A discussion among three architects and a community organizer managed, if just for a morning, to shift the focus away from condos toward what architecture can do for the city and its people, and how.
Janna Levitt, Marianne McKenna, and Michael McLelland joined Rosalyn Morrison of the
Toronto Community Foundation to discuss various ways architecture and architects can contribute to the city’s social health.
"We're a firm about ideas," said Marianne McKenna, the "M" in
KPMB. "How do we restore our position in society as advocates?"
"Other people make things," said McLelland of
ERA Architects, picking up the theme. "Architects, like artists, are generally about ideas. Part of that means solving complex problems. I don’t love anything better than a fantastic problem."
And though some of those problems are problems of design, many of them aren’t. Levitt, of
LGA Architectural Partners, spoke of her firm's work helping non-profit clients raise funds to get their project done. McKenna spoke of working with Manitoba Hydro on their zero-footprint
building in Winnipeg to ensure the 3,000 newly consolidated employees would both benefit and integrate into their new neighbourhood by leaving out any cafeteria space, ensuring a large new client base for cafes and restaurants in the area.
The talk was hosted by the
Design Exchange and sponsored by
Shimmerman Penn accountants.
Writer: Bert Archer