Happy New Year!  theStudio starts it’s third year of fun and architectural discourse!  So far this year the Rose Parade club, the city of Galt, and Brian Vargo are winners.  I.M. Pei … not so much.  Plus, luminescent concrete?

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Check out the show notes for links and more!

Haley is back!  Jared Kuykendall, B’Arch ’05, joins us for a rowdy episode that takes us from Pakistan to Minnesota, the IDP and dirty (chocolate filled) diapers.

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Check out the show notes for links and more!

Hourig Ayanyan McCray, LEED AP, Assoc. AIA, B’Arch ‘06 gives Tim a reason to proclaim his love for angry birds.  We talk about the role of women in architecture and the artificial leaf.

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Show Notes

Site News

Another fun filled episode where we discuss the new IDP 2.0, the 2010 California Building Code, and why Haley loves Frank Gehry.

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General News

• National IDP Coordinators Conference next week, Haley will be going
  • Phase Three of IDP 2.0 is coming in January 2011.
  • http://ncarb.org/Experience-Through-Internships/Intern-Development-Program-Overview/IDP-20.aspx
  • http://ncarb.org/~/media/Files/PDF/Direct-Connection/2010-1/idp20.pdf
  • More aligned to practice based on the 2007 Practice Survey.
  • http://ncarb.org/~/media/Files/PDF/Special-Paper/2007NCARBpracticeanalysis.pdf
  • No one will loose any credits in the transition.
• Updated: A green answer to Vanity Fair’s architecture poll has its own blind spot
  • http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/07/a-green-alternative-to-vanity-fairs-architecture-poll.html
  • Vanity Fair Results: http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/08/architecture-survey-list-201008
• Frank gets frank
  • http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/frank-gehry-unfazed-by-plans-to-demlish-childhood-home-in-toronto/article1652663/
  • http://www.blogto.com/city/2010/07/frank_gehrys_childhood_home_faces_demolition/
  • Uncle Frank cracks Haley up!
  • We didn’t know his name was Ephriam Goldberg…
• Collecting rainwater now illegal in many states
  • http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=2010rainwater
  • Those who control the water have the power
• The 2010 Building Code
  • changes are a’ coming
  • Flexpipe is illegal
  • Residential code
  • Elevators can now be used in emergencies
  • New ADA law signed on Monday
  • TRUNCATED DOMES!!!

Justin Ribble, LEED AP, Associate AIA, B’Arch ’03 joins us for a conversation about a number of great three letter acronyms:  CAB, CSE, IDP, AIA, ARE, ACE, and BIM.

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Show Notes

Site News

• New Facebook Fans
  • Monica Shahrokhfar
  • Greg Wynn

• Tim’s big adventure with the CAB
  • A Big thank you to Elise Drakes and Mark Drwyer
  • What are the CAB offices like?
    • Shout out to Erin, receptionist at the CAB
    • Number of employees in the CAB office
  • Why do commissioners volunteer to give the oral exam?
    • They care about the profession
    • Free Food!
  • Shout out to Lily Dong!
  • What about loosing the oral component of the test?
    • Can IDP add it?
  • Pass rate of the California Supplemental Exam (CSE)
    • Haley has some numbers!
      • 2006-2007 –  1,082 candidates – pass rate = 47%
      • 2007-2008 – 901 candidates – pass rate = 50%
      • 2008-2009 – 1,043 candidates – pass rate = 48%
      • 2009-2010 – 838 candidates – pass rate = 51%
    • Tim thinks the pass rate is fair given his understanding of the process
  • Are Californian architects better than other architects from other states?

General News

• THE SIX-MONTH RULE
  • By the time you’re probably listening to this, it’s probably in effect, so get informed and get to logging those IDP hours!!
  • Due to system performance under severe volume pressure the reporting deadline for the Six-Month Rule has been extended to Friday, July 2, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The e-EVR is operating at full capacity. Please be patient as you may encounter lengthy response times. It is strongly recommended that you continue to be diligent in your efforts to access the e-EVR during off-business hours.
  • http://ncarb.org/

Rapid Fire Questions:

• Cal Poly or Berkeley? Cal Poly
• Autocad or Revit? urgh… Revit
• Parallel bar or T-Square? T-square
• Facebook or LinkedIn? Facebook
• Arch Record, Arch Digest, or Architect? Record
• Drafting dots or tape? tape
• Yellow trace or white? yellow… only communists use white
• Ad Markers or Prisma? Ad
• Pen or Pencil? pen, all the way
• Mac or PC? both… Mac for home, PC for work
• What’s the Meaning of Life? FUN (to enjoy the time that you have while you’re still here)

