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Prefab 20*20: Visions for 400 Square Foot Homes, an international open ideas competition, is currently on exhibit at the AIBC Architecture Centre Gallery. (Photo by Krista Jahnke). More...
July 30, 2010
Motions from the Floor at the 2010 AIBC Annual Meeting
During the Members’ Forum portion of the AIBC Annual Meeting on Saturday, May 8, 2010, nine Motions from the Floor (MFTF) were moved, seconded and voted upon by those members in attendance. Four were carried while the other five did not obtain the necessary votes (Note: the complete text of all nine MFTF can be found in the draft minutes of the 2010 Annual Meeting). Three additional motions were submitted too late for review during the forum. However, the council has committed to reviewing those motions and responding at a future date.
2010/2011 AIBC Council Priorities and Working Groups
Following an extensive planning session, the newly-elected AIBC Council has identified four main initiatives for the coming year. Each is of significance to the future directions of the institute and the well-being of the profession.
Bulletin 01 Revised
Registrants are advised that AIBC Bulletin 01: Fees, Fines and Charges has now been updated to replace mention of GST with the recently-introduced HST. The revised document can be found online by clicking here.
Pram in the Hall Update
The next series of Pram in the Hall interviews are now available on the AIBC web site. Pram in the Hall is a series of personal perspectives on the challenges faced by architects in combining work life with parenting. Four new interviews have been added, and readers are encouraged to provide feedback. Click here to go to the online feature.
2010 AIBC Annual Meeting
The 91st Annual Meeting of the AIBC was conducted successfully on Saturday, May 8, 2010 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Draft minutes of that meeting are now available on-line. Members are encouraged to read these minutes, bearing in mind that, as per standard procedure, a motion to officially adopt them will be made at the next annual meeting, during the AIBC/RAIC Festival from May 24 through May 27, 2011. In the interest of providing some key information quickly, especially for those who were unable to attend, here are some highlights. Note that additional, related information is available in the 2009 Annual Report.
2010 / 2011 AIBC Council
At its July 13 meeting, the AIBC Council updated policy sections 3, 8, and 10. To view these, as well as all council policies, click here. Council also revised the March 16 minutes. The June 6 and July 13 minutes are now online.
For more information, click on the following:
- AIBC council policies
- council meeting minutes
- 2010 / 2011 meeting schedule
- 2010 / 2011 council members
AIBC council meets throughout the year. Members, associates and members of the public are always welcome to attend. Advance RSVP required; please confirm your attendance by e-mailing Executive Assistant Katherine Rau at krau@aibc.ca.
Alert: Mandatory Training Programs
Recently, the AIBC has heard from firms concerned about the marketing of certain occupational safety and health training or professional development offerings. In at least one case, high-pressure tactics were used to induce a firm into signing on, including untrue statements that the training was mandatory under provincial labour laws. The institute has followed up with WorkSafe BC, which has confirmed that one or more private sector service providers may be misleading businesses into signing up for training programs that are not mandated by law. The matter is now being investigated on a national level by occupational health and safety authorities.
Members and firms are reminded to be wary of exaggerated claims made by any potential service provider, and to follow up with the proper authority or seek independent advice to confirm claims regarding mandatory training of any kind.
Summer Tours Update
The AIBC's Summer Architectural Tours program is now underway. An added attraction was this year’s Victoria bike tour, which took place on Sunday, July 11. Co-hosted by the AIBC and the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition, the event brought together some 55 cyclist together to tour many Victoria landmarks while enjoying insights from several local architects and designers. Appreciation goes out to tour organizers Nathan Flach and Jason Weedmark as well as guest experts Joseph Daly BCSLA; Gregory Damant MAIBC of D'Ambrosio Architecture + Urbanism; Mark Dusseault from Belfry Theatre; Adam Fawkes MAIBC of Hughes Condon Marler Architects; Raymond Hunt MAIBC with InsideOut Planning & Architecture Inc.; and Heather Spinney and Peter Schionning from SOS Design. Summer walking tours continue throughout July and August, with six scenic tours available in both Vancouver and Victoria. Tours begin at 1:00 p.m. daily (except Sundays and Mondays). The cost is $5 (Victoria) and $10 (Vancouver) per tour. Further information, including details on group tour arrangements, is available by calling (604) 683-8588 ext. 333 or by e-mailing tours@aibc.ca.
AIBC Summer Hours
Please note that the AIBC will be on summer hours during the months of July and August. Office hours are Monday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Regular hours will resume in September.
