On September 17 – 19, 2018 Interior Designers of Canada held the fourth annual PROpel conference for emerging professionals during its inaugural design symposium. Twenty emerging professionals and their mentors gathered in Toronto from across the country to join the festivities and discuss the future of design.
The theme of this year’s PROpel conference had delegates focused on ‘design thinking’ and its value in society. Discussions were guided by PROpel hosts Keshia Caplette, IDC Intern Director and interior designer at Henry Downing Architects and Peter Heys, Principal of B+H Architects, with help from PROpel VIP Elites Darren Gee and Cara Oakley, interior designers at DIALOG and Miranda Young, interior designer at Luminary Design.
Delegates spent three-days networking, learning, and discussing the latest trends in design through breakout sessions with industry professionals, mentors, architecture and design representatives and other design symposium attendees. The emerging professionals and their mentors had an opportunity to hear from industry professionals from Benjamin Moore, Interface, Knoll and Lutron about the newest products available to support their projects and design thinking concepts, opening the conversation between interior designers, and industry representatives.
Emerging professionals and their mentors also attended the Toronto Leaders Breakfast and Value of Design Awards (VODA) gala on Sept. 18, 2018. Delegates listened to keynote speaker Janice Kaplan, author of the Gratitude Diaries, share her experience with gratitude and what it can bring to the design practice. At the VODA gala, attendees had a chance to view award-winning projects, meet VODA recipients and hear about the impact each design has had on Canadians.
From networking sessions with members from the architecture and design community, a private tour of the Samsung Experience store at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, to Leaders Breakfast and VODA, the three days were packed with excitement.
IDC is excited to announce that PROpel will be held in Vancouver next year during IDC’s design symposium where the newest PROpel VIP Elite, Umid Abdullaev, Emily Lee, Victoria McQuarrie, Merissa Reed and Joanne Wong will help lead the program. Take a look at the photos from PROpel 2018 and keep an eye out for 2019 applications!
