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the Toronto Design Offsite Festival. Operating under the trade name DesignTO.
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2020

Festival Schedule

DesignTO is about creativity, community, and experimentation.

January 17–26, 2020

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'(AI) - Aesthete’s Items' is founded on the philosophy that beauty must be expressed and shared commonly. It should not be reserved for a limited circle of initiates, but rather be a part of our daily lives in the form of everyday objects.
In-person
window installation
(AI) – Aesthete’s Items
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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'100 Vases' is inspired by the possibilities presented when objects come together, and the dialogue that happens between them. Spearheaded by artists Michelle Organ and Dasha Valakhanovitch, the two day event is a showcase of diversity in contemporary clay design.
In-person
exhibition
100 Vases
Jan 24
–
Jan 25 2020
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A moment suspended, illuminating the inherent interconnectedness – between human and human and to our shared environment – and at the same time, a yearning for connection. A Long Story II, by Lauren Pirie, is a soft sculpture and lighting-based installation.
In-person
exhibition
A Long Story II, by Lauren Pirie
Jan 17
–
Jan 27 2020
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Address is an entirely new approach to showing, seeking and collecting new works by modern makers. Going into its 7th consecutive year, Address is a well-known exhibit presenting works by both established and up-and-coming studio based artists and designers.
In-person
exhibition
Address
Jan 14
–
Jan 19 2020
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Lines are a design element that can be used in pattern, to highlight/emphasize, and can be versatile, descriptive, and showcase beauty. Alley Row Designs uses its line-based Design-A-Line to showcase lines in a way that is accessible to all.
In-person
exhibition
Alley Row Designs Presents ALIGNMENT
Jan 18
–
Jan 21 2020
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Designers from across Canada have come together to create a collection of machined aluminum objects. Including both practical prototypes and pieces of sculpture, the show covers diverse range of themes unified by a single medium.
In-person
exhibition
Aluminum Group
Jan 16
–
Jan 19 2020
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18Karat Studio + Gallery is proud to present Linda Brown, a metalsmith whose work focuses on texture, line and form as it relates to natural flora structures. Discover her inspirations, process, and latest collection of hollow-formed jewellery and hollowware.
In-person
exhibition
Anticlastic: New Jewellery & Hollowware by Linda Brown
Jan 16
–
Feb 15 2020
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Arborescent repurposes manufacturing off-cut materials to form a colourful forest of renewal and growth emerging from the built environment. Take a walk through the Arborescent forest to inspire creative new ways of reducing and reusing materials.
In-person
exhibition
Arborescent
Jan 17
–
Jan 24 2020
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Azure Talks convenes a panel at IDS Toronto featuring established and rising brands that have found success making entire lighting and furniture collections in Toronto. Presented by Teknion.
In-person
event: Talk
Azure Talks: Made in Toronto
Jan 17 2020
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BEAT MIX is a platform to develop a series of relationships across Toronto’s Architecture and Design communities. Our events are open to everyone and target all phases of an architect’s career. BEAT is excited to host this event in collaboration with flooring industry leaders Relative Space!
In-person
event: Reception
BEAT MIX x Relative Space
Jan 23 2020
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This event is a celebration of colour in contemporary design and textile art. In this exhibition we will showcase a curated of collection of contemporary carpets, textiles, furniture and tapestry by local artists and designers.
In-person
exhibition
bottē Design Exhibition
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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Celebrating the launch of Matcha byMinistry, this is an immersive 5-course dinner made in collaboration between chef Ted Corrado, digital experience specialists nVoid, and artist Dahae Song. Limited capacity, RSVP for access to tickets
In-person
event: Dinner
byMinistry’s Enlightened Dining Club: The Art of Dining
Jan 21 2020
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Visit Cambria Gallery in the heart of Toronto's King East Design District to see Christine Tatilon's whimsical and vibrant tabletop creations. Christine uses fabric as a vector of expression and canvas to combine "art" with "useful" to make ordinary objects fun for everyday experiences.
In-person
exhibition
Cambria Gallery celebrates Christine Tatilon Designs – Quality, Esthetics, Sustainability
Jan 17
–
Jan 25 2020
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'Can’t Say Nothing' is a mixed media installation using collage, graphic design, print and pattern design, to explore how language and systems of representation mediate our ability to communicate and express ideas.
In-person
exhibition
Can’t Say Nothing (Lorem Ipsum, Moving Patterns)
Jan 17
–
Jan 31 2020
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Deep in the woods, a soaring red oak tree was ready for a new life. These furniture pieces don’t simply make use of its material, but embody the strength and stability of its lost presence.
In-person
window installation
Case Study 1: On Mass
Jan 10
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Jan 31 2020
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Atelier Stōbben's Manitoba collection of wall lamps reflect on the connection between lighting and mental health. Inspired by Mennonite clocks, circadian lighting emulates the sun in an attempt to realign our bodies' internal clock. Also showing: Dovell geometric hanging lamp.
In-person
exhibition
Circadian Lighting and Geometry by Atelier Stōbben
Jan 16
–
Jan 26 2020
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Using a diverse skillset ranging from architecture to industrial & product design, the COFO x Ghost Atelier Collaboration will be exploring stimulating visuals through light, objects, form and function.
