Summer is well underway in Arkansas and boy has it heated up! The temperatures continue to climb and thunderstorms are popping. It has been a busy first half of the year for many of our AIA members and we sure hope business is treating you well.

Our Legislative Committee started the year off in a run to keep ahead of various proposed legislation. As it has turned out, there was no legislation passed that should adversely affect our profession.

There were several of our members who attended the AIA National 2015 convention in Atlanta. I want to thank Travis Bartlett for the following report: "This year's convention theme was IMPACT - emphasizing the role architects play in their local and global communities. AIA kicked off Thursday with a keynote address from President Bill Clinton. President Clinton addressed how deeply architecture will contribute to our future and noted that the world will depend on architects to avoid the pitfalls of our changing climate. James Meyer, AIA was honored as one of fourteen 2015 Young Architects - this honor is given by the AIA to individuals who have shown exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to the profession in an early stage of their career. James follows on the footsteps of another AIA Arkansas honoree, Tim Maddox, AIA - a 2014 recipient of the Young Architect Award. Thursday also included the regional caucuses and a "speed dating Q&A" introduction of the candidates. In the afternoon, Marlon Blackwell, FAIA along with Roberto de Leon, AIA and Andrew Freear presented their works during the Regionalism in a Global Environment seminar. The AIA Arkansas contingent wrapped up the day at the University of Arkansas - Fay Jones School of Architecture Alumni Reception. The reception was a great way to reconnect with classmates and meet fellow alumni from the school. Friday offered many opportunities to learn inside and outside of the convention - plus browse through the immense exhibition hall full of vendors from Autodesk to Zurn. Friday was capped by the Gulf States reception and awards ceremony. AIA Arkansas members were awarded 2 of the 7 Gulf States Region Awards. Saturday morning was the annual AIA Business Meeting with a number of amendments to discuss and vote on. AIA Arkansas was well represented in Atlanta - next stop Philadelphia for the 2016 AIA National Convention."

Our own AIA Arkansas 2015 Convention planning is well underway. Randy Palculict tells me the convention committee has been hard at work. The convention will be held in Hot Springs this year and will kick off Wednesday October 14th with the annual golf tournament, bikitecture and walking tours. Programs will be held throughout Thursday, Friday and Saturday to help you fulfill your CEU requirements with potentially 13 credits available. A few of the anticipated featured presentations this year will be given by Katherine Hogan & Vincent Petrarca, Iñaqui Carnicero, Jennifer Marmon, Audrey Matlock, Teresa Rosano and H. Ralph Hawkins. The presentations will offer a wide variety of design styles and architectural firm business models. We hope to see you in Hot Springs October 14th-17th!

Heather Davis, Assoc. AIA and Adam Day, AIA lead the Associates/E.P. Committee. They have been working to increase participation by providing services and events that contribute to the professional development of AIA Arkansas Associates and Emerging Professionals. To better understand their constituents they sent out a survey in March to all Associates and EP's asking specific questions about our ideas we had to better serve. The feedback they received has allowed us them move forward in a guided direction on both educational and social events. For professional growth, they have been working with local engineers to offer ARE study prep classes. They hope to have our first structures session later this summer. In addition to ARE prep, they have been discussing ways to provide information on the business aspect of our profession. They are planning to offer a workshop/round table discussion to mix Associates and Emerging professionals with current Principals and Business owners to have an interactive discussion about the business of architecture. Their hope is to give guidance on how a successful architecture business is run to make better employees and future business leaders within the profession.

B.J. Phillips, AIA, Northwest Arkansas Section Chair, reports they have been working with the Lowell/Rogers Chamber of Commerce Emerging Leaders on a pop-up event for downtown Rogers. Many design ideas were generated at a recent Charette. The designs will be further developed with the help of the Lowell/Rogers Chamber of Commerce Emerging Leaders and implemented for the pop-up on August 1st. The pop-up is in conjunction to the release of the new downtown Rogers plan and the Rogers Cycling Festival. B.J. encourages all of our members to come out and enjoy the festivities. Their Section is also planning their 4th annual Bowling Tournament to raise money for their Section's U of A School of Architecture Scholarship. They are looking at having the tournament sometime in August.

Congratulations to those members who received honors and brought back awards from the AIA 2015 National Convention! And, thank you to those members who serve faithfully within their Sections and Committees to make AIA Arkansas better for all of us.

Respectfully,

Mark O. Cahoon, AIA, LEED AP, BD+C

POINTS OF INTEREST   

Jerry Wall, Professor Emeritus of Architecture, Dies at Age 75

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Jerry Don Wall, 75, professor emeritus of architecture at the Fay Jones School of Architecture, passed away Sunday, May 24, at his home in Rogers.

At the time of this retirement in 2013, Wall was the longest-serving faculty member in the Fay Jones School. He taught 40 years of both core curriculum and elective courses, and every student who went through the architecture program in those four decades was educated by Wall.

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Trust Vista™ by LLumar® window film for your next project

As one of the world's leading brands of architectural window film, LLumar has been enhancing iconic, well-known buildings around the world for decades - with proven results. From the Red Bull Racing Office in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom to the Hyatt Hotel in Houston, Texas, LLumar consistently exceeds the expectations of the most discerning customers.

The diverse line of window film products can help provide the tools to raise the style, performance and safety of buildings to new levels. LLumar is the choice of more architects, designers, energy solution providers, contractors, and building owners around the world and for good reasons... Read more 

Walton Family Foundation Announces Design Excellence Program

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (July 29, 2015) - The Walton Family Foundation today unveiled a plan that will elevate the quality of architectural and landscape design in Arkansas' Benton and Washington counties. The new initiative, named the Northwest Arkansas Design Excellence Program, will promote the highest level of design in the development of future public buildings and spaces.

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Thursday, August 27th from 9 AM until 7 PM

North Little Rock  

• Free Faucet and Sink With the Purchase of Countertops!*
• Drawing for a large Big Green Egg
• 10% Off all grilling accessories and grill carts

Click here to download the flyer with more details.  

AIA Architect  

2015 AIA Small Project Awards 

Architect's Newspaper

Richard Rogers to Lead Parliamentary Inquiry into How Design of the Built Environment Affects Behavior 

Architect Magazine

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