Design Green pt. 1 : Introduction
October 28, 11:15-12:00

From products to buildings to communications, designers have a crucial effect on the environment but are we playing the leadership role that would give designers the credibility and respect they so much want from clients? In the first of two back-to-back interactive sessions organized by Ontario’s Design Industry Advisory Committee (DIAC), a panel of prominent designers discusses the issue of designing green. What does it mean? Are we doing enough? If not, why not? What are the barriers to change? How can designers take the lead on Designing Green in the public realm? This is an opportunity to engage in a cross-disciplinary discussion on one of the most crucial challenges facing the design sector in the 21st century.

The session is facilitated by Arlene Gould R.G.D., Strategic Director for DIAC and Adjunct Professor at York U.

Panel Participants:
Jonathan Loudon - Managing Partner, Cooler Solutions
Bernard Hellen R.G.D. - President, traffic marketing + design
Janna Levitt - Partner, Levitt Goodman Architects
Sandra Lester - Senior Interior Designer, Sustainable Design Area Leader HOK Toronto Dr.
Rudi Meyer - Chair (Associate Professor), Division of Design Nova Scotia College of Art and Design

Design Green pt. 2 : A call to action
October 28, 12:15-1:00

Designers can lead their clients to adopt more sustainable behaviours. In fact, with the significant progress made on the green technology front, behaviour change is now the number one challenge for the environmental movement. In the second of two back-to-back interactive sessions organized by Ontario’s Design Industry Advisory Committee (DIAC), our panel of prominent designers issues a Call to Action for communications designers everywhere. What can and should designers be doing? How can designers inspire and enable their clients to take bo†h incremental and larger steps towards Designing Green on every project? What are the case studies to inspire us all? How can designers from various disciplines work together to establish a leadership role? This is an opportunity to engage in a cross-disciplinary discussion on one of the most crucial challenges facing the design sector in the 21st century.

The session is facilitated by Arlene Gould R.G.D., Strategic Director for DIAC and Adjunct Professor at York U.

Panel Participants:
Jonathan Loudon - Managing Partner, Cooler Solutions
Bernard Hellen R.G.D. - President, traffic marketing + design
Janna Levitt - Partner, Levitt Goodman Architects
Sandra Lester - Senior Interior Designer, Sustainable Design Area Leader HOK Toronto Dr.
Rudi Meyer - Chair (Associate Professor), Division of Design Nova Scotia College of Art and Design

Design Business: Open Source Branding
October 28, 2:30-3:15

A brand has the potential to become a company's greatest asset, and should be managed with extreme care. But, in the age of the prosumer, the future of each brand is increasingly in the hands of its users. The challenges that face brand designers have changed. Have we? Industry leaders discuss effective brand building in the 21st century.

This interactive session is hosted by Gary Ludwig R.G.D., Creative Director, Interbrand Canada.

Panel Participants:
Peter Haywood, Principal, Industry Brand Agency
Eli Singer, Independent Social Media and Brand Strategy Consultant
Scott Christie, Partner / Creative Director, Pylon Design; Chairman, ADCC
Dominic Ayre, Associate, Hambly & Woolley

Design Pioneers
October 29, 11:15-12:00

Though not very well documented, the communication design discipline in Canada can be traced back to the early 1960s, when some of Canada’s first stand alone “graphic design firms,” were founded in Toronto. Who were the design pioneers of the time? And what were their stories? In tandem with the return of the Cdot Design Pioneers Exhibit, the story of how Canadian design evolved will be told by the design pioneers themselves.

This session is hosted by Errol Saldanha, organizer of Cdot.

Panel Participants:
Carl Brett - Designer
Louis Fishauf - Art Director, Toronto Life Magazine
Burton Kramer R.G.D. Emeritus - Artist
Laurie Lewis - Editor & Art Director, Vista Magazine
Frank Newfeld - Designer/Illustrator/ Educator (retired) & Author

For more details, visit www.communicationdesigners.org

This session is hosted by Errol Saldanha, organizer of Cdot.

Panel Participants:
Alan Krpan - Creative Director, Riordon Design
Chris Landry - Student, OCAD & Designer, Overdrive Design
Gary Ludwig R.G.D. - Creative Director, Interbrand Canada
Will Novosedlik - Founding Partner, Chemistry
James Wilson R.G.D. - Principal, Overdrive Design
Keith Rushton - OCAD Professor, Chair of Graphic Design, Faculty of Design, Chair, Academic Council at OCAD

The Committee’s mandate includes reviewing RGD Ontario practices and processes and advising on how RGD can be more responsible environmentally and socially. The mandate also includes advising on sustainability and corporate social responsibility issues so that RGD Ontario and designers can take a leadership role on this issue within the business community.

With the goal of making positive impacts in our communities, we invite you to bring your energy to the Green jam and share your ideas, your voice and your opinions on how we can make your Association and DesignThinkers 2009 more sustainable. Join us for this experimental and fully participatory jam session and brainstorm with other committed members of the design community.

© Copyright 2008 The Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario

This collection was produced with financial assistance from Canada's Digital Collections Initiative, Industry Canada.