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  

Feeling Lucky?

The District Architecture Center invites you to test your luck and join us for an evening of fun at our fundraising Casino Night! Each ticket includes $300,000 "DAC Bucks" for Blackjack, poker, and craps tables, hors d’oeuvres, and celebratory libations!

This evening also marks the official beginning of Architecture Month, a month-long citywide celebration of the buildings and spaces that shape our city, the creative minds who bring them to life, and the intriguing stories they tell.

The Leicester B. Holland Prize is an annual competition that recognizes the best single-sheet measured drawing of a historic building, structure or site prepared to the standards of the National Park Service's Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP). The sheet may be prepared for the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), or Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS). The prize is supported by the Paul Rudolph Trust, the American Institute of Architects, and the Library of Congress's Center for Architecture, Design, and Engineering. The prize honors Leicester B. Holland (1882-1952), FAIA, chairman of the AIA's Committee on Historic Buildings, head of the Fine Arts Division of the Library of Congress, first curator of the HABS collection, co-founder of the HABS program in the 1930s, and the first chair of the HABS Advisory Board.

The prize serves multiple purposes. It is intended to increase awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of historic sites, structures, and landscapes throughout the United States. Prize entries add to the permanent HABS, HAER, and HALS collection at the Library of Congress. The prize also honors the art of architectural delineation and composition in the tradition established by the Ecole des Beaux Arts. Beaux Arts methodology embraced the study and drawing of historic buildings as a crucial component of architectural education, providing an opportunity for young architects to gain an understanding of the principles of design and construction. Additionally, Beaux Arts Methodology was a means through which architects mined historic buildings for architectural motifs to be used in their restoration and new design projects.

By requiring only a single sheet, the competition challenges the delineator to capture the essence of the site through the presentation of key features that reflect its historic and its architectural, landscape architectural or engineering significance. The Holland Prize competition is open to all those interested, regardless of experience or professional background.

Awards

The winner will receive a $1,500 cash prize and a certificate of recognition. Preservation Architect, the online newsletter of the American Institute of Architects' Historic Resources Committee, will publish the winning drawing. Merit awards may also be given.

Eligibility

Participants

Anyone is eligible to compete in the Holland Prize competition except current HDP employees.

Project

The site selected for documentation must be appropriate for inclusion in the HABS/HAER/HALS Collection and can include buildings, structures, engineering and industrial sites, and landscapes. The site must either be previously unrecorded by HDP or have undergone substantial changes requiring an addendum to an existing survey.

Instructions

• Follow the HABS, HAER, or HALS guidelines for measured drawings and (if applicable) historical reports.
• Review the rating scale to see how each project is judged.
• Submit the Holland Prize entry form (pdf) by the deadline listed below. For student teams, the faculty sponsor will submit the form. The Holland Prize coordinator will verify the proposed site name and address after receiving the form.
• The prize coordinator will do up to two reviews of the draft documentation. The review deadline is listed below. The prize coordinator will provide the AutoCAD title block after reviewing at least one draft of the drawing. Draft historical reports may also be submitted for review.
• The Holland Prize coordinator will plot the finished sheet. If you want to plot the sheet yourself, or if you want to enter an ink-on-Mylar drawing, check with the coordinator for instructions before beginning your project.

How to approach composing a single-sheet drawing: The sheet should include those elements that best represent and/or convey what is significant about the site or structure from the standpoint of history and design. For HABS, the sheet can encompass numerous elements including, plan(s), elevation(s), section(s), site plan, and details such as typical windows and doors, architectural details and molding profiles, and construction elements. HAER drawings, in addition to the above, may also include process plan(s), and machinery sections and details. HALS drawings may include vegetation and circulation plans, and hardscape elements. A brief statement of significance is required to appear on the sheet in entries without an accompanying short-format historical report.

Submission Checklist

Note: Digital files (pdf, Microsoft Word) can be sent via email or on CD/DVD.

• Drawing:
  • High-quality pdf of the final sheet (24" x 36", ARCH D)
  • (Optional): Physical copy of the full-sized sheet (if agreed upon by the Holland Prize coordinator)
• Field notes: Original field sketches and/or field records for laser scanning & photogrammetry. Fold oversized pages to 8.5" x 11" size. Write the survey number on each page. Do not bind the field notes.
• Field photos (optional but recommended): Printed copies of field photos, to be included in the field records. Include the survey number on every photo/page.
• Historical report: Microsoft Word file (see templates)
• Signed Copyright Release Form (pdf), to confirm that you are donating your work to the HABS/HAER/HALS Collection. If you use a digital signature, send a pdf instead of a paper copy of the form.

