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JUNCTION: August - December, 2022

The Seattle Architecture Foundation's 25th Annual Model Exhibit, JUNCTION, celebrated the creativity of local and international design firms. Each year, the exhibit displays physical and digital models, architectural renderings, and a variety of other displays that represent the design process. Through this exhibit architectural projects and the tools used to develop them take center stage and connect audiences to the process of architectural design Read More
    • SAF 25th Annual Model Exhibit: JUNCTION

      Junctions are most commonly a place to come together, marking a convergent place where two becomes one. When each party comes together to contribute to a greater whole, these unions can generate synergy. By building new connections between previously disparate objects, ideas, people, and disciplines, junctions present opportunities to celebrate how harmony can emerge from collaboration.  Read More
    • Seattle Design Festival 2022: CONNECTION

      August 20 - 26, 2022
      This year’s Seattle Design Festival, was August 20-26, and kicked-off with the SDF Block Party at Lake Union Park and featured in-person and virtual experiences throughout the week. Read More
  • Diversity by Design: February - July, 2022

    Diversity by Design: Equity in Architecture showcases seven Northwest Regional projects submitted to Diversity Roundtable’s open call to celebrate the work of underrepresented designers. Despite people of color making up a majority of early career unlicensed designers, only a small percentage of licensed architects are people of color. Additionally, people of color are consistently unrepresented in leadership roles. Diversity by Design offers an oppor Read More
    • Diversity by Design Exhibit

      February 2 - July 14, 2022
      Diversity by Design: Equity in Architecture showcases seven Northwest Regional projects submitted to Diversity Roundtable’s open call to celebrate the work of underrepresented designers. Despite people of color making up a majority of early career unlicensed designers, o Read More
    • Character Matters

      June 21, 6:00pm - 7:15pm
      Join us for Character Matters – a virtual exploration of three sites that set the historic tone of Seattle’s Central District: Douglass-Truth Branch Library, Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, and Washington Hall. As new development rises to the challenge of design reviews and community expectations, we will highlight the need to address and create spaces that will enhance our neighborhoods. Read More
    • Solstice Celebration: Creative Convergence

      June 20, 5-7:30pm
      Come celebrate the Diversity by Design exhibit at the Center for Architecture and Design highlighting the works of BIPOC designers, designers of all genders, LGBTQI + designer, designers with disabilities, immigrant designers and more. Connect with our local co Read More
  • Breathe: August - December, 2021

    2021 was a year of aspiration. Emerging from COVID lockdown, we were ready to take a deep breath and consider our future. Aspiration means ambition and the act of breathing in. SAF’s 24th Annual Architectural Model Exhibit theme Breathe was meant to inspire submissions that reflect on this dual meaning: faced with the passing of an immediate crisis, how will we pause and rethink our world? When we do exhale, what new forms will we breathe into life?&nbs Read More
    • SAF 24th Annual Model Exhibit: Breathe

      2021 was a year of aspiration. Emerging from COVID lockdown, we were ready to take a deep breath and consider our future. Aspiration means ambition and the act of breathing in. SAF’s 24th Annual Architectural Model Exhibit theme Breathe was meant to inspire submissions th Read More
    • Seattle Design Festival 2021: EMERGE

      August 21 & 22, 2021
      Every year, the Seattle Design Festival brings together designers, community members, experts, city officials, and business leaders to celebrate and explore how design improves the quality of our lives and our community. 2021 was the year of EMERGE. Our community gathere Read More
  • When Seattle Shakes: February - July 2021

    Seattle's historic structures, among them many unreinforced masonry buildings, are at risk not only from the numerous seismic faults in the Pacific Northwest, but also from economic factors. Many at-risk buildings continue to have vibrant life in Seattle communities, but have found it challenging to retrofit for earthquake safety. It will take technology, expertise, policy, and social impetus for Seattle to preserve its multi-faceted urban fabric while Read More
    • When Seattle Shakes Exhibit: Preservation and Resilience

      February 4 - July 17, 2021
      When Seattle Shakes explores how to align the goals of historic preservation and resilient design by understanding the most effective ways of protecting a city’s historic building stock against earthquakes. Read More
    • Why Seattle Shakes with David B. Williams

      February 11, 6:00 - 7:00PM
      Unlike many regions in the country, the Seattle area is constantly reminded of its geologic past, present, and future. Whether it is our landslides, our glacier-carved topography, or our three major earthquake zones, this area's geologic history is young, dynamic, and acces Read More
    • When Seattle Shakes Curator Talks

      February 17, 6:00 - 8:00PM
      Join us for an evening talk with our exhibition researcher and curator, Mary Waelder. In this exhibit, Mary explores how to align the goals of historic preservation and resilient design by understanding the most effective ways of protecting a city’s historic building s Read More
    • When Seattle Shakes Curator Talks

      March 11, 6:00 - 8:00PM
      Join us for an evening talk with our exhibition researcher and curator, Mary Waelder. In this exhibit, Mary explores how to align the goals of historic preservation and resilient design by understanding the most effective ways of protecting a city’s historic building s Read More
    • Unreinforced Masonry: Connecting | Preparing | Preserving

      April 28, 5:30 - 7:00PM
      Join Seattle Architecture Foundation and the curator of AIA Seattle's When Seattle Shakes, Mary Waelder, for a conversation that touches on the personal, cultural, and structural consequences of living in a seismic zone. How does living in an earthquake zone impact you? Read More
  • About Time: August - December 2020

