Colorado Architecture News | 08.21.24

In this Newsletter:

• Design + Honor Awards event Thursday, Sept. 12th
• Early registration for attendees and expo hall
• Design Like a Girl volunteer opportunities 
• Watch Academy of Architecture for Heath Knowledge Community event on YouTube
• Wild Bear Nature Center tour August 22nd and Sept. 5th
• Business of Architecture Roundtable: Practice Structure + Organization Sept. 3rd
• West Virtual Connect Sept. 10th
• AIA 2030 Commitment: Implementation & Case Studies Sept 11th
• Member news
• Partner news
• National news
• Premier Partner spotlight: JVA Consulting Engineers

2024 Design + Honor Awards Celebration Event

Thursday, 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.

We look forward to welcoming you at 5:30pm to Mile High Station where you’ll enjoy delicious food and signature craft cocktails, and an event program beginning right at 7pm. Mile High Soul Club will be spinning vinyl records and photographers will be on hand to capture photos of winners and attendees on the red carpet in front of the photo wall.

Connect with like-minded professionals, forge new relationships, and expand your industry contacts as we celebrate this year’s 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.

Buy your tickets soon as Late Registration goes into effect August 31st!

Conference early registration open

Join us at Keystone Resort for Tech Connect November 13th and GENERATE 2024 Practice + Design Conference November 14 – 15. Stay tuned for upcoming keynote speaker announcements, breakout session details, and Tech Connect event info. Early registration is now open through August 31st. If you already know that you’re planning to attend, lock in your registration today and save!

Early Registration

Conference Expo Hall open

Know a company that serves your firm and clients really well? The AIA Colorado Practice + Design Conference expo hall is now open and only a few booths remain! The open floor plan of AIA Colorado’s Practice + Design Conference Expo Hall has been a huge success year after year, allowing architects and exhibitors fantastic opportunities to create genuine learning and connection.!

Reserve Expo Hall booth

Design Like a Girl

After a successful program launch last school year, the AIA Colorado J.E.D.I. Committee is looking forward to offering the program to students this year and is seeking mentors to participate in the workshops this year. Design Like a Girl introduces a diverse cohort of middle school girls to architecture and allied design professions. Three full-day workshops, on Fridays throughout the 2024-2025 school year, allow students to learn first-hand about these dynamic careers from local professional women and design students. The committee is seeking female-identifying design professionals and students to guide, instruct, and inspire participants throughout each workshop. Multiple volunteer options are available. More info and signup here.

Did you miss the Academy of Architecture for Heath Knowledge Community event last week and want to watch it? Great news! You can watch it here.

Wild Bear Nature Center Tour

Thursday, August 22nd, or Thursday, September 5th, join AIA members for a tour of the Wild Bear Nature Center led by Arch11. The architecture of Nederland’s Wild Bear Nature Center aligns with the center’s curriculum as a teaching tool revealing phenomena and fostering a sense of wonder about the natural world. The net-positive design weaves together core values of the Institution: Education, Sustainability, Stewardship, and Community. From project siting to the selection and detailing of materials, the design is bound to the situation of place; both natural and human centric. The building, as a living organism, will provide opportunities to teach about the natural, its physical properties and how we inhabit it. This tour has been approved for 1 LU|HSW.

Join August 22nd Waitlist | RSVP for Sept 5th

Business of Architecture Roundtable: Practice Structure + Organization

Tuesday, September 3rd, join the AIA Colorado Business of Architecture Committee for a discussion of practice structure + organization. Topics to be discussed include:

• Starting a firm. How to decide whether to be a sole proprietor, LLC or Corporation
• Firm organization – roles, responsibilities
• Managing a remote workforce

RSVP here

West Virtual Connect

Tuesday, September 10th, join West Director Andi Korber, AIA, and connect virtually with other Western Slope members for a time of conversation. Many of us are facing the same challenges day after day and we will gather quarterly to share concerns, goals, and ideas for Western Colorado AIA membership.

RSVP here.

AIA 2030 Commitment: Implementation & Case Studies

Wednesday, September 11th, join the AIA Colorado Committee on the Environment for Member Education Session #2: Implementation & Case Studies. Don’t worry if you missed Session #1, there will be helpful information and discussion whether you are already participating in the AIA 2030 Commitment or are looking to join. A few of the topics discussed will include: A few of the topics discussed will include:

• An overview of Session #1, including 2030 Commitment current goals and benchmarks.
• Examples case study projects targeting net zero energy and water efficiency.
• Key tools and resources used during project development to support goals for efficiency and meeting AIA 2030 benchmarks.
• Understand how fluctuations in modeling impact and support decision making during the design process.
• The benefits of having an integrated team support the project at all phases of development.

A Q+A session will follow the presentation. This virtual Zoom session has been submitted for 1 LU|HSW. RSVP here.

Huili Feng, AIA, founder of Tumu Studio, was featured in the July/August 2024 edition of Luxe Interiors + Design Magazine. The article, dedicated to showcasing influential women in the design industry, provides a brief look at Huili’s journey as an architect. Read it here.

