A Message from the Executive Director
Dear Members, Partners and Friends,
We are pleased to share with you the impactful work AIA Pittsburgh and its members led in 2023. Explore important information on membership, licensure, advocacy wins, key organization milestones, awards and some new AIA Pittsburgh firsts.
Attendance for our two big events continued to bounce back since COVID. Build Pittsburgh drew almost 300 attendees to the David Lawrence Convention Center, including 34 exhibitors. New York architect, Illya Azaroff, FAIA was our keynote speaker – sharing his innovative work on sustainable and resilient design and identifying ways local architects can lead in designing for a changing climate in our region.
Design Pittsburgh drew over 370 attendees to Nova Place and the New Hazlett Theater to celebrate the work of our architectural community and its partners. The night of awards, project exhibits and celebration, was emceed with gusto by Drew Armstrong, Director of the Architectural Studies Program at the University of Pittsburgh. We added a new aspect to the Design Awards program: featuring an architecture-related nonprofit in our region as a guest on stage. The Young Preservationists Association joined us, with Executive Director Matthew Craig revealing the 2023 Top 10 sites most worthy of preservation to the crowd.
Our second year for Architecture Week built on the success of the first, adding two new AIA events to the mix: an Open Studio crawl on Penn Avenue in Bloomfield-Garfield and a downtown lunchtime “Architects Panel on the Future of Downtown Buildings”. We also partnered with the Pittsburgh Platform to introduce a new virtual series called International Dialogues, including three moderated talks between architects in Pittsburgh and Stockholm
Our committees continued to offer education, events and outreach to members and the wider AEC community. A small sampling includes: the Advocacy Committee held six meetings with city officials to discuss, among other topics, improvements to the City’s OneStop permitting portal and to advocate for the return of plan review; the Committee on the Environment held a five-part Materials Matters education series; the Design + Research Committee developed five new recorded presentations; the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Community developed the “Exploring Dimensions” foundational workshop series to be rolled out in 2024.
We further built out the Chapter’s new website with in-depth blog posts, photo galleries, and a Classified section where firms can buy and sell office items. One of the most popular features has been the fun “Back in the Day” digital archive of COLUMNS magazine from 1987-2011. And you can follow the growth of the Pittsburgh Architecture Foundation (PAF) on its new web page.
The year ended with the Annual Meeting and President’s Party hosted at Design Group, and the ever-popular Procrastinator’s Day of last-minute CEU sessions at the AIA Pittsburgh Office.
We could not provide such a robust menu of offerings and knowledge sharing opportunities without your ideas, engagement, and support. As always, thank you for being part of the AIA Pittsburgh community.
Michelle Fanzo Executive Director
OUR VISION
AIA Pittsburgh members play a central role in ensuring healthy and sustainable design and development in all communities in which we serve.
OUR MISSION
AIA Pittsburgh improves the built environment in which we live, work and play by raising the standards of architectural training and practice, supporting our members efforts to design healthy, safe and connected places and spaces, and promoting the value of architectural services to the public.
OUR VALUES
Member support and development
Design advocacy
Civic engagement
Environmental stewardship
Equity, diversity and inclusion
Integrity, openness, empathy and patience
AIA Pittsburgh is part of a national network of over 200 AIA chapters representing over 94,000 architects.
Associate: 443
Emeritus: 352
AIA Pennsylvania Total Members:
2,780
Architect: 1,985
Our Community in Numbers
Total Members:
Associate: 88
Emeritus: 74
AIA Members: 402
Allied Members: 43
Newly licensed
9 young professionals successfully completed the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) and Architectural Experience Program (AXP) hours to become registered architects in 2023. Congratulations!
• Lucia M Aguirre, LGA Partners
• Jason Andrews, Rothschild Doyno Collaborative
• Steve Begg, Strada
• Eli Gutierrez, Rothschild Doyno Collaborative
• Sigita Ivaska, LGA Partners
• Alex Keiser, DesignGroup
• Valerie Poutous, Gensler
• Cassidy Roberts, SmithGroup
• Michael Sweterlitsch, Rothschild Doyno Collaborative
Fellows
Maureen Guttman, FAIA, was one of 76 architects elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 2023! She is now AIA Pittsburgh’s 23rd active Fellow.
