How can architecture lead the way to foster a more resilient city—and planet—during uncertain environmental and socioeconomic times?

As the world confronts the challenges of climate change, environmental degradation, and societal upheaval, DC’s architecture and design practitioners continue to evolve. DesignDC will showcase innovative solutions to shape the built environment in a way that is sustainable and forward-thinking. 

During this conference, design professionals across the industry will explore new approaches and existing best practices that highlight responsive design strategies and the integration of green technologies into architecture.

Sessions and tours will address:

• Tips and tricks to start building a resilience practice
• Resilient design and adaptability in a volatile environmental and socioeconomic climate
• Sustainable materials and energy-efficient design

Agenda: 

September 30, 5:00-8:00pm:  Opening Keynote and Reception
October 1, 8:00am – 4:00pm: All-day Education Sessions
October 2, 10:00am – 12:00pm:  Closing Keynote
October 2, 2:00 - 4:00pm:  Offsite Tours
 

Keynote and educational sessions will take place at the District Architecture Center, 421 7th St NW.

Sponsors:

Sponsor DesignDC here! 

Please join us for this year's Lautman Lecture, given by Elizabeth Leber, AIA, LEED AP, Managing Partner of Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners.

This talk will focus on key aspects of her architectural practice and portfolio, focusing on the transformative power of design, leadership’s role in shaping a firm’s direction, and best practices for ensuring long-term firm sustainability. Together, we will explore how rehabilitation and adaptive reuse can balance respect for history with innovation, while also reflecting on how career decisions influence personal growth and architectural philosophy. The talk will offer valuable insights into building a thriving practice through transparency, collaboration, and strong leadership.

The Robert and Kay Lautman Lecture is a new annual program to honor two strong proponents of the Washington Architectural Foundation’s work. This program brings nationally and internationally renowned figures in the fields of architecture and art to lecture on the intersection between architecture, design, and art. The annual event will be recorded and made available to a wider audience online. We believe this special annual lecture will have the added benefit of highlighting WAF’s work in the community.

Robert Lautman was a renowned architectural photographer who served on WAF’s board. His wife Kay was well known in DC’s philanthropic community.

2025 Speaker:

Elizabeth R. Leber, AIA, LEED AP, Managing Partner of Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners, is dedicated to advancing mission-based institutions through forward-looking architecture and planning projects. Guided by her astute and inquisitive nature, Liz excels at extracting the core objectives of her clients and their stakeholders and translating the collective needs and mission of institutions into creative architectural solutions. Liz’s clients include leading schools such as Harvard University, Columbia University, and Philips Exeter Academy; and not-for-profit institutions including the New York Public Library and the 92nd Street Y.

Liz applies these same skills and energy to her role as Managing Partner of Beyer Blinder Belle. Her position affirms the firm’s successful transition to a third generation of leadership and ensures BBB’s long-term strategic vision and sustainability. Liz has spearheaded initiatives focusing on firm-wide culture including greater transparency, collaboration, and inclusion, and is leading the firm’s four-year strategic planning process. Her role also includes oversight of the firm’s business development strategy, including expansion in targeted sectors and geographic markets that align with the firm’s core expertise.

Liz is a board member of Urban Green Council and Open House New York, and is a member of Harvard’s Design Advisory Council.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the Impact of Transformational Design on Institutions: Participants will learn how to approach architectural projects with a focus on rehabilitation and adaptive reuse, ensuring that transformation respects history and addresses future needs. Case studies from major projects will illustrate this balance.
• Explore the Role of Leadership in Shaping Architectural Practice: Attendees will gain insights into how leadership decisions, big and small, at various stages of a career transform an architectural practice by influencing its growth and direction.
• Identify Best Practices for Creating a Sustainable and Thriving Architectural Practice: Attendees will be introduced to principles that help sustain a practice over time, including the value of transparency, collaboration, and succession planning to ensure long-term firm health.
• Examine the Relationship Between Personal Growth and Professional Development in Architecture: Attendees will reflect on how career crossroads—key moments of decision—shape the trajectory of an architect’s work, influencing not only individual projects but also broader design philosophy and leadership style.

Organized by the Washington Architectural Foundation.

The Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA|DC) and Washington Architectural Foundation (WAF) are proud to present Awards for Great People. Each year, we celebrate these individuals and their work in making Washington better through their contributions as architects, advocates, educators, clients and partners.

Centennial Medal
Glenn Brown Award
John 'Wieb' Wiebenson Award
Emerging Architects Award
Architectural Educator Award 
Public Service Award 
Partnership for the Planet Award 

Laureates are selected annually by the Awards for Great People Jury, comprised of at least two members of AIA|DC and two members of WAF who shall be appointed by the Presidents of both organizations. The jury may select more than one laureate, or no laureates, per award in a given year and may consider nominations from prior years and nominations of its own.

