AIA Knowledge Community Awards Programs Currently Accepting Submissions
Healthcare Design Awards – Deadline December 19, 2011
Building Information Modeling Awards – Deadline January 16, 2012
[When to Introduce] BIM in the Design Process
Asked by AIA Knowledge Scholar Morgan Robberson, Assoc. AIA
When do you introduce BIM into your design process? Do you do schematic design in something like Sketch-up or 3DS Max and then transition to BIM? Or do you start with BIM from the beginning? BIM requires the designer to make so many decisions at the beginning (or risk sticking in a placeholder that no one else realizes is only a placeholder). How do you maintain the balance of making too many decisions early on with leaving to much ambiguity in the model? Read the entire thread from the Technology in Architectural Practice Discussion Forum.
The Steeplechase - Observations on the CAE London Conference
Contributed by Dr. Claire B. Gallagher, Assoc. AIA, Georgian Court University
While in Heathrow Airport I had a little time to myself and to reflect on the past few days. We had seen some successful designs and some that missed the mark. Maybe it’s the thought of going home to New Jersey, home of Atlantic City, but I began to think of a horse race or steeplechase, the kind that you find at the boardwalk or a carnival; the ones propelled by the water shot at them by children concentrating their aim with water guns. Read the full article from the CAE Article of the Month.
2012 Academy Journal Call for Papers
From the Academy of Architecture for Health
The Academy is now accepting applications for the 2012 Academy Journal. As the official publication of the Academy, the Journal electronically publishes articles of particular interest to AIA members and the interested public involved in the fields of healthcare architecture, planning, design, research, and construction. Since 2005 we have also published a hard copy version of the Journal that has expanded our distribution worldwide. Submission deadline is May 31, 2012. Download criteria and application.
[Funding] Local User Groups
Asked by Ken Gallegos, AIA
We have started up a local Revit users group and I was wondering about how firm owners view paying for user group memberships. Do they (you) see this as a benefit for your employees because they are getting software skills to make your office more efficient or a personal item that a firm would not financially support because they see it as sharing your office functions / software ideas? Read the entire thread from the Technology in Architectural Practice Discussion Forum.
Today’s Architects Studio: An Evolution or Revolution?
By AIA Knowledge Scholar A. Lira Luis, AIA
The traditional architect’s studio which commonly starts out of one’s garage is taking a different turn. Over the past years, we have seen businesses fold and along with it, traditional architect jobs vanished. While architect positions decreased in light of the current economy, surprisingly, numerous start-up architecture firms increased. The quintessential architecture firm, unlike other industries, has been one that is easy to open as a business due to the low capital requirements. As soon as they get the elusive license to practice the profession, the next natural step for architects was starting up an office, more commonly out of their garages. Read the full story.