2014 AIA Convention Announcements

by Jonathan McGaha | June 30, 2014 12:00 am

The 2014 AIA National Convention[1] wrapped up this past Saturday, June 28, and during the three-day conference, the American Institute of Architects[2] made a number of new announcements. In case you weren’t at the convention or missed any of the announcements, here’s what’s going on:

AIA Foundation announces first regional resilient design studio[3]

The AIA Foundation’s first Regional Resilience Design Studio will be housed at the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s[4] Center for Resilient Design[5] in Newark, N.J. Benjamin Moore & Co.[6] is funding the studio with an initial $250,000 social impact investment, which will be the first of five nationwide as part of the AIA Foundation’s National Resilience Program in collaboration with Architecture for Humanity[7] and Public Architecture[8].

AIA releases seven updated design-build documents[9]

AIA released seven updated documents in its AIA Contract Documents Design-Build family, building on the core strengths of the 2004 edition documents. Additionally, the enhance the early interaction between the owner and design-builder, clearly defining and mandating the owner’s criteria for the project and requiring submission of a preliminary design by the design-builder.

AIA releases key trends in architecture marketplace follow-up report[10]

The AIA Foresight Report, developed by AIA and produced in cooperation with the Greenway Group[11], highlights key trends in the architecture marketplace. Intended to be a tool to help architecture firms develop solutions by providing research that applies to the current and future practice of architecture, the 2014 Foresight Report[12] is a follow-up to the 2013 AIA Foresight Report[13].

AIA enters a strategic partnership with Houzz[14]

The strategic partnership will develop innovative technology initiatives to engage architects, deepen members’ use of the Houzz[15] platform and increase public awareness and appreciation of good design. It will also support AIA’s consumer outreach mission by providing tools to assist homeowners with hiring and working with an architect.

Survey notes doctors’ role in promoting positive impacts of healthy building design[16]

According to a new SmartMarket report by McGraw Hill Construction[17], and sponsored by AIA, United Technologies Corp.[18], and other partners, the critical connection between a healthy building environment and patient health is often missed by physicians. The report, “The Drive Toward Healthier Buildings: The Market Drivers and Impact of Building Design on Occupant Health, Well-Being and Productivity[19],” suggests getting information to physicians is essential to creating demand for more healthy building design and construction.

Farmers Market Pop-Up Project Design winners announced[20]

With more than 8,100 famers markets nationwide, the AIA’s Small Project Practitioners Knowledge Community[21] developed the Pop-Up Project Design Competition[22] with the goal of re-imagining the farmer’s market canopy pop-up booth to make it easier for produce vendors to set up and transport their canopies and produce, while also helping them sell their product. Click here[23] for the winners.

Russell A. Davidson, FAIA, elected 2016 AIA President[24]

Russell A. Davidson, FAIA, has been elected to serve as the 2015 AIA first vice president/president-elect and 2016 AIA president. William J. Bates, AIA, and Francis M. Pitts, FAIA, will each serve as vice president from 2015 through 2016; John A. Padilla, AIA, as the Institute’s Secretary from 2015 through 2016.

AIA adopts new board structure[25]

Convention delegates gave final approval to a plan that restructures the AIA’s governance, reducing the size of the board of directors and adding a Strategic Council that will inform the board and other Institute bodies of important professional issues. These changes are designed to make the AIA’s leadership structure more nimble and better able to respond to the Institute’s challenges and opportunities.

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