Please join us as Calvin Chen and Thomas Bercy discuss the design/build and development aspects of their work, and how these areas of practice have grown along with their firm and the city of Austin. They will also be explore sustainable architecture, and how the precepts of sustainability highlighted in projects such as Edgeland House continue to influence their design work.
Bercy Chen Studio LP is an architecture and urban planning firm with design/build capabilities based in Austin, Texas founded in 2001 by partners Thomas Bercy and Calvin Chen. Thomas is from Belgium and Calvin is from Taiwan by way of Australia; the partners’ European and Asian backgrounds form a design philosophy of unique perspectives. The work is influenced by vernacular precedents from various cultures- whether Islamic, Indian, African or pre-columbian, while maintaining respect for the particular contemporary contextual conditions. Due to this unique approach, the work has received national and international attention. Bercy Chen Studio won the prestigious “Emerging Voices” prize from the Architectural League of New York in 2006. Every year the League selects 7 of the most innovative designers from Europe and North America for this award. In the same year the firm was profiled in Architectural Record’s December 2006 “Design Vanguard” award issue, selected as one of top 10 emerging design firms in the world. Despite their international achievements, Calvin and Thomas remain active participants of the local community.
About the Design Lecture Series: In keeping with the AIA Dallas’ mission to empower architects to excel and impact their practice, profession, and community, the Architecture Matters Committee presents the Design Lecture Series as an important part of the diverse continuing education efforts offered by the Chapter. Featuring nationally and internationally recognized architects from the region and beyond, this series is intended to bring new design ideas to Dallas, to encourage discussion of those ideas, to examine interesting projects and bodies of work from outside the city, and to inspire creativity.
