The Architects Foundation, along with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), launched a nationwide request for partnership to add three more members to its National Resilience Initiative (NRI). The initiative is a network of resilient design studios that help communities become more resilient to natural disasters and climate change.
Founded in 2013 as a Clinton Global Initiative commitment, the NRI network will gather existing university-based design centers that work planning, facilitation and project implementation within their communities. The NRI’s goal is to pass along resilience design ideas and planning approaches that can be shared with local communities.
Currently, there are three existing NRI studios - Mississippi State (Gulf Coast / Southern Region), The University of Arkansas (Lower Mid-West Region), and the New Jersey Institute of Technology (East Coast Region). The Foundation recently issued its first annual report on what the NRI studios have achieved, and a map of the network and the risks being addressed by each studio can be found here.
In issuing its first request for partnerships, the Foundation searching for three university-led, multi-disciplinary teams to implement the second phase of the NRI. In this phase, the Foundation is looking to find the next three studios for the Mid-Atlantic, Upper Mid-West and Pacific Northwest regions.
“These new studios — along with the three existing NRI studios — will represent the six regional areas of need for resilience planning within the ten federal regions designated as disaster-prone areas by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),” said Architects Foundation Executive Director Sherry-Lea Bloodworth Botop. “These six members will form a strong resilient studio network backbone right where it’s needed most.”
Applications are now being accepted through January 7, 2016. A selection announcement is expected by mid-February. The first annual convening of all six NRI charter members will take place in early May at Architects Foundation headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Related Stories
| Jan 10, 2014
What the states should do to prevent more school shootings
To tell the truth, I didn’t want to write about the terrible events of December 14, 2012, when 20 children and six adults were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. I figured other media would provide ample coverage, and anything we did would look cheap or inappropriate. But two things turned me around.
| Jan 10, 2014
Special Report: K-12 school security in the wake of Sandy Hook
BD+C's exclusive five-part report on K-12 school security offers proven design advice, technology recommendations, and thoughtful commentary on how Building Teams can help school districts prevent, or at least mitigate, a Sandy Hook on their turf.
| Jan 10, 2014
Resiliency, material health among top AEC focuses for 2014: Perkins+Will survey
Architectural giant Perkins+Will recently surveyed its staff of 1,500 design pros to forcast hot trends in the AEC field for 2014. The resulting Design + Insights Survey reflects a global perspective.
| Jan 9, 2014
How security in schools applies to other building types
Many of the principles and concepts described in our Special Report on K-12 security also apply to other building types and markets.
| Jan 9, 2014
16 recommendations on security technology to take to your K-12 clients
From facial recognition cameras to IP-based door hardware, here are key technology-related considerations you should discuss with your school district clients.
| Jan 9, 2014
Harley Ellis Devereaux, BFHL Architects announce merger
Effective January 1, 2014, Ralph Lotito and Brett Paloutzian have merged BFHL, comprising 15 healthcare architects, with Harley Ellis Devereaux. A national architecture and engineering firm in practice since 1908, Harley Ellis Devereaux has offices in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, CA.
| Jan 9, 2014
Special report: Can design prevent another Sandy Hook?
Our experts say no, but it could save lives. In this report, they offer recommendations on security design you can bring to your K-12 clients to prevent, or at least mitigate, a Sandy Hook on their turf.
| Jan 8, 2014
Dan Noble succeeds H. Ralph Hawkins as president/CEO of HKS
H. Ralph Hawkins, FAIA, FACHA, LEED AP,current chairman, president and CEO, named Dan Noble FAIA, FACHA, LEED AP, his successor as president and CEO, effective January 1, 2014. Jeff Stouffer, AIA, will succeed Craig Beale, FAIA, FACHA, FACHE, as director of the firm's healthcare practice.
| Jan 8, 2014
Architect sentenced to a year in jail for firefighter's death
Architect Gerhard Becker was sentenced to a year in LA county jail after pleading no contest to the manslaughter of a firefighter who died while trying to contain a fire in a home the architect had designed for himself.
| Jan 7, 2014
Concrete solutions: 9 innovations for a construction essential
BD+C editors offer a roundup of new products and case studies that represent the latest breakthroughs in concrete technology.
