Tour of the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center (WAAC)
Join us on Friday, April 17, for a special behind-the-scenes hard-hat tour of the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center (WAAC). This visit offers conference delegates a rare opportunity to explore a learning space where education, community engagement, and design practice intersect in a highly tangible way.
Located in nearby historic Alexandria, the WAAC was established with the idea of the city as a living laboratory: a place where students and educators learn through direct engagement with the built environment and the communities that shape it.
Meeting Location: Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Availability: 20 attendees
Ticket Price: Free to attend, but registration is required
**This tour is a free event open to registered IAFOR conference delegates**
About the WAAC
The Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center is built around a simple but ambitious principle: learning does not only happen in classrooms. Through its teaching and public-facing work, the Center connects architecture, planning, sustainability, and social responsibility, encouraging students and researchers to consider how universities can meaningfully contribute to the civic life of the places they occupy.
Earlier in the day, Director Susan Piedmont-Palladino will share insights into how the WAAC engages with its surrounding community, and what it means for universities and research institutions to think seriously about their social role. Later, tour participants will have the chance to see that philosophy in action.
A Hard-Hat Tour of a Student Co-Designed Building
The WAAC is co-designed by students and professors as a living laboratory within the city, aimed at advancing sustainability and community-building. This tour will allow participants a chance to explore the facility alongside WCE/WCSS2026 featured panellist and WAAC Director Susan Piedmont-Palladino, who will serve as our tour guide.
Director Piedmont-Palladino will lead participants through the Center, sharing her insights into how the WAAC engages students with its surrounding community and its role in the civic responsibility of the university. Director Piedmont-Palladino’s guidance will also provide practical insight into the theoretical discussions held during the conference plenary panel ‘Campus, Community, and Citizenship’, in which she serves as a panellist. In addition, participants will receive exclusive hard-hat access to the WAAC’s ongoing renovation.
The guided tour is expected to last between 30 to 60 minutes, with approximately 45 minutes of travel each way by Metro. Participants will need to purchase their own Metro ticket.
Old Town Alexandria
After the conclusion of the WAAC tour, attendees are encouraged to explore Old Town Alexandria. Founded in 1749, Old Town Alexandria predates the United States and is renowned for its beautifully preserved eighteenth- and nineteenth-century architecture and cobblestone streets, as well as its waterfront views along the Potomac River.
Reserve Your Place
Participation is limited to 20 attendees. We encourage you to register as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.