Each year the AIA Northern Virginia Young Architects Forum organizes seminars for those preparing to take the Architect Registration Exam® (ARE). The award-winning seminars offer the opportunity to learn from a professional in each discipline and use that knowledge in preparation for the ARE. All sessions offer AIA Continuing Education credits.

Remaining Series Schedule
April 13 - Programming + Analysis (5 LU | HSW), 10:00a-3:00p
May 18 - Project Planning and Design (6 LU | HSW), 10:00-4:00p
June 15 - Project Development + Documentation (6 LU | HSW), 10:00a-4:00p
July 13 - Construction and Evaluation (5 LU | HSW), 10:00a-3:00p

Cost: 
Complete Series Package: $250 (AIA Member); $400 (Non-Member)
Individual Seminar Classes: $50 (AIA Member); $75 (Non-Member)

Individual Seminar classes are available but advance registration is required by 5:00pm on the Thursday directly prior to the seminar.

Seminar Class Bundles: Attendees choosing the series package are permitted one session cancellation, minus credit card fees and cost of in-person lunch, as applicable. Additional missed sessions will not be refunded, but will entitle attendees to receive any pre-/post-session class materials which the instructors may decide to make available. 

Register here: ARE Prep Registration

Our very own Board Member Rebecca Edmunds has been awarded the IAWA 2024 Kristine Fallon Prize Award for her manuscript Allison G. Williams: An Architect First.

Allison G. Williams, FAIA will be sharing her work as the 2024 IAWA Symposium Keynote on March 21st. We encourage all to attend and learn more about her work.

http://www.agwms.com

This is a great way to catch up with others in the profession outside of our more organized events. Bring your own lunch or stop by one of the many restaurants at the Market Building and slide a chair up to the table! We're looking forward to seeing you there. 

Which Buildings Require Asbestos Testing Prior to Renovation or Demolition?

This course will explore where asbestos comes from, why it is beneficial in building materials, and the potential health impacts from exposure that have resulted in regulation at the federal and state levels. Additionally, we will discuss information related to specific inspection requirements in federal regulations, focusing on demolition and renovation.

This course counts for 1 LU credit. To register, click here.

Each year the AIA Northern Virginia Young Architects Forum organizes seminars for those preparing to take the Architect Registration Exam® (ARE). The award-winning seminars offer the opportunity to learn from a professional in each discipline and use that knowledge in preparation for the ARE. All sessions offer AIA Continuing Education credits.

Remaining Series Schedule
March 9 - Project Management (6 LU | HSW), 10:00a-4:00p
April 13 - Programming + Analysis (5 LU | HSW), 10:00a-3:00p
May 18 - Project Planning and Design (6 LU | HSW), 10:00-4:00p
June 15 - Project Development + Documentation (6 LU | HSW), 10:00a-4:00p
July 13 - Construction and Evaluation (5 LU | HSW), 10:00a-3:00p

Cost: 
Complete Series Package: $250 (AIA Member); $400 (Non-Member)
Individual Seminar Classes: $50 (AIA Member); $75 (Non-Member)

Individual Seminar classes are available but advance registration is required by 5:00pm on the Thursday directly prior to the seminar.

Seminar Class Bundles: Attendees choosing the series package are permitted one session cancellation, minus credit card fees and cost of in-person lunch, as applicable. Additional missed sessions will not be refunded, but will entitle attendees to receive any pre-/post-session class materials which the instructors may decide to make available. 

Register here: ARE Prep Registration

Each year the AIA Northern Virginia Young Architects Forum organizes seminars for those preparing to take the Architect Registration Exam® (ARE). The award-winning seminars offer the opportunity to learn from a professional in each discipline and use that knowledge in preparation for the ARE. All sessions offer AIA Continuing Education credits.

2024 Series Schedule
February 3 - Practice Management (6 LU | HSW), 10:00a-4:00p
March 9 - Project Management (6 LU | HSW), 10:00a-4:00p
April 13 - Programming + Analysis (5 LU | HSW), 10:00a-3:00p
May 18 - Project Planning and Design (6 LU | HSW), 10:00-4:00p
June 15 - Project Development + Documentation (6 LU | HSW), 10:00a-4:00p
July 13 - Construction and Evaluation (5 LU | HSW), 10:00a-3:00p

Cost: 
Complete Series Package: $250 (AIA Member); $400 (Non-Member)
Individual Seminar Classes: $50 (AIA Member); $75 (Non-Member)

Individual Seminar classes are available but advance registration is required by 5:00pm on the Thursday directly prior to the seminar.

Seminar Class Bundles: Attendees choosing the series package are permitted one session cancellation, minus credit card fees and cost of in-person lunch, as applicable. Additional missed sessions will not be refunded, but will entitle attendees to receive any pre-/post-session class materials which the instructors may decide to make available. 

