WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .22 A N N U A L O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N A N D D I R E C T O R Y O F A I A W Y OM I N G
We Build More Than World-Class Projects. We Build Relationships. CELEBRATING 20 YEARS IN WYOMING
4 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .22 | aia-wyoming.org Wyoming Architecture .22 is a publication of the Wyoming Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. aia-wyoming.org AIA Wyoming PO Box 21833 Cheyenne, WY, 82003 (307) 286-5519 info@aia-wyoming.org PUBLICATION COVER: National Museum of Military Vehicles Dubois, WY GSG Architecture, Inc 2023 UPCOMING AIA EVENTS: AIA Leadership Summit Washington D.C., February 14-17, 2023 AIA Wyoming Spring Conference Cody, WY, April 28-29, 2023 A’23 - AIA Conference on Architecture San Francisco, CA, June 7-10, 2023 AIA WY Annual Fall Conference and Design & Honor Awards Program Casper, WY, October 5-7, 2023 CONTENTS AIA WY President’s Message........................................................... 7 2022 AIA WY Board of Directors and Staff...................................... 8 AIA Strategic Council..................................................................... 10 AIA Wyoming Standing Committees . ........................................... 12 Education and Resources Committee . ......................................... 13 Government Advocacy Committee............................................... 13 Membership Development Committee . ...................................... 14 Public Awareness Committee . ..................................................... 15 2022 AIA Grassroots and Leadership Conference......................... 16 2022 AIA Conference on Architecture (A’22)................................ 18 Wyoming Board of Architects and Landscape Architects (WBALA)....................................................................... 22 2022 Architects in Action.............................................................. 24 Are You Taking Advantage of Your AIA Member Benefits?. .......... 25 Navigating Codes in Wyoming. ..................................................... 26 Architectural Education Foundation. ............................................ 29 New Thyra Thomson Office Building Honors Casper’s Railyard Past.................................................................................. 30 2022 AIA WY Spring Conference................................................... 33 2022 AIA WY Annual Fall Conference. .......................................... 35 A Conversation with Jim Rose, AIA Emeritus . .............................. 38 A Conversation with Noel Griffith, Jr. Architect............................. 41 AIA WY Member Special Recognition. .......................................... 43 AIA WY Project Award Recognition............................................... 44 Spot the Tour Matching Game ..................................................... 45 Congratulations! AIA WY 2022 Communicator Award.................. 46 Mentor, Business Partner, and My Father .................................... 47 An Open Letter to Our Industry Partners ..................................... 49 AIA Wyoming Celebrated World Architecture Month in 2022 . ............................................................................ 52 Cruel Fate Awaits an Iconic Church in Laramie, Wyoming Or Does It?.................................................................................... 53 AIA WY Firm Profiles..................................................................... 55 AIA and Associate AIA WY Member Directory.............................. 56 AIA WY Allied Member Directory.................................................. 62 2023 AIA Wyoming Calendar........................................................ 63 ©2022 AIA WY | The newsLINK Group, LLC. All rights reserved. Wyoming Architecture .22 is published annually by The newsLINK Group, LLC for the AIA Wyoming Chapter 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 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 the AIA WY. While Wyoming Architecture 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.
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“I drive by it every day ..........and I just smile, so I wanted to pay my respects to the architect and say thank you for designing such a beautiful ........f***ing building …the brick is just absolutely ............ awesome! Thank you for being dedicated to your craft. I drive that street multiple times a day and had to look at all that s*** that was there ...and the new building is ........ just gorgeous...” –Casper Business Leader Re: Thyra Thomson State Office Building STATELINE NO. 7 ARCHITECTS 307.265.3611 www.stateline7.com Casper, Wyoming
7 I encourage every AIA member to continue to find ways to add expertise and to contribute best practices to address the best use of fossil fuels in producing renewable energy. By Lewis Matthew Miller, AIA I want to thank every AIA Wyoming member for contributing to the success of our chapter over the last year. Our architectural industry and partners have supported each other, convened together at conferences, and financially provided resources to keep things moving. As a member organization, nothing surpasses our AIA membership participation as the ultimate success metric. AIA National has made a call for architects to act positively in their communities and act on behalf of the environment, with a particular focus on wind and solar as energy source alternatives to fossil fuels. Alternative is not the best term as it is more a function of the best usage of fossil fuels, as “Although wind and solar energy are clean alternatives once commissioned to burning fossil fuels, making the turbines and panels themselves have a negative environmental impact to balance.” (National Geographic) AIA Wyoming is regionally located at the midpoint of this discourse of addressing the best use of fossil fuels in producing renewable energy, which took center stage with AIA National’s carbon-neutral goal. The