In-person
window installation
COFO Design x Ghost Atelier Collab
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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For 3 days only, the Gladstone Hotel is transformed by site-specific installations at the intersection of art and design. Artists are encouraged to take risks and test new ideas. Visitors can explore, discover and engage in conversation with the makers.
In-person
exhibition
Come Up to My Room
Jan 16
–
Jan 19 2020
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Although linearity exists neither in life nor in nature, the human mind attempts to impose order upon a seemingly disordered world. This series of wood sculptures explores that paradoxical impulse, as stark straight lines of metal penetrate the free-flowing wood grain, bringing a flash of order to randomness.
In-person
exhibition
Confluence
Jan 17
–
Jan 24 2020
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Context addresses the stratified urban conditions that characterize our cities. A banner of reflective material weaves between interior greenery and exterior spaces, emphasizing a design process influenced by interconnected social, environmental, and built layers.
In-person
window installation
Context
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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The Creative Technology Lab at FCAD showcases several projects that utilize the Kuka robots. Additionally, this exhibition features student-led projects and faculty research that ranges from AR/VR to carbon fiber structures, clay 3D printing, and projection mapping.
In-person
exhibition
Creative Technology Lab @ FCAD
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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Discover why Danish design remains desirable. Explore Danish classic and contemporary design from Carl Hansen, Fritz Hansen, Georg Jensen, PP Mobler, Erik Jorgensen, Muuto etc. Hollace Cluny and TORP showcase masterpieces of mid century and contemporary furniture and design.
In-person
exhibition
Danish Desire
Jan 17
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Jan 24 2020
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An installation of hanging and free-standing carved wood sculpture. Djuna Day’s carvings evoke both the airy silhouettes of Victorian botanical drawings and the studied depth of Reinhardt’s ‘Black Paintings’; a tight space between mysticism and rationale.
In-person
window installation
Dark Curves
Jan 15
–
Jan 31 2020
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The 'Daydream Under the Penny Vine' window installation debuts the 'Penny Vine' light, the first lighting product designed by Sylvia Lee, glass designer and Creative Director of Jeff Goodman Studio.
In-person
window installation
Daydream Under the Penny Vine
Jan 14
–
Feb 02 2020
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'Delirious Facade' uses artificial intelligence as a generator for architectural form and ornament. We take existing Toronto facades and use their visual signatures as material for generating hybrids, making the computer dream one building in the image of another.
In-person
window installation
Delirious Facade
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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The Design Collection @ stackt hosts 10 days of designer residencies, creative showcases and entertainment. Meet the creators, including MUKË, Concord Custom Lighting, TheTheThe, Radical Norms, LAMAS, and COFO Design.
In-person
exhibition
Design Collection @ stackt
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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In this exhibition OCAD U Industrial Design students use investigative, people-first, ground-up approaches to better design our world, and to recognize and facilitate our personal, physical and mental diversity.
In-person
exhibition
Design for Health, Wellness, Aging and Inclusion
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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Get ready to explore the world of game design! DesignTO is holding its first-ever event focused on puzzles and play. Visit the global headquarters of Spin Master, where in-house game designers will oversee gaming stations, guiding play and providing insight on their design process.
In-person
event: Games
Design to Play
Jan 19 2020
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Join The Globe and Mail and Canadian home furnishings retailer EQ3 to celebrate Designing Canada, a new annual recognition of the best in Canadian design. Enjoy a panel discussion on Canada’s design scene and meet some of the industry’s best talent and opinion leaders.
In-person
event: Talk
Designing Canada – An evening to celebrate the best in Canadian design
Jan 21 2020
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The Designlines 2020 Designer of the Year Celebration honours the best residential interior specialist in Toronto. Also celebrated are the Best Public Space, Best Product Design and Best Restaurant Design chosen by the Designlines Magazine for 2020.
In-person
event: Party
Designlines Magazine’s 2020 Designer of the Year Celebration
Jan 24 2020
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DesignTO is turning 10 and we’re commemorating this momentous occasion with a party! Join us at The Garrison to celebrate this milestone and dance the night away.
In-person
event: Party
DesignTO Birthday Bash
Jan 25 2020
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Kick off the 10th DesignTO Festival at our official Launch Party! Mix and mingle at the event that brings Toronto’s creative community together. As a fundraiser for the non-profit Festival, all proceeds will go to help achieve our mission to advance design in Canada.
In-person
event: Party
[POSTPONED]
DesignTO Launch Party 2020
Jan 17 2020
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DesignTO’s fifth annual symposium brings nine multidisciplinary experts into one room for an inspiring discussion on a Future without Work, covering topics such as the Indigenous workforce, meaning of work, space of work, labour markets, economic systems, and other thought provoking topics.
In-person
event: Talk
DesignTO Symposium: A Future without Work
Jan 25 2020
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Partners of Mexican design studio Anagrama speak about teamwork and collaboration in their multidisciplinary practice. They discuss projects ranging from interior architecture to branding for beauty and furniture multinationals. Monocle’s Toronto team will interview them following their talk.
