The AIA International Region Board and officers from its 7 chapters convened during A’19 to hold its annual report to its members, design awards celebration event and to conduct important face to face business. Some key aspects of the business undertaken by the IR Board included the elections for the future leadership of the organization.
The election for President was between two amazing candidates, Scott Gold AIA from the AIA Japan Chapter and Alton Chow, AIA from the AIA Shanghai Chapter. Both candidates made wonderful speeches conveying their visions for the future of the International Region. We have since officially announced the results and confirmed that Scott Gold will be the 2022-2023 President. We also confirmed that Yew Kee Cheong who ran unopposed will be the 2020-2021 Treasurer taking over from Loay Quota, a two term Treasurer (2016-2019).
The board also spent a considerable amount of time during A’19 in the organization of the IR Shanghai Conference that will be held from November 14-17, 2019 with an optional add on in Beijing. The considerable logistics for the planning of this event was helped by this face to face meeting opportunity.
Our sold-out Design Awards reception and luncheon was an overwhelming success. Winners who had been unable to travel to Singapore in November to 2018 were presented with their awards by AIA National President Bill Bates FAIA, past AIA National President Elizabeth Chu Richter FAIA and AIA IR President Thierry Paret FAIA. IR sponsors Northglass and DOW made this celebration of great global sustainable design possible. The IR thanks DOW for bringing US Swimming Olympian and Olympic medalist Elizabeth Beisel to this event, her speech on determination and hard work in to achieve greatness was truly inspirational for all attendees.
The IR held a meet and greet cocktail get together for AIA Canada members on June 7th. This was an opportunity to meet members from Canada and to foster interest in getting them involved in their new chapter.
The full list of internationally focused events and lectures held during A’19 which are listed below:
Wednesday, June 5
IPCAG Meeting (President’s Meeting)
11:00AM-1:00PM
Thursday, June 6
Architects as Global Citizens: International Teams for
International Practice
8:00-9:00AM
Westgate Las Vegas, Pavilion 2
Architects Are Public Health Workers—A Global Exchange
9:30-11:00AM
Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N101
AIA-IR Annual Members Meeting
2:00-3:00PM
Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N209
International Committee Reception
7:30-9:00PM
Wynn Las Vegas, Lafite Ballroom 7
Friday, June 7
From Tragedy to Triumph: Global Perspectives on Resilience
8:00-9:00AM
Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N101
Practicing Architecture across North America
8:00-9:00AM
Westgate Las Vegas, Pavilion 9
International Design Awards Lunch & Celebration
11:30AM-1:30PM
Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N232
Saturday, June 8
Going Global: Recruiting & Deploying Talent in International
Practice
1:30-2:30PM
Westgate Las Vegas, Pavilion 3
Community Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion in
International
Practice
1:30-2:30PM
Westgate Las Vegas, Pavilion 10
We encourage our members to attend A’20 that will be held in Los Angeles and that you participate in next year’s international events which promise to have an ever-increasing number of offerings. This is also a wonderful opportunity to participate in fellowship with other likeminded international architects.
Members interested in the IR annual report can find the PowerPoint presentation report on the IR Website.
Thierry Paret, FAIA, ARB, MRIAI, LEED AP, Richard Upjohn Fellow
President
International Region