Important HST Information Update
Members and firms will have noted and already be using the HST-related information published in our June 4, 2010 eNews. That information was based upon material gathered from a number of reliable sources and remains largely correct. Regrettably, as we have become recently aware, some of that information relating to B.C. construction progress payments and the application of HST was incorrect. Many thanks to the sharp-eyed members who, in the course of applying the HST in their practices, discovered the difference and identified the issue for us. The correct procedures can be found here:
- http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/gi/notice246/notice246-e.pdf
(pages 29-30) - http://www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/documents_library/notices/HST_Notice_001.pdf
(pages 14-16)
Looking ahead, we are working on updating AIBC Practice Note 13 regarding value-added taxes, as well as adjusting the AIBC Tariff of Fees for Architectural Services (and related bulletins) as any project’s "contract price" (i.e. the cost of construction before value-added taxes as defined in CCDC construction contracts, AIBC Tariff of Fees and AIBC consulting contracts 6C and 8C) has been reduced with the elimination of the formerly embedded Provincial Sales Tax.
Thanks for your understanding.
Maura Gatensby MAIBC
Director of Professional Services
Fine-tuning Your Practice: The Practice Consultation Service answered your questions at this year’s Annual Conference
The AIBC Practice Consultation Service has proven to be a great success, providing feedback to firms of all ages and size with respect to their standard office practices and addressing questions relating to a variety of firm management topics. In kind, participating firms have provided their own valuable reflections on the process itself. The PCS has afforded them with a unique opportunity to step back and examine “the bigger picture”, and to ask more detailed questions relating to everyday practice management concerns.
At this year’s AIBC Annual Conference, the Practice Consultation Service Committee addressed a number of these questions in an open forum that promoted dialogue between Practice Consultants and fellow architects. Roundtable discussions offered the opportunity for attendees to share their own knowledge of design firm management relating to Digital Media & Information Management; Management of Projects (Process & Resources); and RFPs and Client/Consultant Agreements.
The feedback from the sessions has been overwhelmingly positive, with members citing it as an excellent opportunity to engage consultants directly as well as listen to the experiences of other fellow colleagues.
As a useful introduction to some of the topics that may be covered during a practice consultation, please take a look at the Practice Self-Assessment Rating Form available for download on the AIBC website:
http://aibc.ca/member_resources/practice/pdf/4.1_PCS_PSARF.pdf
To learn more about the PCS or to schedule a practice consultation, please contact Coordinator of Professional Practice Erica Holt by phone (604-683-8588; ext. 314) or e-mail (eholt@aibc.ca).
Continuing Education Annual Deadline
The end of the Continuing Education System reporting period was June 30, 2010. Architects, building designers, residential designers and architectural technologists with a registration date prior to July 1, 2009 were required to report 18 learning units by the end of June, of which at least eight were core learning units.
Thanks to all who have diligently reported their learning activities; it is expected that the high rate of compliance in previous reporting periods will continue. The Professional Development department is currently working on reviewing the high volume of submissions that inevitably arrive at the end of the reporting period. Final transcripts will be mailed out in August. Registrants who are not compliant with the requirements of the Continuing Education System are subject to a $750 fine.
As of July 1, 2010, all self-reports of learning activities must be reported online. If you need any assistance with online reporting, please contact Professional Development Coordinator Catherine Bolter (cbolter@aibc.ca) or Professional Development Coordinator Aleta Cho (acho@aibc.ca).
Building Envelope Education Program Course Registration
For those registrants wishing to complete the AIBC’s Building Envelope Education Program (BEEP), now is your chance. Follow the link http://www.aibc.ca/member_resources/professional_dev/index.html and check out the course descriptions and scheduled dates. You can also access it from the AIBC home page. Click on "Course Registration" under Quick Links and register online. These courses are only offered once a year, so don’t miss out.
BEEP Module I:
Building Science and the Building Envelope (Available Online)
Topics for Module I include:
- The Outdoor and Indoor Environment
- Conditions Within the Envelope
- Materials and Their Moisture Content
- Rain Penetration
- Pressure Differences Due to Wind
- Predicting Building Envelope Performance
For more information, please contact Professional Development Coordinator Catherine Bolter at cbolter@aibc.ca or (604) 683-8588, extension 312.
