Architects, designers and policymakers should join forces to write a manifesto for Canadian design that platforms indigenous communities, according to Andrew King of architecture studio Lemay.
A cohesive and inclusive Canadian design identity would help unify the country around shared values, promote local traditions, skills and materials and distinguish the country from its southern neighbour the USA, King said.
So far, he argued, similar efforts have lacked the necessary assertiveness.
"We do it in a very Canadian, muted way," King explained during a live panel talk broadcast on Dezeen. "It's very quiet and humble, whereas we should be a little bit more aggressive."
Sustained investment needed to export Canadian design Leslie Jen of Toronto practice Superkül agreed that very little is known of Canada's design culture abroad.
"A critical part of that is the lack of government funding we have relative to other countries," she said.
To combat this, King is hoping to work with Jen and architect David Fortin, as well as design firms and schools across the country, to formulate a manifesto for a "pan-Canadian identity".
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