WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .24 ANNUAL OFFICIAL PUBLICATION AND DIRECTORY OF AIA WYOMING
We Build More Than World-Class Projects. WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS.
Wyoming Architecture .24 is a publication of the Wyoming Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. aia-wyoming.org AIA Wyoming PO Box 35 Gillette, WY 82717 (307) 286-5519 info@aia-wyoming.org PUBLICATION COVER: Quarry House Teton County, WY Dynia Architects 2025 UPCOMING AIA EVENTS: AIA Leadership Summit Washington, D.C., Feb. 24-26, 2025 AIA Wyoming Spring Conference Cheyenne, WY, Late April, 2025 AIA25 - AIA Conference on Architecture & Design Boston, MA, June 4-7, 2025 AIA Wyoming Annual Fall Conference Sheridan, WY, Late September, 2025 ©2025 The Wyoming Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA WY) | The newsLINK Group LLC. All rights reserved. Wyoming Architecture is published once per year by The newsLINK Group LLC for AIA WY and is the official publication for this association. The information contained in this publication is intended to provide general information for review, consideration and education. The contents do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. If you need legal advice or assistance, it is strongly recommended that you contact an attorney as to your circumstances. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of AIA WY, its board of directors or the publisher. Likewise, the appearance of advertisements within this publication does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any product or service advertised. Wyoming Architecture is a collective work, and as such, some articles are submitted by authors who are independent of AIA WY. While a first-print policy is encouraged, in cases where this is not possible, every effort has been made to comply with any known reprint guidelines or restrictions. Content may not be reproduced or reprinted without prior written permission. For further information, please contact the publisher at (855) 747-4003. CONTENTS President’s Message Change is Inevitable. Growth is Optional.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..................... 5 2024 Board of Directors and Staff.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....................... 7 A Tribute to Susan Menghini .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................... 8 AIA Wyoming Standing Committees Build Connections — Get Involved with AIA Wyoming! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............... 10 Public Awareness Committee The Importance of Awareness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................... 11 Membership Development Committee and Education & Resources Committee Engagement and Participation Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................... 12 Government Advocacy Committee.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...................... 13 AIA Leadership Summit 2024. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......................... 14 AIA Conference on Architecture and Design 2024.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............... 16 Small Firm Exchange. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................. 17 Wyoming Architects Practice Act Update.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................... 18 2024 AIA Strategic Council Report.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...................... 19 Young Architects Forum Update .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................ 21 AIA Wyoming Spring Conference Building on the Past, Designing for the Future. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................... 23 AIA Wyoming Annual Fall Conference Celebrating Bricolage in Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...................... 26 AIA College of Fellows Western Mountain Region. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................ 28 AIA College of Fellows Western Mountain Region 2024 Design Awards Recipients .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....................... 30 An Interview with Charlie Van Over, AIA A Legacy of Thoughtful and Purposeful Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................. 32 AIA 2024 Young Architects Award Winner.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................... 34 Insights From an Energy-Efficient Architecture Expert Bruce A. Hawtin, FAIA, NCARB, Principal Architect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................ 36 Architectural Education Foundation.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...................... 38 Jan Paul: From Immigrant to Inspirationalist.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................. 39 Eugene “Jeep” Dehnert.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................... 40 AIA and Associate AIA WY Member Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................. 43 AIA WY Allied Member Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................ 52 2025 AIA Wyoming Calendar .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................... 55 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .24 | www.aia-wyoming.org 4
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Change is Inevitable. Growth is Optional. DALE BUCKINGHAM, AIA Author John Maxwell says, “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” As architects, we understand this statement better than most. The work that we do responds to and reflects changes in our culture, our environment and technology. We make it possible for individuals and organizations to meet the challenges of change and continue to grow and thrive in their homes, businesses and communities. I am always amazed at the facial expressions as I explain to people what architects do. Most folks have an idea of the creative work that architects perform, but when I tell them about the research, the technical tasks, the administrative and leadership roles, and the legal responsibilities, their jaw often drops. Those who work with architects know that we can help them with the growth part of John Maxwell’s axiom. Looking back over 2024, AIA Wyoming itself has navigated several