AIA 2030 Challenge targets may be met by generating on-site renewable energy and/or purchasing (20% maximum) off-site renewable energy. This leads to a highly variable carbon footprint offsite, which may lead to inefficient usage of precious metals and fossil fuels unless a new holistic and tested approach to specifying and procuring renewable energy is enacted both by industry and by governance. Eleven tons of coal are used as the raw material to produce the chemicals for the photovoltaic (PV) panel manufacturing process, which can last between 11 to 30 years. In addition, “solar PVs employ heavy metals such as cadmium, the mining of quartz sand, coating with ethylene-vinyl acetate, and photovoltaic solar cell fabrication requiring energy – most often derived from the burning of fossil fuels.” These resources and pollutants are offset by long-term benefits as even the most energyintensive solar panel produced, of monocrystalline silicate cells, “emit just 55 grams (1.9 ounces) of pollution per kilowatt-hour – emitting only a fraction of the near one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of pollution emitted by a coal-fired power plant per kilowatt.” (Data from Solvoltaics &Thomas A Troszak) At a broader level, the call to action by the AIA community will require a greater knowledge of renewables necessary for comprehensive project selection and specification. I encourage every AIA member to continue to find ways to add expertise and to contribute best practices to address the best use of fossil fuels in producing renewable energy. I hope that future discussions within the AIA Wyoming publication will describe a greatly improved and comprehensive path to carbon neutrality promoted by the AIA. While we have many issues to tackle over the coming years, this may be the best time to establish the architect’s place in the design and specification of energy production in the State of Wyoming. Thank you! AIA Wyoming PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
8 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .22 | aia-wyoming.org AIA Wyoming Board of Directors (left to right): Britney Sulzen, Assoc. AIA, Associate Director; Rachel Delventhal, AIA, Secretary; Brandon Daigle, AIA, Treasurer; Lewis Matthew Miller, AIA, President; Dale Buckingham, AIA, President-Elect; Clint Taylor, AIA, Past President; Tim Schenk, AIA, Director; Susan Menghini, Executive Director (not pictured). 2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFF
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 TopTalent 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.
10 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .22 | aia-wyoming.org I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to this year’s annual Publication/Directory with a report from the AIA Strategic Council. The Strategic Council is not new to the AIA, but it has recently evolved from a regional council (the six states comprising the Western Mountain Region, WMR) to having 50 state representatives (California, New York and Texas have two each) as well as six at-large leaders who meet to discuss critical issues impacting our profession. I am privileged to be the first AIA Wyoming architect elected to serve on the Strategic Council. AIA Strategic Plan The Strategic Plan for 2021-2025 is to advance the twin goals of climate action for human and ecological health and the advancement of racial, ethnic and gender equity in the built environment. This long-term plan has been implemented to allow AIA leadership to adopt policies and procedures guided by this mission. Human and ecological health and racial, ethnic and gender equity will guide AIA’s decisions well into the future. AIA Strategic Council The Strategic Council was formed in 2015. It was formed to advance the architecture profession by informing the board and other institute bodies about important professional issues, opportunities, and threats. Although it is not an AIA governing body, the Council’s work is vital to AIA’s ability to serve the profession. AIA Bylaws define in detail the Council’s mission, responsibilities, and composition. The Council approaches its tasks with an emphasis on an outward and forward-focused vision. In this spirit, the Council focuses on long-term goals and outcomes of AIA’s work rather than the administrative or programmatic efforts that achieve those goals. Thought Leadership The Council meets to consider topics based on AIA’s strategic objectives. From that work, it develops recommendations for the Board’s consideration. Council Recruitment The Council is a diverse group of over 60 forward-thinking leaders charged with exploring new ideas and solutions to significant issues facing the profession of architecture and its role in society. The Council recruits members annually with the intention that these At-large positions will bring diverse viewpoints to the Council that might not be otherwise represented. This includes people from allied professions, futurists, educators, and other professionals who would not typically become council members through the state representative election process. Systems Thinking for Cultural Change Systems thinking involves a variety of skills and core concepts, including the ability to recognize interconnections among parts of a system; to identify how interconnections can combine to form cause and effect feedback loops; to recognize nonlinear relationships among elements in a system; to understand dynamic behavior, and to look at a system in different ways to reduce complexity. The resulting solutions are more anticipatory and adaptive, more attuned to underlying problems rather than their symptoms, and more likely to challenge assumptions and norms. By Dan Stalker, AIA AIA Strategic Council The Strategic Plan for 2021-2025 is to advance the twin goals of climate action for human and ecological health and the advancement of racial, ethnic and gender equity in the built environment ... Human and ecological health and racial, ethnic and gender equity will guide AIA’s decisions well into the future.
