Study Architecture 
ProPEL Social Change and Innovation at the 2026 AASA/ACSA International Conference
PRESS RELEASE
Social Change and Innovation at the 2026 AASA/ACSA International Conference
For Immediate Release:
Washington, D.C., May 6, 2026 — The Association of Architecture Schools of Australasia (AASA) and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) are excited to announce the keynote speakers for the 2026 AASA/ACSA International Conference: Elizabeth Bowie Christoforetti and Jacob Reidel; David Kaunitz and Ka Wai Yeung of Kaunitz Yeung Architecture; and Marni Reti. Under the theme of Planetary Practice: Architecture of a Shared Global Future, the 2026 AASA/ACSA International Conference will convene architectural researchers, educators, and practitioners to investigate how design can respond to today’s urgent and interconnected global challenges.
The conference will take place in Magandjin–Meanjin (Brisbane), the capital city of Queensland, Australia, as well as on the Gold Coast, July 8-11, 2026. Sessions will take place at Queensland University of Technology, Griffith University, and Bond University. Conference participants will have access to thought-provoking research sessions, networking opportunities, and exciting events, including tours of architectural projects and cultural landmarks. Along with exciting activities, conference attendees will have the opportunity to attend keynote sessions delivered by distinguished architectural educators and practitioners who are driving meaningful change in the built environment. Read on to learn more about the esteemed keynote speakers.
The conference will commence on Thursday, July 9, with concurrent sessions, and that evening, the opening keynote address will be presented by acclaimed architects Elizabeth Bowie Christoforetti and Jacob Reidel.
Elizabeth Bowie Christoforetti is an associate professor in practice of architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, where she directs the Laboratory for Values in the Built Environment. She is also the founding principal of Supernormal, an architecture and urban design studio based in Cambridge, MA. She founded Supernormal to create meaningful and practical change through the intersection of architecture, urbanism, technology, and contemporary culture. Elizabeth’s work joins a perspective of radical pragmatism with a deep value for the potential of design imagination and architectural intelligence.
Jacob Reidel is founder and director of Project on Practice, an independent research and advisory platform dedicated to studying and advancing the systems that organize architectural practice—from firms and professional organizations to licensure, regulation, instruments of service, and project delivery models—and the ways these systems shape the capacity of architects to address contemporary local and global challenges. From 2019 to 2025, Reidel served as Assistant Professor in Practice of Architecture at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, where he taught courses on professional practice, exploring new models of practice, and examining how architectural organizations operate and deliver projects.
The AASA/ACSA International Conference will conclude on Saturday, July 11, on the Gold Coast at Bond University, with a closing keynote delivered by David Kaunitz, Ka Wai Yeung, and Marni Reti of Kaunitz Yeung Architecture.
David Kaunitz is an architect and co-founder of Kaunitz Yeung Architecture, an Australian practice internationally recognised for community-led design with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across remote and regional contexts. Over more than two decades, Kaunitz’s work has focused on health, aged care, housing, and cultural projects that integrate architecture with Country, culture, and community governance. David is also an Associate Professor of Practice at the University of Sydney, where he teaches Indigenous-led co-design and socially responsive architecture.
Ka Wai Yeung co-founded Kaunitz Yeung Architecture to create socially responsible, culturally sensitive, and humane architecture. At the heart of her work is a deep commitment to co-design and co-building with local communities. Together with her team, she has demonstrated how architecture can empower people, sensitively integrate with Country, and maximise social impact at every stage of the process. She has had the privilege of working with Indigenous communities across Australia and throughout the Pacific. Kawai is dedicated to supporting the continuation of heritage and culture, and to bridging social gaps, with a particular focus on health and aged care, cultural and arts centres, schools, and housing.
Marni Reti is a proud Palawa and Ngāti Wai woman, born and raised on Gadigal, D’harawal and Bidjigal Country with ties to Redfern, Waterloo and wider inner-city/inner-west Aboriginal communities. She is a registered architect in NSW. Leti was previously an Associate at Kaunitz Yeung Architecture, with whom she still collaborates closely. She currently holds a position as Senior Lecturer at USYD. She has long been an advocate for the respectful incorporation of Indigenous knowledge into architectural education and practice, with an academic and professional career dedicated to participatory design with community and Country to amplify culture.
