AIA Central Valley

Architecture firms' open house night

2012-10-24T20:51:55Z

"Curious about the design process? Ever want to know what an architect does, but didn't have the opportunity to chat with one? Here is your chance. The diverse member firms of the American Institute of Architects are opening their doors to the general public for a casual open house night. Review the list of participating firms and stop by anytime between 5 and 8 pm, no fee and registration required. Meet and talk with architects, see their work spaces, models current work and past projects."

Architects throughout the region are opening their doors for YOU!!

When: Friday, October 26th 5:00pm to 8:00pm

Where: Architecture firms throughout the region. Click here for a list of participating architecture firms!

Disclosure: Chris Brown, Associate AIA, Associate Director of the American Institute of Architect's Central Valley Chapter in planning the Architecture Festival.

Soul of the City: How to Balance Old with the New

2012-10-23T15:18:35Z

Join us this Wednesday for the next Soul of the City: How to Balance Old with the New as part of the AIACV Architecture Festival happening now. Facilitators for this dialogue will be Bruce Monighan, AIA and Craig Hausman, AIA.

As we look for ways to make out cities more sustainable we have many tools available and one of the best of those is to use infill of existing lots and to increase unit density and/or site coverage. Infill brings with it new challenges as higher densities, increased square foot per square foot of site, the use of sustainable materials and sustainable design theories are often expressed differently than in older buildings.

Existing neighborhoods are typically a mix of building styles, age and condition. How the integrity of the neighborhood is perceived is often different between those who have made their home there and those that are new to the neighborhood.

So exactly what does “protecting a neighborhoods’ character” mean? Is it “faux historic”, is it density, is it style?

We will look for a new understanding on how infill can be both free of historic ties and still respect historic context. The program will promote dialogue between neighborhood residents, developers, designers and policy makers and look for new ways to define common understanding and agreement on how we evaluate compatibility with context and move away from the “pattern book” solutions to designs in historic or sensitive areas.

When: October 24 at 5:30-7:30
Where: AIA Central Valley Chapter Gallery 1400 S Street, Suite 100, Sacramento

Cost: $5

Register: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/268068

Event information: https://www.facebook.com/events/344397702314159/

More information about the Architecture Festival: http://www.aiacv.org/festival2012/events/

All are welcome! The discussion is part of the AIACV Chapter's series called "Soul of the City," an engaging dialogue series between the public and the design profession on issues of importance to the community and the region with a focus on improving communication, understanding and collaboration.

Disclosure: Chris Brown, Associate AIA, Associate Director of the American Institute of Architect's Central Valley Chapter in planning the Soul of the City dialogue series.

Soul of the City / Urban Agriculture

2012-10-16T18:54:40Z

Please join us for the next Soul of the City diagloue on Urban Agriculture, which is a part of the AIACV Region Architecture Festival going on now!

As we all know, the best restaurants in town have long preferred local source food, and the public appetite for it has increased steadily. This program will address the full spectrum of urban agriculture, from edible front yards to urban farming community gardens.

Bill Maynard, Community Garden Program Coordinator for the City of Sacramento; Claire Napawan, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architect at UC Davis; and Marq Truscott, FASLA a local landscape architect will facilitate the discussion.

The discussion is part of the AIACV Chapter's series called "Soul of the City," an engaging dialogue series between the public and the design profession on issues of importance to the community and the region with a focus on improving communication, understanding and collaboration.

Where: AIA Central Valley Gallery, 1400 S Street, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA

When: Thursday, October 18th

Time: 5:45 pm - 7:30 pm

Cost: $5
Register: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/265240

AIA members will recieve 1.5 LU's

To find out more about the festival's other events visit: http://www.aiacv.org/festival2012/events/

or the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/AIACVArchFest

Share and invite--all are welcome!

Disclosure: Chris Brown, Associate AIA, Associate Director of the American Institute of Architect's Central Valley Chapter in planning the Soul of the City dialogue series.

Soul of the City: "Street Food in the City"

2012-06-19T20:27:31Z

Soul of the City is back for another great community discussion.

The next dialogue is Wednesday, June 27th and focuses on “Street Food in the City”--- an engaging dialogue on food trucks and their impact on the Sacramento Area.

Where are the food deserts in the area? Can food pods revitalize a community and if so, where should they be? What are the current city codes on food trucks and how are food trucks affected by them? Where should food trucks park or not park? What are other cities doing with food trucks and pods that make them successful?

These are just a few of the questions that will be discussed and mapped in an interactive environment. This dialogue will be a little different from the past two, as food trucks will be present for you to enjoy while we walk around and have discussions with the facilitators.

