about us


The American Institute of Architects, Tampa Bay Chapter

About AIA Tampa Bay
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is the professional association for architects and those in the architecture field. AIA Tampa Bay is the regional chapter representing approximately 650 members in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Hernando, Citrus, Sumter and Pasco Counties. The AIA provides programs and services including educational programs, design competitions, community service programs and serves as the united voice of the architecture profession. The regional chapter office is located in downtown Tampa at 200 N. Tampa Street, Ste 100 Tampa, FL 33602.

AIA Membership
AIA architect members are currently licensed to practice architecture in the U.S. Associate members are unlicensed to practice architecture, but they do meet one of the following criteria. - They are working under the supervision of an architect in a professional or technical capacity; they have earned professional degrees in architecture; they are faculty members in a university program in architecture; or - they are interns earning credit toward licensure.

Allied members are individuals whose professions are related to the building and design industry, such as engineers, landscape architects, planners or senior executive staff from building and design-related companies, including publishers, product manufacturers and research firms. Allied membership is a partnership with the AIA.

AIA Services and Programs
AIA Tampa Bay is the voice of architecture dedicated to its members and the quality of the built environment in Tampa Bay. To unite local architects and the community, AIA conducts various events and programs including Gallery AIA openings at their headquarters in downtown Tampa. The chapter also arranges building tours, community service events, lectures and educational programs, design competitions and much more. In addition, AIA Tampa Bay is a distributor of the industry standard AIA Contract Documents - standardized contract documents for construction projects. Beyond the chapter’s program offerings, AIA Tampa Bay serves as a resource for information to architects and the public and serves as the united voice of the architecture profession in addressing the media, governmental bodies and the public.

AIA Tampa Bay holds a wide variety of programs and all of our event can be found on our website calendar. Some of the Chapter’s current programs include:

Gallery AIA
The gallery is located in the chapter’s headquarters in downtown Tampa. The gallery features work by local architects and others ranging from architectural photography, project renderings and models, design awards entries, student work and more. New exhibits are launched quarterly with a cocktail reception that is free and open to the membership and the public.

AIA Monthly Luncheon
AIA Tampa Bay holds a monthly luncheon featuring guest speakers. Topics range from design presentations by architects to political candidate forums or speakers on architecture and development issues affecting the Tampa Bay region.

Design Awards
AIA Tampa Bay holds an annual design awards program to recognize architectural design excellence by architects within the region. Winning projects reflect some of the best new architecture within the Chapter’s territory completed within the past five years. There is an awards reception in the summer where winners are recognized. The event is held and winners are announced in July.

Annual Dinner Gala / Service Awards
AIA Tampa Bay holds an annual formal dinner gala each fall. The evening includes a cocktail reception, sit-down dinner and the announcement of the AIA service awards. Attendees represent a who’s–who of the Tampa Bay architecture community.

CEU Classes
AIA Tampa Bay provides educational courses that are certified for Continuing Education Credit by the State and the AIA. Continuing Education is required for all registered architects who practice in the state of Florida. The Florida Statutes require architects to complete continuing education for licensure; while the AIA requires it for membership.

Community Service
AIA Tampa Bay brings together architects to participate in community service events each year. The chapter and its members have been participating in a Habitat for Humanity Building Day and the Great American Teach-in for the past several years. The Chapter also developed The Color of Architecture coloring book and provides them free of charge to architects to present to elementary and middle school students at the Great American Teach-in.

Building Tours
AIA provides members and the general public the opportunity to tour architecturally significant buildings. Often the tours offer a first peak at a new or renovated building prior to it being opened to the general public, or an opportunity to tour a building that is not accessible to the public. Tours are scheduled as projects become available.

Emerging Tampa Bay Architects (ETBA)
This group for emerging architecture professionals was established in 2005. Their most recent project has been launching Pecha Kucha in Tampa Bay. PechaKucha Night was devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public.

Women in Architecture
This group for women in the architecture profession was also established in 2005. The group is considered a committee of the chapter, but has its own steering committee. Currently they are meeting bi-monthly at lunch time, where they discuss issues related to the architecture profession.

Architecture Registration Exam Prep Classes
The Chapter provides various classes for those who are preparing to take the ARE. Classes range from small roundtable meetings to weekend-long classes where nationally-recognized presenters are brought in to teach various sections of the 7 part exam.

Architectural Heritage Committee
This group was formed by architects and other citizens that have a passion and interest in preserving Tampa Bay’s architectural heritage. This includes working to assist owners of historic buildings to renovate their buildings within historic guidelines, as well as to educate government officials as to the importance of preservation. The group also has other programs such as educational programs, tours, and an architectural summer camp to help educate the public on their important mission.

AIA Contract Documents
AIA Tampa Bay is a resource for the AIA’s standardized contract documents for architecture, construction and related consultant services. Paper copies are sold at the chapter headquarters.

Academy of Architecture for Health
The AAH committee is a local component of a national AIA knowledge community. The AIA Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH) improves the quality of healthcare through design by developing, documenting, and disseminating knowledge; educating healthcare architects and other related constituencies; advancing the practice of healthcare architecture; improving the design of healthcare environments; affiliating and advocating with others that share our vision and promoting research.

For additional information on AIA Tampa Bay, please contact the chapter office at 813-229-3411.