changes. At the end of 2023, longtime Executive Director Susan Menghini retired to spend time with family and to travel. Our chapter owes tons to Susan, who initiated and structured so many aspects of our thriving organization. Susan will be missed by all who had the privilege of working with her! Finding the right replacement for Susan took a while, but in April, the board hired Jessica Howard to assume the responsibilities of executive director. We welcome Jessica to our organization and look forward to many productive years with her administrative and leadership skills. Jessica is located in Gillette, so you will notice a change in our mailing address. We also welcomed two new board members to AIA Wyoming in 2024. Carl Kohut, AIA, and Ellen Martin, Associate AIA, began their stint on the board in January and hit the ground running. Ellen chaired the planning committee for our spring conference in Laramie, and Carl chaired the planning committee for the fall conference in Jackson. While I hear of many AIA chapters struggling to engage younger professionals, AIA Wyoming is blessed with young, exuberant board members like Carl and Ellen. Our future is bright! As AIA Wyoming president, I was privileged to attend the Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., along with Mitch Blake and Carl Kohut, where we met with Wyoming’s members of Congress. Then in June, Carl and I attended the Conference on Architecture, also in Washington, D.C. A recap of those events is included along with articles about our two state conferences. As you take some time to read through this award-winning publication, you will recognize that our industry really is changing, AIA is changing, and we are changing with it. If you are not an architect and reading this, I encourage you to look to the 150-plus AIA Wyoming architects to help you respond to the changes you are facing in the built environment. We can help! At the end of 2024, my two-year term as president ended, and Mitch Blake, AIA, took the reins as president. I want to say thank you to the great people that I have worked with and to an amazing chapter! I am grateful that I have another couple of years to serve as past president and can be a part of the influence and impact that our successful chapter has at both the state and national levels. GO ARCHITECTS! 5
44 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .20 | www.aia-wyoming.org 41 Connecting professionals and employers in Wyoming’s architect community. aia-wyoming.org/jobs Dedicated to the architect community, the AIA Wyoming Career Center is a valuable search and recruitment resource for professionals and employers in Wyoming. The Career Center offers simple and easy-to-use tools to make searching for career opportunities and finding qualified candidates fast, efficient and successful. Tools for Job Seekers The AIA Wyoming Career Center gives job seekers access to inside opportunities available only through the association and provides the tools needed to quickly find and apply for jobs. Advanced Job Search Find the most relevant biotech jobs from top employers across the state. Customized Job Alerts Stay up-to-date on the latest opportunities by receiving automated notifications. Apply for Jobs Create an anonymous profile and resume to quickly apply for jobs and have employers come to you. Advantages for Employers Employers can fill positions faster and at a lower cost than other job websites by reaching a qualified and targeted audience of Wyoming architect professionals. Recruit Top Talent Target job seekers committed to the advancement of bioscience. Low-Cost Posting Packages Reduce recruitment costs with flexible, affordable posting options. Proactive and Direct Recruitment Take advantage of search, email and online advertising options to recruit candidates. Visit the AIA Wyoming Career Center Discover the difference the AIA Wyoming Career Center can make for you. To search jobs, post jobs or learn more, visit aia-wyoming.org/jobs. AIA Wyoming Career Center Find the people and careers driving innovation.
2024 Board of Directors and Staff AIA Wyoming Board of Directors and Staff (left to right): Jessica Howard, Executive Director; Ellen Martin, Assoc. AIA, Associate Director; Tim Schenk, AIA, Director; Dale Buckingham, AIA, President; Mitch Blake, AIA, President-Elect; Lewis Matthew Miller, AIA, Past-President; Carl Kohut, AIA, Secretary; Brandon Daigle, AIA, Treasurer (not pictured) 307-266-1440 www.ohdcasper.com Overhead Door Company of Casper has been serving homeowners and commercial clients in Casper and the central Wyoming area since 1968. With a reputation for service and quality that we have built up over many years, we strive to put our customers first. We are a third-generation family-owned company, and the only local authorized dealer of the American-made Overhead Door products. Whether you need a new residential garage door, the right door for your commercial application or are in need of service, we’ve got you covered. 7
When I was asked to write a tribute to Susan, it was hard to put into words what Susan Menghini meant to AIA Wyoming and to me! She has been the anchor for AIA Wyoming for the last 14 years, a great leader, mentor and friend. There really is not enough space in this publication to truly honor her and express everything she did for our chapter and for each one of us who is privileged to know her. Even so, I asked several other AIA Wyoming members to contribute words of gratitude to Susan … to put her in the spotlight … and to celebrate her as the best executive director that this organization has ever known! The words of each of these individuals would be echoed by the masses. Thank you, Susan, for all that you have done to make AIA Wyoming what it is today … for seeing the best in all of us … Thank you for being you! We are truly grateful! — Rachel Delventhal, AIA I first met Susan Menghini in Deer Valley, Utah, at a Western Mountain Region Conference. I was living in Colorado at the time, and Susan had just joined AIA Wyoming as executive director, a position she embraced with all her heart, soul and mind. I moved back to Wyoming that year and rejoined my friends at AIA Wyoming. At Susan’s prompting, I decided to join the board for a second time. Susan’s impact on my role as a leader was transformational. She not only encouraged