HASTINGS Architecture — Architecture, Interior Design, Planning, and Sustainability

HASTINGS Attends 2026 NOMA Conference in Miami

This year’s NOMA Conference took attendees to Miami (Aventura, Florida) for some time in the sunshine state. With an early arrival, the HASTINGS team was able to walk the current construction site of The Jim Moran Foundation in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Rising proudly though the fauna that envelops the site, The Jim Moran Foundation was an amazing visit inside and out, leading up to the start of the Conference the next day.

Thursday began with both engaging morning sessions, and Day one of two of the annual Grad Fair & Career Expo, which featured over 50 companies & institutions. This year, the HASTINGS booth was filled with highly motivated students & professionals looking to engage in conversation, listen to some spinning vinyl and grab a ticket in the inaugural HASTINGS raffle. The evening was capped off in style, with an all-white celebration put on by the Host chapter at the lively Carousel Club.

Friday offered another round of hustle and bustle at Day two of the NOMA Conference. It convened with the day’s keynote address, which had one of the most impactful speakers of the entire conference in Bryan Stevenson. Bryan, a Harvard Law grad, current NYU Law professor, and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, works as a lawyer/social justice advocate who fights tirelessly for condemned prisoners. Speaking about his incredible journey, Mr. Stevenson had humble beginnings, that through determination, family support, and purpose, he was able to overcome, while reaching back to help those who are the most marginalized. One of his many crowning achievements came from the role he played leading the team of designers, advocates, and community leaders who came to create the historic Legacy Museum: from Enslavement to Mass Incarceration in Montgomery, Alabama – A monumental landmark that seeks to have an honest conversation about America’s dark past. Day 2 concluded with the Annual Awards Gala. The occasion highlighted the talented students and designers who are changing the landscape of the profession.

The penultimate day of the NOMA Conference provided some relief for many attendees. Whether it was taking a long lunch, provided by the local food trucks, or intentionally scheduling later sessions, there was a visible need to rest before the Annual Bro’s Arts Ball -- the liveliest event of the Conference every year. With a theme of “Carnival After Dark”, a reference to the local Caribbean influence that is found throughout South Floridian culture, attendees dressed to impress, wearing colorful, floral, and bold attire. The energy of the night led right into Sunday, as the longstanding tradition of the Professional’s vs. Students Basketball Game produced some high-flying entertainment. This year our very own Gary Glinsey, a NOMAnash Executive Board member and PR & Communications Co-Chair, assisted the student team, who were pursuing their first title. This effort, unfortunately, proved to be for naught, which marked a double-digit loss for the students. The professionals, winning rather convincingly, will look to continue their streak on the opposite coast, as the NOMA Conference makes a rosy appearance in Pasadena, California next October.

Architecture, Interior Design, Planning, and Sustainability