Three architects and designers are recognized in the 2023 AIA California Academy of Emerging Professionals award

AIA California has announced its three new additions to the  Academy of Emerging Professionals in recognition of their demonstrated potential, mentorship, and emergence as “next-generation turned this-generation leaders in the field of design.”

Two inductees – Leah Alissa Bayer and Andrew Goodwin – won the prestigious Young Architects Award for their contributions to the field and leadership, while Madhubala Ayyamperumal won the Associate Award in recognition of the same abilities demonstrated during the professional licensure process.

Bayer is the President of Architects FORA,“a 100% women-owned, 100% virtual mid-sized architecture firm specializing in affordable housing.” She was credited by the chapter as being a “force for change and the kind of change that we need as a profession.” She was joined by the founder of seven-year-old Andrew Goodwin Designs, who was cited as having impressive “goals, outcomes, and advancing the built environment for all mankind.”

Both were credited for their commitment to social equity causes as well as their firms’ work in the housing and humanitarian sectors at home and outside the United States.

Madhubala Ayyamperumal, who was also a 2020 recipient of the Paul J. Welch ARE Scholarship, is working as a Designer at Gensler’s Oakland office with past experience in Asia, the Middle East that demonstrates a “fluency of sustainability and wellness-centric design.” The award’s jury also said her hard work and dedication to “offers impressive credentials and a diversity of activities and involvement that advance architecture as a profession” before adding that her accomplishments were also “significant.”

Ayyamperumal completed her graduate study at Penn State University and is currently the Director of the AIA's Silicon Valley chapter.

“In relatively early years in their career, these three award recipients are demonstrating leadership in the field, with Leah and Andrew driving their respective practices in realizing meaningful design,” AIA California President Scott Gaudineer said finally of the winners.

The Awards committee for this year's honors included Amy Elliot, Anne Cotter, David Garcia, Matthew Harris, Dan Hogman, Edward Ogosta, Scott Mackey, and Liz Ranieri.