    2020 marked a turning point that we had not imagined. As the Seattle Design Festival prepared for its tenth year, the landscape had changed. SDF2020's theme, About Time, sought to ponder past, present, and future at a unique moment of transition for the city, the region and the world. Instead, it confronted the reality of a global public health crisis and its profound impact on our daily lives. Containment became a necessity. Social distancing had Read More
    • 23rd Annual Model Exhibit: Iterations

      August 12 - December 6, 2020
      The Seattle Architecture Foundation 23rd Annual Model exhibit, Iterations, celebrates the germination of a design idea and how it's nurtured over time through the exploration of writing, drawing, modeling and material studies. These studies serve a myriad of functions, Read More
    • Seattle Design Festival 2020: About Time

      August 15 - 23, 2020
      2020 has been a big year in many ways – and the Seattle Design Festival also turned 10! Our anniversary comes at a pivotal moment in time. This year’s theme, About Time, originally sought to ponder past, present and future at a unique moment of transition for the city, Read More
    • Youth Program |Offshore, House Boats and Other Floating Structures

      October 3, 10:00 - 1:00 PM
      When we think of buildings we think of permanent structures built to the ground, but what if we could create architecture without this limitation? A building offshore can face any direction, be relocated to beautiful places, have interesting and fun features all while meeti Read More
    • Family Program | Haunted Houses

      October 10, 10:00 - 12:00 PM
      Houses are places to live and so much more. Ghosts and monsters need homes too! Get in the Halloween mood with SAF and design your creepiest, crawliest haunted houses, accursed apartments, creepy condos, sinister skyscrapers, disturbing duplexes, weird warehouses, or e Read More
    • Baptism by Fire with Maureen Elenga

      October 29, 6:00 -7:00 PM
      Baptism by Fire: How a flurry of construction in the wake of Seattle’s 1889 conflagration left us with an architectural time capsule in Pioneer Square like no other. Read More
    • Youth Program | DADUS and You

      November 7, 10:00 - 1:00 PM
      A detached accessory dwelling unit (DADU) is a separate living space on the same property as an existing house. For example, tiny houses are considered DADUs. This summer, the City of Seattle is preparing to launch a gallery of pre-approved DADU designs. Selected plans will Read More
    • Iterations: The Dynamics of the Design Process

      November 12, 5:30 - 7:00 PM
      We've invited three architects featured in Seattle Architecture Foundation’s 23rd Annual Model Exhibit: Iterations to discuss their models and ideate on how current events will shape future iterations of Seattle. Read More
    • Family Program | Design Your Perfect Room… For Class!

      November 14, 10:00 - 12:00 PM
      In a time when the look of your classroom is changing, let’s re-imagine your school space. Ask yourself: what would make my classroom “perfect?” Does class happen in my living room? Outside? In a cool building? How can my school fit me better?  Designed with y Read More
    • The Protean Shoreline virtual tour with David B. Williams

      December 2, 6:00 - 7:00 PM
      Join the Seattle Architecture Foundation and local author and naturalist, David B. Williams for a virtual tour. More so than most cities, Seattle has shaped itself to suit its needs. Seattle has removed hills, filled tide flats, and created a completely new downtow Read More
  • Proactive Practice: March - July 2020

    Proactive Practice examined how architects self-initiate projects to nurture vibrant and adaptive communities. As speculative development and fast-paced growth transform urban space, architects must not be complacent in service to the market economy. How can we practice architecture as caretakers for our communities and reclaim an active role in the production of space?Through the lens of five architects’ practices and their progressive work, differe Read More
    • Proactive Practice

      March 5 - July 25, 2020
      Proactive Practice examines how architects self-initiate projects to nurture vibrant and adaptive communities. As speculative development and fast-paced growth transform urban space, architects must not be complacent in service to the market economy. How can we practice architecture as caretakers for our communities and reclaim an active role in the production of space? Read More
    • Design In Depth: Growth for Communities, Not as Commodities

      June 16, 5:30 - 7:00 PM
      Via Zoom Webinar What if we could build a new Seattle neighborhood from scratch? Students at the University of Washington College of Built Environments addressed this question in their group Studio as they imagined innovative concepts for the future of the Interbay neigh Read More
  • Urbanism & Emerging Technologies: December 2019 - February 2020

    How does technology influence our urban experience? Whether we like it or not, technology is deeply rooted in our everyday lives. As emerging technologies continue to evolve, and our cities morph and adapt, the relationship between technology and our urban environments grows more complex. Balancing Act explores the notion of balance by posing a series of questions about how we can focus emerging technologies towards the human experience and develop bes Read More
    • Balancing Act: Urbanism & Emerging Technologies

      December 5, 2019 - February 22, 2020
      This exhibit explores the notion of balance by posing a series of questions about how we can focus emerging technologies towards the human experience and develop best urban practices to make our cities more livable, equitable, and sustainable. Read More
    • Balancing Act: Urbanism & Emerging Technologies Curator’s Talk with Sae Kim

      December 6, 2019 12:00 - 1:00 PM
      Seattle Architecture Foundation invites you to a curator’s talk for a behind-the-scenes look at Balancing Act: Urbanism & Emerging Technologies. Designed and curated by the exhibition team from Boston-based design firm CBT, Balancing Act examines the current conditio Read More
    • The Emerging smARt City: Augmented Reality Workshop

      Feb 6, 2020 5:30 - 7:30 PM
      Mobile augmented reality is a rapidly emerging technology that has the power to change how we understand and interact with our urban environment. In this design jam style workshop you will learn basic AR principals, examine current and future use cases, and ideate with fel Read More
    • Balancing Act: Data, Technology, and the Re-Imagined City