me, but she also brought new life to AIA Wyoming. Her selfless dedication and award-winning smile brought credibility to the state, to our region and to the leaders in Washington, D.C. With Susan’s determination and support, Wyoming’s membership grew, and our reputation prospered. I will forever miss Susan’s promptings. We love you, Susan! — Dan Stalker, AIA AIA Wyoming board members always felt secure and safe with Susan. There is a lot to learn and know about the workings of an association. Susan took incoming board members under her protective wing and helped them learn and grow to become strong leaders and good team members. Understanding the dynamics of both the state chapter and the national organization is no small task, not to mention all the acronyms, committees and documents of each. Yet, Susan had a firm grasp of all of it and was always willing to be a resource for the incoming president to make them look good and gain the confidence they needed to represent AIA Wyoming well at state and national events. Susan set a high bar of excellence for AIA Wyoming. A standard that will forever be etched in the minds of those who she worked with. Her attention to detail and diligence put AIA Wyoming in a place of prominence at the national level despite our small size. The architects of Wyoming are highly engaged in the chapter due in large part to Susan’s promotion and gentle arm-twisting. She was an expert at maintaining the balance of not over-extending volunteers but, at the same time, not letting them off the hook when they had committed to participating. As an executive director, Susan was exceptional! As a person, Susan is fun and made the state conferences fun! We will all miss Susan’s energy and zeal for life. I wish her well in the days ahead! — Dale Buckingham, AIA A Tribute to Susan Menghini 8 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .24 | www.aia-wyoming.org
I struggle to imagine the American Institute of Architects without Susan Menghini. This woman has had a positive impact on the organization … but also on my life personally. She welcomed me into the organization and helped me grow beyond expectations. I consider her to be both a mentor and a friend. Susan brought her extensive knowledge of association management to AIA Wyoming and brought the organization to an unforeseen level of professionalism. Architects are busy and volunteer their time to AIA Wyoming. Susan recognized that … and consistently kept things running even when volunteers struggled to do their part. She would send helpful reminders without making one feel guilty for being slow to address something. She made you feel great for contributing whatever you were able to give. She wanted to see the architectural profession thrive and worked hard to promote positive change. She especially understood the power of strong relationships. She believed in connections and always seemed to know who to talk to and how to get things done. She wanted to see individual architects thrive and made an effort to celebrate their achievements. She was our most enthusiastic advocate. Susan would pick up the phone and call you simply to check in; she cared about personal touches. I had the honor of working alongside Susan and getting a firsthand look at her drive, work ethic, professionalism, humor and kindness. This woman would rise to any challenge … in fact, she thrived in a crisis where most would give up. (E.g., Due to a federal government shutdown, she reorganized an entire regional conference in a matter of hours!) She was awarded the National 2015 Component Leadership Award from the AIA Council of Architectural Component Executives (CACE)… this national award is HUGE. She was a gracious and humble recipient of this incredible accomplishment. AIA Wyoming will forever be changed due to Susan Menghini. — Katie Wilson, AIA I can hardly think of AIA Wyoming without thinking of Susan Menghini. We were so lucky to have had her as our executive director for 14 years! Susan’s energy is contagious, and her arrival led me (and others) to be inspired to become more active with AIA Wyoming. I have rarely met a more organized and “together” person like Susan, and her leadership skills were the reason for our professional organization’s reemergence during her time with us. She guided our organization to be fiscally responsible and, for the first time ever, to not depend on the savings reserves for our annual budget. She was also instrumental in maintaining our membership’s high rate of registered architects — at nearly 97%! And she guided us through the inaugural component accreditation with such ease that our national organization enlisted her to help evaluate other components for accreditation around the country! Even as early as 2015 — just five years into her position with us — she was already being recognized and had already received the Component Leadership Award, a national award that recognizes the achievements of CACE executives and component staff due to her significant contributions to and leadership in association management! Susan will continue to be the benchmark by which all future executive directors will be measured. And although she has retired from this position, I and others have been in regular communications with her, and she is still advocating for our individual and collective success in the background. — Lyle Murtha, AIA Susan is the type of person who lifts others up, which in turn helps everyone around her achieve greater goals, and her impact goes well beyond just being an executive director. She was an integral part of AIA Wyoming’s growth as a chapter and helped push it to grow into what it is now. We are forever grateful to have had such a great executive director for so long! Words cannot express how much she meant to our profession and to the AIA Wyoming Chapter. Thank you, Susan, for all that you did and the lives you touched along the way! — Anthony Jacobsen, AIA I have been around for over 80 years, have been a part of many nonprofits over those many years, and you have been, by far, the absolute best executive director of any. We, the board of directors, did not have to tell you to do this or that — you had already done it! I served on the St. John’s Hospital Board, St. John’s Church Vestry and the largest nonprofit in Jackson, The Center for The Arts, among others, all with confident executive directors, and your performance topped them all! That is quite an achievement that you can always be proud of. Thank you, Susan! It has been a great privilege to work with you. You made my job easy and rewarding! — Bruce Hawtin, AIA 9