This is the third of five planned dialogues this year which seek to bring designers and community members together to identify what qualities of space and culture make Sacramento unique and help to define the 'soul of the city'. Audience members are given a series of thought-provoking questions about the topic and are asked to identify specific locations around the city or region. During the dialogue, comments are catalogued and the specific locations are mapped to document the collective opinions of the participants. This is being done in an effort to build a collection of community-informed, quality-rich design work and concepts specific to the Sacramento area.

What: Soul of the City – Street Food in the City
When: Wednesday, June 27th from 5:45-7:30pm
Where: AIA Central Valley Gallery, 1400 S Street, Sacramento (Enter on 14th Street)

Facilitators:
Joshua Lurie-Terrell with SactoMoFo.
Catherine Enfield writes the food blog, Munchie Musings, and as a food truck advocate, was one of the founding members of SactoMoFo before leaving to start her own website, SacFoodTrucks.net. She just finished organizing the first Sacramento Food Film Festival last March as well.

The event is FREE and open to anyone.

Click here to view the Soul of the City event flyer to find out about upcoming discussions this year.

Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SacSoul2012

Soul of the City is an engaging dialogue series between the public and the design profession on issues of importance to the community and the region with a focus on improving communication, understanding and collaboration. The series was formerly known as the 4th Wednesday Design Dialogue series. It is being run as a partnership between the American Institute of Architects, Central Valley Chapter and the California Sierra Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
For more information contact Chris Brown, Assoc. AIA at cbrown@dlrgroup.com

Disclosure: Chris Brown, Associate AIA, Associate Director of the American Institute of Architect's Central Valley Chapter in planning the Soul of the City dialogue series.

SOUL OF THE CITY: The Soul of Sacramento

2012-02-19T18:12:17Z

The Soul of Sacramento, “What is it? Where is it? Let’s find it and celebrate it”.

Facilitators: Kim Alexander of California Voter Foundation, Saxon Sigerson, AIA, Jason Silva, AIA and David Sarti, AIA.

Sacramento is a place where people enjoy a unique quality of life – our goal is to create a resource to help people find what it is about our city that makes it such an enjoyable place to live?
In an effort to create this resource we will be engaging event participants in a lively, interactive discussion, asking for your thoughts and feelings around a series of questions.
Sample questions:

• Where are the lovely courtyards?
• Where is your favorite alley?
• Which street might you walk down, just for the pleasure of the stroll?
• Where is your favorite informal work place?
• Where is your favorite view of the river?

The event is FREE and open to anyone. Refreshments will be provided.

See the flyer for more information.

What: Soul of the City – The Soul of Sacramento
When: Wednesday, February 29th at 5:45-7:30pm
Where: AIA Central Valley Gallery, 1400 S Street, Sacramento (Enter on 14th Street)

Soul of the City is an engaging dialogue series between the public and the design profession on issues of importance to the community and the region with focus on improving communication, understanding and collaboration (formerly known as the 4th Wednesday Design Dialogue series.)

or for more info email Chris Brown at cbrown@dlrgroup.com

Disclosure: Chris Brown, Associate AIA, Co-Chair of the Soul of the City dialogue series with the AIA Central Valley Chapter.

Soul of the City!

2012-02-10T02:55:57Z

New for 2012!! Soul of the City is an engaging dialogue series between the public and the design profession on issues of importance to the community and the region with focus on improving communication, understanding and collaboration (formerly known as the 4th Wednesday Design Dialogue series). Organized by the AIA Central Valley Chapter and the ASLA California Sierra Chapter, the dialogues are listed below for the year and the topics have come directly from the public and the profession from one of our dialogues last year. We look forward to seeing everyone again this year for some engaging conversation! See you at the first dialogue on February 29th, where we will kick-off the series talking about what the Soul of Sacramento is...

FREE ADMISSION!

5:45PM – 7:30PM at the AIACV Gallery: 1400 S Street, Sacramento 95811

Soul of the City Dates and Topics:
February 29th ~ The Soul of Sacramento
What is it? Where is it? Let’s find it and celebrate it! Join us for an introduction to Soul of the City!
Facilitators: Kim Alexander of the California Voter Foundation, Saxon Sigerson, AIA and Jason Silva, AIA

April 25th ~ Urban Open Space
What makes a good place to visit in the urban environment? Where are the best places in our region? Join us for this lively discussion about where it is and where to find it.
Facilitators: Peter Larimer, ASLA and Marq Truscott, FASLA

June 27th ~ Street Food in the City
Appetite on the Run! A discussion on street food and its impact on Sacramento.
Facilitators: Costa Apostolos of Sacto MoFO and writes on, Living in Urban Sac and Catherine Enfield, a food truck advocate who’s written many articles on the subject, founding member of Sacto MoFo, and now has http://www.sacfoodtrucks.net
Food trucks will be present for you to enjoy!