18 Core LUs
The AIBC 2009 PD/CES Course Schedule and Registration Form are available online at www.aibc.ca/member_resources/professional_dev/index.html
Heritage Vancouver
Walking Tour – Earliest Kitsilano: Elites & Robber Barons
Join Bruce MacDonald, local historian and author of Vancouver: A Visual History, for a history-filled walk through earliest Kitsilano. It wasn’t until streetcar service began in 1905 that Kitsilano truly began to develop, but there was already major speculative interest in the area before there were any settlers in what is now Vancouver. When the system allowing non-natives to take up the land in British Columbia was first introduced in January 1860, provincial elites and soon all of Canada became greatly interested in Kitsilano. Come and find out why, and learn what shenanigans they got up to as they fought over potential millions of dollars in profits. It happens Saturday, August 7, 2010, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Participants will meet on the beach at the north foot of Trafalgar Street, just off the 2600 block of Point Grey Road (parking is available at Kits Beach parking lot). The cost is $15 ($10 for Heritage Vancouver members). Reserve early as the tour is limited to 30 people. Payment can be made online via Paypal (account not required), or cheque made out to Heritage Vancouver Society and mailed to Heritage Vancouver, PO Box 3336, Main Post Office, Vancouver, BC, V6B 3Y3. To hold your spot, please e-mail info@heritagevancouver.org to confirm you have sent your payment.
2 Non-core LUs
SFU City Program
Urban Design Certificate
The award-winning Urban Design Certificate Program at Simon Fraser University is a part-time, interdisciplinary, mid-career professional development program designed for working professionals from diverse backgrounds. Courses are taught by leading urban design practitioners in two- and three-day intensive courses in Vancouver as well as Alberta. Participants will complete six core courses and two electives.
Core courses:
Spring
1. UD: Theory and Practice
2. UD: Visual Communication
3. UD: Economic Fundamentals
4. UD: Studio I (Analytic Tools)
5. UD: Ecological Planning and Sustainable Design
6. UD: Studio II (Synthesis of Urban Form)
Electives:
Spring
1. UD: Alternative Development Approaches
2. UD: Designing Integrated Neighbourhoods
3. UD: Implementation Methods
4. UD: Planning for Transportation and Accessibility
5. UD: Public Realm
6. UD: Urban Revitalization
For details or to register, please visit http://www.sfu.ca/city/udc.htm by August 30, 2010.
Sustainable Community Development Certificate
The Sustainable Community Development Certificate is designed to give participants the most current and practical information on sustainable development. Courses are taught by experienced consultants and instructors in the field. This flexible program, offered by the SFU City Program and the Centre for Sustainable Community Development, is comprised of eight two- and three-day intensive courses over 10-18 months.
Core courses:
Spring
1. Foundation in Sustainable Community Development
2. Applications in Sustainable Community Development
3. Sustainable Economics for the Real World
4. Making Change Happen: Building Commitment to Create Sustainability
5. Integrating Social Dimensions into Sustainability
6. Sustainable Community Development Studio
Electives:
Spring
1. Strategic Decision-Making for Sustainable Results
2. Communicating Sustainability for Awareness, Accountability, and Action
3. Urban Transportation: Planning and Designing for Sustainability
4. Leading Edge Solutions to House Everyone
5. Tackling Climate Change - Going Carbon Neutral and Beyond
6. Green Economy Frontiers and Opportunities
For details, or to register, please visit http://www.sfu.ca/city/scd-sustain.htm.
The Urban Design Certificate and Sustainable Community Development Certificate are part of SFU’s certification programs for md-career professionals. All courses qualify for non-core learning units. The application deadline is August 30, 2010.
Free Lecture Series
Carjacked: The Culture of the Automobile and its Effect on our Lives
In their new book Carjacked, authors Catherine Lutz and Anne Lutz Fernandez present their unprecedented, controversial yet hopeful look at car culture while discussing the complex impact of the automobile and how to develop cheaper and greener relationships with cars. Supported by anthropological findings and research, the authors argue that society is at a tipping point in car culture and transportation economics, where the future of active transportation and transit use will be strong, particularly if cultural ideas and actual experience with the car are made more visible. More details can be found online at http://www.sfu.ca/city/fpl10popup.htm. The book will be sold at the event for a discounted price, and the authors will be available for book signing and a question and answer session. Catherine Lutz is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology and the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University. Anne Lutz Fernandez is a former corporate executive who specialized in management and marketing of consumer brands, and is now a writer and teacher of English. It takes place Thursday, August 12, 7:00 p.m. at Simon Fraser University Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver. Admission is free; reservations are required.
Reserve at www.sfu.ca/reserve.
