AIA PA's Design Awards

I had the opportunity to attend AIA PA's Design Awards night at the Barnes Foundation in Philly last week.  I'm not sure if I had "low" expectations or simply "no" expectations, but let me tell you - I had a blast!  The Barnes itself is a righteous visit, with extensive galleries and crazy cool architectural features.  But even more interesting is the story about Dr. Barnes, and luckily my cohorts and I caught the last architectural tour for the evening and got the inside scoop on him.  I'll let you uncover that one yourself.  But alas, here are some quick pics of the place.


First stop on the tour, a conference room.  Not super glamorous, but a stop nonetheless!  I didn't feel right (and probably would have gotten scolded) taking pics in the galleries, so most of these shots are nondramatic spaces.

Some sleek office space...

Code compliant doesn't haven't to be lame and boring:

Some of the awards were given outside and 'twas a bit of a chill in that November air.  I can't say I could feel the warmth of the fire, but it may have imparted a psychological warmth... or maybe that was the three glasses of wine..

And of course, tons of awards!

AIA Membership Elevation

Hi there.  I just wanted to share with you that once you become licensed you must complete a hardcopy application called the "Architect Membership Elevation Form" in order to achieve AIA status in the AIA.  I thought that by inputting my license information into my profile on the AIA website that this would be the only step necessary.  Only when I went to renew my dues did I realize they still had me as Associate AIA and that this was the only way to update your membership.  Seems a little redundant, as I said I already submitted my license number, but they require a photocopy of your state license document.  Guess I will take care of that on Monday!

Drafting Standards from NCS

When I first learned, years ago, that the AIA had come up with a system for Auto-CAD layers, I thought it was super nerdy of them.  However, having bounced around to a few different firms, I subsequently find it incredibly helpful and logical.  The AIA, or NCS, format is thorough but concise.  In an effort to start establishing my own CAD standards, be they layers or titles blocks or symbols, etc., I am starting to look into this a bit more.  So far, I have found a number of free PDF downloads that kind of give you a taste of this organizational nerdiness (you can find the PDF's at this NCS website).  I think the comprehensive list of layers and such may be a part of the license package that costs upwards of $400.  I think for my personal purposes, I can get away with creating the few layers and standards that I need by myself.

As a side note, I started looking into CAD standards because I'd like to start getting into projects on my own.  I have some small projects that don't really require a lot of drafting, but I'd like to get more actual work, which of course involves drafting.  Analyzing my options for CAD software, it would seem that my MacBook Pro is too old (in spite of its upgrades) to accept any current CAD or BIM software.  And even if it could, that would cost somewhere around $2,000 - $4,000.  But since I can't install the current software (they don't sell older software, they only let you buy the current stuff), I'd have to buy a new computer which would also probably cost $1,000 - $2,000.  So to do some small drafting gig on the side, I would have an immediate initial bullet to bite of somewhere between $3,000 - $6,000.  Um, for that pocket piece I could get new living room and dining room furniture!

However, I remembered that I still have AutoCAD 2006 from school on my old desktop computer, which I booted up today and am tickled to say that it runs swimmingly.  I'm going to play around with it the next few weeks and see if it will suffice for my purposes.

Initial License

For future reference, I thought I would take this opportunity to document this phase in the process.  I submitted my application for initial license on May 3 via USPS.  On May 28, I logged into the Department of State's website to check and see if I had be listed as registered yet, as I had done every day since May 3.  I was delighted to see that on May 28 my license was issued and the information was updated on the DOS website.  At present, May 30, I have not received the hardcopy in the mail yet.  If they sent it out on May 28, it is conceivable that I will receive it tomorrow.

As a side note, in PA, licenses expire at the end of June every 2 years.  I was curious how it would work for me with my initial license being issued so close to this renewal deadline.  As it turns out, they basically gave me the rest of 2013 so my license was issued May 28, 2013 and doesn't expire until June  30, 2015.  Now, as to whether or not there is some sort of additional pro-rated fee, I am yet to be made aware of it.

