Lake Flato Recognized at AIA26 Conference on Architecture & Design
At this year’s AIA Conference on Architecture & Design, Lake Flato joined peers from across the country to share ideas, present work, and celebrate design excellence. The firm was recognized with two national AIA awards—its 17th COTE Top Ten Award and an Interior Architecture Award—as well as a WoodWorks Wood in Architecture Award and a Residential Design Magazine Architecture Award.
June 10, 2026
At AIA26, we received the following national AIA awards:
- COTE Top Ten Award: Trinity University Business & Humanities District
- Interior Architecture Award: Cedar Park Public Library
In addition, we were recognized at the conference with a WoodWorks Wood in Architecture Award for the University of Pennsylvania Amy Gutmann Hall and a Residential Design Magazine Architecture Award for Point Dume Residence.
Learn More About Our Award Recipients
Session Presentations
Wednesday, June 10
Practical AI for Every Architect, hosted by Technology in Architectural Practice and the AI Task Force
9:00-5:00 p.m. | San Diego Convention Center Ballroom 20D | 6.25 RIBA/LU
AI is no longer a future concept in architecture—it’s already reshaping everyday practice.
Join Lake Flato Director of Design Technology Dan Stine and colleagues at the 2026 TAP Symposium as they explore what it means to be an AI-enabled architect. Featuring accessible tools and other emerging platforms, the symposium will examine how AI is transforming documentation, coordination, visualization, decision-making, and more. From design through project delivery and practice operations, sessions will highlight practical, real-world applications of AI across the “parts of the day” architects navigate every day.
- Daniel Stine – Lake Flato, Director of Design Technology & additional panelists
Wednesday, June 10
What Post-Occupancy Studies Teach Us About Daylight, Comfort, & Design
2:00-3:00 p.m. | San Diego Convention Center Meeting Room 24 | 1 HSW/RIBA
Join Lake Flato Design Performance Manager Kate Sector Gregg and Amirali Ghourkhanehchi Zirak, Graduate Research Assistant at UT San Antonio, as they present post-occupancy evaluation (POE) findings with a focus on daylighting. The session will also explore practical methods for studying your own projects, including assessments of thermal comfort, acoustics, indoor air quality, and other key POE topics.
- Kate Sector Gregg – Lake Flato, Design Performance Manager
- Amirali Ghourkhanehchi Zirak – Graduate Research Assistant/Ph.D. Student at UT San Antonio
Thursday, June 11
The Net-Zero Energy Rollercoaster: Hold on Tight
2:30-3:30 p.m. | San Diego Convention Center Meeting Room 23 | 1 RIBA/LU/GBCI/Net Zero
Drawing from the net-zero energy portfolios of Lake Flato and HDR, Lake Flato Sustainability Director Heather Holdridge and HDR Director of Sustainable Design Colin Rohlfing will explore the challenges, lessons learned, and breakthroughs behind net-positive design — a journey best described as a rollercoaster ride. Through a range of public and private case studies spanning multiple building typologies, scales, and climate zones, attendees will gain practical insights into net-positive energy strategies, embodied carbon reduction, and the integration of resilient building systems.
- Heather Holdridge – Lake Flato, Sustainability Director
- Colin Rohlfing – HDR, Director of Sustainable Design
Friday, June 12
Twenty Years of Campus-Making: Francis Parker School
12:30-3:00 p.m. | San Diego Convention Center Lobby H | 1.5 GBCI/RIBA/LU
Join Lake Flato Partners Greg Papay and Brandi Rickels for a tour of the AIA CAE Award-winning Francis Parker School campus. Originally selected through a national design competition in 2002, the collaborative team of Lake Flato, Domus, and Gensler transformed the school’s 20-acre Middle and Upper School campus into one of the country’s most compelling learning environments. Inspired by Southern California modernism and featuring tilt-wall construction throughout, the campus integrates architecture, landscape, and pedagogy to support wellness and learning.
During the tour, participants will explore principles of campus planning, programming, design, construction, and financing while experiencing the campus’s 15+ buildings and grounds firsthand. Discussions will examine the unique challenges of campus design, the role of culture, climate, craft, and landscape in place-making, and how the built environment can catalyze learning and support student well-being.