Tangible Remnants

This week's episode is an amazing conversation with the incredible Melissa Auf der Maur.  We met on the NY Preservation Webinar back in the spring of 2021 and we recorded this episode in the summer.   This is our first in-depth conversation so you'll hear more about both of our backgrounds. It's a longer episode but she was so gracious with her time I didn't want to cut out too much of the conversation.  We cover so much ground in this conversation including polite racism, gender roles, feminism, climate change, preservation, sustainability, music, culture, inequities designed into the American system, cultural differences between the US & Canada, as well as where we think we are on the pendulum swing of progress and our hopes for the future.Building Highlight: Basilica Hudson in Hudson Valley which was originally built in 1880 as a forge and foundry for steel railway wheels (later housing a glue factory until the 1980s)Links:Basilica Hudson Basilica Hudson podcastBasilica Hudson on InstagramTangible Remnants on InstagramTangible Remnants WebsiteBio:Melissa Auf der Maur is Co-Founder and Director of Basilica Hudson. From 1994-1999, Auf der Maur was a member and bass player of the alternative rock band Hole, and she is featured on the Grammy-nominated album, Celebrity Skin. She joined the Smashing Pumpkins in 2000 for their Farewell World Tour. She has also released two solo albums, Auf der Maur (2004) and Out of Our Minds (2010). The latter project comprises an album, a comic book, and a short film. Auf der Maur’s photographs have been exhibited internationally, including at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and have appeared in such publications as Spin, Elle, Nylon, and American Photo. She was born in Montreal, Canada and raised with a fine arts education, focusing on Music and Photography.**This episode is sponsored by www.Smartsheet4architects.com, a better way to manage architecture projects.**Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=66435616)Mentioned in this episode:DATMShe Builds

This week's episode features a conversation between me and Katherine Williams.  We discuss her journey into architecture and construction, Riding the Vortex, and the importance of creating a support system to navigate life and the profession. Building Highlight - Cedar Hill, Frederick Douglass' home in Washington, DC"Historic buildings rarely survive generations by accident. Someone made a choice, or in the case of the Douglass Home, a whole lot of women made a whole lot of choices over decades." - NPS website on Cedar Hill Links:bell hooksBlack Women in Architecture NetworkWhitney M. Young 1968 AIA Convention full SpeechWhitney M. Young 2021 Announcement: Riding the VortexRiding the Vortex Facebook GroupKatherine's websiteHoward University Architecture ProgramEquity by DesignWomen in Architecture Series (AIA NOVA)National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)Cultured Magazine Article featuring KaterineTangible Remnants on InstagramTangible Remnants WebsiteBio:  Katherine Williams, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP is a licensed architect in Northern Virginia and currently a Senior Project Manager for construction at a DC university. Her career path includes work in traditional architecture firms, community development, and managing commercial construction for a general contractor. She restarted the Black Women in Architecture brunch in DC, an annual event, co-founded the Desiree Cooper ARE Scholarship, and is a founding panelist for Riding the Vortex.Katherine has written about architecture and development and served as editor for multiple publications. She was the NOMA magazine editor from 2009-2014. In 2020, Katherine published Melvin Mitchell’s book African American Architects: Embracing Culture and Building Urban Communities.Katherine served as chair of the AIA Housing and Community Development KC advisory group and currently serves on the AIA Continuing Education Committee. She is a board member of the Village of Love and Resistance (VOLAR) working to build a co-operative community in east Baltimore. Katherine was an Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellow in San Francisco. She received the 2016 AIA Virginia Emerging Professionals award and the 2013 National Organization of Minority Architects President’s Award. She writes at katherinerw.com and is publisher/editor for archstories.com and bwa-network.com.  She is also one of the recipients of the 2021 Whitney M. Young Award from the American Institute of Architecture.**This episode is sponsored by www.Smartsheet4architects.com, a better way to manage architecture projects.** Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=66435616)Mentioned in this episode:DATMShe Builds

This week's episode features a conversation with Lori Ferriss of Goody Clancy.  We discuss the need for existing and historic buildings to be part of the climate action conversation as well as numerous organizations that are working toward that goal.  Lori and I are two of the four chairs for the ZNCC and we talk about a number of overlaps between all the organizations.  This is a fun and informative one which will provide more information on the intersection of preservation and sustainability. Links:Zero Net Carbon Collaboration (ZNCC)Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF)Passive House Accelerator (PHA)Carbon Avoided Retrofit Estimator (CARE) (formerly 'To Build or Not to Build' Calculator)UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) 26Climate Heritage Network (CHN)Association for Preservation Technology International (APTI)APT's Sustainable Preservation Technical Committee (TC-SP)US/ICOMOSThe New Net Zero (Embodied Carbon vs. Operational Carbon) by Lori FerrissPreservation Greenlab report: "The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse"Tangible Remnants on InstagramTangible Remnants on FacebookTangible Remnants WebsiteBuilding Highlight: Maggie Walker House in Richmond, VA Bio:  Lori Ferriss, AIA, PE, LEED AP BD+C is a leader in sustainable stewardship for the built environment. As Goody Clancy’s Director of Sustainability and Climate Action, she leads research and project initiatives and advocates within the broader profession for policies and practices that advance climate action goals.  Lori plays a leadership role on projects at educational institutions that are renewing heritage campuses while advancing climate action goals. She serves as project manager and forensic specialist on numerous Goody Clancy projects, and her sustainability leadership includes incorporating life cycle assessment as an integrated step of the design process.  Within the broader design community, Lori’s leadership is shaping our understanding of building reuse as a key measure towards meeting climate change mitigation goals. At the national level, she serves as a founding member and co-chair of the Zero Net Carbon Collaboration for Existing and Historic Buildings (ZNCC), a collaborative committed to achieving a zero net carbon built environment through responsible reuse of existing buildings that was formed by APTI, AIA, RAIC, ICOMOS, and Architecture 2030. Most recently, the City of Boston asked Lori to serve on its carbon mitigation policy Technical Advisory Group. Sponsor: Smartsheet For ArchitectsSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=66435616)Mentioned in this episode:DATMShe Builds