The past year marked a challenge for AIA Wyoming as our longtime executive director, Susan Menghini, retired in December 2023, and we welcomed our new executive director, Jessica Howard, in April 2024. During the transition period, many of our members stepped up to continue improving our chapter through increased outreach and engagement. This was apparent at our conferences this year, which showed strong participation from our members and industry partners. As associate director, I wanted to take this opportunity to share my journey within AIA Wyoming and encourage other members to get involved and share their talents in order to continue to grow and strengthen our chapter. A passion of mine is publishing and printmaking; I was fortunate in university to have two professors who encouraged this passion by teaching me InDesign and getting me involved in a club called Collective Works. When I moved to Wyoming, my employer, Chet Lockard at CLA Architecture, encouraged me to get involved with AIA Wyoming and put me in touch with our then-executive director, Susan. When I shared my interest in publishing, Susan immediately suggested the Public Awareness Committee since they produce a calendar and publication every year — and it was the perfect fit! Being new to the state, getting involved in a committee was a great way to start getting to know the membership and our organization’s goals. After attending my first conference, I volunteered to help plan the next one and then, eventually, the next several conferences. I really enjoy conference planning, but I want to point out that this was a gradual commitment. On my first conference planning committee, the only things I did were design the logo and offer my opinion when things came up in the planning meetings. For the next one, I made the logo and made the tour map for the program. Once I got the hang of the planning process, I began volunteering for more things like coordinating with a speaker, making the program, grant writing, and working as a greeter at the registration table. Getting involved in the Public Awareness Committee and the Conference Planning Committees has helped me grow as a leader, unlock new talents and meet many people in the chapter, some who are now my mentors and friends. Joining a standing committee — Education and Resources, Public Awareness, Membership Development, Government Advocacy or a conference planning committee — is a great way to share your ideas and talents, meet other professionals across the state, advance your career and help advance the architectural profession. I encourage anyone wanting to get involved to reach out to our executive director, Jessica Howard, with your ideas. The chapter is fortunate to have you in any capacity that you want to contribute! AIA Wyoming Standing Committees Build Connections — Get Involved with AIA Wyoming! BY ELLEN MARTIN, ASSOCIATE AIA 10 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .24 | www.aia-wyoming.org
Public Awareness Committee The Importance of Awareness BY ANTHONY JACOBSEN, AIA Committee Members: Anthony Jacobsen, AIA, Chair Lyle Murtha, AIA Andrea Haro Ellen Martin, Associate AIA Tim Schenk, AIA The Public Awareness Committee has continued to bring awareness to the public and promote architecture throughout Wyoming to help educate regarding the great projects and the impact this profession has in the public realm. Our committee is dedicated to promoting architecture, and specifically Wyoming architecture, by reaching out to the public and membership in multiple ways to keep everyone involved and educated, as well as strengthening our relationships with industry partners. The Wyoming Architecture publication is a staple for AIA Wyoming and has been proven to help spread awareness of projects and the architects that help bring them to life. We are very grateful to everyone who provides information that goes into this publication and look forward to continuing this great tool that all Wyoming architects benefit from. We have built up a great distribution coverage with this publication with our list of industry partners, legislators, state departments, schools, contractors, realtors, clients, members and many other contacts throughout the state. This publication reaches and educates the public on our profession through the activities and programs of our chapter. The calendar project is in its 10th year and is still FREE. Please contact anyone on this Public Awareness Committee to take one or grab multiple to pass them out. The images in the calendar are of Wyoming projects throughout the state, designed by AIA Wyoming architects and designers from across the state. For more information on AIA Wyoming calendars, contact AIA Wyoming at info@aia-wyoming.org or by viewing our website at www.aia-wyoming.org. Please refer to page 54 of this publication for more information. Our Instagram account for AIA Wyoming is a great place to see all the projects from Wyoming and what is possible in this great state. We have posted all recent award winners and runner-ups and continue to post previous calendar entries. You can visit this account at www.instagram.com/aiawyoming. We are also sharing the images we post on the Instagram account to the Facebook page so you can catch these Wyoming projects on either platform. Please join us in liking AIA Wyoming’s Facebook and Instagram pages and inviting other professionals, colleagues or anyone who is interested in architecture to like it as well. The Public Awareness Committee continues to inform the public about the great community of architects Wyoming has to offer and how they impact all our lives. We are always open to new ideas and volunteers to help us promote awareness of the profession through AIA Wyoming. We are looking forward to 2025 and the potential to expand our outreach. 11
