AIA Austin 2026 Design Excellence Conference   August 27-28 at the Commons Conference Center, JJ Pickle Research Campus of UT Austin

Two full days of educational sessions, keynotes, and the Design Expo. This year the BEC Symposium will be featured as a building science track on Friday!  3+ hours of On-Demand Courses accessible online during the conference through the end of the year. The AIA Austin Design Excellence Conference delivers dynamic content through renowned keynote speakers, inspiring breakout sessions, and local project tours, all focused on sustainability, resiliency, and inclusive design through the lens of AIA's Framework for Design Excellence.

Conference Theme: Fluid

In an era defined by uncertainty, building design is evolving beyond static forms toward flexible, dynamic systems capable of responding to rapid change. By emphasizing resilience, human-centered design, and meaningful connection in the age of AI, architects today are challenged to create environments that are both adaptable and deeply human; environments that are Fluid.

When creating your course submission, please consider the following:

• Include voices from all perspectives. As always, we challenge you to compile topics and panels featuring inclusivity and diversity.
• We strongly encourage you to include other professionals to broaden the impact and efficacy of architecture.