Eligibility, nomination and submission requirements for each award are further detailed here. There are no fees required for submission. Unless noted otherwise, posthumous awards may not be given.

Nominations for 2025 are due by 5:00 PM on May 9, 2025. Submit completed nominations via email to Mary Fitch at mfitch@aiadc.com.

It’s back! Come to mix, mingle, drink, and network with others in real estate, design, development, and architecture.

Highlights include:
• Network with DC's architecture, design, development, and construction community
• Food and drinks
• Bring colleagues to discount your ticket
• All for a good cause as we announce the winner of the ShadeDC Competition and support the GREAT WORK of the Washington Architectural Foundation.

Bring a friend and your ticket price drops! This event is produced by the AIA|DC and all proceeds go to the Washington Architectural Foundation. Sign up today! 

The work done by A/E/C firms often delivers impacts to the community beyond simply building or renovating a structure. From spurring economic investment to job creation to sustainability achievements, participants in this activity will gain a deeper understanding of how to make the ask of public and elected officials to take a stake in their work and how to use this involvement to fuel positive PR and BD activity. In addition, we will provide evidence-based insights into how media behaviors are often fueled by topics and pitches demonstrating community-wide relevance along with ways to leverage the unique expertise of project partners (contractors, engineers, developers, etc.) to create the most impact. 

Presented by:

Jeff Lavery

Pedigree Public Relations Founder Jeff Lavery cut his teeth as a reporter for a Gannett daily in New York covering the business beat before working for similar publications in Massachusetts. After going through the proverbial meat grinder as Consigli Construction Co. Inc. 's first-ever intranet communications specialist (yes, intranet), he took on increasingly larger roles in B2B and B2C tech agencies before managing the PR operations for the largest privately-owned broadband company’s eastern region operations. Today, Pedigree PR works with general contractors, construction managers, architects, restoration specialists, commercial real estate firms, and numerous other companies in the A/E/C space to execute their PR, marketing communications, and government relations goals. 

Learning Objectives: 

• Identify unique assets of each team member as it relates to PR and BD goals and develop strategies for how to effectively "extract" this data. 
• Learn how to engage outside voices - elected officials, community managers, nonprofit leaders - who can boost project relevance and visibility.
• Understand how to leverage media pitching and public official support to build visibility of projects and the A/E/C teams responsible for them.
• Connect PR objectives and results to BD team goals to increase the value that communications teams bring to A/E/C firms. 
   

Sponsored by: 

Pedigree Public Relations

This walking tour of Southwest Washington, DC, led by Joseph Himali, a public historian, licensed real estate agent, and lifelong Washingtonian, will discuss one of the first neighborhoods in the District to be developed. 

We will discuss the architectural styles and how development began in Washington in the 18^th Century. In addition, there will be discussion about the materials and construction methods used in early Washington, DC buildings.

This tour will discuss this history of the neighborhood and how the architecture and built environment of Southwest Washington, DC was used a political propaganda tool of the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.  It will discuss the redlining and restrictive covenants that were used to limit access to affordable housing for marginalized communities.

We will also review the ideas of Le Corbusier and other proponents of the “radiant city” ideals and how they were implemented in the urban renewal schemes employed in the redevelopment of Southwest during the mid-1900s. We will see unique architectural styles and interior configurations that led to new architectural styles in Washington, DC and around the country.

We will discuss the concept of the “Super Block” and the removal of alleys in the city and how that affected the people who lived there. Additionally, we’ll discuss the integration of landscape architecture in the design of the neighborhood.

The tour features some of the finest mid-century modern architecture in Washington, DC including work from Cloethial Woodward Smith, Charles Goodman, and the buildings that earned I.M. Pei his first awards. 

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the redevelopment of the mixed-use development of the Southwest Waterfront
• Summarize the impact of the “Super Block” in architecture and the integration of the landscape with the architecture of the buildings.
• Describe the history and impact of Cloethial Woodard-Smith who was the most influential woman architect of mid-century America.
• Analyze the impact of the Urban Renewal scheme on Southwest.  

This tour is organized by Best Address.

Join us after the panel for a relaxed Happy Hour and Networking session! Connect with fellow urban enthusiasts, architects, planners, and policymakers as we continue the conversation on how cities and metropolitan regions are reclaiming urban spaces to address climate resilience. Share insights, exchange ideas, and build connections inspired by visionary projects from Paris, Boston, Washington, D.C., and beyond. Let’s shape the future of our cities together!

