Colorado Architecture News | 06.19.24

In this Newsletter:

• Design + Honor Awards Event
• Conference Call for Presentations submission window is open
• 2024 Legislative Session Summary – Part 2
• Getting started with 2030 Commitment June 20th
• Populus Hotel tours June 24th
• One River North tour June 27th
• Code Class June 28th
• Member news
• Partner news
• National news
• Premier Partner spotlight: JVA, Inc.

2024 Design + Honor Awards Celebration Event

September 12th, join AIA Colorado members as we unveil the recipients of the 2024 Design + Honor Awards and celebrate the exemplary work of Colorado architects.

Connect with like-minded professionals, forge new relationships, and expand your industry contacts as we celebrate this year’s Design + Honor Award recipients. We sincerely hope that your whole team, clients, friends, and family can join in the celebration. It will be a fantastic event and we’re looking forward to it!

Practice + Design Conference Call for Presentations now open

The Practice + Design Conference brings together the community of architects in Colorado for inspiring insights from global design leaders, advanced practice management methods, and practical innovations from industry partners. We’re interested in hearing from those in our community who are ready to contribute and lead a session at Keystone.

If you have a presentation in mind, visit the link below and start your submission today. Or, if you know someone who would be a great fit, encourage them to create a submission. The submission window closes Wednesday, July 31st at 5pm.

2024 Legislative Session Summary Part 2

With the 2024 legislative session in the book, let’s review the bills of interest to AIA Colorado. This year, there were 46 bills on our tracking list out of 705 introduced. Most importantly, our practice act was renewed! Five of the nine bills we supported passed and both bills we opposed failed. 2024 was a tight budget year so many bills that otherwise had a chance of passing did not have funding available.

Given the number of bills of interest to architects this year, we are reviewing highlights in both June newsletters. In this second part of the summary, we’ll cover additional bills that apply either to portions of our membership or impact the way firms are managed as businesses. Read the Legislative Session Summary Part 2 here.

Thank you to the Denver Local Advisors for organizing a tour of Populus for AIA members and to Katie Coyle, AIA, for the photos!

Last week in Fort Collins, AIA members, in conjunction with the Structural Engineers Association of Colorado (SEAC), attended a mass timber construction presentation by Chris Kendall of KL&A and Dan Craig, AIA, of SAR+. Many thanks to Chris and Dan for the presentation and to Kelly Albrecht, AIA, for the photo!

Also last week, AIA members learned about metro Denver’s economic outlook from Meredith Moon, Chief Economist and Director of Economic Competitiveness at the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, at the Alliance Center.

Getting Started with the AIA 2030 Commitment

June 20th, from Noon – 1pm, join the AIA Colorado Committee on the Environment for Member Education Session #1: Getting Started with the AIA 2030 Commitment. A few of the topics discussed will include:

• An understanding of the origins and current requirements of the AIA 2030 Commitment. What is it and how to become a signatory.
• Examples of successful and implemented Sustainability Action Plans.
• Compare how different size firms have found success with joining the 2030 Commitment and tracking performance data on projects.
• Investigate the online data collection platform called the DDx and what types of metrics firms are asked to collect on their projects in regard to operational and embodied carbon.

A Q+A session will follow the presentation.
RSVP here

Populus Hotel tours

Located on a prominent corner site, Populus is designed to reenergize Civic Center Park, connecting the Golden Triangle Creative District to downtown Denver. Join The Denver Local Advisors to tour this soon-to-be-iconic building. Tours have been approved for 1 LU|HSW and are available on the following dates and times:

• Thursday, June 13, from 4-5pm
• Monday, June 24, from 10-11:30am (waitlist available)
• Monday, June 24, from 11:30am – 1pm (waitlist available)

One River North tour

June 27, from 4-5:30pm, join the Denver Local Advisors to tour the project in the RiNo neighborhood that has certainly provided a captivating story with its crevasses running across its façade. This tour has been approved for 1 LU|HSW.
Join waitlist

Code Class: 2021 International Existing Building Code overview

Friday, June 28th, in Denver, join this one-day seminar addresses the relationship of the International Existing Building Code to existing buildings. The seminar, which includes lunch, focuses on the fundamental requirements on an existing structure that undergoes repair work, alteration, renovation activity or construction of an addition, and the effect of a change in the building’s occupancy classification. Discussion will also include the “Performance Compliance Alternatives” method of evaluating a building. This class has been submitted for approval for 6 LU|HSW.
RSVP here

Upcoming events in July:

• Key to Business Resilience • July 10
• Happy Hour at Union Station • July 18

Fentress Architects wins national AIA award for DC project as the Royal Norwegian Embassy was named an AIA Interior Architecture Award 2024 winner at the AIA Conference on Architecture & Design 2024 in Washington DC, recognizing the year’s best in interior architecture and design. This project previously was awarded a 2023 AIA Colorado Design Award of Merit.

June 21st, join Shape Architecture in Steamboat Springs for a new home construction site tour built by Canadian prefab Passive House specialists, Collective Carpentry. Event hosts will each give a brief overview of their involvement with the project followed by open time to socialize and ask questions. Learn more and RSVP here.

NOMA Mid Year Celebration

June 27th, join NOMA Colorado at City Park for their 2nd annual mid-year celebration. Food, beverages, and lawn games will be provided. RSVP here

Happy hour in Boulder with ARCHITECT-ING

June 27th, meet at Rayback Collective for a casual happy hour for design aficionados to gather in Boulder! Hosted by Fernhill Construction and the ARCHITECT-ING Podcast. RSVP here

Project Pipeline – Architectural Summer Camp

July 1st – 3rd at Denver Museum of Nature & Science, join NOMA Project Pipeline Architecture Summer Camp, a 3 day summer camp for middle school students interested in architecture and design. This program introduces middle school students (ages 6-14/grades 1-8) to the profession of architecture. The students use their creative skills to develop an architectural design for a realistic site in Colorado. Students will learn and practice model making, architectural drawing, sketching, critical thinking and public speaking skills during this fun and challenging program. 
More info and RSVP here.

