1.12.2015
SoA kicks off the Spring semester with the second half of Tecnoglass's 2014-15 Lecture Series CALL TO ORDER.  First to present in this series, is Rodolfo Machado and Jorge Silvetti, of the eponymous firm Machado and Silvetti Associates.  Machado and Silvetti Associates is an architecture and urban design firm known for distinctive spaces and unique works of architecture in the United States and abroad. Their designs are the result of careful integration of the client´s aspirations, the project's programmatic requirements, and the nature and character of the place for which a proposal is designed. The work does not espouse any signature style, but strives to find that which is unique and important within a given project, and to express that urbanistically and architecturally. The projects are distinctive for their conceptual clarity and visual intensity.

Rodolfo Machado and Jorge Silvetti have also been very active academically, being faculty members at Carnegie Mellon, the Rhode Island School of Design, and The Harvard Graduate School of Design. SoA has also maintained a long-standing relationship with the firm and its principals, as many alumni and even faculty have been students of Machado and Silvetti or began their careers at their office. Their lecture, “One’s Own Calls to Order, Past and Present,” will be presented this Wednesday, January 14 at 6:30 p.m. in Glasgow Hall. Lectures are free and open to the public.

Steven Brooke's photography graces the pages of two recent publications. The first, Hotel Ponce de Leon by Leslee Keys and Thomas Graham, features the Gilded Age hotel designed by Carrère and Hastings for industrialist Henry Flagler in St. Augustine, Florida. The building features interiors and stained glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany.  After 80 years as a luxury hotel, it is now the newly-established Flagler College. To date, this book is the most complete documentation of this remarkable structure. The second publication, Sarasota Patriot Plaza, a philanthropic partnership between The Patterson Foundation and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, documents the design and construction of a public memorial at the Sarasota National Cemetery. The unique structure, honoring veterans, includes a 2,800-seat glass-covered amphitheater, 48,000-square feet of walkways and gathering spaces, and a collection of commissioned art installations.

Sonia Cháo presented the Kellogg and Barr Foundation grant-funded project Haiti Initiative: Arcahaie Vision Report at the Haiti: Collaborating with Purpose Symposium, held earlier today at UM's Student Activities Center. The symposium surveyed UM's involvement in reconstruction related efforts, including collaborations and initiatives across campus. In 2010, Sonia spearheaded a charrette that involved the participation of non-profits, community groups, and several faculty members and alumni.  She has since secured major grants to continue research on redevelopment efforts in Haiti.

Jaime Correa and Steven Fett were awarded the Florida Redevelopment Association’s 2014 'Presidents Award' for their collaborative project in the City of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. 

The results of the 'Messengers of Knowledge' grant awarded to Carmen Guerrero in 2013, by the Italian Ministry of Education, have been recently published in Un Percorso del Fare 2: un’ esperienza didattica by the University of Palermo. The publication includes essays by Carmen, Francesco Maggio of the University of Palermo, Salvatore Santuccio of the University of Camerino, and upper-level students from the University of Palermo. The grant was awarded for the fulfillment of the course "Coral Gables: A Mediterranean American City." Carmen taught a special workshop in Palermo, followed by a course in Miami, for the select group of students from Palermo. While in Miami, the Palermitans analyzed the City of Coral Gables to create new urban experiences along Miracle Mile.

John Onyango has a new publication out through the ZEMCH Network, titled Mass Customization and Sustainability in Housing, and can be viewed here.

In staff news, please join us in welcoming our new Graduate Advisor, Rafael Acosta and our new Undergraduate Advisor and Recruitment Manager, Danay Morales. Rafael joins us from Valencia Community College, with years of advising and diverse experience in higher education. Danay returns to SoA in her new role, after working in the architecture and planning field for 5 years. Stop by Academic Services and say hello.

Need caffeine break? Stop by the brand new coffee kiosk. This past Fall semester, a group of SoA students in the DesignBuild studio, led by Professors Rocco Ceo and Jim Adamson, produced the new and welcome addition to the school. The student-run kiosk was built mobile-ready and can be moved throughout the school’s paved walkways. It is currently situated lakeside in the SoA courtyard.

Not everyone takes a break from teaching during the winter intersession. Professors Jaime Correa and Roberto Behar spent this past winter break in Portugal with a group of SoA students.  Students were led through the old cities of Lisbon and Porto to explore and analyze their rich urban fabric. Photos will be posted on the school’s Facebook site in the coming weeks. 

Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas + Company is accepting applications for its class of 2015 Summer Design Scholars. The juried selection is open to upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, and interior design programs. The submission deadline is Monday, February 16.

The Tile Contractors’ Association of America (TCAA) is a national trade association representing tile and stone installation companies throughout the United States who are members of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen. In 2005, TCAA set up a trust fund with the Truman Heartland Community Foundation and currently funds two $2,000 scholarships each year for qualifying students. Applications and all accompanying information, including transcripts and letters of recommendation, must be postmarked no later than April 10, 2015.

January 12-15 Register for ThinkBike 2015 at HistoryMiami featuring The Underline.

January 14 Lecture by Rodolfo Machado and Jorge Silvetti, Machado and Silvetti Associates, “One’s Own Calls to Order, Past and Present," part of the Tecnoglass 2014-15 Lecture Series CALL TO ORDER. Glasgow Hall, 6:30 p.m.

January 22 Rhino Software Workshop, led by Professor Chris Chung.

January 28 Lecture by Professor Sonia R. Cháo, Director of the Center for Urban & Community Design and Research Associate Professor at UM, part of SoA's Lunchtime Series HIGH NOON. Rinker Classroom, 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.

January 29 Rhino Software Workshop, led by Professor Chris Chung.

January 29 Lecture by alumnus Robert Lloyd, MUD ’10, Senior Associate at Arquitectonica Geo. FIU Main Campus, 5:00 p.m.

February 4 Tecnoglass 2014-15 Lecture Series CALL TO ORDER: lecture by Mauricio Pezo and Sofia von Ellrichshausen, Pezo Von Ellrichshausen, “Normal Inventory.” Glasgow Hall, 6:30 p.m.

February 5 Revit Software Workshop, led by Professor Li Yi.