We look around the world, across Canada and in our city, for inspiration and big ideas to share. We do this driven by a love for Halifax and our belief that it can be even better, for everyone. We look for magic in the science, we look for the art of city building.
Our efforts affirm that we have everything we need right here to make the city we need. We have also discovered that change is required to realize a collective vision for a lovable, inclusive and resilient Halifax. And change requires courage. And humility. From all of us. Reinventing ourselves and the way we think about our cities needs everyone. It’s not about “fighting the old”, as Buckminster Fuller said, it’s about building a new model that makes the old model obsolete. And it might even be about finally listening closely to voices outside the center who knew (and said) we needed this all along. COVID changed everything. And nothing. It has unearthed problems that have persisted and worsened over a very long time. But by stopping us in our tracks, the pandemic (and our collective and individual responses to it) has given us space to consider what really matters and has ignited an urgency to finding, shining light on, and building on change efforts to get us to a new way of being and doing.
This year marks the 5th year of the AoCB conference, we’re looking forward to the speakers as much as we do every year. This year’s conference is focused on courage and real change. Reinvention. Imagine if we started fresh, blank slate, but even better than that; we are starting from a place of lessons of how to think more regeneratively and inclusively and holistically about our cities as we build them. We are going to hear from and celebrate with people from Places that have done it better, differently, together. We are going to learn from people that can help us to see how it’s done. And we’ll celebrate some of those stellar examples in our own Halifax community who are leading real change, necessary change.
Our purpose is to imagine the city we need. And to make it. Together. It’s the dreaming and the doing. The art of city building.
This year’s Conference will take place on Monday, September 20, 2021.
We are partnering with the Canadian Urban Institute and a host of local partners to host inspiring conversations that give a taste of what is happening and what is possible. Join us!
We look forward to having you be a part of Art of City Building 2021. Tickets are available for the following sessions:
Opening & Framing Keynote - Why Place Matters with Zita Cobb
Session I: Reinventing Cities - Moderated by: Jayne Engle (Montreal) & Tanya Chung-Tiam-Fook (Toronto). Speakers include: Gabriella Gómez Mont (Mexico City/Amsterdam), Nigel Jacob (Boston), Matthew Claudel (Portland, OR), Aimee Gasparetto (K'jipuktuk/Halifax) and Pamela Glode Desrochers (K'jipuktuk/Halifax)
Session II: Reinventing Resiliency - Moderated by: Nina Marie Lister (Toronto). Speakers include: Al Wiebe (Winnipeg), Neil Lovitt (K'jipuktuk/Halifax), Abigail Moriah (Toronto), Stephanie Allen (Vancouver)
Session III: Reinventing Public Places - Moderated by Mary W. Rowe (Toronto), Mitchell Silver (New York), Liz Ogbu (Oakland) and Lezlie Lowe (K'jipuktuk/Halifax). There will also be a closing presentation by Mark Brand (Vancouver)
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/art-of-city-building-reinvention-online-tickets-170015983383