11 The Strategic Council has several ongoing projects where topics are identified and discussed throughout the year. At the end of the year, the discussion groups will formalize the reports and pass these along to the board for review or further action. I currently serve on three committees: the Communications Committee, the Value of Architecture Initiative and the Workplace Culture Group. Value of Architecture This area of study examines the value of the architect and architecture as it is perceived by the public, by actual and potential clients, and by our communities/society as a whole. The premise is that, over time, there seems to be less understanding of what architects actually do, what we are uniquely suited to provide, and what the value of that knowledge/expertise is. Additionally, in some sectors, there seems to be growing marginalization of the architect by other players/competitors in the design/construction/development community. This appears to be exacerbated by broad societal trends toward a general rejection of expertise and disruptions to accustomed approaches to executing endeavors such as design and construction. Included in these areas of study are Member Prosperity and Value for our Clients. Workplace Culture Our Workplace Culture Group has assembled and scheduled a round table discussion where leaders from highly successful firms will be interviewed. They will discuss the secrets of success. Also discussed will be how to deal with “suffer culture,” or the practice of overworking, underpaying and abusing young architects. The round table discussion will be shared with members across the country. Technology Impacting Practice The Technology Impacting Practice (TIP) Area of Study has been a topic of discussion within the AIA Strategic Council for well over five years. This report summarizes research and findings to frame a “no member left behind” roadmap and framework for digital transformation. TIP’s focus this year was to continue the work from TIP’s 2020 Call to Action Virtual Summit on Digital Transformation’s key problem: frame members’ needs, hypothesize solutions, and validate gaps to create a roadmap to a “no member left behind” framework for digital transformation. It is imperative that AIA take an assertive leadership stance on the shift to a digital-first practice. AIA emphasizes decarbonization under its Code of Ethics. Ethical Standards of Knowledge and Skill of the members is also a vital concern. Our profession is at a crossroads and must address the three most important challenges of our society and environment. Given the radical changes in our environment, climate change must be urgently addressed. Members must have the tools and knowledge to move toward net zero or net positive buildings and developments. We must equip our members to support AIA’s goals and the strategic plan through an urgent and rigorous action plan to lead the digital transformation in the AEC industry and profession and AIA’s membership. We cannot afford to leave any firm or member behind. Our profession is at a crossroads and must address the three most important challenges of our society and environment. Given the radical changes in our environment, climate change must be urgently addressed. Scalable Climate Action The Scalable Climate Action area of study focuses on identifying how to catalyze a long-term “snowball effect” so all practitioners are motivated and able to engage in daily climate action through their practice, client work, and communities. This aggregating effect should have a measurable impact on the climate impact of the built environment in the next 10 years. The Scalable Action Group, supported by the Strategic Council, suggests that AIA has an obligation to fulfill its commitment to create a significant impact within the climate action agenda, not just for our profession but for our communities and neighbors, and has identified specific efforts that could create an ever-increasing rate of change with measurable impacts. This report addresses changes to implement in the short term and levers of change that contribute to a more long-term impact. This will ultimately result in measurable improvement for the future of the profession and the built environment. Summary In the next two months, the Strategic Council will be finalizing many studies and reports and will be submitting these to the Board for review and further action. These reports will be distributed to state components for distribution to all of our members. The reports are important first steps, talking points that we hope will encourage discussion and, more importantly, foster member feedback. b
12 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .22 | aia-wyoming.org By Britney Sulzen, Assoc. AIA AIA WY Standing Committees Congrats, we have made it through another year! AIA Wyoming members have been amazing this year in planning and maintaining connections with each other across the state. AIA Wyoming held the spring conference in Cheyenne at the State Capitol Building and a fall conference in Sheridan at the Community College. The two conferences held this year in person have been a testament to what our Wyoming community is capable of! AIA is changing and has changed with many new ideas coming from National. We no longer have the WMR region but are still looking to maintain those connections with surrounding AIA Chapters. Due to the regions being dissolved, our small chapter needed more volunteers to represent our State and community. This is an opportunity to showcase our talent and drive as architects and emerging professionals in the profession. Our voice is needed, and with current changes, we need to hear from all our members. It is important to encourage new voices to become involved in AIA Wyoming and one or more of the four Standing Committees: Select one: Education and Resources Public Awareness Membership Development Government Advocacy These four committees and all the conference