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 educational events, involvement opportunities, and programs tailored to our Washington design community.
March 2026
To browse and register for events that are further out, see our full events calendar.
YAF Licensing Workshops – Code 101 (Part 1)
Wednesday, March 18 | 5:30-6:30pm, online
This virtual workshop will be a 2 part-series dive into building code basics. If you’re wanting to brush up on codes for your licensing exams or general knowledge, these sessions are for you! Sessions will be one hour long, approximately 45 minutes of presentation with 15 minutes for questions and follow up.
2026 Spatial Justice Program
Begins Thursday, March 19
Presented by the Center for Transformative Urban Design with AIA Minnesota, the 2026 Spatial Justice Program is an expanded program of three separate cohorts in Minneapolis, Portland and Seattle. In this program, participants will learn the critical theory behind spatial justice from Edward W. Soja to contemporary design practitioners Teddy Cruz and Danna Cuff.
2026 Code Series | Accessibility Matters
March 23 | 12:30-6pm at the National Nordic Museum
Accessibility Matters explores the essential role of accessibility in shaping the built environment and how design professionals can create spaces that are inclusive, compliant, and future-ready. Register by Thursday, March 18.
4 LU|HSW
Building with Bio-Based Materials
Wednesday, March 25 | 6:30-8:30pm
Join Northwest EcoBuilding Guild to hear from bio-based building practitioners for an in-depth conversation on high-performance bio-based construction. They’ll explore time-tested materials like hemp, lime, straw, and earth—and how these systems can be thoughtfully integrated, refined, and scaled to meet modern performance standards and industrial demands.
International Mass Timber Conference
March 31-April 2 | Portland, OR
Co-produced by WoodWorks and Trifecta Collective, the International Mass Timber Conference is the world’s largest gathering of mass timber professionals – bringing together leaders in design, engineering, construction, development, and manufacturing.
New Architecture and Design Competitions List from Archinect
If you’re in search of new, exciting architecture and design competitions, take a look at the latest curated picks. Featured are four briefs seeking excellence in transportation and infrastructure design, student-led proposals that reimagine Melbourne’s Victoria Harbour, exceptional design in all forms and architectural photography, and forward-thinking concepts repurposing abandoned structures.
April – May 2026
Seattle Architecture Foundation – Spring Walking Tours
April & May | Fridays & Saturdays, 10am-12pm
Spring tour tickets are on sale! SAF is excited to welcome you back on Fridays and Saturdays for walking tours of Seattle’s dynamic built environment. See what’s coming up and book your tickets.
Mass Timber Happy Hour: International Mass Timber Conference
Wednesday, April 1 | 6-8pm in Portland
Join the AIA Seattle Mass Timber Committee for their annual happy hour at the International Mass Timber Conference in Portland! Enjoy drinks at Lil Spirit.
ATC 20/25 Training – ATC-20 Post-earthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings
Friday, April 3 | 8am-4pm in Bremerton
The ATC-20 documents are written for use by qualified professionals who would be required to make on-the-spot evaluations and decisions regarding continued use and occupancy of damaged buildings
Mass Timber + COTE: Maritime Innovation Center at Fisherman’s Terminal Construction Tour
Tuesday, April 7 | 4-5pm
A construction tour of Fisherman’s Terminal with Miller Hull, FORMA, PND, and Greenbush. The Maritime Innovation Center is an adaptive reuse of the terminal’s oldest remaining structure. In alignment with the Port’s mission to become the greenest and most energy efficient Port in North America, the building is seeking full Living Building Challenge certification. An informal happy hour at Figurehead Brewery will follow the tour.
AIA Architecture Week 2026
April 12-18
Architecture Week celebrates the profession of architecture and invites everyone—especially K-12 students—to explore architecture and design. Join AIA National for virtual read-aloud sessions.
Living Future 2026
April 14-17
Living Future 2026 convenes architects and design leaders advancing regenerative, climate-responsive practice shaping the future of the built environment.
AIA Seattle members receive $200 off registration. Use code AIASeattle200.
LU|HSW offered, credits vary by session
YAF Licensing Workshop – April
Wednesday, April 15 | 5:30-7:30 at Olson Kundig
Join YAF to review exam content and practice questions for Programming and Analysis, Project Planning and Design, and Project Development and Documentation. This will be a hands-on session with food and drink provided, please come prepared to engage with the material and other ARE candidates!
2026 AIA Future Forward Grant
Apply by Friday, April 17
The Future Forward Grant is a project presented by the Large Firm Roundtable (LFRT) and the AIA Young Architects Forum (YAF). This grant supports students, emerging professionals, and early career architects in the testing of new ideas that disrupt the traditional conception of practice, process, and product in the field of architecture. This grant seeks to fund untested ideas and advance exploration, innovation, and disruption in the architecture profession. Attend the Interest Call on March 20 – register now.
COTE | 2026 Sustainability Slam
Tuesday, April 21 | 5-7pm
COTE’s annual Sustainability Slam is back! Join the committee at Mithun’s Seattle office for a fun evening of PechaKucha style presentations, networking, and refreshments with Seattle’s sustainable design community. If you have a sustainability focused project, topic, or idea that you’d like to present this year please fill out the Google Poll here.
