The Boston Society of Architects' (BSA) new annual convention, the ArchitectureBoston Expo (ABX) took place at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center from November 14 - 16. The largest building industry event in New England, the show welcomed 8,500 attendees, 374 exhibitors and hosted over 150 educational programs.
This was the inaugural year of ABX. Founder and long-time co-producer of Build Boston and Residential Design & Construction, the BSA retired the 27-year-old brands last year to commit fully to ABX.
"It was a challenging decision to retire the long-standing Build Boston conference, but the move to ABX and the BCEC brought a new energy for the show" said Laura Wernick AIA, the BSA's 2012 president. "The exhibit hall at the BCEC with its natural light and increased size really allowed us to do more over the course of three days for the industry and you could feel the momentum throughout the show. We're already jazzed for 2013."
In addition to the traditional exhibit hall experience, attendees were given the opportunity to explore interactive exhibits on the show floor. The BSA's Access and Design for Aging Committees, partnering with Erland Construction, designed and built an exhibit exploring universal design. Attendees could maneuver wheelchairs, walkers and canes through one structure that was designed to be inaccessible, and then use the same mobility aids to navigate through a space designed to present a "universally" accessible space.
"We debated the possibility of this exhibit for months at a committee level," said Katie McGuinness associate AIA. "That the BSA could make this possible through partnerships, funding and design support was amazing. To see the level of interest and activity once this exhibit was constructed at ABX was beyond impressive."
The ABX conference program attracted A/E/C industry professionals seeking to build their knowledge and skills. The varied workshops attracted 2,250 attendees, and additional free programming was offered on the show floor by the BSA, Architecture for Humanity Boston, ADD Inc and other allied organizations. Tours to some of Greater Boston's newest and most architecturally significant buildings offered a behind the scenes treat.
ABX 2013 is scheduled for November 20 - 22, 2013 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
For more information, visit abexpo.com.