planning teams are responsible for events and programs AIAWyoming provides. We hope to keep up with all our goals and inspire new ones. The Chapter has a wonderful history of having vast participation from its membership, but involvement in the committees and AIA Wyoming is starting to change. Our current membership is made up of a more experienced architectural community, and in my personal opinion, we are missing opportunities emerging professionals could provide. There is a bright future for AIA Wyoming, and I encourage all our architects, emerging professionals, and associates to get involved and share your voice. Share it with everyone, not just others in the profession. Stronger Together There is a bright future for AIA Wyoming, and I encourage all our architects, emerging professionals, and associates to get involved and share your voice. Share it with everyone, not just others in the profession. Without a strong AIA organization locally and nationally, the profession would not thrive as it has for so many years. I ask that each of you consider what AIA Wyoming has done or could do for you and consider what you can do for it. Give back and get involved; join this wonderful group of individuals today. Look for more excitement and events to come. Thank you! b
13 By Brandon Daigle, AIA Education and Resources Committee Education Outreach Committee Members: Jessica Barnhouse, AIA Brandon Daigle, AIA Brit Morgan, AIA Ben Reeves, AIA Clint Taylor, AIA The Education and Resource Committee’s primary goal is to promote architecture to the public and provide educational resources for architects to use when engaging with students and clients across the state. While the past few years have limited access to K-12 schools for class presentations by architects, the committee has focused on providing alternative educational resources by gathering online platforms for learning and sharing those with AIA members. Just this past month, the committee gained additional members and will begin to reevaluate priorities for 2023. The most recent public outreach event was a tour of the new Casper College Visual Arts building hosted by committee member Brandon Daigle. During the tour, students in the construction management program at Casper College were given an overview of the project timeline, contract and funding structure, and typical processes that architects and contractors execute to deliver a higher-education building to the public. Students were able to tour the building prior to the official opening, giving them a sneak preview of the building operations and back-of-house mechanical and electrical systems operations. The committee hopes to continue to engage with more consistent faceto-face workshops where elementary, middle, and high school students provide introductions to architecture through interactive presentations and mathematic project examples. The committee continues its goal of focusing on connecting with students and teachers in cities across Wyoming. There will be continued efforts to reach high school students and the new outreach developments to a higher education audience and the public. b By Lyle Murtha, AIA Government Advocacy Committee Advocating for Our Members Committee Members: Dale Buckingham, AIA Cornelius Kinsey, AIA Lyle Murtha, AIA Charlie VanOver, AIA Will Wedemeyer, AIA William Wheatley, AIA The Government Advocacy Committee continues to meet monthly via Microsoft Teams conferences to discuss issues affecting the architecture profession across Wyoming and at the national level. The goals of the committee are to introduce, monitor, and influence legislative and regulatory issues and to educate and engage our AIA Wyoming members. Our committee lost a member this year as Colleen Nelson, AIA, accepted a position on the Wyoming Board of Architects and Landscape Architects (WBALA). Because of this position, she now has a conflict of interest in this committee’s work. The committee is still operating without a formal chairperson, and Dale Buckingham (liaison to the Board) has been acting chairperson for the past couple of years. This year, while many issues were discussed, only one item – a request from the Wyoming Board of Architects and Landscape Architects to make changes to the Practice Act – required in-depth focus of the committee to coordinate comments on the text of the proposed changes. As of the date of the AIA Wyoming Annual Fall Conference in Sheridan, the proposed text was voted to be acceptable by all of the members present for this vote. The committee’s main focus typically is the Wyoming legislative session, which was a “budget” session in 2022. The “budget” sessions typically have fewer legislative items for the committee to follow and engage in. The upcoming 2023 Wyoming legislative session will be a “general” session. The committee is gearing up for support and tracking of the proposed Practice Act changes, as well as other items that may be presented before and during the session. b
14 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .22 | aia-wyoming.org By Britney Sulzen, Assoc. AIA and Susan Menghini, Executive Director Membership Development Committee Member Experience Committee Members: Rachel Delventhal, AIA Ansley Mouw, Associate AIA Roger Stewart, AIA Britney Sulzen, Associate AIA The mission of the Membership Development Committee is to enhance the membership experience. By embracing the mission, the committee holds activities for members, non-members, and industry partners at the two Chapter conferences, as well as throughout the year, to engage in conversation and networking. With a small group of volunteers, we continue to hold these events and look for additional committee members to enhance and grow the member experience. During the spring conference in Cheyenne in April, we held an event for continuing education credits and networking by hosting a game of Architectural Cranium. We thank the local architectural firm, Winters Griffith