Free AIA Knowledge Community resources for practicing architects ranging from school safety to practice management, sustainable design to local roundtable development.
Free AIA Knowledge Community Resources for Practicing Architects
AIA Knowledge Communities collect, create, and disseminate resources for architects ranging from school safety to practice management, sustainable design to local roundtable development.
School Safety Resources
During the next year, you may find opportunities to discuss integrating safety and security design thinking in educational environments with public officials, school administrators, teachers, parents, and students. The Committee on Architecture for Education Leadership Group has collected a number of resources that can assist you in preparing for those inquiries Download the Resource List.
BIM for Small Projects
There is a widely shared perception that small firms and sole practitioners cannot take advantage of Building Information Modeling due to such factors as its cost, complexity, training time, and productivity for small projects. These case studies, presented by architects who work in small firms or as sole practitioners, will demonstrate how BIM has enhanced their practices and enabled them to create excellent projects.
This is an ongoing series of "BIM for Small Projects" by the AIA Technology in Architectural Practice Knowledge Community, where architects sharing their experiences.
View the first webinar | View the second webinar
Round Table Toolkit: A Model for Sharing Knowledge
The toolkit serves as a resource for those wishing to engage in individual study and group discussions at the local level.
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Who
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AIA architect members and other interested parties in your geographic area whose practices include small projects.
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What
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A dynamic, flexible, interactive setting to facilitate the sharing of knowledge relevant to a small-project practice.
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When
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Quarterly gatherings are the recommended minimum, but a roundtable may meet more or less often, depending on the round-table members' needs and wishes.
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Where
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To be determined by the members of the round table.
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How
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Using this guide as a start, a member of the local component plans and conducts sharing sessions relevant to local members.
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Why
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Because the old adage is true, "a rising tide lifts all ships." Because by sharing with others, we help ourselves. Because round-table programs often qualify for continuing education.
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Download the Toolkit
The AIA Best Practices
AIA Best Practices represent the collective wisdom of AIA members and related professionals. The scope of knowledge and information that can be included in AIA Best Practices is unlimited. The collective knowledge of AIA and allied members is a realm that is constantly expanding. As a group, they are:
- A compendium of relevant knowledge gained from experience
- Immediately applicable to a task at hand
- Distilled to their essentials
- Usable information
- Linked to related resources
- Kept relevant and up-to-date by inviting feedback from practicing professionals
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Tools for Clients: How Design Works + You and Your Architect
Architecture is about people: how buildings can enhance people's lives. The process of design is also about people: clients and architects working together to realize the full potential of every project.
The following resources are to help you and your clients throughout the design process. From selecting an architect, to establishing a legal contract, these free tools can help make each stage a little easier.
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Post Occupancy Evaluator's Toolkit
A Post Occupancy Evaluation is "structured hindsight" to review and critique the design and operations of senior-living communities. After a facility is open with residents and staff in place, there is an opportunity to review the design team's original assumptions and to assess whether goals have been met. It is a chance to observe the interaction of residents and staff and to evaluate how the design promotes that interaction.
Which designs achieve those results? How do they do it? "Hands-on" experiential data is certainly available yet it is often untapped and undocumented. Unique approaches to design and care remain
unshared.
Post occupancy evaluations (POEs) help identify which design
approaches are beneficial and why. Through data collection and
analysis, interviews, on-site observations, graphics and images,
POEs evaluate what design features work well, which do not, and
provide the foundation for evidence-based design.
Download the Toolkit
Committee on Design City Guides
The Committee on Design creates city guides of not-to-miss architecture in the cities they visit. Download a copy and take it on your next trip.
Boston | Columbus | Copenhagen | Denver | Detroit| Houston | Philadelphia | Phoenix
Prague| Seattle | Tokyo + Nagoya+Takayama+Kanazawa
Supplemental Architectural Services
Supplemental architectural services can:
- help architects generate income
- increase the value of the firm through diversification
- help attract new clients or keep the firm involved with existing patrons
- be used as special projects for young professionals to nurture their development.
Each supplemental architectural service in this series includes bullet points on knowledge and skills, why clients need the deliverables, associated tasks, and the AIA Contract Document that can be used in conjunction with the service. This information is available through an essay and companion introductory presentation. The resources are formatted as publications (PDF) and presentations (PPT). Additionally, an overview "Defining Services" is provided.
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Sustainable Justice 2030: Green Guide to Justice
This
white paper
is a proposition for the role of the justice system in contributing to the continuing viability of our society. Intended to complement other public initiatives with the year 2030 as the planning horizon, we aim to articulate a vision for how green justice buildings can serve a green and sustainable justice system as a foundational element of a sustainable society.
As architects, our planning and design efforts are framed by the vision of our clients; this paper is intended to illustrate a vision for the year 2030 that is holistic and elevated in aspiration to create a more just and sustainable society.
Earn 1 HSW/SD CEH hour
for reading the Sustainable Justice 2030: Green Guide to Justice and successfully completing the quiz.
Did I forget to mention a great, free resource? Leave a comment below to fill in the gaps.