Design Matters Lecture Series: Thom Mayne

Seeking to engage Calgarians in a series of presentations about design, the University of Calgary's Faculty of Environmental Design is bringing Thom Mayne, a widely recognized Los Angeles-based architect, to kick-off the EVDS Design Matters lecture series. The inaugural lecture and reception will be held on Friday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. at the Metropolitan Conference Centre located at 333 4 Ave S.W. Tickets will be sold at the door for $5. "Design Matters will engage the Calgary community in thoughtful discussions on how the design of our material culture impacts our daily lives and the well-being of the environment we inhabit," says Interim Dean Loraine Fowlow. "The public and the U of C community will be challenged to expand their thinking on a myriad of issues relating to design; topics will range from science and art, urbanization, environmental and ecological designs, to sustainable architecture and livable cities." According to EVDS Architecture Professor Josh Taron, Mayne was selected as the inaugural speaker for the series due to the fundamental qualities that he and his work bring to the larger context of Calgary's future as a city. "Principles of integrative design, ecological and social awareness, attention to aesthetics, and a willingness to engage in an open discourse about what architecture is and could be, all position Thom as an ideal speaker to initiate such an ongoing discussion facilitated by the Design Matters series," says Taron. Founder of Morphosis Architects, Mayne is interested in cities, people, but particularly in having a hand in making and shaping our environments. Taron says Mayne's work, both in practice as well as in teaching has been astounding both in its scope and its scale. "The record of his accomplishments, including the 2005 Pritzker Prize, is quite literally too long to list," says Taron. "While developing the work of Morphosis Architects, he has also found time to foster and develop the emerging minds within the discipline of Architecture through teaching. This is not insignificant as the effect of his thinking goes far beyond the limits of any single built project." "These are all things that EVDS and the larger Calgary community are interested in," said Taron. "We look forward to bringing in a multitude of fascinating thinkers and designers like Mayne to Calgary as the city continues to discover and develop its own identity." Other speakers for the Design Matters series will include Adrian Parr on Oct. 15, Hernan Diaz Alonso on Nov. 5, Smout Allen on Jan. 7 and Francis Westley on Feb. 25. With the exception of Thom Mayne's inaugural lecture, which will be held at the Metropolitan Conference Centre, all other lectures will take place at The Uptown located at 610 8 Ave S.W. The EVDS Design Matters lecture series is sponsored by: HOK, Marshall Tittemore Architects, Nexen, Elemente Magazine, Calgary Airport Authority, the City of Calgary, RGO Flooring, RGO Office Products, Section 23 Group, Shaw Contract Group, Simpson Roberts Architecture, Steelcase, and Steel Structures Education Foundation. University of Calgary