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Category: Announcements

John Starr, FAIA Elevated to AIA College of Fellows

Posted on by Malachi G

Congratulations to John Starr, FAIA, on being elevated to the AIA College of Fellows, an honor awarded to architects who have made significant contributions to the profession.

The fellowship program, which recognizes just 3 percent of AIA members, was developed to elevate architects who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession and have made a significant contribution to architecture and society at the national level.

John currently serves as Design Principal and Director of Lord Aeck Sargent’s Education and Arts and Culture practice areas, with more than 40 years of shaping and inspiring learning environments, museums, and cultural spaces that embrace interactivity and evolving technologies.

About John | About the College of Fellows

Meet the 2026 Board

Posted on by Malachi G

The 2026 AIA Atlanta Board of Directors is a diverse group of architects and designers committed to advancing the profession, strengthening our community, and shaping the future of the built environment in Atlanta and beyond.

Representing a range of perspectives, practice areas, and career stages, this year’s board will guide the chapter’s strategic priorities, programs, advocacy efforts, and member experience in the year ahead.

To read their bios, please visit our 2026 Board of Directors page.

2026 Board of Directors

President
Laura Morton, AIA

President-elect
Desmond Johnson, AIA

Past President
Marc Johnson, AIA

Secretary
KK Loy, AIA

Treasurer
Corey Miller, AIA

Development Director
Clayton Daspit, AIA

Development Director
Ralph Raymond, AIA

Continuing Education Director
Craig Dixon, AIA

Programs Director
Jennifer Kilpatrick, AIA

Programs Director
Kevin Young, AIA

Local Political Advocacy Director
Rudy Abbot, AIA

Communications Director
Ashvini Dinoy, AIA

Communications Director
Jessica Gardenhire, AIA

Membership Director
Sumegha Shah, AIA

Emerging Professionals Director
Irene Chang, AIA

Emerging Professionals Director
Stuart Romm, AIA

Public Director
Terry Miller, AIA

Allied Director
Amy Granelli

Call to Action: Opposition to Proposed Federal Policy

Posted on by K'Sandra Thomas

AIA Atlanta Joins AIA National and NOMA National in Opposition to Proposed Changes to Federal Policy Related to Student Loans

Many members have contacted AIA Atlanta leadership about the U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) proposal for new rules related to federal student lending, and asked us – as a local AIA chapter – to respond.

The DOE has recently proposed a new policy that would limit loans to graduate level students who are not in a pre-approved list of “professional” degrees.   Architects would not be included in the category for professional degrees under the proposed policy (nor would teachers, accountants, financial advisors, nurses, or landscape architects).  AIA Atlanta stands in opposition to any federal, state, or local policy that fails to recognize architects as professionals, which devalues their rigorous education and licensing requirements, and the important role that the profession plays in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the general public.

Moreover, lowering this loan cap will reduce the number and diversity of students who can afford to pursue an architecture degree.  AIA Atlanta has been a strong advocate for more diversity in the profession, and this policy would erect a new barrier.   Additionally, this policy would harm the firms in our profession by making it more difficult to attract talent and build businesses around responsible and equitable design practices.  Finally, this policy would hamstring the efforts of our local schools of architecture to attract and graduate the most talented design minds.

We encourage our members to stay engaged with this issue, and support the actions taken by AIA National and the National Organization of Minority Architects.  You can find AIA’s member briefing here, and NOMA’s here.   Here is what you can do right now:

  • Write your members in the federal House of Representatives and Senate, urging them to push the DOE to adhere to its own history and classify architecture as a profession. You can find the contact info for your elected officials at https://open.pluralpolicy.com/find_your_legislator/
  • Prepare for the DOE public comments period in early 2026, which you can learn more about here on the AIA briefing page. The period will open when the proposed rule is posted on the Federal Register.  AIA Atlanta will notify you as soon as we learn more.

 

Marc Johnson                              Laura Morton                                     Shelby Morris

2025 President                             2025 President-Elect                          2025 Past President

2025 Awards for Architectural Distinction Winners Announced

Posted on by Malachi G

ATLANTA — November 17, 2025 — AIA Atlanta is proud to announce the winners of the Awards for Architectural Distinction (AAD), honoring design excellence, leadership, and service across the built environment. The awards were presented during Build Something Great at the Buckhead Theatre on Saturday, November 15.

For nearly a decade, AIA Atlanta recognized outstanding residential design, later expanding to include hospitality work before launching its new flagship program, the AAD, in 2025. The updated name signals a broader focus on conceptual strength, execution, and impact across a wider array of project types.

