International eNews

I am pleased to announce that for the first time in many years, a discussion of the AIA’s international role was prominently featured on the agenda of the May meeting of the Board of Directors. At that meeting, a panel of four practitioners described the importance of AIA’s global involvement from their unique and varied points of view – as a member of the academic community, as a US-based architect with an international institution employer, as a small firm practitioner with overseas work and a US-licensed architect based abroad.

Read the full letter from Judith D. Mitchell, AIA, International Committee Chair.

World Architecture Festival
22-24 October 2008
Barcelona, Spain
The World Architecture Festival is the annual event for architects worldwide. The festival will celebrate the work, concerns, and aspirations of the international architecture community during this three-day event.

Conferences are listed because of their potential interest to members. All organizers are not AIA CES registered providers.

Check out the Calendar of Upcoming International Events

International Committee News
Call for Nominations for the International Committee (IC) Advisory Group
Deadline: Friday, August 29, 2008
The AIA IC is now soliciting applications for 2009 appointments to the committee's Advisory Group. All IC members are encouraged to consider this opportunity to serve in this leadership capacity.

Notes from the International Director
Much of my recent activity has been taken up with completing the proposal for the creation of an International Region. This will be the culmination of discussions held over the course of the last nine months with respect to its viability, objectives, and structure. Read more from Ralph A. Lerner, FAIA, International Director.

2008 AIA National Convention & Expo News
Read what happened this year at the International Events at Convention.

Overseas Components News
Find out what is happening at the AIA’s four overseas components.

International Organizations News
Find out the latest information from international, regional, and national organizations.

Nominate an International Architect for Honorary Fellowship
Refer to the Memorandum and submission forms from AIA Senior Director of Honors and Awards, Robin Lee, Hon. AIA, for guidelines and information on sponsoring a 2009 Honorary Fellow; or, take a look at the AIA Awards web site for more information about honorary fellowship.

The Invitational Accreditation / Validation Roundtable and The Canberra Accord
In an age when international education is more and more common, portability of education credits is still very difficult. Beyond the students’ issue of university recognition of credits earned abroad, the lack of mutual recognition of accreditation or validation of architecture programs continues to be a problem for architects seeking a license to practice outside their home jurisdiction. Read more or view the presentation by James A. Scheeler, FAIA from the 2008 UIA World Congress and Assembly.

NCARB International Regulation Agreements
For several decades NCARB has worked to increase the mobility of architectural credentials around the world. NCARB’s concern for the evaluation of architects who do not have “traditional” credentials - that is to say, the NAAB accredited degree, approved internship, and the ARE - began with Council’s establishment of the NAAB accredited degree as a condition of Certification in 1984. Read More.

Cityscape Architectural Awards
Deadline: September 1, 2008
The entry deadline is upon us for the 2008 Cityscape awards, themed Design for an Emerging World, which will be presented at Cityscape Dubai October 6. The awards recognize excellence in architecture and design for the emerging regions of the Gulf Staes, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Australasia (excluding Japan, New Zealand and Australia), and Latin America. Built projects and work on the board for a confirmed client will be judged in six categories: commercial/mixed use; community; leisure; residential; tourism, travel, and transport; and young-architect work. For more information, visit the Cityscape Web site.

The House of Arts and Culture
The House of Arts and Culture is the first large cultural project to be built in Lebanon. Funded by a grant from the Sultanate of Oman to the Ministry of Culture, it will be located in the capital city of Beirut. The House will offer spaces for the performing and visual arts, for documentation and for training. An incubator for the development of creativity in the country, it will reinforce the role of Beirut as a central place in the international arts scene.

The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lebanon invites practicing architects to compete in an international architectural competition organized under the auspices of the International Union of Architects for the construction of the House of Arts and Culture. It is a one stage, anonymous project competition.

More Competitions and Opportunities