CRP @ 50 ALUMNI GATHERING

A WONDERFUL MOMENT IN TIME

On Friday and Saturday, February 27-28, Community and Regional Planning Program alumni, students, faculty and former faculty members, and guests gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the program. CRP Program Director and Associate Dean Kent Butler presents the following report on the weekend's events.

"The activities were plentiful, the alumni were earnestly glad to be back for the visit, and the sentiments were as warm as could be imagined.

"Friday's activities began at noon with an initial gathering of 65 alums, students, and other guests. We listened to a distinguished panel of six alumni discuss the value of their CRP training and reactions to the ways in which planners are preparing for a changing world, and they shared some amazing career and personal experiences.

"Later in the afternoon, another six alums took turns giving Topic Talks. They made slide presentations of some of their most exciting career experiences and accomplishments. The talks were eloquent and a source of pride. We had a chance to talk seriously about planning among good friends and trusted colleagues. Later that night, several alums--and faculty members--were seen dancing away at the Broken Spoke.

"Saturday’s lunch at Trudy's Lone Star Cafe was a great success. About fifty CRP members came to visit and dine on the outdoor patio in classically perfect Austin springtime weather. It was a networking event for the alums who hosted the students. The talk was about building a strong CRP student-alumni network. Everyone agreed that the exchange of names, contacts, and opportunities needs to flow freely in all directions, up and down the career ladder.

"The afternoon was an important time for CRP academically. Around twenty-five alumni, and as many students, formed focus groups, some consisting solely of alumni and others populated with current students. They were facilitated by CRP faculty members and several student recorders. The outcomes were invaluable and interesting--critical yet affirming, constructive and future-oriented. This year, the faculty is beginning a major self-assessment of the CRP Program and developing a clear mission and set of goals. The alumni input is being compiled and edited and is certain to become an often visited source of guidance over the rest of the year-long assessment process.

"Finally, the Planner's Reception and Golden Anniversary Banquet were as lovely as could possibly be hoped for as culminating events for CRP@50. More than 150 attended the reception and banquet. Former faculty members Sandi Rosenbloom and Peter Coltman and Peter’s wife Felicity were greeted heartily by everyone. Martha Leipziger-Pierce visited with many good friends and was introduced to many new acquaintances. She is the widow of Professor Hugo Leipziger-Pierce, founder of the CRP Program, who carried it through its initial accreditation process fifty years ago. The program included welcome remarks by Dean Fritz Steiner (below) and a recollection of memories and stories by me, about dozens of alums, faculty members, guests, and students who truly deserved to be recognized, honored, and thanked for their service to the CRP Program and the profession. The program was historical and sentimental. I can't recall ever hearing as many appreciative comments and seeing as many smiles as I saw in those who made it to the Saturday evening event. It was, hopefully, a good start for much more fun and meaningful reunions to come."

WELCOME FROM DEAN FRITZ STEINER

Dean Fritz Steiner welcomed the group gathered at the Planner's Reception and Golden Anniversary Banquet with the following remarks:

"Our Community and Regional Planning program has reached maturity at an opportune time. We need the talents of planners more than ever in this first urban century. As the population continues to grow globally and here in Texas, and as we become an increasingly urban planet and state, we need planners to link knowledge to action.

"How do we position the CRP program to lead in making this link?

"Let's start with where our program is positioned within our school and our university.

"We are in a professional school.

"We are in a leading research university.

"We are in a leading research university that places a significant emphasis on undergraduate teaching.

"How do we advance our Community and Regional Planning Program within this context?

The Education of a Professional Planner

"Our primary business in the School of Architecture is teaching future professionals. This provides the justification for the bodies that accredit our degrees in architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, and planning. But, what is a professional? George Bernard Shaw once observed, "All professions are conspiracies against the laity."

"State licenses for architects, landscape architects, and interior designers are granted to protect the public health, safety, and welfare. Few states grant licenses for planners; those that do, use the same legal basis as for the design professions. However, the legal justification for community plans and ordinances also is based on the protection of public health, safety, and welfare. Rather than conspiring against the public, we are engaged in creating more healthy, safe, and just communities.

