'Korea Architecture Industry Fair' to Showcase Eco-Friendly Building Materials, New Technologies; Opens Oct. 28

100 Companies to Operate 198 Booths

The Korean Institute of Registered Architects said the opening ceremony of the 2026 Korea Architecture Industry Fair (KAFF 2026) was held on October 28 at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

A view of the exhibition hall at the 2026 Korea Architecture Industry Fair. Korean Institute of Registered Architects.

Attendees included Kim Jaerok, president of the Korean Institute of Registered Architects; Kim Jinae, chair of the Presidential Commission on Architectural Policy; Lee Jeongjae, president of the Architectural Institute of Korea; and Shin Woosik, chairman of the Korea Architects Mutual Aid Association.

Now in its 21st year, KAFF 2026 will explore changes and innovation in the architecture industry and seek new possibilities for architectural design and the industry under the theme "TRANSFORM Architecture: At the Center of Transition."

This year, 100 companies will participate and operate a total of 198 booths. The fair will showcase a range of content from across the architecture industry, including eco-friendly building materials, new architectural technologies, IT, renewable energy, policy promotions by public institutions, and works from hanok architectural design education programs and the Seocho Architecture Culture Festival.

The KAFF Forum will feature lectures on a range of topics, including "Transforming the Tangible, Transforming Technology," "From Site to Place," "Architecture That Looks Around," "The Shape of Thought," and "An Era of Transition: The Center of Gravity in Architecture."

A "Building Materials Presentation" will also be held, where participating companies will introduce building materials and new technologies firsthand. Architects who attend one session will receive one hour of credit toward their professional practice education.

Professional practice education for architects, aimed at improving their expertise and strengthening their practical skills, will also take place over two days, October 28 and 29. The program consists of one ethics course and eight professional courses. It will cover a range of topics closely related to architectural practice, including copyright, school architecture, accessibility facilities for people with disabilities, changes in architectural design work in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), and the practical use of generative AI.

A representative of the association said, "KAFF 2026 is an opportunity to consider together the new direction architecture should take amid the many changes in the industry. We hope this exhibition will allow architects and industry professionals to share the latest technologies and information and create new opportunities for collaboration and business."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.