NEW BOOK EXAMINES THE URBAN EXPERIENCE

The Design Exchange, in partnership with the Canadian Design Research Network (CDRN) and the University of Waterloo School of Architecture (Riverside/ UWSA Press) is proud to present the publication of Ourtopias.

The essays in this book were developed from presentations at the Ourtopias conference hosted by Toronto’s Design Exchange in June 2007. City designers, activists and legislators offered a widely varying focus that included poetic imagination, diverse public cultures and practical methods for working with complex city forms. The essays gathered here probe how design affects the city today and how design can transform cities in the future. A quickened pace of urban development in Toronto provides the setting for the book, including rapidly increasing ambitions and scales in recent urban developments.

This publication will officially launch at the Design Exchange on Wednesday July 9th at 6pm sharp with Philip Beesley moderating a panel discussion that includes Ian Chodikoff, Chris Hardwicke, Bruce Kuwabara and Charles Waldheim.

Ourtopias includes essays by Bruce Kuwabara, Mason White, Glenn McArthur, Ian Chodikoff, Akin Sevinc, Maria Del C. Vera, Shi Yeshayahu, Adam Kolodziej, Thomas Seebohm, John Danahy, James Kirkpatrick, Chris Hardwicke, Douglas Macleod, Larissa Muller, David Covo and Richard Levy.

ABOUT THE DESIGN EXCHANGE:
The Design Exchange (DX) is Canada’s design museum, with a mission to engage and educate Canadians about the value of design.  It recognizes Canadian design and innovation as key elements in the cultural and economic fabric of our lives. It achieves its mandate through delivering design programs that include exhibitions, competitions, lectures and publications. The DX is a registered charity.

The Design Exchange is located in the original historic Toronto Stock Exchange building at 234 Bay St., Toronto. Information is available by calling 416-216-2160 or visiting the DX web site at www.dx.org.

Media Contact: Claudine Crangle, Director of Marketing, Sponsorship & PR: claudine@dx.org, 416-216-2134