Finally registered!

The best way to end a year is to look back and see the results of our hard work (and study).
I now want to look forward to new adventures, and if someone is thinking of starting the same endeavour I just finished, or keep working their way through the NCARB exams, here are some lessons learned I want to share.
You can read them on the AIA Pittsburgh online magazine eColumns.

Happy new year everybody!

Bea
- Finally Registered Architect

Architect Registration Exams: completed!

I am very happy to announce that I passed all seven divisions of the Architect Registration Exam (ARE), by NCARB. Once the paperwork is processed, I will be able to call myself an Architect! Before that, I am still an "Intern" - as Pennsylvania does not accept any other definition that sounds like "architect".

From the NCARB website:
" The ARE concentrates on those services that most affect the public health, safety, and welfare. The ARE has been developed with specific concern for its fidelity to the practice of architecture; that is, its content relates to the actual tasks an architect encounters in practice. This examination attempts to determine the candidate's qualifications not only to perform measurable tasks, but also to exercise the skills and judgment of a generalist working with numerous specialists. In short, the objective is to reflect the practice of architecture as an integrated whole. "

The seven divisions can be taken in any order. I passed the 4.0 version of the exam, but version 5.0 is already out, since few weeks. The following are the divisions I tested for, and passed:

• Construction Documents and Services
• Schematic Design
• Practice, Programming and Planning
• Building Systems
• Building Design and Construction Systems
• Structural Systems
• Site Planning

Below you will find a collection of the best Instagram posts from the past 20 months. That is the time it took me to live a very busy life, full of volunteering activities, work, AND intense study. I could have gone faster, but I opted for a solid study, slower in the making, but destined to last longer in my mind. Enjoy this video story: I always tried to cheer me up, despite the stress of testing and studying hard.

Now it is time to celebrate, and sleep way much more!

 

This is the basement of the Cathedral of Learning, where I started my path to licensure, gaining 3 credits in "English Composition", which were missing from my Italian scholastic curriculum. 

As an Italian graduate, I had to take an extra test, before starting the traditional path.

Little bit of Italian and Latin, in my American studies...

Sketching on Pittsburgh

Sketch to Structure: For the people

Re-posting this article I wrote on the AIAPGH eColumns magazine, on how buildings take shape. It is the review of an exhibition at the Heinz Architectural Center, back in March 2015. Read the full article here.

The process of architecture is not linear, with much back and forth happening before getting to the built product. Nevertheless, Curator Alyssum Skjeie was able to capture interesting architectural moments – and deliver them to the public – with the Heinz Architectural Center’s latest exhibit ‘Sketch to Structure,’ a collection of drawings, sketches, and architectural models that show how architects work. “The goal is to keep it broad and accessible,” Skjeie points out as we start the visit together…

Pittsburgh, now and then

Design Pittsburgh 2016 edition has just concluded, after a summer of volunteering and prepping, with a month full of events.  I have been on the committee for designing the space, also this year, and the theme was the past, present and future of Pittsburgh. I have produced two graphics that captured the iconic views of Pittsburgh, now and then.

Huge shout out to the Shaw Gallery and Kurt Shaw, for offering us the digital prints of the old images. See more maps and prints here, on their page Treasured Maps. 

The photos of Pittsburgh "now" are taken by me, between 2013 and 2014. 

Architects who run

I have been published once more, on the online magazine of the AIA Pittsburgh!
You can read why Architects should run - and what they can learn.
Read it here .

Below: photos from one of my favorite runs, along the Mononghaela River, between Downtown and the South Side.

Design Build Competition

On May 13th I was one of the participant to the Carpenters Design Build Competition, organized by the Carpenters Training Center or Pittsburgh.
It is a phenomenal occasion to show your talent as a young designer, and work with a young contractor (from the Master Builders Association of Western PA), and an apprentice from the school.
I have never had the opportunity of working in a team like this, and I learned a lot about construction. Great exercise, for future projects.

Our assignment, for each of the 6 teams, was to build a bench with sun shade system. We were given dimensions, budget, suggested materials and techniques. We had to come up with a design, feasibility study, budget, and construction schedule (considering the available 1 1/2 day, at the Training Center).

A little detail to spice up the competition: each team was assigned a State where the Carpenters are represented, and my Team got Maryland. We were asked to include a symbol of the State. We decided to go with... the Terrapin turtle.

Following are the drawings I developed, and the photos of my team in action, and the final result.
Every bench will be donated soon.

If you want to attend next year (2017 edition) contact the Carpenters Training Center around March-April. Contest will be around mid May.

Also: don't miss the hands-on evening classes that the Carpenters Training Center hosts around February and March. Great experience, on a variety of topics, and good training opportunity before the competition. All free! More info at dplutt@kmlcarpenters.org or yaf@aiapgh.org.

Below, professional photos from http://www.georgethomasmendel.com/