      Feb 18, 2020 5:30 - 7:00 PM
      Reception from 5:00-5:30 PM           Program from 5:30-7:00 PM How do we focus emerging technologies to create livable, equitable and sustainable cities? How are designers, technologists, and urban planners re-imagini Read More
  • Balance: August - November 2019

    Achieving and maintaining balance is essential for the well-being of our planet, our society, and ourselves. Our natural world provides the model: vast ecosystems that have evolved over millions of years to create symbiotic relationships that are in balance. Yet our world right now is fundamentally out of balance. Human needs and desires relentlessly compete with the needs of natural systems. Whether we are weighing the impact of our daily decisions o Read More
    • 22nd Annual Model Exhibit: Symbiosis

      On Display September 12 – November 23, 2019
      The Seattle Architecture Foundation’s Annual Architectural Model Exhibit brings the work of local architects and designers to the public, forging a deeper understanding of the design process and the built environment of Seattle. The 22nd Annual Architectural Model Exh Read More
    • Seattle Design Festival 2019: BALANCE

      August 16 - 25, 2019
      From August 16–25, 2019, the Seattle Design Festival will feature citywide tours, exhibits, outdoor installations, activities, interactive workshops and more. Read More
    • Seattle Public Space: Balance and Equity in Thriving Cities

      August 23, 6-8pm
      Join us for an interactive discussion on how public open space can promote balance and equity in the City of Seattle. Read More
    • Language of Aroma: Designing for Inclusivity

      August 24, 5 - 6:30pm
      Join TEALEAVES and Microsoft Design for a documentary screening followed by an inclusive design workshop that discusses how the principles of inclusive design, and what we know about language can deepen our understanding of this forgotten sense. Read More
    • DID Talk | Symbiosis: Re-imagining the City’s Future

      September 17, Reception 5:00 - 5:30 PM Program 5:30 - 7:00 PM
      Symbiosis presents the work of many architects, each of whom express the notion of a symbiotic relationship through the long-standing tradition of model making. The exhibition examines architecture's reciprocal relationship with community, and investigates a city's dis Read More
  • Discover + Disrupt: June - August 2019

    City systems operate similarly to people. Much of the day is concerned with utilitarian, functional, and obvious needs. Budgets are allocated to potholes and traffic alleviation like paying rent and filling a pantry with groceries. The blueprint for the average city is largely shaped more by cost, regiment, and efficiency than whimsy and humanity. When moments of delight do exist, art is often corralled into commercial spaces such as advertisements or lim Read More
    • Discover + Disrupt

      June 6 - August 31, 2019
      In ​DISCOVER + DISRUPT, a renewed call to balance in the way art functions in a city. Through the art-forward exploration of their own bodies of work, the artists envision a world where humanity’s desire for beauty, and exploration are met, balancing functional city systems with unexpected moments of whimsy and delight. Read More
    • Discover + Disrupt – Opening Reception

      June 6, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
      Join us for the Opening Night Reception for DISCOVER + DISRUPT, the latest exhibit @ the Center for Architecture & Design. City systems operate similarly to people. Much of the day is concerned with utilitarian and functional needs. The blueprint for the average city Read More
    • Discover + Disrupt Exhibit Tour

      August 1, 5:30 - 7PM
      Join us @ the Center for an Exhibit Tour of "DISCOVER + DISRUPT" with exhibit creators, Electric Coffin. Read More
    • Urban Transformations: The Power of Public Art

      July 16, 5:30 - 7:30 PM
      Seattle is the fastest growing American city of the decade. This is reflected by our continuously evolving skyline, as old buildings are demolished and new ones erected. As our built environment rapidly changes it is crucial that we maintain the identity of our city. Embedd Read More
    • Seattle Design Festival 2019: BALANCE

      August 16 - 25, 2019
      From August 16–25, 2019, the Seattle Design Festival will feature citywide tours, exhibits, outdoor installations, activities, interactive workshops and more. Read More
    • Seattle Public Space: Balance and Equity in Thriving Cities

      August 23, 6-8pm
      Join us for an interactive discussion on how public open space can promote balance and equity in the City of Seattle. Read More
  • Because it Rains: March - May 2019

    Designers are always responding to their environments, by embracing natural phenomena or seeking to work around them. The influence of our natural environment on Pacific Northwest design has always been strong, from materials choices to form and function.  A new exhibit at the Center for Architecture & Design explores the most ubiquitous Northwest condition of all: Rain.  As the recipient of this year’s Emerging Professionals Travel Sch Read More
    • Because it Rains

      March 7 - May 25, 2019
      Recipient of AIA Seattle’s 2018 Emerging Professionals Travel Scholarship, Laura Bartunek Assoc. AIA explored the concept of rain as a creative catalyst within design. Rain, so often approached as a universal foe to be deflected away from buildings, became the focus a Read More
    • Because it Rains Opening Night Reception

      MARCH 7, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
      Join us for the Opening Night Reception for "Because it Rains," the latest exhibit @ the Center for Architecture & Design. Recipient of AIA Seattle’s 2018 Emerging Professionals Travel Scholarship, Laura Bartunek Assoc. AIA explored the concept of rain as a creativ Read More
    • Because it Rains: Exhibit Tour

      March 28, 5:00 - 7:00pm
      Meet us at the Center for an Exhibit Tour of "Because it Rains" with 2018 Travel Scholarship Recipient Laura Bartunek Assoc. AIA. Schedule: 5pm – 7pm Exhibit open 5:30pm – 6pm Exhibit Tour with Bartunek RSVP Here Read More
    • Because it Rains: How Rain Shapes Seattle

