Alison Brooks and Rasmus Astrup of SLA: Transforming Urban Landscapes at the Festival of Place 2024

On July 4, 2024, Alison Brooks and Rasmus Astrup of SLA teamed up for a keynote presentation at the Festival of Place in Boxpark Wembley.

The duo showcased three innovative Toronto projects that reimagine the city’s post-industrial waterfront and brutalist legacies.

Their presentation, centred around the theme “Transforming Urban Landscapes,” highlighted the integration of natural elements into the regeneration of Toronto in Canada. Christine Murray, Editor-in-Chief and Director of The Developer and Festival of Place, chaired the double-act.

Alison Brooks and Rasmus Astrup showcased three innovative Toronto projects that reimagine the city’s post-industrial waterfront and brutalist legacies:

1. Waterfront Toronto – A bold vision for sustainable urban development featuring an ensemble of mid- and high-rise buildings stitched together by a community forest.
2. Bissell Building, University of Toronto – A revitalization of the Brutalist Claude T. Bissell Building, home to the Faculty of Information in downtown Toronto.
3. David Crombie Park – A revitalization of a historic 1970s landscape designed to meet the needs of the local urban community.

Their keynote emphasized sustainability, community, and the seamless blend of architecture with natural surroundings, offering valuable insights into the future of urban design and the potential for nature to reshape our cities.

You can watch their conversation here.