AIA International Mentorship Series - Growing with Nature: Resilient Buildings and Cities

When: Tuesday 9 December 2025 @ 09:00 (Eastern US Time)
Where: Online

CES: Estimated 1.0 LU for AIA Members

Speakers:

Mona zum Felde, Senior Consultant Climate Adaptation and Water at &flux

Stanley Bui, Founder Sigma Studio

Description

Join the AIA International Global Mentorship Program’s December Mentoring session!

This year’s theme is Discovering Value in Your Career. In this session we will learn how nature-based solutions can create resilient, human-centered projects by working with—rather than against—natural systems. This program introduces core NBS principles, practical design strategies, and real-world case studies to help you integrate nature into projects at any scale.

As always sessions are open to all. If you have questions, please contact Michelle Montgomery at emergingprofessionals@aiainternational.org.

Mona zum Felde is a design thinker with an integrated view on climate adaptation and (spatial) transition challenges. with her background as urban and landscape designer, her strength lies in thinking in systems and connecting different challenges and scales. in her work she is driven to reduce the impact of climate change on people and the planet. she currently works as Senior Consultant Climate Adaptation and Water at &flux. Before joining the &flux team, Mona worked as a designer and researcher on a variety of projects in Europe, Africa, and Asia. She contributed to mapping water and soil systems for provinces and water boards in the Netherlands, researched the spatial impact of long-term strategies for sea level rise, and worked on the future spatial demand for drinking water in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area. She also developed a ‘water and soil-driven’ guide for the province of Utrecht and a strategy for Nature-based Solutions for urban water management in Kigali, Rwanda.

Mona holds a Master degree in Urbanism from Delft University of Technology. She received an honourable mention for her graduation project, where she investigated the opportunities for the integration of urban water management and urban development to reduce climate change impacts in unplanned settlements in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Tan Bui is an architect and Fulbright Scholar with more than 15 years of international experience which is strategically focused on sustainability and contemporary aesthetics. He has managed a variety of awards winning and high-profile mid-to large scale projects providing innovative solutions to complex challenges, to create highly impactful architecture with a unique vision and skilfully crafted details. Tan graduated from HCMC University of Architecture in 2007 and Master of Architecture in the University of Oregon in 2017 with a full scholarship from the US government.

Currently, Tan is working at and is the founder of Sigma Studio, a Saigon based firm with strategic consultancy and sustainability, integrative and social inclusive oriented architecture. Tan says: In pursuing sustainability, our approach for decarbonization in each project is “Strategy first”, which means to take a step back, evaluating the conditions of the Site, Social Context, Materials & construction methods. These elements become a key driver for the whole design process. “ We believe Sustainability and Decarbonization not only comes from saving energy, environment & resources, but also from aligning the building with the actual usage and context that they belong.” He was selected as a guest speaker at AIA International Spring Conference 2024 for Decarbonization.

AIA Japan Book Talk — Waterfront Regeneration in a Time of Climate Change

When: Friday 5 December 2025 @ 04:30 (Eastern US Time)/ 18:30 (Tokyo time)
Where: LUTRON Asuka Showroom/Office, 1 Chome−1−1 Shin-Aoyama Bldg. West 14F, Minamiaoyama, Tokyo 107-0062 Japan/ ONLINE

CES Credits: TBC

Description

Join AIA Japan for an engaging book talk featuring Raffaele Pernice (The University of New South Wales), George Kurumado (Takenaka Corporation), and Heide Imai (Senshu University) — chapter authors of Waterfront Regeneration in a Time of Climate Change: Recent Japanese and International Experiences (Routledge, 2025).

Moderated by Professor Tetsuya Yaguchi (Waseda University), this session will explore the resilience of the Tokyo waterfront and how global cities are reimagining their waterfronts in response to climate change. Through Japanese and international case studies, the speakers will highlight strategies that balance ecological restoration, disaster risk reduction, and urban livability.

