Welcome to Blueprint South Dakota

Welcome to Blueprint South Dakota, a blog created by architects in South Dakota to provide a forum for public conversations with citizens, city planners, developers, property owners, designers, public office holders and others. Through these conversations, we want to participate with the public and community leaders in the creation of vibrant, prosperous, beautiful and effective places to live, work and play in South Dakota. Please join us in conversing about design and planning issues in our state.


The HERstory of Women in Architecture

Are you aware that Mattel’s Barbie® I Can Be™ series came out with Architect Barbie? The doll came with a drawing tube, a model of the Dream House, and hardhat in 2011. She was accessorized with a pink bangle bracelet and black framed glasses. She wore black booties and an A-line dress complete with the silhouette of a skyline at the hem. What can’t Barbie do? Throughout history we find many women defined what it means to be female and an Architect.

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South Dakota Architect named one of National Young Architect Award Recipients 2023

AIA National has announced this year’s 2023 award for the Young Architect Award 2023. These early career architects have been recognized with the Young Architects Award for their exceptional leadership and significant contributions to the architecture profession, including environmental advocacy, increasing access to great design, and mentoring future architects. Of this year’s recipients, one South Dakota architect …

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AIA National: Future Forward Grant Opportunity

(Cover image by AIA National) AIA National is offering a $10,000 grant opportunity! Applications are open now! Access to funding activates innovation and makes significant research possible. That’s why the Young Architects Forum—in collaboration with the Large Firm Roundtable—funds the AIA Future Forward Grant. The $10,000 grant supports and enables early career architects to explore …

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AIA South Dakota Advocacy in Pierre 2023

The 2023 South Dakota legislative session has been a busy one, although the number of bills decreased from 2022.  During the session last year, the legislature considered a total of 553 bills; this year, only 450 bills were filed.  On behalf of AIA South Dakota, I review all of those bills and forward any items …

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THE ARCHITECTURE OF LOVE

I would recommend visiting the Chapel in the Hills when you’re in the area and considering it for your nuptial destination. We will look back fondly on our wedding day and the place that made it extra special. What a cool cultural replica right in our backyard!

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SDSU College of Design: Getting to Know Kenneth R. Lewno

Last (and certainly not least) for the SDSU College of Design series is Kenneth R. Lewno, Architectural Lab Manager, who has held the position since July of 2022. Though new to SDSU, Lewno is a South Dakota native and has lived around Brookings for the last 30+ years. He has spent these years in manufacturing; …

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THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY IN DESIGN

Architects and engineers have worked together throughout history. These successes could not have been achieved without collaboration and working through differing perspectives and opinions.

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SDSU School of Design: Getting to Know Sandra Callies

We’re back with another post featuring architectural teaching staff at SDSU. Featured this week is Instructor of Architecture, Sandra Callies, AIA, NCARB, a registered architect since 2017. Since graduating from the University of Minnesota with both her Bachelor and Master of Architecture in 2015, Callies has gained a plethora of real-world experience. From working in …

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SDSU School of Design: Getting to Know Sean Ervin

In case you haven’t noticed, there are many new faces roaming the halls of Chicoine AME Hall at SDSU, and it’s not just related to the constant influx of new students. The recent years have brought forth an array of bright-eyed professors with bright ideas, and a passion for shaping the future generation of architects. …

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AIA Female Leadership

Following up on last week’s post on the newly elected AIA president, Emily Grandstaff-Rice, it appears that female leadership may be on the rise for AIA. In an article titled “Women in Architecture” published by AIA back in 2020, goals were set for increasing viability and visibility of women in the profession, and this year, …

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