AIA Cleveland is proud to be a community partner for the screening of ADA—My Mother the Architect at the Cleveland Jewish FilmFest.

The film will be shown at the Cedar Lee Theater on September 9th at 7:30 p.m.

Directed by her daughter, Yael Melamede, this moving documentary offers an intimate portrait of Ada Karmi Melamede, one of Israel’s most accomplished architects. A pioneer in her field, Ada’s work gave physical form to some of the nation’s highest democratic ideals, including the Supreme Court building in Jerusalem, the Open University, Ben Gurion Airport, and numerous civic institutions—while navigating the personal sacrifices of a groundbreaking career.

Join us every Sunday through the end of September for AIA’s Look Up: Architecture Tours, presented in partnership with Historic Gateway as part of their Summer Series.

These walking tours have been a popular way to engage the public in our shared love of buildings and the stories they tell.

The first chapter, running through July, looks at the economic and technological innovations that contributed to the evolution of the skyscraper. The second chapter, launching in August, explores gleaming modernist skyscrapers along East 9th and 12th streets to the Post-Modern era.

Join us every Sunday through the end of September for AIA’s Look Up: Architecture Tours, presented in partnership with Historic Gateway as part of their Summer Series.

These walking tours have been a popular way to engage the public in our shared love of buildings and the stories they tell.

The first chapter, running through July, looks at the economic and technological innovations that contributed to the evolution of the skyscraper. The second chapter, launching in August, explores gleaming modernist skyscrapers along East 9th and 12th streets to the Post-Modern era.

Celebrate the end of summer with AIA Cleveland at this month's Wellness in Design event!

We will be meeting up in the sand at Edgewater Beach for an evening of food, beverages, games, music, and connection. The cost to RSVP is only $5, so sign up today!

All are welcome, even if you are not an AIA member!

Join us for the very first session of Designalogues, the newly reimagined evolution of Coffee with Fellows!

We're kicking things off with a powerful conversation featuring Robyn Wolf and Julia Weiss, who will share how civic design can be a tool for justice, inclusion, and community resilience.

Through candid conversations and bold ideas, we’ll explore how architecture doesn’t just shape buildings—it transforms lives. How can we design spaces that truly serve everyone? What does it mean to embed equity into design? And how can our work help uplift the communities we’re part of?

Whether you’re a curious student, a seasoned practitioner, or somewhere in between, this open forum invites you to bring your questions, perspectives, and creativity.

Let’s launch this next chapter with the kind of conversation that inspires action—and maybe even redefines what architecture can do.

Virtual Event - Link for the event will be sent prior to the event to the email provided below.

Reach out to board@aiacleveland.com with questions.

Join us every Sunday through the end of September for AIA’s Look Up: Architecture Tours, presented in partnership with Historic Gateway as part of their Summer Series.

These walking tours have been a popular way to engage the public in our shared love of buildings and the stories they tell.

The first chapter, running through July, looks at the economic and technological innovations that contributed to the evolution of the skyscraper. The second chapter, launching in August, explores gleaming modernist skyscrapers along East 9th and 12th streets to the Post-Modern era.

The purpose of this discussion is to explore the intersections between architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning & design—how these disciplines can better collaborate across scales and sectors to shape more accessible, beautiful, and effective urban environments. 

We are especially excited to hold this event in Cleveland Public Auditorium Music Hall, a hallmark of the 1903 Group Plan and a symbol of the City Beautiful movement’s collaborative design ideals. Following the panel, Cleveland Landmarks Commission staff will lead a behind-the-scenes architectural tour of the building.

The panel discussion will be eligible for continuing education credits across AIA, APA, and ASLA.

Panel Overview: Where Planning & Design Meet

At its best, the built environment is the result of many minds working in unison—urban planners providing vision and structure, architects crafting the buildings that define our experience of place, and urban designers and landscape architects shaping the spaces in between. Yet in practice, these disciplines often work in parallel rather than in partnership.

This panel aims to examine what happens when those boundaries dissolve and real collaboration emerges. We’ll ask:

• How can city planners & urban designers, architects, and landscape architects better understand each other's processes and priorities?

• What does successful interdisciplinary collaboration look like—both in the public realm and in private development?

• How can public-sector professionals working within institutional and political constraints work more effectively with private-sector designers?

