Urban Design Podcast

Channel Description:

Latest Articles in this Channel:

08/17/09--15:45: 2. Celebration of Hebe (chan 1785680)

The Statue of Hebe by Kevin Shaffer in Manitou Springs.


08/17/09--17:45: 3. IFP Courtyards (chan 1785680)

The courtyards and landscape at the Institute for Forensic Psychiatry (IFP) were designed by Kevin Shaffer while he was part of the RNL design team. He approached this project as an opportunity even though it looked like...


08/21/09--08:10: 4. Colorado Athletic Club (chan 1785680)

Nama Partners is a freshly formed architecture partnership between architectural designers and architects. Ken Manssouri, Mike Brettman, and Herb Casner have worked together at MCG Architecture...


08/25/09--08:11: 5. Graczyk's Residence (chan 1785680)

Every city has various design guidelines to follow for different areas of the city. As Jim Graczyk discovered with his private property, they are not always followed, which can have a negative impact on the ambiance of the street.


08/27/09--08:50: 6. Outdoor Design Group, Inc. (chan 1785680)

As economic conditions changed over the past year, so have services offered by the Outdoor Design Group. The firm has moved from offering landscape designs...


09/23/09--12:34: 7. Cortina Mixed-Use (chan 1785680)

You might have heard about Fort Collins last year after it was rated in 2008 as one of the 10 best cities to live in the USA by Money Magazine. This is not surprising. Sunny weather, friendly people, and dedicated bike lanes make Fort Collins attractive for people to live there. Vaught Frye Ripley Design is a multidisciplinary design firm that is based in Fort Collins, Colorado.


09/30/09--03:33: 8. Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo (chan 1785680)

Lonco Inc. has been in business for almost 40 years. Over the years, the company has changed ownership but has kept their view of doing business, which is to provide excellent service to clients and stay on top of the technological edge. Thus has helped to keep old clients and develop new business relationships such asCirque du Soleil, international fast food chain restaurants, Denver Botanical Gardens, and the city of Pueblo in Colorado.


10/07/09--00:42: 9. Denver's Historic Tramway Building (chan 1785680)

The Tramway Building was constructed in 1911 and is located in an historical part of Denver on Thirteenth and Arapahoe Street. Originally it was a part of the tramway system and served as a Denver headquarters and center with meeting halls, administrative offices, theaters, and a bowling alley. Throughout the years, the building changed ownership, and today it belongs to the Denver Center for the Performance Arts. It is home to the Denver Center Theatre Company, the Denver Center Theatre Academy, the National Theatre Conservatory, and the National Center for Voice and Speech.


10/14/09--00:19: 10. Condominium on Vasiljevskij Island, St. Petersburg, Russia (chan 1785680)

Did you ever want to know how professionals in other countries work and what challenges they face? Alexej Moldavskij is an architect from St. Petersburg, Russia who has worked on numerous projects in St. Petersburg and Moscow. In this podcast he will tell us about a condominiums project on Vasilievkij Island in St. Petersburg, Russia that didn’t got build.


10/21/09--00:11: 11. Condominium Inside the Block, St. Petersburg, Russia (chan 1785680)

Alexej Moldavskij designed and built numerous residential buildings in St. Petersburg, Russia. One of those projects is a condominium on Vasilievskij Island in the historical district of St. Petersburg.


10/27/09--23:26: 12. Practicing Architecture in Russia (chan 1785680)

Many companies desire to expand their operations abroad without understanding the specifics, rules, and regulations for the industry as defined in another culture and dissimilar business practices. For example, providing architectural, planning, and landscape services for customers in Russia is much different from serving American clients.


11/03/09--23:02: 13. High performance building program (chan 1785680)

There are many initiatives that aim to improve the sustainability and environment of our homes and workplaces. One of these programs is called the Governor’s Energy Office’s High Performance Building Program, which was initiated in Colorado and is focused on reducing the use of energy for public and commercial buildings in support of the state’s climate action plan. Margaret Pauls of the Hutton Architecture Studio has been working on this program for many months. The Hutton Architecture Studio was recently selected along one other firm to be a consult for the GEO, guide the program, and provide outreach and assistance to the public through the High Performance Building Program.


11/10/09--23:35: 14. Urban Sociology (chan 1785680)

Sociology traditionally isn’t regarded by urban designers as one of the disciplines that is related to the design process or implementation. Nevertheless, as urban designers we can learn a lot from urban sociologists who will make our designs better and more functional. Aysu Kes Erkul is an urban sociologist who completed extensive studies on the impact of different forms of capital on the housing preferences of people, as well on their perceptions about the city they live in.


11/11/09--07:16: 15. LEED ND pilot project (chan 1785680)

The LEED program has been well known for past few years. Although the LEED certification system has been active for a many years, there wasn’t a LEED certification for urban planning until recently. LEED has been working on launching a new certification program for urban design, called LEED ND. There have been several LEED ND pilot projects initiated around the world. One of them is a Mueller project in Austin, TX. Dan Cohen worked on the Mueller project while serving as a Director of Planning at Catellus.


11/24/09--23:01: 16. Sustainability (chan 1785680)

We are all familiar with one or more aspects of the LEED certification system. The YRG Sustainability company knows, in detail, all requirements and prerequisites. LEED is their core competency. YRG Sustainability has been involved in the creation of LEED at different levels.


12/01/09--23:05: 17. Transportation Demand Management (chan 1785680)

Over the years, many car sharing programs have been initiated around the world. One of these programs started in Boulder, Colorado in 1997. A group of Boulder citizens were very concerned about minimizing their environmental impact and strived to leave a sustainable legacy for future generations. They took the issue of transportation to heart and made a commitment to minimize their automobile use. In 1997, the “Little Red Car Co-op” was formed. The momentum continued forward, and in 1998, Boulder CarShare was founded and incorporated as a Colorado non-profit. 


12/08/09--23:01: 18. Succession Planning (chan 1785680)

Succession planning, as important it is, is often overlooked by owners of small firms. Wayne Cascio described this phenomenon as a fear of starting to plan for a successor like planning your own funeral. At same time, in managing a small business, we should understand the importance of succession planning, and its effect on the organization.


12/15/09--23:01: 19. Effective Website (chan 1785680)

Over the past decade we have become accustomed to using the Google search to find any information that we need. Yellow and white pages are becoming obsolete. How is your company reacting to this change? Do you have a web site? What is the performance of your web site?


12/23/09--00:06: 20. Marketing for small firms (chan 1785680)

We are all looking for better ways to market our services. But do we really know what marketing is? Clifford E. Yong, a Professor of Marketing at the Business School, University of Colorado at Denver explain the essence of marketing


12/30/09--11:00: 21. Retrofitting Suburbia (chan 1785680)

One of the books released in 2009 about urban design is called Retrofitting Suburbia by Ellen Dunham-Jones and June Williamson. This book looks into the projects that were built decades ago and no longer meet the social and economical needs of community.


01/05/10--23:01: 22. Vertical City (chan 1785680)

As a junior urban designer, Wong See Huat from Singapore had a chance to work on a few interesting urban projects. One of these projects was Vertical City in the Guang Ming central district of Shen Zhen, China. Wong See Huat contributed to this project while working for SCP Consultants Private Limited.


