Eyeball: Challenges ahead for architects January 7th, 2013, 3:03 pm posted by Jon Lansner

Dan Heinfeld is president of Irvine-based design firm LPA Inc.

Hes our 14th guest for Eyeball 2013!

This is Lansner on Real Estates seventh annual collection of outlooks on local real estate conditions.

Us: What will be two or three key managerial skills needed for the 2013 real estate market?

Dan:Our industry will continue to be challenged in 2013 and continuing to find opportunities will be the major issue for the entire architecture, engineering and constructionindustry. We believe that a diverse practice and offering of services that non-traditional architecture and design firms offer will be helpful in this climate.

Us: What less-than-obvious indicators will you be watching in 2013 to sense whats next for real estate? Dan:Growth in K-12 school and college enrollments have a direct impact on facility needs. This also indicates an upward trend in key areas of Californias economy, construction activity and employment.

Review previous years:Eyeball 12|11|10|09|08|07

Us: Any New Years resolutions, professionally speaking? Anything you plan to do differently

Dan:Im not sure brand new resolutions are the best way to lead an architecture and engineering firm, therefore we are looking for continuous improvement on our processes and services that benefit our clients in real terms. Better energy efficiency, healthy environments and water management are areas we always seek to improve performance of in our projects.

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Eyeball: Challenges ahead for architects

Summary: CEOs don't know enough about technology, so EAs are becoming the most important players in the emerging digital economy.

Soon, all companies will be technology companies in one form or another. It's the only way to compete in a global, digital world. And there is but one breed of professional who can help with this journey: enterprise architects.

That's the view of Thomas Lawton, visiting professor of business administration at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, whomakes the case for enterprise architectureto advance today's businesses. And he's telling this to a wide audience -- readers of U.S. News.

While IT is the best response tocompetitive pressures and a rocky economy, CEOs and business leaders are not particularly well equipped to deliver a strategic IT approach. They're too focused on "operational and strategic topics, such as managing cost drivers and finding new revenue sources," says Lawton. "Few CEOs really understand the implications of new, rapidly changing and complex IT systems and processes for the current business model or perceive a strategic potential and value in new technology implementation."

Enter the enterprise architect. These professionals know how to build the bridge between technology and business goals. As Lawton describes it:

"The role of enterprise architects is to act as partners to senior executives, understand what is on the CEO's agenda and how IT fits into it. [They] exploit IT efficiency, effectiveness and change potential and link it with strategic objectives and operational delivery."

As a result, there is growing interest in the process and practice of enterprise architecture, Lawton observes. Business leaders know IT is the future of their organizations. In fact, in many cases, IT is becoming the business. EAs are needed, desperately, to provide the guidance in this journey from widget-making to data and service provider.

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Enterprise architects, the economy is in your capable hands

WATERTOWN, Mass., Jan. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- In just over two years, BlueMetal Architects has grown significantly in terms of people, revenue, projects and locations. To support continuing growth and organizational scale, BlueMetal Architects has promoted three key leaders to the position of General Manager to run the businesses in Boston, New York and Chicago.

Matt Jackson, BlueMetal's first employee, has been promoted to new position of General Manager for Boston. Matt brings a great balance of operational expertise and first-hand delivery experience to the role. He is a recognized leader in the design of enterprise software solutions, with particular specialization in SharePoint and security architectures. He has concurrently focused on operational excellence, shaping the company's practices and processes to ensure that BlueMetal's technology solutions exactly meet the needs of its clients.

"Over the past two years, the Boston office has matured into a world-class consulting operation that offers strategy, design and architecture services," Jackson said. "We have balanced the extreme growth with improvements in operations and process. In 2013, I am looking to grow the team into new focus areas by bringing in talent that can lead initiatives across the Microsoft stack as well as Open Source and iOS. Our goal is to help our clients succeed by providing services across their many technology platforms."

Michael Valletta, who established BlueMetal's New York office, will become the General Manager there. Michael's fifteen years at Microsoft Corporation as a leader in the Microsoft Technology Centers, Application Platform and Core Infrastructure businesses honed his passion for building and developing world-class technology teams whose primary focus is innovation.

