The Small Firm Exchange (SFx) seeks to advance the mutual interests of architects practicing in small firms. The group advocates for the value of small firms within the AIA and out in public. It also promotes business development, marketing and leadership development. AIA DC SFx focuses the national mission at a local scale, engaging and supporting small firms practicing in Washington DC.

Committee meetings take place virtually at 12:00pm on the third Tuesday of every month, and are free and open to all.

Please contact Andrea Lucas or Ron Schneck for the meeting Zoom link.

The Small Firm Exchange (SFx) seeks to advance the mutual interests of architects practicing in small firms. The group advocates for the value of small firms within the AIA and out in public. It also promotes business development, marketing and leadership development. AIA DC SFx focuses the national mission at a local scale, engaging and supporting small firms practicing in Washington DC.

Committee meetings take place virtually at 12:00pm on the third Tuesday of every month, and are free and open to all.

Please contact Andrea Lucas or Ron Schneck for the meeting Zoom link.

All current members and interested newcomers are encouraged to attend LA.IDEA committee meetings, these meetings are free and open to all. 

Properly managing the operations of an architectural design firm of any size is instrumental to its overall success. This panel discussion will explore the operational challenges and opportunities inherent to small, medium and large-sized firms. Panelists include representatives from three firms as well as a consultant specializing in the operations of today’s architecture firm.

Learning Objectives:

• At the end of this course, participants will be able to identify and define primary operational components of architectural firms.
• At the end of this course, participants will have a better understanding of the differences and similarities between how differently-sized architecture firms manage their overall operations.
• At the end of this course, participants will have a general idea of what software and services are available to assist any design firm.
• At the end of this course, participants will be able to better leverage their current operational systems and also know when and where to find additional resources.

Presented by:

Ron Schneck - Ron is principal of Square 134 Architects and co-chairs the AIA DC Small Firm Exchange.

Eileen Vitelli - Eileen is an Operations Consultant to interior design, architecture, & other creative firms. She focuses on internal firm operations, developing and documenting processes to ensure effective project management and successful team execution. She also supports business development, financial management, client relations, human resources, and staff onboarding. With over 20 years of interior design and project management experience, Eileen has worked in various sectors, including hospitality, retail, and residential, for firms of all sizes. Her specialty is working with small to mid-size businesses.

Jonathan Kuhn - Jonathan Kuhn has lived and worked in DC for over 25 years.  He has a wide range of experience in project type and styles, scale and clients. His practice was established in 2012 with a focus on residential design, both single-family and multi-family projects.  Building relationships with his clients and providing design excellence are points of focus for how he delivers engaging and thoughtful structures.

Benjamin Yonce - Benjamin is a Partner and Vice President of Operations at BKV Group in Washington, DC, and brings over 25 years of experience in the design and construction of large scale multifamily and hospitality work.  BKV Group is a holistic design firm providing a full complement of architecture, interior design, engineering, landscape architecture, and construction administration services.

Aneshia Hughes - Aneshia is recognized as the Manager of Operations at Perkins Eastman, a global design Architect firm that emphasizes human-centric architecture and design. With a history of positions in operations and office management, Aneshia brings a wealth of experience to her role, contributing to the firm's mission of collaborative and innovative solutions for staff.

Organized by:

AIA|DC Small Firm Exchange

AIA|DC Operations Professionals Peer Committee

Join representatives from the Washington Architectural Foundation and Capital Area Food Bank as we discuss CANstruction 2024!

CANstruction is a nationwide program that aims to raise awareness about hunger. In DC, CANstruction is organized by the Washington Architectural Foundation as a creative design-build competition that benefits the Capital Area Food Bank through donations of canned goods. Teams from architecture and design firms from Washington, DC use their skills to build sculptures out of cans of food which are displayed for a week in the Great Hall of the National Building Museum. The nutritious shelf-stable food is donated to the CAFB for distribution to those in need after the event.

This program is generously sponsored by BluEdge, Capital Area Food Bank, DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, Giant, National Building Museum, TW Perry, and Washington Architectural Foundation.

The rolling hills east of the Anacostia River, with a commanding view of the Washington skyline, have been settled for centuries. Anacostia, as the neighborhood in Southeast DC is known today, has seen dramatic change and stark contrasts—from the trading grounds of the indigenous Nacotchtank to a Whites-only planned suburb called “Uniontown” to a predominantly Black enclave. Famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass, known as the “Sage of Anacostia,” spent the last 18 years of his life on his Anacostia estate, Cedar Hill. Douglass died in the home in 1895, and the house is now a free museum operated by the National Park Service (where our tour concludes). Anacostia gained infamy as the escape route of John Wilkes Booth, who fled down Good Hope Road after murdering President Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre in 1865. The waterfront served as protest grounds for WWI veterans during the Great Depression, who demanded the government pay they had been promised, and were then violently expelled by fellow U.S. troops led by General Douglas MacArthur. Today, the neighborhood endures as a modern testament to the resilience of the city’s Black community.

This walking tour is packed with historical buildings and fascinating anecdotes. From the Anacostia Arts Center’s former life as a 1937 Woolworth store to the 19-foot-tall chair on V Street SE, Anacostia’s fascinating and diverse architecture encapsulates the many identities this area has held. Today, new planned development and local investment in historic preservation are rapidly changing the character of this ever-shifting neighborhood.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the indigenous group that lived on the banks of the Anacostia prior to colonization
• Discuss Frederick Douglass's life and home in Anacostia
• Understand the history and previous life of the Anacostia Arts Center
• Discuss the dramatic changes and stark contrasts that have contributed to the complex history of this area

What to Bring
Sturdy walking shoes, bottled water and comfortable clothes are recommended!

In partnership with DC Design Tours

Architecture Uncensored is an annual series organized by the AIA|DC Emerging Architects Committee that discusses challenging topics within our profession. This event encourages interactive and lively conversations between emerging professionals and firm leaders as we dive into questions we often find challenging to discuss in our offices.
Part 1 of our series will focus on how emerging professionals can find their value in the early stages of their careers and the current state of our market. In this challenging economic climate, emerging professionals are looking to understand how they can negotiate for themselves, find supportive mentors, and be intentional with their work-life balance to manage burnout. Panelists representing a range of leadership, experience, firm size, project type, and daily practice will discuss how emerging professionals can advocate for and understand their value in a difficult market.

Learning Objectives:

• After attending this program, participants will be able to explore their passions with an understanding of how they can be better supported by leadership in the profession.
• After attending this program, participants will be able to identify how they can find their value in the early stages of their careers and the current state of our market.
• After attending this program, participants will be able to identify valuable and supportive mentors who can guide them throughout their career.
• After attending this program, participants will be able to apply professional relationships to promote a positive firm culture and work-life balance.

Moderator:

Amber Robbs, AIA, NCARB, LEED GA

Gensler Associate

Panelists:

Sarah Wingo, AIA, NCIDQ, NCARB
Wyn Design Co. Partner and Founding Principal, George Washington University Corcoran School of the Arts & Design Adjunct ProfessorAmy Carter, IIDA - OTJ Studio Director and Senior Principal

JJ Rivers, AIA
Gensler Studio Director and Principal

Amy Carter, IIDA
OTJ Studio Director and Senior Principal

Ahmed Kurtom
Design Force President and Founder

Please join us for COTEdc’s May committee meeting, hosted by Arup at their newly refreshed office!  Linda Toth from Arup speak with us as our May “Friend of the Committee”, offering her perspectives serving on DC’s Green Building Advisory Council.  In addition, if you are interested in the intersection between advocacy and sustainability, representatives from the Advocacy Committee will be joining us to discuss potential overlaps with our COTEdc committee.  We will also discuss the planning of forthcoming COTEdc events.

The presentation will explain what foundation waterproofing is and why it is utilized. The presenter will primarily address the challenges of pre-applied waterproofing and identify some issues that have been seen to contribute to jobsite failures.

Critical performance attributes of a pre-applied waterproofing system will be identified for consideration and to help ensure a successful, leak free waterproofing system design. Namely, the importance of long-term bond to concrete and lateral water migration resistance will be discussed and the benefits of both attributes will be explained.

The presenter will share knowledge gained from more than 50 years of waterproofing product development and the technical issues that were addressed in the development process. Finally, important pre-applied waterproofing detail and installation issues will be introduced and discussed.

The intent of the presentation is to educate about foundation waterproofing and enable the specifier to understand the critical performance attributes that will contribute to a leak free design.

Learning Objectives:

• Detail the ways in which below grade waterproofing is critical to the long term performance of a structure
• Assess project and site specific considerations for inclusion in the design and specification of below grade waterproofing systems
• Identify the key differences between common waterproofing systems, including pre applied and post applied technologies
• Better manage risk through the development of comprehensive below grade waterproofing specifications ( i.e. substrate considerations, QA/QC, detailing, etc.)

Presented by:

Warren Burns

Warren graduated from Old Dominion University with a BS in Civil Engineering Technology way back in the early 90’s. Since then, Warren has held a number of different positions in the construction industry including ready mixed concrete, concrete marketing & promotion, admixture manufacturer-engineering services, and building envelope sales. Warren worked with Grace Construction Products for 10 years earlier in his career and has recently rejoined the company as a member of their Building Envelope team as a commercial territory manager in DC, MD, VA, and WV. Warren is responsible for working with and supporting the A&E community, installers/applicators, and distributors.

Organized by:

GCP

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, 2019, 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.