Call for Papers /// International Association for the Study of Traditional Environments (IASTE) conference, 26-29 June 2026 Shanghai, PRC

International Association for the Study of Traditional Environments (IASTE) conference

26-29 June 2026

Shanghai, PRC

https://iaste.org/iaste-2026-shanghai/

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, 2025Notification of acceptance of abstracts: November 15, 2025Deadline for Early-bird registration: January 1, 2026Deadline for Presenter registration: February 1, 2026Deadline for WPS 2026 paper submission: May 1, 2026Deadline for presentation submission: June 1, 2026Conference activities: June 26-29, 2026Post-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 coordinator@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.

CONFERENCE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE 

Mark Gillem, University of Oregon, IASTE President and Conference Director

Xing Ruan, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Local Conference Director

Hesham K. Issa, Cairo University, IASTE Secretary General and Conference Co-Director

Nezar AlSayyad, U.C. Berkeley, IASTE President Emeritus and Program Committee Chair

Montira Horayangura, UNESCO, IASTE Vice President

Adnya Sarasmita, IASTE Conference Coordinator

Huaqing Huang, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Local Conference Coordinator

LOCAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

Xing RUAN, Dean of the School of Design, Guangqi Chair Professor of SJTU/ Director

Yongkang CAO, Vice Dean/Professor of the School of Design

Huaqing HUANG, Coordinator/Associate Professor, School of Design

Hao WANG, Assistant Professor, School of Design

Qian DU, Associate Researcher, School of Design

Abraham ZAMCHECK, Assistant Professor, School of Design

Shuai DU, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, School of Design

Yang BAI, Office of Foreign Affairs, School of Design

CONFERENCE PROGRAM COMMITTEE 

Nezar AlSayyad, Heba Farouk Ahmed, Ann- Marie Broudehoux, Cecilia Chu, Hesham K. Issa

SESSIONS COMMITTEE

Mohamed Gamal Abdelmonem, Hamad Nasser Alsaiari, Tiago Castela, Howayda al-Harithy, Mohammad al-Jassar, Yin Cao, Mui Ho, Puay Peng Ho, Huaqing Huang, Hong Jiang, Chee-Kien Lai, Geng Li, Yingchun Li, Yishi Liu, Jing Luo, Min Tang, Ipek Tureli, Hao Wang, Lala Zuo

CONFERENCESPONSORS 

School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University University of Oregon 

IASTE CONFERENCE GRANTS AND PAPER AWARD 

Two awards will be given for papers presented at the conference: the Jeffrey Cook Award for the best paper by a scholar dealing with traditional dwellings, and the Eleni Bastea Award for the best paper on an urban Issue. Most winners will receive a monetary award, and their papers will be published in the IASTE journal, Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review (TDSR), after undergoing a thorough review and revision process. In addition to these standard paper awards, IASTE will offer several Conference Attendance Grants. These stipends will be awarded to graduate students and junior scholars on a merit-based and need-assessed basis. The funds will be disbursed after the conference as reimbursement for travel or accommodation expenses.

CONFERENCE VENUE 

On both Xuhui and Minhang campuses of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, in venues with a history spanning 130 years. The School of Design’s main building, a translation of traditional Chinese housing culture and wooden structure, will host the opening session and other major events. The Xuhui campus is located in the historic center of Shanghai and is one of China’s earliest modern university campuses. It will host all the paper sessions. 

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