Greg Yager, AIA, HKIUD Elected as 2019-2020 Secretary

We are pleased to confirm that Greg Yager, AIA, HKIUD has been elected as the AIA International Region 2019-2020 Secretary.  A talented architect, urban planner and designer, Mr. Yager brings over 30 years of experience in urban design and master planning of mixed-use, transit-oriented, new communities, and urban development projects. He brings further expertise in large-scale science and technology innovation hubs that combine office, retail and residential uses.

His experience stems from across China, the United States, Southeast Asia, London, Europe and the Middle East/Africa and addresses the need for sustainable urban development within the context of the rapidly changing and emerging global economy.  Having led the Callison-RTKL Planning and Urban Design team across the company, he is also directly responsible for the urban design and master planning studio in the Shanghai office, and he has been working in China for over three decades.

Mr. Yager has also been extensively involved in the AIA, having been a member of the Kansas Society of Architects, AIA Baltimore, AIA Los Angeles, AIA DC, AIA UK, AIA Hong Kong and now AIA Shanghai.  He has served as the treasure for the Manhattan Section of the KSA; the Chairman of the Residential Design Awards Committee for AIA Baltimore and the AIA Hong Kong Urban Design Committee Co-Chair.  His involvement in AIA Shanghai includes being a founding member of the organizing committee for AIA Shanghai from 2010-2014 and he has recently served as the founding president of the chapter in 2015-16.  He also served as the chairperson of the AIA International Practice Committee Advisory Group in 2016 and is currently the AIA Shanghai Chapter representative to the AIA International Region Board.  Mr. Yager is also the Legal Representative and General Manager of the AIA Shanghai WOFE in Shanghai.

AIA Canada Chapter Receives its Charter from American Institute of Architects President Tom Vonier, FAIA

On October 7, 2017, the American Institute of Architects President Tom V. Vonier, FAIA presented the AIA Canada charter to its new President Som Bose, AIA.  The presentation ceremony took place during the joint AIA International Region / AIA Continental Europe Chapter Conference held in Prague Castle in the Czech Republic.

(From left to right: Thierry Paret FAIA, Loay Quota AIA, Tom Vonier FAIA, Som Bose AIA, James Wright FAIA)

The Canadian Chapter with over 400 members is the seventh chapter in the International Region joining AIA United Kingdom, AIA Continental Europe, AIA Hong Kong, AIA Japan, AIA Middle East and AIA Shanghai.

The AIA Canada Board is made up of the following persons from the Formation Committee:

President - Mr. Som Bose, AIA, MBA, NCARB, LEED AP

Vice President - Ms. Stephanie Calvet, AIA, LEED AP

Secretary - Mr. Reza Asadikia, AIA Int. Associate, OAA

Treasurer - Mr. Stuart Howard, AIA, FRAIC, AIBC, SAA

The IR Board also thanks the folowing Committee members for their contributions to the chapter's formation:

Ms. Onah Jung, AIA, OAA, NCARB, LEED AP

Mr. Bobby James, AIA, MRAIC, RIBA, AAO

Mr. Luke Andritsos, AIA, OAA, NCARB, MRAIC, LEED AP BD+C

Dr. Adam Pantelimon, AIA Int. Assoc., FRIBA, MRAIC, ARB, CNOA

Mr. Lee Strickland, AIA, OAA, NCARB, MRAIC, LEED AP BD+C

Please join us in officially welcoming the AIA Canada Chapter to the International Region.

The official site to help the US Virgin Islands recover from Hurricanes Irma and Maria

The AIA IR is encouraging it's members to help the US Virgin Islands recover from the terrible hurricanes that have inflicted significant damage to the islands.  Members may go here to donate to this important cause.

The AIA International Region is proud to announce the formation of a new AIA chapter to serve its members in Canada

AIA Canada becomes the AIA's seventh international Chapter  

On September 20th, 2017, AIA Secretary Bruce Sekanick, FAIA and AIA Director-at-Large Thierry Paret, FAIA made their final presentation to the American Institute of Architects National Board for the purposes of approval which was ultimately granted.

The AIA Chapter Formation Committee, co-chaired by AIA-IR Treasurer Loay Quota, AIA and AIA-IR Vice President Thierry Paret, FAIA, worked with a very dedicated team of AIA unassigned members in Canada over the past year to develop the many new chapter formation deliverables required by the American Institute of Architects. Thanks to their hard work, the 400 previously unassigned members living and working in Canada will now have a chapter to call home with all the associated benefits and services.  The AIA-IR also thanks AIA President Tom Vonier, FAIA, AIA Secretary Bruce Sekanick, FAIA, and AIA Senior Vice President and General Counsel Jay Stephens, Hon. AIA for their support on the formation of the new chapter.

Please join the AIA International Region Board of Directors in welcoming AIA Canada as the seventh chapter of the AIA-IR.  To all of our members in Canada: we will be following up with details on the chapter charter presentation, hopefully to occur during next month's AIA-IR / AIA Continental Europe's joint conference in Prague--along with more information on the new chapter start-up process.

We look forward to supporting our new chapter members as they create an organization to work cooperatively and with mutual benefit to their colleagues in Canadian national, provincial and city architectural associations.

Continuing education requirements approved for International Associate AIA members

September AIA Board meeting yields another International Region-related development  

The AIA Board of Directors approved the implementation of continuing education requirements for International Associate AIA members.  This requirement was initiated in 2016 by AIA Director-at-Large/AIA IR Vice President Thierry Paret, FAIA due to the substantial benefits he and his IR Board colleagues thought it would bring to this category of membership and to the profession.  

Furthermore, this development adds substance to the belief that International Associate AIA members, as architects licensed in jurisdictions outside the United States, should be held to the same standards for professional development and learning as US licensed architects.

This initiative gained the support of the AIA's Continuing Education Committee, resulting in a request for an amendment to the AIA Rules of the Board.

Further details shall be forthcoming from AIA National with respect to the phased implementation of the new requirements for our valued International Associate AIA Members. 

Designing for Resiliance

Designing for Resiliance - 9-10 September 2017