Missed DesignDC: The New Historic Preservation? Catch up with on-demand courses!

“Preservation and progress aren’t just compatible, but integral to building stronger communities”

--National Trust for Historic Preservation

As the city and surrounding communities continue to reevaluate the use of and access to space in the built environment, architects and designers are at the forefront of fostering dynamic, equitable places where we live, work, and connect.

DesignDC’s Spring conference will focus on how architects work in historic buildings and neighborhoods in a way that promotes economic and social welfare for all residents, all with an eye on sustainability and resilience.

DesignDC is a hybrid experience for our members and design professionals throughout the region. Over two days of content, we will host a featured keynote speaker and a reception, followed by a day of virtual education with industry experts.

Schedule:

Day One - In Person 

5:30 – 6:00 pm: Welcome Reception

6:00 – 7:00 pm: Keynote Presentation

7:00 – 8:00 pm: Cocktail Reception & Networking

Day Two - Virtual

8:45 am: Opening Remarks by AIA|DC Executive Director Mary Fitch

9:00 – 10:00 am: Designing for Equitable Communities

10:15 – 11:15 am: Changing Neighborhoods with Historic Preservation

11:30 am – 12:30 pm: Past, Present, Future of Langston Terrace: A Dialogue and Vision for the Preservation and Evolution of a Groundbreaking Public Housing Community

1:00 – 2:00 pm: Windows Solutions for Historic Buildings — Presented by Pella Mid-Atlantic

2:15 – 3:15 pm: High Performance, Resilient Construction & Retrofits in Historic Buildings & Districts

3:30 – 4:30 pm: Connecting to the Community

Keynote Speaker:

Nakita Reed, AIA, CPHC, LEED AP BD+C, NOMA

Associate, Quinn Evans

Nakita Reed, AIA, is a true leader at the innovative intersection of historic preservation, sustainability, diversity, and community equity. Through her many volunteer contributions and mentoring initiatives, she has helped dismantle silos between those important topics while demonstrating their deep connections to race and gender. Her work has been critical in encouraging her peers to make a difference in the communities they serve.

“As one of the few licensed Black female architects in the country who is a trained historic preservationist, Nakita is a vocal proponent of sharing knowledge and paving a path for young women of color in the design profession,” wrote Saundra Little, FAIA, in a letter supporting Reed’s nomination for the Young Architects Award. “Her leadership around JEDI [Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion] items within the office has helped shape the way Quinn Evans discusses and engages with these issues both internally and externally.”

Reed is eager to share her wealth of knowledge and regularly does so through emerging media, particularly podcasts. She has been interviewed and featured on nearly 15 podcast episodes throughout her young career, discussing preservation and sustainability in a way that is accessible to the general public. In 2020, as social justice became a prominent topic throughout the U.S., Reed launched her own podcast, Tangible Remnants, to explore the connections between architecture, preservation, sustainability, and race and gender. The title acknowledges the power the built environment has to tell the story of our ancestors. Reed centers her interviews on women and people of color, voices that are often missing from mainstream conversations about the built environment.

Throughout her career, Reed has served on a wide array of professional boards, including the Baltimore Architecture Foundation, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Historically Black Colleges and University’s Cultural Heritage Stewardship Initiative Advisory Committee, and the Zero Net Carbon Collaboration for Existing and Historic Buildings. She is a vocal advocate to everyone she meets, whether they are fellow architects or preservationists, or homeowners or contractors. As a vital connector, her efforts have forged new relationships among design professionals and have equipped preservationists with a stronger understanding of the importance of sustainability.

Learn to think like an architect by learning the tools of the trade!

This Fall, The Washington Architectural Foundation continues its partnership with ArtReach GW to offer Tools of the Trade.

Classes will be held at ArtReach GW’s studio at THEARC on Wednesdays from 6:00-7:30pm, March 1st through April 26th.

This session is meant for youth in grades 3 - 8.

