Imagining the future of city-building together through creative mixed-use.
Exhibition Interview Series
Creative mixed-use buildings bring together public, private, and non-profit uses in innovative and often unexpected ways. This series aims to delve into the process of constructing CMU buildings, by meeting with individuals and groups who work in, with, and around creative mixed-use buildings. Through our conversations we hope to uncover insights on how we can sustainably design, plan, and build cities that are centered around creativity, community, and care. Watch our exhibition interview series below or listen on Spotify!
In this discussion Phat and Alexandra from the Infrastructure Institute chat with Professor Farzaneh Hemmasi and Mike Tanner. Professor Hemmasi is an ethnomusicologist at the University of Toronto, who is leading a research project on the tensions and community-building around noise in the beloved Kensington Market neighbourhood. Mike is the City of Toronto’s Manager of Music Sector Development, musician, and former Director of Operations at North by Northeast, NXNE.
In this conversation we’ll explore:
- The City of Toronto’s sonic landscape and impact of its noise by-laws
- The politics of sound and music in urban life
- Strategies and policies for cultural coexistence in cities
In this discussion, Phat and Alexandra from the Infrastructure Institute chat with Chris Klugman. Chris is the founder of Paintbox Bistro, a social enterprise and the first certified B Corp caterer in Canada, that from 2012-2022 was located in the neighborhood of Regent Park in downtown Toronto. Regent Park is currently undergoing a large-scale revitalization project, aimed at transforming a historically marginalized and under resourced public housing neighborhood into a mixed-income, mixed-use neighborhood whose ongoing redevelopment has been met with mixed-reactions over the years.
In this conversation we’ll explore:
- The challenges and opportunities for partnerships between developers and non-profit organizations in mixed-use developments
- Striking a balance between social impact and financial viability
- How to maintain a community-centric focus and adapt to evolving local needs
- Ensuring the longevity and sustainability of social uses in mixed-use developments
(plus) Exhibition Theme
Join us in celebrating Toronto as a leader in the design and implementation of mixed-use buildings and its rich history of creative mixed-use
About Creative-Mixed Use
As cities across the world envision ways to restore upended communities in post-pandemic recovery, there are opportunities to integrate sustainable methods for innovative city-building. In Toronto, these have taken the form of creative mixed-use buildings that deliver significant affordable housing among other critical social infrastructures such as schools, homeless shelters, and more. These buildings often bring together public, private, and non-profit uses in creative ways, locating unexpected partnerships in the same facility. These building types are not widely known, although they contain immeasurable social value in response to rapid development in cities worldwide.
About +(plus) 2.0
+(plus) 2.0 continues to explore Toronto as a leader in the design and implementation of mixed-use buildings, demonstrating how our cities overall can centre around care and mutual aid in partnerships.
Drawing from ideas generated through the public’s participation in +(plus) 1.0, our newest exhibition seeks to answer the question “What if ?”. +(plus) 2.0 explores the full breadth of possibilities for community-building that emerge from mixing improbable uses together; questions the current systems that maintain the ‘status quo’ in architecture/urban planning; and encourages us all to reimagine not only what our neighbourhoods look like, but ultimately who our cities are for.
Exhibition Materials
Past Events
August 1 - September 29, 2023
+(Plus)2.0 Exhibition
We had a very successful season at the Collision Gallery within Commerce Court receiving over 1,000 visitors, hosting four panels / events, and being the convening spot for various city-building organizations. Thank you to everyone who came out!
Video recap here.
January 20-29, 2023
+(Plus)2.0 Exhibition Debut
In January 2023 the Infrastructure Institute held our exhibition, +(plus)2.0 as a part of Toronto’s DesignTO Festival. The opening night event which included a short panel discussion, good food and great company won the award for Best DesignTO Event.
The interactive exhibition that used storytelling to develop conceptual models which captured the future of city building through creative mix-use design – questioning the ways in which we can live together.
Video recap here.
July 7, 2022
+(Plus) Exhibition Launch
Thank you to everyone who came out to our launch! It was an honour to have hosted the Infrastructure Institute’s launch at the World Urban Pavilion in Regent Park 2022.
Our exhibition celebrated Toronto as a leader in the design and implementation of mixed-use buildings. Toronto has a rich history of creative mixed-use that is only beginning to move into more formal processes. Our exhibit was both an in-person and virtual experience, intended to engage audiences through thought-provoking themes of collaborative city-building and the spaces they produce.
June 22, 2022
Innovative Approaches to Urban Spaces: A Panel Discussion
Thank you to everyone who attended virtually. An extended thanks goes out to our panelists Reza Pourvaziry, Eduardo Moreno, and Javier Torner for a thought-provoking discussion!