Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Research
Urban Lab
The Urban Lab works with community associations, town and city councils, neighbourhood committees, and other civic groups to address issues of common interest, and also takes on independent research to advance knowledge and practice related to urban design, planning and development.
Center for Civilization
The Center for Civilization is a design research lab and international think tank working at the intersection of cities, society and civilization. Aspiring to redesign current paradigms and operating procedures of contemporary culture, the centre develops and executes sponsored design-research projects in collaboration with their partners and patrons.
Teaching, learning and student experience
Integrated Infrastructure for Sustainable Cities Program
This research and training program in the Schulich School of Engineering, with support from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), provides engineering students multidisciplinary training in integrated infrastructure systems spanning transportation, building, water and waste, and energy systems to address the sustainability aspirations of our communities.
Citizens + students collaboration for grassroots planning
One of the Master of Planning program’s priorities is to provide students with an academic experience that closely resembles professional practice. The Advanced Professional Planning Studio (EVDP644) is the capstone studio that fulfils this mandate. Through collaboration with community-based organizations, students engage with citizens in a comprehensive urban-planning project that addresses current and future challenges for growth and development.
Architecture schools present first pan-Canada lecture series
The Canadian Council of University Schools of Architecture (CCUSA) initiated its first pan-Canada lecture series in response to COVID-related restrictions, and chose “diversity” as the theme for 2020. The series featured lectures hosted by various schools across Canada and included talks about gentrification, low-environmental impact and Indigenous approaches in built-environment design, to name a few.
Campus and community impact
Campus
The 32,000-square-metre MacKimmie Complex is designed for zero-carbon performance and is certified under the Zero Carbon Building Standard. The retrofit of the MacKimmie Tower includes a double-skin façade that responds to changing weather and requires less energy to keep building occupants comfortable.The project met its goal to be one of Canada's most energy-efficient buildings. The new Mathison Hall project is also designed for zero-carbon performance.
Local
The Calgary Institute for the Humanities encourages interdisciplinary conversations between scholars to study culture and strong community-building. The Institute explores cultural and social issues relating to community such as language, homelessness, history, religion and the arts.
International
The School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL) launched its second international design ideas competition, asking: How can designers intervene in borders? The City Building Design Experiments and Exhibitions (CBDX): BORDERLANDS design competition brought political, geological, social and other boundaries into sharp focus.