This month's news issue comes a day after the New York Times announced that the architect for the World Trade Center site is finally an Architect. Who knew that the most talked about architect in America was actually an intern architect? Or, kind of pretty much an architect? Or whatever it is that experienced...architects call themselves. But even though he was actively pursuing a high-profile commission as an imposter, surely we'll let this one slide by. We all benefited from the attention after all.

"Though it might seem odd that the winner of the design competition for the site was not a licensed architect, people in the profession say it is fairly common for high-profile architects to be unlicensed. 'The world's great buildings are done by great designers, not by people with licenses,' said Alexander Garvin, who was the vice president for planning, design and development at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation during the design competition." --New York Times, July 15, 2003

You may disagree, but the profession is stronger for Mr. Libeskind's half-truth, not weaker. In the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie quoted above, the townsfolk have a vague notion of Pirates--loathsome, untrustworthy, immoral, perhaps daring, but certainly bold and unpredictable--just as many laypeople today have a vague notion of Architects. They both even have a professional Code (often loosely followed). But few people have actually ever met one or know much about what they really do.

In the movie, one of the main characters has to come to grips with what it means to be a Pirate. Fortunately, there is no formal licensing process for Pirates, and it is very literally a sink or swim profession--no pretense of a mentoring program. But when it comes to the really great battles, it's the Pirates that beat the official Royal Navy. In fact, occasionally, the official hierarchy itself becomes an impediment to greatness.

Okay, it's just a movie. But given the quote above about great buildings from Mr. Garvin, it might be worth considering the balance Mr. Libeskind struck between rigid hierarchy and wanton piracy.

contents:

1. New RIBA Report: "Why do women leave architecture?" 2. Second Annual NCARB Prize Honorees Announced 3. ACSA International Meeting 4. ECO WAVE 2003 Conference 5. Sustainable Design Leadership Awards 6. Crit Call for Submissions 7. Reminder: Architecture for Social Justice Awards Program 8. Arts and Humanities Conference Call for Papers 9. Health Conference Scholarships for Intern Architects 10. AIA New Jersey Design Day Competition 11. AIA Public Policies on Education Issued for Second Review 12. Responses to "NCARB Annual Meeting" Resources Issue 13. Responses to "1968" Editorial Issue

1. New RIBA Report: "Why do women leave architecture?"

http://www.riba.org/go/RIBA/Also/Education_2691.html

Earlier this month, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) released the results of its research into the drop-out rate of women from architectural practice. This is the first research of its kind to have been completed. Carried out by the University of the West of England on behalf of the RIBA, the report found that a combination of factors, including poor employment practice, difficulties in maintaining skills and professional networks during career breaks, and paternalistic attitudes, cause women to leave the profession. The full report can be downloaded as a PDF at http://www.riba.org/fileLibrary/pdf/WWLAFinalreportJune03.pdf

More specifically, the survey of 170 women revealed that the gradual erosion of confidence and de-skilling caused by the lack of creative opportunities for female architects, sidelining, limited investment in training, job insecurity, and low pay, led to reduced self esteem and poor job satisfaction in architectural practice. Additionally, the research found that women's career paths slowed after childbirth and that inflexible working arrangements including long hours and a lack of transparency in relation to pay and promotion, were the main reasons cited for women with children leaving the profession. The researchers concluded that women's decisions to leave the profession were not linked to academic or practical ability or to poor career choice. All told, the report also stresses that many of these factors would apply equally to men leaving the profession.

Currently, women comprise just 11% of RIBA chartered architects. The number of women entering architecture courses has risen from 27% in 1990-91 to 38% in 2002-3. In response to the findings, RIBA will be making recommendations to its members, producing online guidance on employment law and will be highlighting best practice flexible working to employers. RIBA's official response to the report can be viewed as a PDF at http://www.riba.org/fileLibrary/pdf/WWLARIBAResponse.pdf

2. Second Annual NCARB Prize Honorees Announced

http://www.ncarb.org/NewsClips/jul03ncarbprize.htm

Late last month during the NCARB Annual Meeting in San Antonio, the University of Kansas's "Studio 804" was announced as the winner of the $25,000 grand prize in the 2003 NCARB Prize for Creative Integration of Practice and Education in the Academy.

Studio 804 (http://www.studio804.com/), a nonprofit organization affiliated with the University of Kansas, was honored for its emphasis on community partnerships and design excellence. The NCARB Prize jury specifically recognized the studio's long-term contributions to the campus community, its innovative restoration efforts, and its emphasis on sustainability and accessibility issues. Jurors described Studio 804 as raising the bar of student design quality and buildability. Since 1996, students have completed a full-scale project each year, including five homes, a roof restoration, and the design and construction of a canopy behind KU's architecture school.

A jury comprising the members of the Council's Practice Education Task Force and five deans of NAAB-accredited programs selected six overall winners and two honorable mentions from 49 entries. Each of the other NCARB Prize winning submissions received a $7,500 cash award, as announced in a previous issue of ArchVoices. To learn more about each of the 2003 winners, visit http://www.ncarb.org/NewsClips/jul03factsheet.htm NCARB plans to issue the 2003 summary booklet in August. The call for entries for the 2004 NCARB Prize will be available in late summer 2003.

