Banff Session 2008

The RAIC Alberta Chapter will be participating in the 2008 Banff Session being held at the Fairmont Banff Springs Resort on April 18 and 19.

For those two days we’ll be calling Booth # 54 home, located in the New Brunswick / Alberta Dining Room. The RAIC Alberta Chapter will be highlighting its efforts to promote architectural advocacy in Alberta, providing opportunity for dialogue with the Chapter Executive, and hopefully convincing a few of you to become involved, either as volunteers or Elected Representatives.

Please feel free to drop by, peruse, and discuss opportunities to build a strong and effective voice for architecture in the province.

A Culture of Advocacy in Alberta

Spearheading a culture of Advocacy in Alberta: A letter from RAIC Alberta Chapter President Samuel Oboh, MRAIC, AIA

Dear RAIC Alberta Chapter Members,

As Albertans go to the polls on the 3rd of March 2008, The Alberta Chapter of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) focused on getting issues important to architects front and center in the 2008 campaign. The Chapter presented (to all the party leaders) an agenda for Alberta’s sustainable future and also reminded them on the need to sincerely make commitment that will ensure a truly sustainable future for Alberta and Albertans. The Chapter’s agenda were sent to leaders of the following parties: Alberta Greens; Alberta Liberal; Alberta Party; Alberta Social Credit Party; Communist Party – Alberta; Progressive Conservative Party; Alberta NDP; Separation Party of Alberta and the Wildrose Alliance Party.

What You Can Do:

• Participate in your in your electoral divisions and talk to the Candidates.

The Chapter wants to encourage architects and RAIC members to participate in the elections by talking to candidates, pose questions on issues important to architects and the profession of architecture to candidates in your electoral divisions and vote on March 3, 2008. Although the RAIC Alberta Chapter executive could talk to candidates and submit questions, we want you to talk about issues and pose questions that matter to you. If you are interested in posing a question to the leaders of the various political entities in the province, you can get their addresses at http://www.elections.ab.ca/Public%20Website/603.htm

Be sure to identify yourself as an architect or someone from the architectural community!

Kindly note that the RAIC Alberta chapter will not endorse any candidate. We firmly believe that each of us has a key role to play on behalf of the RAIC, the profession and society to advocate on issues that we are passionate about just like we do in our everyday practice. The Chapter’s advocacy will not stop with this election. Architects and members of the RAIC must continue to take leadership roles on issues that affect the built environment in Alberta.

• Participate in RAIC Advocacy Programs and Functions

After the March 3 elections, the chapter is planning a year-round advocacy that requires regular contact with elected officials and policy makers in our province. We need all the help we can get from RAIC members in the province. In the coming months, we plan to invite MLA’s, councilors and other elected officials and policy makers to RAIC Alberta Chapter functions (like Urban Design Award Ceremony, social programs, architectural tours of significant buildings in the province etc); request invitations to legislature press events on key built environment legislation and raise public acknowledgment of the important role architecture play in our lives; increase RAIC’s advocacy role; initiate advocacy programs that will take on challenges facing the profession in the province; etc

In order to achieve the level of success we desire, we need to participate and devote our efforts to becoming advocates all year long.

Thank you for your involvement!

OnSite Magazine Salon Series

The RAIC Alberta Chapter is pleased to help spread the word about this fascinating event to be held at Hotel Arts on Tuesday November 13. In addition to the OnSite Magazine Salon, Cameron Sinclair is speaking earlier in the day to a sold out audience as part of the Sustainable Environmental Design Keynote Series presented by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and The University of Calgary.

“Beyond Green” in Edmonton

There are still seats available for the upcoming full-day course titled “Beyond Green: Adaptive, Restorative, and Regenerative Design (SDCB 305)”. The only Alberta session is being held in Edmonton at the Château Lacombe on Thursday October 25.

This continuing education opportunity examines theories and case studies from the perspective of:

•Current Green Design
•Industrial and Construction Ecology
•Biophylia and Biomimicry
•Adaptive, Restorative and Regenerative Design

Fees for the 6.5 hour Core Credit course are $325 for RAIC Members and $185 for RAIC Interns/Intern Architects and Students.

Full course details and online registration can be obtained from the RAIC website. In addition, a brochure is available for download in .PDF format.

