Dong-Eun Kim (PhD Apparel Design, 2009) was awarded second place in the doctoral paper category at the International Textile and Apparel Association conference for her work, "Apparel fit based on viewing of 3D virtual models and live models." Kim is currently an assistant professor at California State University-Long Beach.
Kim Johnson (Retail Merchandising) presented several papers, co-authored with current and former graduate students, a the International Textile and Apparel Association conference:
Spero Daltas (BArch, 1943), 89, passed away on November 8, 2009. Daltas was a Fellow of the American Academy in Rome. Richard Chin writes in the Pioneer Press that Daltas "roamed the world as a pioneering international architect with offices in Boston and Rome and projects in such far-flung locations as Iran, Burma, Uganda, Turkey, Somalia, and Mexico."
HaeWon Ju (MS Apparel Design, 2008), a current graduate student in the Apparel Studies track of the Doctoral Program in Design has received the outstanding research award from the International Textiles and Apparel Association for her MS thesis research. Ju's thesis was entitled, "Young women's visual processing of fashion advertisements using eye tracking."
Kris Layon (MFA DHA, 2004) has developed an iPhone app, "ArtAlphabet," that has been accepted by Apple for the iTunes app store. ArtAlphabet is an educational game combining alphabet flashcards with design history.
The 2009 annual Housing Organization for University Students (H.O.U.S.) Alumni Gala, a casual gathering of Housing Studies alumni, faculty, and students, will be held Friday, November 13, 2009, 5:30 p.m., in 274 McNeal Hall. Topics of discussion include housing being planned at UMore Park, a 5,000-acre site 25 miles southeast of the Twin Cities at the suburban-rural interface, near Rosemount, Minnesota. The vision is to build a University-founded community of 20,000-30,000 people. Marilyn Bruin (Housing Studies), is serving on the UMore Park Academic Mission Advisory Committee and will share information about current and planned activities.
RSVP by November 9, 2009 to Becky Yust, H.O.U.S. faculty advisor, byust@umn.edu or 612-624-7461.
Jeff Hanson (MArch, 2000) has authored an appendix for Paul Aubin's Mastering Revit Architecture 2010.
A digital work by Beth Koch (UMD Art and Design; PhD candidate, Design; MFA DHA, 2006) is included in a juried exhibition during the International Digital Media and Art Association conference, "At the Digital Edge: Digital Innovations and Challenges," in November, 2009.
Some two-dozen College of Design students and staff posed the provocative question "What if... design reduced our carbon footprint?" to thousands of spectators lining University Avenue Friday evening, October 9, 2009. The occasion was the 2009 parade for "The Ultimate Homecoming," the first since the opening of TCF Bank Stadium. Three gradually smaller houses, hoisted on marcher's shoulders, represented the possibility of a smaller carbon footprint. Mark Lescher (MArch 2007) served as design adviser and undergrad construction foreman Ben VandenWymeleneberg led a team of fellow students in refining the concept and constructing the lit-from-within houses.
College of Design's parade unit for Homecoming 2009.
Local fashion label Calpurnia Peach, owned by Ashley Wokasch and Luci Kandler (both BS Clothing Design, 2009) is number 72 on Metro magazine's Metro 100. Calpurnia Peach has shown twice at Voltage: Fashion Amplified and earlier this year won the Ikea challenge, making an outfit entirely out of Ikea materials. The pair has also designed for RetroRama at the Minnesota History Center, taught two screen-printing classes at the Walker, exhibited their wares at the Clapperclaw Festival, and put on a show at the Varsity Theater with La Nouvelle Femme. Wokasch and Kandler are creating a dress for Haley Bonar's performance at the Minnesota Zoo.
Tom Oslund (BLA, 1980) is also listed on Metro magazine's Metro 100.
The University Alumni Association will name Amanda Lange (BS Graphic Design, 2009) as its 2009 Student Volunteer of the Year at an event at the McNamara Alumni Center on October 8, 2009. Lange has served as a member of the Design Institute Student Board (DISB) and was elected to the College of Design Student and Alumni Board (DSAB) from 2007 to 2009. She also helped develop the college's "Dirty Laundry" program which showcases designers from various disciplines, sharing candid and often hilarious stories of their best and worst professional experiences.
The University Alumni Association will also honor Janice Linster (BS Interior Design, 1983) with the University's Alumni Service Award. Linster served on the college's DSAB.
The College of Design Alumni Society will receive a University of Minnesota Alumni Association 2009 Program Extraordinaire Award, in part for the "Dirty Laundry" program.
Keith Koch (BS Retail Merchandising, 1995; MA DHA, 2004) is Capella Education Company's vice president of next generation learning. His team develops and maintains the company's online courserooms, applications, and Web sites. He joined Capella in 2000 as the company's first manager of Web strategies. Koch was named director of next generation learning in 2004 and promoted to vice president in 2009. He previously worked as an ecommerce brand manager and Web designer at Fingerhut Companies.
Joel Goodman (BArch, 1966) has received the Senior Design Sponsor Award from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville's Mechanical Engineering Department.
Norman Garden (BA, Architecture, 1982) has been named director of RTKL's commercial practice group. Garden will lead the international planning, design, and engineering practice's work in the retail, residential, and hospitality sectors.
University of Minnesota alumni are invited to tour the Solar Decathlon entries on the national mall, Washington, DC, on Saturday, October 17, 2009 and then gather for a special reception at the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum to celebrate with members of the University's entry design team. Team leaders will share an insider's view of the design process, contest, and unique features of the ICON Solar House. The Hirshhorn Museum's new director, Richard Koshalek (BA Architecture, 1965; MA Art History, 1968) will talk about his new role with the museum and vision for its future.
Mark Swenson (BED, 1971; MArch, 1973) won the 2009 Career Achievement Award for historic preservation from the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota.
Swenson also won a Platinum Level National Reconstruction Award from Building Design and Construction magazine for his firm's work on the W Minneapolis Hotel in the Foshay (the Foshay made the magazine's cover). Midtown Exchange won a Platinum Level Award in 2006 and the Westin Hotel Minneapolis won a Bronze Level Award in 2007.
