BEAT FORUMS

BEAT Forums are a biennial event dedicated to exploring the variety of issues surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion in our profession. The Forums consist of panel discussions, offered either in person or online, that delve into issues related to equity, diversity, or inclusion from various perspectives, often featuring the insights of industry experts. Forums have included such topics as Building Equity on Construction Sites, the design of equitable public spaces, empowering architectural practices to address Emotional/Identity Tax, Unconscious Bias, and more. Forums are well attended by large groups and have received widespread positive feedback.

Events

2026 BEAT Forum - Access by Design: Rethinking Accessibility in Architecture

Feb 7

Feb 7, 2026

2026 BEAT Forum - Access by Design: Rethinking Accessibility in Architecture

Feb 7, 2026

BEAT is thrilled for the next edition in our BEAT Forum Series!

Access by Design: Rethinking Accessibility in Architecture
Presentation + Panel Discussion
Saturday Feb 7, 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM
OCAD University, Room # 230

This event explores how the meanings of accessibility and disability in architecture are changing—both in the spaces we design and within the profession itself. We begin with a keynote from a leading expert in accessible, disability-informed design, offering a framing of accessibility that moves beyond code compliance to consider equity, lived experience, and belonging. A panel discussion will follow, bringing together designers, advocates, and educators to examine what accessibility looks like in practice: how we shape environments that welcome a wide range of bodies and minds, and how we build a profession that reflects diverse abilities, perspectives, and needs.

Feb 7, 2026