DEAN'S JOURNAL

Recently, I sat on the terrace at the Rockefeller Foundation Study and Conference Center at Bellagio, Italy, overlooking Lake Como, with a small cluster of my fellow citizens, sketching a future for the United States of America. The purpose of our gathering was to design an economic competitiveness and sustainability strategy for the U.S. in light of long-term trends such as rapid population growth, global climate change, and changing settlement patterns. We undertook this audacious task in a luxurious, verdant place. Jefferson initiated such a plan in 1808 and Theodore Roosevelt in 1908. Our timing seemed right.

While we met, another group grappled with the consequences of climate change on poor, developing countries in the Southern Hemisphere. Our "Global South" colleagues were an angry lot. They were angry at us Americans for not curbing our addiction to fossil fuels. They were angry at us for not recognizing the scope of social and environmental consequences that have resulted from our lifestyle. A few of the significant problems include growing water scarcity, increased frequency of floods and droughts, higher levels of salinity, and heat waves.

Climate change was indeed a topic our group, America 2050, also discussed. Our organizers, the Regional Plan Association (RPA), divided us into working groups. One focused on national challenges and obstacles, as well as possible federal roles. Another organizing feature of RPA's ongoing America 2050 initiative is the impact of megaregions on economic and population growth. Ten of these metropolitan constellations are expected to receive 80 percent of the national growth by 2030.

The Texas Triangle is one of these megaregions, another is the Great Lakes. In Bellagio, we concentrated on three megaregions: the Great Lakes, Southern California, and the Piedmont. I chose to work on my home megaregion--the Great Lakes. The megaregion is also home to the three C's that are at heart of our climate change challenge: coal, cars, and corn.

The Great Lakes possesses many assets as well, including old wealthy foundations and well-established research universities. We suggest a federal partnership with regional foundations to significantly boost research on clean burning coal, more energy efficient automobiles, and alternative biofuels. We envisioned a Big 20 research consortium that would build on the Big 10 athletic alliance.

The Great Lakes megaregion also has, well, great lakes and numerous rivers. The megaregion is water rich and its water landscapes are popular for fishing, hunting, and boating. Again, federal partnerships with private, state, and local groups could yield many benefits. Ohio's Cuyahoga Valley National Park provides a useful example. The river, once infamous for catching on fire, is now the central feature for the third most visited national park in the system. This success resulted from the National Park Service working with foundations and businesses as well as state and local governments.

The other topics that we addressed at Bellagio included transportation, megaregion scenarios, social equity, research gaps, and communication strategies. My major contribution came in the areas of land development and preservation. With RPA President Bob Yaro, I wrote a white paper on a national framework for conservation, which we presented to our America 2050 group. We recommended a national landscape survey that would result in a network of preserves. The federal government would lead the survey, and the preserve network would be created by federal-state-local governments working with business, labor, and environmental organizations, foundations, and private citizens.

While in Bellagio, I learned about the passing of Mrs. Lyndon Baines Johnson. In 1965, Lady Bird Johnson convinced her husband to convene the White House Conference on Natural Beauty. That conference led to some 200 laws for environmental protection. The time is ripe for another White House Conference on the Environment.

RPA Executive Vice President Tom Wright wrote a parallel white paper on land development. At Bellagio, we formed a working group to balance conservation and development. We refined ideas about the national landscape survey and the network of preserves. We are recommending a National Framework for Conservation and Development to preserve vital landscapes and to create healthy and efficient communities. This framework would depend, in large part, on state growth plans. Such plans would identify appropriate areas for mixed use and compact communities and provide financial and regulatory incentives for implementation. The plans would help accomplish carbon reduction goals set nationwide.

—Fritz Steiner

Events

Check out the SOA Calendar at http://soa.utexas.edu/calendar.

EXHIBIT

June 11 through September 2007
Mebane Gallery
Goldsmith Hall

"Resilient Foundations:
The Gulf Coast after Katrina"

Following the successful showing at the 10th Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, September-November 2006, the exhibition, "Resilient Foundations: The Gulf Coast after Katrina," will now be shown here in our Mebane Gallery at the School of Architecture. Special thanks to Larry Doll for curating this exhibition.

