Design is a too-often overlooked asset that adds value to cities. But this week's guests are putting design to work to make cities more lively, more livable and more sustainable.

Marie-Jos?e Lacroix is theÊCity of Montreal'sÊDesign Commissioner. For the past 15 years, she has been encouraging outstanding design in the city's shops and restaurants through an annual design competition that she hopes will make Montreal a "new design city."

Marie-Jos?e Lacroix holds a BA in Environmental Design from Universit? du Qu?bec in Montr?al and a MA in Information Science, with a specialization in design and architecture. For the past 15 years, she has been involved in increasing public awareness of the importance of design and has been an active voice in promoting design to public officials and the business community.

In 1998, Marie-Jos?e Lacroix organized an international colloquium in France on the public commissioning of architecture, art and design. She is currently working on an international symposium with the theme "New Design Cities" scheduled October 6, 7 and 8 in Montreal.

Mark Miller is working on the redesign of schoolsÊ- specifically those modular buildings that are supposed to be temporary classrooms but too often become permanent fixtures. With the new designs for classroom portables proposed by his firm,ÊMKThink, no one would mind if these classrooms stayed around forever.

Mark is CEO and co-founder of MKThink, an architecture and design firm headquartered in San Francisco. Mark is responsible for establishing the strategic vision of the practice and for leadership of the firm's major client work. Mark is an active member of the Society for College and University Planners and also the American Institute of Architects.

We'll talk about design as a competitive advantage for cities with Marie-Jos?e Lacroix and Mark Miller on "Smart City."