National Architecture Week gets underway April 10-16, 2011. It is a time to call attention to and publicize the many ways in which architects contribute to society and the importance of design. The event is celebrated around the general anniversary of the founding of The American Institute of Architects (AIA).

This year, as has been done in the past, AIA will have discussions, lectures, video presentations, and other features to reach the public and get industry professionals and anyone interested in design, sharing thoughts, and asking questions.

With that in mind, I took a moment to follow AIA National on itsTwitter page (@aianational) for its monthly Twitter Chat discussion, which was originally launched in April 2010 and takes place every first Wednesday of each month from 2-3:30 p.m. EST.

Using one of the Twitter Chat tools, interested participants can connect using the hashtag “#aiachat” to follow the discussion or chip in with a question or comment.

The April 6 topic focused on architects and their role in disaster preparedness. There were great questions and suggestions, and points to ponder, such as the lack of disaster management training courses; whether architects should be proactive, reactive, or both in times of disaster; training for disaster mitigation over management; and a point made by one participant during the chat that stuck out to me the most: “Imagine what we could accomplish together-as opposed to working individually.”

Missed it? Don’t worry, follow AIA National and get ready for next month.