Archinect - News

Fear of Commitment; A Look Back at the 2018 AIA National Convention

2018-07-13T19:01:00-04:00

On this week's show, Archinect Sessions episode 124, Ken and Donna look back at this year's AIA National Convention in NYC.

Listen to episode 125 of Archinect Sessions, “Fear of Commitment”.

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Valorizing the Normal: Reflections on the 2016 AIA National Convention, ft. special guest Fred Scharmen on Archinect Sessions #65

2016-05-26T18:22:00-04:00

Donna, Ken and Fred all converged in the meatspace that was the AIA National Convention last week in Philadelphia—to explore the massive Expo floor, visit local architecture, vote on resolutions and watch those keynotes (!) by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Neri Oxman and Rem Koolhaas. Spoiler alert: Rem's was the most boring.

For more information about the resolutions up for debate at the convention, check out our episode with Gregory Walker covering unpaid internships and WTC-truthers.

And don't forget to check out our ongoing coverage of the 2016 Venice Biennale – we collaborated with the Taubman students setting up the US Pavilion, have a bunch of interviews with curators in the Features, and will soon be publishing dispatches from Venice to the News.

Listen to episode 65 of Archinect Sessions, "Valorizing the Normal":

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Due Protest: pushing back against HB-2 and fighting for interns on Archinect Sessions #64, ft. special guest Gregory Walker

2016-05-12T15:36:00-04:00

Since North Carolina passed the controversial bill known as HB-2 at the end of March—requiring transgender people to use bathrooms that coincide with the sex listed on their birth certificate, and forbidding city or county legislatures from passing counter-measures that protect against LGBT discrimination—the state has lost an estimated $40 million in business investment, and researchers project that total annual costs due to the bill could tally $5 billion. On May 9, the US Department of Justice sued North Carolina, stating that the law violated the Civil Rights Act, among others. North Carolina filed two lawsuits the same day to defend the measure.

Among the many performers and businesses that have divested from North Carolina in protest of the law, AIA's South Atlantic Region (including Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina) announced on April 25 that it would no longer hold its September conference in Wilmington. You can read their statement here.

Former AIA Georgia President...

Julia Louis-Dreyfus + Terry Gross replace Kevin Spacey as AIA keynote speakers

2016-05-12T13:15:00-04:00

Going for the obvious choice, the AIA has replaced Kevin Spacey, who had to cancel his appearance, with thespian Julia Louis-Dreyfus as its first day keynote speaker for the 2016 Philadelphia convention on May 19th. Dreyfus will be interviewed by NPR's Terry Gross. As the AIA noted on its official convention website, "In her personal life, Julia is a social activist who is passionate about climate change, water conservation, children’s education, and the power of design. Important topics that we connect with, too." Neri Oxman and Rem Koolhaas are still scheduled for keynote speakers on days two and three, respectively.

All the latest on the AIA:

"The Trumpeteers" – LACMA gets Lautner, AIA gets Spacey on Archinect Sessions #53

2016-02-18T18:27:00-05:00

We swear, no BIG or Trump on this episode. We discuss the donation of Lautner's breathtaking Sheats-Goldstein house, complete with jungle, nightclub and infinity tennis court, to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, to become the museum's first acquired piece of architecture (along with a sizable endowment for maintenance). The U.S. saw a major step forward into the realm of driverless cars, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told Google that its computers in autonomous vehicles could legally be counted as drivers, while the internet ogled Nissan's self-parking office chairs.

It's also that time of year again, when the AIA announces the keynote speakers for its National Convention (check out our podcast on last year's convention in Atlanta), and this year's threw us for a loop – first, actor Kevin Spacey was named as Day 1 speaker, and praised for his "disruption" of "appointment television". Neri Oxman will give the Day 2 keynote, a very solid choice if not somew...

Inside the Institute: Archinect Sessions goes to the AIA National Convention on Episode #30

2015-05-21T19:55:00-04:00

The Sessions co-hosts met all together for the first time in the meatspace last week, making the pilgrimage to Atlanta, Georgia for the AIA National Convention. Immersed in the tens of thousands of attendees for three days, we met an impressive array of professionals across the architectural board, and dove deep into how the AIA sees itself and architecture today. This week's episode is entirely devoted to happenings at the Convention, including: NCARB's resolution of the intern-titling debate, Bill Clinton's keynote speech, Donna's talk on nontraditional practice, the debut of the second video in AIA's Look Up campaign (featuring blind architect Chris Downey), our interview with Autodesk, and Ken's role as a delegate voting in the AIA's Business Session.

