American institute of architects

DEFINITION

Headquartered in Washington DC, the A.I. A. is the professional organization for U.S. architects. It offers courses to insure ongoing education of members and to insure a positive public image of architects. The A.I.A. was founded in New York City in 1857 with the name New York Society of Architects by 13 architects including Richard Morris Hunt and Charles Babcock, and Richard Upjohn served as first President. By the 1880s chapters were forming in other cities, and the name was changed to reflect the expansion. By 2008, there were more than 300 chapters. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Institute_of_Architects<br><br>A professional organization for architects providing resources for both practitioners and consumers. Its Web site ? AIA Online ? covers stories of architecture in the news and schedules of conferences as well as other events; provides information about career planning, scholarships, fellowships, awards, architecture schools, internships, and continuing education programs; offers media resources such as a list of experts in special fields and a synopsis of design trends; summarizes the state of the marketplace with information about salaries, economic forecasts, and architectural activity in different regions; also includes a database of employment opportunities and project leads; allows access to the searchableThe A I A&#39;s traditional logo catalog of the AIA library, a database of products, a directory of member firms, and a search engine for architectural design firms. The AIA also offers advice and publications for the consumer who is hiring or working with an architect.