UVA Captures First and Second Place Wins in the AIA Virginia Prize Competition

UVA School of Architecture students Graham Gewirz and Philip Edmonston won First and Second place, respectively, in the 2024 AIA Virginia Prize competition. This year’s challenge was to design a “bookless” public library as a community public room on a corner site at the intersection of N. Mallory Street and E. County Street in Phoebus, Virginia.

Congratulations, Graham and Philip!

(See AIA Virginia’s full competition coverage showcasing exceptional work from University of Virginia, James Madison University, Hampton University, and Virginia Tech)

First Place: Graham Gewirz

Jury comments:

“The scheme demonstrates a clarity in the development of the original diagram to the finalized solution. There is a consistency in the attitude and articulation of the natural thickness of masonry throughout the scheme, operating at multiple scales. Intelligent carving of the masonry creates places for gathering and engagement with the building from the exterior and intimate spaces for contemplation and studying in the interior.”


About Graham…

Graham Gewirz is a DC native, and at UVA, he does a few things outside of class: 

“I am a fabrication lab technician, and I lead projects for a campus organization called UVA Sawmilling, where I design/build furniture and other wooden things for UVA. I graduate this semester where I am headed to Harvard GSD to complete a Masters in Urban Design.”

Second Place: Philip Edmonston

Jury comments:

“The scheme is strongly engaging of the site’s context, operating at a transition of scale in the urban fabric, by breaking down the scale of the overall structure into a series of volumes, aggregated into a composition that pulls a visitor into the site. The library expansion is complementary of the existing library in orientation, access, and form.”

About Philip…

Philip is a 4th year student from the Philadephia area working towards a major in Architecture and a minor in Philosophy.

“I enjoyed this year's competition for the challenge of its large site and unique historic context. Recently, I have been interested in the design of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, Alvar Aalto, and Frank Furness.”

Architecture Week: Valley Happy Hour!

The first annual Architecture Week Valley Social was held at Rocktown Kitchen in Harrisonburg on April 10, 2024. We had a great turnout from Charlottesville, Staunton, and Harrisonburg designers (web design, cabinet design, and interior design joined in to celebrate architecture). Conversations ranged from career path to public art to mentoring and internships. It was a great success and we look forward to the next valley event. Happy Architecture week everyone! 

Learning to protect our Intellectual Property with Lee/Shoemaker

Joe Cooch with Lee/Shoemaker and Sidney Griffin, AIA Central Virginia President

On the evening of January 25th, in the conference room of VMDO Architects, Joe Cooch with Lee/Shoemaker treated AIA Central Virginia members to his intellectual insight in the world of copyright law as it pertains to our design work. In his presentation, Joe led us through the legal framework for copyright and trade secrets protection.

Starting with copyright, we learned the definitions of what is copyrightable when it comes to architectural design (an original composition of typical features created independently with “some minimal degree of creativity”), and what doesn’t. The independent creation is why works created with AI are not copyrightable because the fundamental operation of AI pull together works from other authors. AI got more scrutiny when Lee dug into the licensing agreements associated with the use of AI and the products produced. If you are using AI as part of your design process, be sure to review the terms & conditions to make sure you aren’t signing away copyrights to your intellectual property by using these tools!

The trade secrets part of the presentation highlighted our processes including BIM, CAD, internal processes, software customizations, and business strategies. Joe cautioned for us to have protections in place in the form of contract language, release agreements for file distribution, and a good legal team to make sure your trade secrets stay secret.

Joe’s presentation was highly informative and entertaining, even weaving in a reference to the Wu-Tang clan for their masterful understanding of how copyrights work in the music industry. Thank you, Joe Cooch and Lee/Shoemaker, for presenting and sponsoring this event, and thanks to VMDO Architects for offering their space!

AIA Virginia bring together leaders from Local Chapters

AIA Virginia gathered Presidents and President-Elects from the state’s 5 local chapters at Twin Hickory Library in Henrico County to discuss ways to synergize our efforts to better serve Virginia’s AIA members. The 6-hour meeting was extremely fruitful, filling 10 poster-sized sheets with ideas on how to do more together to increase AIA’s value to our members. Look for upcoming announcements for collaborative events with our neighboring chapters and visits from AIA Virginia representatives as they tour around the state!

