The Power Of | Practice + Design Conference

Breakout Series 2

The Power Of

Breakout Series 2

BREAKOUT SESSION • Shavano Peak

Rewiring the Framework for Architectural Education

Rewiring the framework for architectural education critically examines the evolving landscape of licensure and mentorship, proposing strategies to strengthen the profession’s integrity, accessibility, and long-term vitality.

Rewiring the framework for architectural education by initiating it at the high school level offers a transformative opportunity to democratize access to the profession and cultivate a more diverse, innovative generation of designers. Traditionally, architecture is introduced at the collegiate level, often limiting exposure to students who already have access to specialized resources or mentorship. By embedding architectural thinking into high school curricula, students can begin developing spatial awareness, design literacy, and critical problem-solving skills earlier in their academic journey.

This early engagement can take the form of interdisciplinary coursework that blends art, engineering, environmental science, and social studies, encouraging students to see architecture not just as a profession, but as a lens through which to understand and shape the world around them. Hands-on projects, community-based design challenges, and partnerships with local firms can provide real-world context and mentorship, making the field more tangible and inclusive.

Moreover, introducing architecture in high school can help dismantle barriers to entry—especially for students from underrepresented communities—by sparking interest before college decisions are made. It also aligns with broader educational goals of fostering creativity, collaboration, and civic engagement. Ultimately, this shift can lead to a more resilient and responsive architectural profession, one that reflects the full spectrum of human experience and is better equipped to address the complex challenges of our built environment.

The presentation will be divided into four sections – Shifting the starting line; Treat cultural fluency like technical fluency; Embed equity in action, not policy; Take action now

Raphael Chavez, AIA, is an Architect at HDR and has 16 years of industry experience, collaborating on a variety of projects throughout his career. He has a passion for design and is inspired by making dreams become reality.

Raphael also has a strong connection with giving back to the community and has developed multiple initiatives throughout his career. Since joining HDR in 2014, Raphael has partnered with a diverse group of organizations to help promote architecture to students ranging from elementary to high school grade levels throughout the state of Colorado. Such partnerships include a high school architectural internship program during the Spring and Summer semesters with Denver Public Schools as well as half-day job shadowing experiences that immerse students in interactive activities. Recently, Raphael has been successful in supporting the Denver Architecture Foundation with their CAL-in-a-Box initiative by awarding them with a $10,000 grant through the HDR Foundation. Over the past 11 years, Raphael has introduced 120+ high school students and 170+ elementary students to the field of architecture with over 10 high school students applying and attending architecture programs after completing a summer internship at HDR.

BREAKOUT SESSION • Crestone Peak

Regulation & Resilience in Custom Residential Architecture

CRAN presents: Regulation & Resilience in Custom Residential Architecture. Learn to navigate complex codes and build truly resilient, energy-efficient homes. Expert architects share strategies for durability and adaptability.

Join the Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) for a compelling panel discussion exploring the critical intersection of evolving regulations and the imperative of resilience in custom home design. As architects face increasingly complex energy codes, Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) demands, and other regulatory frameworks, understanding how to strategically achieve true resilience is paramount.

This insightful session will feature leading architects, code officials, and sustainability experts who will demystify what “resilience” means in practice—from physical durability and energy independence to fire resistance and long-term adaptability across various project scales (below $1M to super luxury). We’ll unpack the double-edged sword of regulations, examining how they can both enable and constrain your design aspirations. Case studies will highlight the tension between aesthetic goals and compliance, especially concerning energy efficiency and building in high-risk WUI zones.

Discover attainable possibilities for achieving enhanced resilience, whether through passive design strategies, advanced assemblies, or technologies like solar and heat pumps. The panel will conclude with a crucial roundtable on what architects should advocate for to foster more resilient communities, emphasizing performance outcomes over prescriptive checklists. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain actionable insights, exchange knowledge with peers, and contribute to shaping the future of resilient custom residential architecture.

Blake Sullivan, AIA, is an Associate, Architect, and Project Manager at Rodwin Architecture. Having grown up around the entire country and abroad, Blake has been at home in Boulder for over twenty years. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The University of Colorado. His unwavering curiosity surrounding the built environment has driven his passions for sustainable design and construction methodologies. Having experience working in both the residential and commercial sectors, he has been fortunate to design a broad range of project types throughout his career. Blake finds great joy in the design process and working to meet the functional needs of clients while exploring timeless and contemporary aesthetics. When not at work or obsessing about all things design, Blake can be found in the garden, cooking, cycling or spending time with his daughter.

Brandon Herbst, Assoc. AIA , is a Partner and Associate at Rowland+Broughton and has been promoted to Senior Associate. A technology-driven designer with a passion for innovation and collaboration, Brandon brings a forward-thinking approach to integrating technology into design, communication, and project delivery. His commitment to excellence ensures that R+B’s team maximizes the potential of digital tools, strengthening both collaborative and visual workflows. With deep expertise in modeling, documentation, and rendering platforms, he has redefined project evolution—striking the ideal balance between speed, efficiency, and quality. Dedicated to professional growth and community engagement, Brandon serves as co-chair of AIA Colorado’s Custom Residential Architect’s Network steering committee and is an advisory member of Denver’s Lower Downtown Urban Design Committee.

