The Pretoria Institute for Architecture (PIA) is a Voluntary Association recognised by the South African Council for the Architectural Profession, and is a ‘Regional Institute’ of the South African Institute of Architects.

The PIA has origins in the Pretoria Architectural Society which was founded in 1945. The PIA was created to serve the interests of architects in the Pretoria area, to further good Architecture and to care for the Architectural heritage unique to Pretoria.

Well known architects including Norman Eaton, Tobie Louw, Adriaan Louw, Peter Kuhn and Thomas Honiball served as architects, in various capacities in Pretoria through the PAS. The Transvaal Provincial Institute of Architects, having existed for the better part of a century, ceased to exist in the early 1990's and the South African Institute of Architects was established. This was the opportunity for the local architectural societies to become regional institutes in their own right.

The Pretoria Architectural Society became the new Pretoria Institute of Architects. However, the constitution and subsequently the name changed to acknowledge and provide for other forms of membership, such as Technologists, Artists, Historians and Friends. Our name is now the Pretoria Institute for Architecture.

The Presidents to date have been Ian Alexander, Gerrit Jordaan, Niel Crafford, Louis Bouwer, Ron Remmers, Phillip Crafford and Braam de Villiers.

The current President is Gideon Schoonraad and the Vice President is Pieter Mathews with the Braam de Villiers as the Past President.

With a current membership of 596 across all categories of registration, the PIA is well placed in the Northern Gauteng region to serve the professional needs of its members.

While concentrating on the day to day aspects of running a practice, it also takes into account inter alia the dissemination of information, liaison with the local authorities, the promotion of the profession, heritage, education and matters pertaining to the habitat. These functions are carried out through committee structures which in turn are reflected in the constitution of the PIA.

Events typically include bi-annual exhibitions, professionally arranged publications, commitment to, organising and facilitating  of congresses, CPD events and expert advice to members. Friday breakfasts, luncheons,  talks at the two universities in Pretoria, biennial awards and other social events more often than not carry a professional or technical component, the combination of which being well received by the membership, accounting for the good attendance at all events.

Members of the PIA have been called to offer professional service at various universities throughout the country and to serve on various national and international professional bodies, giving credence to its mission and value to its members.