AIA Japan - Frank Lloyd Wright and Japan Revisited: Traditional Japanese Culture as a Means to Modern American Architecture

When: Thursday 27 November 2025 @ 04:30 (Eastern US Time)/ 18:30 (Tokyo time)
Where: Arper Showroom, Tokyo/ ONLINE

Speaker

Kevin Nute, Professor of Architecture, University of Hawai’i, Manoa

Description

Although it has long been accepted that America’s most famous architect was influenced by Japanese culture, the nature of Frank Lloyd Wright’s debt to Japan has remained unclear. Kevin Nute argues that Japan had a more profound impact on Wright’s approach to design and in particular his notion of the organic than has previously been acknowledged. It suggests that the influence of Ernest Fenollosa (1853–1908), the leading American authority on Japanese art at the turn of the 20th century, who also happened to be the cousin of Wright’s first employer in Chicago, the Shingle Style architect Joseph Silsbee (1848–1913), was pivotal in bringing together what would become Wright’s twin passions of Japanese art and the organic whole.

AIA Sub-Saharan Africa – In the Making of Meaningful Things with Earthworld Architects

When: Thursday 20 November 2025 @ 11:00 (Eastern US time)/ 18:00 (Central Africa time)
Where: NUST Mining Auditorium, Windhoek, Namibia/ ONLINE

CES: Estimated 1 LU for AIA Members

Description

This lecture explores the architectural journey of Earthworld over the past 25 years. Beginning in the early 2000s with modest brick constructions, the practice has continually evolved in both materiality and methodology. The timeline of their work reflects progression from: 

• Brick structures in the early years, 

• To concrete and steel buildings, 

• To hybrid constructions combining brick, concrete, and steel, 

• And most recently, to timber-based architecture. 

Over the last decade, Earthworld has focused on the design and construction of modular buildings, embracing advanced technologies such as precast concrete and CNC-cut plywood. These innovations enable components to be fabricated off-site and rapidly assembled on location, reflecting a shift toward efficiency, sustainability, and precision in contemporary architecture. 

To attend IN PERSON - please RSVP to admin@nia.org.na by 14 November 2025.

To attend ONLINE - register via the link below.

AIA Taipei - International Lecture: KINGDOM Development x Department of Architecture Ming Chuan University

When: Thursday 20 November 2025 @ 06:00 (Eastern US time)/ 19:00 (Taipei Time)
Where: Ming Chuan University, Taipei/ ONLINE CES: Estimated 2 LU/HSW for AIA Members

Speaker

Roberto Bannura, Steven Holl Architects I Partner

Event Description

This lecture, presented by Roberto Bannura of Steven Holl Architects, explores the firm’s distinctive design philosophy and its translation into built works across the world. Through an in-depth presentation of selected projects, Bannura will discuss how conceptual thinking, material experimentation, and spatial experience shape Steven Holl’s architectural language.

The event also highlights the collaboration with KINGDOM Development and Ming Chuan University, reflecting the intersection of professional practice, academic exploration, and development innovation in contemporary architecture.

AIA International Mentorship Series - Career Paths and Understanding our Value

When: Wednesday 19 November 2025 @ 09:00 (Eastern US Time)
Where: Online

CES: Estimated 1.0 LU for AIA Members

Speakers:

Barbara Benesh, AIA, NCDIQ, WELL AP; Founder & Principal, B. Grace Design

Laura Gómez Hernández, Prof. Aff., AIA, LEED AP, WELL AP; Senior Sustainable Design Consultant, AECOM

Amanda Bryant, Assoc. AIA; Urban Designer, ECHO Urban Design

Description

Join the AIA International Global Mentorship Program’s November Mentoring session!

This year’s theme is Discovering Value in Your Career. In this session three professionals will share their journey and discuss how to build a career that truly fits you. Learn how to align your work with your personal values, gain confidence in exploring new directions, and define success on your own terms.

As always sessions are open to all. If you have questions, please contact Michelle Montgomery at emergingprofessionals@aiainternational.org.

