Building Technology Educators' Society Conference 2025
Conference Theme: Empowerment through an Architecture of Performance
Hosts: University of Waterloo and the American Institute of Steel Construction
Venue: Chicago Architectural Center | Chicago, IL
Historically, shifts in building technology and methodologies have generated changes in the expression and form of architecture. The Modern theorist and architect Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc said that the integration of architecture and technology is necessary to create an honest reflection of societal values, environment, and culture. He implies that the architecture produced with a knowledge of some engineering concepts would perform technically while manifesting novel architectural form and spatial experience.
Is this relevant today? Can students enhance design while they integrate technology, critically explore materials, or embrace nuances of user experience to ultimately feel empowered to make informed decisions? What technical or social factors impact architectural form and performance? What distinguishes performative architecture from performance-based design? How much understanding and ability is necessary to encourage architects to actively engage in decisions throughout the design process that have significant impact on users, building form, and performance?
Chicago will be the site of this, BTES’ 10th Biennial Conference. Chicago sits in the center of the mid-west United States, and, for a long time, was the center of technological development in architecture and engineering. From the first skyscrapers and tall buildings, to the renewal of the city center with landscapes and public functions, Chicago remains a city of architecture. We are hoping that, by situating the conference at the Chicago Architectural Center (CAC), with some off-site events at the Illinois Institute of Technology, the venues will serve to excite and inspire discussion. The CAC is within walking distance of Millennium Park and the Historic Loop District.
The call for abstracts, papers and posters will look for submissions that address aspects of performance in architecture. Topical areas will include:
Integrated Design; Design-Build; Energy and Embodied Carbon; Materials and Construction; Building Systems; User Experience and Cultural Topics; Urban Design; Open.
Timeline:
Sept. 16, 2024 Call for Papers and Posters announced
Sept. 30, 2024 Submissions portal opens
Oct. 28, 2024 Abstract submission deadline
Dec. 6, 2024 Preliminary notification to authors
Jan. 20, 2025 Full Papers and Posters due
Feb. 17, 2025 Registration opens
Feb. 24, 2025 Notification of Paper and Poster acceptance
April 4, 2025 Final revised Papers and Posters due
April 14, 2025 Early Bird registration deadline
May 2, 2025 Final deadline for accepted authors to register
May 29, 2025 Late general registration starts
Further information can be found at the conference website: 2025 BTES Conference