The World Design Summit Organization is proud to announce its first keynote speakers, two major figures in the design world and, more specifically, of urban design and architecture.

This great gathering, which will bring thousands of people from everywhere on the planet to Montreal, from October 16 to 25, 2017, will include conferences by:

Jan Gehl

A major figure of urban design since the 1970s, Jan Gehl is known worldwide for an approach that puts humans at the heart of urban development. He has put these principles to work in his hometown of Copenhagen, but also in major projects like the recent transformation of Times Square, in New York City, and in many major projects from Australia to Scandinavia and Jordan. His books Life between Buildings and Cities for People have been published in over 30 languages.

Belinda Tato

Belinda Tato is the cofounder of Ecosistema Urbano, a Madrid-based firm established in 2000 where architects and urban designers combine their disciplines with engineering and sociology, in order to improve the self-organization of citizens, social interaction within communities and their relationship with the environment. The firm has implemented projects in Norway, Denmark, Spain, Italy, France and China and won over 30 national and international awards. She has been teaching at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design since 2010.

Forty Countries

The Summit has been generating great enthusiasm around the world, as shown by the hundreds of proposals for content submitted from forty countries, over the last few months. A second call for proposal, open once again to architecture, graphic design, urban design, interior design, landscape architecture, industrial design and interstitial or hybrid practices, will be announced in early 2017.

About the Summit

The World Design Summit – Montréal 2017 is an unprecedented international gathering of diverse disciplines with a common focus: how design can shape the future. Montréal will host design professionals, government and business leaders, industry representatives, media and NGOs from around the world. For 10 days, attendees will come together to transcend silos, foster cooperation and enhance professional development. More than a mere celebration of design, the Summit will demonstrate the tremendous power of design to create viable solutions to global social, economic, cultural and environmental challenges.

To find out more about the Summit, go to www.worlddesignsummit.com, and register for our newsletter to find out all the details.