PUB 3 2022-2023 ISSUE 2 EDUCATION ISSUE
Ref lexion is a publication of the Utah Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. www.aia.org/utah AIA Utah 280 S. 400 W., Suite 150 Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 President Jessica Hoffman, AIA, NCARB President-Elect Chamonix Larsen, AIA Secretary Jared Anzures, AIA Treasurer Roger Phillips, AIA Editor Frances Pruyn, CPSM Staff: Michael Smith, CAE Executive Director Jennifer MacGillvray Staff ©2023 AIA UT | The newsLINK Group, LLC. All rights reserved. Reflexion is published quarterly by The newsLINK Group, LLC for AIA UT 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 the AIA UT, 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. Reflexion is a collective work, and as such, some articles are submitted by authors who are independent of the AIA UT. While AIA UT encourages a first-print policy, 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. President’s Message AIA & AIA Utah: Your First Stop for Quality Continuing Education 2023 AIA Utah Strategic Plan Legends: John Shirley, AIA Legends: Stephen Smith In Memoriam Highlighting Dr. Ajla Aksamija Newly Endowed Scholarships: The University of Utah School of Architecture AIA Utah Endows a Permanent Fund for the U of U School of Architecture UVU Architecture Program Salt Lake Community College Architectural Technology Congratulations! Newly Licensed Architects in Utah Hidden in Plain Sight: The Unseen Carbon Cost of Design & Construction Thank You Sponsors and Allied Members! What Civil Engineers Want Architects to Know 4 6 7 8 12 16 20 24 25 26 28 29 30 33 34 CONTENTS 3
Ahhh, the new year... a fresh start. Think back to that mindset of your first day of school: blank books, fresh pencils, and a little wonder about how to tackle the year ahead. That feeling of endless possibilities! A chance to build upon a clean slate. Professionally, these ideas are the same when a new project begins – a new team and endless possibilities. Relationships grow as the project progresses. That is how I feel now, at the beginning of this new year: excited to contribute my best self to AIA Utah. The goal of AIA Utah is to build connections and capture our local communities’ best interests. We have a wonderful board of directors donating their time, energy, and creativity despite the full load of work at the office. This group of professionals is dedicated and eager to work on action items: learning opportunities, networking events, legislative initiatives, member spotlights, legend tributes, and design recognition in the works. Now, we really need YOU. At the AIA Utah conference last year, we discussed the inevitable changes ahead. Utah is growing FAST, and it is in our best interest to work together to plan for that growth and maintain a positive design environment. The U of U’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute research tells us that our population will grow by over two million people by 2060, reaching 5,450,589. In 2010, our population was 2,772,667. That means in 50 years, our population will have doubled. That is exponential growth! If we work together to maintain space and growth standards, Salt Lake can maintain its history and beauty while welcoming new ideas and design elements that can enhance our future. AIA Utah can serve as a collaborative place to maintain standards and evaluate the best way for architects to engage in the community of growth with learning opportunities, legislative involvement, and collaborative connections. AIA Utah exists to make us better architects. Your participation and feedback are critical to staying ahead of the real-time needs of our members. Certainly, we compete for the same clients (and sometimes the same projects). But what we have to offer each other goes well beyond our individual firms’ portfolios. We are talking about maintaining the industry’s integrity, generating greater respect for the profession, keeping the standard of care in the industry high and providing ubiquitous technology at affordable costs. We are talking about how our work impacts the health of our planet. And the inevitable byproduct of this work is that we develop professional relationships that last a career. Any professional organization requires continuous learning to maintain professional relevancy – AIA Utah provides a venue for us to lift each other. Utah’s history is built upon a community that prides itself on being industrious and prepared. I am looking forward to maintaining that mindset and am proud to be a part of it. President’s Message BY JESSICA HOFFMAN, AIA, NCARB PRESIDENT, AIA UTAH At the AIA Utah conference last year, we discussed the inevitable changes ahead. Utah is growing FAST, and it is in our best interest to work together to plan for that growth and maintain a positive design environment. 4 REFLEXION | 2022-23 | AIA Utah
“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” – Socrates The profession of architecture is characterized by the constant expansion of relevant knowledge, the ongoing changes, and the increasing complexity. Advancing technology, globalization of commerce, increasing specialization, proliferating regulations, and the complex nature of business transactions have created a dynamic environment that requires architects to maintain and continuously enhance their professional competence. Continuing education is crucial to advancing and improving the profession of architecture. For this reason, members of The American Institute of Architects are required to complete a minimum of 18 hours of continuing education annually. Architects need continuing education to maintain competency and to prepare for the future beyond any requirements licensing and registration boards have for protecting the public. AIA’s continuing education requirement is one element of AIA membership that differentiates an AIA member from someone who simply holds a license to practice architecture, and it strengthens the credibility that comes with AIA membership. Architecture is a learned craft that takes years for its practitioners to become experts. Today’s professional architects must, therefore, commit to a life-long learning philosophy to always be improving and gaining new knowledge. AIA should be your first stop when looking for continuing education. AIA provides numerous