Congratulations to Erin Reilly-Sanders, AIA, and Matthew Teismann, AIA, for receiving the 2024 AIA Young Architects Award! The AIA Young Architects Award honors individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to the architecture profession early in their careers.
The rare architect who holds a cross-disciplinary doctorate, Erin Reilly-Sanders, AIA, is a passionate educator who strives to raise awareness about sustainability, visual literacy, and the profession as a whole. As a design professional, her extensive research into visual literacy and multidisciplinary background set her apart from her peers. Using these skills, she improves outcomes for her clients while guiding her teams to explore new creative solutions.
Reilly-Sanders is an architect and project manager for Schooley Caldwell, where she educates the public about architecture by inviting everyone into her projects, particularly people who have been excluded in the past. Reilly-Sanders has also been focused on local, regional, and state education efforts through her role on AIA Columbus’ Committee on the Environment, which she chaired from 2018 to 2020. She has organized educational programs for chapter members, forged strong relationships with community initiatives, and implemented a sustainable practice survey for all central Ohio firms. She also engaged government leaders through three advocacy day initiatives and, last year alone, met with 12 state senators and 18 representatives to encourage them to support updated building and energy codes. Read More.
Matthew Teismann, AIA, emphasizes a new approach to architecture in his commitment to practice-based research. The strategies he has developed over his 17-year career have redefined engagement, leveraged the methodology of research as a critical tool, and advanced the broader impact of architecture.
Teismann became the 10th president and primary owner of MKC Architects in 2021. The firm, which he joined in 2016, is the longest continually owned and operated architecture firm in the state, and Teismann aims to transform it to meet the needs of today’s clients. Through his guidance, MKC has embraced technology and reconfigured its staff to include experienced practitioners and young, energetic designers who together shape a lean and innovative delivery system. MKC probes the boundaries of what is possible for a small business and is currently exploring proto-typologies to address inequality through affordable housing in the U.S. Read More.
Click here to learn more about the AIA Young Architects Award.
Click here to view all 2024 AIA Young Architects Award winners.