Register here: ARE Prep Registration

Save the Date for our AIA Blue Ridge Annual Meeting. We’ll start off with dinner from a local restaurant, have a presentation about the year from our current President Nick Wade, and also celebrate the winners of our ADU competition. We can’t wait to see you there!

We're trying out something new! Join us for a lunchtime hard hat tour of the ongoing renovation of the Moyer Sports Complex by Lose Design of Lawrenceville, Georgia. This event is hosted by CSI Blue Ridge and G&H Contracting. 

Big Daddy’s Bar-B-Que Food Truck from Troutville, VA will be onsite with food and drink available for purchase. 

To register for this event, click here. Those attending this event must wear all appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): closed-toe shoes, hard hat, high visibility vest, and safety glasses. 

Virginia Tech began construction in April of 2022 on the $69.5 million Undergraduate Science Laboratory Building in Blacksburg. The 102,366-gsf facility will feature 26 wet, dry, and specialty labs designed to be flexible and adaptable to the current and future instructional needs of the College of Science, the College of Engineering, the College of Natural Resources and Environment, and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. On the first floor, the Discovery Suite will provide a maker space with both wet and dry functionality for student projects and industry partnerships. The four-story structure will also offer general-use classrooms, collaboration spaces, offices, informal study areas, workspaces for graduate teaching assistants, and an accessible outdoor gathering area.
 

ZGF is providing architectural and engineering services with Skanska as construction manager at risk. A minimum of LEED Silver sustainable design certification will be sought for the facility, which is slated for occupancy in fall of 2024.

Please RSVP to this event by emailing contact@aiablueridge.org. Attendees are required to wear all appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): closed-toe shoes, hard hat, high visibility vest, and safety glasses. 

Join us for a rare tour of a completed residential project designed by Balzer and Associates. Because the project is completed (and occupied), no PPE will be required for this tour. 
 

Please RSVP to this event by emailing contact@aiablueridge.org in order to receive the property address. This event has been submitted for 1 AIA CEU credit. 

Four learning objectives:
1. Bracing walls made up mostly of glass.
2. Rethinking which rooms get the best views.
3. Looking at a different method for presenting clients with the schematic design process.
4. Examine how ceilings can instruct the program.

Join us to welcome the 2023 Class of Emerging Leaders in Architecture to Roanoke! YAF is hosting a meet and greet happy hour with the class, location TBD.

AIA Blue Ridge will host a free online webinar “Design for Aging” to educate interested designers on standards and best practices of designing residential spaces for older adults. The webinar speakers, Chris McGill, AIA and Helen Jadlowski, AIA, will share their experiences on multiple senior living projects they have worked on at SFCS, Inc. The course will explore accessibility guidelines and universal design through the lens of “aging in place”. We will discuss how the physical needs of users change as they age and how designers can go above and beyond minimum code requirements to create adaptable spaces that promote independent living for older adults.

While SFCS works with many facilities to try to address those needs at the large scale, communities like Roanoke need to develop other tools to help address these housing and quality of life needs for older members at the small scale, because the cost of assisted living and skilled care is financially out of reach for many individuals, especially those on fixed incomes. Attendees of this course will have a better understanding of the best practices of “Design for Aging” to help inform the design of ADU competition submissions.

Attendees will need to register in advance by emailing contact@aiablueridge.org.  The course will be recorded for those who are unable to attend the live event. This webinar has been submitted for 1 LU/HSW credit. 


Learning Objectives:
1. Explore research into the accessibility needs of aging adults and the "activities of daily living". Explore how to promote independence in aging adults.
2. Identify best practices that go above and beyond minimum accessibility codes for aging adults and how these standards can be applied to a residential setting.
3. Illustrate the application of best practices of designing for aging adults in built examples of apartments that implement the identified best practices.
4. Explore the best practices of "Universal Design" and how residential spaces, which are not required to meet strict standards of accessibility can be built to have increased adaptability to provide more equitable housing for diverse populations, including aging adults.
5. Apply these best practices through the development of Accessory Dwelling Units through the ADU Competition hosted by AIA Blue Ridge to put what was learned into practice.

In conjunction with the ADU design competition, AIA BR has organized a tour of a few local ADUs. This will be a great chance to see examples of various ADU designs and ask the owners about their experience before beginning your own design. This event requires pre-registration to attend. Please RSVP by emailing contact@aiablueridge.org

This will be a great way to catch up with others in the profession outside of our more organized events. Bring your own lunch or stop by one of the many restaurants at the Market Building and slide a chair up to the table! We're looking forward to seeing you there. 

