DLR Group’s Post

When it comes to public projects—whether that be municipal, provincial or federal— accountability to the public must be a pre-eminent priority. After all, public projects do not belong to any particular government, but to the citizens they are meant to serve. In Ontario, as in many other places across North America, this accountability often takes the shape of public consultations. The value of these sessions can be immense, providing opportunities throughout design and approvals to incorporate feedback, answer questions, and address community priorities. However, not all consultations result in effective engagement. When accountability is not baked into the process, these sessions can become purely procedural, with little to no impact on a design’s evolution. Equally as detrimental, when weighed too heavily towards one group, they can result in echo chambers that do not represent the wider voices of the community. So how do we ensure the public engagement process is truly meaningful, effective, and democratic? Are there ways we can shape the process to ensure it becomes a true dialog between the community, designers, and government? Join us in-person at 7:00 PM EST on Tuesday, January 23 for an evening of discussion and debate as our panel explores the important role community engagement plays in shaping public projects and what we can do to ensure this process is effective and meaningful. We’ll be joined in this discussion with an amazing panel of speakers including: - Eladia Smoke, Principal Architect/Owner, Smoke Architecture Inc. - Daniel Fusca, Manager of Public Consultation, City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation - Zahra Ebrahim, CEO/Co-Founder, Monumental - Elsa Lam, Editor, Canadian Architect magazine (Moderator) This in-person event is hosted as a part of DesignTO Festival 2024 and is FREE and open to everyone! Make sure to save your spot by RSVPing here: https://lnkd.in/gnYfzhsd #publicengagement #publicconsultation #communityengagement #torontosocietyofarchitects #toronto Ontario Association of Architects Ontario Professional Planners Institute

🌿🔍 Unlocking the Full Potential of Our Landscapes: A Call to Action! 🌍♿ Greetings, esteemed professionals and passionate advocates for a more inclusive world! I am thrilled to extend an invitation to you for the upcoming webinar that promises to be a watershed moment in our journey toward more accessible landscapes. Hosted by the pioneering Accessibility in Landscape Initiative and promoted by the Landscape Middle East Magazine, this webinar will delve into the critical theme of "Accessibility in Landscapes". 📆 Why Should You Attend? Our environment shapes our daily experiences, yet, for too many, these spaces remain out of reach. As we push the boundaries of what is possible, this webinar aims to inspire, educate, and challenge us all to reimagine the spaces we inhabit. From the principles of inclusive design to the untapped potential of accessible green spaces, our speakers will guide you through a transformative exploration of our surroundings. 💡 Who Will Benefit? Whether you are a professional in the field of landscape architecture, urban planning, accessibility advocacy, or someone who shares our vision for a world where every space welcomes everyone, this webinar will equip you with insights, strategies, and the inspiration to make a tangible impact. 🌟 Be Part of the Movement! This is more than just a webinar; it's a call to action. Join us in paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in accessible landscapes that cater to the needs of all community members, regardless of their physical abilities. 📌 Mark Your Calendar! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to be part of a community dedicated to making inclusivity in the environment a reality for everyone. Reserve your spot, and let’s embark on this journey together! 👉 RSVP Now (Link Bellow) Let’s challenge ourselves and each other to make accessibility in landscapes not just a goal but a standard. Looking forward to seeing you there and making strides together towards a more inclusive world. Together, we can transform our landscapes into spaces that empower, include, and welcome everyone. #Accessibility #LandscapeDesign #InclusiveSpaces #Webinar #JoinUs #MakeADifference

How to Engage Your Neighborhood in a Successful Building Project Learn the key strategies for involving your community in a building project from the start. Discover what aspects matter most to your neighborhood, whether it's materiality, scale, or architectural style, and ensure their voices are heard. Engaging early on will make the process smoother, even if some may initially resist change. #CommunityEngagement #BuildingProject #NeighborhoodInvolvement #ArchitecturalStyle #CommunityVoices #MaterialityMatters #ScaleConsiderations #CommunityInput #PublicOpinion #SuccessfulProject

