Volume 37, Number 4
eArchitalk
April 2014
The Newsletter of AIA Northeast Illinois
Why Suburban Architecture
Gets No respect and
Why That Needs to Change
M
A Presentation by Dr. Robert Bruegmann
Wednesday, April 9
embers of AIA Northeast Illinois and the general public are invited to gather at Pleasant
Home, a house museum in Oak Park, to hear
Dr. Robert Bruegmann, Emeritus Professor of Art History, Architecture and Urban Planning and Policy at the
University of Illinois Chicago, present his continued documentation of the benefits and value of suburbia by focusing on the architecture of the Chicago Western suburbs. His presentation on Wednesday, April 9th, 2014,
will include a discussion on why the suburbs have never
gotten their due in architecture. Part of the problem is
that taste makers, publishers, and institutions have ignored that which is outside of the city centers. Part of the
problem is that suburbanites have not asserted themselves
and promoted the significant architecture in the suburbs.
Today, there is evidence that this is now changing. This
program is a step in that direction and an opportunity for
the chapter to create a foundation in the documentation of
excellent suburban architecture.
Dr. Bruegmann’s presentation builds on his widely read
2005 text, Sprawl: A Compact History. In its review of
the text, Publishers Weekly provides the following introduction to Bruegmann’s book:
After 70 years of suffering the slings
and arrows of academic criticism,
suburban life finally finds a compelling defender in Bruegmann. A professor of art history and urban planning at the University of Illinois–
Chicago, Bruegmann demonstrates
that urban sprawl is a natural process as old as the world's oldest cities, wherein large metropolises
reach a point of maturity and those
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with financial means escape the congestion and high
prices of city life. What has changed over the past century, the author says, is that an increasing number of citizens have achieved the financial means to participate in
what was once an exclusive luxury of the wealthy.
Bruegmann acknowledges that the effects on cities are
not always positive, but he also demonstrates that many
of the criticisms of suburban sprawl—e.g., that it is culturally deficient and environmentally noxious—are greatly exaggerated and ignore the very real benefits sprawl
offers in terms of privacy, mobility and choice. With his
disdain for doomsday predictions and his disregard for
the academic consensus, Bruegmann's thorough analysis
is sure to be controversial, but a shot of controversy
ought to do the field, and public dialogue about it, some
good.
In his incisive history of the expanded city, Bruegmann
overturns every assumption we have about sprawl. Taking
a long view of urban development, he demonstrates that
sprawl is neither recent nor particularly American but as
old as cities themselves, just as characteristic of ancient
Rome and eighteenth-century Paris as it is of Atlanta or
Los Angeles. Nor is sprawl the disaster claimed by many
contemporary observers. Although sprawl, like any settlement pattern, has undoubtedly produced problems that
must be addressed, it has also provided millions of people
with the kinds of mobility, privacy, and choice that were
once the exclusive prerogatives of the rich and powerful.
After an introductory discussion of the lack of recognition
for suburban architecture, Dr. Bruegmann will highlight
some of the extraordinary range and diversity of architecture across Chicago’s suburbs not only by well-known
architects but also by many under-appreciated architects
(Continued on page 3)
eArchitalk
April 2014
President’s Message
Mission Statement
PLEASANT HOME
217 Home Avenue
Oak Park, IL
To celebrate and promote the profession of
architecture, provide opportunities for
p r o f e s s i o n a l g r o w t h , a n d i m p r o v e t h e bu i l t
The setting for our chapter
meeting this month is in one of
the more elaborate and architecturally significant homes in
Oak Park. This home, Pleasant
Home, constructed in 1897,
provides a warm and richly
wood and glass detailed environment for the presentation
by Dr. Robert Bruegmann on Wednesday, April 9th. Its
arts and crafts design includes studded oak beams, craved
wood trim and stained glass. The property, now operates
as a historic house museum operated by the Park District
of Oak Park. As background to the home and its history,
let me share some of the comments and photographs provided by the Pleasant Home Foundation.
The original client, millionaire banker, John W. Farson
(1855-1910) was one of Oak Park’s most legendary turnof-the –century figures. Born in Union City, Indiana, John
Farson grew up in Champaign. He came to post-fire Chicago with $25 in his pocket and eventually got into the
banking business, forming a company with his sons. He
and his family settled in Oak Park. He purchased the lot at
the corner of Pleasant Street and Home Avenue in 1892
for $20,000. Along with his wife, Mamie, Farson selected
architect George Maher to design their new home.
