Blogs - AIA Community Hub

RUDC Letter from the Chair (May 2025)

By Alison Karfeld posted 2 days ago

The American Institute of Architects is grounded in its nationwide network of local and state components, many of which host committees that reflect the AIA’s 21 Knowledge Communities . If you’re reading this, you’ve found your way to one—perhaps through your local chapter’s urban design, planning, or regional and urbanism-focused group. That’s how I began my journey, first as an inaugural member and then as Co-Chair of the AIA|DC Urban Design Committee (UD DC). RUDC remains a dynamic and committed group—organizing design competitions, lecture series, film screenings, panel discussions, and public programs. As I’ve moved from local engagement to national ...

COTE Network Update - Q2 Call

By Sean Costello AIA posted 3 days ago

Thank you to everyone who joined the COTE Q2 Call on May 13th! We had an engaging and insightful discussion centered around the important work that COTE local and state groups are doing every day. Your contributions and shared experiences continue to help shape and strengthen our communities. During the call, we explored several key topics, including: Advocacy Day of Service Regional Conferences Educational Series Carbon Series If you weren’t able to join us live—or if you’d like to revisit the conversation—you can access the recording here: Link A Special Thank You to Our Breakout Session Leaders! ...

How to join the 2030 Peer-to-Peer Network on AIA Community Hub

By Eana Bacchiocchi posted 10 days ago

Both AIA members and non-members can join the 2030 Commitment Peer-to-Peer Knowledge Community to connect with other 2030 signatories and receive 2030 newsletters and updates. Members should log in to their existing accounts via the AIA national website ; non-members can set theirs up here . Then from the AIA Community Hub Dashboard, click Join a KC or Member Group. and select 2030 Commitment Peer-to-Peer Network and any other Knowledge Community or member group ( see below ). We ask that members not create a duplicate record to complete this process. Our Member Support team can help resolve any login challenges. Please e-mail ...

How to join the Materials Peer-to-Peer Network on AIA Community Hub

By Eana Bacchiocchi posted 10 days ago

Both AIA members and non-members can join the Materials Pledge Peer-to-Peer Knowledge Community to connect with other Materials Pledge signatories and receive Materials Pledge newsletters and updates. Members should log in to their existing accounts via the AIA national website ; non-members can set theirs up here . Then from the AIA Community Hub Dashboard, click Join a KC or Member Group. and select Materials Pledge Peer-to-Peer Network and any other Knowledge Community or member group ( see below ). We ask that members not create a duplicate record to complete this process. Our Member Support team can help resolve any login ...

The Role of Architects in Design-Build Project Delivery: A Crucial Conversation about Opportunities and Risks

By Rona G. Rothenberg FAIA posted 15 days ago

By members of the AIA Project Delivery Knowledge Community Leadership Group, including Rona G. Rothenberg, FAIA; Arlen Solocheck, FAIA; Laura Stagner, FAIA As owners, constructors, and architects, we have legal, financial and other professional interests in the success of our projects. This applies regardless of the project size and complexity-from Indefinite Quantity/Indefinite Delivery (IDIQ) contracts for on-call consulting services to large, long-duration capital works-and project delivery options, whether competitively bid as Design-Bid-Build (DBB), construction manager at risk or Design-Build (DB). Whether the architect, owner and constructor ...

AIA Materials Pledge & 2030 Commitment Events @ AIA25

By Eana Bacchiocchi posted 17 days ago

Join 2030 & Materials signatories at AIA25 AIA 2030 & Materials Pledge Open Forum What does the AIA 2030 Commitment and Materials Pledge mean for your firm's practice? At our first-ever joint AIA Climate Action Signatory Open Forum, you'll connect with fellow signatories and other peers, hear from AIA leaders, learn about the high-level RY24 data trends, and attend roundtable discussions on embodied carbon, reporting strategies, firm culture, software tools, and other topics. Whether you're a 10-year signatory or just starting out, you'll have the chance to leverage the AIA 2030 Commitment and Materials Pledge signatory networks and connect ...

AIA Materials Pledge & 2030 Commitment Events @ AIA25

By Eana Bacchiocchi posted 17 days ago

Join 2030 & Materials signatories at AIA25 AIA 2030 & Materials Pledge Open Forum What does the AIA 2030 Commitment and Materials Pledge mean for your firm's practice? At our first-ever joint AIA Climate Action Signatory Open Forum, you'll connect with fellow signatories and other peers, hear from AIA leaders, learn about the high-level RY24 data trends, and attend roundtable discussions on embodied carbon, reporting strategies, firm culture, software tools, and other topics. Whether you're a 10-year signatory or just starting out, you'll have the chance to leverage the AIA 2030 Commitment and Materials Pledge signatory networks and connect ...

