CityStudio, Vancouver
I had a fantastic visit with CityStudio Vancouver to learn how their innovation hub is collaborating with City staff, faculty, students, and community to co-create experimental projects and make Vancouver a more sustainable and enjoyable city. My visit was in the context of my action-research for my Master’s design thesis (Design de l’environnement, UQÀM). A big thank you to the CityStudio founders (Duane Elverum and Janet Moore), the CityStudio staff, students and alum, as well as the University Faculty members and City staff for sharing your stories and giving us such a warm welcome to Vancouver.
Following my return to Montréal, I had several meeting with Concordia University staff members in 2017-2018 (departments: Social Innovation, Community Relations, and the Institute for Urban Futures) to share the CityStudio model and illustrate the benefits to implementing a similar model in Montréal. The CityStudio Vancouver co-founders had visited Concordia University in 2015 to share the model for their program, however, the concept had not taken flight at that time. I succeeded in helping to reignite interest in the concept and Concordia University is currently piloting the first version of CityStudio Montréal.
CityStudio Montréal: https://www.citystudiomtl.com
Duane Elverum and Janet Moore speak about the CityStudio Vancouver model.
Participants came from the US, Canada, Australia and South Africa to learn about CityStudio.
We had lunch meetings with City staff and University faculty to discuss their collaborations and experiences with CityStudio Vancouver.
Vancouver’s mayor, Gregor Robertson, welcomed our group and shared his experiences collaborating with CityStudio on various projects.
The mayor of Victoria, Lisa Helps, explained that Victoria is piloting their own version of CityStudio, which is based on the model and learnings of CityStudio Vancouver.
We were treated to a wonderful bike tour of Vancouver under blue skies. What a nice way to conclude our visit!