educational activities that assist architects in achieving and maintaining quality as an architect. When I talk to AIA Utah members about continuing education, many say they often reach the end of the year and realize that they are short of the required 18 continuing education requirements. Most will point to the requirement of 12 health, safety, welfare (HSW) credits, as the area they were deficient. So, how did you do last year on your continuing education? Were you scrambling the last week of December to find a couple more online courses to complete the necessary 18 credit hours? In 2022, AIA Utah offered 49 continuing education credits including 19 HSW credits to Utah architects. The 2022 educational offerings included carbon sequestration, seismic assessments, risk and contracts, research protocols, tours of award-winning projects and presentations by industry visionaries Thomas Wong and Lawrence Scarpa. Commit now to invest in yourself in 2023 and join AIA Utah for one of the many great continuing education opportunities offered this year. For more information, scan the QR code: aia.org/Utah AIA & AIA Utah: Your First Stop for Quality Continuing Education Continuing education is crucial to advancing and improving the profession of architecture. BY MICHAEL SMITH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AIA UT 6 REFLEXION | 2022-23 | AIA Utah
WHAT WE DO: CORE PURPOSE AIA Utah Helps Utah Architects Be Better Architects. WHAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO: CORE VALUES AIA Utah is committed to: Design Excellence: Actively seeking knowledge through education and knowledge Stewardship: Representing health, safety, welfare, for people and our natural surroundings Integrity: Maintaining honesty in professional practice Inclusivity: Providing a platform for professional and interpersonal collaboration and creating space for all voices to be heard Engagement: Actively building and managing relationships with the membership to establish value and increase membership and retention WHERE WE ARE GOING: CORE VISION AIA Utah will promote the profession of Architecture by educating, advocating and engaging its members. STRATEGIC GOALS 2023-2028 STRATEGIC GOAL #1 Create Opportunities for Membership Engagement STRATEGIC GOAL #2 Create Effective Communication Strategy STRATEGIC GOAL #3 Celebrate Design Excellence STRATEGIC GOAL #4 Provide Platform for Educational Conversation STRATEGIC GOAL #5 Advocate for the Profession Adopted December 2022 2023 AIA Utah Strategic Plan
In this edition, we continue our interviews with local architectural legends. We spoke with John Shirley about his beginnings, life, education and career. When did you decide to become an architect? When I was a boy, I loved Tinker Toys, American bricks. I loved to build things, and I just thought I would like to be an architect. In high school in Southern California, we had to take a class that researched an occupation. I thought, “This is perfect,” because I really wasn’t that aware of what architects do except to get to draw great stuff. I found this survey that showed all the education an architect needs, how many years that takes, and how long he has to apprentice before getting his license. And then, after you were licensed, they showed that a window washer in San Francisco made almost twice as much money as an architect after four years of experience. It kind of squelched my dream. I then left the country for a couple of years, serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. LEGENDS BY FRAN PRUYN John Shirley, AIA 8 REFLEXION | 2022-23 | AIA Utah
When I came back, I started at Santa Monica College, taking General Ed because I wasn’t sure what direction I wanted to go. I had one class in the same building that all the architecture classes were: a rendering class – watercolors, markers and so forth. I thought, “I’ve got to take that class.” So, I took it. The professor said, “You really have a talent. You should go into architecture.” At that point, I finally decided it wasn’t about the money. It was about the love of what you’re doing. I figured if you’re good at what you’re doing, the money will come. Maybe it didn’t come in as big as I was looking for. But I certainly love the profession. Tell us about your training. While I was at Santa Monica College, I met my wonderful wife and we moved to the University of Utah. I love to ski, so it made sense. I graduated first in Urban Planning, which was then in the Geography Department. Then I went to architecture school. While I was attending school, I worked pretty much the entire time. At first, I took construction jobs during the summer and even during Christmas break a couple of times. My first architecture job during school was with the Silver Alsop. Roy Silver had me doing cabinet drawings in isometric. Back then, everything was ink on Mylar. Then I worked for Ken Millard, who was a planner and an architect, but his practice was mostly in planning. It was a really good experience. I think it’s had a huge impact on my career as the majority of my career is focused on residential. When you’re doing condominiums and subdivision work, you start with planning. I approach planning thinking architecture at the same time. I’m thinking density, heights, uses, and so forth. So, by the time I finish a master plan, I also have a pretty good idea of what the product’s going to be. When did you graduate? In 1980. [That year] also ushered in a recession. Here I had my degree; I was ready to go. Two years later, I could get my license, but there was hardly any work out there. I think many of us can relate to Tom Wolfe’s book, From Bauhaus to our House. One of his central themes was that every great architect, and I’m not claiming to be a great architect, all do their mother’s home. What got us through that recession was that I designed and built my mother’s addition on her home. By the time it was done, the economy had picked up, and things improved. It wasn’t long after school that my best friend, Bruce McKnight, another friend, Bob Timmerman, and I started our own firm: McKnight, Shirley, Timmerman. In hindsight, I’m not sure that’s the best advice I would give somebody right out of school. One of the things I discovered is that in architecture school, you learn a lot about design and construction, but they