IAKC May Letter from the co-chairs, Yutaka Takiura, AIA & Candice Rabovsky, AIA

By Alison Karfeld posted 22 days ago

Dear IAKC Members, As May greets us, we extend our warmest wishes to each of you. This year marks a momentous milestone—our 50th anniversary—and we are excited to celebrate this journey with you. The spaces we inhabit are profoundly significant, and the artistry of our interiors shapes our most immediate environment. We invite you to engage in inspiring dialogues within our community! Join us for our monthly At-Large meeting on the third Tuesday of every month. We delve into a tapestry of diverse topics that enrich our shared passion. Don't hesitate to contact Isabella Rosse, Director at AIA, at interiors@aia.org for a meeting ...

May Member Spotlight: Candice Rabovsky, AIA

By Alison Karfeld posted 22 days ago

With over 25 years of experience in interior architecture, Candice brings a wealth of knowledge, creativity, and leadership to the AIA’s Interior Architecture Knowledge Community (IAKC), where she currently serves as co-chair. Now in her third year in the IAKC leadership group, Candice is a passionate advocate for thoughtful, forward-thinking, human-centered design in the interior environment. A native Marylander, Candice was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in the “DMV” (D.C., and its Maryland and Virginia suburbs). Candice’s architectural journey started her freshman year of high school in a drafting class. Here she experienced true flow, losing ...

AIA Practice Management Digest - April 2025

By Rebecca W. Edmunds AIA posted 22 days ago

Recruiting & Onboarding: What's Critical Now Onboarding is a critical part of recruiting and to creating an outstanding environment for new hires to thrive and for firms of any size to succeed. Leaders from across the country in all types and scales of practice share their thoughts on what’s critical in recruiting and onboarding now. Letter from the editor By Rebecca W.E. Edmunds, AIA, MFA Our PMKC leadership group has regular discussions about what is critical for architecture firms. Many of our recent discussions have centered on the importance of a solid, systematic and reliable onboarding process as part of recruiting. ...

Recruiting and retaining the talent to take your firm further

By Brian J. Vitale AIA posted 22 days ago

Brian Vitale, AIA. Co-Managing Director & Design Principal, Gensler, Chicago When planning and building a progressive, forward-looking vision for the success of your firm, the first step is bringing together the best industry talent who collectively reflect the firm’s culture and values. Diligent efforts to retain and recruit incredible talent with varied skills and tenures can support the growth needed to become a premiere architecture and design firm. Reports show that nearly 50% of new senior hires leave their firms within 18 months. This begs the question: What is involved in attracting and retaining exceptional design talent? The process ...

Personality assessment tests: Infusing objectivity & insight into AEC firm team building

By Rebecca W. Edmunds AIA posted 22 days ago

By Richard Friedman, Founder & President at Friedman & Partners Deloitte reports that 80% of Fortune 500 companies use personality tests for a variety of reasons, including recruiting, career planning, leadership development and team building. The global consulting group adds that there are approximately 2,500 such tests on the market. Some firms use these systems to screen candidates, guide interview questions, and provide pre-employment assessment of a potential hire’s communication style, problem-solving abilities, and adaptability. With the rise of remote and hybrid work models, personality assessments have become even more critical in ...

Virtual onboarding for a distributed practice: Building connection and competency from day one

By Leah A. Bayer AIA posted 22 days ago

By Leah Alissa Bayer, AIA It’s challenging finding great employees to grow with your company for the long term. An increasing labor shortage only complicates the process. So, it’s important to make the right first impression. As more architecture firms embrace flexible and remote work models, virtual onboarding has become a critical factor in setting up new hires for success. A structured, long-term, and intentional approach ensures new team members gain the technical tools to perform their jobs, form meaningful connections with colleagues, and embrace the firm’s mission, vision, and values. As a hiring expert for a fully remote firm for nearly a ...

