If you attended our year-end event on December 8, you had a first-hand chance to see how much we achieved in 2018. Thank you for sharing a great evening with AIA Japan. If by any chance you had to miss it, here it is for you: the attached report shows highlights of our year’s activities.

As another year comes to an end, I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to all our members, friends, and sponsors who have supported us throughout the year. Thank you all for your devotion in making 2018 another memorable year for AIA Japan.

 In our 13th year as a Chapter of the AIA, it’s good to know we continue to grow. This year, our membership increased to 83 (+5 from 2017), and we extend a warm welcome to our new members who have recently joined us. As a relatively small chapter, we keep all decisions at our board accessible and invite all members to participate in our meetings where our activities are planned. AIA Japan has always been, and will continue to be a great place to meet and connect with fellow Japan-based design professionals who

We are proud to mark another year of continued success and progress for our chapter.  I would like to share my gratitude with our dedicated board of Directors, with our members, numbering nearly 500 now and spread around no less than 10 Countries as well as with our sponsors.

We officially welcomed Iraq to the Chapter in August.  Our 2017 President Raya Ani, and Country Representative, Asmaa Al-Ani held a successful launch with many prominent Iraqi architects, engineers and leaders in attendance at the Iraqi Engineers Union.

This year has been marked by continued development of our community platform for more robust delivery of events. One key initiative was to more closely engage local partners in the Shanghai community. Two organizations that were engaged were Architectural Society of Shanghai China (ASSC) and Hong Kong University (HKU) with whom we respectively agreed to develop programs of common interest and mutual benefit.

AIA Canada Society are expanding the AIA Canada Board. If you wish to find more about the committee roles check the following link

In the second half of the year 2018 we have been looking to be part or to host a mini event for the Unassigned Members. It has been, and will continue to be, a challenge to bring together as many Unassigned Members to one gathering point or event, while we are scattered over 61 countries.

 Sitting in South Africa, Cape Town, it has been on my agenda and possibility to bring some of our members together locally. You can count us on two hands, as unassigned members in South African

All 19 Regions of the AIA have representatives on the Council. Some have multiple members and some of the AIA Board and past Board are on the Council. The total of the Council members in 2018 was 49. For the past three years I have been on the Council representing the International Region. I will now be replaced by Greg Yager, AIA of Shanghai Chapter. We were also fortunate to have another International Associate AIA be selected to the five un-affiliated members for 2019, Nela de Zoysa, Hon FAIA, Hon RIBA, and other Architectural Associations based in Sri Lanka.

The charge to the Strategic Council is to be the “big thinkers” and advisors

The AIA International Region is working with sponsor Informa to develop a conference program for the WinDoor Expo in Guangzhou on March 4-6, 2019. The WinDoor Expo is one of the largest trade shows in the region. The theme for the conference is ‘Facade Design and the Impact of Technology’.

The AIA IR has reached out to the Architectural Society of China (ASC) and the Architectural Society of Shanghai, China (ASSC) and they are sending speakers to the conference.

The IR’s Immediate Past President, James M. Wright, FAIA, is now in his second year serving as the Co-Director of the International Union of Architects (UIA) Professional Practice Commission.  The UIA is a global organization made up of national architectural associations from over 120 countries and territories, representing over one million architects worldwide.  The AIA is the official representative of the U.S., and Thomas Vonier, FAIA—founding President of the AIA-IR and Past President of the AIA—is the current UIA President.

At the most recent UIA Council meeting, held in Lucknow, India, James’ Co-Director colleague Weimin Zhuang from the China member section presented Council with a report prepared by James outlining the status of the various initiatives underway by members of the Professional Practice Commission.The PPC has tentatively scheduled its 2019 annual meeting for 20-21 February in Kuala Lumpur at the invitation of PAM, the Malaysian Institute of Architects.While the next UIA World Congress & General

I was pleased to have had the opportunity to attend the wonderful inauguration of AIA National President Elect Bill Bates, FAIA.  Mr. Bates has served in different capacities on the AIA Board of Directors since 2011 with stints as Vice President when the national board was much larger.  In 1991 and 2010 he also served as President of AIA Pennsylvania.  It is a significant milestone

lections were recently held for the position of the International Regions representative to the College of Fellows. This is a 3-year appointment beginning in January 2019. The IR’s new representative is Samuel Óghale Oboh (Sam), FAIA, FRAIC based in Alberta, Canada. He takes over from Stephan Reinke, FAIA, RIBA who was based in London.

Sam is a Principal | Vice President of AECOM Canada Architects Limited (a Fortune 500 Company) and the 2015 President of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC). With an expansive career spanning

The AIA IR board has decided on the venues for the annual IR conference for 2019, 2020, and 2021.

