Congratulations to Karen L. Braitmayer FAIA on receiving the 2019 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award.Nationally recognized for her leadership and advocacy for civil rights for people with disabilities, Braitmayer has smashed physical and social barriers for herself and for others. By promoting equity and inclusion through her consulting work and education efforts, Braitmayer has created a more inclusive and just environment for all.

This year AIA Seattle chapter the 68th annual Honor Awards for Washington Architecture to celebrate excellence in design. From 115 submittals, the jury chose 13 award winners from three categories – built, conceptual, and research & innovation. 2018 was also the first year of the Young Voices Selection (YVS), a program to engage and elevate the voices of young designers through direct participation and representation in the Honor Awards selection process.

Join these committees at their upcoming events:

Committee on Homelessness Meeting | December 11

YAF + AIAS Happy Hour | December 28

and Solo Practitioners Roundtable (SPRouT) | January 3

Join us and author Marc Vassallo at Little House in the City: Designing Small Within City Limits to explore the design of small, urban houses and backyard ADUs as a smart response to two demographic trends: the shrinking size of households and the growing popularity of city living – followed by a group conversation on the pros and cons of small city houses.

Explore the site-specific artwork Taiji Miyasaka created at MadArt Studio, followed by a demonstration and hands-on application of traditional Japanese earthen walls. Miyasaka, a professor in the School of Design and Construction at WSU responds to the various conditions of the studio by creating three spherical sculptures that independently investigate light, scale, and atmosphere of the space. Japanese architect Yasuhiro Uchida, and artisan Tetsuya Hagino will demonstrate earthen wall techniques.

Sanctuary: Design for Belonging presents design ideas from Displaced, a competition seeking game-changing design solutions addressing the global refugee and immigrant crisis in an urban context. The exhibit focuses on five functional categories for fostering belonging: Social Innovation, Shelter, Resource Hubs, Gathering Spaces, and Storytelling.

Join us for an exhibit tour by our Graphic Art Curator, Cleo Barnett (December 12) and Research Curator, Mayumi Tsutakawa (January 24).

In this issue of our monthly Advocacy Update: Voting is now open for the 2021 ICC; AIA Washington Council reacts to the midterm election results; Seattle hearing examiner rules in favor of MHA; and more; plus upcoming events and opportunities to get involved in state and local advocacy issues.