Holt Watters Field Camp, a project lead by Rick Sommerfeld, AIA, Colorado Building Workshop, and University of Colorado Denver was featured in Architizer as they ask “Building on the Edge: Can Antarctic Architecture Guide Global Sustainable Design? How do you build in the world’s coldest and harshest environment?” Read it here.

Members toured Steel House, a new 12-story office building in the RiNo neighborhood and learned about many of the LEED/well components of the project.

See more photos from the tour here.

North members enjoyed a happy hour at Rosetta Hall with the ULI Boulder committee.

The CKLDP alumni happy hour was a great time gathering scholars from the current and past classes.

Ascend also held their annual reunion last week and enjoyed time with past scholars at SAR+.

Upcoming CAP Fall lecture series

• Erin Besler, Princeton University, Assistant Professor, Besler & Sons, Founder Monday, August 26, 12pm
• Rick Sommerfeld, AIA, CU Denver CAP, Colorado Building Workshop, Associate Professor and Director Monday, September 16, 6pm
• M. Elen Deming, North Carolina State University Professor, Director of Doctor of Design Program Monday, September 23, 4pm

Lectures are held at the Second Floor Gallery, CU Denver. More info and RSVP here.

Colorado Green Building Guild’s Green Home Tour

Saturday, September 14th, the CGBG Green Home Tour is a self-guided event that features a series of in-person open houses with unique sustainable features. Attendees can look forward to a diverse collection of architectural styles across newly constructed homes, remodels, energy retrofits, multi-family projects, all electric homes, and certified Passive House projects. Previous tours have hosted over 400 attendees including curious college students, industry professionals, and homeowners who are eager to see latest in high performance construction and learn about the techniques that make the magic happen. At the tour you can expect:

• Homes of different sizes and shapes, that strive to be healthier, more energy efficient, and more resilient
• Information about the details that make them successful, and project representatives that can answer questions
• A choose-your-own adventure, visiting homes at your leisure
• A great after-party full of your favorite local CGBG members and friends

Visit the event website here. Buy tickets here.

Mentor students interested in architecture – deadline to apply extended to August 31st

Northeast Early College is seeking mentors for its students interested in engineering and allied professions like architecture. East High School is also seeking mentors for its Women in STEAM program. Mentoring is an excellent opportunity to impact the lives of high school students who might otherwise not consider architecture a career pathway. The commitment is once per month for 2.5 hours from September through April. If you’re interested, start by reviewing the mentor job description and submit an application. For cohort preference in the application, select any of the following: NEC (Northeast Early College) Engineering Group-Coach, or East High School Women in STEAM Program – 2024-2025 (Note: in the cohort options list, this cohort is labeled CU Boulder Chemical and  Biological  Engineering) or select another mentoring cohort listed here.

The application deadline has been extended to August 9th. Once applied, you will be required to complete a background check and then attend a 2-hour coach-mentor training session taking place later in August. Questions? Contact sarah@sarahgoldblatt.com.

Nominations now open for 2025 Mayor’s Design Awards!

Since 2005, the Mayor’s Design Awards have honored projects throughout the city for excellence in architecture, urban design, and place-making. The awards are presented to Denver homeowners, business owners, nonprofits, artists, and others for their creative contributions to Denver’s built environment through excellence and innovation. Many different types of projects are eligible. Mayor Mike Johnston and the Department of Community Planning and Development are seeking nominations for the Mayor’s Design Awards to be handed out in early 2025. Nominations are due Friday, November 1, 2024. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony early next year. Nominate a project here.

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 Manager at MOA Architecture
• Project Manager/Architectural Associate at Pel-Ona Architects & Urbanists
• Designer at Ferguson Pyatt Architects, Inc.

Women’s Leadership Summit 2024: Building Resilience

This October 8–10, 2024, held in Chicago, Illinois, experience the industry’s premier event dedicated to accelerating women into leadership positions in architecture, design, and the allied building industries. WLS 2024 is three days of networking, education, community, and inspiration designed to change the workplace experience and help create gender equity for women in AEC. Learn more and register here.

Submissions are open for variety of 2025 awards

Submissions are currently open for the 2025 AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion for Architectural Education, Architecture Firm Award, Edward C. Kemper Award, Fellowship, Gold Medal, Honorary Fellowship, and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Award. Begin your submissions here.

2025 AIA/ACSA Intersections Research Conference call for submissions

AIA and ACSA are currently accepting papers for the 2025 Intersections Research Conference: New Housing Paradigms to be held in Austin, Texas January 9-11, 2025 in partnership with University of Texas at Austin. Submissions are due September 4th, 2024. Apply 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, Incorporated 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, Incorporated.

Friday, September 6th, Living Design Studios (LDSI) is hosting “Metalpalooza”, a metalworking event that will include demos, competitions, networking, a sculpture unveiling, festivities for kids of all ages, dinner, and music to mark the 30th anniversary of the company. Part of the event includes a two hour class covering project talks, a tour, blacksmithing demo, a patina demo, and a panel on architecture and technology (2 AIA CES). Learn more about Metalpalooze and RSVP here.

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.