SCORE: 746

Interview

• Who are you?
  • From Oregon, decided to see the world and rather than go to Univeristy of Oregon he decided to go to Cal Poly.
  • San Luis Obispo was actually like his hometown, so the adjustment was good.
  • He finished in 6 years, and is glad that he took the time to enjoy his senior year rather than hurrying up to finish and get out.
  • He was able to work in a few offices before he , so when he needed to find a “real job in the real world” he was able to apply those past experiences.
• He has felt disconnected in the years since graduation?
  • When he found sloarch.com, after searching for a Revit question, he was happy to have a place to feel more connected.
  • He’s only a few hours away from SLO and feels that he should get back and get involved.
  • It’s interesting since it is a larger program and students move all over the place after graduation, so having a chance to reconnect and get back into the network being created is a really good thing.
• He’s worked with a lot of Cal Poly grads.
• He spent his 4th year in the east coast program:
  • While here in CA, you can almost always find a Cal Poly grad in a firm, on the east coast it was “Cal Poly what?”
  • Living outside of D.C. and Alexandria makes you feel the political pressure in the area, so there is more competition and rivalry in all aspects of life let alone the program you come from.
  • It was a great experience, he was able to step outside and feel a part of programs outside Cal Poly, which was a great experience since it gave him persepctive.
  • The diversity of professors at the program, where they came from and their specialties was great.
  • It was nice to see how other schools teach design.
• Why stay in CA after graduation?
  • Looking back he wanted to get back east, it’s a great place to live but it’s hard to afford it.
  • Sacramento was a good market and affordable.
  • While there are parts of Oregon that he misses he feels that he has experienced all he could for the time being there, so he’s happy in Sacramento for the time being.
  • Oregon is to California as Sacramento is to San Francisco, to put it in perspective.
• Working towards licensure?
  • Doesn’t have to complete IDP, so he’s happy about that.
  • Took his first exam about a year or so ago, then work got really busy and it was hard to come home after a long day and study, so recently he’s getting back into studying, taking ARE study classes at the local AIA Chapter.
  • The goal is to take 4 exams between now and September.
  • The firm he works at currently is really supportive about professional development. Use this time to do what you’ve always wanted to do but didn’t have time, to become better.
• ACE Mentoring, how is he involved?
  • It’s one of those things that he always wanted to do, mentoring high school students about what the profession is and what a career in the building industry is really like.
  • Pay it forward a bit.
  • He’s learned a lot about how others view our field, their perception of “architects” and what they do.
  • Exposing students to the multidisciplinary aspect of our profession as well as the professional and office conduct that you need to know to be a professional.
• Strong feelings about Autodesk??
  • His office recognizes that Revit is the direction to go, so they’re in the process of transitioning everyone to Revit one by one and they’re currently working on their first Revit project.
  • After going to an outside training session there was a need to develop their own way to use Revit based on the type of high end design and modern work his firm does.
  • His biggest gripe is the license process and releases, having to re-up every year isn’t sustainable or do-able, especially right now with the economy.
  • He’s slowly prying himself away from Sketchup and CAD.
  • He recognizes how powerful Revit is and how you can make it do what you want it to do… as long as you keep up your subscription.
  • Transistion is always slow and has it’s hang ups and resistance.
  • Revit is changing the role of the “CAD drafter”.
  • On the flip side, students now are learning Revit, and by the time they become employees think of the change the profession will have seen.

Jaime (Matheron) Van Sickle, LEED AP, Class of ’06, teaches us a thing or two about educational Architecture.  We fly through the news again!  And Haley springs a leak!