The exhibition sets out the resilient foundations for the region's development. The term resilience refers to the ability for an urban area to rebound after disaster and arises from the disciplines of ecology and planning. In order to suggest responsible scenarios for the Gulf Coast, The University of Texas at Austin has gathered neither infallible science nor a singular answer, but rather the most reliable information about the region's natural hazards, important production areas, ecologically significant lands, and valuable cultural resources.

Ecological understanding can be advanced through mapping and design, but such generative prospects are part of a larger concept about people's interrelation with land and water. Katrina's lessons will reduce the loss of life and property only if we reduce the impact of that which nature will reclaim regardless of our permission. Marc Morial, former New Orleans mayor, notes that the challenge we face "is not only about rebuilding New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, it is about rebuilding a culture, a human system."

A symposium and design invitation, "counterMEASURES," will be held November 1-3 at the School, which will examine the role of design at the scale of architecture, landscape, and urbanism as a means of achieving resilience in the face of extreme environmental conditions. With a series of panels focusing on ecology, economy, and technology, the speakers will consider the possible future scenarios for the Crescent City.

Special thanks to:

Exhibition Underwriter
The Howard E. Rachofsky Foundation

Symposium Underwriters
Edward W. Rose III Family Fund of the Dallas Foundation
McCall Design Group
Andersson·Wise Architects
Urban Edge Developers, Ltd.
Boone Powell, FAIA
Gay Kokernot Ratliff
Dick Clark Architecture
Charles E. Lawrence
Laura Toups
Helen Thompson
Elizabeth Chu Richter, FAIA

GRADUATE PROGRAM IN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
OPEN HOUSE FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

Friday, September 28
Goldsmith Hall 2.308
Dean's Conference Room
10:00 a.m.

Registration Deadline: September 14, 2007
To register and view agenda: http://soa.utexas.edu/la/openhouse

EXHIBIT

Through October 2007
Architecture & Planning Library
Battle Hall

"Information, Technology, and the Public Library"

On display are drawings and models prepared by Professor Louise Harpman's advanced design studio (spring 2006) for the new Blanco Library in Blanco, Texas.

As part of the studio, the students presented their proposals in the typical school of architecture jury format at school, but also in a large "town hall" style meeting in Blanco. Local residents, planning officials, and journalists from Blanco, Johnson City, and San Antonio attended the session. The student projects were on display throughout the summer of 2006 at the Blanco Library and were also featured in the Blanco County News.

EXHIBIT

Through August 24
Visual Resources Collection
Sutton 3.128 (Monday-Friday, 8-5)

"Frozen Notes: the Photography of Frederick R. Steiner"

This exhibit features a selection of black and white photographs printed from 35mm Scala slides taken by the School of Architecture's Dean Frederick Steiner. Regarding his photographic pursuits, Dean Steiner says, "I seldom think about taking pictures, it is something I just do. Through my camera, I am an observer of the contemporary urban condition. Mostly, I take pictures of buildings and landscapes. I suppose my pictures might be viewed as abbreviated forms of architecture."

Dean Steiner is the Henry M. Rockwell Chair in Architecture, The University of Texas at Austin. During his tenure as a National Endowment for the Arts Prize Fellow in Rome in 1998, his love for photography was rekindled, and he has been photographing ever since.

FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP

Assistant Professor Elizabeth Mueller has been appointed Director of the School's Center for Sustainable Development. Mueller holds master's and doctor's degrees in City and Regional Planning from the University of California, Berkeley. She received a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service in international economics from Georgetown University.

Prior to joining UTSOA, Mueller held positions as an assistant professor of urban policy at the New School for Social Research and as a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Urban Policy Research at Rutgers University.

Her research focuses on state and local affordable housing policy and politics in Texas. Mueller teaches courses on the history of city planning, affordable housing policy, community development, urban politics, qualitative research methods, and research design.

