THE BAC STUDENT DEVELOPMENT BLOG

Spring 2012 Building Hours Schedule

2012-01-27T15:26:00.002-05:00

Spring 2012 Building Hours Schedule
1.23.12 - 5.22.12

320 Newbury Street
Mon-Thurs 8 am - 10:30 pm
Friday 8 am - 9 pm
Saturday 9 am - 5 pm
Sunday Noon - 7 pm

100 Mass Ave
Mon-Thurs 8:30 am - 10:30 pm
Friday 8:30 am -5 pm
Sunday Closed

951/955 Boylston Street
Mon-Thurs 8 am - 10:30 pm
Friday 8 am - 4 pm
Saturday and Sunday Closed

Spring 2012 Holidays - BAC Buildings Closed
Presidents' Day - Monday February 20, 2012
Easter - Sunday April 8, 2012
Patriots Day - Monday April 16, 2012
Memorial Day - Monday May 28, 2012

Please note: these hours are subject to change. For the most up-to-date building hours, click here.

Learning Resource Center Spring 2012 Schedule

2012-01-27T11:55:00.000-05:00

Writing Consultations (by appointment only)
Monday 3 – 9 pm
Tuesday 3 – 9 pm
Wednesday 3 – 9 pm
Thursday 2 – 8 pm
Friday 2 – 5 pm
*Other times available by appointment—contact us to check schedule*

Drop-In Math, Physics, Structures 1, 2 & 3
Monday 3 – 9 pm
Tuesday 2 – 9 pm
Wednesday 2 – 9 pm
Thursday 4 – 7 pm

Private, one-on-one tutoring can also be arranged for:
-Math
-Physics
-Structures
-AutoCAD 2D & 3D
-Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, Photoshop, InDesign, 3dMax
-Freehand, Orthogonal and Perspective Drawing
-More!

Please call 617-585-0174 or email writingcenter@the-bac.edu to inquire about availability. The Learning Resource Center is located on the First Floor of 320 Newbury Street.

Please note: this schedule is subject to change.

Blog Pick :: Ace Jet 170

2012-01-27T06:35:00.000-05:00

By Becky Anderson, Coordinator of Student Activities

Ace Jet 170 is the blog of Richard Weston, Senior Creative at hamillBosket, Creative Director at CWA, Agency Typographer at Chapter One Direct, and Typographic Designer at Hurlston Design from Belfast, Northern Ireland.

On Ace Jet 170, Weston curates various found type, paper ephemera, prints, stamps, book covers, and examples of gorgeous graphic design.

Dutch Obliques [Photo from Ace Jet 170]

Own Label [Photo from Ace Jet 170]

Fontsmith [Photo from Ace Jet 170]

Student Assistant Needed :: Join Our Team

2012-01-26T17:09:00.001-05:00

The Office of Student Development is looking for a highly motivated, detail oriented BAC student with strong organizational, graphic design, and written communication skills. The Student Assistant position is a temporary, part time, non-exempt position of up to 10 hours per week, providing support to the Student Development Office.

Responsibilities and Duties:
-Supports the Dean of Students, Director of Student Development, and Coordinator of Student Activities;
-Assists with maintaining and expanding upon the BAC Student Development Blog, BAC website, and BAC plasma screen as communication tools for the BAC student community;
-Conducts research, drafts written articles, and creates graphic content for BAC Student Development Blog and BAC plasma screen;
-Coordinates cataloging of student work for posting;
-Attends, photographs, and documents events for posting;

-Assists with administrative tasks;
-Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:
1. Current BAC degree student in good academic standing
2. Experience with customer service and BAC community
3. Working knowledge of technology related to blogs, websites, and multimedia displays
4. Highly organized, detail oriented, and reliable
5. Strong time management, communication (visual + written), and problem-solving skills

6. Interest in promoting student life required
7. Available to work some evenings and occasional weekends

Interested students should send resume, cover letter, and writing sample to Kara Peet, Director of Student Development, ASAP.

Sasaki Internship 2012

2012-01-26T16:09:00.000-05:00

Sasaki is an interdisciplinary design firm seeking students to participate in a paid summer intern program at our Boston office for 10 weeks beginning Monday June 4, 2012 and ending Friday August 10, 2012.

Participate in interdisciplinary design charrettes exploring design at various scales. Work with Sasaki project teams on current projects.

Exposure to related disciplines: Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Planning and Urban Design, Civil Engineering, and Graphic Design.

Submittals are due March 9, 2012 and interviews will occur during the week of April 9, 2012. Notification of acceptance will be made by April 27, 2012.

All applicants must submit a package including the following:
-Work samples ( 8.5” x 11” black & white or color, 10 page maximum, hard copy only)
-Resume
-One page explanation of goals and expectations for the Summer Intern Program
-One faculty letter of recommendation

Submit to: Human Resources, Sasaki Associates, Inc., 64 Pleasant Street, Watertown, MA 02472

For more information, click here.

Paris Program Summer 2012 Info Session

2012-01-26T15:32:00.000-05:00

Saint Eustache Cathedral, Paris

Paris Program Summer 2012 Info Session
Wednesday February 8, 2012 from 6-7 pm
100 Mass Ave, Room M400

Come find out more about this summer's BAC study abroad in Paris. This year's program will depart Sunday, July 8, 2012 and return Monday August 6, 2012.

Students will take 4.5-6 credits of individualized work including studios, design workshops, visual studies, history and humanities electives. The emphasis will be on the use and development of student sketchbooks.

If you can't make it to this info session, or want more information, email Richard Griswold.

Atelier :: Representative Nominations Wanted

2012-01-25T14:33:00.004-05:00

Atelier, YOUR Student Government, currently has two open Representative positions on the board. They are soliciting nominations

Nominations are being taken to fill both positions for the Spring 2012 semester. Please note: these two Representative positions are only for spring 2012.

Atelier's mission is to foster communication between the BAC administration and the student body, to emphasize and promote professional and social aspects of student activities on and off campus, and to foster fellowship, cooperation, and unity between and among BAC students and organizations.

Atelier is one of the best ways to get involved in the school's happenings, connect with other students, and learn the inner workings of the school and of your education. To learn more about Atelier, click here.

Representative Role
-Representatives shall be elected to represent the student body as a whole.
-Representatives are appointed as committee chairpersons by the Vice President; Representative are not limited to how many committees they can chair or how many they may belong to.
-As a Committee Chairperson, the duties of a Representative include organizing student interest, maintaining a list of members in their respective committee as well as organizing events/fundraisers to better establish your committee in the community.
-Representatives may also be assigned additional responsibilities by vote of the Executive Board.
-Representatives shall attend each regular meeting of Atelier.

Stipulations of Running for Atelier Representative
1. Have been enrolled full-time in degree programs at the BAC for a minimum of two consecutive semesters
2. Be in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better at the time they run for office and must remain in good standing throughout their term.
3. Not be an officer of another recognized student organization on campus by the first day of the semester when term begins.

Please nominate yourself or someone you know, who would like to be a student representative on Atelier.

To nominate, email atelier@the-bac.edu by Wednesday February 8, 2012 with the person’s name, contact information, and a small paragraph describing why they would be a great Atelier Representative.

First Friday :: February 3, 2012

2012-01-25T14:19:00.000-05:00

First Friday :: February 2012
Friday, February 3 at 6:30 pm
The Loft, 320 Newbury Street
Charley's, 284 Newbury Street, Boston (map)

All BAC students are welcome to join us in The Loft at 320 Newbury Street (2nd Floor) to meet our student organizations, and then join us downstairs at Charley's for FREE appetizers! Come reconnect with current students and meet new students. All ages welcome. Hosted and sponsored by Atelier.

Materials Library :: Spring 2012 Hours

2012-01-25T13:54:00.000-05:00

The Materials Library is located on the 5th floor of 100 Mass Ave, and is open to all BAC students to utilize. They have a LARGE supply of fabrics, glass, tile, flooring, carpet, paint chips, magazines and books galore! The sign out period for materials is 2 weeks.

Materials Library Hours:
Tuesdays from 5:30 - 10:00 pm
Thursdays from 5:30 - 10:00 pm

Due to a lack of space, the Materials Library no longer keeps furniture and lighting books, but students can sample imagery from online links found here.

Erin Sprentall | Materials Librarian
617.585.0132 | materials.library@the-bac.edu

BAC Library Hours :: Spring 2012 Semester

2012-01-25T13:37:00.000-05:00

BAC Library Hours :: Spring 2012 Semester

Monday - Thursday
10:00 am - 10:00 pm

Friday - Saturday
10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Sunday
12:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Please note: these are the regular hours for the BAC Library. These hours are subject to change due to weather, holidays, midterms, final exams, etc.

For more information on Library hours, click here.

Shepley Bulfinch Summer Design Fellowship

2012-01-25T13:12:00.000-05:00

Shepley Bulfinch is now accepting applications for its annual Summer Design Fellowship in the firm's Boston office.

Fellows gain valuable, hands-on experience in our open studio environment working on a range of projects in the early conceptual phases. You may choose to take the Fellowship during any continuous ten-week period between June and August 2012.

Are you eligible? The Fellowship is available to all students who are, at date of submission, enrolled in an NAAB-accredited B.Arch. or M.Arch. degree program. You must be a US citizen or have a valid work permit at the time of application.

The Fellowship has a $7000 stipend, with a $3000 honorarium on its successful completion. The submission deadline for the 2012 Fellowship is 5:00 pm EST on Friday, February 24.

For more information on this fellowship program, click here.

Sir John Soane's Museum Foundation Traveling Fellowship Program

2012-01-25T13:05:00.000-05:00

Sir John Soane's Museum Foundation
Traveling Fellowship Program
$5,000 Traveling Fellowships
Two awards presented annually
Deadline for submission: March 1

The purpose of the Sir John Soane's Museum Foundation Traveling Fellowship is to enable students in graduate degree programs in the history of art, architecture, interior design, and the decorative arts to travel to London to pursue research projects related to any aspect of the work of Sir John Soane or Sir John Soane's Museum and its collections.

Annually, the Foundation entertains and reviews proposals from qualified candidates from universities and institutions around the world. Two awards will be presented starting in 2012 - one for a student of architecture and the second open to all candidates. Recipients are selected by Soane Foundation Fellowship Advisory Committee.

The Traveling Fellowship was established to support research in art, architecture and the decorative arts, in the Soanean tradition, in accordance with Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation’s mission to foster the knowledge and appreciation of art and architecture in the United States and abroad.

For more information, click here.

Golf Club Interest Meeting

2012-01-25T12:15:00.004-05:00

Golf Club Interest Meeting
Friday February 10, 2012 from 6-7 pm
Fishbowl, 1st Floor Meeting Room, 320 Newbury St

Golfers of any skill level - from beginners to scratch golfers - are welcome to attend this meeting to get the BAC Golf Club back in action! All BAC students are invited to join the Golf Club.

We will discuss possible playing times/days, and local courses we would like to play.

Check out the Golf Club on Facebook here. Can't make the meeting but still want to get involved? Email GolfClub@the-bac.edu!

SASLA Meeting

2012-01-25T11:57:00.000-05:00

SASLA Meeting
Monday January 30th, 2012 at 7 pm
320 Newbury Street, Room 501 (5th Floor)

SASLA is the BAC's Student chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. SASLA is on campus to advance the understanding of landscape architecture here at the BAC and abroad, and provide opportunites for growth to the BAC LA students.

If you have any cool parks or places you want to go, interesting landscape architects you want to hear from, or an event you'd like to check out, lets see if we can make it happen!

This is the time to get involved in your student landscape organization; SASLA - Students of the American Society of Landscape Architects. We've got some good ideas already in the works, so it's at this time we'd like to share them with you, get your feedback and maybe there's something else you'd like to know or do.

If you'd like to voice any opinions and get involved, come to our meeting! There will be free snacks for attendees.

We also can be found on Facebook here.

Spring 2012 :: End of Drop Period

2012-01-25T11:35:00.000-05:00

Friday February 3rd, 2012 is the End of Drop Period.

Courses dropped during these periods do not appear on transcripts. All concurrent degree students taking above 10.0 academic credits are subject to additional tuition, as are all degree students enrolled in the Academic Only Program who register above 18.00 academic credits.

Carrying less than 6.0 academic credits changes a student's status to less than half-time and requires consultation with both the Bursar's Office and the Registrar's Office.

Warning: Students who receive financial aid or who have loan deferments must contact the Financial Aid Office before changing their enrollment status to assess the consequences of less than half-time status.

For more info on how to drop a course, click here.

Spring 2012 :: End of Add Period

2012-01-25T11:28:00.002-05:00

Friday January 27th, 2012 is the End of Add Period.

There are two Add/Drop periods, one during the first two weeks of the semester, and the second during the first two weeks of the second-half of the term.

During this time, students may amend their schedule by completing the Add/Drop form at the Registrar's Office. Adds may only take place during the first week of Add/Drop periods, while Drops may occur during both weeks.

Courses dropped during these periods do not appear on transcripts. All concurrent degree students taking above 10.0 academic credits are subject to additional tuition, as are all degree students enrolled in the Academic Only Program who register above 18.00 academic credits.

Carrying less than 6.0 academic credits changes a student's status to less than half-time and requires consultation with both the Bursar's Office and the Registrar's Office.

Warning: Students who receive financial aid or who have loan deferments must contact the Financial Aid Office before changing their enrollment status to assess the consequences of less than half-time status.

For more information, click here.

