Meet Joseph (Jody) Dye Lahendro, FAIA

Posted on by cguske

I’ve wanted to be an architect ever since roaming the houses under construction in my growing suburban neighborhood at 12. After a summer in Europe during college, my interest in architecture expanded to its heritage. A fifth-year college thesis in historic preservation resulted in a job with the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. Following apprenticeship and registration, I took time to seriously study architectural history in graduate school. The normal rotation through several architectural firms ended in starting my own architectural practice in Richmond, specializing in historic preservation. During that 18-year practice, I accumulated a list of over 200 projects and served a year as Historic Architect with the Taliesin Preservation Commission in Spring Green, WI. In 2005, I began a 17-year career as Historic Preservation Architect at the University of Virginia where I managed preservation projects in the Academical Village, the President’s House at Carr’s Hill, and the Rotunda. Since retiring in 2021, I’ve been a full-time consultant providing preservation services to small nonprofits.

Where did you go to architecture school?

Bachelor of Architecture degree from Virginia Tech in 1975
Master of Architectural History from the University of Virginia in 1982

What do you think it takes to be an architect?

A natural curiosity in our surroundings, a love of building things, and pleasure in working with people collaboratively.

Is there an architect that particularly inspires you?

As any mid-century kid with an interest in architecture, I worshipped Frank Lloyd Wright. I still have my tattered copy of a 1960 compilation of his writings, heavily noted and highlighted. And even now, knowing the emotional price some apprentices paid serving Wright, I still study his work and always learn something.

What are you currently reading?

As usual, there are several at once, including The Need to be Whole by Wendall Berry; Architects of an American Landscape, a biography of F.L. Olmsted and H.H. Richardson by Hugh Howard, and; A Gathering of Old Men by Earnest Gaines.

What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?

My next one shared with other people.

Why do you volunteer with AIA?

I have volunteered with nonprofits and local governments for close to 25 years. Since retiring in April 2021, I’ve been working full-time providing pro bono preservation services to small regional nonprofits with historic African American buildings. This consultation has resulted in the award of federal grants for four projects and approval by the state for another two. My commitment to this type of work came with the realization that my 50-year career as a preservationist was focused on the historic resources of white Americans. Only recently have important sites of African American culture begun receiving the attention they deserve. Particularly vulnerable are small, rural African American communities, with limited resources, struggling to save their historic schools, churches, and farmhouses. My small, inadequate contribution is a personal attempt to repair an injustice that ignored or undervalued the landmarks of Black culture that are now disappearing due to this long inattention. The friends I’ve made while doing this work is completely unexpected, and a blessing.

Meet Stephen Michael (Mike) Evans, FAIA, Emeritus

Posted on by cguske

Mike is a native of Poquoson, Virginia, a small waterfront city on the western shore of the
The Chesapeake Bay, locally known as “Bull Island”, is one of the oldest (1631) continuously named
cities in Virginia, where he still resides.

He worked for several years in high school on construction sites during summers, and later
while in college with architectural firms in Norfolk, Charlottesville, Newport News, and
Scottsdale, AZ.

Mike Evans, FAIA

A few years out of the University of Virginia, School of Architecture (BARCH 1972) and with 5 years of firm practice, registration, and building a new home, he began a sole proprietorship in 1977, later expanding that firm in 1979. Shortly after having their Hampton office in the historic Roseland Manor House, on the shores of the Hampton Roads Harbor, was destroyed by fire, the the firm merged with John Paul Hanbury, FAIA and Company in 1985, relocating to downtown Norfolk.

Around that time, Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas (HEWV) (now trading as Hanbury) embarked on a focused plan to embrace a smaller number of client market areas. Mike along with Jane Cady Rathbone, FAIA volunteered to lead the newly named Academic Studio.

With only a few previous college and university projects, the opportunities, challenges, and competition were formidable. With a shared appreciation of academic environments, and with high expectations about design and planning, the studio and firm began a 30+ year voyage of academic work across the United States, and occasionally beyond, that continues today.

