Schedule
The Traditional Building Conference Series, now in its twenty-fifth year, has interesting, informative and inspirational education and architectural tours planned for 2026. Three of America's most historic locations will be our living laboratories for learning about architectural history, traditional design and craftsmanship. Earn up to 13 AIA Continuing Education Units in each event, most HSWs. Meet industry experts and network with your professional peers in intimate settings with excellent food!
Our 2026 Dates & Venues
- March 24-25, 2026 - Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites, Salem, MA
- June 16-17, 2026 - Cape May Convention Center (Beachfront Ballroom), Cape May, NJ (Palladio Awards at this event): REGISTER NOW
- November 3-4, 2026 - The Grand at 81 Mary, Charleston, SC
Stay tuned here for more information, or sign up for email updates.
Traditional Building Conference Series Cape May, NJ: June 16-17, 2026
Cape May Convention Center
714 Beach Ave.
Cape May, NJ
Schedule as of April 30, 2026. Please check back for updates.
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
8:00 AM
Breakfast, Networking, Sponsor Exhibits
9:00 AM
Welcome and Introductions
9:15 -10:15 AM
Heritage Tourism and the Victorian Revival in Cape May
Speaker: Mark Alan Hewitt, FAIA
Mark Alan Hewitt is an architect, historian and preservationist who lives in New Hampshire and practices internationally. He is the author of eight books and dozens of articles on American architecture and preservation. Read full bio.
1 AIA Health/Safety/Welfare Learning Unit
Learning Objectives:
- Recount the history of Cape May as pioneering resort town.
- Describe the process of growth, deterioration and adaptive reuse of Victorian Era buildings.
- List ways that heritage tourism supports urban revitalization of historic communities.
- Discuss the impact of heritage tourism for economic benefit on people and communities.
- Consider the power of historic preservation ordinances for urban revitalization.
- Compare and contrast landmark laws and zoning laws in historic communities and their impact on land use.
Architect, preservationist and historian Mark Alan Hewitt. FAIA, will tell the extraordinary story of how the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts under its dynamic director Michael Zuckerman transformed a deteriorating Victorian town into one of the most successful heritage tourist venues in the Eastern United States. The inside story, from Zuckerman’s recollections, 1982 to 2020, makes a dramatic case for how a preservation group with minimum resources can grow, change, and improve an entire community for its people.
10:15 - 10:35 AM
Networking Break
10:40 - 11:45 AM
Decarbonizing the Built Environment on the Path to Our Urban Future
Speaker: Carl Elefante FAIA, FAPT, Principal Emeritus, Quinn Evans
Known worldwide for coining the phrase: “the greenest building is…one that is already built,” Carl Elefante is Principal Emeritus with Quinn Evans, recipient of the 2024 AIA National Firm Award. In 2018, Carl served as President of AIA, the culmination of leadership positions in architecture, historic preservation, and sustainable design organizations. Read full bio.
1 AIA Health/Safety/Welfare Learning Units; CS-021400 1 Hour - Energy (MA CSL)
Learning Objectives:
- Strategize to keep and repurpose existing buildings to meet energy and climate targets and simultaneously yield collateral social, economic, and environmental benefits.
- Consider the limitations of many accepted practices and what is needed to overcome them to meet energy and climate targets and yield collateral social, economic, and environmental benefits.
- Apply the forgotten premises of climate-adapted design to meet energy and climate targets and yield collateral social, economic, and environmental benefits.
- Design for a very long service-life for buildings to meet energy and climate targets and yield collateral social, economic, and environmental benefits.
For those who shape the built environment, the forces impacting the 21st century present a relevance revolution. The importance of what, where, and how we build has never been more consequential. The actions of today’s building-sector professionals will chart the course of humanity’s urban future. What will it be? “If the Past Teaches, What Does the Future Learn?” From a career rescuing building from demolition and repurposing them, Carl Elefante shares his experiences prioritizing stewardship and applying the lessons of built heritage for strong and abundant communities.
Curtailing climate change requires retooling everything about the design, construction, and operation of buildings to eliminate carbon pollution. It demands both a greater focus on building performance and construction technology and also deeper understanding of the impact of buildings and cities on human health, safety, wellbeing, and productive capacity. Going for Zero both explains the demands of climate action on architectural solutions and the broader impacts of climate action in addressing intransigent social, economic, and environmental concerns. These topics are addressed from a unique perspective.
The subject matter is most relevant to architects and other building-sector professionals. The presentation offers a range of material from global trends to detailed technical information and is presented without jargon.
11:50 AM-12:30 PM
Natural Roofing and Cladding Materials: Performance, Longevity, and Design
Speaker: Dan D. Harris, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Ludowici, New Lexington, OH
This course has been submitted to the AIA for credit review.
