You can watch the recording of this session on DesignTO YouTube

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Guest Speakers

Jessica Riquetti, Systems ecologist, regenerative design leader

Parsons & Charlesworth, Speculative design and multispecies futures

Ranee Lee, Founder of DESIGNwith, Associate Professor in Industrial Design, OCAD University

Rodney Sayers & Emily Luce, Founders of C.R.A.F.T./qʷicčiƛma (the sky opened up is how we translate to nuučaan̓uł)

Vanessa Mardirossian, Researcher and educator in textiles and sustainable fashion, Concordia University

Judith van den Boom, MA Regenerative Design course leader and moderator







Connecting practices around the world, strengthening our local work, and building an intra-local regenerative network is urgent. We need to share and support the ecological practices taking root locally and across our disciplines. Join us to connect, share, learn, and collaborate as this event was developed as part of DesignTO to set up stronger regenerative network in North America. The Drift is a method for connecting a regenerative design network beyond the physical spaces of the DesignTO Festival in Toronto, hosting a mindful session that draws on diverse ways of knowing and doing. 

Net Positive DesignTO Drift invited designers/artists from Chicago, Vancouver Island, Squamish, Montreal, and Toronto, all sharing short provocations that think through the urgencies and considerations in designing within a multi-species, climate , rural and urban contexts. In ecology, the idea that “nothing stands on its own” reflects the fundamental principle of interdependence within ecosystems. But what does this mean for how we design? How do we enable new languages and examples of thriving as a connected community? 

The Drift invited a small group of practitioners to share short provocations that stimulate new translations and relationships, contributing to the richness of how we understand being and designing regenerative worlds, including the languages, processes, and ethics that should be considered when working regeneratively. We will be listening to short provocations and responses on this subject and open the dialogue with the online public to form entanglements that support the work that is taking place in diverse practices.

The Drift was moderated by MARD course leader Judith van den Boom and focused on how we can create whole systems that foster more restorative, regenerative, and relational practices and partnerships. At a time when the future of life on this planet is more uncertain than ever, the urgency of exploring alternative ways of learning, exchanging, and building narratives is pivotal.

Our speakers shared a wide set of perspectives that connected scientific, artistic, indigenous and ecological ways of knowing. This drift was developed as vehicle to connect a larger north American regenerative network, with our speakers being practices connecting geographies and disciplinary knowledges. Thanks for everyone who joined tuning in as audience, please sign up to stay connected for future events.

Much gratitude to Deborah Wang and Robyn Wilcox from DesignTO for making this happen, and to our guests for sharing their work and words of wisdom!



introduction by Robyn Wilcox DesignTO
Judith introducing speakers
Parsons & Charlesworth
Parsons & Charlesworth
Rodney Sayers & Emily Luce
Rodney Sayers & Emily Luce
Vanessa Mardirossian
Vanessa Mardirossian
Jessica Riquetti
Jessica Riquetti
Ranee Lee
Ranee Lee