CannonDesign launches The Great Lakes ReFRESH
September 21, 2026
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We are proud to officially launch The Great Lakes ReFRESH, an effort to build a dynamic coalition of partners across the Great Lakes Basin to think boldly about the region's future.
The Great Lakes region has long been defined by its freshwater, industrious communities and capacity to continually reinvent itself as an economic engine. As changing climate conditions, aging infrastructure and shifting populations point toward a reprioritization of Great Lakes cities in the coming decades, we have an opportunity to think boldly about what comes next.
Through strategic positioning, collaboration, and bold action — all through the lens of design and systems thinking — we can position the Great Lakes region to flourish.
The Great Lakes resurgence isn't just a culture study; it is a design opportunity. This is about doing the groundwork now to inform the region's future.
Our goal is to convene thought leaders, build actionable roadmaps and develop partnerships that position the Great Lakes as a region ready to adapt to change. With proper planning and collaboration among key stakeholders, we can ensure a future that is innovative, equitable and sustainable.
There are numerous organizations and institutions already engaged in this work across the Great Lakes Region through environmental and economic policy lenses. CannonDesign is focused on uniting these groups across geographies and markets to foster the most innovative ideas for the region, bringing our unique design perspective, strategic thinking and civic engagement to turn ideas into action.
We are launching this effort with a series of interactive listening sessions in five key Great Lakes cities this fall:
- Ann Arbor
- Buffalo
- Chicago
- Minneapolis
- Toronto
Please sign up for more information and join us in this conversation about shaping the future of the region.
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