don’t teach you anything about business. I would advise any architecture school that there should be mandatory classes on business because you come out of school assuming you’re this great new artist, and really you’re supposed to be a business person, but with no experience. That was tough, sustaining the business, keeping the money flowing. I think we were in business together for a year or two. Then Bruce moved back to New York, and Bob and I split. That’s when John Shirley and Associates was created. One of my first large jobs as an independent architect was the Red Pine Townhomes at the Park West Ski Resort. The resort’s owner, Jack Roberts, was an attorney from Los Angeles who thought he was living the dream by buying a ski resort because he loved to ski. He discovered that when you own a ski resort, you don’t get to ski. You’re running a business. Because of that project, I was referred to Dave Gardner in Utah County. Dave used to be a planner for Provo. When he quit working for the city, he started doing some development, but he was still doing private consulting. One of his clients was Sundance Ski Resort. Since I had just completed the project at Park West, he referred me to Sundance. It was a big turning point because we started designing several projects for Robert Redford, which allowed me to really push the limits on design and work with a client who appreciated good design. Bob has a reputation for being environmental, and he really is. On his first project, The Cottages, we had to do extensive surveying on the site. We had to build a site model, locate every major tree on the site and model that in. He had two ideas that were kind of revolutionary. One was that he wanted to make sure the car was secondary to the project. He didn’t want garages or carports because he didn’t want that to take away from the environment. The second thing was there would need to be a pedestrian walkway or trail to every one of the cottages. So, you would park in a remote spot and then have to walk. The farthest cottage was probably a hundred yards away from the parking.
And you think, who will want to schlep their bags and groceries? Those sold first! We also designed the units so there was no wall for a TV because Bob said, “When you come up to Sundance, you’re not going to watch TV.” The first thing that happened was everybody wanted to know where they were going to put their TV set. I said, “Well, Bob, once they buy that unit, they can do whatever they want.” We did that project. We did the amphitheater. We did the offices for the Sundance Institute, and we did the Creekside Condominiums, as well as several homes. We were published twice in Architectural Digest for the work that we did there. Which sounds great, though Bob got most of the credit. (Laughing) I don’t hold that against you, Bob. As the opportunities there slowed down, he referred me to some friends in Deer Valley, and we started doing a couple of homes there. The next thing I realized was that our practice revolved around the ski industry, recreational second homes, and condominium projects. We started doing numerous projects in Park City, and more and more people were coming to us for custom homes in various locations. Talk about the evolution of the industry. I still, to this day, go through more felt tip markers than the rest of the office, and that’s still my major design mode. Years ago, when we were an office of about ten people, one of my associates came to me and said, “John, we really need a fax machine.” I said, “You know, I don’t see the point of having a fax machine unless everybody else has a fax machine because then you won’t have anywhere to send it to.” He looked at me and said, “John, everybody already has a fax machine. We’re the one that doesn’t have a fax machine.” That was the turning point. I realized that technology was going to be the way of the future. It wasn’t long before we got our first computers. I personally feel bad that I haven’t ever had the time to learn the CAD programs, because I’ve always been so busy trying to keep up with design. It was just easier to hand it off to somebody else. But, as a firm, we have tried ever since then to be on the leading edge of technology. I think we were one of the first firms in the valley to go totally into Revit. Of course, now everybody’s on it. One of the things I enjoy with my personal practice is that I work with a lot of interns just coming out of school. I rely quite heavily on their technological skills, but they’re coming out of school with less skill in the actual process of architecture. It’s also, I think, a great equalizer in the profession because it used to be only the large firms could afford the technology. Now, everybody has that same technology sitting at their desk. So visually, graphically, and presentation-wise, a one-man firm can look as good as a very large firm. I think that’s going to be good for the industry. The Internet has been a huge influence because if I want inspiration on a certain aspect of something, I can go online and see examples from all over the world. I The challenge was to create something more contemporary when contemporary was not in vogue in Park City. 10 REFLEXION | 2022-23 | AIA Utah
think we’re starting to evolve into more of an international architecture. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad, but it seems to be that’s where it’s going. Are there any projects that you are particularly proud of? I like to think that my best project is the last one I did. I hope to continually evolve as an architect and find new ways to be creative and respond to our shifting paradigms. I think if I can feel good about it and the client feels good about it, and more importantly, the public feels good about it, then we have a successful project. In terms of projects that were important to me, one that sticks out is the Stein Erikson Residence because it was a very difficult project to get approved through Park City Planning. It took probably a year and a half to get through the process, and it was painful. Then the recession hit, and it was put on hold for well over a year. Then I got a call from the LA client, who said, “We just negotiated a deal with Stein Erikson Lodge to have them manage the project and use their name. We’re going to start over again. I’ve determined