Each year the AIA Northern Virginia Young Architects Forum organizes seminars for those preparing to take the Architect Registration Exam® (ARE). The award-winning seminars offer the opportunity to learn from a professional in each discipline and use that knowledge in preparation for the ARE. All sessions offer AIA Continuing Education credits.

Remaining Series Schedule
July 15 - Construction and Evaluation (5 LU | HSW), 10:00a-3:00p

Cost: 
Complete Series Package: $250 (AIA Member); $400 (Non-Member)
Individual Seminar Classes: $50 (AIA Member); $75 (Non-Member)

Individual Seminar classes are available but advance registration is required by 5:00pm on the Thursday directly prior to the seminar.

Seminar Class Bundles: Attendees choosing the series package are permitted one session cancellation, minus credit card fees and cost of in-person lunch, as applicable. Additional missed sessions will not be refunded, but will entitle attendees to receive any pre-/post-session class materials which the instructors may decide to make available. 

Register here: ARE Prep Registration

Each year the AIA Northern Virginia Young Architects Forum organizes seminars for those preparing to take the Architect Registration Exam® (ARE). The award-winning seminars offer the opportunity to learn from a professional in each discipline and use that knowledge in preparation for the ARE. All sessions offer AIA Continuing Education credits.

Remaining Series Schedule
June 17 - Project Development + Documentation (6 LU | HSW), 10:00a-4:00p
July 15 - Construction and Evaluation (5 LU | HSW), 10:00a-3:00p

Cost: 
Complete Series Package: $250 (AIA Member); $400 (Non-Member)
Individual Seminar Classes: $50 (AIA Member); $75 (Non-Member)

Individual Seminar classes are available but advance registration is required by 5:00pm on the Thursday directly prior to the seminar.

Seminar Class Bundles: Attendees choosing the series package are permitted one session cancellation, minus credit card fees and cost of in-person lunch, as applicable. Additional missed sessions will not be refunded, but will entitle attendees to receive any pre-/post-session class materials which the instructors may decide to make available. 

Register here: ARE Prep Registration

Breckinridge Middle School is expanding its building with two new additions. One addition will include a two-story atrium, classrooms, collaboration, and breakout spaces, and the second will house its fine arts programming with choral and instrumental music rooms.

Learning Objectives:
1. Evaluating site design strategies with regard to reconciling limitations set by existing conditions through recognizing the opportunities for design enhancement.
2. Discussing limitations and process of school construction during student/staff occupancy.
3. Discussing specifics and challenges of renovating a school built in the 1950’s with multiple additions and renovations, with regards to life safety, the importance of good field work and navigating unforeseen conditions.
4. Understand the importance of natural daylighting strategies and its relationship to student success.

HSW Justification:
Participants will examine the placement of various program needs, such as communal gathering spaces, collaboration nodes, and fine arts programing to evaluate how the programming strategies are cohesive within the existing building floorplan and resulting life safety concerns.

1 LU / HSW

Email contact@aiablueridge.com to RSVP.

Each year the AIA Northern Virginia Young Architects Forum organizes seminars for those preparing to take the Architect Registration Exam® (ARE). The award-winning seminars offer the opportunity to learn from a professional in each discipline and use that knowledge in preparation for the ARE. All sessions offer AIA Continuing Education credits.

Remaining Series Schedule
May 20 - Project Planning and Design (6 LU | HSW), 10:00-4:00p
June 17 - Project Development + Documentation (6 LU | HSW), 10:00a-4:00p
July 15 - Construction and Evaluation (5 LU | HSW), 10:00a-3:00p

Cost: 
Complete Series Package: $250 (AIA Member); $400 (Non-Member)
Individual Seminar Classes: $50 (AIA Member); $75 (Non-Member)

Individual Seminar classes are available but advance registration is required by 5:00pm on the Thursday directly prior to the seminar.

Seminar Class Bundles: Attendees choosing the series package are permitted one session cancellation, minus credit card fees and cost of in-person lunch, as applicable. Additional missed sessions will not be refunded, but will entitle attendees to receive any pre-/post-session class materials which the instructors may decide to make available. 

Register here: ARE Prep Registration

This project is a good example of low-rise, cost-effective residential development.  A vacant and dilapidated home used to stand on the property, until the client bought it for $40,000.  Using county zoning ordinances, Alam Design Group helped design and build six functional and beautiful townhomes with cost-effective construction. 

This hard hat tour will focus on cost effective building methods, estimating, cost analysis, and residential development.

Social hour at Olde Salem Brewery in Salem, VA immediately following the tour.

Email contact@aiablueridge.com to RSVP. 

Each year the AIA Northern Virginia Young Architects Forum organizes seminars for those preparing to take the Architect Registration Exam® (ARE). The award-winning seminars offer the opportunity to learn from a professional in each discipline and use that knowledge in preparation for the ARE. All sessions offer AIA Continuing Education credits.