Learning Objectives:
- Analyze the performance characteristics of natural roofing materials—including wood shake, slate, and clay tile—based on durability, weather resistance, and expected service life.
- Compare the lifecycle costs of wood, slate, and clay roofing systems by evaluating maintenance requirements, replacement cycles, and long-term economic impact.
- Not all natural roofing materials perform the same. This course compares wood shake, slate, and clay tile through the lens of durability, lifecycle cost, and long-term performance.
Attendees will gain practical insights into how these materials respond to weather, maintenance demands, and service-life expectations—while also exploring the design flexibility of clay tile systems across a range of architectural styles.
12:30-1:30 PM
Lunch, Networking, Sponsor Exhibits
1:30-2:15 PM
Modern Manufacturing Doors and Windows
Speaker: Russ Oliveri, President, Oliveri Windows and Doors
Rosario 'Russ' Oliveri is President of Oliveri Millworks, a leader in the South Florida market for architectural hurricane impact fenestration. Read full bio.
.5 AIA Health/Safety/Welfare Learning Unit
Learning Objectives:
- Explain how traditional methods and advanced manufacturing technologies, including CNC machining and automated production systems, improve consistent quality, cost, lead times, performance, and durability of architectural door and window systems.
- Analyze materials selection and fabrication processes, including milling, assembly and glazing and their impact on structural integrity, weather resistance, and occupant safety.
- Describe finishing systems and paint line technologies, including surface preparation, coating application, and curing methods, and how they contribute to long-term durability, environmental resistance, and lifecycle performance.
- Evaluate quality control procedures and production workflows, including precision tolerances, inspection methods, and process sequencing, to ensure consistency, efficiency, and adherence to architectural specifications.
This course provides and in-depth look at modern manufacturing of architectural doors and windows, highlighting the integration of traditional craftsmanship with advanced production technologies. Through real-world examples, including photos and video from active manufacturing environments, participants will gain insight into CNC machining, material processing, glazing techniques, and finishing systems. The course emphasizes how these processes influence product performance durability, and compliance, particularly with high-performance and hurricane-prone environments. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how manufacturing decisions impact design intent, constructability, and long-term building performance.
2:15 - 2:35 PM
Networking Break
2:35 PM
Depart for Tours
Tours will be repeated on Day 1 and Day 2. Please choose one each day. Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather.
Touring the Emlen Physick Estate House and Cape May’s Historic District by Trolley
1.5 AIA Elective Learning Units
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the National Historic Landmark status of the City of Cape May, NJ.
- List the different architectural styles found in the historic district.
- Reflect on the city’s recovery from a devastating fire in 1878 and how it became a center of adaptive reuse of historic homes in the 20th century for commercial purposes.
- Discuss the lifestyle of a wealthy Philadelphia family during the Victorian Era in Cape May through the lens of the Physick family’s home.
- Identify key architectural features designed by architect Frank Furness for the Physick family.
- Assess what historic houses can teach us about its residents and American culture by examining architectural details and the family’s choice in decorative arts.
- Explain the impact of the 1876 World’s Fair on architectural taste and decoration in the late 19th century and 20th century.
Known as the “Queen of the Seaside Resorts” for its quaint Victorian cottages and pristine beaches, Cape May is the oldest seaside resort in the country, and in 1976, the entire city was declared a National Historic Landmark. Possessing one of the country’s largest collections of 19th century seaside wood framed buildings, the historic district features a variety of styles of Victorian architecture. Tour guides will explain Cape May’s history and architecture and how and why it has survived and thrives to this day. The tour is newly updated with contributions of Cape May’s Black community recently documented and entered into the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and into the National Register of Historic Places. After the trolley tour, we will tour the Emlen Physick House.
Designed by architect Frank Furness, the Emlen Physick home showcases Stick Style architecture with intricate moldings, custom furniture, and vibrant wallpapers. Beyond décor, the era’s artistic traditions shine through unexpected details like mourning jewelry made from hair and whimsical “rogue taxidermy” in parlor shades. Even functional elements, from pocket shutters to ceiling medallions, were crafted with elegance. Each room tells a story of beauty, memory, and creativity, making the Physick Estate a living masterpiece of 19th-century design and expression. Tour Cape May’s 1879 Victorian House Museum and learn about its key role in Cape May’s decades-long renaissance story as you appreciate its beauty and craftsmanship. There will be a special interpretive program about the impact of the 1876 World’s Fair on America during this tour.
Cape May Architectural Walking Tour
1 AIA Elective Learning Unit
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the National Historic Landmark status of the City of Cape May, NJ.
- Explain the different architectural styles found in the historic district.
