News from the Colorado Chapter of The American Institute of Architects
04.15.26
In this Newsletter:
2026 Resiliency Fair
2026 Design Award Jury announced
Apr 16: CRAN happy hour
Apr 21: West Virtual Connect: Disaster Preparedness
Apr 22: From Shop to Site: Precast Factory Tour in Colorado Springs
Apr 23: Tour of The Mothership
Apr 28: Equity in Practice Series: Session 1
Apr 29: Design + Honor Awards info session
May 13: Housing Matters: Winning Ideas for Policy Impact
Premier Partner spotlight: IMEG
AIA COLORADO’S
NEWS
2026 Resiliency Fair
As climate change reshapes Colorado’s water systems and increases wildfire risk, resilient design requires deeper collaboration between architects and landscape architects. The AIA Colorado and ASLA Colorado/Wyoming Resiliency Fair brings members together to explore integrated strategies for drought and wildfire response.
Join us Friday, May 15th, from 2 – 5pm, at the Alliance Center for a program featuring a keynote from Colorado Resiliency Office Director Anne Miller, AICP, who will share updates on the state’s resiliency framework, including its 5-year update and the role of resiliency hubs in strengthening communities. Attendees will engage in small-group discussions with experts on topics like the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code and local policy approaches, followed by a panel on how design professionals can better align resilience strategies with client needs.
Registration is required and limited to 30 AIA members. Event is $25 for AIA members, $40 non-member rate, and $10 for students. Submitted for 2 LU|HSW. More info and RSVP here.
Meet the 2026 Design Awards Jury
A nationally recognized jury will convene in Denver this July to review your submissions:
Explore award categories, eligibility, submission guidelines, and view award-winning submissions to craft a strong design award submission here.
Be recognized for the difference you’re making in the architecture profession and your community. There is no cost to submit for the Honor Awards and info is available here.
Thursday, April 16th, from 5:30 – 7:30pm, join the AIA Colorado Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) Knowledge Community for a happy hour, in Boulder, on the rooftop of Avanti Food & Beverage. RSVP here.
Tuesday, April 21st, at Noon, join fellow Western Slope members for a discussion on preparedness, response, and recovery. Hear insights from colleagues and learn practical strategies to strengthen and support community resilience. RSVP here.
Wednesday, April 22nd, at 4:30pm, join AIA Colorado South members for a behind-the-scenes factory tour in Colorado Springs connected to an active project. This experience offers a unique opportunity to follow the lifecycle of precast concrete from fabrication to installation, with a direct tie to the ongoing Palmer High School project by RTA Architectsand Perkins Eastman. Attendees will see select panels currently in production and gain insight into how design decisions translate into built components. RSVP here.
Thursday, April 23rd, at 4pm, join members for a tour of The Mothership, a 2025 AIA Colorado Design Award Honorable Mention recipient. The unique nature of The Mothership cannot be overstated; there is simply nothing like it in the ecosystem of housing and homeless services for youth, offering an opportunity to immediately access shelter and transition as quickly as possible into one of six dorm-style neighborhood suites. Tour led by Chad Holtzinger, AIA, of Shopworks Architecture. To be submitted for 1 LU|HSW. More info and RSVP here.
Designing great architecture starts long before anyone picks up a pen, mouse, or trace paper, it starts with people! Tuesday, April 28th, at Noon, in the first session of AIA Colorado’s three-part Equity in Practice Series, AIA Colorado’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) committee invites you to dive into Chapters 1–3 of the AIA Guides for Equitable Practice but don’t worry, this isn’t a book club where you pretend you did the reading. We’ll break it down into foundational ideas together. To be submitted for 1 LU. More info and RSVP here.
The 2026 AIA Colorado Design + Honor Awards are officially open for submissions, with entries accepted now through June 26th at noon. This annual program celebrates the most outstanding work of AIA Colorado members, recognizing both exceptional design across project types and the individuals and teams making a lasting impact on the profession and their communities.
To support members in preparing strong submissions, the AIA Colorado Awards Committee and AIA Colorado staff will host an upcoming virtual information session on Wednesday, April 29th at noon. This session will provide an overview of the Design and Honor Awards programs, walk through the Submittable platform, and offer practical guidance for first-time applicants and experienced submitters alike. Attendees will also hear directly from architects at BOSS.architecture, four-time 2025 Design Award winners, as they share insights into their successful approach.
Whether you are ready to submit or just beginning to explore the process, this is a valuable opportunity to gain clarity, ask questions, and strengthen your entry ahead of the June deadline. RSVP here.
What’s the real impact of a design competition? Wednesday, May 13th, from 4:30 – 6pm, join AIA Colorado’s Regional and Urban Housing Design Committee for a conversation that moves beyond ideas into policy and real-world change. Featuring the top three winners of the Denver Affordable Housing Challenge, this event explores how design competitions elevate new voices and influence the future of our cities. Hear from Australian architect Damian Madigan, Denver-based teams behind ReFrame and Alley Town La Alma, and the City and County of Denver on how these ideas connect to the Unlocking Housing Choices initiative. Hosted at OZ Architecture, in Denver, be part of the conversation shaping the future of housing in Denver. RSVP here.
Colorado Springs Fire Department quarterly meetings with architects
The Colorado Springs Fire Department would like to extend an invitation to local architects to attend a quarterly meeting for collaboration and discussion of pertinent topics. If you have specific topics that you would like to discuss, please email them to Senior Fire Inspector Jacob Watson at Jacob.Watson@coloradosprings.gov at least two days before the meeting. The next meeting will be Friday, April 24th, from 9 – 11am, at the Fire Construction Services conference room at 2880 International Circle Colorado Springs, CO 80910.
All events are free, open to the public, and will be recorded unless otherwise specified. All lectures, unless specified, will start at 12 p.m. and be held on the Second Floor Gallery of CU Building, 1250 14th St, Denver, CO. View the full Spring schedule here.
Monday, April 6: Leyuan Li. Assistant Professor of Architecture, CU Denver. Director, Office for Roundtable. RSVP here
Thursday, April 9: Louise Bordelon. Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture, CU Denver. RSVP here
Looking for your next career move? Explore fresh job listings updated daily. Hiring? Showcase your open position for 30 days and connect with top-tier talent.
Join us in San Diego, June 10–13, for four days of immersive learning, inspiring keynotes, architect-led tours, networking events, and the industry’s largest expo. Save hundreds with early registration rates now through April 10! Register here.
Thursday, June 11th, join us for Colorado Night and enjoy connecting with fellow AIA Colorado members and University of Colorado alumni during the AIA26. RSVP here.
AIA COLORADO’S
PREMIER PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
With a history that dates back over 100 years, IMEG Corp. grew from several firms coming together under one uniting vision: people-centered engineering. As a national engineering and design consulting company IMEG intentionally localized a focus to serve carefully chosen regions and markets, allowing them to put relationships and communities first, without sacrificing expertise.
IMEG’s specialties are high-performing building systems, infrastructure, program management and construction-related services, but the secret to the success is found in a deep bench of 1,600 team members. For IMEG, people-centered engineering is about more than the people served — it’s representative of the engaged employee culture they’ve worked hard to create. IMEG believes in investing in their people and their professional futures through continuous training, community involvement and the ability to develop a niche specialty.
Our Allied Members bring depth and diversity to Colorado’s design and construction community. These experienced professionals offer specialized knowledge that complements architectural practice and elevates project outcomes statewide.
Have news to share? If you or your firm have been featured in the media, published in a design outlet, received an award, or announced a major promotion, email AIA Colorado’s Communications Director Jon Bell.
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