Canstruction 2026 will take place at the National Building Museum from Sunday, November 22nd, 2026 to Monday, November 30th, 2026.

About Canstruction: 

Canstruction is a nationwide program that aims to raise awareness about hunger. In DC, Canstruction is organized by the Washington Architectural Foundation as a creative design-build competition that benefits the Capital Area Food Bank through donations of canned goods. Teams from architecture and design firms from Washington, DC use their skills to build sculptures out of cans of food which are displayed for a week in the Great Hall of the National Building Museum. The nutritious shelf-stable food is donated to the CAFB for distribution to those in need after the event.

This program is generously sponsored by Capital Area Food Bank, DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, Giant, National Building Museum, DPR Construction, and Washington Architectural Foundation.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Join us for a guided tour of Phase One of the Bridge District, a landmark mixed-use development in Southeast Washington, DC, led by ZGF Architects and Redbrick LMD. Located at the foot of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, the project sits within a historically underinvested area now targeted for broader neighborhood revitalization—linking the Capitol Riverfront with communities south and east of the Anacostia River.

Phase One is an all-electric development on track to become the largest ILFI Zero Carbon multifamily residential building in the world, while also pursuing LEED v4 Platinum. The project delivers over 750 residential units, including affordable and family-sized housing, alongside 40,000 square feet of community serving retail with active ground floors on all four sides. The three-tower composition is shaped to maximize daylight, views, natural airflow, and connections to adjacent parks and trails, positioning wellness, flexibility, and public life as key design drivers. Solar informed massing and glazing, renewable energy sourcing, and life-cycle based material decisions support significant reductions in both operational and embodied carbon.

This tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at how integrated design, performance, and community investment can align to set a new precedent for scalable, inclusive, high-performance development in Washington, DC.
We will gather at Atlas Brewing for a light lunch and presentation before the guided tour, then wrap up with a networking happy hour back at Atlas. We encourage arriving by foot, bike, or public transit. The Bridge District is accessible from Anacostia Metro Station, Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge and Anacostia Park.

Learning objective 1:
Summarize Net-Zero Carbon in the context of a large multifamily building.

Learning objective 2:
Explain the advantages of a multi-phase approach to urban transformation through community building.

Learning objective 3:
Analyze the effect of design decisions on human health and wellness, energy, and carbon.

Learning objective 4:
Identify the role of active systems in designing a high-performance mixed-use multifamily building.

Chris Somma, Associate Principal, ZGF excels at evolving creative ideas into well-crafted, functional architecture. With a focus on maximizing design possibilities within real-world constraints, he guides complex projects from concept through implementation. In addition to his key design and technical role on Amazon’s HQ2 at Metropolitan Park, Chris has led high-performance projects throughout the DC region, including Redbrick LMD’s Phase One of the Bridge District and the prototype and implementation for Montgomery County’s new BRT Stations. Chris is a frequent presenter, having spoken at conferences including Design DC, Zak Facades, and Rail~Volution. He earned his Master of Architecture from the University of Toronto.

Brian Earle, Principal, ZGF, as a military brat constantly on the move—from towns across the US to Germany and South Korea—turned to drawing to better understand each new city, inspiring his early curiosity about the built environment. The importance of adaptability, resilience, and open-mindedness these experiences instilled have since shaped his approach to leadership. When it comes to delivering complex projects on rigorous deadlines, Brian knows there is no substitute for a close-knit and motivated team, and he works to foster a culture of constructive dialogue where all members are valued and have a voice. He has applied this team first approach to successfully deliver numerous award winning projects including Amazon’s HQ2, The Bridge District Phase One, and the Baltimore Ravens Training Center. ENR Magazine named Brian among its Top 25 Newsmakers of 2021. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and earned a Bachelor’s of Architecture Degree from Virginia Tech.

Mark Van Tassel is a Senior Associate at Introba, specializing in the design of high performance, low carbon mechanical systems for multifamily and mixed use buildings. With more than two decades of experience, Mark has contributed to numerous large scale residential projects pursuing aggressive energy efficiency, electrification, and net zero energy goals throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan region. Mark’s work emphasizes right sizing building systems through detailed load analysis, energy modeling, and early coordination with architects and owners. As a senior member of the mechanical team, Mark provides QA/QC leadership, mentors junior engineers, and implements BIM and Revit workflows to enhance coordination and documentation quality. His collaborative, performance driven approach supports the delivery of resilient, efficient buildings aligned with net zero and long term sustainability objectives.

