Partner Organizations
AIA Bookstore & Design Center
The AIA Bookstore & Design Center began as a resource and information center for members of the American Institute of Architects attending the 1976 AIA national convention in Philadelphia. Over the last 28 years, the store has evolved from just a bookstore into the place for unique gifts, as well as a resource center for architects and people who value quality design.
The store offers a wide selection of books on architecture, interior design, renovation, preservation and landscaping, as well technical and theory books for students and design professionals. The store also carries a broad and unique selection of quality-designed gifts, jewelry, stationery, children's toys, lighting, housewares and other unusual and interesting objects. The Bookstore's lower level offers the Holiday Shop at the end of each year featuring Philadelphia's best selection of holiday ornaments and other holiday items.
Charter High School for Architecture + Design
Curious students...engaged faculty...and a compelling mission. The Charter High School for Architecture + Design is a learning community committed to providing an innovative program of study that integrates the design process with the mastery of a strong liberal arts education. The school offers each student the opportunity for success and the preparation for life-long learning and responsible citizenship. CHAD is a thoughtful academic environment that engenders a love of learning, intellectual curiosity, and new ways of seeing, while preparing students for higher education.
CHAD was founded in 1999 by AIA Philadelphia as the Legacy Project for the AIA National Convention held in Philadelphia in May, 2000. Located at 7th and Sansom Streets in Center City, the school is a 26,000 sf building within close proximity to Independence Mall, Washington Square Park, and the Athenaeum of Philadelphia (a private architectural library). The first charter school of its kind in the country, CHAD opened its doors to approximately 400 students in grades 9 through 11 in September, 1999, and graduated its first class of 49 seniors in June, 2001. Today, it enrolls over 500 students.
Community Design Collaborative
Design matters in every community. The Community Design Collaborative is a community design center that provides nonprofit organizations access to pro bono preliminary design services, offers unique volunteer opportunities for design professionals, and raises awareness about the importance of design in community revitalization. Begun in 1991 as a special initiative of AIA Philadelphia, the Collaborative became an independent nonprofit entity in 1996.
In 2006, nearly forty design firms and an additional 95 individual design professionals donated over $570,000 in preliminary design services to 46 nonprofits and initiated 44 new projects.
