November Student Member of the Month

Brenna Fransen

Iowa State University

3rd Year Architecture Student

1. Why did you choose the design/construction field?

I chose design because I like to look at things holistically and piece all aspects and angles of a design into a single project.

2. What is the most unusual medium you have used for a model, and what did it represent?

I tend to get caught looking through the dumpster at the College of Design for inspiration in my models, so using broken ceramics and old ceiling tiles has been a cheap way to make site models with unique textures.

3. What has been your favorite studio trip so far?

The studio trip to Chicago was the first time I had visited a city after beginning in architecture school and it was a great experience to view architecture from a different mindset.

4. What is the best advice you have received from a professor or mentor?

The advice that has influenced me the most in school is to take a break. Architecture school can get me attached to my work but it’s important to be engaged with the world and find new experiences which often evoke innovation.

5. How has Iowa Women in Architecture influenced you?

By meeting and connecting with other women in architecture, I’ve felt more empowered and motivated to work towards a degree and ultimately a license in architecture.

Quarry Restoration - Plan and Section

By law, all quarries must be reclaimed when excavation is complete, but quarries existing prior to this regulation are often left untouched. By using these abandoned quarries as sites for engagement and future in-habitation, we can both replenish the land and resolve hidden dangers that arise after their abandonment.

October Professional Member of the Month

Shannon McGee

INVISION Architects

Architect

1. What is the most exciting and energizing aspect of your current position?

For my position on the iaWia board co-chairing with Heidi we are pretty excited about the opportunities for this year’s Impact theme. We are excited to try to get more involved in the community and open up membership to some additional volunteer opportunities available to us in our community. At work, I love that I am given the opportunity to work on different project types - it lets me carry over lessons learned from project to project and keeps everyday interesting.

2. What was the last interesting book you read?

I’ll be honest, my reading habits ebb and flow with business of life so I’m having trouble remembering the last interesting book I finished. Currently I am reading The Hidden White House: Harry Truman and the Reconstruction of America’s Most Famous Residence, which is a pretty interesting non-fiction book about White House’s nearly complete reconstruction due to years of alterations not intended in the original structure. As someone who is not usually a fan of non-fiction books or history I would highly recommend it.

3. What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

I’m pretty proud of completing my architectural license. Everyone that has or is going through that process knows that it requires a lot of work and dedication (going home from work to study is hard!) to complete. I am of course also proud of the projects I’ve had the opportunity to work on alongside team members. It’s always fun seeing months of hard work come to life.

4. How do you define success? And measure it?

Happy clients are a great measure of success for architecture. They’re the reason why we do what we do and without them we wouldn’t have work. Being able to meet and hopefully exceed their expectations is something I strive for. Many people we work with may not be familiar with the construction process and may only go through the process once during their careers so it’s important that as architects we make the process straightforward and clear so that they have a positive experience. I think success on this level can be measured through comments or feedback from them as we go through the process.

5. We are Iowa Women in Architecture; who were the female role models that inspired you? 

At INVISION, with over 50% of our staff being female, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many great role models. I’ve worked closely with Tonia Householder and Becky Hansel on many healthcare projects so far and it has been great to be able to learn from them and observe how they handle different situations throughout the design process. Another female who is not in the field of architecture, but also a role model would be my mom. She was and continues to be a great role model growing up that instilled in my sister and me that anything is possible and not to limit ourselves.

September Professional Member of the Month

darci lorensen

Solum Lang Architects

architect & Project manager

1. What is the most exciting and energizing aspect of your current position?

I work in a smaller firm; there are only nine of us: two partners, four architects, two intern architects, and one interior designer. Because of our size, we all have the opportunity to manage projects start to finish, and typically multiple projects at a time. While things can get a little busy and hectic with being an architect, I love that no day is ever the same as the last! And, being involved at all stages of the project, you get a lot of interaction with the client and user groups, which I feel helps to create a more successful outcome. I also really enjoy being on the jobsite during the construction phase. So much can be learned from the folks in the field making you and your client’s dream a reality.

2. What was the last interesting book you read?

I am in the process of reading In the Middle Are Horsemen, by Tik Maynard. In my free time, my hobby (obsession) is my horse, so I tend to gravitate towards horse related things, and although this book is about the author’s journey as a young man working towards furthering his education in the horse world, many of his stories and lessons can be applied to everyday (non-horsey) life as well.

3. What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

Obtaining my license was a big goal for me. Now that I’ve been licensed for a few years, I’ve discovered it’s is only a starting point. Part of the reason I’ve gotten involved in iaWia is to gather additional resources and gain new skills that will help me achieve what I want next out of my career.

4. How do you define success? And measure it?

I think success is about the journey, and what you make of it. Everyone leads a busy life, and it’s easy to just get in a routine of just slogging through, but to me, success is as much about the path you take to get there, as it is the end result or goal. Everyday small victories keep me motivated to do more, and help lighten the load (at least mentally!) when working toward a monumental task

5. We are Iowa Women in Architecture; who were the female role models that inspired you? 

Obviously, the point of our group is to celebrate and promote women in the industry, and this is awesome, and why I’m apart of the group. But from a career perspective, there is nothing a man can do that a woman can’t. So really for me, the women that inspire me are the women I see every day in the industry, doing their thing, and getting it done, slowly shifting our male dominated industry to one that looks at us all as equals.