This episode features a fun conversation between me and the amazing April Drake.   We talk about her architecture journey, the importance of networking, and creating a supportive community for your personal and professional growth.   Links:National Council of Architecture Review Boards (NCARB)National Architecture Accreditation Board (NAAB)American Institute of Architects (AIA)National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)Melissa Daniels' podcast ArchispollyBlack Women in Architecture Brunch Tangible Remnants on InstagramTangible Remnants on FacebookTangible Remnants WebsiteBuilding spotlight: Whitaker Memorial Hospital in Newport News, VA Bio:April DrakeApril Drake is a Senior Project Architect with HDR in Arlington, VA focusing on complex government facilities. A native of Hampton Roads, Virginia, April received her B. Arch from Hampton University in 2004. With 15 years of education, government and commercial project experience, April leads multidisciplinary teams through all stages of design. She is a skilled facilitator and is well-known for her dedication to both collaboration and communication.April is especially passionate about her mentorship role in promoting the growth of women and minorities in architecture and allied fields. As one of the first 400 African American licensed women in the country, April is aware of the leadership and encouragement that is necessary to guide women from graduation to licensure. To that end, she is an active member in the AIA and a committee volunteer for NCARB (National Council of Architecture Registration Board). After serving two years on the Board of Directors, she is now the 2021 Treasurer for the AIA Northern Virginia (NOVA) Chapter. Since 2014, she has volunteered with NCARB on a number of task forces developing the new ARE 5.0 Exam. She is alsoPast Chair of the AIA NOVA Women in Architecture Committee, which champions the advancement of women in the profession throughout Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland.April also dedicates her efforts to creating events geared toward introducing young girls to Architecture. In 2015, she started a STEM event for local Girl Scout troops. Through a series of both collaborative and individual hands-on activities, each girl is able to explore aspects of architecture while also earning a STEM patch for their vest. In November 2018, April was the Local Keynote speaker in Washington, DC for the AIA Leadership Institute. Speaking about the “Missing Middle”, she highlighted the challenges faced by mid-career professionals. Finally, in 2019 she was honored as one of the AIA VA Emerging Professional Award recipients.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=66435616)Mentioned in this episode:She BuildsDATM

This episode features a fun conversation between me and the super talented  Purvi Gandhi Irwin.  We talk about her preservation journey, travel, and different life experiences.  We also discuss the importance of documenting historic structures prior to them being demolished. Links:Link to Ramsey Homes Drawings in the Library of CongressPurvi's Twitter handle: @BIMchiqPurvi's website on DEIA/JEDI issues Purvi's BlogTangible Remnants on InstagramTangible Remnants on FacebookTangible Remnants WebsiteBio:Purvi Gandhi Irwin: As the Practice Manager for Architecture at CADD Microsystems, Purvi supports professionals across all disciplines with BIM technologies, which includes teaching Revit, developing workflows and standards, troubleshooting issues, and finding creative solutions to both design and modeling problems. She has 17+ years of experience, most spent as a preservation project architect, where she specialized in using innovative technologies to facilitate the documentation and rehabilitation of institutional buildings, and 12+ years of Revit experience working with historic buildings, from conceptual design, through construction administration and project close-out. Purvi is a registered architect with degrees in both Architecture and Historic Preservation. She served on the Alexandria, VA Parker Gray Board of Architectural review from 2012 until its consolidation in 2019, as both a board member and as Board Chair. She currently serves on the Alexandria Board of Architectural Review. In the past, Purvi was also active with both the local and national chapters of the Association for Preservation Technology. She has recently become more involved in equity and diversity conversations as they relate to both the larger AEC industry and more specifically around historic preservation principles. She loves to learn and teach, with a strong belief that diversity in all ways creates stronger and more resilient communities. She has presented at many conferences over the years, including BILTna conferences, Autodesk University, DesignDC, AIA National Conference, ArchEX conference, the APTI Annual Conference, and local AIA chapter events.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=66435616)Mentioned in this episode:DATMShe Builds