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American Institute of Building Design (AIBD)

Peek inside an Historic-Cultural Monument [Monday Minute]

Published about 2 hours ago • 3 min read

April 20, 2026, Edition

#CreatingWherePeopleLive

This weekly newsletter

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

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

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.

Let's dive in.

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Field Notes

A rare opportunity to peek inside an Historic-Cultural Monument

The 1950 Gelb House by A. Quincy Jones in the Crestwood Hills subdivision in Los Angeles has popped up on the market with a $2.7M asking price. The family owned the house, part of the Mutual Housing Association, for decades, and it was recently carefully restored.

Source: The Value of Architecture

Harrison Design Unveils 250-Foot Arch for Memorial Bridge

The 250-foot-tall arch proposed for the Virginia end of the Memorial Bridge across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial has moved from a model on the Oval Office desk to architectural renderings by Harrison Design. The Commission of Fine Arts released the design last week, and you can see it all here.

Source: The Commission of Fine Arts

Is your market ready for a "Bureaucrat Tax" Cut?

A new 450-page report released Monday identifies government regulations as a key driver of rising housing costs in the U.S., adding over $100,000 to the price of a typical home. As a result, the focus is shifting toward aggressive deregulation in the housing sector. If you're planning projects in rural or distressed areas, this report is essential reading.

Source: The White House

Designing a flood-resistant home from the ground up.

After Hurricane Helene flooded his home in coastal Florida, a firefighter and paramedic undertook the challenge of rebuilding a flood-resilient house from the ground up. He elevated the structure well above federal flood requirements, using masonry piers and engineered floor trusses to protect mechanicals and living spaces.

Source: Fine Homebuilding

Nuts & Bolts

Don’t let your designs wash away: The specs for breakaway walls

If you’re designing on the coast, "close enough" doesn't cut it with FEMA. The newly updated NFIP Technical Bulletin 9 is the definitive playbook for ensuring your ground-floor enclosures perform exactly as they should during a surge.

Source: FEMA

Highlights

Welcome New Members

And those returning

Dee Dee Cargile, By Design (AL), Professional Member

Everett L. Elkins, Everett Design Studio, (TN), Professional Member

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.

Workshops & Gatherings

AIBD Chapters, Boards, and Councils

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

NEW April 22 - Western North Carolina Chapter (Virtual) - 10:30 am - Client Red Flags: How We Spot Trouble Early?

April 24 - Central Oklahoma Chapter - 9:30 CT - Pella Windows, 537 E Britton Rd, Oklahoma City, OK 73114

April 25 - AIBD Connect - DC - National Building Museum, Washington, DC

May 1 - AIBD Connect - Colorado - Castle Rock, CO.

May 1 - AIBD Office Hour (Virtual) - 11:00 am ET - 60 minutes (or so) of open discussion and collaboration (Members Only)

May 6 - Board of Directors (Virtual) 4:00 pm ET - Connect with your board members and share your insights.

May 20 - Eastern Shore Chapter (Virtual) - 3:30 pm ET

July 29 - AIBD Compass Club Party - 7:00 pm ET - Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH

July 30 - AIBD Annual Membership Meeting - Metropolitan at the 9, Cleveland, OH

AIBD Webinars

April 20 - ​High-Performance Homes Team​ - 2:00 p.m. ET - The discussion on steel framing continues (1.0 P4 CE)

April 28 - CE Watch Party - 2:00 p.m. ET (30 min) - Structural Engineer vs Architect - Design Meeting (0.5 P3 CE)

May 8 - Coffee with Bernie - 10:00 a.m. ET - Designing for Lifestyle Trends: Home offices, multigenerational living, and wellness-focused spaces. (1.0 P3 CE)

Training Events

Hosted By AIBD CE Providers

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

AIBD Annual Conference - July 29-August 1, 2026 - The website is live​

CEDIA Expo 2026 - September 1-4, 2026 - Denver, CO - Registration opens soon!​

Chief Architect - Virtual & On-Demand Training

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

SoftPlan - April 28-May 1: Intermediate​​

Traditional Building Conference - June 16-17, 2026 - Cape May, NJ - Registration now openn​

What We're Up to

Call for Entries: The 2025 American Residential Design Awards are open

Entries are due June 8, 2026

ARDA is the AIBD’s premier award program exhibiting design excellence in the residential building industry.

Have a triumphant week.

Thank you to our AIBD Corporate Partners. Their generous support champions our profession, and we encourage you to support them in return. Atlas Roofing, Chief Architect, Cogram, GreenHome Institute, JDS Consulting, MiTek, National Association of Home Builders, RL Mace Universal Design Institute, Shelter, and SoftPlan Systems,

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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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