Individual tickets are now on sale for the 2026 AIA Arizona State Conference, to be held Friday, October 23, 2026, at The Clayton House in Scottsdale! Special early bird ticket rates are available now through September 30 only!
Chaired by 2026 AIA Arizona President-elect Dan Maher, AIA, a Regional Executive with Kitchell, the conference is a full day of speakers, camaraderie, insight, inspiration, and connection with more than 425 architecture professionals.
A liminal place or moment is a transition—a threshold or an intermediate state, phase, or condition—often with extraordinary potential. At a time between familiar paradigms and an uncertain future, the 2026 AIA Arizona State Conference will explore the liminal nature of this moment in which technological, environmental, and cultural forces are reshaping the discipline. As established boundaries are dissolving and new possibilities are emerging, architects can redefine the boundaries of practice, expanding our role as designers, advocates, and stewards of the built environment.
Confirmed featured speakers joining us from across the country are Germane Barnes, Winka Dubbeldam, Jing Liu, Alan Ricks, and Julia Watson. The emcee will be John Cary, the Founding President and CEO of the Eames Institute.
Conference Agenda:
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM: Light Breakfast and Coffee
8:00 AM: Program Begins
Introductory remarks by AIA Arizona Executive Director John Czarnecki, President Elizabeth McLean, AIA, Conference Chair Dan Maher, AIA, and emcee John Cary.
Exact speaker timeslots subject to change
MORNING FEATURED SPEAKER: Julia Watson
Designer, activist, academic, and author Julia Watson is a leading expert on indigenous nature-based technologies. She is the co-lead of Lo–TEK Office of Intercultural Urbanism, and has authored “Lo-TEK: Design by Radical Indigenism” and “Lo―TEK. Water. A Field Guide for TEKnology (Varia).”
MORNING FEATURED SPEAKER: Winka Dubbeldam
Winka Dubbeldam is the founding partner of Archi-Tectonics NYC, a design studio in New York City, Amsterdam, and Hangzhou. Since September 2025, Dubbeldam is Director and CEO of SCI-Arc in Los Angeles. She is Professor Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania, where she chaired the Department of Architecture (2013-23).
Presentation About the Eames Institute: John Cary
John Cary is the Founding President & CEO of the Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity, a 501c3 public charity dedicated to advancing the legacy of Ray and Charles Eames and their approach to creative problem-solving positively shaping our world.
Lunch Hour
Lunch is included with all tickets. The lunch hour will include book signings with multiple featured speakers.
AFTERNOON FEATURED SPEAKER: Germane Barnes
Germane Barnes is an architect, designer, tenured professor, and Director of the Community Housing Identity Lab (CHIL) at the University of Miami School of Architecture. He is the director of the Miami-based design firm Studio Barnes.
AFTERNOON FEATURED SPEAKER: Jing Liu, AIA
Jing Liu s an architect, educator, and co-founder of the award-winning design firm Solid Objectives – Idenburg Liu (SO-IL) in New York City. Through building practice and interdisciplinary research projects, Liu has led SO–IL in the engagement with the socio-political issues of contemporary cities.
AFTERNOON FEATURED SPEAKER: Alan Ricks, AIA
Alan Ricks is Founding Principal and Co-Executive Director of Model of Architecture Serving Society (MASS), and co-author of the new book “Seeking Abundance.” Rooted in leading research and deep local knowledge, MASS creates civic spaces that set new standards for design excellence. MASS was honored with the national AIA Architecture Firm Award in 2022.
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM: Closing Reception
Click here to become a sponsor of the 2026 State Conference.
Click here to see photos of the 2025 AIA Arizona State Conference.
What is the conference experience like? Click on the video below to see highlights (including people you likely know!) from last year’s AIA Arizona State Conference!