Open House
The Chapter sponsors an annual Open House every winter, usually in January or February. This is an informal evening where members and guests can visit the Chapter House, meet with the Chapter's Board of Directors, socialize with fellow members, learn about upcoming Chapter events, and enjoy some refreshments.

Virginia Architecture Week
Virginia Architecture Week, traditionally held at the beginning of April, is a state-wide celebration of the build environment. AIA Northern Virginia actively participates by planning numerous activities during the week, including building tours, exhibits, lectures, and our Canstruction& competition. All events are free and open to the public.

Canstruction® Competition
AIA Northern Virginia participates in the national Canstruction® competition organized by the Society of Design Administrators. The competition is held at a local mall as part of our Virginia Architecture Week activities in March or April. Canstruction® is a fun design/build competition that helps feed local residents in need. Teams of architects build imaginative, humorous structures entirely out of canned goods. A jury selects the best structures to move on to the national competition. When the exhibit is over, all the food is donated to a local food bank.

Golf Tournament
Architects, allied professionals, and friends gather each May for a rousing round of golf, complete with mulligans, cigars, hula skirts, and an awards banquet. This year's tournament is May 2 at the Algonkian Regional Park Golf Course in Sterling. Please visit the Golf Tournament Page for more information.

Design Awards Program and Gala
Each year our chapter celebrates design excellence in Northern Virginia. Chapter members and invited to submit recent projects to our Design Awards Program. Submitted binders are reviewed anonymously by a jury of architects from an out-of-state AIA chapter. Winning firms are announced at our Design Awards Gala, a black tie dinner held at an architecturally interesting site. The Call for Entries is published in March, with entries due in May. The gala is held in early June.

Click here to view the 2007 winning entries.

Family Picnic
Each September, as our chapter programs kick into gear for the fall, we gather at a local park for a chapter picnic. Members bring family and friends to enjoy games, softball, prizes, and great food.

Membership Dinner and Honors Celebration
Held every October, our Membership Dinner is a wonderful opportunity for fellowship. The evening features a guest speaker, our annual business meeting, and election of chapter officers. The highlight of the event is the recognition of several special members for outstanding service and achievement.