Smart Cities Conference Plans for New Future
The inaugural Smart Cities Miami Conference, hosted last week by the School of Architecture and Center for Computational Science, brought industry visionaries, technology experts, government planners, and the public together to focus on the “disruptive power” that the mobilization of new technology will have in our cities and on our lives.
“We are at the threshold of significant transformations in the urban environment provoked by new services and practices that mobilize emerging technology,’’ Rodolphe el-Khoury, dean of the School of Architecture said in kicking off the conference held February 23 and 24 in the Miami Design District’s Moore Building. “These disruptive powers, along with more radical disruptions are sure to change the ways we imagine, shape, inhabit, use, enjoy, manage, and govern the urban realm.”
Added Nick Tsinoremas, director of the Center for Computational Science (CCS), “We live in unprecedented times where technology transforms the way we live and interact with the city. This conference is our first attempt to bring together all the stakeholders—government, industry, academic institutions, and the public—to engage in discussions to understand and shape these transformational forces.”
The forum for cutting-edge research and interdisciplinary perspectives was designed to connect UM and the larger community of entrepreneurs and innovators who are rapidly reinventing Miami as an incubator for tech start-ups with the development and planning agencies in the public and private sectors who are guiding the evolution of one of the fastest-growing cities in North America.
The keynote speaker, Antoine Picon, the director of research at Harvard Graduate School of Design and an expert on the Smart City phenomenon, talked extensively about the changes brought to cities and architecture by digital tools and digital culture as well as the need for technology to embrace sociocultural issues. He emphasized that the city of the future will combine human with artificial intelligence and that from this, a new awareness will arise.
In an interdisciplinary collaboration, Joel Zysman, CCS’s director of Advanced Computing, and Jean-Pierre Bardet, dean of the College of Engineering, led discussions about transformation through datafication, environmentally sustainable technologies, innovation, artificial intelligence, and the best uses of technology solutions.
The School of Architecture’s RAD-UM Lab and several technology companies also shared their demos and start-up innovations, showcasing mixed-use building blocks for a smart city environment.
During the second day of the conference, a Zenciti Workshop, a multidisciplinary team led by Dean el-Khoury examined and discussed a project for a smart city, designed from the ground up on a site in Mexico’s Yucatan, just outside Merida. Zenciti will illustrate a customized city on a unified platform, serving as a prototype of the future.
As Picon suggested, every city, even if not yet identified as a “smart city,” needs a plan.
The conference was made possible with the support of contributing sponsors Zenciti, Intel, DDN Storage, and the Miami Design District.
Image courtesy of Wyn Bradley.
NAAB Accreditation Team Visits UMSoA
A visiting team from the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) will be at UMSoA, through Wednesday March 1st. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), established in 1940, is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degree programs in architecture. Because most state registration boards in the United States require any applicant for licensure to have graduated from an NAAB-accredited program, obtaining such a degree is an essential aspect of preparing for the professional practice of architecture.
The NAAB’s vision statement asserts its role in enhancing the value, relevance and, and effectiveness of the architectural program.
UMSoA would like to welcome the NAAB visitors and thank all of the team members, program administrators, faculty, students, and staff for contributing time and talent to this important effort.
Get Ready for the AGA KHAN Award Night @ UMSoA!
Aga Khan Award Night is on April 3rd @ Glasgow Hall! The Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKDN) is given every three years to projects setting new standards of excellence in planning practices, architecture, preservation and landscape design. Through its efforts, the Award seeks to encourage, identify and celebrate innovative building concepts that address the needs and aspirations of societies across the globe, that have made important contributions to Muslim societies.
The AKDN works directly to impact architecture and human habitats to improve housing, design and construction, village planning, natural hazard mitigation, environmental sanitation, water supplies, and other issues affecting living conditions. Through urban regeneration projects, the AKDN supports social, economic and cultural development.
The Aga Khan Award for Architecture was established by the Aga Khan in 1977.
The Award is governed by a Steering Committee chaired by His Highness the Aga Khan. The Steering Committee can suggest areas of interest, but it has no bearing on the final selections of the independent Master Jury.
Presenting the awards will be (guest) Professor Brigitte Shim; Brigitte is a principal at the Toronto based design firm Shim-Sutcliffe Architects and a Professor at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto. In January 2013, Brigitte Shim and her partner Howard Sutcliffe were both awarded the Order of Canada, “for their contributions as architects designing sophisticated structures that represent the best of Canadian design to the world,” along with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Don’t Miss Aga Khan Award Night!
