NEWS & EVENTS
Informal BIM Education & Networking Event 11/16
Join us Thursday, 11/16 at the office of Kitchen & Associates for an evening of informal BIM education and networking! [...]
12th Annual AIA WJ Photography Competition Voting Opens
Now in it’s 12th year – the AIA West Jersey Photography Competition has opened public voting period to select the top images of [...]
General Meeting: Passive House 101 on 10/24
Join us at Caffe Aldo on October 24 for a presentation on Passive House. RSVP by 10/19. Attendees will receive [...]
Get Involved with AIA West Jersey
Over the years, AIA West Jersey [AIAWJ] has been serving its members by providing quality continuing education programs, field trips, social [...]
Joint Meeting Recap [9/19/17]
AIA West Jersey and AIA South Jersey held their annual joint meeting on September 19th 2017 at the Lake House [...]
Joint Meeting with South Jersey 9/19
Come out for our 2017 joint meeting with AIA South Jersey on 9/19. This meeting has been approved for 3 [...]
Announcing the Micro-MBA in Architecture!
This multi-tiered program kicks off with two certificate programs to help prepare Architects and Construction Professionals with limited or no [...]
12th Annual 2017 Photography Competition
AIA West Jersey is accepting entries to the 12th Annual Photography Competition. Submit your interesting images of everything architectural – from the [...]
General Membership Meeting – May 11, 2017
Join AIA West Jersey for networking, dinner and a presentation by award-winning writer, successful entrepreneur and accredited FocalPoint Business Coach, [...]
Architects are skilled professionals who listen to you, interpret your wishes, help realize your building dreams, and add value at every stage of a project.
WELCOME TO AIA WEST JERSEY
AIA West Jersey is a local component of the American Institute of Architects New Jersey Chapter and Region. We are one of six New Jersey local sections. AIA West Jersey serves architects within Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem counties.
VALUE ADDED
Architects offer a wide range of services. So just who needs an architect? Everyone.
If you are looking to build any type of building an Architect should be involved the project. There are many benefits to having an Architect involved. You have a vision of what you want. Now you need to make that vision a reality. Here’s how architects can assist you:
Architects see the big picture.
Architects are educated to assist you in defining what you want to build, present options you might never have considered, and help you get the most for your valuable investment. They don’t just design four walls and a roof — they create total environments, both interiors and exteriors, that are functional and exciting places in which to work and live.
Architects solve problems.
Architects can assist you through the maze of design options, building codes, zoning laws, contractors, and permitting requirements. The architect is the one professional who has the education, training, experience, and vision to guide you through the entire design and construction process, from helping you define what you want to build to helping you get the most for your construction dollar.
Architects can save you money.
Architect services are a wise investment for the money, not an added cost to your project because a well-conceived and designed project can be built more efficiently and economically and increase your property value. Architects avoid oversized rooms and wasted space and can help you select materials within your budget and at a fair price. Architects can reduce building costs, decrease your home’s energy needs, and increase its future resale value through good design.
Architects can make your life easier.
Building is a long process that is often messy and disruptive. Your architect represents you, not the contractors. Your architect looks out for your interests and smoothes the process, helps find qualified construction contractors, and visits the worksite to help protect you against work that’s not according to plan.
A wide range of projects can benefit from the involvement of an architect.
Learn more about finding an architect.
Like doctors and lawyers, architects are licensed professionals. The title “Architect” may be used only by an individual who possesses a state license to practice architecture. They are the only professionals in the construction industry who are ethically bound to represent you, the building owner.
Professional qualifications generally include:
- College degree from an accredited school of architecture, requiring five or more years of professional studies.
- Three years of internship under the supervision of licensed architects.
- Passage of a rigorous examination.
- Completion of yearly continuing education requirements.
Only those professionals who have fulfilled these requirements, or other requirements as stipulated by each individual state, may legally call themselves architects and practice architecture in the jurisdiction granting the license. Individuals may be registered, or licensed, in more than one state by means of reciprocal licensing agreements among the states.
Look for the AIA initials after the name of any architect you consider for your project. AIA architects remain current with professional standards through continuing education and subscribe to a code of ethics and professional conduct that assure clients, the public and colleagues of their dedication to high standards in professional practice.
At the heart of every successful project is a strong relationship between client and architect. AIA architects know that the more knowledgeable their clients are, the more likely they are to fully participate in the process and enjoy the benefits of a collaborative effort.