| Volume 6, No. 9 - October 2, 2012 |
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 Germantown-Milestone Station No. 34, by LeMay Erickson Willcox Architects |
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Annual Chapter Meeting, Elections and Honors Celebration on October 23 |
| Please join us for our 37th annual Chapter Meeting at the historic 1883 Columbia Firehouse in Alexandria. Besides offering a wonderful opportunity to mingle with friends and enjoy comfort foods and classic cocktails, this event serves two important functions – voting for 2013 Chapter officers and directors and honoring the service and achievements of several colleagues as we present our Honor Awards. Tickets are $35 and we ask that you reserve your place by October 18 by emailing reservations@aianova.org. Information on the Chapter elections is available in the September/October issue of AIA Northern Virginia News and details about the event can be found here. |
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AIA Northern Virginia Golf Tournament Returns to Support Scholarship Program |
| After a bit of a break, the Chapter is hosting our Sixth Annual Golf Tournament on October 29 at the River Creek Club in Leesburg. Enjoy some excellent fall golf. Whether you’re a novice or a pro, you'll have a great time. Please also consider sponsoring the tournament while the ever popular 'Beverage Cart Sponsor' is still available. So gather your foursome and sign-up. And know you are helping to fund scholarships for local architecture students. For additional information on the event and sponsorship, click here. |
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AIA, YES! Virginia Tech AIAS Students Forge Ahead with Career Plans by David A. Prevette, AIA, Chair, Schools Connections Committee |
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Despite overwhelming career uncertainties that accompany graduating architecture students, Virginia Tech continues to shine as a resource for students who are energized by the challenge of beginning a career in design. Amongst classes, part-time work and often intense studio assignments, VT architecture and landscape students recognize the value of understanding what lies ahead in practice. Led by their AIAS Chapter officers, Amber Ovitt and Sarah Richter, students will enjoy an array of events this fall which will help build connections with local firms, including a construction tour in September, career workshops and portfolio reviews. Students will hopefully cap off their fall events with a "Firm Crawl" in Old Town, where an afternoon of visiting offices and studios can lead to a greater understanding of and exploration into practice. Faced with the reality of limited career opportunities where full-time positions in practice are prized and often compromised, students still combine their passion for design, making and building with the sincerity that must accompany their talents as new, forward-thinking professionals. As an AIA member, you can help with their next steps, by attending and actively contributing to their events. Contact David Prevette, AIA to volunteer your time to get to know students today! |
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ArchEx Coming in November |
| Organized by the Virginia Society AIA, Architecture Exchange East takes place November 7-9 in Richmond and features nearly 70 educational sessions. So stock up on credits, network with colleagues from around the state, learn about new products at the trade show and participate in the VSAIA Annual Meeting. Discounted online registration closes October 30. Information and registration is available here. |
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VSAIA's Emerging Leaders in Architecture Program Now Accepting Applications |
| Emerging Leaders in Architecture (ELA) is a year-long program to help develop future leaders by offering intensive seminars across the state focusing on essential leadership strategies and skills. While interested members can apply to participate, our Chapter can nominate a candidate as well. If you are interested in seeking Chapter nomination, please submit a draft of your ELA application, in PDF format, by October 3 to aianova@aianova.org. Information on the 2013 program and application process can be found here. |
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Steven Holl, FAIA and Robert A.M. Stern, FAIA Lecture in Virginia in October |
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On October 2, the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria is presenting Designing the Sacred: Architecture Meets Mission, featuring lectures by Robert A.M. Stern, FAIA and Alexandria Landscape Architect, Michael Vergason, FASLA, FAAR, the design team selected for the Seminary’s new chapel and memorial garden. The lecture is free and continuing education credits are offered. Additional information is available here. Then on October 15, AIA Gold Medal winner Steven Holl, FAIA will be the featured speaker at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. Holl is the architect of VCU's Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA). The lecture is free and admission is on a first come basis. Also, the Holl design for the VCU ICA will be presented in an exhibition at the Virginia Center for Architecture through October 18. Additional information is available here. |
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Germantown-Milestone Station No. 34 |
 Germantown-Milestone Station No. 34 was born out of an increase in call volume along a busy corridor in Montgomery County, Maryland, one of the fastest-growing regions in the state. The 22,200sf, four drive-thru apparatus bay fire station was placed on a site at the edge of a residential neighborhood that had good access to the public road network allowing for quick response to the high call volume. The LEED®-certified design incorporates dormitories for 20, a training room for 50 and storage space for the specialized equipment used by the Urban Search and Rescue Team.However, for Principal-in-Charge Paul Erickson, AIA, "the building's greatest success is the use of daylight and interior views to create an uplifting work environment. We used five types of glass in sidelights at doors and in glass partitions throughout the interior spaces to create visual interest and transparency at the study, exercise room and training classroom. Also, because the apparatus bays are often forgotten work spaces, we used north facing clerestory windows, sun tunnels and large glass panels on the north-facing bay doors to fill the volume of the bays with natural light." Finally, the kitchen and dining room are centrally located adjacent to the private exterior patio to create a gracious flowing sense of space between these three important crew areas. Again, full-height glass windows allow natural light to reach inwards as far as the exercise room, creating a buoyant, light-filled work environment that is a comfortable yet professional, civic expression of the community in which the facility serves. 
Photography by Eric Taylor Photography |
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October 9 - AIA Northern Virginia Board Meeting October 10 - Women in Architecture Happy Hour October 17 - AIA Northern Virginia Lunch Series October 17 - Citizen Advocate: A Commitment to the Public Good October 23 - Annual Chapter Meeting, Elections + Honors Celebration October 26 - Small Firms Roundtable: Intelligent Lighting Strategies October 29 - AIA Northern Virginia Golf Tournament October 29 - Women in Architecture Committee Meeting November 7-9 - ArchEx |