DesignTO’s mission is to curate exhibitions, presentations and educational programming to increase the public’s knowledge and appreciation of design and its role in creating a sustainable, just and joyful world.
Much of our 2024 Festival programming is joyful, embracing community and connection, care, wellbeing and of course celebration! Read on to learn about the events, exhibitions and window installations bringing joy to the 2024 Festival.
A room is a home, is a playground
Exhibition, Jan 26-28, 2024
‘A room is a home, is a playground’ is a site-specific event championing fun by design, led by Studio Rat and produced by Ace Hotel Toronto. From January 26 through 28, Interspace becomes a playground, quite literally, of wonder.
Around Strange Phool’s Tablescape
Event – Dinner, Jan 23, 2024, 7:00-11:30pm
Mimosa Haque, a Bangladeshi-Canadian artist, explores otherworldly gardenscapes under the moniker Strange Phool. On January 23, Ace Hotel Toronto will serve a three-course dinner while she sets an intricate tablescape inspired by nature’s imperfections and the architectural elements of the hotel.
At what point does irrational thought become rational?
Exhibition, Jan 19-28, 2024
‘At what point does irrational thought become rational?’ is an attempt to present the process of a reoccurring action in sculptural form with over 100 discarded/found chairs.
Beyond Wada In Bloom
Exhibition, Jan 19-28, 2024
‘Beyond Wada in Bloom’ is where colour and nature merge. Join local artist Shayla Bond in immersing yourself amidst cascading hues that mirror foliage and flora amidst an urban winter. Explore this vibrant window installation at Promise Supply for the 2024 DesignTO Festival.
BoomBoom
Exhibition, Jan 19-28, 2024
‘BoomBoom’ is an interactive, heart-shaped installation by Gensler crafted from recycled mesh and programmed lighting. It serves as a focal point for community engagement and provides a warm winter escape for the Yonge + St. Clair neighbourhood.
Bubble Wall: Special Edition
Exhibition, Jan 19-28, 2024
‘Bubble Wall’ is an interactive art installation by Chaimi Design Collective that collects moments, feelings, and thoughts of individuals and tries to find the thing that connects us all. Scan each bubble to read about others and share about yourself.
Connect & Collaborate: A Design Salon
Event – Workshop, Jan 27, 2024, 2:00pm – 4:00pm
A 2-hour salon-style intimate gathering designed to help you meaningfully connect with fellow design enthusiasts, share your work and ideas, and be open to possible future creative collaborations.
Crystal Abyss: Secrets of the Deep
Exhibition, Jan 19-Feb 1, 2024
‘Crystal Abyss: Secrets of the Deep’ is a short 3D animation by Emily Switzer that takes us on a journey through the darkest depths of the oceans to meet the playful and spooky cast of deep-sea animals that calls the abyss their home.
Design Collection Opening Party @ STACKT
Event – Party, Jan 20, 2024, 6:00pm-10:30pm
Celebrate 12+ exhibitions and installations from designers at Stackt Market with a free opening party. Enjoy a special interactive exhibition in the Studio with a bar and music.
DesignTO Launch Party 2024
Event – Party, Jan 19, 2024, 7:00-11:00pm
Kick off the 14th 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 purpose to bring people together to design a better future.
DesignTO Tours: Space & Sanctuary
Event – Tour, Jan 28, 2024, 2:00-3:00pm
This walking tour invites you to take a closer look at three installations on display in the Yonge + St. Clair neighbourhood, with firsthand insight from the artists and designers behind the projects.
Golden Beauty Supply
Exhibition, Jan 19-28, 2024
Part artistic intervention, part hair salon, Ehiko Odeh’s installation will be an abstracted version of Golden Beauty Supply, an institution of Black haircare and beauty in Toronto, located at 860 Bathurst Street
Great Friends
Exhibition, Jan 19-28, 2024
‘Great Friends’ is a collection of oversized friendship bracelets by Laura Carwardine, which play on the nostalgia of making and exchanging bracelets with friends. The increased size allows for easier appreciation of the details and brings vibrant patterns and colours into interior spaces.
Ideas Forum: Architecture of Imagined Spaces
Event – Talk, Jan 23, 2024 12:00pm-1:00pm
Organized by DesignTO in partnership with the Toronto Society of Architects, ‘Ideas Forum: Architecture of Imagined Spaces’ features five fast-paced presentations exploring the intersection of real and virtual built environments.
ILLUMINATE at Harbourfront Centre
Exhibition, Jan 19 – Apr 28, 2024
ILLUMINATE at Harbourfront Centre presents three exhibitions: ‘Revisiting Sycorax’ brings to light the unseen character from Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’; ‘On Any Given Day II’ debuts four artists-in-residence; and ‘Everyday Lighting II’ presents works incorporating delicate and bright illumination.
Jugando a Sanar
Window Installation, Jan 22-31, 2024
‘Jugando a Sanar’ is a series of sculptural pieces that explore themes of childhood trauma and dopamine decor and their relationship to each other. Nadira expresses her innermost feelings by incorporating objects and memories of her childhood into her art.
Journey Through Geometry
Exhibition, Jan 22-28, 2024
Safoura Zahedi presents ‘Journey Through Geometry’, an immersive installation exhibition that explores geometry as a spiritual design tool and invites people to contemplate, connect, and partake in a spatial meditation.
Juliet: A Journey From Verona
Exhibition, Jan 19-27, 2024
‘Juliet: A Journey from Verona’ celebrates the passion, innovation, and artistry of product design. The installation showcases the creative process of the ‘Juliet’ seating collection as designed by REPUBLIC OF II BY IV in collaboration with Suite 22.
