Join IaWIA for our annual bike tour down Des Moines! We will start our tour at Exile Brewing and then ride together to multiple sites around town, learning about projects of local design firms along the way! We will also hold a Happy Hour at Exile Brewing at the conclusion of the ride to enjoy good sips and good company! We can’t wait to see you there!  

Please use the following link to register for the event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/iawia-bike-tour-tickets-2002106099238

Tour Start: Exile Brewing (1514 Walnut St, Des Moines, IA 50309)

Join us for our kickoff event of the IaWIA mentorship program! This mentorship program aims to foster relationships between professionals of all career levels to meet for education, empowerment, and connection with fellow women in design. Our kickoff event is the first opportunity our members will have to meet and connect with potential mentors. After the event, attendees have the opportunity to be paired with a mentee/mentor that you connected with most! This event will be hosted at the office of MA Architecture. Please enter on the on the north side of the building. We look forward to seeing you there!

To register and help us learn more about what you are looking for in this mentorship group, please complete the interest form here prior to the date of the event: https://iawomenarch.org/iawia-mentorship-group

Join IAWIA for a discussion panel about inclusive design and how we can better center the voices of those traditionally left out. Please use the link to register for the event: Event Registration

The panel will be held in Meeting Room #1 of Des Moines Central Library. We can't wait to see you there!

Connected by Design: Multidisciplinary Women Leaders Shaping the Future of the Built Environment

What happens when architects, planners, designers, and community leaders come together to share perspectives and shape the places we call home?

Join IAWIA at the AIA Iowa 2026 Fall Convention for a panel discussion exploring the value of multidisciplinary collaboration and its impact on the built environment.

We are excited to bring together a diverse group of professionals for a conversation about collaboration, accessibility, community engagement, leadership, and the many ways different disciplines contribute to meaningful design.

Meet our panelists:

• Naura Godar, Architect, Senior Partner, RDG Planning & Design

• Collin Barnes, Interior Designer, Senior Partner, Co-Market Leader, RDG Planning & Design

• Emily Naylor, Landscape Architect, County Conservation Development Director, Bolton & Menk

• Jillian Sommer, Deputy Planning Administrator, City of Des Moines

• Tonia Householder, Asst. Vice President, Hy-Vee

Together, they will share their experiences, perspectives, and insights on working across disciplines and building connections that strengthen projects and communities.

Join us for our next Iowa Women in Architecture social at Lake MacBride Lake for a pontoon boat ride! We will provide snacks, drinks and the ride, but because there is a capacity of each boat, you must send an RSVP for this event by messaging Darci Merrill (dmerrill@solumlangarchitects.com) no later than Friday, August 14th so we can determine the number of boats needed. We can’t wait to see you there!

Stop by this free event hosted by the AIA Iowa Emerging Professionals Committee and Iowa Women in Architecture to chat, relax, and eat some delicious ice cream! Open to all summer interns and emerging professionals!

IMPORTANT: We rescheduling the bike tour and happy hour to September 2026 (more information to follow). We apologize for any inconvenience, and hope to see you in September. Thanks everyone!

Iowa Women in Architecture in collaboration with CREW Iowa, are sponsoring a bike tour of downtown Des Moines. Whether you bring your own bike or use a local B-Cycle - you’ll get the opportunity to tour some of downtown Des Moines’ newest and renovated developments followed by a happy hour. Tour schedule and details are listed below.

Tour schedule:
- Exile Brewing, 1514 Walnut Street
- The Deco, 1301 Mulberry Street
- Nationwide Building, 1200 Locust Street
- Carpenter Building, 106 SW 7th Street
- Exile Brewing, 1514 Walnut Street

Join us for unHappy Hour! Hosted by IaWIA and PCWA

Each year, proponents of equal pay recognize the wage disparity between women and men by observing Equal Pay Day, recognized this year on March 26th to signify the point into the new year that a woman must work to make what a man made the year before. “Unhappy Hour” is a collaborative social event with Iowa Women in Architecture and Polk County Women Attorneys to promote effective solutions for closing the wage gap.

Join us to discuss equal pay laws that protect employees from being paid less than counterparts due to sex/gender, what to look out for, how to advocate for yourself, and next steps if your employer doesn’t fix the problem. Then join us for some women themed trivia and socializing!

More info and tickets: https://www.gofevo.com/event/Iowawomen2

Location: La Mie Elevate

See you there!

More Information to come…

More information to come…

Drink included when you bring an item to donate!

Our give back charity this year is Central Iowa Shelter & Services. See the link below for needed items as well as an amazon wish list:

In-Kind Donations | Our Current Needs | CISS

More Information to come…

More information to come…

Location: Pigott’s Office (3815 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines)

Pigott will be providing food and beverages!

Parking is available in the lot behind their office or street parking in front or along 38th street. 

More Information to come…

More Information to come…

La Mie Elevate (601 Locust St, Des Moines, IA, 50309)

IAWIA, in collaboration with CREW Iowa, are sponsoring a bike tour of downtown Des Moines. Whether you bring your own bike or use a local B-Cycle - you’ll get the opportunity to tour some of downtown Des Moines’ newest and renovated developments followed by a happy hour. First round of drinks is on us.

DATE: Friday June 20th, 2025

START LOCATION: Lua Brewing

1525 High St, Des Moines, IA 50309

TIME:

tour: 1:00-4:00

1. 1:00 Begin at Lua

2. 1:30 Meet at Avenues

3. 2:15/2:30 Meet at Oak Park

4. 3:15/3:30 Meet at Hoyt Sherman

5. End at Lua

happy hour: 4:00-5:00 @ Lua Brewing

* B-Cycles are conveniently located near the start of the tour. Helmets will not be provided but are strongly encouraged/recommended!

Art on the Avenues (while we travel along Ingersoll)

Eventbrite Signup:

Bike Tour Event

More Information to come…

More Information to come…