AIA Pittsburgh’s 2023 Board of Directors
John Ryan, AIA President
Sean Sheffler, AIA 1st Vice President
Bob Shelton 2nd Vice President
Emily Pierson-Brown, AIA Secretary
Dario McPhee, AIA Treasurer Bea Spolidoro, AIA Immediate Past President
Jason Andrews Assoc. AIA
Joseph Chaffin, AIA Stuart Coppedge, FAIA Quintin Kittle, AIA
Joshua Lee, AIA
Christine Mondor, FAIA
Prerana Paliwal, Assoc AIA Rebecca Schwartz, AIA
Michael Cremonese
Ex Officio: Esq., Burke
Cromer Cremonese
Michelle Fanzo, Ex Officio: Executive Director
Omar Khan, Ex Officio: Head, CMU School of Architecture
Jordan Luther, CMU AIAS President
“We at Allegheny Millwork believe that relationship building is the strength to a successful company. AIA Pittsburgh allows us the opportunity to reach out to others through networking and collaborating as well as provides us with the opportunity to support fellow AIA members. AIA events allow us the ability to maximize those relationships. We truly enjoy supporting and being associated with AIA Pittsburgh now and for many years to come”.
Learn about the benefits of Allied Membership here.
-Joe Cario, Window & Door Division Manager, Allegheny Millwork & Lumber
AIA Documents & National Revenue Share Marketing & Advertising Office Rental & Miscellaneous
Design Pittsburgh
Build Pittsburgh
Member Dues
Total Income 2023: $
507,878 Allied Members Con Ed/ Member Events
2023 Finances: Expenses
AIA Pittsburgh’s Young Architects Forum
AIA Pittsburgh’s Young
Architects Forum: Leadership Mentorship Fellowship
• Carpenter’s Training Classes
• YAFAPALOOZA at Stantec
• Young Architects Studio Competition: “The Confluence: River Travel Past, Present, and Future”
• Building Tours of FNB Tower and the CMU Highmark Center
• Happy Hour with MBA Young Constructors
Connect with YAF: @YAFpgh Facebook
Jason Andrews, AIA Vice Chair
Michael Sweterlitsch, AIA, Mentorship Chair
Sanzinia Nevarez, AIA Mentorship Chair
Courtney Singley, AIA Fellowship Chair
Cassidy Roberts, AIA PALM Director
D.J. Bryant, Assoc. AIA YASC Director
Greg Coni, AIA Past Chair
Pittsburgh Architecture Foundation
Mission: Our mission is to advance architects’ meaningful and collaborative involvement throughout the Pittsburgh region by fostering civic engagement and leadership, sustainability, and the well-being of our communities.
In 2023, the Pittsburgh Architecture Foundation (PAF):
• Updated the bylaws
• Held a 2nd retreat to explore the future of the Leadership Institute
• Supported a MAPS grant (jointly funded by the Chapter and PAF) for young minority architects for a second year
• Explored a partnership with CMU on a speaker for 2024.
AIA Pittsburgh partnered with PAF to host the second annual Pittsburgh Architecture Week in October. Pittsburgh Architecture Week increases awareness and appreciation of architectural design while fostering the recognition of the vital role design plays in our community and in our daily lives. In 2023, PAW featured 12 programs produced in collaboration with 8 partner organizations.
Highlights included PechaKucha Night, an Architects Panel on the Future of Downtown, a panel on inclusive revitalization hosted by the National Organization of Minority Architects Pittsburgh Chapter, an open studio crawl during Garfield’s Unblurred First Fridays, and public engagement about advocacy & the built environment.
Click here to view the Pittsburgh Architecture Week video
Pittsburgh Architecture Foundation
Pittsburgh Architecture Week Highlights
2023 AIA Committees and their Accomplishments
This is where the action is! AIA Pittsburgh supported ten committees in 2023. All are forums for sharing knowledge, new ideas, and professional growth. Below are the 2023 major activities for each group. Click here to see a more detailed list of committee goals and purposes. Interested in learning more or joining a committee? Let us know and we can connect you!
