AIACNY
The monthly electronic newsletter for  the AIA CNY              

January 2013

A Chapter of The American
Institute of Architects

 

AIA Central New York
109 South Warren Street Store 11
Syracuse, New York 13202
Ph 315-475-8563 fax 315-475-8563

aiacny@twcny.rr.com

AIA CNY
www.aiacny.org

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

HOURS FOR RESOURCE CENTER

Monday thru Thursday 
8:30 am -12:30 pm

Closed on Fridays

AIACNY Resource Center Staff:
Director:  Craig Polhamus
Component Executive: Sarah Testa
 
Email:  aiacny@twcny.rr.com

NEWSLETTER STAFF

Editor.................Richard T. Lafferty
Coordinating Editor....Neel Garofano
PR Director.........Nicole Newman, AIA
Publisher.....................Scott Soules
Electronic Newsletter .. Scott Soules

ARTICLE SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS THE 15TH OF EACH MONTH. If you would like to submit an article or announcement to the newsletter please send your information via email to: ngaro@twcny.rr.com attn: Neel Garofano or call h: (315-468-2843) 
       cell: (315-729-2767). 

All information should be checked for spelling and grammar prior to submitting. 

WWW.AIACNY.ORG

Scheduled of Events Calendar

AIA Documents

The Architecture Resource Center has discontinued AIA document sales as of May 1st of 2006.  The AIA Documents may be purchased from the Rochester chapter of the American Institute of Architects.  To obtain copies of AIA documents from the Rochester chapter please contact:
 
Linda Hewitt, Hon. AIA.
Phone: 585-232-7650
Fax: 585-262-2525
E-mail: aia@aiaroch.org
Website: www.aiaroch.org

 

  • This month in The Leading Edge

 

 

 

 

 

Featured Project

2012 Award of Merit

  Washington Station 

  Category: Commercial/Industrial (Large Projects, greater than 5,000 sq.ft.) 

Architect: QPK Design

 

 

 

PROJECT PROGRAM:  The building is a six story, 128,000 square foot mixed use Class A office building with retail at the ground level. Located in downtown Syracuse’s Armory Square District, the building was designed to incorporate architectural cues from its urban context and provide flexible open office space for multiple tenants, sharing an entrance lobby, loading dock, toilet rooms, elevators and exit stairs.  

DESIGN INTENT:  The goal was to create a landmark that could stand the test of time and be a precedent for revitalization in downtown Syracuse by building a midrise structure on a vacant parking lot.  

The building proposes a unique contemporary aesthetic, authentic to its time, highlighting the beauty of newer materials, simple lines and functional design instead of reproducing traditional detailing. The building design integrates sustainable design principals and advanced construction technology providing an energy efficient exterior envelope and a high quality interior working environment.  

The project achieved Silver Level LEED Core & Shell certification using high efficiency mechanical and energy management systems, complemented by extra insulated exterior walls, green roof, and natural daylight strategies allowing the building to use less water and energy. The terracotta and metal rain screen systems provide a low maintenance exterior wall construction with an equalized pressure cavity.  

CONTEXTUAL DESIGN ELEMENTS:  The site is strategically located at the edge of the historic Armory Square District, adjacent to the newly renovated public pedestrian creek walk, parking structures, the former Niagara Mohawk building and Syracuse University’s “Warehouse”. The articulation of the massing divides the building into two smaller buildings and a connector piece responding to the scale of buildings in the historic district.

       

·      The six story corner building is defined by zinc metal panels, counterpointed by four colors of mosaic windows tied to the Niagara Mohawk’s art deco metal detailing and The Warehouse’s mosaic windows.

·      The four-story multicolor terracotta façade is contrasted by single tone glass windows, taking cues from nearby historic buildings’ multiple color brick and reproducing their regular fenestration pattern at night.

·      The vertical spandrel glass panels combined with nine punched windows per bay, repeats to create an asymmetrical random glass pattern during the day.

·      The top two floors are enclosed by a glazed curtain wall system, recessed from the building’s perimeter, breaking up the length of the building and defining the building’s entrance inward from the sidewalk.

 The lobby is designed as an extension of the exterior treatments into the common receiving space. The interior design involves the juxtaposition of zinc panels, terracotta, glass and the extension of the entrance canopy forming a continuous ceiling plane with the exterior. The glazed front wall creates an intermediate space visually open to the street. The glass water feature creates a focal point and separates the elevator waiting area from the lobby, giving privacy by filtering vision but not natural light.  

