Art of Practice Detailed Agenda Announced

Current and future leaders from across the Commonwealth will converge on March 14, 2025, at the Tower Club Tysons Corner for the Art of Practice forum. The program is intended to cultivate strong leaders, identify solutions to common business challenges, advance business practices, and fuel collaboration across the profession.

Registration is now open for the day-long event in Northern Virginia. Space is extremely limited, so early registration is strongly encouraged. Tickets are available to members and non-members. Participants can earn 6 learning units.

Art of Practice is currently sponsored by:
Moseley Architects
O’Hagan Meyer
Keith Fabry

If you would like to sponsor Art of Practice, please contact Jody Cranford

About the Program

10:00 a.m. Winning Work: Storytelling and the Value in Architecture
Effective communication skills are critical to the success of any business leader. Take part in an intensive presentation — developed specifically for architects — to understand how and why people make decisions, how to craft messages that communicate your value, and how to move clients to choose you.
Speaker: Kelly O’Keefe, Founding Partner and CEO, Brand Federation

11:00 a.m. Rethinking the Future of Work: Neurodiversity in Design
Participants will learn how fostering an inclusive environment and accommodating environment for neurodiverse people can enhance holistic design outcomes and boost productivity through practical, actionable strategies.
Speakers: Corrie Cohen, Assoc. AIA, Architectural Designer at WPA and Alison Allred, CID, IIDA, Senior Interior Designer at WPA

12:00 p.m. Lunch sponsored by Moseley Architects and O’Hagan Meyer

1:00 p.m. Broad Perspectives: Macroeconomics
Review Macroeconomics 101, discuss local/national economy’s impact on the profession, how the major sectors of the economy are influenced/affected by interest rates and recognize the economic forces/factors that govern public and private funding sources.
Speakers: Terry Clower, Ph.D., Director, Center for Regional Analysis, Stephen S. Fuller Institute, George Mason University and Keith Waters, Assistant Director, Stephen S. Fuller Institute, George Mason University

2:00 p.m. Peer Panel: Strategic Planning for Strong Firm Culture
Failing to plan is planning to fail. Whether your firm is facing the retirement of a key leader, a merger, or simply considering how to nurture the next generation of principals, leadership transitions can often take years — even with advance planning and management. Hear how your colleagues faced a host of issues and positioned their firms for success in the face of change.
Speakers: Donna Phaneuf, FAIA (VIA design), Andrew McKinley, AIA (VIA design), Susan Pryor, AIA (Quinn Evans), Mel Price, FAIA (Work Program Architects), Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA (The Three Aspens)

3:00 p.m. Break

3:15 p.m. Firm Size Roundtable Discussions
Taking a cue from the most popular part of AIA Virginia’s Firm Size Roundtable meetings, we’ve reserved time for peer-to-peer learning. Discuss key themes from the day, discover best practices and share your experiences with colleagues.
Speakers: Maggie Schubert, AIA, (small), Andrew McKinley, AIA, (mid-size), Charles Piper, AIA (large)

4:15 p.m. Roundtable Report-Out
4:45 p.m. Closing Remarks
5:00 p.m. Cocktails and Networking

Tickets
AIA members: $175
Assoc. AIA member: $135
Non-member: $200

Lodging
Below are two hotels within walking distance of Tower Club:
Tysons Corner Marriott
Hyatt Regency Tysons Corner

About the Art of Practice
The biennial Art of Practice was launched in 2017 with the purpose of providing current and aspiring firm leaders and with timely, relevant, actionable advice on how to grow and sustain their businesses.

Read the key takeaways from the 2017 event and see the photo gallery.

Art of Practice Registration and Agenda Announced

Every other year, AIA Virginia convenes a diverse cadre of decision-makers, from practices of all sizes. This one-day forum is intended to cultivate strong leaders and advance business practices. With a focus on creating and fostering a healthy firm culture, both seasoned and emerging leaders will come together to share and learn best practices, be challenged, and be celebrated by their peers.

The 2025 Art of Practice will take place on Friday, March 14, 2025 from 9:45am-5:00pm at Tower Club Tysons Corner in Vienna, VA. This year the theme will revolve around the concept of, “The Current and Future State of Work.”

