Architecture for Everyone at AIA 26

This is a report from a national architects' conference in San Diego, not a story about a new energy program or upgrade you can act on. The event focused on architecture that serves people well, including accessible design and disaster housing, rather than rebates or retrofits for existing homes.

A few themes stood out. Architect Shigeru Ban, honored with the AIA Gold Medal, spoke about his work designing temporary housing for disaster survivors, often using paper tubes or shipping containers. Another session covered accessibility, urging designers to go beyond minimum code requirements and think about "designing with, not for" people with disabilities. The San Diego mayor also noted the city is building more multifamily housing per capita than anywhere else in the country.

On the exhibit floor, some building products of note included porcelain and ceramic tile lines and a glass film called bird frit, which adds a visible pattern to windows so birds can see and avoid the glass, a small but useful detail for anyone worried about bird collisions on their own house.

None of this points to a specific rebate, deadline, or technology change for your home. It is more a snapshot of what architects are thinking about right now: designing well for people who need extra consideration, from disaster survivors to people with disabilities, plus a look at some newer building materials that could eventually show up in homes.