by Russell Boniface
Associate Editor

Summary: The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) 2009 Conference will be held Oct. 22-23 at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. The theme is the “Evolution of the Skyscraper.” AIA members can earn up to 12 CES credits, including AIA health, safety, and welfare credits.

“Hopefully this will be the start of a long-lasting, productive dialogue and collaboration between AIA and CTBUH,” says long-standing CTBUH member and AIA Vice-President Clark Manus, who will be the AIA president in 2011. At the conference, Manus will be presenting “West Coast/East Coast Tall–Commonalities and Differences.”

The AIA is a promotional partner for the conference, which will address how global warming and economic recession are impacting skyscraper development. Featuring 18 selected speakers, including Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley; Arthur Gensler, FAIA; and Adrian Smith, FAIA, questions discussed include: Are skyscrapers meeting the challenges of climate change in helping to create more sustainable urban environments? Is it appropriate for a tall building to be used as an icon to project the vitality of a city or country on a competitive world business stage? Have the fundamentals of skyscraper conception, financing, design, and construction been sound in the past 10 years of boom, or is there a need for reflection and change?

Speakers will present case studies of prominent projects at all stages in the development cycle—built, under construction, on hold, conceived, or envisaged—including best practices in sustainability, design, construction, and economics.

A downloadable conference brochure provides complete conference information, including a registration form. Early-bird registration extends till September 4.