Learning Resource Center (LRC)

2012-01-25T11:20:00.000-05:00

Spring 2012 semester hours will be posted soon!

The BAC Writing and Learning Resource Center (LRC) provides a variety of academic support services for all students. Tutors are fellow students, alumni, or specially hired professionals knowledgeable in their relevant subject matter. All services at the LRC are free for BAC students.

Their office is located on the first floor of the 320 Newbury St building, and can be reached at 617-585-0174, or by emailing writingcenter@the-bac.edu, or learningcenter@the-bac.edu.

The LRC offers two types of tutoring:

Drop-In
No appointment is necessary for drop-in tutoring. You simply show up at the designated time and place. Due to the nature of this type of tutoring, if there is excess demand in a given week, tutoring may have to take place in small groups or in individual sessions capped at 15-20 minutes.

By Appointment
If you want more in-depth assistance than you feel you can get out of drop-in tutoring, individual sessions are also available. You will be given the contact information for a BAC tutor, and then it is your responsibility to contact this person and set up meeting times.

Please keep in mind that tutor times can be limited. Tutors are meant to be a resource, but are not "on call." If you need help in any class, please contact the LRC at 617-585-0174.

Library Databases Now Available on Smart Phones

2012-01-25T11:09:00.001-05:00

Can I use library databases on my smart phone?

Yes, you can! The BAC Library now has mobile links to two of our most popular databases for research.

Avery Index Mobile and Art Full Text Mobile are available at
http://www.the-bac.edu/resources/library/research/databases-and-indexes

Lichens are Everywhere!

2012-01-25T06:38:00.000-05:00

Lichens are Everywhere!
Saturday, February 11, 2012 from 1-3 pm
Maynard Ecology Center, basement of Neville Place
650 Concord Avenue, Cambridge MA
Register by E-mail

Elizabeth Kneiper, a naturalist with a special interest in lichens, will introduce us to the characteristics and biology of the plant worlds' most interesting composite organisms - lichens.

Most people hardly notice them, although they grow on most moist surfaces and give character to rocks and old trees. We will study a variety of common, local lichens, using photos and specimens. This program will be held indoors.

This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Fresh Pond Reservation.

Competition :: Urban Intervention

2012-01-24T12:39:00.003-05:00

Competition :: Urban Intervention
http://thenextfifty.org/urbanintervention
Register by Friday, January 27, 2012
Submit by Friday, February 10, 2012

Urban Intervention invites designers to conceive a fresh vision of environmental, social, and economic opportunities on and beyond a 9-acre site at the heart of Seattle Center. How must public space perform in the coming century? Can we generate ideas today that will inform a new generation of cultural centers and public places?

The competition seeks complex, multidisciplinary design responses from a broad spectrum of innovative designers and is intended to inspire more broadly applicable solutions for major urban sites around the world, as well as contribute to a global dialogue about public space.

The competition has two phases: in the first phase, up to three finalist teams will be chosen to receive $30,000 each to fully develop their ideas. In the second phase, a Grand Prize Winner will be chosen for an additional cash prize of $30,000. Up to seven projects will be recognized with commendations or merit awards.

For submission guidelines and deadlines, visit http://thenextfifty.org/urbanintervention.

Competition :: GLOW by SHIFTBoston

2012-01-24T12:00:00.019-05:00

Competition :: GLOW by SHIFTBoston
http://shiftboston.org/competitions/2012glow.php
Submit by February 3, 2012

SHIFTBoston, in association with LightBoston and the Friends of Copley Square, are asking artists, architects, urban planners, sculptors, lighting designers, and landscape architects around the world to create a NEW approach for lighting Copley Square. We want to make Copley one of the greatest squares in the world using LIGHT.

Consider the circulation in and programming of the square and envision a new lighting concept which might PLAY against or build upon each. Proposals could incorporate any of the following features: recessed lighting, light-play on steam and/or water, freestanding and sculptural lighting, digital imagery, moving light, colored light, new landscape features including paving patterns, vegetation, existing facade light washing. State of the art, high efficiency, illumination technology with use of alternative energy sources is desirable.

For submission guidelines and deadlines, visit http://shiftboston.org/competitions/2012glow.php.

Asian/Asian-American Designers Forum

2012-01-24T08:33:00.000-05:00

Asian/Asian-American Designers Forum
Saturday January 28, 2012 from 11 am - 1 pm
Hai La Moon, 88 Beach Street Boston
RSVP by January 26.

Do you enjoy Asian design or want to learn more about it? You need not be an Asian or Asian-American designer to participate in the BSA's BSA's Asian/Asian-American Designers Forum workshops, building tours and social outings.

Join the Asian/Asian-American Designers Forum for a celebration of the lunar new year! Friends and families are welcome.

Animal Tracks and Signs

2012-01-24T06:33:00.000-05:00

Animal Tracks and Signs
Saturday February 4 2012 from 1-3 pm
Maynard Ecology Center, basement of Neville Place
650 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
Register by E-mail

Many wild animals that we think of as living only in remote wilderness have, in recent years, filtered into urban settings and are using parks like Fresh Pond as hunting grounds and refuges.

Although these animals, hiding in the night or in foliage, are seldom seen directly, their presence can be detected by the tracks and signs they leave behind.

Tracker David Brown leads a program using slides and plaster casts to familiarize you with some of this evidence so that you can go out and look for yourself.

If the conditions are good, we will also go outside to look for prints, so please dress accordingly. You must register for this program.

Blog Contest :: Win a BAC TShirt

2012-01-23T15:30:00.000-05:00

WELCOME BACK BAC STUDENTS! We missed you!

What we want to know is, what did you do with your design education on your winter break?

Email your answers (and photos if you have them) to Becky Anderson by Friday January 27th at 5 pm. The first 10 people will win BAC t-shirts!

Urban Agriculture Kick-Off and Visioning Meeting

2012-01-23T15:29:00.000-05:00

Urban Agriculture Kick-Off and Visioning Meeting
Monday January 12, 2012 from 6-8:30 pm
Suffolk University, 73 Tremont St, 9th Floor, Downtown Boston
RSVP by January 27 to john.read.BrA@cityofboston.gov

Hear a keynote by Will Allen, founder and CEO of Growing Power Inc., former pro athlete, and 2008 McArthur Foundation "Genius Grant" recipient for his work on urban farming and sustainable food production. Find out how zoning can support farming and brainstorm the future of agriculture in Boston!

Mayor Thomas M. Menino, the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA), and the Mayor’s Office of Food Initiatives are launching a new project to update the Boston Zoning Code to support Urban Agriculture (UA) city wide. UA is small scale farming that makes healthy, fresh food more accessible and empowers Bostonians by creating economic opportunity.

Please note: Maximum capacity is 150 persons. You must bring some form of ID. (Drivers license, credit card) to clear building security; or, send your full name by January 27 to john.read.BrA@cityofboston.gov

Loft Art :: 2011 IIDA New England Fashion Show

2012-01-23T13:55:00.001-05:00

Photo by Mikkel Stromstad

Check out an exhibition of the BAC entry to the 2011 IIDA New England Fashion Show currently in the Loft.

The BAC Interior Design Society would again like to thank everyone who was involved, and is looking forward to this year's show.

If you have any questions about the IIDA Fashion Show, the BAC Interior Design Society, or how you can get involved, please email bac.id@the-bac.edu.

Disability Accommodations at the BAC

2012-01-23T11:53:00.001-05:00

The BAC is committed to providing an accessible and supportive learning environment for students with disabilities. The Director of Academic Services works with students, faculty, and staff to determine appropriate accommodations that will ensure students receive an equal opportunity for academic success.

To request an accommodation, contact Joshua White at 617.585.0274 or via email at joshua.white@the-bac.edu.

Disability Accommodations
All students seeking accommodations must complete a Learning and Physical Disability Notification Form prior to receiving any accommodations. A copy of form can be received by contacting Joshua White, Director of Academic Services at joshua.white@the-bac.edu.

The information that is provided on this form is confidential and will be used to determine appropriate student accommodations. Recent documentation of a student disability (within three years) must be submitted upon request. In order to make sure requests are received and acted upon in a timely manner, the student should contact the Director of Academic Services as soon as possible upon admission to the BAC. Waiting until the first days or weeks of classes may unnecessarily delay any accommodations the student might expect.

Once admitted to the BAC, all academic services are available to students with disabilities. The student must understand, however, that academic standards at the BAC are rigorous. By taking advantage of appropriate services and by means of individual effort, it is assumed that academic progress will be made. In addition, the student must understand that these conditions sometimes meet with a lack of understanding. The student and the Director of Academic Services should maintain open communication with the appropriate faculty and/or Program Directors to ensure academic integrity as well as reasonable expectations.

Accommodations that are determined to have a negative impact on the academic integrity of the educational program (e.g. those that would fundamentally alter the program of study) will not be honored.

The BAC Process
1. All students seeking accommodation must contact the Director of Academic Services and complete a Learning and Physical Disability Notification Form prior to receiving any accommodations. The form can be found by contacting Joshua White, Director of Academic Services at joshua.white@the-bac.edu.
2.Students must submit recent documentation (within three years) of their disability.
3. Students will meet with the Director of Academic Services to review the information provided on the Learning and Physical Disability Notification Form.
4. Reasonable accommodations will be provided based on the information and documentation made available to the BAC.

BSA Sketchup Bootcamp

2012-01-23T10:30:00.000-05:00

BSA SketchUp Bootcamp
Tuesday January 24, 2012 from 6 - 8 pm
290 Congress Street, Boston
RSVP by January 23 here

Questions about SketchUp? The Boston Society of Architects will help you find the answers and boost your proficiency with an expert at SketchUp bootcamp on January 24 at 6 pm at the new BSA Space (290 Congress Street, Boston).

Topics in this session will include arranging plans, sections and elevations for efficient modeling; how to start a house design from CAD drawings; and best practices for using layers to organize building elements.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) Roundtable

2012-01-23T10:26:00.000-05:00

Building Information Modeling (BIM) Roundtable
Tuesday January 24, 2012 from 9 - 10:30 am
BSA Space, 290 Congress Street, Boston
RSVP by 1.23

BIM has helped in the early phase of design through collaboration of design team members, early decision-making and by streamlining the construction documentation process. It also has improved construction through more accurate MEP coordination and reviewing project costs and schedules.

It is clear how BIM has helped in design and construction, but how can it help in facilities management? Join the BIM Roundtable on January 24 at 9 am at BSA Space (290 Congress Street, MA) to explore how to leverage BIM in facilities management.

This roundtable is hosted by the Boston Society of Architects.

Women In the Dirt + A Girl is a Fellow Here

2012-01-23T10:15:00.003-05:00

Women In the Dirt + A Girl is a Fellow Here
Wednesday February 1, 2012 at 6 pm
BSA Headquarters, 290 Congress Street, Boston
Free with pre-registration!

Showing of the newly released film "Women in the Dirt" about the ground breaking work of seven landscape architects, plus a short companion film,"A Girl is a Fellow Here--100 Women in the Studio of Frank Lloyd Wright."

Refreshments will be served. There is no fee for this program, but preregistration is requested. Please click here to sign-up.

This event is a joint venture by BSLA and BSA Women in Design.

BSLA 2012 Award Submittal :: Student Work Award

2012-01-23T10:08:00.000-05:00

The BSLA seeks to recognize excellence in the diverse practices of our members. To that end, all members are encouraged to submit their best work for review by the program jury.

Projects should reflect the careful stewardship, wise planning, and artful design of our cultural and natural environment, demonstrate excellence and merit recognition in one or more of the following areas:
-Exemplary Social, Cultural, Educational, or Environmental Significance
-Outstanding Quality, Craftsmanship, Creativity, or Artistry
-Unique and Innovative Technologies, Techniques, or Concepts
-Advancement of the Public’s Awareness and Perception of the Field of Landscape Architecture

Landscape Architectural Student Work Category:

The Landscape Architectural Student Work category recognizes academic achievements by students performed in an educational framework as part of coursework or internships credited toward a degree in Landscape Architecture, Regional Planning, or Urban Design.

Submitted projects may be site-specific design projects, master planning, regional planning, environmental planning, conservation, or historic preservation planning cultural landscape reports, landscape architectural communications, research into innovative techniques, technologies, history, or theory, or other academic projects related to the field of landscape architecture.

The 2012 Award Season is beginning! To submit a project for consideration to the 2012 BSLA Annual Awards Program, submit the following electronic Entry Form (Project and Team Data) by 3 pm on Friday, February 10, 2012.

BAC ID Cards

2012-01-21T06:43:00.000-05:00

The BAC Library will be making IDs for current students, faculty, and staff for the next two weeks Monday - Friday (Jan 23 – Feb 3).

Students, your first ID is free, replacements are $10 (cash only).

Online Courses :: Onsite M.Arch Students Only

2012-01-20T15:29:00.000-05:00

Photo by Michael Wolfson

*These courses might not have previously shown up in Self Service, but the error is now fixed.* The course sections are: TM7120_Z1_Structures 1 (N. Roy) and HT7210_Z1_History of Arch and Design B (S. Deily-Swearingen).

Two courses that are required in the M.Arch curriculum are being offered in an online format this spring 2012: TM7320/Structures I and HT7120/History of Architecture and Design B.

The courses are open to onsite track and distance track Master of Architecture students only. Enrollment will be limited. The courses will cover the same material as onsite courses with the same title/course number, and will satisfy curriculum requirements for those courses.

The courses will be taught by experienced BAC faculty who also teach in the onsite track program. Students are invited to consider these courses when registering for the Spring 2012 semester.

