October 6, 6:00 pm, Month of Modern 2015, monthofmodern.com, kicks off at eTown in Boulder with an evening of enlightening Ignite talks where a hand-selected group of 10 presenters have 5 minutes and 20 slides to reveal what they believe would make Boulder a “Great City.”

“We are bringing together some of the greatest minds in design, development, architecture and planning to spark a conversation about what it means to build and live in a great city,” says moderator and co-producer Rick Epstein of Studio Completiva.

We are seeing dramatic changes to our cities along the Front Range. While some changes have been met with universal acclaim—Union Station and the Fastracks system—many other projects (apartment housing, civic buildings, office buildings, etc.) have fallen short of creating inspiring places that contribute in a meaningful way. These buildings often feel more like short term commodities.

“It’s time for us to pause and wonder about what makes a great city,” says Epstein. “Right now, we are poised to redefine greatness in the built environment, and create communities that are truly ‘great.’”

“Month of Modern was founded as a way to spark a much-needed conversation about design in Colorado,” says Month of Modern founder Kate Bailey of Annabel Media.

“Good design is a right for everyone, not just a privilege for the top 1%. Based on the original modernist principles of bringing good design to the masses, we want to create an awareness of how good design has a positive effect on everyday life and how it brings communities together and sparks excitement and ideas.”

“Around the world, great cities are beautiful cities,” says Epstein. “Some are huge metropolises, and others compact centers of learning and culture. Spoleto, Bordeaux, Kyoto, Barcelona, Frieberg, Paris, Siena, Portland, Burlington, and Singapore share a commitment to the making of great buildings, engaging civic spaces, a strong community culture, a commitment to art, and engaged citizens.”

Remove the politics, take away the have and the have nots, eliminate the question of what is good or bad design. There is no better time than now to create a truly engaging, dynamic discussion about the future of our communities, and there is no better forum than Ignite.

Let’s imagine.

Panelists