Creating Culturally Active Spaces: Design Charrette on the Civic District | Saturday 8 June

The leaders of four design teams participating in a design charrette on the Civic District will present their ideas for creating a new cultural destination. 

In 2009, the community came together to develop an initial master plan for the Civic District entitled Imagine the Possibilities! This plan informed the expansion of the KPL Central Library, the construction of a central, underground garage, the creation of a central green space, placemaking enhancements along Otto Street, and the placement of new public art at Queen and Weber.  

Ten years later, KWAG is engaging the community in a visionary exercise to create culturally active spaces surrounding the Civic District. This two-day charrette will ask four community teams to creatively envision and design a culturally active city centre connecting the cultural precinct comprising Centre In The Square, Kitchener Public Library and the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery with the City of Kitchener’s Queen Street vision. The first day on Friday 7 June will present the design challenge for teams to work through and visualize opportunities and solutions. The teams will present their ideas to competing team members and the wider community at an open public event on Saturday 8 June, where audience members' thoughts and feedback will be gathered and shared with the City of Kitchener.  

The charrette is being organized by KWAG in partnership with the University of Waterloo's School of Architecture and is supported by the City of Kitchener and sponsored by MTE. The charrette will be led by Professor Rick Haldenby, former Director of the Waterloo School of Architecture, who provides extensive knowledge of community/university partnerships and design in mid-size cities. 

The charrette dovetails into the City of Kitchener’s three-year outlook for revisiting and reimagining a Master Plan for this key asset within our city. This is an exciting opportunity to imagine the potential of the Civic District as a marque destination to experience arts, culture, community, entertainment and so much more.    

Sponsored by the City of Kitchener and MTE