Call for Nominations

(Editor’s Update: The following Call for Nominations pertains to the Alberta Chapter Executive, and is hopefully not to be confused with the National RAIC’s search for a Regional Director for Alberta-Northwest Territories. While the Regional Director and the Alberta Chapter Executive work closely together on a great number of initiatives, the national position is being sought through a separate nomination process from that described below.)

The RAIC Alberta Chapter Executive is composed of 7 voting representatives from five different regions of the province: Two (2) representatives from Calgary region, Two (2) representatives from Edmonton region, One (1) representative from Central Alberta, One (1) representative from Southern Alberta and One (1) from Northern Alberta.

Nominations are hereby invited to elect the Chapter’s regional representatives to fill the following vacancies: Please help us to help others lose weight with Medifast Coupons this year

Calgary Region - Two (2) Vacancies
Edmonton Region - Two (2) Vacancies
Central Alberta - One (1) vacancy
Northern Alberta - One (1) vacancy
Southern Alberta - One (1) vacancy

In line with the objectives laid out at the chapter’s inauguration in 2006, individuals are elected as the chapter’s regional representatives to represent, advocate and strengthen the architectural profession from grassroots level and to advance the general interest of the RAIC membership in Alberta.
Continue reading Call for Nominations…

Banff Session 2008

The RAIC Alberta Chapter will be participating in the 2008 Banff Session being held at the Fairmont Banff Springs Resort on April 18 and 19.

For those two days we’ll be calling Booth # 54 home, located in the New Brunswick / Alberta Dining Room. The RAIC Alberta Chapter will be highlighting its efforts to promote architectural advocacy in Alberta, providing opportunity for dialogue with the Chapter Executive, and hopefully convincing a few of you to become involved, either as volunteers or Elected Representatives.

Please feel free to drop by, peruse, and discuss opportunities to build a strong and effective voice for architecture in the province.

AIA Grassroots 2008

As a representative of the RAIC Alberta Chapter, Laura Plosz attended the AIA Grassroots 2008 Leadership and Legislative Conference in Washington, DC. The conference is an annual event held for the leaders of the various components within the AIA, designed to share skills and strategies for advocating for architecture at the local, state and federal levels. Over a thousand representatives from across the United States attended, as well as a few guests from the RAIC.

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A Culture of Advocacy in Alberta

Spearheading a culture of Advocacy in Alberta: A letter from RAIC Alberta Chapter President Samuel Oboh, MRAIC, AIA

Dear RAIC Alberta Chapter Members,

As Albertans go to the polls on the 3rd of March 2008, The Alberta Chapter of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) focused on getting issues important to architects front and center in the 2008 campaign. The Chapter presented (to all the party leaders) an agenda for Alberta’s sustainable future and also reminded them on the need to sincerely make commitment that will ensure a truly sustainable future for Alberta and Albertans. The Chapter’s agenda were sent to leaders of the following parties: Alberta Greens; Alberta Liberal; Alberta Party; Alberta Social Credit Party; Communist Party – Alberta; Progressive Conservative Party; Alberta NDP; Separation Party of Alberta and the Wildrose Alliance Party.

What You Can Do:

• Participate in your in your electoral divisions and talk to the Candidates.

The Chapter wants to encourage architects and RAIC members to participate in the elections by talking to candidates, pose questions on issues important to architects and the profession of architecture to candidates in your electoral divisions and vote on March 3, 2008. Although the RAIC Alberta Chapter executive could talk to candidates and submit questions, we want you to talk about issues and pose questions that matter to you. If you are interested in posing a question to the leaders of the various political entities in the province, you can get their addresses at http://www.elections.ab.ca/Public%20Website/603.htm

Be sure to identify yourself as an architect or someone from the architectural community!

Kindly note that the RAIC Alberta chapter will not endorse any candidate. We firmly believe that each of us has a key role to play on behalf of the RAIC, the profession and society to advocate on issues that we are passionate about just like we do in our everyday practice. The Chapter’s advocacy will not stop with this election. Architects and members of the RAIC must continue to take leadership roles on issues that affect the built environment in Alberta.

• Participate in RAIC Advocacy Programs and Functions

After the March 3 elections, the chapter is planning a year-round advocacy that requires regular contact with elected officials and policy makers in our province. We need all the help we can get from RAIC members in the province. In the coming months, we plan to invite MLA’s, councilors and other elected officials and policy makers to RAIC Alberta Chapter functions (like Urban Design Award Ceremony, social programs, architectural tours of significant buildings in the province etc); request invitations to legislature press events on key built environment legislation and raise public acknowledgment of the important role architecture play in our lives; increase RAIC’s advocacy role; initiate advocacy programs that will take on challenges facing the profession in the province; etc

In order to achieve the level of success we desire, we need to participate and devote our efforts to becoming advocates all year long.

