The American Institute of Architects (AIA) will host North America’s largest annual gathering of architects and design professionals June 6–8 in Las Vegas.

The AIA Conference on Architecture 2019 (A’19)–designed around the theme Blueprint for a Better Future–will draw an estimated 20,000 registrants to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Recognizing the critical challenges facing the world’s communities today, A’19 will bring awareness to the future of architecture and the profession. Programming will address topics including, sustainability; equity, diversity and inclusion; affordable housing; biophilic design; building energy performance; and revitalization.

Attendees will have access to keynote events with high profile speakers, more than 150 curated tours, dozens of workshops, and hundreds of seminars.

Visionary speakers

Keynote storyteller Roman Mars is the host and creator of 99% Invisible, one of the world’s most popular architecture and design podcasts. His podcast has over 300 million downloads, his 2015 TED Talk on design has more than 5 million views, and his crowd-funded campaigns have raised more than $4 million—positioning Mars as a respected influencer in design.

Mars will share the stage with other high-profile speakers including Reshma Saujani, the founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, and Ryan Coogler, co-writer and director of the Academy Award-winning film “Black Panther.”

Saujani was the first Indian American woman to run for Congress, and the nonprofit she founded has already affected the lives of 90,000 girls nationwide. She will address the gender gap in STEM education and offer a new model for leadership that embraces risk and failure.

Coogler, whose work includes acclaimed film “Fruitvale Station,” will talk about the power of using diverse teams to bring a vision to life, and how he made a film that has become an important cultural touchstone.

Seminars and workshops

More than 200 educational sessions are planned for A’19, covering topics such as firm culture; accessibility, sustainability and resiliency in the built environment; inclusive design; affordable housing; and artificial intelligence in architecture. New at A’19 is a business school-inspired lineup, which is designed to equip architect-entrepreneurs with the knowledge, tools and best practices for successful small firm management.

Architecture Expo

Over 600 brands will be on display at the Architecture Expo from June 6–7. At more than 200,000 square feet, the tradeshow features the latest materials, products, technologies and solutions tailored to the architecture community.

Blueprint for Better Film Series

More than 30 films will air as part of the 2019 Blueprint for Better Film Series. Selected films tell the story of how architects are addressing critical topics that include equity, diversity, and inclusion; urbanism and housing; resilient and healthy communities; as well as design and culture.

The Party!

Joseph Simmons and Greg Andrews, better known by stage names Rev. Run and DJ Ruckus, respectively, will headline The Party! At 8 p.m. PST on Friday, June 7. Thousands of conferencegoers are expected to attend the annual closing party, which will be hosted at Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas. Rev. Run is a musician, actor, performer and founding member of hip-hop group Run–D.M.C. DJ Ruckus–who has been called “the most sought-after DJ in the world” by GQ–has performed for celebrities, at private events and at clubs worldwide. Tickets for the event must be purchased in advance.

Celebrating 50 years of MasterSpec

AIA and Deltek will celebrate the 50th anniversary of AIA’s product specification tool, MasterSpec, at the A’19 Architecture Expo. During the event AIA EVP/Chief Executive Officer Robert Ivy, FAIA, will discuss the future of MasterSpec and how the industry-leading specification tool can help architects source the best products on the market. Members of the media can attend the event beginning at 10:30 a.m. PST on Thursday, June 6 at the AIA+ARCHITECT booth in the exhibit hall.