RAIC Metro Vancouver Advocacy Awards Dinner

The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and the RAIC’s Metro Vancouver Chapter cordially invite you to attend its annual Advocacy Awards Dinner, where we celebrate the advocates of Architecture from our community – architects, emerging practitioners and organizations whose efforts have inspired a dialogue of critical issues relevant to the architectural industry and have contributed to society’s increased awareness and appreciation of the significant role architecture plays in all our lives. This year’s recipients are:

• Michael Apostolides & The Vancouver League for Architecture and the Environment;
• Stanley Kwok, retired architect, urban planner and city builder;
• Mayor Gregor Robertson, Mayor of the City of Vancouver;
• Leslie Van Duzer, Director of the University of British Columbia’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture; and
• Bob Williams,  Director – Vancity Board of Directors, former provincial cabinet minister and past chair of ICBC.

The evening’s keynote speaker is James Cheng Architect AIBC FRAIC. You are welcome to bring your partner, colleagues, friends and clients to the awards dinner and presentation. It happens Thursday, November 7, 2013, 6:00 – 10:00 p.m. at the Italian Cultural Centre, 3075 Slocan Street, Vancouver. The cost is $85 per person, which includes appetizers and dinner, and all purchases are eligible for a charitable receipt. All proceeds raised from this dinner will go towards the Metro Vancouver Chapter speaker series, student and intern architect events, the Architecture4kids program, design competitions as well as advocacy efforts for architecture in B.C. Click here to get your tickets online.

Vancouver Introduces Permit Appointment Process

Beginning November 4, 2013, the City of Vancouver will take appointments for a variety of services that were previously processed on a first come, first served only. As a result, permit customers can save time and avoid waiting in line by booking an appointment for everything from questions about a site to submitting an application for tenant Improvements, demolitions and minor alterations or additions that meet the city’s field review requirements. For these services, appointments are optional and walk-in service is still available, but those with appointments will move to the front of the line when they do  arrive. In addition, appointments will now be required for customers submitting Tenant Improvement Program applications, development permit applications,  more complex building permit applications, and all new construction single family housing permits including laneway houses. These applications will be submitted directly to a project coordinator who will manage the file from start to finish, including performing the technical review. This direct contact between applicant and file manager will allow for an informative exchange about the project, especially key assumptions that, if missed, could be problematic down the road. To book appointments, call (604) 873-7611 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. For more information, click here.

Call For Entries: RAIC Architecture Documentary Series

The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada invites submissions for In-Context, a video documentary series intended to promote the importance of architecture in today’s society. Architects are encouraged to makes submissions for a 10-video series that will profile contemporary architecture projects in cities across Canada that have had a profound impact on the social, environmental or cultural well-being of their immediate contexts while also contributing significantly to the overall quality of our shared environment. The videos will be featured online as well as presented at the RAIC’s 2014 Festival of Architecture. Note: applicants must be a registered member of the RAIC. The deadline is Friday, November 15, 2013. For detailed information and to take part, click here.

Invigilators Wanted

The AIBC invites its members to support B.C. intern architects in their journey towards registration. On Monday and Tuesday, November 4-5, 2013, AIBC IAs  will, for the first time, be ” writing the Examination for Architects in Canada (ExAC).The institute is seeking test invigilators for the inaugural administration of the ExAC. Those selected to the ExAC Administration Team must be an registered B.C. architect;  invigilating experience invigilating would be an asset. It is a nine-hour commitment (7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) on each of the testing dates. The examinations will take place at the  Vancouver Convention Centre – East.  Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Any travel and parking expenses will be reimbursed. Prior to the testing, a brief training session will be held on Wednesday, October 30, 2013, 10:00 a.m. at the AIBC Offices. If interested, please respond by Wednesday, October 16, 2013 to Director of Registration & Licensing Róisín O’Neill at roneill@aibc.ca.