Stacey Kadrmas (BS Retail Merchandising, 1999) and her cousin co-founded Sherry's Wishes, a non-profit supporting cancer-related causes. The non-profit hosts a charity event featuring Tim Mahoney and DJ Jimmy on Thursday, October 1, 2009, 7 p.m.-midnight, at the Varsity Theater in Dinkytown. Kadrmas works as a brand manager for Sports Authority in Denver, managing packaging, marketing, consumer research, and brand standards for more than eight private brands.
Mike Julio Fesser (BArch, 1988) and Ken Potts (MArch, 1989) recently teamed up to deliver the first LEED-Existing Building Certification in the city of Saint Paul, the Securian headquarters building. Fesser is the director of facilities for Securian; Potts is the director of sustainability for McGough Companies (LEED administrators for the project).
Todd Wichman (BLA, 1984) has been selected to join the American Society of Landscape Architects' (ASLA) Council of Fellows. Wichman is one of 33 landscape architects selected to join the council this year. The induction ceremony will take place in Chicago on Saturday, September 19, 2009 during the 2009 Annual ASLA meeting.
Troy Gallas (B.S. Arch '05) and Colin Kloecker (B.S. Arch '05), co-founders of Solutions Twin Cities, are in the running to receive a $10,000 Nau Grant for Change (G4C). The G4C is awarded to and supports those who instigate lasting, positive change in their communities, including athletes, artists, and activists.
Gallas and Kloecker are one of 294 entries in the contest. Public voting is open until August 31, 2009, to determine the public's top five finalists. In addition, five finalists will be selected by a panel of Nau employees and advisors. According to Nau's G4C Web site, "criteria for finalists include a demonstration of the Collective spirit of change, the project's apparent need of a fiscal boost, and the breadth of impact that the individuals have on community."
Founded in 2006, "Solutions is a Web site, a community, a new frame of mind, but at its core, Solutions is an event," Gallas and Kloecker state on the Solutions Twin Cities Web site. "The event will connect people, communities, and creativity - fostering a new dialogue that will cross creative and cultural boundaries."
To vote for Gallas and Kloecker, go to the Nau G4C registration page and create an account. From there, click on their profile, using the tabs to navigate the site and read their story. Finally, give it a rating from one to five stars. The ten finalists will be announced on the G4C Web site the first week of September.
Lois Cutler, (BS Housing, 1993; MA Housing, 1996; PhD Housing, 1997), has been named director of graduate studies for the University's multidisciplinary gerontology minor. Cutler, a research associate with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Health Policy and Management succeeds Rosalie Kane. Her research expertise is in the evaluation of the quality of life in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and exploring how environments are used in long-term care settings. She is currently comparing small-house nursing homes with traditional nursing homes for older adults with memory loss in Ohio retirement communities.
Cynthia Lapp (MLA 2009), winner of a Capstone Prize for her Oostvaarders Wold wildlife corridor design for the city of Almere in the Netherlands, presents her work at the International Conference on Ecology and Transportation (ICOET) September 13-17, 2009 in Duluth, and in the Stadhuis of Almere, September 22, 2009. The planner for Almere, Ria van Dijk, has been a visiting faculty in the School of Architecture at the invitation of Julia Robinson (Architecture). Lapp, who works for the Center for Changing Landscapes, will also be co-teaching a fall course on case studies in sustainable landscape design and planning with Kristin Raab (MLA 2009).
Patrick Redmond (MA DHA, 1990) has published a letter to the editor regarding the blurring of distinctions between design and other disciplines related to the brand messaging mix in the July 2009 issue of PR Week.
Mary Pappajohn, a 1955 graduate of the College of Home Economics with a degree in related art, and her husband, John, have funded a new sculpture park in Des Moines, Iowa.
The John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park will encompass 4.4 acres in the heart of downtown Des Moines, and will feature 24 pieces donated to the Des Moines Art Center by the Pappajohns.
Built within an urban setting, the park will add to the continued revitalization efforts of the surrounding neighborhood, and "will contribute to the dynamism of the city and add a new dimension of the museum experience," Jeff Fleming, director of the Des Moines Art Center, said.
Mary is a University of Minnesota Alumni Association life member, and she, along with John, have provided significant scholarship support to Design, Housing, and Apparel (DHA) students over the past nine years. Additionally, the Pappajohns are avid art collectors, and in 2003, were named among the top 200 art collectors in the world by Art News magazine.
Related: Des Moines Art Center to Open New Sculpture Park in Heart of Downtown Des Moines in August 2009, Art Daily
Jason Lamers (BED '07, MLA '09) and Mark Apfelbacher (MLA '09) of Rehbein Environmental Solutions, Inc. (RESI) recently worked on implementing a storm water runoff system for the new TCF Bank Stadium.
The stadium's plaza will double as a storm water filter, and will employ the use of an underground filtration system rather than a holding pond. 
Above: CDes alumni Mark Apfelbacher and Jason Lamers.
"The EPIC (Environmental Passive Integrated Chamber) System can be designed to hold rain water or pump water from the stored water tanks that could be in the bottom drainage area before being discharged via the under drain system," Apfelbacher said.
Continue reading "Landscape arch alumni help plan storm water system for TCF Bank Stadium" »
Elena Noss (BS Architecture, 2003; formerly Elena Marocco Michel) completed a masters degree in energy efficient and sustainable building at Oxford School of Architecture in 2009. She is currently working as a junior architect at Tetlow King Ltd., a medium sized firm in Southampton, England, where she helped the company start another trading name called Stanbridge Sustainable Solutions. In the past six months Noss also started up a sustainable design consultancy, Eco Inc.
Tyler Stevermer (BS Interior Design, 2008) is working for Kidson Land Company, a San Francisco-based property developer that also owns a small chain of department stores. Working for both companies, he is using his interior design education to renovate historic commercial and residential spaces, while also assisting with strategy for development projects, and serving as the brand director for Jeremys department stores.
On weekends, Stevermer serves on the creative team for Harput's Own, a startup clothing line and has started writing for independent fashion magazine Lurve.