the market’s shifting, and we want this to be much more contemporary than the original design.” I said, “You realize that means we’ve got to go through that whole bloodbath all over again?” He said, “I’m willing to take the chance.” That was a very gutsy move on their part. The challenge was to create something more contemporary when contemporary was not in vogue in Park City. Once they opened the model home, they pre-sold twothirds of the project in about three weeks over the ski season. It was an instant hit. Instead of three phases, suddenly, we had to up our schedule so that it could be built out immediately. About a year later, when it was about half built, I had a phone call from one of the major real estate brokers in Park City. She said, “John, I just had to call you to let you know you’ve ruined the market up here. Since you opened that model, we can’t sell any of the other older products because everybody wants a new contemporary design.” And, of course, now there’s nothing being built in Park City that isn’t contemporary. One of the things we tried to do with every project is have a very different theme to it. I feel very good that John Shirley’s designs don’t look the same. Each project is designed for the client. Several years ago, we had a prospective client come into the office. He was from Atlanta and had a strong Southern accent. I thought he said he was with HDTV. He tells me how he needs this home designed up in Midway and that it will be given away as a prize after a lottery. The entire time he’s talking to me, I’m waiting for him to pitch me on how much it’s going to cost us to do this home for him, for this charity. For some reason, I had to break the conversation for a minute and go into my office. When I walked into it, two of the partners came in and said, “Do you know who that is?” I said, “I don’t know, somebody with some high-definition TV, charitable house or something.” And they said, “No, no. He’s with Home and Garden TV from Atlanta, Georgia. And, you know, they have this very popular TV show.” I didn’t even have cable TV. I had no idea what HGTV was, but I went back in. So, I asked him. “How much is this going to cost us to do your home? Because I guess you’re looking for sponsors.” He said, “Oh, no, no, no. We wouldn’t even allow you to give your fee. It’s going to have to be your full fee because you will not be allowed to be a sponsor.” It turned out that was the most filmed project I’ve ever been part of because they did blogs on various aspects during the construction. It’s not by any means one of our larger projects, but it was definitely the most filmed. Anything you would do differently? There were times when I thought I had gone about the profession wrong. I pretty much charted my own course very early on in my career, which meant that my learning curve was probably different than those who decided to work for a larger firm. It forced me to learn the business aspect quicker than I would have if somebody else were running the business. It was probably the harder route to go, but I don’t regret it. You start off on your own, and all of a sudden, you are the business manager, you are the designer, you are the producer. And you’re also the bill collector. Then there comes a time when you realize if you want to grow, you have to give up some of these responsibilities. I learned very early that just because somebody else would approach a design or a business aspect differently than you would have doesn’t make that a bad thing. In fact, maybe that’s a good thing. I think that was a big turning point in my firm and in my growth in the industry. Any other advice you might have for people starting out in the field? I think, to truly be successful in architecture, you really have to have a passion for this work. As we all know, this is not an eight-to-five job. It can be an all-consuming job. One of the challenges I’ve had over my life in this profession is just trying to find balance. And that’s a learning process that takes years. Are you happy with your career? Yes. Yes. It’s been very fulfilling, and I still have a passion for it. I have a number of friends who are retired and playing golf or this and that. Architecture has been such a big part of my life that trying to just give it all up at once would not be my idea of retirement. To watch the full interview, please scan this QR code: youtu.be/0DFT5dA0-cI 11
In this edition, we continue our interviews with local architectural legends. We spoke with retired GSBS Principal, Stephen Smith about his life, education and career. When did you decide to become an architect? I was going to be a history professor and got my bachelor honors degree in history at the U. I was headed for graduate school to become a Ph.D. history professor. I graduated in 1968. They did away with graduate deferments: (I was) eligible for the draft, advanced infantry training, and Vietnam. It was a path I was not interested in. I got into the Navy Officer Candidate School, where you had to volunteer to go to Vietnam. I volunteered for a refrigerator ship out of Newport, Rhode Island, and I got sent to Vietnam, one of the first three non-volunteers they sent. In the Navy, I realized that I was interested in a lot of things: art, science, people, politics. I thought, what can I do that covers the broadest range of interests? What about architecture? It has an art component, a technical component, a political component, and a social component that deals with people at every level. Maybe I’ll try that. I got out of the Navy and didn’t know anything about architecture because when you went to school in the sixties, you didn’t take classes like physics and calculus and all the prerequisites for architecture. You wouldn’t have anything to do with a slide rule. It was all existential poetry and sociology and politically relevant things. I had to do an extra year of school to be eligible for architecture school. BY FRAN PRUYN LEGENDS Stephen Smith 12 REFLEXION | 2022-23 | AIA Utah