October (Dates to be posted on Facebook):
Urban Agriculture
The best restaurants in town have long preferred local source food, and the public appetite for it has increased steadily. Come to discuss the spectrum of urban agriculture, from edible front yards and urban farming community gardens.
Facilitators: Bill Maynard, City of Sacramento Community Garden Program Coordinator, Claire Napawan, Assistant Professor, Landscape Architecture at UC Davis and Marq Truscott, FASLA

Infill: How to balance the old with the new
A discussion of creating the new in traditonal neighborhoods; balancing respect, sustainably design opportunity and individuality
Facilitators: Bruce Monighan, AIA and Craig Hausman, AIA

Click for flyer
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SacSoul2012
or for more info email Chris Brown at cbrown@dlrgroup.com

Disclosure: Chris Brown, Associate AIA, Co-chair of the Soul of the City Dialogues with the AIA Central Valley Chapter

4th Wednesday Design Dialogue – Smart Growth

2011-09-22T01:38:25Z

Please join us on Wednesday evening, September 28th at 5:45pm at the AIA Central Valley Chapter office for this month’s 4th Wednesday Design Dialogue (4WDD).
Encouraging community design excellence through the recognition of projects that exhibit Smart Growth principles in planning design and development actions. The Smart Growth Leadership Recognition Program seeks to encourage and promote those projects. How can this program be a benefit to your community and city? Find out at this month’s 4th Wednesday Design Dialogue presented by Bruce Monighan, AIA.
For more information on the Smart Growth Leadership Program follow the link below.
http://www.aiacv.org/resources/smart-growth/

Click here for flyer with full details.

The event is FREE and open to anyone. Refreshments provided.

Please RSVP to info@aiacv.org or call 916-444-3658.

What: 4th Wednesday Design Dialogue (4WDD) – “Smart Growth”
When: Wednesday, September 28th @ 5:45-7:30pm
Where: AIACV Chapter Office, 1400 S Street, Sacramento (Enter on 14th Street)

Disclosure: Chris Brown, Associate AIA and Co-Chair of the 4th Wednesday Design Dialogue (4WDD)

Vegetative Green Roofs in Sacramento – The California State Lottery Headquarters

2011-07-22T03:33:04Z

Please join us on Wednesday evening, July 27th beginning at 5:45pm at the AIA Central Valley Chapter office for the this month's 4th Wednesday Design Dialogue (4WDD). LPAS Architecture + Design will be talking about their design and experiences with the Vegetative Green Roof at their newly constructed California State Lottery Headquarters. Curtis Owyang, Brady Smith and Dave Cubberly from LPAS will be giving the presentation and answering questions about the project and the first green roof of its kind in Sacramento. The California State Lottery Headquarters is LEED Gold Registered.

Click here for the flyer.
The event is FREE and open to anyone. Refreshments provided.
Please RSVP to info@aiacv.org or call 916-444-3658.

What: 4th Wednesday Design Dialogue (4WDD) - "Vegetative Green Roofs in Sacramento – The California State Lottery Headquarters"
When: Wednesday, July 27th @ 5:45-7:30pm
Where: AIACV Chapter Office, 1400 S Street, Sacramento (Enter on 14th Street)
Facilitator: Brian Fischer, Co-founder and President of Playpen Hub Business Incubator.

For more info email Chris Brown at cbrown@dlrgroup.com

Disclosure: Chris Brown, Associate AIA and Co-Chair of the 4th Wednesday Design Dialogue (4WDD)

4th Wednesday Design Dialogue: "The road to a LEED Platinum Building: California ISO"

2011-05-23T14:40:13Z

Please join us on Wednesday evening, May 25th beginning at 5:45pm at the AIA Central Valley Chapter office for the this month’s 4th Wednesday Design Dialogue (4WDD). Gus Fischer, Architect and Partner with Dreyfuss & Blackford Architects will present their project, The California Independent System Operator (CA ISO) Headquarters facility. Gus will discuss how they are achieving LEED Platinum and its impact on the culture and community. This secure 275,000 SF complex on a 27 acre site is a consolidation of the organization’s operations, offices and public education components and just completed construction.

The event is FREE and open to anyone. Refreshments provided. Please RSVP to info@aiacv.org or call 916-444-3658.
See the flyer for more information.

What: 4th Wednesday Design Dialogue (4WDD) – The road to a LEED Platinum Building: California ISO
When: Wednesday, May 25th @ 5:45-7:30pm
Where: AIACV Chapter Office, 1400 S Street, Sacramento (Enter on 14th Street)

Facilitator: Brian Fischer, Co-founder and President of Playpen Hub Business Incubator

Disclosure: Chris Brown, Associate AIA is the co-chair of the 4th Wednesday Design Dialogue (4WDD).