Barbara Benesh is the founder and principal of B. Grace Design, a strategy-driven architecture and consulting firm advancing well-being through design. A Virginia Business Top 40 Under 40 honoree, she focuses on a human-centered approach to drive better health outcomes and economic resilience for organizations. With over a decade of experience in the U.S. and abroad, Babs mentors emerging leaders to design not just buildings - but better ways of working and living.

Laura Gómez Hernández is a Senior Sustainable Design Consultant at AECOM with over a decade of international experience in architecture and sustainability. As a LEE and WELL Accredited Professional and a licenses Architect both in the U.S. and Spain, she specializes in integrating low-carbon, health and well-being strategies intro projects ranging from building to urban scale developments. Prior to joining AECOM Laura contributed to high-end commercial, institutional, retail, and residential projects across the U.S. and Europe, with a focus on passive design and performance-driven solutions. With a global perspective and a deep passion for innovation, Laura remains committed to advancing resilient design through collaboration, contributing to projects that prioritize both human and well-being and low environmental impact.

Amanda Bryant is an urban designer at ECHO Urban Design in Rotterdam, Netherlands, with eight years of international experience in both architecture and urban design. Her work is grounded in a strong sense of social responsibility and a passion for integrating architecture within the public realm. Amanda is an active member of AIA Continental Europe, where she chairs the Emerging Professionals Committee and co-leads the chapter’s International Mentorship program. She earned her master’s degree from TU Delft in 2018, where her thesis on the spatial effects of automobile dependence was awarded the AIA Continental Europe scholarship.

When: Monday 10 November 2025 @ 05:00 (Eastern US time)/ 18:00 (Taipei Time)
Where: Online CES: Estimated 2 LU/HSW for AIA Members

Speaker

Lydia Kallipoliti, Associate Professor & Director of MSAAD Program, Columbia University GSAPP, New York

Moderator

Tzen-ying Ling, Professor, Columbia University GSAPP

Event Description

In an era where global architectural education faces the challenges of AI integration, sustainability, and cross-disciplinary innovation, the role of education extends beyond knowledge transfer—it becomes a catalyst for reform and transformation.

This lecture, delivered by Prof. Lydia Kallipoliti of Columbia GSAPP, explores paradigm shifts in architectural thought through the lens of ecological design histories. Drawing from her recent publication, Histories of Ecological Design: An Unfinished Cyclopedia, Prof. Kallipoliti examines the intertwined evolution of design, technology, and environmental systems, addressing how architecture can mediate between ecological intelligence, material reuse, and socio-political engagement.

The lecture will be moderated by Prof. Tzen-Ying Ling. Participants will gain insight into contemporary design pedagogy and research directions at Columbia GSAPP, while also engaging in broader discussions on how AI, sustainability, and ecological thinking are redefining architectural practice and education.

AIA Japan - Evening Lecture with Kengo Kuma: Back to Nature

When: Thursday 6 November 2025 @ 05:00 (Eastern US Time)/ 19:00 (Tokyo time)
Where: TBC near Ikebukuro Station/ ONLINE

Description

AIA Japan is honored to collaborate with Kengo Kuma & Associates to present a special lecture, “Back to Nature,” by Kengo Kuma, one of Japan’s most internationally acclaimed architects. The event will take place near Ikebukuro Station at an exclusive, architecturally significant cultural property, offering a fitting setting for this dialogue between architecture and nature. Final venue details will be announced shortly. Kuma-san will reflect on the ways architecture can deepen our connection to nature and the spaces we inhabit.

LEARN MORE >>>

AIA Sub-Saharan Africa - World Cities Day: People Centred Smart Cities

When: Friday 31 October 2025 @ 12:00 (Eastern US time)/ 18:00 (South Africa time)
Where: ONLINE

Speakers

George Asamani, MD, PMI Sub-Saharan Africa

Innocent Musonda, Founder & Director Centre for Applied Research and Innovation in the Built Environment (CARINBE), University Of Johannesburg

Enahoro Zedomi, Managing Partner, Consultants Collaborative Partnership

Kendall Wilson, Founder & CEO, DigitAIchemy

Norman Moyo, Co-founder & CEO, GridAfrica

Mish-al Booley, Head Individual Competence Unit, City of Cape Town

Ricardo McKlmon, Strategic Manager, Construction Project Management Institute

Moderator

Kimberly Dowdell, Principal HOK

Description

By 2050, Africa’s population is projected to soar from 1.5 to 2.5 billion, with 80% of that growth concentrated in cities. Urbanisation is accelerating rapidly — over 700 million Africans already live in urban areas, a figure expected to double within the next three decades. More than 60 African cities now exceed one million residents, and by mid-century, over 150 cities will reach this milestone, reshaping the continent’s economic, social, and environmental future.

