Role Call: Public Outreach Committee

This is a newly appointed council committee seeking a member volunteer to the committee in support of the following terms of reference:

• Develop a process, including appropriate engagement, to provide clearer definition of the AIBC’s advocacy role, what can be done within it, and the best strategy for doing that;
• Develop and implement a strategy for a stronger and better defined working relationship with the RAIC; and
• Develop and implement communications and engagement activities that focus on increasing public understanding of architecture, what architects do, and the value they offer to society.

Read the Public Outreach Committee Terms of Reference.

If you are interested please contact Karl Gustavson Architect AIBC, committee chair at karl@kgarchitect.ca.

Joan Hendriks Architect AIBC MRAIC Announced as AIBC’s Director of Registration and Licensing

The AIBC is pleased to announce the appointment of Joan Hendriks Architect AIBC MRAIC as the new Director of Registration and Licensing.

For more than 15 years Joan has been active with the AIBC as a volunteer, and more recently as a member of the senior management team. As a volunteer, she has sat on a number of committees and boards, and served as Registrar during her term on council. Prior to today’s announcement, she was the Interim Registration and Licensing Director, as well as the Director of Strategic Initiatives.

Reporting to the CEO, and overseeing a busy three-person department, Joan will manage all regulatory aspects of registration of architects and associates and licensing of architectural firms at the AIBC. She will be the primary liaison with the Canadian Architectural Licensing Authorities (CALA), its committees, and the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB). In addition, she will support the duties of the Registrar, the Registration Board and its committees.

As a practicing architect, Joan brings a wealth of first-hand experience and knowledge to her new role. We look forward to her sound professional judgement, member-based focus and strategic vision.

Please join us in congratulating Joan on her new position.

Omer Arbel Receives 2015 RAIC Allied Arts Medal

By staff Canadian Architect
Canadian Architect, March 25, 2015

A Vancouver industrial designer whose artistic lighting designs illuminate buildings worldwide will receive the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s (RAIC) Allied Arts Medal for 2015.

Omer Arbel is the principal of Omer Arbel Office, which produces designs for buildings, objects, furniture, lighting and electrical accessories. He is also cofounder and creative director of Bocci, a design and manufacturing firm whose portfolio ranges from light installations to furniture and electrical sockets.

The RAIC bestows the Allied Arts Medal every two years. The award honours a Canadian artist or designer for outstanding achievement for artwork created to be integrated with architecture. Any medium allied to architecture is eligible, including murals, sculpture, glass, fabric, lighting, furniture, water, sound, site-specific installation, video, digital, and industrial and landscape design.

Arbel’s submission focused on lighting installations, including at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England. In 2013, an installation, known as 28.280 filled the 30-metre vertical space of the museum’s grand entrance and ceramics room with a cascade of 280 glass 28 series pendants. Read more…

New Registered Educational Provider: Engineered Assemblies

Engineered Assemblies unites the house of design with the field of construction; providing design consultation, drafting and engineering services for owners and architects.

To learn more about all AIBC Registered Educational Providers, please visit the AIBC website.

New Registered Educational Provider: Pacific Business & Law Institute (PBLI)

Pacific Business & Law Institute is a team of lawyers and professionals based in Vancouver who have been committed to researching pressing issues, trends and legal and social policy developments for over 25 years. The company offers over 40 courses, educational conferences and forums in locations across Canada.

To learn more about all AIBC Registered Educational Providers, please visit the AIBC website.

New Registered Educational Provider: Surface Products Inc.

Surface Products Inc. is a leading distributor of unique building materials for the architecture and design industry. Their products are utilized in a variety of commercial, residential, retail, hospitality, institutional or office environments and are ideal for both interior and exterior applications.

To learn more about all AIBC Registered Educational Providers, please visit the AIBC website.

New Registered Educational Provider: Garibaldi Glass

Garibaldi Glass is a leading glass manufacturer with over 48 years of experience. The company prides itself in total understanding of industry trends, products, innovations and technology advancements which allows them to partner and collaborate, to see visions come true.

