For those interested in applying to the 2024 class of the Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program (CKLDP), there will be an "Applications 101" information session hosted via Zoom.

This interactive Q&A event will be hosted by members of the CKLDP Advisory Committee and provides potential program scholars with an opportunity to ask questions and receive helpful hints about what to include – or not – in their program applications.

Interested candidates are encouraged to attend this event, but attendance is NOT mandatory in order to apply to CKLDP. We look forward to having you join us!

Organized by:

CKLDP Advisory Committee

Montgomery Planning is pleased to request nominations for an individual to participate on the Design Advisory Panel (DAP) for the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan area. The goal of the DAP is to review new projects in Downtown Bethesda and offer advisory comments that will heighten design excellence by improving the quality of architecture, landscape, and public space, guided by the approved Bethesda Downtown Plan Design Guidelines.

The DAP currently has one opening for a registered architect representing academia and we are inviting nominations to be considered for this position. Staff will review the applications and present a recommendation to the Planning Board by the end of the year. Letters of interest should include a brief resume. We ask that nominees submit through email to Grace Bogdan, Bethesda DAP Coordinator, grace.bogdan@montgomeryplanning.org, by Friday, November 10, 2023.

The DAP meets the 4th Wednesday of every month, currently in a hybrid of virtually and in-person at our offices in Downtown Wheaton. Meetings last at most three hours and project materials are provided a week in advance of each meeting. Click here for more information about the DAP, including video of recent meetings and the rules of procedure.

Come shape the future of the AIA|DC’s Committee on the Environment (COTE)! Following a hiatus during Covid, the COTEdc group is working to reorganize with educational and networking events beginning in 2024. This event is an informal meet-up to hear what COTEdc has been up to, and to solicit participation and ideas from members. We are hoping to hear what type of events you’d like to see in 2024. Please join if you are interested in participating in the committee! Thank you to our sponsor, Steelcase, for graciously sponsoring food and drinks for this event!

Doors Open — 5:30pm

Program Begins — 6:00pm

   Join Capital Area CRAN for our annual holiday party!

Our previous SFx event focused on the opportunities for Artificial Intelligence in Small Firms. The final SFx event of the year shifts its focus to the value of Human Intelligence in improving our design process and results. Understanding human behavior and cognition is a major value-add to design, orienting design-thinking to the realities of the people who experience design. Research in the field has exploded in the last 15 years and is in use at an expanding list of firms in the U.S. and abroad.

Likewise, there are ways of harvesting deeper insights into the needs, feelings, and aspirations of those we design for, capitalizing them pragmatically, incorporating them into design. In the process, there is the potential to increase client satisfaction, reduce design and design-revision hours, get faster design approvals from clients, increase repeat business, and, along the way, improve employee morale and profits.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand aspects of human behavior and cognition to improve the design process

• Explore current research about behavioral science and relationship to architecture

• Hear about ways to improve client satisfaction and reduce design revisions

• Improve team and employee morale, as well as project profitability

Presented by:

Milton Shinberg, AIA

Shinberg has investigated and brought to his own practice and teaching insights into architectural perception and cognition that are actionable in design since 1980. He lectures extensively, at AIA conferences and other national and international venues. He is progressing toward publication of a book on the subject. He is currently a Principal Emeritus with Shinberg.Levinas Architects. He is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Architecture & Planning, Catholic University of America and an advisory council member of the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture.

Organized by:

AIA|DC Small Firm Exchange

Sponsored by: 

Actalent

INTRODUCING: THE OTJ LICENSURE SCHOLARSHIP FOR BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN ARCHITECTS & INTERIOR DESIGNERS

About OTJ Architects

OTJ Architects is a premier architecture and design practice that partners with leading organizations at key moments of transition in their development. With offices nationwide, OTJ delivers enduring human centric solutions that promote diversity, wellness, and sustainability across the commercial real estate, corporate, government, science and technology, multifamily, arts, culture, and education, as well as nonprofit sectors.  Signature recent projects include workplaces for Adobe, BMW, PBS, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and Yelp; the renovations of the iconic Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, New York’s Webster Hall, and the Cincinnati Music Hall; laboratories for Dyno Therapeutics and Agios Pharmaceuticals; as well as the Visitation commercial mixed-use development in historic Frederick, MD. For more information, please visit otj.com.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access

OTJ believes that the future of our industry must be defined by measurable, time-bound action towards greater diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. The confluence of diverse backgrounds in the workplace sparks creativity, drives innovation, and empowers us all to rise above assumptions and stereotypes.  Achieving licensure in the fields of architecture or interior design represents the culmination of an educational journey unique to our profession. Licensure is also a vital avenue in the development of the next generation of design talent.   Black/African American professionals, however, face unique challenges on this path. Statistics are sobering.

