The decommissioning of the Scarborough Rapid Transit presents a unique, once-in-a-generation opportunity. Rather than spending millions to dismantle and demolish the infrastructure, we have the chance to transform it into a community asset that supports inclusive economies, sustainable mobility, local arts and culture, and healthy recreational spaces.
Achievements: Refreshed the organization’s brand and identity through a collaborative design process resulting in a new logo and cohesive branding package. Introduced the tagline ‘Impact by Design’ to clearly reflect our mission and values.
What if, instead of spending hundreds of millions to tear down the Scarborough Rapid Transit (SRT) infrastructure, we transformed it into a vibrant and iconic community space that fosters local arts and culture, promotes sustainable mobility, provides healthy recreational options and supports inclusive local economies?
We live and breathe design, and instinctively know its value. In a resource focused economy like Canada’s, how do we make sure that the sector gets the recognition and support it needs? How can we better represent design in Ontario? Hear from DIAC’s Strategic Director and a panel of experts about the work done so far, plans for the future, and how a bold new graphic identity has been developed to help the mission.
The ZipGarden™ is a small hydroponic system for homes, schools, and small businesses that easily grows herbs, decorative plants, leafy greens, and fruiting plants. Building upon the success of their patented ZipGrow Towers and Farm Wall™ system for DIY growers, ZipGrow Inc. recognized the opportunity to introduce a more aesthetic solution to the consumer market while utilizing the same technology.
The Design Industry Advisory Committee (DIAC), in its 21st year, continued to seek to bring an integrated design perspective to industry and public sector initiatives to improve economic, social, and environmental outcomes. The Committee works to enable other industries to utilize the problem-solving skills of our local design workforce to improve business results.
Launchpad was developed by Artscape to help bridge the gap that exists between the tremendous cultural and economic value artists’ ideas contribute to society and what creative people earn for their work. Whether helping to ease the transition between post-secondary and self-employment or supporting a creative business to scale up, we help creatives succeed on their own terms.
After 2 years and 3 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, there remains a need for fast and accurate virus tests at point of need. MicroGEM, a medical technology company based in Charlottesville, Virginia, has developed the first point of care PCR saliva test to be authorized by the FDA for emergency use in the US.
Tommy Thompson Park has a new front gate. The beloved linear walkway and bike path on the Waterfront was created by the building of the Leslie Street Spit in the early 1950s. Recently, to add to the functionality of the park, the City of Toronto commissioned DTAH, the multidisciplinary Toronto-based design firm, to create an entrance pavilion and entry landscape to house an educational support space and public washrooms.
Now that people are returning to the office and spending more time in public spaces, they have concerns about how often and how thoroughly surfaces such as door knobs, buttons, levers and handles are sanitized. HandSandal is a simple hand hygiene device designed by Design 1st that allows for zero-contact with potentially contaminated surfaces in public environments.
In 2020, the Design Industry Advisory Committee (DIAC) developed a Framework to explore critical impacts of design. These impacts apply to all types of projects across all of the design disciplines. DIAC decided to demonstrate these impacts by focusing on design interventions in Placemaking. Successful Placemaking involves a focus on economic prosperity, social wellbeing and environmental sustainability – the fundamental principles of all good design. DIAC wanted to understand how specific design interventions create positive impacts that can be assessed and measured and how these impacts can be applied to other Placemaking projects.
Daan Roosegaarde is a Rotterdam-based designer and innovator whose work exists at the intersection of art, science and design. His installations in the public realm often have an environmental theme. In 2019 Roosegaarde started work on a technical design to sanitize the air in public spaces. With the start of the pandemic the development of the project, called Urban Sun, took on a new urgency.
As soon as the pandemic hit last year, industrial designer Kevin Mar was on a video call with a number of his colleagues, a braintrust of people who wanted to help. They considered developing a locally-made ventilator but they quickly realized that designing this complex medical device would need to involve close collaboration with health care and engineering professionals. This project was just too complex to take on at the time.
DIAC has published a booklet that explores the tools that designers use in helping their clients to improve innovation results and overall business success.
