This meeting will take place virtually and the link to join can be found here: https://ayerssaintgross.zoom.us/j/91492989987?pwd=uq8aIqMTKl00NoVoa6suXdQthliOU8.1

AIA|DC’s Design Excellence Committee is hosting an exclusive tour of The Stacks, DC’s transformative 6-acre development that encompasses two city blocks adjacent to the Anacostia River and Audi Fields. The first phase of the two-million SF, mixed-use development consists of multi-family residential and retail uses, aiming to create a vibrant public realm and a sense of community. During this event, members of the project team will lead a walking tour of the multi-building development, with brief introductions to the Colette, Bryon, and Everly residential buildings, including a tour of one of the residential units. The tour will conclude at the shared rooftop amenity space for an insightful panel discussion led by the project team and moderated by Chloe Hiyu, AIA, followed by networking.

Development team: Akridge and National Real Estate Development. Architecture team: Gensler, Handel Architects, Morris Adjmi Architects, and Eric Colbert & Associates. Master planning + landscape architecture team: West 8 and Urban Matters, Lee and Associates, Inc.

Meeting instructions: 101 V Street SW, Washington, DC (Meet at the corner of V St SW and 1st St SW) at 1:00PM. The walking tour will begin promptly at 1:10PM and conclude with a panel discussion at 2:00, with light refreshments and networking after.

Presented by:

AIA-DC Design Excellence Committee

Panelists:

Andrei Pomomarev, Development Manager, Akridge

Andrei Ponomarev is a Development Manager at Akridge, a premier full-service real estate company based in Washington, DC. Holding a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University, Andrei brings extensive experience with complex projects, including the development and construction of The Stacks, successfully delivering more than 1,100 units in the development’s first phase of three multi-family buildings.

Robert Jaekel AIA, Southeast Residential Practice Area Leader, Gensler

Rob Jaekel, a registered architect, leads Gensler's residential practice from Philadelphia to Miami. He has designed and developed diverse projects, including high-rise multifamily towers, mixed-use developments, and senior living facilities. Rob's team at Gensler coordinated The Stacks' design and served as the architect for Everly, a new residential offering in the neighborhood.

Jeff Lee, FASLA, President, Lee and Associates, Inc.

Jeff Lee, FASLA, founding principal of Lee and Associates, Inc., specializes in planning, urban design, and landscape architecture. He is renowned for green infrastructure and sustainable city design. A University of Virginia graduate, he has served on design award juries and held leadership roles in ASLA. With over 35 years of experience, his projects span globally, enhancing public spaces. Lee has significantly contributed to Washington, DC's growth and renaissance.

Moderator
Chloe Hiyu, Senior Principal, HOK 

Chloe Hiyu, AIA, an architect and Senior Principal at HOK based in Washington, D.C., collaborates with private and institutional clients globally, guiding mixed-use development projects from entitlement to occupancy.  

Learning Objectives:

• Describe how the design of The Stacks, as a cohesive development, fosters community engagement and activates the public realm.
• Recall details of the project’s phasing and how it aligns with broader urban development goals for the area.
• Apply knowledge gained during the tour to evaluate other mixed-use urban projects in DC and elsewhere in terms of placemaking and livability.
• Summarize insights shared during the panel discussion regarding design decisions, challenges, and project outcomes.

Please join AIA COTEdc and ILFI for a construction tour of American University Meltzer Center and SCAN. This new center for athletics and wellness connects to the existing Bender Arena and is pursuing Net-Zero Energy certification. The tour will be led by project team members from Perkins Eastman.

The project aims to re-position and enhance the student life experience at American University. The Meltzer Center (sports complex for athletes and students) & SCAN (Wellness Program expansion & offices for faculty, staff and students) are all part of the vision created through the master planning process. The building intervention is carefully positioned to provide a pedestrian prioritized experience with new streetscapes, plazas, and gardens that will connect into the existing network of beautiful outdoor features of the campus and serve as the first project in the re-positioning of the “back of house” of the campus into the gateway and center of student life. 
The project seeks to provide new program to elevate the University Athletic Program performance and status within a moderate budget while also achieving the ambitious goal of Net Zero Energy certification to advance the University’s Net Zero Carbon priorities.

The project is under construction and slated to open in Fall 2025. Please bring PPE (boots, hard hat, eye protection, gloves). Limited quantities will be available on site and will be first-come, first-serve. 

Join us for drink and networking at Chef Geoff's after the tour!

