Michelle Obama to Be Keynote Speaker at the 2017 AIA National Conference on Architecture

It was announced yesterday that former First Lady Michelle Obama has been added to the lineup of keynote speakers for the 2017 American Institute of Architects (AIA) conference. The event, which runs from April 27 through April 29, will be held in Orlando, Florida, at the Orange County Convention Center, a building designed by local firm HHCP. Other headlines include architects Alejandro Aravena, Nora Demeter, Dr. Eve Edelstein, Elizabeth Diller , Michael Ford, Francis Kéré , and Michael Murphy.

Yet, of the thousands of architects and designers in attendance, the presence of the former First Lady at the event will be a moment to remember in AIA history. Indeed, as a lawyer, writer, and former FLOTUS, Obama has much wisdom to impart on any given audience, whether it's a group of children in her "Let’s Move!" campaign to address the challenges of childhood obesity or a group of creative minds in the world of architecture and design.

"It is thrilling to know that the former First Lady values the role that we play in shaping the natural and built environment," says Phil Freelon , Design Director of Perkins+Will’s North Carolina practice and one of the brains behind the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington D.C. "Michelle Obama’s presence at the AIA Convention is an affirmation of the core values of the Institute: building a sustainable future for all and protecting communities from the impact of climate change."

Michelle Obama is currently living in Washington, D.C., with her husband. While the topics of her speech are still unknown, we can predict the nature to be uplifting and hopeful, two themes that run in parallel with her many previous speeches.