The Authenticity of Place: Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota

September 21-23 | Minneapolis and St. Paul | Canopy by Hilton Minneapolis Mill District | Cost: $1200

Join us in the Twin Cities for The Authenticity of Place, our second AIA Conference on Design for 2023.  

Like our first conference in New Orleans, this event will highlight a unique place in America, near the headwaters of the Mississippi, shaped by very different circumstances. The Twin Cities consistently produce some of our nation’s most recognized architecture—work that is truly authentic. We will have the opportunity to view some of this exemplary work up close.

Tours will reveal the cities’ rich architectural histories, where 19th-century structures have created a fabric for inventive reinterpretation in the 21st.  We will tour some of the cities’ civic and institutional buildings, from the Walker Art Center to the Minnesota State Capitol Building. In addition, we will explore the question of equity in the built environment by visiting projects that link design excellence and social justice.

Over the course of two-and-a-half days, we will view some of the world's leading design firms' award-winning contemporary works, as well as important historic buildings by luminaries like Cass Gilbert and Henry Wild Jones. Projects include six national AIA Honor Award recipients, two AIA Firm Award recipients, and two AIA Gold Medalists.

Along the way, we will begin to understand another unique American city and discuss how its history, culture, and environment shapes its remarkable architecture.  Alone or in tandem with New Orleans, this conference reveals that enduring work—authentic work—is inextricably tied to the particularities of place. is inextricably tied to the particularities of place.