Craft (re)Focused
October 7-9 2026
As we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the American Society of Architectural Illustrators, we find ourselves again at the intersection of art and science, legacy and change, craft and content, intention and automation. The significant difference is that in the present day all of these conversations and arguments often come at us at a blinding speed measured in tokens per second.
What has enabled ASAI to thrive for four decades is not any single method or medium but a global community of artists and professionals dedicated to advancing how architecture is designed and experienced. At a time of rapid change and difficult conversations about AI and what it means for art, ASAI provides a vital space for open dialogue.
Craft (re)Focused: Craft is more than technique; “craft is an understanding that may not be quantifiable” (Gordon Grice, ASAI). While automation is certainly increasing the speed of production, it is still the human hand, brain, and heart at the center of a purposeful communication process. Architectural visual communication has always been more than graphical representation. It is the ongoing refinement of our ability to translate ideas into emotion, space into story, and problems into solutions. At its core, our work is human-centered, shaped by lived experiences, unique circumstances, and an enduring curiosity. As technology advances, this is an invitation to refocus on the foundations of our discipline and rediscover the value embedded in thoughtful making.
Art of Intent: In a time when images and content can be generated in an instant, fighting for every second of our attention, the value of deliberate creation has never been more essential to our environment and society. The choices we make as artists in our process, what we emphasize, omit, question, communicate or argue, all give our work meaning beyond efficiency or novelty. “Art of Intent” asks us to slow down and consider not only how we create, but why we do it. How are we shaping our artistic voice and presence, and with them, the spaces around us? Intentionality transforms representation into purposeful communication and reminds us that the human factor remains at the center of our creative practice.
In Washington D.C. – We will focus on human connection, personal stories, and all the artistic fuel that propels us and encourages us to push creative limits. Conversations will center on the reasons, ideas, and people behind the traditional or digital brush. We will talk openly about the impact of technology on our industry, legacy, and creativity, especially at a time of mass-produced AI content and the polarizing presence of AI in the art space. We will host a career development event in addition to expert panels in both professional and educational areas.
(Subject To Change)
Taro Narahara is an architect, media artist, researcher, and tenured Associate Professor at New Jersey Institute of Technology. A licensed architect in New York and Japan, he practiced at SOM and Gluckman Tang Architects, contributing to the Mori Art Museum. His work bridges architectural visualization, AI, computational design, and immersive media, with exhibitions at ACM SIGGRAPH and the Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture (UABB) in Shenzhen. In 2026, his projection-mapping work was selected among 18 finalists from 412 submissions and won TOKYO LIGHTS’ Audience Award by public vote. Recognitions include ASAI’s Thematic Award, an Architizer Vision Awards Special Mention, Harvard’s Peter Rice Prize, IEICE, and NII awards. He holds a Doctor of Design from Harvard GSD and an M.S. from MIT.
Lisa Della Dora has spent over a decade navigating the Architectural Visualization industry.
Her career path has seen her evolve from a junior 3D modeler to holding leadership positions such as Art Director and Project Manager, giving her a unique, 360-degree
perspective on the production pipeline. Currently she continues her hands-on production work as a Senior 3D Artist for Bloomimages. She channels her extensive experience into education and community building as the Art Director and Placement Manager for the MADI Master at IUAV University of Venice and as the founder of Render IT, a community and blog dedicated to highlighting and bringing together Italian artists.
Driven by a passion for the “human side” of the industry, Lisa also works as a consultant to help artists refine their careers and portfolios
Rotimi Seriki is a design visualization leader with over 15 years of experience spanning architecture, 3D visualization, and real-time immersive technologies. With a background in architecture and an early career as a draftsman, he brings a strong foundation in spatial design and visual storytelling.
He has led the development of visualization capabilities from the ground up, including driving the transition from traditional rendering tools to real-time platforms such as Unreal Engine. His work advancing design technology and workflows earned him Autodesk’s 40 Under 40 award in 2020.
