Design can make our communities more resilient in the face of climate change. But what are the most effective strategies for achieving the biggest impact in the shortest time?

Taking place October 24 and 25, 2024, in Toronto, Azure’s Human/Nature conference will bring together architects, urbanists, designers and other innovators – as well as environmentalists, activists and business leaders – to motivate greater collaboration and share proven approaches to designing, manufacturing, planning and building.

Presented in partnership with Small Change Fund, the two-day event will feature keynotes, panels and workshops as well as social gatherings and field trips. In three streams – Making, Building and Living – it will provide case studies and conversations around such pertinent questions as: How can we create more climate-resilient landscapes and urban realms? How can manufacturers adopt true circularity, from product development to end-of-life reuse? How can climate-conscious design meaningfully intersect with the societal needs that will intensify alongside a more unstable climate? How can we adopt Indigenous ways of knowing into architecture, landscape and urban design?

In the lead up to the Human/Nature conference, AZURE has launched a Call for Proposals for one-hour, CEU-accredited workshops. Sessions will address the intersection of design and climate change and aim for solution-oriented strategies for mitigation and resilience.

We encourage submissions from any practitioner or multi-disciplinary group with proven results and/or viable approaches to mitigating climate change through design. Projects we are interested in learning about include landscapes that mitigate the effects of rising temperatures and superstorms, housing projects that are both inclusive and sustainable, and product lines that are carbon neutral.