2021 Year in Review – Newsletter
Everyone in our profession is very busy and that is a wonderful thing. We are slowly moving out of this pandemic, and we need to be diligent and plan for our future. Our membership dues have not increased for many years. We reviewed the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the previous time we had an increase, and it shows that we are falling way behind where our dues need to be to keep pace with the annual inflation rate. We chose this benchmark since many firms use it to keep their hourly billing rates current. To have a successful chapter and be able to support its members in multiple ways we need to make this adjustment.
AIA sponsors numerous events throughout the year that connect your peers, the architectural industry, and surrounding communities as well. We have some great plans lined up for the upcoming year and we need you to help make it possible. We have decided to increase our yearly membership by less than 50 dollars to help cover the new and exciting programs we want to create for you not only this coming year but for the following years as well. Overall AIA can help you be more successful. The more you participate, the more you will get out of your investment in AIA. Please join us so we can learn from each other and share knowledge throughout our chapter.
The prospect of paying higher dues is not a happy thing, but I strongly believe the value from the services provided by AIA Birmingham is there. This decision was made by our Executive Committee not just for 2022 or 2023, but for the next generation of architects and to enable AIA Birmingham to provide the programming and services they, and you, deserve. Thank you very much for supporting your AIA.
Danny Q. Trotter, AIA
President 2021
AIA Birmingham
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Don’t miss our final event of the Year!
Register for Procrastination Education!
Procrastination Education is a half-day Continuing Education seminar for both members and non-members! You can earn 4 HSWs before the year is over!
For more information click here!
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Membership
As you contemplate renewing your AIA Membership in the New Year, we hope you will consider the many benefits of being a part of AIA Birmingham:
Resume Review & Sharing
- AIA Birmingham can review your resume and share it with local firms looking to fill a position
- We have placed several AIA Birmingham members (and non-members!) at new firms in 2021
AIA Birmingham Career Page
- New opportunities are listed regularly here!
- Member firms can post openings for FREE, nonmembers must pay a monthly fee.
Contract Documents
- We offer a 10% discount for members when they order documents through AIA Birmingham.
- Click here for more information!
Emerging Professionals
- AIA Birmingham offers HSW opportunities and site visits throughout the year; these can also count as AXP Experience Hours!
- Free AIA Membership for new graduates
- We have the Brightwood Architecture ARE 5.0 Study Guides available to check-out. Members are required to provide a fully refundable $50 cash deposit upon check-out. Click here to learn more.
- Opportunities to network with other professional in the AEC Industry.
Advocating for the Profession
- Opposing threats to the practice of architecture
- Supporting and encouraging enhancements to the practice of architecture
- Protecting the public health, safety, and welfare by advocating for adoption of new building codes
- Encouraging energy-efficient design through governmental requirements (i.e. mandates) and rewards (i.e. tax credits/deductions)
- Urging lawmakers to target benchmarks for highly efficient and net-zero buildings
- Email anna@karmamanagementinc.com to join AIA Birmingham’s Government Affairs Committee
Resourced from AIA National
- National Job Board
- Free AIA Membership for new grads
- Free AIAU Courses for members on risk management, business strategies, and virtual practice
- AIA Knowledge Communities help members connect and are a source for information
- More than 30 award programs
- AIA Legislative Action Center advocates for architects
- AIA Trust – Exclusive financial planning and insurance tools
- COVID-19 Resources
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2021 Stats & Facts!
22+ – HSW Credits were provided
52 – Chapter Sponsors & Allied Members
345 – AIA Birmingham Members.
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Evolutia Chapter Meeting – June 2021
Our first in-person Chapter Meeting since 2020 was hosted by Evolutia, a recycling company focused on processing reclaimed wood, preventing waste of potentially useful materials, and reducing the consumption of fresh, raw resources.
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Design Awards – July 2021
Jeni’s Ice Cream Pavilion | David Baker Architects | Honor Award 
Williams Terrace | David Baker Architects | Honor Award 
ZUMA – Alys Beach Wellness Center | Nequette Architecture & Design | Merti Award 
The New Ideal | Creature | Merit Award 
Mountain Brook Residence | Creature | Merit Award 
Highland Park Office Renovation | Christopher Architecture & Interiors | Citation Award 
Christopher Collection | Christopher Architecture & Interiors | Citation Award 
ONEPRATT Park | Design Initiative | Citation Award 
Building C & Campus Renovations for United Way of Alabama | Studio 2H Design | People’s Choice Award
We loved being able to host Design Awards this year at Regions Field. What a fun night of enjoying baseball and being together again! See above for our 2021 winners.