Hanbury has now worked with over 175 higher education clients. Mike worked with many campuses, including the planning and initial design for an entirely new campus for the University of Macao, Guangdong province, mainland China, on land leased to the Macau SAR government. He was also involved in planning and design for what was a new student housing complex, and the 2002 Winter Olympic Village at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, along with work in Qatar, Uruguay, Mexico, Canada, and Great Britain.

He was a Design Principal and CEO of HEWV for a number of years, retiring from active practice in 2015.

Mike has also been active in the local and professional communities, including having served six years on the Poquoson City School Board. He served as a founder and Chairman of the Poquoson Education Foundation, Inc. and as Chairman of the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He was President of the Hampton Roads AIA Chapter and Vice-President of AIA Virginia. He conducted numerous conference and collegiate speaking engagements, including in China and South Africa, Design Award Juries, and was for several years a presenting participant in the AIA Virginia’s Emerging Leaders in Architecture session in Norfolk.

What does it take to be an Architect?
Passion for design and creative thinking, enjoyment of teamwork, constant learning, and hard work!
Mike believes that investing in learning about the client community, their concerns and needs, and the design and firm environment you want to embrace, is one of the paths for a long and satisfying career. You should cherish your efforts that improve and impact people and places, as it is the very best career award. Learn to listen, lead, share, involve, and praise others. He also encourages the study of human behavior and systems thinking for a more expansive set of leadership skills and tools.

Who are the architects that inspired you?
So many!
Mitchell / Giurgola, Hugh Jacobson, Calatrava, Clark / Menefee, Kenzo Tange, and many partners, classmates, consultants, and professors…….and Carlton Abbott, FAIA.

What are you currently reading?
Currently reading The Wizard and The Prophet, by Charles C. Mann, about dueling concepts of two early environmental scientists about the future. Will we simply embrace and rely on technological progress (Wizard), or rely on resource conservation (Prophet) to continue to have and feed an expanding world population? He prefers to focus on non-fiction reading topics.

What has been your best meal ever?
His “best” meal was at a restaurant in Hong Kong with other firm members. The HUTONG Restaurant in Hong Kong was the best view and food! His most memorable meal(s) will always be from enjoying whole family lunches at his grandparents’ house each Sunday, and occasionally on his grandfather’s fishing boat.

Why volunteer with the AIA?
AIA is our knowledge community and advocate. You get to share your thoughts and experiences and learn from the whole range of firms, individual architects, and issues. Every hour you serve AIA improves your skill and knowledge set and enhances your access to and relationships with others in the design and construction industry.

Currently, what are you doing?
Having retired from active practice, he now spends more time trying to fix his golf game, doing occasional sketching, and enjoying time on the North Carolina OBX, in the mountains of Virginia, and with five amazing grandchildren!

Meet Allison Ewing, FAIA

Posted on by cguske

As an architect and leader, Allison Ewing, FAIA has advanced sustainability through design, implementation and advocacy – both within and beyond the architectural profession — by modeling change in the building industry with solutions both visionary and practicable.  Working on commercial, institutional, residential, and mixed-use projects at both large- and small-scale, Allison Ewing’s architectural experience spans twenty-five years and three continents. Ms. Ewing’s work seeks transformation – of site, of workplace, of living environment. She pursues design excellence at all scales, from site to building to detail – an approach which encompasses meeting client’s goals while arriving at elegant solutions that embody sustainable best practices.

Prior to forming her own firm HEDS with partner Chris Hays,  Ms. Ewing was Partner at William McDonough + Partners, and design associate at the Italian firm of Renzo Piano Building Workshop.  Her work experience also includes the offices of Cesar Pelli & Associates and Mitchell Giurgola Architects.