Sustainability Innovations Summit
Thursday, April 23 | 10am-3pm at Pacific Tower Panoramic Room
Presented by the Housing Development Consortium (HDC), this program focuses on sustainability opportunities for Affordable Housing, featuring new construction and retrofitting opportunities, experiences and learnings, along with what market-leaders see on the horizon.
AIA Committee on Architecture for Education (CAE) Spring Conference 2026
April 28-May 1 | The Alexis Royal Sonesta Hotel Seattle
Join the AIA Committee on Architecture for Education for their 2026 Conference, hosted in Seattle this year. This year’s program explores Designing Belonging: Reciprocity, Resilience, and Regeneration. Join for a curated bus tour program guided by architects, educators, clients, and community partners, highlights outstanding projects across the continuum of learning and offers direct and place-based insight into how Seattle’s design community is advancing equity, belonging, and sustainability in AIA award-winning work.
Submit to the WA Starter Home Plan’s (SHP) Townhouse Design Competition
Submit by Friday, May 22 | Q&A on March 25
Presented by Civic Commons, this design competition seeks innovative floor plans that leverage offsite methods, including use of volumetric modular construction. The competition aims to generate usable floor plans that will expedite and increase the production of affordable starter homes in Washington state – up to 10 floor plans will be selected to further development with the ultimate goal of gaining pre-approval from the WA Department of Labor & Industries.
AIA Seattle PARTI 2026
Tuesday, May 26 | 6-8:30pm at Town Hall Seattle
Each year, AIA Seattle celebrates leadership and achievement in design and the built environment at the local and national level through this member awards program. Honorees are nominated by their peers and selected annually by the Fellows & Honors Committee. Learn more about the awardees here.
NCARB Year in Review: FY25 Annual Report
NCARB’s FY25 Annual Report is now available, highlighting new Competency Standards, an improved licensing requirement tool, and other priority updates from the year.
In the Community
LEED Green Associate Certification: 2026 Workshops
Live webinars on March 14 + April 11 | On-demand recordings available
Start your year off strong by becoming a LEED Green Associate professional and show employers your certified knowledge in sustainability before May 2026, when the LEED exam is set to become more challenging. AIA Seattle members receive a $100 discount – use promo code ‘sust’
Women in AEC Panel + Happy Hour
Monday, March 23 | 4-6pm at Lund Opsahl
Join Lund Opsahl in celebrating Women’s History Month! This panel discussion will spotlight women leaders in AEC whose expertise is shaping the future of the built environment. Together, they’ll explore career journeys, lessons learned, and advice for those rising up in the industry.
Give Feedback on OPCD’s West Seattle Station Area Planning
Complete the survey by March 27
Seattle OPCD is working with communities to plan for growth, livability, and improved mobility in the neighborhoods around future light rail stations across West Seattle.
Comment on the Northgate Regional Center Draft Plan
Virtual info session on Wednesday, March 25. Comment by Friday, April 10
Seattle OPCD is requesting feedback on their draft plan for the Northgate Regional Center Draft Plan.
Confluence Seattle 2026
Thursday, April 2
Hosted by AVAIL, Confluence brings together design technology leaders from top architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms and product management leadership from key AEC technology companies. AIA Seattle members receive a special $50 discount – contact Claire Needs for the code.
Vision Awards
Wednesday, April 8 | 5:30-9pm at the Seattle Convention Center
2030 Districts is proud to join the Seattle & Bellevue 2030 District for their 2026 Vision Awards. The evening is a celebration of leadership in sustainability and climate action, bringing together 400+ leaders from across the built environment to recognize excellence in sustainability and climate action. Come celebrate the projects, partnerships, and people driving progress toward a more sustainable built environment.
2026 Canopy Awards
Thursday, April 9 | 6pm at the Georgetown Stables
The Trees and People Coalition invites you to the inaugural 2026 Canopy Awards. This program celebrates the work or architects, landscape designers, developers, urban planners, community organizations, and educators within the greater Seattle metropolitan area that thoughtfully integrate buildings within their existing site context and environmental conditions.
Living the Three Pillars of De-Stressing
Tuesday, April 14 | 12-1pm
Presented by SDA Pacific Northwest, this session explores practical habits to reduce chronic stress (and its real health costs).
2026 AIA National Photography Competition
Submit by Wednesday, April 15
Entries now open for AIA St. Louis’s national photography competition, founded to capture the talents of architects, design professionals, and architectural students.
Architects Without Borders Seattle – Seeking Book Donations
Donate by Friday, May 1
AWB-S is collecting donations for their annual book sale fundraiser! Do you have architecture, design, or art books that you don’t read or need anymore? Give them new life and support AWB-S in the process. Email info@awb-seattle.org to coordinate.
Watch “Dark and Tender”
Shot on Whidbey Island and The Big Island of Hawai’i, short films by The Chronically UnderTouched (CUT). Project available to stream or screen.
Regenerative Design Masterclass
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.
15 LU|HSW + LEED CE
LEED Green Associate (GA) Training
On-Demand
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.
Night Chapel
An installation made from CLT by Michael Bennett / Studio Kër, on-view at the Northwest African American Museum. Read more in The Seattle Times article.