"How do we prepare our students to take on such an important task? For six years, I served on the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB), including two years as its chair. We on the PAB were ground zero for often fierce debates between certified planners and seasoned academics. One area of common agreement was that planning education must address the art of plan making.

"From 1977 until I became dean at Texas in 2001, I taught plan-making studios. It's a topic I care deeply about and one where I have considerable experience. In essence, plan-making involves understanding a place, developing options for its future, and taking actions to pursue the preferred option. The best vehicle to teach such skills is the planning studio.

Research One

"We are also situated in a top research university that places a very high value on scholarship. Traditionally, this involved securing funding from outside sources and publishing books and peer-reviewed journal articles. In the School of Architecture, we also value exemplary practice that advances our professions.

"We established the Center for Sustainable Development to help advance our research mission. This center builds on the long-standing expertise in green building design and environmental planning in our school. While grounded in our environmental strengths, true sustainability must also concern social equity and economic development. In this regard, the Community and Regional Planning Program can, and must, provide true leadership. In addition, the program has developed an outstanding doctoral program that has much to contribute to advancing research.

"In my own research, I have found inspiration in former MIT planning Professor Donald Schön's concept of reflective practice. Since moving to Austin, I have been especially active in Envision Central Texas, the Hill Country Conservancy, and the Texas Triangle with our colleagues at the Regional Plan Association, the Lincoln Institute, and other universities. All three activities provide considerable fodder for reflection. For instance, the Texas Triangle work is part of the Regional Plan Association's America 2050 initiative, which is bearing policy fruit in President Obama's stimulus package and urban agenda.

The Eyes of Texas

"The University of Texas at Austin also places high value on teaching undergraduates. In this regard, the Community and Regional Planning Program, with its emphasis on graduate professional and doctoral education, has fallen short. For example, recently I nominated school faculty for several university teaching awards. The Community and Regional Planning faculty were ineligible because the focus of these awards was on undergraduate education. These honors symbolize the university's value on undergraduate education and our responsibility as a public institution to young Texans.

"At fifty, the Community and Regional Planning Program is mature enough and large enough to expand our undergraduate offerings. This would not require much. If we were to offer two or three more undergraduate courses, we could contribute a lot. We could help enlighten future business leaders, lawyers, engineers, and architects about the value of good planning. In addition, we could recruit the best and brightest Texas undergraduates to our graduate programs.

Retrospect and Prospect

"As we look back and celebrate the past 50 years, we need to look ahead. Next year, the School of Architecture will celebrate its 100th anniversary. As we look ahead to the next 50 and 100 years, the Community and Regional Planning Program is positioned to play an even greater leadership role. To realize this potential, we must advance our delivery of professional education, especially our teaching of plan-making; we must expand our research agenda, especially through the Center for Sustainable Development and doctoral program; and we must create new undergraduate offerings.

"I believe this can be best accomplished through greater interaction with the other disciplines within the school, including architecture, landscape architecture, historic preservation, urban design, and sustainable design, as well as enhanced relationships across campus, including Latin American Studies, law, engineering, and social work. This will enhance the abilities of planners to address the challenges of this first urban century by improving the health, safety, and welfare of the people who will live in the communities and regions that we help to plan.

"Thank you again for joining us at tonight's celebration."

CRP ALUMNI AWARDS

Following Dean Steiner's welcome, Kent Butler presented the following special alumni recognition awards.

Outstanding Alumnus Award for Diversity and Inclusivity in Planning
to Sean Garretson, AICP

He is an inclusive planner, leader, and community volunteer, working to improve low-income neighborhoods that are diverse in age, racial composition, economic status, and life experience. He is a leading force for unity, providing needed forward momentum in community and economic development.

