Heritage in the Future: Resilient and Sustainable

Join us for an insightful “lunch and learn event” on the future of heritage conservation.

This event explores how adaptive reuse can help foster innovation in housing development and bring diverse perspectives to the table. Hear from industry leaders as we discuss the challenges and opportunities of repurposing historic buildings. Learn about environmental benefits such as how reusing and retrofitting heritage structures can reduce waste, lower carbon emissions, and conserve resources supporting sustainable urban growth.

Thursday, February 13, 2025, noon to 1:30 pm (EST)

Urbanism Lab
40 Elgin Street, 2nd floor, Ottawa, Ontario

This Urbanism Lab is an in-person event only, at 40 Elgin Street.

Natalie Voland, President and Chief Vision Officer
Gestion immobilière Quo Vadis

Natalie Voland has been reinventing real estate development for over 25 years. She is an award-winning, social-driven developer and a leader of the Quebec B Corp movement. Her companies help protect the environment, prioritize historical buildings, and foster social inclusion, while also being profit-driven to further Montreal’s economic development.

Natalie manages 1.5 million square feet, supports over 500 entrepreneurs, and is an active expert, public speaker and mentor. Her latest venture, Quo Vadis Capital, is investing in carbon-mitigated accessible housing to address inclusion and climate change in real estate.

Natalie is a Ph.D. candidate and member of the Concordia Chair of Excellence in Research on Smart and Resilient Cities and the Next-Generation Cities Institute, which specializes in bridging market business practices that drive sustainability in the built environment.

Andrew Reeves, Principal Partner and Founder
Linebox Studio

Andrew Reeves is the visionary founder and principal partner of Linebox Studio, an innovative architecture firm based in Ottawa. Andrew holds a degree in architecture from the Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism at Carleton University. He established Linebox Studio in 2007 with a focus on redefining the architectural landscape. Andrew encourages his team to push the boundaries of traditional architecture, embracing innovation and applying the principles of One Planet Living to their designs, positioning them at the forefront of green architecture in Canada.

Under Andrew’s leadership, Linebox has grown from specializing in residential infill projects in Toronto and Ottawa to becoming a multidisciplinary firm with a national presence. The studio has designed over one million square feet of state-of-the-art office space for Canada’s leading tech companies. Currently, Linebox is spearheading transformative projects in downtown Ottawa, revitalizing underused office buildings into vibrant residential spaces.

Jessica Chen, Executive Director
JIA Foundation

Jessica Chen is a city planning professional with over twenty years of experience in both the public and non-profit sectors. As an immigrant from Taiwan, Jessica started her professional career in the public sector, first in Philadelphia, then in Vancouver, tackling issues of gentrification, heritage conservation, affordable housing, social inclusivity and equitable development. She relocated to Montreal in 2013 and founded her consulting practice, Wabi Sabi Planning Lab, which often works with public agencies and non-profit organizations to examine how cultural and community-owned assets, including housing, help shape a more resilient urban landscape and city economy. Jessica has been active in Montreal’s Chinatown since 2019 to fight gentrification, and co-founded the JIA Foundation in 2022 to foster Chinatown's cultural heritage through education, space activation and community-driven approaches to real estate.

The JIA Foundation recently launched a community-led initiative to develop a holistic vision of Clark Street, and a concept plan for a mixed-use housing project for the sites that the city has assembled to meet the diverse community needs and facilitate needed change. The JIA Foundation also works with both Chinatown stakeholders and the non-profit housing sector to build community capacity in housing advocacy and delivery, and to develop tools to support community ownership of land and development in Chinatown.

Our moderator for this lunch and learn event:

Heather Thomson, MCIP RPP, Heritage Program Manager
Federal Approvals and Heritage and Archaeology Programs
Capital Planning, National Capital Commission

Heather Thomson leads a team that provides advice on heritage planning and management for federal lands across the National Capital Region, including the Parliamentary Precinct, core area, official residences, Capital Urban Lands, National Capital Greenbelt and Gatineau Park. Heather has worked in heritage for over 25 years at the national, provincial and local levels. Over the past several years, she has also taught heritage conservation courses at Carleton University and the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts.

The sessions are bilingual. Simultaneous interpretation services are offered at the time of the event.

We strive to host inclusive and accessible events. If you need accommodations, please let us know as soon as possible so that we may provide the necessary accommodation measures.