Back by popular demand for its third consecutive year, The Design District @METALCON returns to Las Vegas from October 21–23, 2025, bringing together leading architects, engineers, designers and specifiers for three days of targeted education, cutting-edge products and high-level networking—all centered on building better, designing smarter, achieving bold design, lasting resilience and high-performance results with metal.
The Design District @ METALCON is a dedicated area on the show floor that offers tailored programming, AIA-approved learning, and access to a showcase of innovative products for both exterior and interior applications.
What to Expect in 2025
Up to a Full Year of Continuing Education Credits—All in One Place
Attendees can earn up to a full year’s worth of AIA Learning Units (LUs), including Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW) credits, with exclusive sessions focused on performance, resiliency, sustainability, acoustics, fire resistance and more.
Morning Kick-off Sessions
Each morning kicks off with featured presentations from industry leaders, including
- Brian Zamora, Architect & Fabricator (formerly with Frank Gehry Partners) “A Walk Through the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center & Eisenhower Memorial”
- Erla Dögg Ingjaldsdóttir & Tryggvi Thorsteinsson, Principals of Minarc “Breaking the Cycle of Wildfire Destruction”
Keynote Speakers
- Clint Romesha, Medal of Honor recipient and author of Red Platoon, presents “Always Forward – Lessons in Leadership and Resilience,” sharing leadership and resilience lessons from the Battle of Kamdesh, as portrayed in The Outpost.
- Alex Chausovsky, economic and labor market expert, presents Economic and Labor Market Update – What to Expect in 2025 & Beyond, offering key forecasts and strategic insights for the year ahead.
- Live Case Study in Metal Design: Check out the 232-m2 (2,500-sf), steel-frame Barndominium on the show floor—soon to be Eagles Landing, a Montana retreat for veterans.
Curated Sessions Tailored for Design Professionals
- Modern Solutions: Advancing Performance in Metal Building Insulation
- Acoustic Solutions for Metal Buildings
- Designing Metal Buildings for Circularity: Reuse and Recycling Strategies
- Advanced, Cost-Effective, Field Touch Ups, Repair and Restoration Solutions for Architectural Metal
- Breaking the Cycle of Wildfire Destruction: The Urgent Need for Fire-Resilient Construction
- Spel(Li)ng (Be)auty in Met(Al)
- Seeing Double: Adopting Twins for De-Carbonization, Resilience, and Circularity
- Sacred Geometry and Metal Roofing: A Match Made in Heaven
- Understanding…And Documenting…the Environmental Footprint of Aluminum Extrusions
Product Innovation from 250-plus Exhibitors
Explore the latest in metal façades, cladding, coatings, roofing systems and envelope solutions across the expansive METALCON exhibit hall.
Exclusive Networking & The Design District @ METALCON
The on-floor Design District offers a space to recharge and connect with colleagues. Networking events throughout the show include the Welcome Party, Metal & Mimosas, Speed Networking and Oktoberfest Happy Hours.
“The continued growth of The Design District reflects the expanding role of metal in high-performance, sustainable and resilient design,” says Judy Geller, vice president of tradeshows at METALCON. “We’ve created a unique, immersive experience for professionals who are driving innovation in the built environment.”
Who Should Attend?
The Design District @ METALCON is tailored for professionals who are shaping the future of the built environment. This includes architects, engineers, specifiers and designers seeking resilient, high-performance and aesthetically compelling solutions; engineers advancing envelope design, acoustics and sustainability; specifiers in search of innovative, compliant products; developers and property owners exploring future-ready strategies; and students or emerging professionals looking to connect with leaders in architectural innovation.
