The American Institute of Architects is the voice of our profession. And as architect leaders from across the country converge on Washington, D.C., in early March for Grassroots, we will use that voice to speak with our congressional leaders about issues that are important to architects and the built environment of our nation. Capitol Hill Day is the one day of the year when AIA is most literally the voice of our profession.

Dalhousie University’s School of Architecture and Planning celebrated its annual “Professional Practice Week” from January 21, 2013 – to January 25, 2013 and I was fortunate to represent BNIM for one of the week’s plenary sessions.

The session’s theme was “Collaborating with the Public; Advocating for the Social,” and it began with public lectures from Simon Allford, Director at Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) and myself.