ACADIA 2025 Conference Examines Environmental Impact of Computational Design in Miami

The 45th annual ACADIA conference took place from November 3 to 8, 2025, in Miami, Florida, at venues including the Bernard Tschumi Architects-designed complex at Florida International University and the Arquitectonica-designed Thomas P. Murphy Design Studio Building at the University of Miami. The event, titled 'Computing for Resilience,' attracted 275 attendees and focused on how computational design intersects with climate volatility, technological acceleration, and professional responsibility. Discussions highlighted the environmental costs of data centers and machine learning, which consume substantial electricity and water, exacerbating resource vulnerabilities in regions like Miami that face rising sea levels and land subsidence. Panels and workshops addressed topics such as data sufficiency, supply-chain fragility, and the need for inclusive knowledge systems in resilience planning. Notable participants included Biayna Bogosian, ACADIA president and founder of the FIU CASE Robotics And Digital Fabrication Lab; Shahin Vassigh, FIU director and professor; and speakers like Samuele Sordi of Pininfarina, David Benjamin from Columbia GSAPP, and Kathy Velikov of the University of Michigan. The conference emphasized moving toward intentional computational practices, with suggestions for practitioners, institutions, and policymakers to integrate environmental considerations into design workflows.