Architects, for hosting this event at their new office space in Cheyenne. The game consisted of questions pulled from architectural history and current Architecture Registration Exam (ARE) practice test study material. The teams consisting of architects, emerging professionals, and industry partners competed for prizes and enjoyed coming together for an evening of laughs. Additionally, in 2022, the committee crafted a survey and sent it to the membership requesting feedback on members’ wants and needs to help the board of directors plan for future events, activities, programming, and benefits. The survey included questions on members’ engagement in the Chapter and how important our current member benefits and programs are to them. We look forward to the New Year and working on programming in 2023. During the annual fall conference in Sheridan in October, the members of the Membership Development Committee partnered and assisted with one of the featured speakers on her workshop. Laurel Christensen, AIA from mindful MATERIALS, provided a workshop that explored the journey from industry fragmentation to industry alignment via mindful MATERIALS’ Common Materials Framework, a foundation that will allow sustainability and transparency data to become actionable, enabling the future tracking and reporting of holistic embodied impacts of buildings. The workshop was for anyone who selects or specifies building materials. The idea of the workshop was to mix up the membership of emerging professionals, member architects, and industry partners at each table for a diverse roundtable discussion. The committee meets monthly to discuss its efforts in recruiting and retaining members. Through our Chapter President welcome during the Chapter business meetings, new members are introduced as they begin to get to know others in attendance. Letters from AIA Wyoming are sent via email to welcome them to the Chapter and identify member benefits to help them get off to a good start in engaging in the Chapter. The Membership Development Committee is currently seeking an enthusiastic Chair and other volunteers to help ensure the Chapter’s growth and member experience. b
15 By Anthony Jacobsen, AIA Public Awareness Committee Current and Future Outreach Committee Members: Anthony Jacobsen, AIA, Chair Andrea Haro, Associate AIA Ellen Martin, Associate AIA Lyle Murtha, AIA Tim Schenk, AIA The Public Awareness Committee has had a good year promoting Wyoming Architecture. The last couple of years have been difficult for all in various ways. As things start to get back to some sense of normal, we look forward to 2023 and the potential to increase the exposure of Wyoming Architecture. AIA Wyoming is always thinking of ways to reach out to the public and membership to keep everyone involved and educated, and to strengthen our relationships with industry partners. The Wyoming Architecture publication is in its ninth year and recently won another award. Wyoming Architecture.21 won an Award of Distinction from the 2022 Communicator Awards! The Public Awareness Committee is proud to receive this distinction and is glad this publication has become a major resource of information to provide exposure of our profession to the public. This Publication has great distribution coverage to our 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 eighth year and is still FREE and available to anyone who would like to take one or distribute some, just contact anyone on this Public Awareness Committee. 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 the back cover of this publication for more information. We are excited to announce we have started an Instagram account for AIA Wyoming! It has been up since May and is currently full of Wyoming project posts from previous calendar entries. You can visit this new 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 interested in architecture to like it. AIA Wyoming has switched to celebrating Architecture Month across the state in This Publication has great distribution coverage to our industry partners, legislators, state departments, schools, contractors, realtors, clients, members, and many other contacts throughout the state. October. You might ask, “Wasn’t Architecture Month in April?” and you would be right. However, National AIA shifted its annual celebration to the entire month of October to align with “World Architecture Day,” celebrated on the first Monday in October. World Architecture Day was established in 2005 to “remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat” by the Union International des Architects (UIA). This intentionally aligns with “World Habitat Day,” established in 1986, to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns. 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 2023 and the potential to expand our outreach. b
16 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .22 | aia-wyoming.org Each year the AIA brings leadership together for the AIA Grassroots conference sessions to develop our leadership to the fullest potential. Grassroots curriculum and participants change and evolve annually, while the goal of supporting component and community leadership remains. Participation is vital to the AIA, AIA Grassroots, and a priority for AIA Wyoming. Please contact the AIA Wyoming Board and leadership to learn how to attend and become more active in our AIA Chapter and attend AIA Grassroots in the coming years. Soon-to-be incoming President, Emily A Grandstaff-Rice, FAIA, discussed intersectionality and working with K-12 Children to define their spaces. This session introduced AIA EVP/CEO Lakisha Ann Woods, CAE, current President & CEO of the National Institute of Building Sciences, 2021-2022 Chair-Elect of the Americans Society of Association Executive (ASAE) and Chair of the ASAE Foundation. Lakisha, the author of “Never Get Their Coffee,” discussed women in the C Suite in conversation with Emily Keynote. Ibram X Kendi, a MacArthur