Colorado Voices from AIA26

Colorado Night

One of the highlights of AIA26 was Colorado Night, where AIA Colorado members and University of Colorado alumni gathered to reconnect, share conference experiences, and celebrate Colorado’s strong architectural community. The event brought together architects from across generations, firms, and practice areas for an evening of conversation and camaraderie. Whether attendees were longtime conference veterans or experiencing their first AIA Conference on Architecture & Design, Colorado Night provided an opportunity to strengthen connections and create new ones while representing Colorado in San Diego.

Sonya Shah, AIA, AIA Colorado Denver Director

AIA ’26 in San Diego was such a meaningful reminder of why this profession matters.

As part of the AIA Next to Lead Cohort, I had the opportunity to spend a few days surrounded by incredible leaders, thinkers, and changemakers from across the country. I left feeling inspired, challenged, and deeply grateful — not only for the new connections made, but for the continued reconnections with amazing humans who make this profession feel more grounded and connected.

The keynotes and sessions were powerful reminders that architecture is not just about the work we produce, but about the purpose, intention, and responsibility we bring to it.

I am especially grateful for the support of AIA Colorado in this journey. Having a strong local community behind me while engaging in national conversations reinforced how important it is to show up, stay connected, and continue doing the work together.

Seeing architects come together with shared commitment, curiosity, and care was energizing. Even when the work feels complex, heavy, or uncertain, AIA ’26 reminded me that we are not doing it alone.

We are in this together — and we are stronger because of it.

Kaylyn Kirby, AIA, Young Architects Forum Strategy Director 

I’m back in Denver following my second AIA National Conference — it was a whirl wind of a week attending sessions, meeting friends old and new, and leading my first session to close out the conference. Again, I am reminded that the power of the AIA lies in its people and the relationships you create.

I enjoyed seeing colleagues from Colorado, my fellow UMN alum, and the many Young Architects Forum representatives both past and present. Highlights included the Speed Mentoring session at the Next Gen Lounge, celebrating this year’s Award winners, and welcoming the newest national board members. Hope to see you at AIA27!

Justin McCarthy, AIA, NCARB

The Salk Institute has long been on my architectural bucket list and is consistently ranked among the world’s greatest works of architecture. The building and tour were incredibly inspiring. Standing in the courtyard between the mirrored sawtooth study towers and laboratory buildings, with views extending toward the Pacific Ocean, was one of those architectural experiences that will stay with me for a lifetime.

We also learned about the relationship between Louis Kahn and Jonas Salk. Kahn described Salk as one of the best clients—and friendships—of his career, a connection that helped shape one of the most remarkable buildings of the 20th century.

Marisol Gallagher, AIA, AIA Small Firm Exchange (SFx) Executive Committee

Dana and I first worked together in 2020 and reconnected through AIA’s Business Academy, which began at last year’s conference in Boston. Through my involvement with AIA and the relationships it helped foster, I was introduced to the AIA Small Firm Exchange (SFx), where I now serve on the Executive Committee as the sustainability lead, succeeding Nathan Kipnis.

One of the most valuable aspects of AIA involvement has been seeing how connections made locally can open doors nationally. Through SFx, I’ve built relationships with small firm leaders across the country who are sharing ideas, advocating for the profession, and helping shape resources for architects nationwide.

Nikolaus Remus, AIA, CAE, AIA Colorado’s Advocacy Engagement Director

My first workshop was Talking Risk & Resilience with Clients: From Concept to Commitment. We presented three different client scenarios to explore different attitudes towards resilient design, including an uninterested developer, an over-enthusiastic school superintendent, and a client who would just defer every decision to the architect. After a brief skit on how these conversations might go, our audience broke out into small groups to strategize and compare experiences.

My second workshop was Winning Together: How Architects Help Communities Build Resilience. We explored how different disaster types require different ways of architect thinking and participation to be effective in prevention and response efforts. Small groups were given disaster scenarios to discuss with periodic twists (positive and negative) as they figured out how best to respond, including compounding disasters, political factors, and community partnerships (or lack thereof). Groups reported out and compared notes then we presented case studies and resources that AIA members have previously been involved with.