Architects from across Arkansas are putting their renderings and drawings to the side to model the latest runway apparel and ready to wear couture to support the Alex Foundation. The charity event will take place October 1, 2023, 4 pm to 7 pm at the Center for Humanities and Arts (CHARTS), 3000 W. Scenic Drive, North Little Rock. The fashion show is part of an evening that includes, an awards ceremony and a live musical performance by Grammy nominated, John Two-Hawks. The event coincides with World Architecture Day established in 1985 by the International Union of Architects. World Architecture Day is celebrated annually on the first Monday of October in parallel with the United Nations World Habitat Day.
The fashion show will be moderated by University of Arkansas, Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design (FJSOA) Associate Dean, Ethel Goodstein-Murphee. John Folan, FJSOA Department Chair will host the event.
Styled by Belk, architects taking to the runway include:
Bradley Buckart, AIA – Polk Stanley Wilcox
A native of Louisiana, Bradley received his Bachelor and Masters of Architecture degrees from Louisiana Tech University. He is a current project manager at Polk Stanley Wilcox responsible for design and production of various commercial and residential projects. He is currently involved with AIA Arkansas and various Architectural non-profits in efforts to create unique and engaging spaces for local communities. www.alex-foundation.org
Chris East, AIA – Cromwell Architects Engineers
Chris East is a Principal Architect with Cromwell Architects Engineers in Little Rock, AR. Chris is lead designer and manager for projects in Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Oklahoma. He is involved with several local community leadership roles, and is passionate about the role design plays in how cities grow and evolve. He enjoys serving his community and has been fortunate to work with, and serve on, several non-profits which focus on everything from sustainability to urban development. www.alex-foundation.org
Patty Opitz, AIA – Polk Stanley Wilcox
A graduate from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Patty Opitz is a licensed Associate Principal architect of Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects responsible for management, production and coordination in all phases of a project from conception through construction. With over 18 years of combined experience in residential and commercial construction for various facility types, Patty provides diverse knowledge of project management and architectural planning. In 2019, Patty was honored with the National Young Architect Award from the American Insititute of Architects (AIA), being just one of 22 architects selected from across the country for this prestigious recognition. She is just one of 22 architects selected from across the country for this prestigious recognition. The annual program now in its 26th year recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to the architecture profession early in their careers. Since the program’s inception, there have only been three other architects from the state of Arkansas who have been honored with this recognition, making Patty the fourth and first female architect from Arkansas to receive this award. Patty is also a recipient of the Arkansas Construction Hall of Fame 2018 Emerging Professional Award and the AIA Arkansas 2016 Emerging Professional Award. www.alex-foundation.org
Randy Palculict, AIA – Jackson Brown Palculict Architects
Randy is vice president of Jackson Brown Palculict Architects where he manages and directs the efforts of the project team. His responsibilities include project planning, scheduling, budgeting, design, client relations, quality assurance, as well as new client development. He has been with the firm since 2003 and principal of the firm since 2011.
Randy was born in Tarragona, Spain and spent most of his childhood moving across the United States. His family is from El Dorado, AR and Fayetteville, AR. He has always considered Arkansas home. www.alex-foundation.org
Lori Yazwinski Santa-Rita, AIA – Jennings Santarita Architecture Firm
Lori Yazwinski Santa-Rita AIA, LEED AP received her Bachelor of Architecture from the Honors College of the school of Architecture at the University of Arkansas in 2005. The emphasis of her studies was in history and urbanism. Lori has received awards from AIA Arkansas and the Fay Jones School of Architecture. She is currently serving as the Arkansas Representative on the National AIA Strategic Council.
Jeremiah Russell, AIA – Rogue Architecture
Jeremiah graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a Master of Architecture in 2003. From 2004 to 2014 he worked for way too many other architectural firms in Florida, Virginia, and Arkansas gaining an incredible breadth of experience in aviation, retail, office, multi-family, historic preservation and custom residential design. In 2014 he took the “big leap” and founded Rogue Architecture. Since then his work and experience has continued to grow specializing in custom single-family homes, multi-family and affordable housing, commercial office and retail, custom interiors, and historic preservation. In addition to being NCARB Certified Jeremiah is licensed in 10 states: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, and Texas.
Brent Shelor – Nature’s Angel
Brent Shelor is a licensed architect and founder of his architecture practice, Nature’s Angle, LLC. Nature’s Angle was created with an organic and environmental approach to space and design focusing its attention on the key views of a site, as well as blending the design into the landscape, similar to what Frank Lloyd Wright accomplished with Falling Water. A graduate of Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Science in Construction Science, Shelor regularly teaches architecture in Alex Foundation’s architecture program throughout the academic school year in the Arkansas Delta. www.alex-foundation.org
Carl Smith, Assoc. AIA – Professor of Landscape Architecture, Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design University of Arkansas
Dr. Carl Smith is Professor of Landscape Architecture and a Fellow of the University of Arkansas Teaching Academy. He also currently serves as the ArchiScape Visiting Professor of Architecture at the University of Sheffield in the UK. Carl is also a Co-Principal of Worth Design LLC, a landscape architecture, urban design, and garden design firm in Fayetteville, AR. His design and writing work have been recognized by awards from the national AIA, the national ASLA, the Landscape Institute in the UK, and Garden Writers International. He has held scholarly positions at the Dumbarton Oaks Research Center & Library, Harvard University; the American Academy in Rome; and the British School at Athens. Carl was awarded the AR ASLA chapter Award of Merit in 2020, for service to architecture and planning in the state. www.alex-foundation.org
About Alex Foundation
An Arkansas Delta 501 (C) 3 nonprofit organization, Alex Foundation’s mission is to engage students, and specifically limited access and rural students in exploring architecture and design through place-based learning, experiential learning, project-based learning, and multi-disciplinary learning. For more information, visit www.alex-foundation.org.