To learn more about all AIBC Registered Educational Providers, please visit the AIBC website.

New Registered Educational Provider: Avail Leadership

Avail Leadership is a human resources and leadership development consultancy that assists clients by providing: management training, HR consulting, succession planning consulting, organizational assessments such as employee engagement surveys and 360 reviews.

To learn more about all AIBC Registered Educational Providers, please visit the AIBC website.

Construction Specifications Canada

Rainscreen and the Resurgence of EIFS
CSC Vancouver Chapter is hosting a luncheon presentation on Rainscreens and Exterior Insulation Finishing Systems (EIFS). Led by Andre Turrin, Technical Director of DuRock and member of EIFS Council of Canada Board of Directors, the presentation will address the four principal aspects of Environmental Separation that are applicable to EIFS, delve into the Fire Protection Articles of the National Building Code of Canada that apply to EIFS, and discuss the designing and detailing considerations with special attention to interfaces with other building elements, termination points, expansion joints, and drainage.

Date: Thursday, April 9, 2015. 11:30am-1:30pm
Location: Sandman Hotel, 180 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC
Learning Units (LUs): 1 Core
To register: http://vancouver.csc-dcc.ca

Three Bylaw Amendments Set for Electronic Vote

For the first time, the AIBC will be conducting an electronic vote. The vote will be on three “administrative” bylaw amendments.

AIBC Council supports the three bylaw amendments and encourages all members and honorary members to cast their vote. An electronic ballot will be emailed directly to eligible voters on 30 March. The voting period closes at 5pm (PDT) on 24 April 2015. Results will be announced at the 02 May 2015 Annual Meeting.

For  more information about electronic voting and to read the three bylaw amendments (and supporting rationales), please visit the AIBC website.

Role Call: District of Pitt Meadows Advisory Design Panel

The AIBC invites applications from architects interested in serving on the District of Pitt Meadows Advisory Design Panel.
The role of an advisory design panel member is to give impartial, professional advice directly on any proposal or policy affecting the community’s physical environment in the public interest.
To learn more about the procedures for serving on a panel, please refer to the following documents:

• AIBC Bulletin 65: Advisory Design Panels – Standards for Procedures and Conduct
• ADP Frequently Asked Questions

Please fill out an interactive application form and forward your submissions to the attention of Professional Services Coordinator Alexandra Kokol by email (akokol@aibc.ca).

Role Call: Investigations Committee

This committee conducts investigations of complaints made against architects, associates, temporary licensees and firms and makes recommendations to the institute as to how to proceed.  Committee members are expected to have a solid understanding of professional ethics and conduct in architectural practice. The AIBC believes that public interest and the profession are best served by an Investigations Committee (IC) that includes members from diverse backgrounds.

At this time, the committee is actively seeking more female architect members.  However, the Committee encourages any qualified members to consider this opportunity. View the Investigations Committee Terms of Reference.

Interested members are invited to submit questions and expressions of interest to the AIBC, c/o Professional Conduct Officer, Gayle Roberts at groberts@aibc.ca or by phone at (604) 683-8588 extension 310.

BC Society of Landscape Architects Annual Conference

The BC Society of Landscape Architects (BCSLA) invites you to attend their annual conference, entitled – Corridors: Connecting BC Communities.  The conference will be held form April 23 to 25, 2015 at the Fairmont Château Whistler.

The goal this conference is to look at communities outside of larger urban areas and to better understand that the diversity of these landscapes requires an individual to further develop techniques and tools within their profession. This year BCSLA is turning their attention to smaller communities in BC and to a range of issues.

As their conference is being held in Whistler, they will use the challenges, successes, and externalities of the Sea-to-Sky Corridor as examples of how issues now facing many more small communities have emerged, impacted, and been addressed over the last fifty years.

View the preliminary conference program. Should you have questions about the conference please contact Tara Culham, Executive Director by email at admin@bcsla.org or by phone at (604) 682-5610 or toll free (US and Canada) at (855) 682-5610.