Find out more about our work with #Howells architects to better connect Novi Sad in Serbia to the River Danube, opening up access to make the river part of the everyday. Interview with #LDADesign director, Benjamin Walker: shorturl.at/g3ZeI #placemaking #bettercity
Riverside – kvart za stanovanje krojen po meri svih Novosađana
Iskustvo stečeno na velikim transformacijama obala i javnih prostora u Londonu biće prevedeno u toplije, pristupačnije okruženje, usmereno na porodični i komšijski život.
Aleksandar Group pokrenuo je...
shorturl.at
October 30, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Find out more about our work with #Howells architects to better connect Novi Sad in Serbia to the River Danube, opening up access to make the river part of the everyday. Interview with #LDADesign director, Benjamin Walker: shorturl.at/g3ZeI #placemaking #bettercity
Let me clarify: Comments heard by councillors, planners and architects. The last is a suggested reply to some of these comments. #BetterCity
Other comments from various people:
"We don't want community housing that looks like a cheap hotel."
"You can't tell it is a community housing!"
"It looks too good to be community housing."
"Well, do you want your city to look like crap?"
#BetterCity
"We don't want community housing that looks like a cheap hotel."
"You can't tell it is a community housing!"
"It looks too good to be community housing."
"Well, do you want your city to look like crap?"
#BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Let me clarify: Comments heard by councillors, planners and architects. The last is a suggested reply to some of these comments. #BetterCity
A discussion after a question from a Ottawa councillor about homelessness:
"You have to design and plan for use after opening."
"Who cleans it?"
"Who funds the cleaning?"
"Does the place get owned by people or policed after problems?"
#BetterCity
"You have to design and plan for use after opening."
"Who cleans it?"
"Who funds the cleaning?"
"Does the place get owned by people or policed after problems?"
#BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 5:44 PM
A discussion after a question from a Ottawa councillor about homelessness:
"You have to design and plan for use after opening."
"Who cleans it?"
"Who funds the cleaning?"
"Does the place get owned by people or policed after problems?"
#BetterCity
"You have to design and plan for use after opening."
"Who cleans it?"
"Who funds the cleaning?"
"Does the place get owned by people or policed after problems?"
#BetterCity
Other comments from various people:
"We don't want community housing that looks like a cheap hotel."
"You can't tell it is a community housing!"
"It looks too good to be community housing."
"Well, do you want your city to look like crap?"
#BetterCity
"We don't want community housing that looks like a cheap hotel."
"You can't tell it is a community housing!"
"It looks too good to be community housing."
"Well, do you want your city to look like crap?"
#BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Other comments from various people:
"We don't want community housing that looks like a cheap hotel."
"You can't tell it is a community housing!"
"It looks too good to be community housing."
"Well, do you want your city to look like crap?"
#BetterCity
"We don't want community housing that looks like a cheap hotel."
"You can't tell it is a community housing!"
"It looks too good to be community housing."
"Well, do you want your city to look like crap?"
#BetterCity
A tale from the trenches from an architect : I was asked to make a building look less expensive. It wasn't more expensive but the perception was public buildings can't look expensive. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 5:40 PM
A tale from the trenches from an architect : I was asked to make a building look less expensive. It wasn't more expensive but the perception was public buildings can't look expensive. #BetterCity
If I caught that right,Toronto is / has developed Design Quality Standard guidelines as part of their procurement process at the design review stage. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 5:35 PM
If I caught that right,Toronto is / has developed Design Quality Standard guidelines as part of their procurement process at the design review stage. #BetterCity
See #BetterCity for my live posts. (And those of others.)
📢 Heading to Designing A Better City today? Here’s what you need to know!
When: Thursday, October 9th | 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Where: Rogers Centre Ottawa in Meeting Room 210
Who: Carol Belanger, Alex Bozikovic, Patrick Marmen and Marcia Wallace
🔗 in bio to get your ticket now.
#OttawaEvents #Ottawa
When: Thursday, October 9th | 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Where: Rogers Centre Ottawa in Meeting Room 210
Who: Carol Belanger, Alex Bozikovic, Patrick Marmen and Marcia Wallace
🔗 in bio to get your ticket now.
#OttawaEvents #Ottawa
October 9, 2025 at 5:28 PM
See #BetterCity for my live posts. (And those of others.)
We are moving into audience Q&A. Live tweeting experience tells me this section does not live post well. I'll summarize later when I add my own reflections. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 5:25 PM
We are moving into audience Q&A. Live tweeting experience tells me this section does not live post well. I'll summarize later when I add my own reflections. #BetterCity
He also highlights the need for trust with your council and building a culture focussed on design excellence. #BetterCity.
October 9, 2025 at 5:23 PM
He also highlights the need for trust with your council and building a culture focussed on design excellence. #BetterCity.
They have a process on less sexy projects for Emerging Firms. It helps them survive and exposes them to the realities of working with a city. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 5:23 PM
They have a process on less sexy projects for Emerging Firms. It helps them survive and exposes them to the realities of working with a city. #BetterCity
The #Edmonton speaker is showing a bunch of recent public projects. He also offers tours to those who visit.
