About DAC

Located in DC’s Penn Quarter neighborhood, the District Architecture Center (DAC) storefront location presents DC architecture to the profession and the community. Through exhibitions, lectures, and professional programming, DAC is a place to educate and celebrate. It is the home of AIA|DC, the fifth largest chapter of the American Institute of Architecture, and the Washington Architectural Foundation. DAC includes two exhibition galleries, and fully-equipped, state-of-the-art meeting rooms, classrooms, and conference facilities are available for use by its members and the public.

The District Architecture Center is located in downtown Washington on land once occupied by the Nacotchtank: an indigenous Algonquian people who lived in the area during the 17th century. According to sources referenced on Wikipedia, the Nacotchtank village was situated within the modern borders of the District of Columbia along the intersection of two major rivers— the Potomac and the Anacostia. The name Nacotchtank, which exists in several historical variants including Nacostine, Anacostine, Anaquashtank, Nacothtant, Nachatanke, is derived from the word "anaquashatanik", which means "a town of traders.” The Nacotchtank were a trading people as they were established on fertile land with the nearby rivers. AIA|DC and WAF acknowledge the contributions of those who came before and believe that preserving the District’s natural resources is a way to actively honor their legacy.