10 can't-miss architecture & design events to see this February in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Buffalo, Princeton, New Haven, and Palm Springs

Don't let winter slow you down — the architecture and design community still has plenty of exciting exhibitions, film festivals, home tours, trade fairs, academic events, and art shows coming up to keep you busy.

From the roster of ongoing and upcoming events listed on Bustler, here are our featured picks worth checking out this February.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Surface Design Show 2026 | February 3–5, London

"With over 180 exhibitors and over 6000 visitors, Surface Design Show is a unique gathering of the architecture and design sectors. Located in Islington, in the centre of London’s design district, SDS26 will provide the opportunity to engage face-to-face with a hard-to-reach and targeted audience from the A+D sector with 62% having purchasing authority, providing the perfect platform to generate new business from the UK and Europe’s architectural and design industry."

Reimagine Black Futures during the Age of Authoritarianism One Hundred Years of Celebrating Black History | Forum I: February 4, Forum II: February 25, Buffalo

"The UB School of Architecture and Planning will host a distinguished lineup of scholars, architects, and authors, along with a series of exhibitions, through its Spring 2026 Public Programs. [...] The forum will bring together scholars in urban planning, sociology, social welfare, and health to examine the dangers posed by racist authoritarianism, discuss strategies for resistance, and reimagine a Black future in which people of African descent live in a nation grounded in radical democracy, anti-racism, and socioeconomic justice."

Modernism Week 2026 | February 12–22, Palm Springs

"Modernism Week 2026 takes place February 12-22, 2026 in Palm Springs, the epicenter of midcentury art, architecture, and culture. Activities include home and neighborhood architecture tours, bus tours, art shows, shopping, film premiers, as well as engaging talks and presentations."

ADFF:Chicago - Architecture & Design Film Festival 2026 | February 19–22, Chicago

"The Architecture & Design Film Festival (ADFF) is America’s largest film festival devoted to the creative spirit of architecture and design. Our curated films and panel discussions provide unique perspectives about the process behind architectural, graphic, and product design, urban and environmental issues, architectural photography, historic preservation, and much more."

Womxn in Design and Architecture Conference — Lauretta Vinciarelli | February 26 & 27, Princeton

"Please join us at the 10th Womxn in Design and Architecture Conference at Princeton School of Architecture on February 26th & February 27th, 2026 as we honor the life and work of Lauretta Vinciarelli."

Frieze Los Angeles 2026 | February 26 – March 1, Los Angeles

"Frieze Los Angeles largely focuses on contemporary art and celebrates the exceptionally dynamic culture of Los Angeles and its global contributions to the visual arts. The seventh edition of the fair returns to Santa Monica Airport from February 26 – March 1, 2026 and will feature approximately 100 galleries, an expansive program of ambitious installations, collaborations with nonprofit organizations, and pop-ups from some of Los Angeles' most beloved restaurants."

Open House Miami 2026 | February 27 – March 1, Miami

"Open House Miami is part of a global effort to make cities more open, accessible, and equitable by providing unique views and perspectives to residents and visitors. Behind the scenes peeks, tours, expert lectures, performances, and curated experiences – all open and free to the public – over two full days of exploration, connection, and celebration of our vibrant city!"

ONGOING EVENTS

Eyes on the Future: Evolving Hotel Design at Populus | Until February 28, Chicago

"A partner program of the 2025 Chicago Architecture Biennial, this new exhibition curated by Studio Gang explores the intention and process behind the design of Populus, the Studio's recent hotel project in downtown Denver. The building's signature 'aspen eye' windows frame a look into how contemporary hotels can connect more closely with their local community and environment—while simultaneously transforming the Studio's Chicago gallery into a glimpse of Colorado, inside and out."

Bruce Goff: Material Worlds | Until March 29, Chicago

"This major retrospective celebrates the unbounded creative practice of American architect Bruce Goff (1904–1982). Best known for his groundbreaking, idiosyncratic single-family homes in suburban and rural areas across the United States, Goff charted an alternative narrative for a modern architecture imbued with individuality, materiality, and fantastical invention."

Encounters: Denise Scott Brown Photographs | Until July 3, New Haven

"In the formative years between 1950 and 1970, Denise Scott Brown found in photography the possibility of looking anew at a fraught world—and of rethinking the architect’s role within it. Presenting a wide-ranging selection of Scott Brown’s photographs, Encounters explores her crucial but little-studied photographic practice, and raises broader questions about architectural research and pedagogy, the profession’s interest in so-called ordinary places, and the social and political obligations of design. In Encounters, these photographs—many of which are shown as slides in a darkened theater—are paired with work by other photographers, as well as materials drawn from several archives, placing Scott Brown’s work in an expanded field and prompting audiences to rethink its significance for the present."

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.