond on the Water
Emergency Transit Authority Citizens Advisory
Committee
Joann Pavlinec, Assoc. AIA
Historic Preservation commission
Ray Welter, AIA
Member, Richmond Design Review Board
Rio Vista
Mark McTeer, AIA
Chairman of the Planning Commission
San ramon
Judy Hemmingway, AIA
Architecture Review Board
Walnut Creek
David Crawford, AIA
Design Review Commission
Phillip Volkmann, AIA
Design Review Commission
9
ArchNews
Allied Member Firm Profile:
Tom Simmons
Archvista
ARCHVISTA
is an East Bay technologies
company with over fifteen years
experience implementing BIM (Building Information Modeling) into architecture and construction companies. Our team has successfully deployed solutions into a wide range of project types including residential, multifamily
housing, commercial, retail and hospitals. As authorized resellers for leading
BIM technology products, we offer BIM implementation services, technology
training and model coordination services.
To support technology implementation we developed LEARNVIRTUAL, a comprehensive online training
portal for building professionals. This portal offers a wide range of AEC industry-focused classes including How to Implement BIM into the Practice of Architecture, ArchiCAD and Revit training and LEED
exam prep courses. Our courses are designed to teach best practices either for real world application or
your own continuing education.
For professionals interested in improving design knowledge our DESIGN[realized] online event series
explores the vision, as well as the practical aspects of building projects. Topics covered include
Techonology in Practice, Adaptive Reuse & Renovation, and Eco-Responsible Design 2030. Our 2013 program includes speakers from companies such as HOK, SOM, Perkins+Will, Arup, Wiley|Wilson, Hensel
Phelps Construction, CO Architects and ZGF.
Thomas M. Simmons, the Founder and President, has a Masters of Architecture from U.C. Berkeley and
over 25 years experience in the AEC industry. Mr. Simmons drove transformation of BIM into over a thousand AEC clients throughout the west coast. He began his career with EHDD Architects where he led the
firm to be a pioneer in BIM, improving efficiencies in documentation and coordination. After he left the
firm he launched ARCHVISTA and became one of the
leading Virtual Building solution consultants for
Graphisoft North America, integrating BIM solutions
into a wide variety of clients including Anshen + Allen /
Stantec, Quattrocchi Kwok Architects, Studio Meng
Strazzara, Walker Warner Architects and KAA Design.
To learn more about our services go to:
■ ARCHVISTA BIM Solutions: http://www.archvista.com
■ LEARNVIRTUAL Online Education for BIM, CES and LEED Exam Prep: http://www.learn
virtual.com
■ DESIGN[realized] Online Events: http://www.designrealized.com
To contact us call 800-522-0554 or email us at info@archvista.com ❧
10
Choi + Robles -see cover
ArchNews
AIA East Bay
a chapter of
The American Institute of Architects
1405 Clay Street
Oakland, CA 94612
www.aiaeb.org
11
ArchNews