Join us for the 5th BEAT Forum focussing on construction site behaviours and dynamics. Geared toward those who work at or visit construction sites, including architects, clients, contractors, trades, and consultants, the Forum will explore different perspectives on how to create a collaborative and productive work environment for all stakeholders throughout the construction process.

The Forum is divided into two parts, a panel discussion in the morning and afternoon workshop after lunch. Our panel includes experts from the architecture and construction industry:

Speakers:

• Jen Hancock – Vice President of Collaborative Construction, Chandos Construction

• Carol Philips – Partner, Moriyama Teshima Architects

• Lisa Laronde – President at RSG International, Canadian Association of Women in Construction

• Gayle Meeks - Associate/Technical Director, Perkins&Will

Moderator:

Jennifer Esposito – Assistant Professor, Toronto Metropolitan University; Principal, Place of Work Architecture Studio; Executive Chair, BEAT

Schedule & Details:

10:00am – 12:00pm       Panel Discussion

The morning session will commence with short presentations from our panelists followed by a moderated panel discussion and question period. Our panelists will offer insight from the perspectives of practice, advocacy, and policy-making.

12:00pm – 1:00pm Lunch & Networking

1:00pm – 3:00pm Workshop led by Jen Hancock, VP of Collaborative Construction, Chandos Construction (*note that the afternoon session is on a first-come first serve basis, sign up available at 9:30am at the event)

The afternoon session will include a hands-on workshop that focuses on aligning values among stakeholders that work on construction sites. This workshop will be interactive, featuring breakout groups, discussion presentations, and the ultimate goal of generating a tangible set of values to take away.

BEAT is a volunteer-run organization made up of architects, designers, leaders, and entrepreneurs creating opportunities for community-building, advocacy, networking, and mentorship. 

BEAT Forums are dedicated to exploring questions related to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), led by experts in the EDI field and within the design, architecture, and construction profession. 

This BEAT Forum will qualify for 2 OAA Structured Learning hours.

Speaker Bios:

Jen Hancock, BA, BEd, LEED AP BD+C

Vice President of Collaborative Construction, Chandos Construction

Jen has worked for Chandos for the last 15 years and has helped lead many of the company’s innovative practices in that time. She helped set up the company’s Net zero 2040 strategy and works primarily as a coach, facilitator and trainer for project teams with a focus on Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), collaborative construction practices, lean, sustainability and is a driver of EDI initiatives.

Carol Phillips, B.E.S., B.Arch., OAA (BCDS), NSAA, AIBC, AAA, LEED AP, SCUP, FRAIC

Partner, Moriyama Teshima Architects

Carol is a Partner with the renowned firm Moriyama Teshima Architects known for remarkable, innovative Canadian and international projects. A Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, Carol’s inspired designs have received international awards and are distinguished by the spare but assertive use of materials that bring identity and grace to communities. Her practice is increasingly focused on low carbon and timber in the search for ways the construction industry can contribute better solutions to the climate crisis. Along with her built work, Carol provides service to the architectural community through teaching at the University of Toronto, lecturing internationally, acting as a juror for design awards, and, in addition to being a member of the Brookfield Sustainability Institute League of Innovators, she also advises Building Equity in Architecture Toronto, as well as the faculty developing the Architecture Engineering program at the University of Waterloo.

Lisa Laronde

President, RSG International, Canadian Association of Women in Construction

Lisa Laronde is president of RSG International, a global leader in road safety infrastructure, and a powerful advocate for women in leadership. Through her influential speaking engagements and podcasts, her aim is to inspire women in all industries, particularly construction. Lisa is passionate about building psychologically safe work environments, where diversity and inclusion are at the forefront of her organization. Her business acumen and demonstrated success in growing market share make Lisa a unique and inspirational leader.

Gayle Meeks

Associate/Technical Director, Perkins&Will

Gayle Meeks is the Technical Director for Perkins&Will’s Toronto and Ottawa studios. Since graduating from TMU’s Bachelor of Architecture program in 2004, she has worked across multiple sectors with a variety of client groups in Canada and the UK. Her primary areas of focus are construction documentation and contract administration, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to provide innovative solutions for delivering complex designs. While providing oversight to all aspects of technical delivery at Perkins&Will, Gayle continues to work in contract administration, as she believes the best way to learn about buildings is by watching them get built.

Not everyone experiences space the same way. Not all public spaces are equitable. Is inequity inherent in our built environments? What are equitable built environments? How do we imagine the future of public spaces and how they can be more equitable?

