Architecture Addiction, The Official Blog of

You want to be the change you see in the world, don’t you?

There’s been a lot of talk about changes in our climate lately. CO2 emissions, dwindling resources, and energy usage are growing concerns in every walk of life. AIA Architects, in particular, want to address those concerns. We strongly believe that the time for talk has passed, and now it is time to walk the walk.

You are invited to join us on this journey towards a more sustainable future. Choose your pathway and learn, discover and walk along with us. Together we can achieve amazing things.

Learn more

Transmitting Architecture
Please join members of the AIAS and thousands of other students from across the world at the International World Congress of Architecture in Torino, Italy to be held on June 29-July 3, 2008. The event is offered by the International Union of Architects (UIA).

The UIA Congress takes place every three years and brings together thousands of architects and architecture students from countries throughout the world. The Congress centers around a chosen theme and includes lectures by the world’s preeminent designers, debates, exhibitions, tours and festivals that provide a unique platform for the exchange of cultural contacts between fellow professionals and students. This year’s theme is “Transmitting Architecture.” The Congress also includes Arkitektonika, the international exhibition of products, projects and processes for architecture, building and design.

Leaders from the U.S. architecture community will be attending including the elected officers of the AIAS. It will be an opportunity to build relationships with students from across the world.

For more information and to register, please visit the official Web site. Note that you will need your passport number when registering.

What did you do for Earth day?

My employer held an Earth Day-esque thing yesterday. Vendors gave away free samples of feel good natural juices…in disposable paper cups. Stacks of plastic cups stood around water jugs for those who wanted water. Most of the vendors had those stupid little bottle openers and shoe horns or whatever with the name of their business imprinted in them.

This was how my employer celebrated Earth Day. As in, they produced all of this garbage in the name of caring about the earth.

Okay, okay, the electric vehicle people were there. And someone to talk about composting. But really.

Plastic cups for water?

And plastic Frisbees bearing some glib earth message?

I went to this because I had higher hopes. I guess I should have known better. This is LA after all. It’s all about making a big show.

So what did I do for Earth Day?

The same thing I do 365 days a year.

I don’t use plastic bottles. I drink my water out of a glass that I reuse over and over again.

I take an extra two second to select “double sided” when I have to print something.

I bring my mail to the recycling bin at work, since our apartment doesn’t have bins.

I bring my local vegetable lunch to work in a reusable bag.

Doing something nice for Earth Day hardly counts if you only do it once a year.

The next Earth Day is technically 364 days away, but you know what?

Every day is Earth Day.

So, what are you doing for Earth Day tomorrow? Need some ideas?

The American Institute of Architects selected 10 projects in 2008 as outstanding examples of sustainable design.

Look at them all

Here’s Number One:

Aldo Leopold Legacy Center
Baraboo, Wis.
The Kubala Washatko Architects, Inc.

The 12,000 square foot building includes office and meeting spaces, interpretive hall, archive and workshop. The center was envisioned as a small complex of structures organized around a central courtyard. This design provides flexibility in managing energy use based on program requirements, creates outdoor spaces for work and gathering, and reduces the scale of the buildings on site. The Aldo Leopold Legacy Center is the first building recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council LEED program as carbon-neutral in operation.

Look at them all

“The mother art is architecture. Without an architecture of our own we have no soul of our own civilization.”

Frank Lloyd Wright

Top Ten Reasons to go on an Architecture Addiction: Field Trip

1. Because you can’t caress the ancient Greek columns in your History of Architecture book.

2. Because there’s never enough prosciutto at the Piggly Wiggly, and yet you have a sneaking suspicion that there might be enough to satisfy you in Italy.

3. Because it looks good on your grad school applications.

4. Because you will be the most interesting person that your friends know.

5. Because there’s only so much soul crushing sameness in your local town that you can take.

6. Because we include airfare from all across North America.

7. Because you’ll get to network with other architecture students from all across North America.

8. Because we use local, licensed tour guides who know how to have a good time.

9. Because… have you looked at our prices? We’re cheap! And yet comfortingly all-inclusive.

10. Because what else are you going to do? Stay home?

Take a look to the right to read more about our current offerings. And stay tuned. We’re adding more international Field Trips soon.