Registration Deadline: Midnight July 7th, 2025. 

Canstruction 2025 will take place at the National Building Museum Sunday, November 23rd, 2025 to Monday, December 1st, 2025.

About Canstruction: 

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 Capital Area Food Bank, DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, Giant, National Building Museum, and Washington Architectural Foundation.
 

Join representatives from the Washington Architectural Foundation and Capital Area Food Bank as we discuss Canstruction 2025!

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.

Come join us to celebrate the opening of our latest exhibition, My Ly Design: The Architecture of Art, and the end of Architecture Month 2025!

This exhibition explores the transformative power of placemaking art, inviting viewers to engage with the spaces that shape our communities. With a deep-rooted passion for urbanism and sustainable environments, My Ly approaches each project as an opportunity to create unique and meaningful connections through design. This exhibition showcases her ability to craft spaces that not only serve a function but also foster a sense of vitality, belonging and identity.

Drawing from her extensive background in architecture, urban design, and art, My's work blends creative vision a strong focus on community engagement. Her projects, both large and small, emphasize the importance of collaboration and inclusive design in shaping vibrant public and private spaces. As an award-winning designer, My's work in placemaking has been recognized for its ability to transform environments into active, living art.

Through this exhibition, My Ly Design invites viewers to reflect on public space and how creative design can impact social dynamics and cultural identity in the built environment.

Drinks and light hors d’oeuvres will be served.

How can architecture lead the way to foster a more resilient city—and planet—during uncertain environmental and socioeconomic times?

As the world confronts the challenges of climate change, environmental degradation, and societal upheaval, DC’s architecture and design practitioners continue to evolve. DesignDC will showcase innovative solutions to shape the built environment in a way that is sustainable and forward-thinking. 

During this conference, design professionals across the industry will explore new approaches and existing best practices that highlight responsive design strategies and the integration of green technologies into architecture.

Sessions and tours will address:

• Tips and tricks to start building a resilience practice
• Resilient design and adaptability in a volatile environmental and socioeconomic climate
• Sustainable materials and energy-efficient design

Agenda: 
September 30, 5:00 – 8:00pm:  Opening Keynote and Reception
October 1, 8:30am – 5:00pm: Education Sessions + Closing Keynote (7.0 HSW|LUs for sessions on this day)
October 2, 2:00 – 4:00pm: Offsite Tours 

Keynote and educational sessions will take place at the District Architecture Center, 421 7th St NW.
Details below.

September 30: Opening Keynote - 2.0 HSW|LUs
The People’s Architecture: Collaborators, Communities and Champions  
Carol Ross Barney, FAIA

Public spaces and places are vital components of our infrastructure, contributing to the livability of our cities. They reflect our history, values, and aspirations for the future, serving as communal areas where culture and diverse backgrounds converge, while also celebrating our shared principles. Thoughtful design unlocks the potential of public places and spaces, with architects playing a key role in fostering community and driving progress. Design is our super power. 

This lecture explores the crucial importance of collaboration—highlighting the communities and advocates whose support is essential for achieving outstanding public spaces and places.

Exceptional public areas cultivate community bonds, embrace diversity, and inspire unity through shared culture and core values. To attain design excellence in public projects, strong advocates from clients, users, and design teams are essential.

The People’s Architecture needs champions to create diverse, memorable and intriguing spaces and places for all.

October 1: Education Sessions + Closing Keynote - 7.0 HSW|LUs

8:30 - 9:00am: Doors Open + Check-in

9:00am - 10:00am: Designing Low-Carbon Buildings

10:00am - 11:00am: Sustainability and Liability: Legal Issues and Best Practices

11:00am - 12:00pm: From Scarcity to Strategy: Regenerative Planning in Uncertain Times

1:00pm - 2:00pm: The Value-Inclusive Design Model: A Pathway to Sustainable, Culturally Responsive, and Community-Driven Material Commons

2:00pm - 3:00pm: Circular by Design: A New Approach to Materials

3:00pm - 4:00pm: The Greenest Building: The Black Magic of Adaptive Reuse and Modernizing Existing Buildings

4:00pm - 5:00pm: Closing Keynote
People-Centered Architecture
Milton Shinberg, AIA

Milton Shinberg is a long-time Washington architect who has served as an adjunct professor in the Catholic University of America’s School of Architecture & Planning for nearly 50 years. He was awarded the Washington Architectural Foundation’s Architect Educator Award in 2021 and Catholic’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 2023. Formerly Founding Principal with Salo Levinas at Shinberg Levinas Architects, Milton is now Principal Emeritus. The firm’s work for educational, religious and residential projects, has garnered many design awards and has been featured in a wide array of publications and international firm profiles.

Drawing on insights from practice and teaching, Shinberg wrote People-Centered Architecture: Design, Practice, Education, published this year by Wiley. It integrates the sciences of people into design thinking and the realities of practice and, in parallel, harvests architectural wisdom from non-architects. He has lectured on those topics extensively in the U.S. and internationally.

Milton is on the Advisory Councils of the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture, based at the Salk Institute, and the International Arts+Mind Lab, based at Johns Hopkins University.

