In November 2021, AIA Canada reached a significant milestone in the advancement of our Chapter, receiving formal accreditation from AIA National. This creates a solid foundation from which we can further envision what our Chapter means to us. We aim to stay aligned with the values established by AIA National, while ensuring that the Chapter reflects our own individual character.
Our starting point for the year is acting on the fall survey results indicating the types of continuing education that most interest our members. We are also establishing direct communication conduits to the AIA Knowledge Communities and Member Groups, and profile a new one each quarter through our partnership with Canadian Architect magazine.
Our first webinar of the year was held in January to announce the winners from our 2021 Design Awards program. The program runs annually each fall to recognize best practices, innovative thinking, and design excellence in the work of AIA Canada members and future design professionals—the latter through a student category and $1,000 scholarship. The 2021 awards cycle invited entries in the categories of Architecture, Interior Architecture, Urban Design, and Unbuilt Projects. The jury was chaired by James Wright, FAIA, 2016-2017 AIA International President and included two other distinguished architects: Tolya Stonorov, AIA, Associate Director of Norwich University’s School of Architecture + Art and Associate Professor of Architecture, and Barry Johns, Architect, AAA, FRAIC, Hon.FAIA, RCA, LEED AP, 2011-2017 Chancellor of the College of Fellows, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, and 2015-2019 Director of Practice, Alberta Association of Architects.
