Newsletter | Jan/Feb 2014

Volume 42:1 | Search

If you would like to see corrections to this newsletter or to submit articles or suggestions for future newsletters please contact the Newsletter Editor.

In this issue:

2014 Steering Committee

Book Circle 9 - Women in Green: Voices of Sustainability - Wendy Bertrand

A Maternal Wall? - Wendy Bertrand

IIDP Panel Feb 12 - Esin Karliova

2013 Accessibility Standards & CASp Training - Jean Nilsson, Ed.

Hamilton Family Center Thank You - Susan Aitken

Joint Event Held with NAWIC San Francisco - Cameron White

Joanne Chow Winship Photograph Selected - Jean Nilsson, Ed.

Missing 32% - Equity in Architecture Survey - Jean Nilsson, Ed.

"Alternative Futures" Visionary Architecture - Spring Friedlander

If You Build It - Inge Horton

Two Articles by Sandhya Sood on Julia Morgan - Jean Nilsson, Ed.

Architecture + Women.NZ - Wendy Bertrand

Perkins Eastman's Growing San Francisco Office - Jean Nilsson, Ed.

Keep Your Membership Current! - Jean Nilsson, Ed.

Job Opening: Oakland Heritage Alliance - Jean Nilsson, Ed.

2014 Steering Committee

Share #916

The new steering committee for 2014 began working together in January. Current members are: (clockwise from bottom-left) Esin Karliova, Patricia Haight, Lucia Bogatay, Charlayne Sakamoto, Allison Kinst, Caroline Orazi, and Jean Nilsson. Note that our names above are links to our profiles where you can get to know us and also contact us.

Steering Committee members work together, but also each take on a primary responsibility. Esin will focus on Public Relations, Patty and Carolyne on Programs, Lucia on Information, Charlayne on Membership, Allison on Policy and Procedures, and Jean on the Newsletter. Please feel free to contact us anytime.

A warm thank you to outgoing steering committee members Rosemary Muller, Cammy White, Rachel Slonicki, and Eliza Hart for their service over the last two years and their many contributions to our group.

Book Circle 9 - Women in Green: Voices of Sustainability

by Wendy Bertrand | Share #918

The OWADP Book Circle invites you all, ecologists, interior designers, landscape architects, planners, professors, construction managers, sub-contractors, engineers, architects, poets and watercolorists to participate in a discussion about many topics presented in the book by Kira Gould & Lance Hosey (Econtone Publishing, 2007)

Co-author KIRA GOULD will be present. Thursday, February 20, 2014 6:00-7:30pm.

The Office of Hamilton + Aitken Architects
525 Brannan Street Suite 400
San Francisco CA 94107 map
www.hamiltonaitken.com

The event is FREE of charge but please reserve a ticket, as this is helpful in planning. If seating is available, you will not be turned away.
Eventbrite Tickets: WomeninGreendiscussionsf.eventbrite.com

Add your voice and ears in a round-the-room-discussion about our role in taking care of the planet. Book Circle members will launch discussion threads via chapter titles, ideas, and specific questions.

As Women in Green authors remind us, spoken and written WORDS are powerful, they can warn us, as Rachel Carson did with Silent Spring, and they can persuade us, like Jane Jacobs did in The Death and Life of Great American Cities. [page 15]

This book is less about the "ascendancy of women" than it is about the growing value of those sensibilities commonly associated with women -- feminine intuition, inclusiveness, responsibility, caring and love. [page 5].

Landscape architect, Lucia Athens runs the office of Sustainability and Environment for the City of Seattle and is one of over 150 voices collected into these pages." It's mind-boggling to think about what a truly sustainable community would require." [page 59].

"Perhaps we will see a different kind of expression coming out of a new cadre of female designers?" [page 49].

Our library has a few copies of Women in Green to lend to members. A review is here.

