10.09 aiaVT Newsletter


A message from the editor

I can explain…

You have probably been wondering “where the heck is my new issue of the newsletter?!”  More...

Perspectives on Glenn Andres

If you missed the Glenn Andres lecture on “Modern Architecture” at the Davis Center on September 10th then keep reading because you’ll see it was quite a popular event and it is still possible to see if for yourself.  More...

Code update additions by one of our own

Fire Safety's list of applicable codes left out the 2005 VT Guidelines for Energy Efficient Commercial Construction as well as the Residential Energy Conservation Standards, both based on ICC Energy Conservation Codes.  More...

Something found

The following are photos of sculptures made over the summer by several people at the Burlington waterfront.  They are constructed of material found on the shoreline and were made simply for pleasure when their work day was done.  More...


A message from the editor

I can explain…

You have probably been wondering “where the heck is my new issue of the newsletter?!”  Well hold on there super hulk, don’t peg your rage-o-meter just yet because I’m a little late, there is a perfectly good explanation only a sentence or two away.  You see the newsletter was ready to publish in early September, but your editor here knew that there were several very good aiaVT events coming up in mid-September, so I agreed to hold publication until articles reviewing these events could be written.  I know what you’re thinking, and normally I would agree that it is impossible to stop this news locomotive once it gets rolling down the publication tracks, but in this instance I felt it was important to put on breaks and get some good local content.  After all, I’m all about the local content.  I had five articles on the line, with a realistic expectation that three of them would be ready to publish in this issue.  The unfortunate truth is that I have not received any of the articles to date so you are left with this rambling, excuse filled explanation and the expectation that some of these articles will be published in the next newsletter for your edification and enjoyment.  Everyone is busy and sometimes we just have to be patient.  With that out of the way, I would like to thank all of those who did contribute comments to my article on the Glenn Andres lecture.  It was a great event and I hope you read the full story, as well as the rest of the articles that haven’t expired yet. 

Perpectives on Glenn Andres

If you missed the Glenn Andres lecture on “Modern Architecture” at the Davis Center on September 10th then keep reading because you’ll see it was quite a popular event and it is still possible to see if for yourself.  The lecture wove together the roots of “Modernism” in Europe to the manifestation that came to be known as the “International Style”.  The lecture then tracked how this style moved throughout the United States and was morphed in Vermont through projects like Hob Knob in 1937, the Angelo Pizzagalli House of 1938 (the only constructed example of the “Purdue Experiment”), to the later and more iconic International Style building such as the green glass Chittenden Bank and the Radison (now the Hilton) in Burlington.  The Radison was a collaboration between the office of Mies van der rohe and the local firm Freeman French Freeman. 

On an interesting side note Mr. Andres noted that Mies’ firm later changed its name to something I had never heard of.  While I pride myself on my sarcasm, Diantha Korzun’s comment to me showed that other Architects are equally talented as she notes “...that the architect that bought Mies' firm changed the name.  Can you put that down in your article as what not to do during a recession?  Famous architecture firm bought out by Joe Smith, changes the name to Joe Smith, closed after 2 months.”  I like it and I’m posting it.  Donna Leban had a more traditional analysis of the lecture when she mentioned that “Most interesting to me is that each building was a very personal statement of an individual or organization.  Just building a building that bucks popular trends is a statement itself.  It’s saying ‘I want to be seen as a leader’, even if some of the buildings were copying from other contemporaries.  So many of these buildings are now overlooked, and certainly worth recognition.”  Ken Bean has seen Mr. Andres lecture before and offered the following insight:  “I have attended lectures given by Glenn in the past and I think he offers well researched material with a dose of story telling to keep it interesting.  What I found interesting was the influences of famous architects work on certain projects and the ties to larger firms and their influence. I am always amazed about how few examples of modern exist ( I have managed the renovation of the two dorms he had slides of  which are located at our Trinity College Campus) and this lecture emphasized that aspect of this tiny state. I appreciated that with so few examples he did not discuss if the architecture was ‘good or bad’!”  Thinking along similar lines, Lisa Rovner said “…the one thing that really caught my attention was some of the interesting facts that he introduced that I never heard about in past lectures I've attended.  I felt like I was back in one of my architectural history courses in college except that it was international architecture brought into and tied to Vermont (very well done).” 

The lecture was shown on Channel 17/ Town Meeting Television, on Comcast Cable and Burlington Telecom.  If you’d like to see what Diantha, Donna, Ken, and Lisa are all talking about you may also watch the program on-line by clicking here: http://www.cctv.org/node/81638.  The topic was so popular the Glenn Andres and John McLeod were invited to be on Vermont Edition with Jane Lindholm on Wednesday, September 16th.  You can listen to it at www.vpr.net/news_detail/85839/ and www.vpr.net/episode/46913/ and you can also click on a link to a “Vermont Modern Architecture” photo gallery.

