401 Richmond St. district, at the intersection of Richmond St. and Spadina Avenue. Built in 1899, this 200,000-square-foot building originally housed the Macdonald Manufacturing Company—a long-defunct business that produced elaborately lithographed tin containers that remain a favourite of collectors. Not surprisingly in a city that often appears indifferent—even hostile—towards its past, 401 Richmond eventually came to be viewed as a relic of Toronto’s industrial […]
View Post Business, Sept/Oct 2013
Growing firm doubles its space and keeps it fun The forecast looks stable for Toronto-based Rain43. The creative agency, celebrating its third anniversary this month (Sept.), recently relocated—its third move in as many years. The amalgamation of three shops (Wildmouse, Partners & Edell and Combustion Studio) Rain43’s founding partners, John Farquhar and John Yorke, have grown the brand-building agency to a staff […]
View Post Sept/Oct 2013, Studio Tour
Examining the challenges and opportunities to stand out in today’s market Designing a brand or re-energizing an existing brand is one of the best projects you can work on, especially if everything goes right. when handled by professionals, and when viewed in hindsight, great branding projects appear effortless—every piece just falls in place and the extensions of the design language […]
View Post Directions, Sept/Oct 2013“Every time I dive into new circumstances I emerge feeling smarter, stronger and happier” A friend recently confided in me how unhappy she was. Her career was routine and unfulfilling . Her relationship literally bored her. She had come to a point in her life where a full reboot was the next step. This got me thinking about how fortunate I’ve […]
View Post Reinvention, Sept/Oct 2013