"Liz brings an in-depth knowledge of key issues facing the world today including urbanization, the built environment, climate change, energy consumption, and social equity," said Dean Fritz Steiner. "These are issues our Center focuses on, and her expertise will help bolster the equity profile of the Center to augment our strengths in the built environment."

Mueller succeeds Kent Butler, who will continue to serve as Associate Dean for Research and Facilities.

Dean Fritz Steiner recently accepted an invitation to become a member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of Planning Education and Research (JPER). His term of membership begins immediately and will continue through June 2011.

As an Editorial Board member, Dean Steiner will review several papers per year, including one paper for the "Writing for Scholarly Publication" annual workshop, as well as participate in the fall ACSP conference and the spring APA meeting and assist JPER editors to strategize various policy and management issues facing the journal.

The School of Architecture recently presented its findings and recommendations for improvement of Wooldridge Square in a public "Issues and Eggs" forum hosted by the Downtown Austin Alliance. Associate Professor Louise Harpman and Assistant Professor Jason Sowell, with graduate research assistant Brett Koenig, worked closely with the Downtown Austin Alliance Parks Committee to examine the role of the historic downtown parks and the specific opportunities offered at Wooldridge Square. The study documented and affirmed the park's history as a premier performance and political venue and made a series of recommendations for enhancing the square. The full text of the Wooldridge Square Site Study [which includes 1) history and usage patterns, 2) ownership and operation, 3) systems and infrastructure, 4) programming, 5) precedents, and 6) recommendations] can be found on the DAA website at http://www.downtownaustin.com/living/recreation/ #parks.

Professional Residency Program Director Louise Harpman and Associate Director Dan Leary recently returned from visiting firms and students in London. Together they visited Foster + Partners, KPF London, Grimshaw Architects, Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Arup, and David Chipperfield Architects.

The Professional Residency Program provides upper-level architecture students with a unique opportunity to expand their education through actual experience in the architectural profession (http://soa.utexas.edu/resources/prp). The Program is completing its thirty-first year of continuous operation and, in the past ten years, has maintained active relationships with over 179 offices in 19 countries.

Dan Leary retires in August of this year, and our School owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to Dan for his work in establishing and stewarding this important program. Louise Harpman will continue as Director and Nichole Wiedemann will continue as Associate Director. Emily Scarfe is the new program coordinator.

The Tempchin House, originally designed in 1969 by Charles Moore with MLTW and featured in The Place of Houses, has recently been renovated by Atelier Hines Almy, the architectural firm of Associate Professor Dean Almy and his partner Kelly Hines. The extensive rebuilding and moderization of the house took 3 years and was featured in a Modern Homes Tour in June sponsored by the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. Also included were houses by Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer.

Thirteen students from the School of Architecture attended The Netherlands Summer Program led by Associate Professor Dean Almy. Students lived in housing provided by the University of Amsterdam and spent a month touring cities and architectural sites throughout the country--mostly by bicycle. The program coincided with the Netherlands Architecture Biennale held in Rotterdam. The class included Allison Baker, Erin Bernstein, Kerry Coyne, Catherine French, Sam Gelfand, Robyn Heeks, Erica Ko, Lauren Kohlhoff, Catherine Muller, Jane Puthaaroon, Julio Thomas, and Jordan Vann.

ALUMNI NEWS

ALUMNI UPDATES

David Rodriguez [B.Arch. '75] has joined the Dallas firm of Ware Architecture as Vice President, specializing in green, high performance sustainable design and LEED Consulting. He is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited professional. He is Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for the North Texas U.S. Green Building Council; in 2008 he will serve as Chairman.

Ivan Hernandez Quintela [B.Arch. '99] was selected as one of the winners of the Young Architects Forum 2007 by the Architectural League of New York. As part of the prize, Ivan gave a lecture at the Architectural League during May and an exhibition of his work is showing through July 30. For more information, visit http://www.archleague.org/ya/2007/.

