Washington D.C. -- The American Institute of Architects (AIA) will host North America’s largest annual gathering of architects and design professionals June 6–8 in Las Vegas. The AIA Conference on Architecture 2019 (A’19)–designed around the theme Blueprint for a Better Future–will draw an estimated 20,000 registrants to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Recognizing the critical challenges facing the world’s communities, A’19 will bring awareness to the future of architecture and the profession. Programming will address topics including, sustainability; equity, diversity and inclusion; affordable housing; biophilic design; building energy performance; and revitalization.

Attendees will have access to keynote events with high profile speakers, more than 150 curated tours, dozens of workshops, and hundreds of seminars.

Keynote storyteller Roman Mars is the host and creator of 99% Invisible, one of the world’s most popular architecture and design podcasts. His podcast has over 300 million downloads, his 2015 TED Talk on design has more than 5 million views, and his crowd-funded campaigns have raised more than $4 million—positioning Mars as a respected influencer in design.

Mars will share the stage with other high-profile speakers including Reshma Saujani, the founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, and Ryan Coogler, co-writer and director of the Academy Award-winning film Black Panther.

Saujani was the first Indian American woman to run for Congress, and the nonprofit she founded has already affected the lives of 90,000 girls nationwide. She will address the gender gap in STEM education and offer a new model for leadership that embraces risk and failure.

Coogler, whose work includes acclaimed film “Fruitvale Station,” will talk about the power of using diverse teams to bring a vision to life, and how he made a film that has become an important cultural touchstone.

More than 200 educational sessions are planned for A’19, covering topics such as firm culture; accessibility, sustainability and resiliency in the built environment; inclusive design; affordable housing; and artificial intelligence in architecture. New at A’19 is a business school-inspired lineup, which is designed to equip architect-entrepreneurs with the knowledge, tools and best practices for successful small firm management.

Over 600 brands will be on display at the Architecture Expo from June 6–7. At more than 200,000 square feet, the tradeshow features the latest materials, products, technologies and solutions tailored to the architecture community.

For more information, visit www.aia.org.