The AIA UK continues to host a range of events over the course of the year; following the two Signature events of the Spring and Summer (the Design Awards Gala and Super Saturday), the year's third and final Signature event was the well-attended Newcastle City Excursion. This Autumn's line up also featured a collection of technical lectures including: Well Building Standard, Parametric Design in Practice, and Automated Architecture. The 2019/2020 Winter Film Series kicked off in October, with the films 'Unfinished Spaces' and 'The Films of Charles and Ray Eames' screened in quick succession. As always, the Chapter celebrated November with the annual Pub Quiz. The year's events will conclude with an Emerging Professionals Holiday Meetup on December 18th.
At its annual strategic planning session, the board agreed to key amendments to its mission and goals to incorporate its focus on diversity and inclusion, as well as to introduce a new focus on addressing climate change. Details of these changes and their impact on the chapter's future ambitions will be published on the AIA UK Chapter blog and included in the chapter's next newsletter. Taking a moment to reflect on the chapter's long history, Lorriane King, Chapter Secretary, also revisited the publication of 'Crossing the Pond,' an article written for Architectural Record twenty years ago celebrating the success of large American practices in the UK; her 3-part series, the first of which is available here, interviewed local architects, some of which were featured in the original text, and presents a through update on the status of American practices in the UK. Lastly, the chapter has also welcomed 32 new members in 2019, and looks forward to an exciting roster of events for 2020 championed by a diverse and enthusiastic board of directors.
AKT II hosts 'Parametric Design in Practice,' part of the AIA UK 2019 Technical Lecture Series. Photo credit: Matthew Heitel, Assoc. AIA
