To cap off Women’s History Month, we are highlighting trailblazers who rose to leadership in the community and the profession. As part of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Baltimore Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), we are hosting conversations with trailblazing architects who have impacted Baltimore’s built environment and rose to leadership positions in their profession. April 2nd’s Virtual History will feature Barbara Wilks, FAIA, FASLA, one of the few professionals elected to both the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects (in 1999) and to the College of Fellows of the American Society of Landscape Architects (in 2010), the highest honor in those professions. During her residence in Baltimore, she rose to become the first woman president of the AIA Baltimore Chapter, serving for two years from 1983-1984.

How did Downtown as we know it come to be? Charlie Duff explains using London and Baltimore as examples.In 1666, the Great Fire of London destroyed the center of a city of 500,000 people and made 80,000 people homeless. In 1904, the Great Baltimore Fire destroyed the center of a city of 500,000 people, and not one person became homeless. In between those two dates, the North Atlantic cities invented the Central Business District. From Baltimore to London, the centers of cities became places where tens of thousands of people worked and no one lived. Join Charlie Duff, author of The North Atlantic Cities, to find out how this happened and what the architectural results were – and why it didn’t happen in Paris, Rome, and the other great cities of Continental Europe.

Patterson Park is an urban oasis - a beloved green space surrounded by brick rowhouses, diverse cultures and neighborhoods. Generations of Baltimoreans have picnicked under its tall tulip poplars, strolled the deeply curved paths and enjoyed the rich architectural design of this 137-acre East Baltimore park. This presentation will cover the park's history and the Olmsted vision for the site!

Join us for a conversation with trailblazing architect Leon Bridges, FAIA. As part of the celebration of AIA Baltimore’s 150th anniversary, we are hosting conversations with trailblazing architects in Baltimore, discussing their impact on the profession and our communities. Leon Bridges, FAIA, NOMA, is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and a Past Vice President of the organization. Since entering the architecture profession as a draftsman in 1956, Bridges has won 20 national, regional and local awards for design excellence including the restoration of Baltimore’s Penn Station and Baltimore City College. Bridges is also a Past President of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). Bridges semi-retired from active practice in 2005 to become an Assistant Professor in the Morgan State University School of Architecture and Planning. His major interest is in preparing African American students for the practice of architecture.