Fellow, presented “Creating a Just & Equitable Society,” a discussion of policies and accountability. Ibram and Emily discussed anti-racist thinking, ableism and recognizing access in the built environment. This led to a session introduced by Mary-Margaret Zindred, AIA, for Angie Mckinley’s presentation. This bridged into Nicole Bauknight, Assoc. AIA NOMA session, as the panel moderator for panelist Carole Wedge FAIA, Mark Swackhammer, Assoc AIA, Karen LU AIA NOMA, and Aaron Regla Associate AIA NOMA. Recorded sessions are available as AIAU courses. Bob Harris, CAE, presented “Developing a Partnership Between Boards of Directors and Component Staff,” explaining the board’s fiduciary governance duties, in contrast to management, with an annual refresh and blend-in of new board members. This session and related content are always beneficial to our AIA Wyoming Board, as are the sessions provided by our Executive Director, Susan Menghini. The AIA Wyoming Chapter Board is a fundamental component of a functioning chapter organized and prepared to support our AIA Wyoming Chapter membership. Grassroots 2022 presentations were well represented by AIA National leadership. The 2022 Grassroots content was directed to societal issues and remedies, placed within the contexts of how architects may improve society and their communities by better understanding how behavior and actions may assist or oppress By Lewis Matthew Miller, AIA 2022 AIA Grassroots and Leadership Conference
17 those in our businesses and neighborhoods. Associate AIA members were well represented in presentations. The online grassroots event could benefit from greater attendance by practicing architects. This may be due to the presentations being noticeably absent of content tying actions directly to practicing architects. As we look to future Grass Roots events, it will be important to look for larger attendance and content that will generate interest from both practicing architects in AIA leadership positions and the desire of architectural firms to support attendance during office hours. As a member organization, nothing surpasses the participation of AIA membership as the ultimate success metric, and AIA Grassroots is no different in this respect. b
18 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .22 | aia-wyoming.org 2022 AIA Conference on Architecture By Britney Sulzen, Assoc. AIA As AIA Wyoming's Associate Director, I was fortunate to attend this year’s AIA Conference on rchitecture 2022 (A’22) in Chicago. I was one of a handful of individuals from Wyoming in a crowd of over 9,000 architects who attended the Conference. A’22 was an exceptional event designed to encourage architects to explore new ways of thinking and inf luence design-forward thinking. The city of Chicago was presented through multiple tours and lectures and was an amazing backdrop for the Conference and all the speakers. As an Associate and a young person in the world of architecture, I was truly amazed by the amount of information and resources presented and provided during the conference. A’22 had so many inf luential and important keynote speakers, such as President Barack Obama, Lakisha Ann Woods, AIA’s new Chief Executive Officer, and many local architects from the Chicago area. Most of the keynote speakers discussed the importance of architecture and the inf luence architects have in the current economy as society grapples with the uncertainty of the future. The first keynote, titled “Paradigm Shift,” was an interview between Madame Architect Founder Julia Gamolina and Lakisha Ann Woods, AIA’s new CEO, regarding a historic moment for AIA and the architectural profession. Ms. Woods spoke to a new way of thinking about equity and sustainability in the architectural profession. Later in the conference, I attended a “Women in Design Social” where several women gathered to share ideas and encourage one another. I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Woods about AIA Wyoming’s chapter and some of the challenges we face being a smaller chapter, but that we are just as important, have so many wonderful ideas and have a great AIA community that supports each individual member and non-member. I was eager to boast about our chapter and our many successes. Though our numbers are small, we are mighty, and our strength is seen across the AIA community. The second keynote was titled “The Changemakers” and discussed design at the intersection of personal agency and human impact. The discussion contained the most pressing issues in design, climate-positive work at multiple scales, and new education models for young architects. I found this incredibly interesting as I am passionate about architecture and how it has grown and changed in just a few years. Some of the discussion referenced listening and accepting new ideas from younger professionals. The encouragement and design work being created by students in school is amazing, to say the
19 least. Students work with new technologies and software that encourage advanced design and promote sustainability. Experience is valuable in our profession, but it has also tripped up the opportunities for advancement and out-of-the-box thinking our younger generations bring to the table. I was fortunate to attend the third keynote with President Obama as the main speaker. He was very excited about architecture and the influence we have as a community through our profession. President Obama mentioned how he envied the passion and skill our profession brings to all communities and the power we contain to influence a region to change for the better. We often forget that we are so important to our planet’s growth. Many conversations at the conference revolved around diversity and equality in firms and our profession; however, there was a consistent undertone to our ability to influence, evolve and encourage change. The conference speakers were remarkable, and each session I participated in taught me The power our profession has to influence the future is exciting, and our community at AIA Wyoming is unique and special. CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