Part of change has been a desire to get aware from Deadmonton nickname. #BetterCity
Part of change has been a desire to get aware from Deadmonton nickname. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 5:23 PM
The #Edmonton speaker is showing a bunch of recent public projects. He also offers tours to those who visit.
Part of change has been a desire to get aware from Deadmonton nickname. #BetterCity
Part of change has been a desire to get aware from Deadmonton nickname. #BetterCity
On fees, they look at fee guideline from industry. You lose points on bid if you underpay.
ie you can't buy the job by low bidding. #BetterCity
ie you can't buy the job by low bidding. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 5:19 PM
On fees, they look at fee guideline from industry. You lose points on bid if you underpay.
ie you can't buy the job by low bidding. #BetterCity
ie you can't buy the job by low bidding. #BetterCity
So Edmonton had to redesign procurement process. They review participants' process as well as their prior work. The shortlist 5 firms then they talk big vision with each firm. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 5:19 PM
So Edmonton had to redesign procurement process. They review participants' process as well as their prior work. The shortlist 5 firms then they talk big vision with each firm. #BetterCity
#Edmonton speaker starts by identifying as an infrastructure team of 5 architects and 1 tech.
All their city projects have to go through public design review. Western province free trade process forced transparency onto their procurement process.
#BetterCity
All their city projects have to go through public design review. Western province free trade process forced transparency onto their procurement process.
#BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 5:19 PM
#Edmonton speaker starts by identifying as an infrastructure team of 5 architects and 1 tech.
All their city projects have to go through public design review. Western province free trade process forced transparency onto their procurement process.
#BetterCity
All their city projects have to go through public design review. Western province free trade process forced transparency onto their procurement process.
#BetterCity
Laughter from the room when she mentions how many design awards we give ourselves. #BetterCity #Ottawa
October 9, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Laughter from the room when she mentions how many design awards we give ourselves. #BetterCity #Ottawa
How does City of Ottawa deal with brutalist buildings in redevelopment and heritage goals? How do we recognize embassies across the city? Integrate our many heritage zones as a rural/urban city of many communities? #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 5:10 PM
How does City of Ottawa deal with brutalist buildings in redevelopment and heritage goals? How do we recognize embassies across the city? Integrate our many heritage zones as a rural/urban city of many communities? #BetterCity
Looking at recent municipal buildings, often decisions have been made during procurement about cost. Some of this is local facilities may not be in a design priority area. Only Adisoka gets a shout-out as in a design priority area. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Looking at recent municipal buildings, often decisions have been made during procurement about cost. Some of this is local facilities may not be in a design priority area. Only Adisoka gets a shout-out as in a design priority area. #BetterCity
A key part of #Ottawa planning is shared jurisdiction work. Many of our prime corridors overlap with the federal government, NCC, Gatineau and two provinces. We have the policy building blocks. But it comes down to process and budget. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 5:06 PM
A key part of #Ottawa planning is shared jurisdiction work. Many of our prime corridors overlap with the federal government, NCC, Gatineau and two provinces. We have the policy building blocks. But it comes down to process and budget. #BetterCity
#Ottawa speaker is throwing back to the 5 Big Moves document which was a foundation to the discussion at the start of the new City Master Plan process. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 5:01 PM
#Ottawa speaker is throwing back to the 5 Big Moves document which was a foundation to the discussion at the start of the new City Master Plan process. #BetterCity
Ottawa speaker is also talking about how #Ottawa is also rural. She also highlights the dynamic relationship with Gatineau and Quebec. The NCC also got a shoutout for doing a lot of the heavy lifting in recent #placemaking. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Ottawa speaker is also talking about how #Ottawa is also rural. She also highlights the dynamic relationship with Gatineau and Quebec. The NCC also got a shoutout for doing a lot of the heavy lifting in recent #placemaking. #BetterCity
ED: I love that she referred to the Canadian city overlay map as kitchy. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 4:57 PM
ED: I love that she referred to the Canadian city overlay map as kitchy. #BetterCity
Yes, she is a new resident coming from Western Canada via a career in GTA. She mentions Ashinabeq impacts in this place. Plus the good bones built over the last 100 years as we grew to 1M people. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Yes, she is a new resident coming from Western Canada via a career in GTA. She mentions Ashinabeq impacts in this place. Plus the good bones built over the last 100 years as we grew to 1M people. #BetterCity
Next is #Ottawa's new city planner (only 4 months in the role). She is thanking her team first. She highlights the broadness of skills required. And the need to integrate with experts in other departments. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Next is #Ottawa's new city planner (only 4 months in the role). She is thanking her team first. She highlights the broadness of skills required. And the need to integrate with experts in other departments. #BetterCity
Beauty is of value. Lowest bidder wins tends to remove that magic element of beauty that makes parks beloved. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Beauty is of value. Lowest bidder wins tends to remove that magic element of beauty that makes parks beloved. #BetterCity
It isn't perfect. Some parks under the former approach are still in the pipeline. It is important to retain enough flexibility / control after procurement to apply lessons as you learn them on other projects. #BetterCity
October 9, 2025 at 4:52 PM
It isn't perfect. Some parks under the former approach are still in the pipeline. It is important to retain enough flexibility / control after procurement to apply lessons as you learn them on other projects. #BetterCity