Daniel McGee, Director of Development, Redbrick focuses on development execution of The Bridge District and portfolio-wide energy strategies. His core values strongly align with Redbrick LMD’s vision of shaping a truly sustainable built environment. Daniel’s background is in mechanical HVAC design with technical experience in healthcare, museums, artifact preservation, and data centers. In the DC area he has designed mechanical systems for The Museum of the Bible, The World Bank Headquarters, and Virginia Hospital Center. Daniel holds an integrated Bachelor and Master of Architectural Engineering from Penn State, and an MBA from Georgetown University. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in DC, with a focus in HVAC & Refrigeration.
 

Tom Pignatelli, Vice President, Construction at Redbrick has over 17 years of experience in commercial and residential construction in the Metropolitan Washington Area. At Redbrick LMD, he assists the partners and EVP of on all aspects of Preconstruction and Construction: assisting in and managing the design process, permitting, budgeting, scheduling, procurement, contract negotiation and construction management for all projects for Redbrick LMD located in the Washington, DC area. With Redbrick Tom spearheaded both the Whitman Walker Health project as well as the 757 units you are here visiting today. Prior to joining the Redbrick team, Tom was a Senior Project Manager at Clark Construction leading construction management efforts of multiple residential buildings totaling over $250 million and 1,000 units. Tom holds a B.S. in Business administration from the Williams School at Washington and Lee University.
 

Andrew Faett, Sr Construction Manager at Redbrick, has 8 years of experience in commercial and residential construction in the DC Metro Area. At Redbrick LMD, Andrew assists the construction team on all aspects of Preconstruction and Construction of Redbrick LMD’s projects in the Washington D.C. area. Prior to joining Redbrick, Andrew worked as a Project Manager for Clark Construction and May Reigler Properties leading construction management and preconstruction efforts of multiple commercial and residential and buildings totaling over $300 million. Andrew holds a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Lafayette College.

This event is organized by the Association of Energy Engineers National Capital Chapter (AEE NCC) and American Institute of Architects DC Committee on the Environment (AIA DC COTE) with Living Future. Lunch is free thanks to our supporters at LG, and Hobbs and Associates has generously agreed to buy the first round of drinks at the networking happy hour.

Join AIA|DC’s Housing the Region Committee, the Coalition for Smarter Growth, and the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU DC) for an engaging evening exploring how smarter housing design can help advance more walkable, inclusive, and resilient neighborhoods.

As communities across the Washington region grapple with housing affordability, zoning reform, and the urgent need for more diverse housing options, single-stair multifamily housing has emerged as one of the most compelling—and increasingly debated—design and policy opportunities in the national housing conversation. This event brings together leaders from advocacy, architecture, and urban design to examine how this innovative housing typology can support more human-scaled, transit-supportive communities while expanding housing choice.

Featured speakers include Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, who will frame the broader regional imperative for walkability, sustainable growth, and stronger collaboration with the design community; Charles Warren, AIA, of Teass\Warren Architects, who will discuss DC’s recently approved One Front Door initiative alongside his firm’s work advancing single-stair multifamily housing; and Thomas Long of Torti Gallas + Partners, representing CNU Mid-Atlantic, who will present two award-winning housing concepts from the 2025 Baltimore CNU Single-Stair Design Competition.

A moderated Q+A will follow, offering attendees the opportunity to engage directly with the speakers on the design, policy, and implementation challenges ahead.

Whether you are an architect, planner, developer, policymaker, housing advocate, or simply interested in the future of better housing and better neighborhoods, this promises to be a timely and thought-provoking conversation.

Learning objective 1:
Evaluate the design, code, and life-safety implications of single-stair multifamily housing typologies as an emerging alternative to conventional double-loaded corridor residential buildings.

Learning objective 2:
Assess how walkable neighborhood planning principles and housing typology choices can support healthier, safer, and more resilient community development outcomes.

Learning objective 3:
Compare built and conceptual multifamily case studies to identify the opportunities and constraints associated with integrating single-stair housing models within North American urban contexts.