• How might we elevate the design contributions of planners and designers in a development climate often dominated by financial and political interests?

• What models, projects, or initiatives can we look to—whether local or national—for examples of design and planning working seamlessly together?

The discussion will explore not only the challenges of cross-disciplinary and cross-sector collaboration but also the shared opportunities to shape Cleveland’s urban future.

Join us every Sunday through the end of September for AIA’s Look Up: Architecture Tours, presented in partnership with Historic Gateway as part of their Summer Series.

These walking tours have been a popular way to engage the public in our shared love of buildings and the stories they tell.

The first chapter, running through July, looks at the economic and technological innovations that contributed to the evolution of the skyscraper. The second chapter, launching in August, explores gleaming modernist skyscrapers along East 9th and 12th streets to the Post-Modern era.

Join us every Sunday through the end of September for AIA’s Look Up: Architecture Tours, presented in partnership with Historic Gateway as part of their Summer Series.

These walking tours have been a popular way to engage the public in our shared love of buildings and the stories they tell.

The first chapter, running through July, looks at the economic and technological innovations that contributed to the evolution of the skyscraper. The second chapter, launching in August, explores gleaming modernist skyscrapers along East 9th and 12th streets to the Post-Modern era.

We will all gather on August 8th, 2025 for another fun-filled day of scenic views of nature, camaraderie, and maybe some golfing mixed in. We will be at Briarwood Golf Club at 2737 Edgerton Road in Broadview Heights centrally located for our organizations’ members, sponsors, and industry attendees.

Since it is our 30 Year Anniversary of the event, this year’s theme is 30 Years and Thriving. We encourage you and your foursome to come dressed in WHITE and let’s have some fun networking and pretending we are golfers for a day, some better than others!

10:00 AM Check-in Opens

11:00 AM            Box Lunch Available

11:30 AM            Shotgun Start

5:00 PM             Dinner and Prizes

Join us every Sunday through the end of September for AIA’s Look Up: Architecture Tours, presented in partnership with Historic Gateway as part of their Summer Series.

These walking tours have been a popular way to engage the public in our shared love of buildings and the stories they tell.

The first chapter, running through July, looks at the economic and technological innovations that contributed to the evolution of the skyscraper. The second chapter, launching in August, explores gleaming modernist skyscrapers along East 9th and 12th streets to the Post-Modern era.

Join us for our annual AIA Cleveland Sand Fest! Every summer, AIA Cleveland goes to the beach to raise funds for the ACE Mentor Program!

Our chapter’s signature event combines volleyball and sandcastle construction to present a unique opportunity for Cleveland architects and designers to engage with the public on one of Cleveland’s premier beaches (Edgewater Beach, just west of Downtown Cleveland).

This year, Sand Fest is taking you on a global adventure with our “Around the World” theme! From the Eiffel tower in Paris, to the Zen Gardens of Japan, to the domes of the Taj Mahal, and the pillars of Stonehenge, get inspired by iconic landmarks and traditions or regional symbols from cultures around the world. We’re celebrating the creativity and spirit of communities across the globe. Whether you’re competing or spectating, you’ll feel like you’ve traveled the world without leaving the sand. Let your imagination take flight — we can’t wait to see how you bring the world to Sand Fest!

Last year we raised $8,500 dollars for the ACE Mentorship Program Scholarship Fund. Winners included RDL Architects (Sandcastle Winner); Vocon (Sandcastle Runner-Up, Best of the Beach Fan Vote, and Volleyball Champion); and Whiting-Turner (Volleyball Runner-Up).

Join us for a day of friendly competition for a great cause as all proceeds support the ACE Mentor Program’s scholarship fund. Event sponsorships are available at multiple levels and include team registration benefits (see below). Check out the full competition rules for both the sandcastle and volleyball competitions by downloading the PDFs below. The ACE Mentor Program is an after-school mentorship initiative that teams fourteen CMSD student teams with architecture, construction, and engineering professionals to respond to a Cleveland-based RFP and encourage consideration of careers in design & construction. All proceeds raised go to the ACE Mentor Program scholarship fund.

Please consider donating directly to ACE at: https://www.acementor.org/donate/

The WIA+ and YAAM committees are teaming up to help us all celebrate summer with a hike (and/or bike!) along the Towpath Trail. While this trail network spans over 90 miles, we will only be walking a tiny portion of it through the Scranton Flats. Bring your own bike or walking shoes! All are welcome at this FREE event!

