Recognizing young architects and emerging designs

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[["images-card",{"images":[{"url":"http:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/dpcbzfiye\/image\/upload\/v1459438444\/g6cofzvtrcan8ej85gfw.jpg","id":"4286"}],"caption":"Horizon House, a Fajkus project that was selected in 2014."}]],"markups":[["a",["href","http:\/\/www.aia.org\/careerstages\/resources\/AIAB091730","target","_new"]],["a",["href","http:\/\/www.mfarchitecture.com\/","target","_new"]],["em"]],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"Annual Emerging Professionals Exhibition showcases diverse, fledgling talent"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Like any profession that thrives on technology and leaps of ingenuity, architecture holds a lot of opportunities for young professionals to contribute to a constantly evolving world. Unfortunately, it\u0027s tough to make that kind of impact without first getting a foothold into what can be a hard-to-crack industry."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"One way that the AIA looks to provide that foothold is the "],[0,[0],1,"Annual Emerging Professionals Exhibition"],[0,[],0,", a yearly effort to recognize and promote the work of young architects. Anywhere from 50 to 60 projects\u2014submitted by students, graduates and newly licensed architects\u2014are selected and displayed each spring along the walls of AIA National Headquarters in Washington, D.C."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Matt Fajkus, AIA, is one such emerging professional who occupies a unique role when it comes to his peers. He\u0027s both principal at "],[0,[1],1,"MF Architecture"],[0,[],0,"\u2014a seven-person firm in Austin, Texas\u2014and a professor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture. He\u0027s also been selected for the exhibition twice, in 2015 and 2014."]]],[1,"blockquote",[[0,[2],1,"\u0022You can\u0027t define your work based on recognition, but it does make a difference.\u0022"],[0,[],0," Matt Fajkus, AIA"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"His 2015 entry, a project dubbed Tree House, is a modern home in Austin with a unique combination of materials and finishes; Horizon House, his 2014 submission, is another residential project, built in Elgin, Texas. Both entries were opportunities for the young architect to showcase his work and see it compared to the work of his peers."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u0022The spirit of an exhibition like this, and the sorts of things I encourage students and graduates towards, is to create your own voice,\u0022 Fajkus said."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"In fact, some of his pupils\u0027 designs have been featured in the exhibition, as well. Fajkus doesn\u0027t specifically tout the AIA\u0027s exhibition in class, but his students are aware that he\u0027s been included several times, and of its accessibility. And they want in on the action."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u0022I heard that Matt had a project selected last year,\u0022 said Arman Hadilou, Assoc. AIA, a graduate of the UT-Austin School of Architecture, who had two projects highlighted in this year\u0027s exhibition, \u0022and so I thought it made sense for me to submit as well.\u0022"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Tree House, a residential project designed by Matt Fajkus, AIA, was selected for the 2015 Annual Emerging Professionals Exhibition."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Horizon House, a Fajkus project that was selected in 2014, is \u0022the lens through which the elements of [its] environment become clear.\u0022"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Design competitions can be expensive to enter and difficult to win; a select few may receive rapturous praise commensurate to their work, but there are often strictly enforced rules on categories and no guarantee of exposure."]]],[1,"p",[]],[10,0],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The Emerging Professionals Exhibition, on the other hand, is free to enter and open to any number of projects. It doesn\u0027t matter if your idea is an unbuilt design, a lived-in home, or a temporary structure; as long as you\u0027re a student, recent graduate, or less than 10 years from licensure, it is eligible for inclusion."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u0022For me,\u0022 Hadilou said, \u0022one of the great advantages [of being selected] was to be introduced to many other peers and their work. It gave me a good opportunity to enhance networking with my colleagues, to get to know their work and follow it in the future.\u0022"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"This particular exhibit also carries appeal for both clients and the architectural community, as opposed to awards that mostly resonate within the profession or press coverage aimed at a general audience."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u0022It\u0027s peer-reviewed within the field,\u0022 Fajkus said, \u0022but our clients can understand that there\u0027s a certain weight associated with this type of national recognition.\u0022"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Beyond the boost to a r\u00e9sum\u00e9, the exhibition also exists to keep the imaginations of young architects limber. At the end of the day, being an emerging professional is about balancing career aspirations with fanning the flames of inspiration that made this path worth trekking down."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u0022It\u0027s easy to get discouraged,\u0022 Fajkus said, \u0022especially by firms that don\u0027t encourage creativity. I try to remind my students that getting licensed doesn\u0027t require you to become stiff or flat-footed.\u0022"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Providing that necessary outlet is what the Annual Emerging Professionals Exhibition strives to achieve. For architects who are fresh out of school or principals at a firm, whether their designs are theoretical or built\u2014or somewhere in between\u2014there\u0027s a place for them to be seen."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u0022You can\u0027t define your work based on recognition,\u0022 Fajkus added, \u0022but it does make a difference.\u0022"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[2],1,"Steve Cimino is the digital content manager at the AIA."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\n\n\n"]]]]}