Ottawa (de)tour on downtown brutalism

yowLAB co-director Sarah Gelbard has partnered with Ottawa (de)Tours to create a “walking seminar” on brutalist architecture downtown.

It has been said that brutalist architecture is “unloved but not unlovely”. Beyond the monolithic, opaque, concrete façades are buildings filled with drama, mystery, and strong civic focus. In the post­war building boom and leading up to the Centennial, grand and heroic ideals of civic welfare and cultural identity were translated into a new vision for Ottawa. The abstract, technically efficient, and impersonal nature of modernism was too closely tied to war. The strong character of brutalist architecture embodied renewed hope, stability, and humanity. Ironically, today we tend to misread these buildings as imposing and inhuman “eyesores”. . .

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As a little teaser, listen to Sarah’s interview on CBC In Town and Out from earlier this year and check out Centretown Buzz article. Tina Barton joined Sarah earlier this month for a preview of the tour. You can read her thoughts on “Is there any beauty in brutalism?”

The first block of tour dates is now available for booking.

• Sunday July 5, 4pm
• Thursday July 9, 7pm
• Thursday July 30, 7pm

Additional dates will be added throughout the summer and fall.

Jane’s Walk Ottawa: May 2-3

Jane’s Walk Ottawa 2015 explores all corners of the city
Gain insight into history, planning, design and civic engagement through more than 50 walks across the Ottawa-Gatineau region.

Ottawa, ON – April 22, 2015 – On May 2 and 3, hundreds of Ottawans will take to the streets for the city’s eighth-annual Jane’s Walk. Discover a new neighbourhood or rediscover your own during a weekend of free walking tours led by local residents passionate about where they live, work and play.

This year Jane’s Walk Ottawa is proud to feature not only previously popular walks such as renowned architect Barry Padolsky’s tour of the ByWard Market and a look at the wild foods that can be foraged in the city, but also several new ones. Among these are:

• First-ever Jane’s PADDLE
• Jane’s RUN of Burritts Rapids
• A tour of Ottawa’s “Library of the future” – the Beaverbrook Branch
• The new Lansdowne Park
• Manotick Village renewal
• Sustaining nature within an urban development at the Beaver Pond with Kanata North Coun. Marianne Wilkinson

Walks are free and open to all. The full schedule of walks in Ottawa is available at www.janeswalkottawa.ca

Jane’s Talk

As usual, the event kicks off with Jane’s Talk on the evening of Wednesday, April 29, featuring a talk on New Directions for Urban Infill by City Planner Alain Miguelez, Program Manager for Zoning, Intensification and Neighbourhoods for the City of Ottawa.

Miguelez will discuss Ottawa’s new zoning approach for urban infill, a Canadian-first that links zoning regulations to streetscape character. The session will include a historical background on the issues related to urban infill that have been experienced in Ottawa over the last 15 years, review the unique public engagement approach that was taken in finding a solution, and explain how Ottawa’s new bylaw supports the pedestrian DNA of its old neighbourhoods.

Jane’s Talk takes place Wednesday, April 29 at the National Capital Commission’s Urbanism Lab at 40 Elgin St., 5th Floor. Doors open at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

About Jane’s Walk

Jane’s Walk Ottawa began in 2008 with 14 citizen-led walks and has since grown to more than 50 walks spanning neighbourhoods from Kanata to Orléans. Offered in English or French, these walking tours welcomed more than 2,000 participants last year.

Created in Toronto in 2007, Jane’s Walk celebrates the life and work of urban theorist and activist Jane Jacobs by encouraging residents to get out and explore their city. Arguing from a grassroots perspective, Jacobs called for a more people-centred approach to urban planning. She famously coined the term “sidewalk ballet” to describe her own experience of a vibrant, healthy neighbourhood. Free walking tours are led by local residents and volunteers who want to share their own sidewalk ballet, from Calgary to Canberra, Guelph to Guadalajara. In 2012, Jane’s Walk hosted more than 500 walks in 85 cities and 17 countries across the world.

In 2013, Jane’s Walk received the City Soul Award from the Canadian Urban Institute for fostering urban literacy and civic engagement.

“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” – Jane Jacobs

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Last minute impromptu yowLAB!

Thursday April 16
7pm
Clocktower Brew Pub (575 Bank St)

Great chance to catch up and brainstorm some summer projects.

For those who haven’t been, yowLAB meetings are informal; part social, part networking, part brainstorming. It’s an opportunity for people with an interest in architecture, urbanism, and design to meet over a few pints.

We aim to try a different venue each meeting, generally somewhere central. This month we’ll be at the Clocktower Brew Pub in the Glebe (575 Bank St).

We also feature Canadian architecture projects in our event banners. This month, we have a call for submission for the 13th annual Come Up To My Room at the Gladstone Hotel.

Come Up To My Room Call for Submissions
Due May 15, 2015
Check here for details: http://www.gladstonehotel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/CUTMR2016Callforsubmissions.pdf

A few upcoming events

There are some interesting events coming up in the next two weeks. Make sure to mark your calendars.

