AIA HQ Advocacy Center

The proposed Advocacy Center opens its doors to welcome everyone. The center aims to engage AIA with the surrounding neighborhoods, middle school to university students, visitors of Washington DC, and the general public. It emphasizes interactions with the AIA HQ through a complex and fluid journey which permits broad community to access the AIA in various ways.

The driving factors for this project aim to create engaging community programming, increase accessibility, provide natural daylight into the lower level, and create a sense of tranquility being surround by nature.

The Center breaks the barriers between the AIA and the community by creating an inviting accessible entrance on New York Avenue that allows a gentle journey up to the courtyard and down into the lower level paired with delightful vistas at each landing. The corner stairs leading up to the proposed café are not only a path of direction, but also a place for resting and having lunch. As one enters the courtyard, they are met with a community garden filled with fresh produce which can be used to cook family dinners in the community kitchen. This kitchen is connected to a café where anyone is welcome to enjoy a cup of coffee, team members can grab lunch to- gether, and students can study.