Curious about Fiona Cousins? We are!
Fiona Cousins maintains a high-energy lifestyle based around low-energy solutions within the built environment.
In her upcoming lecture, Cousins will discuss the influences, both personal and professional, that have helped shape the path down which she has followed, leading her to her current position in the world of building sustainability.
With extensive experience in both mechanical engineering and sustainability consulting, Cousins is a frequent presenter on low carbon solutions/low energy design. During the 1990’s, she developed a particular interest for sustainability and has ever since incorporated these values into her projects. She works—and has more or less since high school—for Ove Arup, an international multi-disciplinary design, engineering and consulting firm. With roots solidly buried in sustainability, a fundamental awareness of how construction and engineering affect society, economy, and the environment guides every project at Arup. Cousins serves as a principal in the New York office; the sustainability team leader in New York; and the leader of the Americas sustainability skills team. She is also the chair of the US Green Building Council's New York Chapter.
A few of her more notable projects include the California College of Arts and Crafts, Fulton Street Transit Center, the Gap Headquarters, the High Museum of Art Expansion and a sustainability Action Plan for the New York Power Authority. She has collaborated with renowned architects Renzo Piano, William McDonough, and Rem Koolhaas OMA.
One of the first projects in which she played a central, influential role was Centre Culturel Jean- Marie Tjibaou, a Renzo Piano project located on the mid-Pacific island of French New Caledonia. Although not the perfect climate for it, a natural ventilation system was selected and designed. The choice was based primarily on the island’s limited staff and resources, which begged simple systems and natural ventilation, proving that sustainability is necessarily site specific. Multiple drawing diagrams explaining how the buildings system would work under a number of different climate conditions were tested with a desk fan only to find out that the building was completely backwards. The end result of the project was a series of wooden cases, reminiscent of the form of the island’s traditional kanak architecture. The permeability of the wooden slats was key to both the ability of the case to withstand high winds and to the mechanical requirement to naturally ventilate the spaces below.
Probably about two years ahead of its time in that it met many LEED criteria before LEED was even launched is The California College of Arts and Crafts. In collaboration with architects Bill Tanner and Marsha Maytum, Cousins worked to complete the task of converting this old bus maintenance garage into studio and teaching spaces for the college. One major issue was that the building was highly glazed, with a lot of skylight, and was not even close to meeting California Energy code. The options were either to re-glaze the entire building or to design a system that derived all its heat from the power of the sun. The design team opted for the second choice and chose to utilize a radiant floor system with a solar panel system and a 15000 gallon water tank that stores heat collected during daylight hours (when it is not really needed) to the nights (when it definitely is). In addition to earning the recognition of the biggest thermal installation in California, the building has also won several awards for being the ‘greenest building’ in 2000. It was one of the AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) top ten for that year, and later calculations showed that it would probably achieve LEED Gold.
Cousins motivations for moving towards sustainability are personal. She believes that sustainability is about doing the right things, in the right way; about taking the broader view when the narrower one is easier and more convenient. Please join us in welcoming her to Denver and come be inspired by hearing in person her influences, values, and project and life experiences. The lecture will take place on Thursday evening, March 18th at Artwork Network at 878 Santa Fe Drive. The reception begins at 5:30 pm with the lecture at 6:30 pm. Please RSVP by March 15th.
Gabrielle Schuller to be workshop panelist at AIA National Convention
Gabrielle Schuller, a WID Denver member and former WiD-Boston chair, will be attending the 2010 AIA National Convention in Miami from June 10-12 as a panelist in a workshop entitled "A Sustainable Profession: Diversity through Community Establishing and Sustaining Women in Design Organizations in your Component and Firm". Schuller will participate on the panel that hopes to identify and explain the value of a widened perspective gained from the inclusion of women, racial minorities and individuals with diverse cultural and economic backgrounds in the architectural profession. The reasons why minorities are unrepresented will be examined. There will also be discussion on how organizations like WiDKC and WiD-Boston offer a solution to improving diversity through mentorship, support and advocacy.
AIA National Convention 2010, Miami June 10-12
Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Gill Lui, © 2010
MOVING MOUNTAINS, 2009
Photographic Site-specific balcony
laser etched glass, LED lighting
A Warhol with your Martini? Penthouse Holiday Party More Than an Event
In late November, Women in Design celebrated their annual holiday party atop one of Denver’s premier architectural projects. As the guests of Lanny and Sharon Martin, various architects, contractors, designers, developers and engineers mingled amongst post-WWII and contemporary art while admiring the soaring ceilings and angled windows of their magnificent penthouse dwelling in the Museum Residences.