Registration is now open for the day-long event in Northern Virginia. Space is extremely limited, so early registration is strongly encouraged. Participants can earn 6 AIA LUs.

Take a look at what the day holds on March 14 below:

Morning

  • Breakfast and Welcome
  • Winning Work: Storytelling and Value in Architecture presented by Kelly O’Keefe (Brand Federation)
  • Rethinking the Future of Work: Neurodiversity in Design presented by Corrie Cohen, Assoc, AIA (WPA) and Alison Allred, CID, IIDA (WPA)

Midday Lunch

Afternoon

  • Broad Perspective: Macroeconomics presented by Terry Clower and/or Dr. Keith Waters (George Mason University)
  • Panel discussion: Strategic Planning for Strong Firm Culture featuring:
    • Donna Phaneuf, FAIA (VIA Design)
    • Andrew McKinley, AIA (VIA Design)
    • Susan Pryor, AIA (Quinn Evans)
    • Mel Price, FAIA (WPA)
    • Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA (The Three Aspens)
  • Firm Size Roundtable Discussions and Report Out, led by
    • Maggie Schubert, AIA, (small)
    • Andrew McKinley, AIA, (mid-size)
    • Charles Piper, AIA (large)
  • Networking and Cocktails

Register today for Art of Practice 2025!

Tickets
AIA members: $175
Assoc. AIA member: $135
Non-member: $200

Art of Practice is generously sponsored by Moseley Architects.

If you would like to sponsor Art of Practice, please contact Jody Cranford.

ELA Scholarship Awarded

The R. Corey Clayborne, FAIA Scholarship

R. Corey Clayborne, FAIA was in the inaugural ELA class of 2009. Corey has served at local and state AIA components and now is the AIA Senior Vice President, Knowledge & Practice. Corey is a strong believer in increasing diversity in the profession and offering opportunities for all to gain knowledge and advancement in their careers.

In 2022, AIA Virginia established a scholarship in Corey’s name to honor his dedication to emerging professionals and provide financial assistance to those interested in participating in the ELA program.
The R. Corey Clayborne, FAIA ELA Scholarship is available to any ELA applicant with financial need, either to cover tuition or travel expenses for their class year.

The scholarship is awarded to 2025 class member Andi Pretlow, Associate AIA, an Architectural Designer III at Passero Associates. In her application for the scholarship, Pretlow commented “I hope to become that voice for younger designers and lead our profession to a progressive future that is larger than just one project or individual, and that by investing in the growth and success of others, you’re strengthening the entire community. I believe this program would help me excel in so many ways in my professional career and I would love the opportunity to participate.”

Congratulations, Andi!

Donations to the R. Corey Clayborne, FAIA Scholarship can be made through the new AIA Virginia Foundation here.

Meet the ELA Class of 2025

Meet the Emerging Leaders in Architecture class of 2025! This year’s class of 15 comprises of associates from around the state and students from Hampton University. We will be traveling around the state throughout the year for our educational sessions and focusing on the Norfolk, Virginia area for this year’s class project.

Would you like to support the class as they travel around the state? Contact Delaney Ogden, dogden@aiava.org for more information. Be sure to follow the ELA Instagram account at ela_aiavirginia to follow their progress throughout the year!

Tom Becherer, Associate AIA
Bianca Briscoe, Associate AIA
Aidan Brown, Associate AIA (AIA Blue Ridge nominee)
Brendon Glover, Associate AIA (AIA Coastal Virginia nominee)
Fatin Hameed, Associate AIA
Malia Hayes, AIAS (Hampton University)
Amira Jones-Faggins, AIAS (Hampton University)
Sheinya Joseph, Associate AIA (AIA Northern Virginia nominee)
Bhargavi Murthy, Associate AIA (AIA Central Virginia nominee)
Monica Ocampo, Associate AIA
Anna Orlando, Associate AIA (AIA Richmond nominee)
Andi Pretlow, Associate AIA
Ayesha Shaikh, Associate AIA
Brett Shifflett, Associate AIA
Benjamin Sturkie, Associate AIA

Also pictured, Ashley Montgomery, Assoc. AIA, Chair of 2025 ELA program

Art of Practice Registration Now Open

Every other year, AIA Virginia convenes a diverse cadre of decision-makers, from practices of all sizes, sole proprietors, allied organizations, educators, etc. This one-day forum is intended to cultivate strong leaders and advance business practices. With a focus on creating and fostering a healthy firm and team culture, both seasoned and emerging leaders will come together to share and learn best practices, be challenged, and be celebrated by their peers.

