2024 AIA Virginia Prize Jury Announced

AIA Virginia is pleased to announce the jury for the 2024 AIA Virginia Prize. The competition — which took place over the weekend of Feb. 2-5 —challenged students to design a public library in Phoebus, VA as a community public room to be a place both welcoming and safe for individuals, as well as for groups that choose to gather and interact.

The AIA Virginia Prize is a design charrette that engages students at all of the accredited architecture programs in Virginia.  Conducted simultaneously at each institution, students are given the competition program Friday at 5 p.m. They work over the weekend to create a board presenting their design solution by 9 a.m. the following Monday.  The competition is intended to promote collaboration between the profession, students, and professors in Virginia.

Each school’s faculty reviewed the submissions and sent up to 10 finalists for final consideration by the jury which will be chaired by Trey Trahan, FAIA, NOMA.

About the Jury

Trey Trahan, FAIA, NOMA approach to architecture begins with his conviction that a building can create something that extends beyond its walls—and when we build, we shape our landscapes, communities, and cultures. His practice is dedicated to creating spaces resonant with authenticity, cultural significance, and ecological resilience, resulting in a harmonious portfolio that blends the arts, conservation, historic preservation, and social responsibility. Trahan’s work, oriented towards serving the public, strives to create venues that foster powerful communal experiences and connections, reaching beyond the
traditional bounds of architecture—to shape our landscapes, communities, and cultures. Trahan is commended for his innovative use of sustainable materials, stemming from his strong personal belief in environmental conservancy. The firm has signed the AIA 2030 Commitment. He has navigated a four-decade career exploring global artistic and construction traditions, drawing influences from Eastern, Western, and Indigenous cultures. Trahan’s particular interest in Japanese culture is reflected in his extensive collection of ceramics, lacquerware, and bronzes by notable Japanese artists, with objects dating back to the 1500s. This deep interest in how materiality shapes cultures has profoundly influenced the firm’s approach to the built environment. Trahan received the Architecture Review Emerging Architecture Award in London in 2005 and was elected to the AIA College of Fellows in 2006. The firm has received recognition for combining research in emerging materials and construction with a connection to history, place, and culture, creating innovative work that feels simultaneously rooted and contemporary. In 2021, he was honored as the Laureate of the American Prize for Architecture by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.


Robbie Eleazer, AIA is passionate about finding new expressions of built form and working with clients to communicate those expressions to their stakeholders. The experience he brings to the New York design team includes a range of projects that exhibit inclusive design including the Coca-Cola Stage at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA, to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in Washington D.C. He has contributed to work that has gained national recognition for innovation and leveraged technology in the design of beautiful facilities that contribute to wellness.
As a leader in the computational design community, Robbie engages with
technology to expand his understanding of what architecture can be and
how it impacts people’s lives, particularly regarding materiality and safety
practices to encourage public health. Robbie has contributed his expertise to a diverse portfolio of work that purposefully integrates buildings into their landscapes—believing that architecture should defer to natural settings wherever practical. Robbie’s experience includes leading the conceptual and technical design for high performance façades in a variety of climactic zones; working on complex, multi-phased projects that involved site planning, strategic renovation, and new construction; specializing in work where landscape-driven solutions provide a framework for buildings; and significant experience in cultural
spaces.


David Sweere, AIA a native Arkansan and graduate from the Fay Jones School of Architecture + Design at the University of Arkansas, joined Trahan Architects’ New York studio in January 2022. He believes place memory and cultural context are critical sources of inspiration in a world of increasing globalization and optimization. Prior to joining Trahan Architects, David was a designer at MARVEL in New York and Marlon Blackwell Architects in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where he gained experience on a wide range of cultural, master planning, educational, retail, and government projects. He also served 9 years in the United States Air Force as an Electrical Journeyman, including multiple tours abroad in base maintenance and new construction units. In 2019, he received The Aydelott Travel Award, a $20K travel grant focused on self-directed architectural analysis, through which he traveled to 13 countries across Europe and Asia. In presenting this work, David has lectured at the Bengal Institute for Architecture, Landscapes, and Settlements and the University of Arkansas.

2023 AIA Virginia Prize Jury Announced

AIA Virginia is pleased to announce the jury for the 2023 AIA Virginia Prize. The competition — which took place over the weekend of Feb. 10-13 weekend —challenged students to design a house for two artists that will include their workshop and a public program in the form of an exhibition space and an educational space.

The AIA Virginia Prize is a design charrette that engages students at all of the accredited architecture programs in Virginia.  Conducted simultaneously at each institution, students are given the competition program Friday at 5 p.m. They work over the weekend to create a board presenting their design solution by 9 a.m. the following Monday.  The competition is intended to promote collaboration between the profession, students, and professors in Virginia.

Each school’s faculty reviewed the submissions and sent up to 10 finalists for final consideration by the jury which will be chaired by Forrest Frazier, AIA.

About the Jury

Forrest Frazier, AIA studied Architectural History and Design at the University of Virginia before receiving his Master’s in Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley, where he was the recipient of the Stephen Lenci Award and Chester Miller Traveling Fellowship. He has over fifteen years of broad professional experience at award-winning design firms including Mark Cavagnero in San Francisco, Alterstudio in Austin, and Tod Williams Billie Tsien in New York. Prior to founding Two Street Studio, Forrest worked on high-end residences in Manhattan and the Hamptons with the acclaimed boutique architecture/development firm founded by Cary Tamarkin. Forrest is the director of Two Street Studio’s Richmond office. 