01/12/10--23:01: 23. Urban design for an urban century (chan 1785680)

The book Urban Design for an Urban Century by Lance Jay Brown, David Dixon, and Oliver Gillham would be a great addition to any library. This book is a continuation of the work of these three different professionals. A true collaboration between the authors helped to create this book and open a dialog about urban design.


01/19/10--23:01: 24. Virtual Cities (chan 1785680)

Over the past decade, we have moved from hand sketches to Photoshop renderings and have become accustomed to including three-dimensional representations of our designs in certain projects. Sometimes we even use three-dimensional animations to present our work. What is the next step for architectural presentations?


01/26/10--23:00: 25. Feng shui in urban design (chan 1785680)

Often, we associate feng shui with architecture, interior design, and residential spaces. However, feng shui can be used in urban design as well. Feng shui can be implemented on a large scale, such as for entire city design, and in the small details, such as for the design of buildings and interiors. The principles of feng shui indicate that we are impacted by the universe; thus, we should start looking at our projects on a large scale.


02/02/10--23:00: 26. Drawing shortcuts (chan 1785680)

Jim Leggitt is one of the few who can express his ideas and thoughts through free hand sketches. This is indeed becoming rare skill in the world of computerized 3D modeling and animation. Many young designers ask themselves how valuable this skill is in today’s business. Advisably, learning free hand rendering skills takes more time and effort as compared to learning new 3D software applications.


02/09/10--23:00: 27. Small urban winds (chan 1785680)

Nowadays, we cannot seemingly get enough of green energy. We want to put solar panels in every project. Wind turbines are used but are less popular due to their complexity and the winds required for operation. Whatever the method of implementation, using green energy is a good thing. Bil Becker and his firm Aerotecture International, Inc., developed a new product that combined wind and solar energy into one unit. Even more impressive, this hybrid unit is aesthetically attractive and could be easily integrated into any design


02/16/10--23:01: 28. A realm of realities in landscape architecture (chan 1785680)

We often associate landscape architecture with architecture. The names are similar, but the fundamentals couldn’t be more different. For example, the building materials which used for projects in each discipline are very different. Architecture uses static physical materials that are at the end of their life cycle.


02/23/10--23:00: 29. The master plan of New Orleans (chan 1785680)

The master plan of New Orleans has been a very controversial project. The project is highly visible and politically charged. David Dixon with Goody, Clancy & Associates had an opportunity to work on the master plan of New Orleans. David was impressed how organized, thoughtful, and committed city officials were about rebuilding urban neighborhoods and preserving the remaining culture of New Orleans.


03/02/10--23:01: 30. Virtual edge (chan 1785680)

What is beyond Sketch Up, 3D Studio MAX, and Form Z visualizations for urban planners? Brian Quinn is one of many who started to use the next level of modeling techniques. Brian builds his study models by using multi-user virtual environments (MUVE), mirror worlds, and immersive connected experience technologies


03/09/10--23:01: 31. 9th Smart Growth Conference (chan 1785680)

Ninth Smart Growth Conference was held in Seattle in February 2010. Attendance of this conference exceeded all expectations of the organizers. Such a high attendance emphasizes again the increasing importance of Smart Growth.


03/15/10--23:01: 32. Olin (chan 1785680)

David Rubin asserts that the twenty-first century is a century of landscape architecture, while the twentieth century was about architecture. His argument is that landscape architects are building spaces for society and forming human interaction. 


03/23/10--23:01: 33. Density (chan 1785680)

Density is a very popular topic of conversation at any conference or seminar that focuses on city planning. David Dixon has been speaking and implementing his ideas on density for years. The density of the twenty-first century unlocks the ability to create communities that are more livable and foster economical opportunity and sustainability in David’s view.


03/30/10--23:01: 34. Ken Yeang (chan 1785680)

Eco-design has become popular over the past few decades in the architectural industry. Dr. Ken Yeang and the Llewelyn Davies Yeang Company started the practice of eco-design a few decades earlier. You can find Yeang’s work in many countries, including Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Jamaica, England, Turkey, Singapore, etc.


04/05/10--23:01: 35. Solar access (chan 1785680)

Dan Staley introduces listeners of this podcast to the benefits and conflicts with solar access. One of these conflicts is that in an urban environment, trees often grow into the solar access plains. Each species also grows at a different speed and to a different width and height, all of which must be incorporated into the design.


04/13/10--23:01: 36. Sprawl Repair Kit (chan 1785680)

We all know the problems that occurred with the sprawl that happened in the decades after World War II in the U.S. Many different solutions have been suggested for ways to improve suburbs. One of them has been proposed by Galina Tahchieva and is called the Sprawl Repair Kit. You might already be familiar with the Sprawl Repair Kit, but you probably did not know that Tahchieva has written a new companion book called The Sprawl Repair Manual.


04/20/10--23:01: 37. Green Infrastructure (chan 1785680)

Green infrastructure is contrasted to gray infrastructure. Dan Staley described green infrastructure as plants, woody plants, landscaping, and parks; he also described the functions that they are perform. New elements in green infrastructure include photovoltaic panels and wind turbines.


04/26/10--09:32: Urban Design Podcast and ULI Colorado (chan 1785680)

Urban Design Podcast and ULI Colorado


04/27/10--23:01: 38. Great City (chan 1785680)

Great City is a Seattle based non-profit organization that focuses on mart growth in the Seattle area. How do they do that?


05/01/10--02:49: Urban Design News (chan 1785680)

April 2010


05/04/10--05:33: 39. What every architect needs to know about business (chan 1785680)

You might be thinking about starting your own design firm, or perhaps you have already started one. If so, you should be concerned about developing a sound strategy for your new business. Why does this matter? Al Davis, a professor of business strategy and entrepreneurship, explains the importance of developing an effective strategy for your business.


05/06/10--03:20: Urban Design Podcast and AIA Colorado (chan 1785680)

Urban Design Podcast and AIA Colorado


05/11/10--05:33: 40. Manage your IT (chan 1785680)

As technology changes over the years so does the way urban planners and other design professionals do business. We use more computers for everyday work than 20 years ago. With these changes we have had to acquire additional knowledge along the way. We had to learn how to manage a single computer and a network of computers, and learn how to make decisions about upgrading or switching to new systems. Dr. Ramiro Montealegre is a specialist in Information Technology.


05/18/10--05:33: 41. Avalon Bay (chan 1785680)

Avalon Bay is a national development and investment trust company that builds many residential projects. One of these projects is Avalon Chrystie Place in New York City. The project is built over the subway tunnel and accommodates many uses. Location of the apartment building brought challenges, which Fred Harris talks about in this podcast interview with Urban Design Podcast.


05/25/10--05:33: 42. Zocalo (chan 1785680)

Zocalo is a young development company in Denver. One of the managing partners is Chris Achenbach, architect, who migrated into the development world. Chris started this transformation from design-building services that he provided to his clients and later on moved into partnership with a developer. He had to learn about financing of the projects and other specifics of running Zocalo.


06/01/10--05:33: 43. Form Base Code (chan 1785680)

Form Base code has been popular for the past decade. Many municipalities are switching from conventional zoning to form base code. Dick Farley talks about the pros and cons of Form Base code in this podcast interview.


06/08/10--10:19: 44. Public Art (chan 1785680)

What is public space without a piece of art? Public art can enhance and complete the urban space or destroy it. Henry Beer has been an advocate for public art for years. Henry also wrote a paper about this subject called Realizing a Program of Public Art.


06/13/10--16:28: 45. Urban Design Committee (chan 1785680)

Urban Design Committee of AIA Colorado, May 2010 meeting.


06/16/10--15:01: 46. Social media and urban design (chan 1785680)

Social networking has become more popular over the past few years. As with any new technology, social networking has an effect on how urban designers do business. Once again, we have to adapt and adapt quickly. Ben Brown with Place Makers has been using social networking for a while in urban design projects.


06/21/10--08:07: 47. Urban Design Committee (chan 1785680)

Urban Design Committee of AIA Colorado, June 2010 meeting. This podcast episodeis a recording of the June 16th Urban Design Committee meeting. In it ten local architects and professionals discuss the options for renovations and modifications to the 16th Street Mall.


06/22/10--18:17: 48. Union Station in Denver (chan 1785680)

Union Station in Denver, Colorado, like many other railroad station sites, is going through a transformation. For decades, debate has been going on about what to do with the site and adjacent properties. Finally construction broke ground in 2009. Frank Cannon, who is a partner at Union Station Neighborhood Co., is overseeing the project.


06/29/10--07:03: 50. MulvannyG2 Architecture (chan 1785680)

Mulvanny G2 is a 40-year-old architectural company. Like many other businesses, Mulvanny G2 has gone through a series of transformations over the years. Today the company is an international organization, designing projects in the U.S. and outside its borders.


07/13/10--11:12: 54. MAD (chan 1785680)

MAD is an award-winning international company that was founded by Ma Yansong in the early 2000’s in Beijing, China. Today, MAD is a fifty-person architectural firm with a truly international team that builds their work around the globe


07/20/10--15:23: 55. Emerging Neighborhoods (chan 1785680)

On Thursday, July 8, 2010 ULI Colorado hosted a YLG Discovery Series focusing on Emerging Neighborhoods. The program featured keynote presenters Peter Park, Director of Planning, City & County of Denver, and Mickey Zeppelin, founder of Zeppelin Development.


07/21/10--10:32: 56. Leo A Daly (chan 1785680)

Leo A Daly recently opened their Beijing office, with Charles Peace and Yufung Guo in charge. Both Charles and Yufung have been working and living in China for many years.


07/27/10--09:10: 58. Eva Wang Studio (chan 1785680)

Eva Wang grew up in Harbin, China, was educated in Chicago, USA, and now is running Eva Wang Studio in Shanghai, China. Eva Wang Studio provides a wide range of services to their clients, from planning through architecture to interior design.


08/03/10--10:12: 60. Form Base Code Institute (chan 1785680)

You may have heard lately about many professional non-profit organizations and groups. As an urban designer or planner, one non-profit organization that you should know about is called the Form Base Code Institute. The Form Base Code movement started a while ago and you probably have heard a lot more about it in the past few years.


08/11/10--12:27: 61. ULI Colorado Event, The Greening of TOD (chan 1785680)

ULI presented an event discussing sustainability and the so-called ‘Obama Trifecta’ formed by a historic collaboration among three Federal agencies: the US Department of Transportation (DOT), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Representatives from all three agencies discussed their past frustrations and enthusiastic approach towards working in concert together.


08/12/10--08:57: 62. OZ Architecture (chan 1785680)

OZ Architecture is an architectural firm that is based in Denver, Colorado. Jim Bershof is sharing with us a history of the company and projects that the company worked on. OZ Architecture has been in business for several decades and has been changing with time. Today’s company specializes in park service projects, resorts, and libraries.


08/17/10--17:02: 64. Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (chan 1785680)

You are probably very familiar by now with green roofs and somewhat with living walls. Paul Kephart, who is a president of Rana Creek Living Architecture, will be telling us about positive outcomes to having a green roof in the projects.


08/24/10--08:28: 66. Turner Construction (chan 1785680)

Turner Construction is one of the largest construction companies in the U.S. Among many projects that Turner worked on over the years is Rugby Stadium at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado. The stadium is located in an urban area in close proximity with the fire department and residential neighborhoods. If you drive around this neighborhood you probably wouldn’t even notice that there is a stadium unless there is a game taking place. Gene Futur from Turner Construction is joining us on this podcast episode conversation about this stadium.


08/31/10--18:41: 68. Regenerative Landscapes in China (chan 1785680)

The issue of sustainability is not just important in the US but in other parts of the world as well. China has been concerned with their natural resources for years. Michael Grove, with Sasaki Architecture, worked on many sustainable projects over the past 12 years in China. The initiation for sustainable projects varies between these two countries, but the goal is the same – revitalize our natural resources.


09/07/10--15:49: 70. Creating a Great Street (chan 1785680)

There are many good examples of great streets, as well as of those that were meant to be great and did not quite get there. Dennis Carmichael, with AECOM, has been working for many years on creating a great street in the US. He shares his professional expertise on what makes great streets work.


09/13/10--15:08: 71. Urban Design Committee, July 2010 meeting (chan 1785680)

This pod cast is a recording of the July 21st Urban Design Committee meeting. This month’s meeting focused on two efforts.


09/16/10--12:56: 72. Function of Street Furniture (chan 1785680)

James Shaffer is President of Streetscapes, Inc. Through his work, he noticed that the functionality of street furniture should, in many cases, be much better. Street furniture could have more variety, and could function in many more ways be than just as benches or trash receptacles.


09/21/10--12:28: 74. Mile High Development (chan 1785680)

Mile High Development is an old development company in Denver, Colorado. Over the years, the company has evolved from private to public-private partnership developments. In the 80’s and 90’s, Mile High Development built speculative projects that were financed privately. In late 90’s and 00’s, the company moved to public-private partnership (PPP) projects and affordable housing.


09/29/10--13:16: 76. Shipping Containers (chan 1785680)

Shipping containers’ original purpose is shipping goods over long distances - but they’ve also caught the attention of architects. Architects have been experimenting with used shipping containers for decades.


09/30/10--05:13: 75. Urban Design Committee. AIA Denver September meeting, 2010 (chan 1785680)

Follow the discussion as Robert Schmid updates the committee on the status of Denver’s New Zoning Code and the effort to create a commercial primer for the code. The committee believes a presentation paralleling the efforts of the AIA Housing Committee would be helpful to local groups in understanding and using the newly completed document and is looking for interested people to volunteer for the effort


10/06/10--10:07: 78. Feasibility Studies of the City Centers (chan 1785680)

Each city center dreams about being great and prosperous – but not every city center has what it takes to get there. Jamie Licko and Michael Scott, with the firm Be Centro, do feasibility studies of city centers. They found that no “big silver bullet” can fix all the city center’s problems. Many factors affect the outcome of these plans. This not only includes good design, but also the demographics, economic viability of the city, infrastructure and many others.