While enjoying libations and appetizers provided by the generous hosts and Palettes restaurant, approximately fifty professionals took in the cutting edge 21st century architecture of Studio Daniel Libeskind while appreciating world class art. Slanted, planar walls provided the back drop to original art works by Alexander Calder, Roy Lichtenstein, Maya Lin, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol to name a few.
In addition, textiles and photography were commissioned by the Martins specifically for the residence. Ever the supporters of the art and design trades, they had textiles throughout the residence site specifically designed by Paris textile artist and sculptor Sheila Hicks while commissioned photographic works were provided by Los Angeles based photographer, Elizabeth Gill Lui. Lui, who co-hosted the event, is an internationally known fine art photographer whose work investigates the aesthetics of geometry and the spiritually symbolic potential of architecture and the natural world. Her forthcoming publication Vision & Realization The Lanny and Sharon Martin Collection (Four Stops Press) will be released this year. Find out more at http://eglvision.com.
The elegant, festive event also marked a five year milestone for WiD. Evolving from a handful of professionals back in 2004, WiD has grown to a membership of over 600. Cheryl Bicknell, one of the founding members of WiD, commented that in five years the organization is exceeding its initial goals of improving opportunities for women in built environment enterprises. This successful, collective alliance of dedicated professionals has developed into a dynamic community and effective resource for the multiple professions women choose within the built environment industry. This has been accomplished by exceptionally committed members who have been determined to provide an organization that accomplishes productive networking, effective outreach, and professional development opportunities to women (and men) within the industry.
The interest of the greater Denver community in WiD is growing and is reflected in the support of advocates such as the Martins, Ms. Lui and many others. The magnificent ascending penthouse venue provided the perfect setting for a group of women who are determined to keep looking toward the future of design in the Denver metro region.
Submitted by Jacqueline Trice, WiD member and owner of Canvas Design, LLC a firm specializing in design journalism, healthcare/hospitality and philanthropic pursuits.
Marla Stauth featured in LD+A Article
Marla Stauth is featured in the article "Re/Max Redo: A real estate company shows off its own real estate. But lighting it was no easy deal" in the publication LD+A. In this article, written by Paul Tarricone and contained in the January 2010 issue of LD+A, Marla discusses her success at overcoming structural hurdles when designing the lighting for the headquarters of Re/Max in Denver earning her the 2009 IES Illumination Award of Merit.
Kasia Bulkowski awarded the 2009 Jason Pettigrew Scholarship
At the AIA Colorado Design Conference 2009 Kasia Bulkowski was awarded the Jason Pettigrew scholarship for 2009 allowing her to go, all expenses paid, to National AIA's GrassRoots Conference in Washington D.C. This scholarship was created in memory of Jason Pettigrew, a member of the Western Mountain Region AIA, to encourage intern architects to become leaders in their field. Twelve people applied for this scholarship and Kasia won for demonstrating her drive, leadership, and commitment to future involvement within AIA and Women In Design. She will also return to the AIA Colorado Design Conference in 2010 and deliver a speech on her experiences.
Michelle Lopez-Orsini featured in Architect Colorado Article
Michelle Lopez-Orsini is featured in the article "Background and Foreground: Four Colorado Architects Discuss Cultural Influences on Their Designs" in the AIA publication, Architect Colorado. In this article, written by Sarah Goldblatt and contained in Volume 5, Issue 2 of Architect Colorado, Michelle elaborates on how her Puerto Rican homeland has influenced her designs throughout her career in architecture as well as the challenges on incorporating her visions.
Photo courtesy of AliveStudios.Com
Women in Design Wins Best in Show at IIDA's Annual Pret-a-Porter
Congratulations to the Women in Design team whose winning design "Carpet Revealed" showcased Karastan carpet products. The team beat out 36 other entries for the top prize.
Kristen Magnuson (team leader), Jennifer Gray, Ashlee Tharp, Rebecca Faverty, Nicole Ellison, Allison Wainwright, Shannon Hulm (model), Victoria Schmitz (headdress)
Read Modern in Denver's review of the event.
Women in Design Receives AIA Diversity Award
At this year's American Institute of Architects convention in San Francisco, Women in Design was honored with an award from the Diversity Recognition Program for 2008. The program recognizes groups for "exemplary commitment and contributions to diversifying the profession of architecture".
Martha Bennett named a Fellow of the AIA
Martha Bennett, co-founder of Bennett, Wagner and Grody Architects and Women in Design's greatest supporter has been named a Fellow with the American Institute of Architects. Fellowship is a great honor bestowed by the AIA on architects who have made outstanding contributions to the profession through design excellence, contributions in the field of architectural education, or to the advancement of the profession.
