Children’s Areas in Libraries

With an ever-increasing exposure to digital devices, children need opportunities to unplug and engage in hands-on creative learning. Libraries offer a great opportunity to provide this form of free play through unstructured imaginative environments that allow kids to be themselves and discover more about the world around them. Below are two great ways libraries, schools, and youth outreach programs can create these type of learning environments.

Women In Architecture

WOMEN IN ARCHITECTURE STUDENT ORGANIZATION | EXHIBITION OPENING The Women in Architecture Student Organization (WIASO) was formed in the fall of 2017 by a group of undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Minnesota. WIASO’s primary goals are to work to counteract unconscious cultural bias that permeates through academia and the profession, and to engage issues within the field of architecture related to diversity and the advancement of gender equity. The group recently completed an exhibition in partnership with the Goldstein Museum of Design titled Gendering Architecture, Architecting Gender, that showcases historic and contemporary female architects. The exhibition is located in the HGA Gallery of Rapson Hall at the University of Minnesota and will be on display until February 3, 2019. Below is an excerpt from an interview with WIASO published on the UMN’s College of Design website: What inspired WIASO to create this exhibition? We are interested in learning about female figures in the architectural profession and publicizing work of women in the field. During our initial kick-off event, we profiled several female architects, displayed statistics describing the lack of equity in the field, and shared architecture books written by women. We received feedback about the group’s goals and aspirations and Assistant Professor Daniela Sandler (Architecture) suggested we expand this idea into an exhibition showcasing this information in Rapson. Why do you think it is important for people to see this exhibition? We want students, faculty, and professionals to acknowledge the contributions of female architects who have been dismissed, belittled, or denied credit for their work. By looking at architectural movements from a critical feminist perspective, one is able to reimagine history around marginalized identities and redefine what it means to be an architect. The exhibition is a glimpse of a shared history among female architects at the […]

Emerging Professionals Firm Tour

Have you ever been to an architecture firm? When I decided to become an architect, I had met exactly 2 architects and only visited one of their firms. Call it love at first sight. Call it a leap of faith. I was 14 and knew I wanted to be an architect. Over the next 8 years, I didn’t meet another architect until graduate school. A career path into architecture does not require this blind leap of faith. This year, the AIA Emerging Professional’s Committee (EPC) is coordinating Firm Tours at 6 different architecture firms in the Twin Cities. These firms open their doors for students and early career professionals to experience their work space and unique culture. You get a guided tour of the office, hear about projects, and ask questions about daily tasks and challenges. The 2018 Firm Tours are a revamp of the EPC’s Draughting Club. At Draughting Club, emerging professionals and students in the Twin Cities could meet, enjoy a local brewery or distillery, and chat about challenges we face in our early architectural career. The new Firm Tours still foster a relaxed atmosphere for networking but with several upgrades: Meeting experienced professionals from the host firm Seeing architecturally designed offices Tours guided by firm leadership Free food! In April, Kodet Architectural Group is hosting the EPC Firm Tour in collaboration with the AIA Architecture in Schools Committee. We invite emerging professionals of all ages (high schoolers, undergraduates, graduate students, and early professionals) to see our office by the Walker Art Center. It’s a free tour with snacks and beverages but space is limited. Register today at this link We work in a remodeled mansion complete with fireplaces, beautiful woodwork, and “bridge” addition off the back. It’s a fun place to see, but the character of our […]

Twin Cities Academy | Innovation + Environmental Responsibility

TECHNICAL INNOVATION It was imperative to transform and remediate the site into a healthy landscape with athletic fields for a dynamic school program. The innovation to correct the former industrial site is one of the best examples in the Metro Area. The Cemstone plant had inhabited the site for nearly 90 years, and within the site were a collection of dilapidated structures in need of demolition as well as remediation. Paramount to this process was to mine clean soil from the site, which was used in environmentally sensitive areas around the school to adhere to the MPCA guidelines. To minimize the impact on budget, the Kodet Team conducted feasibility and cost saving benefits due to hazardous items discovered on site to minimize impact on budget, while at the time satisfying MPCA requirements. In developing a more sustainable site we coordinated the site layout of the building, parking lot, and infiltration ponds to have the least amount of impact on the environment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY Sustainability was at the forefront of the design process with an aim to design a building that is not only energy and resource efficient, but also provides a healthy learning and working environment. The building itself is actually about 8,000 square feet smaller than the previous home of TCA; however, the efficient floor plan allowed for a smaller building footprint to accommodate improved functionality along with an increased number of students and staff. The project incorporated a variety of sustainable concepts such as the following: Efficient LED Lighting Healthy Indoor Air-Quality Energy Efficient Glazing to provide natural light for students + staff Acoustics in each room to maximize comfort + learning potential Materials with Low VOC content Recycled Materials and utilizing crushed concrete Remediating a brownfield site to create a healthy and safe environment to build a […]

Tag: Minnesota Architects (4)