The Council of Architecture (CoA) has announced SHAPE 2026 – Sustainable Habitats and Architecture for People and the Earth, its upcoming International Conference scheduled to be held from 26 to 28 February 2026 at Chitkara University, Punjab. The conference will be hosted at the Chitkara School of Planning and Architecture and aims to bring together architects, planners, researchers, academicians, professionals, and students from across India and abroad.
SHAPE 2026 is envisioned as a global platform to deliberate on how architecture and planning can respond to contemporary challenges through sustainability, inclusivity, and resilience. The conference theme emphasises “Embracing the SDG Vision through Architecture and Planning”, aligning professional discourse with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The Call for Papers has been announced under five broad thematic areas. These include Inclusive Cities, Equity and Human-Centred Habitats, focusing on affordability, inclusivity, and community-oriented housing; Architecture for Climate Resilience and Environmental Stewardship, covering passive design, net-zero architecture, disaster-resilient built environments, and climate-sensitive urbanism. Another key theme, Water, Resource and Environmental Systems for Sustainable Living, will explore water-sensitive urban design, blue-green infrastructure, circular economy, and energy efficiency.
Health and well-being form a critical dimension of the conference, with a dedicated theme on Health, Well-being and Livable Environments, addressing healthy buildings, biophilic design, and architecture for sustainable public health. The fifth theme, Partnerships, Governance and Collaborative Futures, will examine cross-sector collaborations, global alliances, policy frameworks, and institutional innovations shaping the future of the built environment.
In the run-up to the main event, pre-conference webinars are scheduled between December 2025 and February 2026, offering early engagement and knowledge exchange. Selected papers from the conference will be considered for publication in ISSN-listed journals and a book of conference proceedings, subject to peer review.
Key deadlines announced include 9 January 2026 for abstract submission, 16 January 2026 for notification of acceptance, 16 February 2026 for full paper submission, and 16 February 2026 for submission of PowerPoint presentations.
With SHAPE 2026, the Council of Architecture aims to foster meaningful dialogue on sustainable and people-centric design, positioning architecture and planning as key drivers in addressing climate change, social equity, and environmental responsibility at local, national, and global scales.
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