In-person
event: Talk
DesignTO Talks: Anagrama
Jan 20 2020
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Join DesignTO and design expert Catherine Osborne for a conversation with Christian Lo of lighting studio Anony and Brian Richer of multidisciplinary studio Castor, on the occasion of their installations at EQ3’s King East showroom.
In-person
event: Talk
DesignTO Talks: Anony & Castor
Jan 20 2020
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Andrew King, Lemay’s Chief Design Officer, and conceptual artist Angela Silver present Place des Montréalaises. Set against Montréal’s monumental cityscape, the winning concept for the international urban design competition poetically merges architecture, landscape design, and art methodologies to reframe notions of city building inclusive of women’s contributions.
In-person
event: Talk
DesignTO Talks: Place des Montréalaises
Jan 21 2020
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Founders of the Berlin-based design and architecture collective They Feed Off Buildings speak about using architectural debris to pay homage to demolished buildings and their histories. Maryam Siddiqi, Lifestyle Editor of The Globe and Mail, will interview them following their talk.
In-person
event: Talk
DesignTO Talks: They Feed Off Buildings
Jan 24 2020
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Discover four exciting installations in the Yonge + St. Clair neighbourhood that explore ideas of connectedness. Hear from installation creators artist Lauren Pirie, art and design collective Interspatial, artists and designers Chris Foster and Layne Hinton, and global architecture firm Gensler.
In-person
event: Tour
DesignTO Tours: Connection Points
Jan 19 2020
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Beginning at the Don Mills Centre, Giannone Petricone Associates (GPA) has been working to define a new model for suburban intensification. GPA’s talk and tour will be followed by a panel discussion on questions of ex-urban models, opportunities, and the shifting parameters for retail-driven, mixed-use development.
In-person
event: Tour
DesignTO Tours: Giannone Petricone Associates, Ideas for the Intensification of the Suburban Mall
Jan 18 2020
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Join DesignTO for an exclusive tour of MCM’s workshop where they integrate state-of-the-art equipment with skilled craftsmanship to fabricate custom environments. Architects Diamond Schmitt, KPMB, iN STUDIO, Partisans, and Bartlett & Associates speak about the process and collaboration between designer and fabricator to realize one-of-a-kind projects.
In-person
event: Tour
DesignTO Tours: MCM Fabrication Workshop
Jan 21 2020
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Join DesignTO for a tour of Ryerson University’s new Creative Technology Lab (CTL), led by CTL’s Director and Associate Professor of Interior Design, Jonathon Anderson. The lab supports digital fabrication, 3-D printing, textile computing, AR/VR, and robotics.
In-person
event: Tour
DesignTO Tours: Ryerson Creative Technology Lab
Jan 26 2020
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Collaborating with students from Oasis Skateboard Factory (OSF), ‘The Skatrix’ is public screening of animated shorts that marks the first edition of DesignTO Youth, a new program that provides youth with access to creative disciplines and professionals.
In-person
event: Film Screening
DesignTO Youth: The Skatrix
Jan 21 2020
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'dye magic' by Allie Davis, showcases both the strength of washi and the power of plant-based dye materials. The large-scale paper designs, in a diverse range of colours, raise the question: can wall decor feel magical, while remaining environmentally sustainable?
In-person
window installation
dye magic
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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'Dying.dialogues' is a symposium on design for end-of-life. 'Dying.dialogues' invites participants to share and reflect on design practice as it relates to end-of-life.
In-person
event: Talk
Dying.dialogues 2020
Jan 24
–
Jan 25 2020
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Dying.exhibits is an installation that invites participants to think about their relationship with life and death through engaging art and design works and participatory experiences. Featuring artists and designers: Mia Cinelli, Brileigh Hardcastle, Lynda Haywood-Munn, Laura Kay Keeling, Elinor Keshet, Clara Laratta, Elyse Krista Mische, Kristi Poole-Adler, Kathy Porter, David Salazar, Robert Santaguida, Max Suillerot
In-person
exhibition
Dying.exhibits 2020
Jan 12
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Feb 01 2020
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Part of the Dying. series, HollyJo’s The Wisdom of Ruins acts as meditations between the artist’s mother’s birthplace (in ruin after an earthquake) and the death of her daughter. Ruins, by virtue of existing, stand as a witness and marker of trauma and subsequent healing.
In-person
exhibition
Dying.ruins 2020
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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'Dying.threads' is a participatory installation inviting the public to reflect on death and dying. The installation asks participants to consider their hopes for end of life.
In-person
exhibition
Dying.threads 2020
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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Harbourfront Centre is a hub of activity for the 10th annual DesignTO Festival with four exhibitions and a public talk, spanning textiles, glass, ceramics, installation, film, art, architecture and more.
In-person
exhibition
Elemental: Winter Exhibitions at Harbourfront Centre
Jan 17
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Jun 07 2020
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Co-presented with The Power Plant, Arts + Letters Press, launches art + reading Issue 2, Entanglement - Deep Time. Accompanying the launch is a performance by contributors, Matt Russo and Andrew Santaguido, with guest singer Thom Gill, taking guests on a journey through the cosmos, revealing the hidden rhythms and harmonies of planetary orbits.