A Maternal Wall?

by Wendy Bertrand | Share #919

Hourig Ayanyan and Sammy

Hourig Ayanyan, has been very busy these days with giving birth and getting used to mothering (with the good partnership of her husband) working in an architectural office, passing all but one part of the Architectural Registration Exam. and completing all her experience requirements. But it is not easy. This article about financial discrimination against mothers in the work force may be of interest to mothers young and older.

http://shriverreport.org/breaking-through-the-maternal-wall-the-time-is-now-kristin-rowe-finkbeiner/

IIDP Panel Feb 12

by Esin Karliova | Share #928

UC Berkeley Extension's Interior Design and Interior Architecture program, in conjunction with IIDA, present an interactive panel discussion with esteemed UC Berkeley Extension alumni. This free event is open to UC Berkeley Extension students. Wednesday, Feb. 12, 4:15 -- 6 pm, UC Berkeley Extension Art and Design Center, 95 Third St., Room 204, San Francisco.

2013 Accessibility Standards & CASp Training

by Jean Nilsson, Ed. | Share #933

For the first time ever, the California Access Code will be in alignment with the federal access standards for barrier-free design.

Gilda Puente-Peters Architects, hosted by City of Fremont, is presenting a full four-day State and Federal Disabled Access training February 10-13, 2014, as preparation for the upcoming CASp Exam scheduled for March, 12, 2014.

Recent adoption of the 2013 California Building Standards Code (Code) by the California Building Standards Commission included significant changes to the State's accessibility standards. Gilda's CASp Training Program includes a detailed training on the 2010 ADA Standards and the 2013 CCR -- Title 24, Chapters 11A and 11B.

Many of us have attended Gilda's trainings, and they are excellent. For more information, go to www.gppaarchitects.com

Hamilton Family Center Thank You

by Susan Aitken | Share #925

from Hamilton House's Thank You letter

The members of OWA raised over $600 during the holidays and provided Hamilton Family Center six family passes to the Exploratorium, six family passes to Yerba Buena Ice rink, a dozen movie passes, gift cards to Target and other stores, and an assortment of gifts related to the design field and exploring adventures in the Bay Area.

Debbie Wilber, Community Partnerships Manager, wrote to me, "There's no way we can adequately thank you, but know that families here at Hamilton were delighted with the "Sponsor an Experience" opportunities, and our staff is so grateful for your ongoing partnership ... We couldn't do it without you. Please share our gratitude with everyone who participated!"

We'd like to share their thank-you note and add our own thanks for your donations and your support for these families. Click "more information" below to view their full Thank-You letter.

Hamilton Family Center's mission is to end homelessness for families and individuals in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, visit
www.hamiltonfamilycenter.org

more information is here

Joint Event Held with NAWIC San Francisco

by Cameron White | Share #924

For our first 2014 event January 8, we held a joint meeting with the National Association of Women in Construction, NAWIC San Francisco: Managing Design Risk. It was a great meeting, attended by a number of OWA members. After joining us as speaker at our Mentoring Event last June, Antonya Williams of McCarthy Building Companies invited us to partner with NAWIC at this meeting and foster an ongoing relationship. Thank you Antonya!

NAWIC, whose core purpose is to enhance the success of women in the construction industry, was established in 1955 and has thousands of members in 140 chapters around the country. Their programs include an Education Foundation and mentoring summer camps for girls interested in the construction field. They sponsor more than 6,000 students each year promoting construction education at the elementary school level. Their Founders' Scholarship awards $50,000 in scholarships to students enrolled in higher education and skilled trades training programs.

The presentation on best practices in managing design risk was given by the multi-disciplinary team who had worked together on the Li-Ka-Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences building on the UC Berkeley campus. Discussion centered on design risk in relation to different project delivery approaches with speakers from UC Berkeley, ZGF, McCarthy, and CS Erectors: Teri Mathers, UC Berkeley Project Manager; Stefanie Becker, AIA NCARB, Associate Partner, ZGF Architects LLP; Paul Erb, Project Director McCarthy Building Companies; and Mike Carvin, President & Owner C/S Erectors (representing a subcontractor's perspective).

Each of the various typical project delivery methods -- hard bid, Construction Manager/General Contractor At Risk, and Design/Build -- has different approaches to risk. Design Assist is a method where subcontractors are brought in early during the design process to provide input, constructability review and shop drawings.

