AIA Northern Virginia

After 22 years of dedicated service, Debbie Burns, Hon. AIA has retired as the Executive Director of AIA Northern Virginia. With Debbie at the helm, the Chapter’s membership and reserve funds have grown significantly over the years. She assembled an outstanding team during her tenure who remains in place to provide continuous high-quality service to our members. As we move forward and build upon this strong foundation, the Chapter welcomes our new Executive Director, Jaclyn S. Toole, Assoc. AIA.

While Jaclyn is transitioning to this new role and becoming familiar with our members, events, programs, and overall Chapter business, please reach out to her with any questions or ideas you may have as we begin planning for 2022 and beyond. She can be reached at jaclyn@aianova.org.

Architecture firms continue to report increasing demand for design services in September, according to the October 20 AIA Architecture Billings Index (ABI).

The ABI score for September was 56.6, which is up from August’s score of 55.6. Any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings from the prior month. During September, scoring for both the new project inquiries and design contracts moderated slightly, but remained in positive territory, posting scores of 61.8 and 54.7 respectively.

“The ABI scores over the last eight months continue to be among the highest ever seen in the immediate post-recession periods that have been captured throughout the index’s history,” said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD. “However, it’s unlikely that revenue increases at architecture firms can sustain this pace. Given that growth in both new design contracts and project inquiries have moderated in recent months, we expect to see a similar path for the ABI."

Visit AIA's website for more ABI information.

Hollin Hills is a mid-century modern neighborhood of 468 homes designed by Charles M. Goodman, FAIA, and constructed between 1949 and 1972 in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County. This unique community has a high degree of integrity and is listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and on the National Register of Historic Places as an historic district. This self-guided walking tour, which takes place from 12:00-6:00p, is organized by the Civic Association of Hollin Hills and will showcase stunning examples of mid-century modern architecture, landscaping, and interior design. To learn more about the tour and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.hollinhillsmodern.com/.

If you are interested in being a volunteer docent at one of the mid-century homes during the event, please reach out to Jeff Vandersall, AIA at jvandersall@hksinc.com.

Winners of our 2021 Design Awards were announced in a virtual celebration which is available for viewing on our Chapter's YouTube channel, along with videos of the jury comments and of all the submitted projects, organized by category.

In addition, we have posted a gallery of the winning projects on our website. Congratulations to our winning firms: Bonstra | Haresign ARCHITECTS, Bowie Gridley Architects, Carter+Burton Architecture PLC, Cook Architecture, Cooper Carry, Cunningham | Quill Architects, FORMA DESIGN Inc., Gensler, HGA, Hickok Cole, Kerns Group Architects, KGD Architecture, KUBE architecture, Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, Inc., MTFA Architecture, Perkins+Will, Reader & Swartz Architects, PC, Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect, Shinberg.Levinas Architects, Studio MB, U+ Design Partners, Wiedemann Architects and Wouter Boer Architects.

The AIA's Architecture Billings Index (ABI) recorded its sixth consecutive positive month. The ABI score for July was 54.6. While this was down slightly from June's score of 57.1, it still indicates very strong business conditions overall (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings from the prior month). Scoring for new project inquiries also declined in July but remained near its all-time high at 65.0. The score for new design contracts was essentially unchanged from June to July with a score of 58.0.

"In prior business cycles, architecture firms generally saw their project work soften quickly and then recover slowly," said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD. "So the strength of this recovery is unprecedented. Firm leaders who have leaned into this economic upturn by reinvesting in their firms by hiring staff and upgrading their technology, will likely have a better year than those that anticipated a slower recovery."

Key ABI highlights for July include:
• Regional averages: Midwest (58.3); West (56.0); South (54.6); Northeast (54.1) • Sector index breakdown: commercial/industrial (58.4); institutional (55.4); multi-family residential (54.7); mixed practice (54.4)

The regional and sector categories are calculated as a three-month moving average, whereas the national index, design contracts and inquiries are monthly numbers.

To learn more about recent economic developments impacting design and construction, visit AIA's website.


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The Chapter House is temporarily closed, but all member services are available by emailing aianova@aianova.org.