Contact Michiel Bourdrez, NCARB staff member, by email at mbourdrez@ncarb.org for more information.

3. ACSA International Meeting

http://www.acsa-arch.org/meetings/meetings_description.ahtml?MID=0SL0H56XJ2&C=2

July 27-30, 2003 Helsinki, Finland

The ACSA International Meeting, taking place later this month in Helsinki, Finland, will address the theme of "Contribution and Confusion: Architecture and the Influence of Other Fields of Inquiry."

Visit the URL above for complete conference information or email sudiewentling@acsa-arch.org for more information.

4. ECO WAVE 2003 Conference

http://www.sfia.net/conference.asp

August 7-10, 2003 Merritt College (Oakland, CA)

Early next month, the San Francisco Institute of Architecture (SFIA), in association with Merritt College, will be hosting ECO WAVE 2003, a three-day conference on an array of topics including nature-based architecture, design with nature, as well as ecological design and community, landscape, and technology.

Registration rates for professionals are $312 until August 6 and $412 on site; students may register for $162 until August 6 and $212 on site. Student single-day registration rates are also available as are group rates. Attendees earn up to 21 AIA/CES health/safety/welfare continuing education units, with a single-day enrollment option for 7 units per day.

Contact the SFIA Information Office by email at sfia@aol.com or phone at 800/634-7779 for more information.

5. Sustainable Design Leadership Awards

http://www.tandus.com/design/leadership.htm

Submission deadline: August 1, 2003

Any individual or firm practicing commercial design for the interior built environment is eligible to submit for the following two awards, recognizing sustainable design leadership. First, the Design Leadership Award (http://www.tandus.com/design/SDLA.Design.5.2.pdf) recognizes the dedication and leadership of architects and interior designers (individual or firm) committed to sustainable design leadership in the interior built environment or workplace. Second, the Operational Leadership Award (http://www.tandus.com/design/SDLA.5.2.operational.pdf) is open to any business organization (individual or firm) committed to sustainable design leadership in their interior built environment or workplace.

Entries are encouraged without regard to size of firm or other projects completed, however, projects must have been completed after January 1, 1998. A jury of leading interior design professionals and business leaders will select award winners based on the criteria outlined in the applications. The awards program is sponsored by the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), the AIA Interiors Committee, CoreNet Global, and Tandus.

Visit the URL above, email sustainabledesign@att.net, or call 888/548-5800 for more information.

6. Crit Call for Submissions

http://www.aiasnatl.org/critonline/r_critonline_howtosubmit.htm

Submission deadline: August 1, 2003

Submissions for the 56th issue of Crit, the journal of the AIAS, are now being accepted. The issue theme, "To (re) Build," is explained by the editor with the following passage: "To rebuild is to renew. In this tumultuous time, our concern as architects is the renewal of our social fabric. The renewal of ourselves. It is the same thing. For an architect, to rebuild...is an emotional act. To rebuild one must face the pain of loss. Rebuilding is also a celebration, a way of saying we, and our future, are more important than the pain. Rebuilding is life. On one hand, rebuilding is renewal of something that already exists. On the other, there is no such thing as rebuilding. Every iteration is unique."

Visit the URL above for detailed submission guidelines or contact R. Todd Gabbard, Crit Editor-in-Chief, by email at crit@aiasnatl.org for more information.

7. Reminder: Architecture for Social Justice Awards Program

http://www.adaptiveenvironments.org/accessdesign/faculty_award.php

Submission Deadline: August 1, 2003

The inaugural Architecture for Social Justice Awards Program invites applications from faculty members who will be teaching a design studio during the 2003-2004 academic year in NAAB-accredited programs. The awards program will issue $1,000 stipends to ten faculty members to support design studios that address issues of social justice. This is also a unique opportunity for young professionals to propose a project collaboratively with architecture faculty at schools in your area.

Contact Elaine Ostroff by email at elaine@ostroff.org for more information.

8. Arts and Humanities Conference Call for Papers

http://www.hichumanities.org/cfp_artshumanities.htm

Submission deadline: August 18, 2003

The 2004 Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities, which will take place in Honolulu, January 8-11, 2004, is a unique opportunity for academicians and professionals from arts and humanities as well as related fields to interact with members inside and outside their own particular disciplines. Papers and seminar/workshop proposals of almost any type are welcome from any individual, regardless of age or affiliation.

Visit http://www.hichumanities.org, email humanities@hichumanities.org, or call 808/949-1456 for more information.

9. Health Conference Scholarships for Intern Architects

http://www.aia.org/aah/hermanmiller.asp

Submission deadline: August 18, 2003

Herman Miller for Healthcare will sponsor eight intern architects to attend the Academy of Architecture for Health fall conference, November 19-22, 2003, in Denver. The theme of this year's conference is "Women, Children, & Healthcare." The scholarship program is part of Herman Miller's continuing commitment to excellence in healthcare architecture and support of young professionals. Each selected intern architect will be reimbursed up to $1,000 to cover registration fees, air travel, and hotel room costs. (Note: This amount typically does not cover all the expenses incurred at a conference.)

