Piedmont Triad Architectural Education Feasibility Study

1. Piedmont Triad Architectural Education Feasibility Study 11 June 2009 Rodner B. Wright, AIA Sharon Carter Matthews, AIA

2. Needs… • Economic growth in the region • Additional architects based on population statistics • Increased life-long educational opportunities • Diversity both in the profession and in academic programs Aspirations… • Opportunities for community interaction • Stronger architectural dialogue in an educational setting • Collaboration among academic institutions and within the building industry Expertise to… • Build on the existing base of practitioners and educators • Take advantage of local strengths in related areas of design, construction, preservation, and adaptive re-use • Add a global dimension Needs, Aspirations, Expertise

3. The most likely and productive intellectual focus for study, lectures, and workshops at a regional center—or in a new academic program—would be hands-on projects involving sustainable reuse of existing buildings in the Piedmont Triad region with input from national and international experts on green design, adaptive re-use, and community engagement. How best to address the future of the region and the profession?

4. 1 Establishment of a place with an international presence to bring together practitioners, students, experts, and the Piedmont Triad community to present/confront/resolve local architectural and planning conditions 2 Development of an action team which would organize funding for a staff person for a first year, find that person, and hire him/her 3 Exploratory academic planning to determine how a new 3-3 ½ year graduate (masters or doctoral) program with courses offered nights and weekends might best fit with local or state-wide strategic planning and NAAB requirements What is feasible right now?

5. Free for one year • Donated by a patron/s • Funded by a foundation • Part of a municipal arrangement • Neutral • Named for the region (not a particular city) • Could be an RV that moves around the region • Could be near or a part of another regional institution (ie, the airport) • Architecturally interesting • “design matters” …it should reflect the aspirations of the center • Flexible • Able to be used for a variety of activities …lectures, workshops, meetings • Accessible • Universal design • Close to an interstate exit PLACE REQUIREMENTS…

6. Include local practitioners, academics, students, community leaders, and representatives of the building construction industry as members • Executive committee • Predictable meetings, blog space • Initial support from the PTP (agendas, space, communications) • Be diverse by firm size, private/public institutions, special interest groups, ethnicity, gender, appropriate expertise • Task groups by interest to work on specific projects • Help with group dynamics (leadership institute? Boston Society of Architects?) • Establish a sounding board from outside the Piedmont Triad with state, national, and international experience to support the local group • Measure relevance • Building resources and network Action Team Agenda

7. For a UNC program: write the mission and vision statements for an architecture program in the language of the UNC Tomorrow document • For a private institution: write the mission and vision statements for an architecture program to reflect institutional strategic planning goals • Public or private: review the NAAB 2009 Proceduressection on applying for candidacy for accreditation and, as soon as possible, the NAAB 2009 Conditions for Accreditation Academic Planning First Steps

8. FIRST YEAR GOALS 2009-10 ACTION TEAM SOUNDING BOARD STAFF SCHOOLS COMMUNITY

9. FIRST YEAR,2009-10 Action Team • Draft working vision/mission collaboratively with AIA North Carolina • Recruit one staff and funding for salary • Work with staff for second-year funding • Find a “place” for the first year • Decide on an executive committee • Work with PTP to establish agendas, goals, and benchmarks as part of creative cluster Action Team Sounding Board Members Staff Academic Institutions Community Groups

10. FIRST YEAR,2009-10 Sounding Board Members • Review vision/mission drafts • Suggest other participants as sounding board members • Share knowledge of relevant global resources and events • Work with staff for second-year funding • Send CV’s for website Action Team Sounding Board Members Staff Academic Institutions Community Groups

11. FIRST YEAR,2009-10 Staff • Support leadership group in writing of vision/mission • Establish a website with simple blog capability (PTP help?), calendar, information, links • Organize three events: “place” dedication, community workshop in High Point, community workshop in Winston-Salem • Publicize existing resources • Apply for second-year funding Action Team Sounding Board Members Staff Academic Institutions Community Groups

12. FIRST YEAR,2009-10 Academic Institutions • Rewrite vision/mission statements to include architecture (in the language of overall strategic planning) • Review NAAB documents • Communicate intentions to faculty, upper level administrators, other programs • Attend NAAB accreditation workshops • Develop an appropriate timeline • Take part in activities at the “place” • Plan collaborative activities for year two Action Team Sounding Board Members Staff Academic Institutions Community Groups

13. FIRST YEAR,2009-10 Community Groups • Participate in action team activities and as sounding board members • Provide community-based projects for workshops • Share information about resources and events • Establish link on their websites • Work with staff on second-year funding Action Team Sounding Board Members Staff Academic Institutions Community Groups

14. Second Year2010-11 Center… add two interns, lecture series (six—two each in High Point, Winston-Salem, Greensboro), work on “place” renovation, organize international trip/work experience for students at existing programs (NC State, UNCC, UNCG, NC A&T, Forsyth, Guilford), offer LEED certification classes Schools pursuing accreditation… letter to NAAB, submit candidacy materials, preliminary visit Third Year 2011-12 Center…work with AutoDesk to provide training for software programs, offer space to existing programs for studios with special focus, partner with Habitat for Humanity for projects involving adaptive re-use, revise business model for Center Schools pursuing accreditation…Board decision to review for candidacy, submit Architecture Program Report (APR) for initial candidacy And into the future…

15. Action Team, Center Staff, Community Groups, Academic Institutions • Continue to support the website, the lecture series, the workshops, and the LEED certification courses. • Add seminars for passing the ARE, and continuing education classes • Expand knowledge base with international expertise • Develop collaborative project with Center for Design Innovation • Fund-raising for projects in year six Schools pursuing accreditation • Visit for initial term of candidacy • NAAB decision to grant candidacy (2 year term) • Submit APR for continuation of candidacy Years four and five…

16. Action Team, Center Staff, Community Groups, Academic Institutions • Continue to support activities from previous years • Strategic planning for future of Center • Take on a special project with a community group • Fund-raising for projects in year eight Schools pursuing accreditation • Visit for second term of candidacy • NAAB decision to continue candidacy • graduate first class • submit APR for initial accreditation Years six and seven…

17. Action Team, Center Staff, Community Groups, Academic Institutions • Revise business model • Update facility • Add to IT capabilities Schools pursuing accreditation • Visit for initial accreditation • NAAB decision to grant accreditation Year Eight and beyond…

18. Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center (with Virginia Tech and others) • Preservation Institute: Nantucket (with the University of Florida architecture program) • The Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Warren, VT • City Center in New Orleans, LA (with Tulane University) • The University of Michigan Detroit Center Visit a “Center” in action!