Just Can’t Get It Together
Window Installation, Jan 19-28, 2024
‘Just Can’t Get It Together’ is an installation by Brenda Mabel Reid of soft building materials, including OSB, plywood and bricks, alongside real-life construction tools. The work explores playfulness and humour through a silly construction site while considering barriers to housing and self-determined spaces.
Lîla Chair by Eric Zdancewicz
Exhibition, Jan 19-28, 2024
On display at Peach Boy, the ‘Lîla Chair’ is a colourful and friendly reminder to remain curious, flexible, and nurture our childlike intuition.
LOOK
Window Installation, Jan 19-28, 2024
Sharl G. Smith is a Waterloo-based sculptor and former architectural professional, working primarily with bead-stitching as a means of exploring her identity, global themes of equity and care-based value systems.
Look Up!
Window Installation, Jan 19-28, 2024
‘Look Up!’ is an immersive installation by Casey Watson consisting of multi-coloured balloons, creating a celebration for the senses. This installation represents a future of optimism, imagination and reflection and explores the theme of play which is often neglected in daily life.
Lucid Ideas
Exhibition, Jan 19 – Feb 16, 2024
Showcasing the work of designers from Canada and abroad, ‘Lucid Ideas’ is a group prototype exhibition exploring translucency through concept, material and form.
Mjölk
Exhibition, Jan 25-31, 2024
Mjölk is proud to present three new works being debuted during DesignTO: an art glass vase by Luca Nichetto made in Murano, Italy and a wall lamp and sofa by Thom Fougere made in Canada.
Nature’s Child
Exhibition, Jan 19-28, 2024
Representing the spirit of Mother Nature’s child, this 12-foot-tall installation by Mike Geiger serves as a playful reminder that our relationship with nature can not only be harmonious, but also filled with a sense of fun, light-heartedness, and optimism.
Nourish
Exhibition, Jan 19-28, 2024
Mason Studio’s Cultural Hub is a space to sit, eat and connect around a dish present across cultures: the dumpling. Cooking demonstrations, talks and a gallery exhibition presents an experience to Nourish us all through the unifying power of food.
Oasis Skateboard Factory x Queer Skate Jam Pop Up Shop
Event, Jan 25, 2024, 6:00pm-8:00pm
The Oasis Skateboard Factory presents their end of semester student brand showcase and pop-up shop. Shop student designed skateboards, t-shirts, hats stickers as well as a limited edition apparel collaboration with Queer Skate Jam.
Pola Lighting Collection
Exhibition, Jan 19-28, 2024
Anony’s latest lighting collection, ‘Pola’, is equal parts light and heavy, hard and soft. Warm light throws softness on steel that has been rolled from a sheet into a glowing arc.
Pretty Secrets — PS: I<3U
Exhibition, Jan 19-28, 2024
Pretty Secrets is a cheeky invitation into the desires of a dozen international emerging designers. Pulling inspiration from personal cultural diasporic craft techniques and material relationships, they believe the future of design is in peering backwards while looking forwards.
Repetition and Rupture
Window Installation, Jan 19-28, 2024
Klara VY’s work is guided by her passion for graphic design and architecture, and blends geometric patterns and bold colours. At V de V, two pieces from her series ‘Repetition and Rupture’ – an exploration of the familiar and the unpredictable.
Window Installation, Jan 19-Mar 3, 2024
A perfect exhibition to see if you love the place where craft, design and artistry overlap, glass design company The Goodman Studio launches ‘Ribbon’, a collection of handblown glass “ribbons” with integrated lighting in a multitude of colours.
Ripple: A Wearable Environment
Exhibition, Jan 19-28, 2024
‘Ripple: A Wearable Environment’ is an experimental large-scale textile installation by Deanna Armenti that explores subspace. Within the kink community, subspace has been explained as a meditative, dream-like state that feels like floating in water which is experienced when engaging in BDSM scenes.
Window Installation, Jan 19-28, 2024
A window chock-full of experimental risograph-printed graphic design on hand-folded paper cubes. Filling the space with geometry, colour and joy, the installation introduces viewers to the new spirit of printing and analog processes from Vikki Wiercinski of Mezzaluna Studio.
SHEEEP Radio: DesignTO Festival Edition
Event – Talk, Jan 27, 2024, 4:00-5:30pm
To kick off the second season of SHEEEP Radio’s EX•PER•I•MENT•ER•S, join DesignTO for an open discussion with two mid-career and two emerging designers as they reflect on the realities of their design practices within and outside of architecture.
The Feels
Exhibition, Jan 19-28, 2024
This exhibition of ceramics and paintings by Talie Shalmon aims to communicate complex feelings, using the limitations of abstraction. These works are inspired by nature and explore shape, pattern and bold use of colour. The collection features paintings, ceramic vessels, bowls and necklaces.
THE SHAPES OF LIFE
Exhibition, Jan 17 – Feb 10, 2024
The Local Gallery presents ‘THE SHAPES OF LIFE’. Through geometry, bold colours and dynamic compositions, this art exhibit will bring back our childhood curiosity and make us look at geometric art with a renewed sense of fun and adventure.
Urban Visuals Open Studio
Event – Party, Jan 26, 2024, 7:00pm-10:00pm
Join Urban Visuals for a dynamic mixer designed to spark connections and collaborative opportunities among designers, architects, and new media artists. This event is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of conventional design paradigms and fostering innovation.
Winter at The Bentway
Exhibition, Dec 16-Feb 19, 2024
Winter is back at The Bentway, and with it a new installation as part of the annual Transform the Trail program! Neighbours and fun-seekers are invited to join for ice skating, the return of our signature Polar Bear Skate, free workshops, family programming, art, and more.
This is just a select few of over 100 free window installations, exhibitions and events at the 2024 DesignTO Festival, January 19-28, 2024. Visit the Festival Schedule to learn more.
