Van H. Gilbert, Aia
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SECTION 1 SUMMARY OF ACHIEVEMENTS VAN H. GILBERT, AIA 2.11.0 SUMMARY SUMMARY OFOF ACHIEVEMENTSWWACHIEVEMENTS AN EFFECTIVE PROTAGONIST FOR HIS CLIENTS VAN H. GILBERT AIA AND HIS COMMUNITY, VAN GILBERT LEVERS AGES HIS KNOWLEDGE, HIS TALENTS, AND HIS WIDE NETWORK OF RELATIONSHIPS TO PROS INNOVATING EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS TECT HIS STATE’S RICH HERITAGE, TO DEVELS With over ninety percent of the firm’s work in learning en- vironments, including K-12 schools, colleges and universi- OP A CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURAL VOS ties, as well as zoos and aquariums, Van has long been at CABULARY THAT IS DISTINCTLY OF ITS TIME the forefront in incorporating new learning tools into his buildings to achieve better pedagogical outcomes. From AND PLACE, AND TO CREATE A PORTFOLIO high performance, technologically advanced, and sustain- OF PROJECTS AND OTHER INITIATIVES THAT able new high schools to exhibit designs for aquariums, from prototype elementary schools to residential cam- ENRICH THE LIVES OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO puses for the state’s Native American students, he designs W55 in support of the educational mission and goals of the TO HIS ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS, LOCAL RESIS institutions. Van’s schools regularly garner awards from the National School Board Association and the Council of DENTS AND TOURISTS ALIKE. Educational Facility Planners International. EVOLVING NEW MEXICO’S ARCHITECTURE New Mexico possesses a remarkable built environment from ancient pueblos to John Gaw Meem’s Pueblo Revival treasures to Antoine Predock’s modern masterpieces. Van has been intimately involved SUMMARY OF in both the preservation of the state’s heritage and in the creation of a modern New Mexican archi- ACHIEVEMENTS tecture. On the historic campus of the University of New Mexico, created by Meem in the in 1930’s, no other architect has had as many commis- Pioneering designer of diverse learning environments sions, seven in total. For Van protecting the architectural integrity of the campus and proud champion of New Mexico’s architectural a sacred trust. His design for the Santa Fe Indian School brings together Pueblo cul- heritage, Van Gilbert AIA connects ideas, buildings, ture, architectural forms, and traditional and the people who use them to create innovative building materials to meet the needs of students. At the same time, Van has pro- solutions for the communities he serves. duced a distinguished body of contem- porary work that is respectful of context and culture as it incorporates current technologies and materials in response to programmatic and environmental requirements. THINKING BEYOND THE BUILDING Recognizing the latent power of architecture to connect people and ideas, Van extends his engagement with the concepts that shape his projects to next generation thinking that is not necessarily building focused. Having worked closely with regional educators and the keepers and staff at Albuquerque’s BioPark and Aquarium, Van saw an opportunity. Teachers, hard hit by budget cuts, were struggling to develop curricula while scientists at the zoo had a wealth of knowledge to share. Van made the connec- tions with a multi-disciplinary team of specialists to get approvals, develop lessons and videos and create digital learning programs. The InSchools program went live in classrooms this fall. Through his involvement with zoo and aquarium design, Van understands the critical issues facing these institutions. In the summer of 2010 he initiated a conversation about the future of animal displays and visitor experience, forging a partnership with the San Diego Zoo Global. By September they jointly spon- sored the “Imagine Zoos and Aquariums 2030 Conference” that brought together 20 leading thinkers from major public and private organizations nationally. Efforts resulting from the session — from sus- tainability to zoo apps for smart phones — are moving forward, and a second conference is scheduled for November 2011, with Van in the avant guard. In his many years of architectural practice, Van Gilbert has created a true legacy that serves an extensive and diverse constituency. He lives the highest ideals of the profession; as a Fellow his work will reflect ever more significantly in the American Institute of Architects. SECTION 2 ACCOMPLISHMENTS VAN H. GILBERT, AIA 2.1 SIGNIFICANT WORK NATIVE SON OF NEW MEXICO, VAN H. GILBERT’S ARCHITECTURAL PHILOSOPHY HAS BEEN SHAPED BY HIS EXPERIENCE OF THE STATE’S UNIQUE GEOGRAPHY, CLIMATE, AMULTICULTURAL SOCIETY. IN HIS 40 YEARS OF ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE VAN HAS DESIGNED BUILDINGS OF NEARLY EVERY TYPOLS OGY ACROSS THE BROAD REACHES OF THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT. THE RESULTS ARE ANYTHING W THE UNIVERSAL DESIRES OF INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES