It is well known that northern Canada is being disproportionately affected by climate change and that this is having a direct and immediate impact on the people who have inhabited these landscapes for centuries. The urgency for these communities to adapt continues to attract political and scientific attention while architects and engineers search for design solutions. But what determines successful design in these cases? Who is making these design decisions, how, and at what cultural expense?

David Fortin is an assistant professor at the McEwen School of Architecture in Sudbury, ON, and a registered architect in the province of Alberta. Since 2005, he has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in architectural design, history, and theory in the UK, USA, and Canada, including student design-build projects in Kenya, Montana, and Northern Ontario, study abroad programs throughout South America, and, currently, an introductory building science course emphasizing the impact of climate change on architectural thinking. He has written extensively on the relationship between science-fiction and architecture and is currently working on a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council grant to study Métis contributions to architectural thinking in Canada. As a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario and the recently formed RAIC Indigenous Task Force, David is committed to fostering and promoting Indigenous design in Canada.

The Building, Ecology, Science and Technology (B.E.S.T.) lecture series has been made possible since 2009 through the generous sponsorship of Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance.

Each B.E.S.T. lecture qualifies for 2 hours of Ontario Association of ArchitectsStructured Learning Credits. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis.