60 Years of Design Celebrating the People, Places and Things That Define the Las Vegas Cityscape
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issue 10 / 2016 official publication of the las vegas chapter of the american institute of architects 60 YEARS OF DESIGN CELEBRATING THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT DEFINE THE LAS VEGAS CITYSCAPE We’ve got THE LOOK FIVE ARCHITECTURE TOURS FOR EVERY TASTE THE OTHER MR. LAS VEGAS THE INNOVATOR WHO STYLED THE STRIP LAND ROVER LAS VEGAS: HOW DO WE MEASURE SUCCESS? By achieving the extraordinary, just as Land Rover Las Vegas has done. They’ve been named a winner of the Land Rover Pinnacle Club Retailer Excellence Award. Pinnacle Club winners have achieved the highest level of sales, service and customer satisfaction. They have taken the ideals of excellence and turned them into a way of doing business – for every customer, every day. Please stop by Land Rover Las Vegas to preview our exciting product line, and to experience the true measure of success. Congratulations Land Rover Las Vegas on your outstanding achievement. PRESIdEnT’S noTE OPTIMISM BY DESIGN It’s my pleasure TO WELCOME BACK Architecture Las Vegas after a long hiatus. The revival of the magazine couldn’t come at a better moment. With Las Vegas once again showing signs of robust recovery both culturally and economically, now is the perfect time to restart a community conversation about architecture, design and quality of life. My hope is that Architecture Las Vegas, published as a partnership between Desert Companion and AIA Las Vegas, serves as a catalyst for that dialogue. This year is special for another reason: The AIA Las Vegas Chapter is celebrating its 60th anniversary. That’s 60 years of not only representing the interests of the architecture profession, but 60 years of contributions not only of architects, but also owners, being an advocate for livability through design — developers, contractors and other visionaries who design that is responsible and engaged, yes, but also made Las Vegas what it is today. In reflecting on that interesting and inspired. rich past, we’re also moved to think about what the Our chapter started in 1956 with humble future holds, and where we’ll go next. beginnings, and has since grown to be a formidable It’s impossible to discuss the growth and organization with over 500 members. Our growth development of Las Vegas without talking about parallels that of the city we call home. Over the last the Strip. Over the years, as each bold new hotel- 60 years, the Las Vegas Valley has grown at an almost casino was designed and created, the community and breathtaking pace, and there was a 20-year period valley expanded and grew with it. That explosion where we had the title of “fastest-growing city in of population brought in tens of thousands of new the U.S.” It’s safe to say we were probably one of the residents at a time, with rich, diverse backgrounds fastest-growing AIA chapters as well. During that and perspectives, but it also presented a challenge phase of phenomenal growth, one of the highlights for the architectural community: It was up to us to for our chapter was hosting the AIA National envision places for them to live, shop, play, learn and Convention in 2005, the largest and most successful worship. One fact alone hints at this dramatic story: AIA National Convention and Design Exposition in During this 20-year period of incredible growth, the the history of the Institute. Most recently, of course, Clark County School District designed and built we survived the Great Recession, which hit our 200 schools. That’s a strong testament to the will and profession in Las Vegas hard. However, today we’re vision of both our leaders and community members. emerging from that period, stronger and wiser, and This is truly a time to celebrate the accom- the chapter is vibrant and growing again. plishments of our architectural community while Therefore, it’s fitting that in this issue, we look also looking forward to the future. Please enjoy the back in a spirit of pride and celebration as we trace features, profiles, discussions and perspectives in this the history of design and construction in the valley, rebirth issue of Architecture Las Vegas. Thank you for and explore how it shaped the environment we your continued support as we celebrate 60 years. live in today. But we’re considering more than just designers and buildings. In our main feature, “60 Brett K. Ewing, AIA years in a bright, bright city,” (p. 42) we consider the President AIA Las Vegas Chapter PAGE ISSUE 10 / 2016 ARCHITECTURE LAS VEGAS 1 ISSUE 10 / 2016 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE LAS VEGAS CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS [ fEAturEs ] 60 YEARS OF DESIGN CELEBRATING THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT DEFINE THE LAS VEGAS CITYSCAPE We’ve got THE LOOK FIVE ARCHITECTURE TOURS FOR EVERY TASTE Tours de Force: Whether you’re mad about mid-mod or love the Las Vegas spirit of THE OTHER MR. LAS VEGAS THE INNOVATOR WHO STYLED THE STRIP 32 reinvention, these five architecture tours will inspire you. ON THE COVER: 60 Years