Please join the National Gallery of Art for the 74th A. W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts presented by Mabel O. Wilson. Cultural historian, architectural designer, and curator Mabel O. Wilson addresses the history of slavery and dispossession in US civic architecture in this four-part series.

Over four lectures, Wilson presents key themes and examines buildings, works of art, and other historical documents through the interplay of race and the construction of national identity. She brings together historical research on the United States’ early civic architecture, including Richmond’s Virginia State Capitol, the White House, and the design of Washington, DC. Her talks explore the complex dichotomy between the founding ideals of these institutions and the reality of their construction.

The Annual Fellows Celebration Dinner honors local Chapter Fellows, new and old, from the DMV including AIA|DC, AIA NOVA and AIA Potomac Valley. Along with the celebration of their achievements, this event is also a major fundraiser for the Fellows’ Endowment of the Washington Architectural Foundation’s Barbara G. Laurie Scholarship Program.  Awarded initially in the freshman year, the scholarship follows the student through a four-or-five-year degree as long as they remain in an architecture program in the United States and maintain a good grade point average.

Our scholarship was renamed in 2013 in memory of Barbara G. Laurie. Laurie, an architect who was devoted to the Washington Architectural Foundation and the community, was a partner of Devrouax + Purnell, a prominent architecture firm in DC. She was a founding member of the Organization of Black Designers and professor of architecture at Howard University.

2025 AIA|DC Fellows:

Lisa Cholmondeley, FAIA

Arathi Gowda, FAIA

Benjamin Kasdan, FAIA

Suzanne Klein, FAIA

Regal Leftwich, FAIA

Sponsors: 

Dinner Sponsor

• SOM 

Bar Sponsor(s)

• David and Patricia Haresign, FAIA, Bonstra | Haresign ARCHITECTS
• KTGY

Popover Sponsor

• MV+A Architects

Sponsorship/Ticket Levels:

Individual Tickets - $295

Photography Sponsorship Ticket - $750 (1 sponsorship available at this level)

• Preferred seating for 1 Guest
• Sponsor Professional Photography for the Event 

Popover Sponsorship Ticket - $750 (1 sponsorship available at this level)

• Preferred seating for 1 Guest
• Sponsor The Cosmos Cub Popovers at the Dinner 

Bar Sponsorship Tickets - $1,500

• Preferred seating for 2 Guests (Yourself and 1 additional guest)
• Company or Individual Name of Event Materials
• Hyperlink on Scholarship Webpage

Dinner Sponsorship Tickets - $4,000

• Preferred seating for 4 Guests (Yourself and 3 additional guests)
• Company or Individual Name of Event Materials
• Hyperlink on Scholarship Webpage

Please join the AIA I DC Fellows Public Programs Committee for our annual Winter Event. This year’s event will present the District of Columbia’s innovative and award-winning plan for Emergency Housing, a program that has become a national model.

In 2016, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a plan to replace the existing D.C. General Shelter with eight smaller facilities located in each Ward of the city, supporting the transition of families to subsidized housing. The success of this plan allowed the mayor to close the outdated D.C. General Shelter in 2018.

This innovative plan, led by the District’s Department of Human Services (DHS) engaged some of the city’s most talented Architecture firms to create safe, dignified, and well-designed shelter for families experiencing homelessness. Each program provides a rich array of support connections, including housing search, mental health & employment services, and meaningful activities for children; all with the goal of helping families quickly transition to permanent housing and stability.

Presenters: 
The panel discussion of this program includes the following speakers:

• Lisa Franklin Kelly, Program Director, DC Department of Human Services
• Ralph Cunningham FAIA, Principal, Cunningham Quill Architects, Architect of Ward 1, and Ward 7 Facilities
• Rachel Chung AIA, Principal, DLR Group, Architect of Ward 8 Facility
• John Burke AIA, Principal, Studio 27 Architects, Architect of Ward 6 Facility
• Megan Avery Bugbee, recent graduate of The University of Maryland School of Architecture, and author of an academic thesis on Emergency Family Housing

This annual program is intended to allow not only members of the College of Fellows, but all in our profession, industry, and community to come together, learn and foster relationships.

