Texas Society of Architects Convention: Day Three

Lean Architecture: Excellence in Project Delivery. presented by Michael F. Czap, AIA. In this session, Czap stated that lean architecture is the on-going process of rethinking architectural methodology by applying "Lean" principles to every aspect of our practice. In a fast-paced program Czap introduced us to techniques of process management with three goals for application to architectural management, documentation and technology.

Scoping Provisions of the New 2012 Texas Accessibility Standards: presented by Gaila Barnett and George Ferrie.  The Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS) came into effect in March of 2012 with several key differences from the 1994 TAS. Barnett and Ferrie anaylized the differences and explored the ways scoping pertains to all TAS sections, how to meet the necessary requirements, the differences in implementing the TAS in a new building and an existing building, and the notable exceptions to the TAS.  

Measure Twice and Cut Once - A Fresh Approach to Integrated Project Delivery: presented  by Richard Markel, AIA and David Weinberg, AIA.  Integrated Project Delivery is an innovation emerging as the preferred way to organize project teams to achieve more efficient and better-planned projects.  IPD is a team-centric approach that increases value to the owner by leveraging the knowledge, experience and talent of all team members to improve quality, eliminate waste and reduce costs with less risks.

Leadership Effectiveness and Creative Problem Solving: presented by Peter A DeLisle, Phd. This highly interactive seminar addressed the issues of leadership effectiveness and decision making.  We reviewed the importance of critical self-reflection and awareness of the impact of a leader's behavior on people. Processes were examined through the use of inventory and dialogue on cognitive problem-solving. 

The Influence of 21st Century Education Principles on K-12 School Facility Design: presented by Michael B. Baker, AIA.  The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is the largest geographical K-12 school district in the world. DoDEA recently changed to 21st Century Education Specifications. This change has influenced the architecture of DoDEA school facilities worldwide.  This session focused on how 21st Century Education Principles have changed the school environment, both inside and out.

Texas Society of Architects Convention: Day Two

Social Media - Advanced Tactics:  presented by Andrew Hawkins, AIA. In this session, Hawkins presented an advanced look at strategies and techniques with which to take our social media presence to the next level.  We learned tips for greater interaction, how to increase our visibility, how to discuss metrics in a manner that is understandable, and managing our social media identity.

The High Line and Community - Transforming Manhattan's West End: presented by Robert Hammond, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Friends of the High Line. A public park atop an elevated rail line on Manhattan's West Side, the High Line is among the most innovative urban reclamation projects. Hammond, a native of San Antonio, talked about the High Line's design, now celebrated as a model for creatively designed, socially vibrant, and ecologically sound public space. 

 

                                     The Belo Center - The Lawrence Group Architects

    

                                   Student Activity Center - Overland Partners Architects

What's New at The University of Texas at Austin? The Belo Center for New Media, designed by Lawrence Group Architects, is a high-tech "gateway" building on the west side of the campus and is the new home for the College of Communication's Journalism and Advertising departments, as well as KUT Radio. On the East Mall side of campus, the new Student Activity Center by Overland Partners brings a whole new scale and aesthetic to its neighborhood. Both buildings, although very different, illustrate the evolution of design within the Master Plan tenets.  

Texas Society of Architects Convention: Day One

The New Accessibility Standards:  presented by Jeromy Murphy, AIA, American Construction Investigations. This session covered the 2012 Texas Accessibility Standards and how they are more restrictive in some areas but provide more latitude for designers to comply. The program identified the major differences between the old standards and the new standards, beginning with the applicability of the law and continuing with the major technical changes and special exceptions.

Influencing the Quality of Life:  presented by Thomas Hayne Upchurch, AIA and Elizabeth Price, AIA.  The program was about small Texas towns, in this case Brenham, and how architects have unique capabilities and vision for improving communities. By getting involved and doing good work, concepts and ideas develop from small projects to big improvements. In Brenham, Upchurch and Price went about cleaning up a public alley, which led to a TEA-21 public grant and greater downtown improvements and development.

influence. Water. Greenroofs. Resilience. presented by Joe Douglas Webb, AIA. Mr. Webb stated that while there are no certified "Living Buildings" in Houston currently, an office building designed by his firm, Webb Architects, serves as a local prototype that exemplifies tools and technologies that let us begin to encroach on strategies required in the Living Building Challenge.  As a result, architects influence a clients approach to development and the environment.

Living in the Landscape: Design that Embraces Nature. presented by Gary Furman, FAIA; Mell Lawrence, FAIA; Kevin Alter, Assoc. AIA.  How have Austin architects drawn powerful design character from the beauty and ecology of the Texas Hill Country? How have they employed the climate, the topography and native materials of the region to create an authentic ethos of this memorable place? The three architects discussed ways in which architecture and the natural environment can work together in symbiotic harmony. 

Design in Austin, It's About the Quality of Life: presented by Larry Speck, FAIA; Arthur Anderson, AIA; Dick Clark, AIA and Juan Miro, FAIA. The four architects, who have made significant contributions to the creation of many of most memorable and endearing parts of the city, spoke about how design generates amenity, interaction and a celebration of everyday living.

Tuesday Talks: Green Building Design with CMU

Our Tuesday Talk this week was sponsored By: Trenwyth, An OldCastle Architectural Brand   In this one hour seminar we reviewed the sustainable attributes of concrete masonry units (CMU) and discussed how CMU's contribute toward a certified LEED project including improving the indoor environmental quality, improving energy performance through thermal mass and passive solar design and material recyclability and reuse. We will also looked at the safety and health aspects of concrete masonry such as fire and acoustics. The Learning Objectives covered were: 1. Identifying concrete masonry’s inherently sustainable attributes including recycled content and recyclability.  2. Describing how concrete masonry helps improve indoor air quality through the prevention of mold growth and indoor environmental quality through improved thermal comfort.  3. Identifying the role concrete masonry plays in the LEED rating system and the credits it may contribute toward both directly and indirectly.  4. Describing how concrete masonry contributes toward improved fire safety in any project.