The configuration of the typical floor plate provides a service core with support and circulation spaces grouped on the center of the floor, offering maximum flexibility, natural light and views to the occupied open office space.

                                                  

Click Here for more

 

 

 

www.abloyusa.com  

 

 

 

The President's Message

 

 

Anthony Catsimatides, AIA Architect

 

Welcome to all AIA chapter members

My first impression!  

Welcome

I would like to start my tenure as 2013 AIA CNY Chapter President by thanking Past President Kirk Narburgh, AIA, for all his accomplishments throughout 2012.  

We begin this year with revised bylaws more in line with National AIA’s bylaws, a reorganized chapter structure with stream lined committees and focused objectives, a stepped up sponsorship program, thanks to our past president, with focused programs and defined values for our suppliers, vendors and service providers. These are just a few things that come to mind, I know we did much more thanks to the efforts of all our members who take the time to make this chapter special. Thank you all for your hard work.  

Now for my part, I guess I just need to keep the momentum going and try my best to live up to your expectations. This year we will see a strong commitment to CanStruction, continued interest in Albany during Lobby Day, as well as reaching out to our local political leaders, thanks to all the volunteers who have over the years established great relations with our elected officials, a strong and healthy YAF program, a recently formed committee to identify candidates from our chapter for FAIA status. Coming soon, an enhanced web site, thanks in particular to Nicole Newman, Bob Haley and a few others who have put in a lot of time to create something that is more in line with today’s communication technological capabilities and an updated AIA look and feel, and of special interest is the NYS AIA convention being hosted in Syracuse later this year. Thank you to all the volunteers that have formed these committees and are working diligently to ensure a successful AIA CNY chapter. The convention will also provide us with an opportunity to share with the rest of the state some of the great initiatives under way in the area.  

As we begin to see a rebound in our economy, and business picks up across the state, we look forward to expanding our membership base with new talent and eager volunteers. Reaching out to existing members who have interest in participating in AIA activities is a sure way of ensuring the success of all our programs, and so I ask each and every one of you to consider participating in some small way. We have many opportunities to get involved, but we need your help. Sometimes it’s as simple as just a week of stuff to do, or a few phone calls to make, and that’s it. But that short effort can yield a lot of return for all our members. The most rewarding is the opportunity to interact with your peers, make new friends, reconnect with older ones and set out to make a difference. For those who are curious about the changing face of AIACNY chapter, feel free to come to our board meetings, they are open to all members. You can see for yourself how energy and talent come together to make a positive impact.  

As you can see, the AIA CNY chapter has been going through a great transformation and we have many opportunities this year for engagement for everyone. As we start the new year, I am pleased to be at the helm of the AIA CNY as well as playing a role for our profession in general. I begin with the following quote from Renzo Piano’s publication, Logbook, “Architecture is the most wonderful profession in the world. Because this is a small planet, where everything has already been discovered, designing is still one of the greatest possible adventures”.  

Once again, a big thank you to everyone for this opportunity, I look forward to serving all of you as best I can in the months ahead.  

Cheers,  

Anthony Catsimatides, AIA Architect

President

American Institute of Architects Central New York Chapter

Email: anthony@openatelier.com  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taitem Engineering, PC | Technology as if the Earth Mattered

  110 South Albany Street , Ithaca , NY 14850
 phone: 607.277.1118 • fax: 607.277.2119

 

 

 

 

 

A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS.....

by Dick Lafferty    

Pressing the Envelope!

 

December’s National Geographic had an interesting fold out poster and a centerfold. The poster was of the President a giant Sequoia tree. It reminded me of the Joyce Kilmer Poem:  

I think that I shall never see 
            A poem lovely as a tree.
            A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
            Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
            A tree that looks at God all day,
            And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
            A tree that may in summer wear
            A nest of robins in her hair;
            Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
            Who intimately lives with rain.
            Poems are made by fools like me,
            But only God can make a tree.  

The Sequoia trees are living thing of at least 3,200 years old. They are not the tallest in height, but they are the largest trees. The Ponderosa pines are the tallest at 267 feet in height. The President stands 247 feet in height (by human code standard a story shorter) with a diameter at the base is 27 feet for a volume   57,000 cubic feet. Like humans when they stop growing vertically they grow outwards. Unlike humans they are born by fire and withstand it. The tree is an ecosystem in its self. Besides robins in her hair it has bats in its belfry. It hosts a wide variety of insects, rodents and flora from top to bottom.  