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Show Notes

Site News

• Lots of new Facebook fans this week!
  • Brent Gibbons
  • Wendy Cheng
  • Justin Ribble
  • Juan Lopez
  • Erik Castro
  • Jeff Miner
  • Hazel Cruz
  • Apologies for skipping, they been our fans for a while:
    • Seth Pare-Mayer
    • Kelli Franz
    • Jaime ‘Matheron’ Van Sickle

Cal Poly News

• Hearst Lecture Series:
  • Chris Haegglund, BAR Architects
  • Friday, May 7th, at 4:00pm
  • Business Rotunda, Room 03-213
• Chumash Architecture Show! (History of the Show)
  • http://architectureshow.calpoly.edu/
  • Chumash Auditorium, Julian A. McPhee University Union
  • Opening Reception: Friday, May 28th, 2010 5:00 pm
  • Exhibition: May 29th & 30th 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
• 5th Year Crits (All located at the Berg Gallery)  See our calendar for updates
• http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2010/May/arch_design_win.html
  • Anthony Stahl and David Lee
• http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2010/April/groundbreaking.html

General News

• The Word Architect: A Question of Title
  • http://archrecord.construction.com/archrecord2/work/0611/johnson.asp
• AIA Titles? See Section: Professional Title Distinctions
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architect
  • http://www.newtimesslo.com/news/4315/college-students-roll-over-to-slo-council/
• Archaeologists unearth 6th century Ikea-style temple
  • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/7614093/Archaeologists-unearth-6th-century-Ikea-style-temple.html
• Spring 2010 CAB Newsletter
  • http://www.cab.ca.gov/news/board_newsletter.shtml
• NCARB Direct Connection, Volume 12 Issue 1 (2010)
  • The Burning Question: Why do we Need an ARE anyway?
  • Also Inside: Guide to Authorization and Examination, IDP 2.0: Phase Three, BEFA Important to Success, Certification Opens Doors, Green Monographs
  • http://www.ncarb.org/Publications/Direct-Connection/2010-1.aspx
• Architects Talk: one of Haley’s favorite sites
  • http://www.architects-talk.com/2010/04/new-place-for-quality-conversations.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ArchitectsTalk+%28Architects+Talk%29
  • http://www.architects-talk.com/
• How Much Time Do Americans Spend on Elevators? A lot!
  • http://www.infrastructurist.com/2010/04/29/how-much-time-do-americans-spend-on-elevators-a-ton/

Rapid Fire Questions

• Cal Poly or Berkeley? CAL POLY!
• Autocad or Revit? Revit
• Parallel bar or T-Square? Parallel
• Facebook or LinkedIn? Facebook
• Arch Record, Arch Digest or ARCHITECT? Architectural Record
• Drafting dots or tape? Dots
• Yellow trace or white? White
• Ad Markers or Prisma? Prisma
• Pen or Pencil? Pen
• Mac or PC? iPhone and PC
• What is the meaning of life? uuuhhhhh… Architecture!

SCORE: w%252B

Interview

• What is Jaime up to?
  • Jamie is still working at the same company she started at right out of school: ATI Architects and Engineers in Danville, CA
  • She went to a Cal Poly job fair and met a rep from the firm, had a great interview with the CEO of the company, whom she didn’t realize was the CEO until afterwards!!! Visited the firm, met everyone there, felt comfortable and thought they put a lot of effort into training and supporting their staff and she liked that!
  • She works on the education side mainly.
• Jamie talks about the process involved with doing work in the education sector:
  • DSA, it’s a way of life!
  • Plan check and review is a bit different and more lengthy than local jurisdictions
    • her firm has worked to develop PC projects.  (Pre-Check)
• Currently working towards licensure? progress?
  • YES!! she is, she’s working through IDP and learned about CIDP from our podcast (yay for us) so she’s started working through that. But she hasn’t started her exams yet.
  • the biggest thing is TIME!!!
• Observations of economy, how is she seeing the effects?
  • While Jamie has been at the same firm since graduation, and is still employed, her firm has been affected, however the education side of her firm was a bit safer than the commercial side.
  • There is more competition now compared to the past.
  • Out of school, there were a lot of jobs in the housing sector but that wasn’t the type of work she wanted to do, which has been a great advantage since many housing firms have been affected.
• Thoughts on Cal Poly grads out in the industry?
  • Our well rounded education can make us the ‘go-to’ people where we work for a multitude of tasks.
• Thoughts on how the program is changing/improving?
  • She’s not that tuned into what’s been going on currently with the Cal Poly Arch cirriculum
  • But integrated internships would be a really positive improvement for current students.
• Is there something you wish you had done or known when you were still at Cal Poly?
  • Despite the desire of wanting to push projects and design more, that’s part of the process. Looking back, maybe she’d should have been more risky with some of her designs.
• What kind of advice can you give to current Cal Poly students?
  • Just enjoy the time you have
• What goals do you have?
  • Get licenced, gain a better understanding of how buildings go together
  • More experience with different building types
• How has LEED been accepted in educational design?
  • CHPS, (Collaboration for High Performing Schools) is the school version of LEED. More curriculum based approaches in addition to design and building
  • http://www.chps.net/dev/Drupal/node
  • CHPS can be more affordable and funding may be available
• Jaime has been making jewelry! You can buy if here:
  • www.jvsjewels.etsy.com