Statistical Data from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB):

• In 2022, Black/African Americans accounted for 6.1% of the candidates taking the ARE exam.
• In 2022, Black/African Americans accounted for 3% of the candidates passing the ARE exam.
• In 2022, Black/African Americans make up 1.8% of the NCARB licensed certificate holders.

Statistical Data from the National Council of Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ):

• In 2020, Black/African Americans comprised 0.97% of the NCIDQ licensed certificate holders.  

It is also recorded that Black/African American candidates spend more on test taking and study materials on average.   

Scholarship Overview  

To help the most underrepresented racial group in our field, we are pleased to introduce the OTJ Licensure Scholarship for Black/African American Architects and Interior Designers. This scholarship provides funds and supporting materials for the pursuit of licensure by Blacks/African Americans in the architecture and interior design industry.

Two (2) scholarships are available each calendar year to offset the exam fees for the three (3) sections of the NCIDQ exam or the six (6) divisions of the NCARB (ARE) examination.   Please note that the scholarships do not include application fees or other ancillary expenses.

One (1) architectural recipient of the scholarship will be awarded:

• The annual cost for the six (6) ARE divisions within one given year
• Access to the online study guide Amber Book
• PPI exam prep materials for the ARE examination

One (1) interior design recipient of the scholarship will receive: 

• The one-time cost for three (3) sections of the NCIDQ examination
• Access to the online study guide Q-Practice
• PPI exam prep materials for the NCIDQ examination

Eligibility Requirements  

Candidates must be Black/African American citizens of the United States and either an architecture or interior design school graduate.  The college or university is not required to be NAAB or CIDA accredited institution. Applicants must hold an active National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) record to take the Architect Registration Exam (ARE) or an active National Certified Interior Design Qualification record holder to take the (NCIDQ) examination.

Application Process and Evaluation Criteria

Applicants should submit a 250-word essay that describes the personal relevance of becoming a Registered Architect or Certified Interior Designer. Award recipients will be selected based on the clarity of ideas expressed as well as their demonstrated commitment to our industry and their own professional growth within it (through activities, volunteerism, membership in professional organizations, etc.). Essay must be clearly accompanied by applicant’s contact information, including telephone number as well as email and mailing addresses. 

Deadlines

Candidates for Architect

• Application opens September 1, 2023
• Submission deadline December 1, 2023
• Recipients announced January 1, 2024

Candidates for Interior Designer

• Application opens August 1, 2023
• Submission deadline December 1, 2023
• Recipients announced January 1, 2024

Join us to discover the Goding Elementary School Modernization Project, where architectural improvements takes center stage. Join us for a captivating tour showcasing a 7,107 SF addition, revitalized interiors, redesigned outdoor spaces, enhanced exteriors with stunning glazing, and a rooftop terrace that serves as both a scenic retreat and an outdoor classroom.

This is your opportunity to witness the future of educational design come to life. Gain valuable insights from acclaimed architect Salo Levinas, a recipient of multiple awards from the American Institute of Architects. Prepare to be inspired as we explore the transformation of Goding Elementary School.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will explore architect Salo Levinas' impact on the project and his approach to educational design excellence, encompassing urban planning, urban ecology, master planning, building design, site design, interiors, and safety

• Participants will analyze preservation considerations, reuse, and adaptation aspects relevant to the modernization of Goding Elementary School.

• Participants will identify and describe key architectural features within the Goding Elementary School Modernization project, with a focus on structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, communications, security, and fire protection systems.

• Participants will identify the materials and methods employed in the Goding Elementary School Modernization project, encompassing construction systems, products, finishes, furnishings, and their role in achieving project goals

Presented by:

Salo Levinas

Salo Levinas is an internationally recognized architect known for his distinguished contemporary designs. His work brings fresh and innovative approaches to challenges presented by a broad array of institutional, commercial, and residential clients. Levinas’ work has received multiple awards from the American Institute of Architects and other organizations, which highlight Salo’s design talents in educational, institutional, commercial, sacred, and residential architecture. In addition, his projects have appeared and been reviewed in broad circulation publications including The Washington Post, The New York Times, Interior Design Magazine, Home & Design Magazine, ArchitectureDC Magazine, and a number of international books and online magazines.