Curious about Fiona Cousins? We are!
Fiona Cousins maintains a high-energy lifestyle based around low-energy solutions within the built environment.
In her upcoming lecture, Cousins will discuss the influences, both personal and professional, that have helped shape the path down which she has followed, leading her to her current position in the world of building sustainability.
With extensive experience in both mechanical engineering and sustainability consulting, Cousins is a frequent presenter on low carbon solutions/low energy design. During the 1990’s, she developed a particular interest for sustainability and has ever since incorporated these values into her projects. She works—and has more or less since high school—for Ove Arup, an international multi-disciplinary design, engineering and consulting firm. With roots solidly buried in sustainability, a fundamental awareness of how construction and engineering affect society, economy, and the environment guides every project at Arup. Cousins serves as a principal in the New York office; the sustainability team leader in New York; and the leader of the Americas sustainability skills team. She is also the chair of the US Green Building Council's New York Chapter.
A few of her more notable projects include the California College of Arts and Crafts, Fulton Street Transit Center, the Gap Headquarters, the High Museum of Art Expansion and a sustainability Action Plan for the New York Power Authority. She has collaborated with renowned architects Renzo Piano, William McDonough, and Rem Koolhaas OMA.
One of the first projects in which she played a central, influential role was Centre Culturel Jean- Marie Tjibaou, a Renzo Piano project located on the mid-Pacific island of French New Caledonia. Although not the perfect climate for it, a natural ventilation system was selected and designed. The choice was based primarily on the island’s limited staff and resources, which begged simple systems and natural ventilation, proving that sustainability is necessarily site specific. Multiple drawing diagrams explaining how the buildings system would work under a number of different climate conditions were tested with a desk fan only to find out that the building was completely backwards. The end result of the project was a series of wooden cases, reminiscent of the form of the island’s traditional kanak architecture. The permeability of the wooden slats was key to both the ability of the case to withstand high winds and to the mechanical requirement to naturally ventilate the spaces below.
Probably about two years ahead of its time in that it met many LEED criteria before LEED was even launched is The California College of Arts and Crafts. In collaboration with architects Bill Tanner and Marsha Maytum, Cousins worked to complete the task of converting this old bus maintenance garage into studio and teaching spaces for the college. One major issue was that the building was highly glazed, with a lot of skylight, and was not even close to meeting California Energy code. The options were either to re-glaze the entire building or to design a system that derived all its heat from the power of the sun. The design team opted for the second choice and chose to utilize a radiant floor system with a solar panel system and a 15000 gallon water tank that stores heat collected during daylight hours (when it is not really needed) to the nights (when it definitely is). In addition to earning the recognition of the biggest thermal installation in California, the building has also won several awards for being the ‘greenest building’ in 2000. It was one of the AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) top ten for that year, and later calculations showed that it would probably achieve LEED Gold.
Cousins motivations for moving towards sustainability are personal. She believes that sustainability is about doing the right things, in the right way; about taking the broader view when the narrower one is easier and more convenient. Please join us in welcoming her to Denver and come be inspired by hearing in person her influences, values, and project and life experiences. The lecture will take place on Thursday evening, March 18th at Artwork Network at 878 Santa Fe Drive. The reception begins at 5:30 pm with the lecture at 6:30 pm. Please RSVP by March 15th.
Gabrielle Schuller to be workshop panelist at AIA National Convention
Gabrielle Schuller, a WID Denver member and former WiD-Boston chair, will be attending the 2010 AIA National Convention in Miami from June 10-12 as a panelist in a workshop entitled "A Sustainable Profession: Diversity through Community Establishing and Sustaining Women in Design Organizations in your Component and Firm". Schuller will participate on the panel that hopes to identify and explain the value of a widened perspective gained from the inclusion of women, racial minorities and individuals with diverse cultural and economic backgrounds in the architectural profession. The reasons why minorities are unrepresented will be examined. There will also be discussion on how organizations like WiDKC and WiD-Boston offer a solution to improving diversity through mentorship, support and advocacy.
AIA National Convention 2010, Miami June 10-12
Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Gill Lui, © 2010
MOVING MOUNTAINS, 2009
Photographic Site-specific balcony
laser etched glass, LED lighting
A Warhol with your Martini? Penthouse Holiday Party More Than an Event
In late November, Women in Design celebrated their annual holiday party atop one of Denver’s premier architectural projects. As the guests of Lanny and Sharon Martin, various architects, contractors, designers, developers and engineers mingled amongst post-WWII and contemporary art while admiring the soaring ceilings and angled windows of their magnificent penthouse dwelling in the Museum Residences.
