DANI TAILLEFER

DESIGNER | ILLUSTRATOR | ARTIST
Entrepreneur | Graphic Novelist

Why is development important? What does it mean? Why do we DE-velop instead of IN-velope or E-velope? Obviously when we develop we want to improve; we want to INcrease, not DEcrease, we want to E-volve not DE-volve, so why is development so backwards a word to just about every other word we use for progression, change, and growth? Any other word with de- as a prefix refers to undoing, decreasing, or deconstruction. Maybe that's because development is not always a nice, clean straight line that moves consistently and cohesively towards improvement.

Sometimes in order to move forward we have to move backward, we have to take things apart, we have to break things down to the basics. This talk will explore development through a mix of play-on-words and my struggles with personal development as a creative professional. 

SCOTT SAVARIE 

PRODUCT DESIGNER
Edenspiekermann | Facebook | InVision

Scott’s talk will touch on the importance of finding inspiration outside of your professional circle, the dangers of slowly losing your hobbies in favor of focusing on your career, and how surrounding yourself with likewise people can be a massive snoozefest.

TIM JAMES

ARCHITECT, BES BArch OAA MAA MRAIC
Castellan James + Partners Architects Inc.

How does a business idea find its form in the built environment? What impact do designers have in assisting client to communicate and realize environments that make their businesses viable? How is the physical infrastructure of an organization re-imagined when the business model requires an increased level of productivity. How do designers manage change when a Client alters the parameters of the project?

Designers need to understand their Client’s business ideas, financial models and constraints in order to create environment that are sustainable and successful. Often the design team sees these solutions before the Client does. Designers need to understand how their decisions regarding fundamental aspects of the project will impact the outcome of the business idea. Tim will discuss his experience and an architect leading design projects for commercial / institutional clients. The discussion will focus on the relationship of the Client’s business idea and its’ impact on the built environment.