FROM THE PRESIDENT

Greetings fellow AIA Arkansas members!

This year is drawing to a close, and what happens next is as mysterious and uncertain as ever.

Looking back at 2024, we can be proud that we exceeded our goals for the year. Our organization is as strong as it has ever been, and I believe we have fully recovered from the stresses of the pandemic, even if we are yet to fully understand the changes that continue to affect our society.

This year we determined that our financial reserves could enable us to establish two endowed scholarships, one at the Fay Jones School of Architecture + Design at the University of Arkansas, and another at Harding University, where a new architecture school is in its third year.

It was great to see so many of you in Fort Smith at our annual convention last month. Our secretary and convention chair, Nate Deason, and his entire committee created a convention to remember. Those of you that couldn’t make it missed a generous host city, a great group of speakers and an expo show by our Allied members that showed us that things are truly back to pre-Covid “normal.” We offer a hearty THANK YOU to our Allied members for their support!

We’re always looking for more members to be a part of our board, committees and task forces. Volunteering is a wonderful way to engage with AIA Arkansas, gain leadership skills, work to better the profession and participate in outreach opportunities across the state.

Additional thanks are due to Brent Stevenson Associates. Brent and Jackie Strickland work hard to support our daily operations, and to facilitate our annual state convention.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve. It was my pleasure. I am proud to be a part of such a dedicated architecture community. I have confidence in the incoming 2025 president, Todd Welch, AIA, alongside Chris East, AIA, Nate Deason, AIA, James Meyer, AIA, and Kiara Gilmore, AIA, to lead us onward.

Rich Brya, AIA

AIA Arkansas President

BRYArchitecture

Arkansas architects and their projects were honored by AIA Arkansas Chapter in the annual Design Awards program at the recent convention in Fort Smith.

The Honor Award winners are:

Marlon Blackwell Architects for Ledger. The Ledger is a new 230,000-square-foot mixed-use office building in downtown Bentonville. A new kind of workplace experience, the Ledger offers diverse amenities connected to an extensive network of pedestrian trails. Blurring the lines of where the sidewalk ends and the building begins, ramps traverse the east facade along Main Street, inviting the public to bike up the ascending terraces.

Revival Architecture, Inc., for Mississippi County Courthouse Rehabilitation and Addition. A new addition designed to complement the original courthouse completed in 1921, the project at Blytheville provided significant improvements in security, technology, efficiency, accessibility and convenience to the public and staff.

Urban Design Build Studio for Negotiation Room. The Negotiation Room at Rome, Italy, provides a space for two actors to take a risk and begin a dialogue. It is a space of optimism that finds its form by positioning actors in close proximity. The mass timber structure demonstrably points to a sustainable future while shaping space for discourse of mutual benefit – socially, environmentally and personally.

The Merit Award winners are:

AMR Architects for UAPB Student Union Renovation. The transformative renovation breathes new life into a historically significant 1950s HBCU student union, whose layout had become confusing and fragmented over time. The design enhances accessibility and clarifies circulation. The renovation celebrates the original mid-century heritage while ensuring the beloved landmark's continued service to future generations. The introduction of the building’s first elevator ensures that all students, faculty and visitors can easily access every level of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Student Union.

Marlon Blackwell Architects for Marygrove Early Education Center. The Marygrove Early Education Center (Marygrove EEC) is a state-of-the-art early childhood education center located on the campus of Marygrove College in the Livernois-McNichols district of Northwest Detroit. Marygrove EEC supports 150 students up to five years of age from diverse local neighborhoods. The Marygrove EEC extends the legacy of Marygrove as a beacon of education and contributes to ongoing efforts to revitalize the surrounding neighborhood.

Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects for Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts. Creating a vibrant space for social interaction, education and appreciation for the arts, the design for the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts in Little Rock transforms this premier cultural institution into a signature civic asset. Working from the inside out, new construction and renovations clarify the organization of the building’s interior while extending AMFA's presence into historic MacArthur Park, opening the museum to the city of Little Rock and beckoning the public within.

Skiles Architect PA for Moore House. The Moore House, with its inward focused plan, seamlessly blends with the landscape and ensures privacy, while also achieving a balance between design and affordability. Designed for a family of four, the home sits on a small corner lot at the base of a hill in an established and eclectic neighborhood in the heart of Fayetteville.

