Festival of Architecture hits Halifax

Architects from across Canada are poised to converge in Halifax June 5 to 8 for this year’s Festival of Architecture.

The event is being hosted by Architecture Canada/Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) in partnership with the Nova Scotia Association of Architects (NSAA).

The theme of this year’s conference, only the second to be held in Nova Scotia, is The Value of Beauty – Integrity in Architecture.

The event features more than 30 continuing education sessions, social activities, a trade show, awards and the RAIC college of fellows convocation.

The line-up of speakers includes Brian MacKay-Lyons, a partner in the Halifax firm of >MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects Ltd. and American architect Ed Feiner, who currently serves as director of the Perkins+Will design leadership forum.

Feiner, who has held the most senior professional architectural position in the U.S. government, is considered a leading expert in the design and planning of U.S. public buildings.

MacKay-Lyons, whose firm has won more than 100 awards including six Governor General’s Medals in Architecture, will speak at the opening reception June 5.

Feiner will address the college of fellows convocation ceremony June 6.

>Architecture Canada/RAIC president Paul Frank, president of Halifax-based JDA MacKenzie Architects, said the festival affords an abundance of both professional development and networking opportunities.

“For many, the festival is a unique opportunity to learn through our rich offering of professional development courses to help architects grow their practice and satisfy their ConEd (continuing education) requirements,” he said.

“This year, the calibre and relevancy of our course selection will suit a variety of needs and interests.”

“As usual, the festival setting and social events provide the networking opportunities that are so valuable to building our national and international architectural culture.”

This year’s continuing education courses were selected from an estimated 90 submissions on the basis of their relevance to the conference theme and potential interest to RAIC members.

Sessions meet continuing education standards of provincial and territorial architects’ associations.

Subjects run the gamut and include conserving Nova Scotia’s wood window heritage, harnessing the power of building information modeling and pushing the sustainability mandate through city lead development initiatives as well as the adaptive re-use of a former generating station on the Halifax waterfront and the post-fire reconstruction of the Slave Lake government centre and library.

About 400 delegates are expected to attend the festival this year.

NSAA president Leif-Peter Fuchs, a partner in JDA MacKenzie, said Nova Scotia provides a great setting to explore the festival theme.

Halifax itself is a port city “with a rich and layered architectural fabric,” he said.

The festival is being held at the Marriott Halifax Harbourfront.

The mission of Architecture Canada/RAIC is to affirm that architecture matters, celebrate the richness and diversity of architecture in Canada and support architects in achieving excellence.