Important Note: Success in an online course generally demands a high degree of discipline and organization, and a commitment to keep up with assignments and post work consistently every week. Many students will find an online course to be more demanding and challenging than a live course!

Atypical Alliance :: Berklee Collaboration

2012-01-20T12:51:00.001-05:00

Atypical's Alliance is a group of Berklee students dedicated to creating a sense of community among students who are 30+. They have started regular meetings at Berklee and would welcome students from the other ProArts schools.

If you are interested in learning more about Atypical Alliance, please contact either Ross Bresler or Joanna Katzen.

Blog Pick :: Life of an Architect

2012-01-20T09:00:00.035-05:00

By Austin Pike, Bachelor of Architecture Candidate

Life of an Architect covers the mind and life of a registered architect with honesty and humor. It is authored by Bob Borson, a previous recipient of the Dallas Chapter American Institute of Architects “Young Architect of the Year” award. The blog has had over a million visitors, ranging from architecture students to professionals, with posts covering everything from writing your signature to photo-taking, and from what people's work desk looks like to your favorite colors.

In How to Write Your Signature, Bob humorously speculates what certain features of famous architects' signatures mean about them. With the signature of Renzo Piano, he describes the two dots at the end of his signature as a "homage to Egyptian hieroglyphics... the God of Chaos - an ironic nod towards the buildings he creates which are notable for their clarity and serenity."

Instagram has become a wildly popular way to share photos. In Documenting with Photos, Bob beautifully captures some important moments on the job site. The photo above started out as a normal shot of some builders on the roof, but transformed into one with emotion after zooming in, increasing contrast and desaturation.

With what I've chosen so far I don't want you to think him or I live in black and white... so here comes the color and chaos of an architect's desk. Even though I think best with a clear workspace and everything around me organized into place, I do need the occasional picture, painting or quote to remind me of where I am. Bob believes that the culture of a business can be partially told through looking at the work environment, does that apply to you?

Also, have you ever thought of your favorite color? I used to think I had one, but I now work better with palettes that give my projects variety. This is one of a few conversations Bob has with his 7-year-old daughter who often given him perspective. He concludes with his "Theory of Naturals"; an easy analogy would be to say that everything should be a square until it shouldn’t be. To conclude, Kuler is a great place to start building your own palette of colors.

Lunch & Learn :: Institute for Human Centered Design

2012-01-18T14:10:00.002-05:00

Lives Worth Living, a film by Eric Neudel

Lunch & Learn :: Institute for Human Centered Design
Wednesday, January 25 at 12pm
200 Portland Street, Boston, MA
Register to Eliza Kaye

Lives Worth Living will be presented, a documentary film by Eric Neudel, which traces the pioneers of the disability rights community who secured equal civil rights for all people with disabilities.

This film is an oral history and is illustrated through the use of rare archival footage. The story features Fred Fay, who suffered a spinal cord injury at age 17 in 1961, and fought tirelessly for decades for equal rights, access, and opportunity for the disabled, including advocating for programs allowing the disabled to live independently. Also featured is Ed Roberts, who founded the independent living movement in Berkeley and is also considered a father of the disability rights movement.

The film screening will be followed by a conversation featuring Brian Charlson, Director of Computer Training Services, Carroll Center for the Blind; Bill Lichtenstein, President, Lichtenstein Creative Media; and Karen Schneiderman, Senior Advocacy Specialist, Boston Center for Independent Living.

This event is free and open to the public. Please register soon as space is limited. Lunch will be sponsored by Broadway Gourmet.

Competition :: Pruitt Igoe Now

2012-01-17T16:50:00.027-05:00

Pruitt-Igoe Now: The Unmentioned Modern Landscape

Today the site of the Pruitt-Igoe housing project is an overgrown brownfield forest marking modern architecture’s most contested moment and St. Louis’ urban renewal trauma.

As the legacy of Pruitt-Igoe is critically examined again, the site itself beckons. Can this site itself be liberated from a turbulent and mythologized past through re-imagination and community engagement?

Entries due online by Friday March 16, 2012 at 6 pm.
Click here for more information.

Pruitt-Igoe in the city context

Distance C-1 and C-2 Studio Reviews

2012-01-17T14:08:00.000-05:00

Photo by Michael Wolfson

Distance C-1 and C-2 Studio Reviews
Saturday January 21, 2012 from 1-5 pm
2nd and 3rd floor studios, 951 Boylston

Distance students in the first and second semesters of the program will present preliminary building designs which will be developed online after they return home from the Intensive week.

Guests are welcome, feel free to drop in, contact Tom Parks for details.

Distance Students :: Thesis Reviews

2012-01-17T14:06:00.000-05:00

Photo by Michael Wolfson

Thesis Reviews

Wednesday January 18, 2012 from 5-9 pm
5th floor studios at 320 Newbury Street

Distance Students in Thesis 1 will present in-progress work derived from their thesis proposals and the concepts, processes, and propositions that they will investigate and develop over the next semester and a half.

Guests are welcome, feel free to drop in, contact Mike Wolfson for details.

Martin Luther King Day Breakfast Recap

2012-01-17T10:52:00.000-05:00

Martin Luther King Day Breakfast Recap
by Christopher McIntosh, Vice President, BAC NOMAS Candidate

In honor of Martin Luther King Day this past Monday, members of BACNOMAS braved the sub-freezing morning temperatures to attend the 42nd Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. This is the longest running King memorial breakfast in the country, and was attended by a large number of dignitaries and people of influence in the community. These included Governor Deval Patrick, Mayor Thomas Menino, Senators Sonia Chang-Diaz and Scott Brown, Attorney General Martha Coakley, as well as numerous other high-ranking officials and representatives.

If you didn’t know, Dr. King has deep ties to the city of Boston. In 1951, Dr. King came to Boston to study at the Boston University School of Theology as a graduate student. He gave his first sermon at Twelfth Baptist Church in Roxbury, where he honed his skills as a young preacher. It was here, in Boston, that Dr. King focused on his calling to serve in any way possible; a message that was highly relevant in the turbulent times he lived in, and a message that continues to reverberate today.

As breakfast was served, the speakers mentioned above all gave messages with a theme of service to our community as a whole. Governor Patrick spoke to those in attendance, saying, “All of us are doing something, but we all can do more.” He also echoed Dr. King’s words that, “We do not have to be great to serve. All we need is to have a heart full of grace and a soul dedicated to love.” Keynote speaker Dr. Walter Fluker, the Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Ethical Leadership at the BU School of Theology, challenged us to continue to work, dream, and stay vigilant, just as Dr. King would. We have to work toward a better future, or generations ahead of us will pay for our lack of effort.

Dr. Fluker also spoke on the design of the recently completed MLK Memorial in Washington D.C., and its subtly ironic positioning on the National Mall between the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials. Here, Dr. King was caught between serving the needs of a capitalist minority, where the rich are getting richer, and the needs of a newly emancipated, yet oppressed majority. Parallels of Dr. King’s work were drawn to today’s Occupy movement, where the “99%” are forcefully challenging the rules of an economy that isn't working for everyone, as Dr. King did in the 1950s and 60s throughout the Civil Rights Movement.

I found myself thinking about what Dr. King’s message would mean to those of us in the design field. I believe he would call on architects, constructors, planners, and designers, to think with a sense of equity for all users of space. He would want us to work together and use our gifts to serve the greater good by providing healthier, stronger, and more unified spaces in the built environment. He would want us to continue to dream and work to improve our communities, despite the long hours, little compensation, and tough road ahead of us.

I believe I can speak for all of us who attended, that we left feeling refreshed and inspired to keep dreaming and working toward a better future. We can honor Dr. King’s life and message today and every day, by serving our communities in whatever ways we can, big or small. We should keep reaching for our goals, and continue to “dare to dream a new dream,” just as Dr. King would want us to.

Competition :: Fortified: Keeping a Lid on It!

2012-01-17T06:49:00.000-05:00

Competition :: Fortified: Keeping a Lid on It!
Register by March 15, 2012
Website: http://ibhs.aias.org/

Keep a lid on it! Design a roof, with attachments that will resist hurricane force winds. The design challenge provides you with a block to build upon, and then asks you to design attachments, sheathing, and the roof itself.

Beauty and unique designs are the goal, the real exposure of your talent though will come in making something engaging but also able to withstand the elements in as powerful a means as a tropical storm on steroids.

The winning entry will be built and tested in the IBHS testing facility! You could win $1,500 and have your work published in the Fall 2012 issue of Crit, Journal of the AIAS.

For more info, click here.

Studio Lottery Results :: Spring 2012

2012-01-13T10:16:00.001-05:00

Spring 2012 Studio Lottery Happened on Thursday January 12, 2012 from 6 - 7:30 pm. Attending Studio Lottery was required for students taking advanced architecture studios (C studios) or design workshops. RESULTS ARE BELOW.

How does the Lottery work?
Students meet with instructors to determine what their top five choices are in studio or in a design workshop. Lottery is based on advanced studio seniority. If you have completed THREE C studios then you will likely get your first or second choice. If you are taking your first C studio – you will not likely get your first or second choice. After seniority, reasons written why you want to study with a particular instructor count. Make certain to say so on your sheet. If you want to study with a friend, say so on your forms. Students complete forms and the registrar will automatically register you for the studio you are assigned to in the lottery if you completed mail-in registration. Do not try to drop it and add another. You will be prevented from adding/changing studios.

Contact Karen Nelson via email to discuss any problems presented by the lottery selection.

SPRING2012 STUDIO LOTTERY RESULTS

STUDIO LOTTERYPLACEMENT IS GUARANTEED ONLY IF YOU COMPLETED MAIL-IN REGISTRATION AND PAYMENTBY DECEMBER 2ND AND YOU REGISTER ONLINE JANUARY 17TH (10AM). NOTICE:THIS LIST WILL NOT BE UPDATED TO REFLECT THE DAILY INCREASE OF REGISTEREDSTUDENTS.

ADVANCED ARCHITECTURAL STUDIOS:

C-1Design Studios

CD101AOrganicism 3.0
Tuesday 7:15-10:15 Tyler Hinckley
1. Carsen Nachreiner
2. Christopher Smith
3. Chris Pitre
4. David Case
5. Hayley Bouza
6. Abigail Pleiss
7. Brian Vester
8. Scott Harootyan

CD101BNew BAC Urban Campus 3.0
Tuesday 7:15-10:15 Ignacio Campillo shared withlandscape architecture and interior design
1. Yuki Liu-Koroukine
2. Andre Dassin
3. Rafael Diaz-Rivera

CD101CBroadway 1000 Steps 3.0
Wednesday 7:15-10:15 Maria Bellalta, Blas Betancourtshared with landscape architecture
1. Megan Lorenz
2. Jay Sisam
3. Ronald Cote III
4. Matthew Byrne-Jacobsen
5. Corey Beaulieu
6. Robert Fitzsimmons

CD101DThe Art of Settlement 3.0
Wednesday 7:15-10:15 Philip Loheed, Allen Fletcher
1. Luis Useche
2. Thomas Burgess
3. Ray Galgano
4. Ekaterina Emelyanova
5. Ricardo Bilonick
6.
7.

CD101E2x2x2 Housing 3.0 shared with CD7101E
Thursday 4:00- 7:00 Kevin Benham, Bertha Pantoja
1. Joshua Shaw
2. Fredwin Molina
3. Brandon Watson
4. Antoinette Marcoux

CD101FFighting: Mind Body + Spirit 3.0
Tuesday 7:15-10:15 Matt Roberts, Bill Nolan
1. James Horner
2. Brandon Osborne
3. Jose Polanco
4. Peter Gruhn
5. Andrew Adamopoulos
6.
7.

CD101GAffordable Housing Competition 3.0
Monday 7:15-10:15 Henry Celli, Michael Rosa
1. Joshua Best
2. Julianne Tavares
3. Arslan Shabbir
4. John Matz
5. Wei Gao
6. Thomas Conley
7.

CD101HFrom Abstraction to Reality 3.0
Tuesday 7:15-10:15 Andrea Nicholas Vendramin
1. Jimena Bedoya
2. John Blake
3. Carlos Valenti
4. Austin Blanks
5. Tiffany Sengillo
6. Adam Christian
7. Michael Gomez
8. Elizabeth Johnson

CD101IUrukundu Potters Village 3.0 shared with CD7101D
Tuesday 4:00-7:00 Sierra Bainbridge, Michael Murphy,Alan Ricks
1. Renee Roediger
2. Anesu Dhliwayo

C-2Design Studios

CD102ASkyscrapers and Superheroes 3.0
Wednesday 7:15-10:15 Abe Ahn, Mark Urrea

1. Eric O’Donnell
2. James Nall
3. Tiago Pimentel
4. David Deitch
5. Phillip Wright
6. Bryce Taft
7. Scott Woodward
8. Sylvia Williams

CD102BResilient City 3.0
Tuesday 7:15-10:15 Stephen Moore
1. Michael Barry
2. Curtis Robinson
3. Raul Andres Velandia
4. Terence Chauvet
5. Jonathan Barnardo
6. Todd Paratore
7. Pepe Diego Garcia
8. Christopher Becker
9. Liliana Martinez

CD102DReworking Housing:New Modes of Micro-Living 3.0
Wednesday 7:15-10:15 Seth Riseman, Rob Hagan
1. Hector Inirio
2. John Cali
3. Delia Gott
4. Glenn Mutz
5. Jonathan Knox
6. Andrea Elia
7. Andre Vasconcelos
8. David Hansen
9. Erin Kim

CD102ELong Studio: Syncretic Architecture 6.0 shared with CD7102E
Mon./Thurs. 5:30-10:15 Luis Montalvo, John Pilling
1. Perla Muller
2. Sam Coats
3. Derek Camara
4. Staci Corby
5. Joshua Barnett
6. Robert Ortiz

CD102FInterface: Art and Space 3.0
Tuesday 7:15-10:15 Youngjin Lee
1. William Moore
2. Edmond Kim
3. Marco Montoni
4. Donald Barany
5. Angela Sarno
6. Matt Martin
7. Steven Smith
8. Molly Rovero

CD102GGround Up 3.0
Tuesday 7:15-10:15 Colin Booth, Grant Scott
1. Nicole Pinot-Juan
2. Danilo Marini
3. Rene Robinson
4. Molly Parris
5. Cory Mills
6. Julio Cedano
7. Nerijus Bubnelis
8. Michael Velentzas
9. Kevin Young

C-1Masters Design Studios

CD7101ABesieged City 3.0
Monday 7:15-10:15 Susannah Cramer-Greenbaum
1. Agustin Jesus
2. Robert Buchetto
3. Benjamin Emerson
4. Rachel Wein
5.
6.

