ENVIRONS' 002: DESIGN WITHOUT BORDERS

How do we maintain a unique identity in our local environments and cultures, as the rest of the world thrusts itself on us (and we upon it) through television screens and computer monitors? How do designers retain their focus and perspective in such a hug
How do we maintain a unique identity in our local environments and cultures, as the rest of the world thrusts itself on us (and we upon it) through television screens and computer monitors? How do designers retain their focus and perspective in such a hug

24.01.2002 News

Brussels (Belgium) -

An Icograda Design Perspectives Seminar.
How do we maintain a unique identity in our local environments and cultures, as the rest of the world thrusts itself on us (and we upon it) through television screens and computer monitors? How do designers retain their focus and perspective in such a huge melting pot? What is the real effect of what we create? 

Design Without Borders is the underlying theme for the second GDC Environs Conference. North Americans'eyes are opening to the dangers of ignoring our colleagues, denying the interconnection of the world's communities, and not acknowledging our differences. How does this involve you as a designer? As communication architects we continually graze on cultural icons, vernacular imagery and unique languages  peeling back veneers to create new symbols or polishing surfaces to renew long lost ideals.     
 
Speakers from the earth s four corners will share their viewpoints, and let us glimpse at their own part of this blue and green planet we all call home.  
 

 
Conference Fees:
 
Vancouver 
 
GDC/AIGA members: $ 165.00 
Non-members: $ 225.00 
GDC/AIGA Students (limited spots): $ 50.00 
Non-GDC/AIGA Students (limited spots): $ 85.00 
 
Victoria 
 
GDC/AIGA members: $ 40.00 
Non-members: 65.00 
GDC/AIGA Students (limited spots): $ 25.00 
Non-GDC/AIGA Students (limited spots)$ 35.00 
 
Conference fees are in payable in Canadian funds (current exchange rate of approx. US$0.62 to the Canadian dollar). 
Registration opens 25 January 2002.      
 

  
Speakers  Biographies
 
David Grossman (Israel)
David is Chairman of the Vital Department of Graphic Design, Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, Ramat Gan, Israel. Born in the United States, he studied design in Jerusalem, and subsequently worked as a designer in Amsterdam, New York and Tel Aviv in speciality areas such as audio-visual design and environmental graphic design. He is a partner in D+D Ltd. of Tel Aviv. David co-established the annual FestiVital design event in 1995, and is a frequent presenter at international conferences. David is a past board member of GDAI, has been an Icograda board member since 1995, and served as president of Icograda from 1999 to 2001. 
 
William-Harald Wong (Malaysia)
William is the principal of William Harald-Wong & Associates, a corporate identity design consultancy with offices in Kuala Lumpur  and Singapore. He also heads MOMENT Font Studio which focuses on intercultural visual research and documentation. A graduate of the Malaysian Institute of Art, William is a frequent travelling lecturer on design and culture. His work has been widely exhibited and published. William is president (until 2002) of the Graphic Design Association of Malaysia (wREGA), and is the founder of The Design Alliance (Asia), a collaborative network of Asian design consultancies.  
 
Mervyn Kurlansky (United Kingdom)
Born in South Africa, Mervyn trained in London, then practised with Knoll International and Crosby/Fletcher/Forbes before co-founding Pentagram in 1972. Since 1993 Mervyn has lived and worked in Denmark. Mervyn is a prolific designer, consultant, author, lecturer, and juror. He is a member of MDD (Denmark), a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Designers (United Kingdom), The International Society of Typographic Designers for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacture & Commerce and a member of Alliance Graphique Internationale. Mervyn s work has been widely published, has won many international awards, and is in numerous permanent collections around the world. Mervyn was chairman of the Icograda London Design Seminar from 1996 to 1999.  
 
Jacques Lange (South Africa)
Jacques Lange qualified with a BA(FA) Information Design degree from University of Pretoria (1988) and is currently enrolled in an MA programme at the same institution. His professional experience includes corporate and editorial design, strategic consulting, human resources communication, education and profession management. He is a partner at Bluprint Design, a corporate design consultancy based in South Africa. He is the President of Design South Africa, a founding member of the academic journal, Image & Text, and a member of the Design Education Forum of Southern Africa. Jacques was the second winner of the Design Achievers Awards and has been actively involved in the scheme s planning since 1997. 
 