“Social and environmental equity have a direct impact on improving opportunities for not only the historically disadvantaged populations, but also has the potential for economic prosperity for all.  In terms of physical space, fair access to environmentally safe places for residency, education, employment and full participation in the political and cultural life of the community is one of the greatest challenges that we as a society face today. Equitable Design has the power to problem solve on multiple levels including social situations.” (Sheng, 2016)*

This session will include short presentations by invited speakers from within the profession on the concept of equitable space, followed by a moderated discussion with panelists and an open Q&A. This discussion will assist attendees in identifying factors that can contribute to the creation of equitable spaces and will support them in the promotion, design, and advancement of equitable design. 

*Sheng, Rosa (2016, August 30) Why Equity Matters for Everyone: A New Value Proposition For Design https://trimtab.living-future.org/trim-tab/why-equity-matters-for-everyone-a-new-value-proposition-for-design/

Speakers

Lorene Casiez, Accessibility and Wellness Practice Lead at BDP Quadrangle

Lori Brown, Professor and Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Syracuse University School of Architecture

Tarisha Dolynuik, Partner, MJMA Architecture & Design

Zahra Ebrahim, CEO & Co-Founder, Monumental

This event is free to attend, but registration is required below.

‘Emotional/Identity Tax’ is used to describe the experience of many historically marginalized professionals in Canada who report being treated differently, subject to additional responsibilities, and constantly on guard to protect themselves against discrimination and bias.  Recent studies of Canadian workplaces report that Indigenous and racialized professionals are doubly burdened by exclusionary workplace practices and tokenistic diversity strategies (Catalyst, 2019; Henry et al., 2017). 

This session will include a brief presentation by Nicole Bernhardt, NSB Consulting, on the concept of identity/emotional tax, followed by a moderated discussion with panelists from within the profession on how equitable, accessible and restorative design can advance architectural practices and cultivate an expansive sense of belonging within the profession.  Further, this discussion will assist attendees in identifying exclusionary and racist structures, and will support them in advancing anti-racism in the workplace and the profession.

This event will be a virtually programmed presentation and panel discussion.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understanding emotional/identity tax and issues facing historically marginalized groups in the workplace and specifically in the Architecture and Design professions in Toronto (and across Canada).

2. Understanding and describing racism, and learning ways to address and prevent systemic racism in the workplace and the profession.

3. Providing an opportunity for participants to engage in dialogue regarding current anti-racist initiatives within the profession.

4. Understanding how to build accountable spaces and prioritize equity in office spaces.

5. Addressing implicit and complicit bias in design practices and workplace processes.

Presented and moderated by:
Nicole Bernhardt, Equity Policy Advisor and Anti-Racism Educator

Panelists:
Cheryll Case, Founder and Principal, CP Planning

Matthew Hickey, Partner, Two Row Architects

Reza Nik, Principal SHEEEP 

About the speakers:

Nicole Bernhardt, Equity Policy Advisor and Anti-Racism Educator

Nicole Bernhardt has worked for over 15 years in the fields of equity, anti-racism, and human rights. Nicole has published and presented on structural exclusions throughout Canada and internationally.  She has worked as a senior policy advisor for the Anti-Racism Directorate and an investigator with the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Nicole has led organizational change projects and prepared equity assessment reports and recommendations to various public and private institutions.  Nicole is the 2015 recipient of York University's Abella Scholarship for Studies in Equity for her doctoral research into the efficacy of systemic equity-driven change efforts within the framework of human rights.  

Cheryll Case, Founder and Principal, CP Planning

Cheryll Case practices a human rights approach to community planning. As founder and Principal Urban Planner of CP Planning, Cheryll coordinates with charities, private sector industries, and communities to resource the systems necessary to secure dignified living for all peoples. Through this role, she is exploring the development of innovative models for affordable housing construction - in partnership with community and various industry organizations. In addition to her work as a consultant, Cheryll also works within the City of Brampton Planning, Building, and Economic Development team to support inclusive engagement with the planning and design processes of the City's strategic growth areas. 

Matthew Hickey, Partner, Two Row Architects

Matthew is Mohawk from the Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve, receiving his Masters of Architecture from the University of Calgary and his Bachelor of Design from the Ontario College of Art and Design. His cultural background has a significant impact on his work. 

Matthew’s focus is on regenerative and restorative design - encompassing ecological, cultural, and economic principles based in Universal Inclusivity. His research includes Indigenous knowledge in architecture of Northern & Middle America and the adaptation of historic sustainable technologies to the contemporary North American climate and social circumstances. 

