Field Report

by Joel Chamberlain

president, AIA Springfield

Oct. 16-25 marks Missouri's second annual Celebration of Architecture.

Continuing the goals of last year's event, Architecture Week 1998 extends its promise of being an event even more exciting and broader in scope.

Joel Chamberlain and Andrew Wells, along with the AIA Missouri Board, attended Gov. Mel Carnahan's proclamation ceremony Sept. 21 at the governor's office in Jefferson City.

With the governor's proclamation, Architecture Week is envisioned as a week-long (or slightly longer, in our case), series of events and exhibitions that act as a vehicle for increased participation from the AIA membership, allied organizations and the general public.

Instruction, illumination and some fun are the elements that will be the hallmarks of this event. As a beginning, Architecture Week 1998 will include sponsors and participants such as the Community Task Force Arts and Heritage Collaborative, the Commercial Club of Springfield and Habitat for Humanity.

May this year be the best ever as the public and design community join together in a wonderful celebration of architecture. Members are encouraged to invite family, friends, clients and others to participate in the celebration.

As of the deadline for this report, logistics are still being worked out, so final times or locations that are not indicated below will be announced.

Oct. 16. AIA reception and movie at the Gillioz Theater. The event is a fund raiser for the theater and meant to be a fun and interesting time for all. The movie will be chosen by the committee from a selection of contemporary films that will include backdrops featuring spectacular or fantasy architecture. The theater is undergoing restoration, so to make this possible and fun, equipment will be rented and set up at our temporary lawn-chair theater. Casual dress is encouraged for this event, and it is open to the public.

Oct. 17. Commercial Street Farmers Market Charrette. Join us in creating ideas for a focal-point farmers market on Comercial Street. This is an excellent opportunity for fun and community interaction.

Oct. 19. An organizational meeting with Commercial Street volunteers. This event will assist efforts to identify historical architectural elements on Commercial Street buildings.

Oct. 20. A Springfield Significant Sites meeting will be held. The goal is to select notable architecture (of all kinds) in the area. The committee will meet to make preliminary selections.

Oct. 21. The AIA Springfield Chapter annual business meeting. This event is at noon in the auditorium of the Hammons School of Architecture, Drury College. Chapter officers will be elected.

Oct. 23. Architecture speaker. Beatriz Colomins, professor of architecture at Princeton University, will speak in the auditorium of the Hammons School of Architecture at Drury College. Colomins will speak at 4 p.m. on the subject of Ray and Charles Barnes in this event, open to the public.

Oct. 24. A sand-castle contest on Park Central Square. This event is part of Make a Difference Day with Urban Districts Alliance.

Oct. 25. Custom homes tour. The homes tour is a fund raiser for Habitat for Humanity and will be held 2-6 p.m.

All the events need participation to be a success. Some of the events are still in the planning process, and the committee chairpeople can use all the help they can get. This is your chance to get involved in some very rewarding activities.

For more information call Joel Chamberlain, 865-5959, or Andrew Wells, 865-6100.

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