James Dodson [B.Arch. '95] and his firm, Snøhetta, are currently working on a 3 million sq. ft. project that will be the gateway of a newly designed capital city for Ras Al-Khaimah, in the United Arab Emirates. Jim has been working on the project since returning to Oslo, Norway, after his semester as School of Architecture guest lecturer in the spring of 2006. Snøhetta will complete the schematic design phase in September, and a documentary about the project began airing last week on PBS. For more information on "The Sand Castle", or to watch the documentary online, visit http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/shows/uae/index.html.

ALUMNI CONNECTIONS

The School of Architecture is continuing its effort to find (and maintain) the most accurate contact information for all of our alumni. From young alumni receptions to 50-year reunions, and everything in between, we hope you will stay in touch. Would you like to mentor a student? Do you need to hire a fellow Longhorn? Looking for networking or continuing education opportunities? We can help, but we need to know how to reach you!

Alumni may update their records, contact preferences, and search for fellow graduates by logging on to the University's online alumni directory at http://www.texasexes.org/online/update_address.asp. Or, you may always contact Stephanie Palmer, Alumni Relations Director at stephanie.palmer@mail.utexas.edu or 512-471-0617.

Thanks for helping us improve our relationship with you. We look forward to hearing from you!

FRIENDS OF ARCHITECTURE

From Florence to Phoenix, from New Orleans to New York, Friends of Architecture has been opening the doors to some of the most exclusive and most renowned spaces the world has to offer. Now it's time to bring it home. We are preparing a tour in our own backyard, and we guarantee November 2 & 3 will be an unforgettable weekend filled with Austin's most impressive residential designs. This tour is going to sell out fast! Additional details will be announced soon, but why wait? Reserve your spot today at http://www.friendsofarchitecture.org/upcoming/.

SUPPORT UTSOA

In September 2005, the School of Architecture lost a treasured colleague and dear friend. Francisco Arumí-Noé, or "Paco" as he was well-known, passed away unexpectedly surrounded by good friends and colleagues.

Professor Arumí joined the School of Architecture in 1971 where he taught and conducted research in modeling the energy performance of buildings. A pioneer in this vital field, his work resulted in the development and use of the DEROB computer system for the simulation of passive solar heating and cooling of buildings and the integration of computer graphics with energy analysis of buildings, including the development of the MUSES software codes.

Paco's particular interests in daylighting and solar geometry were well ahead of their time. Never satisfied with intuitive "guesswork," he taught a critical generation of students (and his faculty colleagues as well) the importance of quantitive measures and testing to prove or disprove intuition about building performance.

In memory of Paco's commitment to this important work and the many lives he and his work have touched, we would like to invite you to contribute to the Francisco Arumí-Noé Memorial Fellowship in Sustainable Design. To date, we've raised $15,950 in generous contributions from alumni, faculty, and family members, and our goal for this fellowship is $50,000. Thank you to everyone who has contributed thus far; every gift gets us closer to making this a reality. This permanent endowment will perpetuate Paco's legacy by providing support to countless future generations of scholars committed to research and scholarship in the area of sustainable design.

If you are interested in supporting the Francisco Arumí-Noé Memorial Fellowship in Sustainable Design or other UTSOA programs, please contact Assistant Dean for Development Julie Hooper at jhooper@austin.utexas.edu or 512.471.6114.

Private support for the School of Architecture is a crucial component of our ability to recruit and retain the highest caliber faculty and students. It's easier than ever to support the School of Architecture and our many programs and centers. Please visit our secure online giving page at: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/nlogon/vip/ogp.WBX?menu=AT.

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 to tell us your story. Students, faculty, and staff may send updates to eNews editor Pamela Peters at p.peters@mail.utexas.edu. Alumni, please send your news and contact updates to Alumni Relations Director Stephanie Palmer at stephanie.palmer@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
utcsd@mail.utexas.edu, 512.475.8013

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

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

Director Friends of Architecture and Alumni Relations
Stephanie Palmer, stephanie.palmer@mail.utexas.edu, 512.471.0617

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

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

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

Director of Photography
Charlotte Pickett, c.pickett@mail.utexas.edu

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