10/08/10--07:38: 79. ULI Colorado Event, From the Potomac to the Platte (chan 1785680)

ULI Colorado event held September 30, 2010 at the Oxford Hotel was entitled appropriately due to the upcoming elections and ballot initiatives. Randy Pye, former Mayor of Centennial and currently Senior Vice President at Capitol Solutions served as the moderator. The keynote speaker discussed the regulatory and legislative initiatives forming in the U.S. Capitol and Federal agencies which will influence projects and communities in Colorado. Additionally a panel of experts in the Colorado forefront discussed the impacts bills passed in the Colorado legislature in a nonpartisan overview and analysis.


10/12/10--08:05: 80. ROOT Magazine (chan 1785680)

While many professional magazines are available to us, they still don’t quite cover the whole garden of flowering interests and weedy needs. Amanda Jeter started a new publication called ROOT for landscape architect students. She found that there is a need for students to share their views.


10/21/10--12:47: 82. Future of Small Towns (chan 1785680)

There are many more small towns than large metropolises. Some of them survive, and some will turn into ghost towns. Jamie Licko with Be Centro studied two small towns in Colorado called Woodland Park and Estes Park. She also worked on recommendations for officials of those towns in what to do to help towns prosper in the future.


10/23/10--11:46: 83. Urban Design Committee. AIA Denver October meeting, 2010 (chan 1785680)

In this meeting committee chairman Dean Foreman discusses the idea of expanding the role of the AIA Denver Urban Design Committee to act as a clearing house for the efforts of planning, design and transit groups in the Denver metro area, to promote the cooperation between established organizations, to use the resources of the AIA to promote their efforts and to act as a platform for positive change in the community.


10/26/10--18:26: 84. A holistic approach to greening your school’s building culture and curriculum (chan 1785680)

Facilitated by Annette Stelmack, USGBC Colorado Green Schools Initiative Immediate Past Chair Panelists: Ghita Carroll, Sustainability Coordinator, Boulder Valley School District; Jim Faes, Director of Sustainability, Denver Public School District; Stu Reeves, Energy Manager, Poudre School District; Susie Strife, PhD Environmental Studies Candidate, University of Colorado Boulder Session Description: Panelists shared the stories of how three school districts in Colorado have “gone green” and how they have brought sustainability into the classroom.


11/02/10--11:42: 86. Boomtown 2050 (chan 1785680)

As many metropolises are still growing, only a few of them have a plan for how to accommodate the growth that may occur in the future. One of these examples is Perth, in Australia. Perth is predicted to grow rapidly in the next forty years. The population of Perth is predicted to double.


11/10/10--19:56: 88. Making Power Purchase, USGBC Colorado Green Schools Summit (chan 1785680)

Two school districts share their experiences from using Power Purchase Agreements for solar installations, including reviewing the RFP Process, evaluation criteria, contractual objectives, and team selection. Denver Public School District issued a joint RFP with the City of Denver, and Greenprint Denver Deputy Director Scott Morrissey shares insight from that process.


11/16/10--11:44: 89. ULI event, Fly Like an eagle (P-3) (chan 1785680)

RTD has made an historic agreement - first of its kind in the U.S. - with Denver Transit Partners (DTP) to build the next 23 miles of FasTracks under a public-private partnership.


11/17/10--19:55: 90. Governor’s Energy Office K-12 Program Update/The Best of BEST (chan 1785680)

An update on the K-12 programs from the Governor’s Energy Office including recent accomplishments and upcoming opportunities, followed by a description of and case studies from the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) program.


11/24/10--14:15: 92. Pedicabs (chan 1785680)

The streets of China are crammed with pedicabs. This is an official form of transportation in high-density areas. In past decades, they started to migrate to the U.S. and Europe. A revision of the pedicab made it to Denver, Colorado in a mountain bike-pedicab hybrid. Steve Meyers founded Street Pedicabs in 1992. Since then, his company has grown, bringing the mountain bike-wheeled pedicabs all over the world.


12/01/10--12:02: 94. Beyond design and construction (chan 1785680)

An interactive, engaging session on low/no-cost, easy to implement, measurable strategies that address waste management, energy and water savings, healthy food, indoor environmental quality, healthy materials, and procurement policies.


12/08/10--09:08: 96. Composting (chan 1785680)

An overview of composting-- what it is, benefits, impact, and more. Session also explores how to implement composting at a school, how to create buy-in, and how to educate staff and students.


12/14/10--18:07: 98. Ten tips for planners to convert a shopping center into a village center (chan 1785680)

Bruce Liedstrand, who is a former city manager of Mountain View, California shares his knowledge and experience of converting shopping centers in this podcast episode.


12/18/10--20:32: 99. ULI event, Recharging Colorado - How New Energy and Smart Land Use Are Growing our Job Base, Part 1 (chan 1785680)

A festive holiday spirit was the backdrop for ULI Colorado's Explorer Series event entitled Recharging Colorado-How New Energy and Smart Land Use are Growing our Job Base. It was held at the LEED-Certified Xcel Energy Building Headquarters at 1800 Larimer in downtown Denver. This forum featured a host of experts offering their perspectives on Colorado's New Energy Economy and its implications for real estate, job creation and climate initiatives. Denver Mayor and Colorado Governor Elect John Hickelooper were among those offering insights on the state's emerging challenges and developments as Colorado continues its transition to a green economy.


12/23/10--21:13: 100. Ice hotels (chan 1785680)

There are many different environmental building materials on the market. Nevertheless, Arne Bergh chooses to work with special material that is brought to us by nature – snow and ice. Snow and ice have been used for centuries by the Inuits to build houses. Even today they are still the most practical materials for very cold climates. Arne Bergh is a creative director of the Ice Hotel, which is built every winter in Sweden. He started building ice hotels years ago.


12/25/10--11:47: 101. AIA Denver - Urban Design Committee (chan 1785680)

This pod cast is a recording of the December 15th AIA Denver Urban Design Committee meeting.


12/28/10--14:28: 102. Ice hotel (chan 1785680)

Every year in November at Jukkasjärvi and Torne Rivers new construction begins of a magical building, the Ice Hotel. Arne Bergh, with his team, has been building ice hotels at that location for many years now. Every year there is a different building with new design and innovations, and a new name.


01/03/11--08:50: 103. ULI event, Recharging Colorado - How New Energy and Smart Land Use Are Growing our Job Base, Part 2 (chan 1785680)

A festive holiday spirit was the backdrop for ULI Colorado's Explorer Series event entitled Recharging Colorado-How New Energy and Smart Land Use are Growing our Job Base. It was held at the LEED-Certified Xcel Energy Building Headquarters at 1800 Larimer in downtown Denver. This forum featured a host of experts offering their perspectives on Colorado's New Energy Economy and its implications for real estate, job creation and climate initiatives. Denver Mayor and Colorado Governor Elect John Hickelooper were among those offering insights on the state's emerging challenges and developments as Colorado continues its transition to a green economy.


01/05/11--06:55: 104. Rehabilitation, restoration and preservation solutions, part 1 (chan 1785680)

Mark Grundmann describes corrosion mitigation options in existing concrete structures.


01/14/11--04:26: 106. Rehabilitation, restoration and preservation solutions, part 2 (chan 1785680)

Presentation focuses on an addition to the historical Tramway Building in Denver, Colorado. The project’s architect and structural engineer talk about challenges that could be expected in working with historical buildings.


