2025 SEGD Xlab Offsite Chicago
Sep 17 – 18, 2025Presented by DCL and Nanolumens
Design is evolving. This is your invitation to experiment.
This isn’t business as usual—it’s a two-day immersive experience designed to challenge your thinking, push boundaries, and recharge your practice.
We’re exploring the value of experimentation across every part of the program, through the lenses of Imagination and Inspiration. As our work, communities, and environments evolve, experimentation isn’t optional—it’s essential. It keeps us connected, relevant, and human.
You’ll spend one day out in the city—touring studios, cultural spaces, and meeting the creators reshaping Chicago’s creative landscape. The next, you’ll dive into hands-on workshops, in-the-round talks, and interactive showcases designed to break silos and spark new ways of working.
Timed with the opening of the 2025 Chicago Architecture Biennial, 2025 SEGD Xlab Offsite Chicago is where design meets disruption—and possibility takes center stage.
Practice Areas
Focus Areas
Join us at the Historic Roundhouse
DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center—a cultural landmark on Chicago’s South Side.
As the nation’s oldest independent African American museum, DuSable’s Roundhouse offers a bold, circular space for conversation, connection, and experimentation—an ideal setting for Xlab Offsite.
2025 Xlab Chairs & Speakers
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Read more Aki Carpenter
Aki Carpenter
2025 SEGD Xlab Offsite Chicago Co-Chair; SEGD Vice President; Global VP + Chief Creative Officer, Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
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Read more Monica Chadha
Monica Chadha
2025 SEGD Xlab Offsite Chicago Co-Chair; Principal, Civic Projects
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Read more Traci Sym
Traci Sym
2025 SEGD Xlab Offsite Chicago Co-Chair; SEGD President; Founder, +&>
Why experimentation?
This year’s Xlab isn’t about comfort—it’s about curiosity.
We’re diving deep into experimentation as a force for creative evolution—in our work, our mindsets, and our communities. Framed by Imagination and Inspiration, the event asks: What happens when we break the mold? What do we leave behind? And what new connections—and futures—might emerge?
2025 SEGD Xlab Offsite Chicago invites you to reimagine how you imagine, create, and connect. It’s not just about tools and tech—it’s about shifting mindsets. This isn’t just a conference—it’s a creative recharge.
What to expect
Day 1 – Explore + Connect
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
- Guided studio and cultural site tours throughout Chicago
- Conversations with artists, designers, and civic leaders
- Evening social event to kick off the community vibe
Day 2 – Engage + Experiment
Thursday, September 18, 2025
- In-the-round talks with cross-disciplinary speakers
- Interactive showcases and provocations
- Hands-on workshops that prioritize process over polish
- One-of-a-kind closing celebration
Optional Pre-Event Experience
SEGD Xlab Studio Sessions New York – August 5, 2025
Start the conversation early.
Get a head start on Xlab in NYC with this one-day immersive pre-event designed for depth, connection, and discovery.
The day is split into two segments: you’ll participate in a half-day studio or cultural experience of your choice, and a half-day sequence of dynamic workshops at TAD (Technology Architecture + Design). The evening wraps with a mixer that blends networking, reflection, and celebration.
Special Offer
Attend both Xlab Offsite Chicago and Xlab Studio Sessions New York—choose the Combo Package for just $100* more with the standard Professional rate. *Discounted rates vary by member type
Our Partners
Presenting Sponsors
Event Sponsors
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