20 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .22 | aia-wyoming.org something valuable to my career and growth in architecture, but the fun did not stop there. The Architecture Expo contained hundreds of product vendors and product representatives. The room containing the playground of products was at least three football fields. A’22 had the expo displayed like the City of Chicago with neighborhoods of products. I spent several hours on the expo floor and still did not see everything there was to see. The technological advancements several products are making are exciting for the future of design. One of the evening events was called the “Block Party,” where the expo floor was open to everyone to mingle and eat. Everyone I met at the conference was welcoming and excited to speak with someone fromWyoming, even if they did not know where Wyoming was! I want to thank everyone in our AIA community for allowing me to represent you as the Associate Director. I encourage all of our emerging professionals, associate members and non-members to consider attending our local conferences each year and also a conference such as A’22. The power our profession has to influence the future is exciting, and our community at AIA Wyoming is unique and special. Embrace the unique opportunities and support your Wyoming AIA Chapter offers you! b CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19
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22 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .22 | aia-wyoming.org Wyoming Board of Architects and Landscape Architects (WBALA) By Emily Cronbaugh, Executive Director and Katie Wilson, AIA The Wyoming Board of Architects was established on Feb. 17, 1951. In 1991, legislation added the regulation of the practice of landscape architecture, increased the membership of the Board to five, and changed the Board’s name to the Wyoming State Board of Architects and Landscape Architects. The Board is comprised of three architects, one landscape architect, and one member of the public. The Wyoming State Board of Architects and Landscape Architects (Board) contributes to public health, safety, and welfare and actively provides regulation of licensure, advocacy, and education for the practice of Architects and Landscape Architects in the State of Wyoming. The Board has partnered with AIA Wyoming in the past to deliver quality continuing education opportunities for licensees and the public of Wyoming. We look forward to more collaboration to ensure both parties are actively focused on professional matters affecting public protection. The Board also retains membership with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB). Board members and staff attend these national regulatory meetings and volunteer through committee assignments to ensure Wyoming remains knowledgeable about regulatory concerns at both the state and national levels. These efforts keep the Board working strategically to ensure a high level of public protection for the citizens of Wyoming through regulating architects and landscape architects. This year, the Board partnered with AIA Wyoming and ASLA Colorado/Wyoming to draft and amend the Practice Act. Proposed amendments include: 1) Allow for alternative paths to licensure outside the accredited degree (in accordance with national standards); 2) Update administrative notice requirements (December certified mailings take an exorbitant amount of time and money to complete); and 3) Seek legislative authority to provide grant funds (make it more official to support continuing education opportunities for our Licensees and the General Public).
23 As a third generation commercial glazing company we are constantly striving to be the best in our industry. There is no project too big or too small for us to handle. Whether we fabricate the job for you to install or install the material ourselves, we are the premier commercial glaziers that you want on the job. Natrona County High School: Products used Kawneer Architectural Aluminum and Guardian SunGuard Low E glass. Wyoming Medical Center: Products used Kawneer Architectural Aluminum and Guardian SunGuard Low E glass. Roosevelt High School: Products used Manko Architectural Aluminum and Guardian SunGuard Low E glass. 307-266-1440 | INFO@AGCWYO.COM | WWW.AGCWYO.COM We'll continue to work to get these proposed amendments sponsored for the 2023 session. On Oct. 6, 2022, WBALA met with the AIA Wyoming Board to discuss increased communication and collaboration where possible. Exploring more ways to support emerging professionals (EPs) and students is a shared goal. We want to hear from EPs. We are also looking for ways to help make the path to licensure more familiar. We want to support students by looking into ways to revitalize the WUE (Western Undergraduate Exchange) to help support Wyoming students interested in pursuing architecture despite not having an in-state accredited program. Current Board Members include Allison Fleury (Landscape Architect), Katie Wilson (Architect), Aimee Bolton (Architect), Colleen Nelson (Architect), and Vicky Zero (Public Member). Read what the members have to say: -Aimee Bolton, AIA, NCARB I am a newly appointed member of the Wyoming Board of Architects and Landscape Architects. As a registered architect, I am accustomed to issues that concern our profession and its future. As a WBALA board member, I recently attended my first Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB) Annual Conference. I was amazed by the cross-over of issues being considered and discussed among the landscape architecture profession. Collectively, both professions state that the general public does not fully understand what an architect/landscape architect does. Both professions are currently working on enhancing education and