2 Non-core LUs
A Field Guide to Transit Debates
As transit becomes more popular, many cities are having intense and often bitter quarrels about what kind of transit to build or operate. This timely session features Jarrett Walker, a consultant specializing in transit network design and policy with 20 years experience on four continents. Currently, he is a principal consultant for McCormick Rankin Cagney, based in Sydney, Australia. Working from 20 years of experience as a transit planning consultant, Walker will examine some of the most common confusions that affect debate about transit, and that often lead to disappointing outcomes. He will also suggest strategies for clarifying transit debates, by recognizing the unavoidable “hard choices” that arise from transit’s intrinsic geometry and costs. It happens Wednesday, August 4, 7:00 p.m. at SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver. Admission is free; reservations are required. Reserve at www.sfu.ca/reserve.
2 Non-core LUs
British Columbia Building Envelope Council (BCBEC)
2010 Conference and AGM: Innovative Solutions – Building Tomorrow
The BC Building Envelope Council will be hosting a one-day conference. The conference will provide a discussion forum for the technical challenges and opportunities presented by increasingly sustainable building enclosure systems. Participants will share their experiences on a range of building enclosure issues including the investigation, repair, design, construction of projects, energy efficiency and retrofit strategies (including net-zero houses and energy-efficient high-rises.) The event takes place on September 22, 2010 at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, Vancouver, BC. For details, visit http://www.bcbec.com/
6 Core LUs
Cascadia Region Green Building Council
LEED Canada Documentation Course (Victoria)*
This one day interactive workshop addresses the LEED certification process and the tools in place to assist applicants in seeking CaGBC LEED project certification for New Construction. This workshop addresses complex documentation requirements for the LEED NC 1.0 + addendum and the following application guides:
- Multi-Unit Residential Buildings (MURB)
- Campus and Multiple Buildings (CMB)
- Core and Shell (CS)
Due to time constraints, not all documentation requirements will be discussed in detail. This workshop does not address the NC 2009 documentation process. The event takes place on September 9, 2010, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at the Vancouver Island Technology Park at #2201-4464 Markham Street, Victoria. For details, visit http://cascadiagbc.org/
7 Core LUs
LEED Canada for New Constructions 2009 (Vancouver)*
This one day interactive workshop provides a technical review of the LEED Canada NC 2009 Rating System. Technologies and strategies that can assist in achieving credits are discussed, and participants are given the opportunity to consider the synergies between various credits. Case studies have been created to assist participants in applying their learning in relation to a real project scenario. This workshop also briefly identifies changes that have occurred during the evolution of the NC 1.0 Rating System and Addendum, to the 2009 system.The event takes place on September 23, 2010, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings St., Vancouver. For details, visit http://cascadiagbc.org/
7 Core LUs
LEED Canada Core Concepts & Strategies Workshop (Victoria)*
This full-day workshop provides essential knowledge of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating Systems and sustainable building concepts. This workshop presents LEED concepts at the credit category level – across building types and rating systems – and the basics on the LEED certification process. It provides the foundation required for more advanced LEED training. Project examples help demonstrate and reinforce learning. The workshop takes place on September 28, 2010, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at the Vancouver Island Technology Park at #2201-4464 Markham Street, Victoria. For details, visit http://cascadiagbc.org/.
7 Core LUs
*Any CaGBC workshop will meet eligibility requirements for the Green Associate exam.
BC Hydro Power Smart Forum
BC Hydro’s annual Power Smart Forum takes place October 25-27 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The theme of this year’s forum, B.C.’s leading energy conservation conference, is Building the Green Economy. New to this year’s program is the opportunity to also attend BC Hydro’s Power Smart Excellence Awards on the evening of October 25. This year, the forum will feature internationally renowned speaker Dr. Thomas Homer-Dixon as well as prominent B.C. business leaders including Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts, BC Business Council CEO Virginia Greene, and Jonathan Rhone, President and CEO of Nexterra Systems. As in previous years, AIBC members have the opportunity to earn learning units for attending sessions. Registration opens August 19. Please visit www.bchydro.com/forum for more information.
Non-core and Core LUs Available
BC Wood
Global Buyers Mission 2010
BC Wood is pleased to announce its seventh annual Global Buyers Mission
(GBM), to be held at Whistler Village from September 9 - 11, 2010. GBM
2010 is an excellent opportunity for architects and designers to learn
and connect with producers of world-class wood products from B.C. and
the rest of Canada. Building on the success of last year’s event,
GBM 2010 offers a complete architect and designer program including the
chance to learn up to eight core learning units through seminars given
by industry leaders and site-visits to some of Whistler’s architectural
marvels. Participants also have the opportunity to meet with close to
100 exhibitors from the value-added wood industry, along with social
and networking events with domestic and international colleagues. Due
to funding cutbacks, there will be a $300 fee this year, which covers
two nights’ accommodation at one of Whistler’s luxury hotels,
two major social / networking events, meals, and a return transfer from
downtown Vancouver or the Vancouver International Airport (details available
upon request). For more information, please contact Roy Manion by phone
(604-882-7100) or e-mail (rmanion@bcwood.com). Information is also available
online at www.bcwood.com.