Learning objective 4:
Examine the relationship between regulatory frameworks, entitlement pathways, and design innovation in advancing housing diversity and more context-responsive residential development.

Presenters:

Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth 

Charles Warren, AIA, of Teass\Warren Architects 

Thomas Long of Torti Gallas + Partners, representing CNU Mid-Atlantic

This event is sponsored by MV+A

Event description:

Join us for a guided, behind‑the‑scenes tour of the Cannon House Office Building, one of Capitol Hill’s most significant historic landmarks, following its 15‑year modernization and preservation effort. Led by Julie Pelletier, AIA, NCARB - Architect of the Capitol - and select project team members, this two‑hour experience explores the building’s history, renovation scope, construction challenges, and lessons learned while working in an occupied Congressional facility. Participants will visit unique spaces including the Rotunda, Guastavino Tile Vault, historic hearing rooms, the Cannon Caucus Room, modern fifth‑floor addition, courtyard, and Cannon Commons. The tour highlights how preservation, safety, and contemporary functionality were successfully integrated.

Special instructions: 

All attendees will be required to go through security, including a metal detector as well as x-ray scans of all bags. Please click here for a full list of prohibited items, and here if you have questions about accessibility accommodations during the security process.

Learning objective 1:
Describe the historical evolution of U.S. House of Representatives office space and the original design intent, construction methods, and civic role of the Cannon House Office Building, providing context for large‑scale federal preservation projects.

Learning objective 2:
Identify strategies for integrating historic preservation, restoration, and new construction within an active, occupied government building, including approaches to design development, regulatory coordination, and protection of character‑defining features

Learning objective 3:
Explain the logistical, technical, and safety challenges of executing a phased, long‑duration construction project in a high‑security facility occupied by Congress, including modernization of infrastructure, life‑safety upgrades and high profile events.

Learning objective 4:
Analyze lessons learned from a 15‑year modernization effort, drawing connections between preservation decision‑making, construction sequencing, material conservation, and long‑term building performance, with an emphasis on occupant safety, public welfare.

Julie Pelletier, AIA, NCARB, is a Registered Architect and long-time resident of the DC Metro Area. An avid interest in historic buildings steered her into architecture in 1998. Ms. Pelletier's career spans tenures at several prestigious DC firms, specializing in contextual design and historic preservation at all scales - from single family homes to municipal adaptive reuse projects. Since 2020, she has been employed at the Architect of the Capitol in and Owner's Representative capacity on the Cannon House Office Building Renewal - a Federal 10-year preservation and renovation project. She also serves on the Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission, reviewing Historic Area Work Permit Applications for historic property renovations in the county.

The labor market is already constrained and, given ongoing demographic shifts, conditions are expected to tighten further. To remain competitive, facility design must evolve by integrating automated systems that streamline physical movement, improve throughput, and reduce or eliminate routine, non-value-added tasks. This shift enables organizations to redeploy staff toward higher-value, human-centric activities that enhance service quality and outcomes. At the same time, rapidly advancing technologies are intersecting and compounding, accelerating innovation across operations. Our team brings deep, up-to-date industry insight and will share practical perspectives on how to apply these advancements effectively and sustainably in real-world environments for future success.

Learning Objective 1:
Recognize the current labor challenges, the future demographic trends and the implications of staffing healthcare buildings and clinical operations.

Learning Objective 2:
Understand the advancement of automation technology in industry and recognize how this will translate to facility design to enhance operational efficiency and to improve operational efficiency by reducing/eliminating menial, low value-added tasks.

Learning Objective 3:
Understand how automation can enable better use of human capital.

Learning Objective 4:
Appreciate the potential of emerging technologies and their implications to transform operational tasks.

Presenter Bios:

Jim Kruza, Sr. Director and Principal, has 32 years of experience in supply chain logistics optimization, including work in healthcare, distribution center design, material handling equipment purchase, implementation and start-up, logistics network design, financial assessment, and transportation management. His verticals of focus include healthcare, life science, pharmaceutical, CPG, and food and beverage.

