A Downtown in the Making
Wednesday, October 14, 2:00pm to 4:00pm
10237 104 Street Northwest, Edmonton
Explore the design, planning, economics and construction shaping downtown Edmonton through a guided walking conversation.
What goes into making a welcoming, connected and vibrant downtown?
Join DIALOG for a guided walking conversation exploring the methods shaping downtown Edmonton—from design and placemaking to economics and infrastructure construction. We have invited the University of Alberta’s Cities Institute to bring research perspectives to the discussion of how our downtown evolves.
Through selected stops, we’ll explore how city-building decisions move from ideas to implementation, navigating challenges and trade-offs along the way. Connecting with Edmonton Design Week’s theme, Method, the tour considers the thinking behind the doing: how ideas are tested, decisions are coordinated and approaches adapt to real-world conditions.
Along the way, we’ll discuss:
Design and placemaking: How planning and design shape welcoming public spaces and everyday experiences.
Economics and downtown vitality: How development and investment influence a connected, thriving downtown.
Infrastructure and construction: How major projects, including LRT construction, are coordinated and delivered within a working city.
Expect an exploratory outdoor walk with stops for conversation and opportunities to ask questions and share observations. Leave with a deeper understanding of the collaboration and decisions behind downtown change.
Audience:
Open to the general public, including downtown residents, students, design and planning professionals, and anyone interested in how Edmonton is changing. No prior knowledge or experience is required.
Accessibility:
This outdoor walking tour includes stops for discussion. The route may involve navigating around active construction, including temporary walkways, uneven surfaces and detours.
Organizer:
DIALOG, with invited participation from the University of Alberta’s Cities Institute.
DIALOG is a multidisciplinary design practice bringing together planning, urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, engineering and interior design to support community wellbeing. The University of Alberta’s Cities Institute connects researchers, students, government, industry and community partners through research, education and collaboration to address urban challenges and help build more inclusive, prosperous and sustainable cities.
Additional Notes:
Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable footwear suitable for walking and standing. Bring your questions and observations—conversation is an important part of the tour.
Wow Lighting Design Tours 1 + 2
Wednesday, October 14, One hour tours at 4:00pm and 5:30pm
Wow Lighting and Controls - 10975 124 Street NW, Edmonton
Tour Wow Lighting's showroom to see lighting applications & learn how to choose the right lighting based on price, aesthetic, and use.
Join us for a one hour tour of the Wow Lighting and Controls building. We will be walking around each floor of the building in a 20-25 person group. Within the space, there are examples of various ways to use lighting in the same space, some versions of what not to do, what different color temperatures do in a space, how glare can be mitigated.
Please assure you arrive 10 minutes before your tour start time.
Accessibility Information:
There is a ramp to get to the main door; however, there is no elevator, which makes only the main floor accessible. There is seating spread throughout the building and an accessible washroom.
Unscripted Design: What Children and Youth Can Teach Us About Design
Wednesday, October 14, 4:00pm and 7:00pm
Alberta Velodrome Association, 11160 135 Street NW, Edmonton
How would Edmonton look if we designed it through the eyes of children and youth?
Join Stantec and a diverse panel of community leaders, designers, educators, and youth advocates for an engaging conversation about belonging, play, safety, wellbeing, and the future of our city.
This Edmonton Design Week event combines a thought-provoking panel discussion with an interactive community Design Jam, where participants will collaborate on ideas to create more inclusive, family-friendly, and connected communities.
Whether you're a parent, student, designer, educator, community leader, or simply passionate about Edmonton, this event offers an opportunity to explore how young voices can inspire better cities for everyone.
About the Event
Hosted by Stantec as part of Edmonton Design Week, Unscripted Design explores youth perspectives as a powerful design tool.
Children and youth experience cities differently than adults. Their perspectives can uncover unique insights about community, mobility, play, safety, belonging, and wellbeing that are often overlooked in traditional planning and design processes.
Through discussion, collaboration, and creative exploration, participants will discover how youth-informed thinking can help shape more inclusive, resilient, and people-centered communities.
Panel Discussion (60–90 Minutes)
The evening will begin with a panel discussion featuring leaders from Stantec, the City of Edmonton, community organizations, and youth-serving agencies. Together, they will explore how children and youth experience our cities differently and what those perspectives can teach us about creating more inclusive, resilient, and people-centered communities. The discussion will focus on themes such as belonging, play, wellbeing, safety, and community, and how youth engagement can become a meaningful design tool rather than simply a consultation exercise.