Urban Design Build Studio for Sensing the Forest. Sensing the Forest at Garvan Woodland Gardens at Hot Springs invites new interactions with a familiar landscape. Form, space and material compose a novel experience, reimagining how a forest can be remembered. Seeing the forest in the reflection of the cladding, touching the forest in the grain of the wood, hearing the forest echo in the towering space. Engaging the senses forges new memories and new ways of connecting with the forest.

AMR Architects for Justice Building Addition and Renovation. The addition to the Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Building in Little Rock thoughtfully expands the north and south wings, carrying the rhythm and materiality of the mid-century building into a contemporary interpretation of the bold forms typical of the Capitol campus.

MEMBER NEWS

Cromwell Expands To North Carolina

Cromwell Architects Engineers announced on Sept. 30 that it is opening a new regional office in Charlotte, N.C. As one of the oldest architecture firms in the country, the 140-year-old company has legacy clients around the U.S. and globally. As part of its strategic plan, Cromwell is expanding its footprint to attract talent and better service a growing number of business relationships in the region. Cromwell considered locations throughout the U.S. before landing on an office in Charlotte.

“After studying several major metro areas, Charlotte consistently ranked at the top of our key categories. Proximity to great talent, access to our clients in the mid-Atlantic region and the pro-business environment were key factors in our decision,” Dan Fowler, president of Cromwell, said. “We’re excited to continue our 140 years of positively impacting communities through great design with this expansion in the Charlotte area.”

Cromwell, a 100% employee-owned company, is in the process of relocating key employees to the region and is currently planning to open the Charlotte office by the end of 2024. The firm plans to develop local architects, engineers and other design professionals over the next few years to support both regional and global clients.

MARLON BLACKWELL ARCHITECTS

CONTINUES DESIGN GROWTH

The Supportive Team of Senior Associates and Associates Expands

Fayetteville-based Marlon Blackwell Architects will open its first office outside its principal office by the end of the year amid growth and leadership changes. The new 1,500-square-foot office will be in Bentonville, adjacent to South Main and Southeast 10th Streets. “The new office will allow us to increase our presence and accessibility for the Bentonville design projects we have been working on as well as new projects, such as the Heartland Whole Health Institute and Walmart campus,” Blackwell said. “Having a long history with clients, such as the Thaden School and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, we want to strengthen our connection with the entire region we call home.”

The award-winning firm also recently announced some promotions and other leadership changes. Marlon and Meryati Blackwell, co-founders and design principals, have added the title of partner. The firm has named Spencer Curtis and Michael Davis as senior associates. They join senior associates Justin Hershberger, Kertis Weatherby and Joshua Matthews in collaborating with the Blackwells on project design and firm operations. Also, Ryan Camp has been named an associate. Camp joins Stephen Reyenga as an associate and will support the firm’s leadership in growth and recognition. Established in 1992, Marlon Blackwell Architects has earned more than 180 design awards, including state, regional, national and international awards. It has 27 staff and seasonal college interns.

Firms Named to Forbes List

 Of Top Residential Architects

Northwest Arkansas based firms of Architects 226, Jennings + Santa Rita Architects, Marlon Blackwell Architects and Skiles Architects were recognized on the 2025 Forbes list of America’s Top 200 Residential Architects. Over a three-stage process, 18,000 firms received initial evaluation, with 750 invited to advance to the next stage and submit up to three houses, each completed in 2019 or later, for formal consideration.

Methodology included: Tier 1, general professional evaluation; Tier 2, evaluation of a single “exemplary house”; and Tier 3, evaluation relative to Forbes Architecture’s Residential Guiding Principles & Best Practices. These seven categories are: siting and local context; architectural form and detailing; building materials and craft; spatial configuration; HVAC and tech; physical and psychological effects; and environmental/appropriateness to region and local climate zone.

Edwards Promoted to Senior

Architect at Cromwell Firm

Cromwell Architects Engineers is pleased to announce the promotion of Corey Edwards to senior architect, marking a significant milestone in his distinguished career with the firm. Corey joined Cromwell in 2009 after earning his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. In July, he celebrated 15 years with the firm.

