CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

SUBMISSION DEADLINE MARCH 1, 2026

 

BACKGROUND: The International Making Cities Livable (IMCL) conference series, a premier interdisciplinary, cross-border gathering of city leaders, researchers and practitioners established in 1985, invites you to submit an abstract for its upcoming 2026 conference.  Our last conference in Potsdam, Germany in October 2025 included cross-sector leaders from the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Attendee comments included “An absolutely fantastic event, with amazing speakers and extremely well organized,” “Wonderful conference!”, “Such rich content!”, “Excellent… High professional level and warm atmosphere”, “I left brimming with ideas and contacts for a great cohort of new colleagues.”

 

2026 THEME: “Regenerative Architecture and Urbanism: Recovery and Resilience After an Age of Disruption.” Cities and towns across the globe are experiencing unprecedented new disruptions from social, political and environmental forces that are straining our ability to respond effectively. However, ours is far from the first time in history that disruptions have required new responses and new forms of resilience. What can we learn from history, and in particular, European history, applicable to other parts of the world? There are timeless lessons as well as new strategies that cities and towns can employ to cope with stress and seize opportunities, balancing adaptive innovations with the continuity of heritage and local identity.

 

2026 HOST VENUE: The country of Latvia is an excellent case in point. At the forefront of current geopolitical tensions, the country has also come through enormous past disruptions, including the devastation and regeneration of its cities. As it has done so, it has sought to build on its own local identity and culture. Today that work continues as Latvian cities emerge from mid-20th century era destruction, followed by reconstruction too often shaped more by the dictates of occupiers than by the needs and desires of local citizens.  

 

2026 HOST CITIES: We will gather in the beautiful cities of Riga and Jelgava to examine two nearby but distinct urban contexts, and to participate in workshops to assess and propose ongoing work to recover and regenerate a more durable, more local, more resilient urban architecture. We will also examine many other parts of the world with similar challenges, as citizens and professionals around the world strive to cope with new environmental, political and technological stresses.

 

WE WILL GATHER TO SHARE PEER-TO-PEER KNOWLEDGE AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE. The IMCL conference series is an opportunity to share the latest knowledge on effective tools and strategies to meet our pressing urban challenges. We gather in beautiful and instructive case studies, meeting with local leaders to gain first-hand knowledge on their successes and lessons learned. We also examine other case studies from around the world, as well as the latest research on urban challenges and successes.

 

OTHER DETAILS: August is an excellent time to travel in Latvia, with generally beautiful summer weather. There are excellent opportunities for side trips to other parts of Latvia, the Baltic States and Europe as a whole. Partners in the conferences (to be confirmed) include The King's Foundation (UK), the International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism (UK), the Congress for the New Urbanism (US), UN-Habitat, and several universities, as well as others to be announced.

 

ATTENDEE SPACE IS STRICTLY LIMITED by the intimate conference venue size, and will be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis. Please register as soon as you are able. (Full refunds without cost are available until April 1st, after which there is a $100 cancellation fee through May 1, and no refunds after May 1.)

 

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: The International Making Cities Livable (IMCL) invites you to share your work, meet and discuss with others, and join in this unique international collaborative platform.  A major aim of the conference will be to serve as a “springboard” toward new research, new collaborative action, and new ways of communicating and driving the necessary transition ahead.

 

TOPICS: You may contribute an abstract describing your work (to be presented at the conference, and also developed into a full conference paper if you wish) on any one or a combination of the following topics:

 

•    Regenerative and Resilient Architectures: Adaptation, Change, and the DNA of Place

•    Learning from Nature, Culture, and History for Contemporary Challenges

•    Great Public Spaces for ALL: Learning from Latvia, and Elsewhere

•    Pattern Languages and the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda

•    Neuroscience, Neuroaesthetics and Cognitive Architecture

•    Architecture and the Edges of Public Space: Quality, Connectivity, Responsiveness

•    Climate Change and Urban Form: Mitigation, Adaptation, Resilience

•    Cities on Foot: The Power of Urban Walkability and Public Transportation

•    The Place of Beauty: Neuroscience, Health and Sustainability in Placemaking

•    Slow Food, Slow Cities: Food Quality, Health, and Urban Well-being

•    Markets and Marketable Local Products: Viable Small-Town Businesses

•    The Next Renaissance? Rebuilding Homes, Neighborhoods and Towns

•    Zoom Towns, Left Behind Places, and Opportunity for All

•    Jane Jacobs and the Power of Diversity, Equity, and Web-Networks

•    Christopher Alexander and the Timeless Ways of Building

•    Building Better: Tools, Strategies, and Design Ideas

•    Rapid Urbanization: Implementing the New Urban Agenda

•    Financial Tools and Externality Feedbacks: Making It Pay

•    Sustainable Infrastructure: Complete Streets, Regenerative Utilities and Transit

•    Access For Everyone: Bringing the Benefits of Livable Cites to ALL

•    The Ecology of Place: Concepts, Metrics, Practices

 

Papers will be published in the conference e-reader, to be shared with all attendees. They will then be published as 63rd IMCL Proceedings on Researchgate.net, with a publication DOI number.  There are also other options for subsequent publication in affiliated peer-reviewed journals, following attendee comments and revisions – contact us for more details at the email given below. 

 

ABOUT THE VENUE: The conference location in Jelgava is the Jelgava Palace. The location in Riga is the Radisson Hotel Old Town Riga (and touring and reception locales TBD). The hotels are Hotel Jelgava (in Jelgava) and Radisson Hotel Old Town Riga (in Riga).  Both cities also offer many other excellent hotel choices at a range of prices.

 

DEADLINES:

 

Abstracts are due no later than March 1, 2026

Notifications will occur by April 1, 2026

Speaker registration is required by May 1, 2026

Papers must be submitted for the e-reader by July 1, 2026

Registration is strictly limited and will be made on a first-come, first-served basis

 

REGISTRATION FEES:

 

Accepted speaker registration for one conference is $795.00

Early Bird registration for one conference (non-speaker) also $795.00 (through May 31)

Discount registration (non-speaker) is $895.00 (through April 30)

Full participant (non-speaker) registration is $995.00 (after May 1)

Student Poster Presenter registration is $395.00 (ID required)

Student (non-speaker) registration is $345.00 (ID required)

Some scholarships may be available – contact us for details.

 

SCHEDULE AT-A-GLANCE:

 

Sunday, July 5

   Travel day, Arrive in Riga

 

Monday, July 6

   9AM Tours of Riga

   5PM Welcome Reception, House of Blackheads (TBC)

 

Tuesday, July 7

   9AM Bus to Jelgava

   10AM Tours of Jelgava and workshop venues, meetings with stakeholders

 

Wednesday, July 8

   8AM Registration

   9AM-5:30PM Conference

   7PM Evening Activity (TBC)

 

Thursday, July 9

   8AM Registration

   9AM-5:30PM Conference

   7PM Evening Activity (TBC)

 

Friday, July 10

   8AM Registration

   9AM-5:30PM Conference

   7PM Evening Activity (TBC)

 

Saturday, July 11

   Travel day, optional touring

 

To submit abstracts, please visit: https://www.imcl.online/call-for-abstracts2026.

To register, please visit: https://www.imcl.online/events/63rd-international-making-cities-livable. 

NOTE: Registration for accepted abstracts is the same as the Early Bird rate. Those who register at the Early Bird rate and are later accepted can convert their registration to speaker rate without additional cost.  

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We hope you can join us for an inspiring and important gathering!