Ms Ewing has been a speaker at a number of national and international events related to sustainable design and her work has been published in EcoHome, USA Weekend, Dwell, Custom and the Washington Post Home.  She has received many design awards, including “Custom Home of the Year Award” from Custom Home Magazine.  The Lewis & Clark Exploratory Center of Virginia received the top Virginia AIA award in 2018.

Ms. Ewing received her Master’s in Architecture from Yale University Graduate School of Architecture.  She was the recipient of a Monbusho Fellowship to Japan where she studied Japanese housing.

Where did you go to college?
Yale School of Architecture (MArch), Tokyo Institute of Technology (Monbusho Fellowship), University of Vermont (BA), L’Ecole du Louvre (DEUG)

What does it take to be an architect?
Architecture bridges art and building. It’s not pure creation, nor is it pure engineering. I enjoy the range of skills that span between art and engineering — the creative aspects, the problem solving, the attention to detail, the bringing together of many consultants toward a (hopefully) beautifully conceived and executed design. Each project is a new exploration of that ideal marriage of a building with its site to enrich people’s lives and advance sustainability.

Was there an architect that particularly inspired you?
I first met Tadao Ando in 1989 through a Yale internship at the construction company Takenaka in Osaka, Japan. Mr. Ando taught a studio at Yale the following year. Mr. Ando invited a few of us to travel in Japan at the end of his studio. During my fellowship in Tokyo in 1992, I was able to visit some of his projects. Through these experiences, I was able to study his use of light with concrete as his canvas. The buttery quality of his concrete makes the material dematerialize when hit with light — you see the light, not the concrete. It reminds me of what a friend said about the pianist Maurizio Pollini. You hear the music, not the pianist’s technique. This idea applies to Ando’s work – the architect’s technique is not what you see, it is light as it hits surfaces, water as it reflects the sky. In this sense, Ando is the most modest of architects.

What are you currently reading?
I am reading Elif Shafak’s 10 Minutes and 38 Seconds in This Strange World. The novel takes place in Istanbul. I enjoy foreign authors – their perspective takes me to new cultures in distant places.

What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
I was doing a summer internship in Osaka, Japan, through Yale, with the construction company Takenaka. One of the Takanaka’s clients invited my colleague and me for dinner. We were told to arrive before sunset. The dinner was on a deck perched over the Kamo River. It was a hot day but we were cooled by the cool breeze from the river below our deck. The waitress wore the traditional Geisha kimono. The meal started with a broth over a burner. Over the course of the meal, the waitress brought out food that was added to the broth, vegetables, quail egg, shellfish, and on and on. It was many courses… As the evening progressed, the broth grew richer with every addition. The combination of the setting and dinner progression was astonishing.

Why do you volunteer with AIA?
I inherited a strong sense of civic duty from my father who was raised a Quaker. Volunteering with the AIA expands my engagement in the profession beyond that of building projects. The VSAIA Political Action Committee is a great opportunity to help to advance sustainability through legislation. I feel I am giving something back to my community with the skills I have acquired in the course of my career.

Meet Alice J. Raucher, FAIA, AIA, LEED AP

Posted on by cguske

As Architect for the University of Virginia, Alice Raucher is the symbolic custodian of Thomas Jefferson’s design legacy, directing the architecture, planning, and landscape design of the University’s Grounds. In addition to being the chief steward of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Jefferson’s original college, Alice oversees a dynamic and expanding campus embedded in the City of Charlottesville and surrounded by Albemarle County, and navigates a complex and highly political landscape as a true collaborator and team builder. Alice heads an office of 15 professionals who take an integrated design approach to University projects. She and her team have responsibility over the University’s 2,700 acres and 18.5 million square feet, and influence its $3 billion capital budget. In her previous role as Senior Architect and Chair of the Design Steering Team at Yale University, Alice oversaw the largest expansion of the college in a generation, as well as the renovation of two of the most iconic masterpieces of modern architecture. At Yale, and now at UVA, Alice is a strong advocate for design excellence, accessibility, resilience, equity, and sustainability.

