More information about the symposium below.
Learn more about the BSA's Housing program.
This symposium is hosted by the Boston Society for Architecture.
9.5 AIA LU CE credits and 10 AICP CM available—see details in the agenda below!Contact: [email protected]
Day 1 – November 6 Day 2 – November 7
BSA Space290 Congress St Suite 200, Boston, MA 02210
The program book is available digitally here.
(Tickets are non-refundable but ARE transferable)
Your registration includes acceptance of our image release and consent policy.Please also review the BSA's Event Waiver and Consent Statement.
Massachusetts is in the midst of an urgent housing challenge. From the vibrant urban fabrics of Greater Boston, to the Cape and the Islands, cities and towns across the state face rising costs, constrained supply, and a growing demand for homes. While municipalities are setting ambitious goals to preserve and produce more housing, great design—an essential tool for creative, inclusive, and livable solutions—is too often sidelined and overshadowed by financial, regulatory, and legal constraints, or dismissed altogether in the process.
This 2-day symposium in Boston brings together architects and designers, planners, residents, practitioners, policymakers, developers, students, and advocates to ask: How can we embrace design innovation amid financial, regulatory, social, and climate constraints?
Through panels, case studies, and cross-regional dialogues, this symposium will showcase bold design strategies that not only operate within current systems, but also have the potential to shift them. By looking across and beyond municipal boundaries, as well as understanding housing as a regional issue, we aim to inspire collaboration and creativity that transcends silos and brings us closer to building the dignified and beautiful homes people need and deserve.
Elevate design as a critical and creative tool in addressing the region’s housing crisis.
Explore new construction technologies, policy tools, and financing mechanisms that support design innovation.
Promote regional collaboration that transcends municipal silos.
Center community-driven approaches to housing form, tenure, and culture.
Inspire action among practitioners, residents, policymakers, and funders.
Design Architecture, form, typology, urban integration, and beauty as necessity and not luxury.
Construction Innovations in building methods.
Regulations Navigating zoning, building and energy codes, and climate-related regulations.
Living TogetherSocial and cultural dimensions of housing: co-living, co-housing, social housing, multigenerational living.
FinancingExploring how funding mechanisms can evolve to support creativity.
8:00 AM – 8:45 AM Registration & Breakfast
8:45 AM – 9:00 AM BSA Opening Remarks
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM Setting the Context: Design Innovation Across the State
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM Plenary Panel: What’s Blocking Bold Design? Mapping the Constraints. (1 AIA LU/1 AICP CM)
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM Break
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Concurrent Sessions (1.5 AIA LU/1.5 AICP CM)
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Concurrent Sessions (1.5 AIA LU/1.5 AICP CM)
2:30 PM – 2:45 PM Break
2:45 PM – 3:15 PM Keynote Remarks: Design as Infrastructure (0.5 AIA LU/0.5 AICP CM)
3:15 PM – 4:30 PM Regional Roundtables: Housing is Regional: Lessons Across Massachusetts
4:30 PM – 6:30 PM Reception
8:15 AM – 8:45 AM Registration & Breakfast
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM Panel: Living Together: New Models of Shared Housing and Social Cohesion (1 AIA LU/1.25 AICP CM)
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Case Studies: Presentations Across Themes (1.5 AIA LU/1.5 AICP CM)
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Workshops (1.5 AIA LU/1.5 AICP CM)
2:30 PM – 3:45 PM Closing Panel & Call to Action: Beyond the Constraints: Shaping a Bold Housing Future (1 AIA LU/1.25 AICP CM)
Full summit (2-day) in-person tickets include lunch, networking...
Ticket Price
Non-member
$200
BSA Member/Municipal Employee/Non-Profit Employee
$180
Emerging Professional/Community Advocates*
$100
Students
$75
This option is open to AEC professionals with under 5 years of experience. Please email [email protected] with any questions.
Are you a resident actively engaged in housing efforts in your neighborhood/region who is interested in learning more about design and housing innovation? Consider attending the summit at a special rate of $100. Please email [email protected] with any questions.
An Architect: Exploring how design can drive housing innovation while balancing creativity, equity, and feasibility to shape more inclusive and inspiring living environments.
An Urban Planner/Designer: Advancing new ideas in neighborhood planning, zoning, and land use that unlock housing potential while strengthening social and spatial equity.
A Community Leader: Seeking design tools to shape housing that reflects community needs and visions.
A Policymaker: Working to enable innovative, well-designed housing through policy and collaboration.
A Developer, Funder, or Investor: Looking for creative, viable models that pair design quality with housing delivery.
An Academic, Student, or Emerging Professional: Eager to learn how design intersects with policy, equity, and innovation.
A Journalist or Media Maker: Telling stories about bold ideas transforming housing in Massachusetts and beyond.
A Curious Collaborator: Ready to connect, share, and help design the homes our region needs.
Interesting in sponsoring this event or tabling as a vendor? View the Packet below to learn more and sign up to become a sponsor or vendor today!
Thank you to our symposium partners and sponsors. View our sponsorship packages above and join them today!
Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston
Studio G Architects
TimberHP
CertainTeed Offsite Solutions
Champion Homes
Reframe Systems
ROCKWOOL
ICON Architecture
E3 Development LLC
What are you looking for?