CD7101BProgramming Conceptions 3.0
Monday 7:15-10:15 Miho Chu
1. Nway Oo
2. Amir Banihashem
3.
4.

CD7101CWhat to do with Sullivan? 3.0
Tuesday 4:00-7:00 Tad Jusczyk, Sarah Hirschman
1. Jeremy Caron
2. Elizabeth Laplume
3. Catherine Tomassini
4. Lachlan MacKinnon
5. Deanna Manno
6. Daniel Zeese
7. Jeffrey Ryan
8. Meghan Bell

CD7101DUrukundu Potters Village 3.0 shared with CD101I
Tuesday 4:00-7:00 Sierra Bainbridge, Michael Murphy,Alan Ricks
1. Anna Ahern
2. Anne Matthias
3. Nicole Collazo
4. Adam Batterbee
5. Ahmed Aly
6. Chris Prudhomme
7. Kyle Martin

CD7101E2x2x2 Housing 3.0 shared with CD101E
Thursday 4:00- 7:00 Kevin Benham, Bertha Pantoja
1. Arturo Lopez
2. Andrew Heidebrecht
3. Alexander Martinson

C-2Masters Design Studios

CD7102AThe Situated Object 3.0
Thursday 7:15-10:15 Doug Jack, Jonathan Scelsa
1. Joseph Gibbons
2. Natalia Wieczorek
3. Andrew Byrne
4. Bradley Feldman
5. Holly Arnold
6. James Myers
7. Dagny Elliston

CD7102BNo Dogmas Allowed 3.0
Monday 7:15-10:15 Peter Martin, Eric Pfeufer
1. Jared Poulsen
2. Darice Cadriel
3. Thalia Lewis
4. Edward Gaffney
5. Brent Smith
6. Merry Mathew
7. Maria Theodorou
8. Andreas Frese

CD7102CConcrete Thinking 3.0
Tuesday 7:15-10:15 Kevin Losso, Neelanjana Sen
1. Deirdre Hall
2. Marissa Lisec
3. Gillian Tate
4. Christine Reinders
5. Sarah Broadhead
6. Eric Smoczynski
7. Pourita Das
8. Heather Parke

CD7102DBath House 3.0
Thursday 7:15-10:15 Sarah Dunbar
1. Adam Fritschle
2. Stanley Chow
3. Michele Belanger
4. Joshua Swasey
5. Dustin Lord
6. Bradford Pineau
7. Paul Commito

CD7102ELong Studio: Syncretic Architecture 6.0 shared with CD102E
Mon./Thurs. 5:30-10:15 Luis Montalvo, John Pilling
1. Geoffrey Arthur
2. ErinMorrisey
3. Ruthie Kuhlman
4. Michael LaFontant
5. Jeff Estes
6. Christopher Becker

CD7102Ftotal[re]design 3.0
Monday 4:00-7:00 Dan Weismann, Aviva Rubin
1. Kyle Digby
2. Risa Ishihara
3. Theresa Faraci
4. Paul Martell
5. Jay Underwood

Workshops

CD105AAffective Design 3.0
Thursday 7:15-10:15 Laura Portney
1. Ekaterina Emelyanova
2. Scott Woodward
3. Joseph Gilburd
4. Kelly Paris
5. Molly Rovero
6. Angela Sarno
7. Zachary Stanesa
8. Cole Peterson
9. Pepe Diego Garcia
10. Eric O’Donnell
11. Bradley Feldman

CD105BComputer Drawing Space 3.0
Wednesday 7:15-10:15 Carl Lostritto
1. Anna Ahern
2. David Deitch
3. Ricardo Bilonick
4. William Harper
5. Christos Ntanax
6. Steven Smith
7. Michael Velentzas
8. Jeff Estes
9. Randolph Wolters
10. Meryl Lissack
11. Rene Robinson

CD105CFilm and Landscape 3.0
Wednesday 7:15-10:15 Courtney Kirk, Andrew Arbaugh
1. Jay Underwood
2. Julio Cedano
3. Ronald Cote III
4. Matthew Byrnes-Jacobsen
5. Jarod Canger
6. Bryce Taft
7. David Haugen
8. Bria Vester
9. Jodi Craig

CD105DLight | Space 3.0
Thursday 4:00-7:00 Sergio Mazon
1. Nathania Rivera
2. William Moore
3. Tiago Pimentel
4. Li Yang
5. Ashley Owens
6. Emily Hildebrand
7. Arturo Lopez
8. Matt Martin
9. Andrew Byrne
10. Michael Barry
11. Jessica Leong

CD105ERoadside Collage 3.0
Monday 7:15-10:15 Chip Piatti
1. Nathan Allen
2. Lisa Pacheco
3. Jennifer West
4. Cory Mills
5. Brent Smith
6. Jeffrey Ryan
7. Nerijus Bubnelis
8. Erin Kim
9. David Ewing
10. Paul Baccala
11. Michael Chavez

Blog Pick :: Blue Ant Studio

2012-01-13T09:00:00.080-05:00

by Jean Yau, Bachelor of Design Studies Candidate

Blue Ant Studio is a dedicated website showcasing a collection of modern architecture, home accessories, and current design trends. The creator of this site is Joel Pirela, who's a contributor on Design Milk and Apartment Therapy articles. The team of Blue Ant Studio are collaborative and interactive designers that gather new architecture and a unique way of writing to emphasis the modern age.

Jelly Swarm, a lighting project created by Tangible Interaction, that builds sensory installations, all hand-folded to be illuminated by LED modules and reflection from an aluminum structure.

Vistas del Angel, a residential building that sits on a slope, supported by poured concrete into the terrain.

What's so great about this website is the straight-forwardness of an image of a project and then a brief and precise description.

Revised Financial Appeals Process

2012-01-12T15:18:00.000-05:00

The Financial Appeals Committee (the Committee) is charged with adjudicating all appeal requests with a monetary impact to the BAC. The committee is comprised of representatives from the Offices of Bursar, Financial Aid and Finance and Administration and chaired by the Bursar.

Students who wish to appeal a policy that has financial implications may do so by submitting the Financial Appeals Form to the Bursar’s Office. Appeals may include requests for a tuition refund outside of the official BAC tuition refund schedule or the waiver of late fees. Students are required to first discuss their situation with a member of the Bursar’s Office as a formal appeal may not be necessary.

The Committee will meet on an ad hoc basis as needed and will make every effort to rule on a pending appeal within two weeks of receipt. If deemed necessary, additional information will be gathered from other BAC offices such as Advising, Student Development, etc.

The Financial & Academic Appeals committees will forward requests to the appropriate body as needed. For example, if an appeal is received by the Financial Appeals committee that is of academic nature, the request will be forwarded to the Academic Appeals committee. Should an appeal be referred, the original committee will inform the student of this action as soon as possible.

All Financial Appeal requests and decisions will be stored along with the Academic Appeal documents to maintain uniformity and transparency among both committees and among all student appeals.

Pro Arts Consortium :: Welcome to 2012

2012-01-12T14:53:00.000-05:00

Good Afternoon and Happy 2012 from the ProArts Consortium!

ProArts is a collective of six local arts colleges: Berklee College of Music, Boston Architectural College, the Boston Conservatory, Emerson College, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

As a student from a ProArts member school, there are many opportunities available to you, including:

+Cross Registration: Sign up for classes at any of the ProArts schools for Spring 2012. The only restrictions are open seats and prerequisites. Cross Registration dates (beginning generally on January 17th), available courses, and information about the process can be found here.

+ProArts Connect: Join over 6000 of your artist colleagues! ProArts Connect is an online resource for finding or posting collaboration opportunities, promoting and finding events, a marketplace, and a resource to find housing. Use your school email to create an account.

+ProArts Collaborative Social: Looking for an opportunity to meet other artists? Find collaborators? Share your work? Come join us on January 26th at the SMFA Atrium (230 The Fenway) from 7 – 10 for a Collaborative Social! You bring your creativity and we’ll provide the pizza. To RSVP and for more info, see http://goo.gl/JqxiZ

On Friday the 13th of April, ProArts invites you to Give Luck a Chance. Submissions are currently being sought for the first ever festival of the arts across the ProArts schools. Hosted at several spaces at Berklee, musicians, dancers, sculptors, filmmakers, animators, painters, designers, poets, etc. will present works revolving around the themes of luck, fortune, accident and serendipity. Both collaborative and individual projects of ALL media are encouraged. Visit http://goo.gl/uDJU4 for more info and to submit your work. Deadline is Feb. 3rd. You can also track the latest submissions and other cool stuff on our new Tumblr page: http://proarts.tumblr.com/

Again – Happy New Year, Welcome Back, and Have a Great Semester!
Ross Bresler, Executive Director, ProArts
rbresler@proarts.org

Boston Public Library Book Sale :: February 4

2012-01-12T13:17:00.002-05:00

City-Wide Friends of the Boston Public Library Book Sale

Basement of the Old Boston Public Library on Boylston St

Date: Saturday, Feb. 4th, 2012

Time: 10am-4pm

Website: http://www.bpl.org/general/friends/booksale.htm

A large number of great books on Architecture, Art, and Music, as well as all the other regular departments will be offered. Most of the books will be at the sale prices of $2 for hardcovers and $1 for paperbacks! It will be everything from Frank Lloyd Wright to the Parthenon, from Picasso to Da Vinci, from Wagner to Elvis.

Many of the books are library discards that look as if they've never even been read. This is an opportunity for students, faculty, and others to pick up books at fabulous prices!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast

2012-01-12T13:06:00.000-05:00

42nd Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast
Monday January 16, 2012 at 8 am
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
415 Summer St, Boston, Massachusetts 02210

Join NOMAS this holiday Monday as we celebrate the memory of the legendary Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Memorial Breakfast will feature delicious food, live music and a diverse gathering of over 1,000 people, including business, civic and religious leaders from across Massachusetts. This is a great opportunity to learn from community leaders and to honor the work of Dr. King on this special holiday!

Keynote remarks will be provided by Dr. Walter Earl Fluker, Boston University School of Theology's Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Ethical Leadership. Master of Ceremonies will be Latoyia Edwards, Primetime Evening Anchor for New England Cable News.

This event is open to the public, and admission to the event is $40. However, there is a possibility of obtaining reduced priced tickets for BAC students.

Please contact BACNOMAS if you are interested coming at bacnomas@the-bac.edu, or visit our Facebook page.

Visit www.mlkbreakfastboston.org for additional event information.

Lecture :: Negotiated Practice

2012-01-12T13:00:00.001-05:00

Lecture :: Negotiated Practice
Tim McCaul
Principal, Arup, Boston
Tuesday January 17, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Boylston Hall, 955 Boylston St

Tim McCaul, Principal at Arup’s Boston office, will present his compelling take on collaborative design practice as seen through the lens of an engineer practicing in one of the most respected engineering firms in the world. Using case studies from his firm’s work with prominent architects such as Norman Foster (whose Commerzbank is illustrated), this talk promises to be a thoughtful examination of constraints and opportunities that characterize the design challenges we face in an increasingly interconnected and complex world.

This is a public lecture. Please join the Distance M.Arch students and faculty on Tuesday January 17 at 5:15PM, Cascieri Hall / 320 Newbury Street for this provocative talk.

Contest :: Win a Sketchbook

2012-01-10T12:38:00.001-05:00

dezeen magazine has teamed up with Brooklyn firm Aminimal Studio to give away five copies of their sketchbooks printed with a city grid on each page.

To enter this competition email your name, age, gender, occupation, and delivery address and telephone number to competitions@dezeen.com with “Urban Gridded Notebooks” in the subject line.

For more information on this giveaway, click here.

Sustainable Campuses + Communities Conference

2012-01-10T11:35:00.000-05:00

Massachusetts Sustainable Campuses
+ Communities Conference
April 20-21, 2012
UMass Boston, Campus Conference Center
Registration
Conference Details

The Sustainable Campuses and Communities Conference brings together experts and peers from government, education, business and communities. Everyone wanting to learn more about campus or community sustainability and best practices will find this conference timely, practical and valuable. The previous conference sold out in advance. We hope you join us!

