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.


AIA SD 2024 Convention

Register today for  the AIA SD 2024 Annual Convention

Early-bird pricing ends Wednesday, Sept. 4 Registration is open for the AIA South Dakota Annual Convention, scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 12 and Friday, Sept. 13 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.Read more about the speaker lineup and see the full schedule on AIA South Dakota’s website. Get your tickets now to lock in the early-bird …

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Tricks of the Trade: How to Effectively Evaluate Ideas

Evaluating ideas is a crucial step in the creative process to determine which concepts are worth pursuing further. Step 1: Clearly Define the Problem or Goal the Idea Aims to Address Ensure the idea aligns with the objectives you want to achieve. In order to do this, one must define the objectives first. Consider factors …

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A Day in the Life of an Architect

Have you ever wondered what a typical day looks like for an architect? Well, you’re in luck because in today’s post I break down what my day commonly looks like. Keep in mind that one of my favorite things about this industry is that no two days are exactly the same and that the experience …

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6 Tips for Thinking Creatively

Thinking creatively involves exploring new ideas, making connections between seemingly unrelated concepts, and generating unique solutions to problems. Read some tips to foster creative thinking!

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Design in the Hills 2023 photo by Jeremy Altman, AIA

Join us for Design in the Hills 2024

Design in the Hills is unique in the design world; although there are sponsors and continuing education credits, very little of it is provided in a traditional classroom setting. The conference is interactive and mobile. Design in the Hills is a unique gathering of architects, landscape architects, interior designers, engineers and artists from across the …

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South Dakota Architect named one of National Young Architect Award Recipients 2024

AIA National has announced this year’s 2024 award for the Young Architect Award. 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 was …

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AIA SD leaders visit with all 3 members of SD’s delegation

Cover image: AIA SD President Jeff Nelson, AIA, and AIA SD President-elect Justin Oleson, AIA, meet with U.S. Sen. John Thune to discuss federal issues that impact our state and country. They are by Lakisha Ann Woods, CAE, EVP and CEO of AIA, AIA President-elect Evelyn Lee, FAIA, NOMA, and AIA President Kimberly Dowdell, AIA, …

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Women in Construction Week

Welcome Women In Construction (WIC) week! Thank you McGough for being the lead sponsor for the important work of removing barriers for women to not only come into architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) fields but to find a successful and thriving career in this industry through our Say It Loud: South Dakota exhibit elevating women …

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The Importance of Ethics and AI

AI can be a tool, but we must respect it, use it properly, and give credit where credit is due.

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A Few of My Favorite Architect-ish Things

Disclaimer: None of these items are sponsored. This list is strictly intended for entertainment and is not the opinion of AIA or AIA SD. Enjoy! Amazon.com: Pantone: The Game – Simple-to-Play Competitive Party Game – Ages 8 and Up – Create Pop Culture Characters Using Only Color Swatches and Your Own Creativity! : Toys & …

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