Code update additions by one of our own

By Donna Leban, AIA, LC

Fire Safety's list of applicable codes left out the 2005 Vermont Guidelines for Energy Efficient Commercial Construction as well as the Residential Energy Conservation Standards, both based on ICC Energy Conservation Codes.  These are loosely administered by the Vermont Departmet of Public Service.  Michael R. Kundrath is now responsible for administration of the code at the Department.  His number is 802-828-4081 and his email address is michael.kundrath@state.vt.us.

I have spoken with the Planning Offices and Energy Committees of a couple of towns.  All are unaware of the lack of enforcement of the energy code, as well as lacking understanding of the whole permitting process.  It would be very helpful for AIA members to help educate their local officials about the process.  Also, the federal stimulus money available to cities and towns may be used to create energy code assistance and enforcement functions.

Having attended the first ICC-VT Annual Meeting recently, I can report that ICC at the National level is extremely interested in Energy Codes as well as their work on a more codified version of a Sustainability Standard.  The sustainability standard, which they are working on with AIA National, is intended to help raise the bar for sustainability without adding significant administrative costs as with LEED.

In Vermont, we can be pleased that AIA and other Vermont professionals were heard, and that International Building Code for 2006 has been adopted as the building code.  However, it is very difficult to see which direction code enforcement may be going in the future.  During the ICC meeting, the Vermont Building Design Professionals Summit was mentioned as an effective organization in getting heard by the legislature and Building Safety offices.  They did not, however, seem to know that aiaVT was responsible for creating this body.  It is important to maintain the leadership that this effort has started.  It was suggested at the meeting that since ICC-VT has only an educational function, that the Vermont Building Professionals Summit could help the state in creating a Professional Building Code Review Board, and provide people to serve on that board. 

Something found

The following are photos of sculptures made over the summer by several people at the Burlington waterfront.  They are constructed of material found on the shoreline and were made simply for pleasure when their work day was done.  

I get by with a little help from my friends

I get hi---there!  And how are all of you doing?  Yeah, that’s about what I thought.  In the current economic climate it can be very easy to feel sad like you’re on your own.  That’s why your friends at aiaVT want to help all of us get through this together.  We don’t want our comrades and associates to become the collateral damage of this greed induced crisis.  After a year and a half of malaise you may ask if it’s even possible that we can get through it, and I’m here to tell you that I’m certain it happens all the time.  We’re going to do our best to make sure all of us end up on the “stronger” side of the old proverb “that which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger”.  You may now be asking "do you need anybody" to help with this task?  And my answer again is yes I do, and it could be anybody.  I’m going to try to pull this off with a little help from my friends, so everyone please send tips or helpful anecdotes to your friendly newsletter editor so that I can share them with our architecture community.  We should all pull together or we will surely pull apart...no, that’s not it…ummmm…HANG together, that’s the saying!  So send me your stuff or I’ll ruin another classic song.  Don't think I'm bluffing...Help!  I need somebody.  Help!  Not just anybody...


Not typical Vermont architecture

I’m a Cowboys fan.  Go here and revel in the wanton wastefulness: http://info.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek09/0918/0918n_cowboys.cfm


News Item - LEED isn't perfect

If you want to hear about a little controversy regarding the new version of the LEED rating system check out http://greensource.construction.com/news/2009/090805rating-system-1.asp.  USGBC deserves some credit for reporting on criticism of their own system.  There are some legitimate concerns regarding the requirement that owners commit to sharing building energy and water data for minimum of five years. There is also the provision that LEED certification can be revoked if the building does not comply with this or any other minimum program requirement.


Announcement - This could be about your company if you send me info

Freeman French Freeman’s Kevin Racek Achieves LEED AccreditationFreeman French Freeman announces that Kevin Racek, AIA, NCARB, a Project Architect with the firm, has received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Professional Accreditation (LEED-AP) from the U.S. Green Building Council.LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most:  energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.If your architectural firm has information about achievements please send them to me for possible inclusion in a future issue.

News item - aiaVT welcomes...

The Vermont chapter of the American Institute of Architects wishes to welcome our newest members:  Adam Davis, Assoc. AIA, South Burlington, Paul Duane, P.A., Burlington, Adam Ginsburg, AIA, Bristol, Viola Keskinen,  P.A.,Colchester, Timothy Mullen, Assoc. AIA, South Burlington and Steven Roy, AIA, Grand Isle.




The aiaVT newsletter is published by AIA Vermont, the Vermont Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Executive Director: Hanne Williams, Hon. AIAVT
aiavt@ madriver.com
1662 Mill Brook Road
Fayston, Vermont 05673

p 802.496.3761
f 802.496.3294

aiaVT is edited by Shawn Brennan, AIA.

Published views are the author’s and not necessarily the views of AIA Vermont or any other organization.

AIA Vermont reserves the right to edit articles for available space and determine appropriate content prior to inclusion. Submissions must be received by the 15th of the month prior to publication.

Please send articles, notices, letters, and graphic submissions to:

Shawn Brennan, AIA
Freeman French Freeman, Inc.
81 Maple Street
Burlington, Vermont 05401
802-864-6844