-Learn from leading experts about current best practices and plans for sustainability
-Network with local, regional and statewide sustainability stakeholders
-Engage in cross-sector dialogues to support collaboration, partnerships and action
-Go home with knowledge and resources for campus and community sustainability

IIDA New England 2011 Fashion Show Exhibition

2012-01-10T11:24:00.000-05:00

IIDA New England 2011 Fashion Show Exhibition
Thursday January 26, 2012 from 6-9 pm
Reflex Lighting, 7 Tide Street, Boston MA 02210

Showcasing the 2011 winning entries from Bergmeyer, SGA, Gensler, Sasaki, SMMA, and Lasell college. This exhibition is a great opportunity to network!

RSVP to rtaylor@reflexlighting.com by January 20, 2012. For more information, click here.

Competition :: Mystery Build 2012

2012-01-10T08:00:00.023-05:00

Mystery Build is an art challenge developed by two artists to inspire creativity.

Here's how it works:

- Purchase a Mystery Build Materials Kit.
- Create a work of art using ONLY the materials in the Kit, around the contest's Theme : Your Favorite Movie.
- Upload photos or videos of your creation to mysterybuild.com
- Over $10,000 in cash prizes. Winners are selected by a panel of judges and online public voting.
- The specific materials in the Kit will be unknown to you at the time of purchase, but you can expect to find some common sculpting materials like wood, metal, clay, and fiber. The Kits are 10" wide and 3.5" deep and contain around 2.5 lbs. of materials.
- Enter individually or as a team.
- Enter as many times as you want, using multiple Mystery Build Kits. The contents of multiple Kits may not be combined into a single Entry. You may use one Kit per Entry and create one Entry per Kit.
- For sale December 2011 through August 2012. Submissions are due by September 16, 2012.
- The Kits are available in Silver and Gold Editions. The materials in the two Editions are the same. The Gold Kits include a voucher for a Mystery Build T-Shirt and a Mystery Build Tips and Tricks DVD. The T-Shirt and DVD may not be used as materials in your Entry.

For more information, visit Mystery Build.

AIAS Forum Recap :: Final Day Phoenix, AZ

2012-01-10T07:49:00.009-05:00

AIAS Forum Recap :: Final Day Phoenix, AZ
by Jessica Leong, B. Arch Candidate, Chapter President 2011-2012

On the last day, we had our final Council of Presidents Meeting in which we approved by-law changes, had a budget overview, and discussed issues brought forth from the Council of Presidents.

The Board of Directors answered concerns about the National Board's strategies to increase membership and ease of use of the data National provides each chapter in the upcoming future. The National Office really does listen to chapters. Right now they are in the process of trying new things to be more productive for the students.

The group also discussed items of new business, but since all Council of Presidents meetings are confidential until the information is announced at general sessions, I can’t tell you much more about what was discussed.

IDP 2.0 will be out in April and the AIAS has set up a task force to advocate Federal Loan forgiveness for architecture students. Join AIAS and help us make a difference!

Since January 1 is election day for the AIAS National Board, we voted as the AIAS BAC delegates. During this time delegates left in the room went through two sessions of roundtable discussions about Civic Engagement and issues in Architectural education.

The general session and keynote that night was about energy consumption and methods to mitigate and even reverse energy consumption and slow depletion. Some lessons I learned from that night is that 48% of the energy problem comes from buildings, and as architects, we must hold ourselves accountable for the problem to make a change.

We must offer our voice and commit to action. The keynote speaker, Brad Lancaster, further expanded the conversation to spoke about what he lives and practices today. By far, he is the best speaker I have ever heard and I am sure most who have listened to him speak would agree.

The night ended with karaoke in the hotel.

Competition :: Renewing Home

2012-01-10T06:52:00.005-05:00

Competition :: Renewing Home
Register by February 14, 2012
Website: http://sage.aias.org

Currently, there are over 15,000 certified SNFs in the US sheltering 1.5 million residents, 94% of whom are over 65 years of age. Most of these nursing homes are less than 20 years old and have not yet outlived their useful lives.

However, the majority has become operationally obsolete as best practices for the industry profess resident-directed care operations. This case that exemplifies the physical challenges facing designers of residential long-term care environments.

Students will focus on renovating and adding to the sample nursing home in ways that support the new operating philosophies referred to as "culture change".

For more information, click here.

AIAS Forum Recap :: Firm Crawl

2012-01-09T08:11:00.010-05:00

AIAS Forum Recap :: Firm Crawl
by Jessica Leong, B. Arch Candidate, Chapter President 2011-2012

On December 30 from 1-4 pm, I had the opportunity to go on a 4 firm firm crawl to Holly Street Studio, Studio Ma, Gensler, and CCBG Architects.

Each firm was very different from the other. Holly Street specializes in educational spaces and hospitality. The small firm of 5, lead by a husband and wife in the urban central area was an efficient machine of diagrams, hand renderings and drawings, as well as CAD work.

Studio Ma, was a bit bigger. Up on the 3rd floor, this firm works mainly with municipal projects and had a firm of 12 (including 3 principals), the lofty ceiling heights and exposed brick and wood beams of the walls and in the ceilings really impressed the visiting architecture students. The principal there told us to learn and know as many computer programs as possible before searching for a job today.

The next rotation was Gensler. The Phoenix office was very corporate in its appearance, but all of the partitions were movable to create dynamic work spaces and team spaces as needed.

Our last visit was to CCBG. This firm was located furthest off the map in the warehouse district. As of now, the area is quite desolate. CCBG decided to move from their previous address 100 yards away from Holly Street Studio to the warehouse district in hopes of becoming a catalyst to promote a renewal of the area.

The firm of 15 employees designed and built the 3 story structure and even designed and built in 3 options for their future expansion. There is a mezzanine level in place without floor plates to expand the space to accommodate 30 employees. The building is made of steel and the roof is prepped to hold another 2 stories on top for a private house in the future. Lastly, there is a facade that can hold 3 levels of offices once the floor plates are placed. As of now, that space has a triple height ceiling.

All the firms were very happy to have us and were able to answer all our questions. We were very grateful for them to have stayed open for us on a Friday afternoon before the New Year's weekend.

ASF Robert T. Kenney Scholarship

2012-01-08T06:30:00.001-05:00

ASF Robert T. Kenney Scholarship
Application available here in January 2012
Deadline for all materials is March 30, 2012

Eligibility requirements:
-Minimum 2.5 GPA on an unweighted 4.0 scale, or (for high school seniors) ranked in the top 1/3 of your graduating class.
-Entering any year of an accredited 2- or 4-year undergraduate program or technical/ vocational program in the U.S. Current high school seniors, college students, and nontraditional adult students may apply.
-You must be a resident of one of the 64 Connecticut towns served by the American Savings Foundation.

For more information, click here.

The Purchase by Blood :: MA in the Civil War

2012-01-08T06:20:00.000-05:00

The Purchase by Blood: Massachusetts in the Civil War
Through January 13, 2012
Massachusetts Historical Society
1154 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02115

Following the surrender of Fort Sumter on April 13, 1861, Northerners rallied behind President Lincoln’s call for states to send troops to preserve the Union.

The Massachusetts Historical Society’s exhibition The Purchase by Blood: Massachusetts in the Civil War, 1861-1862 follows a small group of officers—husbands, brothers, and friends of the first families of Massachusetts—through the first years of the Civil War.

These young men, like so many, wanted to feel the glory of combat and enlisted with a sense of adventure and unquestioning patriotism.

Not anticipated was the bloody aftermath of early conflicts—the Battle of Ball’s Bluff, the Seven Days Battle, the Battle of Cedar Mountain, the Battle of Antietam—and the horrifying loss of life and optimism.

This exhibition showcases letters, photographs, broadsides, journals, and art work surrounding one group of men as the price of war is brought home to Massachusetts.

For more information on this display, click here.

AIAS Forum Recap :: Council of Presidents Meeting

2012-01-08T06:08:00.000-05:00

AIAS Forum Recap :: Council of Presidents Meeting

by Jessica Leong, B. Arch Candidate, Chapter President 2011-2012

Council of Presidents Meetings

Council of Presidents meetings are mandatory for the votingdelegates of each of the schools, which meant I, as president of AIASBAC, sitin on these business meetings. These meetings are 3.5 hours each, so to make itthrough the meeting I make sure to take very thorough notes.

While they are long, the CoP meetings are actually chock full ofgreat information that I am now listing in bullet points below. Enjoy!

Goalsof AIAS National

- Advocacy

- Branding

- Financial Growth

- High School Outreach

- Alumni Status Outreach (by Spring 2012)

Start yourjob search on AIAS.org

AIAS has 5164 membersto date. Half are BArch candidates and a quarter are MArch candidates.

Words of Wisdom:

-"The public does not know the training and the rigor of oureducation. We need to change that. " -AIA President Jeffrey Potter, FAIA

-"When the ink grows dry on your diploma, you still don'tknow it all (in the architectural profession)." -AIA President JeffreyPotter, FAIA

-"You're only as good as your last project." -AIAPresident Jeffrey Potter, FAIA

The Path to Success: Logic, Transparency, Respect

J.Crew and Madewell 15% Discount

2012-01-08T06:00:00.001-05:00

BAC college students, professors, and administrative staff recieve a 15% discount at all purchases made in J.Crew and Madewell retail and Factory stores with a valid school ID.

The education discount is applicable to all regularly priced and promotionally priced merchandise selected for purchase at our J.Crew retail stores, at jcrew.com, or via a phone call.

Any merchandise that is sale or clearance-priced and ending in 99 cents, will not qualify for the additional 15% price reduction.

AIAS Forum Recap :: Library Tour + General Session

2012-01-07T12:22:00.000-05:00

AIAS Forum Recap :: Library Tour + General Session
by Ekaterina Emelyanova, B. Arch Candidate, Chapter Vice President 2011-2012

As part of Forum, we had a chance to explore great structure of Barr Central Library, under which the highway is located. The structure of the library is supported by 93’ beams which go deep into the ground. The tour group talked about materials and how the building was constructed.

This trip was fun and included a positive and enthusiastic speech with some advice:
-“The world is all yours – learn your tools, and use it!”
-“Always try to be a poet.”
-“You have the power to do anything.”
-“Always stay passionate. If you lose interest, find another one.”

The same day, we attended a general session where we had the chance to meet other students attending Forum, and meet new people from all around the US. During roll call, Vice President, Laura Meador, announced the name of each school attending, and instead of saying, “here,” we had to come up with something memorable or unique about our schools. We called ourselves the “Busy Bees,” after the BAC bee mascot.

After that, Joshua Caulfield, AIAS Executive Director, announced the winners of the AIAS competition. Teddy Cruz, an architect and professor at the University of California, San Diego, spoke about his work in Mexico and how he gets inspired. Teddy Cruz is also part of Tau Sigma Delta, the National Honor Society for Architecture and the Allied Arts.

Cruz spent the better part of a decade strolling through Mexico’s bustling border towns in search of inspiration. Where others saw poverty and decay, he saw the seeds of a vibrant social and architectural model, one of that could be harnessed to invigorate numbingly uniform suburban communities just across the border. Mr. Cruz's design work is based on the political views and economical views of the site he is working on. He looks at the problem and transforms it into a great opportunity.

After the general session, we all relaxed, ate dinner and socialized with people from all over the world. What a fun day!

Holiday Presents :: Paint Swatch Chandelier

2012-01-07T06:50:00.000-05:00

Image from HeyGorg.com

HeyGorg.com is a blog run by wedding planner Rhiannon Nicole with gorgeous DIY decorating tips and ideas. Here Rhi teaches you how to make a chandelier out of free paint swatches and a lamp shade.

Town Fair Tire :: BAC Student Discount

2012-01-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

Town Fair Tire on Revere Beach Pkwy in Everett MA is offering a coupon valid for 10% off all purchases for BAC students through March 1, 2012.

Town Fair Tire is the Northeast's largest tire and wheel establishment. To take advantage of this deal, you can print the coupon or send it to your mobile phone and bring it into the store.

To access the coupon, click here. Please note: to get the coupon, you will need to join StudentRate.

AIAS Forum Recap :: Presenting to Persuade

2012-01-06T15:11:00.000-05:00

Recap :: Presenting to Persuade: Setting Yourself Up for Success
by Ekaterina Emelyanova, B. Arch Candidate, Chapter Vice President 2011-2012
AIAS Forum 2011, Phoenix, AZ

David Zach spoke about tools, techniques and tactics that we can use during presentations for the best opportunities for success. Zach has a BA in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of Washington, and a MS in Studies of the Future. Before today, I didn’t know that that major existed!

Zach is passionate about design, one of his hobbies. His advise to all architects was, "Don't be perfect. First, try to be good! Try to be a good person! And after that, try to be unique." When he spoke about being unique, Zach didn’t mean the way that you dress—he meant being unique where it counts, so when people think of you, they will remember something valuable.

He also said that all architects have the power to be leaders, and we shouldn’t let anyone else take that away from us. Zach also gave advice on how to be a good speaker. First, you should learn rules of public speaking. Second, be concise. Don’t take more time than you need. His third, and most important rule, is to show up because you will never have a second chance to make a first impression.

Zach spoke about body language, using your voice as a tool, and about how the audience reacts to clothing. Not only is your composition important, but you should make your audience comfortable by knowing who you are going to speak to, and dress accordingly. Making eye contact and shaking hands are also important.

Other tips that Zach recommends:

-Have you elevator speech ready. Be able to explain yourself in 30 seconds or less, the length of time you would have in an elevator ride.

- Always check technology, lights, etc, before your presentation begins.