He has been practicing architecture at Two Row Architect for 14 years and currently oversees design and development for the firm.

Reza Nik, Principal SHEEEP 

Reza Nik is an Iranian-Canadian architect, artist and educator based in Toronto, Canada. He has a background in art history, and he is an assistant professor (teaching stream) at the University of Toronto’s Daniels Faculty of Architecture. He is also the founding principal of SHEEEP, an experimental architectural practice working through an equitable lens in a variety of disciplines. His research is focused on a deeper dialogue between the socio-political nuances of the urban context and playful experimentation. Disrupting the traditional architectural processes is at the forefront of his pedagogy and practice. Reza is also one of the founding members of the Toronto chapter of the Architecture Lobby, an organization advocating for labor rights for architectural workers and encouraging more critical discourse within the profession.

Toronto has become known as the most diverse city in the world, and issues related to ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity and discrimination remain at the forefront of our society. Following on the success of the Building Equality in Architecture (BEAT) inaugural Forum in 2018, this session will explore diversity and inclusion. The Canadian Centre of Diversity and Inclusion will lead a presentation, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Brigitte Shim. Each panelist brings a unique perspective on diversity and inclusion in the context of education, administration, practice, and professional governance. The presenters will raise awareness, share experiences, and provide tools for a more inclusive architectural profession.

Moderator:

Brigitte Shim, FRAIC, Principal, Shim-Sutcliffe Architects; Professor, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto; Advisor, Building Equality in Architecture Toronto

Presenters:

Loreli Buenaventura, Head of Learning, Talent and Diversity & Inclusion for HSBC Canada

David Fortin, MRAIC, PhD, OAA, Director of the McEwen School of Architecture at Laurentian University

Ruba Kana'an, Assistant Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture, University of Toronto Mississauga

Fadi Masoud, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urbanism, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto

Susan Ruptash, FRAIC Principal Emeritus, Quadrangle Architects Limited; Regional Director for Ontario Southwest, RAIC Board of Directors

BEAT’s annual Forum is devoted to diversity and inclusion in the architecture and design industry. This year’s inaugural BEAT Forum is focused on the topic of Unconscious Bias.

Toronto has become known as the most “diverse” city in the world (BBC Radio, 2016). As such, issues surrounding ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, and discrimination of all kinds, remain at the forefront of Toronto’s contemporary society. How are these issues being addressed within the profession of architecture? How are we addressing unconscious bias in the workplace? How do the experiences of architecture students, academics and professionals differ based on their demographic background? How can we develop and promote an inclusive profession that represents the most diverse city in the world? Through a series of presentations and discussion, this event will raise awareness, share experiences and provide tools for ‘inclusion’, that will inspire the audience to become part of the solution to a more inclusive architectural profession.

Presenters

Special Presentation on Behalf of the Toronto Society of Architects

Ana-Francisca de la Mora, Associate and Manager of Architecture, IBI Group  and TSA Executive Member

Special Presentation on Behalf of the Ontario Association of Architects

Vanessa Fong  Principal Architect, Vanessa Fong Architect  and OAA Council Vice President

Special Presentation on Behalf of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada

Susan Ruptash  Principal Emeritus, Quadrangle  and RAIC board member representing Ontario Southwest

Keynote Presentation on Unconscious Bias

Loreli Buenaventura  Director, Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI)

Panel Discussion Moderator

Brigitte Shim  Principal, Shim Sutcliffe

Panelists

David Fortin  Associate Professor and Director, McEwen School of Architecture at Laurentian University

Ruba Kana’an  Assistant Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture, University of Toronto Mississauga

Fadi Masoud  Assistant Professor, Daniels Faculty at University of Toronto

Kate Nelischer  Assistant Dean of Academic and Outreach, Daniels Faculty at University of Toronto

Schedule & Details

Saturday, October 13, 2018

The Great Hall at OCAD University
100 McCaul Street, Level 2
Toronto, ON

Registration    |   9:00 am – 10:00 am

Seminar Part I - Understanding Unconscious Bias   |    10:00 am – 11:15 am

Coffee Break  |    11:15 am – 11:30 am

Seminar Part II - Panel Discussion  |    11:30 am – 1:00 pm

Coffee, tea and light fare will be provided by BEAT.

This event has been generously sponsored by OCAD University, and Mason Images.

This event qualifies for OAA ConEd.

Tickets are $30 each. Ticket sales begin Sept 26th at 11:00 am

Thank you to our supporters: