Architect, Material, or Labor? A history of architecture in Sioux Falls.

As the town of Sioux Falls was built, South Dakota’s attitude towards architecture was grand, yet utilitarian. Sioux Falls Architecture is characterized by the Richardsonian Romanesque style by late nineteenth century architect, Wallace Dow. Being involved the politics of the Dakota Territory lead to Dow’s success, and he is given much credit to Sioux Falls’s…

Notre Dame Cathedral competition announced

After the tragic fire at Notre Dame a couple weeks ago, attention quickly shifted to reconstruction- but the tricky question of the best way to rebuild may take a great while longer to reconcile. Straightforward preservation calls for reconstruction with matching materials when adequate documentation is available and sources for those materials still exist (both…

ICYMI: Blueprint SD meets South Dakota Public Broadcasting

A few weeks ago, fellow emerging professional and architect Sienna Wegehaupt and I were invited to SDPB to discuss Blueprint South Dakota with host of “In the Moment,” Lori Walsh. We were so excited to be able to share our thoughts for how this blog can become a space to advocate for design in our…

National Architecture Week – Civic Engagement

Thursday of National Architecture Week focuses on the importance of Civic Engagement. The following AIA articles highlight the power that architects and design professionals can have when combining forces with civic leaders and invested community members. The first article explains how working design sessions helped three communities who were rebounding from natural disasters or economic…

Happy Earth Day- AIA Announces COTE Top 10 Sustainable Projects for 2019

From AIA National: The 2019 COTE® Top Ten program highlights projects that meet the AIA Committee on the Environment’s rigorous criteria for social, economic, and ecological value. The COTE® Top Ten Plus designation denotes projects with exemplary performance data and post occupancy lessons https://www.aia.org/resources/6126355-2019-cote-top-ten-awards/?utm_source=real-magnet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hna19-3-cote-top-ten

Home on the Prairie

By: Sandra Callies, AIA Sandra Callies, AIA, NCARB is a licensed architect working in the State of Washington at Ron Wright & Associates/Architects. She is originally from Sioux Falls and has also lived in Spearfish. She is passionate about South Dakota’s incredible geological landscapes. Sandra enjoys being outdoors and running half marathon races. She received her…