Tickets on Sale Today: AIA Dallas, Architecture and Design Foundation Host Impact Dallas Gala

• Tickets to the inaugural, signature event will go on sale today, Aug. 30.

The Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the Architecture and Design Foundation just announced their first Impact Dallas Gala, a black-tie event taking place on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021, at The Thompson Hotel in Dallas’ newly redeveloped historic downtown skyscraper, The National. 

Impact Dallas celebrates the role design plays in solving real-world problems, connecting communities, and improving people’s lives. 

“Impacting our region is a task that extends beyond architects; it is a collaboration between community leaders, philanthropists, and all stakeholders who are striving to improve our city,” says Katherine D. Seale, Hon. AIA Dallas.

Serving as co-chairs for Impact Dallas are Seale, a community activist and preservation advocate, and architect Todd C. Howard, AIA, a former AIA Dallas president and president of th+a architects. 

“The purposeful blend of our two backgrounds mirrors the vision of AIA Dallas and the Foundation,” says Seale, “that impacting our region is an honored collaboration between us all. Working together multiplies our effect.”

As AIA Dallas and the Foundation aim to bring lasting impact to Dallas and North Texas, the gala will bestow awards on two community members and one architect who exemplify their shared mission.

AIA Dallas’ Lifetime Achievement award is the highest honor given to an architect by the organization, the nation’s sixth-largest AIA chapter, and this year will be awarded to Larry Good, FAIA, founding principal and chairman of Dallas-based firm GFF.

The George Foster Harrell Award is given only as merit dictates and has been awarded just five times since it was established in 1980. The award recognizes an exemplary individual in the private sector who is a catalyst for change and has made — and continues to make — a lasting impact on the region. Previous recipients include Margaret McDermott, J. Erik Jonsson, Frank Welch, FAIA, Stanley Marcus, and O’Neil Ford, FAIA. Joining their ranks this year is Deedie Rose, Hon. AIA, in recognition of her role as a philanthropist and connector in moving forward some of Dallas’ most impactful projects. 

New in 2021, the AD EX Community Cornerstone Award will be awarded to a non-architectural entity in recognition of outstanding contributions that enhance the quality of life by shaping environments and building community. The winner will be announced at the gala.

Funds raised will continue the Foundation’s mission to solve problems and improve lives. The Impact Dallas Gala aims to raise $175,000 for public programming, scholarships that make college and careers accessible and bring diversity and equity to architecture, and grants that implement community-based design ventures like the AIA Dallas Emerging Leaders Program’s 2021 project benefiting Camp Summit, which provides barrier-free sleep-away camps for children and adults with disabilities.

Impact Dallas will blend art, architecture, design, and culture at this extraordinary gala, which fully activates the newly restored, iconic, and historic Thompson Hotel at The National. To celebrate architecture as functional art, the event leans into creativity at every turn, from the art-laden venue itself, to the event’s live music, immersive design installations, unique experiences, and an art-and-architecture-focused auction.

The inaugural, signature event includes passed hors d’oeuvres, a three-course meal, and open bar. Sponsorships are still available and include access to an exclusive pre-event reception. Individual tickets go on sale today, August 30. All tables and tickets can be purchased at www.dallasadex.org.