BREAKOUT SESSION • Red Cloud Peak

Learning from Leaders: Honor Awards Panel

Join us for a conversation with the 2025 AIA Colorado Honor Award recipients.

This session explores how these honorees are shaping the future of the profession through leadership, civic engagement, mentorship, advocacy, and longevity. Participants will gain insight into how professional values, institutional culture, and sustained influence help define architectural excellence in Colorado and beyond.

2025 Architect of the Year

Kevin Nguyen, AIA, is the founder of Regular Architecture, an award-winning firm based in Denver, Colorado. Kevin’s form-meets-function ethos prioritizes the typology of a project to create beautiful, effortless spaces. His firm was founded on the core principle that design, which meets client needs and is in harmony with its surrounding context, can enrich the environment and improve people’s lives. Regular Architecture is responsible for designing some of Denver’s top restaurants including S?p S?a, Hop Alley, Uncle, Dio Mio, Hey Kiddo, Beckon, Bruto and The Wolf’s Tailor, three of which have received Michelin Stars.

Kevin aims to work with people who want to create change through their craft and enhance the way people experience the world. Kevin believes that architecture is for everyone and that by influencing public spaces, we can bring more people into that conversation.

2025 Young Architect of the Year

Kaylyn Kirby, AIA, discovered architecture through her grandfather, an aeronautical engineer whose Franktown, Colorado house was designed by Colorado architect Cab Childress in the 1960s. When her grandfather showed her the original sketches and drawings for the house and shared his profound respect for architects, it sparked her interest. At 13, Kaylyn decided she would become an architect—by 30, she was licensed.

Her life and education took her across Canada, south Louisiana, Minnesota, and now Colorado. Living and working throughout the country has provided her with a well-rounded perspective on people, place, culture, and design.

As an Associate Principal at Semple Brown, Kaylyn leads her teams with empathy, focusing on removing obstacles to empower them to do their best work. She both leads and supports a variety of projects including mixed-use, multi-family residential, office, hospitality, and adaptive reuse developments. She finds joy in large, complex projects as well as in the small nuances of smaller-scale work.

Active in the profession, Kaylyn has served on the AIA Colorado Board of Directors and multiple committees. At the national level, she served as Colorado Representative for the AIA Young Architects Forum. She is passionate about giving back to the design community, mentoring the next generation of architects, and advocating for the advancement of the profession.

2025 Firm of the Year • Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture

Keith Hayes, AIA, Principal and Partner at Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture. Keith’s strength is in project management. As a generalist, he is experienced in all project types from recreation centers to municipal office buildings. The strength he brings to all of them is his adeptness in traditional project management—from gaining the client’s trust to delivering the keys at the grand opening. He’s there for you. Keith’s other love is his model railroad. If you really want to see his eyes light up, just ask him about it.

2025 Citizen Architect

Sean Jursnick, AIA, serves as the co-chair of the AIA Colorado Housing Committee and has authored policy briefs on efforts to reform building code to improve housing options. Sean has presented at national conferences including AIA National and YIMBYtown and in the fall of 2025.

2025 Educator of the Year

Erik “Rick” Sommerfeld, AIA, is an Architect, Associate Professor, and Director of ColoradoBuildingWorkshop, the design-build program at the University of Colorado Denver. The program has become a leader in hands-on, community-focused architecture and, since 2009, has completed 15 community-driven projects, including notable works including the Colorado Outward Bound School Micro Cabins, Longs Peak Privies in Rocky Mountain National Park, and most recently, a research facility for NOAA Fisheries on Livingston Island in Antarctica.

The workshop’s design-build approach centers on integrated project delivery, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between students, clients, engineers, consultants, and community partners from the outset. This immersive process pushes students to test their designs against real-world constraints, blending architectural theory with hands-on skills, material exploration, and authentic learning experiences.

ColoradoBuildingWorkshop partners with non-profits, towns, governmental agencies, and communities in need, specializing in projects with tight budgets, short timelines, and complex site challenges. The firm embraces these constraints as opportunities to create innovative and thoughtful design solutions that enhance the built environment while addressing the needs of underserved communities.

The program’s work has earned over 40 design awards. It has been featured in 19 books and exhibitions in prestigious museums in Paris, Munich, Vienna, Vancouver, Budapest, the United States, and the 2025 Venice Biennale.

2025 Impact Award: Modern In Denver

William Logan has been part of Denver’s creative community since 1991—first as a graphic designer with his own studio, and later as a creative director at a local advertising agency.

In 2008, he founded Modern In Denver magazine to promote and celebrate architecture and design in the Rocky Mountain region. Beyond the publication, William launched two community-focused events—Denver Design Week and Design In Bloom—which attract thousands of design professionals and enthusiasts each year.

Now in its 17th year, Modern In Denver has received numerous accolades, including an AIA Impact Award this past September.

2025 Impact Award: Modern In Denver

Vanessa Kauffman Zimmerly (she/her) writes about architecture, design, art, and material culture. She is the editor of Modern In Denver magazine, and was formerly the regional editor of the contemporary arts journal Art Practical and an editorial member of Kelsey Street Press, both in the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition to her editorial work, she is a freelance writer and communications consultant for small businesses and arts, education, and health care nonprofits. A steadfast art school advocate, Vanessa has a BFA in printmaking and an MA in visual + critical studies. She lives with her daughter in Denver, Colorado.