Sustainable Cities CDRN workshop
Environmentally sustainable urban design, 3D digital urban modeling, real-time urban visualization, and participatory process
This Canadian Design Research Network workshop will be held at the School of Architecture, Dalhousie University from October 1-3, 2007. The cost of the workshop is $60.00 or $20.00 for students. Some experience with Sketchup will be helpful. Cost includes a workshop lunch and refreshments. To participate contact Jordan Winters at:
How can municipal officials, specialized designers and environmental experts work together on sustainable urban design? How can digital tools facilitate sustainable urban design with interaction among stakeholders? Experts in environmental planning, urban design leaders and a select public will come together in this three-day Canadian Design Research Network (CDRN) workshop at Dalhousie University preceding the ACADIA 2007 Art/Environment/Cities conference.
This is a design charette running over three days interspersed with tutorials and presentations by experts, where participants will work in teams with city officials and technical consultants. The first day will focus on urban sustainability issues. The second day will focus on urban design in relation to sustainable and programmatic issues on a centrally located site in Halifax. The third day will focus on real-time visualization of the final designs in the urban context and public participation. Registrants will work with sustainable urban design principles and tools (such as Ecotect), and urban design modeling (using Sketchup) and urban, real-time visualization tools (using OrbisRT). OrbisRT will be made available to participants after the conference while Sketchup and Ecotect will be available to participants for download before the conference.
The site is one of the largest open for redevelopment in downtown Halifax, following the demolition of a Hospital two years ago. The site borders a downtown university campus, a thriving commercial street, and a community of mainly two-story houses. A preliminary survey of the site has been accomplished by Thomas Seebohm and his students, and will be used as the basis for the 3D, real-time urban model of the site and its context.
Software instruction includes Ecotect, Sketchup, and OrbisRT. Andrew Marsh, author of 'Ecotect' Environmental Analysis software will participate and provide a keynote presentation. The results of the workshop will be published online and presented at the ACADIA 2007 conference. CDRN Subsidies to support graduate student travel and participation in the event are available. Dalhousie University and University of Waterloo Schools of Architecture are organizing the event in cooperation with the City of Halifax and NSCAD University. Sponsors include Apple Canada, Graphisoft, Google and Parallel World Labs Inc. Workshop leaders include John Danahy, Rodney Hoinkes, Jeff Lederer, Frank Palermo, Brian Lilley, Thomas Seebohm. Additional presenters are Richard Levy and Pierre Coté.
Monday through Wednesday October 1-3, 2007
Halifax, Dalhousie University / NSCAD
Contact Jordan Winters, Project Manager for ACADIA 2007 at:
workshop gallery