• Also check out Adam Mayberry’s new T-Shirt venture – Mayberry Workshop
  • http://shop.mayberryworkshop.com/

Featured Local Artist

Kyu Kim, Cal Poly class of  ’08, calls in from the future and from Korea!  As our first international guest Kyu tells us about the Architecture scene in Seoul, what it’s like to work internationally, and explains why he quit his job!

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Show Notes

Site News

• More fans on Facebook
• We now have a calendar!!

Cal Poly News

• Cal Poly’s 17th Annual Open House going on now! 15th – 17th
  • http://studentlife.calpoly.edu/orientation/openhouse/index.asp
  • Open House Highlights
    • HEARST LECTURE SERIES: WILL BRUDER
      • Friday, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Bldg. 3, Rm. 213
      • Apologies to Andea Ponsi (Hearst Lecturer), he is a “he”, not a “she”. We should read our own notes more carefully!
    • DESIGN VILLAGE
      • Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Poly Canyon
      • http://designvillage.calpoly.edu/
      • “This year the participants will be basing their designs on the theme “Landfill Luxury” and will be using mostly reclaimed materials in their projects. The participants will carry their structures up to Poly Canyon, the Architecture Department’s outdoor experimental laboratory, construct and then occupy their structures for the duration of the Open House weekend.”
    • reKINETIC
      • http://lib.calpoly.edu/learningcommons/gallery/10spring/
      • Thursday, April 15 – Sunday, June 6, 2010
      • reKinetic is a group installation featuring Cal Poly students, faculty, and community members with works incorporating reclaimed materials. The result is a dynamic exhibition of innovative installations and sculptures, which respond to their environment either by human interaction, internal mechanism, or natural elements.
      • Alexander Silva’s “Skate Wheel” in Venice Beach
        • http://vimeo.com/10768583
      • Prof. Thomas Fowler’s ARCH 352/33 Third Year Design Studio
      • The case study exploration of kinetic machines and the reuse of recycled or found materials are often starting points in the design studio for inspiring 3rd year architecture students to take different paths for the design of buildings. The use of kinetics can play an important design role in how buildings are conceptualized regarding their envelope system (commonly referred to as “skins”) responses to the environmental effects of sun, sound, wind, etc. The focus during the winter quarter of third year is for students in groups of 3-4 to push the boundaries for exploring the poetics for integrating the kinetics and material systems that are in response to particular environmental effects. Students are then required to use lessons learned from these studies to inform the building design for their won project during the quarter.
  • National Architecture Week!
    • Some History: http://rismedia.com/2007-04-11/president-bush-proclaims-this-week-first-annual-national-architecture-week/
    • There are things going on everywhere, locally and nationally
    • Even here in Fresno (pecha kucha)
      • http://www.pecha-kucha.org/
  • Buildings of Detroit
    • http://buildingsofdetroit.com/aboutus
    • Website created by historian and a photographer
    • Working together to compile the history of significant architecture in Detroit.
    • Photos and background on more than 150 buildings from the past and present. You can view buildings grouped by their names and by their architects.
  • Work for Architects
    • http://www.reedconstructiondata.com/news/2010/04/work-for-architects/

Rapid Fire Questions

• Cal Poly or Berkeley? Cal Poly
• Autocad or Revit? Autocad
• Parallel bar or T-Square? Parallel bar
• Facebook or LinkedIn? Facebook
• Arch Record or Arch Digest? Arch Record
• Drafting dots or tape? Dots
• Yellow trace or white? Yellow
• Ad Markers or Prisma or watercolor? Prisma
• Pen or Pencil? Pen
• Mac or PC or BSD? Mac