Rafael Fajardo (USA)
Rafael Fajardo is an assistant professor of Graphic Design at the University of Texas at El Paso. Born in Colombia, he investigates cultural identity and cultural representation specifically the Latin American voice and influence along the north-south vectors of diffusion. His early work has been featured in the American Centre for Design's 100 Show. Rafael frequently presents at conferences and symposia on the topics of design pedagogy and cultural studies. 
 
Bill McLennan (Canada)
Bill McLennan is a Project Manager and Curator for the UBC Museum of Anthropology. Originally contracted to develop and produce exhibits for the opening of the museum in 1976 he has continued to work for the museum in exhibit development and curation, photography, and gift shop development. Some of his external MOA projects include: registrar for Expo186, production of First Nations houses for inclusion in the Canadian Museum of Civilisation s Grand Hall, and a consultant to the Vancouver International Airport for First Nations art exhibits. He has won a number of awards including, Certificate of Design Excellence from Print Magazine, President1s Service Award for Excellence from UBC, and as co-author for the recent book The Transforming Image, the Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Canadian Museums Association, as well as the Certificate of Merit from the British Columbia Historical Federation.    
 
Robert L. Peters (Canada)
Robert is a graphic designer, communications strategist, and principal of Circle, an award-winning design consultancy he founded in Winnipeg in 1976. Robert is president of Icograda (2001-2003) and is active as a design advocate, mentor, juror, and lecturer. He writes on design issues for various international design publications and is the editor of GDC's Graphic Design Journal. Robert is a Fellow of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC).   
 

  
 
Itinerary:
 
Friday, March 15: Environs1002 Opening
18:00    Environs1002 opening at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design (ECIAD) on Granville Island.  
18:00 - 18:15    Opening remarks by Canadian Government Official & Environs Co-Chair. 
18:15 - 19:00    David Grossman, Israel 
19:00 - 19:15    Coffee/drink break 
19:15 - 20:00    William Harald-Wong, Malaysia 
20:00 - 20:15    Closing remarks by Environs Co-Chair 
20:15 - 22:00    Casual meet and greet reception with appetisers and no-host bar at ECIAD. 
 
Saturday, March 16: Environs1002
09:30 - 09:45    Good morning remarks 
09:45 - 10:30    Mervyn Kurlansky, UK and Denmark 
10:30 - 10:45    Coffee/drink break 
10:45 - 11:30    Jacques Lange, South Africa 
11:30 - 13:30    Lunch. Delegates on their own to wander Granville Island Market.  
13:30 - 14:15    Rafael Fajardo, USA 
14:15 - 15:00    Bill McLennan, Canadian Aboriginal Cultural Historian  
15:00 - 15:15    Coffee/drink break 
15:15 - 17:00    Panel Discussion "How do designers retain focus, perspective and identity in our modern world"  
17:00 - 17:30    Presentation by Japan: Visualogue 2003 
17:30 - 18:00    Closing remarks by Robert L. Peters & Environs Co-Chair 
 
Sunday, March 17: Environs1002 Activity Day
Environs delegates are encouraged to go skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing at Whistler. Sea kayaking in English Bay, or city tour and shopping and relaxing in downtown Vancouver. Co-ordinated through Great Canadian Outback Co. Participants are responsible for paying for the activities.  
 
Monday, March 18
17:30 - 19:30 
Environs1002 at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Presentations by Mervyn Kurlansky, Jacques Lange and Robert Peters 
 
Note: For conference attendees travelling from the United States, please remember to bring your passport/birth certificate to cross the border into Canada. 
 


Endorsed by:
 
Icograda 
GDC National  
AIGA Seattle & Portland Chapters 
 
Organised by the GDC British Columbia and GDC Vancouver Island Chapters 
With the assistance of ECIAD 



For more information, contact:

Laurie Darrah at laurie@muzecreative.com 
Matt Warburton at matt@emdoubleyu.com or  
T: 604-224-3124 
E: laurie@muzecreative.com
W: www.gdc.net/environs002
How do we maintain a unique identity in our local environments and cultures, as the rest of the world thrusts itself on us (and we upon it) through television screens and computer monitors? How do designers retain their focus and perspective in such a hug
How do we maintain a unique identity in our local environments and cultures, as the rest of the world thrusts itself on us (and we upon it) through television screens and computer monitors? How do designers retain their focus and perspective in such a hug

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