Wrapping Up the International Builders Show

Dominick and our Design Team returned from Nevada and it's back to the drawing boards at DTA after another great week at the International Builders Show. Attendance was lower than previous years due to the economic challenges that builders and vendors across the country are facing. However, our team met a number of builders who were inspired, energetic, and ready to face the changing demands of the housing market. It was uplifting to see so many builders being progressive, and who were dedicated and committed to staying successful in this industry.

Many builders showed their enthusiasm for building in 2009 by taking advantage of the AIA Plan Review Workshop. A group of the nation's most talented architects and designers offered half-hour sessions to sit down with builders and discuss their existing plans. Dominick, Paul, and J.R. each met with four builders during their sessions. Some of these builders included Goodall Homes and Communities in Tennessee, Beaman Building and Realty in North Carolina, and Elite Homes in Kentucky. Dominick helped a builder rework a floor plan to open up the overall flow and include a living triangle area instead of separated dining and family rooms. Paul and J.R. revised elevations to properly balance the architecture and suggested a few cost-effective products that could give the home a fresh new look. Each builder left their session ready to build these revised plans.

Other builders chose to attend the variety of educational programs offered at the show. The DTA team spoke about about three topics which are extremely relevant to today's housing market - Mainstream Green Home Design, Generation X and Y Design, and Achieveable Million Dollar Details. Each program had a good, interactive audience of industry professionals who asked questions and left with some new, helpful information. Handouts and additional information about these programs can be obtained by contacting JamieQ@DTArchitects.com.

As we sort through all the information we brought back and the things we learned at the show, we look forward to having opportunities to share it with everyone. We will be educating the rest of our staff about new products and trends, showing our clients new products that will save them money, moving forward with our green design initiative, and also implementing some of the design trends we saw and learned about in our current projects.

Dominick Tringali Architects is a residential, custom and community architectural firm specializing in the methodology lifestyle by design. To learn more, please visit www.dtarchitects.com or http://dtarchitects.blogspot.com.