GOOD Ideas for Cities: Gelato Edition

For the last eight months I’ve been skittering across the country with the GOOD Ideas for Cities initiative, taking the program to six mid-sized cities, working with amazing local groups for every event, and writing about each and every brilliant solution over at GOOD.is. It’s been an incredible ride, and a fascinating peek into how cities across the country can use creative problem-solvers to bring about change in their communities.

A few months ago, we were thrilled to learn that GOOD Ideas for Cities had been selected as part of the U.S. Pavilion at the 13th International Venice Architecture Biennale. If you have no idea what those last nine words actually mean, this is the huge international architecture exhibition that happens every two years (hence the name) in Venice, Italy. (You might also have heard of the art-focused Biennale, which happens in odd-numbered years.) 55 countries have been invited to contribute installations around the theme of Common Ground, and the U.S. chose to focus its contribution on grassroots, urbanist design projects occurring all over the country. The U.S.’s show Spontaneous Interventions: design action for the common good selected 124 projects to include in its exhibition. But the most exciting thing is that they chose a dozen projects to actually create urban interventions in Venice during the three months that the Biennale is up. So we’re taking GOOD Ideas for Cities to Venice on August 29!

We’ve tapped three architecture firms and three urban leaders to work together on three challenges facing the city, and they’ll be presenting their ideas for Venice at this special afternoon program. Afterwards—as is the GOOD Ideas for Cities custom—there will be drinks and conversation. And, from my perspective at least, the entire time I’m in Venice, there will be gelato. Lots of gelato.

All details are at the GOOD site, and the program is free and open to the public with a Biennale ticket. If you’re an architect who’ll be in Venice that week, please come by, and be sure to tell all your Venetian friends! Grazie!