Calling his presentation “Sustainable By Example: A Case Study,” Harmon will use his design for the new, “green” headquarters for AIA/North Carolina to be built in downtown Raleigh as a case study to demonstrate how architects “can – and must – take an innovative, leadership role to drastically reduce their buildings’ carbon footprints and leave the land better than they found it,” he said.

Harmon’s firm was one of many who competed in a professional design competition for the AIA/NC project last year. When Harmon’s design received First Place, the judges praised it for being “of its place,” for making good use of a difficult site, for integrating sustainable design principles rather than using them as applique, and for “embracing the community.”

According to Harmon, his firm’s design “aspires to become a role model for healthy urbanism and future development in downtown Raleigh.” The overriding objective is to demonstrate and encourage aesthetic and ecological integrity – to create a flagship for North Carolina architecture that is architecturally, environmentally, politically, socially and aesthetically inspiring,”

Frank Harmon will present his seminar on Friday, November 14, from 2:45 to 4:15 p.m. in the Greater Richmond Convention Center at 403 North 3rd Street in Richmond.

Architecture Exchange East is the Mid-Atlantic’s premier conference and expo for the design and construction industry. The 2008 event will offer more than 70 seminars and workshops as well as tours and exhibits. For more information, visit www.virginiaarchitecture.org/archex/.

For more information on Frank Harmon and the AIA/NC headquarters project, visit www.frankharmon.com

Harmon’s seminar, entitled “Architecture With A Conscience: Designing Contemporary Regional Architecture,” will illustrate “the importance of place and region to innovative, appropriate and sustainable design,” he said, using his and other architects’ projects as examples. He hopes participants will learn “why clients’ needs are an architect’s greatest creative source; how attention to climate, wind patterns and hydrology can liberate architecture; and how the roots of sustainable design are found in our vernacular architecture.”

Bell’s seminar, entitled “The Creation of Sustainable Environments: The Genesis Of Two Projects,” will “shed light on what it takes to create an urban project of value within a sea of suburban mediocrity,” he said, “using two of my own projects as case studies.” Those projects are North Carolina State University’s “Brickyard” plaza and a proposed mixed-use redevelopment for Bell’s own Water Garden Office Park on Raleigh’s Glenwood Avenue. His objective is to give participants “a keen grasp of the fact that landscape architecture must encompass land planning within the natural systems it effects.”

ArchEx, promoted as “three days of learning, networking and exchanging ideas,” is open to architects, landscape architects, engineers, interior designers, contractors, planners, students and industry leaders. It includes 67,000 square feet of space of industry support exhibitions as well as Design Showcase, which features works by architects, landscape architects and interior designers. For more information and registration, visit the website: www.archex.net or contact Dr. Linda Halstead, Director of Professional Development by email: lhalstead@aiava.org.