Ryan Mair, Director, has over 26 years of experience in healthcare/life science design services related to materials management, waste management, environmental services/housekeeping, central sterile processing, materials handling, dock design, and logistics. Project experience includes master planning, programming, design, tender documentation, and construction administration of over 100 facilities worldwide. Systems design includes automated guided vehicles, autonomous mobile robots, electric track vehicle systems, pneumatic trash and linen systems, gravity chute systems, pneumatic tube systems, vertical transportation, etc.

Susan Manch, Board Chair of the Waterford Foundation, will provide an overview of the historic town of Waterford, VA, a National Historic Landmark to give context prior to exploring three of the historic structures. She will then discuss the historic and restoration efforts that are ongoing at the John Wesley Church and Old School House. Following this, Susan Reed, Director of Historic Preservation with Glave & Holmes Architecture, will lead a tour of the historic Waterford Mill and discuss the history of the Mill and its relationship to the town, examine basic concepts of milling technology, explore historic masonry and timber construction, and demonstrate the kinds of deterioration associated with equipment vibration and moisture infiltration found in historic mill environments and how they were addressed during the restoration.

Tour Timeline:

9:45 - Gather at Waterford School
10:00 - Introduction to Waterford Foundation (Jim S/Sue Manch)
10:15 - Walk to Schoolhouse – Visit Inside
10:45 - Walk to Mill – Tour of Mill
11:30 - Tour/Discussion about John Wesley Church and Ongoing Work
12:15 - Return to Waterford School for light lunch and refreshments
1:30 - Event concludes

Learning objective 1:
Explore the environmental threats to which historic industrial buildings can be subject and how to ameliorate those threats.

Learning objective 2:
Identify ways in which threatened historic industrial buildings can be adapted for contemporary re-use with ADA accessibility.

Learning objective 3:
Describe the technology, parts, terminology and construction techniques of the historic merchant mills and the milling process.

Learning objective 4:
Explain the history of the Waterford historic buildings and apply the principles that guided the historic restoration.

Presenter Bios:

Sue Manch is the Waterford Foundation's Former Board President. Sue lives in the Ephraim Schooley House in Waterford. Sue has been a thought leader in the legal talent development field for over 30 years and is currently the principal of Legal Talent Strategies, a consulting firm that supports law firms with talent strategies. She sits on the Waterford Foundation Education Committee, the Waterford Foundation Homes Tours Committee, the Waterford 2033 Committee, and the Waterford Citizens Association Beautification Committee.

Susan Reed, AIA, NCARB is the Director of Historic Preservation at Glave Holmes. As a historic preservation architect, Susan brings a wealth of experience to projects in historic settings. She is skilled in restoration and rehabilitation design, designing compatible additions to historic structures, creating new designs for historic contexts, and navigating State and Federal Historic Tax Credits, Historic Structure Reports, and Conditions Assessments. Susan has worked on various project types including theatres, museums, academic buildings, warehouses, historic residences, commercial buildings, churches, rural farm buildings, government buildings, and even an offshore lighthouse

Join representatives from the Washington Architectural Foundation and Capital Area Food Bank as we discuss Canstruction 2026.

Canstruction is a nationwide program that aims to raise awareness about hunger. In DC, Canstruction is organized by the Washington Architectural Foundation as a creative design-build competition that benefits the Capital Area Food Bank through donations of canned goods. Teams from architecture and design firms from Washington, DC use their skills to build sculptures out of cans of food. The nutritious shelf-stable food is donated to the CAFB for distribution to those in need after the event.

This program is generously sponsored by BluEdge, Capital Area Food Bank, DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, Giant, National Building Museum, TW Perry, and Washington Architectural Foundation.

This year's theme will be revealed during the meeting.

Join DC mayoral candidates as they chat about the future of transportation and land use in the city!

Join us for a discussion about the future of transportation and land use in the city at the May 21st Mayoral Candidates Forum Co-hosted by DC Sustainable Transportation (DCST) and AIA|DC. This is your chance to hear directly from Mayoral candidates who will shape DC's streets, transit, and urban spaces if elected to office. Don't miss out on the opportunity to listen and learn as Sarah Holder, co-host of Bloomberg's "Big Take" podcast and a contributor to Bloomberg CityLab brings these questions to this lively discussion on May 21st. RSVP today to get your spot!