When I started, I didn’t know what a section drawing was. I didn’t know what an elevation drawing was. Fortunately, the year I was taking all the prerequisites, a professor of architecture agreed to do a reading program with me, and I read a book every week that he told me to read, and then we’d spend two or three hours talking about it. All volunteer on his part. It was a great way to become familiar with architecture in a broader sense. I started school in January, as I got out of the Navy at the end of December, so I was off-sequence. I took basic design and a 15-hour course credit in the summer, three-quarters of school in one session. It was quite intense. Architecture school is a lot of work, long hours. In hindsight, I probably learned a lot more from my fellow students than I did from the faculty. There were some faculty people who were very helpful and some who were pretty much not helpful. We had a good class of talented people, and we worked together quite well, solving most of the problems given to us by the faculty. And we challenged the faculty. For example, we had a restaurant project assigned to us. We interviewed all these people who owned restaurants, cooked in, and worked in restaurants to see what they were like. We were actually reprimanded for doing that because we weren’t doing it by the rules. We insisted on having restaurant people on the jury, and they invited a couple of restaurant guys to sit in. It was a very interesting education in that it was not only technical and not only developed the skills you needed to work in architecture but also developed camaraderie and group relationships, which served us well in practice. You graduated when? In 1975. I graduated from the U with a master’s degree. At the time, there were limited jobs. I applied and was accepted to do the Historic American Building Survey through the National Park Service for a summer, which gave me four months to look for work. I was married, had a young toddler daughter, and needed a job. Not only was it a great experience, but it also bought me time. Then I went to work for John Clawson for a few months and then Carpenter Stringham for a few years, and then Brixen and Christopher for quite a while, and Edwards and Daniels. Talk about what you learned in each office. I had worked with John Clawson for a summer when I was in school. His was a small practice, and it was good because I got a lot of exposure to engineering consultants and clients that you might not get in larger firms when you are right out of school. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a growth pattern, and we didn’t develop a lot of work. One Friday, he said, “I don’t have anything for you guys to do,” and Monday morning, I went out and got a new job at Carpenter and Stringham. That was a good place to work for a while. I got my license while I was there. I passed all the exams. I had some good experiences technically there. But one weekend, I decided there wasn’t a future there. So, I called Jim Christopher and he hired me. I worked there for several years, and that was an excellent experience. They were very good architects, and I actually did some of my best work there. The preservation development strategies did when I was on the Heritage Foundation was superb stuff. But I didn’t sense a future there either. They were not developing a culture of growth with younger people, and I went to Edwards and Daniels and had a similar experience there. When Abe Gillis and Bob Brotherton started Gillies Brotherton in 1978, I asked Abe, “I want to come work for you,” and he said, “No, I like you as my friend. We were neighbors. Maybe someday.” In 1986, Abe called me and said, “We’re talking with David Brems about bringing him in and forming a firm with a broader practice. Now I would like you to join me as my partner.” Bingo. Yeah, that’s what I wanted to do. Mike and Abe had a very strong practice in industrial and some institutional work. David had a portfolio with private development, and I had some good planning experience. We thought that was a good, healthy merger of broader market areas and personality. We’re very different people, and it turned out to be a very positive group in spite of our idiosyncrasies. The first thing I did was manage the Consolidated Maintenance Facility project at Tooele Army Depot. I had only been with them a week or so before the interview. That was a significant project because of the environmental issues associated with it. It had zero discharge of pollutants, even though it was cleaning engine parts and doing a lot of nasty processes. We had a very sophisticated roof with skylights over the eight-acre shop floor. In the interior, there was daylight on the work floor with no glare. Pretty significant impact from an environmental perspective, long before anybody talked about LEED or anything else. From there, I moved into some planning work. We did the Judicial System Master Plan for the State of Utah and State of Utah Library Studies. I led the teams on both of those. We developed a lot of work based on the judicial master plan and subsequent court remodeling and established a relationship with the Office of the Courts. That expanded our ability to work for the State of Utah on a wide variety of projects, not only buildings but also planning and helping solve their problems. The library study, for example, was when all the colleges and institutions in Utah had the worst libraries in the state. All I had to do was ask them. They wanted a pile of money that was way out of reach of the legislature. The legislature said, “Wait a minute, you guys all can’t have the worst. Somebody has got to be worst.” We were hired to sort through that and were able to do it quite effectively. We had some good consultants and visited all the facilities. We could say, “Do you realize that such and such school does not even have a library? Wouldn’t they be in worse shape than you?” We were able to come to a unanimous decision of all the university and college presidents in a priority order of which libraries needed the first attention. 13
