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Tuesday Newsletter
November 18, 2025
| | Advocacy Update: AIA|LA Pushes for Common-Sense Fix to Wildfire Rebuilding Delays | | |
AIA Los Angeles has formally contacted the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) to address a critical bureaucratic hurdle that is adding unnecessary costs and significant delays for architects and their clients attempting to rebuild homes lost to wildfire.
On behalf of our members, we have requested a simple clarification to a policy interpretation that is incorrectly forcing fire victims into the city’s Replacement Unit Determination (RUD) process.
Read The Report
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AIA|LA Architects in Action: K. Ben Loescher, AIA, ICC, LEED AP - Founding Principal, Loescher Meachem Architects
Design, Resilience, and the Future of the Built Environment
Q&A with Ben Loescher, AIA
Q. Design Philosophy & Core Values
Your portfolio at Loescher Meachem Architects includes notable projects for major media companies. How do you define your core design philosophy, and how do you ensure it resonates across such diverse and high-profile projects?
A. We work at a lot of different scales and typologies, but all of our projects are unified by a deep interest in the people who work, live, and create within them. Every project starts with a request for a building, but beyond that, at its core, it’s about solving the unique problems behind that request...
Read the Q+A
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Join Us for the AIA|LA + ACLA 2026 Board Installation & Holiday Party!
Wednesday, December 4
It’s that time of year—when we gather to celebrate the season and welcome the 2026 Boards of Directors for AIA|LA and ACLA!
Come raise a glass with colleagues, friends, and our incredible design community as we honor our outgoing leaders, cheer on our new board members, and enjoy a festive evening together. Think holiday cheer, great company, and all the good energy that makes our community so special.
And the best part?
This event is free for our members and supporters.
Let’s celebrate the holidays, celebrate each other, and kick off 2026 in style.
We can’t wait to see you there!
RSVP
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MULTIFAMILY OVERVIEW OF 2025 ENERGY CODE UPDATES - FREE
November 18 @ 12:00P-1:00P
Nick Brown is President of Build Smart, an independent energy consultancy specializing in California energy modeling, energy code, and building performance that supports builders and architects in designing energy-efficient buildings. Nick is a Certified Energy Analyst (CEA) for residential and an Associate Energy Analyst (AEA) for nonresidential construction by the California Association of Building Energy Consultants (CABEC).
Story and Registration
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EMERGING PROFESSIONALS AND FELLOWS FALL 2025 MIXER - FREE
November 19 @ 6:00P - 8:00P
Join us as two dynamic AIA|LA groups get together once again to socialize and build friendships and networks.
RSVP by November 12 at 12 noon. Registrants will receive a confirmation email the day before the event with parking and other details.
If you’re attending with a guest, please have them register so we have an accurate guest list.
Thanks to our wonderful event host and sponsor, Bestor Architecture!
Story and Registration
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ROUNDTABLE W/ OSAMA YOUNAN, P.E. - FREE
December 8 @ 12:00P - 1:00P
This is a virtual meeting. Please register below to receive the Zoom link.
These quarterly forums allow AIA members to connect directly with LADBS leadership and hear status updates and emerging initiatives.
If you have an item, issue, or a specific topic you’d like added to the agenda, please email Will@aialosangeles.org
Story and Registration
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The Altadena Prefab Showcase brings the distant world of off-site construction into the heart of the rebuilding community, offering six model homes that help residents see creative pathways back home. Paired with the Altadena Prefab Handbook, cityLAB UCLA and its partners are working with local homeowners to explore how off-site construction can support recovery—whether through a full replacement home, an ADU as a first step, or a temporary structure to reoccupy their land. Join us on Saturday, November 22 at 12 PM for cityLAB’s AIA Day at 2231 Lincoln Ave, featuring guided tours of the showcase, presentations from local architects, and builder-led guidance on leveraging off-site construction in Altadena’s rebuild. Photo by David Esquivel.
More Info
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A huge thank-you to our sponsors already joining us for 2026!
Your support means the world—and the visibility you receive is equally powerful. From your logo on AIA|LA’s homepage (36,000 annual views), to presence at every major event (reaching 4,500+ attendees yearly), to repeated features in our weekly newsletter (up to 252,000 impressions), AIA|LA sponsorship offers nearly 300,000 exposure opportunities each year. We’re grateful to have you with us for another impactful year.
| | The Los Angeles Chapter of the American Institute of Architects | | | | |
