For the latest edition in The Deans List interview series, Amelia Taylor-Hochberg spoke with Sarah Whiting, Dean of the Rice School of Architecture in Houston, Texas.

Therein, Dean Whiting discussed her belief that one of "the biggest challenge faced by any architect today is how not to get squelched by ridiculously low budgets and a lack of understanding of architecture’s value", the unique Preceptorship year a signature part of RSA’s undergraduate program and their new one-year Master of Arts in Architecture program called Present Future.

Donna Sink was super-impressed "Wow, awesome interview and program sounds so great. It sounds like an intense and focused community yet one that respects each individual's passions and small areas if interest. Plus I LOVE that it offers a BArch with a year of internship! Great model".

News
Looking back on 2013, Christopher Hawthorne architecture critic for the Los Angeles Times wrote "it suggests that the idea around which I organized my recent series of essays on L.A.'s boulevards — that our major streets are returning to the very center of civic life — has gained significant political traction...Nearly every demographic trend suggests that the city's move toward a more public future is irreversible".

Bustler.net published the shortlist for the renovation of Mies van der Rohe-designed Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in DC, which has been narrowed down to 3 teams; Patkau Architects / Ayers Saint Gross with Krueck + Sexton, Martinez + Johnson Architects / Mecanoo Architects and STUDIOS Architecture / The Freelon Group.

Donna Sink chimed in "Love Patkau's work, and Krueck and Sexton clearly have the knowledge base for Mies' work".

The New Orleans Advocate reported that actor Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation is considering legal action against the manufacturer of TimberSIL® wood (an innovative glass-infused wood) used in some of the homes’ outdoor steps and front porches. The wood has begun rotting, despite being guaranteed for 40 years, a Make It Right spokeswoman said. Peter Normand commented "I don't think this solvable problem is reason enough to condemn Make it Right Foundation, they still managed to build desperately needed homes despite the governments inability and unwillingness to act in a timely manner...Innovation is an inherently risky venture and failures are bound to happen".

Benjamin Bratton argued against TED Talks and "placebo politics and placebo innovation...placebo technoradicalism". toasteroven noted Mr. Bratton wasn’t the only author hating on TED in 2013. Darkman clarified "HIs critique runs much deeper than TED. If you haven't noticed, the PR design media stories of this year are Brutalism, Feminism, BIGism, Kanyeism, 3D printing, etc. etc. all fueled by internet link bait...Perhaps the masses will learn their lesson and start blocking those Google buses".

Firms/Blogs/Work Updates

Net-Zero Energy House in Cupertino, CA by Klopf Architecture and Footbridge in Knokke, Belgium by Ney & Partners were just two of the projects featured in the recent post Ten Top Images on Archinect's "Details" Pinterest Board.

Ronan Kenny started his new blog UX Architect, with a provocative question "What is the difference between a software architect and a building architect?"...

Mohammad Hadi Ataei answered "Software architect designs the relationship between different parts of a software, and a building architect does the same thing, but for buildings".

The eye-catching lap pool found in the basement of Waverly Townhouse (a renovation of a century-old town house in Greenwich Village and designed by Turett Collaborative Architects) was featured on the cover of September issue of Interior Design Magazine.

School/Blogs

Cameron Rodman affiliated with the University of Tennessee - Knoxville blogged about Parc di Mostri (or Monster Park) in Bomarzo Italy.

University of Oregon Department of Architecture announced their Winter 2014 Lecture Series will include; Tine Hegli, Walker Templeton, Georgeen Theodore, John Sergeant, Stellan Fryxell and Hajo Neis.

Discussions
BilalOzdemir  started a thread to discuss "how 3D printer might affect architecture students in studio classes"?

wreky chimed in "The problem with desktop 3D printing is that it's still in its infancy and more too often it is easier to make a model by hand than to print it. My makerbot constantly breaks down, the customer support is terrible and the repair bills just add up. Worse of all, it takes weeks not days or hours to print models at 1/16th or 1/8th scale". cojivantage added "usually i do not print the whole thing but rather components that i cannot build with bare hands...3d print objects look rather raw and unfinished to me...It makes your model look oddly cheap despite your expense".

madesign was looking for recommendations for a window manufacturer who make windows with minimal frame face width (standard/ wider sash face is ok) or thoughts on "going with a thick frame window but burying the frame behind the stucco return on sides and top".

Orhan Ayyüce replied "You will achieve most of the things you are talking about with steel sash. Even then..I don't think the stone sill would be so offended by a piece of steel bottom rail sitting on top and weeping at him... Yeah, it might be pricey but the old world look is expensive to recreate. How do I know this? I worked on couple of residential preservation projects in my time that needed new steel sash replacements to maintain the thin lines and the weight of the fenestration which were essential to the project".

Saint in the City also noted "Crittal and Hope's -- same corporation.  Hope's is U.S. market ...  Ive used them -- very good.  However, quality steel windows do not sound like part of madesign's budget".

For their part jla-x wondered "Why not do a double width sill so that the top piece buries the bottom part of the frame.  Between the actual sill and the top sill there could be a .25" gap for weep"? Plus, he had a great suggestion "Wish I could draw on here.   We need an archinect sketch function…"

Finally Caleb Fisher needs some advice "My boss has placed me in charge of setting up the infrastructure for Vectorworks within our firm….Does anyone have any success stories regarding generating CDs for large projects in VW?...I need advice on referencing options (for teamwork), as well as best practices on several topics such as smart detail callouts, and live section lineweight control (to name a few)".

Anyone care to help him out?