IIDEX/NeoCon in Canada is introducing a first-ever series of six 'Power Panels' featuring notable panelists and seminar leaders from multiple disciplines. The panels are designed to examine in depth the significance of design in all aspects of life.
Topics include: The Aging Face of the New Workplace; The Culture of Design; Debating the Benefits of BIM; The State of the Interior Design Profession; Social Responsibility the New Green; and For Beauty’s Sake: Reclaiming Design’s Greatest Power.
Participants include D.B. Kim, Pierre-Yves Rochon design director; Denise A. Guerin and Caren Martin, co-editors of The State of the Interior Design Profession; Jennifer Busch, editor-in-chief of Contract magazine; Siamak Hariri of Hariri Pontirini Architects; Glenn Pushelberg and George Yabu of Yabu Pushelberg; and Paul Rowan, co-founder and vice-president of Umbra.
The Aging Face of the New Workplace: The North American workforce is aging and our workplaces need to catch up. The social, cognitive and physical changes of a maturing population represent both challenges and opportunities. The panel will discuss three main areas vital to understanding this exciting new workplace environment: Cognitive Challenges – discussion of emerging research and techniques to combat mild cognitive impairment and increase brain plasticity; Social Currency – age-blended workplaces that benefit both workers and corporations; and Physical Changes – a featured Human Factors specialist brings deep understanding of the physical needs of the aging worker.
Debating the Benefits of BIM: This session will bring together a panel of experts from the design, construction and engineering sectors to explore the challenges, opportunities and best practices that must be addressed in order to accelerate the adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in Ontario.
The State of the Interior Design Profession: A new must-read book has hit the market. The editors of The State of the Interior Design Profession will be joined by a panel of three contributors to begin a dialogue based on topics addressed by the book’s more than 75 authors. Attendees will hear about the impetus for the book, and why certain topics and authors were chosen to be included.
Social Responsibility the New Green: Good design should benefit all people, and designers have the potential to make this happen. From large-scale humanitarian crises to local projects focused on addressing unmet social needs, we are witnessing how socially responsible design can have a lasting, positive impact. As part of a more holistic view of sustainability, socially responsible design takes people into consideration along with the environment.
For Beauty’s Sake: Reclaiming Design’s Greatest Power: For years, design champions have argued that the designer’s impact goes far beyond the aesthetic. But are we ignoring design’s most potent weapon for creating unique and compelling products, spaces, fashions and communications? Is it time to reconsider the case for beauty? This seminar, organized by Ontario’s Design Industry Advisory Committee, will bring together an all-star, cross-disciplinary group of experts to explore the economic impact of beautiful design and its defining role in 21st-century innovation.
Power panels take place throughout the IIDEX/NeoCon Canada exhibition, from September 22-25, 2010.