Listen to episode thirty of Archinect Sessions, "Inside the Institute":

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Ned Cramer's Fantastic Fineprint on the Art of Publishing: A talk with the editor-in-chief of ARCHITECT for Archinect Sessions #28

2015-05-07T20:29:00-04:00

When he was a kid, Ned Cramer, editor in chief of Architect, wanted to be the first architect-pope. After enrolling in architecture school and weighing his papal options, he decided to do neither, focusing instead on writing and publishing for the profession. He's now the brains behind media firm Hanley Wood's Architect Group, serving as group editorial director for Architect, Architectural Lighting, Residential Architect, EcoStructure, EcoHome, EcoBuilding Pulse and MetalMag.

We spoke with Cramer about his career path and the state of architecture media, and the role of Architect as the AIA's official publication. Cramer and the whole Sessions' crew will be at the AIA National Convention next week; keep an eye (and ear) out for us if you'll be there!

Listen to episode twenty-eight of Archinect Sessions, "Ned Cramer's Fantastic Fineprint on the Art of Publishing":

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NCARB will resolve "Intern Architect" title debate at AIA National Convention

2015-05-05T20:48:00-04:00

Back in August of 2014, NCARB began reevaluating whether the title "Intern Architect" was an appropriate label for those pursuing licensure. Currently used to call an architect experienced enough to be working towards licensure, but not yet licensed, "Intern Architect" is fraught by the associations around the status of an "intern" in most professional cultures, as someone not inherently experienced and near the absolute bottom of an employment hierarchy.

Now, NCARB aims to settle the debate over the title in an announcement formally made at the AIA National Convention next week in Atlanta, Georgia. Culminating the efforts by NCARB's "Future Title Task Force" devoted to this issue, the announcement will not only mark changes in titling for the architecture profession, it will also set out new guidelines for US licensing boards.

If you plan on attending the AIA National Convention, NCARB CEO Michael Armstrong will address these issues on May 14 at 2pm (booth #2145), at the Georgia Worl...

Talking Multicultural Modernism with Ehrlich Architects on Archinect Sessions Episode #12

2015-01-15T14:26:00-05:00

In celebration of Ehrlich Architects winning the 2015 AIA Architecture Firm Award, we had Steven Ehrlich and Takashi Yanai in-studio to reflect back on the firm's history and their work with "multicultural modernism". We also discuss the feelings around Boston's US Olympic bid nomination, and former president Bill Clinton's appointment as keynote speaker to AIA's 2015 National Convention. We also dump a fair amount of schadenfreude on Karim Rashid.

This episode also features the voice of reason, aka our legal correspondent Brian Newman, talking with Paul about the importance of contracts.

And, partly inspired by this thread, we'd like to open the call for your architecture horror stories. Send them to us, along with your architectural legal questions, comments or questions about the podcast, via twitter #archinectsessions, email or call us at (213) 784-7421.

Listen to episode twelve of Archinect Sessions, "Talking Multicultural Modernism with Ehrlich Architects":

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Clinton's keynote, Boston's Olympics, and California's bullet train groundbreaking: Weekly News Round-Up for January 5, 2015

2015-01-12T15:33:00-05:00

Friday, January 9:

Boston wins U.S. Olympic Committee's bid for 2024 Games: Beating out Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, DC, Boston's Olympic campaign estimates it can finance the Games with $4.5B in private funds and $5B or so in publicly-funded infrastructural projects.

Thursday, January 8:

Archinect Sessions is back with Episode 11, "Another year, Another Architecture", with the multi-talented Mitch McEwen: Mitch talks opportunity and collaboration in Detroit, and opines on architecture's shifting professional identity.
Five firms shortlisted for Mackintosh Library renovation after devastating fire: Glasgow School of Art will choose between Avanti Architects, John McAslan + Partners, LDN Architects LLP, Page \ Park Architects and Purcell by the end of March 2015.

Wednesday, January 7:

Driving in the US is coming to a standstill, and that's a good thing: The Federal Highway Administration released a report anticipating no-change in driving per capita, which means less money al...

Win a FREE Full Pass to the 2013 AIA National Convention from reThink Wood

2013-05-28T15:20:00-04:00

reThink Wood Wants to get you into the 2013 AIA National Convention in Denver for FREE!
reThink Wood is offering a full pass to one lucky Archinect respondent!
http://www.aia.org/CONVENTION
Denver, CO | June 20-22

Contest closes June 6, 2013

The AIA National Convention provides architects an opportunity to network, learn about growing trends and gain new resources, and reThink Wood’s attendance at the 2013 AIA National Convention offers just that. This June, reThink Wood will be on site at the AIA National Convention in Denver, Colorado providing education sessions on innovative wood design, resources for designing with wood and on-site advisors who can speak to the benefits of wood building systems and specific product applications.

In celebration of their attendance at the architectural event of the year, reThink Wood is offering a full pass to the AIA National Convention ($860 value) to one lucky Archinect respondent!

reThink Wood events taking place at its booth (#154...