Jay Isenberg (M.Arch, 2003) and Lynda Monick-Isenberg (MA Home Economics/Design, 1980) are curating the Unbundling the Housing Crisis exhibition at the Form + Content Gallery, Whitney Square Building, 210 North Second Street #104, Minneapolis. The show runs July 30-September 5, 2009 and an opening reception will be held Saturday, August 1, 2009, 6-9 p.m.
Tarek Naga (M.Arch, 1982) is an architect and founder of Naga Studio Architecture in Los Angeles, an investigative, experimental architectural studio that is dedicated to a progressive architectural discourse. His current projects include the Pyramids Plateau Master Plan, Giza, Egypt; Oqyana Master Plan, Dubai; a new furniture line for ALCHEMY; and Bus Stop System Prototypes, New Cairo, Egypt.
Former Architecture faculty member Joel Goodman (B.Arch, 1966) sends word of his recent publications: "Building Size Fixed Reflector CPC Troughs and Bowls for Food Processing Facilities," Proceedings of the International Solar Food Processing Conference, Jan. 2009, Indore, India; "Architectural Active Solar Energy Reflector Collector Studies," Solar 2008 American Solar Energy Society Conference, San Diego, California; "Building-integrated, non-imaging trough cooking systems," Solar Cooker Review, March, Vol. 14, Number 1, 2008.
Jason Weinbeck's (B.A. Arch, 2001) home is featured in an eight-page story in the Summer 2009 issue of Atomic Ranch. The name of the article is "Pinching Pennies: Sweat equity pays off in a big way in Minnesota."
Norman Haines (B Land Arch, 1980) passed away last year at his home in Rockville, MD. Haines "came to the University as a qualified surveyor and quickly established himself as a wise, no-nonsense presence in the studio," remembers classmate Jerry de Gryse (B Land Arch, 1979). "Norman knew how things worked and made them happen -- he was the first to attack any problem, organizing classmates and sharing what he knew, helping all to succeed while achieving exceptional results in his own right. Many of his classmates endured a winter's day or two as his survey field assistant, work that helped us to fund our educations and gave us a practical experience that has helped us all be better professionals in times since," continued de Gryse.
After graduation, Haines returned to his home in Maryland where he established Haines Land Design, providing landscape design and land use planning services. He developed a highly regarded expertise in wetland assessment, impact mitigation, and restoration, and acted as an expert witness in a number of major planning decisions.
The University of Minnesota Foundation has produced a video profile of architect Bill Pedersen (BArch, 1961), including an interview with Dean Tom Fisher (Architecture). Pedersen is designing the University's Science Teaching and Student Services building currently under construction overlooking the Mississippi River on the East Bank.
Other notable Pedersen designs include the Shanghai World Financial Center, 333 Wacker Drive in Chicago, the Procter & Gamble World Headquarters, the World Bank in Washington, DC, and the Gannet/USA Today Headquarters in Virginia.
The Foundation has also published the Pedersen profile in Legacy, it's print magazine for University donors and friends.
Heba Amin (MFA Interactive Design, 2009) has received a Rhizome commission grant. Amin was one of 10 recipients out of 800 applicants.
Sandra Rolph (MLA 2007), Sean Jergens (BED 2002, MLA 2005), and Jenny Salita (MLA 2008) created artwork for the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum's latest exhibit, "Waterosity: Go Green with a Splash." Their piece, "Global Spydrology," explores the connection between people, plants, and water. ("Spydrology" is a combination of "spiral" and "hydrology".)
Continue reading "Three MLA grads create artwork for Arboretum exhibit" »
The Univeristy's comedy team recently won Rooftop Comedy's 2009 National College Competition. Andy Erikson (BS Graphic Design, 2009) was named the team's MVP. In 2008, Erikson won Rooftop Comedy's Rusty Nail Award. Erikson tells the Pioneer Press she'll spend most of July in San Francisco at a Rooftop Comedy internship.
Dennis Mulvey (BArch, 1976) has joined Adolfson and Peterson Construction as senior vice president of the firm's Midwest Division.
Leonard Parker (BArch, 1948; Architecture, retired) was featured on Minnesota Public Radio's (MPR) Midday program earlier today. The segment, "Remembering D-Day," examines the upcoming 65th anniversary of the allied landing at Normandy, France and includes the narration of a letter written by Parker, who helped liberate Dachau. Parker was on the faculty of the School of Architecture for more than 30 years, worked with Eero Sarinen, and established The Leonard Parker Associates (now known as PDI World Group) in Minneapolis in 1958.
John Albers (BA Architecture, 1968; MArch, 1972), president of Opus Architects & Engineers, has announced his retirement from the A&E arm of the Opus Group. Albers was the lead architect of the Mariucci Arena and has served as a guest lecturer at the School of Architecture. Notable projects spanning Albers's career include the Saint Paul and Minneapolis campuses of the University of St. Thomas, Best Buy's corporate headquarters, the Fifth Street office towers, and The Carlyle in Minneapolis.
Winslow Wedin (BArch, 1959) continues to provide architectural services in the commercial, hospitality, and residential areas. Wedin recently donated five boxes of archival material and a biography about his father, Elof Wedin (1901-83), to the Minnesota Historical Society, which has a number of paintings by the elder Wedin in its collection.
Detail, "Harbor, Svalvar, Norway" 56"x47" 1966.
Patrick Redmond (MA DHA, 1990) is a founding member of AIGA Minnesota's new Veteran Designer committee. Redmond took second place in the University of Wisconsin-Stout's "Sketch-Off" fundraising event competition in March 2009 and presented "A Creative Career in Graphic Design" during that university's Spring 2009 mini-lecture series. Several of Redmond's designs for the Star Tribune's "Taste" section have been included in Graphis Annual and Print Regional Annual. Redmond is also cited in Peter Seitz: Designing a Life (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Minneapolis College of Art & Design, 2007).