This year’s program recognized four individuals and 14 projects, selected from a record number of submissions. An online gallery of the winning projets will be available in late November. The winners are as follows:

People Awards

The John A. Busby Jr. Exceptional Young Architect Award

  • Jon Gould, AIA

Dorothy Spence Citizen Architect Award

  • James Pirch, AIA

James G. Fausett Service to the Profession Award

  • Jessika Nelson, AIA
  • Robin Puttock, AIA

Places Awards

Civic & Government Buildings

  • BNA FBO Terminal and Hangar by Niles Bolton Associates — Merit Award
  • Braselton Grist Mill by Architectural Collaborative (Arcollab) — Merit Award
  • Newberry Customer Service Center by Lord Aeck Sargent — Honor Award

Cultural & Religious Institutions

  • Georgia College & State University, Andalusia Interpretive Center by Page, now Stantec — Merit Award

Educational & Research Facilities

  • Agriculture and Natural Resources Building at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA)
    by BarberMcMurry Architects and Lord Aeck Sargent — Honor Award
  • Braselton Library by Architectural Collaborative (Arcollab) — Honor Award
  • Georgia Tech Campus Center by Cooper Carry — Merit Award

Hotel — 26–100 Guest Rooms

  • Palm House by Cooper Carry — Honor Award

Multifamily/Mixed-Use – Over 50 Units

  • Loria Ansley by Niles Bolton Associates — Merit Award
  • Stella at Star Metals by Dwell Design Studio — Honor Award

Office Buildings & Tenant Interiors

  • Cardon Film Studio by Office of Design — Merit Award

Renovations/Adaptive Reuse – Under 5,000 Sq Ft

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Library by McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture — Merit Award

Single-Family – Contemporary

  • Alleghany County House by Point Office Architecture & Design — Merit Award
  • Moreira Guest House by Architectural Collaborative (Arcollab) — Honor Award

2025 Awards for Architectural Distinction Finalists Announced

Posted on by Malachi G

ATLANTA — October 9, 2025 — AIA Atlanta is proud to announce the finalists for the 12th Annual Awards for Architectural Distinction (AAD), honoring excellence in residential, hospitality, commercial, and institutional architecture. Open to architects registered in Georgia, AAD recognizes outstanding projects from around the world.

The 2025 program was juried by esteemed peers, including Matt Toddy, AIA (Elevation Studio, Columbus, OH), Jeff Pastva, FAIA (Scannapieco Development Corporation, Philadelphia, PA), Jason Takeuchi, AIA (Ferraro Choi and Associates, Ltd., Honolulu, HI), Jessica O’Donnell, AIA (urban practice, Philadelphia, PA), and Gabriella Bermea, AIA (Perkins Eastman, Austin, TX).

Winners will be announced at Build Something Great, presented by Clad Axis and Dri-Design, on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at Buckhead Theatre. Tickets are on sale now.

Affordable & Workforce Housing

Madison Reynoldstown Affordable Housing
Atlanta, Georgia
PRAXIS3 architecture + interdisciplinary design

Civic & Government Buildings

BNA FBO Terminal and Hangar
Nashville, Tennessee
Niles Bolton Associates

Braselton Grist Mill
Braselton, Georgia
Architectural Collaborative (Arcollab)

Decatur Housing Authority Offices
Decatur, Georgia
PRAXIS3 architecture + interdisciplinary design

Denmark Library
Forsyth County, Georgia
McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

Fredrick Douglas Park Family Center
Indianapolis, Indiana
Meticulous Design

Newberry Customer Service Center
Newberry, Michigan
Lord Aeck Sargent Planning & Design, Inc.

Cultural & Religious Institutions

Georgia College & State University, Andalusia Interpretive Center
Milledgeville, Georgia
Page, now Stantec

Educational & Research Facilities

Agriculture and Natural Resources Building at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Knoxville, Tennessee
BarberMcMurry Architects and Lord Aeck Sargent Planning & Design, Inc.

Braselton Library
Braselton, Georgia
Architectural Collaborative (Arcollab)

Daniel Hall at Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina
Lord Aeck Sargent Planning & Design, Inc.

Emory Nursing Learning Center
Decatur, Georgia
The Beck Group

Georgia State University Library North Study Commons
Atlanta, Georgia
PRAXIS3 architecture + interdisciplinary design

Georgia Tech Campus Center
Atlanta, Georgia
Cooper Carry

The Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center at Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama
Cooper Carry

Hotel — 101+ Guest Rooms

The Granada Hotel
Atlanta, Georgia
Kenneth Gowland, RA, NCARB

Hotel — 26-100 Guest Rooms

Palm House
Palm Beach, Florida
Cooper Carry

Multifamily/Mixed-Use — 50 Units or Less

Revival Lofts
Atlanta, Georgia
Dennis Hertlein / Choate+Hertlein Architects

Multifamily/Mixed-Use — Over 50 Units

300 N. Michigan
Chicago, Illinois
bKL Architecture LLC

Cirrus and Cascade
Chicago, Illinois
bKL Architecture LLC

Loria Ansley
Atlanta, Georgia
Niles Bolton Associates

McAuley Park – Mixed Use Campus
Atlanta, Georgia
Smith Dalia Architects

Stella at Star Metals
Atlanta, Georgia
Dwell Design Studio and Oppenheim Architecture

The Juniper
Atlanta, Georgia
Brock Hudgins Architects

Office Buildings & Tenant Interiors

Cardon Film Studio
Decatur, Georgia
R. Andrew Rutledge, AIA; Office of Design

Renovations/Adaptive Reuse — Under 5,000 Sq Ft

Cooper House at the University of Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Lord Aeck Sargent Planning & Design, Inc.