Canadian Wood Council / Wood WORKS! BC
Webinar: The Wood First Act in B.C.
Do you have questions about the new Wood First Act in B.C.? The act, which
received royal assent on October 29, 2009, requires provincially-funded
projects to use wood as the primary construction material where appropriate
and within the BC Building Code. Wood WORKS! BC has been asked to assist
communities with the Wood First Act's “build with wood” requirements,
and is pleased to present this webinar designed to provide answers and
practical information. It features Werner Hofstatter, Wood WORKS! BC
Wood First Advisor who recently served as the Director of the Ministry
of Forest & Range's Wood First Initiative, along with Wood WORKS!
BC technical advisors Peter Moonen and Bill Billups. The webinar is available
online beginning Tuesday, June 15 at 9:30 a.m. Go to www.WoodFirstAct.Info.
1 Core LU
IMAGINiT Technologies
Revit Architecture 2011 BIM Management
Revit Architecture is a powerful Building Information Modeling (BIM) program
that supports the ability to coordinate, update, and share design data
with team members throughout the design, construction, and management
phases. The objective of the Revit Architecture 2011 BIM Management course
is to enable students who have worked with Revit to expand their knowledge
in setting up office standards. Specific topics include setting up templates
with annotation styles, preset views, sheets and schedules, as well as
custom element types and families. By creating standard templates and
custom elements, a key component in the BIM process is to establish a
company foundation for different types of projects. Doing so ensures
that new projects flow smoothly and efficiently. The length of this training
session is one day. Please contact Kam Seignarack of IMAGINiT Technologies
for more information at 604-207-2114 or by e-mail kseignarack@rand.com.
6.5 Core LUs
Sustainable Design: Ecotect Analysis Fundamentals (Web-based Workshop)
Ecotect Analysis software is a comprehensive concept-to-detail sustainable
design analysis tool, providing a wide range of simulation and analysis
functionality. Users can interact with powerful 3D feedback to explore
factors such as solar energy, shadows and reflections, and day lighting.
Using Autodesk Ecotect Analysis, architects and designers can gain better
insight into building performance early in the process, helping to achieve
more sustainable designs, faster time to market, and lower project costs.
For more information or to register, please contact Kam Seignarack by e-mail
(kam.seignarack@rand.com) or phone (604-207-2114).
16 Core LUs
AEC Daily Online Learning
AEC Daily offers free online courses worth core learning units. For a list of offerings, please visit their online learning centre at http://www.aecdaily.com/en/236763?list=4.
Current Exhibit: Prefab 20*20: Visions for 400 Square Foot Homes
July 19 – August 23, 2010
AIBC Gallery: #100 – 440 Cambie Street, Vancouver
This exhibit showcases submissions from Prefab 20*20, a recent international open ideas competition. The competition challenged designers to propose free-standing, prefabricated dwelling units covering a footprint of no more than 400 square feet (37.5sm) in an urban setting anywhere in the world. Each unit was required to accommodate two adults, with room for sleeping, bathing, cooking, working, studying and storage. A total of 285 teams from 149 cities and 26 countries responded to the call. This exhibit will feature the winner, two runners-up, four honorable mentions, shortlisted and local entries. Prefab 20*20 was organized by Architecture for Humanity Vancouver, with the support of Architectural Institute of British Columbia and Interior Design Show West. It was sponsored by Azure Magazine. The exhibit will also include samples from the recent Architecture for Humanity “Quickhomes Superchallenge,” featuring immediate Vancouver housing design proposals integrating prefabricated and modular structure design. The AIBC Gallery is free and open to the public Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
New Summer Offerings
Club AIBC, the official corporate benefits program for AIBC members, has expanded its offerings for the summer months. Members can now take advantage of subscriptions and special offers for popular niche magazines such as BC Outdoors, Cottage, Canadian Aviator, Pacific Yachting and Western Sportsman. A special introductory offer is available to Club AIBC members until August 31, 2010. For more information, visit www.aibc.intrd.com.