FINAL SCORE: BSD just because Tim is a nerd and he says so

Interview

• Why are you in Korea?
  • Currently in Seoul, he was born in Korea and moved to the US when he was young.
  • During his 5th year at Cal Poly he was researching jobs and asked himself some tough questions which led to him seeking out a job in Korea.
  • He had a contact in Korea, after he had taken a trip during one summer to Korea to learn more about Korean Architecture.
• Why does Ryan Brockett know you? He says “Hi”.
  • Ryan says he takes full responsibility for Kyu moving to Korea.
  • They worked together in San Luis Obispo at RRM for two years.
• What were some of the difficulties in transitioning to work in Korea?
  • Cal Poly prepares you for architecture everywhere.
  • The language barrier was one of the hardest part even though he speaks.
• What is the permit process like in Korea? How are the building codes different?
  • He hasn’t had to deal too much with the process, there are still rules and standards but they’re not as strict about following them as they are in the U.S.
  • Overall it is a bit less legal, you can get away with some things you wouldn’t be able to do in the States.
• Does American Architecture have an influence on the work?
  • There is a lot of international influence in Korea
• Tell us about your blogs
  • http://kyuthekoreanamerican.blogspot.com
    http://www.designalternatives.org
  • More for his own personal log of places and thoughts rather than impressing others.
• What is he currently doing?
  • He just currently resigned in February to freelance for a bit before he returns back to the U.S.
  • He is currently teaching English to some under privledged kids.
  • Participating in cultural events.
  • Freelance reporting for a local radio station.
  • Making the most of the time he has left in Korea.
• Does anyone in Korea know how awesome Cal Poly is?
  • He was the only Cal Poly grad in his office, there had been a previous Pomona grad but for the most part most people didn’t know what Cal Poly was.
• How did your Cal Poly education help you to work in a foreign country?
  • It prepares you to work anywhere in the world
• What are you planning on doing when you return to the States?
  • Would like to go back into architecture, but doesn’t see it as a priority just yet.
  • Currently logging his IDP hours and will most likely be taking his ARE after he gets back to the U.S.
  • He always knew that he wanted to get licensed eventually once he gets back to the states
• What advice would you give to current Cal Poly students wanting to go abroad?
  • It definately depends on the situation, always be careful when you’re heading overseas, make sure it’s legit
  • The U.S. is only one country, there are many different ways to do things and amazing places to see
• You can represent Cal Poly everywhere you go, you are an ambassador for the school and the program
• What has been the best thing from your time in Korea so far
  • Architecturally, the project type, they really blow your mind and he couldn’t see doing them anywhere else but in Korea
• Check out the ‘Earth House’
• How is the Korean concept of a residence different than in the U.S.
  • In the past it was a very traditional house, open courtyard with the house arranged around it.
  • Today it’s more of an apartment, they’re very unique with their own culture and there is more status associated with living in the city in an apartment
  • Arranged around a core rather than off of a hallway so the units have views to the outside
• Clean air and In N’ Out are the things he misses most about the U.S.
• Cal Poly makes you who you are, live up your education, have confidence that it has prepares you for whatever you want to do in the world!

Adam Mayberry, Cal Poly B’Arch ’05, joins us as we start our campaign to designate intern architects, RGLAI’s.  Adam talks about the exciting things he is doing while in between jobs.

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Show Notes

News:

Cal Poly

• Big Thanks to Henri De Hahn, we are now on the front page of the Arch Dept’s webpage!
• Spring Career Fair
  • Thursday, April 22, 2010
  • 9:30 Chumash
• Best of Show Review Mar 12th
  • http://www.arch.calpoly.edu/exhibitions/best%20of%20show/bestofshow-third%20year-031210.html
• Suggest a link for the Arch Department’s Sustainability Link’s Page
  • http://www.arch.calpoly.edu/current/sustainability.html
  • email links to thestudio at sloarch.com or architecture at calpoly.ed

Other

Interview:

Rapid Fire Questions

Final Score: RGLAI!

Questions of Normal Speed

Teagan Andres MIT ’08, joins us for a passionate chat about the California Architects Board, the California Supplemental Exam, and we throw in a little green stuff for flavor.  Also, what’s the licensing process if you don’t have an accredited degree?

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Show Notes

• We break from tradition this week to talk with Haley’s roommate Teagan.
  • Teagan graduated in 2008, with a four year unaccredited undergrad.
  • She is originally from Connecticut and went to school in Boston.
  • After graduation she headed to Fresno to work for Darden Architects.
• She is also currently enrolled in Boston Architectural College (BAC), in the distance masters program. The program is designed for people like her that don’t have an accredited degree and are currently employed. She started in Jan. 2010 and should be done in Jan. 2012.
  • The program has a strong online component, most of the assignments and discussions take place online.
  • Teagan flew out to California to interview at Darden Architects and Haley was one of the people from the firm that she met with and gave her a tour of Fresno.
• She is currently in the middle of reporting her IDP hours but is holding off on taking her AREs. When she is done with her masters program she plans to start her AREs.
  • Her goal is to be licensed by the time she is 28, seeing that there are no hang ups.

