High Anxiety: Can We Get the City and Skyline We Deserve?
Thursday, October 19. Doors open at 6:30pm.
Event begins at 7:00pm. Free. No registration required.
Westin Harbour Castle Hotel, 1 Harbour Square
Co-sponsors: Toronto Society of Architects and City of Toronto
Keynote Speakers: Mark Kingwell and Paul Katz; Moderator – Rick Wolfe
Panelists: Anthony Borelli, Mimmi Fullerton, Marianne Mckenna, Jeanhy Shim, Brent Toderian, Gerde Wekerle
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From the TSA press release:
The evening session of the City of Toronto ‘Higher Learning’ symposium on Thursday, October 19th is being co-sponsored by the Toronto Society of Architects.
Our moderator is Rick Wolfe, who we know from experience does an excellent job of making sure that the discussion is lively and engaging. There will be opening remarks and two keynote presentations, followed by a panel discussion with Q&A from the audience.
City dwellers around the world have learned to live with — and in — tall buildings that both excite and infuriate. In the face of conflicting opinions about tall buildings, cities everywhere are seeking to create coherent policy and design guidelines that meet the test of good planning and increased livability. What can Toronto learn about tall buildings from other cities? Please come and find out.
Our first keynote speaker is Mark Kingwell, a philosopher and cultural theorist, and author of Nearest Thing to Heaven: The Empire State Building and American Dreams. A description of the book suggests it ‘leads us through the facts surrounding the skyscraper’s conception and construction, then enters into a provocative theoretical discussion of its function as an icon, its representation in pictures, literature, and film, and the implications of its iconic status as New York’s most important architectural monument to ambition and optimism’.
Our second keynote speaker is Paul Katz, a Senior Partner at Kohn Pedersen Fox Architects, New York. Paul will talk briefly about the history of the skyscraper in New York and how it has been shaped and molded over the years by zoning codes. He will also use examples of his work in cities around the world to show how he believes tall buildings can be successful in enhancing the skyline, as well as in creating vibrant, livable communities.
Following the two presentations, our moderator Rick Wolfe will ask Mark Kingwell and Paul Katz to join the panel for a discussion and to take questions from the floor.
Our panel will also include:
Anthony Borelli (New York Community Board)
Mimmi Fullerton (Annex Residents Association)
Marianne Mckenna (KPMB Architects)
Jeanhy Shim (President, Urbanation)
Brent Toderian (Director of Planning, Vancouver)
Gerde Wekerle (Professor – Faculity of Environmental Studies – York University)
photo by Sam Javanrouh