Agenda:

5:30-6:15 PM Fellows and Sponsors Reception

6:15 PM Welcome Remarks & Introduction

6:20-7:10 PM Program

7:10-7:25 PM Questions & Answers

7:30 PM Closing Remarks

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn the definitions of types of emergency shelters, including transitional facilities, in addition to subsidized housing.
• Attendees will learn how the design of emergency family housing can positively impact the physical and mental health of the occupants.
• Participants will learn how the design of transitional housing for families differs from adult-only and single-gender shelter housing.
• Attendees will understand how the model for decentralized emergency housing has been replicated in other locations, with discussion of the pros and cons of scaling.

Sponsor:

Quinn Evans

Topic: LA.IDEA Feb 2025 Mtg

Time: Feb 11, 2025 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84473269296?pwd=JuQYrxb7gw2cN41Y9tvrAEuxHLRwVz.1

Meeting ID: 844 7326 9296

Passcode: 420103

Join SEA-MW's SE3 (Structural Engineering Engagement and Equity) Committee for an engaging panel discussion on the book "Prospering In The U.S.: A Handbook For Immigrant Architects".  This book is a comprehensive resource that compiles essential insights and practical advice from twenty nine successful immigrant architects and designers from around the world. Covering topics from cultural acclimation to career development, this handbook serves as a road map in pursuing a thriving and inclusive career in the United States. We will be joined by three local authors & architects that contributed to this book.

Featured Speakers (and Co-Authors of this book):

Gozde Yildirim – Senior Design Professional at HOK

Gozde Yildirim, Assoc. AIA, LEED GA, M.Arch, MBA, earned her bachelor’s degree in architecture from Beykent University in Istanbul. After receiving a scholarship from Miami University, Ohio, she completed her master’s in architecture in 2015. Gozde began her career with the Turkish Ministry of Health’s Ikitelli Integrated Health Campus, Europe’s largest hospital, which inspired her to focus on healthcare architecture.

With eight years of experience, Gozde excels as a Senior Design Professional and BIM Coordinator at HOK, where she contributed to large-scale healthcare projects. Her dedication and expertise have earned her the titles of 2023 Healthcare Design Rising Star and 2024 Women in Healthcare Rising Star. Gozde is deeply committed to service, mentorship, and promoting equity in the industry. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Women in Healthcare Washington, D.C. Chapter and AIA|DC’s Equity Committee.

Mika Naraynsingh – Project Architect at Perkins&Will

Mika Naraynsingh is a Project Architect at Perkins&Will, with a passion for building enclosure and façade design. As a socially conscious professional, Mika has co-founded and served on various mentorship and diversity committees. She has taken leadership roles in AIA|DC as the Advocacy Chair for the Emerging Architects Committee and is the Past Chair for the Equity Committee by WIELD. In 2024 she joins AIA|DC’s Board of Directors as a Director-at-Large.

As a community focused architect, Mika is determined to build an equitable profession. She has spearheaded programs to keep women and minorities supported in the industry. She co-authored City Shapers: Stories of Immigrant Designers and has been featured in podcasts like Architectette and Architect My Life. For her advocacy efforts she has received the 2022 UNBUILT Washington Honor Award, 2023 Sho Ping Chin Women's Leadership Summit Grant and the 2023 AIA|DC Emerging Architect Award.

Saakshi Terway – Project Designer at Quinn Evans

Originally from New Delhi, Saakshi Terway, Assoc. AIA, LEED Green Associate, works as a Project Designer at Quinn Evans in Washington, DC. As a design professional, she has contributed to many federal, adaptive reuse, mixed-use, multi-family, and senior living projects. After working for two years in India, where she is a licensed architect, Saakshi graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a master’s degree in architecture and a certification in sustainable landscape design. Her interests lie in responsible and sustainable architecture that has a social impact on local and global communities.

