LAWRENCE SCARPA, AIA
PRINCIPAL, PUGH + SCARPA

TUESDAY, September 7, 2010
Kent State University
A Joint Meeting with AIA Akron, AIA Eastern Ohio and AIA Cleveland

Pugh + Scarpa is committed to producing work of exceptional rigor and architecture that expresses the highest aesthetic, environmental and social ideals. As a firm, they have consistently s ought new and different design challenges and have resisted becoming excessively specialized in any particular building type. As a result, their innovative work ranges from designs for small objects, furniture and public art, to large-scale educational, civic and affordable housing buildings. They are also known for their experience in master planning and urban design. Approaching every project with fresh eyes, they produce design solutions that are unique and appropriately suited to client and context.

The work of Lawrence Scarpa has redefined the role of the architect to produce some of the most remarkable and exploratory work today. He does this, not by escaping the restrictions of practice, but by looking, questioning and reworking the very process of design and building. Each project appears as an opportunity to rethink the way things normally get done – with material, form, construction, even financing – and to subsequently redefine it to cull out to latent potentials – as Lawrence aptly describes: making the “ordinary extraordinary.” This produces entirely inventive work; work that is quite difficult to categorize. It is environmentally sustainable, but not ‘sustainable design;’ it employs new materials, digital practices and technologies, but is not ‘tech or digital;’ it is socially and community conscious, but not politically correct. Rather, it is deeply rooted in conditions of the everyday, and works with our perception and preconceptions to allow us to see things in new ways.

Over the last ten years Mr. Scarpa has received forty eight major design awards including fifteen National AIA Awards, 2005 Record Houses, 2003 Record Interiors, 2003 Rudy Bruner Prize, 2006 and 2003 AIA COTE “Top Ten Green Building” Award and was a finalist for the World Habitat Award, one of ten firms selected worldwide. In 2004 The Ar chitectural League of New York selected him as an “Emerging Voice” in architecture. His work was recently exhibited at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. He has been Featured in NEWSWEEK and appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show. In 2009 Interior Design Magazine honored him with their Lifet ime Achievement Award. In 2010, he was awarded the National and State Architecture Firm Award from the American Institute of Architects

About the Chapter

In the 1960’s and 1970’s there was a local CSI Chapter, known as the Warren, Akron, Canton, Youngstown or “WACY” Chapter. The Chapter gradually fell apart from lack of leadership and loss of interest and was dissolved in the early 1970’s.

A few of the former members retained CSI membership recognizing the value and benefits even without a local support Chapter. Some transferred to other Chapters in the region. Some were simply unaffiliated members. One such faithful member was Larry Everhard. In the summer of 1996, Larry was called by a member of the Columbus Chapter who had noted the absence of a Chapter in the Northeastern Ohio area. Some phone calls, some commitments, some meetings with CSI members from other Chapters, and the spark for a new local Chapter was ignited. Larry Everhard and George Wagner, also a CSI member, gathered a core of interested persons, including this writer. George, during the course of his work convinced a number of persons to join our ranks. George also tracked down other unaffiliated members by obtaining a list from The Institute.

On September 26, 1996, a meeting of 28 prospective members of the new Chapter was inspired by a highly motivational presentation of “What is CSI” by Edith Washington, a member of the Toledo Chapter. Edith is currently president-elect of the Institute, and was treasurer of the Great Lakes Region at that time. Her enthusiasm for CSI in her presentation convinced a lot of attendees to join and made clear that she was destined to go far in CSI. Also present were Larry Raymond and Kathy Bultman, president and vice president, respectively, of the Great Lakes Region, and Brian Smith and Dave Proudfit, presidents of the Columbus and Cincinnati Chapters, respectively.

At the October 1996 dinner meeting conducted by Larry Everhard, officers were elected by verbal vote. Elected to the Board of Directors were: President, Larry Everhard, CSI, AIA; President-elect, Roy Crawford, CSI, CCS, CCCA; Vice-president, Jerry Iams, CSI; Secretary, Debbie Lavanty, CSI; Treasurer, George Wagner, CSI, CDT; Director, Professional, Bill Mikusa, CSI; Director, Industry, Dan Sarvis, CSI; Advisory Board, Jim Jones, CSI; Assistant to the Treasurer/Secretary, Karen Strekely (Schlechter).

By October 1996 the first Chapter newsletter was published and mailed to members, prospective members, and construction-related organizations. Monthly dinner meetings continued through the winter, as did recruiting of members.

On March 27, 1997, at the monthly dinner meeting, Larry Raymond, president of the Great Lakes Region, presented Larry Everhard with a gavel, and a Charter for the Akron-Canton Chapter, CSI. Forty-two charter members, most of whom werepresent, received their charter certificates.

Since that time, the Chapter has grown to 65 members, and continues to grow. Several rounds of new officers have been elected, and have taken the Chapter to new levels of achievement. Our Chapter has won several national and regional awards and is recognized as an important part of the local construction community.