Each spring AIABaltimore sponsors a series of technical seminars on a variety of topics. These seminars are free to members with advance reservations. All are scheduled at the AIABaltimore Gallery on Thursdays from noon until 1:30 pm with lunch provided by the professional affiliate members who are presenting. Please make plans now to take advantage of these special educational offerings and to earn 1 AIA/CES credit for each seminar. Call 410.626.2585 to reserve your place. Yes indeed, there is such a thing as a free lunch!
February 20: WHY SHADES? Will Hudgins, MechoShade Systems/StretchWall Installations
February 27: A SENSE OF PLACE John Vasiliou, Landscape Design, Ltd.
March 6: RAINSCREEN DESIGN and COMPOSITE FLOOR CONSTRUCTION John Stahl, Swirnow Building Systems
In WHY SHADES?, Will Hudgins will explain the benefits of fixed, manually operated, motorized, and automated shades. By admitting more natural light while reflecting solar radiation, and significantly blocking/reducing ultraviolet light, architectural shading offers many advantages including: maintaining the view, controlling/eliminating glare on computer monitors, providing room darkening systems for audiovisual applications, improving the efficiency of HVAC air return, and allowing more design control for both the interior and exterior.
Will is a graduate of the College of Architecture at Virginia Tech, and has a certificate in Housing Finance and Community Development from the University of Maryland. Before becoming Manager for Business Development and Technical Support for MechoShade, he worked in the DC offices of New York and Louisiana based architecture and design firms, and for regional real estate developers.
John Vasiliou will explain the benefits of hiring a professional landscape designer for high-end residential projects. He will explain how a full service “build” company can help create A SENSE OF PLACE with meticulously detailed installations comprised of creative plantings, terraces, patios, walkways, retaining structures, water features, pools, spas, irrigation, lighting, and garden architecture.
John is a graduate of the University of Maryland in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in construction management. He is working on a Masters degree at Morgan State University in landscape architecture. He has designed, built, and maintained gardens for clients throughout central Maryland for the past sixteen years.
John Stahl and Steve Vaikness will cover two separate topics: RAINSCREEN DESIGN and COMPOSITE FLOOR CONSTRUCTION. In the first, Steve will discuss two approaches to cladding a building and explain the benefits of dry-joint rainscreen architectural wall panels. Whether new construction or renovation, panels are available in a variety of materials. Designed for easy, all-weather installation and elimination of costly, heavy, sophisticated backup system, they also remove the cost and maintenance of caulks and/or gaskets. John will present the structural, functional, and financial benefits of using a composite floor joist system, especially the Hambro D-500 joist. Adaptable to all types of construction, the system offers superior fire and sound ratings.
John and Steve work for Swirnow Building Systems and combined have more than 25 years of experience in the building and design community. They have completed many major projects throughout the region and continually work with designers in helping to develop the most efficient building systems to present to their clients."
