Join AIA Colorado for the 13th Annual Young Architects Awards Gala (YAAG), on Friday, April 20, from 6 – 10 p.m., at The Exdo Hall (3545 Larimer Street, Denver, CO 80205).
YAAG is a program dedicated to honoring bright, young designers in the architectural community.

The theme for this year’s YAAG event is "The Prom You Always Wanted.” The YAAG Committee encourages you to wear your old prom attire (if it still fits) or the prom outfit you wish you could have worn. Anything from flapper dresses to tuxedo shirts are welcome. Don’t fret, if you do not want to dress up, you can still come in regular cocktail attire.
Doors open at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception and award submittal viewing. The awards ceremony will begin promptly at 6:45 p.m. followed by a night of dancing, food and entertainment that will take you back in time to the prom you always dreamed of having.

Register online or download the registration form. You may register through Wednesday, April 16. After that date, registrations must be made on site at the event and will be on a first come, first serve basis until we reach capacity.
For more information contact Nicolle Thompson at nicolle@aiacolorado.org or 303.446.2266, ext. 111.

SB 12-120 will be heard by the Local Government Committee on Monday, April 2, time TBD. Please plan to attend and show your opposition.

AIA members who live in District 38, please contact Rep. Conti as she would like to hear from her constituents. Rep. Kathleen Conti (R-Dist. 38) – 303.866.2953 or kathleen.conti.house@state.co.us

Download a position paper.

SB 120 is an unnecessary bill that:

• Benefits only a very small number of interior design practitioners
• Does not benefit the public welfare
• Neglects standard state regulatory procedures, responsibility and oversight
• Propagates poorly worded regulatory language into two new sections of unrelated Titles 30 and 31 of the Colorado Revised Statutes
• Mandates local building officials’ actions without regard to their discretion and judgment.

Contrary to what is declared in the bill, there is NO existing statutory authorization for interior designers. Language similar to SB 120 is currently found in Title 12 as an EXEMPTION within the architect’s licensing law.Such an exemption simply defines project types that can be undertaken by individuals who are not architects without that individual being considered as practicing architecture without a license.The current exemption within the architect’s licensing law is NOT a permitting statute, is NOT recognized in established building codes, and does NOT mandate action by any local government officials.

Furthermore, additional language within this bill ("Upon submission of any such interior design construction documents and specifications, the county (municipal) building authority shall accept the same”) represents a distinct change to current legislation that adversely affects the health, safety and welfare of the public.As such, this bill is NOT simply a relocation of language within statute as represented by the proponents of this bill, but a circumvention of regulatory processes and procedures.

What AIA Colorado needs from you:

SB 12-120 has been assigned to the House of Representatives Local Government Committee.

Contact the 11 House of Representatives Local Government Committee members listed below IMMEDIATELY and urge a "NO” vote. Email them, leave a message or, preferably, speak to the Representative directly.

If you email committee members, use a subject line that includes the words "oppose," "vote no," and "SB 12-120."

Please read and understand the AIA Colorado Position Paper on SB 12-120 for additional discussion points. Or, you may download the amended bill.

Next, make plans to attend the next hearing to show your opposition to this legislation on Monday, March 26, at 1:30 p.m. in the Old Supreme Court Chamber at the State Capitol. At the last reading in the Senate, there were four architects in attendance and more than 30 interior designers in attendance. This bill will not benefit the architectural profession. Please make time to provide a show of opposition.

