Tuesday, January 26, 2010

HOWARD F. SIMS, FAIA

Black Architects Forum will begin running a series of profiles of Practicing African American Architects you may or may not have heard of.


Howard Sims is the founder and chairman of SDG Associates, LLC, an architectural and planning firm founded in 1964. He graduated from Northwestern High School in Detroit, and earned Bachelors and Masters degrees in Architecture from the University of Michigan.


His architectural firm is noted for many distinguished and award winning buildings including The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and The Cobo Hall Convention and Exhibition Center. Clients of the firm are numerous and include The University of Michigan, Wayne State University, Wayne County Community College, General Motors Corporation, The City of Detroit and The City of Atlanta. He is currently licensed in Michigan, Georgia, Arizona and Ohio, and throughout his career has also been licensed to practice architecture in Illinois, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Tennessee and Florida. Both he and his firm have been the recipients of numerous awards for outstanding architecture and excellence in the field.


A long serving member of The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a current Emeritus Member, Howard was elevated in 1977 to the College of Fellows, the second highest honor that AIA can bestow upon one of its members. In 1988 they awarded him the Gold Medal of The Detroit Chapter, their highest honor for outstanding contributions to the profession. He has served on many national and local committees and has also held multiple officer positions at AIA. Additionally, he served as the first Chairman of The State of Michigan Construction Code Commission, was a member of the Board of Directors of The Engineering Society of Detroit, and is a founding member of The National Organization of Minority Architects.


With a longstanding role in community involvement, Howard has served in such capacities as the Trustee of The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Trustee and Chairman of The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Trustee and Chairman of Oakland University, and Board Member and Chairman of The Detroit Branch of The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. He also co-chaired the Education Task Force of the Detroit Strategic Plan for the Detroit Renaissance. He is also a former Board Member of New Detroit, Inc, Metropolitan Detroit Youth Foundation, St. John’s Hospital, The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, and The Inner City Business Improvement Form. In the business community, he has served as a member of the board of directors for Primark Corporation, Comerica, Michigan Consolidated Gas Company, MCN Corporation and DTE Energy.


Howard is a life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and a life member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. He is currently an Emeritus Member of the Detroit Boule of the Sigma Pi Phi fraternity and has been instrumental in sponsoring educational programs for young people. Many years ago, Howard and his wife created a graduate fellowship for African American students in architecture at the University of Michigan. Later, they created additional annual student award programs open to students studying Social Work, Education and Architecture. Recently, he endowed a fellowship in Alternative Energy Applications and Sustainable Architecture at Lawrence Technological University.



Friday, January 22, 2010

Architects for Haiti (Re)Construction

Architects from around the world lets pool our talents to to provide direction and guidance in the (re)Building of the Nation of Haiti.

Facebook Group

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

reFACING DETROIT : A HOUSING NARRATIVE : PART 1

REHABILITATING DETROIT. In 2009, the federal government passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It was enacted as an economic stimulus package and immediately pumped $12.7 billion towards the modernization of the nation’s public housing. New leadership at the Detroit Housing Commission (DHC) has earmarked $8 million toward breathing new life into a scattered sites housing program that has proven national success. Through this capital outlay, the DHC is continuing its mission to provide quality housing for all Detroiters. Hamilton Anderson Associates is one of four teams of architects asked to take this journey of rehabilitation with the DHC. Our specific task is to assess the physical condition of 80 homes, but as our work continues, we realize our assessments are also about restoring the human condition.

Complete Blog post from Rob Saxon here

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

ARE Forum

Are you working on IDP?
...started taking the ARE?
...part way through the exams?
or
...recently licensed?

This event is for you!!!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Harley Ellis Devereaux
26913 Northwestern Hwy Suite 200
Southfield, MI

A LIVE forum event in metro Detroit to discuss the Architectural Registration Exam and IDP. Those who are recently licensed or taking the exams can share their study tips, tell how they chose their exam sequence, what study materials and resources worked best, etc. Those who are just getting started with IDP and ARE will benefit from this sharing of knowledge on how to prepare.

Looking for study partners? This event is the perfect time to hook up with others studying for the same exam. Remember...you are not in this alone!

Best part... this event is free! And food will be provided!!!


We just ask that you RSVP here or by emailing aiadetroit.epc.are@gmail.com by January 11th (so we have a head count for our food order).

See you at 6pm at Harley Ellis Devereaux office!

Thanks and spread the word................................