BUILD Magazine launches an invitation only experience created around meaningful conversation, strategic relationships and real business connection
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., September 30, 2026 — BUILD Magazine kicks off the inaugural BUILD CONNECT in Scottsdale this week, bringing together a highly curated group of luxury builders, architects, interior designers, developers and industry partners for an experience designed to rethink how the residential design and construction industry connects.
The private gathering begins September 30 with a welcome reception in Scottsdale, followed by the two day BUILD CONNECT summit October 1 and 2.
Rather than building another traditional conference around large audiences, packed presentation schedules and brief introductions, BUILD CONNECT was intentionally designed to be smaller, more personal and more valuable.
The inaugural gathering brings together approximately 30 invited industry leaders alongside a select group of brand and industry partners, giving participants two days to actually get to know one another, exchange ideas and explore opportunities to work together.
“We didn’t want to create another event where you shake 100 hands and leave without really knowing anyone,” said Ted Bainbridge, President and Founder of BUILD Magazine. “BUILD CONNECT is about getting the right people around the same table and giving them enough time to have conversations that actually matter. If people leave Scottsdale with new relationships, new ideas and opportunities they would not have had otherwise, we have done what we set out to do.”
A Different Kind of Room
BUILD CONNECT is built around three core experiences: peer to peer roundtable discussions, intimate breakout conversations and structured one to one meetings.
The format is intentional.
Roundtables give attendees an opportunity to speak candidly with other leaders navigating many of the same opportunities and challenges within the luxury residential market.
Small group sessions create space for deeper discussion between industry professionals and leading brands.
Scheduled one to one meetings are designed to move beyond traditional networking and create purposeful introductions based on shared business interests.
Together, the format gives attendees something increasingly difficult to find at large industry events: time.
Time to talk. Time to listen. Time to understand another business. And time to build a relationship before asking where it might lead.
Built Around the People Shaping the Industry
The inaugural BUILD CONNECT Advisory Board includes respected leaders from BUILD Magazine, AFT Construction, Peak Projects, Olson Kundig, JAQUE, Trinity Custom Homes and Kohler Co.
The board helped shape an experience centered around the issues, opportunities and conversations affecting today’s luxury residential industry.
For BUILD Magazine, BUILD CONNECT also represents the next evolution of a brand that has spent years telling the stories behind exceptional homes and the professionals who create them.
“BUILD has always been about the people behind the projects,” Bainbridge said. “The magazine allows us to tell their stories. BUILD CONNECT allows us to bring those people together.”
The inaugural BUILD CONNECT takes place October 1 and 2, 2026, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
About BUILD CONNECT
BUILD CONNECT is a private leadership summit hosted by BUILD Magazine for professionals shaping the luxury residential design and construction industry. Through curated roundtable discussions, intimate breakout sessions and structured one to one meetings, BUILD CONNECT creates an environment for meaningful exchange, strategic relationships and business development.
About BUILD Magazine
BUILD Magazine connects the people and companies shaping luxury residential design and construction. Through regional publications, digital storytelling, industry events and relationship driven initiatives, BUILD showcases exceptional projects while creating meaningful connections among builders, architects, designers, developers and industry partners.