News & Blogs
So, we’ve wrapped up our Pepsi Refresh contests and while we did not win the money, we actually do accomplish so much more. The “little community that could” and the Greenhouse idea were promoted to friends, family, communities, neighbourhoods, office networks and a multitude of other organizations. In the hours after finding out we did not win, there were so many emails that circulated congratulating everyone on such a great job done. I won’t lie, more than 1 tear came to my eye as I was reading them. If there was an award for the most heart, we most definitely would have won.
http://www.tumblr.com/images/input_bg.gif); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffffff; line-height: 1.4; font-weight: normal; background-position: 50% 0%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; padding: 0px;">
We know you’ve heard enough, but we’re giving it one last push.
Suited up with 35 pounds of gear on my back, waterproof and quick dry materials in different shades of earth tones, and of course, bandana hanging off the back of my larger than life pack, I set off last week on an 80 kilometer, 8 day backcountry hiking trip into the Canadian wild of the La Cloche Mountains. Upon embarking on this venture, the proud British Columbian in me declared that upon completion – if I finished this adventure (of which I have never done anything of the sort) I would proudly hold dual province-ship to Ontario, a place where I have now lived
The enjoyment of wine and beer dates back thousands of years and holds a special place in many hearts. It’s no wonder that the design of wineries and breweries have an almost sacred reverence to them. The enjoyment of the beverage often takes place among family and friends so it is no wonder that many events, such as weddings and other gatherings take place there. In most wineries and breweries, there is almost a ceremonial feeling to the space. Wineries are often located in the country, surrounding by fields of grapes. It really does feel like God’s country when you are there.
Last week for me has been a whirlwind of one gorgeous view of a scenic landscape after another as I drove through the atlantic provinces of Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia (In addition to the yummy seafood!). The rolling grasslands, serene beachscapes, adorably small and cosy architecture in most parts of the islands, red and white lighthouses, and last but not the least boats were surely a change in scene from our fast-paced dear city of Toronto.
As you all know from the previous post, the archiTEXT team spent a better part of last week on a retreat, at a cottage.
(Our Team Photo with Pyrotechnics)
As the clock strikes 9 pm tonight, the archiTEXT team will be officially on the road to Huntsville, ON, to our first annual archiTEXT staff retreat.
I was in Minneapolis this week for the North American Junior Achievement Company of the Year Competition. For those of you who are not familiar with it, it is a program run during the school year for high school students and runs for several weeks, ranging from 12-20 weeks. They have an opportunity to run their own business, from setting up their organization, coming up with a product or service, marketing it, keeping the books, even preparing for an audit and a board of directors’ meeting.
Let’s begin with the talk of the town at present – the Hylozoic Ground. Otherwise known as Canada’s entry for the upcoming Venice Biennale. It is an intricate mesh-like structure designed by Philip Beesley Architect Inc in Toronto. (http://www.philipbeesleyarchitect.com/index.html). The mesh is formed of components like acrylic tiles, microprocessors, and proximity sensors.
A creative process sketched out today in between the Monday emails, writing, design briefs, writing, killing fruit flies in the studio, writing.
What's yours? (draw/write/send it)
(go grab your sketchbook, now!)
-ZE
