Museum of Vancouver invites Vancouverites to explore and celebrate innovation in action. 25 designers stationed throughout the museum’s galleries, discuss their work during Why I Design.

Why I Design spotlights the process of invention. This year’s Why I Design pays particular attention to Social Impact through design strategies of upcycling and repurposed materials.  Participating designers will engage you with stories behind the development of everyday technologies and cool things you’ve never seen before. You can ask the designers—ranging from those emerging their careers to innovative leaders in international corporations—what motivates them, how they do what they do, and why Vancouver inspires them to keep doing it.

This isn’t an art display or trade show. Why I Design provides an alternative to standard presentations by breaking down walls between disciplines and between designers and the public. It’s an opportunity to interact with the designers of the products and environments that shape your life. The participating designers represent enormously diverse creativity. Come see their latest ideas and developments!

Date: Saturday, November 3, 2018

Time: 7:00pm -11:00pm

Admission: $18 Advance | $23 General Admission + At the Door | $18 MOV Members 

Ticket includes FREE admission to our afternoon Panel Discussion. See below for info. Ticket additionally includes free admission to our feature exhibitions Haida Now, and Wild Things: The Power of Nature in our Lives between 10am and 5pm on November 3 (Reg. $20).

Advance ticket price ends November 1 at 5pm. Prices to do not include GST.

Why I Design: Theories of Change Panel Discussion.

As a complement to the Why I Design showcase MOV has assembled a dynamic group of cutting edge local designers to discuss relevant themes in local design communities. Moderated by Pietra Basilij this forum will explore contemporary issues confronting emerging and mid-career designers of Vancouver. Design processes and repurposing, the role of storytelling and theories of change and role of materiality in shaping business process and models are concerns explored by our astute panel. A Q&A will follow.

Our panel features: Wendy Youds of Mountain Equipment Co-op, Richard Evans of evans architecture, Lukas Holy of Hapa Collaborative Landscape Architecture and Urban Design and Michael Host of mth woodworks.

Date: Saturday November 3, 2018

Time: 1:00pm – 3:00pm

Admission: Free with Why I Design evening program ticket. $12.00 without.

Wendy Youds is Senior Director of Product Design, MEC. She leads the MEC Private Label in-house design & production teams and is responsible for the design evolution of the Label’s new collections showcasing MECs design identity, philosophy and DNA which launches in Spring 2019. Wendy has worked for Global Brands; Dr Martens, NEXT and Lululemon. Wendy leads a discussion on New Product Development at Queens University as part of their annual Marketing MBA program. Originally from the UK, Wendy spent 9 years living in Hong Kong, working closely with over 100 manufacturers across the Asia region. She has worked in Monaco and Cape Town and in 2012 her work led her to Canada and Lululemon as their Director of Product Development until she joined MEC in January 2017. She now calls Whistler home.

Richard Evans' professional journey began in 1986 as an intern with Arthur Erickson Architects’ Vancouver office. After a two-year contract with the then called Department of Indian Affairs, he co-founded Marceau Evans Johnson Architects in 1991, and then in 2008 created Evans Architecture. EA continues to be First Nation community focused; developing culturally relevant projects in close co-operation with users remains a strong core interest. Richard has lived in a housing cooperative in False Creek South since 1986, and was instrumental in creating *RePlan, a community group that is focused on the renewal of a neighborhood that is recognized worldwide as an example of successful urban design by partnering with the City of Vancouver to achieve long-term land leases in the area.

Michael Host is Principal of mth woodworks, a Vancouver Canada-based functional art and design company founded in 2010. Nestled at the foot of the coastal mountains, and inspired by the majestic trees of BC's forests our goal is to translate this experience into functional furniture and artwork. Eco-sustainable salvage techniques and a heavy focus on material, sparks continual product evolution.

Lukas Holy is a designer with Hapa Collaborative Landscape Architecture and Urban Design. A landscape architectural graduate from the University of British Columbia, Lukas brings diverse experience in landscape architecture projects, landscape planning and public engagement. Over the past 3 years, Lukas facilitated the design and implementation of Vancouver’s first non-profit sponsored parklet while a designer at Projects in Place Society. This community-led design of a small public space was funded through Upcycle Vancouver. The project tested the use of reclaimed building material and the necessary collaboration within the local deconstruction community.

Pietra Basilij, Sustainable Community Development, Vancouver Economic Commission. Pietra’s research and policy work centers around addressing industrial land issues, enabling a more circular economy, and developing meaningful economic development metrics. She led the creation of the Flats Economic Development Strategy, and has overseen the development of Vancouver’s first Industrial Concierge Service. In addition, she has designed, funded, and managed a number of programs and projects contributing to the development of Vancouver’s impact economy, including the Flats Climate Action Program, Upcycle Vancouver, and Startup City Impact. She has a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University and a Master of Landscape Architecture from UBC.

Designer Highlights

Patrick Stewart, Architect: Luugigyoo Patrick Reid Stewart is principal of Patrick R. Stewart Architect, focusing on Indigenous projects. He is Giskahaast of Wilp Daxaan, Git Gingolx of the Nisga’a Nation. Patrick is also a writer, homelessness activist and Adjunct Professor at McEwen School of Architecture. He is a co-editor of, Our Voices: Indigeneity and Architecture (2018). Luugigyoo has a PhD from the University of British Columbia and is an exhibiting architect with UNCEDED at the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale. He is Chair of the Indigenous Task Force for the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and Chair of the BC Provincial Aboriginal Homelessness Committee.  http://www.patrickstewartarchitect.com/

Yael Stav, Invivo Design: Invivo Design is a multidisciplinary design and consultancy studio. Invivo’s undertakings include sustainability and green building consultations, sustainable design and education project management, vertical gardening design, as well as workshops and courses of urban sustainability topics. https://www.invivo-design.com/

Cydney Eva, Pattern Nation: PatternNation is a collaborative and inclusive platform aimed at connecting artists who embrace bold colour and pattern globally. Founded by Vancouver based artist and designer Cydney Eva Pattern in 2015, PatternNation is currently co-directed by partners Cyd Eva and Costa Besta a Durban South Africa artist, designer and musician. Working between Canada, South Africa and internationally PatternNation offers ungendered one of a kind clothing/jewelry, freestyle pattern murals, Blob interactive play sculptures, interior design, workshops for youth, art/ dance films, fashion editorial shoots, events and live performances. Keep it Colourful!  http://www.pattern-nation.com/