August Professional Member of the Month

Bethany Jordan

Martin Gardner Architecture

Project Architect

1. What is the most exciting and energizing aspect of your current position?

I really love being able to work on historic buildings and MGA has been very supportive of me going after the types of projects I want. Each historic building is unique, there are no two the same, so it is always interesting. I’m constantly coming across some unique feature that I haven’t seen before and I love to dig to find out more about it. I find it so inspiring to climb inside a courthouse dome and see a view most people don’t get to. I feel privileged to walk above a theater ceiling and see the inner workings - it’s one of the things I love about being an architect. 

2. What was the last interesting book you read?

While it’s probably a bit cliché, Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg. I read the book shortly after it came out and it was such an eye opener for me. I had never thought about all the ways we, as girls, are unconsciously taught to not raise our hand or sit at the table. It’s one of those books that I want to read again and again to keep in the forefront of my mind.

3. What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

Besides getting my license, the other big accomplishment I’m proud of is getting my certification in historic preservation.  When my daughter was six months old, I started nights and weekend classes and the program took about a year to complete. It consumed a lot of my free time that would have normally been spent with her, but it was ultimately worth it. I’m happy I pushed through it and grateful that I had support from my family to do so. 

4. How do you define success? And measure it?

I think success is when you are happy with what you accomplish, whether it be big or small. Most things I set out to achieve, I do and when it’s done well I always feel a sense of pride that I’ve completed something I set my mind to do. Now that I have two kiddos I joke that success is getting to shower by myself, but I do think that scale of goals is important. I try to keep my goals attainable but challenging, so I feel proud that I pushed myself to do something, and do it well.

5. We are Iowa Women in Architecture; who were the female role models that inspired you? 

Absolutely, my mom. She taught me to be strong and independent – to always stand up for myself and what was right. 

I’ve also recently met Elizabeth Warren and it was an experience I got to share with my four year old daughter. When we met Senator Warren she told my daughter she that was running for president because that’s what girls do and did a pinky promise asking her to remember that. It was unexpected but inspiring because I understand the importance of girls seeing women in positions of power. Now every time my daughter sees her on TV or hears her name, she asks when we are going to go see her again. Strength, determination, and of course persistence are all things that have been passed down to me and I hope to pass them on to my daughter.

Registration is Open: Women's Leadership Summit

Registration is Open!

Registration can be found here and will remain open until August 30th or until the summit reaches capacity, whichever occurs first.

AIA members can use discount code AIAmember in order to receive the member rate during checkout.

Volunteer Opportunities:

There are currently over 80 opportunities for members to help out at the summit. Volunteers receive free admission to the event or activity at which they are helping out and those who volunteer for at least 6 hours will receive a 30% discount on sumitt registration.

How do I sign up?

• Step 1: Use the following link to submit your contact information and agree to the waiver.

• Step 2: Using this portal create an account to sign up for shifts to volunteer.

-Your account will give you access to all of our volunteer opportunities. This page will be your personal dashboard to view jobs, sign up or reschedule shifts, update profile information, and more.

As we get closer to the event more shifts and activities may become available and will be shown in this portal.

To receive 30% off conference registration, volunteers will need to fulfill a core requirement of 6 hours. You can fulfill this requirement however your schedule permits (i.e. in one block or spread out over the course of the summit). A registration link with a discount code will be sent after confirmation that you have signed-up for required number of hours.

To note, volunteering for ticketed summit events such as wellness activities, tours, or firm happy hours, secures your attendance at no additional cost to you. You will attend any ticketed events for which you volunteer for free. After signing up for the volunteer shift, you do not have to register for the event.

All volunteers will be required to attend the volunteer training that will take place Wednesday, September 11th at 6 pm at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis hotel. Dial-in information will be provided if you are unable to attend in person. Food will be provided.

Adventures in Architecture Summer Day Camp

July 15 - 19 | 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday
Ages: 10 - 12

Tuition $225 (Includes all materials and visits; campers bring their own lunch)

A limited number of free tuition scholarships are available to students who would not otherwise be able to attend

Do you know students 10 to 12 years old who have a fascination with construction, design and buildings?

They have the opportunity to feed their curiosity and develop a life-long interest in architecture at Iowa Architectural Foundation's summer day camp, a collaborative effort of IAF and the Des Moines Social Club. Campers will be led by practicing design professionals and high school students from the ACE Mentor Program will assist the camp directors. Campers will engage in the design process, visit architecture and engineering offices, take a field trip to some landmark buildings in Des Moines and go on an architect-led walking tour. They will keep journals, work on models and make presentations of their projects. Through Adventures in Architecture camp, students will have fun, gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of their own communities and the wider world and learn how the constructed environment affects their lives.

Campers may register on the Des Moines Social Club website. For additional information, and a complete itinerary of the week, or for information regarding scholarships, you may contact director@iowaarchfoundation.org.