MDC Committee Members: Britney Sulzen, AIA, Co-Chair Carl Kohut, AIA Rachel Delventhal, AIA Kendra Shirley, AIA Roger Stewart, AIA Katelynn Larsen, Associate AIA E&R Committee Members: Clint Taylor, AIA, Chair Brandon Daigle, AIA Suzanne Norton, AIA Britt Morgan, AIA Jessica Barnhouse, AIA Ansley Mouw, Associate AIA The Education & Resource Committee’s primary goals are to promote architecture to the public and provide educational resources for AIA Wyoming members, while the Membership Development Committee’s primary goal is to enhance the membership experience. By embracing the mission, the committee holds activities for members, associate members, non-members and industry partners for the two chapter conferences and provides other membership events as well throughout the year. These activities allow people to engage in conversation, network and provide opportunities for young professionals to meet seasoned architects and potential mentors. With a small group of volunteers, our committee continues to hold these events and brainstorm new ways to grow our membership and add new committee and chapter members to enhance and grow the AIA Wyoming membership experience. As a joint committee, our members do a fantastic job of meeting these blended goals in several events. The committee has worked to generate several plans and ideas to enhance membership participation and engagement with others both in architecture and industry partners. One plan is the development of our SWELL (Second Wednesday Educational Lunch & Learn) program. We are looking to have firms in the state host a SWELL event in their office where industry partners can join in person and virtually for group education and networking. If you or other firms you know are interested in hosting one of our events this next year, please reach out to any of our committee members. Jessica Barnhouse has put together two interactive Design Share events in Jackson. These events feature presentations by local architects to share their approach to design as highlighted in a single project. Participants discussed how architects improve their communities in shaping the built environment. Katelynn Larsen, Kendra Shirley, Rachel Delventhal, Roger Stewart and Carl Kohut put on an icebreaker/networking mixer to start the AIA Annual Fall Conference in Jackson in September. These members also orchestrated a bike tour of projects in Jackson, ending at one of the conference’s guided tours. Similarly, Rachel Delventhal hosted an icebreaker/networking mixer to start the AIA Annual Spring Conference in Laramie in April. Katelynn Larsen, with the support of Britney Sulzen, also hosted a Spaghetti/Marshmallow Tower Competition in conjunction with the conference. Brandon Daigle and Carl Kohut are our committees’ liaisons to the AIA Wyoming Board of Directors; Britney Sulzen represents AIA Wyoming on the National Associates Committee (NAC); Kendra Shirley represents AIA Wyoming on the National Young Architects Forum (YAF); Suzanne Norton is AIA Wyoming’s Continuing Education Services (CES) coordinator; and Clint Taylor is one of AIA Wyoming’s two Architectural Experience Program (AXP) licensing advisors. Having these committee members report what other chapters in the region and across the country are doing helps us provide the best services to our members. Membership Development Committee and Education & Resources Committee Engagement and Participation Activities BY BRITNEY SULZEN, AIA, AND CLINT TAYLOR, AIA 12 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .24 | www.aia-wyoming.org
Government Advocacy Committee BY MITCH BLAKE, AIA, AND LEWIS MATTHEW MILLER, AIA Committee Members: Mitch Blake, AIA Cornelius Kinsey, AIA Lewis Matthew Miller, AIA Lyle Murtha, AIA Charlie Van Over, AIA Will Wheatley, AIA Continued Work on the Architects Practice Act The mission of the Government Advocacy Committee is to advocate for legislation and regulations that support the value of architecture. For 2024, the Government Advocacy Committee has been working with the Wyoming Board of Architects and Landscape Architects (WBALA) to implement the Architects Practice Act that was passed by the 2023 Wyoming State Legislature. The Architects Practice Act enables alternative paths of licensure for architectural candidates who do not have an accredited architectural degree. Depending on your level of education and office experience, the Architects Practice Act provides different levels of AXP experience in accordance with NCARB requirements that will allow you to sit for the licensing exam upon completion. The following is an example of alternative path options from NCARB. NCARB INTERIM GUIDANCE ON MULTIPLE PATHS • Complete the NCARB Architectural Experience Program® (AXP®) twice if a candidate has a degree from a four-year bachelor’s degree program that includes at least 60 semester credit hours in architecture-related subjects.* • Complete the AXP three times if a candidate has a degree from a two-year associate degree program that includes at least 30 credit hours of coursework in architecture-related subjects.* • Complete the AXP four times if a candidate has a high school degree or an established equivalent but does not have a relevant post-secondary academic education. Presently, the NCARB is studying the requirements and how they will be monitored. This study is anticipated to take three or more years to complete. The WBALA is in the process of working with the Wyoming attorney general to clarify the rule making language and possibly implement the Architects Practice Act in Wyoming before NCARB completes its study. The Government Advocacy Committee is carefully following the process and coordinating with WBALA as they work through the details of getting the Architects Practice Act implemented. The Government Advocacy Committee continues to work on issues impacting local, state and federal projects. We encourage your comments on the issues you are facing in your architectural practices. 13