Leadership representatives from AIA Virginia and the 5 local AIA chapters: AIA Blue Ridge, AIA Central Virginia, AIA Hampton Roads, AIA Northern Virginia, and AIA Richmond.

AIA Central Virginia President speaks with students at Walker Upper Elementary

by Sidney Griffin, AIA Central Virginia President

I had the honor of sharing a stage with a TON of talent at Walker Upper Elementary for their Black History Month presentation. I and a few dozen other Black business leaders were invited to talk to 5th and 6th grade students about what we do in our professions. Our panel included artists, doctors, educators, entrepreneurs, musicians and administrators like Charlottesville’s Mayor Juandiego Wade, Chief Academic Officer Katina Otey, and Dr. Royal A Gurley, Jr, Charlottesville Superintendent of Schools!

The participants and I could feel the excitement upon coming into the school during a lively lunch period where students greeted us with smiles and waves. Before making our way to the stage, we enjoyed warm welcomes from a few special education classrooms we stepped into. The Walker Jazz Band gave us an awesome soundtrack to our arrival on the auditorium stage, accompanied by John D’earth who is a frequent volunteer at Walker. It was certainly a special treat for us jazz enthusiasts!

After the assembly, I visited two classes to talk about the role of architects in our communities, my personal path to architecture, and gave live drawing sessions to show how architects think and work through problems visually. The students had amazing questions - I think there were a few future architects in those classrooms! Thank you, Walker Upper Elementary for a most rewarding afternoon!

Saving Historic Black Schools

Forward by Sidney Griffin, AIA

We uplift AIA Central Virginia Fellow member, Jody Lahendro, FAIA, for playing a key role in the State Department of Historic Resources receiving a grant through the National Park Service Underrepresented Communities Grant Program. Here, Jody recounts what this grant means for the recognition and historic preservation for Virginia’s historic African American schools.

DHR press release: https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/press-release-posts/nps-awards-virginia-75k-for-historic-context-document-for-african-american-schools/

Report by Jody Lahendro, FAIA

The recent announcement of a $75,000 grant to the state Department of Historic Resources (DHR) represents a major first step in gaining recognition for all of Virginia’s historic African American schools.  This grant will fund the preparation of a Multiple Property Document (MPD), a cover form that will define the physical and cultural characteristics of Progressive Era schools constructed for rural African Americans.  Once accepted by the National Park Service, this MPD will greatly facilitate the listing of historic Black schools on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places.  Obtaining eligibility for these listings is often a requirement for obtaining grants for preservation of these schools. 

 

A similar MPD was approved in 2004 for Rosenwald schools in Virginia, African American schools of this same period but constructed with the financial assistance and administrative oversight of the Rosenwald Fund.  This new MPD will, for the first time, recognize the significance of historic Black schoolhouses built because of other, no less important, Progressive Era initiatives. 

 

An example of the cultural richness that can accompany non-Rosenwald schools is Cuckoo Colored School in Louisa County, which will be nominated for listing with the MPD cover document.  This unimpressive, 990 GSF abandoned schoolhouse was constructed about 1925.  In helping school alumni and community to document and preserve this school, I learned that a Black school was founded in this location before 1880 by the inheritor of Cuckoo Plantation for children of his family’s formerly enslaved people.  This small, unremarkable building is a surviving artifact of several intersecting cultural patterns of Virginia history, and will hopefully, because of this grant, join our record of listed historic landmarks while facilitating its preservation.

Congratulations to our newest AIA Fellows!

We are honored to have 3 (wow!) new members of AIA Central Virginia elevate to the AIA College of Fellows! Michelle Amt, Ed Ford, and Bruce Wardell are recognized for their exception contributions to the profession and society and for exemplifying architectural excellence in their respective fields. Only 3% of the AIA members have this distinction. Congratulations!

Michelle Amt, FAIA

VMDO Architects, P.C.

Object Two: To advance the science and art of planning and building by advancing the standards of practice.

Ed Ford, FAIA

University of Virginia School of Architecture

Object Six: To advance the science and art of planning and building by advancing the standards of architectural education and training.

Bruce Wardell, FAIA

BRW Architects, P.C.

Object Five: To make the profession of ever-increasing service to society.