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This season, due to public health concerns related to indoor gatherings during COVID-19, as well as uncertainty around this situation over the coming months, we will be delivering the first half of the Urbanism Lab lecture series virtually, via YouTube.

To ensure everyone’s ability to actively participate, we will invite the public to ask their questions via the comments section during our YouTube live presentations, and a staff member will read out the question to our presenters. Further logistical updates will be provided in due course, via social media and our website.

If you would like to explore some of the topics we’ve covered over the years, past editions of the Lab remain available on our YouTube channel.

About season 7

From placemaking to student competitions, and from citizen engagement to environmental justice, season 7 promises to be one of our most impressive lineups to date!

Mark your calendars today!

October 22, 2020

Waterfront planning: How to bring the water to everyone

The Capital Planning Branch continues to plan for the evolution of the Capital’s riverfront parks. This Urbanism Lab event engages experts in a discussion of planning for waterfront parks and parkways, cultural and heritage planning, and the history of the NCC’s own parkway planning.

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November 26, 2020

Environmental justice from a planning perspective

What role can planning play in promoting social equity from an environmental perspective? From climate change to pollution, the socio-economic distribution of canopy cover, and access to green spaces, this Urbanism Lab event looks at ways that cities have integrated an environmental justice lens to urban planning.

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December 9, 2020

Planning and the pandemic: The responses of cities to the COVID-19 pandemic

This Urbanism Lab event will explore responses to the COVID-19 pandemic from two different perspectives:

  • How have cities pivoted in response to COVID-19, and what role can tactical urbanism play in responding to sudden events like the pandemic?
  • How can cities plan with public health in mind, and what are some of the likely effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on planning in big cities?
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February 18, 2021

The importance of story and memory in placemaking and building an inclusive city

Every other year, the NCC’s Heritage Program invites speakers from across the country to present ideas and successful projects in the field of heritage conservation. This year’s edition proposes to examine the role of story and memory in inclusive urbanism, with a spotlight on the following:

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April 29, 2021

The thinking behind the location, dimensions and vocation of green spaces 

Green spaces come in all shapes and sizes, and make a critical contribution to the livability of big cities. But even their most assiduous users often know little about the decision making behind their creation and design. This edition of the Urbanism Lab takes a closer look at the creation and maintenance of green spaces and, more specifically, at the considerations that inform where they are located, what their shape and dimensions are, and what use they should be geared toward.

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June 16, 2021

Reconciliation and the city: Working toward reconciliation from an urban perspective

How can cities embrace reconciliation? From placemaking to commemorations, employment opportunities and conservation, this edition of the Urbanism Lab explores opportunities to make reconciliation a part of how cities grow and evolve.

Past series

Urbanism Lab 2017-2018 Season

Urbanism Lab 2018-2019 Season

Urbanism Lab 2019-2020 Season

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