Additionally, on May 20 I submitted for AIA National's Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship.  The eligibility requirements are that you are either an NCARB record holder in good standing, or an Associate AIA member in good standing.  Since, once again, the timing is close, I'm not sure if I am any longer one of those things, or if it matters since that is what I was when I submitted the paperwork. Anyway, what I wanted to share was that my NCARB record was set to expire tomorrow, May 31, 2013.  I was reluctant to renew it, because I don't NEED the NCARB record any more, now that I have my license and it is a $75 fee.  However, once I entered in my new license number, it waived the renewal fee and offered me congrats on becoming an RA.  Now they are going to send me information to get the NCARB certificate, which I am still on the fence about.  That fee is significantly more per year than $75.  I think it is in excess of $200.

Anyway, I just wanted to share some fun facts before they fade into "I don't remember...."

Initial Licensure

I am pleased to officially report that I have submitted my application for initial licensure to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  The process is pretty simple... complete your NCARB record, pass all the exams, fill out the application, write a check for the $40 fee and mail it in with the application.  I sent in the application last Friday (8 days ago), we'll see how long it takes for the state to send the license.  I believe all architect licenses in Pennsylvania are renewed in the month of June, so depending upon when they get around to actually issuing the license, I may have to renew like immediately.

I am not certain how the AIA upgrade works.  I have heard rumors that they let you ride out the rest of the year on your Associate dues, but bumped up to AIA member status.  I am also not certain if I need to complete CEU's for the first partial year.  If I do, it shouldn't be a problem because I have been completing CEU's since I learned what they were, in an effort to score more IDP credit as well as just because I am going to have to anyway, might as well get in the habit of updating my AIA transcript!

Code of Ethics: the AIA's "Prime Directive"

On some days, when the player-hating ways of the industry seem to wear more heavily, my brain conjures up new analogies between the struggles we face in the day to day, and the pleasures we employ after hours.  Today, that analogy was Star Trek with its Prime Directive and the AIA with its Code of Ethics.

While many of us AIA members (Starfleet officers) & AIA Associate members (cadets) honor and value the Code of Ethics (Prime Directive), and understand what it strives to protect in the construction industry (Alpha Quadrant... well, universe), there are those among us of a different professional affiliation (non-Federation species/civilizations) who do not understand and therefore do not seek to honor the code (Prime Directive).  It is our struggle to not only serve and protect the public's health, safety, and welfare while simultaneously creating attractive, sustainable, functional & economically attainable design, but to resist the pressures from other related industries to defy our own code.  (e.g. the Kazon who insist on entitlement to Voyager's technology and that Voyager "share" it with the "rest" of the Delta Quadrant)

Most notably, as in all series of Star Trek, there becomes a climax in the plot where the Prime Directive's black-and-white instruction becomes blurry or gray.  Similarly, there are times when the AIA's Code of Ethics seems unappreciative of the "changing climate" we face in the wake of a national recession.

I will have to expand on this later, as I must make haste for a previous engagement!

Emerging Professionals Companion

We had one of our quarterly Pennsylvania Associates Committee conference calls this afternoon.  A little-known website was on the agenda and was news to most of us.  I haven't delved into it too much just yet, but it appears to provide opportunities for accumulating IDP hours/credits in every category.  You just need to have your supervisor approve it through e-EVR.

The Emerging Professionals Companion

Check it out and if you have any success let me know!  I hope to look into some of my hard-to-reach categories tonight.

ARE Scholarship

Just wanted to share this link/info from the National Associates Committee blog I follow. I don't quite think I have much qualification for this scholarship yet, but maybe once I dig my heels into the Eastern PA chapter, I will substantiate myself.

2011 AIA/NAC Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship

A committee of distinguished professionals will select the recipients based on their satisfaction of the criteria described below. Scholarship recipients will receive:

•Full complement of Kaplan ARE Study Guides
•Reimbursement for the cost of passing all divisions of the ARE one time.*

*Full amount of scholarship will be paid upon successful completion of all ARE divisions. To receive reimbursement, recipients must complete the ARE within five years of receiving the award and submit passing reports from each ARE division. Scholarship is subject to local, state, and federal tax.

Eligibility

In order for an applicant to be eligible for this scholarship, the individual must be one of the following:*

•Associate AIA member in good standing;
•NCARB record holder in good standing; or
•A person who has passed one or more divisions of the ARE but has not passed all divisions.

