Architecture for Kids & The American Institute of Architects | Architecture Week 2026: Inspiring the Next Generation
Welcome to this special edition of the Architecture for Kids podcast, created in collaboration with The American Institute of Architects to celebrate Architecture Week 2026.
Hosted by Antonio Capelao—trained as an architect, architectural educator, and Founding Director of the award‑winning Architecture for Kids CIC—this podcast series explores how young people are engaging with architecture today. Antonio is also a doctoral student at the Institute of Education and The Bartlett, UCL, and a design tutor at the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University.
Throughout this series, Antonio speaks with inspiring young designers and future architects taking part in Architecture Week 2026, which takes place across the United States from April 12 to 18. Architecture Week celebrates the profession of architecture and invites everyone—especially K–12 students—to explore architecture and design.
The aim of this podcast is to inspire and engage young people to shape their built environment, while highlighting pathways into architecture and the wider creative industries. Together, we explore how education, creativity, and community can nurture the next generation of architects.
This episode is brought to you by Architecture for Kids CIC in collaboration with The American Institute of Architects.
Join us in celebrating Architecture Week 2026 from April 12 to 18.
Find out more and learn how to participate at aia.org/architecture-week.
Brandon Farley, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, leads the Higher Education Practice at American Structurepoint and has spent more than two decades designing award‑winning academic facilities across the Midwest. He is also a passionate advocate for design education, long‑time Chair of the Indiana High School Architectural Design Competition, and co‑author of a forthcoming book for aspiring young designers.
Devon Davis is a Nationally Certified Counselor and an experienced K–12 school counselor, administrator, and program developer with more than two decades of experience across public, private, and charter schools. She now serves approximately 100,000 members of the American Institute of Architects, supporting their efforts to inspire and guide the next generation of architects.
Ella is a rising senior from Fort Worth, Texas, who aspires to study architecture and spend her career in the field. She has always been fascinated by old houses and looking at floor plans. To further her and her peers' interest in architecture, Ella has recently founded the first chapter of AIAS at her high school, which is to officially begin in the upcoming school year. In addition to architecture, Ella plays the French horn, sings in multiple choirs, and is on the yearbook staff.
Grace George is a high school senior with a passion for design and creativity. She created an architectural concept for a recreation and rehabilitation center for a de-extinct animal for the AIA Indiana High School Architectural Design Competition. A dedicated artist, Grace has completed AP Art courses, displayed her work in two school art shows, and earned a commission from one of her pieces, reflecting her goal of bringing artistry back to modern architecture.
Hi, my name is Jack McMahon and I am from Las Vegas, Nevada. I was a part of the architecture program at my high school, Advanced Technologies Academy, and am now studying architecture at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. I really love architecture because I think of it as art with logic and people behind it, creating a feeling that I couldn’t find in any other subject area.
Joaquin Sanchez is a student at El Dorado High School in El Paso, Texas, where he has been studying architecture for four years. He has competed in AIA competitions since his sophomore year and recently served as Treasurer of the Architecture Club, where he helped manage funds and support younger members.
I’m delighted to welcome Lucas Zhu, a high school student passionate about the intersection of design, problem‑solving, and human experience. His project for Architecture Week reimagines San Francisco’s UN Plaza as a multi‑layered civic space that is safer, more inclusive, and more connected to daily life. We’ll be exploring his ideas, his design philosophy, and what inspires him as a young architect in the making.
lya Prytup, a finalist from the 2025 AIA Toledo High School Design Competition and now an Architectural Engineering student at the University of Cincinnati, with interests in sustainable construction, historic restoration, and the use of natural materials in architecture.
Marcel Wolosik is a 16-year-old architecture student at Sussex County Technical School in New Jersey and a dual-enrolment student at Sussex County Community College. He is passionate about architecture, design, and creative problem-solving, and co-founded DesignWrinkle, a platform focused on design and emerging voices.
Michael Rowe, AIA, LEED AP ID+C, is a licensed architect and Partner at Buehrer Group Architecture & Engineering. As Lead Architect and Project Manager, he has guided a wide range of public and institutional projects, while also contributing to community planning and mentoring young designers through the AIA High School Design Competition Committee.
Natalie Quintero is also an aspiring architect focused on creating spaces that foster connection and community. She has trained for four years in the Aztec Architecture Academy and is a recent graduate of El Paso Community College. Natalie has competed in AIA, TSA, SkillsUSA, ACE Phoenix, and Paso Del Norte, gaining hands-on experience with firms and worksites.
Samantha Chavez is an aspiring architect passionate about using design to bring creativity and life to the built environment. Her interest began early through a love of making and building. She has spent four years in the Aztec Architecture Academy and two years in the ACE Mentor Program, gaining insight from industry professionals.