The centerfold is titled Hail Timber. It features Canadian architect Michael Green proposed 30 story wooden skyscraper in Vancouver. How green can we get? This inanimate structure would stand 300 feet high. It is to provide affordable housing for people living in the slums. Vancouver admits to having slum dwellers. President for this project is London’s nine-story heavy timber apartment building (the site of the Great London Fire) and a 16 story wood skyscraper slated for Kirkenes Norway. In ICC terms these buildings and proposed building are high rise buildings.  

All these structures exceed Oklahoma’s song words, “Seven-stories is as high as a building ought to go.”  The do not fit our present day view of the stated society of standard of health, safety and security. A century later we know, we may not build the Tower of Bable, but we are getting closer to doing it. What shall the inanimate structure shelter? How long shall it stand and what shall it reproduce?    

On the twentieth floor when a fire alarm is sounded homeless or infirm people and families cannot use the elevator. The firemen cannot reach over 75 feet with their ladders. The stairs are the only sources of escape.

How much smoke do laminated panels and glulam structures make? When wood is charred, what toxics are given off? After a fire, how long does the chare odor last?  

The Sequoia Tree should be asked when struck by lighting what was it like? When fire surrounded you who survived? How long after a fire had your ecosystem returned? How have you survived 3,000 years? Only the tree has an answer. The tree was created to be a tree.  

Man keeps searching for answers and solution. Today outer space and green research are in. Tomorrow what shall be the new frontier? I think that I shall never see a building lovely as a tree.

 

Happy, healthy, and maybe wealthy NEW YEAR!  

 

 

 

www.planandprint.com

 

 

YOU CAME A LONG WAY ARCH!  
By Lafferty       

 

 

   click here for PDF image

 

 

 

 

 

MEETING MINUTES OF THE AIACNY CHAPTER BOARD MEETINGS:  
 November 8, 2012

 

 Opening of the Meeting:  This meeting of the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Architects Central New York Chapter was held Thursday, November 08, 2012 at the AIA Resource Center.  Kirk Narburgh, AIA called the meeting to order. 

   

   Click Here for Minutes

 

 

 

Famous Quotes and Quotations

By Neel C. Garofano, AIA   

 

"A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves."

Lao Tzu

 

Announcements   

 

The 2013 AIANYS Convention 

 

The 2013 AIANYS Convention will be in Syracuse on September 25-27th.The convention will be held at the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center and the convention hotel is the Syracuse University Sheraton. The local Convention Committee meets the 1st Thursday of the month at the Resource Center until the convention. We are currently working on the convention theme, tour locations and location of the Arrival Party (formerly called the Host Chapter Party). The Committee is made up of the following members but is always looking for additional volunteers. If you are interested in helping make the 2013 AIANYS Convention a success please contact Joe Piraino at jrp@dalpos.com.

2013 AIA CNY Chapter Convention Committee: 
·         Joseph Piraino, AIA - Chairman
·         Tracy Bellerdine,  AIA
·         Dean Biancavilla, AIA
·         Steve  Busa, AIA
·         Nicolette Feldser, Assoc. AIA
·         John P. Goodman, FAIA
·         Larry Liberatore, AIA
·         Mike Lamontagne, AIA
·         Ed Olley, AIA
·         Anthony Rojas, Assoc. AIA
·         Peter Sorber, AIA
·         James F. Williams, AIA

 

 

2013 AIACNY Board  

On September 25th, the Central New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects held its Annual Membership Meeting in downtown Syracuse . Candidates for the open Board positions were selected by a Nomination Committee based on their experience, involvement with the Chapter, and interest and enthusiasm to serve the architectural community.  

Two individuals were voted to the Board of Directors by the CNY Membership for 2013.

New Officers and Directors assume office as of the first Board meeting in January.  

Congratulations to the following newly appointed Board members: Click Here

 

 

 

 

 

 

AIA New York Chapter Newsletter  

The link to the AIA New York Chapter’s newsletter is: http://www.aiany.org/eOCULUS/newsletter/.

eOculus is issued through email every two weeks.

 

You may also search the archived issues of eOculus at: http://www.aiany.org/eOCULUS/pastissues.php

 

AIA New York Chapter’s public calendar is also a great place to promote both this Chapter’s events and other outside events: http://www.aiany.org/calendar/index.php

You may also self-list a program by submitting a form online at: http://www.aiany.org/calendar/submit.php.