Check out this article by Magali Thomson, making a case to look beyond the red boundary site line, and to make a collaborative effort to tackle neglected streets, shared space and public realm in London. A massive thank you for referencing the work of the Public Realm Inclusivity Panel we are facilitating with The Earls Court Development Company, and how this model can be applied in other public realm advisory panels to provide guidance on establishing effective partnerships, potential funding mechanisms, and efficient processes which enable change. Read the full article via the link below👇 https://lnkd.in/enUusAM2

Announcing PlacemakingUS's "Public Realm Roundtable!" A national and international gathering of #publicspace and #placemaking leaders in NYC June 13-16. 🗽 The Public Realm Roundtable is a national gathering of government and supporting organizations who build, maintain and enliven public space. New York City’s Mayor Adams, business districts and the Alliance for Public Space Leadership have come together to forge a new position in government, the Director of the Public Realm. This revolutionary new role could become a best practice that the top cities across America should want to pursue. A gathering of those responsible for the public realm including parks departments, property management bureaus, public works managers, and government-adjacent players like BIDs, “Friends of” organizations and conservancies will convene in New York City this June to have a series of thematic roundtable discussions to share good practices, innovations and discuss pain points in our collaborative and emergent work to create praise-worthy public realms. Key Topics of Discussion 🤔 Catalyzing and Keeping Cross-Department Synergies to Complete Vast Transformation 🤔 Maintenance and Enlivening of Spaces with Partners through Permits, MOUs, and License Agreements 🤔 Equity and Anti-gentrification Tactics 🤔 The Next Frontier: Reforming Already-Existing Public Spaces for Better Use: 🤔 When Streets, Sidewalks, Parking Spaces, Buffers and Margins become new centers of Public Gathering 🤔 Making the Case: Connecting the Realm to its Outcomes like Health, Economy, Climate, Sociability and other positives outcomes to attract partners and ease permissions https://lnkd.in/enN6e8mt The event is in collaboration with Ya-Ting Liu and her NYC Office of the Public Realm, Pratt Urban Placemaking and Management, NYU Marron Institute of Urban Management, Social Life Project, PlacemakingX, Street Plans and many more. Further details for sign-up coming soon! Global #PlacemakingX leaders participating so far include Daniela Chacon Arias, Guillermo Bernal, Ramon Marrades, Lex de Jong 莱克斯, Tim Tompkins, Madeleine Spencer, Ryan Smolar, Ethan Kent, Mike Lydon, David Burney, Fred Kent and others... #NYCPublicSpace #PlacemakingUS #PlacemakingNYC #PlaceGovernance

The built environment plays a key role in shaping societal development, necessitating a human-centered approach to our work as designers and architects. This blog by my colleagues Tory Hereford, Peter Pendergrass, and Manan Shah explores the intersection between restorative justice and design, and how we can contribute to more equitable communities and cities. https://ow.ly/gr2x30sB39Y

At a recent workshop, an important question came up: How does affordable housing account for ageing? Will the homes we live in today still meet our needs when we're older? I explored this in my previous article, and while I was at it, I experimented a little with NotebookLM, and here's the episode produced. What do you think? (To me, it still sounds like AI but it's still very novel and interesting so far.) https://lnkd.in/diiiKHSY #affordablehousing #ageing #elderly #universalcare #architecture #urbandesign

#ThrowbackThursday This issue of, 'Architecture California' was published back in 1986! All of these features of Won-Doors still exist today! AIA California / #Architects #wondoors #firedoors 💎 This gem was found on www.usmodernist.org. 💎

When cityscapes undergo extreme makeovers, it's not just buildings that are affected – it's the soul of the community. Just as the phenomenon of demolishing historical heritage has gone global, so too have movements to preserve and care for our built environment. Since 2022, Argentinian architect Natalia Karbabian (@ilustroparanoolvidar on Instagram) has been raising awareness of this issue by illustrating demolished buildings. Learn more about this topic in our latest article at www.DeArchNet.com.

With all the challenges faced by the built environment industry currently, why should #clarity take precedence? Elizabeth Rapoport of #PolygonPlaceStrategy reflects on the #NewLondonAgenda. 'The call to clarity is more than a call to simplify language; it's a call to refine purpose and process. When people understand the process, the challenges and the decisions made in development, trust grows, creating a stronger foundation for the projects that shape our city.' Read more! 📖 https://ow.ly/QVAL50QCEXZ #NLAgenda