      April 16, 6:00 – 7:30 PM, Reception at 5:30
      The words “Rain” and “Seattle” are nearly synonymous with each other. For those that live in this city, each individual has experienced the beauty, chaos, and monotony that is Seattle’s rain. The characteristics of rain, whether it be smell, sound, touch, or the e Read More
    • Embrace the Rain: Rain Gardens and Green Infrastructure

      May 21, 5:30 – 7:00 PM
      Learn about rain gardens and other forms of green infrastructure that you can incorporate in your yard and neighborhood. The 12,000 Rain Garden campaign for Puget Sound has been elevating green infrastructure strategies since 2011 and provides tons of resources and suppor Read More
    • Green Infrastructure in Seattle: Designing for Clean Stormwater in the Rain City

      October 25, 12 - 1pm
      Presented by AIA Seattle’s Committee on the Environment Seattle is well known for its beautiful, sprawling parks. Several thousand acres provide softscapes that allow rainwater to slow down and infiltrate before reaching our waterways. But what about the rest of the Read More
    • Pop-up Exhibit: Embrace the Rain

      May 21 - May 25
      As part of our May 21st workshop, Embrace the Rain: Rain Gardens and Green Infrastructure, we’ve invited local landscape architects to display their work though SAF’s first pop-up exhibit! Their work demonstrates how design can improve water quality and livability while Read More
  • Sanctuary: December 2018 - February 2019

    Our world is witnessing a time of record migration and displacement. According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, there are now more than 60 million forcibly displaced people worldwide as the result of persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations. Cities around the world are on the front lines of this global crisis. As the number of urban displaced persons increases, so does our moral imperative to welcome and embra Read More
    • Sanctuary: Design for Belonging

      DECEMBER 6 - FEBRUARY 23, 2019
      "Sanctuary: Design for Belonging" presents design ideas from "Displaced: Design for Inclusive Cities," a competition seeking game-changing design solutions addressing the global refugee and immigrant crisis in an urban context. Read More
    • Sanctuary Exhibit Tour w/ Graphic Art Curator, Cleo Barnett

      DECEMBER 12, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
      Meet us at the Center for a curatorial tour of Sanctuary: Design for Belonging by our Graphic Art Curator, Cleo Barnett. During this hour-long tour, Cleo will discuss the overall theme of the exhibit, explaining the competition winners' projects and how they make cities more Read More
    • Sanctuary Exhibit Tour w/ Research Curator, Mayumi Tsutakawa

      JANUARY 24, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
      Meet us at the Center for a curatorial tour of Sanctuary: Design for Belonging by our Research Curator, Mayumi Tsutakawa. During this hour-long tour, Mayumi will discuss the overall theme of the exhibit, explaining the competition winners' projects and how they make cities m Read More
    • Color My Home: An Architecture Workshop for Kids

      JANUARY 26, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
      Join us at this free architecture and poetry workshop for youth ages 10-14 who have been recently displaced and/or settled in the United States. Together we will remember, imagine, and create our homes with words, textures, and colorful illustrations. We’ll tell the story Read More
    • Conversations Towards an Equitable Practice: Creating a Stronger Profession

      June 24, 5-7pm
      Join AIA Seattle's Women In Design and Diversity Roundtable committees for a series of monthly discussions about the culture and climate of the architecture community in Seattle and beyond, and how to build a stronger pipeline and retention practices for equity in the field. February's discussion centers on intercultural competence. Read More
  • Trust: August - November 2018

    Trust is a foundational principle of a thriving society. Relationships and systems built on trust enable the exchange of commerce and innovation, provide safety and dignity to all, and encourage vigorous civic participation. We trust our systems and institutions to be consistent, transparent, and strong. We trust that the news we hear is accurate and unbiased; that the schools, bridges, and buildings we use every day are sound; and that our leaders make de Read More
    • 21st Annual Model Exhibit: Transparency Opening Reception

      August 29, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
      Celebrate the opening night reception for the 21th Annual Model Exhibit, Transparency and get a sneak peek before it opens to the public. Mingle with industry leadership and meet the designers and architects behind the models featured in the show. Tickets Read More
    • 2018 Seattle Design Festival: TRUST

      September 6 - 21, 2018
      The 2018 Seattle Design Festival will be Saturday, September 8 – Friday, September 21, bringing together designers, community members, experts, and city officials to celebrate and explore how design improves the quality of our lives. Read More
    • Designing Equity and Trust

      SEPTEMBER 12, 5:30 - 6:30 PM
      When we buy a product, service, or, admission into an experience we trust that it will work for us. We often assume ease of access and equity. But what happens when experiences don’t work the way we need them to? Where are the breakdowns in the design process? What can beh Read More
    • Building Trust with Diverse Project Communities

      SEPTEMBER 13, 6:30 - 8:30 PM
      Join Architects Without Borders – Seattle project leaders for a discussion of diverse topics on navigating​ relationships​ between an AWB volunteer project lead and a community, including language barriers, managing expectations, and developing a program and project th Read More
    • Autonomous Seattle: The Robot Car in the Emerald City

      September 19, 5:30 - 7:30pm
      The initial rollout of autonomous vehicles (AV) is predicted to begin around 2025, gaining public acceptance by 2030 & largely replacing non-autonomous vehicles by 2040-2045. Many tout the AV as a silver bullet, allowing drastic reductions in car ownership and parking Read More
  • Wild Tensions: June - August 2018

    Summer in the Pacific Northwest is time to lace up hiking boots and head for the nearest trail or park to enjoy the sun and experience the tranquility of the great outdoors. We are fortunate to live in a region surrounded by an abundance of natural beauty. Wild Tensions: How Design Impacts the Outdoor Experience explored the inherent tensions between our pursuit of the wilderness experiences that are so integral to our Pacific Northwest identity and the Read More
    • Wild Tensions: How Design Impacts the Outdoor Experience