Outstanding Alumnus Award for Sustainability in Planning
to Eugene R. Peters

He has promoted and implemented sustainable design and energy efficiency in the U.S. aviation industry. He has contributed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressed the issue of climate change. He has contributed to sustainability indices and guidelines, design standards, and instructional materials.

Outstanding Alumnus Award for Lifetime Achievement in Planning
to David B. Pharis

He completed a distinguished career of service, including protecting some of the most vulnerable citizens in Texas. Through his leadership, he championed, monitored, and enforced the rights of persons with mental illness and improved the lives of the mentally disabled throughout the nation.

Outstanding Alumna Award for Lifetime Achievement in Planning
to Kathryn N. Nichols

She has completed thirty years of distinguished professional planning service, working for local, regional, state, and national organizations and volunteer initiatives that assist communities and citizens with improvements to open space, trails, and greenways.

FRIENDS OF ARCHITECTURE

On February 21 and 22, Friends of Architecture (FOA) presented "San Antonio...Old Meets New," a sold-out tour of some of San Antonio's most impressive residential designs. Friends of Architecture opened the doors to a variety of stunning homes, including King William District renovations, contemporary designs in north San Antonio, and new urban homes in historic neighborhoods.

Along with our guide, Associate Dean Kevin Alter, FOA introduced its members to the architects, designers, and builders who are carefully combining San Antonio's landmark design with its abundant culture and history. We began on Saturday morning with breakfast at the historic Guenther House adjacent to the King William District, followed by a tour of some of the district's renovated historic homes, designed by architect and UTSOA alum Jim Poteet [M.Arch. '87]. Participants experienced the "Heart of the City" as they were led on a brief walking tour of the Lake|Flato Main Plaza redevelopment. After a quick view of the stunning late nineteenth-century renovated stable at the historic Pearl Brewery site, members enjoyed fresh country cuisine at Texas Farm to Table restaurant.

After lunch, the group toured some of San Antonio's contemporary architecture and design at the unique Tarver Residence, designed by Richard Mogas of San Antonio and Joe Carroll of Houston, and the Browning Residence, designed by alum Bob Shemwell [M.Arch. '86] of Overland Partners. Saturday evening dinner was held at the acclaimed Biga on the Banks restaurant as the group enjoyed fine dining on the San Antonio River Walk. The diverse collection of historic and modern architecture continued on Sunday with an early morning stop at the Dawson Residence, a contemporary family home designed by Ken Bentley & Associates in the north San Antonio Inverness community. After a visit with the Weaver family at their remodeled "Tree House," designed by alum John Grable [B.Arch. '76], the weekend concluded with a tour of the new wing of the McNay Museum, designed by Jean Paul Viguier, with Ford, Powell & Carson serving as executive architect.

Thank you to all who made this tour such a success!

If you missed the opportunity to join this exclusive tour, we invite you to support the School of Architecture by joining Friends of Architecture today to receive updates and information about future tours. Plans for 2010 are in the works and tours are available only to FOA members, so visit our website to get more information and become a member today!

Friends of Architecture would like to thank our Corporate Silver members and supporters Curtis & Windham Architects and Lucifer Lighting Company.

Events

For the latest updates, check out the online UTSOA Calendar.

Funding for lectures and exhibits is provided in part by the Herbert M. Greene Centennial Lectureship, the Wolf and Janet Jessen Centennial Lectureship, the Karl Kamrath Lectureship, Edwin A. Schneider Centennial Lectureship, and Brightman/York Endowed Lecture Series in Interior Design.

EXPLORE UT

Saturday, March 7
11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

EXPLORE UT: The Biggest Open House in Texas

The University of Texas at Austin is hosting its 10th annual Explore UT, a day of events, performances, exhibits, lectures, and hands-on activities for the entire family. We offer you a glimpse into world-class museums, extensive library collections, numerous performance venues, and cultural centers on a historic urban campus.

