Bill Hopkins, AIA
2026 President, AIA Virginia

Top 5 reasons to attend Arch Ex

Inspiration. This year’s lineup offers an impressive cadre of speakers with invaluable insights into our profession. Built around the 2026 theme, Threshold, the keynotes and talks look ahead to how ownership transitions, new technology, and shifting client expectations are reshaping practice — and send you home with ideas you can put to work Monday morning.

Education. Stay on top of your CEUs by attending seminars centered on this year’s theme, earning up to 16 CEUs over 2.5 days. Sessions span leadership transitions and succession planning, practice reinvention, adaptive reuse and climate resilience, cultural continuity, and the expanding role of architects in urbanism and civic leadership, many offering HSW credits.

Connection. Numerous networking opportunities to run into familiar faces, make new friends, and grow your professional network. Three days of receptions, the expo hall, and conversations between sessions put you shoulder to shoulder with practitioners, emerging professionals, and product experts from across Virginia and beyond.

Celebration. Cheer on your fellow colleagues as we acknowledge their accomplishments and exemplary design work. The awards and honors program recognizes the year’s best projects and the members whose service and leadership have advanced the profession across the Commonwealth.

Exploration. Head out on one of the tours and experience Richmond’s rich cultural and architectural fabric. Guided tours take you through historic neighborhoods, adaptive reuse projects, and newly completed work — a firsthand look at a city turning aging infrastructure into a resilient future.

In summary, Architecture Exchange East gives our members insight into the future of the profession, stronger professional networks, and a chance to catch up on CEUs — all in a single trip. Registration opens soon, and rates are lowest for those who sign up early — so mark your calendar, bring a colleague or two, and plan to spend three days with the people shaping the future of practice in Virginia. Whether you are a principal thinking through succession, an emerging professional building your first network, or somewhere in between, there is a reason for you to be in Richmond this fall. I hope to see you there!