General Information
The Portland Building Enclosure Council is pleased to announce the 2026 Symposium. This year’s Symposium will focus on building enclosure innovation.
The symposium is a full day event, comprised of presentations, speakers, and opportunities for sidebar conversations.
- Meet with local representatives of leading building product manufacturers
- This all day event includes continental breakfast and seated buffet lunch.
- Anticipated 6 AIA /CEU - LU/HSW
Schedule
| 7:30 - 8:15 | Registration, Breakfast, & Visit Sponsors |
| 8:15 - 8:30 | Welcoming Remarks |
| 8:30 - 9:30 | Session 1: Portland Art Museum Facade |
| 9:30 - 10:30 | Session 2: Modern High Performance Curtain Wall Design |
| 10:30 - 11:00 | Morning Break & Visit Sponsors |
| 11:00 - 12:00 | Session 3: PDX Main Terminal Skylights |
| 12:00 - 1:00 | Lunch & Visit Sponsors |
| 1:00 - 2:00 | Session 4: Populus Hotel |
| 2:00 - 3:00 | Session 5: Lessons from Complex Façade Enclosures |
| 3:00 - 3:30 | Afternoon Break & Visit Sponsors |
| 3:30 - 4:30 | Session 6: Seattle Space Needle Renovation |
| 4:30 - 5:00 | Raffle & Closing Remarks |
| 5:00 - 5:30 | Visit Sponsors |
Registration Information
Cost
- Members: $100
- Non-Members: $125
Speakers & Sessions
Session order subject to change
Josh Stein & Will Babbington
Session 1 - Portland Art Museum Facade
1 AIA LU/HSW
This course will focus on the development of the custom glass rainscreen design for the project's south addition. A design assist procurement process was used that focused heavily on collaboration, design and construction team expertise, and iterative mock-up development to arrive at the final design. This process, the design of the rainscreen components, and the many lessons learned will be discussed.
Julian Safford
Session 2 - Modern High Performance Curtain Wall Design
1 AIA LU/HSW
As architecture evolves due to global, societal, and sustainability factors, the technologies within this field are evolving with it. The purpose of this course is to convey how advancements in curtain wall systems are responding to modern-day architectural requirements such as increased thermal performance, structural spanning capabilities, and stronger embodied carbon standards. It is important for designers to understand new advancements in the industry in order to make more informed decisions for an overall higher performing building skin.
Christian Schoewe, Christopher Pitt, Steven McBride, & Tom Wharton
Session 3 - PDX Main Terminal Skylights Panel Discussion
1 AIA LU/HSW
This course presents a detailed case study of the skylight system developed for the Portland International Airport (PDX) Terminal Redevelopment Project. Participants will learn how architectural daylighting goals were integrated with rigorous water-management detailing to improve occupant comfort and maintenance worker safety while reducing long-term maintenance and operational costs for the Port of Portland.
The panel discussion and presentation explore the interdisciplinary collaboration required to design and engineer a skylight system that achieved Oregon OSHA certification as a compliant hole cover—the first known application of glass as hole cover—an uncommon designation for architectural glazing not designed as an occupied floor. Attendees will learn how structural performance criteria, glass selection, and assembly design informed the first application of this skylight glass system with OSHA approval in an airport environment.
The course also reviews the development of a project-specific testing methodology that validated safety assumptions and demonstrated compliance with performance-based regulatory requirements. Emphasis is placed on decision-making processes that improve building safety, durability, resilience, and lifecycle performance and the challenges and opportunities associated with first-of-their-kind glazing applications.
Chris O'Hara & Will Babbington
Session 4 - Populus Hotel
1 AIA LU/HSW
Description
J-F Robert
Session 5 - Balancing Design and Performance: Lessons from Complex Façade Enclosures
1 AIA LU/HSW
This presentation will examine façade design through a series of case studies drawn from projects in the Pacific Northwest, where wet, cool, and seismically active conditions create a uniquely demanding design environment. The session will explore how ambitious architectural expression and structural performance requirements informed enclosure strategies, material selection, and delivery planning across a range of complex façade systems.
The discussion will focus on the strategic use of steel, timber, and aluminum systems; glass selection decisions involving coatings, heat treatment, and laminated assemblies; and the importance of clearly defining divisions of scope and coordination responsibilities across the project team. Particular emphasis will be placed on the value of early-stage planning in aligning design intent, constructability, and technical performance. Attendees will gain practical insight into lessons learned, common coordination challenges, and key considerations for delivering high-performance façades in demanding project conditions.
Blair Payson
Session 6 - New Heights: Transforming an Icon - The Renovation of Seattle's Space Needle
1 AIA LU/HSW
In 2019, the renovation of the Space Needle’s upper levels was completed. Learn how the building’s visitor experience was completely transformed without dramatically altering its iconic profile in a presentation by the architectural and engineering team. From the building’s original 1960’s era inspiration in technical dancing to the incorporation of the world’s first revolving glass floor to supporting a construction project 500’ in the air, the Space Needle story is one of the richest creative, historical and technological architectural stories of its time. The renovation is continuing with the current phase replacement of the elevators.