Thank you for your involvement!

Job Opportunity-Herman Miller

This posting was forwarded to us via the Contact section of this website:

Herman Miller currently has an outstanding opportunity for a professional Healthcare Designer based in a home office preferably in Calgary, Edmonton or Toronto. This dedicated member of the Herman Miller for Healthcare direct team will be responsible for increasing sales by partnering with the sales teams, dealers, other members of the healthcare team, and our healthcare clients to address facility design needs including clinical, administrative, and public spaces within the healthcare environment. You will be responsible for creating solutions through programming with end-users, preliminary design and presentation, and final specification of computer-generated layouts creatively using Herman Miller for Healthcare system products. You will also coordinate project time frames, buyouts, and installation documents in a timely and professional manner. This position is home based with up to 40% travel for client meetings.

Continue reading Job Opportunity-Herman Miller…

OnSite Magazine Salon Series

The RAIC Alberta Chapter is pleased to help spread the word about this fascinating event to be held at Hotel Arts on Tuesday November 13. In addition to the OnSite Magazine Salon, Cameron Sinclair is speaking earlier in the day to a sold out audience as part of the Sustainable Environmental Design Keynote Series presented by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and The University of Calgary.

“Beyond Green” in Edmonton

There are still seats available for the upcoming full-day course titled “Beyond Green: Adaptive, Restorative, and Regenerative Design (SDCB 305)”. The only Alberta session is being held in Edmonton at the Château Lacombe on Thursday October 25.

This continuing education opportunity examines theories and case studies from the perspective of:

•Current Green Design
•Industrial and Construction Ecology
•Biophylia and Biomimicry
•Adaptive, Restorative and Regenerative Design

Fees for the 6.5 hour Core Credit course are $325 for RAIC Members and $185 for RAIC Interns/Intern Architects and Students.

Full course details and online registration can be obtained from the RAIC website. In addition, a brochure is available for download in .PDF format.

Urban Design Awards Update

The jury has been announced for the 2007 Edmonton Urban Design awards and the submission form is available for download. The deadline for entries is October 4.

The jury is comprised of:

Vincent Asselin
Landscape Architect: Williams, Asselin, Ackaoui et Associés inc.
Montreal, Quebec

Joe Berridge
Planner: Urban Strategies Inc.
Toronto, Ontario

Gary Burns
Writer / Filmmaker: Director of Radiant City, Waydowntown
Calgary, Alberta

Ian McDonald
Architect: Ian MacDonald Architect Inc.
Toronto, Ontario

Janet Rosenberg
Landscape Architect: Janet Rosenberg + Associates
Landscape Architects and Urban Designers
Toronto, Ontario

From the submission brochure:

“Designers, developers, sponsors, and owners of projects selected as award winners will receive an Award of Excellence or a certificate of Merit in six categories. Awards will be presented at a ceremony to be held at Edmonton City Hall in November 2007. Awards will be presented to both consultant and owners.The projects receiving an Award will be eligible for the National RAIC Urban Design Awards to be adjudicated in 2008.The awarded projects will be exhibited in Edmonton City Hall and featured on the City of Edmonton and RAIC Web sites.”

The Award Ceremony will take place at the Edmonton City Hall in November 2007. For more information and additional downloadable materials visit www.edmonton.ca/urban2007.

LID Conference

The RAIC Alberta Chapter is pleased to help spread the word about the upcoming Edmonton Low Impact Development (LID) Conference. The event, running from November 27-29 is examining development issues facing northern Alberta with a focus on Low Impact Development:

“The conference will feature topics such as storm water management, wetland and riparian area protection, land use bylaws, LID practices in urban drainages, construction and demolition waste management, Landscaping for Better Water Management and Alberta-based examples of the challenges associated with rapid development. The conference will also feature a pre-conference workshop.”

For more details and registration information please see the website www.alidp.org

Memorandum of Understanding

A Memorandum of Understanding between the RAIC Alberta Chapter and the Alberta Association of Architects is currently being finalized. The goal of this initative is to advance the mutually beneficial, cooperative working relationship that exists between the two organizations.

Specifically The MOU seeks to:

i. Effectively advance the profile of the architectural profession in the province to accurately reflect the contribution of the profession to society;
ii. Advocate and promote excellence in the practice of Architecture in the province of Alberta in a more coordinated and effective manner;
iii. Clarify roles and responsibilities of AAA and RAIC-AB to members of both organizations and the general public.