SOUTHFIELD, Mich.—Lawrence Technological University will be the site of the 2026 ACADIA International Conference, hosted by its College of Architecture and Design, Oct. 22-24, with pre-conference workshops taking place Oct. 19-21. Themed “Humanism Recoded: Reframing Computation and Making through Embodiment and Culture,” ACADIA (Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture) has opened the call for papers through April 19, and for projects and field notes through May 17.
“Humanism Recoded” opens a conversation around design and research strategies that leverage digital technologies, robotics, computation, algorithms, material innovation, and advanced fabrication to humanize our visions for the future. The conference brings together the shared expertise and creative capacity of architects, designers, and technologists to confront these challenges. Subthemes for submissions include Machines that Care; Embodied Codes; Algorithmic Fictions; Humanistic Inquiries; Material Worlds; Eco-Digital Fusion; Collective Intelligence; Digital Commons; Built Grounds; Temporal Layers; Speculative Grounds; and Climate Matters.
The conference and the earlier workshops will take place on the Southfield campus of LTU and in other Detroit-area venues.
CoAD Interim Dean Lilian Crum said, “Hosting ACADIA 2026 brings global leaders in computational design to CoAD and creates an extraordinary learning and research platform for our students, faculty, and partners. Lawrence Tech and CoAD are delighted to serve as the catalyst for this international exchange of ideas at the forefront of computational design and advanced fabrication.”
LTU faculty members Karl Daubman, FAIA, FAAR, former Dean of CoAD, Interim Provost, and University Distinguished Professor; Lee-Su Huang; Sara Codarin, PhD; Teng Teng, PhD, also an ACADIA board member; Gretchen Wilkins, PhD; Masataka Yoshikawa; Quan Thai; and Carla Diana will serve as organizers and scientific committee members at ACADIA 2026.
Registration begins in summer 2026. For more information, visit https://2026.ACADIA.org.
Lawrence Technological University is one of only 13 independent, technological, comprehensive doctoral universities in the United States. Located in Southfield, Mich., LTU was founded in 1932, and offers more than 100 programs through its Colleges of Architecture and Design, Arts and Sciences, Business and Information Technology, Engineering, and Health Sciences, as well as Specs@LTU, which offers communication training programs of the former Specs Howard School, and LTU’s growing Center for Professional Development. PayScale lists Lawrence Tech among the nation’s top 11 percent of universities for alumni salaries. Forbes and The Wall Street Journal rank LTU among the nation’s top 10 percent. U.S. News and World Report lists it in the top tier of best in the Midwest colleges. Students benefit from small class sizes and a real-world, hands-on, “theory and practice” education with an emphasis on leadership. Activities on Lawrence Tech’s 107-acre campus include more than 60 student organizations and NAIA varsity sports.