News / Discussion

• Fires!
  • Theta Chi House on Upham at about 12:40, Mon Morning
    • http://920kvec.com/Fraternity-House-Fire-in-SLO-An-Accident/6578414
  • Piedmont Lumber Yard, Walnut Creek, Sat Morning
    • http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14674966
    • http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/east_bay&id=7331391
    • http://cbs5.com/crime/lumber.yard.fire.2.1561562.html

• Home Construction down from last month but up slightly from last year
  • http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/16/news/economy/housing_starts/

• Off Topic, best Craigslist Ad ever!  (language may not be appropriate for your kids)
  • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/19/the-most-amazing-craigsli_n_468664.html

• Tim’s CSE Experience – Okay so I could seriously rant about this for an hour
  • More CAB maddness. Changed testing center from Walnut Creek to Burlingame, South of the SF airport.
    • Testing letter sent on Feb 12th had the hotel address as 250. When I Googled for directions it showed the hotel was on a bridge, thats when I knew something was up. The CAB website had the correct address of 150.
    • The website had BART directions pointing to the former testing site in Walnut Creek!
  • Not all complaints, staff was very nice
  • Met Chuck Crotser (He says “Hi” Haley) – Haley says “HI” right back!!
  • Many Architecture Alumni, Dan ’05 (flew in from Australia), Jakie ’03, Jose? ’92
  • Overall the test seemed incredibly random in parts and very repetative in others. Test seems more like luck of what questions you get than anything else.
    • From ARE forums: “3 robots read pre-written questions and the exam taker [tries] to come up [with] an answer that matches that on a standard answer sheet”
  • CSE pass rate ~45% or ~50%
    • can’t find a verifiable source for this statistic
  • Bar exam pass rate ~70% (for graduates of CA ABA accredited schools)
    • http://www.calbar.ca.gov/calbar/pdfs/admissions/Statistics/JULY2005STATS.pdf
  • Do I think I passed? No … Maybe? Yes?
  • Should the test be changed to a written format?

More LEED / Green discussion

• LEED Support Slips Again in Construction Industry
  • http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/03/12/leed-support-slips-again-in-construction-industry/?graph=full
  • More than half of all respondents indicated that a LEED Gold rating increased project costs by four percent or more, while nearly 30 percent of respondents reported the costs of LEED Gold rating at significantly lower than four percent.

• Rain, even urine, would help make Bullitt HQ city’s ‘greenest building ever’
  • http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011354845_bullitt16.html
  • Goal is to create net-zero building for energy and water
  • Requires changes to potable water laws
  • “Living Buildings”
    • 24-29% cost increase – per the USGBC report also mentioned in the prior article
  • Resource Cost of building an entirely new structure vs. upgrading their old un-insulated historic building.

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Show Notes

News:

• Last Hearst Lecture for the season, this Friday
  • Scott Marble: Marble Fairbanks
  • Friday, February 26th, 2010, at 4:00pm
  • Business Rotunda, Room 03-213
  • Teaches at Columbia and taught one of the first “paperless” design studios.
  • His Firm website: http://www.marblefairbanks.com/
• New Practice/Un-Practice
  • As traditional jobs vanish, startups bloom.
  • Recessions tend to accelerate the formation of new firms.
  • Gen X & Y are perhaps better equipped to startup their own practices more than their predecessors were.
  • With the lack of internships and associate positions, they have to set their own career path.
  • Improved technology makes communication more accessible.
  • Many low to no overhead business models are sprouting up across the country.
• US architecture billings index down in January-AIA by 2.9 pts to 42.5
  • New project inquiries index lowest since July.
  • Lenders set stringent equity requirements.
  • All 4 US geographic regions stayed below 50 in billings for January, as well as 3 of the 4 construction sectors.
  • The AIA’s billings index, begun in 1995, is considered a measure of construction spending nine to 12 months in the future.
  • Billings and Inquiries Indices Last 4 Years
• AIA Names 9 Recipients for the 2010 Young Architects Award
  • The Award is given to professionals who have been licensed for 10 years or fewer (regardless of age) and have demonstrated leadership as well as made significant contributions to the profession early in their careers.
• Architects Synthesize Carbon Nanotube Buckypaper
  • http://nanoarchitecture.net/
  • Decker Yeadon Lab Synthesis Video
  • Decker Yeadon, a NY Firm that focuses on applying advanced materials in architecture, has developed a substance called “Buckypaper”
  • Buckypaper is made from carbon nanotubes, or buckytubes.
  • sidenote: carbon nanotubes are cylindrical Fullerenes, sometimes they might also be spherical as in the buckminsterfullerene C60 molecule, regardless of the variety of shapes they come in, all the molecules in the Fullerene family are composed entirely of carbon.
  • This is another reason why Haley LOVES Bucky
  • Buckypaper is said to be hundreds of times stronger than steel, it can filter particles, conduct and disperse heat like metals and can conduct electricity.
  • Being the first architects to make Buckypaper, a great deal of interest from the scientific community has surrounded the research of Buckypaper.