Community Design Jam (60–90 Minutes)
Following the panel discussion, participants will take part in an interactive Design Jam focused on Edmonton. The session will begin with a large map of the city where participants can identify their favourite places, places with potential, and areas they feel could better support children, youth, and families.
Participants will then break into small groups, each focusing on a specific area of Edmonton, such as Downtown or a neighborhood, to explore ideas for creating a more family-friendly, inclusive, and connected city through mapping, discussion, and collaborative visioning exercises.
Moderator
Marwa Alshara: Associate, Architect, AAA ,AIBC | Stantec
Featured Speakers
David Holdsworth: Urban Design & Public Realm Leader, City of Edmonton
Beryl Bacchus: Executive Director, iHuman Youth Society
Jonathan Robb: Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Autism Services Alberta
Danielle Soneff: Planner, Urban Designer & Researcher
Heather Bretz: Principal, Architecture & Alberta K-12 Education Leader, Stantec
Schedule
4:00 PM - 4:15 PM Registration, Networking & Interactive Activities
4:15 PM - 4:30 PM Welcome & Event Introduction
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM Panel Discussion
5:30 PM - 6:40 PM Community Design Jam
6:40 PM - 6:55 PM Group Report back & Reflections
6:55 PM - 7:00 PM Closing Remarks
Who Should Attend?
Youth and families
Students
Educators
Architects and designers
Urban planners
Community organizations
Municipal leaders
Anyone interested in the future of Edmonton
No design experience is required.
Age Information
Recommended for ages 7+.
Children and youth are encouraged to attend. Participants under 16 should attend with a parent, guardian, or responsible adult. Youth and children who attend will be entered into a draw at the front door for a chance to win a special prize.
Special Note
Bring your curiosity, creativity, and ideas for the future of Edmonton.
Come experience the new Velodrome, meet people who care about Edmonton's future, and help shape ideas for a more family-friendly, inclusive, and vibrant city.
This is a highly interactive event. Participants will share experiences, contribute ideas, andcollaborate with others through engaging discussions and hands-on activities.
Light refreshments will be provided.
Building Housing: A Modular Future
Wednesday, October 14, 5:30pm to 8:00pm
Stanley A. Milner Library, 7 Sir Winston Churchill Square, Muttart Theatre
Join industry experts for an evening exploring how modular construction can support the delivery of multifamily and middle housing in Edmonton and across Alberta.
Hear from housing, planning, design, and municipal leaders about the opportunities and challenges of innovative housing delivery, featuring insights on middle housing from Darlene Jehn, perspectives from CMHC and the City of Edmonton, and a moderated panel discussion on the future of modular housing.
Agenda:
5:30–6:00 PM | Entry
6:00–6:30 PM | Opening Remarks
6:30–7:00 PM | Middle Housing & Modular Development
7:00–7:55 PM | Panel Discussion
7:50–7:55 PM | Closing Remarks
EDW 2026 Premier Event: The Future of Design Education: A Panel Discussion
Wednesday, October 14, 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Citadel Theatre, Zeidler Hall
As part of Edmonton Design Week, MADE is convening a panel discussion on the future of design education featuring representatives from four Edmonton regional design programs. They will be speaking on their institution's past, present, and future direction. The role and application of design education is expanded, and diversity of practices is greater now than at any point in history. Design is increasingly called on to address complex societal challenges, not practiced purely as the traditional tradecraft of art and visual production. From visual presentation towards design as a means of working through complex problems is central to how each participating institution is evolving its’ curriculum.
The programs take distinctly different approaches. The University of Alberta's Department of Art & Design is one of the oldest in the country. MacEwan University rebuilt its Bachelor of Design in 2019 around research-based practice and now offers a UX/UI major. Athabasca University's RAIC Centre for Architecture runs Canada's first fully online architecture program, serving learners across 26 countries.
Each panelist will speak for about 10 minutes on their program's direction, followed by a moderated discussion across all four institutions.
Featuring:
University of Alberta — Tim Antoniuk, Industrial Design Program Coordinator
MacEwan University — Dr. Adolfo Ruiz, Department of Design
Athabasca University — Dr. Henry Tsang, Chair, RAIC Centre for Architecture
NAIT — Ryan Hector, Associate Dean, School of Construction and Building Sciences
Each participating institution will present for approximately 10 minutes on its program's direction, followed by a facilitated discussion among all panelists.