Learn
Webinars
12 Urban Design lessons we learnt in 12 years
Join Naama Blonder and Misha Bereznyak for this presentation of their personal and professional journey
TAS Impact Report with TAS Impact Report
Join us for a presentation and a conversation with Mazyar Mortazavi, President and CEO at TAS.
Be inspired!
City of Emeryville, California
Mayor John Bauters has been called “the Bay Area mayor who wants to persuade you to get rid of your car.” If you ever visit Emeryville, California, located across the Bay Bridge from Downtown San Francisco, you’ll probably find Mayor Bauters cycling his city’s ever-expanding cycle-track network, chatting with neighbours, and thinking of new and creative ways he can improve his community.
Under his leadership, Emeryville has not only exceeded California’s state -mandated housing construction targets, he is putting pressure on other cities to do their part to respond to the state’s housing affordability crisis.
If you want to hear from a new-age, charismatic, Californian mayor, you won’t want to miss our webinar! Join Robert McQuillan on Tuesday, July 12 at 11:00 ET for our conversation with Mayor Bauters.
Our Plan Toronto + Vancouver 2050
Learn from experts behind the plans proposed to shape the future of housing, climate, jobs, and transportation in two of Canada’s fastest-growing urban centres!
Developing Affordable Purpose-Built Rental
Join Nigel Carvalho for a conversation with Mylène Vincent, Principal at SHS Consulting. In this webinar we will discuss:
-The social and financial benefits of non-luxury purpose-built rental construction.
-The potential of this housing tenure to be a more affordable option than condominiums.
-Cultural beliefs that value homeownership above rental housing. -Supportive policy frameworks and incentives for promoting purpose-built rental.
-Examples of purpose-built rental improving affordability and access to housing.
What is Urban Design and How Does it Shape our City?
A webinar by Emilia Floro, the City of Toronto’s Director of Urban Design
Toronto’s Waterfront - Now More Than Ever
A Webinar with Aaron Barter | Director, Innovation and Sustainability, Waterfront Toronto
Learn about the exciting changes coming to Waterfront Toronto!
In this informative webinar we covered:
-Context, mandate and principles, progress to date
-Current projects
– Port Lands, Villiers Island, Quayside, Parliament Slip
-Climate action and green buildings
What is planned for Toronto's Ontario Line? With Steven Munro
-Evolution of the Ontario Line from the Downtown Relief Line
-Stations and development plans from Exhibition to Science Centre
-Transit travel changes with the Ontario Line
-Contention between plans and communities
Why Inclusion Matters to Urban Development with Leslie Woo, CEO at CivicAction
Join Nigel Carvalho for a conversation with Leslie Woo, CEO at CivicAction
In this webinar, we will discuss:
1. The importance of building inclusive cities
2. Fostering a fairer, more inclusive land development industry
3. Ways that more people can benefit from land development processes
4. Bridging divides through industry collaboration and co-creation
5. How we can all contribute to making inclusive cities a reality
Planning Overview & the Opportunity for Small Design in the Missing Middle
Thinking Big Building Small: Planning Overview & the Opportunity for Small Design in the Missing Middle
By Naama Blonder | Architect & Urban Planner | Smart Density
Finding your Site and Testing
Feasibility
Thinking Big Building Small: Finding your Site and Testing
Feasibility
By Donny Afonso | Principal | Pelican Woodcliff Inc
The Business Case for Rental
Thinking Big Building Small: the Business Case for Rental
By Leonid Kotov | Founder, Green Street Flats
Missing Middle - Design Innovation
Missing Middle - Design Innovation
Thinking Big Building Small: Innovation in Design and the Missing Middle
By
Brian Phillips ISA – Interface Studio Architects, Philadelphia, PA
Ana Rolim & Isabella Trindade Coletivo-rt interiors + architecture, Brazil Giovanni Fruttaldo F-ARE, Los Angeles, California
Johanna Hurme 5468796 Architecture, Winnipeg, Menitoba
Misha Bereznyak Smart Density, Toronto, Ontario
How to Raise Capital for Your Missing Middle Concept
Thinking Big Building Small: How to Raise Capital for Your Missing Middle Concept
Branding and Positioning: How to Create, Promote and Sell Successful Missing Middle Projects
Thinking Big Building Small: How to Create, Promote and Sell Successful Missing Middle Projects
By Lirad Kligman | Co-Founder | The Yorkville Team
The Risks of Building Small
Thinking Big Building Small: The Risks of Small & The Challenge of Financing Small
By Adam Sheffer, CEO, Originate Developments
Engaging the Community in the Development of the Missing Middle
Thinking Big Building Small: Creative Solutions to the Missing Middle Engaging the Community By Sara Udow | Principal, PROCESS
Missing Middle: From Vision to Opening - Case Studies
Thinking Big Building Small: Missing Middle: From Vision to Opening – Case Studies
By James Burton | Managing Partner | Percy Ellis
Dutch Urban Design – What Can Canadian Cities adopt?
When it comes to urban design, the Dutch seem to get it right. What can North American cities learn from the Netherlands? In this webinar, we will discuss some of the elements that make Dutch cities so successful. We will cover the principles to create livable and dense city centers, think about the implications of the Corona crisis, and discuss what Canadian cities can use.
Why is it unaffordable to build affordable housing?
Guest Speaker: Nancy Singer, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Kehilla
Main points:
- What incentives can you get for building it?
- What’s the Process?
- Proforma Review
- What needs to change to make it work?
- Why do developers need to partner and include non – profits?
- How do we make it all work?
Zero Emissions Targets - Market Transition
Guest Speaker: David MacMillan, Program Manager, Public Energy Initiatives – New Development, Environment & Energy Division, City of Toronto
Main points:
- The Toronto Green Standard (TGS) as a key driver of zero-emissions development
- Analysis of the TGS capital cost premium for zero-emissions multi-unit residential buildings
- Business models and City of Toronto incentives that can help make the business case work
Family Friendly Condos: A Pipe Dream or a Missed Opportunity?
Moderator: Pauline Lierman, Director of Market Research at Urbanation Inc.
Panelists: Sasha Cucuz, CEO at Greybrook Securities and Partner at Greybrook Capital, and Naama Blonder, Architect and Urban Planner, Smart Density
Panelists debated whether Toronto’s market can or cannot support the construction of well-designed condos for families.
Main points:
- Why are developers opposed to building family-friendly condos?
- How can families address their housing needs?
- If demand exists, why isn’t it being met?
- Are current regulatory barriers too hard to overcome?
Modular Construction 101
Guest Speakers: Chris Smith, Project Manager at EllisDon Modular, and Temo Cruz, Prefabrication and Modular Coordinator at EllisDon Modular
Main points: Everything you need to know about this innovative construction type: why, where and how to use it?
- Introduction to Modular/Off-site Construction
- EllisDon Technology & Design/Optimization Guidelines
- Modular Project Example
Bill 108 + Bill 197: Community Benefits, Development Charges and Parkland Dedication
Guest Speaker: Rebecca Hines, Aird & Berlis LLP
In this presentation, Rebecca Hines, a lawyer with Aird & Berlis LLP’s Municipal and Land Use Planning Group, will provide a high-level overview of, and commentary on, the new community benefits, development charges and parkland dedication legislative framework and what these changes may mean for the development community moving forward.
Missing Middle Policies in 5 Cities across Canada and the U.S.
5 Cities, 5 Middle Housing Policies
A discussion moderated by Alex Bozikovic, Architecture Critic, The Globe and Mail
Hear from 5 Urban Planners:
- Vancouver, British Columbia: Paula Huber, Senior Planner, Community Planning, City of Vancouver
- Seattle, Washington: Geoffrey Wentlandt, Planner, the City of Seattle
- Portland, Oregon: Morgan Tracy, Project Manager, City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
- Minneapolis, Minnesota: Heather Worthington, Principal at Worthington Advisors
- Toronto, Ontario: Graig Uens, Senior Planner – Office of the Chief Planner at City of Toronto
Leveraging Data to Improve Toronto’s Delivery of New Affordable-Housing
This session will show how public-data is being used to track the progress on the creation new affordable-rental units on surplus City-owned lands (HOUSING NOW program), and how improved transparency and civic-innovation models can help government agencies and the development industry achieve better housing-policy outcomes for Toronto residents.
See the presentation slides here.
Passive House 101: Principles for Multi-Family Residential Buildings
70% of the world’s GHG emissions come from cities and 53% of Toronto’s emissions are from buildings. We are at a critical stage where buildings need to be part of the solution while we move towards a fully functioning green building economy. How can we create buildings that are healthier, sustainable and affordable?
Do you have an educational topic related to the real estate, design, or construction that you think would be a good fit for our audience? Contact Us