In his time at Cromwell, Corey has built a reputation as a skilled architect with a passion for enhancing communities through thoughtful design. His experience spans a variety of project types, including restorative renovations, educational institutions, civic buildings, downtown revitalization efforts and administrative/office facilities. Corey’s work reflects his commitment to creating spaces that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing, with a focus on improving the built environment in his home state of Arkansas. This is apparent with his recent contributions to Sterling Market and Searcy High School’s Lion Arena.

“We are incredibly proud of Corey’s achievements and his promotion to senior architect,” Cromwell President Dan Fowler said. “His dedication to the craft, coupled with his understanding of our clients’ needs, has made him an essential part of our firm’s success. We look forward to seeing him continue to grow in this new role.”

Malin Reed Opitz

Pavilion Groundbreaking

CDI Contractors employees joined the faculty and students at Jefferson Elementary School for the groundbreaking for the Malin Reed Opitz Pavilion on school grounds on May 22. The occasion included many community partners, Craig O'Neil, architects from Polk Stanley Wilcox and Cromwell Architects, and Malin's fifth-grade class. The pavilion, named in honor of Malin, who passed away from brain cancer in 2023, will provide an outdoor learning space that will be used for generations to come. It will provide permanent space for physical education, an area for shaded and covered recess, event space for the school, and unique outdoor educational opportunities.

The pavilion's design, featuring vibrant panels, versatile turf flooring and a serene, quiet space, results from a collective effort. Many trade partners, including the construction manager CDI, have generously donated their time, materials and expertise to this beloved project. The architects Polk Stanley Wilcox and Cromwell Architects have worked closely with Malin's fifth-grade class to ensure the design reflects their inspiration. CDI is committed to providing construction learning opportunities throughout the building process to the students of Jefferson. With the support of fellow parents, families, businesses and individuals, the Jefferson Elementary PTA has raised an impressive $564,150 in donations for the pavilion. Their dedication and generosity have been instrumental in making this project a reality.

CDI and its trade partners are ready to create a space in honor of Malin for her friends, teachers and community. This work is made possible through the hard work and contributions of several groups and trade partners, who all came together to donate and give to this project. These include: Jefferson PTA; Polk Stanley Wilcox; Cromwell Architects; Insight Engineers; Engineering Consultants; McClelland Consulting Engineers; Carpenter Construction, earthwork/storm drainage; Little Rock Landscape, landscaping; Dircon Construction, concrete; Masonry Enterprises, masonry; Ketcher Roofing, roofing; PC Hardware, doors and hardware; Malstrom-White/QikTurf, turf; Bailey Paint, painting; Platinum Drywall, framing/blocking; Pinnacle Structures Inc., pre-engineered metal building; A&T Builders, steel erection; Little Sales, translucent roof panel supply; ACE Glass, translucent roof panel install; Comfort Systems, plumbing; Gigerich Electrical, electrical; and SOPA, basketball goals.

click here to view pdf of job

Topping-Out Ceremony Held for Timberlands Center

An applied research facility centered on Arkansas timber and wood products that will offer University of Arkansas students hands-on experience with innovative design and construction materials is another step closer to becoming reality. The Anthony Timberlands Center for Design and Materials Innovation marked a milestone in the construction process on Sept. 17 with a topping-out ceremony. More than 120 people gathered at the site of the future center to celebrate this construction industry tradition, which, for this building and its cascading roof plane, recognizes the positioning of the highest point of the structure. Attendees also signed the wooden structural beam that will be the last piece to be installed in the overall structure next month.

The Anthony Timberlands Center is part of the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, the state’s only school of architecture and design. Directly supporting the university’s land-grant mission, this new facility will serve as the hub for the Fay Jones School's ongoing design-build and graduate programs, collaborative efforts with partners in the state's forest industries and outreach programs that address critical issues including housing inequality. The Anthony Timberlands Center is designed by Grafton Architects of Dublin, Ireland, in partnership with Modus Studio of Fayetteville, the architect of record.

Weyerhaeuser, School Partner

For Research Fellows Program

Weyerhaeuser Company has partnered with the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the U of A for a new research fellows program that supports the development of innovative wood products and sustainable wood-based construction. The Weyerhaeuser Research Fellows Program includes two simultaneous applied research and design projects at the U of A – one focused on prototyping a 3D-printed, wood-composite house, the other on engineering mass timber to support three common housing typologies important to rural communities. The two-year program expands on previous successful partnerships between Weyerhaeuser and the school and will run through 2025. It directly supports Weyerhaeuser’s 3 by 30 Sustainability Ambitions and work advancing a future where everyone has access to a quality, affordable and sustainable home.

