AAPI DESIGN ALLIANCE PHILADELPHIA CHAPTER
2025 AAPIDA PA Events + 2024 Philadelphia Chapter LAUNCH
January 2025
Accessibility in Design: Christie Ileto and Maria Liana Mutia
Link to Instagram Reel
Featured on 6abc Action News - Link to Feature
Thank you to our special guests, Christie Ileto and Maria Liana Mutia, for their thoughtful conversation about accessibility in design, and the team at the Asian Arts Initiative.
March 2025
Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove Asian Street Food Adventure
Link to Instagram Reel
Thank you to our generous sponsors, Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove, for hosting 100 guests at their impressive Navy Yard Showroom. Special thanks to the Kampar team for the delicious Malaysian cuisine and to IDS Philadelphia for collaborating with us.
April 2025
Private Tour of the Nakashima Foundation for Peace
Link to Instagram Reel 1 and Reel 2
Thank you to Mira Nakashima, daughter of George Nakashima and President of the Nakashima Foundation for Peace in New Hope, PA, for our unforgettable and special AAPIDA Philadelphia private tour. Incredibly inspired by her family's history and legacy in architecture and woodworking craftsmanship. She even joined us for a delectable farm to table lunch at @heirloom Doylestown.
May 2025
PhilaNOMA X AAPIDA Mixer and Karaoke
Continued celebrating AAPI Heritage Month with a Mixer with PhilaNOMA X AAPIDA Philadelphia at Yakitori Boy. Thank you to Alexis Gentry of PhilaNOMA (National Organization of Minority Architects) for collaborating with us. Thanks to Jeremiah Belocura of Facility Design Resource for introducing us and sponsoring the event.
february 2025
Lunar New Year Celebration at The Rail Park
Thank you to The Rail Park and their Executive Director and AAPIDA Member,
Rebecca Chan, for inviting AAPIDA PA to sponsor and help with the Flower Market 💐
March 2025
Private Tour by Curator of the Exhibit, Naoto Fukasawa: Things in Themselves
A special thank you to Colin Fanning, Curator at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, for an insightful and inspiring private tour exploring Naoto Fukasawa’s design ethos and creative process.
May 2025
Private Tour, Tea and Talk at the Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center
Celebrated AAPI Heritage Month by visiting Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center, designed by Junzo Yoshimura in 1953. Thank you to @jasgphiladelphia for the Shofuso Tour and Tea Tasting. Thank you to AAPIDA PA Student Representative, Michael Giammasi, a Landscape Architecture student at Jefferson University for sharing his Shofuso presentation at Shofuso.
October 2024
AAPI Design Alliance Philadelphia Chapter Launch
Thank you to everyone who came and supported the Philadelphia Chapter Launch of the AAPI Design Alliance on October 9, 2024 at DesignPhiladelphia.
Thank you to our hosts FIFTEEN Architecture + Design and Millesime.
Thank you to our generous sponsors, NK Construction and CBM Creative.
February 2025
Kohler Karaoke
Thank you to the “Kohler Ladies” (think of the song “Single Ladies”) at Kohler KOP for a fab evening and supporting AAPIDA Philadelphia since our launch in October 2024. What began as a suggestion in jest turned into a lively Kohler Karaoke reality 🎤 surrounded by luxury bathroom and kitchen products.
APRIL 2025
Philadelphia Emerging Architects (PEA) Professional Development Workshop
Link to Instagram Reel
Thank you to Raphaella Perreira, Erin Urffer, the PEA Board, our jurors, and volunteers for making the event a success. We’re inspired by the incredible students and emerging professionals in architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban design who shared their work. 🙌
May 2025
Lunch and Learn with Cecil Adams, VP and Creative Director of Currey & Company
Continued celebrating AAPI Heritage Month with a Lunch and Learn with Currey & Co at Bright Light Design Center in Philadelphia. Thank you to Adele Faust, Sam Caplan and Kiana Patel, AAPIDA Member, of Bright Light for hosting. Thank you to Cecil Adams, Creative Director of Currey & Co, for flying in from Atlanta, GA, to share the history of Currey & Co and their latest products lines.