Fuori le Mura | City at the Edge

This is an exhibition about cities on the edge of a new condition. Kitchener and Waterloo are experiencing dramatic change. The amount and the scale of new development is unprecedented. New construction is constant. The buildings are larger. They often come in clusters. The expansion of post-secondary educational institutions and high-tech enterprises has brought building forms, new residents and new workers. High density residential developments increase housing costs, while they reduce the amount and quality of private space. There must be a response if the cities are to remain healthy, habitable, lively and attractive.

The work in this exhibition proposes specific solutions to the development of public space, pedestrian space, green space and cultural resources in downtown Kitchener and Northdale in Waterloo. Eight projects have been created by sixteen fourth year students from the University of Waterloo School of Architecture reflecting the Schools’ commitment to quality of life in our local communities. These projects present responses to intensification and gentrification. They aim to produce cultural projects that are not simply iconic, but also open, inclusive and supportive of local creative communities. We have taken advice from municipal planners, architects, landscape architects, artists, cultural institutions, community leaders, educators and developers. The students have not stood apart and isolated, but have been involved at an unprecedented level with stakeholders in the community.

We warmly invite the public to visit the exhibition at the Crystal Ballroom of the Walper Hotel from August 10 to August 13, 2021. We are grateful to the Walper Hotel for hosting the exhibition and to Perimeter Developments and Momentum Developments for their generous support.

Come see your city as it could be!