Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

New Report Details AIA Learning by Design Programs in K-8 Classrooms

  • 01/24/19

Washington, D.C. –  A new report from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) details how educational architecture programs are reaching underrepresented students in K-8 classrooms.

AIA’s K-8 Learning by Design Chapter Grants—funded by Armstrong World Industries Foundation—seeks to introduce the architecture profession among underrepresented students in K-8 classrooms. From 2017-2018, the programs funded architectural educational programs in 18 communities, including those that are underserved. Each program—created by AIA chapters—engages students and their families through hands-on architecture experiences. As part of this, chapters develop curricula focused on architecture and design, train educators in design thinking and enlist architects to educate students in classrooms.

“This program nurtures a diverse pipeline for the next generation of architects, which is critical to the future of our profession,” said AIA 2019 President William Bates, FAIA. “More and more, clients are seeking architects that understand their communities and who can provide innovative solutions to their challenges. Creating a more diverse and equitable profession is a key component to delivering on those expectations.”

Between 2017-2018, the program reached more than 9,000 K-8 students. This included a high percentage—nearly 49 percent—of female students, which is above the average percentage for a STEM-related outreach program.

Over the course of the two-year partnership with Armstrong World Industries Foundation, AIA was able to build on its success in 2017 by adding seven new chapters in 2018. Participating chapters included AIA Chicago, AIA Detroit, AIA Albuquerque, AIA Baton Rouge, AIA Spokane, AIA Seattle, Boston Society of Architects, AIA Florida, AIA Birmingham/N. Alabama/Mobile (collaborative), AIA Buffalo/Western New York (collaborative), AIA Baltimore, AIA Columbus, AIA Atlanta, AIA New York, AIA Kansas City, AIA Triangle (NC), AIA Washington, D.C. and AIA Houston. Each chapter received up to $5,000 to fund its program.  

AIA expects to continue chapter grant projects in 2019 and to create baseline metrics to understand the impact of the programs in the future. Learn more about AIA’s K-12 initiative online.

 

Featured

  • How Proactive Maintenance Can Transform Athletic Facilities into Strategic Assets for College Sports

    College athletics is entering one of the most transformative periods in its history. With NIL reshaping financial models and competitive expectations, athletic departments across the country are being asked to do more than ever with increasingly constrained resources.

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Texas District Breaks Ground on Second High School

    The Waller Independent School District in Waller, Texas, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for what will become its second high school, according to a news release.

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.