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To stay current with industry practices, the American Institute of Architects updates its standard contracts every 10 years. In the recent publication round, 40 of more than 100 legal documents have been revised, some of them substantially. Many of the most important changes appear in document “A201 General Conditions of the Contract for Construction.” The most significant concern arbitration, according to Suzanne Harness, AIA, the AIA’s managing director and counsel for contract documents. Arbitration as a means of settling disputes was mandatory, but in 1997, nonbinding mediation was added as a precedent to arbitration. But in the revised A201, parties

Hootman’s role within the USGBC is yet another hallmark of the sustainable design director. Many architects who championed green design early on in their firms often played significant roles in the development of the USGBC’s local chapters, as well as the national organization. For example, Ritchie has served for the past five years on the materials and resources technical advisory group for the USGBC’s LEED program. Another well-trod track for architects who have advocated green issues in their firms is the AIA’s COTE, which exists as one of the AIA’s “knowledge communities” with branches in the many local chapters. Sandy

In April 2006, the actor Brad Pitt and the nonprofit organization Global Green USA launched a sustainable design competition in hopes of spurring the redevelopment of New Orleans, post-Katrina. It certainly isn’t shocking that a Hollywood star, albeit one with a home in New Orleans, would want to raise awareness about the devastated city, but perhaps it is surprising that a celebrity could so meaningfully engage the sustainable design community with such a gesture. Pitt, it seems—like Leonardo DiCaprio and Al Gore—has become a sort of sustainability guru for the larger public, even narrating the on-going sustainable design television series

In the summer of 2007, two large American architecture firms made news when they announced they were being sold to larger European firms. The 1,000-person RTKL was acquired by 11,500-person Dutch environmental and infrastructure engineering giant Arcadis. And, 350-person Hillier by 750-person Scottish architecture firm RMJM. Why are these firms selling? And why now? Do these moves represent a trend, and if so, what is its significance for the rest of the U.S. architecture profession? Illustration: ' Corbis RTKL and Hillier ranked eighth and 25th, respectively, in the 2006 Top 150 Architecture Firms [record, June 2007, page 71] list, compiled

Cautions during transitions The owners of CRS Sirrine were not the only ones to recognize culture clashes as serious dangers for merged firms. Both Gido and Cramer consider this issue as important as negotiating financial terms. Selling a firm is not like selling real estate because a firm is largely an intangible collection of talent and good will. Staff who feel disrespected, or who don’t respect the work of the parent company, can walk out and devalue the sale. According to Gido, the hardest, riskiest part of a merger is not the hammering out of terms but the integration of

“We’re talking about somebody’s life here. We can’t decide it in five minutes … We nine can’t understand how you three are still so sure. Maybe you can tell us.” —Henry Fonda as a juror in 12 Angry Men Photography: © Getty Images Henry Fonda plays an architect in the film 12 Angry Men, the story of a jury deciding the fate of a man on trial for murder. Initially, his is the sole vote against a conviction. With just two brief quotes from this 1957 film classic, Henry Fonda’s character—an architect—begins to emerge as the leader of a group

Ongoing and frequent dialogue not only fosters collegiality and a collaborative spirit but can also stimulate innovation. Jim Oswald, a senior associate and senior business strategist within Gensler Consulting, shares Leers’s perspective with regard to engaging staff to ensure their commitment to advancing the firm’s goals: “Informal discussions held in staff meetings, individual coaching sessions, and conversations around the water cooler about the firm’s strategic purpose and direction all help to strengthen staff’s grasp of the ‘why we do what we do’ and proactively engage them in ‘living’ the firm’s vision and goals through their work.” Photography: © Getty Images

Public and nonprofit practices are playing an increasing role in the professional development of young architects and yield great benefits for all concerned. The entrepreneurialism, close client contact, and quality design work achieved by those fortunate enough to obtain these positions make them desirable for traditional firms who want experienced interns. Yet, the architecture profession does not support these unique training settings as thoroughly as professions such as law and medicine do, so the interns who wish to gain this kind of experience, and those who are in need of services, both go wanting. Photo: © Jamie Blosser Rose Fellow

Good Deeds, Good Design Good Deeds, Good Design is the title of a book edited by Bryan Bell, founder of Design Corps, that responds to the notion that the quality of nonprofit design work must inevitably be compromised. Max Bond, FAIA, a partner at New York’s Davis Brody Bond and an architect noted for his interest in underserved communities agrees with the premise of Bell's book. “I always thought that it is really an artificial separation. An interest in community and social issues in no way reduced my interest in design.” Photo: © Jamie Blosser Blosser worked with Van Amburgh