*NAC Regional Associate Directors, Executive Board members, and Editors are not eligible.

Olympic Village & Athlete Housing Competition

Sound familiar? Looks like the AIA's YAF (Young Architects Forum) is spinning a twist on our 5th year group design project! I don't know if you have $95-$135 to throw around (registration fee), but if you do, then by all means submit to this competition for young professionals.

There's a bit more to it than our culmination project, but there's also a bit less to it (no physical models required!). Whether you submit or not, it's worth a look!

Click on the Call For Entries pdf to get the skinny on the competition.

Just tryna REPRESENT!

As you may or may not recall, recent graduates from architecture school may take advantage of a free Associate Membership to the AIA. This "complimentary membership" is available for graduates for 18 months after graduation, in other words, the rest of the year after graduation and the next full year.

While I was not aware of this until a year after graduation, you know I still tapped that. So I was a free Associate Member of the AIA, loosely, for the last 7 months of 2010. I didn't participate too much, in fact the only event attended was a design charette at a local college. You may recall my post on this. I figured that after my free membership was up, I'd probably just drop out of the AIA world until I became registered. After all, unless you're an architect you're only an "Associate Member," so where's the prestige in that?

However, I learned that there are in fact Associate Member positions on the executive board of my local chapter. I was intrigued by this, but I did not wish to volunteer myself for the vacant position, as my free membership was to expire with the start of the new year. I decided I would try to see if my employers would oblige me the renewed membership. They acquiesced, and as you can imagine, I am now one of two Associate Member Representatives for the Eastern PA chapter of the AIA.

With this new position, I have already contrived several goals:

First and foremost, I wish to spread the word of the complimentary AIA (associate) membership to as many local accredited universities as I can. Indicative of the success of my word-spreading will be the large spike of increased Associate Members come May, June, July of 2011.

Second and next-most(?), I wish to coordinate a mega awesome Associate event. Allegedly, most AIA chapters have one associate event per year, as accommodated in their respective budgets. Our EPC branch has not had much success with the Associate events so they have stopped organizing them. I already sort of have an Associate Member event tentatively scheduled for the Fall of 2011, which should highly appeal to my newfound members, as per my first goal. This event is the result of some minor networking I experienced at the first AIA meeting of the year, which was joint with CSI.

Those are my two major goals right now. While I have other ideas about other things I wish to achieve in my tenure as an Ass. Mem. Rep., I think I will only bite off as much as I can chew right now.

Just wanted to share the news with you and let you know I'll probably be documenting some of my experiences through this blahhg.

ArchRec Selections

I don't know if it's because Architectural Record is officially no longer "the magazine of the AIA," but so far this month's issue is hilarious. This article in particular roused in me a certain guffaw.

I suppose part of me can relate to this "Name Game," because I have had occasion to ponder, if I were to start a firm today, what would I call it? I would certainly not go the route of my last name "& Associates." While I don't think my last name is particularly hard to pronounce (it's actually quite phonetic), in a world of acronyms (PC, TV, DVR, TMI, BFD, FML) and truncated speech (sup, sitch, fo sho, ridic, poss, mos def, na'mean?) I don't think the 11 letters and 4 syllables would endure.

I have a more meaningful and informative post in the works to hopefully hit the e-stream later this weekend. But for now I just wanted to pass along some entertaining industry-related jibber jabber.

I have a feeling the rest of the issue is going to follow a similar critical/humor thread, so it may be worthwhile to drop the coin and pick up a copy. Or at least surf the online version.

Let's Review...

The CEU from Architectural Record.

I swear, every time I think I have this figured out, I realize there is another step to it.

Step One - Take Quiz
Read CEU article from Architectural Record and take the quiz online.

Step Two - Download Certificate

Submit your quiz results for scoring. Save Completion Certificate (preferably as an image file, as you will need to upload it as such later).

Step Three - Self-Report

Log into AIA website and find your way to the "Self-Reported Activities" page. Here you will add each article, and upload the corresponding Completion Certificate. Click "Add New" to begin.