October 2, 2:00 – 4:00pm: Offsite Tours
Space is limited. Tours are open for DesignDC 2025 registrants. Additional registration required within main registration portal. 

Vital Voices: Rooted in History + Designed for a Sustainable Future - 2.0 HSW|LUs 

Construction Tour: Artful Resiliency at the Hirshhorn Museum Sculpture Garden - 2.0 HSW|LUs 

Stead Park Recreation Center: DC’s First Net-Zero Energy Community Center - 2.0 HSW|LUs

600 Fifth - Excellence through Reuse - 2.0 HSW|LUs

Mass Timber: Sycamore and Oak Retail Village - 2.0 HSW|LUs

Sponsors:

DesignDC Opening Night Reception Table Sponsor: Porcelanosa Group

DesignDC Opening Night Reception Table Sponsor: Sierra Pacific Windows

DesignDC Closing Day Keynote Sponsor: Baltimore/ Washington Brick Council

DesignDC Reception/Tabletop Sponsor: Centria 

DesignDC Reception/Tabletop Sponsor: District Survey

DesignDC Reception/Tabletop Sponsor: Extron

DesignDC Reception/Tabletop Sponsor: Longboard Architectural Products 

DesignDC Reception/Tabletop Sponsor: MarinoWare

 

DesignDC Nametag Sponsor: Sierra Pacific Windows

DesignDC Pen Sponsor: Milton Shinberg, AIA

Sponsor DesignDC here! 

Join us for an inspiring evening at this year’s Lautman Lecture, featuring Elizabeth Leber, AIA, LEED AP, Managing Partner of Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners.

Great design doesn’t just shape buildings—it transforms communities and lives. In this thought-provoking talk, Elizabeth will explore how architecture and leadership intersect to create spaces that honor the past while embracing the future. She’ll share real-world insights into revitalizing historic places, making cities more livable, and leading teams with vision and purpose.

Beyond architecture, this lecture will offer valuable lessons on leadership, innovation, and making bold career choices—insights that resonate across industries. Whether you’re passionate about design, history, urban development, or simply curious about how great spaces come to life, this event promises to be an engaging and eye-opening experience.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a fresh perspective on how the built environment shapes our world and how strong leadership drives meaningful change.

The Robert and Kay Lautman Lecture is a new annual program to honor two strong proponents of the Washington Architectural Foundation’s work. This program brings nationally and internationally renowned figures in the fields of architecture and art to lecture on the intersection between architecture, design, and art. The annual event will be recorded and made available to a wider audience online. We believe this special annual lecture will have the added benefit of highlighting WAF’s work in the community.

Robert Lautman was a renowned architectural photographer who served on WAF’s board. His wife Kay was well known in DC’s philanthropic community.

2025 Speaker:

Elizabeth R. Leber, AIA, LEED AP, Managing Partner of Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners, is dedicated to advancing mission-based institutions through forward-looking architecture and planning projects. Guided by her astute and inquisitive nature, Liz excels at extracting the core objectives of her clients and their stakeholders and translating the collective needs and mission of institutions into creative architectural solutions. Liz’s clients include leading schools such as Harvard University, Columbia University, and Philips Exeter Academy; and not-for-profit institutions including the New York Public Library and the 92nd Street Y.

Liz applies these same skills and energy to her role as Managing Partner of Beyer Blinder Belle. Her position affirms the firm’s successful transition to a third generation of leadership and ensures BBB’s long-term strategic vision and sustainability. Liz has spearheaded initiatives focusing on firm-wide culture including greater transparency, collaboration, and inclusion, and is leading the firm’s four-year strategic planning process. Her role also includes oversight of the firm’s business development strategy, including expansion in targeted sectors and geographic markets that align with the firm’s core expertise.

Liz is a board member of Urban Green Council and Open House New York, and is a member of Harvard’s Design Advisory Council.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the Impact of Transformational Design on Institutions: Participants will learn how to approach architectural projects with a focus on rehabilitation and adaptive reuse, ensuring that transformation respects history and addresses future needs. Case studies from major projects will illustrate this balance.
• Explore the Role of Leadership in Shaping Architectural Practice: Attendees will gain insights into how leadership decisions, big and small, at various stages of a career transform an architectural practice by influencing its growth and direction.
• Identify Best Practices for Creating a Sustainable and Thriving Architectural Practice: Attendees will be introduced to principles that help sustain a practice over time, including the value of transparency, collaboration, and succession planning to ensure long-term firm health.
• Examine the Relationship Between Personal Growth and Professional Development in Architecture: Attendees will reflect on how career crossroads—key moments of decision—shape the trajectory of an architect’s work, influencing not only individual projects but also broader design philosophy and leadership style.

Organized by the Washington Architectural Foundation.

The Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA|DC) and Washington Architectural Foundation (WAF) are proud to present Awards for Great People. Each year, we celebrate these individuals and their work in making Washington better through their contributions as architects, advocates, educators, clients and partners.