"Along with doubling the New York office's headcount in 2013," Valletta said, "we are looking forward to engaging more deliberately with the rich creative community here. I will also be focused with my team on building data-centric applications for the cloud based on the Azure and AWS platforms. We are also well positioned to continue our success in building elegant Windows 8 applications for our clients and their customers. In both cases, strong design will be the differentiator for those applications."

Matt Kestian, a twelve-year veteran of Microsoft Corp., launched BlueMetal's Chicago office in the Spring of 2012. Prior to joining BlueMetal, Matt was Microsoft's U.S. Compete Lead based in Redmond, Washington, responsible for setting strategic marketing and sales direction for Microsoft's $20 billion dollar U.S. business. He is a recognized leader in managing sales, consulting and technology specialist teams, and his deep ties in the Chicago area form the basis of his strong relationships with enterprise clients and the technical community.

"BlueMetal has built a strong foundation in the Chicagoland area in 2012 with key hires," said Kestian. "We now have some of the top enterprise customers as our clients. In 2013 we will continue to focus on growth within financial services, health care and life sciences, and manufacturing. Along with focused growth of our client base, we will continue to recruit and hire the top technical talent in the Midwest as we expect to more than double our headcount."

For all three GMs, recruiting and professional development are top of mind as they plan to hire significantly in the coming year. Recognizing that a regional focus is an important factor not only for clients, who benefit from the company's knowledge of the local marketplace, but a motivator for experienced consultants who are seeking improved work-life balance, each GM is focused on hiring the top talent in his area.

"At BlueMetal, our focus is growth in three key areas: New Technology Capabilities, Additional Industry Emphasis and Geographic expansion" said Todd Bremner , President & CTO. "These three key leaders have been instrumental in building our business to date and are uniquely positioned to take us to the next level in our growth strategy. We are extremely pleased to have such a talented leadership team in place for 2013."

About BlueMetal, Inc.

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BlueMetal Architects appoints General Managers for all locations

Northbrook, Ill.-based SAS Architects & Planners has been retained to design a new facility for a Jewish-affiliated private school that is expanding in Chicagos West Ridge neighborhood.

Northbrook, Ill. (PRWEB) January 08, 2013

SAS is converting a long-vacant building on the corner of Rosemont and California Aves. into a 59,000-square-foot school for Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov Elementary School/Yeshivas Tiferes Tzvi , a state-accredited Orthodox day school. When completed in late 2014, the building --formerly owned by Ner Tamid Congregation of North Town -- will accommodate more than 400 boys in grades K-8. It will be dedicated by Rabbi Sidney Glenner and family as the David & Frieda Glenner Building in memory of his late parents.

Plans for the new school include 25 classrooms, a worship area, gym, library, dining hall, science and computer labs, plus offices for staff and support services.It will replace the schools existing facility at 6122 N. California Ave., approximately two blocks south.

One of our challenges was to create an addition that connects the two existing structures, which have different elevations and construction systems. The location also has some unique sub-soil conditions we are dealing with to create the necessary support system, said SAS President Steven E. Sussholz, AIA.

More than 1,000 parents and other supporters attended a ceremonial groundbreaking for the project on Oct. 21.

Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov Elementary School/Yeshivas Tiferes Tzvi is affiliated with the Associated Talmud Torahs of Chicago, and is supported by the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Foundation. For more information on the school, call (773) 465-8889.

About SAS Architects & Planners

Based in Northbrook, Ill., SAS Architects & Planners provides a wide range of professional services ranging from project development through implementation and post-occupancy support for the education, healthcare, senior living and commercial sectors. Founded in 1954, it remains committed to translating client goals into building environments that are thoughtfully and functionally designed, environmentally friendly, and technologically advanced. Past and present clients include: Allstate Insurance Co., CJE Senior Life, LaSalle Group, Mercy Hospital, NuCare Service Corp., Presbyterian Homes, Providence Life Services, Sacred Heart Hospital, Senior Lifestyle Corp., and YAM Management. For more information, visit http://www.sasarch.com.

