Events + Opportunities
Welcome to our monthly roundup of upcoming events and opportunities presented by AIA Seattle committees, partner organizations, AIA National, and more.
Here you’ll find upcoming educational events, involvement opportunities, and programs tailored to our Washington design community.
October 2026
WAsafe Building Safety Evaluations (ATC 20/45 Plus)
Wednesday, October 28 | 8:30am-4:30pm at CenterPlace Regional Event Center in Spokane
This class will cover the basics of post-disaster building safety evaluations following hazards, such as earthquakes, windstorms, landslides, and fires, with an emphasis on risks specific to Washington State. Training is based on the internationally recognized ATC-20 (post-earthquake) and ATC-45 (post-windstorms and floods) programs.
AIA NWW: Discover the Art, Identity, and Purpose of the Housing of Healing
Thursday, October 29 | 5pm at Western Washington University’s House of Healing | 1.5 LU/HSW
Join AIA Northwest Washington for a tour of Western Washington University’s recently completed House of Healing! This tour invites you to experience a space intentionally created to honor, support, and celebrate Indigenous students and communities.
Mass Timber Committee: Bush Middle School Construction Tour
Thursday, October 29 | 2-3pm at Bush Middle School
Join AIA Seattle’s Mass Timber Committee, Mithun, DCI Engineers, and Venture Construction fora guided tour of Bush Middle School, a new three-story building in Seattle that is currently under construction.
AHC Fall Conference: Healing, Resilience, and Innovation in Healthcare Design
Friday, October 30 | 8am-4pm at Irving Street Studio in Portland | 6 LU/HSW
Join the Architecture for Health Committee (AHC) for the annual AHC Fall Conference! This year’s fall conference explores emerging approaches to healthcare design that support healing, resilience, and long-term performance.
2026-27 SMR Architects-AIAWA Student Scholarship
Applications open now through late November
This scholarship supports Washington state students pursuing architecture who come from marginalized and underrepresented communities. Eligible applicants include high schoolers enrolling in a technical or community college architecture program, community college students transferring into UW or WSU’s architecture program, or first-year architecture majors at UW or WSU.
AIA National Awards – 2027 Applications Open
Deadlines this fall
Applications are now open for the 2027 AIA Gold Medal, Architecture Firm Award, Whitney M. Young Jr. Award, and more. See the 2026 award recipients, recognized at AIA26.
Small Firm Exchange: Call for Award-Winning Projects
The AIA Small Firm Exchange (SFx) is soliciting award-winning projects by AIA members of small firms (firms having 10 or fewer architectural staff) to spotlight in their social media platforms. The award can be from any awards program, not just AIA programs. Featured images may include professional photography, high-quality renderings, and scanned hand sketches.
November 2026
Women’s Leadership Summit 2026 – Registration Open
Sunday-Tuesday, November 1-3 in Kansas City
Registration is now open for Women’s Leadership Summit (WLS)—the architecture profession’s premier leadership event designed to accelerate women into positions of influence, visibility, and impact.
HCD Webinar: Architects as Housing Advocates: Lessons from Seattle and Austin
Monday, November 2 | 9-10am PT online | LU pending approval
Hear from Matt Hutchins (CAST Architecture) and Chris Gannon (AIA Austin) to learn how architects can help shape housing policy. They’ll explore AIA Austin’s and AIA Seattle’s policy wins, which have improved housing conditions for local residents, and offer insights for architect-advocates across the country.
AIA Seattle’s Honor Awards for Washington Architecture – Live Event
Monday, November 9 | 5:30-9pm at Town Hall Seattle
The Honor Awards for Washington Architecture is AIA Seattle’s annual marquee program, drawing hundreds of attendees to a lecture-style event of unique rigor and breadth. This nationally-recognized program provides an important opportunity for the design community to share and celebrate its achievements, both among practitioners and with the community.
Private to Public: A Salon with Omar Gandhi
Tuesday, November 10 | 5:30pm at LMN’s The Shop
Presented by Space.City, join for a talk and cocktail hour with Omar Gandhi, juror for AIA Seattle’s 2026 Honor Awards, about the evolution of his design practice Omar Gandhi Architects based in Nova Scotia.
COHO: Tour of Plymouth Redmond PSH (Permanent Supportive Housing) Project
Wednesday, November 11 | 2-3pm | 1 LU/HSW
AIA Seattle’s Committee on Homelessness (COHO) is excited to offer a tour of a Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Project. This project tour will highlight key design elements that support individuals transitioning out of homelessness, with a focus on creating spaces that promote healing, inspire delight, and foster a sense of belonging.
