The AIA Wyoming Annual Fall Conference and Design Awards returned to Casper on Sept. 16-18, 2020. The conference was themed “Archi-Culture,” and it focused on solving tomorrow’s problems with today’s design tools to transform how we work, live, and recreate. And because this conference was the lone conference this year, the intention was to provide the maximum amount of continuing education opportunities for the membership. Due to the governor’s and CDC’s guidelines concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference planning was challenging but presented an opportunity for the conference to have both in-person and virtual attendance. We thank the conference planning team along with the AIA WY online CES task force for their heightened efforts; Lyle Murtha, AIA; Anthony Jacobson, AIA; Brandon Daigle, AIA; Tim Schenk, AIA; Randy Hein, AIA; Aimee Bolton, AIA; Chet Lockard, AIA; Carl Kohut, AIA; Ramsey Skrepenski; Suzanne Norton, AIA; Clint Taylor, AIA; Lewis Matthew Miller, AIA; Britney Sulzen, Assoc. AIA and Susan Menghini, E.D.

The conference was held at the Industrial Building on the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds (and virtually via Zoom), the largest available venue that allowed for proper social distancing and additional safeguarding for those in attendance. The conference kicked off on Wednesday at noon. Pre-conference sessions were loaded with continuing education credits, with presentations by Jim Schneider with PCI, David Kelley with Hubbell Lighting, Greg Kingsley with KL&A, and Linda Kiisk and Brian Beadles with Wyoming SHPO. The first day closed with an evening welcome reception that allowed for socialization and a tour of the Gruner Bros. Brewery by local architect Tim Schenk, AIA.

Thursday’s conference lineup of speakers included local architects Chet Lockard, AIA, and Joseph Palmer, AIA, with MOA Architecture; and Lyle Murtha, AIA, and Anthony Jacobsen, AIA, with Stateline No. 7 Architects. They presented the designs for the new Natrona County Library (in the design phase) and the new Casper State Office building (in the construction phase), respectively. There was also a panel of local Casper community development leaders Kevin Hawley, Kim DeVore and Liz Becher, who discussed how to leverage resources within communities to assist in downtown and other area development and redevelopment.

Before lunch, AIA Wyoming held its annual Chapter business meeting. Members heard from leadership on the activities of AIA National, AIA Western Mountain Region and chapter progress. Each standing committee chair presented their written report with additional in-person comments. Previous meeting minutes and bylaw amendments were approved. Other reports were provided by the AEF, COF, SFD and AIA/CES. The 2021 tentative dates for our conferences are scheduled for the third week of April in Laramie and the third week of September in Jackson. Elections were held for the available 2021 positions. The outcome is as follows: Dale Buckingham, AIA, will be the next AIA Wyoming president-elect, Brandon Daigle, AIA, will be the next treasurer, and Tim Schenk, AIA, will conclude the 2021 board roster as the director. The outgoing board members were recognized for their years of service to the chapter: Charlie Van Over, AIA, Bruce Hawtin, FAIA, and Dan Stalker, AIA.

Also presenting was the regional landscape architect Tanya Olson, ASLA, of Tallgrass Landscape Architecture, who led a discussion on placemaking — where culture and the built environment intersect. The speaker presentations concluded with keynote speaker Jack Smith, FAIA, who presented a synopsis of his life’s award-winning work in architecture spanning nearly 60 years. The day of presentations concluded with the Membership Development Committee conducting a mini charrette in the form of a “napkin sketch.”