calendar January 18 \| Reducing Embodied Carbon Through Responsible Structural and MEP Design Practices (CE) 19 \| ARE Prep: NCARB Roundtable 20 \| CAE Meeting (Committee on Architecture in Education) February 4 \| J.E.D.I. IRL - Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion in Real Life 7 \| WIA Committee Meeting 17 \| CAE Meeting (Committee on Architecture in Education) 19 \| ARE Prep®: Practice Management (PcM) March 7 \| WIA Committee Meeting 9 \| WIA Book Chat 17 \| CAE Meeting (Committee on Architecture in Education) 19 \| ARE Prep®: Project Management (PjM) Google Calendar Virginias Calendar	AIA Northern Virginia 1101 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314 703 549.9747 Email Us
	latest word ARE Prep Returns in 2022 Wednesday, December 15 The Young Architects Forum of AIA Northern Virginia is once again offering ARE Preparatory Seminars beginning in Jan. 2022 with a kick-off introduction and roundtable featuring National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Manager of Examination, Nicholas Respecki, AIA, NCARB. Each virtual seminar offers the attendees the opportunity to learn from a top-notch design professional while gaining knowledge that can be used to prepare for each section of the Architect Registration Exam® (ARE). Topics covered include Practice Management; Project Management; Programming and Analysis; Project Planning and Design; Project Development and Documentation; and Construction and Evaluation. Continuing education credits are offered for all sessions and advance registration is required. Attendees can register for individual seminars or for the complete series. For more information and to register for an individual seminar or the complete series, visit 2022 ARE Prep. Space is limited, don’t wait! Season of Change Monday, November 15 [expand] After 22 years of dedicated service, Debbie Burns, Hon. AIA has retired as the Executive Director of AIA Northern Virginia. With Debbie at the helm, the Chapter’s membership and reserve funds have grown significantly over the years. She assembled an outstanding team during her tenure who remains in place to provide continuous high-quality service to our members. As we move forward and build upon this strong foundation, the Chapter welcomes our new Executive Director, Jaclyn S. Toole, Assoc. AIA. While Jaclyn is transitioning to this new role and becoming familiar with our members, events, programs, and overall Chapter business, please reach out to her with any questions or ideas you may have as we begin planning for 2022 and beyond. She can be reached at jaclyn@aianova.org. Demand for Design Services Continues to Increase Friday, October 29 [expand] Architecture firms continue to report increasing demand for design services in September, according to the October 20 AIA Architecture Billings Index (ABI). The ABI score for September was 56.6, which is up from August’s score of 55.6. Any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings from the prior month. During September, scoring for both the new project inquiries and design contracts moderated slightly, but remained in positive territory, posting scores of 61.8 and 54.7 respectively. “The ABI scores over the last eight months continue to be among the highest ever seen in the immediate post-recession periods that have been captured throughout the index’s history,” said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD. “However, it’s unlikely that revenue increases at architecture firms can sustain this pace. Given that growth in both new design contracts and project inquiries have moderated in recent months, we expect to see a similar path for the ABI." Visit AIA's website for more ABI information. Autumn Social Scheduled for October 19 Saturday, October 2 [expand] Our Autumn Social offers an opportunity for us all to "see" each other and visit, in a virtual way. We are using Gather to create the meeting space where participants will be able to interact with colleagues and friends in real time. There will be plenty of space for socializing. Our Gather space may look familiar to many since it is modeled on the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center (WAAC). During the evening, we will announce our Honor Award Recipients and our 2022 Board Members, and recognize our wonderful Chapter staff, celebrating both Lorin Boswell and Matt Shuba for 15 years of service. We will also honor Debbie Burns for 22 years as our Executive Director and celebrate her upcoming retirement. The event is free, but reservations are required. Registration closes at 7:00p on Monday, October 18. Doors will 'open' at 5:30p, allowing time to explore and practice moving around the Gather space. Thank you to our Autumn Social Patron: E.E. Reed Construction-East Coast, LLC For information, contact Catherine Boggs. And our Autumn Social Sponsors: C.H. BRIGGS – Laura Dell'Aquila CADD Microsystems – Amanda Wilkinson Mosaic Express – Mark Sentner Potomac Valley Brick – Jason Raivel Shannon Mullins & Wright, LLP – Alison Mullins TW Perry – Natalie Noble Hollin Hills House + Garden Tour Offered on September 25 Friday, August 27 [expand] Hollin Hills is a mid-century modern neighborhood of 468 homes designed by Charles M. Goodman, FAIA, and constructed between 1949 and 1972 in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County. This unique community has a high degree of integrity and is listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and on the National Register of Historic Places as an historic district. This self-guided walking tour, which takes place from 12:00-6:00p, is organized by the Civic Association of Hollin Hills and will showcase stunning examples of mid-century modern architecture, landscaping, and interior design. To learn more about the tour and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.hollinhillsmodern.com/. If you are interested in being a volunteer docent at one of the mid-century homes during the event, please reach out to Jeff Vandersall, AIA at jvandersall@hksinc.com. Congratulations to our 2021 Design Award Winners Thursday, August 26 [expand] Winners of our 2021 Design Awards were announced in a virtual celebration which is available for viewing on our Chapter's YouTube channel, along with videos of the jury comments and of all the submitted projects, organized by category. In addition, we have posted a gallery of the winning projects on our website. Congratulations to our winning firms: Bonstra \| Haresign ARCHITECTS, Bowie Gridley Architects, Carter+Burton Architecture PLC, Cook Architecture, Cooper Carry, Cunningham \| Quill Architects, FORMA DESIGN Inc., Gensler, HGA, Hickok Cole, Kerns Group Architects, KGD Architecture, KUBE architecture, Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, Inc., MTFA Architecture, Perkins+Will, Reader & Swartz Architects, PC, Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect, Shinberg.Levinas Architects, Studio MB, U+ Design Partners, Wiedemann Architects and Wouter Boer Architects. Demand for Design Activity Continues to Expand Friday, August 20 [expand] The AIA's Architecture Billings Index (ABI) recorded its sixth consecutive positive month. The ABI score for July was 54.6. While this was down slightly from June's score of 57.1, it still indicates very strong business conditions overall (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings from the prior month). Scoring for new project inquiries also declined in July but remained near its all-time high at 65.0. The score for new design contracts was essentially unchanged from June to July with a score of 58.0. "In prior business cycles, architecture firms generally saw their project work soften quickly and then recover slowly," said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD. "So the strength of this recovery is unprecedented. Firm leaders who have leaned into this economic upturn by reinvesting in their firms by hiring staff and upgrading their technology, will likely have a better year than those that anticipated a slower recovery." Key ABI highlights for July include: • Regional averages: Midwest (58.3); West (56.0); South (54.6); Northeast (54.1) • Sector index breakdown: commercial/industrial (58.4); institutional (55.4); multi-family residential (54.7); mixed practice (54.4) The regional and sector categories are calculated as a three-month moving average, whereas the national index, design contracts and inquiries are monthly numbers. To learn more about recent economic developments impacting design and construction, visit AIA's website.