ADVOCACY COMMITTEE
Raising the voice of the architecture community on local issues
• Held 3 meetings with Pittsburgh’s Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections, 3 meetings with the Deputy Mayor, and continued coordination with the Department of City Planning
• Developed questionnaire for candidates for Allegheny County Executive
• Engaged in public outreach and advocacy during Architecture Week
• Furthered advocacy coordination with MBA and NAIOP
AIA-MBA JOINT COMMITTEE
Fostering collaboration with the construction industry
• Setup an AIA/MBA Joint Committee Booth at Build Pittsburgh to share committee work
• Continued to work on the white paper, “Best Practices for Prevention Through Design”
• Awarded the James Kling Fellowship Award to Martin Powell, AIA at Design Pittsburgh October 2023
COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT (COTE)
Creating impact where sustainability and the built environment meet
• Held 5-part Materials Matter Series
• Developed display for Design Pittsburgh pod to share information about the committee with AIA Pittsburgh members and community
• Developed a list of future building tours highlighting sustainable design
DESIGN + RESEARCH GROUP
Connecting emerging developments and ideas with practice
• Held 2 Joint research sessions
• Created 5 new recorded presentations:
• Helia Taheri “KPI-Driven Workplace Design + Post-Occupancy Evaluation Exploratory Research”
• Emily Chmielewski, “The Latrobe Prize: Addressing a Multibillion-Dollar Challenge”
• Joshua Lee, “Abstract and Proposal Writing”
• Joshua Lee, “Research Design 101”
• Shan Jiang, Director of Research at GBBN, “Hospital Greenspaces and the Impacts on Wayfinding and Spatial Experience: An Explorative Experiment Through Immersive Virtual Environment (IVE) Techniques.”
2023 AIA Committees and their Accomplishments
EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Keeping members abreast of trends, developments and opportunities
• Identified Build Pittsburgh education topic areas, selected presenters, and helped craft course abstracts and descriptions
EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COMMUNITY (EDI)
Increasing members awareness of and engagement with Equity Diversity and Inclusion issues
• Supported pathways by developing a stronger relationship with the Architecture Learning Network
• Developed the “Exploring Dimensions” DEI foundational workshop series
• Explored crossovers with other AIA committees and local groups
• Established monthly EDI member sharing sessions
FELLOWS GROUP (FAIA)
Supporting AIA members on their path to Fellowship
• Held its inaugural meeting with Christine Mondor, FAIA championing the effort to develop a group that can support other members towards Fellowship
HEALTHCARE COMMITTEE / AIA ACADEMY OF ARCHITECTURE FOR HEALTH
Building knowledge and collaboration in healthcare practice
• Discussed podcasts and articles related to Behavioral Health
• Attended member presentations from those who attended Healthcare Conferences
• Organized and chaired a panel discussion at Build Pittsburgh
• Presented a “State of Healthcare Heading into 2024” presentation and hosted presentations by the Lean Construction Institute and the American College of Healthcare Architects
OUTREACH COMMITTEE
Engaging and growing our community
• Started meeting again after a hiatus and held a new member Happy Hour at Perkins Eastman
YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM (YAF)
Supporting and encouraging young professionals in the field of architecture to obtain their license, become more involved with career development opportunities, and collaborate with allied professionals
• Attended Carpenter’s Training Classes
• Hosted Yafapalooza
• Held Young Architects Studio Competition
• Arranged Building Tours of FNB Tower and the CMU Highmark Center
• Held Happy Hour with MBA Young Constructors
Learn more about the Committees
Social Media & Website Stats
134,150 Unique Pageviews to AIA Pittsburgh’s website
12,580 Facebook Reach
2,100 Instagram Followers
1,850 Columns Subscribers
1,000 Linkedin Followers
Architects District Days
In 2023, Architects Action Day took the form of AIA Pittsburgh architects meeting or speaking with local representatives in their districts. Members were asked to contact their state senators and representatives in August or September to get to know their legislators and share architects’ capacity to help solve some of Pennsylvania’s toughest immediate public health and economic challenges.
By the Numbers:
25
Members registered to talk to their legislators locally 19
Top issues discussed Statute of Repose
Accessibility Provisions & The Uniform Construction Code
Mandatory Continuing Education
School Construction Funding
High-Performance Buildings
Quintin Kittle, AIA and John Ryan, AIA meet with State Senator Jay Costa.
International Dialogues
Pittsburgh + Stockholm International Conversations on Design
In May and June, AIA Pittsburgh partnered with the Pittsburgh Platform to create “The International Conversations: Pittsburgh + Stockholm,” a new conversation series on environmental health equity through the lens of architecture and urban design between Pittsburgh and Stockholm.
In this 3-session conversation series, architects and designers representing both cities came together to discuss:
• the role of architecture and urban design in achieving environmental health and well-being
• the responsibility of architects and urban planners to address and ensure environmental health
• which “tools” and possibilities are available
• and how to communicate and advocate for the value of design in achieving environmental health.
The three sessions, ““Health Equity: Architecture and the Value of Design,” “Public Space and the Built Environment,” and “Community Engagement and the Power of Education,” highlighted the importance of collaboration, community engagement, sustainability, and adaptability in achieving environmental health equity and creating meaningful, successful architectural projects, while exploring the differences and similarities between Pittsburgh and Stockholm regarding each of these topics.
You can view recordings of the conversations here.