Alumni and friends from the colleges of Design; Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences; and Education and Human Development; as well as the former School of Agriculture, and colleges of Human Ecology and Home Economics are invited to the annual St. Paul Campus Reunion Thursday, June 25, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
Come explore the gardens and summer exhibitions on foot or by tram at the Arboretum. Check out the Oswald Visitor Center and reconnect with University friends. Phi Upsilon Omicron alumni will gather at lunch. The University class of 1959 will also be recognized.
Registration is requested by Friday, June 17. Space for the tours will be reserved first come, first served. Participation is $25 for UMAA members or $30 general admission per person, which includes lunch, tours and parking.
Matt Gilbertson's (BA Arch, 1985; MArch, 1992) Honolulu design firm, MGA Architecture, has finished the design for a four-story, 29,655-square-foot addition to Waikiki Shopping Plaza with forms inspired by the native Hawaiian ahupua'a: 'Aina (land), wai (water), and mea 'oiwi (indigenous plants). "The primary forms and stone textures of the building's massing represent the solid, eternal 'aina. Over this flow five shimmering waterfalls of curtainwall glass along Kalakaua Avenue. And just as the mea 'oiwi served the inhabitants of the ahupua'a with much needed shelter from the elements, the rooftop canopy and cantilevered sidewalk trellises provide protection and a sense of human scale," says Gilbertson.
Louise Brodman (BArch, 1980) has designed the first LEED Platinum-certified house in Rhode Island.
John Cary (BA Arch, 1999), executive director of Public Architecture, has been invited to the White House for a special arts policy briefing and planning meeting. Additionally, the Rockefeller Foundation has named Cary a fellow in residence at its Bellagio Center this fall.
Christopher Monson (BArch, 1987), associate professor at the School of Architecture at Mississippi State University (MSU), has received the 2009 John Grisham Master Teacher Award for teaching excellence. The award is the highest honor given for teaching at MSU. The award prize is endowed by Mississippi-raised author John Grisham, who received an undergraduate degree from MSU in accounting in 1977 before entering law school.
Monson is currently directing the full-time research work on "StudioSchool," a public school program of choice for students at-risk of academic failure and drop out. The StudioSchool project is developing the instructional method of architectural education -- called studio-based learning (SBL) -- for use as a pedagogy in K-12 education.
Heba Amin (MFA Interaction Design, 2009) is profiled by Norma Smith Olson in the May issue of Minnesota Women's Press. Amin also designed the magazine issue's cover.
In other news, Amin published a paper, "Fragmented City: Visualizing the City-psyche Relationship of Cairo," in the Spring 2009 issue of media-N, the peer-reviewed and invitational journal of digital and media arts.
Richard Koshalek (B.A. Arch, 1965, MA Art History), the new director of the Hirshhorn Museum, was profiled by Blake Gopnik in the April 29, 2009 issue of the Washington Post. "The 67-year-old chuckles at the memory of guerrilla shows he organized, way back when he was an architecture student at the University of Minnesota, that were so 'edgy and controversial' that he refuses to divulge what they were," writes Gopnik.
Amy Michelle Freeman (BS Retail, 1998) and her company, SoHo Exchange, are featured in the Take 5 section (page 58) of the April 2009 issue of Twin Cities Luxury and Fashion magazine.
Karl Frankowski's (BS Graphic Design, 2002) video, ID processes: Rapid Prototyping, is featured on both industrial design Web site Core77 and on boingboing Gadgets. Frankowski's video explains rapid prototyping processes for industrial designers and was originally shot for the 2007 Goldstein Museum of Design exhibition, Here by Design 3 (scroll about halfway down the page).
Lyndsie Nash (formerly Lyndsie Hakala; BS Clothing Design, 2000) has moved to freelance apparel design. Nash worked at The North Face for about seven-and-a-half years and later headed design for Mission Playground, a sustainable sportswear company. She was recently featured in the March/April 2009 issue of Textile Insight, a trade publication.
Barbara Johnson Schnelle (BS DHA, related arts, with distinction '50) died in Edina, MN of natural causes on March 13, 2009. Schnelle was a student of the Goldstein sisters and donated a number of garments and accessories to the Goldstein Museum of Design. She was employed at Dayton's and Donaldson's department stores.
Sarah French (Clothing Design, 2006), Megan Wannarka (Clothing Design, 2006), and current student Stacy Wenzel (Clothing Design) are currently working on a production of William Shakespeare's Hamlet for 3AM Productions.
Hamlet will open on May 8, 2009 and run through May 17, 2009 at the Minneapolis Theatre Garage at 711 West Franklin Avenue. Show times are Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets go on sale April 20, 2009 at 612-339-0207 or 3amproductions@gmail.com. Adult tickets are $16; students/seniors are $12; groups of 10 or more are $10; and all tickets are discounted $2 with a Fringe button.
Diane Hovey (MS DHA, 1993) and her wheelchair-bound daughter, Sonia, were profiled in the Pioneer Press by Megan Boldt. Sonia suffered severe brain damage when she was 14 months old and Diane set out to write a fairy tale based on her daughter. The fairy tale was recently published as Princess Sophia's Gifts.
Sarah Susanka (M.Arch 1983; CALA commencement speaker 2002; CALA alumni award recipient) has co-authored a book, Not So Big Remodeling, available now. The book and Susanka were featured in a USA Today article by Wendy Koch. Susanka is also the author of the 1998 book, The Not So Big House.
Marvin Malecha (B.Arch 1973) is quoted in an All Things Considered segment on National Public Radio (NPR), "Chicago Architects Search For Foundation." The segment deals with Chicago architecture firms having to lay off employees and alter their businesses. Architects are looking for different things to do.
College of Design alum Liz Homer (B.S. Graphic Design, 2007) was featured in the March 2009 issue of the AIGA Minnesota newsletter's Spotlight section. Homer is associate director for emerging designers and design traffic manager for Student Unions and Activities at the University.
Nichole (Milford) Koustrup (BED 2001) is featured on this KMSP segment on the Minnesota Home and Patio Show at the Saint Paul RiverCentre held February 19-22, 2009.