Heritage Vancouver Society

Heritage Talks: The Future of Vancouver’s Heritage Schools

For a number of years, Vancouver’s heritage schools have been under threat of demolition or changes that threaten the very character of these neighbourhood landmarks. Heritage Vancouver welcomes guest speakers Rob Wynen, Vancouver School Board trustee, and Gerry McGeough Architect AIBC, University of British Columbia architect and former senior heritage planner with the City of Vancouver, to discuss how to retain neighbourhood heritage schools while at the same time making them safe for students. Be part of this important community conversation on Tuesday, October 29, 2013,  7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Arts & Culture Alliance, 938 Howe Street. Admission is free but pre-registration is required. To find more information and to sign up, click here.

2 Core LUs

Submission Deadline: Banff Session 2014

You have until November 1, 2013, to make a submission to be part of the Alberta Association of Architects Banff Session 2014, taking place May 2-3, 2014 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. Proposals for both keynote speakers and professional development presenters are invited. This biannual conference in the Rocky Mountains provides an opportunity for those involved in the practice of architecture and interior design to discuss their work, ideas, beliefs, and attitudes in an arena of open dialogue, in a unique context unencumbered by the everyday pressures and activities of the workplace. It typically attracts a full house of approximately 450 architects, interior designers, academics, and students from all parts of Canada and the United States. The theme for next year’s gathering is Beyond Boundaries, exploring how the art of architecture and interior design has inspired us throughout history. Sub-themes include Evoking Memories of Influential Theories and Movements; Imagining the Future of Urban Spaces; Creating a Sustainable Vision; Transcending Social Boundaries; Exploring the Essence of Materials; and Articulating the Possibilities. For more information and a submission form, click here.

CACB Conference Position Papers

The Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) is planning a September 2014 conference to review the holistic education of an architect. The theme of this conference – Education, Experience and Exam – will focus on the education of future practicing architects from a student beginning architecture school to licensure and registration. How we prepare graduates for success in this evolving and expanding discipline is critical to our collective futures. In order to develop more meaningful sessions, the conference organizing committee is position paper that will be used to shape and evoke stimulus for discussion by conference delegates. Conclusions and recommendations emerging from the conference will be considered by the CACB as a basis for alterations to the accreditation and certification processes. These position papers may also help to improve processes for internship and architectural registration and will be considered by the regulators. Architecture constituents (organizations, registered professionals, IAs, etc.) are invited to submit position papers that provide documentation and argumentation for specific challenges to the current paradigm of education, experience and examination. They are not limited in length but should be as concise and precise as possible, and must be received by April 1, 2014. Send them to 2014conference@cacb.ca.

New Vancouver Building Bylaw

At its September 25, 2013 meeting, Vancouver City Council approved a new Vancouver Building Bylaw that brings about changes to support housing for renters, seniors and people with disabilities while eliminating red tape and supporting the city’s Greenest City 2020 Action Plan. The updated building code reduces administrative requirements for building and construction professionals while enhancing energy and water efficiency, accessibility, and fire and life safety requirements. Changes include:

• Mandating of adaptable housing requirements such as wider doorways, stairways, and corridors, as well as requiring automatic door openers at the main entry of apartment buildings to support seniors and people with disabilities;
• Making it easier to add kitchen and bathroom facilities to SRO buildings by waiving the renovation requirement that such changes be tied to other upgrades;
• Setting improved energy efficiency targets for one- and two-family dwellings, which will have 50% fewer GHGs annually than the current provincial code;
• Allowing the Chief Building Official to extend a building permit twice without requiring council approval; and,
• Giving the Chief Building Officer authority to set a deadline by which a landlord must comply with legal orders.

Additional information is available online, click here.

Vancouver Heritage Foundation

Old School –  Maintaining Heritage Buildings: Energy Retrofits For Older Buildings

Breathe easy, stay warm, and save money: How to upgrade the performance of an older home without sacrificing heritage. This one-evening workshop will introduce the key building science principles that affect home performance, and present a range of affordable strategies for improving indoor air quality, thermal comfort and energy efficiency in older homes. The presentation will conclude with an extended Q&A session at which attendees may ask specific questions about their homes. The presenter, Monte Paulsen, is a Certified Energy Advisor and Passive House consultant who resides in a heritage home. The event takes place on Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at 7:00pm to 9:30pm, in the Town Hall Room at the Vancouver City Hall (453 W 12th Ave., Vancouver). Cost is $25 + tax. To register and for more details, please visit https://register.beanstream.com/scripts/registration.asp?form=2080 or call (604) 264-9642.