George Maher (1864-1926) was first listed in Chicago
city directories as a draftsman in 1883. In 1887 he took a
position with architect Joseph Lyman Silsbee where he
worked alongside Frank Lloyd Wright, George Grant
Elmslie and Cecil Corwin. By the early 1890’s he had
established an independent practice. His early work
brought Maher to the forefront of residential design. The
commission from Farson for Pleasant Home initiated a
new period in his work, a series of grand houses set on
large estates appointed by the Midwest’s finest artists and
craftsmen. Maher’s motif patterns that he repeated in his
decoration consisted of luxuriant flowers combined with
geometric shapes. His collaborative work with artists
Millet, Lau, Giannini and Hilgart, landscape designer
Jens Jensen and the Tiffany Studios in making stained
glass, mosaics, textiles and furniture for these houses produced some of the most highly crafted examples of arts
and crafts and landscape design in the U.S. He, along
with his contemporaries in Chicago, developed a new
approach to design free from historic references. Now
known as the Prairie School, it embraced many of the
ideas of the arts and crafts movement.
AIA Northeast Illinois
environment.
2014 Annual Sponsors
Platinum
M.G. Welbel & Associates, Inc.
Philips Lighting
Gold
Berg Engineering Consultants, Ltd.
S2O Consultants, Inc.
Silver
Andersen Windows, Inc.
C E Anderson
Eriksson Engineering Associates, Ltd.
Icynene
Illinois Brick
NRI
Pella Commercial Solutions
USI Midwest
Woodland Windows & Doors
W-T Engineering,
Contributor
Aerotek
Armstrong
BASF Building Systems
Christopher Burke Engineering
Hilti, Inc.
International Masonry Institute
Johnson Wilbur Adams, Inc.
Larson Engineering
Marvin Windows & Doors
McCluskey Engineering
Mortenson Construction
Shaw Contract Group
Tandus | Centiva
Taylor Coating Sales
Threshold Acoustics, LLC.
Virginia Tile Co.
Wight & Company
Würth Baer Supply Company
We extend a special “Thank you!” to our new and returning 2014 sponsors.
Sponsors enable AIA Northeast Illinois to provide many of the programs and
events that are held during the year. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor,
please call the chapter office at 630.527.8550 or visit the chapter website.
(Continued on page 3)
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Volume 37, Number 4
eArchitalk
April 2014
(Continued from page 2)
(Continued from page 1)
and thousands of anonymous designers who created the
vernacular body of work that has received remarkably
little attention to date from critics and historians.
Darris Harris, Photographer
Another feature of the program, in addition to this exciting presentation, is the setting for the program. Pleasant
Home is one of those overlooked yet easily accessible
and attractive architectural environments located within
our chapter. It provides not only a great setting but the
opportunity to tour this masterpiece and appreciate the
skill and commitment to architectural excellence that surrounds us.
Program details can be found on page 5.
Let’s Talk Architecture!
Volunteer Presenters Needed
A
new event has been added to the Architecture
Week events this year. Students and the public
are invited to hear four-minute presentations given by NEI members on a variety of building types and
design projects that represent the breadth of architecture
around Chicago and the suburbs. These presentations are
meant to show students and community members the various ways that architecture impacts their everyday lives.
Several members have already volunteered to be presenters but we still would like to have several more. Please
consider picking one of your favorite projects and creating a four-minute presentation about it.
The event will be held on Thursday, April 10th at the
Seager Park Interpretive Center in Naperville from 6:30 –
8:00pm. If you have questions about this event or are interested in presenting please contact Ryan Bloom at
[email protected].
To John Farson, Pleasant Home, embodied his ideal of a
home, a concept that we will be able to fully appreciate as
we visit the home. As Pleasant Home was being completed in 1898, Farson began to acquire adjacent property
with the idea of creating a garden to the south and west.
By late 1901, an Italian garden was arranged to the south
of the house and the fence surrounding the property was
fabricated. Farson purchased and razed as many as 10
houses to extend the grounds. It took until 1906 for Farson to assemble the entire estate.
I do hope many will be able to attend this special event.
There will be time to tour the home and enjoy the rich
decorations and warm residential qualities created by
George Maher prior to Dr. Bruegmann’s enlightening
presentation.
Jack Kremers, AIA
AIA Northeast Illinois President
Checkout - www.aianei.org
Calendar for Continuing Education Opportunities
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Volume 37, Number 4
April 2014
eArchitalk
Page 4
Volume 37, Number 4
eArchitalk
April 2014
Chapter Program Details
Why Suburban Architecture Gets No Respect and Why
that Needs to Change
DATE:
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
LOCATION:
Pleasant Home House Museum, 217 Home Avenue, Oak
Park, IL 60302
RESERVATIONS:
Advance
Regular
(Rec’d by 4/7) (Rec’d after 4/7)
AIA Members and Non-Members ..... $20.00 ...... $25.00
Student (full-time):............................. $10.00 ...... $15.00
Visit the NEI website to make online reservations or contact the chapter office.