In-person
event: Reception
Entanglement – Deep Time, a multi-media performance and journal launch
Jan 18 2020
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As part of the DesignTO Festival, Aesop will unveil ‘Epistēmē’ — an evocative, sensory installation featuring seven short films created in collaboration with Dutch artist Bart Hess.
In-person
window installation
Epistēmē
Jan 17
–
Jan 30 2020
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Transforming colourful gemstones into relatable, everyday objects, Peruvian design studio D.A.R. Proyectos reinvigorates ancient traditions & local materials. Join us for our take on social impact, raw gemstones, and our favourite stone objects.
In-person
exhibition
EVERYDAY GEMSTONES: Unexpected Objects
Jan 17
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Feb 16 2020
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'Exoteric Design' explores the current hegemony around design culture and its tendency to support and legitimize capitalist norms and ideas. This collaborative exhibition explores human-centred design, material-led research, oral traditions, and open knowledge-sharing as a means to create meaningful connections and collapse structural hierarchies.
In-person
exhibition
Exoteric Design: Material as Mentor
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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The 'F40/M50' project is a collaboration between Mariposa, a maker of custom bicycles, and Fig40, an industrial design firm. This collaboration takes the form of a stool utilizing traditional lugged construction and paint treatments common to hand crafted bicycles.
In-person
exhibition
F40/M50
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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Libs Elliott and Andrea Tsang Jackson's quilts push boundaries of the medium while respecting its roots. Facets can be precise but can also describe the complexity of life - quilts are flat in theory but they develop depth through construction and meaning.
In-person
exhibition
Facets
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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'Fantasy Foliage' by Apoorva Varma is an immersive Textile installation. The artist has adopted the persona of a "Textile Fantasy Author" to explore ideas of story; from thought to space and text to textile, challenging what creates a narrative.
In-person
window installation
Fantasy Foliage
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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A jewellery installation by Emma Piirtoniemi, ‘Feels’ expands the intimate, individual experience of jewellery objects to become shared by many at once. It speaks to collective experience and to our interior, emotional lives through glimmering light, colour, and material mystery.
In-person
window installation
Feels
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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In a clarion call for the return of summer, artist Frances Hahn brings her paper collage 'Field Leap' into three dimensions.
In-person
window installation
Field Leap
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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The 'Fig40 B-sides' are a collection of experiments and ideas that have evolved over the past few years. This exhibition is a selection of those experiments, in a similar way to a band releasing an album of B-sides.
In-person
exhibition
Fig40 B-sides
Jan 20
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Jan 24 2020
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Front of House by Chris Foster and Layne Hinton transforms takeout lids – an everyday material that is normally discarded – into a shining beacon of light and motion that changes throughout the day with shifting sunlight. The work flutters freely, making visible the often unnoticed air currents in the exhibition space.
In-person
exhibition
Front of House
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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Future Breathing Store 2038 is a pop-up installation that envisions three speculative future breathing lifestyles and products of Chinese residents, stemming from existing technologies to create public reflections on air pollution and to accumulate momentum for air pollution changes. Envisioned by Altereality.studio Shihan Zhang, Qinqin Yang, Yangyifan Dong
In-person
window installation
Future Breathing Store 2038: an alternative perspective towards urban pollution
Jan 20
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Jan 26 2020
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‘Future Retrospectives’ is a group exhibition featuring the work of eleven local and international artists and designers, unified by a shared methodology: using the past as a lens through which we imagine the future. It asks, “what will the future look like, and how did we get there?”
In-person
exhibition
Future Retrospectives
Jan 17
–
Mar 29 2020
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Visit Toronto's only fully electric glassblowing studio, Playing With Fire, for light refreshments, studio tour and glassblowing demonstrations. Guests will be invited to create their own blown glass terrarium at promotional pricing. Dates and times vary. Please RSVP via Eventbrite.
In-person
event: Tour
Glassblowing Studio Tour and Demonstration
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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‘Holographic Screen by DPo Architecture’ explores the role of devices such as curtains or screens that can filter light and views through glazing, move, rearrange space and act as a counterpart to contemporary materials such as concrete, steel and glass.
In-person
window installation
Holographic Screen by DPo Architecture
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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Why do we like the things we like? In her new body of work the artist invites you to consider this question as you walk through an exhibition of ink drawings, wall hangings and screenprinted accessories based on all her favourite stuff.
In-person
exhibition
I Want to Be the One to Walk in the Sun
Jan 18
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Jan 26 2020
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Artist Jacqueline Poirier explores a feast of fine foods and gourmet cuisine in this mouth watering hand-painted plate installation.
In-person
exhibition
I’ve Got a Lot on My Plate
Jan 17
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Jan 25 2020
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This piece is about the process of working through an experience of creative theft, questioning the validity of ownership, and positing a nihilistic view of design all together.
In-person
window installation
Iconic Wooden Chairs
Jan 17 2020
–
Jan 31 2021
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The Ideas Forum features fast-paced and fun presentations (20 slides shown for 20 seconds each) by artists and designers exploring the themes and questions surrounding the exhibition ‘Future Retrospectives’ with a focus on materiality.