Step Four - Download Transcript & Submit to NCARB

Once your Self-Reported Activity is approved, it will be added to your AIA transcript. Now you must download your AIA transcript, and log into NCARB's e-EVR. Click on "My Supplementary Education" to begin. Here you, again, add each article/course one by one, this time uploading your AIA transcript as an attachment. (I personally download the entire range of courses on my AIA transcript and upload that same single file for each article.) Now you wait for NCARB to approve.

What's odd is, I don't remember submitting my Certificate of Completion to AIA/Oklahoma for the April 2010 article, and yet the course completion appeared on my transcript. So weird. I have been waiting and waiting for AIA/OK to approve my other articles, until I reread some things about self-reported activities and realized this was the actual process for doing so.

So as far as I know, this process should work. I just completed Step Three for 11 articles that I had read throughout the year. Hopefully they will be approved in time before my AIA membership runs out! (unless, of course my employers opt to renew my membership for me)

Charette: Sustainable Home

Thursday I attended the Eastern PA chapter of AIA's design charette for students (and architects) in the area. I served as a "sketchup facilitator," which meant my sole job was to create a sketchup model of whatever design my team of 15+ students and professionals came up with. I wasn't allowed to participate in the designing portion. I will offer that 15+ people in an hour and a half wouldn't have afforded me much opportunity to participate anyway! However, it was still interesting. My only qualm was the communication that seemed to lack between my group and I, for example literally 2 minutes before the models were "due," some of my team members came up to me and said that we needed some skylights on the roof... And of course they weren't just ordinary skylights, they had to be some funky shape. Needless to say, that did not make it into the model.

I will admit it was kind of fun to fiddle in sketchup, and as a bonus I received a Dunkin Donuts gift card as compensation for my services. As another bonus, I can hopefully count the experience as 4 hours towards community service for my IDP.

I have included some screenshots of the model below for your viewing pleasure. To give you a sense of the design challenge, the teams were to design a home for a group of 4 (college students, family members, roommates, etc.) incorporating various sustainable technologies. This challenge was inspired by the Decathlon. The site was an open lot on Hamilton Street in Allentown, PA. My team decided on a mixed-use facility where the family who lived upstairs owned and operated the bike shop/gym downstairs. Part of their design was the implementation of stationary bicycles rigged to generators to produce electricity... I swear I had nothing to do with this concept!






For the record, my team was a "close second." Out of 3 teams we received Gold (as you know, with LEED the ratings are silver, gold and platinum).

Dude, Where's my IDP?

IDP, the cruel mistress, like the Spynx she is: a vile monster from the bowels of Tartarus. She decides your fate, you either fail and get eaten and digested for six months or pass the trial and go on to kick-ass in Thebes.

Right now, I'm looking into the next step now that the hours situation has been more or less figured out (not finished, but not as confusing as it had been previously): So, according to the scuttle-butt, depending on what state you are in, you can start taking parts of the ARE (Architectural Registration Exam) early.

But I've been searching and there's no clear list stating in which states that method is kosher.
So far the only concrete answer I've gotten is "consult your state ARE council". This emphasis on confederacy seems like a shady deal or two is being done. Which, don't get me wrong, makes this process much more interesting, but still how hard would it be to put the list up NCARB?

Anyway, below are some FAQs regarding the ARE from their website:


Who Writes the ARE?A committee of architects made up of representative members from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), Committee of Canadian Arcthitectural Councils (CACC), consulting engineers and code officials.

How do I register for the exam?You register for the exam with your state. Contact your state board for application requirements.

Is the exam the same in every state?Yes. Every state gives the same examination.

When is the exam given?You can take the exam whenever you want. The exam is administered year-round six days a week Monday - Saturday at authorized test centers around the country. Hours of operation vary so contact your test center of choice to verify business hours.

Where are the test centers located? There are more than 350 standardized test centers across North America. Once your application has been processed, you will receive a list of test centers with your approval notification.

Do I have to take the exam at a test center located within the state/province where I am seeking my registration?No. The computer based format of the exam allows candidates to take any portion of the test at any test center. However if you do relocate to another area before completing the exam, you will need to make sure that your scores are forwarded to the initial state jurisdiction where you initially began registration.

