Well Being Symposium - Call for Papers - Toronto Design Offsite Festival

Due Friday, September 23, 2016

Imagine a world where homes, neighbourhoods, and things make you feel good about yourself, where your lifestyle and workplace help you reach your full potential, where everything around you is designed to keep you healthy and safe, and enable you to be compassionate and reach a state of “flow.” [1]

Over 2,300 years ago, the philosopher Aristotle stated that, above anything else, men and women seek happiness. He argued that a genuinely happy life requires the fulfillment of a broad range of conditions, including physical and mental well-being.

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Well-being is defined as a state of positive mental health. It is not only the absence of mental illness, but also the presence of positive psychological functioning. As well-being becomes a larger part of the economy, societies are viewed as successful when economic activity delivers high levels of sustainable well-being for everyone.

It is widely recognized that design shapes experiences and interactions, and therefore, the world around us. Now that the rate of change is accelerating, the fields of science, health, technology, social policy, innovation, and research are converging to respond to the urgency of making the world a better place. We see design playing a major role in bridging between these fields, as well as making a space for conversations to happen, solutions to be designed, and positive change to flourish.

For this year’s Symposium, we are looking for presentations that contribute to a better understanding of how well-being is understood and created through design, innovation, and change.

We seek designers to give presentations that inspire. Talks may be about current research, a new product or building, an experience, or new processes and strategies. We welcome diverse perspectives and responses to the idea of design for well-being.

1. A description of your talk topic in less than 500 words, including all necessary details regarding target audience, format, and equipment needed;
2. a short bio on you and/or your creative practice (max. 150 words);
3. 1­-3 visuals of your work or a link to a video (if available); and
4. Your
• contact info (name, email, and phone number),
• a CV,
 and
• website URL, Twitter and Instagram names (if available).

Deadline: Friday, September 23, 2016 by 11:59pm EST.

How much does it cost to submit?