Blog

It’s important for your architect to be up to date on the latest in architectural design and industry innovations. This June, our architects and designers attended the 2026 American Institute of Architects Conference on Architecture & Design (AIA26). They watched presentations, traded stories with peers, and brought us back some of the current trends architects across the nation are seeing in their practice. Below are some of thoughts about what we saw, and what our clients can expect in 2026 and beyond.

We are pleased to announce Neumann Monson Architects has been recognized by the AIA Iowa Emerging Professionals Committee as a 2026 Emerging Professionals Friendly Firm. We believe it is imperative that firms guide the next generation of architecture professionals by championing newcomers in our industry and removing barriers for growth.

As a signatory and early adopter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Materials Pledge, our firm is involved in a growing movement of industry leaders committed to transforming the building materials industry.

In 2006, the 2030 Challenge from Architecture 2030 was launched to drive climate responsibility within the architecture industry.

On May 5, 2026, Neumann Monson was honored to receive an Outstanding Achievement award from United Way of Johnson & Washington Counties during their Community Celebration event. A frequent collaborator in our volunteering efforts, we proudly support United Way’s contributions to helping the communities we serve.

Neumann Monson Architects has been recognized by the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Great Plains Chapter with a 2026 Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) Honorable Mention for University of Iowa Health Care North Liberty Campus.

Happy Earth Day! We’re excited to share that Neumann Monson has completed our first-ever Carbon Footprint Report. Over the past couple of months, our team has been gathering data and running calculations, and we’re ready to share what we’ve learned from our 2025 carbon footprint process.

On April 14, Neumann Monson Architects led an open house to gather public feedback about preliminary plans for the ongoing Coralville recreation center and indoor pools project. Attendees were encouraged to view current architectural drawings and ask questions about the planned features for the project. Coralville Mayor Laurie Goodrich and Director of Parks and Recreation Sherri Proud also fielded questions and discussed future plans.

Neumann Monson Architects is proud to announce that three of our design projects have won 2026 Green Good Design Sustainability Awards, an accomplishment that further highlights our commitment to excellent sustainable design.

We are pleased to announce that our Iowa City Studio renovation is now Living Building Challenge® Core certified through Living Future. This certification required a design that prioritized ecological impact, wellness, and equity, and the final construction passed rigorous audits to prove real-world performance.