2026 AIA International Global Mentorship Program. Discover how cross-border mentorship brings architects together to exchange knowledge, explore new perspectives and inspire professional growth.
We are thrilled to announce that the 2026 AIA International Design Awards are now open for submissions!
Deadline: Friday 14 August, 2026, at 5pm (Eastern US time)
At AIA26 in San Diego, nearly 300 architects from around the world joined AIA International's signature workshop, The Edge Condition: Global Architecture in Practice, to explore how collaboration, local knowledge, and interdisciplinary thinking are shaping the future of global architectural practice.
We are excited to announce that the 2026 AIA South Korea Design Awards are now open for submissions!
Deadline: Friday 18 September 2026, at 10:.59 (Eastern US time)/ 23:59 (KST)
Dear Members of AIA International,
We are seeking nominations for the position of AIA International First Vice President, to serve on the board for a four (4) year term as follows:
As First Vice President - from January 2027 through December 2027
As President - from January 2028 through December 2029
As Immediate Past President - from January 2030 through December 2030.
Extended Deadline for nominations is Friday 12 June 2026 at 5:00pm (Eastern U.S. Time).
AIA Middle East Co-Founder, Past President and Executive Director Sherif Anis, FAIA elevated to the College of Fellows
The fellowship program was developed to elevate those architects who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession and made a significant contribution to architecture and society on a national and international level.
After the widely acclaimed AIA UK + RIBA Keynote Lecture by Francis Kéré, and the final 2020 virtual building tour in December, the AIA UK kicked off 2021 still in high gear. The 6th of January new board orientation virtual meeting reviewed our events of the past year, and outlined the Chapter’s goals for the year ahead.
AIA Canada in 2020
This year saw the launch of the first ever AIA Canada Design Awards. Please go here to view the winners: https://aiacanadasociety.org/design-awards/.
We held our AGM on November 12.
A lot has happened this year, though a lot more was planned, but unfortunately as the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world, our plans were cut short.
Two conferences were planned. The Porto Spring conference was finalized and the registration ready to open, but as the pandemic spread, the Board had to take the difficult decision to postpone it. The same fate followed the Cork Fall conference.
AIA Hong Kong presented 2020 Honors and Awards to five projects on November 12. The jurors selected projects that promote a sustainable, diverse, and inclusive community, advocating for change and positive impacts on our society. The only Honor Award this year was for the HKFYG PH2 Tai Po Youth Hostel for design excellence in promoting low-income housing and acting as an inspiring incubator. The Chapter also revived the Architecture Firm Award. This award has not been made since 2004 and was presented this year to Ronald Lu & Partners for their contribution to the profession and to the community at large.
Architects from 27 countries formed the International Union of Architects in 1948. Their purpose: to unify the profession, influence policies shaping buildings and communities, and advance society through architecture and urban design.
Today, with some 130 national member sections, the UIA is the only global organisation representing the world’s 3.2 million architects.
The AIA International Region Conference held November 17-21 is now available on demand. There are more than 50 different events available for continuing education credits. To view the full line-up, see https://www.aiainternational.org/virtual-conference-schedule
Dear Colleagues,
The AIA International Region Virtual Conference has been a resounding success! We had nearly 3,000 registrants from 90 different countries who enjoyed more than 50 superb presentations. The breadth and quality was truly outstanding. Many people have said it was the best AIA event, live or online, that they had ever attended! The event only happened because of a concerted global effort, and the energy and enthusiasm were fantastic. This shows the amazing possibilities of what we can achieve when we work together. All of the conference sessions are available on-demand [here] and are eligible for continuing education credits.
The AIA IR is in full-flow getting ready for the Virtual Conference on Nov 17-21. It is fantastic to see the energy and passion that is being put into it by so many people! The range of speakers and topics is phenomenal. Speakers include B.V. Doshi, Moshe Safdie, Jeanne Gang, Jan Gehl, Sandra Barclay, Annabelle Seldorf, and many others. Please register today and be part of it!
AIA Middle East Design Awards Program
In a world undergoing tremendous change accelerated by a global pandemic of unprecedented scale, the human assault on the environment continues to place future generations in jeopardy. Architects must once more reinforce efforts towards designing sustainable built environments at all scales, especially in an increasingly digitizing & automating world.
Thank you for supporting our Honors and Awards Program. Despite the unprecedented challenges we are all facing this year, we are pleased to see many of you invested time and effort into preparing an outstanding collection of entries. This year, we received almost same number of submissions as we did in 2019, an inspiring testament to the industry's recognition of the AIA Hong Kong award.
The annual AIA UK Bike Tour is a well-attended affair, and this year was no exception. Local designers joined tour leader, architect and historian, Ben O’Looney, for an 8-hour excursion along the Thames to learn about flood mitigation strategies, industrial conservation and new developments along its length.
The 2020 Annual Meeting of the members of the AIA International Region will take place Wednesday, November 18, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. (U.S. Eastern Standard Time) by electronic means. The meeting will be conducted for the purpose of electing the Secretary whose term will commence in 2021 and expire at the end of 2022; for receiving the annual reports of the Board and the Treasurer; and for the transaction of such other business as may be appropriate.
The AIA International Region board has completed a round of interviews with candidates standing for positions on the AIA National board. Led by Thierry Paret, our Immediate Past President, this was a valuable opportunity to get the candidates’ thoughts on a number of issues affecting the International Region.
