Add a little design culture to your busy schedule by attending some of the design shin digs at the up coming Toronto Design Week. Along with the high profile IIDEX|NEOCON gig, there are a number of other events in the line up that occur during September 27 – oct 01, 2006. Catch one of these brilliant engagements:

2006 ARIDO Awards of Excellence Thursday, September 28 6:00 - 10:00 PM Doors Open: 6 PM Dinner Served: 7 PM Heritage Court, Direct Energy Centre. Contact at ARIDO if you have any questions regarding the awards ceremony, ticketing or sponsorship of the awards 416-921-2127 or 1-800-334-1180, Ext. 226. Tickets: $200.00 per person. Catch designer Ray Staples as MC in person, an ARIDO Life Member, past president of ARIDO in 1974 and has been a favourite personality on Citytv’s CityLine.

Designers Walk Collections 2007 Wednesday, September 27. 9AM-5 PM 168 Bedford Road, Toronto. D.W.’s annual trade-only event highlighting the hottest collections and design fads for 2007.

Best of Canada Design Awards Wednesday, September 27.
6:30-9:30 PM Design Exchange, 234 Bay Street, Toronto. In its ninth year, the annual Best of Canada Design Awards. Join the party and honor the winners selected from over 100 entries from across Canada. Tickets: $15.00 in advance|$20.00 at the door.

Design Exchange Thursday, September 28 to Sunday, October 1 located at 234 Bay Street, Toronto. Come one and all, four free admission days! Just show that IIDEX|NEOCON badge and your in, it’s that simple. Besides, there is that dazzling 'Milano Made in Design' exhibit and an exclusive DX Permanent Collection of post 1945 Industrial Design.

Nuit Blanche an All Night Contemporary Art Thing September 30|October 1, 2006 7:01 PM to 7:15 AM, 12 hours of free contemporary art commissioned by the City of Toronto. ‘A Live with Culture initiative that demonstrates the City of Toronto’s commitment to the arts by raising awareness of Toronto’s thriving cultural scene both locally and internationally.’ You just have to love that logo.

While you are at it, grab some ARIDO CEU points by touring and exploring these savvy sustainable facilites: [0.1 CEU credit each]

Stratus Vineyards Sustainable Site Visit September 30, 2006 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM CEU Credit: 0.1 Fee: $85 includes: morning coffee, wine tasting and lunch sponsored by Teknion. Discover the beauty of this LEED certified facility and vineyard.

Healthcare Site Visit and Sustainable Tour 9:30 - 11:00 AM MaRS Collaboration Centre. ‘The MaRS collaboration Centre was created in 2000 by a group of visionary business and community leaders concerned about Canada’s performance in the innovation economy. By fortunate coincidence, the site of the old Toronto General Hospital was for sale as part of a redevelopment plan of the University Health Network, and the MaRS College of Founders took the initiative of securing the land to build a convergence centre. This became the physical anchor for the MaRS vision. The MaRS Centre will be a 1.5 million square-foot facility.’
SAS Canada Headquarters Sustainable Site Visit 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM be smart and tour SAS Canada’s newly completed corporate headquarters, at 280 King Street East. Standing eight storey’s high and features the latest advancements in environmental and architectural design. Bus tour and fee: $85.00 for both MaRS + SAS tours, for more info click here: IIDEX|NEOCON events

Enjoy Toronto; brush up on the elements of environmental design while you can!