Deadlines

• 1 August: Email deadline for submission of entry forms
• 1 September: Final date that HABS/HAER/HALS staff will review draft drawings and historical reports
• 1 August to 1 October: Completed entries accepted (postmark date)
• October: Jury meets
• Winter: Prize winner announced

The National Park Service's Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP), The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and the Association for Preservation Technology International (APT) announce the 2025 Charles E. Peterson Prize, which annually recognizes the best set of measured drawings prepared to HDP standards and donated to HDP by students.

The prize honors Charles E. Peterson, FAIA, one of the founders of the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), and is intended to increase awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of historic buildings, structures, and cultural landscapes throughout the United States while adding to the permanent HABS/HAER/HALS Collection of measured drawings at the Library of Congress. To date, more than 4,000 students from 75 colleges and universities have participated by completing more than 700 entries and more than 7,200 sheets of measured drawings. The students have worked alone and in groups, in required courses, electives, independent study and summer institutes. They have been, for the most part, architecture and landscape architecture students in addition to architectural history, interior design, and historic preservation majors.

Prizes

All prizes are awarded at the discretion of the jury. Prizes amounts are:

• First place: $10,000 and certificate
• Second place: $5,000 and certificate
• Third place: $3,000 and certificate
• Honorable mention: $1,000 and certificate

See the list of Peterson Prize winners.

Eligibility

Participants

Students of architecture or related fields with faculty sponsorship are eligible to compete for the Peterson Prize. Students may use financial support from a State Historic Preservation Office, foundation, local historical society or other similar source. Students must be enrolled in a degree program while working on their entry. National Park Service employees are not eligible to compete.

Projects

Sites selected for documentation must be appropriate for inclusions in the HABS/HAER/HALS Collection. Drawings must be of a building, structure, or cultural landscape not previously recorded in HABS/HAER/HALS measured drawings, or be of a site that has changed significantly since previous drawings were created. Federal mitigation projects and drawings created as part of an NPS contract are not eligible for the Peterson Prize. Name and location information should be verified with the Peterson Prize Coordinator before being inked or plotted.

Instructions

• Follow the HABS, HAER, or HALS guidelines for measured drawings and (if applicable) historical reports.
• Review the rating scale to see how each project is judged.
• The faculty sponsor must submit the Peterson Prize entry form (pdf) by the deadline listed below. The form must be received two weeks before the submission of the completed drawings. The Peterson Prize coordinator will verify the proposed site name and address after receiving the form.
• Students must create all of the drawings. Color may be used in drawings only with advance approval of the prize coordinator.
• Projects using CAD will be provided with an AutoCAD title block upon receipt of the entry form. Projects utilizing hand drawing should contact the prize coordinator for instructions.
• Students intending to utilize 3-D laser scanning and/or digital photogrammetry as part of their documentation process should contact the Peterson Prize Coordinator for guidance prior to commencement of the project.
• The Peterson Prize coordinator will plot the finished sheet set. If you want to plot the set yourself, or if you want to enter an ink-on-Mylar drawing, check with the coordinator for instructions before beginning your project.

Submission Checklist

• Drawings:
  • Physical copy of the full-sized sheet set
  • CAD (dwg) files of the sheet set with any supporting fonts, referenced (xref) files, and pen table (ctb) files. Each sheet should be set up as an individual CAD file.
  • (Optional): High-quality pdf of the final drawing set
• Field notes: Original field sketches and/or field records for laser scanning & photogrammetry. Fold oversized pages to 8.5" x 11" size. Do not bind the field notes. Label each page with the survey number.
• Field photos (optional but recommended): Printed copies of field photos, to be included in the field records. Include the survey number on every photo/page.
• Historical report: Microsoft Word file (see templates)
• Signed Copyright Release Form (pdf), to confirm donation of the work to the HABS/HAER/HALS Collection. The faculty sponsor may sign the form on behalf of the full team.
• Digital files (CAD, MS Word) can be sent via email, or on a USB drive or CD/DVD

Deadlines

• 1 June 2025 – Postmark deadline for submission of entry forms
• 30 June 2025 – Postmark deadline for submission of completed entries.
• August 2025 – Prize jury convenes and winners announced
• November 2025 – Awards ceremony at the Association for Preservation Technology International (APT) Annual Conference
• Winter 2025 – Information about the 2026 competition will be posted

Heritage Documentation Programs, in collaboration with the National Council for Preservation Education (NCPE), seeks applications from qualified students and recent graduates for 2025 summer employment.

