Architectural Experience Program (AXP)

The National Council of Architecture Registration Boards (NCARB) is responsible for establishing, interpreting and enforcing the Architectural Experience Program (AXP), formerly the Intern Development Program (IDP). The objective of AXP is to fill the gap between academic instruction and licensed practice. The AXP training requirement establishes levels of training in important areas of architectural practice. The AIA web site offers a number of resource highlights and information to help you become a licensed architect and prepare you for a successful career in architecture. 

2026 HONOR AWARD – Institutional Architecture

PROJECT  Saint James School Pohanka Fine Arts Center
LOCATION  Hagerstown, Maryland
ARCHITECT  MSB Architects
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TEAM  M. Scott Bowen, AIA & Janelle Horst, AIA
OWNER/CLIENT  Saint James School
CONTRACTOR  Callas Contractors
PHOTOGRAPHER  Chris Spielmann / Spielmann Studio

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Rooted in the Georgian traditions of Saint James School, the Pohanka Fine Arts Center frames a contemporary curved volume between two classical bookends: the main entrance and recital hall. This juxtaposition creates a dialogue of tension between permanence and innovation, tradition and experimentation. At 22,000 square feet, the center houses music, visual art, and performance in a civic-scale presence, opening to the Bai Yuka landscape with crafted detail, natural light, and ecological connections.