For the second year in a row, the AIA Leadership Summit was held in our nation’s capital. The four-day event focused on leadership training and advocacy for both AIA and local chapters of the organization. The meetings held in the heart of Washington, D.C., at the Grand Hyatt Hotel assisted chapter leaders to enhance the potential of their local organizations, create better efficiencies in chapter management and increase membership and revenue. In addition, the event focused on involvement and interaction with national legislators. This year, AIA Wyoming was represented by board members Dale Buckingham, AIA, president; Mitch Blake, AIA, president-elect; and Carl Kohut, AIA, secretary. The pinnacle event of the Leadership Summit is the opportunity for those who attend to meet with their respective senators and representatives. In our case, all three AIA Wyoming board members were able to able to participate in Hill Day and meet with all three congressional members on Wednesday, Feb. 28, during “Wyoming Wednesday.” Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, as well as Rep. Harriet Hageman, were all in attendance on that warm spring morning. As the three board members engaged in conversations with the Wyoming delegation, the three main legislative topics targeted by AIA were presented and discussed from a national and state of Wyoming perspective: 1. HR 964/S 366 — Democracy in Design: As a result of an executive order by President Donald J. Trump, it created a preference for all federal buildings over $50 million to be designed in the classical style. President Biden revoked the executive order early in his term. Since that time, there has been a bipartisan push to codify the GSA “Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture,” which does not allow a single nationalized style of design but promotes the uniqueness of architecture, creativity and innovation. AIA supports this legislation which encourages architecture that is appropriate for the locale. 2. HR 7074 — Research and Development Tax Amortization: This tax relief legislation easily passed the House of Representatives in January, but at the time of the Leadership Summit, was hung up in the Senate and is still in the U.S. Senate at the time of the writing of this article. The bill provides for the deduction of research and development costs, including those incurred by design firms in the same tax year, instead of amortizing those costs over a five-year period. Other tax issues in the bill include reinstituting the 12.5% low-income housing AIA Leadership Summit 2024 BY DALE BUCKINGHAM, AIA tax credit and lowering the exemption requirement to allow more building projects to receive the credit. AIA supports the passage of this legislation. 3. Fee Limits for Federal Design and Construction Projects: For years, the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) governing design fees capped Cost Plus contracts at 6%. As a result of several years of advocacy by AIA, including a push at this year’s Leadership Summit, the Department of Defense (DoD) has raised the limit to 10% to implement a section of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. The increase went into effect Aug. 26, 2024. In addition to Wyoming Wednesday, where all three members of Wyoming’s legislators were present, those from AIA Wyoming were privileged to meet with staffers from each member of Congress that afternoon. The AIA Wyoming leaders offered our chapter as a resource to the elected officials and their staff to help provide information and insight on design and construction-related topics as they arise. Wyoming is somewhat unique due to the small population base, which gives each of those who live and work here direct access to our members of Congress. The AIA Leadership Summit provides an opportunity that makes it even easier to get acquainted with and converse with those who represent our state in Congress. After multiple seminars, round table discussions and one-on-one conversations, attendees at the Leadership Summit come away with a clearer understanding of AIA and our objectives as design professionals. While most all architects have a passion for design and good architecture, we also have the opportunity to have a great impact on our communities and those in government who make decisions that affect all of our daily lives. It is a privilege! 14 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .24 | www.aia-wyoming.org
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Nearly 15,000 Architects, vendors and other industry professionals converged on Washington, D.C., June 5-8, 2024, for the AIA Conference on Architecture and Design. In what AIA and its members consider the premier event of the year, AIA packed over 485 seminars, workshops and training sessions into four full days of networking, learning and touring. Conference attendance was the highest it has been since COVID forced cancellation in 2020. The excitement and energy over the four-day conference is indicative of the importance and vitality of the architecture profession in this day and time. Sustainability continues to be a major focus of the design and construction industry and AIA 2024 multiple sessions and seminars investigating eco-friendly, and energy efficient materials and methods for the practitioner. In addition, the conference offered continuing education and introduction to the latest advancements in technology, resilience and adaptation, and digital collaboration. In addition to the seminars and workshops, this conference included the expo where approximately 550 companies display their newest products, materials and systems that we as architects use to enhance our designs and businesses. For Wyoming architects, it was a chance to visit face to face with representatives of many of the products and systems that we specify, and learn what is emerging in the design and construction world. In addition to the networking and training opportunities, the AIA Conference on Architecture and Design is also the time when the annual business meeting for the organization is held. Each chapter, including AIA Wyoming, sends delegates to participate and vote in the annual meeting. In addition to addressing proposed resolutions and bylaw changes, the meeting is also the time where new board of director members for AIA are elected. This year, President Dale Buckingham, AIA, and Wyoming’s Strategic Counselor Dan Stalker, AIA, represented AIA Wyoming at the meeting. The business meeting itself was lively and, at times, a bit contentious as there were several emotionally charged items on the agenda. The results of the resolutions are as follows: • Motion to accept Resolution 1 with amendments: AIA Health & Well-being Policy. • Motion to accept Resolution 2: Inclusion of Additional Underrepresented Groups within the AIA Strategic Plan 2021-2025’s Equity Statement. • Motion to accept Resolution 3 with amendments: Governing Body Amendment. • Motion to reject Resolution 4: Providing Virtual Attendance Options for AIA Annual Conference and Women’s Leadership Summit. Additional information pertaining to each resolution can be found at AIA’s website (www.AIA.org). AIA Conference on Architecture and Design 2024 BY DALE BUCKINGHAM, AIA 16 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .24 | www.aia-wyoming.org
