Seattle’s Central Waterfront. Manhattan’s High Line. Brooklyn’s Domino Park. The public places crafted by Field Operations, of which these are but a few, prove that climate resilience is at the heart of culturally rich landscapes.

Lisa Switkin, a partner at Field Operations who has helped to shape projects like these for over 25 years, is a keynote speaker at Human/Nature 2025, which takes place at Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works on October 29 and 30. The firm’s portfolio is a master class in how to make and remake our cities — and their neglected industrial sites — better for people and the planet.

The four keynote talks at Human/Nature 2025 will be delivered by Indigenous Canadian architect David Fortin; industrial designers Pearson Lloyd; architects WORKac; and landscape architect Lisa Switkin, of Field Operations. Photo credit: AZURE MEDIA

The architectural firm WORKac also combines community and resilience in all of its wonders, from its first Edible Schoolyards to the public libraries the New York firm has created across the U.S., including the recently completed North Boulder Library.

Both partners, Amale Andraos and Dan Wood, will bring their vibrant perspectives to Human/Nature. As will David Fortin, the Indigenous Canadian architect whose research investigates the intersections between Indigenous knowledge, design practice, pedagogy and speculative thinking, and whose teaching focuses on what reconciliation means for design. Finally, Pearson Lloyd, the U.K. duo greening manufacturing one brand collaboration at a time, will demonstrate how they “design with the planet as stakeholder.”

Lisa Switkin, partner at New York’s Field Operations – designers of such projects as Domino Park and Presidio Tunnel Tops – will deliver a keynote talk at Human/Nature 2025. Credit: Field Operations

These keynotes are just one part of a dynamic program. Human/Nature also boasts a variety of thought-provoking panel discussions on themes including the mega-developments that will shape Toronto’s future (featuring Hariri Pontarini Architects, Giannone Petricone Associates, Allies and Morrison, and Henriquez Partners), and interior design that foregrounds sustainable materials and systems (with Material Works Architecture, Measured Architecture and EcoLogic Studio).

Plus, the nine workshops to choose from present new approaches to building housing, promoting landscape stewardship and evolving healthcare settings. Additional firms featured at the conference include Toronto’s LGA Architectural Partners and Shim-Sutcliffe, Los Angeles practice Brooks + Scarpa, Calgary’s BOLD Workshop Architecture, and more.

And it’s all taking place in the verdant venue of Evergreen Brick Works! Be sure to get your tickets now. See the full agenda at conference.azuremagazine.com

Lisa Switkin, partner at New York’s Field Operations – designers of such projects as Domino Park and Presidio Tunnel Tops – will deliver a keynote talk at Human/Nature 2025. Photo credit: Field Operations

Tickets can be purchased here via Eventbrite

AZURE Human/Nature 2025’s plenary panel sponsor is Formica; workshop sponsors are Creative Matters, Evergreen Brick Works and Scavolini; and the social gathering sponsor is EzoBord. The conference is presented in partnership with the Canadian Centre of Architecture, MaRS and WRLDCTY and with the support of the City of Toronto. Our hotel partner is Union Hotel.