A year earlier.

The lights in the conference hall were almost blinding, but Liam Reyes stood tall beneath them, his navy suit crisp, his sketches glowing on the screen behind him. His voice carried steady and confident as he gestured to the model on display.

“This building isn’t just a structure,” he said, the cadence of his words deliberate. “It’s a bridge between history and progress. Designed with sustainable materials, natural airflow, and public spaces that invite the community ...