AGENDA:
5:30 – 6:30pm
6:30 – 6:45
6:45 –7:45
7:45pm
Reception / House Tours
Announcements
Presentation
Conclusion
MENU:
The reception will include appetizers, beer, wine, soft
drinks
Stephen T. Triphahn, President & CEO
Troy N. Triphahn, LEED AP, Vice President & COO
2675 Pratum Avenue
Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60192
(224) 293-6333 Fax: (224) 293-6444
www.wtengineering.com
Mechanical, Electrical, Fire Protection, HVAC & Plumbing
Engineering, Civil & Structural Engineering,
Communication Site Design, Land Surveying,
Aquatic Design & Engineering, Landscape Architecture,
Recreational Planning & Design & Design
RESERVATION POLICY:
Cancellations must be made no later than noon on the
Monday (4/7/14) before the program to avoid being
billed.
CHAPTER OFFICE:
PHONE: 630/527-8550
FAX:
630/357-4818
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEB:
www.aianei.org
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Volume 37, Number 4
April 2014
eArchitalk
Cool Spaces!
The Best New Architecture
The stakes are high when a client asks for a signature
architectural design. All sorts of challenges stand in the
way, from budget issues to site constraints to construction logistics. It’s the great buildings, interiors, and landscapes that not only meet these challenges but exceed
expectations. Cool Spaces! The Best New Architecture is
a TV series developed for public television that profiles
these projects and takes the viewer on an up-close and
informative tour — not just of the building, but of the
design process itself, from idea to reality.
Cool Spaces! features some of the 21st century's most
provocative and innovative public space architecture in
North America. Each hour-long episode is organized
around a central building typology theme — such as Performance Spaces or Art Spaces — and profiles three
buildings. Season 1 will consist of eight episodes in
2013: four aired in the spring and four in the autumn.
In each project segment, viewers will learn why something was designed, see how it was designed, and discover just what makes it so cool. Guided by architect and
teacher Stephen Chung, AIA, we'll set off to explore
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these exciting designs and decide for ourselves if something really is a “Cool Space”!
The series host, Stephen Chung, AIA, is a Boston-based
architect. Before launching his own studio, Stephen
worked with Philippe Starck and at Richard Meier and
Partners and Machado and Silvetti Associates. An educator as well, he has taught at Cornell, the Rhode Island
School of Design, and Yale, among other places. Stephen
has appeared as on-air talent for design programs on
HGTV, Travel Channel, and more. He is also the host of
the live broadcast of the American Institute of Architects'
national convention.
Cool Spaces! will be seen nationally across the U.S., beginning in April 2014, in 48 of the top 50 markets. The
series will air on public television stations. However,
since each public television affiliate sets its own air date
schedule, not all stations will be airing the program in
April. In the Chicago area the series can be seen on Station WYCC on Wednesdays at 7:00pm beginning on
June 4. There are also plans for it to air on WTTW although the start date is not yet known.
Volume 37, Number 4
eArchitalk
April 2014
Destination Architect: Getting It Done!
NCARB has created a new resource to help individuals
working towards licensure. The following tips regarding
these tools will help shorten the time to licensure.
Use the IDP Mobile App
 Log your internship hours on-the-go with our free
iPhone app, so your reports are never far from reach.
Benefit From the Flexible, Accessible ARE
 You have the freedom to take the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®) in any order, at any
time.
 And you can take it virtually anywhere—with hundreds of test centers to choose from throughout the
United States, its territories, Canada, London, Hong
Kong, and even Abu Dhabi, the exam has never been
more accessible.
 Extensions are also available for the birth or adoption
of a child, a serious medical condition, or active military service.
 With the My Examination portal, you can easily
schedule appointments, access your exam history, review your score reports, and more—all in one place.
Earn Supplemental Experience
 Supplemental experience (S) is a great way to earn
IDP credit outside of the office. Participating in a
design competition, volunteering for a charitable organization, and visiting a construction site all count
toward credit.
 You can even earn 16 core hours in business operations by reading our free Professional Conduct Monograph and passing a quiz. Learn more about earning
core hours and elective hours.

In between jobs? By completing activities in the
Emerging Professional's Companion (EPC), you can
earn up to 600 core hours of IDP credit. The online
resource is filled with activities on everything from
schematic design to construction administration.
Download your free copy here.
Take the ARE While Completing Your Internship
You can take the exam while completing the Intern Development Program (IDP) in 49 jurisdictions. Find out if
your jurisdiction allows concurrent testing here.
Begin IDP After High School and Earn Credit During
Breaks
 You can now earn IDP experience straight out of
high school, so don’t wait to start reporting hours.
You’ll simply need to enter your high school graduation date in My NCARB—no transcript needed.
 Plus, you can earn IDP experience regardless of your
employment duration, even for short periods during a
school break. Just be sure to report any experience
within eight months.
