Episteme and Techne

Professor Judith Reno, professor of architecture and director of the urban design program, was featured in the January/February 2010 issue of Savannah Magazine focusing on twenty big ideas for the future of the city.

The Architecture Program is proud to announce that local Savannah urban design and architecture firm Sottile & Sottile has received a 2010 AIA National Honor Award for Urban Design for their design for the Civic Master Plan for Savannah’s East Riverfront.

Both firm principals, Amy Sottile and Christian Sottile are alumni of the SCAD Architecture Program, and Christian is an adjunct professor and frequent lecturer for architecture and urban design students. Additionally, Sottile & Sottle employ SCAD alums Craig Clements, also an adjunct professor of architecture, and Anthony Cissell.

Jury comments and news links:
AIA
Architecture Week

The awards will be conferred this June in Miami at the AIA National Convention.

The following information was written and forwarded by USGBC:

Event Details – USGBC Educational Event & Green Scene: SAVANNAH
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 (05:45 PM – 07:00 PM)
For more information contact:
Beth Ann Jackson
912-604-8923

Wild Wing Cafe in City Market, second floor
27 Barnard St
2nd Floor
Savannah, GA 31401
View Map

“Historic Preservation and Sustainability: Lessons from the Past”

Sarah Ward of the MPC will give free lecture at Feb. 23 meeting of U.S. Green Building Council Savannah Chapter

( SAVANNAH ) – Sarah Ward of the Metropolitan Planning Commission will discuss “Historic Preservation and Sustainability: Lessons from the Past” at the Feb. 23 meeting of the Savannah Chapter of the United States Green Building Council.

“There is a perception that historic preservation and green building practices are contradictory and cannot co-exist,” Ward said. “Historic and traditional building practices have proven to be our most sustainable buildings throughout time, meaning they were built to be long lasting and can be adapted for new uses.”

Ward will examine how historically, architects, builders and property owners all worked together to create high performance buildings. Preservation of our existing building stock is recycling and as such, these buildings are inherently ‘green,’ she explained.

The Feb. 23 meeting of the Savannah Chapter of the United States Green Building Council will be held from 5:45-7 p.m. on the second floor of Wild Wing Cafe in City Market. The meeting is free and open to the public, but RSVP by Feb. 19 at www.usgbcga.org.

The Savannah Chapter of the United States Green Building Council is dedicated to promoting sustainable design and green building throughout the Creative Coast . The group meets monthly on the fourth Tuesday of the month. The meetings are open to the public, and everyone is encouraged to attend. The USGBC-Savannah Chapter seeks to educate the public on the long-term benefits of green building and how sustainable design can be integrated or implemented into one’s life.
www.usgbcga.org

To all members and friends of AIA Savannah,

Yesterday we lost a great member of our architectural community. It is with great regret that I notify you of Ron Kolman’s passing. We all knew and loved Ron as a founder, leader, mentor, and friend. I truly believe that Jerry Lominak stated it best by saying, “I think Ron considered his fellow architects as his extended family”. I think we all feel the same about Ron.

Below is Ron’s obituary, as printed in the Savannah News Press this morning, including service times and locations.

On behalf of the Chapter, I send our deepest condolences to Ron’s family and co-workers. Ron will be greatly missed and always remembered.

Sincerely,

Patrick L. Phelps, AIA
President, AIA Savannah

Ronald Kolman FAIA – passed away quietly on Tuesday, December 1st.
He was born in Savannah on September 18, 1932 and was predeceased by his parents, Barney and Eileen Kolman. Mr. Kolman was an accomplished and highly respected architect and public servant. He graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1957 and returned to Savannah to establish practice here that lives on as Lominack Kolman Smith Architects.

Among his many achievements were his public service with MPC, Historic District Board of Review, Historic Savannah, Union Mission, many other civic organizations, as well as many city and county appointments. He was also a charter member of the Savannah Sport Fishing Club.

His service to his profession was unequaled. His professional achievements were many. He served as President of the South Georgia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects six times, received Bronze Medal (AIA Georgia), the Kolman Award (AIA Savannah), the Rothschild Award (AIA Georgia), and became a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects in 2001.

Mr. Kolman enjoyed traveling and exploring the country with his wife and friends. He loved woodworking and was a member of the Low Country Woodturners. He loved his family dearly, was an advocate for those in need, volunteered tirelessly to bring joy to others, and worked very hard to make Savannah a better place for all of us.

Mr. Kolman is survived by his wife of 57 years, Anne Lee Tyree Kolman, two daughters, Anne Kolman Smith (Edgar) and Karen Kolman Gwinner, his sisters Bette Kolman Perry (Edward) and Dolores Kolman Beacham (Franklin), grandchildren, Amy McKinney, Chris Gwinner, Ben Gwinner, Edgar Smith III, and Rosie Gwinner, two great-grandchildren and several neices and nephews.

Memorial Visitation: 5:00 – 7:00 P.M. Thursday at Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel. Memorial Service: 2:00 P.M. Friday at Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel.

The family requests that donations be sent to any charity of choice.
Please sign the on-line guest book at www.foxandweeks.com .

to the SCAD Department of Architecture’s
Urban Design Studios
Wednesday, October 8, 1:00-3:30p; River Club (downstairs)

The panel will provide information to the students regarding:

- what it takes to ‘deliver’ a design idea at the urban level
- ways to effect positive/constructive change in a city
- demonstration of working collectively, across municipal and private agencies
- the spectrum of scales that need to be addressed for any urban project
(infrastructure to human-scale factors and details)

The Panel

Overall message: Urban design cannot happen in a vacuum.
Presentations followed by moderated discussion and questions from the students.

ZONING – Tom Thomson and Charlotte Moore
Message: An understanding of Zoning is fundamental to any successful design process.
What is it? Why is it? How can it be changed? This presentation will provide a conceptual understanding of zoning and its process. Students will learn about online resources or references they can use as they begin their designs.

Case study – how a change of zoning was needed for a particular project and how will be presented, and why it succeeded or failed.

PUBLIC / PRIVATE FINANCE – Chris Morrill
Message: Municipalities must be partners in most large scale urban development projects.
How does one approach a municipality about an idea? What motivates local government to assist or partner in developments?

Case Study – News Place and Savannah River Landings

PUBLIC INPUT – Susan Broker
Message: Build a public input process into your plan from the beginning.
How has the public input process changed? How do you get meaningful input and buy-in from the public without negatively affecting the design process? Why should this process be built in from the very beginning?

Case Study – Project DeRenne

THE DESIGNER – Christian Sottile
Message: They aren’t kidding.
How do you utilize zoning to enhance a project.
How does a private / public partnership affect the design process.
How do you successfully use public input in design?