WORKSHOPS - problem solving/future thinking of 21st century conditions
Extreme Environments
@CCA, Montreal, 2012
This all-ages workshop placed participants in the role of designer-problem solver to some of the most dire environmental circumstances. Participants chose from various scenarios and had to think through how to remediate or design anew such things as schools in flood zones, research centers in Antarctica, or parks in zones of wildfires.
Huis Clos
@CCA, Montreal, 2011
This program was designed for groups of college and university students and placed them in the role of crisis management designer. One scenario students were given: an epidemic has just broken out and you are on the public health committee who must deal with the repercussions. Huis Clos highlighted how the discussions that affect society often take place in a state of isolation, as a sequestered few decide what is appropriate knowledge, designate measures of safety, and even change how people move through urban spaces. This two hour workshop-visit was adopted from Jean-Paul Sartre’s play Huis Clos, in which three individuals spend eternity in a single room. It was curated as part of the exhibition Imperfect Health for the Canadian Centre for Architecture in Montreal which examined the complexity of today’s interrelated and emerging health problems juxtaposed with a variety of proposed architectural and urban solutions.
"E" is for Eco-City
@CCA, Montreal, 2011
This was a 2 part workshop celebrating Earth Day.
The first part involved designing and building experimental objects for everyday use. Participants learned how people across the world reuse objects and give them new functions. Some materials were provided, but participants were encouraged to bring clean recyclables. We designed clothing and useful objects in consideration of a future with less waste.
As part of the urban agriculture workshop, participants learned a simple way to transform old buckets into functional growing containers for urban gardening. Meanwhile, they discovered the innovations of Quartier 21, an experimental site that aims to transform a block of downtown Montréal into a model of sustainable development. Finally, they tried Vermi-composting, building their own worm composting starter kit, ready to turn food scraps into soil conditioner.
This workshop was conceptualized and implemented for ABC:MTL, an urban abecedary and exhibition-based initiative that mapped the contemporary Montréal cityscape through design, photography, installations, models, and public programs at the Canadian Centre for Architecture.