2.5 Core LUs

Vancouver Heritage Foundation

Old School –  Maintaining Heritage Buildings: Drafting a Statement of Significance

Statements of Significance (SOS) are more than just tools that commemorate important sites. They are mandatory documents to formally recognize historic places at local, provincial and federal levels. Led by BC Heritage Branch Senior Heritage Planner Berdine Jonker, this workshop will qualify participants to author SOSs, including knowledge of the formal conventions required for submitting them to three levels of government. This workshop is sponsored by the B.C. Heritage Branch. Heritage professionals and students, homeowners and heritage building and site owners are all welcome. The cost is $25. It takes place Saturday, November 16, 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Church Hall, 949 West 49th Avenue, Vancouver. Click here to register.

3.5 Core LUs

Vancouver Heritage Foundation

Old School –  Maintaining Heritage Buildings: Neighbourhood Zoning Walk

This walk with Civic Historian John Atkin will visit two neighbouring zoning districts – Mount Pleasant (RT-6) and Shaughnessy (FSD) – , comparing what the zoning regulations allow now, and how what is already there relates to current regulations. Participants will also hear heritage stories along the way. It takes place Saturday, October 12, 2013. The cost is $30. For details and to register, click here or call (604) 264-9642.

3.0 Core LUs

Vancouver Heritage Foundation

Hycroft Evening Lecture Series: 1913 – Vancouver’s Boom Year

Civic Historian John Atkin will speak to the Vancouver construction boom that took place in 1913, resulting in a significant number of wonderful heritage buildings now celebrating their 100th birthday.  It is scheduled for Tuesday, October 15, 2013, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. at the University Women’s Club of Vancouver at Hycroft, 1489 McRae Avenue. The cost is $12. Click here to sign up.

1.5 Non-core LUs

Vancouver Heritage Foundation

Brown Bag Lunch & Learn: Designing Effective Small Spaces

Bruce Carscadden Architect AIBC, of Bruce Carscadden Architecture Inc., will reveal how the Burns Block – a synergy of city, developer and heritage interests – meshed with Carscadden’s own architectural aspirations. It happens Wednesday, November 13, 2013, 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m. at the British Columbia Institute of Technology’s Downtown Campus,555 Seymour Street, Vancouver. The cost is $12. Click here to register online.

1.5 Core LUs

Vancouver Heritage Foundation

Brown Bag Lunch & Learn: Sustainability Case Studies

Presented by Sam McFaul, a UBC SALA architecture student, this session will take a close look at the Gow Block restoration and infill, a “Vancouver Special” sustainability lab and a local laneway house. Attendees will learn how the Gow Block owners were able to keep its historic look while also creating a sustainable, contemporary place to live and work. It takes place Wednesday, October 30, 2013, 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m. at the British Columbia Institute of Technology’s Downtown Campus,555 Seymour Street, Vancouver. The cost is $12. Click here to register.

1.5 Core LUs

7 Lessons From The 3rd International Architectural Education Summit

By Amelia Taylor-Hochberg, Archinect
October 7, 2013

Just over a year ago, the Architectural Review published “Alternative Routes for Architecture”, calling for a drastic reinterpretation of architectural education in the face of rigid institutions and extreme financial strains. Certainly this demand is older than a year — as we allow technology to knit information more thickly into our cultural fabric, we question the nature of education at large as having a physical place and hierarchy, through systems such as MOOCs or mobile workspaces. Add prohibitively high costs, followed by debt and depressing unemployment rates, and the architect is getting fit to reconstitute itself as newly relevant and multi-faceted professional. More …