PLEASE CONTACT THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEE MEMBERS. (Contact all committee members, not just your Representative.) Find your Representative.
House of Representatives Local Government Committee Members:

• Rep. Laura Bradford, Chair, (R-Dist. 55) – 303.866.2583 or laurabradford55@gmail.com
• Rep. Libby Szabo, Vice Chair, (R-Dist. 27) – 303.866.2962 or libby.szabo.house@state.co.us
• Rep. David Balmer (R-Dist. 39) – 303.866.2935 or david.balmer.house@state.co.us
• Rep. Kathleen Conti (R-Dist. 38) – 303.866.2953 or kathleen.conti.house@state.co.us
• Rep. Rhonda Fields (D-Dist. 42) – 303.866.3911 or rhonda.fields.house@state.co.us
• Rep. Bob Gardner (R-Dist. 21) – 303.866.2191 or bob.gardner.house@state.co.us
• Rep. Jeanne Labuda (D-Dist. 1) – 303.866.2966 or jeanne.labuda.house@state.co.us
• Rep. Pete Lee (D-Dist. 18) – 303.866.2932 or pete.lee.house@state.co.us
• Rep. Sal Pace (D-Dist. 46) – 303.866.2968 or sal.pace.house@state.co.us
• Rep. John Soper (D-Dist. 34) – 303.866.2931 or john.soper.house@state.co.us
• Rep. Keith Swerdfeger (R-Dist. 47) – 303.866.2905 or keith.swerdfeger.house@state.co.us

To find your Representative: Click here, type in your zip code plus four-digit geographic segment code (zip+4) to get the list of federal and state elected officials representing YOU. If you don’t know your zip+4, visit www.usps.com.

Please make a call or send an email to your legislator today! The more calls and emails the better!

President: Korey White

Vice-President: Katie Donahue

Treasurer: Scott Rank

Publicist: Lacy Graham

Secretary: Liz Pettit

Thank you to everyone who ran for a position, and thanks especially to everyone that voted.

ASLA InDesign Workshop – Open to all students

From 6-730 today, a quick workshop on InDesign will be held for people that are working on their portfolio. free to all students!

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21

AIAS Lunch Lecture 1145-1245 440
Portfolio Panel
This weeks lecture will focus on Portfolio strategies. We will have a panel of architects (TBA) who will discuss what it is they are looking for when they are hiring.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 23

AFH February Meeting

Architecture for Humanity will be having its February all chapter meeting.  We will be having a presentation by Joshua Doolittle on bamboo structures and his project The Chi’bagoda Project in the Philippines. We’ll also update you on some great local projects in the works and kick off core team elections. 
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This is a great time to come check out the organization and see if you want to get involved and what kind of projects you’d like to help with. Get involved and get some IDP hours! Contact Katie Donahue with questions at katiedonahue4@gmail.com.

Design Workshop on February 23rd at 5:45pm – 1390 Lawrence Street, Suite 200

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 24
Harold Linton . Director, School of Art, George Mason University and author of several books about portfolio design, will be speaking about portfolio design as a precursor to his workshop being held on Saturday. This lecture is free to all students.
6 pm Location TBA

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 25
ASLA Portfolio Workshop w/ Harold Linton
free to UCD ASLA members, $20 for non-members (cap placed on number of attendees)
rsvp Trevor Toms at trevordtoms@gmail.com if interested in attending

Firms are invited to nominate passionate interns and young architects for the prestigious Intern of the Year and Young Architect of the Year awards. Individuals are encouraged to submit a nomination in the Mentor of the Year and Instructor of the Year categories.

Awards submittals are due in the AIA Colorado office by Friday, March 23, at noon.

Awards will be bestowed at YAAG on Friday, April 20. More information about the awards gala, including location and registration information will be available on the AIA Colorado website and in our e-publications soon!

For more information, including descriptions of the eleven awards categories and complete entry and eligibility requirements, download the submittal guidelines or contact AIA Colorado Director of Programs and Sponsorship Nicolle Thompson at nicolle@aiacolorado.org or 303.446.2266, ext. 111.

YAAG would not be possible without the generous support of firms and businesses in the design community. If you are interested in sponsoring this annual event, please download the sponsorship package.

-Stephen Cole, AIAS UC-Denver Chapter President

This Thursday (Feb 2) from 5-7, we are hosting a happy hour on the roof of  PourHouse (14th and market). Drinks are 2 for 1, appetizers are FREE!!!