Introducing this year’s judges for three IDC awards programs.
Jump to: Value of Design Awards || Innovation in Design Thinking Student Competition || Innovation Awards
Value of Design Awards (VODA)
These awards shine a spotlight on Canadian interior designers by providing a forum to showcase the benefits of design thinking: an empathetic, inventive, and iterative process focused on the human experience within interior spaces.
Robin Fraser
Owner/Interior Designer, Fraser Designs + Associates
Robin Fraser is the Lead Designer and Owner at Fraser Designs + Associates. Robin is a self-described interior conceptualizer. This all-encompassing designation is a much more apt description of her approach to and relationship with design, than that of interior designer. For over 37 years, Robin has developed a distinguished international resume with work in Asia and Canada. A belief in process and in function has garnered Robin a reputation as thorough, informed, and relevant. Her impressive inventory of skills, her conviction and intimate rapport with design and food can be seen in her featured appearances on the Food Network’s television series “Restaurant Makeover.”
Recognized for her decisive, risk taking and imaginative role on a project; Robin’s work encompassed both hospitality and commercial. An animated, colorful visionary, she maintains that not only does she love what she does and she’s good at what she does. Robin prides herself on the ability of bringing the conceptual into the reality, likening her approach to that of a film maker who “works in frames.” Robin Fraser challenges space, frame by frame, leaving it simple yet complete.
Tarisha Dolyniuk, OAA, FRAIC, NCIDQ, ARIDO, LEED AP
Partner, MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects (MJMA)
A Partner and Interiors Lead at MJMA, Tarisha has focused her architectural career on creating vibrant and human-centric interior public spaces. Tarisha holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design from the University of Manitoba, and a Master of Architecture from the University of Toronto. She was the recipient of the Heather M. Reisman Gold Medal in Design and RAIC Student Honour Roll. She is both a licensed architect and interior designer in Ontario. Tarisha is a member of the Interior Designers of Canada (IDC), Ontario Library Association (OLA), and is a LEED® Accredited Professional.
Joining MJMA in 2012, Tarisha quickly became the studio’s Director of Interiors, leading the interior architecture for many of MJMA’s most lauded projects. Throughout her career Tarisha has promoted and advanced design for accessibility and inclusivity for all ages, identities, and abilities within each public project she develops. Tarisha became a Partner at the beginning of 2020 and leads the interior architecture practice of the firm. She has over 25 years of experience and has focused her career on equitable place-making in community, recreation, health & wellness, academic, and library design.
Ashraf Damisi
Senior Associate, Senior Architect, Stantec Architecture
With over 26 years of professional experience, Ashraf Damisi is a highly skilled architect with a strong background in both architectural and interior design projects. He has worked on a broad range of projects, including commercial and corporate buildings, private residences and royal palaces, hotels, banks, shopping centers, retail showrooms, healthcare and educational facilities. His expertise extends from the conceptual phase through construction, ensuring that each project is executed with the utmost care and attention to detail.
Early in his career, Ashraf had the privilege of working with renowned architect Norman Foster on an iconic high-rise tower overseas. This opportunity was followed by another chance to join the Ellerbe Becket design team, where he worked on a luxurious multi-use skyscraper and a healthcare facility. Through these experiences, Ashraf gained valuable insights into the impact that the built environment can have on our behavior, productivity, mood, and health and safety, particularly as we spend more than 80% of our time inside buildings.
Throughout his career, Ashraf had the opportunity to work on a variety of international and national projects, demonstrating an ability to deliver successful outcomes across a broad scope of design projects.
Innovation in Design Thinking: Student Competition
Founded in 2021, this competition provides students with a national platform to demonstrate the value of interior design and illustrate the positive impact design has on the users of the spaces, supported by evidence-based research.
Sylvia van Rooyen, MA ID, BIArchHons, BSc Int. Arch, IDEC
Program Director: Interior Design, LaSalle College Vancouver
Sylvia van Rooyen is a Canadian-Polish designer who was born in South Africa. She holds a BSc Int. Architecture and a Baccalaureus Honores in Int. Architecture from the University of Pretoria, as well as a Master of Arts in Design, with a specialization in Interior Design from the University of Johannesburg.