Architectural Historian Interns

Architectural historian interns will assist in the documentation of historic sites, working closely with Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP) historians to undertake fieldwork and on-site analysis, research, and writing of historical reports to HDP standards. Interns will work with a team of architects or independently. The final documentation will be archived at in the HABS/HAER/HALS Collection at the Library of Congress.

The internships will begin in late May or early June 2025 and last for a period of 12 weeks. During this period, the interns will learn to conduct field analysis, research, and writing historical reports in conformance with HDP guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Architectural and Engineering Documentation. The internship term will be completed as a full-time position (40 hours per week) with work occurring primarily at the HDP office in Washington, DC.

Architect & Landscape Architect Interns

Architect and landscape architect interns will assist in the documentation of several historic sites and may travel to site locations (paid for by HDP) but will work in the HDP offices in Washington, DC. Interns will work closely with HDP historical architects to generate measured drawings from existing 3-D survey data. The final drawings will be archived in the HABS/HAER/HALS Collection at the Library of Congress. Depending on project schedules, opportunities may be available to assist HDP staff in collecting survey data using terrestrial laser scanners, photogrammetry, and hand measuring.

The internships will begin in late May or early June 2025 and last for a period of 12 weeks. During this period, the interns will learn to manipulate 3-D survey data and execute measured drawings in conformance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Architectural and Engineering Documentation. The internship term will be completed as a full-time position (40 hours per week) with work occurring primarily at the HDP office in Washington, DC.

Architect interns who successfully complete their internship may qualify for NCARB IDP credits.

All Interns

Visit PreserveNet's NCPE Internships page for additional details and instructions on how to apply.

To be eligible, applicants must be:

• Between 18 and 30 years old (or 35 if a veteran) when starting the internship.
• A college student enrolled in a degree-seeking program or a recent graduate (within the past 12 months at the time of application). Undergraduate applicants should have completed three years of an accredited program.
• A U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

A background security investigation will be required prior to the start date. All NCPE internships accrue 4 hours of PTO for every 80 hours worked.

Qualified NCPE interns who successfully complete their internships may count their position towards earning a Public Land Corps (PLC) Non-Competitive Hiring Authority certificate. Once earned, the PLC hiring authority certificate may be used to apply for eligible Federal temporary, term, or permanent positions. Visit the website listed above for details about this benefit. Successful completion of the internship does not guarantee Federal employment.

Positions are open only to United States citizens. Foreign citizens seeking summer employment may wish to look for opportunities via World Heritage USA.

How to Apply

• Deadline: March 3, 2025 (please note: many other NCPE summer internships have a different deadline)
• Submit your application via PreserveNet:
  • Architect/Landscape Architect Intern
  • Architectural Historian Intern
• Note: Applicants who wish to be considered for both Architect/Landscape Architect and Architectural Historian positions must submit two separate and complete applications.

April is Architecture Month!

Architecture Month is an annual series of public programs when tours, lectures, workshops, and parties will take place throughout the entire month of April and will highlight Washington's design culture for architecture enthusiasts of all ages.

Each day during Architecture Month, we will feature one project/building/site at a Building of the Day Tour. During these tours, representatives from the design team will showcase their project for members of the public.

We want to feature your projects, whether completed or under construction, as examples of the vibrant architectural scene in Washington! Please fill out this short form to submit your project to be featured during one of the daily public events that shine a spotlight on DC’s architectural culture.

Proposals are due by 5:00 pm on February 15, 2024. 

Submission Requirements:

• These tours are for the Public. While some technical language is fine, keep in mind that the primary audience for Architecture Month is design enthusiasts rather than professionals. Tours that require technical expertise or do not provide PPE when appropriate will not be considered.
   
• By submitting a tour application, you agree to have a member of your staff onsite during the tour to assist your tour guide and check people in. AIA|DC will provide you with a registration list ahead of time.
   
• Tour leaders are responsible for securing permission and access to the site for attendees. Please confirm availability with the tour site/owners before submitting a proposal. 

You are welcome to submit multiple tours for consideration. Please submit one proposal form for each presentation or tour.