The Event
A new Expo Model
At International Design Expo, for the first time at a design trade fair, major American players in the sector will not only attend as buyers but will become true strategic partners.
Among the confirmed names are leading firms such as Perkins & Will, Stantec, and CannonDesign, organizations that have redefined architecture, design, and real estate in the United States. These partners will have dedicated spaces within the Expo, conceived as professional meeting areas rather than simple booths. Here, for the first time, roles will be reversed: exhibitors will have the opportunity to engage and present their projects in private meetings with senior managers and high-level buyers. If a proposal is considered of interest, the decision maker or their delegate will then visit the exhibitor’s stand to further explore the product and evaluate a potential collaboration.
Alongside these major players, the Expo will host a broad and highly qualified network of international buyers, ensuring both the scale and the quality of business matching. The result is an innovative networking model that directly connects companies, decision-makers, and top players, turning every meeting into a genuine business opportunity.
Overview
Customer Segment
The Expo is designed for architects, interior designers, developers, contractors, real estate companies, and distributors in the United States and abroad. Chicago, with more than 1,700 architecture, design, construction engineering firms and world-class academic institutions, provides access to one of the most concentrated professional design communities in the country.
Customer Relationship
The Expo offers a highly curated environment that goes beyond the traditional trade fair: it provides direct access to trusted suppliers, targeted networking opportunities, and knowledge-sharing sessions. Exhibitors and visitors will build meaningful, long-term business relationships based on reliability, innovation, and a shared culture of design.
International Design Expo aims to be an inspiring hub that celebrates creativity, connects visionary minds, and transforms design into lasting experiences and global opportunities.
Our Partners
Among the confirmed names are leading firms such as Perkins & Will, Stantec, and CannonDesign, organizations that have redefined architecture, design, and real estate in the United States. These partners will have dedicated spaces within the Expo, conceived as professional meeting areas rather than simple booths.
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LEO A DALY is an international architecture, engineering, urban planning, and interior design firm, founded in 1915 in Omaha, Nebraska. With over a century of experience, it has completed projects in all 50 U.S. states and in 77 countries, and is recognized for its integrated and multidisciplinary approach. With 30 offices worldwide and more than 1,000 employees, it is a benchmark in the sector.
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Stantec is a global leader in sustainable engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting, addressing infrastructure degradation, climate change, and urban resilience. With more than 32,000 professionals across 450 locations on six continents, it provides integrated services in design, planning, environmental consulting, and project management.
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Pappageorge Haymes Partners (PH) is a Chicago-based architecture firm known for its innovative and contextual approach to urban design. Founded in 1981, PH has significantly contributed to reshaping Chicago’s urban landscape, designing over 6,000 housing units, ranging from single-family homes to residential skyscrapers.
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Perkins&Will is a global architecture and design firm headquartered in Chicago, with 32 offices worldwide and nearly 3,000 employees. It is renowned for its innovative and sustainable approach applied to a wide range of projects, spanning from education to healthcare, science and technology, and urban development.
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CannonDesign is an architecture, engineering, and consulting firm headquartered in Buffalo, New York, with offices in 18 international cities, including Chicago. Founded in 1945, it is globally recognized for its ability to integrate design, innovation, and strategy in projects ranging from healthcare to education, scientific research, and workplace and wellness environments.
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Aria Group Architects is an architecture and design firm based in Oak Park, Illinois, founded in 1989. Specializing in hospitality spaces, the firm has completed more than 1,600 projects in 42 U.S. states and internationally across Europe, Mexico, the Middle East, Canada, and South America.
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The Prime Group, Inc. is one of the leading real estate development companies based in Chicago, founded in 1982 by Michael W. Reschke. For more than four decades, it has led iconic projects that transformed the city’s skyline, including prestigious offices, luxury hotels, and high-end residences.
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Clayco is one of the leading integrated construction companies in the United States, headquartered in Chicago and founded in 1984 by Bob Clark. It offers complete services spanning real estate development, architectural design, and construction engineering, adopting a design-build approach that integrates all project phases with a strong focus on technology and innovation.
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Gensler is one of the world’s largest architecture and design firms, founded in San Francisco in 1965. With over 6,000 professionals and a network of more than 50 offices across 16 countries, it is a global benchmark in architecture, interior design, urban planning, and strategic consulting.
McCormick Place
International Design Expo 2027 will be held at the iconic McCormick Place in Chicago, the largest convention center in North America, with over 2.6 million ft2 (approx. 240,000 m2) of exhibition space spread across four interconnected pavilions.
