Scheduled Events

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Sand Blast Headed for Galveston's East Beach

The upcoming Sandcastle Competition on East Beach in Galveston is predicted to attract some 35,000 visitors, including sponsors, participants, architects, engineers and students from all Texas architectural schools. The 11th annual competition will be held on May 31.

Chaired by Pam Vassallo, AIA, Ray Bailey Architects, Inc., the countdown work began on St. Patrick's Day when industry-related professionals received registration forms. On April 24th a lottery among the 65 registered teams determined prime team plot positions on the beach for the day of the competition.

One of the major event sponsors is A&E Products, represented by partner Pat Gremillion. Deloitte Touche will tally the competition votes. Last year's event raised $35,000 to benefit AIA/Houston's community outreach programs.

Take a look at some of the creations at last year's competition.

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Embracing Diversity: 1997 AIA/Houston Spring Home Tour

From a contemporary "barn" in West University to a River Oaks house with strong Craftsman influences, the 1997 AIA/Houston Spring Home Tour covers the best of cutting-edge design. The tour will be held Saturday, May 3, and Sunday, May 4. Hours each day are 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm.

The seven homes, located in central Houston represent both traditional and contemporary styles in remodeling projects and new home design. Homes on the tour include 6136 Kirby (Gordon Wittenberg, AIA); 3646 Locke Lane (Carrie Glassman Shoemake, AIA); 4409 Mount Vernon (Irving Phillips, FAIA); 3901 Arnold (Leslie Barry Davidson, AIA); 2919 Amherst (Gary Chandler, AIA); 3833 Oberlin (Curtis & Windham, Architects, AIA) and 1736 Milford (Marshall Porterfield, AIA).

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance from the chapter office or at any house the day of the tour. For more information, call the AIA/Houston office at 713/622-2081.

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AGC/AIA Golf Tournament

Join your friends and colleagues Monday, May 5, at the 2nd Annual AGC/AIA Golf Tournament at the Raveneaux Country Club in Spring. Registration is at 10:00 am, with a noon shotgun start and dinner at 5:30. The $95 per player entry fee includes championship golf, cart, gift package, range balls, box lunch and dinner. Players are automatically entered in a raffle to win a set of Tittleist DCI Irons. The tournament is limited to the first 250 paid golfers. (Dinner, only, is $25 for non-golfers.) Payment is due by April 30, 1997. For more information, call David Hemphill, 713/512-3380.

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Design Dialogue: The Baker Institute at Rice University

Wednesday, May 7, 1997
5-7 pm
The Baker Institute
Thomas Beeby, FAIA, architect
Rice University, Entrance 13 off Rice Boulevard
Parking in the Visitor Lot across Alumni Drive from the Rice Memorial Center
a level 2 continuing education program, 3 lu's

Join your colleagues for a presentation by Thomas Beeby, FAIA, a question and answer session, and tours of the building. Morris Architects is the Associate Architect for the project. The James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy is the second building in the University's current capital expansion program to be open for a tour by the AIA.

The Baker Institute building was designed with the Institute's mission in mind: bridging the world of action and ideas to integrate faculty, policy makers, students and scholars. The design features an interior forum surrounded by classrooms, exhibition space, an electronic library , administrative and faculty offices. The forum space is uninterrupted from the floor to the cupola on the roof. The floors of the building will overlook the forum.

Don't miss this opportunity to explore this interesting new space on the Rice campus. Call 622-6261 for reservations.

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1997 AIA Convention Focuses on Serving Client and Community

As clients seeks greater accountability and services, architects are embracing new challenges and opportunities to deliver a quality product. Changes in the way the profession does business will be the focus of The American Institute of Architects' National Convention and Expo97, to be held in New Orleans May 15 - 18.

Speakers at this year's convention will include 1997 Gold Medalist Richard Meier, FAIA; former governor of Maryland, mayor of Baltimore, and current Public Director for the AIA, the Honorable William Donald Schaefer, Hon. AIA; former mayor of Charlotte, now serving on the National Capitol Planning Commission, Harvey Gantt, FAIA; architect and former congressman, Dick Swett, AIA; and author and creator of the Whole Earth Catalog, Stewart Brand.

For more information on the AIA Convention, call the chapter office, 713/622-2081. Pre-registration is offered on the Web at www.aia.org/aiaexpo/. More than 10,000 attendees are expected.

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Seminars/Conferences

Society of Design Administration's 28th Annual Conference will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana May 14 - 17, 1997. The Society, an affiliate of the American Institute of Architects, provides educational and professional standards for design firm administrative personnel. This year's convention includes sessions on education, certification and the liability of using the Internet/E-Mail. For additional information, call Pat Polen, SDA/C, Convention Coordinator, at 757/229-1779.

The Rice Design Alliance (RDA) announces a lecture by French interior designer Andree Putman. Andree Putman is one of the world's leading interior designers, and her works include Morgans Hotel in New York and The Orchid Club in Kobe, Japan. The lecture is on Tuesday, May 6 in the Brown Auditorium at the Museum of Fine Arts. Admission is free.

The Rice Design Alliance (RDA), in collaboration with Lawndale Art & Performance Center, presents an exhibition, Houston Works, the work of local architects, landscape architects, planners, and designers. Houston Works consists of projects submitted by 72 Houston design professionals. Lawndale is located at 4912 Main Street in the Museum District. The exhibition is open to the public Monday through Friday, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm and Saturday from noon to 5:00 pm. through May 17.

The inaugural Synergy Awards Dinner is scheduled Thursday, May 8. Sponsored by the Citizens' Environmental Coalition, the event recognizes individuals and organizations who actively address the environmental challenges facing the Houston-Galveston region. The cost is $50 per person. Contact the CEC at 713/524-4232 to make reservations or for additional information.