We will meet at the Cleveland Sign (Tremont) and will walk along the Towpath Trail up to Carter Road, loop back via the Lake Link Trail, and head to The South Side for an optional Happy Hour. Once you sign up, you will receive a calendar invitation with more information, parking suggestions, and a route preview. Sign up today!!

Cleveland is reimagining itself as a dual waterfront city—and the design community is leading the way.  Enter the conversation in Star Plaza in the Theater District at noon on July 30th.

Join your fellow AIA members and allied professionals for a dynamic follow-up to the July 26th interdisciplinary urban exploration, where teams navigated from the Cuyahoga River to Lake Erie to assess downtown’s connectivity on foot. The results—maps, graphics, and experiential analysis—will be on display, sparking conversation about how we shape our city’s future from shore to shore.

This outdoor event doubles as a community design charrette and professional forum. Hear from a panel representing ULI, Greater Cleveland Partnership, and the AIA as they reflect on the findings and share bold ideas for transforming the spaces between our shores and civic core. Attendees are encouraged to participate in the discussion and the charette.  Before and after the discussion, attendees will have the opportunity to add their voice to the evolving vision for Cleveland’s waterfronts.

Join AIA Cleveland for the second Sketch & Sip of the summer!

Sketching is an important tool for architects: it is used to communicate with clients and to express ideas. The end product can be as simple as a few lines on a napkin or a detailed study of a specific object. Whatever your sketching style or experience, AIA Cleveland invites all professionals, students, and friends to join us for the second of four Sketch & Sips to be held throughout the summer at various locations around Cleveland.

The July event will take place at BrewDog where attendees can take in the view of Downtown Cleveland from across the river as inspiration for a sketch.

Drinks and food will be available for purchase at BrewDog.

Items to bring: a sketchbook and your favorite drawing utensil.

Business of Architecture is intended to help AIA members and the greater Cleveland design community to enhance their business acumen through expert presentations or moderated panel discussion, interactive peer discussions, and the exchange of practical tools, all centered around topic-specific facets of the design practice. 

A healthy and balanced workplace isn’t just good for the employee’s well-being, it’s essential for business success! 
This session will explore how evolving workplace expectations, shaped by multiple generations, are influencing organizational culture today. We’ll take a closer look at how changing attitudes toward work-life balance, flexible scheduling, and remote work are impacting employee satisfaction, retention, and overall firm performance.

Through real-world examples, we’ll analyze workplace policies such as family and personal leave, parental benefits, mental and physical health initiatives, and professional development programs. These policies play a vital role in promoting diversity, supporting long-term success, and building resilient, engaged teams.

Join us as we unpack generational mindsets and share strategies to foster a more balanced, inclusive, and high-performing workplace.

EVENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Evaluate generational expectations on workplace policies such as family and personal leave, maternity and paternity benefits, vacation time, leadership development, community advocacy, to assess their impact on employee retention and organizational success.

2. Explore real-world examples of workplace policies that have fostered diversity, loyalty, and long-term success by challenging traditional generational expectations.

3. Discuss the evolving expectations of work-life balance, office culture, including standard work hours, flexible schedules, and remote work options, and how these shifts impact employee satisfaction and productivity.

4. Understand the critical role of mental/physical health and well-being in the workplace, recognizing that a well-balanced employee contributes to a more engaged and effective workforce.

PANELISTS:
Elizabeth Corbin Murphy, FAIA, APT-RP, NCIDQ
Principal Emeritus at Perspectus
Adam O'Brien, AIA
Principal | Business Center Practice Leader at Stantec
Emily Leu, Assoc. AIA
Designer at GPD GROUP

MODERATOR:
Katie Lester, AIA, NCARB
Project Architect at HBM Architects, LLC

Cleveland is repositioning its future as a dual waterfront city.

Take a deep dive (pun intended!) into Cleveland’s river and lakefront development and lend your experience and expertise to plans and projects that re-imagine our city’s shore-core-shore relationship.

The second event of “From Cleveland to Coastland” features a Downtown Cleveland design-your-own adventure discovery tour* followed hosted by local professional chapters of AIA, APA, ASLA, ULI and coordinated by the Greater Cleveland Partnership.

Don't delay, registration closes on 6/23 at noon.