Martin Luther King Jr. Library
Atlanta, Georgia
McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

Paty Modern Reno
Decatur, Georgia
Lightroom Studio, LLC

Restaurant — Renovation/Tenant Build-out

Amelia Gene’s
Memphis, Tennessee
The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry

Retail & Destination Developments

Lake Oconee Gathering House
Greensboro, Georgia
Blur Workshop

Single-Family — Contemporary

ADU_06
Atlanta, Georgia
Stephen Trimble Architects

Alleghany County House
Roaring Gap, North Carolina
Point Office Architecture & Design

Hilltop House
Sandy Springs, Georgia
JonesPierce

Moreira Guest House
Athens, Georgia
Architectural Collaborative (Arcollab)

 

Featured Finalists Photo Credits (from left): Stella at Star Metals (Garey Gomez); BNA FBO Terminal and Hangar (Morgan Nowland Photography); Braselton Library (Kristin Karch); Palm House (Robert Granoff)

Apply to the 2026 Board of Directors

Posted on by Malachi G

AIA Atlanta is now accepting applications for the 2026 Board of Directors. This is your opportunity to step into leadership, bring energy and vision to the profession, and serve nearly 2,000 members who look to our chapter for direction and impact.

We’re seeking passionate, engaged architects who want to do more than hold a title — leaders ready to advocate for the profession, elevate peers, and push AIA Atlanta forward. Whether your strengths are in finance, continuing education, advocacy, or community building, there’s a place for your voice and leadership at the table.

Review the six open positions and apply today to help shape the future of AIA Atlanta. Applications close October 21, 2025.

Learn More

AIA Atlanta Opens Submissions for 2025 Awards for Architectural Distinction

Posted on by Malachi G

ATLANTA — June 30, 2025 — AIA Atlanta is now accepting submissions for the 2025 Awards for Architectural Distinction (AAD), a unified program that honors both the built work and the individuals shaping the future of architecture. Submissions are open through August 29, 2025.

This year’s program brings together two distinct paths — Places and People — under one banner to elevate excellence across the profession. The streamlined approach aligns the submission period and co-brands what were previously separate programs to increase visibility and impact.

Places, formerly known as the Residential & Hospitality Design Awards (RHDA), celebrates outstanding architectural projects across residential, commercial, hospitality, and institutional categories.

People, formerly the Honor Awards, recognizes individuals and firms whose service, leadership, and innovation are advancing the profession. Categories include Sole Practitioner of the Year, Firm of the Year, and the Exceptional Young Architect Award, among others.

Winners will be recognized during Build Something Great, AIA Atlanta’s annual awards celebration, taking place on November 15 at Buckhead Theatre.

Learn more and submit at aiaatl.org/awards-recognition

Photo: Ten 5 Summerhill by XMETRICAL (Galina Coada)

Introducing the AIA Atlanta Awards for Architectural Distinction

Posted on by Malachi G

For nearly a decade, AIA Atlanta has celebrated excellence in the built environment through its annual design awards. What began as the Residential Design Awards, later expanding to the Residential & Hospitality Design Awards, has grown in both scope and impact, reflecting the evolving work of Georgia architects.

Today, we’re proud to unveil a new name for our flagship awards program: the Awards for Architectural Distinction.

This new name is more than a rebrand; it represents a broader vision of what truly matters—distinction in concept, execution, and impact across a broader range of typologies.

Why the Change?

Our members produce work that is not confined to a single project type or place. From innovative public buildings to commercial campuses and culturally rooted homes, the profession is more expansive and influential than ever.

The Awards for Architectural Distinction reflect that evolution. The program is now open to new project types located anywhere in the world, as long as they are designed by a Georgia-registered architect.

What’s Included

The program now houses two distinct pathways for recognition:

Places Awards

For built projects of exceptional quality, innovation, and problem-solving. Juried by nationally recognized leaders in architecture and design. Accepted project types include:

  • Commercial
  • Hospitality
  • Institutional
  • Residential

People Awards

For people and firms shaping the profession. From emerging talent to lifetime achievement, these honors recognize those whose leadership, service, and creativity are making a lasting mark.

Both will be presented at our annual celebration, Build Something Great, on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at Buckhead Theatre.

Submission Details

Detailed categories and submission criteria will be available at a later date. Submissions for the 2025 Awards for Architectural Distinction open on Monday, June 30, and will close on Friday, August 29.

Featured Project: Nami
Firm: ASD | SKY
Category: Restaurant – New Construction
Award: 2024 Honor Award
Photographer: Richard Cadan

View All Winners »