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The long-anticipated Orlando Center for Architecture & Design (Website) is set to arrive in the heart of downtown sometime next year, housed on the ground floor of the Fulcrum Building at 150 N. Orange Avenue [GMap], where it will officially serve as Orlando’s first dedicated public architecture and design center.
The space will function as a research hub, exhibition venue, and community anchor for events led by both American Institute of Architects Orlando (Website) and the Orlando Foundation for Architecture (Website).
Conceived more than 25 years ago, OCAD will bring together multiple stakeholders, including architecture professionals, students in the 2+2+2 program hosted by Valencia College, UCF, and UF CityLab-Orlando, and public audiences, in a shared physical environment. The center is slated to feature rotating exhibits, public lectures, K–12 outreach initiatives, tours, and mentorship programs, emphasizing design’s role in shaping equitable, sustainable communities.
The launch of OCAD is expected in 2026, with the rental of Fulcrum’s ground-floor space marking the beginning of Phase I. Plans for future phases include permanent headquarters for OFA, AIA offices, and integrated academic studios; broader community programming; and long-term build-out of architectural spaces and labs.