Image: Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2016 Winner - Bait ur Rouf Mosque Dhaka, Bangladesh; Architect: Marina Tabassum Architects – Client: Sufia Khatun
Mapping Forgotten Places
These “informal cities” exist in many areas under the radar, and some sit in coastal zones most vulnerable to sea-level rise. Carie Penabad and her husband, Adib Cure, have walked through neighborhoods few people know exist. But these "informal cities," as they call them, are packed with people, with energy, with established economies, and vibrant cultures—but often hidden from the world around them. To some, these areas are the slums to be avoided.
And while many of these informal cities forge a path to survival in the shadows of the metropolises that surround them, they are in danger from a creeping force of climate change—sea-level rise.
"They tend to settle in these relatively precarious locations, low-lying areas prone to flooding," says Penabad, an associate professor in the University of Miami's School of Architecture.
"They are among the most vulnerable of populations," she says. "We felt that by mapping these locations we would help determine what are the realities of the place, and what is working and what is not working." Read more.
Professional Engagement & Research Studio: A Pathway to Professional Success for Students
UMSoA has created a pathway for highly-qualified students to be hosted at top design leaders’ and thinkers’ offices. Research, sets this program apart from traditional student internships. This multidisciplinary collaboration leverages three partners: the enthusiasm and up-to-date methods of the student, the real-world design agenda of the host office, and the academic expertise of the SoA faculty. Students will spend 40 hours a week at the host office with 50% of the time conducting professional work and 50% spent on research. Host offices include: JLH Architect, Zyscovich, Miami-Dade County Parks Department, Perkins & Will, Florez Lopez Architects, DPZ, and Center for Urban and Community Design. One student, Joshua Durkee noted, “the program gave me a better sense of interacting with clients, contractors and the creation of construction
documents. It helped inform me on what size / style of firm best suites me and I am now reconsidering grad school after I refine my preferences in firms for employment." Mary Wessinger, (another participating student) said, “the program helped me to know that urban planning is not for me and inspired me to go to grad school to learn more about architecture.” Further proof in the success of this initiative is that an overwhelming 50% of participating students are asked back by the host offices for potential employment. For additional information, please contact Wyn G. Bradley, Director of Programs, wbradley@miami.edu.
Career Season 2017 Culminates in the Most Successful Career Fair in Years!
Empowerment, Engagement and Immersion were buzzing in this year’s Career Fair at UMSoA where (100+) students, alumni, career fair partners and hiring firms collaborated in another successful event with unprecedented attendance and partner participation. Students had a chance to engage with industry professionals, gain insights on best career-building practices and access first-hand intelligence on real-world policies and practices in architecture, preparing them to transition from the academic to the professional world. An UMSoA alumni (representing the firm of Looney Ricks Kiss) and participant on the “Getting Hired” panel noted, “it was a great idea to have students talk to a variety of people in a small setting and get some insight on the hiring process!” The Career Season’s multi-pronged strategy heralds the initiative to closely unite UMSoA
faculty and hiring firms in new and innovative ways, to bridge the gap between academia and real-world, ultimately benefitting UMSoA students and their future. More than 30 hiring firms in the urban planning, design and architectural field from around the nation, met with UMSoA students exchanging valuable perspectives, insights for career-building success and seeking to employ UMSoA students. Follow-up communication and interviews are still being conducted. Given the level of success, we expect to see great employment results for SoA students and alumni.
Billy Goat has re-opened and is now hiring ARCH students!
If interested, please contact Chenique Wilcox at c.wilcox@miami.edu.
Monday, February 27, 2017 - NAAB Reception
Register here.
University of Miami
School of Architecture Courtyard
1223 Dickinson Drive
Coral Gables, Florida 33146
6:15 - 7:00 PM
Wednesday, March 1, 2017 - High Noon Lecture by Sanjeev Chatterjee
Sanjeev Chatterjee is a professor, visual storyteller and an avid mentor to young changemakers in the media and related fields. After earning his M.A. in English literature from Delhi University, Sanjeev worked for two years as a grassroots filmmaker focused on rural development in India. In 1987 he was awarded a full scholarship to Brooklyn College where he completed his M.F.A. in Radio and Television specializing in documentary storytelling.
