Toronto Design Offsite 2016: 325 Church Street: SOMNIUM

Somnium is a dynamic, reactive display whereby the light, movement, and texture of a single fluid unit becomes tributary to the beauty of the whole. To an observer, the floor to ceiling spires initially appear still and dimly lit, as if asleep. But upon approach, the fabric sheath is drawn upwards, and a soft inner light kindles into brightness. Together the spires awaken as if from a dream. Here the expressiveness of fabric is explored through the use of pleats, folds, and layers, while mechanical movement parallels the lighting effects therein. The result is a mesmerizing installation that is just as effective with a few users as it is with many, and the experience is never quite the same each time.

And still more PR

Ryerson Today did a quick spot on the Night Market carts from last week's event showcasing both the work from the [R]ed[U]x Lab in Architectural Science and the groups from the School of Interior Design.


At the same time, another article from (appropriately named) TorontoIsAwesome.com gave credit to the upcycled serving modules the team developed as it declared:

"BEST SERVING DISH – The boys from Cote De Boeuf really know their meat. So clearly this Mini Corned Beef Sandwich stacked high (and I mean HIGGGGH) really got everyone in the crowd motor running.  Best of all: it was served on a LED wooden light plank!  Neat."

Team photos from the second night

As with the first night, there were ample photos of the team posted up so in the interest of fairness, here are a few shots of the [R]ed[U]x Lab team on the second night of the Night Market.

Second Night Photos from the Second Annual Night Market

Here are some photos (courtesy of Mike) from the second night and it appears that the [R]ed[U]x Lab team had a great presence on par with the first.  Paired with Cote de Boeuf, the team's serving modules really complemented the restaurant's corned beef on a baguette offerings.

The second night seemed to be just as packed and filled with great tastes and excitement as the first night.  Unlike the first night however, the team was flanked on both sides by two other student designed carts - fortunately the [R[ed[U]x Lab design had illumination to spare and lit up the neighbours.

It was also great to also have past designers visit and support the current team.

 

Time Lapse of the Final Assembly of the Night Market Cart

Here is a brief time lapse of the [R]ed[U]x Lab Team assembling the bottom of the cart and putting the top canopy atop the base.  The lighting was then installed for good measure to see the effect of the grid structure relative to the brightness of the LED's.  It was a long night but the team pulled it together and demonstrated once again the students' initiative and pride in their work.

Time lapses of the mock-up assembly

Here are a couple of time lapse videos of the team assembling the work in the review space in the Architectural Science building at Ryerson University.  Despite the best of intentions with the precision and control available with current digital fabrication technologies, there is a lot to negotiate when human factors such as assembly come into play.

The Canopy Takes Shape

With the event date getting closer, the team has begun bringing their ideas to built reality.  Like an over-sized jigsaw puzzle but with more painful repercussions (or concussions), the team put together the canopy of the cart together to get a sense of the scale, lighting, and assembly.  Let's just hope that the lower porttion of the cart comes together with the same efficiency...

To make the evening just that little bit more memorable

As the cart currently gets through the final push on the CNC router, the team also has a monumental task in assembling approximately 1500 of the serving modules.  Rather than take food from the chef's carts in conventional napkins or plates, the team devised little serving modules that have removable acrylic components that illuminate once the guest has finished the food.  This clip serves to be a small keepsake accessory from the evening (engraved with The Stop logo) as well as illuminate the crowd attending the Night Market this year.

Making the trip to do "stakeholder research"

With the success of last year's Night Market cart project, more students from across the architectural science program have joined the [R]ed[U]x Lab's various initiatives.  Aside from the great experiential learning opportunities and portfolio skill building, the participants occasionally enjoy additional benefits  such as meeting clients and different stakeholders in the design process.

This year the team has been paired up with Cote de Boef and Woodlot as the Night Market will happen on TWO nights as opposed to the single evening last year.  With Woodlot, the [R]ed[U]x Lab team takes a great deal of pride in working with David Haman and his team for the second time in as many years at this great charitable event.  As with last year, some of the [R]ed[U]x Lab team went over to visit David at Woodlot and literally got a taste of things to come.  A quick streetcar and bike ride down from Ryerson University, the visit to Woodlot offered great insights and coordination with David in developing a stronger, more cohesive design.  A great time was had by all and the team hopes that this year's cart will complement the offerings the culinary stars have to offer!

Back to the Serving Units

Earlier the [R]ed[U]x Lab team posted up some iterations of the serving units that would be deployed at the Night Market. As the days went by, the team refined the cart design and the serving units in tandem.  Retaining the ability to illuminate and be a keepsake of the great event, the team had to address logistical challenges such as fitting 750 of these units on the cart each evening to branding and coordination with the team's assigned chefs.  Here are some images of the development of the serving units that are simple, functional, and memorable.