BPA Service Project - Camp Stoney Creek

On May 14th, BPA teamed up with high school students from Central Park Christian School to move 30 bunk beds donated by Central Park Baptist Church to Stoney Creek Camp in Vinemont, AL.  These bunk beds will be used in the new dorm facility that has just been completed.  After a day of moving and transporting bunk beds everyone had the opportunity to enjoy the camp’s extensive zip-line trails. 

Stoney Creek Camp provides summer camp experiences at no cost to inner-city and underprivileged children. Below is a link to the camp’s website to find out more about the camp and their mission.

http://www.stoneycreekalabama.com/camp-2540.html

Congratulations to our Summer Giveaway Winner!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our giveaway!  We're excited to announce our winner!

Rachel McCoy has won:

• 16” x 20” DS Art print. Artist Don Stewart describes Crab (Ocean Blue) as a beachcomber’s bounty of nautical knick-knacks. It was featured as a mural at The Crab House at Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco. #234/1000

• 20 oz. Contigo tumbler with straw

• Extra-long beach towel (36” x 74”)

• 20” diameter beach ball

Make sure to subscribe to our blog and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to keep a lookout for our next giveaway!

AIA Conference 2016

Last weekend was the 2016 American Institute of Architects’ Annual Conference, held this year in Philadelphia. It was an invigorating weekend with energizing speakers, hundreds of interesting seminars, city sketching tours, playful installations, the unveiling of new technology and gadgets, and even a historic moment. Here are some of the highlights below.

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Robert Venturi + Denise Scott Brown, recipients of the 2016 AIA Gold Medal

Denise Scott Brown, studying her 2016 AIA Gold Medal

View of the Expo Floor, photo credits: AIA

Neri Oxman, Keynote Speaker, photo credits: AIA

An NCARB staff member showing a pilot version of ARE 5.0 off. photo credit: NCARB

Our own BPA designer, Allison Vosicky, outside the Expo Hall.

Neri Oxman, an architect and a professor at the MIT Media Lab, was the Keynote speaker for Day 2. She captivated the crowd with a presentation on the intersection of technology and biophilic design, and the possible applications for that work in the future of design and architecture.

http://new.aia.org/articles/12881-neri-oxman-captivates-architects-with-mind-blowing-projects?utm_source=Real%20Magnet&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=2396434907&utm_campaign=96951729

In a historic, and emotional moment, Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi were awarded the 2016 AIA Gold Medal. As the AIA states,

“The Gold Medal is the highest honor the AIA can confer on an architect or architects. It acknowledges a significant body of work that has had a lasting influence on the theory and practice of architecture. “

This recognition is so noteworthy because not only was it the highest award an architect could receive, but never in the award’s 109 year history has it ever before been awarded to a duo. In fact, the AIA changed their bylaws so that they could award the medal to both Venturi and his wife, and life-long collaborator, Scott Brown. Mrs. Scott Brown was escorted to the stage and greeted by a powerful standing ovation.

This years’ #ILookup Film Challenge was launched during the conference. “The I Look Up Challenge calls upon filmmakers to share their vision with a 2-3 minute video exploring the power of architecture to create solutions and uplift communities.” – AIA. To kick off the challenge, the AIA released a short film documentary featuring Rural Studio, a community design-build program through Auburn’s Architecture school that several of our BPA architects and designers have had the privilege of participating in over the years. Here are both links to the Rural Studio Film and the ILookUp Film Challenge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKqCE1V8u-U

http://ilookup.org/filmchallenge/

Summer Giveaway!

Summer has arrived, and so has our next giveaway! To celebrate warmer weather, longer days, and aquatic activities, we’re giving away the following items:

• 16” x 20” DS Art print. Artist Don Stewart describes Crab (Ocean Blue) as a beachcomber’s bounty of nautical knick-knacks. It was featured as a mural at The Crab House at Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco. #234/1000

• 20 oz. Contigo tumbler with straw

• Extra-long beach towel (36” x 74”)

• 20” diameter beach ball

For a chance to win:

• LIKE our Facebook post and SHARE our Facebook page to be entered to win!

• FOLLOW us on Instagram and Twitter for an additional entry.

We’ll announce the winner on June 10th.

Walk MS Birmingham

This past weekend, BPA joined the St. Vincent’s Marching Saints team for Walk MS Birmingham, at Regions Field and Railroad Park.  The weather was beautiful and the energy of the event was amazing!  It was St. Vincent’s 4th year participating in the Walk and the team ranked in the top 10 overall in fundraising, which is an incredible accomplishment.  The Team and the Walk are both very close to their fundraising goals.  Please visit the Walk’s website for more information on how you can help create a world free of MS: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/ALCWalkEvents?pg=entry&fr_id=27185

Carpet Mill Tour

Last week, Kari Davis with J+J Invision was kind enough to take the BPA interior designers on a tour of their carpet manufacturing facilities in Dalton, Georgia.

