AIA Tennessee

Nashville, TN - Pull together your best projects for the 2010 Gulf States Region Honor Awards. The Call for Entries went out today, and celebrates the quality of Architecture in our region and pays tribute to our deserving Architects for their design excellence. Thad R. Kelly III, AIA – Arkansas will act as the Program Chair of the 2010 Honor Awards.

There are three steps to the entry process: First, submit entry form, fee and classification by March 12, 2010. Second: You will receive a Code Number and complete PowerPoint template for each entry via email. Third: Submit the electronic entry on a CD by 5:00 p.m. on April 13, 2010. No submittals will be accepted via email... (read more)

Chattanooga, TN - One of our AIA members, Artech Design Group, noted this article on their new cinema project in downtown Chattanooga: On Nov. 6, 2009, Carmike Cinemas opened the 2,500-seat Majestic 12 in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee, and closed the Bijou 7, which only a block away had been doing solid business since 1995. Three of the Majestic’s wall-to-wall screens are equipped with RealD 3D, and a 56-seat auditorium marks the debut of Carmike’s VIP, in-theatre dining and beverage service concept coined “Ovation Club.” While it is hardly unusual to replace an older unit with a bigger and better one, this particular project truly breaks new ground... (read more)

Updates on legislation, codes, architect selection, economic realities, working with NCARB, presented by Warren N. Goodwin, FAIA; Bill Nolan and Connie Wallace, Hon. AIA.

Note: Can't make the meeting? AIATN will come to you. Contact us if you'd like a drive by or a one- hour meeting with AIATN reps at your firm.

January 26: AIA East Tennessee, The Foundry
February 17: AIA Chattanooga
March 18: AIA Memphis

I Remember John S. Wilder, 1921-2010

January 13, 2010

For many of us, Lt. Gov. John S. Wilder was the face of Tennessee politics. Who could sit through his Building Commission chairmanship without many stories to tell? My all-time favorite will be a Legislative Committee meeting when Bill Nolan and I were lobbying furiously against a bill that would permit prototypical design for state park projects. We’d been counting votes and felt we held a one-vote margin when the Lt. Governor walked in—as Lt. Governor, he was automatically a voting member of every committee. Since the bill sponsor was a good friend of his, Bill and I believed we’d just lost our fight.

As the meeting unfolded, the bill came up and failed for lack of a second to the motion. That occurred very rarely and was a great embarrassment to the bill sponsor, and Bill and I (and architects of Tennessee) got a huge win. I was standing outside the committee room when Lt. Gov. Wilder walked out. He walked over to me and said, “I remember,” and walked away.

His reference to “I remember,” was very clear to both of us. About seven years earlier, Lt. Gov. Wilder had been challenged in his election for Lt. Governor. Our Board didn’t debate very long before determining that we would dance with the one who “brung” us, since Gov. Wilder had been a fair and consistent loyalist to architects; and we vocally supported him during his challenge, which he won. Gov. Wilder was a very emotional man, and he was devastated by the challenge from his fellow Democrats; and he valued loyalty over all other virtues. Lt. Gov. Wilder might not always vote with us, but he never voted against us through the years. He remembered.

At age 88, John died early on New Year’s Day after a stroke. The Tennessee Journal (TBJ) described him “as a man who sometimes talked like Dr. Seuss but was underestimated only by the ignorant or foolish.” He served for 44 years. TBJ said this longest tenure as speaker “was testimony to his fairness and character, but also his political acumen. He was gifted at counting votes and had a good sense of timing, a sense uncannily demonstrated one final time when he died 10 minutes into 2010, a year in which, by quirk of Congress, the federal estate tax was temporarily out of existence.

“Wilder cared deeply about his state and especially the Senate and its members. He passionately wanted to make a difference for the public good. His sense of identity demanded it. To list his notable accomplishments, in and out of the legislature, would take a book. No one could fairly say that he didn’t make a difference.”

I will miss John Wilder, and I will always remember him.

-Connie Wallace

Architecture Incorporated Named One Of Tennessee’s Top Businesses

Memphis, TN - Memphis-based Architecture, Incorporated was recently recognized in BusinessTN magazine’s Hot 100 issue.

