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AIA Detroit E-News - Mid Summer 2008
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| Presidents Report - Mark Nickita, AIA |
 Last November, as I was preparing a list of goals for the 2008 year, I recognized that AIA Detroit, as well as AIA Michigan, was going through an important transition. More specifically, the world around Detroit and Michigan was being changed and our organization was showing signs of needing to play catch up. This year starts an important transition for AIA Detroit, one that will set the stage for our future and an exciting enhanced connection to our membership.
It has been a very active year to date, with new initiatives, developing committees and yearly events which collectively contribute to the evolution of the next generation for AIA Detroit.
On a wintry January weekend the AIA executive committee and board members from throughout the State met in Traverse City for the annual Leadership Conference to discuss planning the upcoming year. Many things were discussed, but the most impacting aspect of the weekend event was that, for the AIA in Michigan, business as usual wasn't going to be an option for the long term health of the organization. This was largely due to demographic changes in the State, alterations within the profession and with the status of our current economic structure.
In February, I attended the Grassroots Conference in Washington D.C. where many leadership issues of the organizations were presented and discussed.
In March, AIA Detroit hosted a principals breakfast at the Renaissance Club in the Renaissance Center with the focus of the event on organizational transformations. We invited the CEO of the Detroit Chamber of Commerce, Richard Blouse, to discuss with our architectural leaders, the way in which he transformed his organization during the past decade. The morning event included an interactive discussion and brainstorming session that assisted the AIA Detroit Board of Directors with planning for our future. The results of our session and the ideas generated has lead to an AIA Michigan strategic planning initiative that has been set in place and is scheduled to be completed and presented in January at the AIA leadership retreat.
In April, AIA Detroit hosted the national AIA Committee on Design, including architects and designers from all around the country and beyond. The theme of the four day event was Design Parallels, and gave us an opportunity to present and highlight the many creative aspects of Detroit. With tours of Downtown Detroit, Wayne State University, the Ford Rouge Plant, the Cranbrook Community, and the GM Tech Center in Warren, the extensive and intensive schedule proved beneficial to the approximately 150 participants.
May found the AIA Detroit leadership and many Michigan members spending a few days in Boston for the Annual AIA convention. Other than voting for the next national AIA President, Vice President and Secretary, there was specific interest in the changes nationally within the profession and how the Institute can accommodate and incorporate them.
And we now prepare for the annual Summer and early Autumn events - Mackinac in August and the Design retreat on Torch Lake in northern Michigan in mid-September.
As always, I would like to thank the many people who make our organization succeed, specifically, Rae Dumke and the Beaubien House Staff. I would also, like to thank Jeff Zokas, AIA our current Vice President, who has been collaborating with me on many our our most important issues, so that there is a seamless transition into the 2009 leadership. Enjoy the summer.
Sincerely,
Mark Nickita, AIA
AIA Detroit Chapter 2008 President
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| AIA Detroit Committee Activities |
Emerging Professionals Committee [EPC]
The Emerging Professionals Committee, also started the year with many ideas for initiatives that will serve the young newly licensed architects as well as the Associates preparing to take the A.R.E. One of the first items on this years agenda for the EPC was to get communications in order so the committee can communicate easily through the internet. EPC members and the AIA Michigan staff worked to get a system in place for email blasts and general invitations and communications. This was a priority to set the standard for the way this committee will progress and expand.
Urban Priorities Committee [UPC]
One of AIA Detroit's longest active Committee, is proving to have continued longevity as it initiates successful events and looks to the future with exciting new leadership.
Early in the year, the AIA Detroit The Urban Priorities Committee (UPC) Chair, Brian Hurttienee, AIA, who had been working on a sustainability-related proposal for many months and finally found an opportunity for a venue in the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD). The event entitled "Considering Detroit" was a collaboration of the AIA/UPC, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI). The exhibit consisted of seven architectural projects, each presenting various sustainable initiatives in design. The AIA opening of the event was on June 5th with additional presentations throughout the duration of the show -- which was at MOCAD from Mid-May to July 27th.
After many years of leadership involvement and as chair of the UPC, Brian Hurttienee, AIA has decided to step aside and continue to contribute to the committee as a member and past chair. We are fortunate to have found a new chair to carry the torch for Detroit urban issues, Joongsub Kim, AIA professor from Lawrence Technological University and head of the Urban Design program and the Detroit Studio in New Center. Joon brings a new perspective to the committee and another network of architects and young professionals to get involved in the AIA Detroit urban issues. We plan to have a collaborative transformation to bring past UPC initiatives together with future possibilities. With Brian's history and Joon's future ideas, we see the continued success of one our most visible and important committees to successfully move forward.