-Make sure that people are familiar with the words you will be using in the presentation. Give them a guide beforehand if there is a lot of jargon to explain.

-Be positive and believe in what you are presenting. People only buy what they are saying from someone who is affirmative and optimistic.

-Be enthusiastic. Know your audience and use jokes with caution. Authority figures are less likely to laugh than your peers. Instead of using jokes, use humor since that works with most people.

-Own and control the stage. This is your time to present. Deal with interruptions with tact, but let the interrupter know that there will be time after the presentation to discuss their concerns.

-Four percent of the audience will always dislike what you are saying or presenting. Accept it and move on.

-Read feedback, but never completely believe it. Sometimes a presentation needs time to sink in with your audience.

-Begin at the end. Know your goals from the beginning, and state the main points of your presentation at the end of your presentation. Sum it up for the audience.

-Leave well designed, fun identity cards with the audience so they remember you after you are gone.

-Just breathe!

Top artists reveal how to find creative inspiration

2012-01-06T15:00:00.001-05:00

Playwright Polly Stenham at the Royal court theatre. Photograph by Andy Hall.

Your table is cleared, your materials are all lined up and your schedule says "Studio homework". You've been busy all day with your job or classes or other work, but now's the time to get some ideas out of your head and sketches on paper. You're excited - you know you can be really efficient and fluent in tackling this. Then 5 minutes go by, 20 minutes go by, an hour goes by and you're still stuck with some basic sketches that are going nowhere. Something's missing. What is it?

In "Top artists reveal how to find creative inspiration" by The Guardian, Guy and other artists give their top tips for unleashing your inner creativity. Some people call it inspiration; some call it experience; some call it talent; some call it genius. I think of it as a creative muscle.

It's not something quick or random. It takes practice and persistence. Your successes will be the sum of your failures, so look the fear of it in the eye and be willing to go through 10, 20 and 30 loose sketches. Musician Guy Garvey says, "Just start scribbling. The first draft is never your last draft. Nothing you write is by accident."

Also, don't underestimate the power of a short walk. "I often also go for a wander in the middle of the day to think through a character or situation," playwright Polly Stenham says, "I listen to music as I go. Again, it's about occupying one part of your brain, so that the other part is clear to be creative."

Ballet dancer Tamara Rojo. Photograph by Tristram Kenton.

Ballet dancer Tamara Rojo explains, "An idea never comes to me suddenly; it sits inside me for a while, and then emerges."

In our projects, we're often required to take aestheics, engineering, history and culture into account, all constantly fighting to be honored. To simplify things, put yourself in the user's shoes. Ask not what you want to do for the space; ask what you want the space to do for you. Sunand Prasad, an architect, says "Forget the building for a while. Focus totally on what people will be doing in the spaces and places you are designing – next year, in five years, in 20."

-Reviewed by Austin Pike, BArch Candidate

AmeriCorp Social Capital Positions

2012-01-06T14:59:00.000-05:00

The mission of SCI Social Capital Inc. is to strengthen communities by connecting diverse individuals and organizations through civic engagement initiatives.

Social Capital is currently accepting applications for half-year AmeriCorps positions that start in late January 2012 and serve through June 2012. These half-year positions are in Chelsea, Dorchester, Chinatown (Boston), Somerville, Quincy and Woburn. Apply today! Members will be selected on a rolling basis.

Outreach & Technology Coordinator: The Outreach & Technology Coordinator (OTC) will implement technology systems and traditional outreach efforts to connect citizens with the information they need to participate in civic life

Youth Leadership Coordinator: The Youth Leadership Coordinator (YLC) will provide leadership training to a core group of youth through a Youth Council in each SCI community, who will engage their peers in Community Service Learning (CSL) and other civic activities. Please download the position description below for more information.

Please refer to http://www.socialcapitalinc.org/getinvolved/service for more information.

Account Holds & Course Registration

2012-01-06T14:25:00.000-05:00

Dear Student,

Please log into your Self-Service account as soon as you have the chance, to insure that you are clear for the upcoming January 17 -20 registration week.

If you see a stop on your account, that means that as things stand now, you will not be eligible for online registration during the week of January 17.

However you may use the remaining time prior to registration week (today through Jan 13) to clear your accounts in order to become eligible for online registration.

Please be reminded that we are no longer holding clearance/registration sessions in Cascieri Hall.

Please be reminded that regular office hours are Mon-Thurs 9am-7:30pm and Friday 9am-5pm.

If you have a stop on your account, please contact the office indicated. Please be in touch as necessary prior to registration week. Please find the relevant contact information below and be in touch today or next week:

Bursar’s Office
617-585-0115
bursar@the-bac.edu

Financial Aid Office
617-585-0125
finaid@the-bac.edu

Practice Department
617-585-0145
practice@the-bac.edu

Health Insurance
617-585-0211
patti.vaughn@the-bac.edu

617-585-0246
abdu.nesralla@the-bac.edu

Library
617-585-0155
library@the-bac.edu

Academic Advising
617-585-0160
advising@the-bac.edu

IIDA Student Mentoring Week

2012-01-06T11:13:00.000-05:00

IIDA Student Mentoring Week 2012
February 20-24, 2012

Call for Students
In times of change, of paradigm shifts, of realigned priorities, there is a group of optimistic dreamers that relentlessly seek inspiration behind every. single. door. Students.

Which is why IIDA is dedicated to finding you a professional mentor. Designers are looking to the next generation for inspiration and students are looking for a foot in the door. Gain a professional perspective.

Who Should Participate
Student Mentoring Week (SMW) is open to active IIDA Student Members. Learn more about becoming an IIDA Student Member here.

Registration Information
To participate, login to the Members only section of the IIDA website and click the Student Mentoring link under Event Registration. Select which days you are available to participate and click submit. There is no cost to participate.

Mentor Pairings
The goal of SMW is to pair 1-2 IIDA students with one Mentor to shadow them for a day at their office or firm. All pairings are random and based on availability and location. In some cases, students will be asked to travel to a nearby city if a mentor cannot be located in the immediate vicinity. In the rare case a pairing cannot be found, a virtual meeting may be set up.

Essay Competition
All SMW Participants have the option to partake in the Lloy Hack Essay Competition for a chance to win $1000 by submitting a 2-3 page essay about their experience.

Photo Wall
IIDA will be putting together a collage of photos from this event to display online and at future events. All SMW Participants will be asked to take a photo of their Student/Mentor pairing during their visit. These photos should capture the essence of the experience and can be serious, funny, creative or action shots. Please submit photos to students@iida.org.

Contact Information
For questions or more information, contact Monica De Angelis, Manager of Student Member Relations and Activities at students@iida.org.

Blog Pick :: Coffee with an Architect

2012-01-06T09:00:00.103-05:00

by Jean Yau, Bachelor of Design Studies Candidate

Happy 2012 everyone! I hope that all you architecture and design students are ready to bring about new ideas and creations to the new year! Get your drink on, with Coffee with an Architect!

Jody Brown, AIA, Leed AP BD+C is an Architect running his own firm (INFILL, pllc.) in Durham, NC. His work focuses on urban infill projects, mixed-use, urban design, and urban renewal. Over the last 18 and half years, he has built on his passion for planning and urban design, and, has worked on enhancing, adding to, re-using, renovating, and sometimes creating from scratch the places where people meet, learn, play, and become inspired. His work is grounded in the belief that Architecture can save cities. When he’s not doing that, he can be found making fun of himself and his profession, and blogging about his ideals at – Coffee with an Architect. Or, you can find him sipping coffee with someone at a cafe near you, blathering on and on about Le Corbusier, while looking aloof and interesting at the same time somewhere over in the corner. In other words, he’s just an Architect, standing in front of an ideology, asking it to love him.

You'll definitely get a laugh out of every post Jody writes, he deliberatey makes fun of the profession of architects, but really, it's about the appreciation of what they do. One of Coffee with an Architect readers is Austin Pike, B. Arch Candidate. He says, "The humor is a good stress reliever, especially his definition of architecture being 'the act of artfully placing complex forms in remote locations to be photographed for magazine covers.' "

While you're there nodding your head and laughing because you know it's true, visit Less is More stupid, you're welcome to agree to disagree. This reading is about how the modern architecture stripping down to the most simpliest form and structure design, where histarically the writer is not inclinded with that metaphor, however, believes "Less is not more, more is more."

Coffee with an Architect is outstanding with humor, but it also engages in conversations through the site's accessibility to make comments to Jody's blog. Sit down and have some coffee near the computer, start 2012 with lots of whimsy chuckles about architecture because it is your career.

Artist and Craftsman Supply Student Discount

2012-01-06T06:34:00.000-05:00

Get $5 off of an in-store purchase of $50 or more with a printed coupon, available for download here.

Please note: in order to get the coupon, you must join StudentRate. Offer Expires June 7, 2013.

Artist and Craftsman Supply
580 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge MA 02139
751 Route 1 South, Hillside Plaza, Saugus, MA 01906

ICA Free Thursday Nights

2012-01-06T06:07:00.001-05:00

The Institute of Contemporary Art strives to share the pleasures of reflection, inspiration, provocation, and imagination that contemporary art offers through public access to art, artists, and the creative process.

Admission is free for all from 5 to 9 pm every Thursday for Target Free Thursday Nights, sponsored by Target. For more information about the ICA, please see their website.

BAC Building Hours During Break

2012-01-05T17:16:00.000-05:00

BAC Building Hours During Break
Through Sunday January 22, 2012

320 Newbury Street
Mondays - Thursdays 8 am - 10:30 pm
Fridays 8 am - 5 pm
Saturdays 9 am - 5 pm
Sundays Noon - 5 pm

100 Mass Ave
Mondays - Thursdays 8:30 am - 6 pm
-3rd floor bursar open until 7:30 pm
-Beginning January 3rd, 2012, 5th floor open until 9 pm
Fridays 8:30 am - 5 pm
Saturdays + Sundays Closed

951/955 Boylston
Closed

First Day of Spring 2012 Classes :: 1.23.12

2012-01-05T14:00:00.000-05:00

Monday January 23rd is the first day of Spring 2012 classes. We can't wait to see each of you back on campus!

Semester Break Library Hours

2012-01-05T13:36:00.001-05:00

Semester Break Library Hours

Sunday, December 18 - Monday, January 2

Closed

Tuesday, January 3 - Saturday, January 14

Monday - Thursday

12 pm - 7 pm

Friday - Sunday

Closed

Sunday, January 15

6 pm - 10 pm*

Monday, January 16 - Friday, January 20

4 pm - 10 pm*

Saturday, January 21

10 am - 1 pm*

Sunday, January 22

Closed

Monday, January 23

Regular Hours Resume

*Open for Distance Masters onsite intensive

Gateway Initiative Spring 2012 Open House

2012-01-05T12:51:00.001-05:00

Gateway Initiative Spring 2012 Open House

Thursday January 12, 2012 from 7:30 - 9 pm

McCormick Gallery, First Floor, 320 Newbury Street

Immediately Following Advanced Studio Lottery

Practice presents more than a dozen new community-based project ventures, along with several supervised design competitions for the Spring of 2012. Join a Gateway team and gain critical knowledge, competence, and self-confidence. Improve your technical, design, leadership, and communication/presentation skills. Valuable portfolio evidence of your involvement is assured.

-Develop real project experience
-Work closely with your peers
-Connect with professional mentors
-Meet with clients and communities
-Foster your leadership skills
-Earn Practice Credits
-Generate strong portfolio work
-Gain new skills and professionalism

To learn more, join us for the January 12th Open House. Meet with instructors and community clients. Sign up and become involved. Most projects will commence the second week of classes. See above poster for examples of representative projects.

A full list of all new ventures with short descriptions will be provided via email this coming Monday, along with a pre-registration form that gives students the opportunity to express project interest before next Thursday.

Academic Advising Drop-In Meeting Times

2012-01-05T12:45:00.000-05:00

Dear Students,

The Academic Advising Department will have Drop-In Advising hours available in the coming weeks. If you would like a specific time to meet with your Academic Advisor please call 617.585.0160 or email advising@the-bac.edu to schedule.

If you wish to come to Drop-In Advising the available days and times are as follows:

-Prior to Registration: Monday, January 9th through Wednesday, January 11th between the hours of 4 pm and 7 pm.

-Portfolio Result Day: Thursday, January 12th between the hours of 4 pm and 7 pm there will be Academic Advisors available to talk with students in regards to Portfolio Review Results, as needed. Due to New Student Orientation we will not have full availability for Drop-In Advising.

-During Registration: Tuesday, January 17th through Thursday, January 19th between the hours of 3 pm and 7 pm. Please note that there is no in-person registration in Cascieri Hall but the Academic Advising staff will be available, in our offices, during these times to assist students with course selections.

-During the Add Period: Monday, January 23rd through Thursday, January 26th between the hours of 4 pm and 7 pm. Please note that the last day to Add a first-half or full-semester course will be on Friday, January 27th.

*No appointment is necessary for Drop-in Advising*

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your classes, course scheduling, or any other Registration related issues please take advantage of the opportunity to meet with an Academic Advisor.

Thank you,
Rebecca J. Chabot-Wieferich, M.Ed.
Associate Director of Academic Services

Liberal Studies and History/Theory Electives

2012-01-05T11:54:00.001-05:00

Spring 2012 :: Liberal Studies and History/Theory Electives
Click on the course number link to see a description and more info!

