AIA International Mentorship Series - Design and Build Healthy Boundaries

When: Friday 24 October 2025 @ 09:00 (Eastern US Time)
Where: Online

CES: Estimated 1.0 LU for AIA Members

Speaker: Morgan Chawaga, Career Coach and Founder of The Healthy Architect

Description

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

This year’s theme is Discovering Value in Your Career. In this session we will discuss how in the fast-moving world of architecture and design, strong communication and clear boundaries are key to thriving. This 60-minute interactive workshop by The Healthy Architect offers practical tools to help you strengthen professional relationships, reduce burnout, and create a more sustainable, balanced career.

Whether you're just starting out or deep into your practice, join us to learn how small shifts can lead to big changes in how you work, collaborate, and lead.

As always, Group sessions are open to all.

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

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.

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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.  

AIA Canada Society - AI’s Role in Securing AEC Data: Paving the Path Forward

When: Wednesday 28 May 2025 @ 12:00 (Eastern US Time)
Where: ONLINE
CES: 1.0 LU for AIA Members

Speaker

Aaron Vorwerk, AIA, NCARB, EIT, LEED AP BD+C

Description

As AEC firms navigate an increasingly complex data environment, the need for robust data control and security has never been greater. With the rapid growth of project data, artificial intelligence (AI) offers practical, scalable solutions for managing permissions, preventing data leaks, and uncovering actionable project insights. Beyond automation, AI plays a critical role in supporting ethical and compliant data practices—enhancing, not replacing, human decision-making. This course explores how AI can empower AEC professionals to proactively manage data governance, mitigate risks, and build organizational resilience. It’s time for the AEC industry to adopt a smart, secure, and responsible approach to data through the thoughtful integration of AI.

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AIA Japan - Moreau Kusunoki: Resilience Through Design in Museums

When: Tuesday 27 May 2025 @ 06:00 (Eastern US Time)/ 19:00 (Japan time)
Where: In-Person (Gensler Tokyo Office, Minato City, Tokyo)/ ONLINE

Description

Join AIA Japan for an evening lecture by Nicolas Moreau and Hiroko Kusunoki of Moreau Kusunoki, the acclaimed Paris-based architecture studio.

Their talk, Resilience through Design in Museums, will share insights from their international practice and reflect on the evolving role of museums in contemporary society. CES credits available.

FULL DETAILS HERE >>>

AIA Canada Society - Building Code Updates for Tall Wood Construction in Canada

When: Wednesday 21 May 2025 @ 12:00 (Eastern US Time)
Where: ONLINE
CES: 1.0 LU for AIA Members

Speaker

Hailey Quiquero, MASc, P.Eng; Technical Manager, WoodWorks Ontario

Dammy Olafimihan, Meng; Technical Advisor, WoodWorks Ontario

Description

Mass timber is at the forefront of the shift toward more sustainable, low-carbon construction, offering a compelling example of how innovative materials can shape the future of our cities. As tall timber construction continues to gain momentum across Canada, the possibilities for sustainable and forward-thinking design have significantly expanded.

This session explores the state of tall wood adoption, highlighting recent regulatory advancements, including code updates that now permit encapsulated mass timber buildings up to 18 storeys.

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AIA Sub-Saharan Africa - Una Ferreira: Architecture Built on Solid Rock

When: Thursday 8 May 2025 @ 12:00 (Eastern US Time)/ 18:00 (Namibia Time)
Where: The Mining Auditorium, Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), Wagner Street, Windhoek, Namibia

Description

This talk focuses on the work and design philosophy of Una Ferreira.

Una Ferreira completed her Bachelor of Architecture in 2005 at the University of the Free State. She drawsdeep inspiration from her upbringing in Katutura, a township in Windhoek, Namibia, which ignited her passion for community service and human-centred design. Through her firm Una Stuurmann Architects and Social Enterprise Bold Creations, she embodies a profound architectural philosophy - anchored in the human vector in architecture - where each project is a heartfelt response to the people who will inhabit and experience spaces.

Her work is steeped in empathy and storyteIIing, as she strives to create emotionally resonant buildings that do more than just serve functional purposes; they care for the emotional and psychological well- being of the occupants. This approach, which she calls empathy layering architecture, involves a deep discernment of the social and physical needs of the community. Through this lens, she ensures that her designs are not just visually appealing, but also rich in physio- sociological architecture - spaces that address both the physiological and sociological dimensions of human life.

Her work extends beyond architecture into the realm of sustainable, community-driven creations. Bold Creations show cases Namibian talent through recycled and handcrafted furniture, art, and sculpture, emphasising her belief that architecture and design are powerful tools to foster both community pride and environmental stewardship. With every project, Una embodies innovation, care, and a commitment to the sustainable growth of her community, proving that architecture can be a force for social change.