by Worldchanging Twin Cities blogger, Eric Larson:

Worldchanging welcomes Solutions Twin Cities to the front lines of innovation and change in the Twin Cities. Inspired by the turnout of like-minded folks from all walks of life at the Worldchanging book launch event held in Minneapolis back in November, Solutions co-founders Colin Kloecker and Troy Gallas, both local architects, both affiliated with Minnesota’s chapter of Architecture for Humanity [full disclosure: Colin is a sometimes blogger for Worldchanging Twin Cities] were miffed by the fact that their seemed to be no central event or venue for all of them to regularly come together. So, they dreamed up Solutions Twin Cities.

Solutions is an event modeled after Pecha Kucha (which means “the sound of conversation” in Japanese) a design event “in which creative work can be easily and informally shown, without having to rent a gallery or chat up a magazine editor.” The format is simple: Find people with the best and brightest design ideas. Put them in front of a live audience. Allow them to present twenty images for twenty seconds each (that’s six minutes and forty seconds per presentation). No guff, no fluff, just the essence of the ideas. To say Pecha Kucha has caught on is an understatement. The event, started in 2003 by two English architects living in Japan who now has manifestations in nearly fifty cities around the globe.

Using the same 20/20 format, Solutions, will expand the focus to include any person or organization with “future positive” ideas. The first event, billed as “Solutions Volume I” will be held at the Southern Theater on Wednesday, May 2nd from 8-10pm, has already garnered an impressive list of presenters or “solutionists,” including local/international magazine NEED, Alchemy Architects, Architecture for Humanity, Studio 4284 at the U of M, Dual Currency Systems, Roof Bloom, Urban Earth Flower and Garden Co-op, Give Us Wings, and MN Artists.