Humanities
AS118 Art History & Criticism (Not for BID & MID students)
AS169 Encounters with Literature
AS180 Writing Poems

Social Science
AS154 Economics, Game Theory, and the Housing Market

Physical Sciences (for NON LA students)
AS275 Botany
AS276 Horticultural Science I – Trees
AS376 Horticultural Science 2 – Shrubs (Pre-req AS276)
AS576/7576 Ecology Systems

Physical Sciences (for NON BArch Students)
AS250 Physics*(Pre-req.: AS167)

*for LA students-Physical Science elective is not specifically required but this course can be used as AS Elective

Arts and Sciences Electives – any of the above

History/Theory
HT100/7100 History of Boston Parks
HT110/7110 Contemporary Architecture (Not for BArch and MArch)
HT115/7115 Arch History A (Not for BArch and MArch)
HT118/7118 Art History & Criticism (Not for BID and MID)
HT120/7120 Architectural History B (Not for BArch and MArch)
HT218/7218 Theories in Architectural Preservation, Conservation & Renewal - ONLINE course, requires travel to Greece
HT325/7325 History of Interior Design and Furniture (Not BID and MID)
HT390/7390 Byzantine Art and Architecture: Cross-Cultural Exchange
AS510/AS7510 Landscape and the Imagination (Not BLA and MLA)

The BAC in January :: Updated 1.5

2012-01-05T11:38:00.000-05:00

Want to know what's going on at the BAC in January?

Find out about:
- New Student Orientation
- BAC Closed for New Year's Day
- Portfolio Review
- Registration Days
- BAC Closed on MLK Day
- First Day of Classes
- and more!

Please note: This calendar is a draft. All events are open to the BAC Community (BAC students, instructors, and staff), unless otherwise noted. Please consult the individual blog posts for the latest event information and other news.

Meet the Authors :: Meg Muckenhoupt

2012-01-05T06:54:00.000-05:00

Meet the Authors :: Meg Muckenhoupt
Boston's Gardens and Green Spaces
Wednesday February 8, 2011 at 5:30 pm
Old South Meeting House, 310 Washington Street

Join local author Meg Muckenhoupt as she travels through the verdant world of her book, Boston’s Gardens & Green Spaces during the Boston Preservation Alliance's first Meet the Authors series, presented in collaboration with Old South Meeting House.

This captivating lecture examines the role of public spaces throughout Boston’s historic and contemporary landscape. Rediscover the city through its most revered historic parks and explore its ever-expanding network of public spaces. Listen as the author takes you on a fascinating journey through green Boston, past to present--and all nature lovers, gardening enthusiasts, and history buffs should be sure to come along for the ride.

Admission is free for Boston Preservation Alliance and Old South Meeting House members; $10 for non-members. Members and non-members may both register securely here. For more information, please email Christine Piontek or call 617-367-2458.

Barbershop Deluxe - Student Haircut for $18

2012-01-05T06:27:00.000-05:00

Barbershop Deluxe - Student Haircut for $18
288 Columbus Avenue
South End, Boston, MA 02116

At the Barbershop Deluxe, they strive to create a quaint neighborhood setting reminiscent of the 1930's.

It's a place where residents and visitors can congregate, enjoy each other's company and catch up on local happenings while receiving quality grooming services.

Walk-ins are regularly available but appointments are suggested after 5 pm and Saturday mornings.

Metered Parking is very limited on the even-numbered side of Columbus. Permit Only Parking after 6 pm. Back Bay T stop on the Orange Line is a 2 minute walk.

Cash and Check only. ATM available at Back Bay Station; Debit-Cash back available at CVS across the street.

For more info, click here or call 617.425.1928.

Spring 2012 Registration Schedule

2012-01-04T14:50:00.000-05:00

Thursday January 12 from 6 - 7:30 pm
Studio Lottery for Segment II and III Architecture students taking a C studio or Workshop. Interior Design and Landscape Architecture students do not attend Studio Lottery. Results will be available on the BAC website by 12:00 noon on Friday January 13.

Tuesday January 17 :: Segment II and III Student Registration
-Access to online registration begins at 10 am
-Phone support available from 10 am - 1 pm
-Students registering Part-Time (fewer than 6 academic credits) must register in person at Student Affairs (100 Mass Ave 3rd floor) beginning at noon and ending at 7 pm.
-Phone support resumes for online registration from 4 - 7 pm
-Online registration ends at 5 pm on Friday, January 20.

Segment II and III students are defined as those who have passed the Segment I Portfolio Review (PR450). Segment III Students who hope to register for their first Degree Project or Thesis course must be cleared to do so. Please contact Academic Advising if you are uncertain whether you have clearance.

Wednesday January 18 :: B-level Studio Student Registration
-Access to online registration begins at 10 am
-Phone support available from 10 am - 1 pm
-Students registering Part-Time (fewer than 6 academic credits) must register in person at Student Affairs (100 Mass Ave 3rd floor) beginning at noon and ending at 7 pm.
-Phone support resumes for online registration from 4 pm - 7 pm
-Online registration ends at 5 pm on Friday, January 20.

B-Level Studio students are defined as those who have completed both Design Principles (HT101/HT7101) AND their A-Level studio requirement (SA202 for bachelor’s students; SA7101 or SA7103 for master’s students) but have not yet passed the Segment I Portfolio Review (PR450). Students must receive credit for Design Principles prior to taking B-1 studio.

Thursday January 19 :: A-level Studio Student Registration
-Access to online registration begins at 10 am
-Phone support available from 10 am - 1 pm
-Students registering Part-Time (fewer than 6 academic credits) must register in person at Student Affairs (100 Mass Ave 3rd floor) beginning at noon and ending at 7 pm.
-Phone support resumes for online registration from 4 pm - 7 pm
-Online registration ends at 5 pm on Friday, January 20.

A-Level Studio Students are defined as those who have not yet completed both Design Principles (HT101/7101) and their A-Level studio requirement (SA202 for bachelor’s students; SA7101 or SA7103 for master’s students).

BAC Closed :: MLK Day :: 1.16.12

2012-01-04T14:39:00.000-05:00

The BAC campus will be closed on Monday January 16, 2012 to celebrate Martin Luther King Day.

Studio Lottery

2012-01-04T14:20:00.001-05:00

Studio Lottery
Thursday January 12, 2012 from 6 - 7:30 pm
320 Newbury St, Cascieri Hall

Attending Studio Lottery is required for students taking advanced architecture studios (C studios) or design workshops.Please note:
-Interior Design students do not participate.
-Architecture students taking A or B studios do not participate.
-Lottery results will be available online Friday January 13th at 12 pm (noon).

What happens at Studio Lottery?
Students meet with instructors to determine what their top five choices are in studio or in a design workshop. Students complete forms and the registrar will automatically register you for the studio you are assigned to in the lottery if you completed mail-in registration. Do not try to drop it and add another. You will be prevented from adding/changing studios. You must contact Karen Nelson via e-mail to discuss any problems presented by the lottery selection. COMPLETED FORMS MUST BE RETURNED TO KAREN NELSON'S HANDS BY 7:30 TO BE CONSIDERED VALID.

How to choose a C studio?
Every architecture student is required to complete FOUR C studios. One must be a C 1 and one must be a C 2. After that you choose another C1 or C2 and then an elective studio. C1 studios are more conceptual and result in schematic design. C2 studios focus on building systems and materiality. Graduate students may take all studios; undergraduates may only take undergraduate studios. Don’t think about just what interests you – but also what you need to work on. DO NOT take four studios each about housing, using only formal strategies to develop a project. You need to demonstrate breadth and depth when you submit your work in portfolio review.

How does the Lottery work?
Lottery is based on advanced studio seniority. If you have completed THREE C studios then you will likely get your first or second choice. If you are taking your first C studio – you will not likely get your first or second choice. After seniority, reasons written why you want to study with a particular instructor count. Make certain to say so on your sheet. If you want to study with a friend, say so on your forms.

FAFSA Day 2012

2012-01-04T07:34:00.000-05:00

FAFSA Day 2012
Sunday January 29, 2012 from 2-5 pm
TERI College Planning Center
700 Boylston St, Boston MA 02116

FAFSA Day is an opportunity to get free help completing your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2012 - 2013 school year.

While there are many locations hosting this event in the greater area, in the Boston area TERI College Planning Center will be open for FAFSA Day. TERI is located at Boston Public Library in Copley at 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116.

The event will be happening on January 29, 2012 at 2:00 pm. Resources that will be available to you include: Computer Access, Online Filing and Spanish Translators. To register for the event go to http://www.fafsaday.org.

Lost Breweries of Roxbury and Jamaica Plain

2012-01-04T06:57:00.000-05:00

Building of the Former Hafenreffer Brewery

Lost Breweries of Roxbury and Jamaica Plain

Tuesday January 10, 2012 at 5:30 pm
Samuel Adams Brewery, 30 Germania Street, Jamaica Plain

Did you know that in 1900, Boston had the most breweries in the country? And that most of them were in the Stony Brook area of Roxbury and Jamaica Plain?

Join the Boston Preservation Alliance for a fascinating trip through Boston’s brewing history guided by Michael Reiskind of the Jamaica Plain Historical Society and followed by a tour and tasting courtesy of Samuel Adams.

Admission is $10. Register securely via PayPal by January 6th to ensure a spot. Please note that tickets will not be sold at the door and that IDs will be required of all guests. For more information, please email Christine Piontek or call 617-367-2458.

Art Talks lecture by Artist Jean Lowe

2012-01-04T06:55:00.000-05:00

Art Talks lecture by Artist Jean Lowe
Monday January 9, 2012 from 7-9 pm
565 Commonwealth Avenue, Room 101

Whether channeling the decorative language of French Empire Style to construct what at first glance looks like an actual period room, the design ethos of mid century modernism to create a faux psychiatrist’s office, or mimicking the wild abundance of the discount store, Jean Lowe’s aggressively handmade, enamel on papier mache or cardboard installations are springboards for the witty examination of our culture’s "…regimens of greed, consumption, and both nutritional and psychological dysfunction."

Recent solo exhibitions include Look 20 Years Younger at Rosamund Felsen Gallery in Santa Monica, CA, Yes, Yes Yes! at McKenzie Fine Arts in New York, and Love for Sale at Quint Contemporary Art in La Jolla, CA. Her work was included in this year's New Image Sculpture at the McNay Museum in San Antonio, TX.

Lowe is a guest speaker in the Art Talks lecture series, part of the MFA in Visual Arts Program at The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. Admission to this event is free and open to the public.

Click here for more information about the event.

Carolina Aragón :: Ether

2012-01-03T16:41:00.000-05:00

Carolina Aragón :: Ether
Temporary Public Art Installation
Through April 30, 2012
ConstellationCenter, Athenaeum St and Kendall St
Kendall Square, Cambridge MA

Boston Architectural College Instructor, Carolina Aragón has another public art installation on display - Ether. As an art installation, Ether is an imaginary landscape – evoking the qualities of air, sky and light, which seeks to induce the free play of creative imagination.

Hand-made clusters of clear recyclable film are suspended by poles creating a 100-foot screen that is activated at dusk through the use of solar powered LED lighting, creating a composition of luminous bodies in the sky.

Weightless, transparent and believed to be a medium for the transmission of light, ether was also thought to be the element occupying the upper regions of space or the heavens.

For more information about ConstellationCenter and its public art installation, please visit www.constellationcenter.org.

Designers Lighting Forum Scholarship

2012-01-03T11:11:00.000-05:00

Designers Lighting Forum Scholarship
Travel Opportunity to Light+ Building in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

The Designers Lighting Forum of New England (DLF-NE) will sponsor one BAC student to travel to Frankfurt this spring to attend Light+Building 2012, the world’s leading trade fair for Architecture and Technology, April 15th through 20th. The recipient of the scholarship will receive $2,500 to cover trip related expenses and will be paired with a representative from DLF-NE who will serve as their guide and mentor for the trip.

To apply, students must:
-be enrolled full-time and in Segment II or III
-be in good academic standing
-have successfully completed a Lighting Design course at the BAC [TM7365/365, TM7369/369, CD105E/TM470 Lighting Design Workshop], TM471 Lighting the Environment or its equivalent at another institution
-submit a short (no longer than 100 words) statement of why they are passionate about learning more about lighting and attending Light+Building
-submit a rendering, a sample portfolio of lighting design work OR drawings to show their enthusiasm for lighting design
-agree to prepare and submit a short presentation on the trip and their experiences at a DLF-NE event in the fall of 2012
-Be eligible to travel internationally

To be considered for the scholarship, students should submit a statement and visual work to Tim Hoffman in the Education bullpen at 320 Newbury Street no later than Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 7:30 PM. All submissions should be marked to the attention of Kendra Leahy and should include your name and the name of the scholarship.

Submissions will be judged on a demonstrated passion and ability to communicate that passion through design documentation and presentation techniques.

If you have any questions please contact Kendra Leahy, Manager of Honors & Awards at 617-585-0167 or kendra.leahy@the-bac.edu.

Boston Preservation Alliance :: Social Wednesday!

2012-01-03T11:09:00.001-05:00

Boston Preservation Alliance :: Social Wednesday!
Wednesday January 18, 2012
Location TBD | 5:30 - 7:30 pm

Join the Boston Preservation Alliance for a casual gathering of young professionals who share an appreciation for the built environment of our city. Meet, mingle and exchange ideas on historic preservation, architecture, sustainability, real estate, and urban planning in Boston.

Enjoy a cash bar and tasty bites and, as always, entrance is free. Please share this with friends, colleagues or anyone who would like to be a part of our network, and don't forget to RSVP! We look forward to seeing you there!

