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Virtual Architecture Practice: Alternative Realities for the Emerging Gig Economy

2019-VAP
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1.50 LU
4.36
Course expires on: 06/08/2026
$35
Architect$35

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Description

Balancing work and personal life often seems unattainable. However, new forms of practicing architecture—or starting a firm—are delivering the flexibility employees want and the cost savings that firms need.

Join us for a close look at the virtual architectural practice model. From soup to nuts, you'll acquire a deeper understanding of legal and insurance requirements, licensing differences, and how to implement cloud server technology and the like.

Course expires on 11/24/2026.

Learning Objectives

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Develop fluency in various forms of virtual architectural practice.

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Learn how to navigate the legal requirements for employees and independent contractors.

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Understand some of the risks associated with technology and learn about policies and procedures to manage them.

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Evaluate the different types of insurance coverage available and what they cover.

Instructors
Kevin Collins
Assoc. AIA

Kevin J. Collins, RPLU, Associate AIA, is a Senior Vice President with Victor O. Schinnerer & Company, Inc. He has more than 28 years of experience working with design firms and other construction-related professional service firms on issues of professional liability exposure and business risks. He has spoken extensively on challenges to the design profession and a wide array of practice management issues. Mr. Collins is a graduate of the College of William & Mary.

Charles R. Heuer
FAIA, Esq.

Charles R. Heuer, FAIA, Esq. holds an NCARB certificate and is a registered architect in Massachusetts, Virginia, Ohio and Florida. He is also an attorney admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Virginia, and is a mediator/arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association (AAA). Mr. Heuer served for 9 years on the NCARB Architects’ Registration Exam (ARE) Committee for Construction Documents and Services. Presently, he is principal in The Heuer Law Group, which provides legal services to firms and individuals in the design and construction industry. Finally, he is President of La/eGAL, Inc. which operates the LegaLine legal information service for the AIA Trust.

Lira Luis
AIA, NCARB, RIBA, LEED AP

Lira Luis, AIA, NCARB, RIBA, LEED AP, principal architect at ALLL/Leapfrog Project, delivers presentations at national conferences named in the "Gold 100 Listing of the world's largest and most successful trade shows” for the past 20 years. She organized and led AIA Practice Management’s (PMKC) “Virtual Practices: The Impact of Technology and Transience on New Histories in Practice” partner program at the 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial, subsequently co-authored a resulting white paper with AIA Trust “An Architect's Guide to Virtual Practice” that reached more than 30,000 AIA members, and moderated the webinar “Virtual Architectural Practice – An Alternate Reality”. At A’16 Conference on Architecture she shared solutions about the gig economy and potential for Virtual Practices in “Rethinking the Workplace: Co-Working Spaces for Architects”. She brings more than 25 years of architecture experience and is emeritus chair of AIA PMKC. After graduating from the Frank Lloyd Wright School of architecture, working in firms in the USA and abroad, earning NCARB certification, she now runs a hybrid traditional and virtual practice.

Peter S. Macrae
AIA

Peter S. Macrae, AIA, is Principal of Macrae ARCHitecture, LLC a national, full service Virtual Architectural practice seven years running. He has 38 years of experience in architectural design, project management, and business development and is a licensed Architect in 38 states with numerous design awards. Peter serves on the advisory boards of the AIA Practice Management Knowledge Community and recently taught Environmental Branding at The Ohio State University, Knowlton School of Architecture.

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