This fall, AN’s Facades+ conference series will take place in five North American cities. In each city attendees will have the opportunity to tune into presentations on facade design for a range of building typologies from airports to retail shops to commercial developments, among other roundtable discussions and talks. This year marks the event’s 13th anniversary.
Facades+ kicks off the season in Chicago on September 12 with a thought-provoking program co-chaired by SmithGroup. The event will feature a variety of projects, including the new Damen Green Line Station by Perkins&Will, the tree-inspired Populus Hotel by Studio Gang, and the much-anticipated 400 North Lakeshore Drive by SOM. Roundtable discussions will delve into envelope excellence, advances in facade materials and technology, and the role of collaboration in addressing complex challenges.
Next, the event comes to Toronto on September 26, in collaboration with Diamond Schmitt. The program will highlight several exciting new case studies in the region, including the parametrically sculpted limestone facade of Royal de Versailles Rolex Boutique by PARTISANS, the iconographic wrapper of the Dawes Road Library by Smoke Architecture, and the high-tech SkyTower at One Yonge by Hariri Pontarini Architects. Sessions will share insights on high-performance and low-carbon innovations, advanced building envelope products, and strategies for improving building skins. From a civic perspective, Sarah Rodrigues, senior project manager at the City of Toronto, will present net-zero strategies for architects and design professionals.
On October 17, Facades+ comes to Boston with a program co-chaired by AECOM. The event will feature case studies on the South Station Tower by Pelli Clarke & Partners, a 51-story glass tower rising above the historic headhouse; the 2 Harbor Life Sciences Center by Handel Architects, a LEED Platinum waterfront lab with copper-toned panels; and Logan International Airport’s Terminal E by AECOM, distinguished by its prismatic red panels. Speakers will also discuss strategies for advancing climate resilience and energy performance, and approaches to integrating large-scale projects within their urban context.
On November 20, Facades+ returns to Seattle in collaboration with ZGF. The program will highlight innovative facade projects across the Pacific Northwest, including ZGF’s brick-clad, mass timber PAE Living Building in Portland. Sessions will also explore advances in digital modeling and energy performance, along with a civic perspective on Seattle’s Living Building Pilot, a climate initiative reshaping building and transportation systems for a fossil-free future.
On December 11 and 12, Facades+ comes to Los Angeles for its biggest event of the season. In partnership with co-chair NBBJ, AN has assembled a wide-ranging program of case studies and discussions. Speakers include Winka Dubbeldam, founder of Archi-Tectonics, along with leaders from Richärd Kennedy Architects, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Buro Happold, Heintges, Eckersley O’Callaghan, and more.
As always, the second day features a series of workshops led by leading architecture and engineering firms—including RDH Building Science, Thornton Tomasetti, HKS, Perkins&Will, and West of West—offering in-depth explorations of building enclosure design and development strategies.
Looking ahead to spring 2026, Facades+ will visit San Francisco on January 22, Atlanta on February 25, Dallas on March 10, and New York on March 26 and 27, with additional stops planned in ten more North American cities later in the year.
Click here to find more information and register for an event near you!
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