CFP - International Association for the Study of Traditional Environments (IASTE) conference
Matthew Heins
THEME
Tradition has always meant
different things in different cultures and to various groups of people,
encompassing legacies, transmissions, constraints, and their associated
attributes. As IASTE has elevated the notion of “tradition” to be a
focal point within the global intellectual dialogue, the translation of
the term “tradition” itself varies according to historical and
contemporary contexts across a myriad of socio-cultural landscapes. For
example, in China, the equivalent term “chuan tong” plays a pivotal role
in shaping the built environment. Hence, the translation of
“tradition”—in both a linguistic and practical sense—has been widely
employed but insufficiently debated and defined. As pointed out in
previous IASTE conferences, finding the exact equivalents of “tradition”
in different cultures and languages is almost impossible. This is even
more evident, as its meanings in a single culture may change over time
due to its dynamic nature. So, how do we foster dialogues in both theory
and practice on an international scale, given the uncertainty of the
term’s “translatability”? Would such dialogues enlighten contemporary
design practice related to the traditions of the past? How has the
development of new technologies helped to facilitate new practices of
translation that reshape our relations to time and space in recent
years? In this conference, we will not fixate on deriving a shared
conclusion. Still, instead, we will strive to focus on the challenging,
debatable, and critical processes of translating tradition across
different arenas of theory and practice.
With the theme “Translating Traditions,” IASTE 2026 in Shanghai aims to advance this discourse within the IASTE intellectual framework, set against the backdrop of the vibrant metropolis of Shanghai, situated at the intersection of China and the world, where tradition has been dynamically translated, constructed, and redefined. Lying at the crossroads of Eastern and Western culture since the mid-19th century, Shanghai has been translating Western traditions to the East, as seen in its rich architectural heritage, referred to in China as “the architectural expo of the world.” At the same time, it has translated its multicultural traditions into the present through vibrant design practices in a globalized context. Throughout this process, one may ask, for example, in the case of Shanghai, what new knowledge has been produced through ongoing processes of cross-cultural exchange and construction of the modern built environment that came to be identified with Shanghai itself? How have these dynamics ushered in new relations to China’s cultural past and urban identity of Shanghai, which once lay at the margins of Western modernity and the center of Chinese modernity? As we embrace the role of diverse traditions in shaping the built environments in cities like Shanghai, we often neglect to interrogate the crucial temporal, spatial, and socio-cultural processes involved in this translation. This is even more essential in metropolitan places and cities with multilayered histories. For instance, by whom and for whom are these translations intended? Which traditions are chosen or neglected in this process? How can we explain the semantic changes in both physical and non-physical dimensions?
IASTE 2026 will address the theoretical complexities associated with translating the concept across languages and cultures, and examine the practical challenges faced by architects, urban designers, and heritage practitioners in translating and inheriting traditions in spheres such as urban renewal, rural revitalization, and heritage tourism. The organizers of IASTE 2026 invite prospective participants to submit papers that consider numerous ways in which traditions have been translated across dimensions of space and time. As in past IASTE conferences, scholars, professionals, and practitioners from anthropology, architecture, architectural history, conservation, design, folklore, geography, history, planning, urban design, landscape architecture, urban studies, and related disciplines are encouraged to submit papers that address one of the following tracks:
TRACK I: TRANSLATIONS OF THE CONCEPT OF TRADITION ACROSS SPACE AND TIME
Papers
in this track will explore the intricacies and complexities of
translating the term “tradition” across diverse linguistic and cultural
contexts. Given the multifaceted interpretations and applications of
tradition, papers are encouraged to reflect upon, dissect, and redefine
the theoretical contours of tradition as mentioned earlier with the
Chinese notion of “chuan tong”. How does one understand and articulate
the concept of “tradition” in a global lexicon? Where does the term
overlap or diverge across cultural paradigms? By anchoring our
discussion in such questions, this track aims to elucidate the diverse
intellectual constructions and theoretical legacies of tradition.
TRACK II: DEPLOYING TRADITION IN PRACTICE ACROSS CULTURES
Tradition
isn’t merely an abstract concept. It is dynamically embodied in
tangible manifestations, reshaping spaces and influencing the built
environment over time and across cultures. Papers in this track will
unravel the challenges and innovations associated with deploying
traditions across various local, national, and international boundaries.
This track will provide insights into how architects, urban designers,
and heritage practitioners negotiate, embrace, or adapt traditions by
focusing on real-world scenarios such as urban renewal, rural
revitalization, and heritage tourism. How do these professionals bridge
the past with the present, the local with the global, and the inherited
with the innovative? This track explores these intersections, offering a
holistic understanding of tradition’s practical implications in our
rapidly evolving world.
TRACK III: OPEN TRACK
As with previous IASTE
conferences, IASTE members and scholars who have produced new and
innovative work on popular, vernacular, Indigenous, spontaneous, and
other forms of traditional dwellings and settlements that may not
directly address the conference theme are invited to participate in this
open track. Papers will be selected based on quality and assigned to
similar papers in theme sessions.
SPECIAL SESSIONS/PANELS
Over the past few years,
IASTE conferences have included special sessions and panels on
conference themes collectively organized or sponsored by specific groups
or institutions. Such proposals are welcome again in 2026 to facilitate
outreach to researchers from disciplines not normally engaged with
IASTE or to introduce new topics or debates.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Submission Portal Open: July 15, 2025
Deadline for abstract submission: September 15, 2025
Notification of acceptance of abstracts: November 15, 2025
Deadline for Early-bird registration: January 1, 2026
Deadline for Presenter registration: February 1, 2026
Deadline for WPS 2026 paper submission: May 1, 2026
Deadline for presentation submission: June 1, 2026
Conference activities: June 26-29, 2026
Post-conference tour: June 30, 2026
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Please
refer to our website (iaste.org) for detailed instructions on abstract
submissions. A one-page abstract of 500 words and a one-page CV are
required. For further inquiries, please email IASTE at coord...@iaste.org.
Proposals for complete panels of four to five papers are also welcome.
Please indicate the track in which the panel fits. Panel submissions
must include an overall abstract, as well as abstracts and CVs from all
proposed speakers. IASTE may accept the panel as a whole or only accept
individual abstracts and place them in appropriate tracks. All papers
must be written and presented in English. Contributors whose abstracts
are accepted must preregister for the conference, pay the registration
fee of $450 (which includes IASTE membership for 2026), and are expected
to prepare a full-length paper of 20-25 double-spaced
pages. Registered students and spouses may qualify for a reduced
registration fee of $250 (which also includes IASTE membership for
2026). Please note that the registration fee does not cover expenses
associated with hotel accommodations, travel, or additional excursions,
and must be paid directly to the hotel or a designated travel agent. The
registration fee covers the conference program, conference abstracts,
and access to all conference activities, theme sessions, keynote plenary
talks, receptions, and a walking/bus tour of the city.