Walk. Connect. Reimagine.
Explore Vancouver’s Chinatown through the lens of design, community, and possibility.
Join Women in Architecture Vancouver (WIA) and Young Architects for Change (YAC) for Re:Chinatown, an intergenerational mentorship experience bringing youth and design professionals together to explore Chinatown’s past, present, and future.
The day will begin with a guided walking tour through Chinatown, where mentors and mentees will explore the neighbourhood together, learning from its history and observing the streets, buildings, public spaces, and patterns of activity that shape it today.
Following the tour, we’ll make our way to Chinatown Storytelling Centre for lunch and a collaborative design charrette. Drawing from what we’ve seen and learned during the walk, participants will work together to consider the possibilities for some of Chinatown’s underused spaces. Through conversation, sketching, and exchanging perspectives, we’ll explore how design can contribute to welcoming and inclusive places while respecting the cultural history and communities that make Chinatown what it is.
No previous design experience is needed. Re:Chinatown is about curiosity, learning from one another, and seeing the city through new perspectives.
Event Itinerary
Please note that the tour and design charrette take place at different locations. Participants will begin the day at the tour meeting point and travel together to the lunch and charrette venue following the walk.
📍 10:00 AM | Meet + Welcome
Vancouver Chinatown Millennium Gate
Meet your mentor or mentee and the WIA Vancouver team. We’ll start with introductions and a brief overview of the day before heading out together.
Please arrive by 9:55 so that the tour can begin promptly.
🚶 10:15 AM | Chinatown Walking Tour
We’ll explore Chinatown on foot, looking at the neighbourhood through the lenses of history, culture, architecture, public space, and community.
Along the way, we’ll pause at key locations to learn, observe, ask questions, and discuss what we see. Participants are encouraged to take photographs, make notes or sketches, and begin thinking about ideas they may want to explore during the afternoon charrette.
🥢 11:45 PM | Walk to Lunch + Charrette
Following the tour, our group will make its way together to:
Chinatown Storytelling Centre
This is a different location from our morning meeting point, so please plan accordingly when considering transportation to and from the event.
🍜 12:00 PM | Lunch
We’ll sit down for lunch and have some time to continue conversations between mentors and mentees.
This is a chance to get to know one another beyond the walking tour, ask questions about education and careers in design, and exchange experiences and perspectives.
Lunch will be provided.
✏️ 1:00 PM | Collaborative Design Charrette
It’s time to put our observations into action.
Mentors and mentees will work together in small groups to explore ideas inspired by the morning walk. Using selected sites or themes from Chinatown as a starting point, participants will consider how underused spaces might support new activity, community, and more inclusive public life.
This is not a design competition, and you do not need to arrive with solutions. The charrette is an opportunity to ask what if?, explore ideas together, sketch, discuss, and learn from the different experiences around the table.
👋 3:00 PM | Event Concludes
The formal event will wrap up at Chinatown Storytelling Centre. We’ll share what we’ve learned and key takeaways.
Please note that we will not be returning as a group to the morning meeting location.
Who Should Attend?
Mentees
We welcome youth ages 15–21 (if you’re a little older, no worries!) who are curious about architecture, design, cities, community, art, history, or the built environment.
You don’t need to know whether a career in design is right for you, and no previous design experience is required. Come with your questions, ideas, and curiosity.
Mentors
Our mentors are professionals and emerging professionals from architecture, design, planning, and related fields who are excited to share their experiences and learn alongside the next generation.
Mentors participating in this event will be invited by a WIA member. If you have received an invitation, please select the mentor registration option when registering.
What to Bring
Comfortable shoes and clothing appropriate for a walking tour
A rain jacket or umbrella, depending on the weather
A water bottle
Your questions and curiousity
A sketchbook or notebook, if you have one
Design and charrette materials will be provided.
Because part of the event takes place outdoors, please dress for the weather. Any significant weather-related changes will be communicated to registered participants before the event.
Accessibility + Participation
We want Re:Chinatown to be a welcoming experience for everyone. If there is anything we can do to support your participation, including accessibility, mobility, dietary, or communication considerations, please let us know through the registration form.