
As 2025 marks AIA Northern Virginia’s 50th anniversary, we invited members to participate in a special design challenge at the end of last year: creating a logo to commemorate this milestone. This competition aimed not only to produce a visual centerpiece for our celebrations but also to engage our members and offer a unique design opportunity.
The response was remarkable, with over 15 creative and professional submissions reflecting our theme, “Elevating Architecture: 50 Years of Impact and Excellence.” The Board of Directors, serving as the jury, evaluated each entry on criteria including creativity, adaptability across media, and how well it captured our chapter’s evolution and history.
After thoughtful deliberation, the board selected a design created by Tom Becherer, Assoc. AIA. Tom is an Architectural Designer at Jacobs and the new co-chair of our chapter’s Young Architects Forum.

Tom’s logo stood out for its refined simplicity and ability to convey the chapter’s legacy through a graphic representation of evolution and layering over the years. It was also highly adaptable, making it suitable for various uses and scales. We’re excited to announce that the design will anchor our celebrations and communications throughout 2025.
We thank everyone who participated for their time and talent. This process showcased the strength of our creative community and exemplified the collaborative spirit of AIA Northern Virginia.
Congratulations, Tom, and here’s to a year of celebrating our past, present, and future!
-Braden L. Field, AIA, 2025 AIA NoVA Past President