Conference Day 1. AIA24. Washington D.C. ArchiWeek.
Written by Aliya Pinnock, Edited by Aliya @archistudentnotes
Archiweek
ArchiWeek is the sub-section of archistudentnotes sharing week in the life accounts from Architecture Students, Architectural Assistants and Architects from all over the world. It is free to read and free to submit!
This ArchiWeek we have a week in the life submission of my experience at the American Institute of Architects Annual Conference 2024 in Washington D.C! I was invited by the AIA due to the work I have done here at archistudentnotes so what better way to share my week than with a (rather long) ArchiWeek submission here at archistudentnotes.com!
This post is Day 1 of the Conference itself! If you are interested in reading my week from Monday click here!
Would you have tackled the day any differently?
AIA Conference:
Day 1.
It is the first day of the AIA Conference 2024! Up far too early, very on brand for me, in a very nice hotel in Washington D.C, not very on brand for me.
Whilst I was waiting for the sun to come up and the day to start, I looked through the schedule for the day on the AIA24 app whilst referring to my Google calendar schedule showing all the seminars I had already ‘softly’ added. I reviewed the scheudle and transferred the seminars I wanted to get into, into the app so I could refer to them throughout the day. It was still only 6am so I also drafted yesterday's travel day which you may have just read.
The first item on the agenda today is the First Timers Orientation event. Not really sure what to expect - not following my own advice in this post but that’s almost the point of this session - to get a better idea of what to expect over the next few days…I am already dreading having to leave the city to be honest but trying to focus on the present and really enjoy it!
But I am slightly getting ahead of the day, we get up, get dressed and although there was a shuttle advertised, we see that it was just a 10 minute walk to the hotel so we leave at about 7.30 am and walk to get there a bit early, get the lay of the land, sign in and get our passes. We spotted the centre which is a lot bigger than I thought, saw the signs for the AIA24 conference, entered into a very welcomed air conditioned atrium and went to pick up my Ultimate Pass and guest pass for my partner - thank you again to the American Institute of Architects!
Once all sorted, we got to the First Timer Orientation just in time which was a great way to start to the Conference and I am really glad I booked onto it in advance. We learnt about the history of the conference, what to look out for, the importance of planning to ensure you don’t miss a seminar or workshop - please refer to my Google Calender - and we got in our first bit of networking which involved a quick introduction to the person next to you.
Following the end of the introductory talk, I was off to my first seminar! WE110 – Incorporating Construction Management Practices into the Architecture Profession, I chose this one out of the 9.30am to 10.30am block as I didn’t and still don’t really know much about it to be honest. I’m only just working on my first couple of on-site projects so I have a lot to learn and this was a good start! I used my tablet to make notes, but of course had my notebook and pen with me just in case and then the seminar was done! I had a 30 minute break where I grabbed a drink and got my bearings for the next session; WE209 – Love & Liability where I was actually sitting next to the speaker of the first session. I’m not a natural socialiser but I pushed myself to talk and introduce myself, we had a nice conversation and got a book recommendation out of it as well!
Back to Love and Liability, this was one of my favourites of the day run by a couple - one an architect, the other a former architect now a practising lawyer. They went through three case studies, exploring what went wrong and the legal implications behind each one. It was very relatable and they as presenters were engaging and friendly so it was really interesting!
I had a couple of hours until my next session so we grabbed some brunch/lunch at the Unconventional Diner just around the corner from the Conference Center which had really nice food that was not too expensive. We left just in time to grab our spots at the WE304 – AI Generative Imagery for Architects workshop which was quite long at 2.5 hours but it was really interesting and interactive, covering how to AI, programs on offer e.g Midjourney and briefly discussed the ethicical considerations to be aware of using it.
Following the workshop I was very tired but was encouraged by my Partner to stick with my plan to go to my next seminar - How to Drive Business Growth Through Effective Lead Generation Strategies by the Marketing Director Justin Stephenson and I am very glad that I did. It was all about SEO, what it was and how to ensure your website makes the most of it. It was refreshing to see a packed room of Architects and Directors of a range of ages all seeing the importance of a good website and looking at how to improve it.
First Day done! Exhausted but inspired! Walked back to the hotel which was already becoming ‘home’ , had a very quick rest and then it was onto the Opening Night Celebration at the National Portrait Gallery, very conveniently just across the road from the hotel. We were checked in by security and entered the main atrium, think British Museum, with the large glass roof across almost an indoor courtyard. It was still light but there were projections flying about, drinks being offered, dessert tables, one with a conveyor belt of different desserts and loads of people entering the room.
Now… this is where my brain perhaps got a little overwhelmed. During the day I had been wearing new flat shoes, anyone who knows me personally, knows I am trainers (sneakers) all day every day type of woman and anyone with sense knows not to wear new shoes to an all day event.
Anyway, what could be an unnecessarily long story - my feet hurt so I could not wear the ‘nicer’ more formal sandal shoes I had brought. It is quite funny typing this now as it really was not a big deal but at the time it kind of broke my brain that I was wearing trainers to a formal event. I got very, very overwhelmed and I think the pressures of meeting new people and networking (very out of my comfort zone) during the day very much came to a head. I felt self-conscious, like I shouldn’t be there, and considered going back to the hotel to change into my more uncomfortable shoes (this would have been a dumb idea) etc etc. But, after getting myself together and some support from my Partner, we decided that the main room which was loud and very quickly filling up with people, probably wasn't the best space for me..so we started to look around the Gallery.
A very good idea indeed.
It was nice and quiet and whilst I was still a bit shaky, I felt like I could breathe. We looked at a few paintings and then I heard someone mention Obama and remembered that his portrait painted by Kehinde Wiley was here, along with all the other Presidential portraits. We explored, I took regular breaks to rest my blistered feet and we ended the night way more relaxed.
I reflected as we walked around and realized that I had been thinking of myself as far too important, and I needed to remember that I was a very small cog in a huge machine. Unfortunately a very common symptom of social anxiety which I was surprised that I had kept at bay all day to be honest.
We left the opening night, made the short walk across the road and got some very well needed sleep.
Stay tuned for tomorrows post to find out what I got up to on Day 2 of the AIA24 Conference!
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