Nothing was going to keep architect Elizabeth Graziolo from her date with AD PRO—not even a fractured knee. On September 16, the founder and principal of Yellow House Architects arrived at One World Trade Center on crutches for the inaugural AD PRO Design Dialogues, Architectural Digest’s day-long design summit held high above New York City. The previous weekend, while visiting family in Toronto, she revealed, she had been struck by an e-bike, an accident that resulted in a painful injury.
"I delayed my surgery until next week so I could make it here!" she said of the panel discussion she was headlining alongside fellow architect Michael K. Chen. "I wouldn’t have missed this for the world."
Graziolo’s unwavering dedication to the trade was far from an isolated incident. Across the country, professionals in the architecture and interior design industries showed a remarkable commitment to the event. AD PRO Directory members flew in from cities as far-flung as Phoenix, Chicago, and Miami for the full day of expert-led panels and high-level networking opportunities, while countless others tuned in digitally via the live stream to catch the day’s insights.
The summit’s programming distinguished itself through a commitment to candor. Featuring some of the brightest talents in the industry—including designers Heidi Caillier and Corey Damen Jenkins, as well as photographer Stephen Kent Johnson—the talks were described by attendees as honest, practical, and refreshingly unfiltered. The wide-ranging agenda tackled the hard realities of the modern creative economy, exploring critical topics such as how to build, promote, and scale a design business; the freshest approaches to color theory and application; powerful advancements in kitchen technologies; and the inner workings of how AD editors make the coveted decision of what ultimately gets published in the magazine.
For many attendees navigating the complexities of running a modern creative firm, pulling back the editorial and operational curtain proved invaluable. "Pulling the curtain away was really helpful," said architect Tana Nesbitt-Hayes of New York’s Studio8 Architect, an AD PRO Directory member since 2024. Eyeing her own studio’s ongoing growth and operational evolution, Nesbitt-Hayes noted that she hung onto every word of Caillier’s conversation with AD’s Global Interiors and Garden Director Alison Levasseur. During the session, the acclaimed AD100 designer offered a rare look behind the scenes of her business model, detailing exactly how she manages and collaborates with a fully remote staff across various locations.
Building, nurturing, and maintaining professional relationships emerged as a consistent, unifying theme throughout the day, resonating just as strongly off the stage as it did during the formal panel presentations. During a midday break, AD editors joined attendees for lunch at the Conde Nast cafeteria, transforming a standard meal into an organic networking session. Across the room, lively conversations sparked between industry peers. Architect Lauren Schlesinger of Glickman Schlesinger and Jeffrey Ramirez, brand designer at The Up Studio, engaged in an in-depth discussion regarding the nuances of real estate development.
At another table, designers Amanda Hickam, Manon Roux, Rebecca Roberts, and Shani Core swapped practical advice on the latest digital applications and specialized cameras used for measuring projects’ as-built conditions with precision. Meanwhile, across the bustling room, photographer Haris Kenjar, AD100 designer Leyden Lewis, and architect Erik Peterson huddled together to swap vital industry intel and discuss the shifting landscape of high-end design.
"There is something incredibly powerful about getting talented, creative people together and allowing conversations to happen organically," observed Amanda Hickam, founder of the Birmingham, Alabama-based interiors studio Harper Harris Design.
That spirit of open collaboration continued into the afternoon sessions, which offered further deep dives into the operational realities of the trade. Later in the day, AD’s Michael Shome, photographer Stephen Kent Johnson, AD’s Bebe Howorth, and AD’s Mayer Rus convened for compelling discussions, while another notable session brought together AD’s Sam Cochran, Sherwin-Williams’s Sue Wadden, and AD100 designer Corey Damen Jenkins to explore the evolving intersection of color, culture, and high-end residential interiors.
The formal core of the day’s panels concluded with a highly anticipated keynote conversation led by AD’s Global Editorial Director and US Editor in Chief, Amy Astley. Astley sat down with AD100 Hall of Fame talent Kelly Wearstler, who notably diverted a planned trip to Europe specifically to attend AD’s landmark event. During their expansive conversation, Wearstler spoke candidly about the rigorous business strategy required to manage her company’s six distinct creative verticals simultaneously. She also reflected on the missteps and stumbles she encountered along her path to international success, and shared her ongoing methods for seeking fresh inspiration while actively planning for the future of her brand.
After a full day dedicated to forging new connections, strengthening existing partnerships, and catching up with old friends across the architecture and design communities, the inaugural summit wrapped up in style. Attendees gathered for evening rooftop cocktails at the elegant Andréne Putman Studio townhouse located in downtown Manhattan, celebrating the conclusion of a milestone day for the industry.
AD PRO Design Dialogues took place on September 16, 2026.
