The Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) will host its 78th Annual International Conference in Atlanta from April 30 to May 4, 2025. This conference provides a unique platform for architectural historians, architects, museum professionals, and preservationists to come together and engage in discussions that span the history of architecture, landscapes, and curated spaces. It will also highlight the roles of the authors and occupants of these spaces throughout history.

The event will bring together more than 500 professionals from diverse backgrounds to explore the latest research on a broad array of architectural topics, offering insights into the built environment from both historical and contemporary perspectives.

Why You Should Participate

The SAH 2025 Conference is an excellent opportunity to:

• Gain knowledge from the latest research on architecture and art spanning different periods and geographies.

• Earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs): As an AIA CES Approved Provider, attendees can earn up to 2.25 Learning Units (LUs) for each complete paper session they attend.

• Engage in meaningful discussions with professionals, experts, and peers through roundtable discussions and workshops.

• Explore diverse topics, including housing adaptation, gender, race, urbanism, preservation, and more, all while fostering cross-disciplinary collaborations.

• Network with architects, art historians, museum professionals, and preservationists from around the world.

Key Highlights

• Event Type: International conference

• Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA

• Dates: April 30–May 4, 2025

• Target Audience: Architectural historians, architects, museum professionals, preservationists

• Activities:

  • Keynote talks by renowned experts in the field

  • Roundtable discussions on diverse topics such as race, wealth, and gender in architecture

  • Workshops for professional development and skill enhancement

  • Networking receptions for sharing ideas and forming collaborations

  • SAH’s annual awards ceremony recognizing outstanding contributions to the field

  • Public architecture tours exploring the history and development of Atlanta’s urban landscape

Themes and Topics

The conference will feature a variety of thought-provoking topics, including:

• Housing and Adaptation: How architecture evolves to meet changing needs.

• Gender and Nature: Exploring how gender and the environment intersect in architectural history.

• Race and Wealth: Examining how race and economic status have shaped the built environment.

• Health and Urbanism: The relationship between public health and urban planning.

• Sound and Silence: The role of acoustics in architectural spaces.

• Erasure and Resistance: Discussing how certain architectural histories have been overlooked or erased.

• Preservation and Maintenance: Strategies for maintaining and preserving historic buildings and landscapes.

• Queer Expression: The expression of queer identities through architecture and design.

Several sessions will address the local architectural history of Atlanta and its broader implications, including the reframing of African American contributions to the built environment and the systemic harm caused by biased design practices. The public architecture tours will delve deeper into how themes such as race, religion, and community creation are manifested in Atlanta’s architectural landscape.

Entry Fees

How to Join

To participate in the Society of Architectural Historians 2025 Conference, follow these steps:

1. Review the conference program to find sessions and topics of interest.

2. Register through the SAH website (sah.org/2025).

3. Submit your registration fee and confirm your participation.

4. Prepare to engage in meaningful discussions and explore new ideas at the conference.