Currently serving as a Design Visualization Manager, Rotimi leads the strategic direction of visualization pipelines and workflows, oversees quality across client deliverables, and ensures the successful execution of visual assets across complex, multidisciplinary projects. His work combines design expertise, technical innovation, and leadership to deliver compelling visual experiences that support client vision and business goals.
Bloomimages New York is led by Lucas Posada, a licensed architect and creative director with almost 20 years of experience shaping architectural projects and visual narratives in the U.S. and abroad. As Director of the New York studio of Bloomimages, Lucas guides the creative vision, client strategy, and overall direction of the practice.
His role centers on helping architects, developers, and cultural institutions translate complex design ideas into compelling visual stories. He leads the studio’s approach to image-making, film, and editorial storytelling, working closely with clients to define the narrative, mood, and visual language of each project. Under his direction, Bloomimages New York develops imagery that goes beyond technical representation, creating work that communicates atmosphere, intent, and the broader cultural context of architecture.
Artur is one of the two creative minds behind CommonPoint, known for being a bit louder and a bit more cheerful.
Over the years, Artur dipped toes in various creative fields, including art direction, design, 3d animation, video editing, color grading, coding and copywriting.
This diverse experience has given him a broad perspective on creativity, and allowed him to blend different forms of artistic expression.
Since Bartosz was a little kid, he’s been obsessed with all things creative. Drawing, designing, you name it – he was all over it.
For a while (10 years), Bartosz worked as a freelancer for some big-shot companies, but going solo kind of stopped his creative flow.
That’s when he joined forces with Artur and is now dedicated to haring his artistic knowledge with the world.
JJ Zanetta is an architectural illustrator and the founder of Zanetta Illustration, a Pittsburgh-based studio specializing in hand-drawn, watercolor-rooted imagery for architects, planners, developers, and communities. For more than seventeen years, his work has helped translate ideas into pictures people can respond to — from early concept sketches to finished presentation renderings for projects across the country and abroad.
Trained in art education and shaped by an early apprenticeship at Urban Design Associates, JJ works at the intersection of drawing, design, and communication — guided by a lasting belief in drawing as one of design’s essential tools. His hand-drawn imagery, warm and visibly human, helps clients and audiences’ picture what a place could become.
Monica Nelson is a Researcher at Chaos. She focuses on analyzing trends and emerging technologies in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC), media and entertainment (M&E), and product e-commerce industries. In her role at Chaos, Monica tracks the latest innovations and market movements. She studies how new emerging technologies like VR/AR, and AI are transforming traditional workflows. Monica also closely follows M&A activity, emerging business models, and shifting consumer behaviors in these markets.
Simon Kalajdjiev is an artist from Macedoina who has been working as an architectural illustrator at Nikken Sekkei in Tokyo for over 10 years.
He became fascinated with depictions of fantastical architecture in comic books at an early age, which inspired his passion for drawing. He started getting commissions while still in high school, doing illustration, storyboards and comic strips. He earned a bachelor degree in painting and teaching art at the Faculty of Fine Arts at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in his hometown Skopje, Macedonia, and later took media and futures studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, Korea.
Simon’s architectural illustrations often depict lively scenes with focus on people, activity and community, and through telling stories promote solutions on current environmental and societal issues. He uses a wide range of techniques and visual styles, from watercolors and ink drawings, to pixel art and glitch art. He also frequently gives workshops at Nikken Sekkei teaching the advantages to having a daily sketching and hand drawing practice, especially in a time of wide adoption of Generative AI.
Nathan Davies is Creative Director and Head of New York at Hayes Davidson, leading the studio’s expansion into the United States. Trained and practicing as an architect before joining the team almost ten years ago, he has spent the past decade helping shape the studio’s creative output and reputation. He relocated from London to establish the New York operation, and is responsible for the team, its clients, and the creative direction of the work across the country.
