A'19 Schedule of International Events
Please join us in Las Vegas at A’19 the AIA Conference on Architecture June 6-8 for the below program of international events.
See you there!
WinExpo Facade Conference - Guangzhou
The AIA International Region developed and hosted a very successful facade conference at the WinExpo trade show in Guangzhou, China from March 4-5, 2019. The theme of the conference was ‘Facade Design and the Impact of Technology”. The IR were brought in by Informa who were the organisers of the trade show. The facade conference drew nearly 300 attendees.
Be a part of the new Global Architecture Billings Index (GABI) initiative!
The AIA – in coordination with partner organizations around the world – is looking to expand theArchitecture Billings Index (ABI) into the international realm. To help the architecture profession better understand business conditions, opportunities and risks around the world, the new Global Architecture Billings Index (GABI) initiative will help monitor design markets across the globe to assess the construction outlook in key countries and regions.
We are currently signing up firms to join the GABI survey panel. As a GABI panelist, you will be asked to complete a brief survey on the firm billings (to indicate if billings have increased, decreased, or stayed the same – we will not request proprietary data!) and business conditions on a quarterly basis. You will receive early access to the survey results before they are published, and may have access to the survey data in the future.
If you would like to join the GABI survey panel, we ask that you complete a brief background information form. This information will be kept confidential and will not be shared with others or linked back to your firm; it will only be used for analytical purposes and your responses will only be reported in aggregate with others. If you are not the correct person at your firm to provide this type of information and participate in the survey, please share this invitation with the appropriate colleague.
Thank you for your interest, and please contact economics@aia.org if you have any questions.
Sign up for the GABI survey panel: Background Information Form
AIA IR SIGNS AGREEMENT TO COLLABORATE ON SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCY PROGRAM
The AIA International Region is delighted to announce that it has signed an agreement with the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) to support them with their Substantial Equivalency program for overseas universities. Through this initiative, the NAAB hopes to benefit from the broad range of expertise and experience represented by AIA IR’s US registered architects.
The NAAB Board of Directors established the Substantial Equivalency (SE) program in 2003 in order to extend the organization’s expertise and quality assurance services to international stakeholders. “Substantial equivalency” identifies an architecture program as comparable in educational outcomes in all significant aspects to a U.S.-based program and indicates that it provides an educational experience meeting acceptable standards, even though such program may differ in format or method of delivery. While Substantial Equivalency is not accreditation, SE recognition by the NAAB represents that a program of architecture has achieved the highest standard of quality assurance in professional architecture education.
The process for achieving the SE designation involves three visits to a program: the teams for visits one and two are composed of two people (one practitioner and one educator); the team for visit three is composed of four people (practitioner, educator, regulatory board representative, and recent graduate). The first and second visits are conducted over two days, and the third visit over three and a half days. Each visit focuses on a range of quality assurance measures of the program and an examination of student work against a set of performance criteria. The visiting team records its findings and recommendations in a Visiting Team Report submitted to the International Committee after the visit and later for consideration by the Board of Directors. Completion of the SE process usually requires a minimum of three years. To date twelve architecture programs have achieved the SE designation.
Please contact us if you would like to participate in this program.
Thierry Paret, FAIA, LEED AP
2018-2019 President
AIA International Region
JURY OF FELLOWS ELEVATES 3 AIA INTERNATIONAL REGION MEMBERS TO FELLOWSHIP AND NINE MEMBERS TO HONORARY FELLOWSHIP
The 2019 Jury of Fellows has named 115 American Institute of Architects members and nine international architects to its prestigious College of Fellows for achieving a standard of excellence in the profession. Among them, AIA International Region is thrilled to congratulate the following 3 members for their elevation to Fellowship. Advancement is granted for significant achievement in design, preservation, education, literature, and service.