For more information or questions, please email Christine Piontek or call 617-367-2458.

LIGHTFAIR International 2012 :: Las Vegas, NV

2012-01-03T10:33:00.000-05:00

LIGHTFAIR International 2012
LIGHTFAIR Institute - Monday, May 7 - Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Trade Show & Conference - Wednesday, May 9 - Friday, May 11, 2012
Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV

At LIGHTFAIR International YOU are the Future.LIGHTFAIR International (LFI) is the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference with a proven track record of bringing top international and domestic architectural, design, engineering and lighting professionals together.

As an emerging lighting professional, LFI 2012 is the best place for you to meet and network with your future peers!

What’s in it for You?
The LFI 2011 Trade Show, Institutes and Conference provides exciting educational opportunities on the latest product introductions, cutting-edge technology and modern designs in lighting:

-View more than 475+ exhibitors from around the world
- Choose from 200+ hours of accredited courses
- Serve. Learn. Network. Be inspired!

How Does LFI Welcome Students?
1. Student Volunteer Program
-Students at the undergraduate or graduate level can volunteer a minimum of 16 hours in exchange for FREE Institute and Conference Courses. Explore the Student Volunteer Program today! Volunteer opportunities are available on a limited, first come, first serve basis.

2. Discounted Student Pricing
-FREE entrance to the Exhibit Hall plus one FREE Seminar / Symposium
with a valid student ID.
-The reduced Student Full Conference Package is only $120 ($150 after the pre-registration deadline and on-site). This package includes 8 Seminars / Symposia, entrance to the Exhibit Hall for all three days and the LFI Innovation Awards, regularly priced at $545 ($595 after the pre-registration deadline).
-50% off all other in-depth Courses (Institute Courses and Workshops, excluding AGi32 and DIALux Courses).

3. Student Networking Events at the 2012 show
-New Attendee Orientation
-Lighting Education MEET & GREET
-Student Tours of the LFI Exhibit Hall
-Student Portfolio Review

For more info, click here.

Competition :: LAGI NYC 2012

2012-01-03T08:00:00.028-05:00

We are very pleased to announce that, in partnership with New York City's Department of Parks & Recreation, the 2012 Land Art Generator Initiative design competition will be held for a site within Freshkills Park (the former Fresh Kills landfill) in Staten Island.

The expansiveness of the design site at Freshkills Park presents the opportunity to power the equivalent of thousands of homes with the artwork. The stunning beauty of the reclaimed landscape and the dramatic backdrop of the Manhattan skyline will provide an opportune setting from which to be inspired, and it offers the perfect environment for a showcase example of the immense potential of aesthetically interesting renewable energy installations for sustainable urban planning.

The monetary prize award ($20,000) will not guarantee a commission for construction; however, LAGI will work with stakeholders both locally (NYC) and internationally to pursue possibilities for implementation of the most pragmatic and aesthetic LAGI designs.

Jury members include:
-Bjarke Ingels, BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group
-Dr. Henry Kelly, Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy
-Jean Gardner, Associate Professor of Social Ecological History, Parsons New School, School of Constructed Environments
-Public Design Commission of the City of New York
-Patricia Watts & Amy Lipton, ecoartspace
-Melanie Cohn, Executive Director, Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island
-Staten Island Economic Development Corporation

Register: Saturday, June 30, 2012
Submit: Sunday, July 01, 2012
Check out LAGI NYC Competition for the release of the requirements.

Competition :: Live.Work.Learn

2012-01-03T06:40:00.016-05:00

Competition :: Live.Work.Learn Design
Register by February 9, 2012

The Live.Work.Learn design competition, sponsored by Boral Bricks, is open to all architectural students. Students will design a live-work building in Washington D.C. The building will include two components: a workspace and a live space.

The main competition objectives are to encourage and reward excellence in the creative use of brick as a core building material for 70% of the exterior. Entries will also be judged on the creative use of bricks throughout the interiors- fireplaces, walls, planters, columns, kitchens, bathrooms, and more. For material information, please refer to the Boral Bricks Catalog.There are over 150 colors and textures of bricks to help inspire great designs.

To register for Live.Work.Learn and to receive contest rules and regulations, please contact liveworklearn@boral.com. Please provide the following information:
-Your first & last name
-Your address (with city, state and zip code)
-Your phone number
-Your email
-University or college you attend
-Your year in school
-Title of your project

For more information, please see this website.

Galvanize The Future :: An Edgar K Schutz Scholarship

2012-01-02T07:02:00.001-05:00

The American Galvanizers Association's Galvanize The Future: An Edgar K Schutz Scholarship essay contest was developed to assist future specifiers with the rising cost of a college education.

The scholarship is available to full or part time undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in an accredited college or university in North America studying architecture, civil engineering, structural engineering, construction management, material science, or a related field.

Three scholarships are awarded annually ($2,500; $1,500; and $1,000) for the top essays submitted. Visit http://www.galvanizeit.org/scholar for more information and an application.

The entry deadline for the current competition is March 31, 2012. Winners will be personally notified and announced on the AGA website in May 2012.

The scholarship will be paid directly to the winning student’s educational institution. All submissions become the property of the American Galvanizers Association and will not be returned.

Holiday Presents :: Pixel Paint Chip Art

2012-01-02T05:16:00.000-05:00

Image from Our 1st Next

Create a unique piece of art that is practically free!

Our 1st Next has a tutorial on how to create wall art out of free paint chips that looks like a pixelated image.

New Student Orientation Reception

2012-01-01T14:53:00.000-05:00

New Student Orientation Reception
Thursday January 12, 2012 from 5:30 - 8 pm
Dillon's (955 Boylston Street)

Get to know new students and welcome them to the BAC!

Join us on Thursday January 12, 2012 for the New Student Orientation Reception from from 5:30 - 8 pm at Dillon's (955 Boylston Street). All BAC students, faculty and staff are invited to attend.

Sponsored by Atelier, Admissions & Student Development

Remembering Italy 10 in Anticipation of Paris 12

2012-01-01T06:08:00.000-05:00

Exploring the gardens at the Villa I Tatti.

Richard Griswold and Jovi Cruces will be leading a study abroad program to Paris, France departing July 8, and returning to Boston on Monday, August 6th , 2012.

Students in good academic standing from all programs can participate, and all coursework will emphasize intensive use of sketchbook techniques for recording observations, and designing.

A second information session will be announced in February 2012 and you can contact richard.griswold@the-bac.edu for more info.

In the meantime you can see the adventures of the BAC 2010 Italy Program here.

Holiday Presents :: Learn About Leap Years

2012-01-01T05:38:00.000-05:00

2012 is a leap year! A leap year is a year in which one extra day is added at the end of February and consists of 366 days. The extra day, February 29 is the leap day of the leap year and has been associated with age-old traditions, superstitions and folklore. The last leap year prior to 2012 was 2008, and the next one after 2012 will be 2016.

Leap years are needed to keep our calendar in alignment with the earth's revolutions around the sun.The vernal equinox is the time when the sun is directly above the Earth's equator, moving from the southern to the northern hemisphere.

The mean time between two successive vernal equinoxes is called a tropical year–also known as a solar year–and is about 365.2422 days long.

Using a calendar with 365 days every year would result in a loss of 0.2422 days, or almost six hours per year. After 100 years, this calendar would be more than 24 days ahead of the season (tropical year), which is not desirable or accurate. It is desirable to align the calendar with the seasons and to make any difference as insignificant as possible.

By adding a leap year approximately every fourth year, the difference between the calendar and the seasons can be reduced significantly, and the calendar will align with the seasons much more accurately.

Holiday Presents :: Auld Lang Syne

2011-12-31T14:32:00.004-05:00

Do you know why many people sing Auld Lang Syne on midnight of New Years Eve?

Auld Lang Syne is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788. The title can be translated into English literally as, "old long since," or more idomatically, "long, long ago", "days gone by" or "old times."

The tradition of singing Ault Lang Syne started in Scotland, and soon spread to other parts of hte British Isles. In Scotland, they call New Years Eve, Hogmanay.

Learn more about the lyrics to this classic tune here.

AIAS Forum Recap :: New Year's Eve

2011-12-31T13:19:00.009-05:00

AIAS BAC Goes to FORUM 2011 :: New Year's Eve in Phoenix, AZ
by Jean Yau, BDS Candidate, Chapter Secretary 2011-2012

As we go forward in to the next year, 2012, let us remind ourselves why we commit our daily lives to the world of architectural design.

Many people would say that religion, or better term nowadays, "prayer," is the single most honest action people can make and one can see this action in many created churches or pavilions, one like the Phoenix First Assembly Prayer Pavilion. I visited this site with the intention of being entertained by a contemporary idea of prayer, instead it was more experiential and traditional idea of light and refuge of reflection.

DeBartolo Architects designed its 65-acre campus; a series of modern buildings: an early childhood education center (completed in 2000), a youth pavilion (2002), and a children’s pavilion (2004). The final piece of the master plan: a prayer chapel, Prayer Pavilion of Light.

The chapel’s atmosphere is conducive to meditation and appropriate for events, providing city views, mountain tops and courtyards around a glass box. This pavilion’s design is truly serene and integrated with the natural environment from the base of the hill to a zigzag path that gradually ascends to the pavilion.

Problem: a glass building in the desert? Solution: Exploring various shading strategies – a double façade; interior with tripled glazed trusses, and exterior with laminated frit glass and cantilevers off the trusses.

I had the opportunity to visit the Phoenix Art Museum. The Museum has served over fifty years as the main attraction of Phoenix’s art and cultural community, providing the people of Arizona with unique art from around the world and amazing cultural experiences. However, the art itself wouldn't be displayed so highly if the site and building construction were not considered in the design process.

A fact about Arizona is that the buildings are built onto the landscape and because of its wide open area of the desert, they are expanded or sprawled across along with their parking lots. The front entrance was placed on the border of Central Avenue where it acted as the "main corridor" of Phoenix, but the door later moved to the North side of the building to have a connection of the parking area.

Problem: Massive parking were entries to a building and part of the street. Solution: Moved parking and entrances to allow accessibility to change route and not to expand on other parcels of Phoenix, eliminating the urban sprawl.

Frank Lloyd Wright: Organic Architecture for the 21st Century exhibit is being held in the Phoenix Art Museum this month as well. Through the original trace papers and models of Wright's architecture, brings upon inspiring green building, like concepts of energy, materials, site, climate, space and technology in the urban planning. Unfortunately, the Museum didn't allow photos of these. To see more photos of our trip click here.

Finally, to give you a sense one of many highlights of AIAS FORUM, is our annual Beaux Arts Ball on New Year's eve. After all the tours, workshops, lectures, and seminars, the next best opportunity is to end the year with all our new friends and peers around the U.S in one room, and to begin with them as creative thinkers that share an architectural goal in addressing PROBLEMS our generation faces and continue to face, so us student designers can find SOLUTIONS for our future.

New Year's eve in Phoenix, AZ, we celebrate with food, music, knowledge (history, materials, design, collaboration, etc.) and good company at the Bentley Projects (once a linen laundry warehouse but renovated into a spectacular gallery with exposed trusses and original brickwork) making a strong connection and relationship as we discuss and exchange information about design.

Happy New Year's everyone! Visit AIAS BAC on Facebook or AIAS on the Student Development Blog for Chapter information, and AIAS.org for National information.

Blog Pick :: Stuck in Studio

2011-12-30T09:00:00.057-05:00

CAD Monkey Black T-Shirt by CafePress

Blog Pick :: Stuck in Studio
by Jean Yau, Bachelor of Design Studies Candidate

It is vacation, almost New Year's! You can't be stuck in studio! Unless, you're browsing through Stuck in Studio blogger...

A website dedicated for architecture students to connect with other architecture students who are in the same boat in terms of pulling all nighters, finding a job, and obtaining resources for a project. The site covers competitions, student projects, open forum boards, news from other schools' experiences, and an architecture store!

So, this New Year's, make sure you [1] take a break, [2] meet new people and spend it with your best people, and [3] buy yourself something good; you deserve a fresh start before you're Stuck in Studio again!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Notable Films to Watch on Break :: Metropolis

2011-12-29T06:03:00.000-05:00

Notable Films to Watch on Break :: Metropolis, 1925
by Becky Anderson, Coordinator of Student Activities

For its time, Metropolis was revolutionary in terms of special effects and set design. A running theme throughout the visual parts of the film is German Expressionism, while the architecture in the film is based on Art Deco and Modernist designs.

Things to note in the film:

Depending on what version of the film you watch, the restored version includes a straight-down view of the Tower of Babel that was not in the original.

Rotwang's Art Deco laboratory is a forerunner of the Streamline Moderne style and was highly influential in the set design of films in what would soon be known as the Raygun Gothic style. Try to watch these scenes and not think of every other mad scientist's laboratory in films and tv shows that have followed this film.

Eugen Schüfftan worked on the effects in this film and used the Schüfftan process - the process of using mirrors to "place" actors inside of miniature sets which are now filmed.

Notice the cars that drive the high, angled overpasses during the scenes with the Tower of Babel - they look like cars of the 1920s. The prop designers decided to not modernize their design for the film.

A chance discovery of a sample of "plastic wood" (a pliable substance designed as wood-filler) allowed costumers to sculpt the Maschinenmensch costume like a suit of armour over a plaster cast of the actress. Spraypainted a mix of silver and bronze, it helped create some of the most memorable moments on film.