01.21 Lecture: NCC Parkway System “All Roads Lead to Parliament Hill”

01.25 yowLAB PubNight

01.26 Forum Lecture Series with Daniel Libeskind

01.29 The Human Scale, Free screening (RSVP required)
01.29 CTUBH: 7 Cities Winter Spaces Walking Tours: Ottawa

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Sunday January 25
7pm
House of Targ (1077 Bank St – across from the Mayfair Theatre)

Newcomers welcome!

For those who haven’t been, yowLAB meetings are informal; part social, part networking, part brainstorming. It’s an opportunity for people with an interest in architecture, urbanism, and design to meet over a few pints.

We aim to try a different venue each meeting, generally somewhere central. This month we’ll be at House of Targ. The perogies are amazing so come early for dinner and beer. Starting at 9pm it’s $5 cover for all you can play pinball and DJs.

We’re also featuring the work of different Canadian architects and designers as the banner image for each event. This month’s feature project is the winning proposal for the National Holocaust Monument. Daniel Libeskind (part of the design team) will be speaking at the Forum Lecture Series on Monday Jan 26.

RSVP via Facebook page or in comments below

yowLAB 40

Sunday November 16
7pm
Corner Bar & Grill, 777 Bank St

yowLAB’s 40th meeting! That’s worth celebrating and worth a bit of reflection. Please join us for the usual great company and stimulating conversation and a chance to discuss future directions and plans for 2015.

Newcomers welcome!

For those who haven’t been, yowLAB meetings are informal; part social, part networking, part brainstorming. It’s an opportunity for people with an interest in architecture, urbanism, and design to meet over a few pints.

We aim to try a different venue each meeting, generally somewhere central. This month we’ll be at Corner Bar & Grill in the Glebe. They have a great selection of craft beer!

RSVP (and update if it changes) so we know how many people to reserve space for. You can RSVP on our Facebook event page or leave a message in the comment section below.

yowLAB Film Fest + OAW + ByTowne

yowLAB is proud to announce that it has partnered with Ottawa Architecture Week and ByTowne Cinema to launch our fall season with a screening of Last Call at the Gladstone Hotel, followed by a panel discussion.

Last Call at the Gladstone Hotel, directed by Neil Graham and Derreck Roemer, follows the revitalization of Toronto’s century-old Gladstone Hotel from flophouse to arts and music hotspot.

“Shot over five years in a cinema direct style, Last Call at the Gladstone Hotel is an intimate, compelling portrait of the effects of urban renewal upon the poor, exposing a pattern of displacement repeated in urban centers worldwide, and revealing the unintentional roles we often play in the process of gentrification.”

The film screening will be followed by “Inhabiting gentrification” – a panel discussion on urban revitalization, social housing, and the arts scene in Ottawa and their impact on the existing character and characters of neglected heritage neighbourhoods.

Mitchell Kutney Co-founder, JustChange Ottawa / member of Citizens Academy leadership team

Ray Sullivan Executive Director, Centretown Citizen Ottawa Corporation

Rhiannon Vogl Associate Curator of Contemporary Art, National Gallery of Canada

Sarah Gelbard co-director yowLAB / PhD student McGill School of Urban Planning

Laurence Wall (moderator) News Producer, CBC Radio Ottawa

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Tuesday, September 30 8:30-10:30pm
$15 Admission
$10 ByTowne members
Advance tickets at ByTowne.ca and Eventbrite

Join the Facebook event page

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Thursday July 24
7pm
Les Brasseurs du Temps

Special edition: Sarah’s Montreal send off
Newcomers welcome!

For those who haven’t been, yowLAB meetings are informal; part social, part networking, part brainstorming. It’s an opportunity for people with an interest in architecture, urbanism, and design to meet over a few pints.

We aim to try a different venue each meeting, generally somewhere central. This month, we’re taking advantage of bike and patio season to jump across to the other side of the River at Les Brasseurs du Temps.

RSVP (and update if it changes) so we know how many people to reserve space for. You can RSVP on our Facebook event page or leave a message in the comment section below.

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Thursday June 19
7pm
Les Brasseurs du Temps
UPDATE: Canal Ritz (Queen Elizabeth and Fifth Ave)

Summer bike* and patio edition.
Newcomers welcome!

For those who haven’t been, yowLAB meetings are informal; part social, part networking, part brainstorming. It’s an opportunity for people with an interest in architecture, urbanism, and design to meet over a few pints.

We aim to try a different venue each meeting, generally somewhere central. This month, we’re taking advantage of bike and patio season to jump across to the other side of the River at Les Brasseurs du Temps. UPDATE: to ride along the canal to Canal Ritz. We’ll arrange a central meeting point on the Ottawa side for anyone who would like to join the bike convoy. Details to follow.

RSVP (and update if it changes) so we know how many people to reserve space for. You can RSVP on our Facebook event page or leave a message in the comment section below.

* If you’re biking, there will be an Ottawa side meeting point for those who want to ride over together. We’ll be meeting in front of Library and Archives (Wellington and Bay) at 6:30 and head out at 6:45.

Library as Space: A panel discussion | L’espace dans les bibliothèques: une table ronde

This gallery contains 5 photos.

Originally posted on LANCR – ABRCN:
Public Service Announcement for LANCR’s Library as Space: A panel discussion ? The Library Association of the National Capital Region (LANCR) presents Library as Space:  A panel discussion. ? Join us for a timely and innovative discussion surrounding the theme Library as Space. Our panel, comprised of a planning…