Invited Democrat Candidate Frontrunners for DC Mayor 2026:

• Janeese Lewis George
• Gary Goodweather
• Kenyan McDuffie
• Vincent Orange
   

Moderator: Sarah Holder, co-host of Bloomberg's "Big Take" podcast and a contributor to Bloomberg CityLab

Forum Event Sponsors: Adapt/Impact, CityFi, Fehr & Peers, Lime, Lyft, Veo, Waymo

Platinum Happy Hour Sponsor: Waymo

Join AIA/PV and Capital Area CRAN for an engaging and interactive professional development session designed to connect emerging architects with experienced practitioners through a series of rapid, focused mentoring conversations. Participants will explore the opportunities and challenges within custom residential architecture while gaining practical insights into career development, practice management, and collaborative design. 

This interactive session, designed for emerging professionals but open to anyone interested in learning about residential architecture, will be held at American Cedar & Millwork’s brand-new Rockville, MD showroom. It dives into the realities of custom residential practice—exploring career pathways, practice management, and the power of collaboration in delivering thoughtful, high-quality homes.

Through structured discussion and guided mentorship, attendees will examine how architects work with clients, consultants, and communities to deliver thoughtful residential design solutions. Conversations will also highlight the architect’s role in promoting healthy and sustainable building materials, advancing automation and energy-efficient residential design strategies, and advocating for the value of architects in shaping resilient and livable communities. 

The program will begin with an open networking session that encourages continued dialogue, knowledge sharing, and relationship building across generations of professionals. By fostering mentorship, education, and collaboration, this course strengthens the professional pipeline while reinforcing the architect’s responsibility to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public through responsible residential design.

Whether you're an emerging professional or simply curious about residential practice, this is a unique opportunity to learn, connect, and grow.

Event hosted by American Cedar & Millwork. Refreshments will be provided.

Credits:
1 LU

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key professional development pathways within residential architecture, including licensure, practice management, and collaborative design processes, to help emerging architects navigate career opportunities and build meaningful professional relationships.
• Discuss strategies for integrating healthy and sustainable building materials into residential design, and understand how collaborative relationships between architects, clients, and consultants support better material selection and occupant well-being.
• Recognize the role of architects in promoting energy-efficient design solutions, including how interdisciplinary collaboration can support high-performance residential buildings that reduce environmental impact and improve long-term building performance.
• Explain how architects can serve as advocates and educators for the profession, communicating the value of thoughtful design, sustainability, and responsible development to clients, communities, and policymakers.

Organized by the AIA Potomac Valley Custom Residential Architecture Network (CRAN) committee.

THANKS TO OUR PV CRAN ANNUAL SPONSORS!

 

Please join the AIA DC Committee on the Environment (COTE), DC’s Department of Energy and Environment (DC DOEE), and United Nations Association of the National Capital Area’s Sustainable Development Committee (UNA-NCA SDC) for an educational workshop bringing together design and resiliency professionals with local stakeholders to spark conversations and build connections that support a more climate-ready city. Following an introduction to DC DOEE's Climate Ready DC plan, we will hear from DC Business Improvement District (BID) representatives about local challenges and opportunities within their neighborhoods. Participants will then separate into breakout tables with facilitators from the BIDs and host organizations to discuss place-based and community-based design ideas for addressing climate readiness in DC, connecting professionals with Climate Ready DC efforts and local communities.

Light food and drinks will be provided.

We encourage participants to take public transit to the event. Dupont Circle Station on the Red Line is a 10 minute walk and Farragut West Station on the Blue/Orange/Silver lines is a 15 minute walk. Bike parking is also available on site.

Event Details:
3:00 - Doors Open
3:30 - Introduction to Climate Ready DC by DC DOEE's Erin Garnaas-Holmes
3:45 - Introduction to participating BIDs
4:00 - Workshop
4:40 - Close & Networking

This event is presented at DC Climate Week. DC Climate Week is not responsible for this event. It is organized by the organizing group, and being listed on the DCCW calendar is not an endorsement of content or partners.
 

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe local resiliency challenges as laid out in the Climate Ready DC plan
2. Conceptualize of place-based and community-based design ideas for addressing climate readiness in DC
3. Analyze how local organizations, design and resiliency professionals, and the public sector can work together
4. Identify potential opportunities for future collaboration and advocacy