Jane King Hession (M.Arch '95) will speak on "Frank Lloyd Wright in New York" at the 2009 annual meeting of the Minnesota Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians (MNSAH), Wednesday, March 18, 7:15 p.m., at the Minnesota Humanities Center, 987 Ivy Ave. East, St. Paul.
Hession is an architectural historian, curator, and writer based in Alexandria, VA. She is the coauthor of Frank Lloyd Wright in New York: The Plaza Years 1954-1959 and Ralph Rapson: Sixty Years of Modern Design.
For more information on MNSAH, contact Laura Weber, l-webe@umn.edu.
John Dwyer (B.Arch. 1996, M.Arch. 2002) is profiled by Linda Mack in the March 7, 2009 issue of the Star Tribune. Dwyer has most recently been in East Biloxi, MS where he's been building six sustainable model homes developed by Architecture for Humanity. Since Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast almost four years ago, Dwyer has taken Architecture students to New Orleans to build a gallery for two photographers in the city's Ninth Ward, led a community design center, and has overseen delivery of the Clean Hub, a shipping container that he and his students retrofitted for solar energy and rainwater collection.
Dean Tom Fisher (Architecture) is quoted in Mack's article, saying, "John's a really good model for our students. He learned that you can transform the world: Just start doing it."
The March-April 2009 issue of reDesign, the newsletter for College of Design alumni, is now available online. The newsletter is e-mailed to alumni bi-monthly throughout the year, to keep our friends connected to news, events, and opportunities at the college and University. Contact Laura Walton, lwalton@umn.edu, to be added to the e-mail distribution list.
Where and how do College of Design alumni establish their careers? Take a look at the alumni career profiles for the college's programs available through the Saint Paul Campus Career Center.
The Smithsonian Institution has named Richard Koshalek (B.A. Arch, 1965, MA Art History) as director of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Since 1998, Koshalek has been president of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA and from 1980-99 he was director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. Koshalek was the College of Design's first commencement speaker in 2007.
Tim Alt (B.Arch. 1987) has been recognized as the 2009 Architect of Distinction by Midwest Home magazine and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Minnesota. The award is given to a licensed architect and member of AIA who has been practicing for at least 15 years.
Kerrick Wessel (B.Arch. 1994) has received the 2009 Emerging Talent award from the magazine and AIA Minnesota. The award is given to a licensed architect and AIA member who has been practicing for 10 years or fewer.
William Conway (Architecture) served on the awards jury.
Eric Olson (Graphic Design, 1999) will present at the Walker Art Center as part of its Insights lecture series co-sponsored by the AIGA Minnesota chapter. Olson's Klavika typeface was formerly used by the College of Design for its wordmark and his Process Type Foundry is one of the US's most sought-after type foundries.
Nick Sperides (B.Arch. 1983) and Eric Reiners (B.Arch. 1995) are partners in the firm of Sperides Reiners Architects, Inc. The firm was formerly known as Welman Sperides Architects, LLC.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has named its 2009 fellows, five of whom are College of Design alumni:
AIA Minnesota profiles the four Minnesota-based fellows (.pdf; 1.5Mb) in the March 2009 issue of Matrix, its newsletter
Lynda Monick-Isenberg (Masters in Home Economics, 1980) is an associate professor at the College of Visual Arts in Saint Paul. Monick-Isenberg is the chair of the Foundation Studies Department and coordinator of the Teaching Artist Program. She is also an artist and founding member of the Form + Content Gallery in Minneapolis.
Robert Feyereisen (B.Arch 2001) has built an architectural model of the Stillwater lift bridge using unconventional materials -- like magnets and sandpaper -- to help blind and low-vision individuals better visualize and understand the project. The model will be available for viewing at an open house at the Washington County Government Center, 14949 62nd Street North, Suite 560 in Stillwater, on Thursday, February 5, 2009, 5-7 p.m.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced Matthew Kreilich (B.A. Arch and American Indian Studies, 1995; M.Arch, 1998) as one of eight recipients of the 2009 AIA Young Architects Award.
Contract magazine, in its January 2009 issue, names John Cary (B.Arch 1999) and John Peterson designers of the year. Cary is executive director of Public Architecture; Peterson is president and founder.
In an editorial announcing the award, Contract editor Jennifer Thiele Bush, writes, "... our 2009 Designers of the Year are dedicated to harnessing the power of design to address harsh reality in the world. In an age where the desire to 'give back' seems to be a growing response to the weariness of excess, John Peterson and John Cary of San Francisco-based Public Architecture have increased awareness around the possibilities of socially responsible design, inspired a greater sense of purpose among those interested in practicing it, and -- most importantly -- offered a practical, organized approach to executing it."
"One of the things that we're focused on a great deal here at Public Architecture is bringing design into places that wouldn't otherwise benefit from it," Cary tells writer Katie Weeks in an article about the award. "Right now design suffers from kind of a class issue in that it costs money to get things that are truly designed. That's one of the things we're trying to break down."
Michael Samuelson (BS Housing, 1994), die-hard Minnesota Twins fan and triple kidney transplant recipient, is profiled by Jay Weiner on MinnPost.com. Samuelson is known around town as one of the biggest opponents to the Metrodome stadium. With long-time friend, Julian Empson Loscalzo, the pair will sponsor the Second Annual Last Hot Stove Banquet and Charity Auction Saturday, January 31, 2009, 5:30 p.m., at Saint Paul's Harriet Island Pavilion. The event is to benefit Saint Paul's Dunning Midway Little League.
William E. Pedersen (B.Arch. 1961), founding partner of New York-based Kohn, Pedersen, Fox designed the 2008 World Financial Center in Shanghai -- the tallest mixed-use project in the world. He's also the lead designer for the University's Science Teaching and Student Services building, planned for completion in 2010 and his work is featured on the University's Wall of Discovery.
William E. Pedersen, right, joins University President Robert Bruininks in the demolition of the Science Classroom Building on January 22, 2009.
Jean Whalen's (MA DHA '86) scrapbook work is featured in "The Stuff of Fairy Tales," an article in Somerset Memories Scrapbooking & Heritage Art magazine.