The 2025 Art of Practice will take place on Friday, March 14, 2025 from 9:45am-5:00pm at Tower Club Tysons Corner in Vienna, VA. This year the theme will revolve around the concept of, “The Current and Future State of Work.”

Registration is now open for the day-long event in Northern Virginia. Space is extremely limited, so early registration is strongly encouraged. Participants can earn 6 AIA LUs.

Take a look at what the day holds on March 14 below:

Morning

  • Breakfast and Welcome
  • Winning Work: Storytelling and Value in Architecture presented by Kelly O’Keefe (Brand Federation)
  • Rethinking the Future of Work: Neurodiversity in Design presented by Corrie Cohen, Assoc, AIA (WPA) and Alison Allred, CID, IIDA (WPA)

Midday Lunch

Afternoon

  • Broad Perspective: Macroeconomics presented by Terry Clower and/or Dr. Keith Waters (George Mason University)
  • Panel discussion: Strategic Planning for Strong Firm Culture featuring:
    • Donna Phaneuf, FAIA (VIA design)
    • Andrew McKinley, AIA (VIA design)
    • Susan Pryor, AIA (Quinn Evans)
    • Mel Price, FAIA (WPA)
    • Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA (The Three Aspens)
  • Firm Size Roundtable Discussions and Report Out, led by
    • Maggie Schubert, AIA, (Chestnut Knoll Studio) (small)
    • Andrew McKinley, AIA, (VIA design) (mid-size)
    • Charles Piper, AIA (Quinn Evans) (large)
  • Networking and Cocktails (5:00-7:00pm)

Register today for Art of Practice 2025!

Tickets
AIA members: $175
Assoc. AIA member: $135
Non-member: $200

Art of Practice is generously sponsored by Moseley Architects, and O’Hagan Meyer.

If you would like to sponsor Art of Practice, please contact Jody Cranford

The Interactive Wall at ArchEx: Architecture and Adaptation

This year’s ArchEx, themed Adapt, featured an interactive wall that asked a profound question: “How will architecture adapt to future societal needs?”

That’s undeniably a big question, but asking big questions is central to architecture; thought-provoking questions, questioning future scenarios and projections, questions for the sake of questioning…

Some questions are easy to answer, requiring no hesitation. Others are answered with a margin for error. And then there are questions that carry more weight than the answers themselves. Instead of focusing on reaching an answer, the process of how we get there and what that process entails becomes more significant. Perhaps the question posed by the interactive wall was one of those—a big question seeking a well-considered process design.

As Jaspers said, “Philosophy means to be on the way. Its questions are more essential than its answers, and every answer becomes a new question.”* The interactive wall aligns with this ethos, with the big question creating a space for dialogue rather than finding a single definitive answer. It’s a journey of exploration, not just of reaching a conclusion, but of understanding the way forward.

When we design, we envision structures that will stand for at least fifty years. Every decision we make today shapes that future. The responses from the wall can be seen as calls to action, urging us to start building a better tomorrow. Key themes emerged from the collective input:

Inclusivity: Designing with equity, listening, and fostering communication.

Technology: Embracing machine learning, AI, automation, and research to redefine the possibilities of design.

Environment: Using renewable energy, designing for longevity, and reimagining material use and reusing structures.

Architecture adapts today for its future self, for what it is becoming. As we move forward, the journey will be defined by the questions we ask and the processes we design to answer them.
Let us remain curious, reflective, and always on the way.

Irem Sezer, Assoc. AIA
Coastal Adaptation & Resilience Design
Post-Graduate Research & Development Fellow

*Karl Jaspers, 1951. Way to Wisdom: An Introduction to Philosophy. p.12.

Procrastinator’s Series presented by AIA Virginia

Join AIA Virginia for our Procrastinator series – a series of Lunch-n-Learn sessions for those who still need LUs and specifically HSW credits before December 31, 2024.