Meeting location: Woods-Brown Amphitheater, next to Bender Arena. Bring PPE (boots, hard hat, eye protection, gloves). Site is accessible by N2, N4 busses or by paid parking at the Katzen Arts Center garage.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss the design, coordination, and stakeholder engagement process for creating a Net-Zero Energy building.
• Explain the advantages and technical challenges of co-locating PV panels on top of green roof.
• Realize the vision and impact of one building in re-positioning a campus as part of a larger masterplan.
• Identify design strategies for creating athletic and wellness space for both high-level student athletes and the general student body at the heart of a university campus.

Utrike Kaiser is an abstract oil painter based in Washington, DC, since 2010. Her recent works feature abstract, atmospheric landscapes with underlying narratives, created through textured, layered compositions on canvas with a glossy finish, inspired by the beauty of the sea and sky. Through her art, she captures reflections of nature and aims to transport viewers on a virtual journey.

OPEN JUNE 5, 5-7 PM TO TRADE | JUNE 6, 5 - 7 PM TO PUBLIC

EAC May Committee Meeting

Topic: Open Planning Meeting

Location: Virtual (Join at attendee link)

May Design Excellence Committee, Meeting, Tuesday May 13, from 6-7 PM at the office of Quinn Evans, 2101 L St NW Suite 950, Washington, DC 20037

During this meeting, Thomas Luebke, FAIA of the Commission of Fine Arts, will be giving a brief talk on the CFA’s work and the agency approval process in DC. Look out for individual invitations from Paperless Post.

Agenda: We will follow Mr. Luebke’s talk with a brief 15 min regular meeting to discuss DEC logistics, then will close with a tour of the Quinn Evans office and a group photo.

Please RSVP by emailing James Jesmer or Michael Day by EOD Friday. 

Join us for an evening of networking with industry professionals, Signature Sagamore Spirit cocktails, delicious appetizers, and learn more about Pella’s multifamily window and door offerings for Commercial projects.

The event will be held in the Tasting Room at Sagamore Distillery, just a short walk from one of our favorite multifamily projects, Rye House!

Join the AIA|DC Historic Resources Committee and the Asian American Designers Union (AADU) this May for a special Preservation Month panel discussion focused on the past, present, and future of Washington, DC’s Chinatown.

As one of the city’s most culturally rich and historically significant neighborhoods, Chinatown has long balanced the preservation of its architectural and cultural identity with the pressures of redevelopment and adaptive reuse. With recent conversations around the potential reimagining of the Capital One Arena, the area is once again at a pivotal crossroads.

This timely panel will feature voices from the Asian American community, alongside representatives from the DC Office of Planning, a local developer, and a design professional who has worked on key projects in the area. Together, they will share their experiences shaping the Chinatown we know today, discussing successes and challenges in maintaining the character of this core historic district amid new development.

We will also take a closer look at the neighborhood’s layered history - its origins, cultural evolution, and the importance of representation in preservation. Panelists will explore how public policy, community advocacy, and thoughtful design can support Chinatown’s cultural identity while ensuring a vibrant future.

Presented by: 

• Office of Planning – Steve Callcott
• Developer – Stephan Rodiger - Rift Valley Capitol
• Architect – Kevin Milstead -  Shalom Baranes
• Chinatown History – Richard Wong
• Chinatown Community - Ted Gong – 1882 Foundation
• Moderator – Rebecca Miller

Agenda:          

• 5          Introduction (Rebecca Miller)
• 5          Chinatown History (Richard Wong)
• 20        (4) Participants Briefing
• 45        Panel Discussion
• 15        Question & Answer

Self-Guided Tour: Follow on tour at 5:30. Modified digital tour offered with support from DC Preservation League

To complement the panel, attendees are invited to take a self-guided walking tour of Chinatown. A curated map and guide will highlight notable historic sites, examples of adaptive reuse, and current or upcoming development projects. This tour offers a chance to see firsthand how the District’s built environment reflects its ongoing story of transformation.

Learning Objectives: 

• Learn about the cultural and architectural history of DC's Chinatown.
• Identify principles of adaptive reuse and how they are applied to preserve cultural heritage in urban historic districts.
• Evaluate the role of zoning, regulations, and guidelines in shaping historic neighborhoods.
• Examine how architectural interventions in historic neighborhoods like Chinatown impact community and cultural continuity.
• Analyze examples of adaptive reuse within historically significant neighborhoods that accommodated growth and development while aligning with preservation best practice.

Sponsored by: 
 

SmithGroup