FOR A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE. FROM 5SSS RESTORED ARCHITECTURAL TREASURES, VAN DESIGNS BUILDINGS THAT HAVE THE POWER TO INFLUS ENCE A COMMUNITY’S CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL LIFE. INNOVATING EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS With a portfolio that includes dozens of schools, zoological exhibits and aquariums, Van has long been a student of educational models, committed to understanding how to provide students of all ages the best possible learning environments. S For K-12 schools throughout the state, Van works closely with local boards, teachers, par- ents and the students themselves to understand their specific needs and goals. He consis- tently seeks out the Van is an influential agent with a view of practice as engagement: best partners nation- ally to assure that his initiating action, forging critical partnerships or implementing bold clients have access to the latest research new programs. He lives his belief that architectural practice can and best practices in make a broad contribution to society, a contribution that often educational program- ming and design. His extends beyond the building to support the complex needs and collaborations with nationally recognized goals of communities and institutions. leaders in K-12 edu- cational planning and design such as Fanning Howey and noted learning environment consultant Anne Taylor, Ph.D., Hon. AIA, continually raise the bar on the design and performance, spurring inno- vation across the team. As a result, his projects regularly win recognition and awards from the leading educational associations including the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI), the National School Boards Association (NSBA), the national education- al journals and online magazines: American School & University (AS&U), School Planning & Management (SP&M) and Schooldesigner.com. Among recent innovative projects that have garnered national attention are: V. Sue Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho has been recognized by CEFPI as a James D. MacConnell Award Finalist, SP&M’s Sustainability and Innovation Award, a NSBA Citation, AS&U’s Silver Citation, Learning by Design’s Citation of Excellence, and was Schooldesigner. com Collabetition Silver Winner. Santa Fe Indian School a modern 7-12 school and Pueblo village home for 900 students re- ceived both the NSBA High School Honor Award and a Design Share Award. Three Prototype Elementary Schools — Tierra Antigua, Sunset View and Rudolfo Anya — in the Albuquerque Public School District designed using the High Performance Schools guidelines for the energy efficiency earned the Outstanding Prototype Design recognition from AS&U. At the James Monroe Middle School in the Albuquerque Public Schools the design, orga- nized around five families of “students” of 150 each to serve a total of 750, was named Project of Distinction by CEFPI. SECTION 2 ACCOMPLISHMENTS VAN H. GILBERT, AIA 2.1 SIGNIFICANT WORK HIGHER EDUCATION For a number of New Mexico’s college and university campuses, Van builds more than buildings, as he is often engaged for multiple facilities over time. He collaborates with the campus archi- tects, faculty, staff and students to develop an integrated sense of place even as he delivers indi- vidual state-of the-art buildings designed to meet the rigorous programmatic demands of a wide range of typologies from lab to classroom to performance hall. Among the campuses where he has designed multiple facilities: t6OJWFSTJUZPG/FX.FYJDPQSPKFDUT t/FX.FYJDP4UBUF6OJWFSTJUZCVJMEJOHT t&BTUFSO/FX.FYJDP6OJWFSTJUZCVJMEJOHT t/FX.FYJDP5FDICVJMEJOHT t/FX.FYJDP.JMJUBSZ*OTUJUVUFCVJMEJOHT On several high profile campus projects at the University of New Mexico and at New Mexico State University (NMSU) Van has worked in close association with the highly regarded firm of Shepley Bulfinch to create distinctive buildings that have become icons for the school, like Skeen Hall, Center for Arid Lands at the NMSU campus in Las Cruces or for campus districts like the Science and Math Learning Center at UNM, located at western boundary of the University, where it has become the gateway to the technological center of the campus. At each school, Van works with the campus community to understand not only the requirements for efficient, effective buildings, but to discover the quality of life issues that are of the greatest con- cern and provide support for the overarching goals of the institution. At the same time, with a clear grasp of the regional context and campus history, his work extends and enhances the individual identity and spirit of the schools in the architecture. Van’s work provides images and experience of campus life that help to form the lifelong memories and connections so important to alumni. ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS As every architect knows, there are projects and then there are passions. For Van, it is the design of and