What is the exam format? The exam is given on computer. There are nine different divisions of the exam. Site Planning, Building Planning, and Building Technology are graphic tests. The remaining six divisions Pre-Design, General Structures, Lateral Forces, Building Design/Materials & Methods, Mechanical & Electrical Systems and Construction Documents & Services are muliple-choice tests. See exam information for complete details on ARE format.

Is the exam open or closed book? The examination is closed book, that is, no reference material is permitted. For some exam divisions, reference material can be accessed electronically. This material may contain excerpts from sources such as the AISC Manual of Steel Construction and the UBC. Candidates should therefore obtain copies of these books prior to the exam in order to become familiar with their scope and format.

Which part of the exam should I take first?Since candidates must pass all divisions of the ARE to become registered, you may start with any of the nine divisions. It is generally beneficial to take the three graphic divisions successively, since all use similar graphic tools. It may also be beneficial to take Pre-Design last, since this division includes material covered by other divisions, such as Building Design / Materials & Methods and Construction Documents and Services.

What if I fail a division of the exam?If you fail a division, you will have to retake it. However you will not be allowed to retake the same exam until at least six months has passed from the time of the first administration.

Receive IDP Credit for Architectural Record Articles

I believe I introduced this topic a few weeks ago, when I was officially accepted into the AIA as an associate member. For any article in Architectural Record that is accompanied by the AIA/Continuing Education logo, you can obtain IDP credit. Each article has an expiration date, though, so be sure to complete it before that date passes.

Luckily the AIA, McGraw Hill and IDP have their ducks in a row for this task, because once you complete the quiz online your just sit tight! McGraw Hill submits your score to the AIA who then approves the specified Learning Unit. This approval process, however, takes at least 30 days (again, this is 2010 and digital submissions take weeks to validate?). Once your quizzes are approved by the AIA, the credit is added to your AIA transcript. You can then download the transcript and post it to your NCARB account.

This whole process takes weeks... all for an article/quiz that probably took 45 minutes to read/answer.

In fact, at this moment I am yet to see my credits approved by the AIA for quizzes I took as far back as March 20. Hmmm... I'll keep you posted as to whether this process is accurate, but it seems like (to reiterate) the only things you do are...

1.) Complete the quiz online

2.) Download your AIA transcript (after AIA approves credits submitted to them by ArchRecord)

3.) Post your AIA transcript to NCARB

Today I received my official AIA associate membership card, certificate, key phob and lapel pin in the mail! Now I can be cool and sly like the other members at the office, and whip out my card when I need to reference my number... hehehe.

Converting Continuing Education into IDP hours

So, I was very excited about getting my AIA number, I completed a whole slew of CE credits from my previous issues of Architectural Record. When you complete these tests online, McGraw-Hill presents you with a certificate. I thought this certificate was what I should submit to validate my IDP hours. Turns out I was wrong. After submitting them all over the past few days I received this comment in my NCARB Records:

3/23/2010 2:41:58 PM
NCARB Staff rejects supplementary experience with possibility for revision
NCARB Staff comments: To receive the supplementary education hours you must submit the official AIA transcript. You can submit the certificate to the University of Oklahoma, they evaluate courses for AIA. After Oklahoma approves the credits AIA will add the course to your transcript. This website contains some of the information. Additionally below I pasted the information that states where to send your certificates to. http://www.aia.org/professionals/groups/epn/AIAS075010#P34_14869 If you received a certificate with an AIA CES logo on it you can fax it to the AIA CES Records Department at 405-325-6965

After some scanning on the AIA's website, I also found this nugget:

How do I submit AIA Continuing Education work for IDP supplementary education credit?

Get an AIA number.
If you are an AIA member, use your AIA member number. If you are not an AIA member, see the instructions below.

Attend a sponsored event or complete a self-designed activity.
AIA components and AIA CES registered providers sponsor continuing education events. When you attend an event, follow the AIA registered architects lead by signing in with your name and AIA number. The event provider is responsible for submitting your information to the University of Oklahoma, which maintains CES records.

If the activity was performed on your own, such as completing the questions for a continuing education article from Architectural Record, then you are responsible for submitting a self-report form online to the University of Oklahoma with your AIA number.

Download your transcript.
You can download a copy of your transcript from the University of Oklahoma Web site at any time (or request a transcript in writing, one free each year).

