Memories of Do Design

We had such a successful Do Design event last January 2011 (see pics below) that we are starting to prepare for Do design 2012 now ( click here or on the Do Design event above).

We hope to have many more pictures in the upcoming event which was extremely well attended by a large contingent of locals and people all around town.

Public Meetings

The Municipal Licensing & Standards Divisions has scheduled consultation sessions on the following topics before considering amendments to the Toronto Municipal Code:
download PDF's

Year-Round Boulevard Cafes with Full Enclosures
Thursday, March 10, 2011
City Hall, Committee Room # 3
6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

A-Frame Signs
Thursday, March 17, 2011
City Hall, committee Room # 3
6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Please contact Olga Kusztelska at 416 392-0856 or at okuszte@toronto directly if you have any questions.

Do West NOW - Do Design Launch Reviewed by NOW Magazine

- NOW MAGAZINE Feature -
The Do Design team (L-R) Marie Collier, Julie Nicholson, Shaun Moore, Jerry Waese, Arounna Khounnoraj
Photo By Michael Watier

DO DESIGN runs Thursday to Sunday (January 27 to 30) on Dundas between Bathurst and Grace. Opening reception Saturday (January 29), 3 to 9 pm, at several venues. Free.

Design, Eh?

My partner and I were recently posed with the question, “What is Canadian design”? After many sleepless nights we formed a simple and approachable solution, almost by chance--Canadian design is the act of Canadians making design regardless of where they are located in the world. This simple answer made me look at the notion of Canadian design in such a different light. Where before I was thinking of landscape, Canadiana and toques, now I was looking at it in a much larger framework and side-stepping the all too prevalent stereotypes found throughout mass media.

If you think about Canadian landscape for example, there isn’t necessarily a collective Canadian experience. Having lived in Calgary, Vancouver and now Toronto I realize the vast social and geographical differences in each of these cities, and at times the differences seem as pronounced throughout regions of our country than between Canada and other countries. As a second generation Canadian, I have had the opportunity to live in the UK and Barcelona. I have been influenced by these places and it continually creeps back into my work. And at the end of the day, regardless where my inspiration comes from, I am still a Canadian creating design. Many people use Canada’s beautiful natural setting as inspiration and though I am continually inspired by our site and situation, I also look at other places and spaces, which include what we have started calling Streets as Laboratories.

Following are three slides from a presentation we gave on finding inspiration. From being Canadian, traveling, and living in other places, I realize my unique perspective allows me to locate beauty and creativity anywhere. Even in the garbage.

---ANITA MODHA
for more info check out the DoDesign Event