[Q&A] Meet the Architect: Where Innovation Influences the Built Environment

On November 27–28 in Vienna, architects, developers, and industry leaders will converge for two days of innovation, networking, and visionary design with a sharpened focus on circular construction, material innovation, and high-impact networking.

Set against the backdrop of the historic Marx Halle, Meet the Architect in Vienna promises to be a dynamic gathering where creativity meets opportunity. Organized by InterConnection Consulting, a company with more than 20 years of experience bringing the construction sector together, the event will take place on November 27 and 28, 2025. It will offer a curated mix of panel discussions, speed meetings, and guided tours, alongside thematic zones dedicated to circular construction, interior design, and digital innovation.

The most successful companies in the building material industry are those that manage to be loved by architects, according to Dr. Frederik Lehner, CEO of InterConnection Consulting. Attendees can expect to discover new materials, bold design approaches, and visionary projects over two intensive days, designed to foster meaningful dialogue between architects, developers, and manufacturers. In our interview with Lehner, he explains everything you’ll need to know before attending the event.

ArchiExpo e-Magazine: You founded InterConnection Consulting in 1998 and have long engaged in sector studies, especially in façade, fenestration, and building envelopes. What was the original idea behind Meet the Architect, and how has its mission evolved?

Dr. Frederik Lehner: …and in many other sectors, mainly in the construction world. InterConnection provides data in those markets where no scanner data is available. Besides the data mission, InterConnection has been organising events and congresses in the construction sector for more than 20 years.

If you work in the construction industry, you realize that architects play a very special role in the industry. The most successful companies in the building material industry are those that manage to be loved by architects. Architects are very demanding in terms of technical quality and innovation, but also in terms of relationships and cooperation, and they are also very hard to capture. It was obvious that an event that can foster relationships between architects and industry is a must for this sector. So, we were thinking about which format/event could create an atmosphere that architects love to visit and where they can easily meet the industry.

Over time, we found out that we had to broaden the industry concept, so we now have zones for construction (which is where we came from), design (for all interior products), and digital (where many architects need constant updates). Besides that, we invented all possible content to make this event great for architects. The core part is an integrated stage, where awards, keynotes, and panel discussions take place.

Audience, Engagement, and Process

ArchiExpo e-Magazine: Who is your ideal audience, and how do you tailor the program to their needs?

Dr. Frederik Lehner: The ideal audience consists of architects, interior designers, real estate developers, and facility managers, who are the main influencers and decision-makers when building or renovating a house. Their time is scarce. So, we designed the whole fair in a way that, in 2–3 hours, they get many new product ideas, input from the stage, but also fun elements and inspiration. We also bring the visitors together with “business speed meeting” and have them celebrate together in an archi-club after-hours.

ArchiExpo e-Magazine: The name Meet the Architect suggests direct engagement. What formats will you lean on most, and why?

Dr. Frederik Lehner: The already mentioned speed meeting will bring together developers, industry, and architects. On stage, there will be panel discussions with the top developers of the region, which is a must-hear for any architect. There will be guided tours done by Material Bank to show the most interesting booths, and the whole architecture of the booths is light and open, so talks between industry and planners should happen automatically.

ArchiExpo e-Magazine: What is your process for selecting architects, practices, or speakers?

Dr. Frederik Lehner: The opening speaker is a top architect who shaped the city of the event. In Vienna, this is Markus Pennel, CEO of Ortner & Ortner, a studio that has a very high impact in Vienna and is, besides that, a role model for being economically successful. Later, there will be selected slots for innovative companies to show innovations and their benefits in detail—presenting on stage is a new feature. There will be a panel discussion with leading real estate developers. While presenting their projects, they’ll discuss in which direction the construction world is moving. At the end of the day, we have different awards for architects, exhibitors, and developers.

Circular Design and Regenerative Construction

ArchiExpo e-Magazine: Are there thematic tracks, and how do you shape them?