Saakshi is a well published professional who also advocates for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion within the industry. Currently, she is serving as the DC Representative at AIA National Associates Committee, Advisory Board member for the Women’s Leadership Summit, and as the Secretary of the Immigrant Architects Coalition. She is also the founder of the “Inclusivity Student Scholarship” at UC, a recent recipient of the 2024 AIACA Norma Sklare Humanitarian Award, 2023 DCCEAS Young Architect Award, 2022 AIA|DC Emerging Architect’s Award and the 2022 Sho-Ping Chin WLS Grant.

This event is free and open to all, but spaces are limited! Due to security reasons, RSVP is required.

We encourage participants to read the book before the event, however you do not have to read the whole book to participate. All are welcome.

The book may be purchased directly from the publisher at: from https://www.immigrantarchitects.org/category/all-products.

Digital copies are also available on other platforms.

Registration closes on Monday, March 17th, 2025 at midnight. 

Schedule:

• 5:30pm to 6:00pm - Check-in and networking with light refreshments & snacks
• 6:00pm to 7:00pm - Panel Discussion with Q&A
• 7:00pm to 7:30pm - Closing and networking

What: Please join the COTEdc committee for our February committee meeting. We will discuss updates to our 2025 schedule of events, including progress on collaborations with other AIA|DC committees and industry peer groups. We will also be joined by this month’s Friend of the Committee, Heidi Sohng, Youth Programs Manager for the WAF. She will speak about some of the student outreach opportunities organized by the WAF and an April workshop event for middle and high school students at DAC titled Global Challenges: Sustainable Greenhouses. The workshop will address international changes to farming in the face of climate change and will include a design charrette.

If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Patrick and Miranda at the following emails so we can plan the head count: patrick.keeney@wsp.com and m.ford@perkinseastman-dc.com

When: Thursday, February 20^th 5:30-6:30pm.  Please be sure to arrive promptly by 5:30pm to allow the meeting to progress on time.

Where: Perkins Eastman – 1 Thomas Circle NW, Washington, DC 20005

Are you, or is someone you know, graduating from a DC-area high school and is your permanent residence in the District? The Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA|DC) and the Washington Architectural Foundation have jointly sponsored a scholarship for new architecture students since 1999. Awarded initially in the freshman year, the scholarship will follow you through your four-or-five-year degree as long as you remain in an architecture program anywhere in the United States and maintain a good grade point average.

Our scholarship was renamed in 2013 in memory of Barbara G. Laurie. Laurie, an architect who was devoted to the Washington Architectural Foundation and the community, was a partner of Devrouax + Purnell, a prominent architecture firm in DC. She was a founding member of the Organization of Black Designers and professor of architecture at Howard University.

Eligibility

All applicants must be residents of the District of Columbia and either:

• completing high school in a public, charter, or private school in the District or the surrounding region and entering a degree program at a school of architecture as a college freshman in Fall 2025;
• or, a technical school or community college student who has completed high school and will transfer to a program in architecture in Fall 2025.

Awards

One multi-year scholarship will be awarded annually. Each scholarship will be $5,000 per year to go toward tuition. If the student maintains a good grade point average and remains in the architecture program, the student will receive $5,000 each subsequent year until graduation or for five years, whichever comes first.

Selection

The Washington Architectural Foundation has the sole authority to grant the scholarship. Recipients are selected on the basis of a demonstrated interest in architecture, academic performance, extracurricular activities, drawing ability, and financial need. All selections are final. All applications and attachments become the property of AIA|DC and the Washington Architectural Foundation.

Apply today! The deadline is May 1st.

