Houston X Design Week

The AIA Houston Interior Architecture Committee presents Houston X Design, a week-long series of events celebrating interior architecture and design to be held Monday, August 3 through Friday, August 7. Through a variety of lectures, tours, and panel discussions, we bring together an array of disciplines and explore the current issues and disruptors that are influencing our profession. 

The Interior Architecture Committee advocates for the advancement of the practice of Interior Architecture and Interior Design within the Architectural community, the education community, and the public at large.

Submissions close Tuesday, June 16 at 11:59PM

Call for Entries

You are invited to submit a presentation for consideration for the 2026 AIA HoustonXDesign Week.

Submissions may be considered for the following programming formats:

• CEU SESSIONS: 1-hour AIA and IDCEC-accredited sessions on products and design trends. HSW, Sustainability and Accessibility credits are also encouraged.
• PROJECT TOURS: Celebrate your recently completed projects with a tour presenting the latest design thinking and exceptional design.
• HXD TALKS: Discussions on current issues that affect the interior architecture and design industry.

Up to (10) submissions will be selected for the weeklong design conference.

CEU Presentation Guidelines:

• Your presentation should address at least one of the educational categories listed: Design Skills, Professional Practice, DEI (Diversity Equity & Inclusion), Education, Market Sector Trends, Industry Directions, Lighting, Art, Sustainability, Technology, Wellness and Workplace.
• Presentations should be 1-3 hours in length of time, including a brief question and answer session either early morning (7:30 – 9:30 am), lunch hour (12:00 – 1:00 pm), or after office hours (4:00 – 7:00 pm). Indicate at least 2 preferred dates/time slots.
• Presentations should not exceed four speakers, including the moderator.

Additional Information

• Provide information regarding parking and any security requirements.
• AIA may charge a nominal fee through antendee tickets in support of Interior Architecture Committee efforts.
• The event should be in an accessible venue and have access to water and restroom facilities. Any other food or beverages are welcome and would be the responsibility of the host.
• AIA Houston will advertise the event to members, students, and the public.
• AIA Houston’s online registration portal can limit the attendance to your preferred limit.
• AIA Houston can provide an RSVP or registration list in advance of the event.
• AIA Interior Architecture Committee member(s) will be assigned and help with planning, logistics, and hosting. They will be in attendance for “welcome” and discussion about “what is interior architecture”.
• The host is welcome to advertise separately for the event or HXD Week.

Intent of Scholarship

The Martinez Study Abroad Scholarship offers emerging scholars an opportunity through financial assistance to study abroad within an accredited architectural program. This scholarship is established to broaden the accessibility to applicants to study architecture through a diverse lens and intended for recipients to contemplate a broader perspective of architecture. Recipients are encouraged to accomplish this by absorbing, photographing, reading, writing, sketching and experiencing the program.

Scholarship Eligibility

The Martinez Study Abroad Scholarship shall be provided towards study abroad programs offered by accredited architectural programs in the area served by AIA Houston Chapter – Latinos in Architecture, including the Prairie View A&M University, Rice University, and the University of Houston. The study abroad program shall be offered for a duration of 3 to 6 months and open to undergraduate and graduate Latino students with a minimum of 1 year remaining to graduate with an accredited professional degree (Bachelor of Architecture or Master of Architecture). One recipient will be awarded up to $5,000 to pay towards the cost of tuition, direct travel expenses, and temporary living arrangements while abroad.

Application Process

To apply, recipients interested in consideration shall apply before July 10 of the academic calendar year seeking acceptance of the study abroad program. Candidates shall provide the following for consideration of award:

1. A statement (in English, 1000 words max) that details:

• Your academic and career goals.
• What you hope to achieve during the travel experience.
• How this study experience will advance your academic interests and impact on pursuit of your profession.

2. The travel itinerary outlining travel countries, states, cities, sites, and buildings expected to visit and experience. Submitting a Google map outlining the itinerary is recommended.

3. Proposed budget for the study abroad program and expected living expenses. A brief explanation of the impact the award will assist with your goals to participate in the program.

4. Two recommendations from professors or from professional experiences who can critically assess the applicant’s academic and/or professional work. Responses should provide evidence of the applicant’s distinguished academic achievement, leadership potential, and personal motivation.

5. Final funds shall be awarded first to the school to cover the cost of the program upon acceptance into the program. Any additional funds for allowable expenses will be provided to the recipient upon proof of expenses.

Submission

Provide digital submission by July 10, 2026 of the academic calendar year. Files shall clearly identify the applicant and the content of the file. Applicants will be notified by Friday, July 24, 2026.