- Design Awards 2021 had more than 40 entries.
- We received 2,000+ votes for People’s Choice!
- To see more from Design Awards this year click here!
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Emerging Professional Site Visits
AG Gaston Motel 
AG Gaston Motel 
Mercantile on Morris | Creature 
Mercantile on Morris | Creature 
The Armour Building | Christopher Architecture & Interiors 
The Armour Building | Christopher Architecture & Interiors 
The Armour Building | Christopher Architecture & Interiors 
Brad Morton Studios 
Brad Morton Studios
Our members were able to visit some amazing new projects popping up in Birmingham! See above for pictures.
Thank you to the following firms for letting us see what you’re doing around town:
- AG Gaston
- Christopher Architecture + Interiors
- Creature
- Brad Morton Studios
- Nequette Architecture & Design
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EP Fright Night
Thank you to Bell & McCoy Lighting and Controls for hosting EP Fright Night this year. Our EP’s were able to gather after work for a few rounds of TopGolf, networking, and refreshments!
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AIA Birmingham Holiday Party
Thank you to Spire for sponsoring our annual Holiday Party! We hope everyone had a good time, and we wish you a wonderful Holiday Season!
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Chapter Sponsors
We are so glad we were able to host our Sponsor & Member Appreciation Tradeshow this year. Our sponsors support has been crucial to our success in 2021 and will continue to be in 2022! We encourage our members to consider our sponsors first if they are in need of products or services.
See right sidebar for a full list of our 2021 Chapter Sponsors.
SPONSORS: We want you in the AIA Birmingham Family in 2022! As a token of our gratitude, we are offering a $100 discount to all sponsors who renew at the Silver level or higher until January 10, 2022. We have recently changed our Platinum & Gold levels from ‘sponsor’ to ‘partner’. If you are interested in becoming a partner, let us know! Email anna@karmanagementinc.com with any questions you may have about Sponsorship Opportunities. Click here to view the 2022 Sponsor Form.
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Looking Ahead to 2022
2021 was definitely not what we expected, but things are starting to look up! We are moving into 2022 with in-person events back on our radar. We would like to thank our sponsors & members for being so patient as we navigate through the pandemic. Hopefully, 2022 will be our best year yet.
2022 Programming: Call for Presentations!
We want to celebrate our members and share your expertise with AIA Birmingham. If you have a special project, specialize in a specific A/E/C “niche”, or have volunteered out of the country after a natural disaster and want to share the success story or challenges, our Programming Committee is opening nominations for speakers for our 2022 Chapter Meetings.
Anyone interested in sharing their presentations are more than welcome to submit this proposal by January 31, 2022. Presentations submitted after this date will be considered for future meetings.
If you would like to nominate a speaker, please fill out this form to let us know!
AIA Birmingham will get presentations approved for a one-time CEU/HSW.
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Get involved in 2022!
If you are interested in getting more involved with AIA Birmingham, think about joining one of our committees.
- Design Awards Committee
- Emerging Professionals Committee
- Women in Architecture Committee
- Continuing Education Committee
- Sponsorship Programming Committee
- Disaster Relief Committee
- Government Affairs Committee
- Residential Committee
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Join us for the ACFA’s Final Fundraising Event of the Year
Come take a closer look at the Eviction crisis throughout the state of Alabama with the research team that created Evicted Alabama, the companion piece to the National Building Museum’s Evicted Exhibit.
Register online here! For more information click here.
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Many people choose to make a difference during the Holiday Season. Do you want to impact the lives of Alabamians through architecture? Give to the ACFA and help support their educational outreach initiatives such as dreamARCHITECTURE, N2Architecture, and the ACFA Scholarship Program!
A great way to support the ACFA is by becoming a member. Visit the ACFA website for more information about membership!
Another way to support the ACFA is through their holiday ornament fundraiser. These ornaments feature Alabama and Birmingham landmarks, there’s one for everyone on your list. Visit the ACFA Shop to view the full collection.