With almost 20 years of experience in interior design, she is the current Program Director for the Interior Design programs at LaSalle College Vancouver, where she is responsible for both the long-term strategic planning and daily operations of the department. She is a member of several professional organizations, including DDA, IDC, IDEC, IIDA, NEWH, and NKBA, and has taught in Africa and North America. She also has experience managing various applied arts programs, including Architecture Design and Technology, Interior Design, Fashion Design, and Fashion Marketing programs.
Prior to her transition to teaching in 2013, Sylvia worked in the building industry’s interior design and architectural sectors for ten years, gaining valuable experience from hotel, commercial, and residential projects. She is proficient in concept design, detail design, technical drawing, project administration, and office administration.
Abby Aiyeleye
Co-CEO, Execution, Clavis Studio
At the forefront of women’s advocacy and innovative product design for niche markets, you’ll find Adetoun Abby Aiyeleye. Her 15+ years of community work and business footprints trail across Europe, Middle East, Africa, and North America.
Abby’s lived experiences and qualifications continue to fuel her drive to deliver undeniably fit-for-purpose products and this is reflected in her multiple honors and awards. As Co-CEO of Clavis Studio, Abby is redefining the approach to interior design using immersive technology and driving tech adoption to promote a tech-driven economy.
She contributes to the ecosystem through board and volunteer positions including: VP of Alberta Network of Immigrant Women, Innovation Growth Council Member at Innovate Edmonton, Ambassador Board Member at The A100, and Mentor for Women & Youth in Tech.
Innovation Awards
This awards program, which is exclusive to IDC’s 2023 Industry Partners, was established in 1984 to honour excellence in product design and new showroom creativity.
Amanda Lwanga
Creative Director, Linger Design Studio
With over 15 years of experience as a licensed Professional Environmental Engineer, and a masters in sustainable architecture, Amanda has transformed her passion for the sciences into an art form. Her unique background has been a tremendous asset in her ability to take on complex projects, as she understands that great interiors are not possible without great architecture and vice versa. Amanda’s unique perspective is rooted in her love of fine arts, and her methodical approach to problem-solving. She believes that art, science, and design are all governed by similar principles and that interdisciplinary problem-solving leads to the most meaningful results.
Her design practice is a culmination of her life experiences, and she approaches each project with a balance of creativity and practicality. Her work is a symphony of colors, textures, and movement, creating a three-dimensional art that elicits an emotional response from her clients. Amanda has built a reputation for excellence and serves homeowners and businesses across Canada who are seeking to reduce their impact on the environment while basking in an elevated space. She takes great pride in creating something out of nothing, and the joy and purpose she derives from her work are evident in every project she undertakes. Amanda’s work has been featured in Ella Canada, House and Home, Western Living Magazine and Modern Luxuria. She has also been a guest expert on Cityline TV and CTV Edmonton.
Tara Whittington
Workplace Design Strategy Consultant, CIBC
With over 15 years of industry experience, Tara Whittington brings a wealth of knowledge to her role as Sr. Workplace Design Strategist at CIBC. With a strong background in commercial and retail design coupled with her extensive knowledge of furniture, Tara’s skillset encompasses all aspects of workplace design.
In her previous position as the workplace leader and A&D manager for the Canadian market at Knoll, she led client conversations leveraging knowledge of workplace research, design and furniture to drive workplace discussions. Today, Tara draws upon her extensive experience to contribute valuable insights and make significant contributions to CIBC’s enterprise-wide workplace strategy.
Tim Au-Yeung, ARIDO, NCIDQ, IDC
Tim is a highly creative artist, interior designer and sales professional in the architect and design market with international experience. He has been called a SuperConnector; someone that can combine two seemingly unrelated people together for mutual benefit.
He is the current president of the ARIDO GTA chapter with a past presidency from 2008-2010. He is the recipient of ARIDO’s Sales Representative of the Year award.
With over 25 years of experience in the industry, Tim has provided full interior design and project management services as well as working as a sales representative for Humanscale, Teknion, Inscape, and Italinteriors.
All award winners will be honoured at IDC’s award celebration. In addition, all winning projects will be featured on IDC’s website, newsletter, and promoted on IDC’s social media channels.
Please contact communications@idcanada.org with your inquiries.