In-person
event: Talk
Ideas Forum: Materializing the Future
Jan 22 2020
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Fifteen renowned Canadian metalsmiths transform donated heritage silver into unique candleholders, each piece honouring Canadian women's involvement in a particular art. A travelling exhibition produced by the Metal Collective.
In-person
exhibition
Illuminations
Jan 15
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Feb 23 2020
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Displayed in the windows at Aquavato, this exhibition features housewares and furnishings created by emerging designers from Sheridan College’s Industrial Design program.
In-person
window installation
In Progress – A Sheridan College Exhibition
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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MUKË will move the contents of its studio (furniture, plants, pets, maquettes, materials and more) into a shipping container at stackt — enveloping it as a site to showcase new work and much more. Visit them at work!
In-person
exhibition
IN RESIDENCE
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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A rug-hooked installation re-creating the artist's bedroom.
In-person
window installation
Installation by Erika Verhagen
Jan 17
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Jan 22 2020
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Join EQ3 at our King East showroom to experience the innovative lighting and home furnishing installations designed and produced by Toronto's Anony and Castor Design.
In-person
exhibition
Installations by Anony & Castor Design
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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IDS brings together over 53,000 of the world's most compelling trends, people and products of today and tomorrow to inspire and transform the future of design.
In-person
exhibition
Interior Design Show 2020
Jan 16
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Jan 19 2020
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Toronto interiors studio Bartlett & Associates collaborate with fabrication partners MCM to reimagine a 30-foot-tall screen – originally designed by the B|A team for an office tower lobby – as a sculptural window installation that offers an unexpected connection to nature amid an urban streetscape.
In-person
window installation
Into the Woods
Jan 17
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Jan 24 2020
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'Inverted Valleys' by Interspatial Art & Design Collective, is part of a series of canopies that quickly create inviting public spaces while leaving the area beneath untouched and freely useable. Its focus is on the unique geography of Toronto’s ravine systems.
In-person
exhibition
Inverted Valleys
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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In her solo exhibition, It Starts Out Rough, Julie Jenkinson juxtaposes two bodies of sculpture work made from unrelated collections of salvaged wood and found vintage objects.
In-person
exhibition
It Starts Out Rough
Jan 16
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Jan 26 2020
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Cassandra Ferguson’s artistic practice borrows from design to understand the evolution of commodity production and consumption, and elevates the chair to a metaphoric representation of human culture. Her work explores themes of the fetishized object/commodity, the human body, and machines/technology.
In-person
window installation
Iterations: Production Culture
Dec 21 2019
–
Mar 20 2020
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'It’s a Pop-Up Shop & Party' is a one night pop-up party filled with art, fashion, and music. A celebration of self expression and positive vibes. Shop for Canadian brands while enjoying cocktails/beers, delicious food, all while the DJ is spinning.
In-person
event: Party
It’s a Pop-Up Shop & Party
Jan 25 2020
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Designer Justin Bailey pairs with wallpaper design studio NewWall to present a series of mirrors to create a collaboration between designer and host that reciprocates the relationship between object and space.
In-person
exhibition
Justin Bailey Design x NewWall
Jan 17
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Jan 24 2020
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This GBC School of Design exhibition explores the history and development of the contemporary keyboard, from first introduction of the typewriter to the development of early touchscreen technology. Featured are 40 vintage objects from the Martin Howard and Buxton-Microsoft Collections.
In-person
exhibition
Key to Type
Oct 19 2019
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Feb 21 2020
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Showcasing Khyari Flooring's newest flooring creations for 2020. Explore the exclusive Reclaimed Collection, new product colours, and their custom Bespoke Collection. In addition, view their stalwart lines, Memories of Versailles and Scandinavia; masterpieces in their own right.
In-person
event: Reception
Khayeri presents 2020 Interior Design Trends in Flooring
Jan 23 2020
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Furniture has the ability to become part of our family. Like family, it is part of our pasts and part of our futures. It has the ability to communicate where we’ve come from and where we want to be.
In-person
window installation
Kin by Karben
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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'Light is Magnetic' is an exhibition that brings together my recent experiments in light sculpture. It will include sculptures that integrate light or reflective elements with other conceptual pieces that explore the connection between light and energy.
In-person
window installation
Light is Magnetic
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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'Light/Room' invites you to experience a collection of custom-made light fixtures by architect/artist Bahareh Atash in its intended space. It takes place in the great room of a recently renovated house by Rostami Atash Atelier.
In-person
exhibition
Light/Room
Jan 18
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Jan 19 2020
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Love Design Party is the official celebration for #CUTMR2020. Join us first for the exhibition party and explore the installations – then drink and dance the night away in the Ballroom with DJ sets from 10pm to 2am.
In-person
event: Party
Love Design Party
Jan 18 2020
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The Gladstone Hotel presents the Love Design Shop, an exciting one-day shopping event during Come Up to My Room curated by Ange-line Tetrault (Founder, Nanange) and featuring a carefully selected group of the best local independent and emerging designers.
In-person
event: Shop
Love Design Shop
Jan 19 2020
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The short film, 'LOWER DREAM STATE', elevates the voices of Baja Californians by revealing the complex social and ecological questions they face. The film raises questions regarding some of the most vital resource extraction industries: salt, copper, and produce.
