Future Focused
Celebrating women in architecture, their work, leadership, and the pathways created for the next generation
Women play a critically important role in architecture. This video campaign is about celebrating them and their contributions and impact to the profession and their communities. AIA’s weekly 60-second “Future Focused” video series shares female architects and designers’ favorite work, as well as their leadership, mentorship, and vision they are pursuing for an increasingly diverse and equitable profession. The videos share the stories of women, men, and firm leaders who are elevating women and changing the profession to make it a vocation of choice for anyone interested in the design field.
Here’s what you can do:
- Get motivated and inspired by the Future Focused video series. Share them from AIA's social media channels (Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook).
- Use the AIA resources on this page to learn more about how you can make change in the culture of the profession and your communities.
- Get involved in AIA, your local component, or in your firm to lead, mentor, and create a welcoming profession for architects and designers of all backgrounds.
Check out our videos celebrating the work, accomplishments, and leadership of women in the profession; let it inspire you to get involved.
AIA Future Focused - Nicole Hollant-Denis
Nicole Hollant-Denis, AIA, NOMA is an architect, founder and principal of Aaris Design Studios. She is best known for her work on the African Burial Ground National Monument in New York City, for which she won the NOMA Design Excellence Honor Award. Nicole has built structures and smashed glass ceilings to create influential projects of different architectural types throughout the New York metro area and beyond. Some of her most high-profile projects include the Port Authority Beautification project, which features six miles of hardscape and landscaping décor along the Air Train route of the Van Wyke Expressway leading the JFK Airport, and the Met Life’s Fifth Avenue $3.5 million renovation, which involved office space and 160 workstations on two floors.
AIA Future Focused - Ryan Gann, AIA
Ryan Gann, AIA, is a Design Strategist; helping clients become better versions of themselves through design, culture, and prosperity. This work expands beyond architecture and often sits at the intersection of engagement and facilitation, elevating voices through design.
His professional portfolio spans architecture, urban planning, and experimental design investigations that enhance communities, expressing the role that we each play in nurturing a more equitable and sustainable future. This work pairs client aspirations with built space by creating projects that represent the dreams and goals of the communities they serve.
AIA Future Focused - Yiselle Santos Rivera, AIA, NOMA
Yiselle Santos Rivera, AIA, NOMA, is a medical planner, Principal, and Global Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at HKS. She thrives on building equitable practices, empowering the next generation of leaders, and creating inclusive platforms for engagement. The founder of “Women Inspiring Emerging Leaders in Design” (WIELD), Yiselle received a 2022 AIA Young Architects Award and serves on the AIA National Board.
Do you want to learn more so you can promote an inclusive and welcoming culture at your firm?
AIA has developed great resources that can help you get started or keep you on your journey!
Resources to advance equity in the profession
Easy-to-read guides that look at every component of your business to support building a more equitable profession.
Learn more about our annual premiere event, Women's Leadership Summit. And get other resources to support gender equity.
An Investigation into Bias in the Architecture Profession
A report exploring bias based on gender and race/ethnicity in the practice of architecture.
Check out our EDI content and Women's Leadership Summit virtual series from 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Learn more about our Diversity Advancement Scholarship, and more!
Stay up-to-date with evolving demographics of AIA's membership body.
Support the next generation of architects with our youth, K-12, and higher education resources.
Resources to advance equity in the built environment
Framework for Design Excellence
The Framework seeks to inform progress toward a zero-carbon, equitable, resilient, and healthy built environment.
Architect's Role in Creating Equitable Communities
A guide for architects to design and advocate for equitable processes and outcomes in projects.
Learn how your firm can commit to better product selection that advances the environment, human health, and social equity.
Equitable Development Frameworks
An introduction and comparison for architects to identify the agency architects and designers have in driving valuable change.
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