Cynthia Martin

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SAS Architects & Planners to Design New Facility for Private School Expanding in Chicago’s West Ridge Neighborhood

Blue Springs residents are getting a much clearer image about what a community center might look like if one is constructed in the city.

During the final community center feasibility meeting Tuesday at the Blue Springs Freshman Center, more than 50 residents looked at plans for a possible facility.

At almost 85,000 square feet, the potential community center includes a Child Watch area; indoor playground for children 7 and younger; a game room for children 11 to 16; a cardio and weight-lifting space; a large community/event room that at full size could accommodate up to 240 people; staff offices; a catering kitchen; gymnasium; three aerobic studios; a three-lane, 25-yard swimming pool; a warm water leisure pool with slides, spray features and a spa and a warm water therapy pool designed for senior citizens. The Blue Springs Parks and Recreation Offices would also be relocated to the community center in the plan.

In addition, there would be a performing arts center feature in the community/event room that would allow for an elevated stage for theater and musical performances. The room could also be subdivided into three spaces. According to the architects, such a facility would cost just more than $37.54 million to construct. About $500,000 of that has been set aside to make the community center a green facility that conserves resources.

We really took what residents told us (in designing the potential facility, said Steve Blackburn, architect with Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture. We also see this as a sustainable facility that will save water, save energy and use solar hot water heating for the three bodies of water.

The architects also outlined potential sites for such a facility. The first is a 12-acre spot at the southwest corner of White Oak Plaza at the corner of U.S. 40 and Missouri 7. The second is in the future Missouri Innovation Park just south of the proposed Mizzou Center and east of Adams Dairy Parkway. Both sites are centrally located within the community, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

While the White Oak Plaza site is easily accessible and has current utility access, it would require the demolition of the current shopping center as well as much of the parking lot. A commuter lot would also have to be relocated. At the Adams Dairy site, access to the 12-acre property is limited, with few options to create additional access points.

The design team is expected to make a presentation to the Blue Springs City Council Feb. 19. It will then be left up to the council to decide the next steps, such as placing a tax increase on an upcoming ballot to pay for construction of a community center.

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Architects unveil amenities in possible Blue Springs community center

SAN RAMON, Calif., Jan. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Kovarus, Inc., a leading systems integrator specializing in increasing IT efficiency by architecting and integrating business-aligned IT solutions, today announced that it has acquired Back Office Architects. Back Office Architects is an IT services firm that delivers high quality Microsoft and Virtualization solutions to companies who rely on a high-performance infrastructure and demand superior customer service.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080708/AQTU138LOGO)

Through the acquisition, Kovarus will provide new and existing customers with a more robust offering of business-aligned IT solutions. In addition to Kovarus' deep expertise in data center technologies such as virtualization, server, storage, networking and cloud computing, the combined entity will now include the proven Microsoft application expertise that customers require including support for Windows Server, Exchange and Active Directory.

"We are very excited about this acquisition and what it will bring to our customers," said Patrick Cronin, principal and co-founder of Kovarus. "Kovarus has been recognized as a premier provider of cloud solutions. The acquisition of Back Office Architects provides us with a critical component in truly providing our customers end-to-end solutions in the Microsoft stack and bridging those solutions to our cloud offerings."

Back Office Architects is recognized in the industry for their superior track record delivering successful mission-critical solutions and providing exceptional customer service. The executive team brings more than 25 years of IT management and consulting experience having built and grown consulting operations for such companies asTaos, C2, Keynotes and Cohesive Technology Solutions.

About Kovarus

Kovarus focuses on increasing IT efficiency for their clients by architecting and integrating business-aligned IT solutions. The company's holistic approach to helping customers deliver IT-as-a-Service (ITaaS) focuses on the people, process, and technologies for enabling IT management and service delivery. This includes deep expertise in data center technologies, including: virtualization, server, storage, networking and cloud computing. Kovarus enables its customers to dramatically simplify their IT operating model and cost-effectively deliver the resources their organizations need to succeed in today's highly competitive environment.