The following board members were elected and their terms began Dec. 13, 2024: • Illya Azaroff, FAIA, as 2025 President-Elect/2026 President. • Joshua Flowers, FAIA, as 2025-26 Secretary. • Matthew Toddy, AIA, as 2025-27 At-Large Director. The other aspect of the business meeting included a focus on the economic health of AIA and how the business side of the organization is being handled. The national organization is working to compensate for reduced income this last year. According to the board of directors and executive director, reduced operating budget as well as attempts to increase membership are priorities. For those who have never attended the Conference on Architecture and Design, you should consider putting the 2025 conference on your calendar. The event will be held June 4-7 in Boston. Your time there will be well spent and a boost to your day-to-day work and career! Small Firm Exchange BY LEWIS MATTHEW MILLER, AIA The mission of the AIA Small Firm Exchange (SFx), an AIA member group, is to advance the mutual interests of architects practicing in small firms. The objectives of the AIA SFx are three-fold: advocate for the value of small firms, the national SFx and local SFx groups, both within the AIA and to the public; curate and disseminate the most pertinent resources and information from the AIA and elsewhere that benefit small firms; and inform the AIA of current issues facing small firms and areas in which current resources/information are lacking. The AIA SFx is made up of state representatives. AIA Wyoming’s state representative is Ansley Mouw, AIA, and the AIA SFx vice chair of state representatives is Lewis Matthew Miller, AIA. The current evolving structure of the AIA SFx and the AIA SFx Board comes out of the changes implemented by the AIA Adaptive Reuse of State Components as a result of the elimination of regions from the AIA structure. The AIA SFx is continuing to evolve with the AIA governance structure. As Wyoming is a state primarily made up of small architectural firms, the AIA SFx provides a unique opportunity for AIA members to engage and participate with the broader AIA community and leadership. The current transition of AIA SFx began in 2022, providing a great possibility to help shape the future of AIA Wyoming’s connection to the American Institute of Architects across the membership. 17
In 2022, the Wyoming Board of Architects and Landscape Architects (WBALA) set the goal of amending the Practice Act. Sen. Stephan Pappas, AIA Wyoming, American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) WY/CO, National Council of Architectural Regulation Boards (NCARB) and Council of Landscape Architectural Regulation Boards (CLARB) were all valuable partners. Our collaborative efforts were successful in amending the Board’s Practice Act, which became effective on July 1, 2023. Amendments included: • Allow for alternative paths to licensure outside the accredited degree (in accordance with national standards). • Update administrative notice requirements (December certified mailings take an exorbitant amount of time and money to complete). • Provide grant funds from legislative authority (make it more official to support continuing education opportunities for our licensees and the general public). Before the board could begin licensing those with alternatives to the accredited degree, the board needed to amend the Rules to support the Practice Act changes. A Rules Committee was formed and has met fairly regularly with support by NCARB. Thank you to committee members Clint Taylor, Randy Byers, Dale Buckingham, Lewis Matthew Miller, Mitch Blake, Colleen Nelson, Emily Cronbaugh, Katie Wilson and NCARB Staff (especially Maurice Brown). Drafting updated rules for landscape architects was rather straightforward; CLARB already had language in place for national standards supporting alternative paths towards licensure outside of the accredited degree that was already voted upon by their membership. WBALA moved forward with updating the rules for landscape architects. These changes were made available for public comment, were approved by the governor’s office, and are currently in effect. Drafting updated rules for Architects has been a longer process. We received feedback from the Wyoming Attorney General’s (AG) office regarding the draft rule updates regarding Architectural Licensing. The Attorney’s comments ask us to be consistent with the requirements of W.S. 33-4-105(b)(iii): An applicant must either: 1) have a degree in architecture from an accredited school, practical experience, and pass an exam; OR 2) an educational alternative that is in accordance with NCARB standards. Generating national standards supporting alternative paths to licensure outside of the accredited degree is currently a priority of NCARB. However, NCARB is in the middle of a study for “Competency Standards for Architects” which is anticipated to last another 3-5 years. They wish to complete this study prior to formally addressing standards and model law for “Multiple Pathways to Licensure.” Nonetheless, staff members at NCARB were invaluable in working with Wyoming (WBALA) to explore multiple options and troubleshoot ideas. NCARB released “Interim Guidance on Multiple Paths.” NCARB Interim Guidance on Multiple Paths • Complete the NCARB Architectural Experience Program (AXP) twice if a candidate has a degree from a four-year bachelor’s degree program that includes at least 60 semester credit hours in architecture-related subjects. (Only courses NCARB considers “architecture-related” will be counted toward educational attainment for this path. The determination of whether post-secondary courses are considered “architecture-related subjects” follows the same process as “significant coursework in architecture, as determined by NCARB” as referenced in the NCARB Certification Guidelines in the Education Alternatives section.) • Complete the AXP three times if a candidate has a degree from a two-year associate degree program