Greg Yager, FAIA – AIA International Chapters and US Territories
Raya Ani, FAIA – AIA New York State and AIA International Chapters and US Territories
Murat Soygenis, FAIA - AIA International Chapters and US Territories
The AIA International Region congratulates the following 9 members for being elevated to Honorary Fellowship for their exceptional work and contributions to architecture and society on an international level:
Emre Arolat, Hon FAIA – Istanbul, Turkey
Sandra Barclay, Hon FAIA – Lima, Peru
Alberto Campo Baeza, Hon FAIA – Madrid, Spain
Nathalie de Vries, Hon FAIA – Rotterdam, Netherlands
Jane Duncan, Hon FAIA – Little Chalfont, United Kingdom
Amanda Levete, Hon FAIA – London, United Kingdom
Esa Mohamed, Hon FAIA – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Pei Ing Tan, Hon FAIA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Jacob van Rijs - Hon FAIA – Rotterdam, Netherlands
Please congratulate our new fellows on their wonderful achievement.
Learn more about fellowship here.
Brexit and reciprocity of EU licensure in the UK
Today, Government has issued guidance on the recognition system for architects holding European Economic Area (EEA) qualifications. The guidance does not change current law. It is intended to provide advice for business and other stakeholders on the system planned in the event of a ‘no deal’ scenario.
AIA IR 2018 Conference - Convergence in Singapore
The 4th edition of the Annual Conference of the AIA International Region (AIA IR) was held in Singapore from Nov 2nd - Nov 4th, 2018. In Singapore for the first time, this AIA IR 2018 Conference began as an endorsement to a lone voice bid in Prague exactly a year ago for the honor to be city-host. According to Director Yew K Cheong AIA (Chair, AIA IR Conference Planning Committee) the bid was an opportunity to incubate and increase the voice of AIA to its member diaspora in SE Asia. Subsequently, it became a catalyse to entrench change
President's Letter
Dear AIA IR Members,
I would like to start by wish all of you Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year. As I complete the first year of my two-year term as your President, I will take this opportunity to summarize our accomplishments in 2018 and will look ahead at our goals for 2019.
Over the past 12 months, we have accomplished the following:
· Launched a new IR Website.
· Launched the IR Facebook.
· Officially Registered the new AIA Canada Chapter as a legal entity.
· Held the IR Annual Business Meeting in New York during A18.
AIA International Region Design Awards 2018
The International Region Design Awards Program continued in 2018 with the most architectural submissions since the 2014 inauguration. Submissions were received from members in all three zones of the International Region with representation from International Chapters and unassigned members throughout the Region.
The AIA IR Design Awards Program maintained highest adjudication standards with a sustainable, on-line submission process; outstanding, in-person adjudication;
AIA United Kingdom update
The UK Chapter’s event cycle follows a seasonal pattern, with each season having its own flavour, each month having multiple, individual events.
Spring brings our Design Awards, supplemented by movie nights, emerging professional events and technical lectures. Summer encourages outdoor events, with frequent building tours, one big bike tour plus a Super Saturday of lectures. Autumn sees the return of movie nights, etc., but – most importantly – is dominated by three core events in rapid succession.
AIA Continental Europe Update
In 2018, AIA Europe hosted two terrific conferences in Pristina, Kosovo, and Budapest Hungary, organized by chapter members Bard Rama, Int'l Assoc. AIA and Nora Demeter, Int'l Assoc. AIA, respectively.
We also lost one of our founding members, Alan Schwartzman, FAIA who left us in March. His memory will live on in the AIA Europe Scholarship and we are glad to carry on his legacy in this way.
The Board created a new committee for Emerging Professionals and elected
AIA Hong Kong Update
With 2019 just starting, we send best wishes for Happy Holidays with a healthy, peaceful 2019 and a prosperous New Year of the Pig! We’d like to take a moment to reflect on the exciting year we've shared and to invite you to join us for events ahead.
We had many successful events this year (providing 42 continuing education credits) and were able to do so thanks to great participation and engagement. Our building tours – one or two of which will be offered again due to popular demand – capture the work and interests of our members and the work they do. Our sketch sessions continue to be successful thanks to enthusiastic member participation. Our Honors
AIA Japan update
If you attended our year-end event on December 8, you had a first-hand chance to see how much we achieved in 2018. Thank you for sharing a great evening with AIA Japan. If by any chance you had to miss it, here it is for you: the attached report shows highlights of our year’s activities.
