He suggested that a local organisation be formed along the lines of London's Architectural Association, "to afford facilities for the study of architecture, the applied sciences and the fine arts by means of papers and discussions; sectional meetings, classes for study; prizes; visits to public works and buildings or excursions for sketching; and such other means as the council may determine".
At the instigation and with the support of the institute, pupilage was initially supplemented by evening classes and by the 1920s, a School of Architecture was established.
[3] The DIA Awards are now in their third decade and have undergone a rapid growth, which has also seen a dramatic increase in the quality of the overall submissions.
The annual Awards (held in November) are a key part of the strategy to promote architecture via education and engagement with the general public.
Past winners have included Frank Gehry, Richard Murphy and Building Design Partnership.