Reflex Urbanism

Transforming the culture of cities.

Who We Are

Reflex Urbanism is an emergent studio transforming the culture of cities.

We specialize in cultural planning, knowledge sharing, research, and engagement.

Darian Razdar is the founder and principal at Reflex Urbanism. Based in Toronto. darianrazdar.info

What We Believe

At Reflex, we believe in the power of culturally dynamic cities. We believe when city builders, artists, and cultural workers collaborate, equitable urban transformation happens.

What We Do

Reflex specializes in cultural planning, knowledge sharing, research, and engagement. We produce studio projects and provide services to leading cultural organizations.

CULTURAL PLANNING

We work with organizations of all shapes and sizes to create evidence-based and adaptive cultural plans.

KNOWLEDGE SHARING

We organize events, publish information, and present research insights that influence discussions and make change.

RESEARCH

We use creative and critical methods to investigate challenging questions around who, where, why, and how city cultures serve.

ENGAGEMENT

We hold workshops, trainings, guided tours, and focus groups to build bold visions for our future cities based on individual and community learning.

Our Work

Community Land Research – Friends of Chinatown TO

Jun – Aug 2020

Investigated neighbourhood needs and assets and alternative models for community land ownership and community development benefits for a grassroots coalition.

Mapping Workshops + Trainings

2020-ongoing

We tailor our evolving mapping curriculum to our client’s goals, always with a focus on the elements of a map and how to make a map that tells a cultural story and builds community power. Clients include Unit 2, Inter/Access, Tamil Archive Project, Bricks & Glitter, countermap.land.

Community Engagement – Pride Toronto

Sept – Dec 2021

Series of strategy-building engagements with community members across the Greater Toronto Area, including survey, focus groups, interviews, pop-ups, and a town hall for the high-profile organization.

Place-Based Practices Roundtable

April 2022

A moderated discussion featuring leading Toronto-based artists and activists around the questions, “What are place-based practices? How do they show up in your work? What purpose do they serve?”