The Spring Resiliency Virtual Conference, taking place from May 10 to 13, offers a number of digital experiences, from showroom tours and demos to the all-new Prototype Pitch series. Most enticing of all, its series of talks features industry game changers in all disciplines of design. Here are five that we are especially looking forward to (including our very own!).

1

The Future of Design is Decolonized

Monday, May 10 at 11am

When she first took the helm as Dean of Design at OCADU (Ontario College of Art and Design University), Dori Tunstall set about to redevelop the school’s academic plan, codifying six principles of decolonization. These tenets, which recognize and encourage the work of Indigenous and racialized peoples, are diversity and equity, sustainability, interdisciplinarity, valuing faculty and health and wellness. In so doing, Tunstall, who has a Ph.D. in anthropology from Stanford and is the first black female dean of a design faculty, set in motion a new conversation about how students should learn how to design. Perhaps even more important, she has inspired students to think about the various groups of people they should be designing for and with.

2

The Future of Technology and Interdisciplinary Design

Tuesday, May 11 at 9am

To say that Suhair Khan has a dream job is an understatement. The Google development strategist founded the company’s Open/Ended Design platform and has been part of the team behind Waymo, its self-driving car. She also helms Google Arts & Culture, a website that allows you to browse the art collections of institutions around the world, from Musée d’Orsay in Paris to Taipei’s National Palace Museum. The platform has launched innovative art installations — such as an AR experience of the Big Bang, in collaboration with CERN, and a virtual tour of the ancient-craft-preserving Turquoise Mountain Trust in Kabul. In conversation with Tomos Lewis of Monocle, Khan will discuss many of these initiatives — including another passion project focused on sustainability in fashion.

3

AZURE Talk: The Future of Hospitality

Tuesday, May 11 at 11am

In the latest issue of Azure, we explore the future of hospitality, surveying designers working with clients to make the most of this moment while also imagining what might be a Roaring-Twenties return to wining and dining in the not-so-distant future. This talk features Matthew Davis of DesignAgency, Anita Modha of Otto Design Group and Kristen Lien of FRANK Architecture, discussing the challenges of today and the opportunities of tomorrow — from hotels integrating ghost kitchens and all-in-one working/dining environments to food markets with plug-and-play kiosks for small food and beverage businesses.

4

Home for Humanity. Explore Sustainability Innovation, Social Enterprise and the Future of Life at Home with IKEA

Wednesday, May 12 at 9am

No DIY assembly needed at this talk — although there will surely be a great many ideas to unpack. IKEA’s innovation in areas of social relevance is the focus here. Through SPACE10, its research and design lab, the Swedish flat-pack furniture company has in recent years explored designs for everything from emergency shelters to co-living buildings and sustainable, affordable villages. This panel features IKEA designer Akanksha Deo Sharma; IKEA Canada’s director of experience and event design, Alicia Carroll; and Johanna Fabrin, strategy design lead at SPACE10. Together they will explore the building blocks for creating cities and homes that “feel better for more people today and into the future.”

5

Evolution | Revolution: How Timber will Define Healthy Cities for Tomorrow

Wednesday, May 12 at 11am

Mass timber architecture can reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to tomorrow’s healthier cities. This keynote will be delivered by Natalie Telewiack, a principal at MGA, the Vancouver-based architecture firm at the forefront of wood buildings. Its many celebrated projects include the Catalyst Building, the first office block in Spokane, Washington, constructed out of cross-laminated timber, and the Wood Innovation and Design Centre in Prince George, British Columbia. Telewiack will delve into why and how her practice designs, innovates and advocates for timber construction. With an education in both architecture and engineering, her approach is rooted in material logic and is driven toward elegant solutions that marry structure, systems, manufacturing and architecture.

IDS 2021 takes place from May 10 to 13, with the full schedule of talks and events available here.