SAH 76th Annual International Conference Recap

Thank you to all who joined the Society of Architectural Historians in Montréal for our 76^th Annual International Conference, April 12–16, 2023. Explore stats and photo highlights from the conference including the Introductory Address, Awards Celebration, Sekler Talk, Closing Night Reception, and more.

PHOTO GALLERY

Attendees: 475	Speakers: 174
Countries Represented: 32	Session Chairs: 60
US States Represented: 42	Papers Presented: 164
Sessions: 35	Exhibitors: 11
Tours: 28	Volunteers: 36
	Travel Fellowships: $65K total offered to 61 (26% of speakers and session chairs)

  

We express our gratitude to each member, speaker, session chair, tour leader, volunteer, exhibitor, sponsor, and partner who helped us co-create a memorable conference. Our sincere thanks to Conference Chair, Carla Yanni, and Local Co-Chairs, Olivier Vallerand and Christina Contandriopolous, for organizing an incredible array of educational sessions and meetings, along with tours, keynote talks, and events that enriched the conference program.

Graduate Student Reception

We moved the Graduate Student Reception from its traditional Friday evening slot to Wednesday—the opening night, so students could meet each other and begin networking at the start of the conference. Photo by Helena Dean.

Introductory Address

Guillaume Éthier, Professor, Department of Urban Studies and Tourism (UQAM), delivered the introductory address, “Montréal: An Assemblage of Fortunate Accidents” immediately following the Annual Business Meeting, Photo by Helena Dean.

Opening Night Reception

The exhibit area was buzzing with activity during the Opening Night Reception as conference attendees mingled with each other and perused our exhibitors’ books and publications. Photo by Helena Dean.

Paper Sessions

Speakers presented new research in the conference’s 31 thematic sessions, three open sessions, and the Graduate Student Lightning Talks. Photo by Luigi D’Astolfo.

 

SAH Minority Scholars Affiliate Group Meeting

SAH Affiliate Groups including Minority Scholars, Historic Interiors, Asian American and Diasporic Architectural History, and Architectural Studies met to discuss their activities and future initiatives and to welcome new members into the fold. Photo by Luigi D’Astolfo.

 

Graduate Student Town Hall

Graduate students gathered to brainstorm ways that SAH might support efforts to bring about living wages for architectural historians. Photo by Luigi D’Astolfo.

 

Awards Celebration

The annual awards ceremony was transformed into a social event complete with a cash bar and hors d’oeuvres. Attendees gathered around a central stage as winners of the SAH Publication Awards, SAH Award for Film and Video, and David B. Brownlee Dissertation Award were announced. Photos by Luigi D’Astolfo.

 

Volunteers

We couldn’t pull off the conference without our volunteers who worked the registration desk, monitored sessions, and assisted with tours. Photo by Helena Dean.

 

Session Breaks

Members had the chance to chat with each other and grab coffee during the breaks between sessions. Photo by Luigi D’Astolfo.

 

Eduard F. Sekler Talk

The Sekler Talk was moved from Thursday to Friday night. Annmarie Adams delivered the excellent talk, “Shift Work: The Hospital in Histories of Architecture and Medicine.” Photo by Helena Dean.

Tours

The weather in Montréal was perfect for tours. Sixty-one percent of the tours were at capacity. The conference's four Habitat 67 tours quickly sold out. Photo by Valentina Davila.

 

SAH Montréal Seminar

Local scholars and LGBTQ+ and sex worker activists shed light on Montréal’s history as a “sin city” and the tensions between local authorities and underground communities over who has the right to use nightlife spaces. Photo by Helena Dean.

 

Closing Night Reception

The conference’s final reception was held at BAnQ, where guests had the opportunity to socialize and visit the architecturally-dazzling reading room. Photos by Helena Dean.