Make sure to register through this link for the Commons in Transition (Panel Discussion): https://dupontunderground.org/events/commons-in-transition-panel-discussion

 

Construction teams are using virtual design and construction processes to improve traditional workflows. Many of these tools help to open the door for more collaboration in the design and construction process. In this presentation, we will take an in-depth look into coordination software, techniques, and workflows. Model coordination goes beyond just clash detection, as a building’s mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and fire protection systems are examined closely through several means to ensure the finished product will maintain the architectural integrity and meet code requirements. We will review a typical process by examining how model data is gathered, verified, reviewed, and used, and how potential issues are solved in a collaborative space.
 

Learning Objectives: 

• Examine BIM Coordination goals for a project.
• Identify the steps taken by a general contractor during model coordination to review code and maintenance requirements.
• Recognize the unique needs of modeling mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in construction.
• Analyze the use of visualizations from construction model data to enhance the building user’s experience.

HSW Justification: 

The intent of the session is to give designers a more complete understanding of the virtual design and construction processes used by construction teams, so that they can be a collaborative participant. Using these processes, potential issues can be resolved. 

Presented by: 

Laura Hanyok, AIA, CM-BIM
Laura Hanyok has implemented and supported technology in building design and construction for twenty years in a variety of roles. She worked as a practicing architect for over a decade before taking her design perspective into a virtual design and construction role with a general contractor. Laura now works as a Construction Consultant for CADD Microsystems. Laura uses her industry experience to help others utilize technology to create collaborative environments for successful projects.

Sponsored by: 

CADD Microsystems, An ARKANCE Company
 

You are welcome to submit multiple proposals. Please submit one proposal form for each presentation or tour. Proposals are due by May 1, 2025, at 4:00 pm.

DesignDC: Green is the New Black - Resilient Design for an Uncertain World

As the world confronts the challenges of climate change and environmental degradation, DC’s architecture and design practitioners continue to evolve. The theme of "Green is the New Black" calls upon innovative solutions to shape the built environment in a way that is sustainable, and forward-thinking. How can architecture lead the way to foster a more resilient city—and planet—during uncertain environmental and socioeconomic times?

We invite architects and design professionals across the industry to submit entries for lectures and tours that explore new approaches and existing best practices that highlight responsive design strategies and the integration of green technologies into architecture.

Special consideration will be given to sessions and tours that address one or more of the following areas:

Tips and Tricks to Start Building a Resilience Practice

• How can your fellow practitioners start the process of greening their practice? What codes and regulations should they be aware of?
• What are effective ways to talk to clients about the benefits of, and economic arguments for, green design?
• What tools already exist for benchmarking, metrics, and funding green projects?

Resilient Design in a Volatile Climate

• How can architecture prepare for and withstand extreme weather events? Case studies that anticipate climate-related challenges including extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and fluctuating temperatures are welcome.
• How can design firms remain resilient and nimble during times of growing uncertainty and shifting priorities?
• How can practitioners design for cultural sustainability?

Sustainable Materials and Energy-Efficient Design

• How can the lifecycle of a building be reimagined for sustainability? How can architects design for adaptability, reuse, and resource-efficient deconstruction to ensure that buildings serve generations?
• What are best practices for the use of sustainable materials and cutting-edge technologies to create spaces that minimize their carbon footprint while maximizing occupant comfort?

DesignDC Timeframes and Logisitcs:

Proposals are due by May 1, 2025, at 4:00 pm.

Sessions (lectures) selected from this Call for Proposals will be presented live and in-person at the District Architecture Center on October 1, 2025. Selected sessions must total 60 minutes in length, with ~50 minutes of instruction followed by ~10 minutes of Q&A. 

Tours will be given in-person on October 2, 2025, from 2:00-4:00pm.

All presenters and tour guides will receive complimentary conference registration. Presenters and guides are not required to be members of AIA|DC.

John Francis Education Campus, a DC Public School, serves 680 students from Pre-K through 8th grade within nearly 140,000 square feet of learning space. The campus includes academic areas, a full auditorium, a high school-sized gymnasium, a two-story library, and a central dining commons. 

The project honors the original 1920s and 1950s architecture while introducing modernized spaces that align with Francis’s educational and cultural goals. Designed as a model for sustainable, high-performance architecture, the campus blends seamlessly with its historic structure, creating a 21st-century environment that inspires students to become environmental stewards. By connecting students with the local community and environment, Francis embodies innovative education and sustainable design at the heart of Washington, DC.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify sustainable design elements utilized in school modernizations that have positive impacts on students' cognitive development.
• Discuss the challenges to introducing 21st century educational spaces into historic, 1920's era school buildings.
• Identify the different uses that urban school sites need to accommodate, and how each of these uses compete for what is often limited space.
• Explore the rich, diversity of spaces supporting contemporary elementary schools in historic settings.

Presented by:

Mary Rankin, AIA, LEED AP, WELL AP, Principal & Managing Director, Perkins Eastman DC
Kristina Vidal, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Senior Associate, Project Architect, Perkins Eastman DC