1. Your last name_statement

2. Your last name_itinerary

3. Your last name_budget

4. Your last name_recommendations

Overview: Beginning in 2013, the AIA|DC chapter undertook an initiative to develop a program which would train and nurture the next generation of leaders. With the success of the previous program years, the Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program looks to secure a promising new faction of scholars in 2025. The year-long program consists of nine individual half-day sessions attended by a competitively selected group of 16 emerging professionals (this program is open to licensed and professionals pursuing licensure in the AEC industry within their first 20 years of experience). Prospective participants must go through an application process for selection where proven career success, community involvement and the individual’s firm/agency support will be considered. Curriculum: The curriculum focuses on core professional skills such as entrepreneurship and firm management; teamwork and collaboration, negotiating skills, client development, community leadership, understanding trends within the industry, and developing your future within the practice. The selected scholars will be responsible for planning and participating in each of the individual sessions. The program will be kicked off by a “Boot Camp” session to introduce the participants and to develop the curriculum for the year.

      Sessions will be held monthly 12:00pm – 5:00pm, September through May. A full list of courses and specific dates are listed at:  Check out the full list of courses and dates. Application Process: Individuals may be nominated by their firm or can nominate themselves and will be selected on the basis of a written application, recommendations, and resume. The sixteen (16) successful applicants will represent a diverse group of emerging professionals that demonstrate a strong potential as a future leader. The application process is not intended to be exhaustive, but is competitive and should not be taken lightly. Throughout the application process, candidates are encouraged to emphasize their previous leadership experience, explain what expertise they intend to provide to the program and clarify how they intend to utilize the skills learned through the program. A jury will convene in July 2026 to select 2026-27 program scholars.  

• The official Call for Applications opens Monday, May 18, 2026.
• Q+A Session (optional): An application Q+A Session will be held on Wednesday, June 3 at 5:00pm via Zoom and Thursday, June 11 at noon via Zoom. Committee representatives will provide a short overview of the program and allow candidates to ask questions about what to include and what not to include within their application. Interested candidates are encouraged to attend this event. Attendance at this event is NOT mandatory for applications and will hold no merit on acceptance into the program.
• Application Deadline: All forms must be submitted by 11:59pm on Monday, June 29 to be eligible.
• Notification of Acceptance: Candidates will be notified of their selection into the program no later than the week of July 20, 2026.

Tuition: Tuition for AIA Members is $445. Non‐AIA member tuition is $535. AIA Houston may choose to offer tuition assistance to individuals from small firms that would otherwise not be able to participate. The amount and number of tuition assistance will be at the discretion of the Selection Committee. AIA Membership: Though AIA membership is encouraged for all scholars, it is not mandatory. A preference will be given to AIA Houston members, though other allied organization members are welcome to submit an application for review. Required Commitment to the Program: The program’s success is directly related to the attendance by the participants and therefore attendance is mandatory. Each participant of the program will be required to sign an Agreement Form that will require a signature from one of the participant’s principals of their firm/agency. Provided due notice to the committee, with extenuating circumstances, each scholar will be allowed one excused absence. If two sessions are missed, a fine of $50 will be sent to the participants’ firm/agency. A further absence will result in an additional $50 fine and expulsion from the program. All scholars are required to attend the “Boot Camp” Session and the Closing Reception, no exceptions. AIA Continuing Education: This program offers the potential for up to 45 CEUs per academic year, with the opportunity for HSW depending on curriculum, which varies per program year. Each scholar remains responsible for compliance with the relevant CEU and HSW requirements for their organizations and jurisdictions. REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS Online Registration (Required).

• Upload Following Documents (Required). You must be logged in to upload documents. Please create a Submittable account if you do not have one.
• Letter of Interest – candidates must submit a one-page written letter of interest that describes your past experiences and interest in the program, as well as what you feel you will contribute to the 2025-26 class. Letters are limited to one page and uploaded in PDF format. (Last Name-First Name-Letter of Interest.pdf)
• Letters of Recommendation – each application must include a minimum of one and maximum of three, letter(s) of recommendation. Letters are limited to one page each and uploaded in PDF format. (Last Name-First Name-Letter of Recommendation-1.pdf)
• Personal Resume – including applicant’s education, employment history, organizations or activity involvement, and honors and awards. Resumes are preferred to be no more than two pages and uploaded in PDF format. It is NOT in the best interest of the applicant to simply submit a 1-page firm resume with project experience. Instead, include relevant topics such as education, community involvement, industry involvement, volunteer work, etc. (Last Name-First Name-Resume.pdf)
• Agreement Form – completed, signed, and uploaded in PDF format. Please use the following format when naming your document: Last Name-First Name-Agreement.pdf
• Tuition Assistance Form (optional) – Assistance is limited to AIA Houston members and dependent upon firm size. Individuals are encouraged to apply for tuition assistance if they qualify. Please review the criteria carefully. Please use the following format when naming your document: Last Name-First Name-Assistance.pdf  The amount and number of tuition assistance will be at the discretion of the Selection Committee.
• Supplementary Questions  –  Questions are listed within the online application. NOTE: there is a WORD limit to responding to each of the following questions. This is intentional. Be succinct and to the point with your responses.