Congratulations to the 2025 Virginia Prize Winners!

We are very proud of the students of Central Virginia for their participation and placing as winners for the 2025 Virginia Prize!

AIA Virginia Prize: Held annually by AIA Virginia for architecture students across the state. Students are given one weekend to submit a design solution for the presented brief. 

⭐️ Second Prize: Ethan Turner “King Street Comfort Station” - UVA student

⭐️ Third Prize: Eleanor Dedrick “Go with the Flow” - UVA student

⭐️ Honorable Mention: Kristina Dickey “Tree Toilet” - UVA student

Complete details and information on the 2025 AIA Virginia Prize Competition here.

Emerging Professionals: ELA Alumni Happy Hour

Happy Architecture Week 2025!! 🌟

We had a fantastic kick off with our Emerging Professionals for Happy Hour, joined by Emerging Leaders in Architecture Alumni 🥂

Thank you to the ELA Class of 2025 and alumni for joining us in Charlottesville last Friday! We’re continually inspired by the passion and perspective this program cultivates—and grateful for the connections and conversations that grow through gathering as a community. 

Emerging Professionals: Albemarle Courts Building Hard Hat Tour

Last Friday, our community came together for an insightful tour of the Albemarle Courts building, a central landmark in the heart of Charlottesville. Led by Eric Amtmann, with Dalgliesh Gilpin Paxton Architects, attendees delved into the building’s fascinating renovation history, its master plan, and the intricate design considerations behind the new courtroom layouts.

Looking for more construction administration exposure? Or curious about what's happening in your neighborhood? Contact your local chapter here: aiacentralva@gmail.com

Samuel Sherwood Cleveland

We are sad to report Central Virginia has lost one of their own – Long time local architect, Sam Cleveland. We ask members to share any thoughts or memories on their time spent with Sam. 

Samuel Sherwood Cleveland

(January 7, 1947 - December 9, 2024)

Samuel Sherwood Cleveland died peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Monday, December 9, 2024. Known to his friends as "Sam", he was born on January 7, 1947 in Brownwood, Texas, to Joseph Cleveland and Marguerite Slaughter Cleveland. He was graduated with honors from The University of Texas, School of Architecture at Austin in 1969. During the following six years Sam worked for several prominent architectural firms in Dallas before moving to Charlottesville in 1974

Upon moving to Charlottesville, Sam joined the architectural firm of Jack Rinehart and was the lead architect on the central branch of the Jefferson Madison Regional Library, which formerly had been the Post Office on Market Street in downtown Charlottesville. In the late 1970s, Sam opened his own architectural firm that traced its beginnings to 1979 when Sam and his partner designed and built their first project in Free Union, VA. The success of this first project led to the establishment of a construction company which built many of the private residences designed by Sam's firm. Between 1979 and 2024 Sam Cleveland Architects designed over forty residences in Virginia and as far away as Austin, Texas. Sam received many awards for excellence in design and was known for his meticulous attention to detail and unique understanding of how his clients used the spaces in which they lived. Sam never stopped designing. Even when on camping trips he would scribble drawings on napkins or on his ever-present notepad, while enjoying a glass of wine on the beach at sunset. When he wasn't designing, he loved working on his beloved bright red 1967 MGB roadster which he kept in mint condition. In 2017, Sam and his wife Anne drove the little MGB all the way to Colorado Springs. Just for insurance, the boot was loaded with spare parts but none were needed and they arrived back in Charlottesville safe and sound.

Sam will be dearly missed by his family and all the many friends and colleagues he leaves behind. A celebration of Sam's life will be held in Charlottesville in the spring. In Lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Hospice of the Piedmont at 675 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Charlottesville, VA 22911 or hopva.org.

Complete obituary can be found here.



AIA Virginia PAC 2024 Winners!

Thank you, AIA Central Virginia membership, for contributing to the AIA Virginia PAC and helping us win the PAC Challenge!  With our prize, look forward to some special treats for Architecture Week 2025!

Through the AIA Virginia Political Action Committee, we support candidates who understand the architecture profession. When these candidates win, they bring that understanding to the General Assembly and to issues that are important us and the built environment.

Our policy makers and politicians are the stewards of our built infrastructure. The work that they do impacts the work that we do in so many ways. Every day, they’re called upon to make important decisions that impact the design of our communities — procurement, funding, zoning, transportation, preservation, taxation.

They need our advice. Architects and designers are perfectly positioned to be the authoritative resource for design, building, resiliency, sustainability and related policy issues. If legislators aren’t getting advice from us, they’ll be getting it from someone else.

A strong PAC is critical to our advocacy efforts and is completely funded by donations from members just like you. Remember: membership dues will never be used to support a political candidate. Read FAQs about our PAC giving.

Emerging Professionals: Fairfax Hall Tour

Emerging professionals toured the historic Fairfax Hall property last Friday. Completed in 1890, this building has served Waynesboro in various capacities, including as a hotel, finishing school, and training facility. Today, architect Carter Greene is leading efforts to transform the building into 54 affordable apartments and an event facility, utilizing VHDA and Historic Tax Credits. Notable architectural features—such as the Queen Anne shingles, cupola, viewing porches, and original hardwood floors—will be preserved and refinished, ensuring that the community will continue to cherish this landmark for years to come.

For more information about this project and/or requests for future EP Tours, please contact our EP Liaison Danielle (Danielle@dgparchitects.com)

Small Firm Exchange Kickoff Meeting

The Small Firm Exchange kickoff meeting was a major success last night! Dan’s shuffleboard court was a perfect setting for a beautiful evening outside.

Our chairs, C.J. LaMora and Dan Zimmerman, welcomed members and discussed their aspirations with the new group. A few rounds of shuffleboard rounded the evening and Sidney was able to present our final award of merit trophy, to Dan who was out of town for our Awards Gala. Congrats Dan! 

Chapter Honors + Awards Gala!

Congratulations to our 2024 Chapter Honors + Design Awards recipients!! 🌟💫 

We had a wonderful time celebrating on Oct. 23rd in Charlottesville, thank you all for attending! Thankful we can celebrate beautiful work and talented members in Central Virginia. 

Special thank you to our Honors Committee lead by W. Douglas Gilpin Jr., FAIA, Hayley Owens, Assoc. AIA, Fred Wolf, AIA, Ed Ford, FAIA, and Elizabeth “Jo” Lawson, FAIA. And to our Guest Jury lead by, Marika Snider, PhD, AIA, NCARB, NCIDQ, who joined us from Memphis - big thank you! 

Full details on our Chapter Awards and recipients here.

Photos courtesy of Tom Daly Photography.