The trip began in Chattanooga with a glass blowing class at iGNiS Glass Studio, some spare time for a self-guided walking tour, and a fabulous dinner at Easy Bistro & Bar downtown. We stayed at The Bluff View Inn which was conveniently located to the Hunter Museum of American Art (seen behind us), the glass bridge shown above, and the pedestrian foot bridge that crosses the Tennessee River. In just an hour we were able to explore all of these things and soak up some sunshine along the way!

The next morning we made the short drive to Dalton where we spent the day learning the ins-and-outs of carpet production from the design team's studio (we even got a sneak peek of future designs!) to the packaging and distribution of the modular tiles. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take pictures on-site but promise we looked really good in our neon vests and headsets. 

The mill tours are beneficial to both suppliers and specifiers because they provide a chance for interaction and discussion on future trends and needs in the industry. We were grateful for the good company, cuisine and experiences this trip had to offer!

"Then I realized.. Adventures are the best way to learn." - Author Unknown

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Get Your Creative On

As Architects and Designers, we often look to outside sources and activities for design inspiration.  From looking at the latest magazine article in Architectural Digest to taking a local art class, we are always trying to feed our creative side.  

This past weekend, one of our own architects, and several other architects and artists from around the state, attended a 2-day watercolor workshop that focused on composition, drawing and painting buildings/landscapes, and studied light and how it enhances the environment, and in turn, an artistic sketch or rendering.

The workshop was hosted by Birmingham's own Forstall Art Center.  The feature artist and workshop teacher was Iain Stewart.  Stewart is an architect and painter, and he teaches watercolor and design drawing to architecture students at Auburn University.  He also travels around the world sharing his knowledge of watercolor, architectural illustration, and how to use it to capture a "scene" or just the atmosphere of a place or time.   

Day 1: Iain Stewart demonstrates watercolor wash tips and techniques

Day 2: Iain Stewart demonstrates composition and value shading

Day 2: Iain Stewart demonstration and paint palette

Day 1: Alicia's practice following the class demonstration on washes and composition

Day 2: Alicia practice of the initial wash following Iain Stewart's demonstration

Day 2: Iain Stewart demonstrates wash values and "saved lights" in paintings

Day 2: Iain Stewart demonstrates initial layout of a drawing using horizon lines and correct scaling

Day 2: Iain Stewart demonstration on darker washes

Day 2: Alicia's final rendering

We highly recommend attending one of his workshops if you have a chance. You will most certainly come away feeling more knowledgeable and inspired.  

If watercolor isn't your cup of tea, Birmingham has a number of other classes available around town.  Check out these websites for a list of workshops and classes near you.  Get your creative mind going with painting, pottery, cooking, music, woodworking, or even screen printing.  The possibilities and inspiration are endless. 

• Iain Stewart Workshops

• Forstall Art Center Workshops and Classes

• Alabama Art Supply Workshops and Classes

• MAKEbhm Workshops and Classes

• Birmingham Bake & Cook Company Classes

• Sur la Table Cooking Classes

• Red Dot Gallery Classes

Photo Credits: Alicia Pughsley, Architect and Associate at BPA

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter from our family to yours! 

BPA Paint Party

A subtle, yet effective, update to our color palette was the first order of business.

The spirit of change is permeating through the freshly painted walls here at BPA! We kicked off the process of office improvements with a paint party on Saturday. The transformation to our workspace is exciting, and this is just the beginning! We can’t wait to share the progress with you in the upcoming weeks.

Giveaway Update! There is still time to enter our giveaway where you can be entered to win a t-shirt and print from Yellowhammer Creative. We’ll announce the winner this Friday, March 18th!

For a chance to win:

LIKE our Facebook post and SHARE our Facebook page.

FOLLOW us on Instagram and Twitter for an additional entry.

Before the work began.

Hard at work.

Rendering of what we're working towards -- a sleek and modern, yet warm and inviting entrance to BPA.

Opportunity and Growth at BPA

Growth and change are in the air around here. The transformation of our city we're documenting in our B'ham Rising blog series is mirrored in the growth of our firm. While continuing to faithfully serve the clients we've worked with for years, new opportunities continue to knock on our door. It seems like we're daily welcoming new clients to the BPA family and new project types to our capabilities. This growth has given us an even more active role in the shaping of our city.

This kind of growth brings new faces and fresh ideas. One of the ways we plan to pursue these is through our participation in the Internship Fair put on by the Auburn University School of Architecture. Students submit résumés and work samples for our review, and we'll spend two days in March getting to know the best and brightest Auburn has to offer. We can't wait for this opportunity. Get ready Auburn students, we're coming to you.