CulvaHOUSE

Tim Culvahouse — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:42:10 +0000

Since 2000, I have edited arcCA (Architecture California), the journal of the American Institute of Architects California Council. arcCA is dedicated to exploring ideas, issues, and projects relevant to the practice of architecture in California. It focuses quarterly editions on professional practice, the architect in the community, the AIACC Design Awards, and works/sectors. Selected articles from recent issues are available on-line at www.aiacc.org/arcca.

True North

Tim Culvahouse — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:54:39 +0000

Only two major streets run north-south in New Orleans: Napoleon Avenue (bottom center of this image) and Elysian Fields (upper right). The yellow areas represent the portions of the grid of minor streets that are oriented to the cardinal points. Elsewhere in the city, the streets cannot orient you to true north at all. Yet no one thinks of Napoleon doing so, either; Elysian Fields perhaps. The single publicly recognized indicator of north in the city is the statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee at Lee Circle (here, below and slightly left of the French Quarter), who gazes–defiantly or pensively, depending on your point of view–ever northward.

Reviews

Tim Culvahouse — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:03:59 +0000

“Intelligent Design,” McCallie Magazine

Tulanian

The Architect’s Newspaper

The Leaf Chronicle

Tim Culvahouse — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 05:52:37 +0000

I have not spread myself as thin in the realm of community service as I have in most areas. The following four organizations are the ones to which I chiefly devote energy and resources. I support them because they are effective.

Nature Conservancy

Tim Culvahouse — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 05:49:54 +0000

Since its founding in 1951, the Nature Conservancy has protected more than 117 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of rivers worldwide.

Southern Poverty Law Center

Tim Culvahouse — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 05:46:39 +0000

Located in Montgomery, Alabama–the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement–the Southern Poverty Law Center was founded by Morris Dees and Joe Levin, two local lawyers who shared a commitment to racial equality. Its first president was civil rights activist Julian Bond. Throughout its history, the SPLC has worked to make the nation’s Constitutional ideals a reality. The SPLC legal department fights all forms of discrimination and works to protect society’s most vulnerable members, handling innovative cases that few lawyers are willing to take. Over three decades, it has achieved significant legal victories, including landmark Supreme Court decisions and crushing jury verdicts against hate groups. Of particular interest to architects, SPLC’s headquarters building is one of four case studies in Lisa Findley’s Building Change: Architecture, Politics and Cultural Agency.

Public Architecture

Tim Culvahouse — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 05:36:50 +0000

Public Architecture identifies and solves practical problems of human interaction in the built environment and acts as a catalyst for public discourse through education, advocacy, and the design of public spaces and amenities. Supported by the generosity of foundation, corporate, and individuals grants and donations, Public Architecture works outside the economic constraints of conventional architectural practice, providing a venue where architects can work for the public good.

First Congregational Church of Berkeley

Tim Culvahouse — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 05:29:11 +0000

I belong to FCCB–the First Congregational Church of Berkeley–a United Church of Christ congregation led by Rev. Patricia de Jong, who previously served with William Sloan Coffin at New York’s Riverside Church. The UCC is the first main-stream church in North America to have ordained an African-American (1785), a woman (1853) and an openly gay pastor (1972). FCCB is an Open and Affirming congregation: “In the Spirit of love, openness, and inclusiveness we welcome persons of every sexual orientation, race, nationality, ability, age and gender to participate fully in all aspects of our Church’s life and ministry.” Plus, the music is incredible. 11 a.m. Sundays, Dana between Durant and Channing, Berkeley.

Imagining the Back

Tim Culvahouse — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 05:00:45 +0000

What this has to do with New Orleans won’t be immediately apparent. (It will become clearer as the book develops.) But what it illustrates is a fact of architectural design, which is that, when you are looking at a floorplan, it is pretty easy to imagine the front face of the building, but it’s not so easy to imagine the back face, because to do that, you would have to turn it around in your head. Which is why it is a good idea for architects to rotate their drawings on their desktops (actual or virtual) from time to time, to get an all-around understanding of what they’re doing.

Tim Culvahouse — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 05:00:15 +0000

A growing collection of “how-to” guides, by a variety of authors (including me). Click on a title to download a PDF.

AIA Continuing Education Credit

AIA members can receive continuing education credit for “Self-Designed Activities.” For such activities, you receive credit for the time spent in direct learning, which can include “time you spent researching new product information, preparing for lectures, presentations, study-travel, computer programs, self-study, etc. ” The activity must take a minimum of one hour, with additional credit given in quarter hour increments. HSW (Health, Safety, and Welfare) credit is not available. If you find any of the material available here to be of educational value–either by itself or in combination with other resources–please consider reporting the time you spend for AIA Continuing Education System (AIA/CES) credit. A Self Report Form is available at

http://sparky.occe.ou.edu/aia/member/login/selfreport/form.cfm,

where you will be asked to log in with your AIA member number.

Promoting the Value of Design

The handout from a presentation I gave at the 2006 AIA Convention in Los Angeles. “Why promote the value of design? Because it’s what we profess, it’s what we love. Because of the emotions we feel when we’re in a remarkable space, and because we want others to enjoy those emotions. But also because it’s our business, it’s how we make a living. And because it’s better for everyone if we are paid to do our best. So we promote the value of design to align business with goodness.”

Amazing arcCA Design Awards Guide

From arcCA 07.3, “Comparing Awards,” an extensive guide to national and international architecture design awards programs. Proven effective.

Confessions of a Design Reviewer: Ten Guidelines for Coming Out As an Architect

Drawing on her experience as a member of Denver’s Lower Downtown Design and Demolition Review Board, Wendy Kohn offers sage advice on how to behave–and how not to behave–at a Design Review hearing. From arcCA 07.2, “Design Review.”

On Bragging

Some people are comfortable telling others their accomplishments and abilities, and others aren’t. Here are some suggestions for tooting your horn without feeling like a big wind-bag.

Supplanting

If you’ve ever been asked to take over a project that had been begun by another architect, you know that this process (known as “supplanting”) can be fraught with problems. Kurt Cooknick, Assoc. AIA, Director of Regulation & Practice for the AIA California Council, offers advice.

Thank You For Submitting: Advice for the Award-Lorn

David Meckel, FAIA, provides insightful counsel to those who are flummoxed by the process of submitting for design awards. From arcCA 07.3, “Comparing Awards.”

Tips for Explaining Design

For architects who may be frustrated by the general public’s lack of understanding of architecture, here are some tips for drawing others into the fold, graciously. This version was selected for the AIA’s Best Practices series, available online at www.aia.org/bestpractices.

Work Plans from the Client’s Perspective

Michael Strogoff explains how to communicate effectively that your work plan is based on client benefit.

How To Write

A concise guide to the process by Sasha Culvahouse, age 6.