Colorado Architecture News | 07.19.23

“So much of your career and your life is an accumulation of your experiences.”

— Sarah Broughton, FAIA, Principle at rowland+broughton, 2023 AIA Colorado President.

Sarah was recently highlighted in AIA National’s weekly 60-second “Future Focused” video series. The series features female architects and designers’ favorite work, as well as the leadership, mentorship, and vision they are pursuing for an increasingly diverse and equitable profession. The videos share the stories of women, men, and firm leaders who are elevating women and changing the profession to make it a vocation of choice for anyone interested in the design field.

Practice + Design Conference Expo Hall Vendor Application Now Open to Premier Partners and Allied Members

Know a company that serves your firm and clients really well? The AIA Colorado Practice + Design Conference expo hall and event sponsorship online sign-up page is now open to our Premier Partners and Allied Members as a benefit for their continued support of AIA Colorado. This opportunity to secure a booth, register for a learning lab, or become a conference sponsor is available through August 15th, at which point if there are opportunities still open, we will make them available to a wider industry audience.

If a firm is not currently a Premier Partner or Allied Member, there is still time to sign up as one of our industry partners and secure a booth, submit for a learning lab, or sign up for conference sponsorship.

Lastly, if you’re interested in viewing the 2023 Engage Practice + Design Conference prospectus, you can view it here.

DORA Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors Board Transition

The State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors says a grateful farewell to Stephen Powell, AIA and welcomes Christy Riggs, AIA. Three architect members sit on the Department of Regulatory Affairs board alongside peer professionals in other design disciplines. Stephen is a former South Section AIA President and an active volunteer in his community for groups involved in child advocacy and affordable housing. Thank you, Stephen!

Governor Jared Polis appointed Christy Riggs who steps into the role with continuing architect board members Stephanie Morales Ostasuc, AIA and Nan Anderson, FAIA. For the first time in Colorado history, the three architect seats are held by women. Christy Riggs is a long-time South Section volunteer and previous South board member, who also regularly represents the architecture profession on Colorado Springs area boards and commissions, in addition to running her own practice.

These volunteer jobs are not for the faint of heart—requiring hundreds of pages of material to review and hours-long monthly meetings. The architecture community appreciates the commitment these board members make to maintain the integrity of our practice.
AES Board Home

Tour of Colorado Convention Center Expansion

Thursday, July 20th, join the Denver Local Advisors Group for a tour before construction wraps and the space is opened to the public, followed by happy hour at The Corner Office. The Colorado Convention Center has served as a hub for downtown Denver and the Mountain West for over thirty years. In 2015, voters approved an expansion to the facility that hosts over 230 events on an annual basis. Please RSVP in advance.

Academy of Architecture for Health Networking Event

This July 27th, join the Academy of Architecture for Health Knowledge Community for a happy hour networking event hosted at Page’s office. Open to AIA Colorado members. Please RSVP in advance.

On September 19th, join AIA Colorado as we unveil the recipients of the 2023 Design + Honor Awards and celebrate the exemplary work of Colorado architects. We sincerely hope that your whole team, clients, friends, and family can join in the celebration. It will be a fantastic event and we’re looking forward to it!

Event sponsorship is available and we invite you to view the event prospectus.

“Bigger Does Seem Also to be Better for CCY Architects, Winners of Top International Recognition”

Read about CCY Architects recent accolades, international awards, projects, and the firm’s community focus in the Aspen Times.

AEF Travel Scholarship – Denmark & Sweden

Each year, the Architectural Education Foundation (AEF) funds Travel Scholarships for AIA members to support educational endeavors and gain more experience.

This past June, utilizing the Fisher Travel Scholarship, Sean Jursnick, AIA, Architect at SAR+, was able to spend two weeks in Denmark and Sweden examining smart cities and carbon-reduction efforts. The trip provided an opportunity to build connections with Danish and Swedish architects, visit innovative projects, and ultimately find ways to contribute to AIA’s efforts to promote carbon reduction.

Read About Sean’s Trip

Habits of the Anthropocene

The ACADIA Board of Directors and the College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Colorado Denver are excited to announce the 2023 conference Habits of the Anthropocene: Scarcity and Abundance in a Post-Material Economy which will be held in person in Denver, CO from October 26-28th, 2023.

View Conference Website

AIA Updates the Framework for Design Excellence

A major update for 2023 includes the explicit labeling of “high impact” action items into each principle. This provides architects with an overview of recommendations, understanding that they are not necessarily able to adopt every single best practice. These high-impact items are categorized in a way that centers the four outcomes of the Framework: if architects can only do one thing, here are brief suggestions to design zero-carbon, resilient, equitable, and healthy projects.

For more information, read the Press Release and view The Framework for Design Excellence

AIA Selects Ten Projects for Healthcare Design Awards

The year’s best healing spaces, presented by the AIA’s Academy of Architecture for Health
View Winners

Some of AIA’s Top Honors & Awards are Open for Submission

View available submission opportunities and make Colorado proud!
View Submissions Currently Open

NCARB Releases Annual Data Report on State of Architectural Licensure

The findings in NCARB by the Numbers are pulled from NCARB’s database of over 128,000 licensure candidates and architects, making this annual report the most comprehensive source for licensure statistics. Explore data on the number of licensed architects, gender and racial diversity, and attrition along the path to licensure.

See Report

Student Loan Forgiveness, Repayment Programs are Critical

Korey White, AIA, reacts to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on student loan relief and shares how the burden of college debt has impacted her career. 
Read More

New Survey Results Highlight Evolving Trends in Home and Property Design

Home sizes are stabilizing, and clients are looking for value in upgrades.
For more infomation, read the Press Release and view the Latest Survey Results

Women’s Leadership Summit

Registration is open for Women’s Leadership Summit 2023! This premier event is designed for ambitious women who want to unlock their full potential, make a lasting impact on their careers, and lead change in architecture and the allied professions. 

Join AIA members in Boston September 12–14, 2023, to meet, network with, and learn from an extraordinary lineup of renowned speakers, trailblazing leaders, and industry experts—and earn up to 45 AIA LUs. 

Register here

We’re proud to highlight one of AIA Colorado’s Premier Partners, JVA, Incorporated, and look forward to their ongoing support and involvement serving Colorado’s architecture community.

JVA, Incorporated is a consulting engineering firm with offices in Boulder, Fort Collins, Winter Park, Glenwood Springs, and Denver, Colorado. Since 1956, JVA has provided engineering services to architects, owners, building departments, and general contractors in Colorado and nationwide. Our Structural, Civil, and Environmental engineering departments offer highly skilled engineers who complement your experience to fully meet your design and construction needs. We take pride in our commitment to provide excellent service.

Learn More About JVA, Incorporated

Looking for Additional Resources?

View AIA Colorado’s Allied Member Directory.