Urban Design Awards Update

The jury has been announced for the 2007 Edmonton Urban Design awards and the submission form is available for download. The deadline for entries is October 4.

The jury is comprised of:

Vincent Asselin
Landscape Architect: Williams, Asselin, Ackaoui et Associés inc.
Montreal, Quebec

Joe Berridge
Planner: Urban Strategies Inc.
Toronto, Ontario

Gary Burns
Writer / Filmmaker: Director of Radiant City, Waydowntown
Calgary, Alberta

Ian McDonald
Architect: Ian MacDonald Architect Inc.
Toronto, Ontario

Janet Rosenberg
Landscape Architect: Janet Rosenberg + Associates
Landscape Architects and Urban Designers
Toronto, Ontario

From the submission brochure:

“Designers, developers, sponsors, and owners of projects selected as award winners will receive an Award of Excellence or a certificate of Merit in six categories. Awards will be presented at a ceremony to be held at Edmonton City Hall in November 2007. Awards will be presented to both consultant and owners.The projects receiving an Award will be eligible for the National RAIC Urban Design Awards to be adjudicated in 2008.The awarded projects will be exhibited in Edmonton City Hall and featured on the City of Edmonton and RAIC Web sites.”

The Award Ceremony will take place at the Edmonton City Hall in November 2007. For more information and additional downloadable materials visit www.edmonton.ca/urban2007.

LID Conference

The RAIC Alberta Chapter is pleased to help spread the word about the upcoming Edmonton Low Impact Development (LID) Conference. The event, running from November 27-29 is examining development issues facing northern Alberta with a focus on Low Impact Development:

“The conference will feature topics such as storm water management, wetland and riparian area protection, land use bylaws, LID practices in urban drainages, construction and demolition waste management, Landscaping for Better Water Management and Alberta-based examples of the challenges associated with rapid development. The conference will also feature a pre-conference workshop.”

For more details and registration information please see the website www.alidp.org

Architecture Alberta 1st Meeting

The inaugural meeting of the RAIC Alberta Chapter’s Advocacy Steering Group, Architecture Alberta, took place on the 31st of July 2007 at Duggan House in Edmonton. The meeting which was well attended by members of the group, discussed numerous advocacy frameworks for the advancement of Architecture in Alberta. For more information, refer to the minutes of the meeting which are available for download (pdf link).

RAIC Alberta @ The Works

The Governor General’s Medals in Architecture will be on display as part of the Works Art & Design Festival 2007 from June 22 to July 4. The festival has more than 500 artists showcased in 33 venues housing more than 200 exhibitions and special events. All free of charge to the public throughout Downtown Edmonton. The Governor General’s Medals in Architecture recognize outstanding achievement in recently built projects by Canadian architects. This program, created by the RAIC, contributes to the development of the discipline and practice of architecture, and increases public awareness of architecture as a vital cultural force in Canadian society.

A reception for the Governor General’s Medals in Architecture, sponsored by the CISC (Canadian Institute of Steel Construction) Alberta Region, will be held on Wednesday, June 27 from 7 – 9pm at the MacEwan Room, Grant MacEwan College 10700-104 Avenue.

Meeting at the ‘Edge’

As a part of this week’s Design Edge 2007 Conference, newly appointed RAIC President Kiyoshi Matsuzaki and RAIC Executive Director Jon Hobbs will be in Edmonton to meet with the Executive Board of the RAIC Alberta Chapter where topics for discussion will include the inaugural 12 months of the Chapter and plans for ongoing efficacy as advocates for architecture in Alberta.

Other aspects of the Conference include Keynote speakers and breakout sessions, the Annual General Meeting of the Alberta Association of Architects, and the Capital Modern Symposium coinciding with the opening of the Capital Modern Exhibition at the Art Gallery of Alberta.

More information specific to Capital Modern can be found at the AGA website or the Capital Modern blog.

RAIC Alberta Sponsorships

The RAIC Alberta Chapter was a proud sponsor of the Structures Preparation Course organized by the Alberta Association of Architects and conducted by Prof. David Thaddeus in Calgary from May 25-27.

Over 52 Intern Architects signed up for the course, designed to assist in writing the NCARB exams covering General Structures and Lateral Forces.

The session also presented the opportunity to share information on the RAIC, its Alberta Chapter, the benefits of membership, and application procedures (PDF links).