Architecture by the Book Program to Bring Architects to California Classrooms During Architecture Week — AIA California members invited to participate
Each spring, AIA Architecture Week invites the architecture profession to step beyond their offices and into classrooms and community spaces to connect with K–12 students and share the power of design. Organized by the American Institute of Architects, this nationwide celebration, taking place April 12 – 18, 2026, and encourages architects, educators, and communities to introduce young learners to the built environment and the role architects play in shaping it.
In California, the California Architectural Foundation (CAF) and AIA California are bringing that spirit into classrooms through Architecture by the Book, a free educational program that pairs volunteer architects with students in schools and community programs.
Thanks to support from the AIA’s K–12 education program and the generosity of CAF donors, Architecture by the Book is organizing activations during Architecture Week in partnership with several local AIA chapters and the Santa Barbara Architectural Foundation. Together, these sessions are expected to reach over 500 students. CAF is coordinating volunteer recruitment, providing virtual orientations for teachers and architects, and supporting the program across California.
Architecture Week is also gaining statewide visibility. State Senator Angelique Ashby has scheduled a resolution for an official Architecture Week in California, to be heard April 6th. California State Architect Ida Clair, FAIA, and AIA California President Ginger Thompson, AIA, are confirmed to attend. In addition, CAF is introducing a new statewide Architecture Coloring Book that highlights the diversity of architects and project types across the profession, further supporting architectural education efforts during Architecture Week.
Architecture by the Book is designed to be easy and sustainable for educators and volunteers, while creating a meaningful and memorable experience for students. During a typical 90-minute session, architect volunteers may read a story about architecture, share a presentation about a practicing architect or project, and guide a hands-on activity that allows students to experience design thinking firsthand. Lessons encourage students to explore how buildings respond to their environment, experiment with shapes and structures, and imagine new spaces for their communities. For many students, it’s the first time they have met an architect or realize that the spaces around them are intentionally designed. The result is curiosity, creativity, and excitement as students imagine and construct three-dimensional models of their own designs for the very first time.
The lessons, which are housed on the CAF website, are crowdsourced by architects and firms, and the program continues to grow as more professionals contribute their knowledge and ideas. Visiting architects bring real-world context to the discussion, sharing what it is like to design buildings and spaces in practice and what they love about the profession.
For CAF, these initiatives reflect a key element of our mission: to spark interest and appreciation for architecture and design in young people. Early exposure can leave a lasting impression, opening doors to creative thinking and helping students see the built environment in new ways, while inspiring consideration of architecture as a future career.
For architect volunteers, the experience is often just as rewarding. Sharing their own path to the profession, responding to students’ questions, and observing the designs students create can lead to thoughtful conversations about cities, schools, homes, and community spaces. These short visits are high impact, making architecture tangible and personal, showing students that design is about problem solving, creativity, and improving the communities around them.
Architecture by the Book began as a local initiative developed by AIA Central Valley. In 2023, the program expanded statewide through a partnership between AIA California and CAF, supported by a generous grant from the AIA College of Fellows. Since then, the program has continued to grow through collaborations with organizations committed to inspiring young learners, including Scientific Adventures for Girls, the Kern County Women in STEM Speakers Bureau, the Viñoly Foundation, and Palenke Arts to name a few. Nearly one hundred architects and volunteers have signed up to bring lessons into classrooms and community spaces throughout California.
As classrooms across California welcome visiting architects this April, one thing is clear: a single story, conversation, or creative exercise can open a young mind to the possibilities and importance of architecture.
Learn more about CAF’s Architecture by the Book program and explore volunteer opportunities here:
https://calarchfoundation.org/help-children-discover-architecture-one-page-at-a-time/
Learn more about the national Architecture Week initiative here:
https://www.aia.org/community/events/architecture-week-2026
View California’s Architecture Week Resolution here:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SCR138
Click here to donate to the program