We hope you’ll join us below:

(click the subject below to be taken to registration link)

December 3: Interior Non-Load Bearing Partitions with Anthony Stazzone from Marinoware (1 AIA LU | HSW credit)

December 4: Drainage and Drying in the Exterior Wall with Mike Lee from Benjamin Obdyke (1 AIA LU | HSW credit)

December 9: Exterior Cladding Innovation: Rainscreen Design with Ultracompact Surfacing with Sue Lee from Cosentino (1 AIA LU | HSW credit)

December 10: Going with the Grain: Mass Timber with Chris Ruiz from TYLin | Silman Structural Systems (1 AIA LU credit)

December 11: Waterproofing Roof Decks and Balconies with Walkable PVC Membranes with Nathan Heavel from Duradek (1 AIA LU | HSW credit)

December 12: Phenolic Panels: The Ultimate Sustainable, Durable, Versatile, and Cost-Effective Interior Wall Cladding with Steven Culver from Fundermax (1 AIA LU | HSW credit)

December 16: Choosing the Right Roof System with Paxton Whitmore from Garland Industries, Inc. (1 AIA LU | HSW credit)

December 17: Transportation Noise Control In Residential Buildings with Scott Harvey from Phoenix Noise and Vibration (1 AIA LU | HSW credit)

ELA Applications for 2025 Class due Nov. 13

AIA Virginia announces the call for applications for the 2025 Emerging Leaders in Architecture (ELA) class: An Honors Academy of AIA Virginia.

The application and more information is available here>>
The application deadline is Nov. 13, 2024.

ELA is an intensive program of educational sessions structured around presentations, discussions, team exploration, analysis, consensus-building, collaboration, and case study activities undertaken over the course of a year by a small cadre of participants selected for their potential to be outstanding contributors to the profession and the community. Facilitators and mentors who are established leaders in the building, finance, non-profit, development, university, legal, consulting, and design professions and in the community at large develop and deliver the sessions, designed to provide participants with advanced knowledge and skills related to specific areas of leadership and practice.

The program consists of monthly, day-long seminars, work sessions, or class project presentations, culminating with a presentation at Architecture Exchange East in November.

The seminars are interactive, drawing on real examples and actively involving participants. They rotate among sites in Roanoke, Charlottesville, Richmond, Alexandria, and Norfolk in conjunction with each area’s firms, schools, and the local AIA component.

The class project for 2025 will be in Norfolk, so many sessions and the project workdays will be located in the Coastal Virginia area.

How to Apply
The committee seeks applicants from three categories:

Component Nominees: Each of the five AIA Virginia local component Boards may nominate one or more individuals for admission to the program. One participant will be selected from each component for a total of five. If interested, please contact your local AIA chapter representative. Each chapter sets its own deadline and application requirements for these positions.

Student Nominees: Any student enrolled in an architecture degree program (UVA, VT, Hampton, WAAC, or JMU) may apply. A maximum of 2 student participants will be selected each year for the class.

Open Applications: Applicants may apply independently or be nominated by someone else. Participants will be selected from among these applicants to fill the class.

The application and more information is available here>>
The application deadline is Nov. 13, 2024.

If you have any questions, contact Delaney Ogden, Education Director, at dogden@aiava.org

Mansfield Keynote Speaker at ArchEx ’24

Jeffrey Yasuo Mansfield is a principal at MASS Design Group, where he works on a portfolio of projects that uplift lived experience and cultural memory. Jeffrey was named the 2023 Lifchez Visiting Professor of Practice in Social Justice at the University of California-Berkeley and the 2023 Bruce Goff Chair of Creative Architecture at the University of Oklahoma. He has taught design studios at the University of California-Berkeley, the University of Michigan, and the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Jeffrey is also an inaugural recipient of the Ford and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s Disability Futures fellowship and is a former John W. Kluge Fellow at the Library of Congress. Jeffrey co-authored The Architecture of Health, published by Cooper Hewitt and co-edited MASS Design Group’s first Monograph, Justice is Beauty. Jeffrey received his A.B. in Architecture at Princeton University and M.Arch at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He has been deaf since birth.

We are thrilled to have Jeffrey join us at ArchEx this year and give our members a keynote presentation exploring how lessons from Deafness and Disability can inform the design of spaces that promote cultural belonging.

Online Registration is now closed. You can register onsite starting November 6th at the Richmond Marriott.