New Perspectives
Virtual, in-person, and pay-what-you-can options available, secure your tickets now.
September 12 & 13, 2025
Join us for the 9th annual Art of City Building (AoCB) conference as we gather in Kjipuktuk / Halifax, Nova Scotia, to explore "New Perspectives" in urban innovation and design. This grassroots conference brings together local residents, national experts, and international voices for transformative conversations on the future of our cities. Designed to challenge norms and spark bold thinking, AoCB is a space for learning, collaboration, and action.
This year marks a couple of firsts for AoCB! This will be our first two-day event, taking place on Friday, September 12th, 2025, at Paul O'Regan Hall, Halifax Central Library (5440 Spring Garden Rd), and Saturday, September 13th, 2025, in Downtown Dartmouth. This year's event will also be officially opened by a new Mayor of Halifax for the first time since AoCB's inception.
Speaker Lineup:
Shin-pei Tsay (Boston)
Mike Lydon (Brooklyn)
Tammy Mudge (Kjipuktuk/Halifax)
Nourhan Bassam (Milan)
Amanda Bishop (Calgary)
Nicholas LaValle (Kjipuktuk/Halifax)
Robert Barnard (Toronto)
Zoya Sodhi (Toronto)
Vaishali Sachdeva (Kjipuktuk/Halifax)
Mikiko Terashima (Kjipuktuk/Halifax)
Daren Okafo (Kjipuktuk/Halifax)
Mayor Andy Fillmore (Kjipuktuk/Halifax)
Robert Patzelt (Kjipuktuk/Halifax)
Tim Rissesco (Kjipuktuk/Halifax)
Wendy Luther (Kjipuktuk/Halifax)
Rachel Mitchell (Toronto)
Dr. Jonathan Fowler (Kjipuktuk/Halifax)
Kjeld Mizpah (KJ) Conyers-Steed (West Hants)
And more to announce soon!
Secure Your Tickets Now!
Friday, September 12
(9:30am - 4:00pm)
Halifax Central Library
8:30am
Registration Opens
9:30am
Conference Welcome & Opening (Virtual Start)
10:00am
Session I: Resilient Cities in a Changing Climate
Speakers Including:
Wendy Luther (Kjipuktuk/Halifax) - Moderator
Shin-pei Tsay (Boston) - Resilient Cities
Rachel Mitchell (Toronto) - Clean Foundation
Vaishali Sachdeva (Kjipuktuk/Halifax) - Using seaweed to create bioplastics
11:30pm-1:00pm
Networking Activity & Lunch Break
1:00pm
Session II: Wellbeing by Design
Speakers Including:
Mikiko Terashima (Kjipuktuk/Halifax) - Moderator
Dr. Nourhan Bassam (Amsterdam) - Reimagining cities through a feminist lens
Robert Barnard (Toronto) - Toboggan Flats: Affordable downtown housing for young people
Amanda Bishop (Calgary) - Balancing human and environmental needs during development
Mike Lydon (Brooklyn) - You and I in an AI World: Lessons from the recent past for the near and distant future
2:45pm
Session III: Advanced Technology
Speakers Including:
Zoya Sodhi (Toronto) - AI for the Resilient City
Nicholas LaValle (Kjipuktuk/Halifax) - The threat of coastal erosion and the nature-based solution of oyster reefs
Norman Valdez (Toronto) - Technology, social impact, and ethical innovation
3:50pm
Closing & Saturday Logistics
Saturday, September 13
(9:30am-4:00pm)
Christ Church Hall, Downtown Dartmouth
8:30am-9:30am
Guided Tour: Alderney Farmer’s Market (Take 8:15am ferry from Halifax. Meet at bottom of escalator after you arrive from ferry)
9:30am
Registration Opens (Christ Church Hall, 61 Dundas St, Dartmouth)
10:00am
Welcome & Opening Keynote
Tim Rissesco (Downtown Dartmouth) - Downtown Dartmouth, an urban village on the harbour: powered by small business & community
10:30am
Session IV: Outliers
Speakers Including:
Tammy Mudge (Kjipuktuk/Halifax) - Advancing reconciliation at the neighbourhood level through social infrastructure and community participation projects
Daren Okafo (Kjipuktuk/Halifax) - Afrofuturism/Black Futures
Jonathan Fowler (Kjipuktuk/Halifax) - Walking in Halifax: Yesterday and Tomorrow
12:00pm-3:30pm
Lunch Break/Networking & Breakout Sessions
1. Sawmill River Tour with David Jones
2. Street Plans walk of Dartmouth with Mike Lydon
3 & 4. Downtown Dartmouth & Waterfront Development Tours by Devin Segal and Terry Drisdelle
3:30pm
Closing Remarks
* Program is subject to change and updates.
Our 2025 conference theme, "New Perspectives" , will delve into the interplay between technological advancements and often-overlooked viewpoints that bring valuable insights to the table. We'll explore this through four central themes:
Outliers
Amplifying voices or perspectives not previously heard in city planning. What can a city experience be like when shaped by rarely heard voices and unconventional perspectives? What valuable insights have we been missing?
Advanced Technology
Exploring how innovation shapes urban spaces. From safety and policing to elections and community engagement, technology is transforming the way we build and manage cities. What are the latest trends, and what does the future hold?
Wellness by Design
Prioritizing mental health in urban planning. If mental health were a primary design goal, how might this shape the way we build cities, establish policies, and enact bylaws? Can urban planning and community development effectively support physical and mental wellness?
Reimagining Climate Resilience
Centering equity in climate adaptation. How can we advance innovative, equitable solutions to prepare cities for climate challenges, ensuring sustainability, adaptability, and community-driven action?
Through inclusive, forward-thinking dialogues that engage diverse perspectives, this conference aims to inspire insights, share lessons learned, and illuminate strategies for the future.
Accessibility
We strive to make AoCB inclusive and accessible to all participants. We invite participants to identify any accessibility accommodation needs by contacting us at artofcitybuilding@gmail.com by August 29, 2025.
Partnership Opportunities
The Art of City Building is a "pay what you can" conference, made possible by the incredible support of many volunteers, attendees, and partners. As we prepare for AoCB 2025, we are actively seeking partners who share our vision for thoughtful city building and who wish to help us maintain accessible civic conversations for all. We also welcome custom collaboration! Please contact us artofcitybuilding@gmail.com with collaboration ideas or for custom partnership opportunities.
Our GROWING LIST OF 2025 Partners
