The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has a new home, and it is making a statement that goes well beyond its address. Located at 1735 New York Avenue NW in Washington DC, within the close proximity to both the White House and the National Mall, the AIA Global Campus for Architecture and Design has been reimagined by San Francisco-based practice EHDD as what the organisation describes as one of the first fully decarbonised major renovations undertaken anywhere in the United States. It is a project that positions the AIA not merely just as an advocate for better architecture but as a living demonstration. Know more about it on SURFACES REPORTER (SR).
A net-zero campus
The building is part of a broader net-zero campus that extends beyond the renovated structure. The wider site encompasses an outdoor courtyard, the AIA Design Shop, Grace Street Coffee Roasters, and The Octagon Museum, which was the AIA’s former headquarters, and now serves as home to the Architecture Foundation. Together, these elements form a cohesive campus that blends institutional purpose with public accessibility. The renovated building hosts a programme of exhibitions, walking tours, workshops and public events, all oriented around bringing architecture closer to everyday life and encouraging broader civic participation in built environment.
EHDD led the architecture and interior design for the project, working in close collaboration with Hartman-Cox Architects, who served as the on-site architect. According to the AIA, the project is a cost-effective, scalable and replicable model for decarbonisation. On the sustainability front, the building is on track to achieve LEED Platinum certification, the highest tier in the globally recognised green building rating system. An external photovoltaic sunshade system generates renewable energy while simultaneously controlling solar gain. A cool roof system reduces heat absorption and urban heat island effects. Insulated glazing improves thermal performance across the building envelope, and LED lighting paired with occupancy sensors ensures energy is used only where and when it is genuinely needed. Alongside these technical interventions, the design team has woven biophilic principles throughout the interior such as interior planting, the use of natural materials and generous access to daylight.
Sustainable renovation
On the ground floor, a generous exhibition space anchors the public programme. Here, the original concrete floors have been left exposed, celebrating the raw materiality of the existing structure, while a wood-lined ceiling draws the eye upward and integrates a track lighting system that can manage to accommodate a range of display configurations. The lobby makes a powerful impression through a wall of dark stone etched with the names of every recipient of The Architecture Firm Award since its inception, beginning with the legendary practice Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, who received the honour in 1962, through to LPA Design Studios, the 2025 winner.
An adjacent wall pays similar tribute to every AIA Gold Medal laureate, including Deborah Berke, who received the accolade in 2024. These inscribed walls transform what might otherwise be functional surfaces into a curated record of architectural achievement. A faceted reception desk, clad in warm timber provides a welcoming focal point, while the AIA’s circular logo is mounted and backlit against the white wall behind it. The upper floors transition into working office spaces, where the design adopts a more energetic register. Blocky, modular furniture upholstered in fabrics of vivid colour fills the workspaces, while the walls of glass-fronted meeting rooms are painted in bold, saturated hues.
Image credit: Judy Davis