Azadeh Rashidi, AIA is a Registered Architect and Project Manager at Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners (TWBTA).  She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Architecture from the University of Virginia, where she has also taught.  Since joining TWBTA in 2008, she has managed several of the firm’s projects from conception to completion.  Her expertise working with cultural buildings for the firm began with the David and Reva Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago. Azadeh has also overseen the renovation and expansion of the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College. Most recently, she completed TWBTA’s renovation of David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, home to the New York Philharmonic. Prior to her work at TWBTA, she was an associate at WG Clark Architects in Charlottesville, VA, and was involved in the design of the award-winning addition to the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia. Beyond her practice as an architect, Azadeh is devoted to creating opportunities for young designers of diverse backgrounds and spearheads TWBTA’s mentorship program.


Everald Colas, AIA is an award-winning Haitian American architect, educator, and storyteller and is the founder of Storyn Studio for Architecture. He has led a variety of internationally acclaimed projects during his time as an architect and specializes in projects that require a sensitive approach to integrating mixed-use buildings in a historical context. As a practitioner, he is committed to civic engagement and how design can promote stronger communities, create more inclusive spaces, foster place-making in a neighborhood, and be identity-affirming to individuals within a community and greater city. He is motivated to find solutions for designing equitable spaces for all voices and believes that design is a tool for social change. Before creating Storyn, Everald was a senior architect for Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). Everald holds both a Master of Architecture degree and a Master of Science in Architectural Pedagogy from The University of Florida. In 2018, he co-founded and organized the annual University of Florida School of Architecture COMING HOME Alumni Lecture Series. He has been awarded the Garcia Award for Design Excellence by the Tampa Bay AIA, Florida’s Young Architect Design Award, and the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Florida.

Initiative: Reach, Retain, and Develop

AIA Virginia is launching an initiative to connect our members with architecture students graduating in May 2020 from Virginia schools of architecture.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor to a graduating student, click here to sign-up.

Many of those graduating from Virginia’s schools of architecture this year are facing an unprecedented time in the world. A global pandemic has ravaged the economy, unemployment numbers are currently bleak, and companies are in survival mode. A number of architecture firms have frozen hiring or delayed starting dates. Quarantines and stay-at-home orders have shifted most of our interactions to a virtual space which makes it incredibly difficult to meet new people and form meaningful relationships.

This operation seeks to facilitate building these new relationships by connecting our recent architecture graduates with our AIA Virginia members. AIA Virginia has an approximate pool of 2,300 members to select from to begin building the match-making database. The goal of the AIA is to keep these emerging professionals engaged and connected to the profession. We will call our members who participate Hosts.

Until the public health crisis dictates otherwise, it is envisioned that the recent graduate and Host will engage virtually. The goal is to meet twice per month with this emerging professional, but under no circumstance, commit to not less than once per month. All coordination will be the responsibility of the Host and graduate.

Desired Outcomes:

  • Through these forged relationships, keep recent graduates engaged in the profession of architecture during the recovery phase of a global pandemic and troubled economy
  • Assuming personality chemistry is formed, these relationships become long-term friendships which is beneficial for career growth and exposure to career opportunities
  • Good people know good people. Through these relationships, expose these emerging professionals to other AIA members thus expanding their professional network
  • Keep recent architecture graduates in Virginia so that the profession and our own communities can reap the benefits of their contributions and leadership

Below are some activities for consideration to occupy any given meeting or a series of meetings:

  • Facilitate the transition to AIA membership (free for graduates)
  • Get to know each other
  • Align on goals and priorities for the mentoring partnership
  • Provide support and guidance for new graduates as they pursue licensure
  • Portfolio and resume review and critique (even invite other Architects)
  • Mock interview (or real) and critique
  • Share about current firm culture, working environment, and projects
  • Invite the graduate to a virtual team meeting
  • Attend an AIA component virtual event together
  • Attend a virtual lunch and learn together and then discuss

If you are interested in becoming a mentor to a graduating student, click here to sign-up. The deadline to sign-up is May 27th.

Are the Kids Alright? read an article by AIAS President Curry, The Current Student Perspective

Mentorship Interest (member)

The 2020 graduating class from Virginia architecture schools is facing unprecedented challenges as they enter the workforce. If you would like to mentor a student and encourage them as they start in the profession, please sign-up below. Our expectation is that you would connect with an assigned graduate 2x a month to keep these young professionals engaged and connected to the profession.

Desired Outcomes

  • Through these forged relationships, keep recent graduates engaged in the profession of architecture during the recovery phase of a global pandemic and troubled economy
  • Assuming personality chemistry is formed, these relationships become long-term friendships which is beneficial for career growth and exposure to career opportunities
  • Good people know good people. Through these relationships, expose these emerging professionals to other AIA members thus expanding their professional network
  • Keep recent architecture graduates in Virginia so that the profession and our own communities can reap the benefits of their contributions and leadership

Competition Dates Announced for Prize

The AIA Virginia Prize is a design charrette that engages students at all of the accredited schools of architecture in Virginia. Conducted simultaneously at each institution, students are given the competition program Friday at 5 p.m and they work over the weekend to create a board presenting their design solution by 9 a.m. Monday morning.

For 2015, the students will spend the weekend of Sept. 11–14, designing their response to the problem created by faculty from one of Virginia’s architecture schools. The competition is intended to promote collaboration between the profession, students and professors in Virginia.

Each school’s faculty reviews the submissions and sends up to 10 finalists to Richmond for final judging. Submissions and winners will be showcased in the exhibit hall at Architecture Exchange East, Nov. 4–6, 2015 in Richmond.

For more information on the AIA Virginia Prize, contact Marshall Dreiling, Education Manager at (804) 237-1769.