      June 7 - August 18
      Exactly how authentic do we want our outdoor experience to be, and how far do we have to go to find it? How can we protect our natural treasures in the midst of explosive regional population growth? Can we mitigate that human pressure on these environments by leveraging urba Read More
    • Wild Tensions Family Day

      June 16, 10:00 - 2:00 PM
      Join the Seattle Architecture Foundation for a special Family Day celebrating the opening of Wild Tensions: How Design Impacts the Outdoor Experience! Create your own delicious snacks at our trail mix bar, build your own wilderness shelter, learn about the wild lives of anim Read More
    • WILD TENSIONS: TIPS AND TRICKS TO SAFELY EXPERIENCE THE OUTDOORS

      August 2, 5-6:30pm
      Please join us for an hour-long presentation with Richard Forbes of REI as we explore how gear developments and best practices can help us both keep ourselves comfortable and protect our wilderness for future generations. Humans have voyaged into the backcountry for t Read More
  • In the Public Interest: March- May 2018

    Our world is calling out for the service of architects and designers. Housing affordability, social isolation, climate change, equal access to education, health and aging—the list of grand challenges that design can impact is endless. Seattle architects and designers have long embraced this higher calling, whether through pro bono service, volunteer work, or embedding social and environmental responsibility in design practice. AIA Seattle and the Center Read More
    • IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST: REDEFINING THE ARCHITECT’S ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY

      March 1 - May 26, 2018
      Public interest design is re-positioning the architectural profession to address the social, political, and environmental issues of the 21st century through community-engaged design. This shift in practice advances the notion that architecture is not only a built product... Read More
    • SIAF + DRT Social Hour with special guest Dr. Sharon E. Sutton FAIA

      MARCH 6, 5:30 - 7:30 PM
      Seattle International Architecture Forum (SIAF) and Diversity Roundtable (DRT) are teaming up for a series of Happy Hour events throughout 2018. Our March event will feature a lively conversation with Dr. Sharon E. Sutton FAIA as she discusses her book, “When Ivory Towers Read More
    • DID Hello Seattle: Faith

      March 20, 6:00 - 7:30 PM
      This talk will bring together stories and insights from the masterminds behind some of Seattle’s most iconic places of worship and explores how designers can innovate within an ancient building typology. Speakers: Jake LaBarre, AIA, Miller Hull Partnership LLP Lar Read More
    • Urban Design Plan: Downtown w/ AIA Seattle UDF

      MARCH 28 6:00 - 7:30 PM
      Save the date for Urban Design Forum’s presentation on the Urban Design Plan: Downtown. More information coming soon! Read More
    • Movie Night: Design that Heals Documentary

      April 26, 5:30 - 6:30 PM
      Design that Heals is a short (23 minute) documentary that follows the conception and construction of the GHESKIO Cholera Treatment Center by MASS Design Group. This medical facility was built in the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in 2011 and is an exemp Read More
    • DID Hello Seattle: Education & Innovation

      April 17, 6:00 -7:30 PM
      As Seattle’s population increases, school and business accommodations are becoming increasingly creative. This lecture focuses on the impact of design on where we learn and work and explore creative pursuits. Tickets Here Read More
    • Human Flow: Documentary Screening

      June 20, 4 - 7pm
      On June 20, Human Flow will be re-screened @ the Center. Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei spent a full year traveling through 23 countries, following the journeys of some of the 65 million people forced from their homes to escape famine, climate change, and protracte Read More
    • DID Hello Seattle: Arts & Culture

      May 15, 6:00 - 7:30 PM
      It may not be a roof over your head or a hearty meal but many argue that art is essential for healthy communities. At this talk movers and shapers of the Seattle arts & cultural community will share their tactics for inspiring change and engaging with the built environment. Read More
    • What Shapes Seattle’s Affordable Housing?

      May 16, 5:30 - 7pm
      A discussion with stakeholders on the often understated and misunderstood influences on the affordable housing that gets built in our city. Panelists: Jon Grant / Housing for All Coalition Joe Ferguson / Lake Union Partners Sharon Lee / Low Income Housing Institute Ni Read More
    • The Changing Nature of Practice

      May 24, 6-7pm
      How Emerging Processes Are Encouraging Social Change The role of the architect—and architecture itself—in society is changing. A lack of involvement in critical social issues from a profession that holds such high responsibility within the community should no longer be Read More
    • Equity w/ UDF

      January 24, 5:30pm
      The AIA Seattle Urban Design Forum is hosting an event on the issue of equity and how it relates to Seattle’s growth. We plan to have a moderated panel to discuss the city’s experience with inequity over the past decade and to share and react to ideas for how to grow our Read More
  • Futurama Redux: December 2017 - February 2018

    Recent headlines point to the seismic modal shift underway in Seattle transportation. Bike and car sharing, electric vehicles, expanded light rail and driverless cars are opening a world of choices to Seattle residents who used to be solely reliant on their own automobiles. The average US city devotes between 30% and 40% of its surface area to roads and parking, compared to less than 5% for parks. Prioritizing cars impacts everything from health and saf Read More
    • Futurama Redux – Urban Mobility After Cars & Oil

      December 7 - February 17, 2018
      Futurama Redux – Urban Mobility After Cars And Oil considers how a transition to postcarbon urban mobility might foster sustainability, resilience, and security while improving quality of life. Developed by future urban mobility think tank Smarter Than Car, the exhibit Read More
    • Futurama Redux – Guided Tours with Curator Florian Lorenz