Learn to think like an architect by learning the tools of the trade! This class is a focus on residential architecture and an introduction to an architect's design process.  Participants will be able to learn the tools of the trade: drawing, photography, and model-building and will be challenged to think of what shelter may look like in their communities in the future.  Classes are taught by design professionals working in DC. Classes will be held at ArtReach GW’s studio at THEARC

This program is supported by:

This Spring, The Washington Architectural Foundation continues its partnership with ArtReach GW to offer Digital Design for Teens.

Classes will be held virtually in partnership with ArtReach GW on Wednesdays from 6:00-7:30pm, March 1st through April 26th.

This session is meant for youth ages 14 to 18.

Digital Design for Teens teaches valuable computer-aided design (CAD)  skills to high school students. Though many high-schools teach similar courses, the Washington Architectural Foundation and ArtReach GW team up to provide introductory education on digital drawing and 3D modeling for architectural, interior design, landscape architecture, civil and mechanical engineering purposes. Students will learn simple techniques they can practice outside of the classroom and apply for internships and educational opportunities. Digital Design for Teens is an excellent asset for any college applicant or job-seeker to have on their resume, and provides insight into the work involved in a modern design career.  Please note desktop computers and laptops are preferred. Tablets are acceptable but not preferred.

This program is supported by:

PURPOSE
The 2023 Unbuilt Washington Awards Program recognizes excellence in unbuilt projects both non-commissioned and commissioned projects. This competition is conducted by AIA|DC independently of other awards programs sponsored by the national American Institute of Architects and other AIA components.

Winners of this year’s competition will be exhibited on AIA|DC website.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Washington UNBUILT design Awards program has a unique role to play in supporting a vibrant intellectual discourse within the design community in the DC metro region. This program bridges the academic and professional communities by providing a forum for recognizing the contributions of both younger and established practitioners alike. Accordingly, the objective of the Awards program is to engage and recognize the broadest possible range of research, conceptual exploration and innovation in design thinking represented in the DC Metro region.

ELIGIBILITY
The program is open to all registered architects, landscape architects, planners, interior designers, associate architects and students in the Washington metropolitan area. The individual(s) submitting a given project must be (a) member(s) of the design team responsible for the work, though not necessarily the head of the team. Projects that have won this award in previous years are not eligible for resubmission.

SUBMISSION CATEGORIES
The awards program is divided into two categories:

Unbuilt Non-Commissioned Projects:
Work without a client commission; e.g. design competitions, student work, hypothetical projects and research-oriented projects.

Unbuilt Commissioned Projects:
Work commissioned by a client: Planning, public space, urban design, buildings, interiors, transportation infrastructure, monuments, public art, or any other project type. There are no typological or geographical restrictions. Projects must not have begun construction by the submission deadline.

Click here for full submission details and requirements.

PURPOSE

The Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and WASHINGTONIAN magazine Residential Design Awards Program recognizes excellence for distinctive residential projects regardless of size or classification.   Projects will be recognized for aesthetic quality, creative response to programmatic challenges, and integration of sustainable features. Public attention and acclaim will be focused on the winning submissions through coverage in the WASHINGTONIAN and ArchitectureDC magazines.  

ELIGIBILITY

The program is open to all registered architects. Projects must be executed residential works of architecture completed after January 1, 2018, and must be located within the Washington DC Standard Metropolitan Area (SMA) as defined below:

• The District of Columbia
• Maryland: Montgomery, Prince George’s, Frederick, Calvert, and Charles counties
• Virginia: Arlington, Clark, Fairfax, Fauquier, Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Warren and Loudon counties; the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Manassas Park
• West Virginia: Jefferson County

Projects outside the SMA also are eligible if they are second homes for owners whose primary residence is within the Washington, DC SMA.

Entries may be new construction, renovations, additions, or adaptive use and may be single family, multifamily, or mixed- use.  Mixed-use projects are eligible if a minor portion of the work is nonresidential, however they will be judged primarily on their residential quality. Specialized housing, for seniors, dormitories, and emergency shelters to be used after a natural disaster are also eligible.  Accommodation for universal design will be considered.  Projects that qualify for this program are eligible even if they have been submitted to or have won awards in other programs.
 