BCDC-2 2008 Updated to Reflect the HST
Registered users of the BCDC-2 2008 document are advised that the document has been updated with regard to the Harmonized Sales Tax. To access the document visit http://www.pccbc.com/preregistration.html
Green Dream Home Demonstration
The Green Dream Home, an energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly home in Kamloops, has reached the demonstration phase. The project is the first of two Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) EQuilibrium™ Housing Initiative demonstration homes in B.C. to be completed and opened for public tours, and the eighth to open across Canada. The home was built by Canadian Home Builders’ Association Central Interior and Thompson Rivers University as part of an initiative to encourage builders and developers to build the next generation of sustainable housing. The Green Dream Home combines state-of-the-art energy-efficient design and construction techniques with renewable energy production.
2030 Challenge Case Study Projects
The Architecture Canada | RAIC 2030 Challenge Committee has undertaken a project to identify, publish and promote the best examples of energy-efficient commercial, institutional, industrial and multi-residential Canadian projects completed over the past decade. The main objectives of this case study are to promote the work of Canadian architectural firms and encourage clients to adopt the 2030 Challenge objectives for their future projects. Firms interested in showcasing their work are invited to submit a brief project description as well as drawings and photographs that illustrate the quality of the building. In addition, each submission must include the Building Performance Results data from the NRC and Screening Tool for New Building Design or from actual energy-use records. The projects will be reviewed and up to 20 selected as case studies. Submissions will be selected based on he architectural quality of the submission combined with the energy performance results. Successful participants will be asked to provide a concise written description, publication-quality photographs and drawings (site plan, floor plans, section and enclosure details), and actual energy performance data. For each project selected, Architecture Canada will provide $500 to help offset the costs of fully developing a case study. Electronic submissions for the initial selection of projects should be sent to gmurfitt@raic.org by September 3, 2010.
Summer Strut: IDIBC Awards of Excellence Gallery Show
The Interior Designers Institute of British Columbia presents Summer Strut, an event and gallery show celebrating the annual IDIBC Awards of Excellence. This evening event includes a backyard-style BBQ dinner with bar and music. Tickets are $20, and seating is limited. Click here to view the online invitation and RSVP form. It takes place Thursday, August 12, 5:00 p.m. at Divine Hardwood Flooring (3481 Main Street, Vancouver). For more information, visit www.idibc.org.
2010 Venice Biennale Campaign
The Canadian Pavilion at this year’s Venice Biennale will feature Hylozoic Ground, Canada's official entry in what many consider to be the single most prestigious international event in contemporary architecture. Using interactive technology, next-generation artificial intelligence and synthetic biology, Hylozoic Ground is an immersive, interactive environment that moves and breathes around its viewers. The project will transform the Canada Pavilion into an artificial forest made of an intricate lattice of small transparent acrylic meshwork links, covered with a network of interactive mechanical fronds, filters, and whiskers. Created by the interdisciplinary design team of Philip Beesley MRAIC OAA, Dr. Rob Gorbet PEng, and Dr. Rachel Armstrong MA BMBCh, this architectural experiment offers a glimpse of how buildings in the future might move, and even feel and think. The opportunity still exists to be part of this high-profile, groundbreaking project by becoming a sponsor. For more information, go to http://www.hylozoicground.com/opportunities/index.html.
BC Cultural Crawl 2010
The BC Cultural Crawl is a self-guided tour of community-initiated events: music, theatre and dance performances, visual arts, festivals, museum and heritage exhibitions, culinary arts, community art walks and more. This year’s crawl takes place throughout August in communities across the province. For detailed information on local cultural tours, community art walks, itineraries, maps and other resources you need to plan your own exploration, visit www.art-bc.com or contact culturalcrawl@art-bc.com.
Ride-Share Week 2010
The fourth annual Ride-Share Week takes place October 4-8, 2010. For the first time, this annual week of promotion and participation in ridesharing will be expanding province-wide. Organized by the Jack Bell Ride-Share Foundation, this event is designed to promote and raise awareness for active, sustainable transportation. Using the Jack Bell Ride-Share database (https://online.ride-share.com/en/my/), individuals and businesses can sign up to match journeys and start enjoying greener commutes. RSW Coordinators will receive a “Green Zebra Guide”, a local savings book for sustainable living. Promotional materials will be provided in mid-August, and prizes will be awarded to ride sharers, including a round trip for two to Edmonton on Via Rail’s *The Canadian*. For more information, contact Rae-Anne LaPlante at rae-anne@ride-share.com or (604) 879-RIDE (7433).
