The Dallas Architecture Forum – About The Forum

About The Forum

Who we are

The Forum educates, enriches, and connects our community by presenting programs and events; creating experiences; and engaging global and local thought-leaders from the design fields to enhance how we live.

As a not-for-profit organization established twenty five years ago for design enthusiasts, The Forum explores ideas related to how and why design matters in our daily lives through dynamic programming centered on current topics and trends in architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, urban planning, engineering, construction, and other related fields of art and design.

Our collaborative programming and community outreach are enriched by the active involvement and leadership of businesses, arts, and cultural organizations; and government and academic institutions at regional, national, and international levels.

Lecture Series

The Forum Lecture Series features emerging voices, as well as established leaders from the allied fields of architecture and design.

• Pritzker Prize winners

• Pulitzer Prize winners

• AIA and ASLA Gold Medal winners

• Internationally acclaimed architects, designers, landscape architects, planners, authors, patrons, and critics

• More than 275 speakers over the last twenty-seven seasons.

• Past Lectures available on our YouTube channel

• Some of our distinguished speakers are pictured to the right

The Forum established the Frank Welch Memorial Lecture to honor Frank WELCH, the Dean of Texas Modernist architects and great friend of The Forum.

Speakers from all over the world

The Forum’s Lecture speakers come from, or have done significant projects in, every continent on earth. They and their projects are found in forty-nine countries and twentyseven states. Forum Lecture audiences learn about the work of architects and other design professionals in both urban environments of developed nations and underserved communities in those same countries, as well as projects being done in developing economies. Designs presented range from small scale residential to large master plans.

This vast variety of speakers, projects, and typologies gives Forum Lecture attendees greater knowledge, insights, and empathy about the challenges and opportunities facing people groups around the world. Members also gain greater understanding as to how architecture and the other design professions can positively impact and improve the quality of life in North Texas, the United States, and other countries.

Our over 275 speakers include

Diller Scofidio + Renfro • Kazuyo Sejima • Tsien | Williams • Deborah Berke

Lake | Flato • Phil Freelon • Craig Dykers | Snøhetta • Jeanne Gang • Marlon

Bergmann | BIG • Rick Joy • Michael Van Valkenburgh • Juhani Pallasmaa

Phifer • Leo Marmol • Lee Mindel • Laurie Olin • Tsao & McKown • Thomas

• Brad Cloepfil • Lorcan O’Herlihy • Andraos | Wood • Gordon Gill • Alex

Enrique Norten • Daniel Libeskind • Eric Owen Moss • Weiss | Manfredi

MacKay-Lyons • Bill Pederson • Jamie Carpenter • Mohsen Mostafavi • Wang

Norman Foster • Johnston Marklee • Rem Koolhaas • Rafael Vinoly • Reed Hilderbrand

• Peter Bohlin • Thom Mayne • Adam Yarinsky • Michael Graves • Jorge Silvetti

Berke • Annabelle Selldorf •

Marlon Blackwell • Kai-Uwe

Pallasmaa • Alberto Kalach • Tom

Thomas Woltz • Andrea Cochran

Alex Krieger • Tom Kundig •

• James Burnett • Brian

Wang Shu • James Corner •

Hilderbrand • Shigeru Ban

Silvetti • Peter Eisenman

What our speakers are saying

The Dallas Architecture Forum is one of the most important design voices in America.

Tom Phifer, FAIA; Founder, Thomas Phifer and Partners

The Forum has created an incredible program for architecture in Dallas - a truly rare and wonderful thing!

Barbara Bestor, FAIA; Founding Partner Bestor Architecture, AD 100

Programs are well attended and appeal to diverse audiences well outside of architecture. The Forum has become a model for such institutions.

Marlon Blackwell, FAIA; Founder, Marlon Blackwell Architects; AIA Gold Medal Recipient

The Dallas Architecture Forum is spoken about far and wide as an amazing place to be for architects.

