Public Salon

On September 20, 2021 in Vancouver BC Canada, Alain Bertaud participated on the Big Screen at the Vancouver Playhouse with 6 respected local urbanists. This was organized in anticipation of his upcoming visit in 2022 and to help develop ideas to recommend to the city, regional and provincial governments.

Alain Bertaud is the former Chief Urban Planner of the World Bank and author of the internationally acclaimed “Order Without Design”. He began his career working on the le Corbusier designing of Chandigarh, capital of Punjab. He has worked for 50 cities around the world and has been a resident urban planner for 7. He has deep experience and knowledge of how cities work and is currently a Fellow at the Marron Institute of New York City.

The 6 Vancouver Urbanists are data visualizationist Jens von Bergmann, UBC SCARP Planning Professor Julia Harten, Squamish First Nation Leader Chris Lewis, SFU Beedie School Professor Andrey Pavlov, researcher and historian Wendy Waters and Urban Planner Michael Mortensen. MC is Sam Sullivan former Vancouver Mayor and Minister for Municipalities of the British Columbia Government.

Alain Bertaud Urban Planner and Author of “Order Without Design”

Jens von Bergmann Data Visualizationist

Wendy Waters Real Estate Researcher

Chris Lewis Syeta’xtn Squamish First Nation Leader

Andrey Pavlov SFU Professor of Finance

Julia Harten Professor at UBC SCARP

Michael Mortensen Urban Planner

Global Civic Is Exploring Variations Of The
Public Salon

Our first themed Public Salon is about the challenge of bringing together urban planning with urban economics.

The Public Salon on September 20^th will be themed around the ideas of internationally acclaimed planner Alain Bertaud. Six respected local urbanists will engage will Alain and his ideas in the lead up to Alain’s visit to Vancouver next year.

Alain is the former chief Urban Planner with the World Bank and author of internationally acclaimed “Order Without Design”. He began his career working for le Corbusier designing Chandigarh Capital of Punjab. Alain Bertaudwill share his insights into making a great city with special attention to the Vancouver context.

You will see the data visualization of Jens von Bergmann, Indigenous insights from Squamish Nations Leader Chris Lewis, insights from UBC SCARP Planning Professor Julia Harten, economics from SFU’s Andrey Pavlov, Wendy Water’s Real Estate perspective and thoughts from City Planner Michael Mortensen.

The ideas of Alain Bertaud could lead Vancouver to be a more affordable, prosperous and vibrant city that evolves organically in response to human needs.

There will be 5 online workshops during the summer leading up to the Alain Bertaud evening in September. The workshops will be lead by Vancouver Urbanists who will share their thoughts on Alain Bertaud’s book,
Order Without Design: How Markets Shape Cities.

Members of the Architectural Institute of BC and the Planning Institute of BC are eligible for 1.5 Professional Development Credits for attending.

BCSLA CE Credits are available for members of the British Columbia Society for Landscape Architects for attending.

Discussion on Alain Bertaud’s Order Without Design

Urban Lunch Meetings With Vancouver Urbanists

We had 5 online Urban Lunches during the summer leading up to the Alain Bertaud evening on September 20th.
Each workshops was lead by a Vancouver Urbanists who shared their thoughts on Alain Bertaud’s book, Order Without Design How Markets Shape Cities.

September 9th – Wendy Waters, Michael Mortensen & Andrey Pavlov

The fifth Urban Lunch includes speakers Wendy Waters, Real Estate researcher, Michael Mortensen, Urban Planner and Andrey Pavlov, Professor at SFU.

Wendy, Michael and Andrey will speak about how the ideas of Alain Bertaud have affected their research and practice.

Don’t miss this hour that will make you think different about our city.

August 26th – Bruce Haden & Oliver Hartleben

Bruce Haden, co-author of Urban Magnets and the co founder of Human Studio. Oliver Hartleben is the former planning head of Guatemala City and current head of IBI’s West Coast Placemaking Team.

Don’t miss this hour that will make you think different about our city.

August 12th – Chris Lewis & David Negrin

Chris Lewis has been at the forefront of the resurgence of indigenous developments that are transforming our region.

Chris Lewis seeks to ensure that indigenous values remain primary through consultations with elders and other members of the community and that these insights are shared with aboriginal people internationally.

David was head of Concord Pacific as it transformed North False Creek from a rail yard into an internationally celebrated liveable community. David will share his insights on how indigenous values and experiences can teach us all about creating a better, more resilient city.

July 22nd – Julia Harten & Erick Villagomez

Julia and Erick will build on the interesting discussion initiated in the first Urban Lunch with Jens von Bergmann and Nathanael Lauster. Influenced by the work from Alain Bertaud’s Order without Design, They will be sharing insights from their research, they will attempt to weave a more complex narrative around affordability and densification: touching upon their relationship to urban pattern, building type, and social equity.

The session is sure to provoke many interesting questions.

Don’t miss this hour that will make you think different about our city.

July 8th – Jens von Bergmann & Nathanael Lauster

Jens von Bergmann is passionate about data analysis and visualization. He was inspired by Alain Bertaud’s book Order Without Design to calculate the density gradient of Metro Vancouver. He has discovered it is not behaving like other cities.

Nathanael Lauster is a socialogist, demographer and the author of “Death and Life Of The Single Family House”.

Jens and Nathanael will introduce new research they are doing on new insights into zoning thanks to data analysis.

The Public Salon has provided a platform for more than 280 presenters and has produced 34 events at the Vancouver Playhouse to an audience of over 18,000 people, “Introducing Vancouver to Itself“.

The Public salons take place at the Vancouver Playhouse at 600 Hamilton St. at Dunsmuir St.

Sam Sullivan and Lynn Zanatta, organizers of the Public Salons

Videos from Past Public Salons

Names are ordered alphabetically by first name. Please click on a presenter to view their presentation.

Join our network of like-minded citizens →

Public Salon

Global Civic Is Exploring Variations Of The
Public Salon

Discussion on Alain Bertaud’s Order Without Design

Urban Lunch Meetings With Vancouver Urbanists

Videos from Past Public Salons

Join our network of like-minded citizens.

About Us

Join our network of like-minded citizens →

Public Salon

Global Civic Is Exploring Variations Of The Public Salon

Discussion on Alain Bertaud’s Order Without Design

Urban Lunch Meetings With Vancouver Urbanists

Videos from Past Public Salons

Join our network of like-minded citizens.

About Us

Global Civic Is Exploring Variations Of The
Public Salon