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American Institute of Building Design (AIBD)

Architecture is no longer considered a "professional degree" in the US [Monday Minute]

Published about 2 hours ago • 4 min read

December 1, 2025, Edition

Ignite your mind and improve the way you are #CreatingWherePeopleLive

This weekly newsletter

is created by and for those designing homes in North America.

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Its editorial staff is the American Institute of Building Design, Inc., the premier association of residential design professionals.

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Here's what you get:

  • Field Notes
  • Nuts & Bolts
  • Highlights
  • Workshops & Gatherings
  • What We're Up To
  • Amazing sponsors who help keep this newsletter free for the industry.

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Let's dive in.
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Field Notes

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Robert A.M. Stern, noted architect, dies at 86

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Acclaimed architect Robert A.M. Stern, a prominent figure in American architecture who designed notable museums, libraries, and residences, died Thursday, according to a statement from the firm he founded.

Stern often collaborated with the Institute of Architecture and Art and taught at Yale and Columbia Universities.

Source: Associated Press

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Lowe’s CEO Predicts a Home Renovation Boom Next Year

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How? "We expect homeowners to start, at some point, to tap into these ... home equity lines of credit to start to finance larger, more discretionary home improvement projects, because they're going to be reluctant to give up those sub-4%, sub-3%, 30-year fixed mortgage rates," Marvin Ellison says.

Source: Realtor.com

Architecture is no longer considered a "professional degree" in the US

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Architects, along with several other careers, including nursing and accounting, are not considered to be "professional degrees," which reduces the loan availability for architecture students in the USA.

Source: DeZeen

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Wabi Sabi Home at Desert Palisades Balances Nature and Design

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Discover how a striking boomerang-shaped residence in Desert Palisades masterfully weaves together the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi with the beauty of the California desert. See how artful simplicity and natural materials create a space that both inspires and grounds.

Source: Palm Springs Life

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The Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson announced plans to restore its FLW acquisition.

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Frank Lloyd Wright’s landmark Fountainhead residence in Mississippi has found a buyer after hitting the market earlier this year for $2.5 million. The new owner? The Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA), who plans to open it to the public.

Source: Decor

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Nuts & Bolts

Gable-End Eave Design

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Marianne Cusato, author of Get Your House Right: Architectural Elements to Use and Avoid. Illustrates how to detail exterior trim with harmonious proportions on eaves that don't return onto the gable.

Source: Fine Homebuilding

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Highlights

Welcome New Members

And those returning

Michael Thomas, (GA) Professional

Zander Fortier, Collaborative Home Design LLC (MI) Professional

Scott Sommer, Straight Line Design (NE) Professional

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Thanks for Referring AIBD

This week's movers and shakers:

Congrats! Mick McQuire (NE) for recruiting a Professional member and joining the Compass Club! 🎉🥳

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Member Anniversaries

Congratulations to those celebrating the anniversary of their membership this month.

A special congratulations to...

  • Rick McAlexander (OR), for celebrating 30 years!
  • Jeffrey L Eberle, CPBD - Retired (WA), Jerry Kierig, CPBD (WA), Michael F Grant (GA), Christopher L. Pendill, CPBD (NC), Rick Ehrenberg, CPBD (WA), and James H Ehrlich-Blair (MI), for celebrating 20 years!
  • Craig C. Wilson (AL) and Steven W. Beard, CPBD (TX), for all celebrating 10 years!
  • John A. Lastrape, Jr., CPBD (TX) and Terry Charles Sturgis, CPBD (OK), for reaching the five-year mark! 🎉🎊

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Congrats! New CPBDs

Jason ManWaring, CPBD #41-119, Greenville, SC (11/17)

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Certification demonstrates a professional's mastery of industry-specific experience and knowledge.

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Please support our sponsor:

Murus high-performance building enclosures simplify designing sustainable, energy-efficient, and net-zero residential and light commercial buildings. For more information call 570-549-2100 or visit www.murus.com for more information.

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Workshops & Gatherings

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AIBD Chapters, Boards, and Councils

Click the links to view the topics and add to your calendar.

December 3 - Board of Directors (Virtual) 4:00 pm ET

December 10 - Tri-State OKI Chapter (Virtual) - 10:00 am ET- Discussion: Design Trends for 2026 - 10:00 am ET

NEW! December 17 - Eastern Shore Chapter (Virtual) 3:30 pm ET - Discussion: Best practices for taking architectural photos and video

February 17 - National Council of Building Designer Certification (Virtual) 11:00 am ET.

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AIBD Webinars

December 9 - QuickTie Products-High Wind and Seismic Tie Down System - 2:00 p.m. ET (1.0 P4 CE)

Sponsored By:

December 18 - 2:00 pm ET - Building Resilient Residences: The Art and Science of Rain Screens and Continuous Insulation (1.0 P4-CE)

Sponsored by:

December 12 - Coffee with Bernie - 10:00 a.m. ET - Navigating Retirement: Planning for Your Future in Residential Design (1.0 P2-CE)

December 16 - High-Performance Homes Team - Are appraisers recognizing the value of sustainable features? - 2:00 p.m. ET (1.0 P4 CE)

NEW! December 30 - CE Watch Party - 2:00 p.m. ET - A Guide to Client Onboarding: Crafting Winning Proposals and Contracts (1.0 P1 CE)

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The AIBD Designer Docs Library is a “living” online collection of practical documents created and shared by members intended to help with everyday business and project tasks by providing ready-made, editable resources.

Training Events

Hosted By AIBD CE Providers

AEC Daily - ​Look for in-person and virtual events.

NEW! AIBD Connect - Florida - January 16, Sanford, Florida. Schedule & Registration.

Chief Architect Virtual Training NEW! - January 7-16, 2025

Design+Build Cleveland - July 29-August 1, 2026

Green Home Institute - ​Look for in-person and virtual events.

SoftPlan - Virtual training dates​

SBCA - Components Craft - February 24-25, 2026 - Austin, TX. - Information​

Traditional Building Conference - March 24-25, 2026 - Salem, MA - Registration opens January 6​

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What We're Up to

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What haven't we been up to?!

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As 2026 approaches, it's time to look back over 2025 and at all of AIBD's accomplishments and major decisions. It's been a busy year for the Codes & Standards Committee. ARDA sets new records. Plus more.

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Have a triumphant week.

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Contact us at info@aibd.org, 800.366.2423, or 110 Front Street, Suite #300, Jupiter, FL 33477.

One more thing—we want to lead with transparency. AI was most likely used to complete this post in one way or another. Don't blame the technology if you find a mistake; in most cases, our emails are written by humans and AI-supported. Now and then, they are AI-generated and human-edited. Both humans and AI still make mistakes.

American Institute of Building Design (AIBD)

The American Institute of Building Design (AIBD) is a professional association that promotes the highest standards of excellence in residential building design. AIBD offers a variety of resources to its members, including continuing education, networking opportunities, and marketing assistance. AIBD is a valuable resource for anyone interested in a career in residential building design. If you want to improve your skills, network with other professionals, and stay up-to-date on the latest trends, AIBD is the perfect organization for you.

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