About the Harold Solomon Kaplan Lecture

Established by the Kaplan/Reiss family, the Harold Solomon Kaplan Lecture honours the prolific Toronto architect (1895–1973) whose work helped define the city’s cultural and communal landscape. From iconic Art Deco and Art Moderne theatres to foundational Jewish community institutions across Canada, Kaplan transformed cities through buildings that brought people together for shared experiences. The annual lecture, part of the faculty’s public program, celebrates Kaplan’s legacy by inviting leading architects to offer perspectives and advance dialogue on the architecture of collective spaces.

Inaugural lecture

Public City is a Canadian architecture and landscape architecture studio based in Winnipeg with offices in Toronto and Edmonton. Framed as a light-hearted but pointed rebuttal to the prevalence of private space in the Canadian city, Public City argues for a public realm that is layered, messy, culturally generous, and focused on wellbeing in the collective human experience. This lecture explores the evolving relationship between civic engagement (through architectural and landscape architectural acts), human equity, and individual responsibility. Through a lessons-learned exploration of recent projects, Liz Wreford and Peter Sampson share how the work of their hybrid design studio accepts practice as a public act.  

About Peter Sampson and Liz Wreford

Peter Sampson is the Principal Architect and co-founder of Public City where he leads architecture and urban design initiatives on social infrastructure. Peter's design work bridges public policy, cultural programming, and meaningful community engagement. Peter led the Governor General Medal winning Forest Pavilion, along with a number of other national awards recognizing his commitment to design excellence and public impact. Peter’s projects span from transitional housing and public washrooms to community theatres and neighbourhood libraries. Much of his work is shaped by a belief that architecture should invite participation, provoke dialogue, and expand a realm of belonging. Peter has taught architecture at the Universities of Manitoba, Waterloo, and Toronto.

Liz Wreford is the Principal Landscape Architect and co-founder of Public City. She leads the firm’s work in inclusive, culturally resonant, and ecologically responsive public spaces. With over two decades of experience, her projects are recognized for vibrant storytelling, historical depth, and transformative civic impact. Liz’s leadership has shaped award-winning works including the 2SLGBTQI+ National Monument in Ottawa, Park Park in Calgary, and Manitoboggan in Winnipeg. A committed advocate for design equity and mentorship, she founded the Prairie Chapter of Building Equality in Architecture and serves as a Council Director with the Winnipeg Arts Council. Her practice is rooted in collaboration, experimentation, and a belief in building common ground.  Liz has taught landscape architecture at the Universities of Toronto and Manitoba.