Kai-Uwe Bergmann, FAIA; Partner, BIG

The Forum brings together an incredibly diverse audience and makes the discussion of architecture relevant and inspiring for all. The Forum’s Lecture Series is a preeminent event for all of Texas.

Michael Hsu, FAIA, IIDA; Principal, Michael Hsu Office of Architecture; Past President, AIA Austin

The Forum assures a dynamic discourse within the design professions and offers the public greater awareness of those fields. It is having a great impact within Dallas and beyond.

Thomas L. Woltz, FASLA; Principal, Nelson Byrd Woltz

The Forum has actively advocated for educating and taking action steps to bring greater equity, inclusion, and opportunity for people of color in the design professions; along with inner city revitalization of underserved neighborhoods.

Steven Lewis, FAIA, NOMAC; Board President AIA Architects Foundation, Past President NOMA

Panel Series

The Forum Panel Series presents interactive, educational, and informal discussions about topics and issues which have local and regional impact.

• Moderated by community leaders and design professionals

• Features panelists recognized as experts in their fields

• Highlights regional design talent focusing on their award-winning projects

• Presented as a service to the community at no charge

Some of the major areas of focus for Panels are:

• Climate Change and Resiliency

• Design Justice

• Housing – Accessibility, Availability, Affordability, and Equity

• Parks, Trails, and the Trinity River Corridor

• Arts and Culture

• Architecture and Design Book Discussions

• Design Inspirations of Local Professionals

Dallas Design Symposium

The Dallas Design Symposium brings thought leaders from architecture, art, and design together to explore the intersection of these fields for thoughtful and insightful conversation.

Previous Symposia Topics and Presenters include:

• Interior and Product Design: Karim Rashid

• Designing for Collections: Aaron Betsky, Jorge Pardo

• Blurring the Lines: Art, Architecture and Design: Terence Riley, Johnston Marklee, Walead Beshty

• The Legacy of Christo and Jeanne Claude: Christo

• Architecture and Art, Critical Intersections: Michael Kimmelman

• Modernism: Mid-Century Modern Design: Leo Marmol, Sidney Williams

• Material Design: Tom Kundig and Brad Oldham

• Redesigning Space for Art: Chinati and MASS MoCA: Jenny Moore and Joseph Thompson

Collaboration & Community

Collaboration is a central tenet of The Dallas Architecture Forum. The Forum believes that collaboration is not only necessary from a financial standpoint to maximize mission reach for The Forum’s financial supporters; but even more importantly, it is the right thing to do. It fosters community and complementary visions among organizations, facilitates the ability to share and learn from best practices, and is imperative to achieve the greater good by working and partnering together.

The Dallas Architecture Forum promotes the narrative of how architecture can enrich the life of a city. The Forum brings in the best, most engaging speakers who present topics that expose the public to what is happening in the world of architecture.

Dan Noble, FAIA,

FACHA; CEO and Chairman, HKS

The Forum has given me and my wife Susan so much over these 14 years. As a retired banker who is not trained as an architect, The Forum’s excellent speakers have enriched my life.

Bill Bounds, Forum Member

2022 Best of City List: Best Lecture Series

Dallas Architecture Forum

Modern Luxury Dallas Magazine

The Forum has turned into our second home.

Thomas Taylor, PE; HON TxA; Principal and Director DeSimone Consulting Engineering

The Forum has become ever more influential in architectural discussion and awareness in North Texas.

Bob Meckfessel, FAIA; Founder, DSGN Architects; Board Chair, DoCoMoMo USA

The Forum advances design excellence in North Texas.

Lucilo Pena, President of Development, Billingsley Company

The Dallas Architecture Forum has been leading discussion and driving architecture and design in Dallas since 1997.

D Magazine

Engage Educate Experience

Enjoy

The Dallas Architecture Forum is for everyone who wants to experience inspired design. The Forum presents an award-winning Lecture Series that brings outstanding architects,interior designers, landscape architects, and urban planners from around the world; as well as Symposia, Receptions at architecturally significant residences, and Panel Discussions on issues impacting North Texas.