01/19/11--17:36: 108. Conversation Pods (chan 1785680)

There are many choices on the market for your perfect outdoor furniture. Nonetheless there is always room for designers to offer something new and innovative. Alexander Lotersztain, a designer and the owner of the Derlot company in Australia, designed a new version of the traditional picnic table called the Conversation Pod.


01/21/11--07:35: 109. ULI Colorado event, Mayoral Forum: Session 1 (chan 1785680)

Lucky for me, I was able to attend a workshop this morning hosted by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) during which Dr. Tom Noel reviewed some of work accomplished during Denver’s previous administrations. Mayor Robert Speer was responsible for developing a City charter that grants Denver’s mayors more power and influence than mayors in many other cities. 


01/25/11--12:22: 110. AGA Public Realm Strategies (chan 1785680)

A new book about public parks has been written by Alexander Garvin. The book is called Public Parks: The Key to Livable Communities. This book covers everything about public parks, such as financing, management, role of the public, and design.


01/28/11--07:53: 111. AIA Denver - Urban Design Committee (chan 1785680)

This podcast is a recording of the January 19th AIA Denver Urban Design Committee meeting. This month the committee wraps up the commentary on the Elyria Swansea Neighborhood Plan and the National Western Stock Show Station Plan for submittal to Denver Community Planning and Development Department.


02/02/11--10:06: 112. RNL - Xcel building (chan 1785680)

Not many new office buildings have been built in Denver in recent years. The Xcel Energy building is a new, and green, exception. Located within the heart of downtown, the Xcel Energy building was completed in 2010.


02/08/11--09:40: 114. Zero impact developments (chan 1785680)

You have probably heard by now about zero impact buildings, and may even worked in or on one. Jeffrey Bedard, a former developer currently with NREL, is taking this idea further. He believes it’s time to start thinking on a bigger scale – zero impact neighborhoods and whole zero impact developments.


02/15/11--14:31: 116. RNL Design- International projects (chan 1785680)

At various points in our careers as designers, we work on projects in different countries with different standards and cultures. Thomas M. Wuertz, a design principal at RNL Design shares his vast experience in international projects in this podcast episode.


02/17/11--12:42: 117. ULI Colorado event, Repositioning Residential Real Estate (chan 1785680)

Event: Discovery Series, Repositioning Residential Real Estate (R3) Speaker: Darren M. Fisk, Jeff Hawks, Peter Kudla, Tim McEntee, David Zucker


02/23/11--18:19: 118. Planning and Community Development: A Guide for the 21st Century (chan 1785680)

In 2010, Dr. Norman Tyler wrote another good book about planning . It took over three years for Norman and co-author Robert M. Ward to complete the book, which targets planners, planning students, local officials, and community activists. 


02/25/11--13:08: 119. ULI Colorado event, Mayoral Forum: Session 2 (chan 1785680)

ULI Colorado event, Mayoral Forum: Session 2


03/01/11--13:01: 120. Holiday Sing-Along and Downtown Stroll (chan 1785680)

Two years ago our organization went through a strategic planning process. From this process we determined that one of our top priorities was to take our main street, Congress Avenue, and really turn it into a great place. We created a leadership team who identified a vision and needs to take Congress from where it is today, which is a good functioning street, to an exceptional destination or place


03/04/11--11:22: 121. Union Station redevelopment round table discussion (chan 1785680)

Denver’s Union Station redevelopment will create a new gateway to Downtown Denver and the region and re-energize Denver’s historic train station. As the hub of RTD’s expanding transit system, the $480 million project includes a new RTD light rail station, a new underground RTD regional bus terminal, and a new commuter rail station for RTD and Amtrak, along with several new signature public spaces. Hosted by Ken Schroeppel, creator of DenverUrbanism.com, our roundtable conversation about the Union Station project includes Anne Hayes, chair of Union Station Advocates, and Bill Mosher, owner’s representative for the Denver Union Station Project Authority.


03/07/11--08:42: 122. Turbine-Covered Bridges (chan 1785680)

We have become accustomed to seeing wind turbines in large, open spaces. Is there a future for wind turbines in urban areas? Francesco Colarossi has designed a new way to integrate wind turbines with infrastructure and architecture.


03/12/11--13:31: 123. ULI Colorado event, Speaker Event Series: Denver Mayoral Forum (chan 1785680)

Leccese is executive director of the Urban Land Institute’s Colorado chapter, which hosted a mayoral forum to introduce the development community to the slate of candidates competing in the May 3 election (with a runoff scheduled for June 7) to become Denver’s new mayor. The event was sponsored by Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck and Trammell Crow Company.


03/15/11--15:55: 124. DWG Studio (chan 1785680)

Daniel Woodroffe is the owner of DWG Group, a small landscape firm in Austin, Texas. DWG Group focuses on creative design solutions for urban fabrics. Daniel’s international background is reflected in his work.


03/18/11--12:18: 125. Hines Student Design Competition, Part 1 (chan 1785680)

Hines Student Design Competition 2011


03/22/11--16:30: 126. Central Park on the ship (chan 1785680)

Most of the time, we work with urban spaces that are static. Those spaces stay in the same geographical areas and exist in the same micro climate conditions. The expansion of the travel industry in the past few decades has affected our perception of spaces in transportation units. As a result, cruise ships have become more focused on outdoor spaces and experiences. They now have many more outdoor dining areas, plazas, and gardens.


03/25/11--14:19: 127. AIA Denver - Urban Design Committee (chan 1785680)

This podcast is a recording of the March 16th AIA Denver Urban Design Committee meeting. Three issues filled the agenda for the March meeting. Drew Dutcher, I-70 PACT member, and neighborhood representative for Elyria/Swansea area of north Denver, was joined by Juanita Gable, also from the Elyria Swansea neighborhood, and possible candidate for City Council, to discuss issues surrounding the re-alignment of I-70 through that neighborhood, and the potential involvement of the Urban Design Committee.


03/31/11--07:38: 128. Place Branding (chan 1785680)

Almost every site development today has been assigned a brand, or is trying to re-brand itself. This is not where place branding starts or ends. Eugene D. Jaffe is a professor at the Graduate School of Business and Administration at bar-Ilan University, and has been studying place branding for the past decade.


04/03/11--08:00: 129. Hines Competition, Part 2 (chan 1785680)

This podcast is the second installment in a two part series concerning the University of Coloradoʼs team experience in the Urban Land Instituteʼs Gerald D. Hines Urban Design competition for 2011. The first interview was with J.R. Ronczy, the team leader and part of the design team. This interview is with Tim Fredregill, an MBA candidate at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The interview was conducted by Charles Shifflett on March 24, 2011. The primary focus of the interview is the business teamʼs roles and responsibilities as well as their experiences during the intense competition period.


04/05/11--17:45: 130. Vallagio (chan 1785680)

Peter Kudla is a visionary developer who is behind Vallagio at Inverness, Colorado, and the “midtown” concept in Denver. Peter’s passion and energy about his vision is contagious. It is impossible not notice this just by walking through his latest development, named Vallagio. Vallagio is a mixed use TOD development. The development has a main street, with retail on ground floor and condominiums above. Next to the main street are row homes and golf villas with a view of the Inverness golf course.


