Speaking Engagements
September 24, 2009, Marktown, East Chicago, Indiana
Illinois APA Conference, Marktown: Early 20th Century Industrial Housing as a 21st Century Resource, Edward Torrez will lead a bus tour that will examine the history and significance of Howard Van Doren Shaw's 1917 Garden City development, Marktown. The tour will highlight planning issues involving the revitalization plan that included preservation initiatives, assessment of residential and commercial opportunities, and input from city and community stakeholders.
July 8, 2009, Chicago, Illinois
AIA Chicago, Marktown: Early 20th Century Industrial Housing as a 21st Century Resource, Edward Torrez presented the revitalization plan and the recommendations for the preservation and development of Marktown, Howard Van Doren Shaw's 1917 Garden City development located in northwest Indiana.
Discussed were urban design and planning issues involving the assessment of residential and commerical opportunities. Highlights included the history of Marktown and analysis of other early planned communities, community imput of Marktown residents, presentation of the concept plan scenarios, and strategy for implementation focusing on preservation inititives.
June 15, 2009, Chicago, Illinois
Arquitectos: Power of Design, Culture & Community Edward Torrez was invited to be on a panel of speakers along with Oscar Alba, AIA, President, Arquitectos, and Vincent Paglione, Associate Dean, UIC College of Architecture & Arts.
Arquitectos (the Society of Hispanic Professional Architects) is an example that defines the role of the architect/designer and commitment to the design profession, education, and the community. The discussion included the inspiration behind, innovative approach to, and value or participatory methods they employ in developing partnerships across countries and design disciplines with industry and community leaders.
More information can be found here: http://www.neocon.com/show_info/as_forum.cfm
April 28, 2009, San Francisco, California
2009 AIA Diversity Plenary, Edward Torrez was asked to attend and participate in "Value: The Difference-A Toolkit for Firms."
The outcome of this meeting was a Diversity Toolkit for Firms, an online resource that provides specific tools and best practices to help promote greater diversity and inclusion within firms and the profession. Providing the keynote speech for the event was Douglas C. Freeman, Chief Executive Officer, Virtcom Consulting, who spoke about the "bottom line" value of diversity initiatives.
April 8, 2009
AIA Chicago, Joanne Bauer spoke on "Beyond Burnham: Completing the Lakefront."
Daniel Burnham boldly envisioned a continuous public lakefront, building on the efforts of many before him dating from the mid-1800s. Since 2006, Friends of the Parks has sponsored community-based design efforts to develop plans to finish Burnham's plan and connect the "last four miles" of the lakefront.
Joanne Bauer presented work for multiple sites along the lakefront and discussed the process of including citizens, community groups, and public officials into the design process.
October 17, 2008
American Shore and Beach Preservation Association, Sustainable Shorelines Conference, Chicago, Illinois
Joanne Bauer presented on "Morgan Shoal: Planning for a Sustainable Ecosystem and Shoreline Protection for the Lake Michigan Shoreline"
This presentation detailed a park planning process that sought to balance ecological and community development goals, while maintaining the project's shore protection benefits, and some of the resulting conceptual design elements.
