Detroitisit hosts Sustainable Urban Design Summit in partnership with the Netherlands

    DETROIT, MI, October 03, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Detroitisit, the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Chicago, and Dutch Design Week are teaming up to bring together architects, urban planners and design experts for a one-day summit focused on smart designs and innovations to transform our cities into sustainable urban centers.

At the Madison Building, on October 13, 2022, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a full day of programming, including provocative panels and conversation, minds will meld and develop creative solutions through a global, yet hyperlocal program focused on Sustainable Urban Planning, the Circular Economy, Climate and the City, Smart City, and more. A multi-layered conversation, envisioned as a bridge builder to grow the best solutions for long-term partnerships and opportunities between the two geographies. In-person speakers will be in conversation with virtual speakers based globally. The summit will be live streamed and shared across all social platforms.

"We look forward to exploring joint solutions in development, urban planning, and architecture together with Detroitisit and Dutch Design Foundation at the second Sustainable Urban Design Summit in Detroit, which will combine Dutch expertise in design, circularity, and infrastructure with Detroit's capacity for invention and reinvention," said Dutch Consul General Bart Twaalfhoven. "Cultivating strong relationships between Dutch and American partners, both existing and new, will help us build a sustainable future."

A multi-layered conversation, envisioned as a bridge builder to grow, strengthen, ideate the best solutions for long-term partnerships and opportunities between the two geographies. As one of the most densely populated countries in the world, the Netherlands is a global leader in sustainable urban design – focusing on the re-usability of products, minimizing wasted energy and resources, building climate-neutral buildings, adopting smart transportation practices, and more. Detroit is a city in transition and embodied with sentiments of progress and change. Development looms large, and equitable investments and community building sit center stage. What can we learn from each other?

Good sustainable urban planning and design help improve the welfare of people by shaping their neighborhoods into healthier, more efficient spaces. Attendees of the summit will learn how Detroit and Dutch projects are achieving this and why sustainable urban planning is essential to the architecture of tomorrow's cities worldwide.

"Detroiters deserve to thrive in an equitable, green city; have access to quality housing; and live in clean, connected neighborhoods. It's important for the state of Michigan to collaborate with other countries to make this a reality and to create more sustainable futures – not just locally but also globally," said Ivana Kalafatic, founder of Detroitisit. "We are excited to partner with sustainability industry leaders from the Netherlands, Detroit and across the U.S. – melding minds and developing creative solutions focused on Sustainable Urban Planning and the Circular Economy."

"Dutch Design Foundation looks forward to contributing to the second edition of the Sustainable Urban Design Summit. We profoundly believe in international exchange to develop and implement together creative solutions for today's global challenges. Hence Dutch Design Week 2022, With over1,500 designers, launched the theme Get Set ! We are on a mission. It is time to join forces and get into action. As can be experienced from 22 till 30 October with over designers and more collaboration partners in almost 500 events concepts and scenarios for a better world, better cities will be on show in Eindhoven city," said Martijn Paulen, CEO Dutch Design Foundation.

2022 Topics Will Include:
• Envisioning the City of the Future
• Future Proofing Cities through Design Thinking
• Impact of Fallout of Climate Change
• Circular Economy Across Industries
• Sustainable Neighborhood and Community Programming
• Urban Spaces and Bringing them to Life
• Creative Placemaking

Dutch designers Fillip Studios will present Arabidopsis Symphony, a unique interactive performance in which visitors dive into the inner world of plants through music and the latest augmented reality technologies.

The goal for this summit, which is in its second year, is to provide multi-level conversation that is compelling, challenging, and provocative, allowing for participation and fluid exchange of ideas. Organizations are asked to pitch their work, or projects, rather than engaging in a discussion of the topics at hand for potential cooperation and collaboration between geographies and missions.