Centennial Medal
Glenn Brown Award
John 'Wieb' Wiebenson Award
Emerging Architects Award
Architectural Educator Award 
Public Service Award 
Partnership for the Planet Award 

Laureates are selected annually by the Awards for Great People Jury, comprised of at least two members of AIA|DC and two members of WAF who shall be appointed by the Presidents of both organizations. The jury may select more than one laureate, or no laureates, per award in a given year and may consider nominations from prior years and nominations of its own.

Eligibility, nomination and submission requirements for each award are further detailed here. There are no fees required for submission. Unless noted otherwise, posthumous awards may not be given.

Nominations for 2025 are due by 5:00 PM on May 9, 2025. Submit completed nominations via email to Mary Fitch at mfitch@aiadc.com.

It’s back! Come to mix, mingle, drink, and network with others in real estate, design, development, and architecture.

Highlights include:
• Network with DC's architecture, design, development, and construction community
• Food and drinks
• Bring colleagues to discount your ticket
• All for a good cause as we announce the winner of the ShadeDC Competition and support the GREAT WORK of the Washington Architectural Foundation.

Bring a friend and your ticket price drops! This event is produced by the AIA|DC and all proceeds go to the Washington Architectural Foundation. Sign up today! 

Sponsors:

Clark Construction Group
Draper
Delon Hampton Associates Chartered
Simpson Gumpertz Heger
Marino/Ware

The work done by A/E/C firms often delivers impacts to the community beyond simply building or renovating a structure. From spurring economic investment to job creation to sustainability achievements, participants in this activity will gain a deeper understanding of how to make the ask of public and elected officials to take a stake in their work and how to use this involvement to fuel positive PR and BD activity. In addition, we will provide evidence-based insights into how media behaviors are often fueled by topics and pitches demonstrating community-wide relevance along with ways to leverage the unique expertise of project partners (contractors, engineers, developers, etc.) to create the most impact. 

Presented by:

Jeff Lavery

Pedigree Public Relations Founder Jeff Lavery cut his teeth as a reporter for a Gannett daily in New York covering the business beat before working for similar publications in Massachusetts. After going through the proverbial meat grinder as Consigli Construction Co. Inc. 's first-ever intranet communications specialist (yes, intranet), he took on increasingly larger roles in B2B and B2C tech agencies before managing the PR operations for the largest privately-owned broadband company’s eastern region operations. Today, Pedigree PR works with general contractors, construction managers, architects, restoration specialists, commercial real estate firms, and numerous other companies in the A/E/C space to execute their PR, marketing communications, and government relations goals. 

Learning Objectives: 

• Identify unique assets of each team member as it relates to PR and BD goals and develop strategies for how to effectively "extract" this data. 
• Learn how to engage outside voices - elected officials, community managers, nonprofit leaders - who can boost project relevance and visibility.
• Understand how to leverage media pitching and public official support to build visibility of projects and the A/E/C teams responsible for them.
• Connect PR objectives and results to BD team goals to increase the value that communications teams bring to A/E/C firms. 
   

Sponsored by: 

Pedigree Public Relations

This walking tour of Southwest Washington, DC, led by Joseph Himali, a public historian, licensed real estate agent, and lifelong Washingtonian, will discuss one of the first neighborhoods in the District to be developed. 

We will discuss the architectural styles and how development began in Washington in the 18^th Century. In addition, there will be discussion about the materials and construction methods used in early Washington, DC buildings.

This tour will discuss this history of the neighborhood and how the architecture and built environment of Southwest Washington, DC was used a political propaganda tool of the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.  It will discuss the redlining and restrictive covenants that were used to limit access to affordable housing for marginalized communities.

We will also review the ideas of Le Corbusier and other proponents of the “radiant city” ideals and how they were implemented in the urban renewal schemes employed in the redevelopment of Southwest during the mid-1900s. We will see unique architectural styles and interior configurations that led to new architectural styles in Washington, DC and around the country.

We will discuss the concept of the “Super Block” and the removal of alleys in the city and how that affected the people who lived there. Additionally, we’ll discuss the integration of landscape architecture in the design of the neighborhood.

The tour features some of the finest mid-century modern architecture in Washington, DC including work from Cloethial Woodward Smith, Charles Goodman, and the buildings that earned I.M. Pei his first awards. 

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the redevelopment of the mixed-use development of the Southwest Waterfront
• Summarize the impact of the “Super Block” in architecture and the integration of the landscape with the architecture of the buildings.
• Describe the history and impact of Cloethial Woodard-Smith who was the most influential woman architect of mid-century America.
• Analyze the impact of the Urban Renewal scheme on Southwest.  

This tour is organized by Best Address.

Join us after the panel for a relaxed Happy Hour and Networking session! Connect with fellow urban enthusiasts, architects, planners, and policymakers as we continue the conversation on how cities and metropolitan regions are reclaiming urban spaces to address climate resilience. Share insights, exchange ideas, and build connections inspired by visionary projects from Paris, Boston, Washington, D.C., and beyond. Let’s shape the future of our cities together!

Make sure to register through this link for the Commons in Transition (Panel Discussion): https://dupontunderground.org/events/commons-in-transition-panel-discussion