Sponsorship commitments are due by midnight on August 15th, 2025 

DesignDC 2025 

September 30th - October 2nd, 2025

DesignDC 2025 Sponsor Packages:

Annual Members Save 10% (inquire for discount codes)

• Opening Night Reception Table (Sept 30) ............................................................$2,500 (10 available)
  • 6 ft Table for the Opening Night Reception following the Opening Keynote on Sept 30.
  • 30-second video presentation played before the keynote
  • Logo on event page and in promotions
  • 2 Tickets to attend all 3 days events
  • Attendee list after the event
• Lunch Sponsor + Sole Exhibitor (Oct 1) ...............................................................$5,000 (1 available)
  • SOLE Exhibitor on Oct 1 – Double Table Space
  • Introduce Keynote Speaker on Day #1
  • Branding and 1-minute video played at lunch.
  • Welcome attendees during lunch
  • Full Page Ad in Nov/Dec DAC Member News
  • 8 weeks of banner ads in Newsflash, month of September and October.
  • Logo on event page and promotions
  • 4 Tickets to attend all 3 days events
  • Attendee list after the event
• Educational Session Sponsor (Oct 1).................................................................$1,000 (4 available)
  • Introduce speaker and sponsor one educational session on Oct 1.
  • Branding and 1-minute video played for sponsored session.
  • 1/2 page Ad in Nov/Dec Member News
  • Logo on event page and promotions
  • 1 Ticket for all 3 Days of event • Attendee list after the event
• Closing Day Keynote Sponsor (Oct 2)....................................................................$3,000 (1 available)
  • SOLE Exhibitor on Oct 2 – Double Table Space
  • Introduce Closing Day Keynote Speaker
  • Full Page Ad in Nov/Dec Member News
  • 4 weeks banner ad ins Newsflash, month of October
  • Logo on event page and promotions
  • 4 Tickets to attend all 3 days events • Attendee list after the event
• Closing Party Sponsor - Hosted at your showroom (Oct 2) ...................................... $7,000 (plus F+B)
  • Oct 2nd – Host Closing Night Party at sponsor’s showroom after Tours
  • Premium Brand Exposure on web and in announcements
  • 2 Full Page ads - Sept/Oct & Nov/Dec Newsletter
  • 6 months bi-weekly banner Ad in Newsflash
  • Logo on Event Page and promotions
  • 4 Tickets for all 3 days of event to network
  • Attendee list after the event
• Lunch with 10-12 Architects (Oct 2)...........................................$500 plus cost of lunch (10 available)
  • AIA|DC Promotes your lunch and secures 10 to 12 architects for you to host for lunch after the Closing Keynote Speaker. The chapter promotes lunch signups.
  • 1 Ticket for day #3 (Oct 2).
• DesignDC Event Website Sponsor ........................................................................$4,000 (1 available)
  • PREMIER Exposure and Brand on the DesignDC web pages
  • Branding on the Registration page and on DesignDC promotions
  • Exposure on DesignDC Social Media Pushes
  • 3 months banners on NewsFlash Enews. (Sept/Oct/Nov)
  • 2 Tickets to attend all 3 days of event
  • Attendee list after the event
• DesignDC Nametag Sponsor ................................................................................$1,500 (1 available)
  • Your Brand on Name Tags for all 3 days of the event
  • 1 Ticket for all 3 Days of event • Attendee list after the event
• DesignDC Pen Sponsor ..........................................................................................$500 (1 available)
  • Your Logo on Pens provided to attendees 

Join us for a DACkids workshop to redesign the White House! We start at the Octagon Museum, the oldest residence in DC, to get acquainted. Then we will walk around the block to The People’s House: A White House Experience, to learn about the history and architecture of the White House. Participants will do a scavenger hunt in the Oval Room! Participants will then return to the Octagon Museum to draw their own design of the White House. Finally we will construct the elevation of the White House and/or redesign the interior of the Oval Office.  

WHAT: DACkids Workshop: Redesign the White House 

WHERE:   Octagon Museum (1799 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC 20006) and 

 The People's House- A White House Experience (1700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 
Washington, D.C. 20006) 

WHEN: Saturday, March 1, 1 pm-4:30 pm

WHO: Children Grade 5 - Grade 8  

Maximum capacity:  12 participants