With 430 free events and activities happening across campus, there is something for everyone. Children can test their skills while making liquid nitrogen ice cream, building forts, creating a virtual world avatar, designing miniature solar cars and engaging in dozens of other activities. High schoolers can meet with advisers, faculty, and students to learn about everything from degree plans to financial aid. Parents and teachers can enjoy a variety of cultural events, exhibits, performances, museums, and lectures.

As a public university, The University of Texas at Austin belongs to the people of Texas. As an institution of higher education, the university's mission is to educate young people and to create future leaders for every realm of society.

Come explore our campus. Enjoy a day of fun. Learn something new.

EXHIBIT

March 2 through April 3
Mebane Gallery
Goldsmith Hall

"DRAWINGS & WORKSHOPS | Perry Kulper"

LECTURE

Monday, March 23
Goldsmith Hall 3.120, 5:00 p.m.

Monica Ponce de Leon
Office dA
Dean, University of Michigan

LECTURES

Monday, April 6, and Tuesday, April 7
Goldsmith Hall 3.120, 5:00 p.m.

Juhani Pallasmaa
Pallassmaa Architects
Helsinki, Finland

EXHIBIT

April 6 - 30
Mebane Gallery
Goldsmith Hall

"MACHINES | Arthur Ganson"

LECTURE

Wednesday, April 8
Goldsmith Hall 3.120, 5:00 p.m.

Arthur Ganson
Artist
Boston and Stoneham, Massachusetts

LECTURE

Monday, April 13
Goldsmith Hall 3.120, 5:00 p.m.

Deborah Berke
Deborah Berke & Partners Architects
New York City, New York

LECTURE

Wednesday, April 15
Goldsmith Hall 3.120, 5:00 p.m.

Keith Kaseman and Julie Beckman
Landscape architects, KBAS
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

LECTURE

Monday, April 20
Goldsmith Hall 3.120, 5:00 p.m.

Cristiane Muniz
Una Arquitetos
Saõ Paulo, Brazil

LECTURE

Wednesday, April 22
Goldsmith Hall 3.120, 5:00 p.m.

Marianne Burkhalter and Christian Sumi
Burkhalter & Sumi
Zurich, Switzerland

LECTURE

Monday, April 27
Goldsmith Hall 3.120, 5:00 p.m.

Kristina Hill
Director of Landscape Architecture, University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia

CENTER LUNCH FORUM SERIES

The Center for American Architecture and Design hosts a Friday Lunch Forum Series from 12:00 to 1:30 in the Battle Hall Conference Room (room 101).

The aim of the series is for faculty and students to meet in an informal atmosphere to debate topics and to share ideas about history, practice, theory, and new directions for architecture. Forum topics/titles are confirmed a week prior to each forum date. Visit the Center website for updates. The spring 2009 schedule includes:

• March 6, Barbara Hoidn, "Searching for the Incomplete Form: Observations from Brazil"
• March 27, Kevin Alter, "Whatever Happened to Great Rooms?"
• April 10, Francisco Gomes
• April 24, Smilja Milovanovic-Bertram

The Friday Forum is also webcast live (visit the Center's website), and you are invited to call in live with questions or comments during the discussion at 512.471.9890.

CITY FORUM SERIES

March 13, "Regional Development in Austin: Challenges and Opportunities in the 21st Century"

• Joe Cantalupo, Director, Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, Austin
• Jim Walker, Center for Sustainable Development, University of Texas School of Architecture

Location: Texas Union, Sinclair Suite (UNB 3.128), noon to 1:30

March 27, "Keeping it Rural: Tradition and Innovation in a Competitive Economy"

• Travis Brown, Texas Office of Rural Community Affairs
• Stefan Schuster, DB Stephens & Associates, Austin
• Andrew Smiley, Sustainable Food Center, Austin

Location: GOL 3.120, noon to 1:30 p.m.