Denver’s mid-century modern homes walking tour

July 11th, join Historic Denver for a walking tour of Denver’s Mid-Century Modern Homes. If you love mid-century modern, you’ll love learning about the Cliff May homes. All 170 of the homes in Denver were built in the Harvey Park neighborhood, designed to be both prefabricated and elegant in their minimalism. Local expert Atom Stevens leads this tour in southwest Denver, while also sharing his personal experience as a longtime owner of a Cliff May home. Learn more and RSVP here.

USGBC Colorado Building Transformation Forum: Distilling Decarbonization

Aspen Distillers, located in the Roaring Fork Valley, is a local distillery committed to fine craft, sustainability and environmental stewardship. The Distillery is on track to achieve LEED Platinum certification and is pursing Living Building Challenge. Join for a discussion on local codes sustainability initiatives in the region and the opportunities and challenges of designing for two different rating systems. This will be followed by a tour of the campus’s onsite initiatives and small a networking reception. RSVP here

Architect-ing Podcast Features David Tryba, FAIA

In this special live podcast event, David Tryba, FAIA, founder and architect of Tryba Architects joins host Adam Wagoner, AIA, in the Colorado Room at the History Colorado Center, which was designed by David and his team. David & Adam explore themes of contextual architecture, adaptive reuse, the impact of urban design on community building and resilience in the architectural profession. David reveals the formative experiences that shaped his architectural philosophy, including his childhood, education, varied job roles, and the challenges faced in a fluctuating economy. Watch on Youtube. Listen on Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Pandora

The AIA Colorado Job Board is updated daily. Job hunting? Take a peek to discover new opportunities. Hiring? Post your single job for 30 days. Connect with qualified candidates. Here are a few featured job openings:

• Project Architect: 4-8 years at 4240 Architecture
• Project Manager / Project Architect at d4 Architecture
• Architect II at Fentress Architects LTD

Safety Assessment Program (SAP) evaluator training 2024

June 26-27th, join this training to be certified as Building Evaluators in the nationally recognized Safety Assessment Program (SAP). This program utilizes volunteers and mutual aid resources to provide professional engineers, architects, and certified building inspectors to assist local governments in safety evaluation of their built environment in an aftermath of a disaster. More info and sign up here.

Explore AIA national committee volunteer opportunities

Explore 70+ different AIA national committee leadership volunteer opportunities including awards juries, leadership groups, advisory councils, codes and standards, AIA Knowledge Communities, the AIA Board of Directors, the AIA Strategic Council, and more. AIA Committees and Advisory Groups are now accepting nominations to serve on committees in 2025 and the deadline to apply is July 12th. Learn more here

Young Architects Forum May newsletter

A newsletter from the AIA Young Architects Forum (YAF). Look out for important news, AIA updates, and ways to engage, no biggie. Read more

AIA Awards 2024 Winners Announced in Nine Project Categories

• Architecture Awards: Honoring the best contemporary architecture regardless of budget, size, style, or type. See the winners here. 
• COTE Top Ten Awards: The industry’s best-known award for sustainable design excellence. See the winners here.
• Education Facility Design Awards: Celebrating state-of-the-art learning environments, including early childhood, K-12, alternative, higher education, and non-traditional environments. See the winners here.
• Healthcare Design Awards: Recognizing the most innovative, functional, and sustainable projects in healthcare and design. Eleven winners were announced.
• Housing Awards: Honoring the best home design that showcases how beauty, safety, sustainability, and comfort come together. See the winners here.
• Interior Architecture Awards: Celebrating the most innovative and spectacular interior spaces across a range of projects. See the winners here.
• Regional & Urban Design Awards: Honoring the best in urban design, regional and city planning, and community development. See the winners here.
• Small Project Awards: Recognizing the value and design excellence that architects provide regardless of size and budget. See the winners here.
• Twenty-Five Year Award: Celebrating buildings that have set an architecture design standard of excellence for 26-35 years. See the winner here.

We’re proud to highlight one of AIA Colorado’s Premier Partners, JVA, Incorporated, and look forward to their ongoing support and involvement serving Colorado’s architecture community.

JVA is a consulting engineering firm with offices in Boulder, Fort Collins, Winter Park, Glenwood Springs, and Denver, Colorado. Since 1956, JVA has provided engineering services to architects, owners, building departments, and general contractors in Colorado and nationwide. Our Structural, Civil, and Environmental engineering departments offer highly skilled engineers who complement your experience to fully meet your design and construction needs. We take pride in our commitment to provide excellent service.

Learn More About JVA.

Looking for Additional Resources?

Allied Members are better known as trusted industry colleagues and members of AIA Colorado—they’re the interior designers, the kitchen specialists, the engineering partners, and more who make up our AEC community in Colorado.
View AIA Colorado’s Allied Member Directory.

Helpful Links:

• Contact AIA Colorado Staff
• AIA Colorado Calendar
• AIA Colorado News and Articles

Save the Dates:

• 2024 Design + Honor Awards Event will be held September 12, 2024 at Mile High Station. View awards event sponsorship opportunities.
• 2024 AIA Colorado Practice + Design Conference will take place November 13-15, 2024 at Keystone Conference Center, Keystone, CO. View conference sponsorship opportunities.