We worked through that list in a way that’s pretty remarkable with all those egos and institutions. All of those projects were realized in the order that we established. They had a budget that was a fraction of their demands. That established our credibility, which led to the Open Space Plan, the Salt Lake City Zoning Ordinance, and some of the other things we did that weren’t traditional architectural project stuff. Which projects give you the most satisfaction? There are various ways to look at it. We did the addition to the Cazier Library at Utah State University; it turned out to be a very successful project. When I see the impact of that building on the users and the hundreds and hundreds of students that go through USU and have a positive experience with that building, that’s very satisfying. Then there’s the planning work like the Open Space Plan for Salt Lake City and the Preservation Development Strategies, which have had a long-lasting impact on the community of Salt Lake. Any disappointments? There are the projects you’ve wanted and were thoroughly invested in and pursued for years, and you don’t get them, such as the State Courts Building. We worked for years with that goal in mind, and we didn’t get it. There are also disappointments in some of the construction and people you work with. I was involved in most of the hiring for GSBS. I think I did a pretty good job developing and creating a culture and environment of people who were effective in defining GSBS. But occasionally you miss, and it is disappointing when you feel like you’re investing a lot of emotion in a young person’s career development, and it doesn’t work. But when it works, it’s fabulous. People say, how did you decide to retire? For me, it got to a point where I could say to myself, all right, I’ve had some reasonably good success in the profession, and I could say I hired well, I mentored well. It’s time to get out of the way. When that hit me, it was time to get out of the way. It was an easy decision. What changes did you see in the industry? When we were in school, they talked about these architects as these individuals. We had a book we had to read called The Master Builders by Peter Blake. The master builders were Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies Van Der Rohe and Le Corbusier. The book treated these guys as heroes. Well, architects don’t build anything. Construction people build stuff. These guys weren’t master builders. They were good self-promoters. When you realize the complexity of a building project or process, all the people involved – the people in the design team and the construction team, the people who supply and manufacture the products and all the variety of users – architects are only a part of the process. Granted, they are an important and influential part that can set the direction for the other players to do their roles. It’s the notion that some of these firms had – “It’s all about me, Mr. Architect” – that I had a hard time with. 14 REFLEXION | 2022-23 | AIA Utah
When Abe, Mike, David and I sat down to talk about forming our firm, we asked, “What is it that we didn’t like about all the places we worked before, and let’s not do it again.” And so, it’s not a firm about us. It’s a firm about hiring and mentoring and nurturing people so we can become superfluous or leave and what we’ve created continues to do good things, acknowledging it’s a collaborative process where the architect has an important role at a particular time in that process. Master Builder? No. What about the influence of technology on the industry? Technology has an interesting influence on the profession, and it’s been important. Personally, I’m not savvy on a lot of it. I can draft well, and I can draw well, I can use ink, and I can use Mylar and all those kinds of things. If you were to think of a pencil on a piece of paper and then go to linen and then to Mylar, those are technological advances that improved the way you were able to do it. When we first put the firm together, we were using pin bar drafting and overlay drawings similar to what CAD became on the computer. It was the same idea of layering and thinking about how we improve what we do. Technology was another tool that improved how we do things. The idea of building modeling, where you can look at ductwork conflict with structural conflicts, is very useful. Can I do it? No. Do I understand its value? Yes. Advice to young people starting out in the profession? I would say you need your education for what you learn there, but you really need to be open to real-world experiences. That is what’s going to determine your success. I use the term “swagger” for the students who are good students, who come out of school, and they know everything, and they pass the exams right away and they’re doing great. That’s useful. But then there comes a point where they need to lose the swagger and lose the “I” strain and learn the word “we,” and understand the importance of the contributions of all those other players in the building process. We need to figure out how to work with all kinds of people. We don’t always get to work with our friends. Sometimes we have to work with people we dislike, don’t trust, and are uninformed or just plain stupid. The value is in figuring out how to make it work. Do you want to insist on being right, or do you want to be successful? This can be done without compromise of integrity. To watch the full interview, please scan this QR code: youtu.be/c-vhqLu-_nk ...You really need to be open to real-world experiences. That is what’s going to determine your success. Any other thoughts? I went on the Heritage Foundation Board when I was a student; they recruited me because they needed somebody young. We were fighting the preservation battles: confrontation toe to toe at the intersections, screaming at each other over the Eagle Gate Apartments or whatever. And we thought, maybe we should get this in education and heighten the awareness of the historic value of these buildings at a younger age. So, we started programs in the fourth grade, where they had Utah history in the curriculum, and in the seventh grade, mostly the fourth grade. I did that for 20 years. We covered thousands of students, tens of thousands of students, hundreds of teachers and workshops using architecture as a way of educating the students in community processes, the value of the built environment and how it influenced their lives. For school teachers and young people, it’s been a very good way as an architect to articulate what we do. Who influenced you the most? I had a history professor, Aziz Atiya. He influenced me on the value of education and disciplined learning. He was an amazing scholar and could lecture on some obscure crusade from 1100 for an hour and a half and you didn’t realize you were sitting in the class because he knew his stuff. He taught me that you have to know your stuff. I learned a lot from Jim Christopher. I learned a lot of good things from Chris, and I also learned some things that I probably did differently. Abe Gillies was a master at understanding the technical aspects of construction and realizing the importance of your people. He had huge respect in the construction world because he valued what they did. That was an important thing for me to learn. Last thoughts? I’m glad I did it. It wasn’t what I thought I was going to do, but I think I did it well. And I had a good career and made a lot of good friends. 15