April 10, "Equity and Access in Transportation System Planning and Delivery: It's More Than You Think It is"

• Sandi Rosenbloom, Department of Geography and Regional Development, University of Arizona
• Talia McCray, Community and Regional Planning Program, University of Texas School of Architecture

Location: Texas Union, Sinclair Suite (UNB 3.128), noon to 1:30

April 17, "Environmental Justice and the Multicultural City: The Transformative Role of Urban Planning"

• Martina Cartwright, Environmental Law and Justice Center, Texas Southern University
• Wendy Jepson, Department of Geography, Texas A&M University
• Susana Almanza, People Organized in Defense of Earth and her Resources (PODER)

Location: Texas Union, Sinclair Suite (UNB 3.128), noon to 1:30

City Forum is an urban issues speaker series hosted by the Community and Regional Planning Student Organization (CRPSO) and the Community and Regional Planning Program (CRP) at The University of Texas at Austin.

For questions, comments, or suggestions related to City Forum, contact Jenni Minner or Dr. Bjorn Sletto.

SYMPOSIUM

LATITUDES:
Architecture in the Americas

Thursday and Friday, April 2 - 3
Goldsmith Hall Mebane Gallery, Room 2.105
8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Brigitte Shim
Shim-Sutcliffe Architects
Toronto, Ontario

Cecilia Puga
Cecilia Puga, Architect
Santiago, Chile

Angelo Bucci
SPBR
Saõ Paulo, Brazil

Gerardo Caballero
Gerado Caballero Arquitecto
Rosario, Argentina

Alberto Kalach
Taller de Arquitectura X
Chapultepec, Mexico

Solano Benitez
Gabinete de Arquitectura
Chapultepec, Mexico

Rick Joy
Rick Joy Architects
Tuscon, Arizona

Edwin Chan
Gehry Partners, LLP
Los Angeles, California

Sponsored by the Center for American Architecture and Design.

BEAUX ARTS BALL

Sunday, April 19

Save the Date! In a cross-organizational student effort within the School of Architecture, we will be presenting the Beaux Arts Ball at the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center on Sunday, April 19.

A tradition unique to the design community, the ball will provide an opportunity to showcase and celebrate our diverse School of Architecture student and professional network and create a rare environment for interaction and connection between alumni and students in a festive setting. The beautifully designed and naturally breathtaking Wildflower Center will serve as a backdrop for this event, which will include light dinner foods and drink, music and dancing, and great company. Mark your calendars now, and plan to take part in this landmark School of Architecture occasion!

EXHIBIT

January 16-August 14, 2009
Visual Resources Collection
Sutton Hall 3.128 (Monday-Friday, 8-5)

"Perceiving Space: The Hal Box and Logan Wagner Collection of Mexican Architecture and Urban Design"

Every summer from 1985 to 1996, with the assistance of volunteer teams from Earthwatch, W.L. Moody, Jr. Centennial Professor Emeritus in Architecture and former dean of the School of Architecture Hal Box, FAIA, and Dr. Logan Wagner [M.Arch. '79; Ph.D. in Latin American Studies, with an architectural history concentration, '97] explored, photographed, measured, and made scale drawings of over ninety towns in Mexico. The collection of over 8,000 slides taken during this period was donated to the School of Architecture's Visual Resources Collection (VRC).

The exhibit highlights a selection of images from a collection that documents communal open spaces built in Mexico from 2000 B.C. to the present, concentrating on the 16th and 17th century fusion of Mesoamerican and European architecture and town planning. Contained in the collection are images of sacred open spaces formed by ancient pyramids and the plazas, atrios, cloisters, and towns' central plazas.

The Hal Box and Logan Wagner Collection of Mexican Architecture and Urban Design will be available in ARTstor in spring 2009 and as part of the VRC's online Image Collection.

FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP

Professor Steven Moore and his research assistant, Ph.D. candidate Barbara Brown Wilson, have received an Individual Scholar Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for work that is both theoretical and practical in scope. Their project, "Coding the Future," employs methods derived from Science and Technology Studies (STS) and Participatory Action Research (PAR) to study the politics of building codes in the very real context of the Alley Flat Initiative (AFI)--a continuing project to develop affordable/sustainable infill housing in Austin. Moore and Wilson argue that codes are both an index of changing social values and the means to enforce those values. In conjunction with community partners, the Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation (GNDC) and the Austin Community Design and Development Center (ACDDC), the research team proposes to create an Alley Flat Code for the city, a sustainable housing delivery system, and a book that narrates the collaborative process.