- Reflect on the city’s recovery from a devastating fire in 1878 and how it became a center of adaptive reuse of historic homes in the 20th century for commercial purposes.
- Consider the pedestrian friendliness of Hughes Street, Ocean Street, and Columbia Avenue and how it can inform designs for new urban, residential neighborhoods today.
See the architectural features of America’s only National Historic Landmark City up close on this one-hour walking tour that explores Cape May’s Historic District by foot. Put on your walking shoes and stroll along the sidewalks of streets such as Hughes Street, Ocean Street and Columbia Avenue, with a knowledgeable guide to describe the distinctive elements that make Victorian Cape May’s architecture so special. See where the Great Fire of 1878 burned and how it affected how the town looks today, and more. Comfortable shoes recommended.
Painted Ladies, Porches, and More Walking Tour
1 AIA Elective Learning Unit
Learning Objectives:
- Identify different architectural styles popular during the Victorian Era.
- Explain the importance of streetscape including porches, fences, setbacks, and sidewalks.
- Compare Victorian ideals for gardens with contemporary residential gardens.
- Experience the social nature of porches and their contribution to neighborhoods and neighborly exchanges between residents and visitors.
Walk from the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate to the Washington Street Mall and experience charming Cape May, a National Historic Landmark city, up close. Delight in beautiful gardens as you learn about Victorian era architecture and Cape May’s colorful history along the way. Learn the interesting features of various Victorian styles and discover how porches and fences provided the first impression of the Victorian home, and most importantly, the status, wealth, and refinement of the homeowner. Comfortable shoes recommended.
Mansions by the Sea Trolley Tour & Physick Estate House Tour
1.5 AIA Elective Learning Unit
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the architectural styles of mansions built by wealthy summer residents from the early 20th century through today.
- Reflect on the early efforts to market this seaside city at the turn of the 20th century as a respite for the well-to-do from East Coast cities.
- Discuss the lifestyle of a wealthy Philadelphia family during the Victorian Era in Cape May through the lens of the Physick family’s home.
- Identify key architectural features designed by architect Frank Furness for the Physick family.
- Assess what historic houses can teach us about its residents and American culture by examining architectural details and the family’s choice in decorative arts.
- Explain the impact of the 1876 World’s Fair on architectural taste and decoration in the late 19th century and 20th century.
We will tour the most elegant part of town in the early 1900s. You’ll see the broad streets and summer “mansions” of Cape May’s east side on this trolley tour – an area marketed as “New Cape May” at the turn of the 20th Century. Today, new, beachfront second homeowners have continued the tradition. After the trolley tour, we will tour the Emlen Physick Estate.
The special theme for the 2026 Physick Estate Tour is The World on Display: The Centennial and Everyday Life, looks beyond the museum walls to an event that helped shape the world in which the Physicks lived: the 1876 Centennial Exposition, a world’s fair. Opening in Philadelphia on May 10, 1876, the fair drew more than ten million visitors over six months. Nearly 240 acres of Fairmount Park were transformed, with more than 200 buildings showcasing inventions, demonstrations, new products, and ideas that introduced everyday Americans to the modern age. Tour Cape May’s 1879 Victorian House Museum designed by Frank Furness and learn about this quintessential Victorian event. The Centennial became a catalyst for a changing American culture, whose influence is still felt today.
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
8:00 AM
Breakfast, Networking, Sponsor Exhibits
9:00 AM
Welcome and Introductions
9:15 -10:15 AM
Building Better Buildings: Traditional Masonry in the 21st Century
Speaker: Duncan G. Stroik, AIA, Architect and Professor, University of Notre Dame School of Architecture, Notre Dame, IN
Duncan G. Stroik is a practicing architect, author, and Professor of Architecture at the University of Notre Dame. His work includes Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel in Santa Paula, California, the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Christ Chapel at Hillsdale College. Read full bio.
1 AIA Health/Safety/Welfare Learning Unit
Learning Objectives:
- Use solid masonry construction to build durable and aesthetically pleasing buildings.
- Explore the structural capacity of brick domes adapted for contemporary building standards.
- Explain the use of limestone for the design, fabrication, and erection of structural columns both interiorly and exteriorly.
- Design and build large structural elements such as arches, voussoirs and keystones for civic expression and long-lasting performance.
- Explain architects’ needs for clear specifications, testing to insure code and other safety concerns, and full-scale mockups to build projects that are durable and pleasing to clients.
Through the lens of masonry case studies, join architect Duncan Stroik as he examines key details that contribute to improved building performance and durability. Detailed drawings, structural calculations and masonry mockups make for improved understanding of the craft process and its relationship to improved building aesthetics, durability, and compliance with modern building codes. He will outline methods to build working relationships with craftspeople and improve project outcomes.