Abram G. Gillies, AIA (1940-2022) Abe Gillies was born in 1940 in Beaver, Utah. These beginnings in a small Southern Utah town gave him a lifelong appreciation for the wilderness and offered Abe character-forming opportunities. He helped on the family dairy farm, sanitizing milk cans at the creamery, ran the film projector at the only theater in town, and worked for the Forest Service, building fences and surveying the land. In 1963, Abe married and moved to Salt Lake City, where he enrolled at the University of Utah School of Architecture. He graduated in 1969, working for other architects for almost a decade. In 1978, Abe partnered with Bob Brotherton to form Brotherton Gillies Architects. By the late 1980s, the firm had evolved. Now called Gillies Stransky Brems Smith (GSBS), it won large prestigious projects, employed more people, and received A/E/C awards. Although accomplished in a number of practice areas, as the firm matured, Abe led the architectural design of correctional facilities – a focus that requires a very precise and technical skillset to succeed programmatically and aesthetically. Among the justice facilities on Abe’s resume are the Central Utah Correctional Facility, Utah County Security Center, Beaver County Public Safety Facility, and Weber County Correctional Facility. Abe believed what spurred GSBS’s success was having an intense collaboration of intelligent, creative minds: colleagues who inspired him and of whom he was proud. Certainly, Abe could see the potential in projects and buildings, but he also saw a person’s possibilities and talents and enjoyed helping them find it themselves. Appreciating that we learn from failures as much as success, he often said, “The worst decision is indecision.” Abe’s mantra was, “The drive to get there is as important as the final destination.” He had many passions – architectural design, food, wine, gardening; but likely his favorite was mentoring young minds. George (Jud) Daniels, FAIA (1927-2022) George (Jud) Daniels, FAIA, was born in Salt Lake City and grew up in Sugar House. He served in the Second World War and, upon returning home, graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in Architecture. Brandee, Jud’s daughter, said Jud wrote he was guided to architecture by his uncle Ed Young who worked for the Salt Lake City-based firm of Slack Warden Windburn. “I didn’t find architecture; it found me.” In 1952, Jud earned his Master of Architecture degree at the University of California, Berkeley. He became a proponent of the post-WWII modernist design school, and in 1955, he and Ralph Edwards (a fellow Berkeley alum) founded Edwards & Daniels Architects (now EDA). Jud wrote about meeting Ralph Edwards and founding the firm, “I had promptings at each decision. I knew this was my path.” Their enthusiasm for modern architecture in Salt Lake City and the Intermountain region began with residential architecture and small retail centers. Later, as the firm and its reputation grew, Jud led the design of regional, modernist landmarks, including Carbon County High School, Cottonwood High School, the First Congregational Church of Salt Lake City, the Fine Art and Architecture complex at the University of Utah and the iconic Salt Lake City Main Library (now The Leonardo). Jud inspired more than one generation of young architects by providing support and mentorship. Burke Cartwright, a retired EDA principal, said, “I considered Jud to be a mentor, partner and friend. I look back on our time working together and think of him being quietly supportive and kind. His body of work is enviable. It is thoughtful, restrained and enduring; qualities, in my mind, that represent some of the best in architecture.” In Memoriam 16 REFLEXION | 2022-23 | AIA Utah
Thomas Brewster Kass (1936-2022) Tom Kass was born in Rochester, New York, in 1936, to a father who was a Labor Attorney for General Motors and a mother who taught him French but said that his accent was terrible and to “avoid speaking it.” Tom graduated from Cooper Union School of Architecture and Engineering in 1958. He was one of the 2% of applicants who earned a Certificate in Design. At Yale, he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts and worked directly with Joseph Albers on his book, Interaction of Color. Tom earned a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Washington in Sculpture, then was hired by the University of Utah to teach foundation courses in the Department of Architecture. Tom taught at the U of U for 37 years, where he applied his firm belief in studying various disciplines to his architectural curriculum. His celebrated color course connected art and architecture. Ken Pollard, the architect, said in 15-Bytes Magazine, “He was a brilliant teacher who touched many and made people see the color of the day.” A Professor Emeritus in the University of Utah’s College of Architecture and Planning, Tom worked as an architectural advisor to several architecture firms in Salt Lake City. Montana State University lured him out of retirement to teach Basic Design in Architecture. Tom Kass received many awards, including the ACSA Distinguished Professor, The Distinguished Teaching Award, and the award he cherished, The Student Choice Award. Tom received two Fulbright Scholarships, which allowed him to study Korean Temple Painting and teach at Ewha Women’s University in South Korea. Additionally, Tom was an accomplished and exhibited artist who emphasized form, function, dimension, and color. His media included pencil, acrylic, oil and mixed media. “The problem is the problem,’ and ‘There is no solution. Seek it lovingly.” – Tom Kass. M. Ray Kingston, FAIA (1934-2022) Ray was born in Taylor, Utah, in 1934, the fifth of six