Please join the AIA Dallas Latinos in Architecture for the second year of "From an Architect's Bookshelf"!
This book donation/library development program would provide local educational institutions with books that are essential for the teaching and research of Architecture but too costly for most schools or scholars to afford.

You are encouraged to write a note of insight or encouragement inside the cover of the book to personalize and humanize the gift to the students. You can contribute something from your personal collection or buy a book to donate.Donations can include: Architecture, interior design, art and construction books.

Your book donation will help:
- Motivate a young student to stay in school and pursue a college degree education; Raise awareness of Architecture as a career path as well as its profile to make the profession more diverse and attractive; Inspire the Architect's of tomorrow: With this program if we touch one student who will pursue a career in architecture, go on to licensure, and become an AIA member, that will make it a success.

We would like to take the opportunity to thank Mesa Design Group for their kind donation of 80 books, that are helping us jump start our book drive! Also, we are pleased to announce that this year we will be running the program with LiA Austin and AIA San Diego.

BOOKSHELF LEADERS: If you are interested in being one, please let us know.
Collections are July 11 - August 19.
There will also be a collection point at the Dallas Center for Architecture (DCFA)- 1909 Woodall Rodgers Fwy., Suite 100 Dallas, TX 75201

We invite you to take a look at this video “AIA Dallas Latinos in Architecture, From an Architect’s Bookshelf”, that depicts the soul and the intent of the book drive program:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9kcWMeFmxk

Jimmy Castellanos’s article: From an Architects Bookshelf, makes the top of the list for the National YAF newsletter!
The article explains how the bookdrive program came to full creation and how LiA intends to run it again in 2011.

Find it here:

http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/ek_members/documents/pdf/aiab087416.pdf

On December 10th, 2010, Adolfo Ayuso, Mexican Consul of Cultural Affairs in Dallas, Julian Lizarazu and Yesenia Blandon members of LiA were part of the jury for the final presentation of Emmanuel Ramirez' Advanced Design Graduate Studio at UTA this past Fall semester.

The project, called "Rethinking Borders" defined strategies in the territorial boundaries of the international border between Mexico and the United States, specifically addressing relevant topics such as:
- The border and the Culture and Education
- The border and the Environment
- The border and the Water
- The border and its Connectivity

During a period of seven weeks, the students developed a regional plan for a chosen site, building up their projects in different stages, testing their ideas in various scales raging from regional to local.
The quality of work, and design solutions, not only at the design architectural level, but the questions that these projects raised, in every realm of the border's social compass were truly inspiring.
Great work!

More photos of the final presentation, by Navid Tehrani at LiA's facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=118157504870133

About Emmanuel Ramirez Ruiz:

Co founder of “MMX Studio”, Architect and Urban Designer, holds a degree in architecture by the National University of Mexico (UNAM) and a master degree in Urban Design by the Bartlett School of Architecture in London. Awarded by the "FONCA" with the "Mexican Young Creators Award 2003" he has been an invited critic and lecturer at the AA and The Bartlett School of architecture in London, UTA in the United States as well as a variety of universities in Mexico.

Prior to co-founding MMX Studio He worked in various renowned international practices such as Alberto Kalach studio in Mexico City, SOM -Skidmore Owings and Merril- in London and Chicago as well as David Chipperfield Architects in London where he consolidated his design skills in different scales raging from architecture and urban design to regional and national plans.
His Practice MMX Studio, is a collective firm dedicated to research, development, and the execution ideas. The studio has a strong focus on the design process and seeks to understand the implications that architecture and urbanism have upon our societies. The studio aims to balance theory and practice, design and construction as well as architecture and urbanism.
mmx Studio: http://www.mmx.com.mx/