Build Pittsburgh
Raising the Standards of Architectural Education, Training, and Practice
AIA Pittsburgh’s 23rd annual continuing education conference and exhibitor show:
• Provided cutting-edge programming beneficial to architects, engineers, owners, and other design industry professionals.
• Attendees could earn up to 7 hours of Continuing Education credits.
• 16 courses, 1 Keynote, and 3 Lunch & Learns, 29 exhibitors, and over 170 attendees.
• Session topics covered equity in architecture, building performance, legal trends, historic preservation, advocacy, building codes, office culture, and more.
Design Pittsburgh 2023
Design Pittsburgh 2023 featured a Design Awards competition juried by AIA Buffalo members, including the Young Architects Studio Competition, which had its own local jury, that invited visionary architects, designers, and urban planners to reimagine the riverscapes of Pittsburgh and create a series of four innovative sites for river travel and connectivity. In preparation for the 125th Anniversary of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, contributors were asked to consider the past, present, and future of these sites along the river.
Over 3,700 members of the public voted for the coveted People’s Choice Award. IKM Architecture, with 1129 votes, won for their West Virginia University Medicine Children’s Hospital.
Attending in-person at the New Hazlett Theatre & Nova Place were about 400 members, affiliates, and design fans. The awards ceremony was hosted by Drew Armstrong, Assoc. AIA, Director of Architectural Studies and Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh.
Design Pittsburgh highlights the importance of good design and how our members, sponsors, partners, and the public support and promote the value of architecture and design in the places where we live, work, and play.
• 33 firms submitted a total of 64 projects.
• 3,790 votes cast for the People’s Choice Award
• 13 awards presented
• A team from LGA Partners, including Sanzinia Nevarez Cardenas, Samantha Clark, Nikita Williamson, Lindsey Reynolds, Cornelius Pace, and Fabian Carrazana won the Young Architects Studio Competition with their proposed exploration of 4 distinctive sites along the riverfront, “Confluence Chronicles: Navigating Pittsburgh’s Rivers.”
“LGA Partners was deeply humbled and tremendously honored to receive the Social Impact in Design Award for the Clairton Inn Apartments. The true honorees are the hard-working people of Clairton, who helped fuel the rise of the steel industry, putting Pittsburgh on the map. Through this award, AIA Pittsburgh has confirmed the value of contextual design; that good design is not always loud but, more importantly, listens. Architects must first be socially responsible and willing to fill the gaps, especially in affordable housing, where the needs of the most vulnerable must be prioritized. Clairton Inn Apartments illustrates Community First Design by creating opportunities for neighborhood empowerment and future redevelopment. This recognition reflects our team’s commitment to inclusion and deep human compassion. We celebrate that affordable housing can be safe, sustainable, and beautiful, and we accept this recognition as a call for positive action and a catalyst for other impactful community transformations.”
– Jonathan Glance, AIA - Managing Partner, LGA Partners
Design Pittsburgh - Voting Comments
Peoples Choice Top 10: the People Speak
AIA Pittsburgh received 3,790 votes among 64 projects in 2023 for our People’s Choice Awards. As part of the voting process, we asked people why they chose the project they chose, offering prompt questions like:
Does the project inspire you?
Would you enjoy spending time in that space?
How does the project enhance or serve your community or surroundings?
From this we compiled the Top 10 People’s Choice list, along with a small collection of the public’s comments. Here are some comments on the top 3 projects:
1. West Virginia University Medicine Children’s Hospital, IKM Architecture: 1129 votes
“It’s been amazing to watch the progress of this structure during my time at WVU. From fundraising with fellow students as a freshman to seeing it in operation as a first year medical student, the impact of this structure is palpable. WVU Medicine Children’s is a prime example of intentional design while also serving a unique purpose.”
“It’s an absolutely beautiful building! From the outside it may look like a normal school…but then, boom! you go inside and it’s an amazing work of art and fun colorful learning environment for everyone!”
2. Georgie’s Corner Cafe, Vergil Architects LLC: 213 votes
“I adore Georgie’s Corner. They put their heart and soul into designing the space and it shows very well. The color schemes bring a sense of excitement and creativity, I love sitting and writing here. The whisk lamps above the counters are so very adorable. They also care about decorating for the holidays or changing seasons!”
3. Ehrman Crest Elementary And Middle School, CannonDesign: 190 votes
“The Ehrman Crest School in the Seneca Valley School District is a building that students want to be in and not just a building to house students. The school functions as an integral component of the learning environment providing the students with learning experiences in every part of the building. The students are excited to be a part of this building and it therefore enhances their behavior to absorb more knowledge.”