Kaunitz Yeung Architecture has received numerous national and international awards, including the UIA Vassilis Sgoutas Prize for architecture serving impoverished communities and the Vassilis Sgoutas Prize from the UIA for their contribution to improving living conditions for underprivileged communities.
Discover the exciting lineup of tours designed to bring Queensland’s architecture and landscape to life. On Wednesday, July 8, participants will set out on a ferry journey to North Stradbroke Island, where they’ll experience notable architectural projects along the way, including a site designed by Kaunitz Yeung Architecture. On Friday, July 10, attendees can join a special walking tour at the iconic Centenary Pool and hear about its transformation as it prepares to host events for the 2032 Olympics. Then, on Sunday, July 12, participants will explore the city on an architectural walking tour featuring a dynamic mix of cultural landmarks and contemporary design.
Join ACSA and AASA in Brisbane, Queensland, to be a part of these inspiring keynote presentations. Planetary Practice will unite attendees from across the world to share, question, and reimagine the role of design in relation to the shared conditions of our world.
About the Association of Architecture Schools of Australasia (AASA)
The Association of Architecture Schools of Australasia (AASA) has provided leadership and advocacy for architecture education in the Australasian region since 1999. The Association of Architecture Schools of Australasia identifies, develops and supports quality professional undergraduate and graduate education of architects and related professions; research, scholarship, and creative work in relation to architecture and the designed environment; and policy, community service, and professional activities in relation to architecture education. The AASA became an incorporated association on 10 July 2020 and is an International Affiliate Member of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ASCA). For more information, visit https://www.aasa-arch.org/.
About the Association of Collegiate Schools in Architecture (ACSA)
The mission of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture is to lead architectural education and research. Founded in 1912 by 10 charter members, ACSA is an international association of architecture schools preparing future architects, designers, and change agents. ACSA’s full members include all of the accredited professional degree programs in the United States and Canada, as well as international schools and 2- and 4-year programs. Together, ACSA schools represent 7,000 faculty educating more than 40,000 students. ACSA seeks to empower faculty and schools to educate increasingly diverse students, expand disciplinary impacts, and create knowledge for the advancement of architecture. For more information, visit www.acsa-arch.org.
About the Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA)
The Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA) drives the sustainable economic growth of the city. As Brisbane’s champion, BEDA works closely with government and private sector organisations to enhance and promote the city’s reputation globally and drive demand for Brisbane. For more information, visit https://beda.brisbane.qld.au/.
About Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is an ambitious institution, with a growing research output focused on technology and innovation. The QUT School of Architecture and Built Environment aims to address social, economic, technical, health and environmental challenges in diverse architectural, construction and planning projects in urban and regional contexts. The University prepares students for successful careers as architects, planners, designers, analysts, and construction managers, helping build and understand emerging urban spaces. For more information, visit https://www.qut.edu.au/about/faculty-of-engineering/school-of-architecture-and-built-environment.
About Griffith University
Griffith is a purpose-driven, values-led university focused on creating impact where it matters most. Since 1975, the University’s teaching and research have been shaped by a commitment to social justice, environmental sustainability, and inclusive access to education. Today, those ideals are more important than ever. From pioneering research and student entrepreneurship to supporting Indigenous flourishing and expanding access to education through online learning, Griffith University is continuously adding to its history of making a difference in the world around us. For more information, visit https://www.griffith.edu.au/.
About Bond University
The Bond University Abedian School of Architecture aims to be a leading design-driven professional school, characterised by an international outlook and motivated by the goal of graduating architects capable of leading and shifting the direction of future practice. While ensuring to strengthen fundamental disciplinary competencies, the School actively seeks to operate in the expanding diversification of the field occurring in response to technological innovation, environmental considerations, and the changing needs of society; engaging with these developments with regard to their design potential and impact. In prioritising design, the School creates an atmosphere of intense collaboration, engagement, and experimentation, fueled by an open discussion that is driven by academic staff and distinguished invited practitioners and professors. For more information, visit https://bond.edu.au/study/our-study-areas/architecture.
Media Contacts
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ACSA Media Contact:
Hanifah Jones
hjones@acsa-arch.org