04/12/11--14:45: 132. Habitat for Humanity in urban areas (chan 1785680)

If you haven’t had a chance to get to know the work of the Habitat of Humanity, than this is your lucky day. Heather Lafferty is Executive Director of Habitat of Humanity in metro Denver, and will discuss Habitat’s past work and future plans.


04/15/11--08:02: 133. Jane's Walk 2011 (chan 1785680)

Jane's Walk 2011


04/19/11--15:09: 134. Urban planning in South Africa (chan 1785680)

Urban planning ideas are sometimes applied between one region to another without any adjustments to the local culture and climate. The example of such a direct transfer is South Africa, where English planning was implemented. Does it work?


04/22/11--17:41: 135. ULI Colorado event, Big Building on Campus (chan 1785680)

Funding for education may be under the legislative scalpel these days, but you wouldn’t know it by the projects that are rising out of the ground on two of Colorado’s biggest campuses.


04/27/11--08:46: 136. Milwaukee's redevelopment plan (chan 1785680)

Milwaukee is one of the many cities in the USA whose planning is a direct reflection of the automobile ownership and auto industry success; large highways are ruling the city’s grid. In the 1960’s, one of the city’s large transportation projects was building Park East Freeway. As a result, this freeway split the city and damaged the urban structure.


04/30/11--17:45: 137. Urban Design Committee - AIA Denver (chan 1785680)

Two major items dominated the April agenda. Frank Canon and Martin Willie gave a Power Point presentation of the Union Station Neighborhood Company’s recently released plans for Union Station, and Russell Clark, senior planner with Jefferson County, presented their 2010 Master Plan, and discussed issues surrounding the development of community plans for the North, South and Central Plains districts of the county.


05/03/11--10:07: 138. Denver community planning (chan 1785680)

Denver is a growing midwest city in the U.S. Many find that this is a perfect city to live in. With rapid growth and many challenges, the new Denver’s Community Planning project is on the way, lead by Peter Park.


05/11/11--15:54: 140. Urban Lighting (chan 1785680)

Marla Stauth is the owner of Frankly Lighting, LLC. Marla has been involved in various scales of urban lighting projects over the years. She noticed that it is important to use the appropriate amount of lighting in different conditions.


05/17/11--05:08: 142. Visualization Techniques (chan 1785680)

In the past decade, good visualization tools became accessible to a majority of designers, thanks to software such as Sketch Up and Adobe Suite. Nevertheless, there is quite a bit to learn about these and other, more advanced software before you begin to use them. Bradley Cantrell shares his knowledge and experience about visualization in this podcast episode. Bradley has worked with a variety of graphic packages over the years


05/20/11--11:15: 143. ULI Colorado event, Sustainable Communities (chan 1785680)

Can developers go green and still stay in the black? The answer is complex and evolving, and the topic got a thorough going-over by both a panel of experts and a highly engaged audience at ULI Colorado’s May 12 presentation, “Financing Sustainable Development: New Realities for the Recovery.”


05/24/11--18:20: 144. Larimer Square (chan 1785680)

As urban designers we are trying to create a perfect urban environment that would be good for people, commerce, and environment. How hard is it? We find that this may be challenging, but achievable, in our interview with Joe Vostrejs, a COO of Larimer Square in Denver, Colorado.


05/30/11--18:33: 145. Urban Design Committee - AIA Denver (chan 1785680)

Urban Design Committee - AIA Denver


05/31/11--14:44: 146. Jane's Walk (chan 1785680)

Jane Jacobs needs no introduction. Every urban designer and planner is familiar with her work. Her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities is one of the key texts in urban planning. This year is the 50th anniversary of this groundbreaking book. The principles of urban planning and design that Jane covers in her book are still very much applicable in today’s environment.


06/03/11--11:01: 147. Living city block (chan 1785680)

This podcast is an interview with Llewellyn Wells, President of Living City Block. The Living City Block mission is to "create a replicable, exportable, scalable and economically viable framework for the resource efficient regeneration of existing cities, one block at a time." The initial implementation will be in a block of lower downtown Denver, Colorado. The interview was conducted by Charles Shifflett on May 19, 2011.


06/08/11--14:27: 148. 14th Street Initiative round table (chan 1785680)

Downtown Denver’s 14th Street has seen over $1 billion in new public and private investment in the past decade, elevating the street as one of Downtown’s most important corridors. 14th Street links Larimer Square and Lower Downtown with the Civic Center district, and found along its 12 blocks are fashionable hotels, the Theater District/Denver Performing Arts Complex, the Colorado Convention Center, and office and housing uses. To reflect and enhance 14th Street’s prominence, the City of Denver and the Downtown Denver Partnership have launched the 14th Street Initiative, a $14 million rebuilding of the street with widened sidewalks, a bike lane, substantial streetscaping, public art, and wayfinding signage. Construction is underway and the project is planned to be completed Fall 2011.


06/15/11--09:21: 150. How last economic downturn effected architectural and landscape firms in USA/ Hyperform Design Co-op (chan 1785680)

It’s well-known that the last economic downturn most negatively affected professionals in the construction industry. Both bad and good things have come out of this turn of events. Many architectural firms started to examine their efficiency and even reconsider their business models. During that time, numerous new companies were formed. One of those companies is the Hyperform Design Co-op.


06/21/11--16:20: 152. Influencing Travel Behavior (chan 1785680)

The ways in which people travel and how and why people manage their travel needs Important because consequences of individual travel choices contribute to a number of problems – in advanced western economies - UK, European, US, Australian towns and cities levels of use of car cause congestion and associated economic costs; CO2 emissions, local air quality problems and, slower realization of its contribution to ill health, particularly as majority of adults no longer getting adequate levels of physical activity to stay healthy. Active travel one of easiest ways of getting this..


06/30/11--08:10: 154. How the Last Economic Downturn Effected Architectural and Landscape Firms in USA/ RNL Design (chan 1785680)

How the Last Economic Downturn Effected Architectural and Landscape Firms in USA/ RNL Design


07/11/11--14:33: 156.Urban and Building Integrated Agriculture , Part 1 (chan 1785680)

Adam Brock is a permaculture teacher, ecodesigner, and sustainability consultant based in Denver, Colorado. Born and raised in Denver, Adam is a graduate of NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study, with a concentration in Ecological Design. His studies included a semester of sustainable design at the Ecosa Institute in Prescott, Arizona; a Permaculture design course led by Andrew Faust; and a Permaculture Teacher Training course led byDave Jacke.


07/13/11--09:51: 158. Urban and Building Integrated Agriculture , Part 2 (chan 1785680)

Michael Buchenau, holds a master's degree in landscape architecture from Harvard University. Prior to joining DUG, Mr. Buchenau managed numerous largescale land planning and environmental assessment projects, including work in Mount Rainier, Yellowstone and Denali National Parks. As the Executive Director of Denver Urban Gardens (DUG) for the past 17 years, Mr. Buchenau oversees all of DUG's programs and operations including: garden site preservation, design and construction; garden organization, leadership training and community outreach; botanic and horticulture education; fund development; and fiscal management of the non-profit organization.