Remaining Series Schedule
Apr. 15 - Programming + Analysis (5 LU | HSW), 10:00a-3:00p
May 20 - Project Planning and Design (6 LU | HSW), 10:00-4:00p
June 17 - Project Development + Documentation (6 LU | HSW), 10:00a-4:00p
July 15 - Construction and Evaluation (5 LU | HSW), 10:00a-3:00p

Cost: 
Complete Series Package: $250 (AIA Member); $400 (Non-Member)
Individual Seminar Classes: $50 (AIA Member); $75 (Non-Member)

Individual Seminar classes are available but advance registration is required by 5:00pm on the Thursday directly prior to the seminar.

Seminar Class Bundles: Attendees choosing the series package are permitted one session cancellation, minus credit card fees and cost of in-person lunch, as applicable. Additional missed sessions will not be refunded, but will entitle attendees to receive any pre-/post-session class materials which the instructors may decide to make available. 

Register here: ARE Prep Registration

YAF meets up regularly on the First Thursday of every month. This time we're hanging out at the Vault at the Liberty Trust! The hotel and restaurant are an adaptive re-use of an iconic 1910 bank building. 

This project was completed by the local Architecture firm Balzer and Associates, with Historic Preservation by Hill Studio and Interior Design by Glave and Holmes. Come check it out with us! 

Join us on Thursday, March 30th to discuss your ARE journey! We’ll be talking test divisions, exam resources, study materials, and exam experiences. Whether you’re just starting out, you’re halfway through, or you’ve just finished, we’d love to see you there. Snacks will be provided!

Each year the AIA Northern Virginia Young Architects Forum organizes seminars for those preparing to take the Architect Registration Exam® (ARE). The award-winning seminars offer the opportunity to learn from a professional in each discipline and use that knowledge in preparation for the ARE. All sessions offer AIA Continuing Education credits.

Remaining Series Schedule
Mar. 11 - Project Management (6 LU | HSW), 10:00a-4:00p
Apr. 15 - Programming + Analysis (5 LU | HSW), 10:00a-3:00p
May 20 - Project Planning and Design (6 LU | HSW), 10:00-4:00p
June 17 - Project Development + Documentation (6 LU | HSW), 10:00a-4:00p
July 15 - Construction and Evaluation (5 LU | HSW), 10:00a-3:00p

Cost: 
Complete Series Package: $250 (AIA Member); $400 (Non-Member)
Individual Seminar Classes: $50 (AIA Member); $75 (Non-Member)

Individual Seminar classes are available but advance registration is required by 5:00pm on the Thursday directly prior to the seminar.

Seminar Class Bundles: Attendees choosing the series package are permitted one session cancellation, minus credit card fees and cost of in-person lunch, as applicable. Additional missed sessions will not be refunded, but will entitle attendees to receive any pre-/post-session class materials which the instructors may decide to make available. 

Register here: ARE Prep Registration

Join YAF at the Barrows Showroom to sip cocktails and explore their range of available products, including items from Steelcase, 3form, and Kimball International.

Join us for a hard hat tour at the Lawson Building West, by Balzer and Associates. Happy Hour with YAF to follow.

Learning Objectives:

1. Summarize the different strategies to achieve fire ratings using wood construction.

2. Identify flood plain zones and flood mitigation strategies. 

3. Explore occupiable roof decks and their benefits to building occupants. 

4. Illustrate the VHDA (Virginia Housing Development Authority) process. 

Each year the AIA Northern Virginia Young Architects Forum organizes seminars for those preparing to take the Architect Registration Exam® (ARE). The award-winning seminars offer the opportunity to learn from a professional in each discipline and use that knowledge in preparation for the ARE. All sessions offer AIA Continuing Education credits.

Once again, AIA Northern Virginia is pleased to extend the series to members of AIA Blue Ridge. This year’s ARE® Prep Series kicks off on Jan. 25 with a FREE, introductory roundtable discussion featuring NCARB Vice President of Examination, Jared Zurn, AIA, NCARB, CAE.

Register for the kick off now: Meeting Registration - Zoom

The calendar for the 2023 ARE Prep Series is as follows:

Feb. 04 - Practice Management (6 LU | HSW), 10:00a-4:00p
Mar. 11 - Project Management (6 LU | HSW), 10:00a-4:00p
Apr. 15 - Programming + Analysis (5 LU | HSW), 10:00a-3:00p
May 20 - Project Planning and Design (6 LU | HSW), 10:00-4:00p
June 17 - Project Development + Documentation (6 LU | HSW), 10:00a-4:00p
July 15 - Construction and Evaluation (5 LU | HSW), 10:00a-3:00p

Series registration and pricing are coming soon.