Voting for People's Choice closes Thursday! | | Deadline to Register is TODAY! | | |
Join AIA Central Oklahoma for our final luncheon of the year on Thursday, November 5th at 11:30 am at the Union House at 631 E. Hill Street. Our program is What’s Next for Oklahoma City? A Look at OKC’s Downtown Strategic Development Plan.
Oklahoma City’s Downtown Strategic Development Plan provides a roadmap for what comes next for the city. Join Justin Henry, AICP, with the Oklahoma City Planning Department, for an inside look at the Plan and its vision for the continued growth and evolution of Downtown and Bricktown.
| | Deadline to Register November 4! | | |
Join AIA Central Oklahoma for an evening celebrating good design and the people who make a difference in our profession and our built environment.
The AIA Central Oklahoma Awards Celebration brings together architects, design professionals, colleagues, friends and community leaders for an evening of recognition and celebration. The evening will begin with a reception, followed by dinner and the awards presentation. Our Awards Emcee is Josh Dougherty of CEC.
| | Architecture for Health, Cocktails & Credits on November 17 | |
Lighting plays a critical role in behavioral healthcare environments, influencing patient safety, psychological well-being, and staff performance. This seminar explores how thoughtful lighting design can support therapeutic outcomes while meeting the unique safety and compliance requirements of behavioral health facilities.
Participants will examine specialized lighting solutions designed to address anti-ligature requirements, tamper resistance, and impact resistance, while exploring how light levels, color rendering, and glare control can help reduce patient anxiety and improve visual comfort. The program will also highlight circadian-supportive lighting strategies, including tunable white lighting and red-amber illumination, to promote healthier sleep-wake cycles and support patient wellness.
Attendees will gain insight into integrating safety, performance, and human-centered lighting strategies into behavioral healthcare environments that prioritize both patient care and staff well-being.
Beer, wine and light bites will be served. Attendees will earn 1 HSW.
| | Women in Architecture at OU | | |
This gathering will provide an opportunity for professional women in architecture to share their career journeys, experiences, and insights with the next generation of women entering the profession. Attendees will also learn more about the accomplishments, programs, and opportunities offered through AIA Central Oklahoma’s Women in Architecture group and how involvement can support professional growth, leadership, and lasting relationships within the industry.
The program will be followed by a social hour designed to encourage conversation, networking, and the development of mentorship relationships between students and practicing female architects. By bringing together women at different stages of their careers, this event aims to create a supportive environment for sharing knowledge, celebrating achievements, and inspiring future possibilities.
Through collaboration, mentorship, and community engagement, we hope to strengthen the connections between academia and professional practice while empowering the next generation of women in architecture to find their place, build their confidence, and shape the future of the profession.
| | December Small Firm Roundtable | | |
Not every project is worth taking and knowing when to trust your gut can make all the difference in protecting your architectural practice. Join Jeff McLaughlin of McLaughlin Insurance Agency for a practical, scenario-based discussion designed to help small-firm architects recognize potential risks before they become costly problems.
From identifying red flags in prospective clients and negotiating protective contract language to managing scope creep, addressing difficult conversations, and handling delayed payments, this program will explore the challenges architects face throughout the life of a project.
Through real-world scenarios and discussion, participants will learn how to establish clear expectations, protect their professional interests, document important decisions, and recognize when a project may be heading toward a potential claim.
Whether it’s knowing what questions to ask before accepting a project, when to push back on additional services, or when it’s time to walk away, this presentation will offer practical guidance to help architects make informed decisions and protect their firms.
| | Applications Open for 2027 Leadership AIA! | | |
Leadership AIA is designed for licensed architects on established career tracks who want to gain the skills necessary to advance to higher levels within the architectural profession. Leadership AIA supports participants with programming that addresses professional advancement, firm development, and community outreach.
Program Requirements
- Candidates must be a licensed architect and an AIA member of AIA Oklahoma.
- Tuition is $800
- Up to 14 participants will be selected with a minimum of 10 participants.
- Selected participants are expected to attend all scheduled sessions and complete all homework. The opening session on March 3 is mandatory. Participants can miss one class and still graduate but are encouraged to attend all classes.
Deadline for Applications- January 15, 2027
| | Beyond basics: Better practices and pitfalls for behavioral health | | |
November 10 | 2pm ET | Register >
Explore better practices for inpatient mental health planning and design, with insights for emerging practitioners through senior medical planners. Using the VA Inpatient Mental Health Design Guide, this course examines how thoughtful planning and design can balance safety, dignity, recovery, and caregiver needs.
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Diversification is helping firms navigate a sluggish market
Five firms share the strategies that are helping them grow despite tough business conditions.
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October 26, 2026
By Wanda Lau
Though the U.S. economy is technically growing, according to the latest numbers from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the sentiment in architecture is mixed. While some markets and regions are bustling, overall firm billings are lackluster. The AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index® has remained mostly in negative territory since October 2022.
Several forces at play have continued the sense of stagnation, says Evelyn Lee, FAIA, founder of Practice of Architecture and a past AIA president: “We have an administration that is seemingly playing with the supply chain. … We have AI moving in and creating more new work in specific areas for firms but also getting pushback from local jurisdictions.”
Carol Rickard-Brideau, AIA, CEO of Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, adds that the Federal Reserve’s ongoing tweaks to the benchmark interest rate create uncertainty in the speculative development market. Consequently, architects may feel stuck. They have work on their plate but worry how long they can endure the interminable slog.
The good news is that the profession has shown it can weather economic downturns, with past examples including those caused by COVID-19, the Great Recession, and the dot-com bubble, to name a few. Firms that continue to grow during the current downturn share their strategies below.
READ MORE
| | NAWIC OKC - Bourbon Builds Bonds | | |
NAWIC OKC is proud to present Bourbon Builds Bonds—an evening of curated bourbon tastings, hearty bites, and genuine conversation designed to unite Oklahoma's construction community.
Whether you're a general contractor, subcontractor, architect, field laborer, or industry partner, join us to step away from the jobsite, build real friendships, and strengthen professional connections.
Event Details:
- Date: Thursday, November 5th
- Time: 6:00 PM
- Location: Quail Creek Golf and Country Club
Let's bring ALL of Oklahoma's construction industry together under one roof. Please feel free to share with anyone you know in the industry!
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