AIA Seattle

Join the Mass Timber Committee for a tour of Buse Mill in Everett!

The tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the early stages of the wood supply chain.

This program provides architects with a rare opportunity to understand how timber is sourced, processed, and prepared before reaching design and construction, while strengthening connections between forest management, milling practices, and the mass timber systems they specify in their work.

📆Tuesday, June 16 | 2-6pm
🔗Details + registration: https://aiaseattle.org/events/mass-timber-buse-mill-tour/

Thanks for joining us last night at PARTI! 🥳

It was a great celebration of our design community's amazing achievements at Town Hall Seattle. Congratulations to this year's honorees and thank you for your thoughtful speeches and insight.

If you missed last night's program, the broadcast is now available for streaming on our YouTube channel.

🔗YouTube broadcast: https://www.youtube.com/live/l1wXYWW27D8?si=H-1GpBSqg99yrGCw

Join the Young Architects Forum for their June Licensing Workshop at Boulder Associates!

They'll be reviewing content and practicing questions for the Practice Management, Project Management, and Construction & Evaluation exams.

This will be a hands-on session with food and drink provided, please come prepared to engage with the material and other ARE candidates.

📆Wednesday, June 10 | 5:30-7:30pm
📍Boulder Associates
🔗Register: https://aiaseattle.org/events/yaf-licensing-workshop-june/

Introducing Benefits in Action: bite-sized information about your membership.

As an AIA Architect, AIA Associate, AIA Seattle Allied Professional, Firm Network, or Corporate Allied Partner, you receive 50-70% discounted registration for our in-person learning programs!

Members also benefit from reduced pricing for virtual programs, and bulk registration discounts for groups of 5+.

Put your Benefits in Action by registering for the Housing Design Forum on June 1st! The final registration deadline is next Thursday, May 28.

🔗Register for the Housing Design Forum: https://aiaseattle.org/events/2026housingforum/

Behind the Vision: AIA Seattle's Annual Chapter Meeting

Hear from AIA Seattle President Melissa Falcetti AIA, AIA Seattle Board Members and staff in a comprehensive, conversational walk-through webinar to help our members:

• Gain understanding of AIA Seattle and what we believe through an overview of our Strategic Plan and Imperatives, and how they inform our activities

• Have transparency to AIA National through a recap of the AIA Annual Meeting and the AIA26 Conference in San Diego

• Learn about member benefits and how to access them

• Get updates on AIA Seattle Advocacy including current efforts and engagement opportunities

• Hear how you can get involved in our community in upcoming programs and events, through member committees, and Seattle Design Festival

Register in advance for Zoom access!

📆Annual Chapter Meeting: Monday, June 29 | 4-5pm
📍Online
🔗Register: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/c79d0f45-16b3-4b38-84fc-ef90fecb608c?source_id=57488ed4-e61c-4992-8df5-b6be0fee557e&source_type=em&c=qe5h_3R99T3_4KRBNlbcSvKTa09be36v9grha3Ea4NrwAIvon0kmUw==

Don't miss this night of celebration and connection! We can't wait for PARTI - just four days away.

Join us for happy hour at 6pm with light bites and drinks and hear from our amazing honorees during the program. Hope to see you there🎉

📆Tuesday, May 26 | 6-8:30pm
📍Town Hall Seattle
🔗Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-aia-seattle-parti-tickets-1985156413271?aff=oddtdtcreator

Join Passive House Northwest and Syndicate Smith in Wenatchee on Tuesday for a discussion on Passive House Resiliency!

The evening of discussion will explore how Passive building principles create resiliency against many challenges that Eastern Washington currently faces: floods, power outages, wildfires, and more.

📆Tuesday, May 26 | 4:30-6:30pm
📍Pybus Public Market Boardroom | Wenatchee, WA
📸Nest Haus by Syndicate Smith, photo by Travis Knoop
🔗Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/passive-house-resiliency-tickets-1988939001093?aff=oddtdtcreator

Thank you for joining us at the Architecture for Health Committee (AHC)'s Spring Conference on Friday!

This year's Spring Conference focused on adaptive care models and future-ready planning, exploring strategies for shaping resilient, flexible, and community-focused healthcare environments.

It was a great day of in-person connection at UW's Oak Hall! Thank you to all of the speakers and our sponsors for making this program possible.

May Advocacy Update: Final Classification Ruling from US Dept of Education, Public Comment Opportunity on WA State Building Code, and Mayor Wilson at Housing Design Forum

• US Dept of Education Excludes Architecture Degrees from Professional Classification: AIA issued a statement regarding the “Reimagining and Improving Student Education” (RISE) rule, excluding architecture degrees from professional classification under federal student loan limits. Despite significant advocacy from AIA and allied stakeholders, the Department of Education chose to make no changes to their originally proposed rule. AIA is now pursuing a legislative fix.

• Public Comment Period Now Open for WA State Building Code: Every three years, the State Building Code Council (SBCC) reviews and updates Washington state’s building codes, and the current public comment period is now open through June 12. Proposed changes include adjustments to allow for taller single-stair buildings and adding multiplexes to the WA State Residential Code, which would require the use of NFPA 13R sprinklers. If you're an architect who'd like to see a pathway for no sprinklers for projects with higher-rated floors and walls, send in public comment in-person, by virtual testimony, or by emailing [email protected].

• Join us online at 12pm for a Housing Advocacy Committee Meeting to hear from Alex Brennan, Executive Director of Futurewise about the implications of SB 6026.

• ADUniverse Call for Designs: The City of Seattle invites designers, architects, and homebuilders to submit ADU and middle housing designs that fulfill the City's criteria and requirements for ADUniverse 2.0. Submit by July 3.

Read the full Advocacy Update for more information and articles of interest.

📸Artist Studio in West Seattle by GO’C Studio (Photo by Kevin Scott / Courtesy of The Seattle Times)
🔗https://aiaseattle.org/advocacy-update-may-2026/