Blog Archives

Call for Proposals – Member Access Events

AIA Seattle is seeking members of our community to offer one-hour, free skill-shares to our members for the purposes of networking and community-building. We’re interested in architectural and non-architectural skills! Suggested skills include: meditation, sketching, watercolor, architectural tech tutorials, drafting,

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Advocacy Update – April 2020

empty streets in seattle - AIA Seattle Advocacy update

As we all work to navigate these unprecedented times, AIA Seattle and AIA Washington Council are working to make sure you have the resources you need to take advantage of federal, state, and local programs designed to help firms and

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Gov. Inslee’s Shelter in Place Order

Gov. Inslee’s Stay Home Stay Healthy has been extended to May 4. The order outlines the requirements for all people to remain in their homes “except to conduct or participate in essential activities and/or employment in providing essential business services.”

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Earthquake Safety at Home

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AIA’s 2020 ADU Tour is Moving to an Online ADU Showcase

ONLINE SHOWCASE OVERVIEW AIA Seattle’s tour of built DADUs and AADUs was moved to an online ADU Showcase Gallery in 2020. Like to submit your ADU project to the gallery? Please fill out the Submission form, and include photos, site

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2020 Happy Hour Series

Hindsight Is 20/20 - Women In Design & Young Architects Forum 2020 Happy Hour series

The AIA Seattle Happy Hour Series is a monthly gathering presented by the Young Architects Forum and Women in Design committees to encourage connections within the Seattle design community. This year’s happy hours will highlight connections between designers and builders throughout the design and construction process. Join

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2020 Getting It Done Redux: The Art of Project Management

2020 Project Management Series

In response to COVID-19 public health advisory, Courses 2-4 have been pushed back a month and moved online. Please stay tuned for further program information.   Revised and refined since the 2019 sold-out premier, this 4-part project management series is tailored

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Advocacy Update – January 2020

STATE NEWS Washington’s 2020 Legislative Session is Underway The state legislative session kicked off this week and will run through mid-March. AIA Washington Council will be providing weekly updates on the bills it is tracking and any new developments. Key

Posted in Climate, Housing, Public Policy Board, Uncategorized

Register Now for our Upcoming Cracking Code Seminars

Cracking Code series 2020

Join us for five upcoming sessions to learn from Code experts.  All in-person sessions will be held at Seattle City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes Room | 600 Fourth Ave, Seattle, WA 98104 Session 1 | Cracking Code: 2018 Fire Code

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Advocacy Update – December 2019

bus on a snowy hill

STATE NEWS Governor Releases Supplemental Budget On Dec. 18, Gov. Inslee released his proposed 2020 Supplemental Budget, which makes adjustments to the two-year state budget passed by the Legislature earlier this year. During the 2020 legislative session that runs from

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Earn 7.25 HSW online “Density Done Right” Housing Forum

Filmed live on May 20 at the 2019 Housing Design Forum, Density Done Right is now available in 7 individual sessions online for up to 7.25 continuing education HSW credits.This series of case studies and lightning talks offers innovative strategies

Posted in For the Profession, Uncategorized

Advocacy Update – November 2019

NATIONAL NEWS ICC Vote on AIA’s Zero Code Renewable Energy Appendix In coordination with Architecture 2030, AIA National submitted a Zero Code Renewable Energy Appendix to become part of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The Appendix is optional

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2019 Honor Awards Winners

2019 Honor Award Winners - Big Mouth House and National Nordic Heritage Museum

SEATTLE, November 5, 2019—The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Seattle chapter hosted the 69th annual Honor Awards for Washington Architecture on November 4 to celebrate excellence in design. The distinguished jury included Bryan C. Lee Jr.  (New Orleans), Lisa Matthiessen

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AHC Fall Seminar – Lessons Learned Call for Lightning Talks

White text on purple background: Architecture for Health Committee

**CALL IS NOW CLOSED. 2019 AHC Fall session registration available here.** AIA Seattle Call for Lightning Talk Presentations 2019 AHC FALL EVENT: LESSONS LEARNED Nov 22, 2019, Mt. Baker Rowing and Sailing Center, Seattle FORUM OVERVIEW This year’s Architecture for

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Advocacy Update – September 2019

bike transportation

NATIONAL NEWS AIA Makes Big Move on Climate This month AIA National launched an initiative to drive climate action within the architecture profession. As part of this effort, AIA called on architects around the world to support humanity’s collective call

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Big Moves on Climate from the 2019 State Legislature

Clearly a top priority for Democrats this session, legislation to address climate change performed very strongly.  The increase in the number of Senate seats held by Democrats after the 2018 election allowed Democrats to push these bills few with very

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Seattle Passes Local Green New Deal Resolution

Seattle City Councilmember Mike O’Brien introduced a resolution laying out the agenda for a Green New Deal for Seattle and an ordinance creating a Green New Deal Oversight Board. The resolution endorses the Federal Green New Deal and identifies five

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Seattle’s Center City Streetcar Gets Green Light to Move Forward

