Events Reminder - April 21, 2026 

Potomac Valley Events

Help us build a better future for architecture education and outreach in our community! We are seeking silent auction items for our upcoming Golf Outing Fundraiser, and your donation can make a lasting impact. Contribute an item, experience, or monetarily to help us raise even more for the Foundation.

Selecting Resinous Flooring and Walls for Design and Performance

April 22, 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Webinar | 1 LU/HSW | REGISTER

This presentation introduces the attendee to the category of resinous flooring and provides an introduction to the three primary chemistries in resinous flooring, individual systems and applications. Substrate preparation and installation techniques are discussed.

Home Grown: A Residential Architecture Mentorship Series

April 30, 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Rockville, MD | 1 LU | REGISTER

Discover the world of residential architecture while connecting with industry professionals in a dynamic, interactive setting designed to spark ideas and build meaningful relationships.

This interactive session, designed for emerging professionals but open to anyone interested in learning about residential architecture, will be held at American Cedar & Millwork’s brand-new Rockville, MD showroom. It dives into the realities of custom residential practice—exploring career pathways, practice management, and the power of collaboration in delivering thoughtful, high-quality homes.

Gain insights on:

     •   Navigating licensure and career development
     •   Integrating healthy, sustainable materials
     •   Advancing energy-efficient and high-performance design
     •   Advocating for the value of architects in shaping resilient communities

The program will begin with an open networking session—giving you the chance to build relationships, exchange ideas, and expand your professional network.

Whether you're an emerging professional or simply curious about residential practice, this is a unique opportunity to learn, connect, and grow.

Organized by the AIA Potomac Valley Custom Residential Architecture Network (CRAN) committee. Hosted by American Cedar & Millwork.

THANKS TO OUR PV CRAN ANNUAL SPONSORS!

Wayfinding Flooring Strategies: Design Movement, Clarity and Confidence

May 5, 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Webinar | 1 LU/HSW | REGISTER

Discover how wayfinding shapes movement and experience in any space, with flooring as a powerful design tool. Participants will learn how color, pattern, texture, and material transitions can guide movement, enhance accessibility, and support user confidence while meeting WELL v2 and LEED v5 standards. Real-world examples and human-centered insights provide strategies for designing spaces that are intuitive, engaging, and supportive of occupants.

AIAPV/PVAF 2026 GOLF OUTING: EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION CLOSES APRIL 24—RESERVE YOUR SPOT!

May 29, 7:30 – 3:00 PM
College Park, MD | REGISTER

AIA Potomac Valley (AIAPV) and the Potomac Valley Architecture Foundation (PVAF) will hold our annual golf outing on Friday, May 29th at the University of Maryland Golf Course in College Park—join us!

Early Bird Tickets thru Friday, April 24: $225
(Save $25 per golfer registration)

This event is our primary fundraiser to support PVAF’s scholarships for architecture education and AIAPV’s Emerging Professional Awards Program (EPAP). Register as a golfer or sign up as a sponsor now!

REVIEW AVAILABLE SPONSORSHIPS

We invite you to plan now to come out to support a great cause and enjoy a day of fun and networking with firm principals and industry leaders in the Metro design and construction industry!

Core Performance: Architectural Concrete Masonry: Veneers & Cavity Walls

June 2, 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Webinar | 1 LU/HSW | Free for Members | REGISTER

Architectural concrete masonry anchored veneers combine beauty, durability, and low maintenance while offering architects significant design flexibility. This course examines the finishes, sizes, profiles, and colors that distinguish architectural CMU, and explores the high performance these systems achieve when coupled with concrete masonry cavity walls. Participants will review essential detailing recommendations for veneers, including how to accommodate openings, flashing, anchoring, and crack control strategies.

The session also covers energy performance benefits, thermal mass advantages, and cavity wall insulation strategies, while emphasizing quality assurance through sample panels. The course finishes with discussing cleaning recommendations for architectural masonry.

AIA Potomac Valley Committee Meetings – Join Us!

May 8 | Committee on the Environment (COTE) (Virtual) 11:00 AM
May 20 | Emerging Professionals Committee (Virtual) 6:30 PM

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Events, Education & Opportunities

A REGENERATIVE APPROACH TO DESIGN EXCELLENCE

April 22, 12:00 – 12:30 PM
Webinar | 0.5 LU/HSW | REGISTER

This mini-webinar introduces regenerative design as a transformative approach that integrates buildings within their natural and social environments to actively restore and strengthen communities and create a net-positive impact to human and ecological health. Participants will explore how whole-systems thinking, place-based design, and long-term adaptability can position architects as leaders in creating net-positive impact. The webinar highlights how regenerative strategies integrate environmental performance, community equity, and economic vitality—reframing design as a catalyst for resilience, renewal, and collective wellbeing.

Free for members and $20 for non-members. Non-members can use code EARTHDAY26 to take 50% off this—or any AIAU course—now through May 1.