07/16/11--03:43: 159. Diffuse Urban Environments (chan 1785680)

This podcast is part one of a two part interview with Jason Rebillot, Doctoral Candidate, Harvard Design School and Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Colorado, Denver. The focus of this interview is Mr. Rebillotʼs current research on diffuse urban environments. The interview was conducted by Charles Shifflett on June 27, 2011 on the campus of Tongji University in Shanghai, China.


07/20/11--19:30: 160. Urban and Building Integrated Agriculture , Part 3 (chan 1785680)

Sundari Kraft is the organizer of Heirloom Gardens, LLC and Sustainable Food Denver. Heirloom Gardens is a Neighborhood-Supported Agriculture program operating in northwest Denver. Using a "multi-plot urban farm" model, Heirloom Gardens converts unused neighborhood yard space into organic vegetable gardens. The produce is harvested and distributed through a farmshare program, and at the local farmers' market. Sustainable Food Denver is an advocacy organization, currently focusing its efforts on passing a new Food-Producing Animals (hen chickens and dwarf dairy goats) ordinance through the City Council. Sundari is the author of the upcoming "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Urban Homesteading" (June 2011).


07/26/11--19:19: 162. Urban and Building Integrated Agriculture, Part 4 (chan 1785680)

Mr. Redmond is a native of Colorado where he developed an early love of both nature and entrepeneurship. His early exposure to ranching and agriculture and continuing experiences through life have developed into a unique blended expertise of technology, the natural sciences and development. Mr. Redmond has a Bachelors Degree in Geology from Tulane University, New Orleans LA. He has also earned Master’s Degrees in both Urban and Regional Planning and Landscape Architecture from the University of Colorado.


08/01/11--09:52: 163. Urban Design Committee - AIA Denver (chan 1785680)

Two items filled the agenda; David Gaspers and Ellen Ittleson of Denver’s Community Planning Department discuss developments of the Arapahoe Square and the Northeast Downtown Neighborhood Plan, and Mike Harris of the DU Environmental Law Clinic and Drew Dutcher discuss events surrounding the expansion of I-70 and the EIS process nearing completion.


08/03/11--07:16: 164. Urban and Building Integrated Agriculture, Part 5 (chan 1785680)

Chris Parr Director of Development, Denver Housing Authority Chris is the Director of Development for the Housing Authority of the City and County of Denver. Since 2004 Chris has been responsible for the delivery of over 1200 homes in Denver including the Curtis Park and Park Avenue HOPE VI Redevelopments as well as planning for two major redevelopment sites, South Lincoln and Sun Valley. Chris has helped the Housing Authority move towards an intense focus on energy efficient product achieving LEED certifications on various buildings. In recent years, efforts have grown to focus on true urban sustainability issues, such as transit and healthy food access. Prior to the Housing Authority, Chris worked for the Integral Group, a private development company working in several national markets. With Integral Chris served as the Denver Development Program Manger. Previous to that, Chris worked for an investment bank in Chicago managing asset holdings including real estate. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Wheaton College.


08/07/11--08:36: 165. Urban Design Views (chan 1785680)

This podcast is part two of a two part interview with Jason Rebillot, Doctoral Candidate, Harvard Design School and Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Colorado, Denver. The focus of this interview is Mr. Rebillotʼs views and thoughts on the current state of the field of urban design. The interview was conducted by Charles Shifflett on June 27, 2011 on the campus of Tongji University in Shanghai, China.


08/09/11--08:58: 166. Urban Fabric (chan 1785680)

The Urban Fabric Project emerged as a research project in the Urban Studio at Sasaki. Sasaki has three major studio's in its practice: Urban Studio, Campus Studio and International Studio. Gina, Eamonn and I are all part of the Urban Studio at Sasaki. Urban Studio does domestic urban work in the United States, primarily in smaller, post-industrial cities like Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Cincinnati, Ohio, Bridgeport, CT, etc... The goal for the Urban Fabric Project was to step back from the majority of the work being done in Urban Studio and look more holistically at the types of cities we are working in today.


08/17/11--15:18: 168. Social media for architects (chan 1785680)

Over the past few years, social media has become increasingly more integrated with how we do business. For example, some businesses use social media for recruitment, while others use it for marketing or even managing projects. Boyd Coleman with Coleman Design Group uses social media for advertising purposes as well as keeping in touch with current clients.


08/22/11--10:41: 169. Urban Design Committee - AIA Denver (chan 1785680)

Following successive meetings with speakers and information about the re-alignment of Interstate 70 east of the Mouse trap and issues within and around the Elyria-Swansea neighborhood, this month’s meeting will be dedicated to discussion of the complex issues surrounding this area of north Denver. What role the Urban Design Committee can and should take will be the focus.


08/24/11--09:56: 170. Urban Acupuncture (chan 1785680)

Los Angeles, as any other metropolitan area, is struggling with park space and green spaces. To solve this problem Los Angeles is trying new techniques of urban acupuncture. The city has been creating more pocket parks rather than larger green spaces. Pocket parks are required to have a creative partnership of different stakeholders for financing, design, and maintenance. Those pocket parks improve ecological function and urban experience.


08/30/11--10:00: 172. Arapahoe Square (chan 1785680)

Arapahoe Square, the 30-square block district northeast of Denver’s Central Business District, is on the cusp of major change. Currently dominated by surface parking lots and run-down buildings, Arapahoe Square is the last Downtown-adjacent district to undergo revitalization. But now, the development community, the city, and businesses and residents from around the area are working together to help the district become Downtown Denver’s next great neighborhood. The city recently completed a vision plan for Arapahoe Square, and is currently following through with additional studies and strategies to help the district’s redevelopment advance. New infill projects are underway and stakeholders are discussing options for bicycles and transit, public spaces and streetscapes, new zoning and development standards, possible street network changes, and strategies for managing the district’s homeless population issues. 


09/07/11--09:35: 174. Typology of Public Space (chan 1785680)

Urban spaces as well as architecture have typology. Dhiru A. Thadani has been researching the typology of urban spaces, and as a result has published a book The Language of Towns and Cities. This book is written in the format of a visual dictionary.


09/14/11--12:30: 176. Livable Communities (chan 1785680)

Dan Buren is Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute. Walkable and Livable Communities Institute been formed two years ago. Organization served to create and share information how cities can have better places for people. Walkable and Livable Communities Institute organizes training programs and creating education materials. The communication should be simple and visual that everyone could understand the message. Posters are one of the ways of communication. The Walkable and Livable Communities Institute also brings different disciplines together for creating better spaces. Burden noticed that main mistake made by the professional does not know how to work with different disciplines.


09/21/11--13:12: 178. Wild for the City: creating and sustaining urban nature parks (chan 1785680)

Urban Nature Parks is a choreographic experience of the nature for people that live in the city by the expression of Laura Starr from Starr Whitehouse. Urban Natural parks are thriving today and needed more than ever today. Experiences of nature even if they are man-made are very desirable in the city.


09/28/11--15:26: 180. Master Planning for Net-Zero Energy (chan 1785680)

We already got accustomed to the net-zero energy buildings. Now the trend is spreading to the master planning. David Kahn with David Kahn Studio has been practicing net-zero energy planning for a while.