Design risk is anything that can affect the quality or completeness of the design. Common construction risks include cost estimating accuracy, scope management, geotech issues, existing conditions, owner-furnished contractor-installed equipment, and user group uncertainty. Others are schedule risks, use of bleeding edge technology and decision-making.

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) has several potential benefits, including shared risk, greater cost certainty, identification and resolution of project issues early in the project. Others are accelerated spatial coordination and reduced risk of escalation.

Some effects of unchecked risk are potentials delays, cost overruns, inefficiencies and damaged relationships.

It was an interesting discussion on the realities of design risk in today's industry and best practices in managing those risks led by a team that functioned well and completed a large and attractive building together. We look forward to a continuing relationship with NAWIC.

Joanne Chow Winship Photograph Selected

by Jean Nilsson, Ed. | Share #923

Joanne & photograph from Mongolian series

Joanne Chow Winship, architect, architectural photographer, and OWA member, was recently honored by having one of her Mongolian series photographs selected for an exhibition celebrating 75 years of the CCSF Photography Department at SF Camerawork. Photographs were juried by: Sandra S. Philips, Curator of Photography, SFMOMA; Norman Maslov, Agent International; Richard Koci Hernandez, Assistant Professor of New Media at UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. The show ran from January 8 through February 2, 2014.

Joanne presented a slideshow of her Mongolian series photographs for us at our annual retreat last September, and they are truly extraordinary. Congratulations, Joanne.

More of her work can be seen here.

Missing 32% - Equity in Architecture Survey

by Jean Nilsson, Ed. | Share #927

Save the Date: Thursday, Feb. 27.
The Missing 32% Project - An AIA SF Committee meeting will be held at AIA SF 12:30-2pm.
Their Equity in Architecture Survey is almost ready for launch!

For more information, visit: http://aiasf.org/get-involved/committees/missing-32-project/

"Alternative Futures" Visionary Architecture

by Spring Friedlander | Share #921

"Alternative Futures" Exhibition of Visionary Architectural Designs at San Francisco LGBT Community Center, February 1 -- March 15th
1800 Market St, 3rd Floor Lobby
Join us as Openhouse partners with the Queer Cultural Center (QCC) for an exhibition from the California College of the Arts (CCA) Architectural Department. The "Alternative Futures" exhibition was inspired by the Openhouse LGBT senior housing project at 55 Laguna. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

If You Build It

by Inge Horton | Share #926

If You Build It, an award-winning documentary about influential designer-activist Emily Pilloton, will be shown beginning on February 28, 2014 at Opera Plza Cinema in San Francisco and at Shattuck Cinemas in Berkeley.

If You Build It follows designer-activists Emily Pilloton and her partner Matthew Miller to rural Bertie County, the poorest in North Carolina, where they work with local high school students to transform both their community and their lives. Living on credit and grant money and fighting a change-resistant school board, Pilloton and Miller lead their students through a year-long, full-scale design and build project that does much more than just teach basic construction skills: it shows ten teenagers the power of design-thinking to help re-invent not just their town but their own sense of what's possible.

When I watched TEDTalk http://www.ted.com/talks/emily_pilloton_teaching_design_for_change.html of Emily Pilloton presenting her alternative way of practicing architecture and teaching high school students, I became really enthusiastic about having the opportunity to see the movie. Directed by Patrick Creadon (who also directed WORDPLAY and I.O.U.S.A.), the movie was shown at last year's Architecture and the City Festival, and was very well received, as Karsen Maruca of the AIA San Francisco Chapter wrote me.

Please put the date of February 28 on your calendar and plan to see this radically new approach to architecture and take advantage of talking to the filmmakers who will be in attendance at the opening weekend.

