The AIA Northern Virginia Committee on the Environment (COTE) was excited to showcase the HITT HQ building, an integral part of the mixed-use transit-oriented development at the West Falls Church Metro Station. With direct transit access, nearby multifamily housing, retail, and restaurants, the project will bring new energy and help reinvigorate the Falls Church community and local economy. The tour...

The Young Architects Forum (YAF) recently hosted its first ever Pecha Kucha Night and it was a total success! For those not familiar with the concept of Pecha Kucha, here is a little background. Pecha Kucha is Japanese for “chit-chat” and is a presentation format designed to keep ideas concise and engaging.  The format consists of a group of designers...

In late March, the AIA Northern Virginia Women in Architecture (WIA) Committee presented a Crochet 101 Workshop to provide attendees an opportunity to learn a new skill and socialize. The idea for the event originated from a conversation between Heather Casey, AIA, NCIDQ and Dani Juarez, Assoc. AIA, both at Summer Consultants, about cross-stitching and other needle arts. Heather wanted...

We had a great turnout on Monday, April 13 with 40+ members of AIA Northern Virginia joining us for the Middleburg Architecture & Historic Buildings Walking Tour + Wine Tasting led by AIA NoVA Member and local architect Timothy Clites, AIA — a 20+ year Middleburg resident, small-firm owner, and Chair of the town’s Historic District Review Committee. While Middleburg...

In what has become an annual tradition, AIA Northern Virginia recently participated in the Mt. Vernon Community School Science Fair. Member volunteers provided students with toothpicks, gumdrops, and sample designs to experiment building their own miniature structures. Architecturally focused K–12 programming inspires youth to learn about the power and impact of design, nourishes creativity, and establishes exposure to the profession...

On March 26, we gathered at Bar Bao in Arlington for the latest installment of the AIA Northern Virginia LGBTQIA+ Alliance Outing Supper Club series—an evening of dinner, drinks, and relaxed conversation in a welcoming setting. The Alliance is a committee of AIA Northern Virginia focused on connection, visibility, and support for LGBTQIA+ architects and allies within the Chapter. The...

Are you ready to celebrate the AIA Northern Virginia 2026 Architecture Month with us? From walking tours to panel discussions, social events to family nights, our members have been busy planning programs focused on enriching the community and celebrating the role architects play as a force for positive change. With the goal of activating our membership base across the vast...

TheThe AIA NoVA Design Awards season is upon us!  The awards promote and celebrate the extraordinary designs created by members of the AIA Northern Virginia Chapter.  Submitting a recent project for consideration offers the opportunity to gain recognition and influence future design and innovation in the field of architecture.  To capture the diversity of outstanding work generated from our chapter,...

I remember getting involved with my local AIA chapter fresh out of graduate school. At the time, my motivation was simple: free access to licensure study materials – an invaluable resource that ultimately helped me pass the exams. It didn’t take long to realize, however, that my AIA membership offered far more than just support in preparing for exams. Being...

Every January, we all make plans for the year ahead—projects to land, skills to sharpen, goals to hit. This year, I’d argue there’s one more thing worth putting on your calendar: the AIA Northern Virginia Volunteer Fair. If you care about architecture, community, and people (and if you’re reading this, you probably do), this event is for you. Who Should...