Stephen Manlove (B.S. Interior Design '90) has been promoted to managing director of Perkins + Will's Washington, DC office. The architectural firm's Washington office is currently engaged in projects for the National Institutes of Health, Valley Health, University of Virginia, US Coast Guard, Clark Realty, and the Commonwealth of Virginia, among others including projects in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Manlove was previously director of operations of Perkins + Will's Washington office.
Dale Mulfinger (B.Arch '67) has published Cabinology: A Handbook to your Private Hideaway (Taunton Press, Fall 2008). Mulfinger has been interviewed about the book on KAXE Radio, Grand Rapids, MN, KARE television in Minneapolis, and ABC Radio Australia. Reviews and citations of the book have appeared in the Star Tribune, the New York Times, Architecture Minnesota, and Mpls. St. Paul magazine.
Mulfinger has made presentations in support of Cabinology at the Edina Community Center, Wayzata, and Minneapolis Public Library. Upcoming presentations include the Lake Homes and Cabin shows in Minneapolis, Madison, and Chicago and also the Residential Design and Construction Convention in Boston.
Joel Goodman's (BArch '66) article, "Building size fixed reflector CPC troughs and bowls for food processing facilities," has been accepted for the International Food Processing Conference 2009 in Indore India. The conference will be held January 14-16, 2009.
A new chair, an LC-1, designed in 1928 by Swiss-born French architect, Le Corbusier, has been added to the Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library furniture collection. The chair is a gift from the Landscape Architecture alumni (2004) in memory of their classmate, Steve Andrews and his wife Michelle. New York-based Cassina Company made a partial gift for acquisition of the chair.
A reception/dedication was held in the library on November 21, 2008.
In an op-ed column in the November 18 issue of the Minnesota Daily, Tom DeAngelo (B.Arch. 1978) and Bob Close (BLA 1976) present a coherent vision for increasing the urbanization of the campus in conjunction with the advent of the Central Corridor light-rail line. DeAngelo, president of AIA-MN, and Close, founder of Close Landscape Architecture, insist the success of the light-rail line is "dependent on a balanced approach that integrates [light rail] with each district and enhances all modes of transportation, not only the needs of light rail."
Bruce Abrahamson (B.Arch 1949) has died. Abrahamson was a partner at Hammel, Green, and Abrahamson. His architecture won numerous regional and national awards and he received the Minnesota Society of Architect's highest award for professional service, the Gold Medal.
In lieu of flowers, please nurture the talents of young architects with a donation to the Bruce Abrahamson Scholarship fund at the University of Minnesota where he taught for twenty years. Checks to University of Minnesota Foundation. School of Architecture, C-M 3854, P.O Box 70870, Saint Paul, MN 55170.
William E. Pedersen (B.Arch. 1961) will receive the University's Outstanding Achievement Award, the University's highest alumni honor, on Wednesday, November 19, 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m., at the McNamara Alumni Center.
Pederson, founding partner of New York-based Kohn, Pedersen, Fox, designed the 2008 World Financial Center in Shanghai -- the tallest mixed-use project in the world. He's also the lead designer for the University's Science Teaching and Student Services building, planned for completion in 2010 and his work is featured on the University's Wall of Discovery.
The Housing Organization for University Students (H.O.U.S.) alumni gala will be held Friday, November 21, at 6 p.m. in 274 McNeal Hall. Donors to the first ever Housing Studies Graduate Fellowship Endowment will be recognized and Evelyn Franklin and her contributions to the Housing Studies program will be celebrated. Refreshments will be served.
RSVP to Carissa Sloan at sloa0042@umn.edu.
Ed. note: The following updates were submitted with the Landscape Architecture alumni survey June-September 2008.
Al Amiot (BLA, 1972)
Senior construction project manager, Target Corp.
Richard Tenner Murphy Jr. (BLA, 1975; BED, 1975)
President/CEO, Murphy Companies
Murphy just completed his 21st year teaching the professional practice course. He sits on the College of Design Advisory Board and is the immediate past chair of the Center for Transportation Studies Board. He is also a member of Supply Chain Board for the Carlson School of Management where he completed an MBA in 1986.
Paul Howard Barton (BLA, 1977)
President, Landshapes, Inc.
Douglas Kenneth Benson (BLA, 1978)
Owner, Benson Design, Inc.
Jon Bryan Burley (BLA, 1978)
Associate professor, Michigan State University
Burley has published more than 200 papers and abstracts, and one book. He is chair of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) International Professional Practice Network, has won six ASLA chapter awards, two national ASLA Awards, and is a three-time winner of Landscape Architecture Faculty of the Year Award at Michigan State University. He is chair of the American Society of Mining and Reclamation (ASMR) Land-Use Technical Division and a member of Transportation Research Board AFB40 committee of the National Academy of Sciences.
Steven C. Durrant (BLA, 1978)
Senior associate/senior landscape architect, Steve Durrant
Durrant is a member of the executive board of The Waterfront Center.
Ed. note: The following updates were submitted with the Architecture alumni survey July-September 2008.
Immanuel Iyadurai (MArch, 2002)
Associate, Christner Inc.
Iyadurai's MArch thesis, "Architectural Representation: An interactive digital media prototype," was published in A+D, an Indian architectural magazine, in Jan 2005. He also instituted a travel scholarship for students.
Lisa McNelis (BArch, 1988)
Owner, McNelis Architects
In 2005, McNelis had a project published in Cottages (Taunton Press) and in 2007 was identified as one of Seattle's Top 50 Remodellers in Northwest Home+Garden magazine.
Paul Reimer (BArch, 1995)
Staff architect, DesignBuild Collaborative
Reimer won a 2007 Design Merit Award from Western Mountain Region, AIA for Rincon Mountain Residence.
Robert Cunningham (MArch, 1983)
Principal architect, Housing New Zealand
After 17 years of private practice as the director of Cunningham & Partners Ltd., Cunningham has taken up the position of principal architect for Housing New Zealand, the Crown provider of social housing for New Zealand.
