10 must-see architecture and design events to check out this October

With Summer well and truly over, it is now time to start the Fall with some exciting architecture and design festivals, exhibitions, conferences, and trade shows.

From the roster of ongoing and upcoming events listed on Bustler, here is a brief curated selection of recommendations worth checking out this October.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Archtober 2024 | October 1–31, New York City

"While reflecting on our past and celebrating our present, this year’s festival explores the blueprint of tomorrow’s architecture. Archtober 2024: Tracing the Future hopes to build a roadmap for how the spaces we inhabit will transform the future. We hope to spark dialogue and inspire collaboration among architects, designers, urban planners, and design enthusiasts alike, fostering inclusivity within innovation."

Built by New York | October 1 – April 5, New York City

"Built by New York is a celebration of architectural excellence in New York City, showcasing the work of architects, designers, and affiliated professionals from the city’s five boroughs. Hosted by the Center for Architecture, this expansive exhibition spans 20 years of architectural contributions, from completed projects to visionary designs that shape the future of the built environment. Over 280 projects from 112 firms are on display, encompassing a range of typologies—from residential to mixed-use developments, cultural institutions, and educational facilities—demonstrating the diversity and impact of New York City’s architectural community."

Design Philadelphia 2024 | October 1–13, Philadelphia

"For twenty years our annual festival has been an explosion of activities showcasing the Philadelphia design community while demonstrating the impact of design to the public. In our 20th anniversary year, expect some surprises."

Design Week Mexico 2024 | October 7 – November 3, Mexico City

"The sixteenth edition of Design Week Mexico is presented under the motto ?Diseñando el futuro?. This year, the focus is on innovation and efficiency in design, highlighting practical solutions and realistic visions for current and future challenges. From exhibitions showcasing emerging technologies to demonstrations of new creative approaches, the event seeks to inspire design professionals to think pragmatically and adopt strategies that positively impact society and the environment."

Women’s Leadership Summit 2024 | October 8–10, Chicago

"Women’s Leadership Summit (WLS), founded by AIA, is a premier leadership experience that brings together the industry’s largest network of women who are breaking down barriers, making themselves visible, and manifesting the careers they want—while making a difference in the world."

WRLDCTY Urban Summit 2024 | October 8–10, Bilbao

"WRLDCTY is a global community of urbanists pursuing inclusive, equitable and sustainable approaches to urban development. Join us as we continue a movement to inspire a revolution in urban innovation through in-person urban forums, virtual events, podcasts and seminars with the world’s leading urban designers, placemakers, policymakers and thought leaders."

UMBAU. Nonstop Transformation | October 9 – November 7, New York City

"On the heels of gmp’s successful exhibition of adaptive-reuse works that ran parallel to the Venice Biennale of Architecture in Italy last May, the firm debuts its first ever U.S. show in early October at the German cultural center Goethe-Institut USA in New York City. Called UMBAU.Nonstop Transformation — the word umbau translates variously as rebuilding, renovation and conversion — the exhibit will present eight to 10 very different works that all significantly transform their existing buildings and urban settings."

Chicago Build 2024 | October 22–23, Chicago

"Chicago Build is the leading construction, design and real estate show for the Midwest and is officially supported by the Mayor of Chicago & Governor of Illinois. The show is free to attend and features: 25,000+ registered attendees, 250+ exhibitors, 400+ speakers, AIA / CES approved workshops, entertainment & multiple business networking opportunities."

Monterey Design Conference 2024 | October 25–27, Pacific Grove

"Every two years, the Monterey Design Conference brings together a diverse blend of globally recognized speakers to inspire and educate – all in scenic and vibrant location. In a retreat setting, MDC is your chance to step out of the everyday and into a creative space, networking with colleagues and re-connecting with the ideas and motivations that drew you to the profession from day one."

ONGOING EVENTS

Materialized Space: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph | Until March 16, New York City

"The Met presents the first-ever major museum exhibition to examine the career of the influential 20th-century architect Paul Rudolph, a second-generation Modernist, who came to prominence during the 1950s and 1960s alongside peers such as Eero Saarinen and I.M. Pei. Materialized Space: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph showcases the full breadth of Rudolph’s important contributions to architecture—from his early experimental houses in Florida to his civic commissions ren­dered in concrete, and from his utopian visions for urban megastructures and mixed-use sky­scrapers to his extraordinary immersive New York interiors."

Do you have an architecture or design event you want to promote? Submit it to our event calendar via Bustler for review and a potential feature.