Kovarus has been chosen as a premier partner by leading technology companies including VMware, EMC, and Cisco, and has successfully helped a wide range of private and public sector customers drive business innovation and success. Founded in 2003, Kovarus is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with additional locations in Sacramento, Seattle, and Denver. For more information on Kovarus, please visit http://www.kovarus.com.

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Kovarus Bolsters Microsoft Application Expertise With Acquisition Of Back Office Architects

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- IA Interior Architects (IA) is pleased to announce the firm's 2013 appointments.

Francis Bruns (Dallas), Sheri Ginett (Raleigh), Pietro Silva (San Francisco), and Reetika Vijay (Boston) are promoted to Principal.

Karen Adela (Corporate), Arnold Bautista (Corporate), Paul Comeau (Boston), Karen Dahlstrom (Seattle), Mark Gundacker (Corporate), Erik Hodgetts (New York), Josh Khanna (Seattle), Buzz Riley (New York), Stephanie Schmitz (Denver), Kristen Streeter (Washington, DC), Kit Townley (London), and John Varholak (Washington, DC) are promoted to Senior Associate.

Melissa Carter (Raleigh), Patrick Chatfield (Seattle), Heather Dausch (New York), Stephanie Douglass (Washington, DC), Jason Flory (Corporate), Lindsay Foster (San Francisco), Courtney Harms (Denver), Clinton Johnston (Corporate), Yoko Matsuno (New York), Chester Mietus (Chicago), Lisa Piper (San Francisco), Neil Schneider (Chicago), Matt Sisk (Washington, DC), and Matthew Wasylciw (San Francisco) are promoted to Associate.

"These appointments represent not only hard work, but also commitments to enhancing the client experience and raising the bar in our industry. I am extremely proud of each of these individuals and am grateful they are part of IA Interior Architects," said David B. Mourning, AIA, FIIDA, President and Chief Executive Officer.

ABOUT IA INTERIOR ARCHITECTS

Founded in 1984, IA Interior Architects is the first and largest global architectural firm focused exclusively on interior architecture and workplace strategies. IA helps clients in diverse markets worldwide align their business strategies and core values with the dynamic use of space. IA has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, London, Los Angeles, New York, Orange County, Raleigh, San Francisco, Seattle, Silicon Valley, and Washington, DC and has partner affiliates in Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia and Australia, Canada, and Latin America through the IA Global Alliance. For more information, visit http://www.interiorarchitects.com.

Press Contact Sofia Zimmerman 917.579.5702 s.zimmerman@interiorarchitects.com

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IA Interior Architects Announces 2013 Firm Appointments

Architects - Alpha Omega - Guitar Cover for Audition
Rich Lester #39;s Architects Audition

By: Richardwlester

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Architects - Alpha Omega - Guitar Cover for Audition - Video

Architects Mission - Walk and Talk
A walk and talk about an architects mission, dealing with change and innovation, etc.

By: ArchitectandTalk

Excerpt from:
Architects Mission - Walk and Talk - Video

Timothy Hursley

Seismic Shifts will feature paintings, drawings, sculptures, photography, mixed media, videos, and architectural models created between 2005 and 2012, a number of which are new works. An electronic catalog by Dr. Marshall N. Price, curator of modern and contemporary art, will be available in conjunction with the exhibition, both at the museum and online at nationalacademy.org.

We are delighted to present the boundary-breaking work of these ten artists and architects at the National Academy, says Carmine Branagan, director. While these individuals all have singular voices, it is collectively through their groundbreaking work that they have created seismic shifts in the thinking about and perception of contemporary culture.

Three unique public programs will also be offered during the exhibition. On February 27, Dr. Leslie King-Hammond will moderate the discussion Art, Politics, Protest: Dr. Cornel West and Faith Ringgold in Conversation. On March 15, a gallery tour will take place with Dr. Marshall N. Price, curator of modern and contemporary art. And on April 17, artist David C. Driskell and cultural critic and scholar Greg Tate will discuss Thornton Dial's legacy following the screening of a documentary on the artist's life and work.

For more information, visit nationalacademy.org.

Link:
National Academy Shows Visionary Work of 10 Architects and Artists