Blake Thorson (BArch, 1988)
Project manager, JAM Shell Builders
Thorson notes that architecture practice takes more than being a good architect. Working on the builders' side raises awareness of knowing how and by what methods buildings come alive.
Michael Joyce (BArch, 1973)
President and lead designer, Argyle Design, Inc.
Argyle Design is currently designing all the exhibits for the Children's Museum of Houston expansion, due to open in March 2009.
Parker Design International, the Minneapolis architecture firm founded by Leonard Parker (B.Arch. 1948), celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. In 1958, Parker left his position as senior designer and project manager at Eero Saarinen's practice to found the firm.
Some of the firm's most noteworthy buildings include the Minnesota Judicial Center on the State Capitol Mall, the Minneapolis Convention Center, six projects for the University of Minnesota including Walter F. Mondale School of Law and the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts/Children’s Theater Company/Minneapolis College of Art & Design.
Parker Design International's current chairman and chief executive is Stephan Huh (M.Arch. 1974).
Alumna Jan Meyers-Newbury (M.A. 1979, DHA) recently served as a juror for the upcoming exhibition Sum of the Parts: Surface Design Association Membership Exhibition 2007, which runs November 22, 2008- January 18, 2009 at the Goldstein Museum of Design.
On Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at 6 p.m. in 274 McNeal, Meyers-Newbury will talk about her criteria for selecting pieces for the exhibition followed by a guided gallery walk through of Sum of the Parts. A reception with light refreshments will follow.
Myers-Newbury is known for her geometric, pieced quilts using hand-dyed fabrics, and more recently for works using shibori fabrics of her creation. She has exhibited and taught nationally and internationally, been included in thirteen QUILT NATIONAL exhibitions and in 1993 won the Best of Show award. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of the American Quilters Society, the American Craft Museum, the Minneapolis Institute of the Arts, the Museum of the American Quilters Society, and the Minnesota Historical Society. Five of her quilts are in the collection of the American Quilt Study Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.
In 1999 she was an artist presenter at the Third International Shibori Symposium in Santiago, Chile. Also in 1999, her quilt, "Depth of Field: A Plane View," was selected as one of the 20th Century's 100 Best Quilts.
Local journalist Karin Winegar and photographer Judy Olausen (Home Economics, 1967) will discuss their new book, Saved: Rescued Animals and the Lives They Transform, on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 7 p.m. at the University of Minnesota Bookstore in Coffman Memorial Union.
"Minneapolis house gets platinum LEED certification"
By Cathy Wurzer, Minnesota Public Radio, October 28, 2008
John Dwyer (B.Arch. 1996, M.Arch. 2002) was featured on Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) this morning as the architect of the first home constructed in Minnesota to receive Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, the highest possible rating for sustainability.
R. Randall Vosbeck (B.Arch. 1954), winner of the University's Outstanding Achievement Award, is profiled in AIArchitect This Week. Vosbeck recently co-authored a book on the history of the AIA's leadership, A Legacy of Leadership: The Presidents of the American Institute of Architects 1857-2007.
Steve Huh (M.Arch '74), chairman and chief executive of PDI World Group LLC, was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor on May 10, 2008. Recognized by the US Congress, his name has been entered into the Congressional Record.
On June 18, 2008, Huh was presented with the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal's 2008 Minority Business Award. The award recognizes the growth and accomplishments of PDI World Group to date and its vision for the future, as well as Huh's contributions to his community.
Renowned architect and former American Institute of Architects (AIA) president, R. Randall Vosbeck (B.Arch. 1954), will receive the University's Outstanding Achievement Award at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 22 at McNamara Alumni Center. The award, recognizing Vosbeck's 40 years of service to architecture (including early leadership as a proponent of design for energy conservation) is one of the University's highest alumni honors. While Vosbeck retired from active practice in 1994, he served on the architectural selection committee that in 1996 selected Antoine Predock to design what is now the McNamara Alumni Center.
Jean McMahon (B.S. Costume Design, 1986; M.S. Scientific & Tech Writing, 1996) is employed by Thomson Reuters as a technology project manager in the firm's data center. McMahon is a 2008-09 Buckman Fellow in the College of Design. The fellowship is designed to provide training in philanthropy and fundraising. She plans to make use of this training in her role as president-elect for the Textile Center.
Kobi Karp (BArch and BED, 1987) has completely restored Miami Beach's Caribbean hotel. The hotel was restored to a sophisticated design in the modern form of the Deco period. Its extensive restoration ran parallel to the addition and construction of a historic tower built to complement the project's historic elements. Karp's previous work includes Miami Beach's Cadillac Marriott Hotel, Circa 39 Hotel, Hotel Astor, and The Strand.
Landscape Architecture alumna Katie Thering will be featured on the Landscape Smart television program airing locally on Sunday, August 17 at 7:30 a.m. on the HGTV channel.
Beth Bogle (M.A. DHA 2007) has launched eece bb and Small Sage clothing in Minneapolis. Interweaving fine art and design with children's imaginative ideas, Bogle's business features ready-to-wear clothing for kids, including Small Sage organic cotton items, and collaboratively designed apparel -- where clients contribute creative ideas to the result, made just for them. Bogle says, "kids who do the collaborative design get to learn about the design process, make art that is integrated into the clothing, see where the garment is created, and wear something that expresses their own leanings and imaginations. The idea is locally produced, imaginative, modern designs that carry with them a sense of community and self-expression." Eecee bb also offers family-centered design events, women's apparel, and products to promote beauty, creative freedom, and thoughtfulness in everyday life.
Tim Alt (B.Arch 1987) and Mike Roehr (M.Arch 1996) have received 2008 Residential Architects Vision and Excellence (RAVE) awards from the American Institute of Architects Minnesota.
Alt was recognized for his "Spiral Stair" in the detail category. A juror commented, "The architect took a thoughtful approach in detailing what might have been a standard staircase and made it functional and sculptural. With the varying patterns and how light plays off of it, not only would it be a pleasure to move through it, but also to simply observe how it transforms the space over the course of a day."
