Kicking up leaves along a sidewalk. Getting one of the last seats on the bus. An inspiring project. A late-night idea. Homemade meals shared among friends and family. There are so many things to be thankful for and as the year winds down, this month is a great time to keep them in mind. After giving thanks, don’t forget to renew your membership, make sure your continuing education credits are all accounted for, and save room for pie! AIA Membership 15 for 12 – It’s time to join or renew your AIA membership. Join now for 2017 and get complimentary membership for the rest of 2016 (as well as a chance to in either 2017 national, state, or local membership...

The American Institute of Architects is made up of nearly 88,000 design professionals at all stages of their careers, and the organization is here to connect you, its members, to top-quality education, business, and career resources, as well as a community deeply engaged in promoting the value of architecture. AIA Pittsburgh would like to highlight some of the resources available here, in the Resource RoundUP, a recurring feature that will breakdown some of the great materials and tools made available to AIA members. This month’s RoundUP will focus on Support, next month we will look at Knowledge, and our final in this three-part series will look at other Resources available that stand alone. And if you’re not a member, now...

The days are getting shorter, but AIA Pittsburgh is finding ways to fit more into them!  September is full of events all around town, particularly the unveiling of the Design Pittsburgh 2016 exhibit!  Design submissions will be available to view via the online digital exhibit in the next few weeks, with the physical exhibit making its debut at the Cultural District’s Gallery Crawl on September 23rd! An autumn evening spent Downtown, taking in art and design… you won’t want to miss it! September 9 – Design Boards Due: Design Pittsburgh boards are due to the AIA Pittsburgh office by 5 pm. September 14 – YAF Steering Committee Meeting September 18 – 22 – Wine & Design: Annual CRAN Symposium: The...

It’s the dog days of summer, and whether you find yourself shaking the sand out of your flip flops or daydreaming while staring out at that clear blue sky, it’s time to find your focus and start thinking about Design Awards. Entries, for both local and national design competitions, are due this month. For the emerging professionals, there is the deadline to apply to PALM, AIA Pennsylvania’s new state initiative to promote dialogue and mentorship, as well as the Paula Maynes AIA Pennsylvania ARE Grant, with applications due on August 12th and 31st, respectively. And don’t forget about the Young Architects Studio Competition, Vision PGH 2050. Looking for More Visibility? Interested in media attention for your project or firm? Get advice from PR professional...

The Studio Hive, a part of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s East Liberty Teen Zone, has been awarded an AIA 2016 Small Project Award. Designed by GBBN Architects as part of the larger Teen Zone, the Studio Hive is a space for teens to work on multi-media and digital productions. As part of an ambitious capitol project, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) is dedicated to providing opportunities within their libraries for teens to explore the worlds of literature and technology while connecting with others. GBBN created the Teen Zone in CLP-East Liberty by transforming a space into places where teens are encouraged to discover their talents, learn new skills, and collaborate with peers and mentors. Based loosely on the...

It’s July, it’s hot, and you’re counting down the days (or hours) until vacation. Things may feel slower, even sluggish, on these 90° days, but the AIA is still at it, putting your dues dollars to work! AIA Pittsburgh is working full-throttle as Design Pittsburgh approaches. The Call for Submissions has been announced and we look forward to viewing your standout projects for our annual Design Awards Competition. Another new initiative is the AIA Pittsburgh Foundation for Architecture’s Leadership Institute for Emerging Professionals. Applications are due at the end of the month, so don’t miss out on this great opportunity! AXP not IDP: The Architectural Experience Program (AXP), formerly the Intern Development Program (IDP), has officially launched this week. See...

“While it seems safe to assume that the design of U.S. homes will undergo fairly significant changes over the coming decade, it’s equally likely that these changes will be determined by fundamental economic and demographic developments….” writes Kermit Baker and Jennifer Riskus, the authors of  “The Coming Decade for Residential Design,” an article in AIA ARCHITECT looking at how home design will change in the near future. The article highlights the results of the AIA’s Home Design Trends Survey. COLUMNS wanted to see how the survey and the trends compared to the local residential architectural trends, so we turned to AIA Pittsburgh’s CRAN (Custom Residential Architects Network) and had some local members respond to the national information. Local architects Mary Cerrone,...

Summer starts with a few tours and a few free webinars, Join YAF to visit The River House, or attend the next AIA+2030 session and tour Chatham University’s Eden Hall Campus, a 2015 Design Pittsburgh award-winning project. Looking forward, stay tuned for Design Pittsburgh related announcements in the upcoming weeks and months, including submission categories and the Young Architects Studio Competition. Finally, do you have a new project or interest to share? Consider submitting to present at PechaKucha Night Pittsburgh, Vol. 24 on July 14. Proposals are due on July 6.  Free membership for New Grads! Are you a recent graduate of a NAAB-Accredited architecture program? Than you are eligible for up to 18 months of free membership with the...

“Everyone has the potential to be a leader and everyone should have the opportunity to learn to be an effective leader.” What is Leadership? was the question posed in the AIA Pittsburgh Foundation for Architecture’s essay contest last month. The newly reestablished Foundation is focusing on providing leadership development for architects and emerging professionals, and the organization’s first initiative was to send one individual to AIA Convention, chosen via essay. The above quote is just one line from the award-winning essay written by Jessica Stuck, AIA. Keep scrolling to read Stuck’s entire essay, as well as snippets from the other entries. What Is Leadership? by Jessica Stuck, AIA The definition of leadership is often over-generalized and cliché. Effective leaders can be found in...

April was a busy month here at AIA Pittsburgh. While May is a little calmer, don’t be fooled – there are plenty of events in the works!  Looking to get involved? How about a social outing? YAF is hosting their annual Pirates tailgate this month. Or possibly you’re heading to Philadelphia for the AIA Conventional?  And don’t forget about the AIA +2030 Series – Session 2 is this month, with more sessions to follow. Enjoy the warmer weather and longer days and check back often for new opportunities.  AIA Increases Focus on Research – AIA is making a renewed commitment to research. With the release of the Practice-Relevant Research Roadmap, the AIA seeks to 1) increase research literacy, 2) enable and support...