Organized by:

AIA|DC LA.IDEA Committee

Sponsored by:

Porcelanosa

AFG Group Inc

KGD Architecture

Shinberg.Levinas Architects

Join the AIA|DC Urban Design Committee for our 2023 Open House Series at leading design firms in DC as they showcase projects currently in planning, design, or construction phases.

With staff hailing from around the world and representing a broad range of talents and perspectives, the Perkins Eastman Washington, D.C. studio reflects the rich diversity found in the U.S. capital. Champions of engagement inside and outside of the firm, our D.C. team is committed to staying creative and connected with its community.

Established in 2005, the D.C. studio is committed to designing throughout the Washington Metropolitan area, with projects throughout Virginia, Maryland, and DC. We also collaborate with teams and clients around the globe, leveraging decades of experience and talents in more than 10 robust practice areas.

A vanguard in the implementation of advanced technologies and sustainability, the studio strives to create high-performance environments. From interior renovations to educational buildings, housing and community centers to large scale mixed-use projects, our D.C. team proudly carries forward inventive designs that enhance the human experience.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore how design strategies can be utilized to strengthen connections with local communities at the intersection of Architecture & Urban Design.
• Explore various urban design and architectural projects that are transforming the district and other cities around the world.
• Identify strategies for incorporating technology and best practices of design into design projects.
• Discuss how Architecture & Urban Design interact with and contribute to the theme of “Smart Cities”.

Sponsored by:

Join the AIA|DC Urban Design Committee for our 2023 Open House Series at leading design firms in DC as they showcase projects currently in planning, design, or construction phases.

Hickok Cole is a forward-focused design practice. We connect bold ideas, diverse expertise, and partners with vision to do work that matters. For 35 years, we’ve worked hard to design projects that inspire change and leave a positive impact, bringing the best of our creativity and expertise to every opportunity across our diverse architecture, interior design, and creative branding practice. From landmark projects to conceptual explorations, we’re at our best working as part of a team pushing the boundaries of design. These collaborations have resulted in 300+ design and industry awards, record-breaking real estate transactions, and the first mass timber and net zero renovations in the Mid-Atlantic.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore how design strategies can be utilized to strengthen connections with local communities at the intersection of Architecture & Urban Design
• Discuss how Architecture & Urban Design interact with and contribute to the theme of “Smart Cities”
• Identify strategies for incorporating technology and best practices of design into design projects
• Explore various urban design and architectural projects that are transforming the district and other cities around the world.

Sponsored by:

Join us to celebrate the opening of our latest exhibition, Architecture as Freedom.

Architecture as Freedom features the design of five regional offices across rural Bangladesh constructed for BRAC, the world’s largest non-governmental development organization.

A broader philosophical motivation undergirded the design: How do we create buildings that offer its primary clients—poor rural communities who come to BRAC offices to receive different services—an experience of hope and freedom? These projects highlight architecture’s ability to play transformative roles in spatializing freedom by ensuring people’s unobstructed accessibility and movement, thermal and social comfort, and by creating spaces where their ability to co-design development solutions is enhanced.

About BRAC

The Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) was founded in 1972. This organization seeks to create a “world free from all forms of exploitation and discrimination where everyone has the opportunity to realize their potential.” This globally known organization works in 11 countries, including Bangladesh, to eliminate extreme poverty and empower people with financial mobility and capacity building.

Acknowledgments

Architecture as Freedom is organized by The Catholic University of America School of Architecture and Planning with the Centre for Inclusive Architecture and Urbanism (Ci+AU) at BRAC University in cooperation with the District Architecture Center for the SIGAL Gallery.

Curator: Adnan Z Morshed, PhD
Co-curators: Md. Faysal Kabir and S.M. Shafaiet Mahmud
Research Assistants: Esrat Jahan Onty, Adnan Sakib, Juliana Dimeglio, Brad Tigges, Tawsif Munawar, and Sadia Ishtiaque, Juliana Keagle, MaryJane Hughes, Melissa Kazanci, Noshin Tasfia Proma, Matthew Zernis, Juan Soto, Braden Gilmore

_{Photo Credit
Roofscape, BRAC office, Jhikargacha, Jashore / Photo © Asif Salman}