SustainaBUILD Conference
Mark your calendar for the 2010 Vancouver SustainaBUILD Conference this fall. The conference program features innovative content, ideas and cutting edge technologies related to sustainable development and green design. It takes place November 23 at Vancouver's Westin Bayshore Hotel. Early bird rates of $275 + HST will available from late summer through to November 2. For more information and to register, visit the conference web site at http://www.sustainabuild.com/vancouver/index.htm. Questions can be directed to Gillian Wright by e-mail (gwright@mmart.com) or telephone (604.739.2112 ext. 192058.)
Edifice: Exploring Art, Archives and Architecture
Edifice: Exploring Art, Archives and Architecture, an exhibition that presents 10 new paintings of downtown Vancouver buildings done in realist style by Graham Winter, will be featured at the newly refurbished City of Vancouver Archives Gallery from June 2 - August 26, 2010. The exhibition, the first of its kind in Vancouver, is designed as a multi-faceted exploration of the early- to mid-20th Century downtown Vancouver buildings that represent the “modern” of the artist’s childhood. It will also include a video wall of digitized archival photos and records of the buildings and the period in which they were built. The City of Vancouver Archives Gallery is located at 1150 Chestnut Street. For more information, please visit www.vancouver.ca/archives.
IDSwest 2010
Mark your calendars for the next Interior Design Show West, October 14-17, 2010 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. IDSwest is Western Canada’s premiere annual residential design show featuring 200 exhibitors showcasing quality products and services to an audience of architects, designers, industry professionals, consumers and media. New program highlights this year include Future Masters, a showcase of young design talents and local design institutions; and Spare the Change, a design challenge with a $2 budget. For detailed information including speakers, exhibitors and schedule, keep an eye on the event web site at http://www.idswest.com/index.php.
Building SustainABLE Communities Conference
The Building SustainABLE Communities Conference, hosted by The Fresh Outlook Foundation, takes place in Kelowna from November 16 to 18, 2010. Speakers include:
- Dr. Reginald Bibby: Sociologist at the University of Lethbridge and Canada's premier tracker and interpreter of social trends.
- Michael Kinsley: A senior consultant with the Rocky Mountain Institute who has helped build sustainable economies and environments since 1983.
- Terry Tamminen: Climate action advisor to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and BC Premier Gordon Campbell. Author of Lives Per Gallon: The True Cost of Our Energy Addiction.
For more information, including program and registration details, please visit www.freshoutlookfoundation.org.
Call for Papers: Heritage Challenges Conference
École de design and Institut du patrimoine of Université du Québec à Montréal are organizing a conference entitled “Preserving Modern Architecture in Québec, Canada, and Elsewhere: Heritage Challenges and the Mobilization of Knowledge”. It will be held in Montréal from October 14 - 17, 2010. Submissions are currently being accepted for conference presenters. For detailed information, including the Call for Papers, visit the conference web site at http://www.ip.uqam.ca/.
RAIC BC Advocacy Awards
Nominations are now being accepted for the RAIC BC Chapter 2010 Advocacy Awards for Excellence. These awards recognize architectural professionals, emerging and intern practitioners, and members of our community who have made a contribution toward the advocacy of architecture in the province. There are individuals who, through their vision and extraordinary efforts, have made a significant contribution to society. Nominations are invited in three distinct award categories:
- Professional
- Emerging Practitioner
- Community Advocate
The awards will be presented at the annual RAIC Metro Vancouver Chapter Dinner in September. The deadline for nominations is August 6, 2010. For a full description of the award categories and nomination forms, visit http://www.raic.org/bc/
Making Space 2010
Making Space 2010 is an international award and conference promoting innovation, creativity and sustainability in design for children and young people. Supported by the Scottish government and OECD Centre for Effective Learning Environments, the awards program invites submissions from across the world for the most successful building or space (indoor or outdoor) for children and young people (up to age 18 inclusive), completed between January 2005 and December 2010. Entries are welcomed for any project designed for children and young people - from schools to street furnishings, recreational or educational, rural or urban. Entries should exemplify innovation and creativity in design as well as a strong process of user participation and involvement. For more information, visit http://www.childreninscotland.org.uk/html/makingspace.htm.
3rd International Holcim Awards
Entries are now being accepted for the 3rd International Holcim Awards. This competition, organized by the Holcim Foundation, celebrates innovative, future-oriented projects that contribute towards a more sustainable built environment. It recognizes sustainable practices in engineering, landscape and urban design, infrastructure, and materials and construction technologies. The main category is open to working professionals including architects, engineers, planners, builders and construction firms whose projects have reached an advanced stage in design with construction to take place no earlier than July 1, 2010. There is also a "Next Generation" category for students enrolled in the final year of a bachelor program, or in graduate or post-graduate programs. Entries must be submitted online by March 23, 2011. Go to www.holcimawards.org.
