Since my last letter, the summer has flown by. A beach trip in the middle of July has me wondering why I thought that would be a good idea…..too hot to be on the beach?  Children with a boundless amount of energy?  What could go wrong?  Long story for a different day!

Things have been crazy busy. Of course, these last three years have taught me that everything can turn on a dime, so I am happy for the busy! Things at AIA Virginia have been busy as well.

  • The last week in June saw the Art of Practice held at the Common House in Charlottesville. For those of you who could not make it you missed engaging conversations, timely information, and great dialogue during the round table discussions.
  • AIAVA Honor nominations have been received, and the Honors Committee is reviewing and deliberating.
  • AIAVA Design Award submissions have been received, and the Jury is busy with their review.
  • Ever wonder about the planning for ArchEx? It is an effort that starts, at the closing of the previous ArchEx. This effort has ramped up recently as details of the Event are tweaked and refined. ArchEx is scheduled for November 1st through 3rd in Richmond, Virginia.

The rumors are true… Visions will be held on Thursday evening!  So mark your calendars and watch for an email with details and registration information in early September.

Part of my summer busy was cleaning out old paperwork from my home file “cabinet”. I ran across some AIA paperwork which reminded me of the service others have given to the profession we see today. It made me question what will the profession look like tomorrow or 10 years from now? In closing, I would like to encourage everyone to participate in AIA events, serve on committees and be active.  AIA Virginia is a member-driven organization. The value of AIA Virginia is in the many voices coming together for the greater good of the profession. 

Participate, be active, make your voice heard, and let’s imagine together where the profession will be 10 years from now!

Mitch Rowland, AIA
2023 President
AIA Virginia