The annual issue recognizes the top emerging, growing and dynamic businesses that show signs of future promise in Tennessee. According to BusinessTN, the listing spotlights companies that are enriching local and regional economies, providing jobs and fueling the Volunteer State’s entrepreneurial culture. Architecture, Inc. is the only architecture firm in the state of Tennessee to be named to this year’s list.

“For 15 years, Architecture, Inc. has been a leader in the industry, focusing on many prominent renovation, preservation and large-scale multifamily projects in Memphis, as well as throughout the region,” said Joey Hagan, AIA, principal at Architecture, Inc. “We are proud to be named among Tennessee’s ‘Hot 100,’ and we’re looking forward to building on momentum created by new and continuing business over the past year.”

Architecture, Inc. is a full-service architecture and planning firm founded in 1994 by David M. Schuermann and Joseph P. Hagan. Based in downtown Memphis, Tenn., the team at Architecture, Inc. offers experience in commercial, institutional and residential architecture. The firm specializes in historic preservation, adaptive use, renovation/ restoration and national parks service (historic tax credit) certified projects. For more information, visit www.archincmemphis.com.

AT&T Tower Voted an Original

The AT&T Tower, designed by Earl Swensson Associates, Inc., in 1994, has been recognized as one of the 12 most original office buildings in the world by Le Journel du Net, a French online business magazine published in Paris. Let Journal has 4.7 million readers per month.

Architect Selection Task Force and other State Initiatives

AIA/TN's Task Force on the State Contract/Architect Selection/Fee Issues is hard at work. Chaired by Warren Goodwin, FAIA, the task force is currently reviewing a draft of new selection criteria under consideration by the State Building Commission. A synopsis of the work to date can be viewed here

The State Fire Marshal's Office is continuing its amazing transformation. Electronic plans reviews are in the test phase, and we hope to offer a series of workshops in December or January about how the new system will work. The Department of Health has begun work towards adoption of the latest building and fire codes. Our presumption is that the IBC, IFC and NFPA Life Safety Code 101 will be adopted during the next 90-120 days.

We have published AIA’s 2007 Client Perception Study under our Education heading.

Member News

ESa inducted into Planetree Visionary Design Network

Earl Swensson Associates, Inc. (ESa), Nashville, is one of five architecture and design firms nationally to be certified as a charter member of the Planetree Visionary Design Network. This certification establishes ESa as a specialist in evidence-based healthcare design. Planetree is an internationally recognized leader in patient-centered care in healthcare settings throughout the U.S., Canada, The Netherlands, Japan and Brazil. This non-profit organization promotes innovative models of healthcare that focus on healing and nurturing body, mind and spirit to maximize positive healthcare outcomes.

Founded in 1978 by a San Francisco patient who endured a traumatic hospitalization, Planetree has been at the forefront of the effort to personalize, humanize and demystify the healthcare system for three decades. Additional information and a complete list of Planetree hospitals is available at www.planetree.org. ESa's certification involved a rigorous application process and the firm's demonstration of knowledge and commitment to healing environments, evidence-based design and principles of design excellence and innovation.

Congratulations to L. Duane, Grieve, FAIA

Duane is a new member of the City of Knoxville City Council, representing the Second District. Both Duane and wife Marsha have communicated (house to house, meet and greets and media interviews) about those issues that greatly concern architects. His vision will be a gift to city government. We are very proud of Duane's accomplishments.

Education/Marketing Resource Worth Noting

I am a huge fan of Joan Capelin, Capelin Communications, New York; and think she is one of the top five architectural marketers out there. Her company has created a series of pod casts such as Scott Braley, FAIA, on the recession, internal marketing; Hugh Hochberg, Eugene Kohn, etc. To subscribe, contact soundadvice@capelin.com.

Seems to me that you could self-report these programs for continuing education credit as well.

AIA Tennessee Job Bank—a service of AIA Tennessee. We are back in the business of linking up employers and employees. Call (615-255-3860) or email connie@aiatn.org to place an ad at no cost for AIA/TN members.

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