For its Design Week, AIA Tampa Bay’s Center of Architecture and Design shows off the area’s historic and unique structures while bringing in filmmakers and award-winning designers.
Historic Mirror Lake Walking Tour Preserve the Burg leads the first event on Sunday, April 13 with a walking tour of Mirror Lake. The area, which includes the 1916 Carnegie Library and the 1924 St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club, was designated as a Local Historic District in late 2024. The 90-minute day begins with a tour of the Unitarian Universalist Church, and costs $20.
Tampa Bay Design Week film event and panel discussion Tampa Theatre hosts Tampa Bay Design Week’s biggest event on Monday, April 14. Free Back-to-back screenings of documentaries about two iconic homes—”The House: 6 Points of Departure,” and “This is Not a House”—followed by a live panel discussion with California-based filmmakers Susan Goggin, Greg Goggin, and Casey Acaster as well as architect Robin Donaldson, featured in the films. The reception starts at 5:30 p.m., and there’s no cover.
USF’s Judy Genshaft Honors College A Tuesday, April 15 tour explores building siting, architectural concept, and broad project concepts at one of the University of South Florida’s most recognizable buildings, the five-story 85,000 -square-foot Judy Genshaft Honors College. Cover is $20.
20×20: Perspectives From Award-Winning Architects Head to AIA’s Tampa headquarters (1208 S Howard Ave., Tampa) on Wednesday, April 16 for a series of fast-paced presentations by past winners of the Eduardo Garcia Award, the prestigious honor given to licensed architects under 40. Cover is $20.
The Water Street walking tour on Thursday, April 17 is sold out, likely because it included rooftop drinks at The Edition.
The Tampa Urban Riverboat Tour Explore Tampa’s waterfront on Friday, April 18 through the lens of urban planning, architecture and sustainability. Urban designer Josh Frank and architect Ross Tisdale lead the tour on the Pirate Taxi to discuss the city’s urban evolution and waterfront revitalization while cruising the Hillsborough River. The tour leaves from the Tampa Convention Center at 6 p.m. and costs $45.
Discover the architecture of Gene Leedy, FAIA and the Polk Museum of Art The last Tampa Bay Design Week happens Saturday, April 19 brings to light Polk County’s most fascinating design spots starting at Florida Southern College’s Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art (The AGB, known as the Polk Museum of Art). The tour moves to Winter Haven to see three properties by the renowned Sarasota-School Architect, Gene Leedy, FAIA. The tour starts at noon and costs $30. A design saloon afterward at the Gene Leedy House costs an extra $60.
There is no cover for the film event and panel discussion happening Monday, April 14 at the Tampa Theatre. Other Design Week events cost $20-$45.
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This article appears in Apr 10-16, 2025.