In 2006, members of the Central Arizona Chapter and the Rio Salado Chapter voted to combine membership and the Phoenix Metro Chapter was born.  Serving the greater metropolitan area of the Valley of the Sun .

The AIA Rio Salado Chapter was chartered in November of 1978. The first chapter meeting was held that month when East Valley architects gathered at a cafeteria style restaurant on the Tempe-Mesa border.  The AIA national charter was on display at that meeting and all members were invited to add their names to the new chapter charter.  The meeting was run by Dr. Bob Hershberger, FAIA, who at the time was the acting dean of ASU’s College of Architecture.