10:15-10:40 AM
Networking Break and Sponsor Exhibits
10:45 -11:45 AM
Coastal Visions: Resilient Building within the Tradition of Coastal Architecture
Speaker: Mac White, AIA, Partner, Michael G. Imber Architects
With more than 25 years of tenure at Michael G. Imber Architects, Partner Mac White has played a central role in making the firm a leader in modern traditional design. Read full bio.
1 AIA HSW Learning Unit
Learning Objectives:
- Consider building fortification strategies for resilient coastal residential building types through a series of case studies in a variety of styles of architecture.
- Compare and contrast a variety of construction types from wood frame to masonry to poured-in-place concrete shells and their roles in coastal residential construction.
- Evaluate appropriate finish selections in coastal environments for lasting projects.
- Balance wellness for the inhabitants, focusing on improving physical/emotional well-being through the use of materials, fostering a strong indoor to outdoor connection, promoting good air quality, maximizing the use of natural light, and social interaction within the new urbanist environments of some of these case studies.
The coastal work of Michael G. Imber Architects has always been about a response to place, the local culture and traditions from which it springs, and its connection to the land and water.
While working in a variety of vernacular expressions, we have explored a diverse range of resilient building techniques to meet the challenges of our changing climate and storm hardened construction. Mac White, Partner at Michael G. Imber Architects, will share how their approach to designing beautiful, lasting homes fits within a wide array of building traditions.
11:50-12:30
Designing Functional Exterior Shutters: Architectural Accuracy, Material Performance, and Long-Term Durability
This course has been submitted to the AIA for credit review.
Speaker: Mike Leibowitz, Director of Sales, Timberlane, Inc., Montgomeryville, PA
Mike Leibowitz is a sales and operations leader with over 30 years of experience in high-end home improvement, working with architects, builders, designers, and homeowners throughout all phases of the project lifecycle. Read full bio.
Learning Objectives:
- Evaluate the principles of architectural accuracy in exterior shutter design, including proportion, function, operability, and detailing, and their impact on building performance and design integrity.
- Compare common shutter material categories—including composites, traditional softwoods, hardwoods, and modified woods—based on dimensional stability, durability, and suitability for different environmental conditions.
This course examines the design and application of exterior shutters as a functional component of residential architecture. Participants will explore the principles of architectural accuracy, including proper sizing, proportion, and detailing, and how these factors influence both aesthetic integration and functional performance. The course will review hardware systems and installation methods required for functional shutters.
Material options—including composite materials, traditional softwoods, hardwoods, and modified wood products—will be evaluated based on dimensional stability, environmental exposure, and long-term performance characteristics. Participants will also consider lifecycle implications such as maintenance requirements, service life, and sustainability outcomes. The course concludes with a discussion of the relationship between functional exterior elements and overall building performance, including the secondary effects of exterior shading on occupant comfort and energy use.
This program is intended to provide architects with technical knowledge to support informed design decisions related to exterior shutter systems.
12:30-1:30
Lunch
1:35-2:15 PM
Historic University Window Renovations: Lessons from Three Campuses
2:15 - 2:25 PM
Networking break
2:125 PM
Depart for tours- Select one:
- Touring the Emlen Physick Estate House and Cape May’s Historic District by Trolley
- Cape May Architectural Walking Tour
- Painted Ladies, Porches, and More Walking Tour
- Mansions by the Sea Trolley Tour & Physick Estate House Tour
Earn AIA Learning Units:
The Traditional Building Conference Series is a registered provider of AIA continuing education credits. Credits for ASID, NARI, AIBD, and some NAHB certifications are available.
Check out some of our previous conferences:
Coral Gables, 2021
2020 Virtual Conference
Winston-Salem 2019
Winterthur 2019
Oak Park 2018
Brooklyn 2017
Salem 2017
Charleston 2017
Washington, D.C. 2016
Pittsburgh 2016
New Haven 2016
Frequent & Past Attendees Include:
Consiglia Construction
Historical Concepts
Peter Pennoyer Architects
Shawmut Construction
David M. Schwarz Architects
Fairfax and Sammons Architects
Glave and Holmes Architects
Shope Reno Architects
Barnes Vanze Architects
Robert A.M. Stern Architects
Harrison Design
Schooly Caldwell Architects
The Architect of the U.S. Capitol
The National Park Service
City of Denver
General Services Administration
U.S. Department of State
Duke University
Princeton University
MIT
University of Virginia
South Carolina Historic Preservation Office
New York City Landmarks
Schafer Buccellato Architects
Quinn Evans Architects
Morales Construction
Bulley & Andrews
Winchester Builders