As another year comes to an end, I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to all our members, friends, and sponsors who have supported us throughout the year. Thank you all for your devotion in making 2018 another memorable year for AIA Japan.
In our 13th year as a Chapter of the AIA, it’s good to know we continue to grow. This year, our membership increased to 83 (+5 from 2017), and we extend a warm welcome to our new members who have recently joined us. As a relatively small chapter, we keep all decisions at our board accessible and invite all members to participate in our meetings where our activities are planned. AIA Japan has always been, and will continue to be a great place to meet and connect with fellow Japan-based design professionals who
AIA Middle East Chapter – 2018 Year End Report
We are proud to mark another year of continued success and progress for our chapter. I would like to share my gratitude with our dedicated board of Directors, with our members, numbering nearly 500 now and spread around no less than 10 Countries as well as with our sponsors.
We officially welcomed Iraq to the Chapter in August. Our 2017 President Raya Ani, and Country Representative, Asmaa Al-Ani held a successful launch with many prominent Iraqi architects, engineers and leaders in attendance at the Iraqi Engineers Union.
AIA Shanghai Year End Update
This year has been marked by continued development of our community platform for more robust delivery of events. One key initiative was to more closely engage local partners in the Shanghai community. Two organizations that were engaged were Architectural Society of Shanghai China (ASSC) and Hong Kong University (HKU) with whom we respectively agreed to develop programs of common interest and mutual benefit.
AIA Canada
AIA Canada Society are expanding the AIA Canada Board. If you wish to find more about the committee roles check the following link
Unassigned Members Update
In the second half of the year 2018 we have been looking to be part or to host a mini event for the Unassigned Members. It has been, and will continue to be, a challenge to bring together as many Unassigned Members to one gathering point or event, while we are scattered over 61 countries.
Sitting in South Africa, Cape Town, it has been on my agenda and possibility to bring some of our members together locally. You can count us on two hands, as unassigned members in South African
Strategic Council Update
All 19 Regions of the AIA have representatives on the Council. Some have multiple members and some of the AIA Board and past Board are on the Council. The total of the Council members in 2018 was 49. For the past three years I have been on the Council representing the International Region. I will now be replaced by Greg Yager, AIA of Shanghai Chapter. We were also fortunate to have another International Associate AIA be selected to the five un-affiliated members for 2019, Nela de Zoysa, Hon FAIA, Hon RIBA, and other Architectural Associations based in Sri Lanka.
The charge to the Strategic Council is to be the “big thinkers” and advisors
WinDoor Expo Conference - Guangzhou
The AIA International Region is working with sponsor Informa to develop a conference program for the WinDoor Expo in Guangzhou on March 4-6, 2019. The WinDoor Expo is one of the largest trade shows in the region. The theme for the conference is ‘Facade Design and the Impact of Technology’.
The AIA IR has reached out to the Architectural Society of China (ASC) and the Architectural Society of Shanghai, China (ASSC) and they are sending speakers to the conference.
UIA Update
The IR’s Immediate Past President, James M. Wright, FAIA, is now in his second year serving as the Co-Director of the International Union of Architects (UIA) Professional Practice Commission. The UIA is a global organization made up of national architectural associations from over 120 countries and territories, representing over one million architects worldwide. The AIA is the official representative of the U.S., and Thomas Vonier, FAIA—founding President of the AIA-IR and Past President of the AIA—is the current UIA President.
At the most recent UIA Council meeting, held in Lucknow, India, James’ Co-Director colleague Weimin Zhuang from the China member section presented Council with a report prepared by James outlining the status of the various initiatives underway by members of the Professional Practice Commission.The PPC has tentatively scheduled its 2019 annual meeting for 20-21 February in Kuala Lumpur at the invitation of PAM, the Malaysian Institute of Architects.While the next UIA World Congress & General
