April is Virginia Architecture Month
Wednesday, March 31
Celebrate Architecture Month with AIA Northern Virginia through a series of public programs that educate, engage, and connect us to the built environment and the profession of architecture. AIA Northern Virginia also joins AIA chapters across the state this year to offer a combined program and a wide range of opportunities. Most of this year’s events will be free and offered online.
Planned activities include:
- Building tours with behind the scenes insight and commentary from the architects
- Lectures on architecture and design
- Film-making and story-telling examples in architecture
- Creative design activities for children and families
- Exhibits of local award-winning architecture
For a complete list of Architecture Month events, see the chapter calendar at www.aianova.org and look for the "Arch Month" designation.
Architecture Billings Climb into Positive Territory after a Year of Monthly Declines
Tuesday, March 30
Continuing the positive momentum of a nearly three-point bump in January, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) reached its first positive mark since February 2020, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
AIA’s ABI score for February was 53.3 compared to 44.9 in January (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). February also marked the first time the design contract score rose back into positive territory since the pandemic began with a score of 51.6 compared to 48.8 in January. The new project inquiries score for February reached a 22-month high water mark with a score of 61.2 compared to 56.8 in January.
"Hopefully, this is the start of a more sustained recovery. It is possible that scores will continue to bounce above and below 50 for the next few months, as recoveries often move in fits and starts," said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD. "Beyond the encouraging billing data, architecture employment added 700 new positions in January and has now regained 45 percent of the jobs that were lost since the beginning of the pandemic."
Visit AIA's website for more ABI information.
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