Sustainable Design Expos

This fall, Design Exchange, Canada's first and only design museum, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will partner to launch 'EDIT: Expo for Design, Innovation & Technology'. Running from September 28th until October 8th, the biennial event will highlight the works of design visionaries from around the world with installations, interactive programming, immersive pavilions, and keynotes from the likes of David Suzuki and Scott Dadich, the creator of Netflix's 'Abstract: The Art of Design'.

EDIT takes place in Toronto's East Harbour, an abandoned 150,000-square-foot, five-storey venue that formerly served as the Unilever Soap Factory. The overarching theme for this year's EDIT festival is 'Prosperity for All', a concept inspired by the UNDP's 'Global Goals for Sustainable Development'. Across the massive space, globally renowned designers will showcase thought-provoking and immersive exhibits centered around the four pillars of EDIT 2017: Shelter/Cities, Nourish, Care and Educate. True to the festival, these multi-sensory exhibits will serve as "edits" on real-world issues to illustrate how forward-thinking design coupled with innovative technology can lead to impactful change.

The main floor installation will feature the work of Bruce Mau, co-founder of the Massive Change Network. Mau's exhibit will comprise large-scale images of global problems like pollution, genocide, and terrorism. These solemn depictions will be contrasted by universal design projects that offer potential solutions. Other leading cultural thinkers and designers putting forward installations include Carlo Ratti, Julielynn Wong, and Kentaro Toyama.

The EDIT festivities will kick off with a party befitting the innovative content on display. PULSE, the EDIT opening night party, will feature food stations from Toronto's hottest caterers and cocktails by expert mixologists. The party runs at the East Harbour venue, meaning that friends and futurists who attend will be the first to get a glimpse of all the installations on display.

Over the course of EDIT's 10-day schedule, visitors of all ages will be treated to exhibits both poignant and playful. From affordable 3D-printed prostheses for amputees in developing nations to 'Project Unicorn,' a prosthetic arm that shoots glitter, EDIT will feature a broad spectrum of creative mergers between innovative design and technology. Beyond exhibits, EDIT will host enlightening talks during the Making Change series, which welcomes 125 thinkers and doers to share their wisdom live on the EDIT stage. Further, EDIT features workshops, futuristic foods, and a designated Youth Day to inspire the next generation of Canadian innovators.

Full 10-day passes, single-day passes, and tickets for EDIT's Opening Night Party are currently available online. To learn more, check out EDITand Design Exchange.

This post has been sponsored by Design Exchange.