Design Takes Over D.C.

The keynote will be delivered by Marshall Purnell, the 84th president of the American Institute of Architects.

by Nicholas Tamarin -- Interior Design, 7/1/2008

Design DC, a three-day conference and exhibit exploring tools, trends, and technology for architects, designers, engineers, and contractors in the Washington area, will kick off July 8 at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center in the nation's capital.

Marshall Purnell, the 84th president of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the organization behind the event, and fellow of the National Organization of Minority Architects will deliver the conference's keynote address on the opening day. As a design principal at Devrouax & Purnell, Purnell has been instrumental in the creation of several Washington landmarks including the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial.

The conference will also feature 68 unique education sessions, 70 design vendors, and a series of tours of Washington's architectural highlights. The tour includes visits to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Building by Moshe Safdie and the National Building Museum's Eero Saarinen exhibit.