      December 8 - December 9
      Join curator Florian Lorenz (Smarter Than Car) for a guided tour of Futurama Redux: Urban Mobility After Cars and Oil. Please RSVP for a tour below: Friday, December 8 @ 11:00 AM Friday, December 8 @ 1:00 PM Saturday, December 9 @ 11:00 AM Saturday, December 9 Read More
    • Imagineering a Postcarbon Seattle

      December 9, 2-4pm
      The future might not be motorized: Over the coming decades the challenges of Postcarbon Transition and Climate Change Adaptation will demand a paradigm shift for the organisation of human settlements. This symposium questions the position of the city of Seattle in the global Read More
    • Imagineering a Postcarbon Seattle – Part 2

      February 16, 4-6:30pm
      As a closing activity to the exhibit Futurama Redux: Urban Mobility After Cars And Oil exhibition, AIA Seattle will host a second public symposium, Imagineering a Postcarbon Seattle - Part 2, to explore the challenges and opportunities that decision makers, creatives, and Read More
  • POWER: September - December 2017

    In a time of intense cultural and social change in Seattle and across the country, architects and designers are challenged to explore the ways in which their work intersects with the growth of grassroots and community movements, the changing conceptions of what cities can be and do, and renewed interest in formerly neglected places, spaces, and ideas. As we step back and reflect on our values, as individuals and as a community, we must reassert our commitm Read More
    • Resurgence: The 20th Annual Architectural Model Exhibit

      September 14 - November 18
      For two decades the Seattle Architecture Foundation has hosted the Architectural Model Exhibit, an opportunity for local architects and designers to connect and share their work with the Seattle community. In a time of intense cultural and social change, Resurgence chall Read More
    • 2017 Seattle Design Festival

      September 9 - 22, 2017
      Every September, the Seattle Design Festival brings together designers, community members, experts, and city officials to celebrate and explore how design improves the quality of our lives and our community. Every year the Festival grows, and it is now the largest design-rel Read More
    • Women & The City: A Networking Event for Women Shaping Seattle

      October 3, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
      Join AIA Seattle Women in Design, WASLA, and the APA Women & Planning Division for an event about the women shaping our city! Enjoy an opportunity for casual networking with women working hard to shape our community. Special guests for the evening include mayoral cand Read More
    • Building Bridges

      September 21, 6 - 8pm
      Today, we stand at the precipice of large-scale social change in our country. Convoluted and vulgar, our political climate has been wrought with ignorance and hatred, and in the middle of it all are refugees who were forced to relocate and have experienced continuous trauma. Read More
    • Collaborative Power: Transforming Our Future Public Realm

      September 20, 6 - 9pm
      As our city and region grow our public spaces and infrastructure are increasingly tasked to provide expanded benefits and be places people love. This challenge demands collaborative tools and compelling vision. Panelists will discuss lessons learned and how they apply to our Read More
    • Seattle Design Festival Design Discussion: EmPOWERing Communities

      September 19, 6 - 9pm
      This discussion and interactive workshop will look at how designers bring human-centered design thinking to foster empathy and provide solutions to people experiencing homelessness, architecture for refugees and poverty alleviation. Panelists with expertise or experience in Read More
    • Enter the Fray: How Architects & Designers Can Be Powerful Advocates

      September 18, 5:30 - 7pm
      Architects and designers are uniquely positioned to advocate for vital urban spaces and design elements that contribute to healthy, livable communities. They are also well-suited to work towards community consensus on controversial issues: they are good listeners, they work Read More
    • Class Action: Design your Own School

      September 16, 12:00 - 4:00 PM
      Too often the voices of students are excluded in the design process, despite their status as the leading experts of what it’s actually like to spend all day in school! In this workshop, which is part of the Seattle Design Festival, students will work with local architects Read More
    • Resilient Power: Adapting to Risk in a Changing Seattle

      September 14, 5:30 - 7pm
      As a member of the global 100 Resilient Cities grant funded by the Rockefeller Center, Seattle is committed to becoming more resilient to the social, economic and physical challenges of our century. Individuals, business, communities & systems within a city designed with Read More
    • Urbanist & Urban Design Forum Walking Tour – Central Area Restructuring

      August 26, 10am - Noon
      Join The Urbanist and AIA Seattle’s Urban Design Forum for a visit to the changing structural landscape of Seattle’s historically African-American community, the Central Area. We’ll be guided by Donald King, FAIA, Principal Architect at Mimar Studio, who is deeply fa Read More
  • Extraordinary Playscapes: July - September 2017

    Summer in the Pacific Northwest – time to play! The Center for Architecture & Design celebrated summer by considering how designers create places for both kids and adults to play through the exhibit, Extraordinary Playscapes. Today, outdoor play faces tough competition—from electronics, over-scheduling, declining recess time, and lack of access to safe play spaces. Additionally, safety and liability concerns overshadow the conversation around play Read More
    • Extraordinary Playscapes

      July 13 - September 2, 2017
      Extraordinary Playscapes examines the art, history, science, and importance of play, while telling the story behind some of the most incredible play spaces in the world. Read More
    • CFAD Playlab

      Last Two Saturdays of Month, 1:00 - 4:00 PM
      *These programs are currently on hold due to COVID-19* The CFAD Playlab is a free drop-in Saturday program for youth and families at the Center for Architecture and Design from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Held the last two Saturdays of the month, children and their chaperones are i Read More
  • Community by Design: Main Streets: April - June 2017

