Michael Murphy and Michael Ford announced as keynote speakers for 2023 NeoCon

This year’s 2023 NeoCon trade fair, beginning on June 12th in Chicago, will feature a pair of headliners familiar to our readers in the architecture and design community.

MASS Design Group co-founder and current Georgia Tech University professor Michael Murphy will join “hip-hop architect” Michael Ford together for the three-day conference, which also features futurist Amy Webb and the Grammy Award-winning rapper Lupe Fiasco.

Ford and Fiasco, who is also a visiting professor at MIT, will share a stage at the AIA Chicago on the 14th at 10 AM to discuss the importance of applying elements from  hip hop into their design and pedagogical work under the monicker ‘Exploring the Rhythm of Design.’

Murphy will speak the day before at 10 AM about his work, which surrounds ethics and the empowerment of communities through better design. Webb, who is the first featured keynote speaker for the event this year, will kick things off on the 12th with a talk titled 'Designing a Way Forward' that centers on emerging technologies in the design field.  According to NeoCon's Director of Programming, Allison Kearns, all three speakers are emblematic of "how diverse perspectives can drive and effect positive change.”

All events for the conference take place inside the historic Merchandise Mart (aka "THE MART") building this year. More information about registering for NeoCon can be found here.