that includes at least 30 credit hours of coursework in architecture-related subjects. • Complete the AXP four times if a candidate has a high school degree or an established equivalent but does not have a relevant post-secondary academic education. On July 22, 2024, the Wyoming Board of Architects and Landscape Architects unanimously voted in approval to adopt the “NCARB Interim Guidelines for Multiple Pathways.” This was a significant milestone! Our next step will be to review/approve the actual amended language of the rules. This vote will take place at the next WBALA Meeting on Oct. 25. The draft rules will then be posted for public comment (45 days). WBALA will respond to any public comment received in early 2025. If there are no changes, the amended rules go to the Wyoming governor’s office (75 days). Personally, we do not feel like the interim guidance is perfect, but it is a start. We have already expressed to NCARB that Wyoming would be interested in helping on a committee and/or being involved as development continues. Providing alternative/non-traditional pathways towards earning an initial architectural license in Wyoming will be a great benefit. I strongly believe that it will help make our profession more attractive and accessible to the next generation of professionals. I look forward to keeping more Wyoming students in our state and building their architectural careers at Wyoming firms. In October, all Wyoming Licensed Architects & Landscape Architects will receive a reminder to renew if their licenses are up for renewal. Costly and time-consuming “certified letters” will no longer be sent as a final reminder at the end of December. Please renew early! WBALA is thankful to AIA Wyoming for bringing high-quality continuing education opportunities to our State. We are proud to support these efforts through grant funding — please continue to apply! Wyoming Architects Practice Act Update BY EMILY CRONBAUGH AND KATIE WILSON, AIA 18 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .24 | www.aia-wyoming.org
2024 AIA Strategic Council Report BY DAN STALKER, AIA 2024 will mark my last year as AIA Wyoming’s representative to the Strategic Council. It has been a remarkable journey. I had the privilege of working with architects from across the globe to study critical issues impacting our profession and present Wyoming’s perspective on these issues. Now that I am poised to leave the Council, I can only look forward. The issues we discussed and the thoughtful dialogue will move the Council and our profession forward. I am enclosing a brief narrative of the goals of this year’s study groups and a glimpse into how these studies are impacting the policies of the AIA. Communications The Communications Subcommittee developed a matrix to effectively share the Council’s initiatives with the broader AIA community. The reports are divided into two categories: internal and external communications. INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS • Weekly Recap: Every Friday, we provide a comprehensive recap of upcoming events, activities and important information that councilors need to be aware of, ensuring they are always up to date. I share the weekly Friday Recaps with the board and with the State Licensing Board. Communication is vitally important! • Quarterly Reports: Liaisons from the board-level committees provide internal reports to the Council on a quarterly basis. EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS • Monthly Report: Each month, the Council produces a report that is distributed by councilors to the states. These reports are also discussed during leadership calls. • End-of-Year Yearbook: At the end of the year, the Council compiles a yearbook that includes all the work completed by the different study groups throughout the year. Elections ELECTION RESULTS AIA At-large Director - Graciela Carrillo, AIA New York AIA Strategic Council Moderator - Jessica O’Donnell, AIA New Jersey AIA Strategic Council Co-Moderator - Abigail Brown, FAIA Washington, D.C. AIA Strategic Council At-large Representatives - Angela Brooks, FAIA, California; Jamie Crawley, AIA Texas; and Gloria Kloter, AIA Florida 2024 Study Groups EQUITY The Equity Group’s internal and external subgroups are preparing recommendations for the 2024 AIA Board through several key actions. Internally, they are reviewing and potentially revising the AIA Code of Ethics to enhance EDI in the profession and built environment, researching and identifying measurable EDI indicators for architecture firms, evaluating existing EDI research tools, analyzing the impact of legal and state policies on architectural education and practice, and reassessing the business case for diversity. Externally, they are addressing gaps in the AIA Equitable Development Framework, proposing updating the Citizen Architect’s Handbook, defining roles and responsibilities for public architects, and exploring how to better advocate for architects’ roles in equity through a comprehensive mapping of key public architects. CLIMATE CHANGE/WATER EQUITY On Aug. 5, the Climate Action/Water working group presented to the Strategic Council. The working group has been meeting regularly to finalize research and documentation and developed several questions that were discussed in breakout groups during the presentation. The intent was to engage the full Council perspective to inform the final report and possibly direct future working groups. Key takeaways from this working group are that architects can take a stronger leadership role in addressing water scarcity in our designs and advocating for policy changes. DESIGN/AI The Design/AI Group presented to the Council on Aug. 27. They developed an AI-generated video featuring councilor avatars, shown below, building on the approach introduced by last year’s group. The final report and video will speak to the industry experts, academics, and practitioners that the group has engaged this year. The efforts were focused on formulating key recommendations for the board. This work will culminate in actionable insights that will help guide the AIA’s strategic direction in the realm of artificial intelligence. A key takeaway the group is developing is how show to equip our membership with the knowledge to adapt to an AI future. 19
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