children to Viva Witt Kingston and Clarence David Kingston. He grew up on a farm, graduated from Ogden High in 1952, and studied modern dance at the University of Utah. Ray was introduced to architecture by his roommate Roy Tachiki and changed his major to Architecture, studying at the U of U and Colorado College. He was honorably discharged from the U. S. Army, then in 1963, graduated from the University of Arizona and moved to Salt Lake City, where he launched his architectural career. In 1969, Ray was hired to design Snowbird developer Ted Johnson’s private residence after participating on an international urban planning team in Iran. This professional relationship led to Ray’s work on the master planning and design of the resort, a project that helped chart the course of his career. Ray co-founded ENTELEKI Architecture and then was a founding principal of Fowler Ferguson Kingston Ruben Architects (FFKR). In addition to his work at Snowbird, which includes the design and subsequent expansion of the Cliff Lodge, Ray was a central architect and planner for Abravanel Hall. His portfolio also includes buildings for many higher education campuses. Ray was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 1998 for his “exceptional work and significant contributions to architecture and society.” A lifelong devotee of the arts, Ray served as Chair of the Utah Arts Council, where he helped create the first Utah Arts Festival. President Reagan appointed him to serve on the board of the National Endowment for the Arts. For his volunteer work to help lead the renovation of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, he became the only non-Catholic Utahn to be knighted by the Roman Catholic Church. In Ray’s words, he was “an Ogden farm boy, true humanist, explorer of nature, the worlds of science, math, and aesthetics and, according to a few loyal friends, a relatively competent architect.” 17
Stephen Guy Peterson, AIA (1940-2022) Steve Peterson was born, raised and received his early education in Murray, Utah. In 1966, he enrolled at the University of Utah as a Mechanical Engineering student. However, Steve was always very artistic: he began sketching and painting at an early age, even painting window displays and storefronts as a teen. After a year as an ME student, he changed majors to architecture, graduating in 1969. From 1969-1973, Steve worked at EDA. In 1974, Steve, Tim Thomas and Jack Hammond, classmates and close friends from the U of U’s graduate program, formed Thomas Petersen Hammond Architects. Steve had both design talent and a strong mind for business. He provided a leadership role in managing the business side of the firm, as well as leading some of the firm’s larger and more notable projects. Throughout his career, the firm morphed into Architectural Nexus, growing to over 120 employees and receiving numerous design awards. Steve’s early career began with commercial architecture (American Savings and Loan Branches throughout Utah – his bread and butter for many years). It grew to include some of the state’s most technically advanced projects: the Associated Regional and University Pathologist (ARUP) Laboratory Phases 1 and 2, and the OSHA Salt Lake Technical Center Laboratory (Nexus’ first LEED Certified project and Utah’s first LEED Silver project). The OSHA project began Arch Nexus’ commitment to sustainability and becoming a leader and advocate for change. Steve will be remembered most for his leadership and his desire to mentor and support his staff and partners. He would take the time to get to know each employee personally to provide guidance. His life and career embody the company’s mission: People Driven. "One night, working late to 'get more work done', Steve stopped at my desk and said, 'Go home and leave some for tomorrow.' I have used that a lot with my colleagues over the years since." – Mark Davis, AIA – Senior Principal – Arch Nexus. Boyd McAllister (1955-2022) Born and raised in Magna, Utah, Boyd knew he wanted to be an architect from the time he was a youngster. “At age 14, my father took me out on a construction site,” he said. “He was building a doctor’s office and unrolled some drawings,” Boyd asked him what the blueprints were, and he said, “Son, these drawings tell me how to build the building.” Boyd knew then that he didn’t want to be a carpenter like his dad. “I wanted to be the one who told them what to build.” After taking drafting classes in high school, Boyd enrolled at Utah Technical College to study architecture and engineering. Following graduation in 1976, he began his architectural career as a draftsman. In 1985, he successfully passed the Architectural Licensing Exam. Three years later, Boyd was hired at Niels Valentiner and Associates (now VCBO), partly because he had school design experience. In 1995, Boyd was made a principal at the firm. He was in charge of the construction of numerous Smith’s grocery stores across the Western United States and was the Job Captain on the One Utah Center (201 South & Main in SLC). Boyd was responsible for many schools in multiple school districts in Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and Idaho. In the 1990s, he and Steve Crane, FAIA, began to design schools based on innovative new ideas, places that encouraged collaboration amongst both the students and the teachers. He participated in professional groups, including the American Institute of Architects Committee on Architecture for Education and the Council of Educational Facilities Planners International (now known as A4LE). Boyd served as the President of the Southwest Region of A4LE in 2013. His many significant school projects included the Creekside and Lakeside Elementary Schools (Davis School District), West Point Junior High School – which won the James McConnell Award – and Farmington High School. He was also instrumental in the programming and design of the only LEED goldcertified public school in Utah, Odyssey Elementary in Kaysville, Utah. And as Partner Steve Crane, FAIA, said, “Boyd was the consummate owner’s Architect. Every decision and every action he took, no matter the scale or complexity, was on the owner’s behalf. Boyd was a great Pard, an excellent Architect, and even better friend.” 18 REFLEXION | 2022-23 | AIA Utah
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