Small firm onboarding

By Eva Read-Warden AIA posted 22 days ago

by Eva Read-Warden, AIA, Principal-In-Charge, Arkitex Studio Intro Small and small-mid-size firm owners wear many hats and often struggle to find the time to develop a plan for acclimating new employees. Many of us wish people could walk into our offices and immediately be productive, but this is not realistic! Let’s look at onboarding of recent graduates; though most of the concepts, if not the specifics, could apply to any new employee. Onboarding is more than showing people where to find supplies, learning how to fill out a timesheet, or training on BIM software. Onboarding merges new employees into your firm's culture and provides them ...

Virtual onboarding: Best practices for virtual work environments & remote staff

By Jennifer C. Kretschmer AIA posted 22 days ago

By Jennifer Kretschmer , AIA, NCARB, LEED Green Associate; Principal Architect, JK/A The developing landscape of work has made remote staff an asset for architectural firms worldwide. For success with remote work, firms must adopt effective onboarding strategies to ensure new remote-based hires feel integrated, supported, and equipped for success. A smooth and efficient onboarding process speeds up productivity and fosters a sense of belonging, which is vital for long-term employee satisfaction. Below are key best practices for onboarding remote staff, focusing on orientation, communication, mentoring, technology tools, and creating an ...

Trends, pros & cons in A.I. for recruiting

By Rebecca W. Edmunds AIA posted 22 days ago

By Rebecca W.E. Edmunds, AIA, MFA, President, r4 llc A new—or not so new—conversation has emerged on AI in recruiting. An overwhelming chorus of articles tout AI’s potential to improve experience, efficiency, and decision-making. But every discussion around AI is fraught with the challenges and concerns of jumping “all in.” I used NotebookLM by Google—yes, it’s AI—to help compile, sift through, and summarize the overwhelming number of articles on the subject. The AI generated content required extensive research, rewriting, and editing, providing an additional lesson on AI. AI adoption in recruiting varies by industry. Paychex.com states over ...

apply to join the COTE Leadership Group & more

By Kira L. Gould Hon. AIA posted 29 days ago

JOIN COTE: Apply this spring/summer ror the national Leadership Group If you have been in the COTE community for a while, or are new to our tent, perhaps it’s time to think about applying to the national Leadership Group of COTE, an AIA Knowledge Community (since 1990). What does the COTE Leadership Group do? This group of a dozen people shape and shepherd COTE’s flagship programs, the COTE Top Ten Awards and the AIA/ACSA COTE Top Ten for Students Competition … as well as guiding knowledge development, collaborating with other climate groups at AIA (2030 Working Group, materials groups, the Resilience and Adaptation Group, and more). ...

May 2025 AIA Corporate Partners COTE Newsletter Article: Andersen Windows & Doors

By Ellie Falcon posted 30 days ago

Climate-responsive, affordable design: A case study In 2024, there were 27 $1 billion weather events in the United States, so designing with climate in mind is more of an imperative than ever before. A new home in Austin, Texas makes a perfect case study in how to do this. Barley | Pfeiffer Architecture doesn’t describe their homes as “sustainable.” Instead, they favor “climate responsive.” The reason? “Climate-responsive homes are inherently sustainable but not every sustainable home is climate responsive,” said Peter L. Pfieffer, FAIA, principal. Their focus is on designing homes that reduce energy demand by accounting for real-world conditions. ...

RUDC Letter from the Chair (April 2025)

By Alison Karfeld posted 04-15-2025

5280 – If you’re from Denver, that number resonates. It’s everywhere, marking the “Mile High City.” From the row of purple seats in Coors Field to the engraved granite on the fifteenth step of the Colorado State Capitol, the mark of 5,280 feet above sea level appears again and again. (Note: Some 1969 researchers put the distinction of 5,280 feet at the 18th Capitol step, and in 2003, they changed it again to the 13th step. So let’s just say it’s approximately a mile high.) I had the privilege of visiting Denver earlier this month for the American Planning Association’s conference (#npc25). During the sessions and tours, one theme kept emerging: authenticity. ...

Letter from the Chair: May/June 2025

By Robin Leigh Ziegenbalg Puttock AIA posted 04-13-2025

As an architecture professor and practitioner, collaboration is part of my daily routine. I invite interdisciplinary experts into my classes just as I invited them to be a part of my design teams. If you follow me on LinkedIn , you will see that this year, I hosted commissioning agents and mechanical engineers in my 5 th year workforce housing studio and just a couple weeks ago, I hosted social workers, nurses and psychologists in my well-being thesis studio. The written and verbal reflections of the guests and students after these workshops revealed a truth. None of us know it all, but together, we can sure learn a lot. As highlighted in my last chair letter, ...