2011 NCARB Grand Prize Winner:
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
School of Architecture and Design
"Designing Practice"
Virginia Tech captured the grand prize for engaging students in the often “mundane” subject of professional practice by introducing it as a design problem—an innovative means to make the subject relevant to students. The highly interactive academic course exposed architecture students to real and virtual aspects of running their own firms. The course involved architects, attorneys, business consultants, and registration board representatives. The course investigated topics such as the architect’s image in today’s culture, the internship and licensure processes, how registration boards work, entrepreneurship, compensation by clients, risk management, construction contract administration management, ethics, and people skills. Information was delivered through class discussions, firm visits, one-on-one interviews, guest lectures, writing assignments, and research. Guest lectures included discussion of professional liability and risk management by an architect and attorney and practice management by a professional business consultant.
Faculty
Keith Zawistowski, Assistant Professor of Practice, Associate AIA, GC
Marie Zawistowski, Assistant Professor of Practice, architecte d.p.l.g.
Non-Faculty
Joseph Jones Jr., Esq., AIA; Director, Victor O Schinnerer, MD
Husain Alam, Principal, Alam Design Group, VA
Dave Franke, Principal, Agoos Lovera Architects, PA
Richard Beale, Principal, BBH Design, NC
Kelly Vresilovic, Senior Assoc., Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, PA
Nick Snyder, Senior Assoc., Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, PA
Randy Seitz, Principal, Blue Ridge Design Studio, VA
Jim Burton, Principal, Carter Burton, VA
Brian Chaffee, Principal, Fentress, DC
David Jameson, Principal, David Jameson Architects, VA
Jeff Beer, Principal, Beer and Coleman, NJ
Jerry Lominack, Principal, IKS Architects, GA
D. Chris Venable, Senior Associate, Spectrum PC, VA
Peter Ozolin, Principal, POA, VA
Roger Winkle, Principal, R.C. Winkle, NJ
WG Clark, Principal, WG Clark Architects, VA
Thomas Koontz, Principal, Thomas Koontz Architect, VA
Shannon Dowling, Senior Assoc., BCWH, VA
Patricja Doniewski, Principal, QB3 Design, PA