Alice J. Raucher, FAIA, AIA, LEED AP

As a tenure-track faculty member at Syracuse University’s School of Architecture, Alice shared her skill and love for the profession with a new generation of aspiring architects. She was appointed as Director of Syracuse’s Florence Program, where, in addition to her teaching load, she oversaw the school’s undergraduate, graduate, and pre-architecture programs. Alice served as editor of “Foglio” magazine, and was an organizer of the collaborative workshop “La Construzione della Continuita” between Syracuse and the Universita di Ferrara. In addition, she has lectured widely on topics ranging from urbanism to historic interiors. As an AIA member, Alice has served on award juries and contributed to regional and national conferences. She is also active in the Association of University Architects, where she presented her work to an international audience in 2019.

Alice has devoted a large portion of her thirty-four-year career to the practice of architecture, gaining responsibility while being entrusted with increasingly significant projects. As a young architect, Alice joined James Polshek’s New York office, where she oversaw the expansion of Carnegie Hall, a project she considers formative in her career. As a partner in Bell Larson Raucher Architects, Alice was cited in The New York Times article “The Delicate Matter of Passing the Torch” as the next generation carrying on the tradition of a great firm (McKim, Mead and White). Her appreciation for the craft of architecture, respect for her fellow practitioners, and desire to mentor young professionals have informed Alice’s supportive and collaborative approach to working as a University Architect.

Where did you go to college?
I have a B.A. in Fine Art/Art History from Queens College, City University of New York, and an M.Arch. from Syracuse University

What does it take to be an architect?
Passion and perseverance!

Was there an architect that particularly inspired you?
Very difficult question to answer, and I would say that I am inspired, usually, by the work rather than by the person. I am inspired by the work of Eero Saarinen, Alvar Aalto, and Eliel Saarinen, especially.

What are you currently reading?
Sadly, mostly my e-mails these days, but watching escapist tv and movies for the ten minutes before I fall asleep!

What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
Another very difficult question to answer! One that ranks very highly is the “traditional” Thanksgiving dinner we hosted for our students who were studying abroad in Florence, Italy, thanks to Trattoria La Carabaccia. I’ll never forget the fileted roast turkey (“it’s not supposed to be boneless!”), and the sweet potato torta.

Why do you volunteer with AIA?
The AIA connects me with peers, near and far, from varied backgrounds, experiences, and generations. It is an opportunity to share my experiences as well as learn from others.

Helene Combs Dreiling Annual Scholarship

Posted on by cguske

The AIA Fellows of Virginia is proud to announce the formation of the Helene Combs Dreiling Annual Scholarship to honor its namesake, now serving as AIA Virginia Executive Director/CEO, for her generous contributions to the profession.

“Our goal is to benefit future leaders in the field of architecture. This scholarship fund will give young architects opportunities such as access to AIA Convention Fellowships, a professional development City Summer and mentoring programs,” says VCU University Architect Mary Patton Cox, FAIA. “Throughout her career, Helene has championed the needs of emerging professional architects and advocated on their behalf, not just in her current role, but also as president of AIA Blue Ridge, president of AIA Virginia, Regional Director for the Virginias, staff vice president of the American Institute of Architects and as national president of the American Institute of Architects. Helene, herself, was elevated to fellowship in 2000.”

So far, the AIA Fellows of Virginia have raised more than half of the total endowment goal and are continuing to accept donations. They expect the scholarship to be fully endowed by the end of next year so that scholarships can be available in 2017. The Helene Combs Dreiling Annual Scholarship will be awarded to students, interns and young professionals up to 10 years after receiving their accredited degree.

To donate by check:
Make your check payable to the “Virginia Foundation for Architecture”
Send your check to:
Keesha Ezell
Virginia Foundation for Architecture
2501 Monument Avenue
Richmond, VA 23220

To donate by credit card:
Call Keesha Ezell at 804-644-3041, ext. 200.  She or her associate will take your credit card number over the phone.

