The vital roles that cities play in the economic, social, and cultural lives of societies is the focus of Ourtopias, the DX National Design Conference, at Toronto’s Design Exchange. Running from June 14 to 16, the conference will examine “both the historical and contemporary cultures and contours of urban experience and the status and promise of the post-millennial, post-industrial urban fabric,” says Heather Kelly of the Design Exchange.
Ourtopias hosts more than 30 speakers from around the world, addressing such topics such as green space in cities, sustainability, brown-site rehabilitation, exurban growth, climate change and disaster preparedness. KPMB Architects’ Bruce Kuwabara will open the conference with a discussion of strategies and emerging models of urbanization and stability. On the following day, Annmarie Adams, professor at the McGill University School of Architecture, will present an illustrated lecture that explores the architecture of Expo 67 in Montreal as a transnational moment in the history of design. Other keynote speakers include David Hughes, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity, and Glenn Murray, chair of the National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy.
“Conference attendees will gain an understanding of the various necessary factors involved in working towards the creation and maintenance of Ideal Cities,” says Kelly.