On the morning of April 13, 2026, the East Wing Rotunda of the Pennsylvania State Capitol architects, AIA PA board members and staff, PaLA representatives, and staff of Senator Tim Kearney all gathered to launch Architecture Week 2026 and celebrate the profession’s deep roots in Pennsylvania’s public life.
It was a fitting venue. The Capitol is itself the 2024 AIA PA 50 Year Timeless Architecture Award winner — a building that has stood the test of time and continues to serve as a powerful reminder of what great design can mean to a community.
A Celebration with Three Dimensions
This year’s Architecture Week is the most ambitious AIA Pennsylvania has ever organized. The celebration is built around three interconnected programs: a statewide press event and legislative partnership, a Capitol display highlighting Pennsylvania’s finest architectural work, and a groundbreaking outreach initiative bringing architecture directly to children across the Commonwealth.
Elysia Mikkelsen, 2026 Board President of AIA PA, opened the press conference by grounding the day’s celebration in the profession’s broader mission. “An architect’s work is not just about buildings — it’s about the quality of life those buildings make possible,” she said.
A Senate Resolution for Architecture Week
One of the morning’s most meaningful moments came with the presentation of a Senate Resolution from Senator Tim Kearney of Pennsylvania’s 26th Senatorial District. Senator Kearney — who spent 35 years as a practicing architect before entering public service — introduced an uncontested resolution officially designating April 12–18, 2026 as Architecture Week in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The resolution recognizes that “thoughtful architecture creates more valuable, healthy, secure and resilient communities,” and that “Pennsylvania recognizes architects as a force for positive change.”
Stephen Swarney, EVP and CEO of AIA Pennsylvania, reflected on the significance of the moment. “Senator Kearney knows what it means to stand at a drafting table, to work through a design problem, to see something you envisioned come to life in brick and steel and glass. That he has carried that experience into the halls of this Capitol — and used it to champion our profession — is something we are deeply grateful for.”
A Partnership with the Pennsylvania Library Association
Architecture Week 2026 also marked the formal launch of a new partnership between AIA Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Library Association, through the PA Forward initiative. Rob Lesher of PaLA joined the podium to speak about the collaboration — one that is helping AIA PA reach communities across the state through library systems that already serve as trusted neighborhood anchors.
The Capitol Display: Design Excellence on View
Following the press conference, guests were invited to explore the Capitol Rotunda display showcasing the 2025 AIA PA Design Excellence Award winners. The exhibit features an 8-foot map of Pennsylvania with arrows pointing to award-winning projects across the state, each accompanied by a QR code linking to imagery, project details, and architect information.
Architects from Silver Award winner Ford 3 Architects were on hand to celebrate and speak with visitors about their work. The display also features a short documentary on this year’s 50 Year Timeless Architecture Award recipient — the Sarah Scaife Gallery at the Carnegie Museum of Art.
The display is open to legislators, staffers, and all Capitol visitors throughout Architecture Week. We encourage everyone to stop in, scan the QR codes, and discover what Pennsylvania’s architects are building.
Stories & Design: Reaching the Next Generation
The third — and perhaps most exciting — element of Architecture Week 2026 is the statewide Stories & Design initiative. AIA Pennsylvania has confirmed 44 architect-led story hours in 23 counties with over 60 volunteers across the Commonwealth, centered on the beloved children’s book Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty.
After each reading, students participate in a hands-on design challenge — thinking like architects as they design spaces for different animals. The activity teaches empathy for clients, creative problem-solving, and design thinking, all in a format that is joyful and accessible for young readers.
In addition to the in-person story hours, AIA PA shipped 97 book packages to libraries statewide — including one to every county library system in Pennsylvania. Each package includes a copy of Iggy Peck, Architect, a design activity card, custom architectural dice, “Hello, my name is Future Architect” stickers, bookmarks sharing additional architectural children’s book titles, and a letter of invitation to participate in future programs.
As Amyra Weiss, AIA Pennsylvania’s Communications Manager, put it: “Kids can’t aspire to be something that they can’t see.” Through Stories & Design, AIA PA is making sure that across Pennsylvania, a new generation of young people can see exactly what an architect does — and start imagining what they might one day design.