Research & Creative
housed…[un]housed...[re]housed… 2025 Symposium
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The housed…[un]housed...[re]housed… symposium will shine its academic light on our affordable housing and unhoused crisis in Toronto, Ontario. Given our recent pressing issues and experiences with affordability issues, refugee settlements, the COVID-19 pandemic, addiction, mental health, and the climate crisis, the symposium will probe and discuss precedents with a critical and multi-disciplinary lens. Hence, there is a need to revisit, question, and expand on the Fair Housing Act discourse, which prohibits discrimination and the Ontario Human Rights Commission that housing is a human right.
The symposium captures a range of topics and inquiries. It will examine the following Housing and Homelessness unifying themes: Local and Global Housing: Policies, Rights and Law, Rental Scams, Renovations and Evictions; Healthcare and Accessible Housing; Pedagogy and Practice: Civic Engagement and Pro Bono Work, Social Work, Social Medicine, and Social Suffering.
We invite you to listen to presenters and see exhibitions and films from Ontario, Quebec, United Kingdom, and the United States.
This event is supported in part by funding the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and The Office of the President, Toronto Metropolitan University, The Creative School: New Collaborations Grant, Interior Design at The Creative School, TMU Libraries, Lincoln Alexander School of Law, The Office of Social Innovation, Department of Architecture, and The Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic.
Speakers
Dr. Andrew Boozary, Executive Director of the Gattuso Centre for Social Medicine at UHN
Leilani Farha, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing and Global Director of The Shift
Dr. Carl E. Gershenson, Princeton University, Director of the Eviction Lab
Dr. Jill B. Pable, Professor Emeritus, Florida State University, Department of Interior Architecture and Design
Dr. Carolyne Grimard, Professeure, Faculté des arts et des sciences - École de travail social, Université de Montréal, Québec
Catherine Murphy, Parsons School of Design, Director of Education, Parsons Healthy Materials Lab
Sonia Blank, Architecte, Chargée de recherche – Solidarité urbaine, Architecture sans frontières Québec
Olivia Daigneault Deschênes, Architecte, Chargée de projets – Solidarité urbaine, Architecture sans frontières Québec
Aaron Budd, Principal at SvN Architects + Planners
Robert Raynor, Director of Design & Development, BetterStreet
Sandra Wheeler, Matter Practice, Architect and Exhibit Designer
Research Team
Co-Investigators:
Dr. Eliza Chandler, Toronto Metropolitan University, Associate Professor, School of Disability Studies, and Executive Director Office of Social Innovation
Dr. Carl E. Gershenson, Princeton University, Director of the Eviction Lab
Dr. Carolyne Grimard, Université de Montréal, Québec, Professeure, Faculté des arts et des sciences - École de travail social
Dr. Roberta Iannacito-Provenzano, Toronto Metropolitan University, Professor and Provost & Vice-President, Academic
Dr. Jill B. Pable, Florida State University, Professor Emeritus, Department of Interior Architecture and Design
Dr. Colin S. Ripley, Toronto Metropolitan University, Professor and Chair, School of Interior Design
Collaborators:
Sanjoy Banerjee, Academic Librarian, Toronto Metropolitan University Libraries
Dr. Lisa Landrum, Toronto Metropolitan University, Professor and Chair, Department of Architectural Science
Theodore A. Landrum, Toronto Metropolitan University, Contract Lecturer, Department of Architectural Science
Jonsara Ruth, Parsons School of Design, Co-founder, and Design Director Healthy Materials Lab
Donna E. Young, Toronto Metropolitan University, Dean, Lincoln Alexander School of Law
Symposium Research Lead:
Dr. Lorella Di Cintio, Toronto Metropolitan University, Professor and Undergraduate Program Director, School of Interior Design
Schedule
Films Series + Exhibitions + Installation |
Film Series at School of Interior Design, 302 Church Street, Room 318 Tuesday, May 6 at 12 noon: Push Wednesday, May 7 at 12 noon: Nomadland Thursday, May 8 at 12 noon: Someone Lives Here Friday, May 9 at 12 noon: Better Off Dead? with panel discussion, led by the Office of Social Innovation
Exhibitions at School of Interior Design, 302 Church Street, Room 105 and 3rd floor Architecture sans frontières Québec Evicted Healthy Materials
Installation at Pitman Hall Park SvN Cabin Film Series, Exhibitions and Installation are free and open to the public from May 6-9, 2025 |
Day 1 |
Friday, May 9, 2025, School of Interior Design |
| 6:00-8:00 PM | Aaron Budd, SvN Architects and Planners |
Day 2 |
Saturday, May 10, 2025, School of Interior Design, Registration Required (external link) |
8:00-9:00 AM |
Opening ceremony: Joanne Dallaire, TMU, Elder and Advisor, Indigenous Relations, and Reconciliation |
9:00-9:15 AM |
Opening remarks: Dr. Roberta Iannacito-Provenzano, TMU, Professor, Provost and VP- Academic |
| 9:15-10:30 AM | Dr. Andrew Boozay, Primary Care Physician, policy practitioner, researcher, and founding executive director of the Gattuso Centre for Social Medicine at the University Health Network Dr. Jill Pable, Florida State University, Interior Architecture and Design Department |
10:30-10:45 AM |
Break |
11:00-12:30 PM |
Dr. Carl Gershenson, Princeton University, Director of the Eviction Lab Leilani Farha, lawyer, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing and Global Director of The Shift |
12:30-1:30 PM |
Lunch |
1:30-2:30 PM |
Dr. Lisa Landrum, TMU, Department of Architectural Science Catherine Murphy, Parsons School of Design, Director of Education, Healthy Materials Lab Sandra Wheeler, Architect, Matter Practice Robert Raynor, Director of Two Steps Home |
2:30-3:30 PM |
Dr. Eliza Chandler, TMU, School of Disability Studies, and Office of Social Innovation Dr. Colin Ripley, TMU, School of Interior Design Dr. Carolyne Grimard, Université de Montréal, Quebec, School of Social Work |
3:30 PM |
Light reception, including viewing of the exhibitions and films |
Day 3 |
Sunday, May 11, 2025, School of Interior Design |
10:00-10:15 AM |
Opening remarks |
10:15-11:30 AM |
Pecha Kucha Sessions, Undergraduate and Graduate Students |
11:30-12:00 PM |
Architecture sans frontières Québec Workshop |
12:00-12:30 PM |
Meeting with the symposium committee: Feedback and next steps |
For additional access requests, please contact ldicintio@torontomu.ca by April 10, 2025.