2019 - Shanghai. Date to be finalised but likely in September/October. To be done in partnership with AIA Shanghai.

2020 - Dubai. Autumn. To be done in partnership wtih AIA Middle East. The event will coincide with Expo 2020 Dubai.

2021 - London. Autumn. To be done in partnership with AIA UK and AIA Continental Europe.

The AIA IR continues to take a stand for a sustainable future:

The AIA IR 'Memorandum of Commitment' was reviewed and re-signed with renewed enthusiasm and commitment.  The signing event was significant in three outstanding ways:

1)      Relevance : the first person to sign was our 2019 AIA Institute President Bill Bates signifying the depth and importance of the event and shared.  He also added a phrase to include the 1.5degree goal from more recent research then in the original memorandum which had quoted the importance of staying clear of the 2 degree increase.

The AIA IR sincerely appreciates the continued support of our Sustaining Founding and Platinum Sponsors listed alphabetically: AECOM, AHEC, ASI Group, Broad, Dornbracht, Dow and TNG. They, along with our International Chapters and leadership, have made it possible to initiate so many incredible events and benefits since our region’s inception.

The AIA International Region Conference returns with its 4th edition this November 2018 in the tropical city-state of Singapore. Early-bird registration closes October 12th!

AIA IR 2018 Singapore Conference with the theme “CONVERGENCE- CROSSROAD IN SINGAPORE” will examine three threads of convergence over three days, namely “Tradition and Innovation”, “Resilience and Sustainability” and “Wellness and Place-making”. Each day will examine each

The jury for the 2018 International Region Design Awards has been announced.!  The jurors are:

Ms. Elizabeth Chu Richter FAIA
2015 President | American Institute of Architects – Jury Chair
AIA IR Zone 1 (USA)
Founding Principal | Richter Architects

Mr. Taro Ashihara Hon. FAIA, JIA
Immediate Past President | Japan Institute of Architects
AIA IR Zone 2 (Japan-Asia)
Managing Director | Taro Ashihara Architects

Professor Tom Heneghan AA Dipl.
Professor Architectural Design | Tokyo University of the Arts
Past Chair of Architecture | University of Sydney
AIA IR Zone 3/2 (Europe-UK-Asia)
Principal | Tom Heneghan Studio

The International Region (IR) is seeking to appoint a new AIA International Region Representative to the College of Fellows (CoF).

The new AIA International Region Representative will serve the College and the International Region for a three-year term starting in December 2018. The mission of AIA College of Fellows is to help lead our profession forward through mentoring and programmes which promote excellence in design and education; providing stewardship of the profession.

The International Region seeks nominations from interested candidates. The representative will be selected by a vote of the Fellows in the International Region.  Candidates must be a Fellow (FAIA) of

AIA International is the broadest geographical region of the American Institute of Architects. The AIA International Region Design Awards recognizes best practices, innovative thinking, and design excellence of AIA member projects worldwide. All Architect members of the the AIA International Region are eligible to submit entries for projects located anywhere in the world (except US). All Architect members who are non-local members of an International Chapter may submit projects only within the territory of that same International Chapter. 

Dear AIA IR Members,

It is a great honor for me to provide you with an update on our growing AIA International Region.  The board has a lot of initiatives underway including the preparations for the AIA International Region Conference that will be held in Singapore from November 2nd to November 4th.  The Conference’s theme is “Convergence” which will examine three threads of convergence over three days, namely “Tradition and Innovation”, “Resilience and Sustainability” and “Wellness and Place-making”.  In parallel we will be holding our International Design Awards which I encourage all of you to enter.  We also hope that you will join is in amazing Singapore for what promises to be a spectacular conference.  More details on the conference and design awards will be sent to you shortly 

The UK chapter has been extremely active.  A summary of 3 recent events - Design Awards, Super Saturday, and a Bike Sketching Tour of the Kent Coast give a flavo(u)r of the diversity of activities.  To see a full list of activities please click here.

Design Awards

The AIA UK Chapter hosted the Excellence in Design Awards Gala 2018 on the 18th April at the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) in London. The Grade-I listed building designed by Denys Lasdun, itself considered an architectural treasure,  provided an exceptional backdrop to celebrate design excellence and welcome the guests who arrived from different parts of the world to celebrate creativity, design and architecture.

The Continental Europe Chapter kicked off 2018 activities with their Spring Conference in Pristina, Kosovo last April. Whereas most AIA Europe Conferences are held in popular destinations like Budapest (Fall 2018) and Copenhagen (Spring 2019), this one brought members to a lesser-known and travelled part of Southeast Europe. The four-day program