Government Affairs Committee
The work in Lansing to protect the architectural profession never ends for one of our most important committee, Government Affairs. Awareness for the legal issues that affect architects were increased with discussions with our elected officials in Lansing on Legislative Day which was held on April 15th. The AIA continues to be the only organization that aggressively supports the legal concerns of architects.
In early June, AIA Detroit joined with the Michigan Society of Engineers to hold a fundraiser for Representative, Marty Knollenberg, who has been a supporter of many of the interests of architects and engineers, specifically within his Oakland County district.
Building Codes and Regulations Committee
The AIA Detroit BC&RC has been quite active over the past many months creating seminars and providing opportunities for our membership to get continued education credits. The next event is to be held at the San Marino Club in Troy on September 17. The topic is Performing Construction in Existing Buildings.
Building Enclosure Committee
This Committee, which is relatively new, has started to develop initiatives that will enhance the technical connection to the AIA.
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| Other Initiatives from AIA Detroit |
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Strategic Planning Sessions
As was mentioned earlier, there is an initiative underway to create a strategic plan, for the AIA Michigan. We are aware of the distinct changes in the profession and in the State, and there is a strong belief that AIA Detroit and Michigan need to understand and evolve to accommodate these challenges. A committee has been established with representation from throughout the State with multiple AIA chapters and groups like Past Presidents, the Michigan Architectural Fund (MAF) and the Architectural Schools. The committee will be meeting through the fall, with a final presentation assembled for the January 2009 AIA Leadership Conference in Traverse City.
AIA Detroit Awards
The AIA Detroit annual awards ceremony will return to the newly renovated Detroit Institute of Arts for the first time in many years. The significant renovation, designed by architect Michael Graves, solidifies the DIA as Michigan's premier art facility and indicates our commitment to the creative arts. AIA Detroit is contributing and confirming this by holding our most important event at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
This year, the awards Jury was from a city that has not participated in the AIA Detroit event, for many decades, Toronto. As the world grows flatter, as the term is more commonly used, I felt that it would be an opportunity to further connect to our close neighbors to the North (South?). The Chair was David Craddick from NORR and past president of the Ontario Associations of Architects (OAA). Other jury members include Antonio Gomez Palacio from Office for Urbanism and current president of the Toronto Society of Architects (TSA), David Pontarini, from Hariri Pontarini Architects, in addition to architects Sheena Sharp and Joe Lobko.
Collaboration with Other Professional Groups
AIA Detroit is undergoing discussions with the leaders of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to collaborate for events that would benefit our collective members. This includes this year's recent event at the Museum of Contemporary Arts Detroit (MOCAD). Also, there is a planned late summer event coming together that will potentially find the Detroit's American Marketing Association (AMA), the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), Southeast Building Industry Association (BIA), Ann Arbor Ad Club (A2AC), and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) all in one room discussing issues and ways that associations can collaborate in making our region a better place to live and work.
Collaborations with AIA Michigan and AIA Chapters
With the continued emphasis on sustainable building locally and beyond, we are looking at the many ways in which AIA Detroit can be more effective by incorporating green ideas into architecture and city-building. There have been moves to make a stronger connection and integration with AIA Michigan' Committee on the Environment (COTE), specifically with the AIA Detroit Urban Priorities and Emerging Professional Committees. With the growing interest in sustainability issues within the profession, there is great potential for the members of these committees to collaborate and create important synergy. This initiative is ongoing, with the hope to create increasing opportunities for AIA members in finding a place to learn and grow sustainable concepts developed by architects.
There are continuous discussions with the Grand Rapids AIA chapter about developing ideas for an event that integrates the east/west connection in Michigan. The Detroit and Grand Rapid representing the nearly three quarters of the States economic generation and population, these two cities have a significant place in the future health of Michigan. We are looking for ways to expose the importance of the built environment within the east and west hubs of the State.
In Early August, an event planned by both AIA Detroit and AIA Huron Valley for the Architectural Registration Exam (A.R.E.) was held. This event was initiated and largely orchestrated by the Emerging Professional Committee (EPC) and was an example of the benefits the Institute brings to our younger members. |
| 2008 Upcoming Events and Calendar - Check Website for updates. |
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September
11 Building Enclosure Council (BEC) will hold its formation meeting at Lawrence
Technical University, beginning at 4:30, in the Faculty Dining Room in the Buell
Management Building. AIAD Website12-13 Design Conference, Camp Hayo Went Ha, Torch Lake 17 AIA Detroit - BC&RC and SEMBOIA - Performing Construction in Existing
October
13-15 Creative Cities Summit 2.0 - Location: Detroit, Michigan For More Info
21 AIA Detroit Annual Meeting
November
21 AIA Detroit Design Awards & Recognitions - DIA
December
9 AIA Detroit Transition Board Meeting, Beaubien House
11 Holiday Open House Beaubien House
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