10 Sep 2023 Architects take to the runway in support of the Alex Foundation

Architects from across the State of Arkansas are putting their renderings and drawings aside to model the latest runway apparel and ready-to-wear couture in support of The Alex Foundation. “Merging Architecture & Fashion” will take place Oct. 1 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Center for Humanities and Arts at UA – Pulaski Technical College, 3000 W. Scenic Drive, North Little Rock. The benefit’s Platinum Sponsor is the University of Arkansas’s Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design (FJSOAD).

The Alex Foundation’s mission is to engage students, especially those with limited access and rural students, in exploring architecture and design through place-based learning, experiential learning, project-based learning and multi-disciplinary learning. Because of donors and fundraising events like “Merging Architecture & Fashion,” the nonprofit is able to provide all meals, supplies, materials, staff, architects and allied professionals’ time at no cost.

The fashion show, styled by Belk Department Store, is part of an evening that includes an awards ceremony and a live musical performance by Grammy-nominated John Two-Hawks. Tickets to the fashion show and awards program, which includes the musical performance, are ^$50 and can be purchased online at uaptc.edu/charts/ticketing or at eventbrite.com.

“We easily serve more than 600 students annually, through STEAM programming (science, technology, engineering, architecture and math) in schools and during the summer months at no cost to the schools, students or their families,” said Angela Courtney, executive director of the Alex Foundation. “This fundraiser will help us fund our programs and services as we start a new academic school year.

“The Alex Foundation offers place-based education where students and teachers participate in experiential learning field trips at historic places such as the University of Arkansas at Monticello property, Hollywood Plantation and Taylor House (which displays dogtrot-style architecture), the John H. Johnson Museum (which teaches vernacular architecture), and more,” Courtney continued.

The runway portion of the evening will be moderated by Ethel Goodstein-Murphree, who is the associate dean of FJSOAD. The event will be hosted by John Folan, head of the Department of Architecture.

This year, the benefit coincides with World Architecture Day, which was established in 1985 by the International Union of Architects and is celebrated annually on the first Monday of October to increase awareness and appreciation of the importance of the field. In observance, the program will include a special presentation on merging architecture and fashion.

Architects who will model in the fashion show will include Bradley Buckart and Patty Opitz of the architectural firm Polk Stanley Wilcox; Chris East of Cromwell Architects Engineers; Tommy Jamieson of Jameson Architects; Randy Palculict of Jackson Brown Palculict Architects; Lori Yazwinski Santa-Rita of Jennings + Santa-Rita Architecture Firm; Jeremiah Russell of Rogue Architecture; Brent Shelor of Nature’s Angle, LLC; and Carl Smith, professor of landscape architecture at FJSOAD.

As part of the evening, The Alex Foundation will award Heart and Treasure Awards to individuals, companies and organizations who have been consistent champions of its cause. 

This year’s award recipients are: 

Architects:Brad Chilcote, AIA; Russell Rudzinski, AIA 

Individuals: Doug Hutchins, Blue Bell Creameries, L.P.; Janis F. Kearney, Celebrate! Maya Project Businesses: Heifer International; Garver Engineers.