awareness of their professions and creating alternative paths to licensure. Daily, both professions work diligently to protect people, places, and the environment (built and natural) in the choices they make and the impact these decisions have on people/culture/environment over time. I am excited to look through the lens of the WBALA to work collectively to enhance the awareness of both professions and the value they bring to our lives daily. Maintaining the regulatory certification for both entities is of utmost importance. As the global population continues to grow, there must be regulation to oversee best practices to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of all; there has never been a more critical time. -Colleen Nelson, AIA I previously served on the board of AIA Wyoming for 9 1/2 years. From Secretary to President, I enjoyed every minute of serving the organization and helping to guide it toward the future. Serving on the WBALA is the exciting next step for me to understand and contribute to the profession of architecture’s integrity, licensing requirements, and the welfare of the public. Board staff wishes to add that licensees also have the opportunity to serve other state boards and commissions. Many state boards are desperately seeking public members to serve. Please go to https://governor.wyo.gov/ state-government/boards-commissions to learn more. And for more information about the Wyoming Board of Architects and Landscape Architects, contact Executive Director Emily Cronbaugh at 307-777-6529 or Emily.Cronbaugh@wyo.gov, or Licensing Specialist Stefanie Capner at 307-777-7387 or Stefanie.Capner@wyo.gov. b
24 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .22 | aia-wyoming.org The State and Local Government Network (SLGN) of AIA is a national network of architects working together in advocating for and helping to craft public policy that can address issues involving the built environment, public safety, climate change, affordable housing and many other challenges facing our profession and our communities. Every year, the SLGN holds a conference known as Architects in Action. At Architects in Action 2022, attendees had the opportunity to sharpen their advocacy skills, learn about developing legislative trends, connect with a nationwide advocacy network, and be inspired to get more involved in policy initiatives through individual AIA chapters. This year’s conference was held online July 14-15, 2022, with some incredibly engaging topics and wonderful speakers. A sampling of those topics was as follows: The opening keynote was The Future of Architecture Advocacy. This opening session included remarks by Lakisha Woods, EVP/CEO of AIA, followed by a presentation by Michael Ford, AIA, principal owner, BrandNu Design, on the future of architecture advocacy and a panel discussion with three emerging professionals on what makes them most excited about the future of the profession. Architects SpeakUp! Relationships Between State legislators and Architects with speakers Eliza Engle, AIA and John Glenn, AIA. Eliza and John spoke about the Virginia AIA SpeakUp program in its second year. The program engages architects and state legislators to discuss issues in affordable housing, safe and healthy schools and sustainability. This program built great relationships between the legislators and architects. These architects are now a valuable resource for the legislators in policy development. The Real Price of Cost-Savings in Project Delivery Methods with speakers Bart Korman, Chris Ball, AIA, Galen Lif, AIA, Kate Stockton, AIA, Ryan King, AIA, Sue Pruchnicki, FAIA and Kathi Harness. In this session, the speakers discussed current legislation in Missouri trying to alter existing thresholds regarding designbuild and construction management and at-risk delivery methods. These thresholds are threatening to cut out the role of the architect and could potentially affect health, safety and welfare. Overlap of Practice for Architecture and Engineering with speakers Kathleen Gordon, Assoc. AIA and Lisa H. Nice, AIA. Architecture and engineering both play important roles in the design and development of the built environment. In many instances, the statutory roles and responsibilities between the two professions can get a little fuzzy and allow for overlap. This discussion looked at a case study in Louisiana where a task force worked to change the statutory definition of “incidental practice” and how it eventually culminated in a compromise. The discussion included the history of the legislation, the process the task force went through and how this could soon affect other states. The closing keynote was How the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will impact architects. Mark Chambers, senior director for building emissions and community resilience at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, discussed the “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to transform the built environment offered to architects under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In addition to the Architects in Action conference every year, the SLGN is a great resource for learning about what types of legislation are brought forward in other states that could soon come to Wyoming. Through the email chain and other online tools, I have learned a great deal about how other states advocate on issues such as licensing of interior designers, restrictions on engineers practicing architecture, universal licensure and many others. There are also webinars on many topics related to our profession and how we can be better advocates for our profession and communities. SLGN is a great network to be a part of, and I would encourage everyone interested in making a difference through advocating and public policy development to join. b 2022 AIA Architects in Action By William W. Wedemeyer, AIA and Susan Menghini, Executive Director
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