Northern Exposure Photo Contest
Entries are now being accepted for the Northern Exposure Photo Contest, as part of the BUILDEX 2011 Vancouver Conference & Exposition taking place February 23 and 24 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Student and amateur photographers are invited to capture Vancouver's amazing architecture. Winning entries will have the opportunity to be featured in the BUILDEX 2011 marketing campaign and be exhibited at the tradeshow. Deadline for submissions is September 27, 2010. For more information, visit http://www.buildexvancouver.com/contest/index.htm.
Greater Vancouver Commercial Building Awards
The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver is hosting its first ever Commercial
Building Awards on September 23, 2010. The awards are meant to honour excellence
in local commercial and industrial construction within Greater Vancouver,
including recognizing the architects, designers, owners, developers, financiers,
and realtors responsible for creating some of the most exciting and innovative
projects in the region. Categories include:
- Mixed-use — Commercial/Residential;
- Community facilities including senior’s housing/church/schools/government/recreation facilities;
- Retail/shopping centres;
- Office;
- Industrial;
- Rental housing;
- Hospitality — hotels/motels/resorts; and
- Commercial renovation/restoration.
There will also be a Judges’ Choice Award for best overall entry. Adjudication will be performed by a select panel of judges respected for their expertise within the real estate community. To be eligible, the institutional, commercial or industrial building or renovation project must be located within the REGBV area, and completed between January 1 and December 31, 2009. The deadline for nominations is July 30. For further information, contact Commercial Coordinator Tammy Dunn by phone (604-730-3033) or e-mail (tdunn@rebgv.org).
Archifoto: International Awards of Architectural Photography
Submissions are now being accepted for Archifoto, an international competition for amateur and professional photographers. The theme for this year’s competition is “Architecture is Sustainable!” Applicants are invited to submit up to three photographs that explore issues of sustainability and durability surrounding architecture and urban landscapes. The competition is organized by the gallery La Chambre in Strasbourg, France, and Les Journées de l’Architecture, an architecture festival that takes place in Alsace, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Basel. Submissions are due by July 31, 2010. For more information on the competition, visit http://www.archifoto.org/.
Call For Submissions: 2010 Design Exchange Awards
The Design Exchange Awards promote Canadian design excellence and recognize the critical role of design in all types of organizations including commercial entities (large and small businesses), not-for-profit organizations, and the public sector. The awards celebrate the success stories achieved through close partnerships between clients and designers. The DXAs are Canada’s only award program to judge design by results, balancing function, aesthetics and economic success. The final submission deadline of September 30, 2010. Click here to learn more or visit the DXA web site for complete details.
AECOM Competition
AECOM Technology Corporation, one of the world's largest engineering and architectural design firms, is pleased to announce Urban SOS: Transformations, a design competition offering US $20,000 in prize money for integrated design responses to sites in select global cities. The competition is open to students in the fields of architecture, urban and regional planning, urban design, landscape architecture, economics, environmental science, engineering, and related disciplines. Now in its second year, Urban SOS gives students around the world the opportunity for real engagement with issues facing built, natural and social environments. Last year’s competition attracted more than 1,000 entrants from 239 colleges and universities in 64 countries. This year, the competition will explore the topic of “Transformations”, looking at cities that are in the midst of change that represents both challenge and opportunity to their future. Featured cities include Beijing, China; Istanbul, Turkey; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Johannesburg, South Africa; Phoenix, United States; Port au Prince, Haiti; and São Paulo, Brazil. The competition seeks creative, viable proposals for site redevelopment. The five semi-finalists will receive a trip to the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona this November. Submissions will be accepted until July 31, 2010. Visit www.aecom.com/urbansos for complete submission requirements.
Kasian Shares Prairie Design Award
Kasian Architecture shares one of two Awards of Excellence given out as part of the 2010 Prairie Design Awards. In the Recent Work category, the firm teamed Teeple Architects of Toronto on the Montrose Cultural Centre in Grande Prairie, Alberta. The winners were announced at the recent Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Festival in Saskatoon. Information on additional 2010 award recipients can be found online at www.saskarchitects.com/default.asp?contentID=612
The G-List + The A-List
By Susan S. Szenasy, Metropolis
July 28, 2010
This week, when Lance Hosey released the G-List, his survey of the top green buildings since 1980, he was responding to Vanity Fair’s celebrity rankings of the top-rated buildings of the last 30 years, which anointed Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Bilbao as the most important building of our time. But Gehry’s name was nowhere to be found on the G-List. Why was I searching for some signs of him among the greens? More …