Young Architects Forum Open Mic Night -- Shaping the Future: Professional Education Reform in Architecture

April 23, 4:00 – 5:30 PM
Virtual | Free | REGISTER

The Young Architects Forum is excited to invite you to an upcoming Open Mic on Professional Education Reform in Architecture. This session will bring together practitioners, educators, students, and civic leaders to reflect on how architects are trained and where there may be gaps, overlaps, and missed opportunities across academia, internships, licensure, firm training, and public-sector work.

The goal is to create an open and thoughtful space to share experiences, perspectives, and ideas, and to better align our training with the full breadth of the profession.

MARYLAND DAY 2026

April 25, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
College Park, MD | Free Admission & Parking

Join UMD on Saturday, April 25 for the University of Maryland's annual springtime open house! Join us both in the Architecture Building and on McKeldin Mall for activities and giveaways, including the Architecture Model Museum, Box City, preservation digs and more!

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ARCHITECTURE: ECONOMY, CLIMATE, AND THE FUTURE OF PRACTICE

April 29, 12:00 – 12:30 PM
Webinar | 0.5 LU | REGISTER

Architects face rapidly evolving economic and climate challenges, requiring new approaches to practice, leadership, and design. In this 30-minute session, AIA leadership and economic experts will discuss trends shaping the future of architecture, including regenerative design, climate action, and the evolving role of architects. This session highlights key themes shaping the profession and provides a foundation for further exploration within the broader industry context.

Free for members and $20 for non-members. Non-members can use code EARTHDAY26 to take 50% off this—or any AIAU course—now through May 1.

DEmystifying Fellowship for Small Firm Practitioners

April 30, 2:00 – 3:30 PM
Free/Virtual | REGISTER

Please join the AIA Small Firm Exchange (SFx) for an exclusive panel discussion designed to shed light on the AIA Fellowship process and what it means for small firm practitioners.

UNLOCKING HOUSING: SINGLE STAIR REFORM

May 4, 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Free Webinar | 1 LU/HSW | REGISTER

Following last summer’s National Single Stair Competition and the ongoing efforts across the country to legalize small footprint single stair buildings, this session focuses on single stair reform as a tool for unlocking housing in the United States. Led by moderator Chelsea Johnson, Principal of David Baker Architects, the program frames reform through fire life safety research and the design opportunities highlighted in the winning competition entries. Participants will hear a life safety presentation by Tom Jaleski, Principal of SGH, followed by brief talks from each competition winner showcasing innovative single-stair proposals for typical parcels in San Francisco, Portland, and Austin.

AIA TOWN HALL

May 15, 3:00 PM
Virtual | REGISTER

Join your colleagues from around the country for AIA National's member-wide virtual Town Hall on May 15 at 3pm ET.

ARE^® PREP SERIES – PROJECT PLANNING & DESIGN (PPD)

May 16, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Virtual | 6 LU/HSW | REGISTER

Organized by AIA Northern Virginia

Prepare for the Project Planning and Design section of the Architect Registration Examination 5.0 (ARE 5.0) with our comprehensive course! As a key division among the six in ARE 5.0, this program focuses on the essentials of preliminary design for sites and buildings. Explore the nuances of developing and integrating design concepts, sustainability/environmental design, building systems, assemblies and materials, universal design, and the various governing codes and regulations. Our course offers practical insights and hands-on learning to ensure you’re well-prepared for the exam and equipped for the practical challenges of architectural practice. Join us for a solid preparation experience that goes beyond the basics.

Learn more about the 2026 ARE^® Prep Series and view the full series schedule.

PASSIVE HOUSE DC CHAPTER MEETING

May 21, 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Virtual | REGISTER

Attend and network with others working to transform the building industry across the US. Get the latest, regional, national and international Passive House news. Hear reports on ongoing efforts and help brainstorm new ones. Please invite friends or colleagues who may be interested. Zoom link is provided with registration.

Passive House Washington DC is part of The Passive House Network, in affiliation with the International Passive House Association, and the Passive House Institute. Questions welcome: [email protected]

ECONOMIC UPDATE Q2 2026 ABI INSIGHTS

May 22, 2:00 – 3:00 PM
Virtual | 1 LU | REGISTER

Join AIA Chief Economist Richard Branch and AIA EVP/Chief Executive Officer, Carole Wedge, FAIA, for a quarterly conversation about the AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI). Get ahead of emerging challenges and opportunities and inform your strategic planning with key insights into the industry’s latest economic data and trends.

AIA CONFERENCE ON ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN® 2026

June 10 – 13
San Diego, CA | DETAILS | REGISTER

AIA26 brings together the people behind the $700 billion AEC industry—those leading firms, shaping cities, advancing practice, and redefining what architecture can do. Join us in San Diego to learn what’s happening now and connect with the people and ideas shaping the future. Register by June 9 and receive Advance Registration discount.

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