Dr. Frederik Lehner: There is a thematic track for each fair. In Vienna, this is “circular construction”; in Dornbirn, this will be “wood construction.” We encourage companies from this field to take part, and we also have this as a topic in our panel discussions.

ArchiExpo e-Magazine: Circular design and regenerative construction are hot topics in architecture. How deeply do you intend to address them at the event?

Dr. Frederik Lehner: Circular construction is a main topic. We have many exhibitors from this field, and this is reflected by panel discussions on stage and some innovation slots.

ArchiExpo e-Magazine: To what extent do you see the role of the architect shifting from “designer” to “material systems integrator / steward” in a circular paradigm?

Dr. Frederik Lehner: Architects are challenged with more complex roles year by year, and we realize that some players are extremely keen to take the leadership role of material system integrators. The challenge is to get the developers on board. There is a lot of persuasive work that has to be done, as not all of this work pays off in the short run.

ArchiExpo e-Magazine: Many architects say one barrier to specifying newer sustainable materials is uncertainty about lifecycle data, supply chains, durability, etc. Is there a role for Meet the Architect to bridge that gap?

Dr. Frederik Lehner: Of course, this format is exactly the place to bridge the gap. The industry is here with the architecture consultants, and there are talks and meetings—organized and spontaneous—to get a better understanding of innovations and sustainability. At the end of the day, the industry needs to invest in trust, innovation, and relationships to have the architects running for their products. That’s the basic idea of this fair.

Insights, Market Risks, and Opportunities

ArchiExpo e-Magazine: Will there be sessions devoted to new classes of materials or modular/prefabricated systems?

Dr. Frederik Lehner: Modular and pre-fabricated systems will be a focus of the fair in Dornbirn (April 23-24, 2026).

ArchiExpo e-Magazine: Will you share sector insights and address market risks or opportunities for architects?

Dr. Frederik Lehner: The visitors are architects and developers, and these target groups are mostly interested in the forecast for the building sector in the next years. That’s what we will show them in a short keynote on stage.

I think the biggest risks are very down-to-earth, i.e., clients that struggle to pay their bills, as they are victims of higher interest rates and lower demand. That’s the biggest daily risk and can only be managed by having top clients and good legal advice. On the other hand, architects have the best chances if they can handle complex projects or build expertise in niches. All in all, the business model of architects is getting more difficult year by year as the complexity of building increases, but the share for planning does not.

ArchiExpo e-Magazine: Architecture is no longer siloed. How will you bring in voices from engineering, manufacturing, policy, or operations?

Dr. Frederik Lehner: The business of building houses is a team effort among specialists, which is the slogan of our fair, “Building the Future Together.” What we basically do at this fair is provide the ideal infrastructure for all kinds of talks (formal, booth, on stage, informal, speed dating) and bring all specialists together—voluntarily but nudging them.

ArchiExpo e-Magazine: Do you encourage interactive sessions rather than pure lecture formats?

Dr. Frederik Lehner: We have a university zone where we aim to have workshops and co-creation, and there is a VR zone where interaction is part of the program. We will further develop the interactive formats for the upcoming events.

The Role of Such an Event and What to Expect in Five Years

ArchiExpo e-Magazine: What concrete outcomes do you hope the event will trigger?

Dr. Frederik Lehner: The concrete outcomes will be that new players and new materials will be used for upcoming building projects. Innovations and new ideas need a platform to be used. We want to be the major platform for this.

ArchiExpo e-Magazine: What is your biggest fear or challenge in organizing such an event?

Dr. Frederik Lehner: The biggest fear is that architects don’t feel attracted by all our offerings. What we offer them must be worth a few hours of their time. If this is the case, the whole project will succeed, and I am quite optimistic that this will happen.

ArchiExpo e-Magazine: If Meet the Architect succeeds wildly, what would that look like five years from now?

Dr. Frederik Lehner: In five years, Meet the Architect will be a worldwide fair, with venues around the globe, a fixed number of exhibitors, and a renowned platform to bring innovation into the market, as we attract the influencers of the building industry.