Some mass-produced products can be cheap and short-lived. In stark contrast to that is slow design, a movement prioritizing craftsmanship, sustainability and longevity – lighting up an upcoming festival in Victoria.
Design Victoria, running downtown from May 1 to 4, aims to show the value of good design while celebrating the Island's growing design community.
"Slow and handcrafted design is an increasingly prominent movement," says April McNeil, communications manager with Victoria's A Light Studio, which is set to host an open house during the festival.
A Light Studio was a light-bulb moment for founders Jennifer Kalman and Emily Wilson, both with architecture backgrounds and a shared love for the innate qualities of materials. Together, they handcraft light fixtures from hardwoods acquired from local lumber suppliers, often using materials that may otherwise go to waste.
Their Limited Collection uses salvaged wood, sourced from lumber mills with small offcuts, woodworkers looking to downsize, and urban trees that must come down. Freshly cut wood can take up to six months to dry out, along with steps to prevent cracking, but "the effort is worth it," Kalman says.
"It's definitely more time-intensive than buying new lumber, but that's part of the beauty of it," says Kalman. "We're creating pieces with stories embedded in them."
While the cost can be a barrier to consumers, Kalmana and Wilson said they are "absolutely" seeing a consumer shift that prizes this type of craftsmanship, noticing a bump in business during the pandemic.
"Folks are tired of throwaway culture," Kalmana says. "They’re looking for things that feel intentional, that bring meaning and longevity into their homes ... especially here on the West Coast, where there’s a strong connection to nature."
During Design Victoria, plenty of other local designers and events will emphasize slow design.
A Grotto House tour with Greenway Studio Architecture, Frontera Homes, and BC Green Roof will look at thoughtfully realizing small-scale green roofs, explained Carla Sorrell, the festival's director and co-founder.
"Grotto House has a green roof built into a craggy rock, so the rock is part of the house," she explained. "It's all about being conscientious with your natural surroundings and what's possible when building a house from scratch." This tour takes place Saturday, May 3, at 1:30 p.m. in Fairfield/Gonzales.
For makeup enthusiasts, Elate Beauty offers a glimpse into the future of conscious cosmetics, showcasing fully reusable packaging – a key feature described by Sorrell.
"The compact's refillable colours come in these small metal containers that you can magnet in, as opposed to throwing out your whole compact. It's quite exceptional, because when you think about it, you realize nothing in the makeup industry is like that."
On Sunday, Fed Urban Farm will demonstrate how to transform underutilized land into vibrant, productive food-growing spaces, and Aunty Collective, an Indigenous creative group, will host a hands-on creative practice.
For the launch party, eight local designers, including lighting designer Mike Randall, are designing and creating a bar that will be matched with a cocktail maker, mixologist and alcohol brand.
And those are just the tip of the iceberg.
Victoria is a city that "values craft, sustainability and small businesses doing things a little differently," says Wilson, so it's no surprise there will be plenty to take in.
And, festival-goers just might walk away with a better understanding of the impact of thoughtful design.
For Wilson and Kalmana, it is something special.
"We value slow design because it gives us room to be thoughtful; to work with our hands, to connect with our customers, and to create pieces that feel grounded in place and purpose," Wilson says.
More information can be found at www.designvictoria.ca.
