Our APT Texas Annual Meeting will take place during the symposium per usual. Below is information on the Symposium as a whole for those who are interested. We hope to see you all there!!!

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27th Annual Preservation Symposium

Preserv[AI]tion

Date: February 13-14, 2026

Location: ARCB 101, Geren Auditorium

Rationale

The Texas A&M Center for Heritage Conservation is honored to host the 27th Annual Historic Preservation Symposium, Preserv[AI]tion.

This year’s symposium will examine the potential of the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of heritage conservation, offering a timely forum for professionals, scholars, students, and members of the public to engage in substantive dialogue about the evolving future of our built heritage.

As cities confront mounting challenges, the imperative to safeguard heritage calls for innovative approaches that honor tradition while embracing contemporary tools. This year’s program will illuminate how AI is reshaping the ways we document, interpret, and protect historic sites and structures. From 3D reconstructions of at-risk landmarks to machine learning applications for post-disaster assessment, the symposium will highlight emerging technologies that are redefining preservation practice.

Through a series of expert-led presentations and case studies, participants will gain insight into both the promise and complexity of integrating AI into conservation workflows. Topics will include drone-assisted façade restoration, robotic systems for archaeological stewardship, and data-driven strategies for heritage management. These advancements not only enhance precision and efficiency but also invite new ways of understanding and sustaining heritage for future generations.

The symposium will cultivate a collegial and interdisciplinary environment, welcoming perspectives from local, national, and international contributors. 

We warmly invite you to join us for this important gathering, and your perspectives will enrich the conversation. Together, we will discuss the current and future impacts of artificial intelligence and allied technologies, and their challenges, on built heritage to ensure its resilience in the long run.

Registration: http://tamu.estore.flywire.com/store-category/the-annual-historic-preservation-symposium-26880

There are four categories for participants to choose from when registering:

Professional $150.00 – AIA CEU’s/LU’s credit request submitted

Faculty $75.00 – AIA CEU’s/LU’s credit request submitted

Student $15.00

General Public $25.00

Registration closes on 2/11/26.

Registration for the 27th Historic Preservation symposium is now open. If you have any questions, please contact the Center Director, Dr. Fabrizio Aimar (fabrizio.aimar@tamu.edu) or Ms. Jennifer Robertson (jrobertson@arch.tamu.edu).

Schedule of Events

DAY 1 (Friday, February 13, 2026)

Venue: ARCB 101, Geren Auditorium

5:00 – 5:30 p.m. | registrants check-in

5:30 – 5:40 p.m. | Chanam Lee,  Executive Associate Dean, Professor, Texas A&M University, USA – Welcome and Introduction. Heritage preservation in the research framework of the College of Architecture: challenges and goals

5:40 – 5:50 p.m. | Wei Yan, Interim Department Head of Architecture, Professor, Texas A&M University, USA – Welcome and Introduction. Heritage preservation in the framework of the Department of Architecture: challenges and goals

5:50 – 6:00 p.m. | Fabrizio Aimar, Asst. Professor, Director of the Center for Heritage Conservation, Texas A&M University, USA – Welcome and Introduction

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Venue: ARCB 101, Geren Auditorium

6:00 – 7:00 p.m. | PHILIP B. CHEN, FAIA, LEED AP, Principal & President – Annum Architects, USA – Preservation | Technology – Notes from a Sentient Practice

Questions & Answers

7:00 – 7:05 p.m. | Fabrizio Aimar, Asst. Professor, Director of the Center for Heritage Conservation, Texas A&M University, USA – Closing Remarks and Adjourn

7:05 – 8:00 p.m. | reception

DAY 2 (Saturday, February 14, 2026)

Venue: ARCB 101, Geren Auditorium

7:30 – 8:00 a.m. | registrants check-in and breakfast

9:00 – 9:05 a.m. | Fabrizio Aimar, Asst. Professor of Practice, Director of the Center for Heritage Conservation, Texas A&M University, USA – Welcome and Introduction

8:05 a.m. – 8:20 a.m. | BENJAMIN ENNEMOSER, Assistant Professor, Dean’s Faculty Fellow for AI and Design at the College of Architecture, Texas A&M University – Latent Heritage: Training AI on the Memory of Architecture

SESSION 1: AI in Monitoring Built Heritage

Venue: ARCB 101, Geren Auditorium 

8:20 – 9:20 a.m. | ALESSANDRA ZAMBRANO, Engineer Officer of Regio I, Departments of the Excavations of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, Italy – Management and Monitoring in Archaeological Conservation: how research can innovate the process

Questions & Answers

9:20 – 10:20 a.m. | BILGE KOSE, Adjunct Assistant Professor at Columbia GSAPP – Enhancing Cultural Heritage Response through AI and Geospatial Intelligence

Questions & Answers

10:20 – 11:00 a.m. | Coffee Break

PACSS – activities

Venue: ARCB 101, Geren Auditorium

Students Posters Session

Venue: ARCB 102, Geren Exhibition Hall

11:00 – 12:00 p.m. | Andrew Adkison (GFF), Tom Whitmore (The Christman Company); Philip B. Chen, FAIA (Annum Architects), Benjamin Ennemoser (TAMU), Andrew Hawkins (TAMU) – Round table: Artificial Intelligence and Heritage preservation in the professional field (title to be defined). moderator: Stephen H. Lucy

Questions & Answer

12:00 – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch Break 

Venue: ARCB 102, Geren Exhibition Hall 

1:00 – 1:30 p.m. | APT Texas Annual Meeting

Venue: ARCB 101, Geren Auditorium

SESSION 2: AI in Preservation and Restoration

Venue: ARCB 101, Geren Auditorium 

1:30 – 2:30 p.m. | JOE KALLAS, UNESCO Expert on Culture; Architect, Cultural Heritage Specialist; Disaster Resilience & Preparedness Specialist: Digitization, AI & Machine Learning – From Pixels to Preservation: AI-Powered 2D-to-3D Damage Segmentation for Rapid Heritage Recovery.

Questions & Answers

2:30 – 3:30 p.m. | ROBERT J. KORNFELD JR., Principal at Thornton Tomasetti, New York, USA – AI in Façade Restoration: Current Capabilities/Future Potential

Questions & Answers

3:30 – 3:35 p.m. | Fabrizio Aimar, Asst. Professor, Director of the Center for Heritage Conservation, Texas A&M University, USA – Closing Remarks (launching the 28th CHC Annual Preservation Symposium)

Student Research and Project Poster Session

The Center for Heritage Conservation encourages attending students to submit posters on new and emerging preservation projects and research. The student poster session will be displayed throughout the symposium, with time provided on DAY 2 (Saturday, February 14, 2026) during the 10:20 – 11:00 a.m. | Coffee Break time slot (Venue: ARCB 102, Geren Exhibition Hall) to discuss their research with symposium participants and attendees.

Posters need to be 24”x36” (portrait orientation) and should be printed ahead of time and brought to the symposium for display. Thumbtacks will be provided.

The poster needs to be printed out by the student ahead of time and pinned at the place. The student registration fee is $15.00.