Rapid Fire Questions

• Cal Poly or Berkley? CAL POLY
• Autocad or Revit? AutoCAD
• Parallel bar or T-Square? Parrellel bar
• Facebook or LinkedIn? Facebook
• Arch Record or Arch Digest? Arch Record
• Drafting dots or tape? Tape
• Yellow trace or white? indifferent! – white
• Ad Markers or Prisma? Prisma
• Pen or Pencil? Pencil
• Mac or PC? indifferent!  Again!! – only had PCs, but Cal Poly runs on Mac’s so they’re the same in her book

Score: monosodiumgluteate: MSG

Interview:

• What is she up to?
  • Graduated in 2008, currently not working in an architecture firm.
  • Prior to graduation she had a job lined up in SLO but a week before graduation the department she was to work in was dissolved.
  • Moved to Idaho, where her sister lives and had a bunch of interviews and things looked promising but most of the firms were waiting to decide on any new hires.
  • Trying to figure out where to go, what to do… currently working as a general manager in a restaurant?
  • Planning to come back to architecture when things turn around.
  • While it’s driving her crazy that she’s not currently working in architecture she’s still trying to stay plugged into architecture by visiting a local firm, Modus Architects, and sitting in on meetings and she used their study materials to get LEED Accredited, this firm is awesome for doing that!!!
  • Entering competitions to stay creative and involved.
  • Arquitectum Competitions and Events
  • Death By Architecture
  • Trying to make the most of keeping her skills and using them so she doesn’t lose touch with the design process.
  • Writing articles, reading articles to keep her mind from “going to mush”.
  • Looking at possibilites to do things locally, like converting an empty lot into an openair market.
• Are you currently working towards licensure? If so what is your progress?
  • She’d like to get going on it, but money is an issue right now.
  • Haley mentions some resources to work towards your IDP requirements without working in architecture:
  • Refer to NCARB for opportunities to gain IDP experience while unemployed:
    • IDP Activities You May Complete While Unemployed
  • Use the FREE online resource: the Emerging Professionals Companion, where you can complete activities and exercises that count towards your IDP experience requirements:
    • http://www.epcompanion.org/
  • Attending AIA Continuing Education seminars/lectures can also count towards IDP.
  • But you NEED an NCARB Record to record these hours ($285)
• Noelle talks about her cross country trip, since she’s unemployed she has time to travel.
  • Being speechless while visiting buildings that she loves and studied in school keeps her inspired and driven.
• Current observations of economy
  • Directly, trying to make it for the time being until she can find a job in a firm.
• Any thoughts on Cal Poly grads out in the industry?
  • Love, love, loves her education from Cal Poly!!
  • She feels that her education has given her a great background of design in general, architectural design skills are the mother of all other design skills.
  • Use your vocabulary of design skills can be applied to a myriad of other fields, she’s gotten into jewelry design.
• Any thoughts on how the program is changing/improving?
  • More integration of technology and having to learn programs on your own as well as the need of hand drawing, it would be good if they offered a whole quarter to learn programs but still emphasized the importance of hand drawing becuase there are still applications where it is appropriate.
• Is there something you wish you had done or known when you were still at Cal Poly?
  • Wished she would have gotten into IDP at the time she was in school and had interned every summer, so she missed out reporting those hours.
• What kind of advice can you give to current Cal Poly students?
  • Try to intern as much as you can. Cal Poly teaches you the design aspect, but working in a firm helps you see how a firm really functions and how to apply your drafting skills.
  • Most of the time the job offers you get are from the firms you’ve work for in the past.
  • Take advantage of the work shop.