Thank you for your interest in volunteering with AIA San Francisco. Throughout the year, we have many events and programs where volunteers have the opportunity to interact with local architects and designers and learn more about the field. In exchange for a few hours of your dedicated time, volunteers get a chance to learn about architectural developments in the Bay Area, and you receive free admission to the event at which you volunteer.
For most volunteer opportunities, you do not need a an architectural background - just a willingness and ability to interact with the public. To be placed on our volunteer opportunity e-mail list (low traffic) just send an email to Jaime Wong, Festival Volunteer Coordinator at [jwong] 'at' [aiasf.org]. Online volunteer event registration will be available in August 2008 for the Home Tours and Architecture + the City Festival.
There are several large events every year where we look for volunteers; here are some of the general dates:
- Small Firms, Great Projects Exhibition & Gala - January
- AIA San Francisco Design Awards Gala - April
- Architecture + the City Festival / Home Tours - September
- AIA San Francisco Annual Business Meeting & Member Party - November
Details about our largest volunteer event, the annual Home Tours, are below.
HOME TOURS: SEPTEMBER 13 + 14, 2008
The annual program provides design enthusiasts and the general public with an inside look into the world of distinctive residences in San Francisco. Tour participants have the opportunity to see some of the city's latest residential projects from the inside out, meet with project designers, explore housing trends, and discover design solutions that inspire unique San Francisco living.
Click Here to view images from the 2007 San Francisco Living: Home Tours Weekend.
VOLUNTEER BENEFITS
- Free pass for one day of the San Francisco Living: Home Tours Weekend.
- Free admission to The Architect's Forum, where the architects discuss their process and answer questions on the homes. Date & Location TBA , typically within the week prior to the tours.
- Other benefits and discounts have included complimentary coffee coupons and a free event t-shirt.
VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS
HOME TOURS DOCENTS:
Be willing to commit to a three-hour shift on Saturday, September 13 and/or Sunday, September 14. Morning shift times are approximately 10:30 am - 1:30 pm, and afternoon shifts will be approximately 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Home Tours docents are present inside the homes, making sure visitors are respectful and follow the rules outlined in the Home Tours ticket.
HEAD DOCENTS FOR HOME TOURS:
Leaders are needed at each home to supervise volunteers assigned to your shift. ensure sufficient coverage in the rooms and at the froon door, and answer questions. You must have access to a car as you will also be responsible for transporting two boxes of bottled water to your assigned home the day of the tour. Most Head Docents have participated with the AIA SF Home Tours for at least one year, and they must be available prior to the tour weekend for a brief leadership & training meeting.
HEADQUARTERS DOCENTS:
Headquarters docents assist with registration and general questions at the Home Tours Headquarters (location TBD for 2008). Be willing to commit to a three-hour shift on Saturday, September 13 and/or Sunday, September 14. Morning shift is approximately 9:30 am - 12:30 pm. Afternoon shift is approximately 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm.
MANDATORY DOCENT MEETING:
Week of September 8th, 2008 (Exact date & time TBA)
AIA San Francisco, 130 Sutter Street, Suite 600, San Francisco
Learn more about each home being shown on the tour and sign up for any remaining shifts. (We encourage every volunteer to sign up online by August in order to receive all the preliminary information.) You will receive brief training, a packet of information and directions to the home(s). It is also an opportunity to meet other volunteers and arrange for group carpools. If you would like to volunteer but cannot attend the docent meeting, you must contact the office in advance to make arrangements. You can call (415) 62-7397 or email [info] @ [aiasf.org].
ARCHITECTURE AND THE CITY: SEPTEMBER 1-30
Now in it's 5th year, Architecture and the City is the first series of its kind in the Bay Area to feature architectural tours, film screenings, exhibitions, design lectures and more. The month-long celebration engages members of the public, design enthusiasts and architects and designers with a deeper appreciation for San Francisco 's rich architectural and design community.
Stay Tuned for Volunteer Sign Up Registration!
Many of the same popular events from last year will occur again this year. Volunteers must arrive 30 minutes prior to the start of the event, and assist staff with guest registration and distribution of materials. Volunteers receive free admission to the event to which they volunteer, and may receive additional benefits or discounts. Following is a list of popular volunteer events:
- Architecture + City Festival Kick Off Party
- SF Public Library Architectural Film Series
- AIA San Francisco Lecture Series
- Pecha Kucha Recaps Architecture and the City
- Architectural Gems Bike Tour
Questions? Contact Rebecca Evans at [revans]@[aiasf.org] or 415.874.2629