Sanjeev joined the faculty at Emerson College, Boston as an assistant professor in 1989. He has been on the faculty of the School of Communication, University of Miami since 1994. He is currently a full professor with appointments in the Department of Cinema and Interactive Media (primary) as well as the Department of Journalism (secondary). He teaches courses in visual storytelling, media and society, film and television production. Sanjeev also serves on the faculties of Salzburg Academy on Media and Global Change (since 2006) and Young India Fellowship (Since 2011).
During his tenure at the University of Miami, Sanjeev has fulfilled a variety of administrative responsibilities including serving on the university promotion and tenure committee, grants allocation committee, accreditation committee, quality enhancement program (chair), Civic and Community Engagement Task Force, among others. Sanjeev served as the master of Eaton Residential College (2000 – 2016). He was the vice dean of the School of Communication (2006 – 2010) and the founding executive director of the Knight Center for International Media (2007 – 2011). Sanjeev directs UIndia, the University of Miami’s semester abroad program in India (2013 - ) In 2015, he founded the independent Florida based non-profit (501 (c) 3) Media for Change with the goal of creating a global collaborative network of media changemakers.
Sanjeev’s documentary work has won top awards internationally and attracted funding from multiple sources including the Knight Foundation, Florida Humanities Council, UNDP, UN Water, Stockholm International Water Institute, United States Institute for Peace and others. He was a Fulbright Scholar (India) in 2011 and currently serves on the Fulbright national selection committee (USA).
University of Miami
School of Architecture
Jorge M. Perez Architecture Center
Rinker Classroom
1215 Dickinson Drive
Coral Gables, Florida 33146
12:15 - 1:00 PM
Thursday, March 2, 2017 - "Cycology: Bike Planning For Health and Wellness"
Panel Discussion
Register here.
The concept for PLAN Z FOR MIAMI was generated in response to the continuing deaths of cyclists on the Rickenbacker Causeway in Miami-Dade County. PLAN Z's goal is to help minimize cycling risks while providing uninhibited access to clean air and exercise in a safe, scenic environment and also take into account a needed bridge replacement and address the potential impact of sea-level rise. For more information, visit www.planzmiami.com.
Panel includes:
Mikael Colville-Andersen, CEO, Copenhagenize
Tatiana Perrino, PsyD, UM Public Health Sciences, Associate Dean of the UM Graduate School
Bernard Zyscovich, FAIA, Zyscovich Architects, Plan Z for Miami
Joanna Lombard, AIA, LEED AP, Professor, UM School of Architecture
University of Miami
School of Architecture
Jorge M. Perez Architecture Center
Glasgow Hall
1215 Dickinson Drive
Coral Gables, Florida 33146
8:30 - 10:30 AM
Thursday, March 2, 2017 - Post-Election: Healthcare Design Colloquium
Register here.
Changing demographics, advancements in technology, and the 2017 American political administration are influencing factors that will transform Healthcare Facility Design. This colloquium showcases thought leaders from distinguished firms that will share their views on post-election healthcare trends and the unprecedented boom in South Florida healthcare construction.
The keynote speaker is Sarah Bader, Managing Director & Principal at Gensler, Chicago. Ms. Bader will present a post-election forecast including meta-trends shaping the world of 2025. Robert Bostwick, President & Director of Design at Bostwick Design Partnership, will share the latest trends in project delivery systems. Our closing speaker, Mari Lopez, Director of Facilities, Design, & Construction at Jackson Health Systems, will present the evolution of Jackson Memorial Campus, one of the largest Healthcare Design and Construction endeavors in South Florida. The presentations will be followed by a panel discussion focusing on emerging areas of opportunity influenced by these new trends.
Free for Students.
$40 General Admission.
Donna E. Shalala Student Center
Grand Ballroom East
1300 Miller Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33124
11:30 AM - 4:15 PM
Thursday, March 2, 2017 - Italian Design Day Event
The consulate General of Italy and the Italian Trade Agency, in collaboration with the University of Miami School of Architecture, cordially invite you to the worldwide celebration of the ITALIAN DESIGN DAY with special guest architect Massimo Iosa Ghini.