Report your work on the e-EVR.
Report your work through the e-EVR in "My Supplementary Education" tab. The transcript documenting completion of AIA-approved resources must be uploaded to the e-EVR at that time.

As it turns out, completing those quick and easy CES quizzes in Arch Record was not as quick and easy as once thought. Perhaps this is a lesson in the extensive paperworking that the profession entails.

To continue the saga, I went to the CES website. I entered my new AIA number. And what would you know, they don't recognize it! Now what!? I guess I have to wait a while until I'm completely in the system?

Yeah this is mildly frustrating, as it is 2010 and I don't quite see how one server can be updated and another cannot. It's been almost a week since my account was created. I can understand it taking some time to process my account's creation, but I would think that once it's up, it's up.

I guess I'll keep trying to log into that CES system. If I can't get in by next week, maybe I make some calls.

Official AIA Assoc Member!

Today I received my official AIA Associate Member ID #. Holler! Now I can see about plugging in some of those luncheon credits... Evidently you get a membership card as well as a lapel pin (!??!) - which I totally plan to sport at work as soon as they arrive. Man, I haven't received a membership card in the mail since I joined the Art Stuff club at Bath & Body Works. I wonder if I should tag "AIA Assoc." onto my email signature at work. Might make me look kind of badass.

Recent Graduate AIA Membership

You can join AIA for free up to 18 months after you graduate.  I imagine after that time you will be billed if you wish to keep your membership.  Additional information can be found here:

http://www.aia.org/about/memberservices/AIAS077102

Information supplied courtesy of The Host. 

I intend to do this ASAP, however I must first decide whether I should like to be associated with the AIA Chapter I work in or the AIA Chapter I live in.... hmm...

Here is a snippet from a correspondence with the Central PA Chapter:

There is a special application form that you will need to fill out. Here is the link to the information on AIA National’s website: http://www.aia.org/about/memberservices/AIAS077102. Both the Central PA chapter and AIA Pennsylvania support this program so you will not have to pay anything for membership for the next 9 months or so….the 18 months begins at the date of graduation. When filling in the application, enter zeros for the dues.

As The Host pointed out to me, 'twould have been nice if our University had informed us, upon graduation, of this tremendous and advantageous offer!

Logging IDP Credits for AIA luncheons

So I was trying to get a handle on my IDP account the other day and I thought to myself, "I wonder if I can somehow log those AIA luncheons my work hosts to achieve some kind of IDP credit?"  I especially pondered this because my work issued me a certificate of completion - written proof!  I was looking into it on the IDP and AIA websites and it APPEARED as though I had to JOIN the AIA to log the hours... a commitment requiring, oh, a couple hundred dollars.  I then thought to myself, "how is that remotely worth it?  Paying a couple hundred dollars to log only a few hours of credits?"  I decided to email my IDP aficionado, (we'll call her the Host) and she hit me with the 4-1-1.  Below are nuggets of her tremendously informative email.  You may find them useful for your own purposes...

"You can get supplementary education hours for the AIA luncheon's but you do not need to be a member to do so! You can email the AIA and they will give you a "member number" where you basically act like you are an AIA member and they record your AIA hours, which you then submit to the NCARB as Supplementary Education. Here is a link: http://www.aia.org/professionals/idp/AIAS075010#P82_12013. Refer to the question: I am not an AIA member. How do I submit AIA Continuing Education work for IDP supplementary education credit? If I remember correctly, they responded within 3 days with my tracking number, however it took over 2 months for my account to be created..."

"Some other free pieces of advice - At NCARB they have what they call monographs. Since you are an NCARB member you get one called Professional Monograph for free. There is an exam you take after reading it and if you pass they give you 2 hours of credit under the Office Management category. Also, there are free mini-monographs that are worth 1 AIA training unit a piece and I believe there are 5 of them (they are super easy). It's kind of funny because you get the mini-monographs from the NCARB website but the results are recorded with the AIA so you have to submit your AIA transcript back to NCARB to get credit ... it's kind of silly."


I may try to solicit her to join our blog because I think she would be an excellent contributor as she is rich with knowledge and ripe with thought!