Page 7
For additional tips and insight about becoming licensed,
visit the NCARB Blog.
If you’d like to receive more information about how to
optimize the time it takes to get from here to there, join
NCARB’s mailing list!
Volume 37, Number 4
eArchitalk
April 2014
Lisle EcoHouse Tour
A
s part of the NEI Architecture Week 2014 events,
a home tour of the Lisle EcoHouse has been organized for Tuesday, April 8, from 5:30 – 6:30pm.
The house is located at 932 Middleton Avenue, Lisle.
walls of high-performance construction. Developed as a
learning lab to experiment with sustainable techniques,
you’ll learn what goes on behind the walls – emphasizing the technical details of green construction in the affordable market place.
Currently in pre-drywall construction phase and projected
for LEED Silver certification, this tour of a green home
built on spec provides a rare opportunity to see inside the
To join this free tour, please contact
[email protected].
NEI members gathered in Springfield on March 4th to attend AIA Illinois Prairie Grassroots. (l to r back row) Ryan Bloom, Andreas Symeonides,
Walter Hainsfurther, Terry Moeller, Leanne Meyer-Smith, Mike Elliott, Corda Murphy, Steve Flint; (front row) Dorthea Martin
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Volume 37, Number 4
eArchitalk
April 2014
Chapter Corner
Chapter News
AIA Convention – Take advantage of Early Bird Registration Rates – register now through April 16 to take advantage of Early Bird Rates. And be sure to review the
schedule and select one of the 80+ tours and special
events that are part of this year’s convention in Chicago.
AIA Convention Volunteer Opportunities - You can
receive free access to the 2014 AIA Convention in Chicago by volunteering with AIA Chicago or AIA National.
For information about these opportunities please check
out two websites: AIA Chicago and AIA National. Don’t
wait too long to submit your preferences as opportunities
are limited and fill up very quickly.
Knowledge Community: Deadlines and Webinars –
AIA Knowledge Communities are a great way to connect
with your peers and access learning opportunities.
 Architecture for Education Knowledge Community
Conference: April 27th in Barcelona Spain
 Retail and Entertainment Knowledge Community
Conference: May 15th in New York City
 Retail and Entertainment EP Scholarships: Due May 15
 Committee on Design Spring Conference: May 15 in
New York City
 Full list of KC events: network.AIA.org/RoundUp
TeleCommunity Call: Advocacy - Join AIA members for
the April TeleCommunity call recapping the advocacy deep
dive sessions from Grassroots and discussing next steps.
 Tuesday, April 15, 3pm ET
 Register now with Go-to-Webinar
Membership News
AIA Northeast Illinois welcomes the following members:
AIA: Kenneth Schultz, METRA – Northeast Illinois
Railroad Corporation
Associate: Patrick Carmody, Innovative Modular Solutions, Inc.
Upgrade to Architect: Zachery Wiese, Legat Architects;
Liberty Turner, StudioGC Inc.
Transferred In: Jason Dwyer, Wight & Company;
Laura Hancock, Whitney Inc.
Member News
FGM recently announced the following NEI members
have been elevated within the FGM organization: Joseph
Chronister, AIA, Executive Vice President and Board
Member; Louise Gruener Kowalczyk, AIA, Vice President; and Dean Manassess, AIA, Vice President.
Page 9
Board of Directors
President, Jack Kremers, AIA
First Vice President, Steven Rhodes, AIA
Second Vice President, Laurence Hartman, AIA
Secretary, Scott Morlock, AIA
Treasurer, Eric Pepa AIA
Past President, Leanne Meyer-Smith, AIA
Directors
One-Year
Nanette Andersson, AIA
Robert Plichta, AIA
Two-Year
James A. Petrakos, AIA
Harry Spila, AIA
Three-Year
Megan Harte, AIA
Scott Klimek, AIA
Associate Director
Andreas Symeonides, Associate AIA
Affiliate Director
Christopher Carpenter, NEI Affiliate
AIA Illinois Delegate
Michael Elliott, AIA
AIA Illinois Alternate Delegate
Terence Moeller, AIA
ARCHITALK is the monthly publication of AIA Northeast Illinois. Opinions expressed are those of the particular author and not necessarily those of the AIA/NEI. The
information contained in this Architalk newsletter is general in nature and should not be considered a substitute
for professional advice in specific situations. Advertising
of products and services appearing in Architalk does not
constitute endorsement by AIA/NEI. Editorial deadline
is the 10th day of each month prior to the distribution
month.
Direct questions, comments, articles and requests to reprint articles to:
Corda Murphy, 412 Green Valley Drive, Naperville, Illinois 60540
 630/527-8550 •  630/357-4818 •  [email protected]
Volume 37, Number 4