The official launch of the Ottawa Architecture Foundation (OAF) will be taking place next month.
The OAF is a public-facing organization that is dedicated to fostering conversations
about architecture, design, and the built and natural environments. It also aims to stimulate inclusive conversations about architecture, improve design literacy and create a positive design culture in the National Capital Region.
In honour of the occasion, the launch event on June 7, 2024 will feature a talk by Dr. Carolyn Whitzman called “Towards a Socially Just Architecture,” which will be followed by a brief discussion.
The event will take place at 3 Brewers Brasserie, located at 240 Sparks Street in Ottawa.
“This is a cross-disciplinary initiative that aims to bring together the voices and leaders in creating and appreciating the built environment, from architecture, to landscape architecture, planning, engineering, and interior design as well as academia and heritage to create a holistic model for conversations on the built environment,” said Toon Dreessen, president of Architects DCA and one of the organization’s founding board members.
“We aim to raise public awareness of the role the built environment plays in our lives so that the public can better appreciate the beauty and quality the nation’s capital. Through this, we aim to improve design culture and create a better Ottawa, building on similar work done in Winnipeg and Chicago (through the Winnipeg Architecture Foundation and Chicago Architecture Foundation).”
The organization’s governance and advisory boards are made up of architects, urban designers, landscape architects, planners, academics, writers, and critics who are committed to their shared vision.
Their goals include hosting film screenings and collaborating with local festivals on creative projects, developing and supporting guided and self-guided tour of Ottawa, hosting public discussions and panels, introducing sustainable urbanism summer camps to the city, collaborating with allied organizations and fostering design literacy and enhance public understanding of the built environment to create a positive, engaging and forward-looking design culture.
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