Category: Press Releases

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

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

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)

ATLANTA — November 16, 2024 — AIA Atlanta is delighted to announce the winners of the 11th Annual Residential & Hospitality Design Awards (RHDA), celebrating exceptional architectural achievements in residential and hospitality projects. The awards were presented during Build Something Great at Buckhead Theatre on Friday, November 15.

The RHDA program honors projects that exemplify design excellence, educate the public on the value of high-quality architecture, and position architects as innovative problem-solvers. This year’s competition attracted submissions from Atlanta to the Cayman Islands, showcasing diverse projects that push the boundaries of design.

The 2024 RHDA winners are:

Affordable & Workforce Housing

• Edgewood Center II by Smith Dalia Architects — Merit Award
• The Melody by The Beck Group — Merit Award

Multifamily & Mixed-Use – 50 Units or Less

• Ten 5 Summerhill by XMETRICAL — Merit Award

Multifamily & Mixed-Use – Over 50 Units

• The Goat Farm Apartments by Niles Bolton Associates — Honor Award

Single-Family – Contemporary

• Honabach House by Philip Babb Architect — Merit Award

Restaurant — New Construction

• Nami by ASD | SKY — Honor Award

Restaurant — Renovation or Tenant Build-out

• Old Hickory Renovation by BLUR Workshop — Honor Award
• Predalina by Smith Dalia Architects — Merit Award

Hotel — 101+ Guest Rooms

• Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman by BLUR Workshop — Merit Award

AIA Atlanta extends heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and expresses gratitude to all participants for their contributions to advancing architectural excellence.

For more information about the winning projects, please visit aiaatl.org/rhda.

About AIA Atlanta

AIA Atlanta, the Atlanta Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, represents 1,900 architects and designers in Metro Atlanta. AIA advocates for the value of architects and provides resources for continuing education, political advocacy, networking, and leadership development.

ATLANTA — October 28, 2024 — AIA Atlanta is excited to announce the finalists for the 11th Annual Residential & Hospitality Design Awards (RHDA), which recognize outstanding architecture in residential and hospitality projects. RHDA showcases projects from around the world designed by Georgia architects and those located in Georgia by architects from anywhere in the United States.

The 2024 program was juried by prominent residential and hospitality architects, including Ben Allen, AIA (Studio BKA, New Orleans), Samantha Josaphat-Medina (Studio 397 Architecture, New York), and Vicki Yuan (Lake|Flato Architects, San Antonio).

The winners will be revealed at Build Something Great, presented by Dri-Design and YKK AP, at Buckhead Theatre on Friday, November 15, 2024

Finalists by Category

Affordable & Workforce Housing

• Edgewood Center II – Smith Dalia Architects
• The Melody – The Beck Group

Multifamily & Mixed-Use – 50 Units or Less

• JD Kirkwood – XMETRICAL
• Revival Lofts – Choate + Hertlein Architects
• Ten 5 Summerhill – XMETRICAL

Multifamily & Mixed-Use – Over 50 Units

• The Goat Farm Apartments – Niles Bolton Associates

Single-Family – Contemporary

• Honabach House – Philip Babb Architect
• The Level Up House – Jones Pierce Architects

Hotel — 101+ Guest Rooms

• Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman – BLUR Workshop
• Signia by Hilton Atlanta – Gensler

Restaurant — New Construction

• Nami – ASD | SKY

Restaurant — Renovation or Tenant Build-out

• Old Hickory Renovation – BLUR Workshop
• Predalina – Smith Dalia Architects

About AIA Atlanta

AIA Atlanta, the Atlanta Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, represents 1,900 architects and designers in Metro Atlanta. AIA advocates for the value of architects and provides resources for continuing education, political advocacy, networking, and leadership development.

For more details, visit the AIA Atlanta website.