Northern Design Report
by Todd Falkowsky

In a space between Europe and America, design is thriving in Canada.

There is a potent and wonderful backdrop that colours the lives of Canadians--the omni-present influence of nature. This fundamental life force dominates our communities while providing life-altering experiences that are unique to each of us. Nature binds us together as a nation, yet defines us as individuals as we spread ourselves across the vastness of this country. It is this same ability to create unique experiences that has enabled Canadian designers to excel at product design. They are carving their identities from their ability to offer a defining moment for their product users. And their presence is being felt within the international community where the heritage of design has been dominated by both Europe and the USA.

Nature, in fact, provides an interesting analogy for illustrating how Canada's cultural industries are positioned in relationship to the global competition. Canadian designers are quickly becoming a moving force whose effects are increasingly being felt by the international design community. To fully appreciate and understand this relationship, a model from nature will help.

Consider an ecosystem--a forest with its splendor and complex life, or a desert with its austere horizon and silence. Now imagine the space between these systems, the tiny space, the patch where these two ecosystems meet and collide. This tiny strip of terrain is called an ecotone, a space that conforms to neither of its external forces, no matter how powerful their heritage. This space exists, as environmentalist Paul Hawken writes, "at the grace of the two larger ecosystems." Marginal plant and animal life become genuine edge species in this small but vital space. The absorbing hinge with these edge zones is their impact on their larger neighbors. In the event that one of the ecosystems experiences a sudden change--say spikes in climate or degradation--it is the edge ecotone that "will provide the means by which the environment will establish a new equilibrium" and secure a fresh lease on life.

In the same vein, Canadian designers have defined their cultural ecotone in not only pushing back the existing boundaries defined by historical powerhouses, but by stepping forward as the advocates for design to redirect itself in a human way that offers unique experiences.

This model reminds us that meaningful change most often comes from the edge of our culture. And design industries are no different. Cultural definition and meaningful design variance consistently emerge from the margins. Everything from hip-hop to snowboarding to fashion design is generated from the ecotones of society. While the mainstream design industries struggle with the shallowness of styling, identity and value, the fringe abounds with cultural survival and discovery. This is the very soul, the essence, and the power of the edge. Canada, as the bridge between the powerful economies of America and the rich cultural industries of Europe, occupies this ecotone space and ably generates an enormous amount of edge activity. In this rapidly changing world, it is the global culture creators who can learn from the success stories in Canada.

Umbra Ltd., a Toronto-based manufacturer, has consistently established design as the cornerstone of a solid business platform: European style married to the business model of mass production. Under the leadership of Paul Rowan, Umbra has become the model of how the sensitively designed product can successfully be retailed. Unlike its competition, who struggle when the market swings, Umbra has not fallen into the design-as-luxury trap. Instead, and in true Canadian fashion, Umbra has positioned design as a benefit accessible to everyone. Here, design has returned to humanist values, reminding us that it can be democratic and inclusive. With these values in place, Umbra has become a magnet for international designers; a company focused on the delivery of designer's voices to the buying public.

The Canadian design scene accommodates and celebrates a truly edge mentality, and with the support of its manufacturers, designers and artists are able weld content to product. Douglas Coupland, a global content provider, has regularly used design as the vehicle for his vision, as his recently staged "make furniture, not war" demonstration in Vancouver confirms. To maintain Coupland's and others artistic visions, Pure design relies on short production runs as a method to introduce variety to their lines, and to offer custom products. Studios and small companies rely on this batch production to throw variety and attitude into the mix of the mainstream. As Coupland declares, Canada "should be making kickass furniture that wipes Ikea off the map. Anything less than this is national failure."

The enviable outlet of Lolah has become the media go-to when examples of product innovation and design quality are needed. This position was cemented with their debut at the 2002 International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in NewYork where the collection brought home the prestigious editors award. Springing from this accomplishment, the media and press have now begun to take Canadian design seriously and have turned their lens North. Thoroughly fringe, and with its content intact, this Canadian design company has become what Metropolis Magazine called "the next wave" in design. Their strategy and methods are truly unique and the results have echoed through the furniture sector.

Todd Falkowsky is an internationally known product designer and design educator. This year he has relocated his studio from Milan to Toronto and has been busy working as a Professor at OCAD and managing his clients, which include Camper and Adbusters Magazine amongst others.