in a Bright, Bright City: From swimming pools to neon signs and leisure Wayne McAllister's 42 architects to gonzo journalists, here are 60 things that define the Las Vegas look. iconic sign for the Andrew Kiraly Sands. Photo courtesy Las Vegas News Bureau. Cover design 2015 Design Awards: Meet the winners and tour the projects of the winners of 2015’s by Scott Lien. 48 AIA Nevada Design Awards. Scott Dickensheets CityCenter courtesy MGM Resorts International PAGE ARCHITECTURE LAS VEGAS ISSUE 10 / 2016 2 ARCHITECTURE + INTERIORS www.djc-ltd.com [ dEPArtmEnts ] Blueprint for Conversation: Architects can raise the profession’s profile by getting out 10 from behind the drawing board — and into the community. JoAnna Haugen The Other Mr. Las Vegas: Meet the man who developed many of the brilliant design 16 elements of casinos that we take for granted today. Tony Illia Generation Next: These up-and-coming architects and firms are bringing fresh talent 26 to the Southern Nevada cityscape. T.R. Witcher THE SHAPE OF HISTORY This issue Looking Back — and Ahead: An overview of the events marking 60 years of AIA Las of Architecture Las 60 Vegas, from lectures to holiday galas. Vegas celebrates 60 years of design in Southern Nevada — Perspective: It isn’t enough for architects to merely create buildings. We need to think on and off the Strip. 64 of ourselves as partners in the creation of cities. Craig Galati Fremont Street courtesy UNLV Special Collections Library PAGE ARCHITECTURE LAS VEGAS ISSUE 10 / 2016 4 HEAdER SpACE ISSUE 10, 2016 Architecture Las Vegas is the official publication of the Las Vegas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects PUBLISHER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RANDY LaviGNE, HON. AIA CO-PUBLISHER CHRISTINE KIELY EDITOR ANDREW KIRALY ART DIRECTOR S.A. LIEN SALES AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BETTINA BUSCH ADVERTISING SALES SHARON CLIFTON, PARKER MCCOY, FaviaN PEREZ, NOELLE TOKAR, MARKUS vaN'T HUL PRINT TRAFFIC MANAGER KAREN WONG AIA LAS VEGAS EDITORIAL COMMITTEE BRETT K. EWING, AIA President, AIA Las Vegas MARK RYAN, AIA President, AIA Nevada ERIC ROBERTS, AIA Past President, AIA Nevada CURT CARLSON, AIA SH Architecture LANCE KIRK, AIA LGA CHRIS LUJAN, ASSOC. AIA TSK Architects JEANNE BROWN Librarian Emerita, UNLV CARON RICHARDSON AIA Las Vegas CONTRIBUTING WRITERS GEOFF carTER, SCOTT DICKENSHEETS, CRAIG GALATI, JOANNA HAUGEN, TONY ILLIA, JaSON ScavONE, T.R. WITCHER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS BRENT HOLMES, CHRIS SMITH CONTACT US ARCHITECTURE LAS VEGAS AIA LAS VEGAS 401 S. FOURTH ST., SUITE 175 LAS VEGAS, NV 89101 PHONE: 702-895-0936 EMAIL: [email protected] Architecture Las Vegas is published twice annually by the Las Vegas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in partnership with Nevada Public Radio and Desert Companion Magazine. Copyright Architecture Las Vegas by AIA Las Vegas Chapter. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without publisher’s written permission. PAGE ARCHITECTURE LAS VEGAS ISSUE 10 / 2016 6 GIBSON PARISIAN GRAFFITI VIGNE COURBÉ DANDELION CREATORS OF THE WORLD’S MOST FABULOUS LIFESTYLES Las Vegas Design Center - 495 S. Grand Central Parkway Suite A-100 Las Vegas, NV 89106 [email protected] • 800.476.9505 • www.christopherguy.com NEW YORK LOS ANGELES LAS VEGAS CHICAGO MILAN MADRID LONDON PARIS HONG KONG SINGAPORE WORLDWIDE AIA LAS VEGAS BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2016 BRETT K. EWING, AIA PRESIDENT JON SPARER, AIA 1956 to 2016 PRESIDENT-ELECT JOHN SAWDON, AIA CELEBRATING 60 YEARS TREASURER OF ARCHITECTURE PaTRICK BaTTÉ, AIA SECRETARY For sixty years the Las Vegas Chapter of the American Institute of JENNIFER TURCHIN, AIA Architects has advanced design and the built environment through DIRECTOR education, public awareness and by empowering our members. We invite DWAYNE ESHENBAUGH, AIA all Las Vegas to join us in celebrating the progressive growth and the DIRECTOR innovative architecture of this remarkable city, and we salute the AIA CESAR CEBALLOS, AIA architects who have created it. DIRECTOR JENIFER PaNARS, AIA We are most grateful for the partnerships and support we have received EMERGING PROFESSIONALS throughout the years from the architecture and design community, and DIRECTOR most especially this year from our 60th Anniversary Sponsors. ANNA PELTIER ALLIED DIRECTOR GLENN NOWAK, AIA EDUCATION LIAISON IWONA REDUCHA, AIAS AIAS PRESIDENT MARK RYAN, AIA PAST PRESIDENT RANDY LaviGNE, HON. AIA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND PLATINUM SPONSORS ARIA LANDscaPE ARCHITECTURE | 501 STUDIOS AIA LAS VEGAS, POLAR SHADES SUN CONTROL GOLD SPONSORS AMERicaN INSURANCE & 401 S. FOURTH STREET, INVESTMENT | AssURANCE, LTD. | NEvaDA SALES AGENCY | SOUTHWICK SUITE 175 LAS VEGAS, NV 89101 LANDscaPE ARCHITECTS | TJK CONSULTING ENGINEERS, INC. PHONE: 702-895-0936 SILVER SPONSOR ATTANASIO LANDscaPE ARCHITECTURE EMAIL: [email protected] PAGE ARCHITECTURE LAS VEGAS ISSUE 10 / 2016 8 COMMUNITY WHAT DOES AN ARCHITECT DO? SEEMS LIKE a simple enough question, and with a simple enough answer: An architect draws plans or makes models of buildings.