AWARDS

Submissions are considered in 5 distinct categories:

• General Category: “Award for Distinctive Residential Architecture” for most projects
• Small Projects:  For Distinctive Residential projects with budgets less than $300,000
• Kitchen/Bath:  For exceptional projects limited to kitchens or baths
• Details:  for exceptional details
• Multifamily Housing:  As defined by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), means a project which consists of not less than five (5) dwelling units on one (1) site, each such unit providing complete living facilities including provisions for cooking, eating, and sanitation within the unit and which is not now covered by a mortgage insured or held by the Secretary.

Projects may be submitted in one category only.

Projects will be considered on their own merits regardless of size, cost, or scope as well as on a sound comparative basis. The jury’s decisions will be final.

Click here for full submission details and requirements.

PURPOSE

The Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA|DC) Design Awards Program recognizes excellence in the categories of architecture, interior architecture, historic resources, and urban design/master planning. The program not only demonstrates the value of good design, but also illustrates the wide variety of services performed by architects. It is conducted independent of other awards programs sponsored by the Institute and other AIA components.

ELIGIBILITY

The program is open to all registered architects. The architect submitting a project must be a member though not necessarily the head of the design team responsible for it. Project eligibility depends on the status of the submitting architect as follows:

• Any registered architect who is a member (assigned or unassigned) of AIA|DC may submit any architecture, interior architecture, or historic resource project completed or urban design/master planning project initiated after January 1, 2018

• Any registered architect who is a member of another AIA chapter or who is not a member of the Institute may submit any architecture, interior architecture or historic resource project completed or urban design/master planning project initiated after January 1, 2018, located within Washington, DC.

For architecture, interior architecture, and historic resources, “completed” shall mean “substantially completed” as defined in standard AIA documents governing construction.

For urban design/master planning, “initiated” shall mean a completed or incomplete project, where a significant portion has been completed, implemented, or adopted by a local jurisdiction, authority, institution, or private client. Unimplemented urban design/master planning projects must have an actual, identifiable client and must not be academic projects or competitions.

If a project was given an Award or Jury Citation in the Architecture, Interior Architecture or Historic Resources categories in previous years, it is no longer eligible for a Chapter Design Award. If an Urban Design/Master Planning project was given an award in previous years, that project is no longer eligible to be considered in this or future awards programs. However, individual buildings in an urban design/master plan may be submitted under the architecture or historic resources category if not previously awarded as noted above.

If you have any questions about the eligibility requirements, please contact the AIA DC. AIA|DC shall have the sole authority to verify that eligibility requirements have been met.

JURY

Jennifer Yoos, FAIA, LEED AP 
Adam Yarinski FAIA
Michael Frederick, AIA
Amy Gilbertson FAIA
David Darling FAIA 

Click here for full submission details and requirements.

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 2023;
• or, a technical school or community college student who has completed high school and will transfer to a program in architecture in Fall 2023.

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 22nd.

Maryland-based artist Jack Hornady fuses two timeless subjects in his colorful paintings: architecture and automobiles. Drop by the District Architecture Center to meet Jack in person and discover more about his painting interests, process, and ambitions as he guides you through 21 dreamy scenes on view in Jack Hornady: Road Trip.

The galleries will be open 12pm–4pm. Registration suggested; walk-ins welcome.

This free program is presented in association with Jack Hornady: Road Trip, on view at the District Architecture Center through May 10, 2023.

You are cordially invited to join us for the Opening Night celebration of the annual Architecture & Design Film Festival: DC at the National Building Museum, presented with the Revada Foundation of the Logan Family

Schedule:

5-6pm: Arrival and check-in

valet, open bar, and gourmet snacks provided

6pm: Movie Screening, Alice Street

A moving documentary about the power of public art and a mural that brought together artists, community leaders and two neighborhoods in the fight to history, culture, and voice in the face of gentrification.

7:30-8pm: Panel Discussion

The film will be followed by a Q&A with the director Spencer Wilkinson and community organizer, Lailan Sandra Huen.

8-9:30pm: Celebratory Reception 

Open bar and food stations

About the Architecture & Design Film Festival: DC

The Architecture & Design Film Festival:DC (ADFF:DC) will return to the National Building Museum Thursday, January 26, through Sunday, January 29, 2023. ADFF:DC will showcase a diverse program of sixteen films that investigate design’s impact, environmentally and culturally, on the worlds of fashion, real estate, art, architecture, urban planning, and housing.

