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Brent is President of TODERIAN UrbanWORKS in Vancouver, Canada, and has over 24 years experience in advanced and innovative urbanism, city-planning and urban design. He advises cities & innovative developments all over the world, from Ottawa to Oslo, from Sydney to Medellin, from Auckland to Helsinki.
Brent left the role of Chief Planner for Vancouver in 2012 after 6 years, with accomplishments that included 2010 Winter Olympics-related planning and design; the internationally regarded EcoDensity Initiative; the Greenest City Initiative; new skyline-shaping and public view corridor strategies; innovative active transport/public use of streets approaches; the Cambie Corridor Plan and other next-generation TOD actions; the transformative Laneway Housing Initiative; and many other ground-breaking initiatives. He led all visioning, planning, and urban design for Vancouver during a challenging era of significant change, and earned an international reputation as a successful city-maker. He also oversaw all architectural and design approvals, where he brought in new approaches for green design and architectural diversity.
Brent is also past Manager of Centre City Planning + Design in Calgary Canada, where he pioneered innovative approaches to visioning, design and architectural review, and created/led the award-winning Centre City Plan.
His career started as an award-winning planning and design consultant based in Ontario Canada, with projects from Toronto to Yellowknife.
A passionate practitioner + advocate for creative city-building, Brent is the founding & current President of the Council for Canadian Urbanism (CanU); a regular columnist on CBC Radio on "city-making"; an Advisory Board member of ULI BC; a contributing blogger with Planetizen, Huffington Post & SPACING; and an active leader in many global organizations related to cities. He is a sought-after international speaker, writer, teacher and collaborator on issues of advanced urbanism.
He can be reached at [email protected], on twitter @BrentToderian, and on-line at www.toderianurbanworks.com.
10 Keys to Making A Great City Plan
Too many city plans represent business-as-usual, sit on a shelf collecting dust, or miss the chance to reflect a truly game-changing moment in the direction of a city. Want your new city plan process to result in a great plan? Consider these 10 keys.
Better City-Making Means Breaking Down Silos—Here's How
How can city hall leaders break down silos between departments and disciplines, and get to a more holistic approach to city-making? It takes more than just organizational restructuring—it takes real culture change. Here's how.
How Cities Grow Big; Not How Big Cities Grow!
Can cities stop growth? is there an ideal size for a city-region? What really matters is HOW a city grows big, not how big a city grows. Design matters. When people suggest a city is getting too big, shift the conversation from quantity to quality.
Public Transit Turning Point for Vancouver
Metro Vancouver is about to vote on a historic Transportation and Transit Plan, and an associated sales tax increase to pay for it. Will the citizens of this model transit Metro vote against a transit-friendly future? Canadian urbanists weigh in.
Open Letter to a Car-Addicted City
A car-dependant city is at the crossroads. Can Perth, Australia, or any driving addicted city for that matter, change tracks to a multi-modal city, where good urban design is valued and walking, biking, and public transport are inviting options?