The Fellows Public Program Committee and the Emerging Architects Committee welcome Fellows, 2027 Nominated Fellows, Emerging Architects, and the AIA/DC community to gather for drinks and snacks at the rooftop terrace at Corgan Associates' new DC offices. A great opportunity to meet other architects in different phases of their careers and enjoy drinks, some games, and snacks.
 

As AI-assisted plan review tools move from pilot programs to everyday practice, architects and design professionals are left wondering: what do code officials actually think? This candid panel brings together building department officials and AI representatives from jurisdictions actively using AI in their plan review processes to share what's working, what isn't, and what design teams can do to submit better, faster-approved applications. From automating completeness checks to flagging code conflicts before a set ever reaches a reviewer's desk, the conversation goes beyond the promises of AI technology to get real-world insight from the people on the other side of the counter.

Janet Heit is Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Austin's Development Services Department, where she leads the customer experience team, permitting intake, and the finance division, managing a $100 million annual budget. Under her leadership, the department cut permitting intake turnaround from 5–7 days to just one day through process redesign, digital forms, and data-driven staffing strategy. She also led the first U.S. implementation of Archistar, an AI-assisted plan review compliance tool, realizing a 50% reduction in zoning review time while improving consistency and accuracy. She brings a rare mix of operational discipline and design thinking to modernizing government services through technology.

Learning objectives:

Learning objective 1: Identify the AI-assisted plan review tools currently in active use across participating jurisdictions and describe how they integrate into existing permitting workflows.

Learning objective 2: Evaluate how AI adoption in plan review affects project timelines, reviewer workload, and approval predictability and set realistic expectations when advising clients on permitting schedules.

Learning objective 3: Articulate the policy, equity, and accountability considerations that code officials weigh when implementing AI tools, informing architects' engagement in local advocacy and permitting reform efforts.

Learning objective 4: Discuss the advocacy and engagement strategies that drove each agency to begin implementing AI tools

This interactive session explores the art and practice of architectural stone masonry and its application in historic buildings throughout the DMV region. Project managers and skilled stone masons from Lorton Stone will introduce participants to the role of architectural stone in the built environment and discuss common repair techniques, including crack repairs, dutchman repairs, mortar repairs, and full stone replacement. Through examples of recent restoration projects, attendees will gain insight into the craftsmanship and expertise required to preserve historic masonry.

The program will then transition to a case study of the ongoing restoration of Baltimore City Hall, where architects, preservation professionals, and stone masons have collaborated for nearly a decade to restore the building's historic marble façade. The session concludes with a live stone carving demonstration, followed by an opportunity for attendees to try carving stone themselves using a pneumatic chisel under the guidance of experienced artisans.

Presented by: Christine Djuric (christine.djuric@baltimorecity.gov); Carmen Bouzas (carmen@lortonstone.com); Ivan Sierio (ivan@lortonstone.com)

Learning Objectives:

Learning objective 1: Describe common architectural stone repair techniques, including crack repairs, mortar repairs, dutchman repairs, and full stone replacement, and identify appropriate applications for each.

Learning objective 2: Evaluate how stone deterioration impacts façade performance, public safety, and preservation of historic structures.

Learning objective 3: Compare the advantages and limitations of various stone repair strategies and their effect on long-term building durability and maintenance.

Learning objective 4: Analyze the Baltimore City Hall restoration project to understand how preservation and repair decisions support building envelope performance, historical integrity, and occupant/public welfare.
 

Promotional flyer and graphics were designed and created by Barika Akdogan and the AIA|DC Women in Architecture & Design (WIA) Committee.

Professionals of all experience levels will engage in short, speed mentoring sessions with small groups of seasoned professionals and industry peers. Don't miss this unique opportunity to accelerate your career, gain fresh perspectives, and build lasting connections within the architecture and design community. Reserve your spot today!
 

Learning objective 1: Gain insights, advice, and industry knowledge in rapid, engaging sessions designed to maximize learning in a short amount of time.

Learning objective 2: Embrace fresh ideas, innovative approaches, and the latest trends shaping the future of architecture and design.

Learning objective 3: Expand your professional network by connecting with mentors and mentees from diverse backgrounds.

Learning objective 4: Summarize the best ways to engage with a mentor and develop a symbiotic relationship.

Special Instructions for Attendees/FAQs (if applicable):
Parking Garage will stay open until 9PM. Closest Metro Stations: Farragut West (Silver, Orange, Blue) and Farragut North (Red).

 

What makes a firm truly supportive of emerging professionals? Inspired by the Young Architects Forum’s Emerging Professional Friendly Firm Award program and toolkit, this panel discussion will explore how firms can create environments that support mentorship, professional growth, licensure progress, leadership development, workplace flexibility, and employee well-being, to name a few.

Bringing together firm leaders, hiring staff, and emerging professionals, the session will highlight real-world strategies and regional perspectives on fostering firm cultures that value transparency, inclusion, engagement, and long-term career development.

Attendees will leave with practical ideas and actionable takeaways tailored to their role, whether that means identifying ways to improve existing firm systems and culture, or understanding what to advocate for and negotiate when evaluating prospective employers and career opportunities.
 

Proposed Format:

90-minute session
60-minute moderated Storytelling + Panel discussion
30-minute audience Q&A
 

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the key elements of an emerging professional-friendly workplace.
2. Explain how supporting emerging professionals improves employee engagement, retention, and long-term firm success.
3. Compare approaches firms use to foster mentorship, professional growth, and inclusive workplace cultures.
4. Apply actionable strategies to strengthen workplace culture or make informed career decisions.

Presenters: Joe Taylor, Bonike Akinsanya, Aurora Smith, and Danielle McCormick

During this facility tour, participants will be introduced to the critical role that construction materials testing and inspection play in ensuring the quality, safety, durability, and long-term performance of building projects. Attendees will gain insight into the sampling procedures, laboratory testing methods, and field inspection services used to evaluate construction materials such as concrete, steel, masonry, roofing, soils, aggregates, and asphalt.
Intertek-PSI's experts will demonstrate how both destructive and non-destructive testing methods are used to verify material properties and compliance with project specifications, building codes, and industry standards. Participants will learn how testing and construction monitoring programs help identify potential defects and installation issues early in the construction process, reducing the risk of costly rework, project delays, premature material failures, and long-term maintenance concerns.

The tour will also highlight the importance of independent testing and inspection services in supporting quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and successful project outcomes from design through construction completion.

Agenda

10:00 – 10:30am:  Safety Video and Presentation of what Intertek offers

10:30am – 12:00pm:  Lab Tour

12:00 – 1:00pm:  Lunch

1:00 – 2:00pm:  Open discussion/Q&A

Learning objective 1:
Understand how construction materials testing contributes to the health, safety, and welfare of building occupants.

Learning objective 2:
Evaluate testing and inspection protocols used to verify compliance with building codes and project specifications.

Learning objective 3:
Identify material performance issues that can affect structural integrity, durability, and long-term building resilience.

Learning objective 4:
Apply lessons learned from laboratory and field testing to improve specification writing and construction administration practices.

Douglas Hanna has been with Intertek for 2 years and holds a FGIA - Fenestration Associate Professional Certificate as well.

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.