THE Nieuwe Instituut HOSTS INAUGURAL ADAPTABLE BUILDING CONFERENCE
The Adaptable Building Conference (ABC) is set to land at the Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam on 22 January 2026, g gathering a critical mass of thinkers to enable a new generation of buildings. As the national museum for architecture, design, and digital culture, the Nieuwe Instituut offers the perfect launchpad for this international symposium, which aims to fuse insights across the entire value chain – from political and financial frameworks, architecture and design, engineering and construction to operation and maintenance in order to enable buildings that can adapt to changing needs and requirements without adversely affecting our planet.
Secure your place at the Adaptable Building Conference 2026 today – here.
image © Panels by Knauf, Max Guther
A forum to foster and drive change
The Adaptable Building Conference challenges how we imagine, design, construct, fitout and operate buildings. In an era defined by rapid technological evolution, shifting societal needs, and ecological crisis, the status-quo in the built environment is increasingly becoming an obsolete model. The ABC aims to champion a future where
buildings can evolve and transform. This means designing for user-driven adaptable housing, workplaces that fluidly respond to hybrid models, and urban ecosystems that integrate flexibility from the blueprint to the block. The conference asks its speakers and guests one question: how to future-proof our dwellings against inevitable change.
image © Panels by Knauf
The status-quo underscores the immediate necessity of the conference’s guiding question. Global climate targets demand a massive reduction in construction and demolition waste, while chronic housing shortages and rapidly evolving work/living patterns apply intense pressure to our existing infrastructure. Modular construction, circular systems, and design-for-disassembly are no longer niche concepts; they are essential, actionable tools and serve as foundation for a sustainable and resilient industry. The ABC’s program prompts and highlights discussions about approaches, concepts and proven solutions that blend ecological responsibility with socio-economic viability.
image © Superlofts by Marc Koehler Architects
Moving beyond isolated discussions, the ABC – the first international conference fully dedicated to adaptable building initiated by leading companies including Knauf, Hettich and Tesa forges a cross-sector dialogue that is both deep and practical. Its program combines visionary talks, provocative panel debates, and in-depth case studies to present new, tested models for housing, workplaces, and entire urban developments. It is a gathering designed not just to inspire, but to equip attendees with the business and policy models required to reward flexibility and drive long-term value creation in the market.
image © Superlofts by Marc Koehler Architects
The day’s agenda features a powerhouse lineup of industry leaders. Attendees can expect essential insights from speakers like Marc Koehler (Superlofts) on the cutting edge of user-driven adaptable housing, and Steven Paynter (Gensler) on the increasingly vital practice of office-to-residential transformation. Policy and large-scale strategy will be covered by Paco Bunnik (Amsterdam Municipality) discussing adaptable urban planning, while technical innovation takes the stage with Daniel Veenboer (Ramboll, Copenhagen) on sustainable systems design and Lukas Kauer (Panels by Knauf) exploring modular wall systems for true circularity. These discussions will be moderated by Robert Thiemann (BETTERNESS / Frame).
Register now to join the conversation and shape the future of adaptive architecture – book here.
image © Superlofts by Marc Koehler Architects
image © Panels by Knauf
image © Panels by Knauf
Pilot Installation for Adaptable Office Space in Partnership with UBM Development AG
image © Panels by Knauf
the conference includes a powerhouse lineup of industry leaders, moderated by Robert Thiemann | image © Nieuwe Instituut
image © Nieuwe Instituut
event info:
event name: Adaptable Building Conference
speakers: Marc Koehler (Superlofts), Steven Paynter (Gensler), Paco Bunnik (Amsterdam Municipality), Daniel Veenboer (Ramboll, Copenhagen), Lukas Kauer (Panels by Knauf), and Robert Thiemann (BETTERNESS / Frame)
date: 22 January 2026
location: Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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