Founded in London in 1989 and entirely employee-owned, Hayes Davidson helped pioneer the discipline and has spent close to 40 years helping ambitious architects and developers communicate their ideas, among them Zaha Hadid, Norman Foster, Thomas Heatherwick, and Kengo Kuma. Restless in its creativity, Hayes Davidson interrogates every brief to find what is new, and deploys evolving technology with intent, always in the service of the idea.
From its new base in New York, the studio is now active on projects across the city and the wider United States, building on more than thirty years of craft and a distinctly ambitious creative vision as it establishes itself in the American market.
Jim is the founder and Global Director of the Visual Media Group as well as the GTL (Global Technology Leader) for XR (Extended Reality). Throughout his 23 years with Jacobs, he has provided leadership in identifying and adopting innovative technological visual communication strategies and solutions. As a visionary leader of Visual Media, he has fostered its mission, vision and strategic direction related to service offerings, market/client development, identification and acquisition of new technologies, and hardware/software asset management. He has a wide range of global experience managing and developing innovative design visualization, interactive media, video, and information design/data visualization strategies and solutions for a range of national and international clients across all of Jacobs. By integrating forward-looking design visualization tools and processes, he helps clients to identify and their needs and requirements, then translate these into visual communication products and tools. Drawing on his background in architecture and planning, Jim works with his clients from inception and development of needs analysis and business strategy through initial conceptual design, construction, and the entire facility life cycle.
Marcin Rysniak is a trained architect and senior visualization specialist at HOK. He graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at the Łódź University of Technology, driven by a lifelong passion for visual storytelling, photography, and film. After spending his early career working for 12 years as an architectural designer in Poland, Marcin actively expanded his technical expertise through freelance architectural visualization and animation production. He also co-founded Pictureworks, a VR studio dedicated to exploring immersive real-time visualization across various industries.
Since joining HOK four years ago, Marcin has focused on high-end architectural visualization, 3D animation, and internal technology training. Beyond classic 3D rendering and animation, he also serves as an in-house photographer and videographer—producing video interviews and social media content for the firm. This hands-on experience behind the lens seamlessly complements his visualization work, allowing him to approach virtual content creation from a much broader artistic and technical perspective. Alongside content production, his key duties involve evaluating emerging technologies, designing internal training workflows, and driving the overall visual quality across HOK.
Outside of creating static and motion imagery, Marcin is an avid fan of ice hockey in the winter and inline skating in the summer, which provides the perfect balance to long hours spent behind the computer or camera.
A licensed architect in the United States with a background in both architecture and 3D visualization, Jason bridges design expertise with strategic business insight. At Brick Visual, he leads a team of six account managers and sales professionals, driving market strategy, client acquisition, and the cultivation of long-term partnerships with some of the industry’s most influential players.
Beyond his role at Brick, Jason is the co-founder and main organizer of the D2 Conferences – one of the premier international events for architectural and 3D visualization. Each year, the conference unites a global community of artists, designers, and innovators, featuring speakers such as Ash Thorp, Mike Winkelmann (Beeple), and Eric de Broche des Combes. Jason’s work with D2 has helped establish it as a vital platform for inspiration, networking, and pushing the boundaries of digital creativity.
ジェイソン・バージェロンBrick Visualでの職務に加え、ジェイソンは建築と3Dビジュアライゼーションの国際的プレミアイベントの一つであるD2カンファレンスの共同設立者兼主催者でもあります。毎年開催されるこのカンファレンスは、アーティスト、デザイナー、イノベーターからなる世界中のコミュニティを結集し、アッシュ・ソープ、マイク・ウィンケルマン（Beeple）、エリック・ド・ブロッシュ・デ・コンブといった講演者を迎えます。ジェイソンのD2における活動は、インスピレーション、ネットワーキング、そしてデジタルクリエイティビティの限界を押し広げるための重要なプラットフォームとしての地位を確立することに貢献しました。 András Vida is a Creative Director at Brick Visual, where he blends architecture, storytelling, and cinematic language into award-winning visual narratives. His journey began at age 12, studying piano and guitar at the Plugor Sándor Művészeti Liceum – a foundation that still informs the rhythm and emotion of his visual work today.