While enjoying libations and appetizers provided by the generous hosts and Palettes restaurant, approximately fifty professionals took in the cutting edge 21st century architecture of Studio Daniel Libeskind while appreciating world class art. Slanted, planar walls provided the back drop to original art works by Alexander Calder, Roy Lichtenstein, Maya Lin, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol to name a few.
In addition, textiles and photography were commissioned by the Martins specifically for the residence. Ever the supporters of the art and design trades, they had textiles throughout the residence site specifically designed by Paris textile artist and sculptor Sheila Hicks while commissioned photographic works were provided by Los Angeles based photographer, Elizabeth Gill Lui. Lui, who co-hosted the event, is an internationally known fine art photographer whose work investigates the aesthetics of geometry and the spiritually symbolic potential of architecture and the natural world. Her forthcoming publication Vision & Realization The Lanny and Sharon Martin Collection (Four Stops Press) will be released this year. Find out more at http://eglvision.com.
The elegant, festive event also marked a five year milestone for WiD. Evolving from a handful of professionals back in 2004, WiD has grown to a membership of over 600. Cheryl Bicknell, one of the founding members of WiD, commented that in five years the organization is exceeding its initial goals of improving opportunities for women in built environment enterprises. This successful, collective alliance of dedicated professionals has developed into a dynamic community and effective resource for the multiple professions women choose within the built environment industry. This has been accomplished by exceptionally committed members who have been determined to provide an organization that accomplishes productive networking, effective outreach, and professional development opportunities to women (and men) within the industry.
The interest of the greater Denver community in WiD is growing and is reflected in the support of advocates such as the Martins, Ms. Lui and many others. The magnificent ascending penthouse venue provided the perfect setting for a group of women who are determined to keep looking toward the future of design in the Denver metro region.
Submitted by Jacqueline Trice, WiD member and owner of Canvas Design, LLC a firm specializing in design journalism, healthcare/hospitality and philanthropic pursuits.
Marla Stauth featured in LD+A Article
Marla Stauth is featured in the article "Re/Max Redo: A real estate company shows off its own real estate. But lighting it was no easy deal" in the publication LD+A. In this article, written by Paul Tarricone and contained in the January 2010 issue of LD+A, Marla discusses her success at overcoming structural hurdles when designing the lighting for the headquarters of Re/Max in Denver earning her the 2009 IES Illumination Award of Merit.
Kasia Bulkowski awarded the 2009 Jason Pettigrew Scholarship
At the AIA Colorado Design Conference 2009 Kasia Bulkowski was awarded the Jason Pettigrew scholarship for 2009 allowing her to go, all expenses paid, to National AIA's GrassRoots Conference in Washington D.C. This scholarship was created in memory of Jason Pettigrew, a member of the Western Mountain Region AIA, to encourage intern architects to become leaders in their field. Twelve people applied for this scholarship and Kasia won for demonstrating her drive, leadership, and commitment to future involvement within AIA and Women In Design. She will also return to the AIA Colorado Design Conference in 2010 and deliver a speech on her experiences.
Michelle Lopez-Orsini featured in Architect Colorado Article
Michelle Lopez-Orsini is featured in the article "Background and Foreground: Four Colorado Architects Discuss Cultural Influences on Their Designs" in the AIA publication, Architect Colorado. In this article, written by Sarah Goldblatt and contained in Volume 5, Issue 2 of Architect Colorado, Michelle elaborates on how her Puerto Rican homeland has influenced her designs throughout her career in architecture as well as the challenges on incorporating her visions.
Photo courtesy of AliveStudios.Com
Women in Design Wins Best in Show at IIDA's Annual Pret-a-Porter
Congratulations to the Women in Design team whose winning design "Carpet Revealed" showcased Karastan carpet products. The team beat out 36 other entries for the top prize.
Kristen Magnuson (team leader), Jennifer Gray, Ashlee Tharp, Rebecca Faverty, Nicole Ellison, Allison Wainwright, Shannon Hulm (model), Victoria Schmitz (headdress)
Read Modern in Denver's review of the event.
Women in Design Receives AIA Diversity Award
At this year's American Institute of Architects convention in San Francisco, Women in Design was honored with an award from the Diversity Recognition Program for 2008. The program recognizes groups for "exemplary commitment and contributions to diversifying the profession of architecture".
Martha Bennett named a Fellow of the AIA
Martha Bennett, co-founder of Bennett, Wagner and Grody Architects and Women in Design's greatest supporter has been named a Fellow with the American Institute of Architects. Fellowship is a great honor bestowed by the AIA on architects who have made outstanding contributions to the profession through design excellence, contributions in the field of architectural education, or to the advancement of the profession.