'We understand design not as a passive product to be consumed, but as an active dialogue. Our DNA is about involving people so they don't just 'attend' an event, but literally take part in shaping it.'
"That is not democracy. That is a power grab," Chow told a crowd of people. "To the provincial government, you do not get to erase this park without a fight. And to the people standing here and to every Torontonian, we need your voice - talk to your neighbours, make some noise. This park belongs to you and we are going to keep it that way."
"We're talking about revitalizing our neighborhoods and rebuilding our communities that are facing blight and abandonment. We're also talking about adding tax dollars to our revenue stream and creating new economic opportunities."
Alejandra Ferrera emphasizes that the security-driven design, while functional at the time, has led to a fragmented urban experience where streets serve only as transit voids, lacking social engagement.
€10.3 million has been earmarked for renovations, energy-efficiency improvements, security upgrades and more for the existing civic offices on Wood Quay, despite plans to demolish the complex.
The magic room was a community effort, maintained by many residents volunteering their time to keep it well organised and running smoothly. I often saw my neighbour, Wendy Showyin, when I stopped by.
The podium-tower is a hybrid structure consisting of a high-coverage, low-rise podium supporting one or more slender vertical towers, maximizing urban density while maintaining a 'human-scaled' street wall.
Communities make museums and museums make communities. Part of the establishment of M+ was a public consultation where people were asked what kind of museums they wanted. The recommendation was not to build lots of little museums, but to create a big museum that was cross-disciplinary, unburdened by labels like "modern" or "contemporary". It was to be a museum plus more, and that was how we became M+.
My family had Slide Show Night when I was growing up. Not every Saturday, but a whole bunch of Saturdays. Either my sister or I would be in charge of setting up the projector, the screen, and loading the carousel. During the show, there'd be a few landscapes or skylines taken during vacations, but almost all the shots were up close. Like most dads, mine wasn't a professional photographer, but he did a good job of capturing memory triggers: faces, gestures, and decorations.
Instead of functioning as decorative greenery, the courtyard organizes circulation, gathering spaces, and planting into a three-dimensional landscape where residents can move, pause, and interact. The site presented several typical urban challenges. Tall buildings restricted sunlight and views, while circulation routes occupied much of the available ground area, making open space feel narrow and shaded.