Roehr's "Juliet House" won the award in the remodel/addition over 800 square feet category. "This is my favorite remodel in the group," one of the jurors said. "The views and perspectives this home affords are well thought out, like the detailing in the entryway approach through a lattice entry sequence -- very cool."
Roehr's "Wall House" was awarded the top honor in the new residence less than 2,000 square feet category. A juror said of the house, "How does modern mix with typical urban lot in an affordable way? See this home. It has many stories to talk about -- it's small, but efficient; affordable at $150 per square foot, it feels expensive; and easy adaptable as a prototype."
Alt's "White Bear Lake Residence" and "Prairie House" both received 2008 RAVE awards in the new residence over 3,500 square feet category. Of the "White Bear Lake Residence," a juror said: "This home with its three physically separate sections, is well sited and seamlessly blends into the landscape. Its narrow one-story design along the lake allows views through the home while respecting the indoor to outdoor relationship." With regard to the "Prairie House," a juror found the suburban home exemplary, saying, "A new paradigm for a suburban subdivision is set in this home with three different buildings creating exciting interstitial spaces. The interaction of spaces within the footprint of the home and grounds brings privacy without the need of the typical suburban fenced-in yard."
Anchalee Chambundabongse (DHA 2001) has design work featured in I.D. magazine's 54th annual design review (July/August 2008). Chumbundabongse is employed by New York-based Design Works.
Patrick Redmond (M.A. 1990, DHA), owner of Patrick Redmond Design is working on a book about sculptor Alonzo Hauser and assisted with the launch of the artist's Web site. Redmond continues to work on a college-level text book.
Redmond, who previously worked for designer Peter Seitz at InterDesign, is cited in the book Peter Seitz: Designing A Life (Minneapolis: Minneapolis College of Art and Design, 2007).
Redmond's brand identity work is included in the book American Corporate Identity 2008 (New York: HarperDesign, 2007).
Redmond was a guest speaker earlier this month at Miami Ad School in Minneapolis, addressing creative process and brand identity design in advertising.
The Minnesota society of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced the recipients of its Young Architect Award (.pdf; 1.1Mb). Two of the recipients are college alumni: John Dwyer (1996 B.A. architecture; 2002 M.Arch), currently employed by Shelter Architecture, and Matt Kreilich (1995 B.A. architecture; 1998 M.Arch), currently employed by Julie Snow Architects.
The award is given to architects who are members of AIA MN, have been licensed for less than 10 years, and have shown exceptional leadership in service to the profession, the community, design, planning, and education.
Louise Cardinal (BS Home Economics 1970) joined Concur Technologies in the fall of 2006 as a sales executive. Prior to joining Concur Technologies, Cardinal worked with A/E companies and owned her own design firm for almost five years. She has also restored and lived in nine homes including her current 1928 late Deco style home in Saint Paul.
Kate Speckmann (scroll down for profile) (BS Arch 2004) recently accepted a position with Inland Office for Tomorrow's Architecture (IOTA), leading the business management and sustainable design side of the firm.
Paul M. Hannan ('79 BArch) has joined the SALA Partner Group. Hannan brings 25 years of residential experience to his new position. He joined SALA Architects, Inc. in 1995 and has since been published in This Old House magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Minnesota Home & Design, as well as such books as The Not So Big House and Celebrating the American Home.
Alumni in Landscape Architecture are invited to complete the college's career survey by August 15.
Survey data will:
Thao Bui (B.S. Retail Merchandising '05) has opened Parc Boutique, a new clothing store, at 328 E. Hennepin Avenue in the Old St. Anthony neighborhood. Bui had previously worked at the Gap in San Francisco.
Amy Michielle Freeman (BS Retail Merchandising '98) recently completed a wardrobe styling project for the Barack Obama '08 music video, "In My Life," by J.P. DeLaire.
Five international alumni -- including Fouzia Saeed (BS General Home Ec '82; MS Home Ec '84; PhD Home Ec Ed/Family Life '87) -- have been awarded the University's 2008 Distinguished Leadership Award for Internationals. The award is conferred on individuals who have attained unusual distinction as professionals in their careers within institutions or in public service and have either demonstrated sustained outstanding achievement and leadership, or demonstrated promise of such on a local, national, or international level.
The following alumni were honored at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) national convention in Boston earlier this month.
New fellows of the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects national associates award
Bill Conway (Architecture) received an AIA honor award in regional and urban design for rail transit in Northwest Arkansas.
The CDes School of Architecture was also recognized with an AIA education honor award for curriculum changes.
Ali Heshmati (Arch. '92) was awarded an AIA small project award for TEMPO, a laboratory structure that changes dramatically with changing light conditions. Standing at ten meters tall, the structure is a combination of a hyperboloid of revolution in 32mm diameter welded aluminum pipes and a structural fabric funnel made of Gore-Tenara.
Judith P. Hoskens (BED, BArch) has been elected president of the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) and will assume leadership at the council's annual conference this fall.
Frank Lloyd Wright in New York, by Jane King Hession (MArch '95) and Debra Pickrel (Gibbs Smith, Publisher) was awarded the gold medal in the architecture category in the 2008 Independent Publisher Book Awards.
The 12th annual Independent Publisher Awards will be presented in Los Angeles on May 30.
Christine Oleson (BArch '90) has recently been promoted to director of studio operations at Legat Architects, Crystal Lake, Illinois.
Architecture alumni will receive awards and recognition at the AIA National Convention in Boston, MA, May 15-17, 2008.
New fellows of the American Institute of Architects: Mark Swenson, BED '71, MArch '73; Francis Bulbulian, BArch '67; Robert Currie, BArch '62.
AIA National Associates Award goes to Raymond Dehn, BA '73; and John Cary, BA '99.
Dean Tom Fisher and AIA MN President Tom DeAngelo, BArch '78, will host a College of Design alumni reception on May 15 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Boston Marriott Copley Place, Salon F.
The Minnesota Architectural Foundation has announced that Stephen James (MArch '98) has been awarded the 2008 Ralph Rapson Traveling Study Fellowship. James won for his design of a mountain sports/activity center in the Afton State Park and Afton Alps ski area on the St. Croix river.