However, urbanisation alone does not guarantee prosperity — projects do. Every bridge, school, transport network, and digital system represents a project that drives employment, fosters enterprise, and strengthens urban economies.

Africa’s next urban transformation must go beyond infrastructure to embrace intelligence, inclusivity, and connection. The vision of People-Centred Smart Cities, the theme of this year’s World Cities Day, calls for cities that combine smart technology with human development — ensuring growth that is not only fast, but fair and inclusive.

Across the continent, cities are beginning to leverage data, digital platforms, and AI to improve services, from traffic management and waste systems to public safety and governance. Yet true smartness lies in people — not just in technology.

Join AIA Sub-Saharan Africa for an inspiring webinar in partnership with The Project Management Institute (PMI SSA), titled People-Centred Smart Cities: Building Africa’s Urban Future Through Projects That Matter. Discover how project management can turn Africa’s urban growth into a sustainable opportunity.

When: Saturday 18 October 2025 @09:00pm (Taipei Time)
Where: Online CES: Estimated 1 LU/HSW for AIA Members

Speakers

Eugene Chang, Associate Design Director, Henning Larsen 

Ruijen Yang, March II, Harvard GSD 

I Fu Chang, MSAAD, Columbia GSAPP

Moderators

Melody Ho, AIA

Jason Ouyang, AIA

Event Description

This online talk, hosted by the AIA Taipei Young Architects / Next-Gen Committee, brings together emerging and experienced architectural professionals to explore pathways toward graduate study and professional growth in architecture.

The session features Ruijen Yang and I Fu Chang, who successfully gained admission to leading U.S. architecture programs — Harvard GSD and Columbia GSAPP. They will share their experiences navigating the application process and preparing competitive portfolios and other application materials.

Eugene Chang, an experienced professional, will provide practical guidance on crafting a compelling portfolio and offer perspectives on what architectural firms value in applicants and emerging architects.

The discussion will be moderated by Hsiang-Yi (Melody) Ho, AIA and Jason Ouyang, AIA, who will facilitate an engaging dialogue between the speakers and the audience. The moderators will also introduce the Architectural Experience Program (AXP) to help participants better understand the transition from academic study to professional practice.

This program offers practical insights for students and emerging architects who are considering graduate studies or seeking to advance their professional trajectories in architecture.

AIA Canada Society - Beyond Net Zero: New Design Imperatives for Vibrant Community Buildings

When: Wednesday 1 October 2025 @ 12:00 (Eastern US Time)
Where: ONLINE
CES: 1.0 LU/HSW for AIA Members

Speakers

Paul Fast, principal of hcma architecture + design

Description

Community recreation facilities are vital social spaces but also among the costliest and most carbon-intensive municipal assets. Architect Paul Fast (hcma architecture + design) will share new imperatives for recreation design, highlighting lessons from the award-winning, all-electric təməsew̓ txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre—the first aquatic centre certified under Canada’s Zero Carbon Building Standard. This case study demonstrates how innovative, holistic design can advance sustainability, health, and community connection.

READ MORE>>>

Speaker Bio

Paul Fast is a Principal at hcma architecture + design, where he focuses on creating architecture that reconnects people to place through material, form, space, and light. His projects range from small community activations to large-scale recreation centres, including the award-winning təməsew̓ txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre. Paul holds a Master of Architecture from UBC and brings both local and international experience to his work.