After months in limbo, Seattle’s Central City Connector Streetcar line was approved by Mayor Durkan to move forward, albeit with higher cost estimates and a timeline five years later than initially planned. Some design and engineering for the project will

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Seattle Enacts Mandatory Housing Affordability

The ordinance will implement MHA in Seattle’s 27 urban villages and all other commercial and multifamily residential areas. All urban villages and multifamily residential and commercial zones will see zoning changes, allowing slightly larger or taller buildings. Additional development capacity

Posted in Housing, Uncategorized

Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda Speaks to AIA on Housing

Seattle City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda spoke as part of AIA Seattle’s City Leaders Breakfast Series on June 12. She spoke about her housing priorities on the Council, including ADUs, allowing more duplexes and triplexes and more upzoning. She also talked

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Fort Lawton Redevelopment Plan Approved

On June 10, the Seattle City Council voted to approve the city’s plan to turn the former military site at Fort Lawton into 237 affordable homes for low-income seniors and formerly homeless individuals alongside supportive services, workforce housing and affordable

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Seattle Enacts ADU Legislation

Two ADUs will now be allowed on each lot, either two attached ADUs or one attached ADU and one detached ADU. The maximum DADU size will increase from 800 to 1,000 square feet and the minimum lot size for DADUs

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2019 Northwest Washington Design Awards

AIA Northwest Washington’s Steering Committee invites you to share your most dynamic, new work! Join us as we celebrate the best architectural designs available from the AIA members in Whatcom, Skagit, Island, and San Juan Counties for the Northwest Washington

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Advocacy Update – August 2019

STATE NEWS Residential Energy Code Update Washington’s State Building Code Council (SBCC) is in the process of reviewing proposed amendments to the 2018 residential energy codes as approved by the SBCC’s Energy Code Technical Advisory Group. The proposed residential energy

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2019 Northwest Washington Section Scholarship

AIA Northwest Washington - A Section of AIA Seattle

AIA Northwest Washington Section is proud to offer its annual scholarship fund, designed to encourage and assist local residents pursuing a degree in architecture. The scholarship is open to students from Whatcom, Skagit, Island, and San Juan counties currently enrolled

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Advocacy Update – July 2019

ADU Mayor Durkan signing

NATIONAL NEWS AIA National Issues Report on Building Codes and Climate Change AIA National’s Blue Ribbon Panel for Codes and Standards issued a report outlining AIA’s vision for the adoption and application of building codes as design tools in a

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Resilient Infrastructure Could Save $4.2 Trillion

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Advocacy Update – June 2019

Member ADUs

STATE NEWS State Legislative Session We are reposting AIA Washington Council’s final report on this year’s legislative session, which can be found here. AIA|WA encourages members to attend their state legislators’ in-district open-houses over the summer and fall. These are

Posted in For the Profession, For the Public, Home Page, Public Policy Board, Uncategorized

2019 Honor Awards

LIVE EVENT ON NOVEMBER 4 AT TOWN HALL SEATTLE The Honor Awards for Washington Architecture is AIA Seattle’s annual marquee program, drawing hundreds of attendees to a lecture-style event of unique rigor and breadth. This nationally-recognized program provides an important

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2019-20 Board of Directors

AIA Seattle is a member-led organization that depends on volunteer leadership and initiative. We are deeply grateful for the enormous energy and effort our board members and other volunteer leaders devote to our organization. Brendan Connolly AIA – President-Elect Member

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Seattle City Council ADU Legislation

AIA Seattle supports the city’s goal (originally one of the 65 HALA recommendations) to encourage more backyard cottages by removing regulatory barriers and making it easier for property owners to create accessory dwelling units (ADUs). On May 13, Seattle’s Hearing

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Register Now for Sessions for Small Firms

This is not a series. Individual session registration will be available 6-8 weeks in advance of each half-day course, and presenters, session times and locations will vary. Session 1 | Mastering Communications with Clients and Project Teams July 17, 2019 //

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ADU Tour Detail

AIA Seattle ADU Tour

  Saturday, June 15 11:00 am – 4:00 pm   ADUs on the Tour     Download: Quick reference brochure of tour sites   1. Crown Hill DADU 626 NW 75th St., Seattle, WA 98117 Contemporary two-level unit with a

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Support More ADUs in Seattle

On May 13, Seattle’s Hearing Examiner ruled on an appeal of the final environmental impact statement related to the proposed changes, allowing the city’s ADU legislation to proceed. Councilmember Mike O’Brien is expected to introduce his ADU legislation on May

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Submit your project for AIA Seattle’s ADU Tour!

AIA Seattle ADU Tour

The purpose of the tour is to showcase innovative designs and offer examples to the public of what DADUs/AADUs can look like in Seattle. If you have a built project that you would like to submit for consideration and that

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Announcing the 2019 Travel Scholarship Recipients

Source images for Proactive Practice

Most often, architecture begins with an invitation. Architects are selected by clients, who define the parameters and ambitions of the work. We inhabit a world largely built within this model, but what happens when architects are the ones who initiate

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