Candidates must have one to six years' work experience as intern architects, with one year of experience under the supervision of an architect working on healthcare projects or one year of work experience in a healthcare facility. Additionally, candidates must have the education or experience that will ensure eligibility for licensing in the U.S. within three years. Past Herman Miller and Academy scholarship recipients are encouraged to apply; however, new applications will get priority.

Visit the URL above for application requirements; contact Jennifer Barry, AIA staff member, by email at jbarry@aia.org or phone at 202/626-7366 for more information.

10. AIA New Jersey Design Day Competition

http://www.aia-nj.org/

Registration deadline: August 22, 2003

In conjunction with its Design Day activities, AIA New Jersey and Morris County Habitat for Humanity will be hosting a design competition for a single-family wood frame home on a half-acre lot on a suburban residential street in Morris County. Individual or teams of architects licensed for ten years or less, young professionals, and students are invited to participate, while helping a family in need acquire a new affordable home. All unlicensed entrants must be sponsored by a registered architect, and pre-registration, along with a $25 registration fee, is required. The jury for the competition will include local architects, Habitat for Humanity board members, the Habitat 2000 Design Winner, and the Mayor of Morris, NJ.

The deadline for receipt of questions is August 29, 2003, and the deadline for submissions is October 20. Entrants will compete for a $500 Award of Excellence; three Merit Awards of $250; and an unspecified number of Awards of Distinction.

Contact Frank Cunha III, Assoc. AIA, by email at frank@frankcunha.com or phone at 201/894-1000 for more information.

11. AIA Public Policies on Education Issued for Second Review

http://www.aia.org/gov/policy/education_policies.asp

Deadline for comments: September 12, 2003

As announced in a recent issue of ArchVoices, the AIA is considering the adoption of thirteen new or revised public policies relating to architecture education and training. A revised draft of the policies is now posted on the AIA website for an additional 60-day public comment process. For detailed information on the AIA's policy review process, visit http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek03/tw0711/0711twedu_policies.htm

Comments on the policies should be sent to Elizabeth Casqueiro, AIA, Managing Director of AIA Alliances, by email at ecasqueiro@aia.org.

12. Responses to "NCARB Annual Meeting" Resources Issue

http://www.archvoices.org/issue.cfm?n=281

"Thank you for your views on international licensing, which I enthusiastically support. The times of the architect who is only doing projects in and around his hometown are definitely over. My company is working on projects in six countries on three continents. To become licensed everywhere would be a job in itself and is unnecessary as you naturally always team with a local office for all permit/regulation aspects. You are an architect by professional achievement, not by residence. The current regulations have to be adjusted to the real world, so we can realize the potential of the exchange of international talent--both ways. Let's stop standing in our own way."

--Sebastian Knorr, CEO, TEC PMC, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA)

"Why--if you can pass the test--can't you practice architecture? Is the test that easy?"

--William Bates (New York, NY)

"Thank you for this issue. Since we have a national exam, we need national registration. It is ironic that the same folks who believe in tearing down barriers between countries want to leave them in place between states! But a word of caution on continued education requirements...the proof is in the pudding...continuing education has become a cottage industry. Good architects are always learning; bad architects gain nothing from formal training. If as a matter of ethics we must continually be learning, why do we need to waste time checking boxes and taking courses? Have we all forgotten how to read books?"

--Neil Hall

13. Responses to "1968" Editorial Issue

http://www.archvoices.org/issue.cfm?n=282

"As the 1995 recipient of the AIA Whitney M. Young Jr. Citation, I am in total agreement with the assessment of the AIA's progress to date. I think we all know that the Institute has fallen short of heeding Mr. Young's admonition; therefore, we are probably long past due for a forum at the AIA Convention that focuses on this disparity. I would happily help to convene it and coerce other recipients to join in."

--William J. Stanley III, FAIA NOMA, principal, Stanley, Love-Stanley, P.C. (Atlanta, GA)

"Many thanks for this Whitney Young Jr. reprint. Timely and timeless. And so powerful.

I have one minor concern regarding a transcription error, however. Please note that the Anatole France quotation in your copy (in the third to last paragraph of the speech) contains a mistake. As written in your version, 'I prefer the error and enthusiasm to the indifference of wisdom'; as actually written in Whitney Young's address, 'I prefer the error of enthusiasm to the indifference of wisdom.'

The difference between these two seemingly insignificant words has an immense impact on the meaning of this quotation. The version reprinted in and from the AIA Journal is, essentially, unintelligible; the original packs a powerful punch.

Keep up the great work!"

--Morris Tyler, instructor, Master's Forum Seminar, The Boston Architectural Center (Boston, MA)

"Thank you for the opportunity to read the entire text of Whitney Young's 1968 address. His eloquent challenge to our profession is still relevant today. It's good to be reminded there is much work to be done to build 'inclusiveness' in our profession and the communities we design."

--Robert Selby, AIA, Associate Director for Graduate Studies, School of Architecture, University of Illinois (Champaign, IL)

"Thank you for this article. It is very eye-opening."

--Brian Font, MArch candidate, Florida International University (Miami, FL)