Associate Professor Lois Weinthal contributed an essay to the exhibition catalogue for the North American premiere showing of the set décors for the renowned stop-motion film animators, the Quay Brothers. The essay, titled "Orchestrating the Interior," focuses on décors in their set designs in addition to the role of sound and light that contribute to a highly articulated atmosphere in each of their films. The traveling exhibit opens first at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, February through April 2009, before traveling throughout the U.S.

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS

ALUMNI UPDATE

Graham B. Luhn, FAIA [B.Arch. '60] of Houston has been reappointed to a two-year term on the Antiquities Advisory Board of the Texas Historical Commission in Austin.

ALUMNI EVENTS

We want you to stay involved and connected to the school, so join us for one of our many upcoming alumni events:

• Class of 1959 Reunion - April 30 - May 1, 2009
• AIA Alumni Reception at the offices of EDAW/AECOM in San Francisco - Thursday, April 30, 2009, 6:00 p.m.
• School of Architecture 100th Anniversary Celebration - Sunday, October 10, 2010

Being an alum has its benefits! As an alumnus of the School of Architecture, you will have many opportunities for ongoing contact with the school and our alumni community:

• Social and intellectual enrichment at one of our annual socials or mixers
  
• Expanded networks for professional growth and development by attending our series of lectures and exhibits
  
• Connections with UTSOA students, staff, and faculty, and continued involvement in the welfare and future of the school by joining Friends of Architecture

We are continuing our effort to find (and maintain) the most accurate contact information for all of our alumni. Stay in touch with former classmates--update your record and contact preferences by logging on to the university's online alumni directory.

More details will be available on the School of Architecture alumni web page as the events approach. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Stacy Manning at smanning@austin.utexas.edu or 512.471.0617.

CONTACTS

In this fast-paced world, there's a lot of news to keep up with. We know you are doing great things, and we rely on you not only to share your stories, but also to keep us up-to-date on your contact information so that we can share our stories with you. Alumni, please send your news and contact updates to Associate Director of Constituent and Alumni Relations Stacy Manning at smanning@austin.utexas.edu. Students, faculty, and staff may send updates to eNews editor Pamela Peters at p.peters@mail.utexas.edu.

UT-Austin School of Architecture
soa.utexas.edu

Dean's Office
512.471.1922, fax 512.471.0716

Center for American Architecture and Design
christinewong@mail.utexas.edu, 512-471-9890

Center for Sustainable Development
teresacarr@mail.utexas.edu, 512.475.7995

Assistant Dean for Development
Julie Hooper, jhooper@austin.utexas.edu, 512.471.6114

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs
Jeanne Crawford, jcraw@mail.utexas.edu, 512.471.0109

Graduate Program Coordinator
Rosemin Gopaul, gopaul@austin.utexas.edu, 512.471.0134

Associate Director of Constituent and Alumni Relations
Stacy Manning, smanning@austin.utexas.edu, 512.471.0617

Director, Career Services Center
Carrie O'Malley, carrie.omalley@austin.utexas.edu, 512.471.1333

Publications Editor
Pamela Peters, p.peters@mail.utexas.edu, 512.471.0154

Events Coordinator
Barbara Terrell, bdt@mail.utexas.edu, 512.471.8187

Materials Lab
http://soa.utexas.edu/matlab, 512.232.5969

Visual Resources Collection
http://soa.utexas.edu/vrc/, 512.471.0143

Architecture and Planning Library
www.lib.utexas.edu/apl/, 512.495.4620

Webmaster
Christopher Rankin, crankin@mail.utexas.edu, 512.495.4620

UTSOA Mailing Address
The University of Texas at Austin
School of Architecture
1 University Station B7500
Austin, TX 78712-0222