ADFF:DC Opening Night kicks off on Thursday, January 26, with Alice Street, a moving documentary about the power of public art and a mural that brought together artists, community leaders and two neighborhoods in the fight to protect history, culture and voice in the face of gentrification. After the film, Spencer Wilkinson, director of Alice Street, will be joined by, Lailan Sandra Huen, housing activist and educator shown in the film, and Elaine Asal, strategy director, Regional Consulting Practice Area Leader at Gensler, for a panel discussion moderated by Ryan Patterson, public art project manager at the Maryland State Arts Council. The evening will also feature an open bar, delicious hors d’oeuvres, and an opportunity to mingle following the screening of the film.

Friday and Saturday evening’s festivities begin with a Happy Hour, featuring vendors, Little Miner Taco, Don Ciccio & Figli, Other Half Brewing, and Silver Branch Brewing.

Friday evening includes a photography showcase featuring local artists, Ahmed Akari, Steven M. Cummings, and James Singewald, and multiple films exploring international design, the origins of redlining, and modern consequences of discriminatory urban design.

Saturday’s films highlight the exciting world of sustainable fashion. In addition to screenings, visitors can learn more about sustainable clothing at a panel discussion with industry leaders and pick up a one-of-a-kind piece from local vendors Tribute Collective, Bitter Grace or Illicit Rag Vintage at a pop-up market in the Great Hall.

The festival concludes on Sunday, January 29, with a celebration of D.C. culture and history featuring a Go-Go brunch with popular D.C. band TOB, a pop-up exhibition of photographer Dee Dwyer’s work documenting the people and culture of Southeast D.C., and a screening of the critically acclaimed documentary Barry Farm: Community, Land and Justice in Washington D.C. The film tells the story of the fight to protect the legacy of a cherished community that helped define D.C. culture. After the film, Samuel George and Sabiyha Prince, directors of Barry Farm, will be joined by Coleman Hall, community partner, and Dr. Greta Fuller, vice president of the DC Preservation League, for a panel discussion.

In this new forum under the Perspective series, AADU presents a conversation with Nero He, a Beijing-born educator, architectural designer, and digital artist. Nero leads his practice HeXagōn (分级研究所), which focuses on creating quasi-autonomous procedures and interfaces to re-see and upcycle architectural information and materiality through the non-human-centric perspective.

He used to work in different architecture firms with a focus on architectural installations and commercial collaborations. Currently, Nero is a visiting professor at Virginia Tech and taught studios and seminars at SCI-Arc.

Please join us for the panel discussion on Nero's design philosophy. The session will cover Nero's experience as a multidisciplinary educator, designer, and artist. Including his creative field of speculative design, where he addresses significant societal issues through the design process that blends the boundary of architecture with that of other disciplines and affects the traditional way of architecture education thinking. The panelist’s work, teaching ideas, and multidisciplinary commercial success will also be featured in this forum.

An art installation, “Bleu”, for the Adidas storefront. Studying material sampling to material behavior, this project discovers the possibility of architecture and commercial project collaboration. Credit to Nero He

A phygital fabrication to disassemble and reassemble the existing material, which challenges the fabrication workflow and standard—displayed in Yunnan Provincial Museum. Credit to Nero He

A game developed from a workshop sponsored by the City of Capri. Participants used digital simulacrum to observe and discover Capri’s Landscape, space, and cultural dynamics. Credit to Nero He

Presented by:

Nero He - lecturer

Shibei Huang - moderator

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the concepts of speculative design thinking, quasi-automavision, and phygital construction.
• Compare various roles of speculative design/quasi-automavision/phygital concept in its practice implementations in the field of installation design and digital art through the speaker's project examples. 
• Examine the demonstrated speculative design strategies and recognize the use of computer software as a design tool in the design process.
• Explore and discuss the possible applications of the speculative design approach in the architecture field and the cross-disciplinary collaboration opportunities between architecture design and digital art.