Attendees will gain valuable knowledge, connections, and know-how from the best experts coming from Detroit, the US, and the Netherlands providing impactful solutions to learn from each other and share knowledge on how best to convince others, change structures, focus on the right issue, and change behaviors.

Confirmed 2022 speakers:
Dutch Design Foundation – Rob Adams, Embassy of Mobility
SBN Detroit - Terry Barclay, Chair, SBND and CEO, Inforum
City of Detroit – Antoine Bryant, Director of Planning & Development
Holland Circular Hotspot – Ruben Dubelaar, Advisor International Strategy
MVVA – Nate Trevethan, Principal
Related Companies – Ryan Friedrichs, VP, Development
Archi-tectonics - Founding Partner / Chair of Dept of Architecture Univ of Pennsylvania - Winka Dubbeldam
Urban Rivers – Zachary Damato, Co-Founder
Gensler Detroit – John Jourden, Design Director
Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) - Cory Connolly, Climate and Energy Advisor
SOM – Doug Voigt, Urban Design and Planning Partner
Kresge – Alexa Bush, Program Officer Detroit
Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS) – dr. Irene Luque Martin, Project manager Research & Innovation projects, Circularity in Urban Regions
Bedrock Detroit - James Witherspoon, VP, Architecture and Design
Michigan's University Research Corridor - Britany Affolter-Caine, Executive Director
ISAIC– Jen Guarino, President and CEO
Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Tech University – Joshua Brugeman, Expert in Residence
One Architecture – Matthijs Bouw, Founding Partner
Downtown Detroit Partnership – Eric Larson, CEO
College for Creative Studies, Olga Stella VP, Strategy and Communications
Woodward Throwbacks – Bo Shepard, co-owner, designer
MVRDV – Kristina Knauf, Associate MVRDV Climate
Detroit Riverfront Conservancy – Marc Pasco, Director of Communications
CIV:LAB – Emily Dabish Yahkind, Detroit Director
DWEJ – Laprisha Daniels, Executive Director
Visit Detroit – Christopher Moyer, Sr. Director, Communications
Fillip Studios - Lotte Holterman, Studio Manager, Communication
The Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Chicago - Andrea van der Grinten, Sr. Economic Policy Officer – Smart Cities | Advanced Manufacturing
University of Michigan, Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise - Benjamin J. Leffel, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow

Interactivity project shared:
Arabidopsis Symphony by Fillip Studios, a unique interactive performance, in which visitors dive into the inner world of plants through music and the latest augmented reality technologies.

Register to attend the Sustainable Urban Design Summit sustainableurbandesignsummit.com

For more information about Detroitisit, visit detroitisit.com or follow on social media at facebook.com/detroitisit and instagram.com/detroitisit. Linkedin and Twitter @Detroitisit

Detroitisit is an online news organization that serves as a guide to Detroit culture, community, innovation, design and more. The company strives to be environmentally conscious – raising awareness about topics such as equitable city programs, public transit, preservation opportunities, and clean-up initiatives in and around Detroit.

Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Chicago
The Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Chicago is the official diplomatic representation of the Netherlands in the Midwest. Primarily an economic mission, the consulate general promotes the economic interests of the Netherlands and Dutch business in the Midwest. The consulate general also provides consular services to Dutch citizens, organizes cultural exchange, and promotes the image of the Netherlands in the 13 states it covers (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin). The economic partnership between the Netherlands and the Midwest supports more than 150,000 jobs in the region, and millions of Midwesterners claim Dutch heritage. The consulate general engages in a wide array of activities to further strengthen these ties, including planning minister & royal visits to the Midwest, organizing trade missions, network building, hosting knowledge sharing events, facilitating informational tours to the Netherlands, and connecting Dutch companies to US partners.

Dutch Design Week
Dutch Design Week is the largest annual design event in Northern Europe. It presents work and concepts from more than 2,600 designers to more than 355,000 visitors from home and abroad. Hosted in Eindhoven, Netherlands, the event is about Dutch design.

# # #