In-person
exhibition
Lower Dream State
Jan 17
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Jan 30 2020
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Phat Le & Benjamin de Boer reflect on urban hospitality by performing interventions on hostile architecture. Concrete levels uneven surfaces and covers spikes, reducing discomfort. These actions bring attention to the groups occupying spaces, as well as programs set against occupation.
In-person
exhibition
Meditation in Concrete II
Jan 14
–
Jan 27 2020
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Celebrate our 10 year anniversary with new product designs launching by Oji Masanori, Anderssen & Voll, and Thom Fougere. Explore our collaborations produced over the last 10 years, meet the designers, and view the new furniture and accessories.
In-person
exhibition
Mjölk 10 Year Anniversary
Jan 17
–
Jan 25 2020
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Cosentino and George Brown College School of Design (Interactive Media Management program) partnered to design and build an installation blending a physical structure cladded with Cosentino’s ultra compact surface called Dekton integrated with interactive and digital media content.
In-person
exhibition
Monolite
Jan 17
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Jan 24 2020
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The MTHARU design studio’s Speculative Past exhibit displays a retrospect and prospect speculation on leveraging its past to tell the future. This includes a timeline of the designs that started the studio to offering alternative imaginaries based on current research agenda.
In-person
window installation
MTHARU / Speculative Past
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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The evening starts with Aadhe showcasing the fall/winter 2021 collection called Glowing Truths focusing on glow-in-the-dark fabrics, traditional embroidery, and brown truths from south asian society. Then, followed by performances by local artists. Then, ending with a discussion. Performances by: Ekelle, Villian, Raiesa, Mel Rose, Brittany Campbell, Shaili Champ, Catta Lyst, Brandyn Leo, Maya Gabriel, Veronica Antipolo, and King Juelz
In-person
event: Workshop
My Skin is NOT a costume!
Jan 25 2020
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Thrush Holmes steps away from the flat canvas and explores the 3D form in this exciting exhibition presented by New Auction. A large stepped pyramid, or ziggurat, will be created with the addition of a stepped neon installation above mirroring the footprint of the form. Part art, part experience.
In-person
event: Reception
New Auction Presents Thrush Holmes: This is Some Louvre Shit
Jan 17 2020
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Students from the Industrial Design and Graphic Design programs at OCAD University feature their self-authored work in progress through print, interaction design, prototypes, and full scale models. The projects respond to global issues through visual, physical, and interactive outcomes.
In-person
exhibition
Off Course
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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Open Studio 1-2-3 is a combination of three design/make studios (Generator CNC, LUBO Design and Q&A Design) that love to create, collaborate and share what they are doing. Come and meet us in our shared space.
In-person
exhibition
Open Studio 1-2-3
Jan 20
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Jan 24 2020
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Come meet Shawna Tabacznik at her jewellery studio located at Wychwood Barns during the 10th anniversary of DesignTO. Shawna is a Toronto based, award winning jewellery designer and goldsmith specializing in bespoke contemporary jewellery pieces with a modern aesthetic.
In-person
event: Open Studio
Open Studio at Shawna Tabacznik Jewellery
Jan 18 2020
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Through overlapping and intersecting circles, 'Outline' tries to find an elegant and simple way of illustrating our searching and scattering journeys towards ourselves, others and our place in the world. This multi-media project is a window installation constructed from paper, acrylic, and other materials.
In-person
window installation
Outline
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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PATHEOS furniture is a Toronto-based modern, sophisticated sculptural furniture collection founded by sculptor, Theo Willemse and Patricia Thornton.
In-person
exhibition
PATHEOS Sculpture Furniture – Theo Willemse Studio
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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'Paysage de l'intime' is an exhibition showcasing works by eight Canadian jewellery artists. Their work uses the jewellery object as a vehicle for expressing their ideas, thus speaking about their relationship to landscape and nature.
In-person
exhibition
Paysage de l’intime
Jan 17
–
Jan 25 2020
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It's 2020 and we've reached "peak home furnishings." Addressing this idea, local designer Karol Kosnik presents a workshop and presentation on how to optimize your living space using simple design elements. Small space design and functionality at its best.
In-person
event: Talk
Peak Furnishings: Colour, Lights, Cabinetry
Jan 19 2020
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Through digital textiles, this project announces the road as a space of contestation and conflicting memories—every road is charged. Thus, we remember: we “member again,” piecing together fragments from what has transpired to make sense of our present. Project team: Linda Zhang, Biko Mandela Gray and Alisha Kapoor.
In-person
window installation
Phenomenology of the Road
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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‘PLACEHOLDERS’ is a series of work that explores how objects provide support, both in space and in thought, becoming a scaffold upon which meaning is built. They live, amongst people, on people, with people, around people, and through people…
In-person
exhibition
PLACEHOLDERS
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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For one night only, 35 guests will enjoy a dinner catered by The Tempered Room Chef de Cuisine Greg Laird, where every dish, bowl and drinking vessel will be crafted by local ceramicists, glass blowers, sculptors, and artists.
In-person
event: Dinner
PLATED
Jan 18 2020
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In conjunction with the dinner event ‘PLATED’, The Tempered Room hosts an exhibition of local design guest curated by Catherine Osborne, and crafted by Canadian ceramicists, glass blowers, sculptors, and artists.
In-person
exhibition
PLATED at The Tempered Room
Jan 19
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Jan 26 2020
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Students from Ryerson University’s Department of Architectural Science provide provocations on architectural elements through a series of prototypes within the Architecture Building. Showcasing their digital fabrication, physical computing, and parametric design acumen, these installations challenge current notions of architectural interaction.
In-person
exhibition
Production, Prototypes, and Provocations in Digital Tools
Jan 20
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Jan 24 2020
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Inspired by tree-like structure and the experience of light penetrating through tree tops.
In-person
window installation
Pulse
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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A collaboration between a collage artist and a floral designer, 'quiet vignettes' combines both practices to create a subtle — almost evanescent — experience of a balance and poised marriage of two art forms.
In-person
exhibition
quiet vignettes
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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In this exhibition, OCAD U Industrial Design students using the participatory design framework to design bespoke textile goods to be sewn and distributed by Regent Park Sewing Studio as part of their livelihood and towards a future retail space in 2021.
In-person
exhibition
re:LOCATION // an offsite OCADU design course in Regent Park
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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A set of fibre based artworks by Charlotte Blake that incorporates discarded, leftover and upcycled materials.
In-person
window installation
Remnant
Jan 08
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Jan 31 2020
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For Toronto photographer Richard Johnson, large format digital photography is his way of documenting the structures that shape our cultures and communities, and preserving these places in a rapidly shifting world. 'Root Cellars' is Richard’s favourite kind of reveal – to find an understated anthropological occurrence, then document it through repetition.
In-person
exhibition
Root Cellars
Jan 17
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Jan 24 2020
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How does an object influence the way you think, act, and feel? Can it elevate tasks and transform them into ritual moments? What if design could be used to understand the ritual properties of an object? In collaboration with Monocle, Coolican & Company explores the mundane act of putting on shoes.
In-person
window installation
Routine to Ritual
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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A new lighting collection by Concord Custom Lighting. 'Septa' is a series of modular, jewelry-like pieces that can be interconnected and styled into various forms while providing alluring accent illumination.
In-person
exhibition
Septa Collection by Concord Custom Lighting
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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'Signs of Change' envisions and engages with the future culture of Toronto through its signage system. What signs might we see in our future everyday life? What values and ethics will be reflected through those signs? Come design a sign!
In-person
exhibition
SIGNS OF CHANGE
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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Smooshes and Slabs are playful assemblages of glazed and fired ceramic performing as wet clay in the process of being squeezed or formed by cast-off architectural materials and objects of everyday urban life. This body of sculpture is developed by artist and designer, Pamela Nelson.
In-person
exhibition
Smooshes and Slabs
Jan 17
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Jan 31 2020
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Still Life, Life Still is an exploration of the modern gathering designed by Simone Ferkul and Wesley Chau. The exhibit is comprised of domestic furniture and accessories that live within the contexts of social gathering and dining at home.
In-person
exhibition
Still Life, Life Still
Jan 18
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Jan 25 2020
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This annual exhibition of furniture created by the students of OCAD University is now in its ninth year. The show presents original work that explores the role of furniture as a medium for personal expression, as a reflection of social and cultural norms, and as an influence upon human behaviour.
In-person
exhibition
Tables Chairs and Other Unrelated Objects 9
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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A fascinating journey through the history of Polish design! Exhibition includes contemporary and classic designs, as well as popular items Poles have used on a daily basis over the last 100 years. The exhibition is complemented by visual interpretations by 25 talented Polish illustrators.
In-person
exhibition
The ABCs of Polish Design
Jan 18
–
Feb 16 2020
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To excel in the Future of Work, organizations must be brave. Join DesignTO and The Moment to explore how future-oriented organizations are enabling workers, activating organization design, and responding to new trends in the Future of Work as it emerges.
In-person
event: Talk
The Future of Work(ers) in Brave Organizations
Jan 23 2020
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Enjoy a screening of The Garden of Secrets documentary and subsequent panel conversation. Be inspired by how nature-based design strikes the perfect balance between innovation and environmental respect, contributing to the betterment of humanity and a greener future.
In-person
event: Film Screening
The Garden of Secrets: The Future of Sustainable Design
Jan 19 2020
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The goal of the The Rain-barrel and Sub-irrigated Planter Bed Initiative for The Suburban Yard is to encourage homeowners to grow food in their own backyards, and to lead the food growing knowledge movement in Urban areas, building stronger local Urban communities.
In-person
exhibition
The Rain-barrel and Sub-irrigated Planter Bed Initiative for Suburban Yards
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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Visual artist, designer and poet Jessica Hiemstra creates an abstracted paper sky on the ceiling of Toronto’s only all-poetry bookstore, Knife Fork Book.
In-person
exhibition
The Sky is Falling
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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Formed from 3D scans of the Erie Canal, and (de)formed by the canal’s waters, these cast vessels think with the force of water, with the Erie Canal, to tell a story about the cost of “progress” in central New York.
In-person
exhibition
The Story of Water: The Erie Canal as a Site of Untold Stories
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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'Themselves' is an exhibition of furniture and other objects that occupy the space between the boundaries of art and design. The works displayed engage with emerging Metamodernist discourse and oscillate around dominant forms and processes.
In-person
exhibition
Themselves
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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An exhibition of photographs by They Feed off Buildings (TFOB), a design and architecture collective from Berlin, specializing in material research and design. TFOB unites a team with expertise in design, material research, architecture, film, and photography.
In-person
exhibition
They Feed Off Buildings
Jan 17
–
Apr 25 2020
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An evening to celebrate the book, 'Toronto Makes'. Author Randi Bergman talks to makers Coolican & Company, FILO TIMO, Hollis+Morris and Mason Studio (interior design firm behind Kimpton Saint George Hotel). Book signing to follow. Cocktails from 6-7 pm.
In-person
event: Talk
Toronto Makes Panel
Jan 23 2020
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Choose from 3 workshops by makers in the book 'Toronto Makes'. Get your make on in the Kimpton Saint George Hotel’s Northern Suite. Includes bites, sips + signed copy of 'Toronto Makes' by Randi Bergman. Space limited. Rates, details: makejoy.co
In-person
event: Workshop
Toronto Makes Workshops
Jan 23 2020
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Join the Interdisciplinary Design Strategy students at the IwB as they explore how to contribute to the creation of ethical, inclusive, universal, intelligent and sustainable Smart Cities through a multimedia and interactive exhibition.
In-person
exhibition
Toward an Ethical Smart City
Jan 18
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Jan 25 2020
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50,000+ LegoTM bricks in a Habitat67-like fantasy city with 1000 terraced pavilions, illuminated mega-tower and kinetic buildings moving through the landscape. An optimistic assembly of elements that speak to the inherent creativity and ever-evolving nature of cities, skylines and communities.
In-person
window installation
Toying With Utopia
Jan 17
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Feb 02 2020
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Join Mount Dennis BIA to celebrate our neighbourhood in transition. Explore art + design at our former CIBC building: local artist works, pop-up shops including Penguin books, Scotty Graham’s retro-futuristic landmarks of Mount Dennis + more.
In-person
event: Party
TRANSITioning Mount Dennis
Jan 25 2020
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Triga Creative will be opening our studio doors to the Toronto community to share how we have been working to innovate sustainable approaches to performance design and present seed concepts from our inaugural Eco-Design Charrette.
In-person
exhibition
Triga Open Studio
Jan 21
–
Jan 24 2020
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How can architects best respond to the climate crisis? Through directly addressing the frightening realities of climate change, this Toronto Society of Architects forum seeks to identify concrete actions architects can employ immediately to curb the negative effects of the building industry on our planet.
In-person
event: Talk
TSA Urban Affairs Forum: Addressing the Climate Crisis
Jan 21 2020
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Vertical Intersections is an itinerant public installation that consists of a series of vertical gardens with workshops that invite locals into shared public space to grow plants, share stories, and create community.
In-person
exhibition
Vertical Intersections Installation, Workshop & Pok¡ Launch
Jan 18
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Jan 26 2020
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Water remains one of the most important substances on Earth and for DesignTO Festival 2020 the Beauchamp Gallery has curated a collection that harnesses the power, beauty, and energy of water. Works from 20 contemporary artists will explore this essential element.
In-person
exhibition
WaterWorks
Jan 17
–
Jan 26 2020
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Daily Goods Design LABS hosts an event featuring women that are changing the landscape of design through creative uses of materials and technology. Presentations will focus on how to design for the other 1⁄2 of consumers — yes, that’s right, designs for women!
In-person
event: Talk
Women That Make, Create and Innovate
Jan 23 2020
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‘Work/Life’ is an annual exhibition that explores new prototypes for contemporary life, showcasing the work of Canadian designers including Annie Tung Creative, Castor Design, Department of Unusual Certainties, Joseph Zhuang, Keillor MacLeod, Mezzaluna Studio, Mickey LaForge, Plural, Radical Norms, and Studio Node.
In-person
exhibition
Work/Life
Jan 17
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Jan 26 2020
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How do you feel when someone tells you how lucky you are to be successful when you worked so hard to achieve your success? Come explore how the vocabulary we use can affect someone’s perception of their own achievements.
In-person
exhibition
You’re So Lucky!
Jan 18
–
Jan 19 2020
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'ᖃᓪᓗᓈᖅᑕᐃᑦ ᓯᑯᓯᓛᕐᒥᑦ Printed Textiles from Kinngait Studios' presents the little-known story of a group of Inuit artists and printmakers who produced a collection of graphic textiles in Kinngait (Cape Dorset, Nunavut) in the 1950s and 60s  — a period of social change that disrupted traditional language and relationships to the land.
In-person
exhibition
ᖃᓪᓗᓈᖅᑕᐃᑦ ᓯᑯᓯᓛᕐᒥᑦ Printed Textiles from Kinngait Studios
Jan 07
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Aug 30 2020
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