    Community members all across our country are actively engaged in preserving the places they love. Historical spaces are part of our history and culture and create a unique sense of place that is important to our city’s identity. Through our Community by Design: Main Streets in a Changing America exhibit, we invited the public to be inspired by communities that have been successful in preserving the places they love. Presented by the Seattle Architect Read More
    • Community by Design: Main Streets in a Changing America

      Runs through June 10, 2017
      Community by Design: Main Streets in a Changing America showcases the success stories of the Main Street America program and other revitalization models that positively impacted communities across the country. The Main Street America program empowers community members to be Read More
    • Neighborhoods Matter | Greenwood

      June 20, 6:30PM - 8:00PM Reception Starts at 5:30PM
      Design in Depth is a series of dynamic architecture + design talks delivered in two-part sequences. Join us for these engaging panel discussions that delve deeper into architecture and design. What draws you to a neighborhood and what keeps you there? Lively downtown main Read More
    • Seattle by Design: Observing and Envisioning a Better Seattle

      June 1, 4:00-6:00 PM
      The Main Streets America program helps to empower grassroots efforts to take on major placemaking efforts, building vibrant downtowns that reflect and serve local communities. As our urban spaces change ever more quickly, we find it easy to talk about the changes we do or do Read More
    • Urban Main Streets w/ UDF

      May 31, 5:30PM - 7:00PM
      The AIA Seattle Urban Design Forum will host a panel discussion about Seattle’s revitalizing “main streets” from the eyes of small business. Read More
    • Neighborhoods Matter | Columbia City

      Tuesday May 16, 6:30-8:00 PM
      This program is part of Design in Depth, a series of engaging panel discussions that delve deeper into architecture and design on the third Tuesday of each month from 6:30 – 8:00 pm at the Center for Architecture and Design. What draws you to a neighborhood and what kee Read More
    • Panel Discussion: Community Revitalization Efforts in Washington

      May 11, 6:00 - 7:30 PM
      Join local leaders in a panel discussion to learn more about the Main Streets of America Program and the local case studies featured in the Community by Design: Main Streets in a Changing America exhibit. Learn how communities with different assets can be successful in their Read More
  • Smarter Buildings: March - April 2017

    Our region is uniquely poised to lead the conversation about the intersection of technological advancement and the built environment. As a tech hub, we boast some of the world’s leading innovators in realms like big data, systems thinking, artificial intelligence and the internet of things. As a thriving and progressive design community we have demonstrated a deep commitment to better, more sustainable buildings and a willingness to explore and invent. Read More
  • Open to All: January - February, 2017

    Design has a powerful influence on how we access and experience everyday environments. This is particularly true for the 20% of us living with a temporary or permanent disability. Designers in the Pacific Northwest have made tremendous strides in creative problem-solving around accessibility, from rethinking home design to inventing enabling technologies. Human-centered design is a tool for unlocking human potential. Inclusive design expands our opportunit Read More
    • Open to All: Designing for the Full Range of Human Experience

      January 12 - February 18, 2017
      A woman pulls a rolling suitcase up a curb ramp in a city sidewalk.  A box-laden customer opens a shop's power door with the touch of a hip. Young people around their cell phones, texting. Our environment is full of innovations - curb cuts, power doors, texting -- t Read More
    • Access for All: Public Amenities, Rest Stops and Bathrooms

      January 21, 11:00-3:00 PM
      This youth workshop designed for ages 12-17 will focus on the design of public spaces such as parks, streets and roads, and how designers and architects can improve the accessibility in these spaces. Students will learn about ADA/Wheelchair accessibility standards, the imple Read More
    • OpenSidewalks: How Open to All?

      February 2, 11:45AM - 1PM
      Equitable access to sidewalks is crucial for a barrier-free city, where people with different devices and abilities can independently access streets and services using customized, relevant, and up-to-date routing information. Read More
    • Accessible Design Integration talk with Marthalee Galeota

      February 9, 10:00AM - 11:00AM
      The Northwest Universal Design Council and community partners invite you to attend a special presentation by Marthalee Galeota, access and disability program manager for the Starbucks Coffee Company, in conjunction with the “Open to All: Designing for the Full Range of Hum Read More
    • Greatest Hits Tour (ASL)

      February 18, 1:00 - 3:00 PM
      In conjunction with the Open to All Exhibit at the Center for Architecture and Design we are offering our Greatest Hits tour in sign language, free of cost on February 18. Please join us as one of our guides accompanied by an ASL interpreter shows off some of Seattle's archi Read More
  • Design Change: September – October, 2016

    Design Change proposes that design can maximize the public benefits of change, while empowering those communities most impacted by change. In Seattle, a place experiencing tremendous change, this year's Seattle Design Festival programs and exhibits, at the Center and throughout the city, investigated and celebrated the role of design in an evolving place. Read More
    • 19th Annual Architectural Model Exhibit | A program of the 2016 Seattle Design Festival

      September 1 – October 23
      (un)Restricted, SAF’s 19th Annual Architectural Model Exhibit, will highlight the ways local designers use creativity to navigate environmental, material, social, and economic challenges. (un)Restricted is part of the 2016 Seattle Design Festival, an annual celebration Read More
    • 2016 Seattle Design Festival: Design Change

      Every September, the Seattle Design Festival brings together designers, community members, experts, and city officials to celebrate and explore how design improves the quality of our lives and our community. Since 2011, the Seattle Design Festival has been presented by Desig Read More
    • Why Downtown Seattle Needs an Urban Design Plan

      September 13, 5:30 - 7pm
      The City of Seattle is in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan. What’s missing? A clear direction for physical development in our downtown. A policy framework is insufficient to achieve the urban outcomes we all desire; we also need specific, physical recommenda Read More
    • Making Change in Your Neighborhood