The Seattle-based company’s 3 by 30 Sustainability Ambitions, launched in 2020, focuses on three areas where Weyerhaeuser plays an important role and can make a meaningful difference by 2030: climate solutions, sustainable homes and rural communities. “Wood products are essential to increasing the overall availability of quality, affordable housing, so it’s important that we continue to invest in the development of new and better ways to build with them,” Nancy Thompson, senior director of advocacy and philanthropy for Weyerhaeuser, said. “We’re excited to be working again with the Fay Jones School and are eager to see how the innovations developed through the program will give more people access to sustainably built homes.” Both projects in the new program build on earlier research and design efforts at the Fay Jones School that Weyerhaeuser supported.

Lidar Technology Preserves

Memory of Historic Building

"Point cloud images of St. Scholastics capture millions of data points."

The demolition of the 98-year-old St. Scholastica Monastery building in 2022 left a profound void in many Fort Smith area residents and historians. This building, a significant part of local history and culture, was a testament to the architectural prowess of its time and had served as a home and a place of learning for thousands of students and Benedictine Sisters over the years.

The building, a masterpiece in the Gothic Revival style, was a mirror of 18th-Century architecture. It opened in 1924, welcoming thousands of students and Benedictine Sisters in Arkansas. The decision to tear down this historic structure was difficult, made after much deliberation by the Sisters, who had been the custodians of the building for many years. They had to consider the millions of dollars needed for repairs and the structure's future, a decision that was not taken lightly.

A team from Halff's Geospatial Department, driven by an unwavering commitment to preserving history, was determined to prevent the complete loss of the building's existence along with details of its massive footprint and ornate architectural features. Advancements in lidar technology paved the way for the digital preservation of historic structures.

Lidar, or light detection and ranging, is a remote sensing technology that has been in use since the 1960s. It works by emitting laser pulses and measuring the time it takes for them to return after hitting a surface. This data is then used to create a detailed point cloud made up of millions of 3D points in space. These points represent millions of measurements on the surface of the scanned object. Whether it be the ground surface, the face of a building or the underside of a bridge, the measurements result from a return value from the emitted laser.

Advancements in laser scanning technology have made it possible to digitize and preserve historic buildings in a way that conservators have never seen before. Digital archiving enables the as-built documentation of intricate architectural details of rapidly deteriorating structures before they are lost forever. Lidar is particularly well-suited for historic preservation because it is non-intrusive, does not directly interact with sensitive materials, and data can be captured quickly and safely even in hard-to-reach areas. This saves time and resources and allows for more accurate and detailed preservation of historical structures, ensuring their unique features and historical significance are preserved.

Digital datasets create detailed as-built drawings, floor elevation exhibits and 3D models that enhance planning, design and construction for renovation and adaptive reuse projects. Interior and exterior features can be scanned to visualize and measure architectural, structural, and MEP features.

This versatile technology also facilitates virtual reconstruction, allowing architects to digitally recreate missing elements or simulate the building's original appearance, aiding historical research and assisting in a faithful restoration from age or a catastrophic loss from fire, tornado or other disaster. The precise measurements can be used to fabricate new building materials that look like their original counterparts. The digital data from these datasets can also be used to study and monitor the structural integrity of buildings and identify areas of concern – many of which might not be visible in traditional visual inspections.

Sometimes, structures cannot be saved and are lost to the decaying effects of time or catastrophic loss. However, a collected dataset allows small-scale replicas of these lost structures to be 3D printed. These replicas can then be studied by future generations of architects, historians and archaeologists, such as in the case of St. Scholastica, providing a tangible connection to the past.

The scanning of St. Scholastica has provided a permanent digital archive that can be visited virtually and allows users to walk through the site. Without a digital archive, the details of this historic site would have been lost to the memories of those who knew and cherished it.

Halff’s Geospatial team can assist you with laser scanning for various projects. If you want to learn more about lidar technology or how it can be used for historical preservation, contact Aaron St. Amant, geospatial team leader, at ast.amant@halff.com. We are always eager to share our knowledge and help in any way we can.

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