YAF Align Mentorship Program
Apply by November 16
The Align Mentoring Program, an initiative by the AIA Young Architects Forum and College of Fellows, is a long-term initiative connecting Young Architects with AIA Fellows to foster leadership, growth, and legacy-building. Pods of 4-6 young architects and 2-3 fellows will meet reguarly for conversations, mentorship, and professional development. Join for a webinar on October 29, and apply by November 16 at 2pm PT.
Safety Assessment Program (SAP) Evaluator Training with AIA National
November 18-19 | Online
Intended for licensed architects, engineers, or certified building inspectors, this training certifies attendees as Building Evaluators in the nationally recognized Safety Assessment Program (SAP). See November course info.
WAsafe Building Safety Evaluation (ATC 20/45 Plus) Training
Monday, November 19 | 8:30am-4:30pm in Battle Ground, WA
This class, presented by the International Code Council of SW Washington, will cover the basics of post-disaster building safety evaluations following hazards, such as earthquakes, windstorms, landslides, and fires, with emphasis on risks specific to Washington State. Training is based on the internationally recognized ATC-20 (post-earthquake) and ATC-45 (post-windstorms and floods) programs, using examples from real events.
Plan Ahead
Timely Topics Session 1: More Than a Great PM: What It Takes to Lead a Firm
Thursday, December 3 | 3-6pm at Smith Tower | 2 LU
This session explores the evolution from principal-centered practice to shared leadership, helping participants recognize where their firms are today and what leadership structures and practices they will need next. It is the first session in AIA Seattle’s 2026 Timely Topics Series and will be facilitated by Emily Hall, President of AVEC.
On-Demand Education Programs from AIA Seattle
Anytime | LU/HSW available
Explore on-demand learning opportunities like the 2026 Housing Design Forum. We encourage our members to take advantage of quality on-demand learning programs through AIA Seattle’s partnership with aecKnowledge, AIAU, and other AIA Components’ programming.
AIAWA Seeking Small Firm Exchange Rep
Applications open now through the end of the year
The AIA Small Firm Exchange (SFx) advances the interests of architects practicing in small firms by advocating their value, curating relevant resources, and informing AIA of issues unique to small firm practice.
In the Community
Carbon-Conscious Insulation
October 28 | 6:30-8:30pm at South Seattle College, Georgetown Campus and online (hybrid)
Presented by the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild, this session explores carbon conscious insulation options for the new WSEC 2024 Energy Code. WSEC 2024 raises the bar on envelope performance, and insulation choice is now one of the biggest levers for hitting code while cutting embodied carbon. Three low-carbon insulation categories will go head-to-head: wood-fiber insulation (Sustainable NW Wood + TimberHP), mineral wool (Rockwool), and hemp-based insulation.
2026 NW Green Building Slam
November 7 | 5-10pm at the Panoramic Center at the Pacific Tower
This year’s event presented by the NW EcoBuilding Guild features slam-style inspiration with 10 speakers with 10 slides for 10 minutes each with live-streaming. Get ready to be inspired as industry professionals showcase innovative, sustainable building projects in a fast-paced and engaging format.
J.U.S.T 3.0 Certification & Annual Meeting
November 12 | 4-5pm PT, online
Join SDA Pacific Northwest for a talk and candid conversation with Living Future’s Sr. Manager, Griso Barrios, who will provide an introduction to the “Just” label, which gives organizations a framework to evaluate social equity and opportunities in the workplace.
CBIZ 2026 Tax Planning Webinar
November 12 | 1-3pm EST online
Join CBIZ’s 2027 Tax Planning Webinar on November 12th to learn how evolving tax legislation, tariff developments, and strategic planning opportunities could affect your business, investments, and long-term financial goals.
Facades+ Seattle
December 3 | Grand Hyatt Seattle | Up to 6 LU/HSW
Presented by The Architects Newspaper, this program features the latest developments in building enclosure design and technology.
Individual Tax Changes and Understanding Business Cash Flow
December 8 | 12-1pm PT online
Presented by SDA Pacific Northwest. Tax changes can be difficult to follow—and business cash flow can be just as difficult to interpret. What has changed for individuals and families? What does cash flow mean for the business you support? This session brings both topics together in a practical, accessible presentation from Alan Dance, CPA, CGMA.
Regenerative Design Masterclass
On-Demand | up to 15 LU/HSW
Presented by GBES, discover how regenerative design surpasses traditional sustainability practices, enabling you to develop resilient, self-sustaining projects in harmony with the natural world. This course is perfect for architects, designers, and sustainability professionals looking to lead the way in innovative, impactful design.
LEED Green Associate (GA) Training
On-Demand | 15 LU/HSW + LEED CE
A virtual training program for those seeking to become a LEED Green Associate. AIA Seattle members qualify for $100 discount, please email Claire Needs for the discount code.