      September 20, 6:30 - 8:00 PM
      Join us for this interactive panel discussion that will offer practical tips and share case studies for planning and executing a design project in your neighborhood. Read More
    • Go Outside! Designing Public Spaces

      Presented by the Seattle Architecture Foundation Oct 8, 10:00-12:00 PM
      In this workshop for youth ages 6-11, students will look at the innovative designs of parks and other public spaces all over the world, and design their own park. Will it feature a giant swirling slide? Will it be designed as one big maze? The sky is the limit. More Informat Read More
    • October 19, 5:30-7:30pm
      Join the Committee on Architects for Education for their first event and hear from Jeanne Narum about her national research on learning environments of the 21st century! With a team of academic agents of change, Jeanne Narum produced an Learning Spaces Collaboratory (LSC) g Read More
  • BOOM or Bust: Navigating Change: July - August, 2016

    Seattle has a boom and bust history, with industry and commerce often serving as key drivers in our city’s development. In the late 19th Century and early 20th Century the Alaskan Yukon Gold Rush and logging industry stimulated major growth. Today, the rise of bio-tech, technology and e-commerce are greatly impacting Seattle and its neighborhoods. Exhibits and programs during this theme reflect on how we’ve navigated change over time and consider the Read More
    • BOOM: Changing Seattle

      July 7 – August 27
      BOOM: Changing Seattle is a tribute to places lost, preserved and desired during moments of rapid development and growth in Seattle.  This multidisciplinary exhibition incorporates archival and recent photos, documents, and contemporary art to position history and memory as Read More
    • August 22 - August 26
      For youth entering grades 5th – 8th, this hands-on summer camp experience will introduce participants to the ways architecture and design impact everything in our environment! Students will tour the Center, as well as buildings old and new at the Waterfront. Read More
    • Why I-123 Doesn’t Add Up

      Initiative 123, on the Seattle ballot in August 2016, would create a new mile-long elevated public park on Alaskan Way. AIA Seattle vigorously opposes I-123. Read More
    • Residents Podium for Seattle Legacy Spaces

      August 11, 6:30 - 8:30pm
      Hosted By Ghosts of Seattle Past With Seattle City Council Member Lisa Herbold held @ the Center Seattle residents, artists, and community organizers will testify about the places they want preserved. Meanwhile city officials, landlords, real estate developers, poli Read More
  • Urban Housing and Density: April - June 2016

    Seattle is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, expected to welcome many thousands of new neighbors over the next 20 years.  With them come jobs, ideas, energy - but also the need for a place to live. The City of Seattle has committed to 50,000 new housing units in Seattle in the next 10 years. People move here because they are attracted by our livable neighborhoods, our strong communities, and our remarkable natural environment.  Howe Read More
    • April 21 – June 25
      As Seattle grows, how can housing  design keep pace with the evolving ways we are living in cities? Is small housing a viable option? Can smaller spaces make for better  living? This exhibit, by AIA Seattle 2015 Emerging Professionals Travel Scholarship Recipient Garrett Read More
    • Saturday, April 9
      At Saturday Family Events, children (ages 6-11) and their family members explore architecture through hands-on activities that highlight a new design topic every month! In honor of Earth Day, join us to create a metropolis out of recycled materials! Participants will take in Read More
    • Monday, April 25
      AIA Seattle's Urban Housing Forum will examine how housing design and policy can serve as catalysts for livability and quality of place in an increasingly dense city. Read More
    • The City of Seattle is building a modern streetcar system that will provide new urban mobility options, support economic growth and strengthen connections among the places where people live, work and socialize. Read More
    • Tuesday, May 17
      Through new advancements in technology and software, local designers can become increasingly engaged in global exchanges of ideas. How do these advances affect how local design professionals further their missions and brands in multi-national locales? Read More
    • Tuesday, May 24
      As our community struggles with breakneck growth and questions of social equity, is it possible to create housing that’s affordable, beautiful, and green? What would it take? Join Forterra for a conversation among architects, leaders in affordable housing and sustainability. Read More
    • June 11, 10 - 12pm
      Long known as the center of Seattle’s counterculture, this urban neighborhood is in the midst of a building boom, and some fear Pike/Pine’s unique character is under threat. From its beginnings as a quiet residential district to its time as Seattle’s first 'Auto Row' a Read More
    • Tuesday, June 21
      For every successfully completed project in Seattle, there are countless more that never come to fruition. Join us for a look back at several grand, unrealized projects and a consideration of what our city may have looked like if they came to be. Read More
  • Active Design: February - April 2016

    Design influences health and well-being through the places we live and work, the way we move around the city, the food we eat, and the connections we make with others in our community. Exhibits and programs on Active Design explore the connection between environmental design and our physical, mental, and social well-being, and consider design’s potential to positively impact healthy lives, healthy communities, and a healthy planet. Read More
    • FitNation

      Presented by AIA Seattle thru April 9
      Architecture and design are valuable tools for addressing some of today’s most critical public health challenges. Experience FitNation at the Center to explore design approaches and simple improvements that contribute to healthier lifestyles. Read More
    • February 11 + 12
      Co-presented with the Architecture for Health Panel, this year’s Medical Design Forum covers a broad array of topics in healthcare design and explore their impact on communities, especially through the urban lens. Through panel discussions and presentations, leading expert Read More
    • Monday, March 21
      Seattle’s First Hill neighborhood is a dense urban community. Rising land values and development pressures have made acquiring traditional space for a new park difficult, so the First Hill Improvement Association is exploring a concept sweeping the country: repurposing l Read More