AIA International Mentorship Series - Beyond the Blueprint: Building a Sustainable and Resilient World

When: Thursday 18 September 2025 @ 09:00 (Eastern US Time)
Where: Online

CES: Estimated 1.0 LU/ HSW for AIA Members

Speaker

Vessela Valtcheva-McGee, GBCI Europe

Description

Join the AIA International Global Mentorship Program’s September session!

This year’s theme is Creating Value in Your Career. The upcoming session titled “Beyond the Blueprint: Building a Sustainable and Resilient World” will feature Vessela Valtcheva-McGee, from GBCI Europe. 

We will discuss how Green Building Certification maintains quality control throughout all phases of the project as well as building performance and business practices. This drives measurable benefits to enhance health, equity, resilience, sustainability, prosperity, and environmental well-being for all. 

As always, Group sessions are open to all.

If you have questions, please contact Michelle Montgomery at emergingprofessionals@aiainternational.org.

AIA Japan - Evolution of Japanese architecture: from Metabolism to Minimalism

When: Saturday 26 July 2025 @ 21:00 (Eastern US Time)/ 10:00 (Japan time)
Where: In-Person (Gensler Tokyo Office)/ ONLINE

Description

Join AIA Japan for a special lecture by Professor Botond Bognar, where he will investigate a spatial genealogy in modern and contemporary Japanese architecture—tracing the evolution from Arata Isozaki’s visionary “City in the Air” to the refined minimalism of SANAA. His lecture will explore how ideas of space and form have transformed across generations of architects, guided by shifting cultural and conceptual frameworks. The lecture will offer a compelling account of how spatial thinking in Japan has navigated between complexity and simplicity, structure and void—ultimately reshaping the architectural landscape.

FULL DETAILS HERE >>>

Architecture 2030 - Forest Therapy and Biophlic Design: Reconnecting People and Place

When: Friday 25 July 2025 @ 07:00 (Eastern US Time)/ 19:00 (China Standard time)
Where: Online

Speaker:

Nicole Craanen, MFA, NCIDQ, WELL-AP, LEED-Green Associate, ANFT Nature & Forest Therapy Guide; Founder of The Biophilic Design Institute

Description

Biophilic design is more than a strategy—it’s a way of creating spaces that foster comfort, connection, and well-being by nurturing our relationship with the natural world. This session explores how nature immersion practices, specifically forest therapy, can deepen our understanding of biophilic design in meaningful and lasting ways.

Forest therapy is a research-informed practice that supports well-being through intentional, sensory engagement with nature. Rooted in presence and relationship, it invites us to slow down, notice more, and connect with the world around us. These experiences help us recognize how our environments impact how we feel, function, and relate to others—and how we, in turn, shape the environments we inhabit.

In this session, we’ll explore how forest therapy can help designers, educators, and stakeholders not only shift how we perceive space, but also engage in a more reciprocal relationship with nature. We’ll look at how sensory experience can be used as a tool to support well-being, reconnect people to place, and guide more intentional, nature-honoring design decisions. Case studies and examples will demonstrate how experiential learning fosters grounded, responsive, and ecologically mindful approaches to design.

Speaker Bio

Nicole Craanen’s passion for biophilic design is deeply rooted in her connection to nature and her expertise in interior design and human ecology. As the founder and owner of The Biophilic Design Institute, she is committed to transforming our relationship with our environment, guiding architects and designers to integrate our innate connection to nature into core design principles.

Through her certification program, she equips professionals with the tools to apply biophilic design in meaningful and impactful ways. Her roles on advisory boards for Living Future Europe and the WELL Building Standard—along with her journey as a yoga instructor and Nature & Forest Therapy Guide—inform her philosophy of promoting health and well-being while mitigating human impact on the non-human world.

Nicole emphasizes curiosity, deep listening, and collaboration, and is passionate about re-evaluating current design principles, championing a future where human and environmental interdependence is at the forefront of creative innovation. She loves exploring the world with her husband and young daughter (the cat stays home). She has been lucky enough to experience 24 countries, and has been brought to tears during moments of awe in her own backyard.