View the comments from the top 10 projects here.
Design Pittsburgh - View the 2023 Winning Projects
Annual Meeting Celebrates our Community in 2023
In December, AIA Pittsburgh members gathered at Nova Place for the Annual Meeting & President’s Party. After Executive Director Michelle Fanzo and 2023 Board President John Ryan presented the chapter accomplishments from the year, members enjoyed an evening of networking in the DesignGroup office in Pittsburgh’s North Shore neighborhood. Members voted in four new Board members to the 2023 Board of Directors:
Brenna Martin-Shaffer, AIA
Chris Pless, AIA
Catherine Wick, AIA
Prerana Paliwal, Assoc. AIA (Renewing)
The meeting also welcomed 51 new AIA Pittsburgh members, honored 3 retiring architects and celebrated 9 newly registered architects. The Board Presidency was transferred from John Ryan, AIA to Sean Sheffler, AIA; and the YAF Presidency was transferred from Jason Andrews, AIA to Michael Sweterlitsch, AIA.
“Only a few years removed from a global pandemic, the design and construction industry has rebounded only to face a different set of challenges in 2023. Market volatility and rising interest rates left many projects in a position of financial insecurity, and the reassessment of the value of downtown real estate has left our urban fabric in a fragile state. The shift to a hybrid working environment has emptied much of Downtown’s office stock, and the much-heralded office-to-residential conversion simply is not a viable option for many of Pittsburgh’s iconic buildings. The impacts of climate change are increasingly evident, with 2023 holding the distinction of being the warmest year on record, and 2024 on-track to meet or even exceed that new benchmark.
Architects are well-positioned to respond to these challenges. The antiquated notion of the ‘Master Builder’ has evolved into something greater and more relevant to our time – we are now masters of collaboration, facilitation, and communication, with the ability to synthesize design solutions and build consensus from diverse viewpoints. The value this brings to our clients and communities is immeasurable.
It is the collaborative, collective network offered by the AIA that allows each of us to practice more holistically, benefitting from the shared knowledge of our fellow practitioners and allied professionals. Put simply, by working together we are able to achieve significantly more than any of us could by working alone. This is the strength of the AIA. Each year I am humbled by the ability of our local chapter to nurture and sustain the heart of our design community – through education, outreach, advocacy, celebration, and camaraderie. AIA offers all architects a space in which to practice to their fullest potential, and a peer group through which to amplify our knowledge and celebrate our successes.
I encourage each of you to actively engage with AIA Pittsburgh to elevate the voices and skills of design professionals in our region.”
– Sean Sheffler, AIA, 2023 1st Vice President
Thank you to our 2023 Sponsors
The following sponsors have contributed to both
Build Pittsburgh & Design Pittsburgh
alleghenymillworklumber.com
tsrepro.com
IN-KIND SPONSOR:
BUILD PITTSBURGH SPONSORS
AL Harding
Allegheny Mountain Hardwood
Armina Stone
ASSA Abloy
CANstruction
Case Technologies
CENTRIA
Comfort Supply
Construction Junction
DaVinci Roofscapes
Eisler Landscaping
First Energy
JB O’Connor
Keith Bush Associates
Langan Engineering & Environmental
Services
MAK Construction Products Group
International Masonry Institute
Modular International
Oswald Companies
Performance Roofing Associates
REPS of Ohio
Rockwood
Rockwool
Simply Automated
Tarkett
Tile & Design
Vitro
DESIGN PITTSBURGH SPONSORS
Allen & Shariff
Architectural Clay Products
Atlantic Engineering Services (AES)
Babich Acoustics
Barber & Hoffman
Barton Associates
Bohler Engineering
Buro Happold
Cannon Design
Civil Engineering Consultants
Compu-site
Construction Specialties
Corbett Inc.
Design Group
Desmone
Ed Massery
Fenner & Esler
Fort Pitt Capital Group
Franklin Interiors
Gateway Engineers
HF Lenz
Hilbish McGee
Hope Furrer Associates, inc.
Insperity
Keystone Structural Solutions
L&L Ventures
Lam Partners
McKim & Creed
Michael Baker
Osborn Engineering
Perkins Eastman
PJ Dick
Providence Engineering
PVE, LLC
Remington Vernick Engineers (RVE)
Repco II
RM Creative
Rothschild Doyno Collaborative
Sci-Tek
Stantec
Strada
Tall Timber Group
Taylor Structural Engineers
Trans Associates
Volpatt / Ursa Leo
WBCM
WNA Engineering