January is a busy time for the architecture and design community in Toronto. Despite the cold, thousands turn out to attend a wide range of parties, talks, and exhibitions taking place in hundreds of venues across the city between January 20th and 29th, 2023, during the DesignTO Festival. Why? It’s design week in Toronto, and there is inspiration, information, and fun to be had by everyone.

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DesignTO is Canada’s largest design festival and has been celebrating all-things-design for 13 years. Taking place in venues across Toronto, the 10-day festival presents over 100 exhibitions and events featuring ambitious design ideas that respond to social justice and equity, climate crisis and waste, and city building. From debate-igniting speaking engagements to delightful window installations, from dining events to craft exhibitions, DesignTO engages local and international visitors with countless examples of personal expression and big-picture problem-solving. 

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There’s also a ton of fun to be had. Below we’ve cherry-picked eight hot ticket speaking events and parties that you will not want to miss. 

BAIDA x Frontier Design – Building Up Black Futures

6 pm to 8 pm, Thursday, January 26th

Centre for Social Innovation - Annex, 720 Bathurst Street

The Black Architects and Interior Designers Association (BAIDA) is a non-profit organization that aims to support diversity, equity, and inclusion in the profession of architecture and interior design. Working with Frontier, a creative exploration company, BAIDA has reimagined its future. This panel, featuring the founders of BAIDA and Frontier, will discuss the past five years of the organization and what the future holds. 

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Dundas Square Barbers by NIVEK REMAS Launch Party

6 pm to 10 pm, Wednesday, January 25th

Dundas Square Barbers, 19 Dundas Square

Celebrate the 2023 DesignTO Festival with interior design duo Kevin Chan and Samer Shaath of NIVEK REMAS at their award-winning project, Dundas Square Barbers. Completed in 2021, the modest in size, yet impressive in style barbershop is the only independent business located on Dundas Square with a completely original design and service. 

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How Do You Design a Feeling?

7 pm to 9 pm, Tuesday, January 24th

Ace Hotel Toronto, 51 Camden Street

This intimate panel discussion explores the invisible and necessary design component we cannot see, but can certainly feel: emotion. Led by Sarah Di Domenico, co-founder of creative brand agency Wedge, and featuring Brigitte Shim, principal of Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, this conversation unpacks the senses, personal choices, and other considerations required to spark emotion. 

King East Design District (KEDD) Party 

6 pm to 9 pm, Friday, January 27th

Various venues along King Street East

Join DesignTO for a celebration of design and community along Toronto’s original design mile, King East. Structured as a roaming neighbourhood party anchored by four Party Hubs, the KEDD Party brings together hundreds of designers and design lovers. Featured designers, installations, food, drink, and entertainment will be had at each Party Hub.

Mason Studio x Goodee: In Conversation

6 pm to 8 pm, Tuesday, January 24th

Mason Studio, 91 Pelham Avenue

Join Goodee and Mason Studio’s Ashley Rumsey and Stanley Sun in an idea-igniting conversation on creating a model for tomorrow that is inclusive of humanity and our planet. In an inspiring space, the two design studios will explore how design can be used as a tool for circularity, social equality, and corporate responsibility and opportunity. 

ROM After Dark: DesignTO

7:30 pm to 11:30 pm, Friday, January 20th

Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park

Join DesignTO and the wider art, architecture, and design community at the Festival’s kick-off event. The party, hosted by the ROM in their Daniel Libeskind–designed building, promises an immersive experience with curated music, visual arts, pop-up performances, and distinctive food and drink. Well-suited for adults looking for a fun, art-driven night out amongst dinosaurs, artefacts, and the museum’s latest design exhibition, Canadian Modern.

STACKABL x The Lobby by Heaps Estrin

5:30 pm to 8 pm, Friday, January 20th

The Lobby by Heaps Estrin, 1120 Yonge Street

STACKABL is an innovative tech system for designing custom lighting and furniture without waste. It is the brainchild of the multidisciplinary design studio, STACKLAB, and its gallery partner, Maison Gerard. STACKABL presents six in-house-configured pendants and will host a conversation about the circular economy and the future of collectable design. 

United by Design, Detroit x Toronto: A tale of two design cities

5 pm to 8 pm, Wednesday, January 25th

Cambria Gallery, 91 Parliament Street, Toronto

Design Core Detroit and Cambria will facilitate a lively conversation highlighting designers who are actively practising internationally from Detroit and Toronto, two UNESCO-designated cities. This event will touch on what the designation means for the sustainable aspects of sourcing regional talent, materials, and products, and the shared experiences these two creative capitals have.

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