Ed. Note: There also is a pending theater showing in Sacramento on February 25, 5:30pm at the Century Stadium 14, to be sponsored by AIA Central Valley and OWA Mountain and Valley (our Sacramento area group), with discussion to follow.
For more information, visit:
http://www.ifyoubuilditmovie.com/
To reserve a ticket in Sacramento, go to:
http://www.tugg.com/events/7884

Two Articles by Sandhya Sood on Julia Morgan

by Jean Nilsson, Ed. | Share #922

OWA member Sandhya Sood was invited to write articles for the announcement of Julia Morgan's AIA Gold Medal award. Following the AIA's December announcement that Julia Morgan was awarded the 2014 AIA Gold Medal, the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation (BWAF) invited Sandhya Sood, whose work is informed by history, re-use and sustainable design practices, to share some of the insights she has garnered from her research." To read the full article, go to:
http://bwaf.org/julia-morgan-a-pioneer-of-sustainability-in-architecture/

Berkeleyside also invited Sandhya to share her thoughts on Morgan's work and influence, noting that Sandhya's research on the sustainability of Morgan's work contributed to the success of Julia Morgan's AIA Gold Medal 2014 nomination." For the full article, go to:
http://www.berkeleyside.com/2014/01/17/56-years-after-her-death-julia-morgan-wins-top-award/

Architecture + Women.NZ

by Wendy Bertrand | Share #920

Jennis Lee, Wendy Bertrand, Alex Lee

Architect Jennis Lee (Jasmax of Auckland NZ) and her sister Alex Lee (soon to finish her PhD in Architecture and currently a resident scholar of UC Berkeley) shared their thoughts with Wendy Bertrand over lunch recently.

Architecture+Women had a big New Zealand Exhibition 2013 and they do include members from around the world. You might check it out at www.architecturewomen.org.nz

Perkins Eastman's Growing San Francisco Office

by Jean Nilsson, Ed. | Share #932

Perkins Eastman announced the addition of eight new staff members to its San Francisco office, "an already busy design team that is making its presence known both in the U.S. and internationally, particularly in the areas of healthcare and senior living design".

Leslie Moldow FAIA, OWA member, Managing Principal of the San Francisco office and one of the firm's Senior Living practice area leaders, noted that "developers are scrambling to keep up with the demand for senior housing models that are both versatile and affordable." New hires include Associate Tammy Lin AIA, Anirudh Dhawan, Michael Dungca AIA, McCall Wood, Britney Gamble, Claudia Senderowicz and Madeleine Zayas-Mart Assoc. AIA, in addition to new Marketing Manager Barbara Speer.

Keep Your Membership Current!

by Jean Nilsson, Ed. | Share #930

It's time to renew your annual membership and plan to join in our 2014 events. Membership runs from February 1st to January 31st each year. 2013 was a busy year celebrating our group's 40th Anniversary, and we are still in the planning process for events later this year, so keep an eye on the website calendar for upcoming events.

At our Annual Business Meeting in October, members approved a small dues increase that is now in effect. We made the decision in order to absorb the cost of events into the annual dues and avoid charging a small fee at each event. The increase will cover food, occasional costs for speakers and/or venues, and insurance to cover our events, as required by some of the venues.

2014 Annual Membership dues are:
Regular: $70; Supporting: $125 - $200; Student: $35; and Out-of-town (beyond 100 miles): $35

You can renew directly on our website, https://owa-usa.org/payment.php, or simply by sending a check to the address below (include the member's name and "Membership 2014" in the memo line). Make check or money order payable to Organization of Women Architects, and send to:
Organization of Women Architects and Design Professionals, PO Box 10078, Berkeley, CA 94709

For any questions regarding membership, feel free to contact Charlayne Sakamoto, our Membership Coordinator, via e-mail at .

Job Opening: Oakland Heritage Alliance

by Jean Nilsson, Ed. | Share #929

The Board of Directors of the Oakland Heritage Alliance (OHA) seeks a part-time Administrative Director (the only paid position in the organization) to provide office support and assist with growing the organization, including helping to increase membership and expand outreach.

To Apply: Please send cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references to:
Oakland Heritage Alliance, 446 17th Street, Suite 301, Oakland, CA 94612 OR email to: info@oaklandheritage.org with AD Application - Your Full Name in the subject line.
Application deadline: 5pm on Friday, February 21st
Target start date: April 1st or earlier

Visit the OWA Job Opportunities Page to look for or add other positions available.