A NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN OUR BACKYARD: MY AIA24 EXPERIENCE
By Stephen Rosenfelder AIA, LEED AP BD+C | Associate – Grimm + Parker Architects
AIAPV Emerging Professional Awards Program (EPAP) Class of 2024
In early June, I was fortunate to attend the AIA Conference on Architecture & Design 2024 in Washington, DC. Hosted at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, the size and scale of the event was impressive, while the local venue made it easy to attend without much hassle. Having never attended an AIA Conference before, I had some idea of what to expect but was still awestruck by the event and the people.
I made sure to fill my day with as many educational seminars as possible, navigating around the convention center and finding a great variety of topics ranging from leadership to technical detailing. These educational sessions also took place in the Expo Hall. Similar to the overall event, the size of the Expo Hall was astonishing, as it seemed to continue on endlessly (I had to reorient myself using the Expo map a few times). It was very valuable to have these exhibits all in one place and oriented to architects. I was able to learn about new products and technologies, reconnect with familiar reps, and finally meet multiple contacts in person that I’d only previously known from email correspondence. It served as a nice reminder of how small our world and profession can be, even at a massive event.
There was great energy at the overall event, with the Keynotes setting the tone. I was able to attend Keynote sessions by Arthur C. Brooks and Sanjay Gupta, both of whom lightly touched on the field of architecture as part of their speeches. I did, however, feel that there was some value in this approach, because they spoke broadly to a crowd of well over 10,000 attendees. Rather than digging into issues specific to architects, the Keynotes were broader with emphasis on positivity, providing an excellent start to each day.
Unsurprisingly, the most crowded session I attended was about Artificial Intelligence and applicability when researching building codes. While there is fear being spread about the ramifications of A.I. in the working world, this session was a reminder that we architects use many tools in our profession, and more of those tools have A.I. as part of them. It is imperative for all of us to learn to use the various tools at our disposal to stay on the forefront of the industry. Artificial Intelligence continues to be a valuable tool that is gaining more capabilities every day. I believe that there is no need to fear being “replaced” by A.I. if we can instead learn to use it to our advantage.
The AIA 2024 Conference on Architecture was a refreshing and rejuvenating experience. The nature of this profession makes it hard to pick your head up from your desk, and I am very grateful I was able to attend. It was a great opportunity to learn after stepping away from the busy day-to-day responsibilities of our work.
Stephen Rosenfelder AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Associate at Grimm + Parker Architects
Stephen is an Associate at Grimm + Parker, where he manages projects and teams, verifies compliance with energy codes, develops conceptual designs and feasibility studies, manages Revit models for multiple projects, and completes tax credit packages for affordable housing projects. He received a Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Tech.
Stephen received an AIA Potomac Valley Emerging Professional Award and is a member of the Emerging Professional Awards Program (EPAP) Class of 2024.