After middle school studies focused on mathematics and informatics at Székely Mikó Református Kollégium. After studying art and sciences, the road naturally led András to study architecture at UTCN in Kolozsvár, where he found his passion for strong visual presentations. This multidisciplinary background set the stage for a career that bridges the technical and the artistic with equal fluency.
Since joining Brick Visual in 2016, András has grown from 3D Artist to Creative Director. He has led the creative vision behind major animations including the internationally recognized Bhutan Mindfulness City and other high-profile projects collaborating with iconic architects like Kengo Kuma, Tadao Ando, Renzo Piano, and Bjarke Ingels, amongst many others.
In addition to his studio work, András is a passionate educator, teaching Animation and Storytelling annually since 2022 at the MADI Master’s Program in Venice, Italy, where he mentors the next generation of architectural visualizers.
アンドラス・ヴィダ
2016年にBrick Visualに入社して以来、アンドラスは3Dアーティストからクリエイティブディレクターへと成長しました。彼は、国際的に評価の高いブータン・マインドフルネス・シティをはじめとする主要アニメーション作品や、隈研吾氏、安藤忠雄氏、レンゾ・ピアノ氏、ビャルケ・インゲルス氏といった著名な建築家とコラボレーションした注目度の高いプロジェクトなど、数々の主要アニメーション作品のクリエイティブビジョンを牽引してきました。スタジオワークに加え、アンドラス氏は熱心な教育者としても活躍し、2022年からイタリア・ヴェネツィアのMADI修士課程で毎年アニメーションとストーリーテリングを教え、次世代の建築ビジュアライザーを育成しています。 (Contact us at hq@asai.org with further questions)
Born in Tokyo in 1984, Kiyo Hasegawa is a distinguished contemporary Nihonga artist renowned for integrating traditional Japanese painting techniques, such as Japanese paper, mineral pigments, and Japanese ink, with innovative abstract expressions. She completed her Master’s degree at Tama Art University, specializing in Nihonga. Her work has been showcased in major exhibitions, including Shin Japanese Painting: Revolutionary Nihonga at the Pola Museum of Art. In recognition of her contributions to the art world, she was honored as Harper’s Bazaar Woman on the Frontier in 2023. In 2025, she held a solo exhibition at Art Fair Tokyo, Japan’s largest international art fair, where she was represented by A Lighthouse called Kanata. Demonstrating her commitment to Japanese aesthetics, she founded KEIGAN ART in 2024, an online platform introducing Japanese artists to an international audience.
和紙、岩絵具、墨などの伝統的な日本画の技法と、斬新な抽象表現との融合で知られる現代日本画家。多摩美術大学大学院修士課程修了。主な展覧会に「シン・ジャパニーズ・ペインティング -革新の日本画」ポーラ美術館など。アート界への貢献が認められ、2023年にはハーパーズ バザー「Woman on the Frontier」に選出。2025年、日本最大の国際アートフェアであるアートフェア東京で個展を開催。2024年、KEIGAN ART株式会社を設立。
17:00 – 21:00
September 24 (Wed) – October 8 (Wed), 2025
Time: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Location: Waseda Gallery (B1F, Building 27, Waseda University, 1-6-1 Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo )
Free
October 4th – 2025
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: A&A CAFE DINING Waseda
1F New Life Waseda, 1-102-11 Totsuka-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
When registering:
For the Exhibition Party: please provide the name(s) of all participants.
For the Reception: if attending with multiple guests, please provide the names of all participants.
We look forward to your participation.
— a twenty five minute walk to the AIA Global Campus
—a fourteen-minute walk to the AIA Global Campus
—a nine-minute walk to the AIA Global Campus
We are partnering with Nikken Sekkei to present an event that will inspire current and future leaders in the industry.
Plan to extend your visit to include Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai after the Conference, on Oct 6th—Unfortunately, not included in conference ticket price.