To transfer securities:
1. Notify Keesha Ezell of the date of the transfer
2. Give the following information to your financial planner or broker:
Virginia Foundation for Architecture – Helene Combs Dreiling FAIA Endowed Scholarship Fund
DTC  0715
Acct: 1170-9400

 

 

Bond, Hassett Awarded Fellowship

Posted on by cguske

Two Virginia members, Sanford Bond, FAIA, and Valerie Hassett, FAIA, were awarded membership in the College of Fellows in 2014.

Hassett
Valerie Hassett, FAIA

Valerie Hassett, FAIA, IIDA, LEED AP, is an architect and an interior designer. Having earned an MArch from Virginia Tech and a BFA in interior design from Virginia Commonwealth University, she has both NCARB and NCIDQ certifications. Valerie is past president of the Mid-Atlantic chapter of IIDA, past president of AIA Northern Virginia, and First Vice-President of the Virginia Society AIA. She is a Project Manager with Wiencek + Associates.

Sanford Bond FAIA
Sanford Bond, FAIA

With a practice spanning over 40 years, Sanford “Sandy” Bond, FAIA, has designed landmark projects across the Commonwealth of Virginia, including buildings for Maymont Nature Center, the Richmond Ballet, Dominion Virginia Power, UVa Health’s  Kluge Children’s Rehabilitation Center, Richmond ARC, and numerous dwellings and vacation homes. He is a founding partner in two prominent firms in Richmond, Bond Comet Westmoreland + Hiner (now BCWH) and  3north.

The Jury of Fellows met at Institute headquarters from Jan. 25-29, 2014, and selected 139 new Fellows. The Fellowship program was developed to elevate those architects who have made a significant contribution to architecture and society and who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession. Election to fellowship not only recognizes the achievements of architects as individuals, but also their significant contribution to architecture and society on a national level. Out of a total AIA membership of over 83,000, there are just over 3,100 distinguished with the honor of fellowship and honorary fellowship.

The 2014 Jury of Fellows included Craig Rafferty, FAIA (Chair), Rafferty Rafferty Tollefson Lindeke Architects; John Castellana, FAIA, TMP Architecture, Inc.; Brian Dougherty, FAIA, Dougherty + Dougherty Architects, LLP; Diane Georgopulos, FAIA, Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency; Susan Maxman, FAIA, SMP Architects LTD; Raymond Yeh, FAIA, University of Hawaii and Donald T. Yoshino, FAIA, Yoshino Architecture, PA.

New Fellows Celebrated

Posted on by cguske

Fellows Fete 2013

Robert W. Moje, FAIA, Elizabeth A. Reader, FAIA and Alan L Hansen, FAIA, (center foreground) newly elected Fellows of the American Institute of Architects, were honored by their Region of the Virginias colleagues at the 2013 Fellows Fête held in the Virginia State Capitol on Richmond, March 23, 2013

Fellows on the stairs included (left to right): John A. Burns, FAIA; W. Douglas Gilpin, Jr., FAIA; William A. Cox, FAIA; Albert J. “Jack” Davis, FAIA; Bruce M. Justice, FAIA; Thomas L. Kerns, FAIA; Paul H. Barkley, FAIA; Paula J. Loomis, FAIA; Charles Mata, FAIA; Baird M. Smith, FAIA; Michael Bednar, FAIA; Elizabeth W. “Jo” Lawson, FAIA; Robert E. Brown, Jr., FAIA; M. Jack Rinehart, FAIA; Steven E. Loomis, FAIA; Mary P. Cox, FAIA; Robert A. Boynton FAIA, Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA; and John K. Mott, FAIA. (Not pictured, but present: Timm Jamieson, FAIA) Photo by Jeanette F. Barkley