Monday, March 6, 2017 - Currents Lecture by Allan Shulman
Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Programs in Architecture Allan T. Shulman presents a Currents lecture "Building Bacardi,“ based on his latest publication Building Bacardi: Architecture, Art & Identity (Rizzolli). Shulman will speak about the rum company’s involvement in the development of avant garde modern architecture throughout the 20th century.
University of Miami
School of Architecture
Jorge M. Perez Architecture Center
Glasgow Hall
1215 Dickinson Drive
Coral Gables, Florida 33146
6:30 - 8:00 PM
Tuesday, March 7, 2017 - Tecnoglass Lecture by Guy Nordenson
Guy Nordenson
is a structural engineer and professor at Princeton University. He practiced structural engineering in San Francisco and New York and in 1987 established Arup’s New York office. In 1997 he began his independent practice. Nordenson was the structural engineer for the 2004 MoMA expansion in New York, the Jubilee Church in Rome, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City and over 100 other projects. Recent and current projects include the expansion of the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC and the Menil Drawing Institute in Houston TX. In 2009 Nordenson was the 7th structural engineer awarded the AIA’s Institute Honors for Collaborative Achievement Award, and the first practicing structural engineer to be elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was Commissioner and Secretary of the NYC Public
Design Commission from 2006 to 2015 and is a member of the NYC Panel on Climate Change, both mayoral appointments. He led the research project and co-wrote the book On the Water | Palisade Bay, which served as the inspiration for the 2010 MoMA workshop and exhibition “Rising Currents.” In 2013 his research team at Princeton was awarded a major grant by the Rockefeller Foundation to develop “Structures of Coastal Resilience” in collaboration with the US Army Corps of Engineers. The results were incorporated in the 2015 North Atlantic Comprehensive Study of the USACE. In 2016 he published Reading Structures: 39 Projects and Built Works with Lars Müller Publishers, a companion to his 2010 collection of essays Patterns and Structure.
He will present a Tecnoglass Lecture, “Climate Adaptation and Coastal Resilience” in a special Tuesday presentation of the program.
University of Miami
School of Architecture
Jorge M. Perez Architecture Center
Glasgow Hall
1215 Dickinson Drive
Coral Gables, Florida 33146
6:30 - 8:00 PM
Wednesday, March 8, 2017 - Climactic Change Panel
Jesse M. Keenan, will moderate a panel with Rachel Minnery, Senior Director, American Institute of Architects, WDC, who will discuss her work engaging industries, practitioners and policy makers on resilience, and Christopher Flavelle, Climate Policy Reporter, Bloomberg News, who will discuss his work covering America’s adaptation (and maladaptation) to climate change. The panel will address immediate challenges at the scale of architecture, as well as long-term propositions for how cities and towns are confronting the realities of a rapidly changing climate.
This event precedes a federal interagency convening on resilience in the built environment on Thursday and Friday, March 9 and 10 at the University of Miami Newman Alumni Center. For more info on that event click on U.S. Community Resilience Panel for Buildings and Infrastructure Systems. Students and faculty are welcome to attend and registration is free.
University of Miami
School of Architecture
Jorge M. Perez Architecture Center
Glasgow Hall
1215 Dickinson Drive
Coral Gables, Florida 33146
6:00 - 7:00 PM
Wednesday, March 8, 2017 - High Noon Lecture by Bradley Cantrell
Bradley Cantrell is an Associate Professor at Harvard Graduate School of Design. He is a landscape architect and scholar whose work focuses on the role of computation and media in environmental and ecological design.
University of Miami
School of Architecture
Jorge M. Perez Architecture Center
Rinker Classroom
1215 Dickinson Drive
Coral Gables, Florida 33146
12:15 - 1:00 PM
Friday, March 10 to Sunday, March, 12, 2017 - NCI Charette
This 3-day training illustrates the capability of the NCI Charrette System™ for all aspects of community planning. Participants learn the practical NCI Charrette System™ skills, tools and techniques through new interactive, hands-on exercises practiced on four case study types:
• Sustainable community planning
• Regional/comprehensive planning
• Transportation/infrastructure planning
• Transit oriented development planning
For course agenda and more information about the course, click here.
This course is accredited with the AIA for 18 continuing education system (CES) units and with the AICP for 18 certification maintenance (CM) credits. Learn more.
University of Miami
School of Architecture
Jorge M. Perez Architecture Center
Rinker Classroom
1215 Dickinson Drive
Coral Gables, Florida 33146
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