09/30/11--12:09: 181. Urban Design Committee - AIA Denver (chan 1785680)

Urban Design Committee. AIA Denver September meeting, 2011


10/06/11--06:57: 182. Making Brown-Fields Green (chan 1785680)

An interview about Making Brown-Fields Green with Amelle Schultz, Niel Sullivan, Jonathan Ceci from AYERS/SAINT/GROSS.


10/13/11--10:39: 184. Public Space Design in Europe, the Middle East, China, and Australia (chan 1785680)

Use of public spaces is different in Europe, Middle East, USA, China and Australia. And at same time it uses for same purpose – for people getting together. Zack Adelson with Studio LFA shares designed public spaces in all these geographical areas. He shares his experience with us in this podcast episode.


10/19/11--20:13: 186. Aesthetics and Sustainability (chan 1785680)

“I want to talk about green.” Carol Ross Barney begins her session talking about how the sustainable movement has thoroughly permeated our current social consciousness. ‘Sustainism is the new modernism.” Sustainability now has its own ‘ism’. Carol spoke of the dangers of green washing within architecture.


10/27/11--04:46: 188. Snøhetta (chan 1785680)

Today’s interview was a special treat for me personally. I have been following the award winning firm Snøhetta for some time, and have slowly been transformed into a fan due to such innovative project solutions as the National Opera House in Oslo and more recently their National September 11th Memorial Museum Pavilion. Today’s interview is with Mr. Craig Dykers, Senior Partner, Director and Architect with Snøhetta, and the lead designer for the 9/11 pavilion.


11/02/11--18:43: 190. The firm of the future: big picture trends shaping the future of architecture firms (chan 1785680)

Ray is the president of Kogan and Company, a strategic management and planning firm specializing in the AEC industries. Ray shared with us 8 points that can help in that regard.


11/08/11--18:51: 192. Big Gifts, Deep Needs (chan 1785680)

Mr. John Cary presented us with a moving insight into his work with Public Architecture. He began with a quick exercise, he asked us to remember where we came from and why we got into this profession to begin with. John’s own background in a suburban environment, complete with a loud family system that “rarely afforded peace and quite” has had a profound influence on his current outlook on the practice of architecture.


11/16/11--22:15: 194. Christopher Sharples- Out of Practice (chan 1785680)

Shop Architects are not immune to this economy. The office was founded about 15 years ago by a group of friends and family. He shared with us an organizational chart of the firm that expressed the interconnected nature of the firm, one that informs the work that they produce. He spoke of a disconnect between what they saw in the AEC industry, the misdirection of branding and the interests they brought from outside influences. Passions for racing and aerospace have produce sensibilities that they carry into their work.


11/22/11--09:10: 196. Joshua Prince-Ramus- Agency (chan 1785680)

Modernism in the mid-century created a schism where architecture became about strict rules and dogmatic form making. To Joshua this was a clear failure, and it is time for us to change the situation. Form must be integral to function, and both must be maximized in appropriate equilibration.


11/23/11--20:45: 197. Urban Design Committee. November 2011 meeting. (chan 1785680)

Dean Foreman and Kitty Yuen, president of AIA Denver, sent a letter (enclosed to this email) to mayor Hancock objecting to the remaining northward expansion option of the highway, requesting the mayor postpone the Record of Decision and urging another look at the highway options while offering the services of the AIA to help resolve the impasse.


12/04/11--18:50: 199. TOD Marketplace (chan 1785680)

Steven E. Goldin, director of real estate for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, advised focusing and simplifying the message to educate the public about the value of TODs, a concept he said is unfamiliar to 99 percent of Americans.


12/07/11--05:00: 198. The Language of Towns and Cities (chan 1785680)

This is a new book written by Dhiru Thadani and titled The Language of Towns & Cities. It is a comprehensive visual dictionary for urban planners and designers. With the help of more than fifty contributors, this volume is richly detailed and illustrated with over 2,500 photographs, drawings, and charts.


12/14/11--05:00: 200. TOD Marketplace (chan 1785680)

Emerick J. Corsi, Jr., president of Forest City Enterprises Real Estate Asset Services, the nation’s largest TOD developer, advised hiring a master developer and administrator to coordinate the project from start to finish. Station-area planning requires a physical site assessment, a market feasibility study, a public involvement process, branding and marketing, and master planning for the TOD site and adjacent area, including the station rail facilities, infrastructure, existing mixed uses, and open space. “Embrace the city and neighborhood next door,” he advised, by looking at development plans holistically and branding stations to create individual identify within the vision for the whole network.


12/20/11--16:49: 201. Architecture 2030 (chan 1785680)

The warming of the earth’s atmosphere caused by burning fossil fuels, the rapid depletion of global petroleum and natural gas reserves, current environmental calamities, and the long recession are converging to create the greatest crisis and opportunity of modern times. As these events intensify, they will dramatically change how we live, build and relate to the natural environment.


12/27/11--08:06: 202. Denver Civic Center (chan 1785680)

Civic Center Park is Denver’s hallowed ground. The park is the civic heart of the community. Ringed by Denver’s most important government and cultural institutions and a century’s worth of architectural icons, the Park and its surrounding district are in the midst of a significant revitalization. New programs and events are activating the Park like never before, and millions of dollars of rehabilitation work and new infrastructure have put the sparkle back on the Park’s physical features. New museums and infill developments nearby continue to enliven the surrounding area.


01/03/12--08:47: 203. Post-Great Recession Retail Trends (chan 1785680)

There is no stronger driver of the economy than consumption. States and local governments have come to rely heavily on sales taxes. As a result, we have structured our local economy and measured success around how many big box retailers we can attract to our cities. More property and sales tax revenues generated from these big box retailers means fewer taxes levied on residents. Over the past century, these corporate big boxes have driven local main street stores out of business. However, the new economic reality points to a return toward more urban, smaller, quality oriented retailing. New research suggests that smaller urban development is more profitable than suburban big boxes.1 The smaller retail format also favors local businesses and promotes local place-making


01/06/12--07:00: 204. Will the Aerotropolis Fly in Denver? (chan 1785680)

With vision, collaboration, and new transit links, Denver International Airport (DIA) is on its way to becoming an Aerotropolis, or a 21st century airport linked with speedy global connections, which will boost the regional economy and make Denver an international destination, according to five of the region’s top public officials and business leaders who discussed the concept on December 8 at a ULI Colorado Explorer series program at the History Colorado Center in Denver.


01/19/12--11:02: 205. University Planning (chan 1785680)

The Impact of Facilities on Recruitment and Retention of Students at Educational Institutions Study was conducted and sponsored by APPA’s Center for Facilities Research


01/19/12--11:09: 206. Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2012 (chan 1785680)

As part of a research study with Pricewaterhouse Coopers, LLC, ULI’s Emerging Trends in Real Estate provides the latet in real estate market updates and predictions for the year. The report reflects the views of leading real estate executives from around the world who completed surveys or were interviewed as a part of the research process for the reports. Interviewees and survey participants represent a wide range of industry experts—investors, developers, property companies, lenders, brokers, and consultants.