3 HSW available!

In Fall 2024, we set the groundwork for a “design-your-own adventure” walking tour of Downtown Cleveland in June 2025, where small groups of multi-disciplinary professionals will explore, document, discuss and make recommendations for enhanced connections, wayfinding and placemaking in our collective vision to remake Cleveland as “Coastland”! We are thrilled to be one of the first events partnered with the new North Coast Yard on Cleveland’s downtown lakefront. Join us on June 26th and get exclusive access to the space and the people who made it happen.

All “Coastland” events enable collaboration, encourage discourse and feedback between design professionals and civic decision-makers as well as enhance cross-sector networking across members of our professional design organizations, student chapters and allied businesses.

Make new industry connections! Experience Cleveland’s newest outdoor space at the North Coast Yard! Win prizes! All are welcome to register with special pricing for students, under 35s and members of AIA, APA, ASLA and ULI!

Thursday, June 26th, 2025

3:30pm - Doors Open / Registration

4:00pm - Program & Adventure* Begin

5:30pm - Post-Walk Program &

Networking Social Begin

AIA, APA, and ASLA members use code CLEAIA-APA25 to receive a discounted member rate. Registration closes on 6/23 at noon.

Earn up to 3 CEUs (AIA, APA, ASLA & ULI members) ***Exact # pending!***

Ticket includes: Pre and post walk materials and program and the design-your-own walking adventure, Uber transportation to the team “drop point”, on-site parking at the North Coast Yard, food and 1 beverage from Zanzibar Soul Fusion, chances for prizes and up to 3 CEUS (in the works!).

AND Don’t miss out on event #3 on Wednesday, July 30th in Playhouse Square hosted by the City Club of Cleveland where we will publicly present discoveries, gather YOUR recommendations and strategize with decision-makers on how to move the vision into reality.

Event sponsorships are still available! Learn more online here.

About North Coast Yard

North Coast Yard is a temporary pop-up lakefront public space opening this summer on the city-owned lot next to the Steamship Mather and north of Browns Stadium. Launched by the North Coast Waterfront Development Corporation,  the project marks an important first move towards a vibrant, equitable waterfront that connects people with nature and the city— building on the community vision established in the North Coast Master Plan. Learn more at northcoastyard.com.

About the North Coast Waterfront Development Corporation 

The North Coast Waterfront Development Corporation (NCWDC) is a not-for-profit entity that is charged with the equitable development of Cleveland's North Coast Lakefront as a destination for residents, business, recreation and visitors. It is responsible for the planning, financing, land management, development coordination and oversight, community benefits, and oversight of a New Community Authority and development districts to implement Cleveland's downtown waterfront development project. Our mission is to implement a unified vision for the Lakefront and drive the execution of catalytic projects that will reshape the city. Learn more at clevelandnorthcoast.com

Take a breather before the summer fun begins with this month's Wellness in Design event: Yoga & Wine! Yoga instructor Angela Sanders will guide us through an all-levels flow, followed by a variety of snacks and drinks courtesy of our event sponsors. All are welcome at this event, so bring a friend or co-worker!

If we are lucky, we will practice outside on the Superior Viaduct.

Sign up today!

Join AIA Cleveland for the first Sketch & Sip of the summer!

Sketching is an important tool for architects: it is used to communicate with clients and to express ideas. The end product can be as simple as a few lines on a napkin or a detailed study of a specific object. Whatever your sketching style or experience, AIA Cleveland invites all professionals, students, and friends to join us for the first of four Sketch & Sips to be held throughout the summer at various locations around Cleveland. The June event will take place on the second floor of the Edgewater Beach House where attendees can take in the view as inspiration for a sketch.

Drinks will be available for purchase at the Edgewater Beach House bar.
Items to bring: a sketchbook and your favorite drawing utensil.

This seven-story, 273,000 square-foot mixed-use development will introduce 184 residential units—comprised of studios, one-, and two-bedroom layouts—in the heart of the Gateway District, between Erie Court and Bolivar Road. The project creatively incorporates a previously existing underutilized parking garage into its design, while a second former garage on-site has been demolished to make way for the new structure.

Attendees are required to bring their own PPE. The following PPE is required to tour the site: Hard hats, gloves, glasses, safety vest, long pants, close-toed & hard soled shoes or boots. A portion of this tour will take place outside; attendees should dress appropriately for the weather.