École Buissonnière Year School Book 2003–2004 Rick Poynor's Choice client École Buissonnière design firm Paprika designers René Clemént creative director Louis Gagnon This piece is perfect—a design concept that just feels entirely natural. From teenagers fooling around with their friends to fi ne artists playing conceptual tricks, people have always liked to experiment with the photo booth. The idea of encouraging kids to express themselves in this way was a master-stroke. I love the way that multiplying the object itself—the simple photostrip —creates the design. The self-portraits are fascinating to fl ick through and work brilliantly as an introduction to kids at the school, and as an encouragement to get in touch. It’s a clever way to keep the photography costs down, too. design requirements It is now a tradition at École Buissonnière, a private elementary school promoting creativity and arts as a way of living and learning. At the beginning of every school year, every kid receives a “Year school book.” The idea is to facilitate contacts between kids outside school. They can communicate with their friends by telephone, email, etc. design solution It is a tradition also to come up with a new idea every year. The 2003–2004 concept was inspired by those “photomaton” booths in shopping malls and selector. It was interesting to play with kids and try to cover their whole personality with four different photographs of themselves. We also had a different version for pre-school students and second grade students.

Button Wall Min Wang's Choice client Contemporary Art Gallery—Vancouver design firm rethink designers Ian Grais copywriter Chris Staples account services Joanne Turner The design solution for promoting the Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver is simple, interesting, and visually appealing. It attracts the wider public who pass by on the street and gives them a greater appreciation for contemporary art by engaging in the process. It promotes the gallery and the art itself by a small but effective medium. The promotion mixes the boundaries between contemporary art and design, between the high and low art form, between the elite and the popular. The promotion wall was constantly changing as people walked away with the buttons from the wall, showing off the ever-changing contemporary art. design solution 50,000 buttons were displayed, each printed with a single word representing one of a hundred possible responses to contemporary art. The public was free to walk away with as many buttons as they wanted in this interactive promotional installation for the Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver. The text on the wall reads: this is contemporary art.

Hall of Best Knowledge Debbie Millman's Choice client The Coast design firm Co.&Co. Design designers Ray Fenwick illustrator Ray Fenwick Although this comes from such seemingly humble origins, I found this work to be breathtakingingly, knees-knocking good. The combination of wit, period observation and exuberant embellishment serve as a perfect way to inject high design into a “low” medium (newsprint) in a truly refreshing way. This would have caught my eye and earned Best in Show even if I had seen it in a New York competition. While “the blessed author” may work fi rmly tonguein- cheek, my praise is deeply sincere. design requirements Our society is moving further and further away from critical discourse; we are instead fed, and appear to request easy answers and platitudes. The problem was to fi nd a way to expose this and comment on it with humour in an easily digestible way. design solution The solution is a weekly comic strip, accessible by its very nature, that features “the author,” blessed with an almost unnatural intellect and refi nement, bravely battling the problem of a nation’s ever-increasing ignorance one engaging concept at a time. By using historical typography and wallpaper the commentary is beyond reproach, and the people’s call for help is answered with an authority that is both fi rm and fi rmly tongue-in-cheek.

L’Appareil Tan Le's Choice client Les Éditions de la Pastéque design firm feed designers Raphaël Daudelin Anouk Pennel I happen to love to cook. To me, cooking is an adventure, fi lled with twists and turns, climaxes and resolutions. The delight of cooking lies in the storytelling of that journey, not just the fi nished dish at the end. Most cookbooks these days have become nothing more than coffee table books with pretty pictures of elaborate dishes. They don’t celebrate the joy of cooking itself. L’Appareil is a wonderful combination of anecdotal storytelling, unique instructional diagrams, well-controlled typography, and strong graphic visuals. The author and designers clearly understand the joy of cooking, and have in fused this unique cookbook with a wit and personality that’s as rich and savory as the recipes. That’s why it was my favorite dish. I want seconds. design requirements Nine of the most renowned chefs from Montreal were asked to compose a menu. Each menu was then illustrated by nine famous illustrators. How to design a book that is both a cook book and a comic book? design solution In French, the word appareil generally stands for electric devices, while used in the cooking fi eld, it means a mixture of different ingredients. The cover plays on these two meanings, with an egg-beater and a list of all the ingredients appearing in the book. Mixing things together is inherent to the entire book; simplicity is the main device to achieve such a blend. Inspired by old fashioned recipe cards that would usually be fi lled out by hand, a simple template system helped us blend the comic strips and the recipes.

DDB Canada Agency Book Robert Sarner's Choice client ddb Canada design firm Karacters Design Group designers Kara Bohl photographer Clinton Hussey & Stock copywriter James Lee creative director Maria Kennedy This is an excellent example of print communication doing what it’s supposed to do. The ddb Canada Agency Book is inviting and captivating. From the cover to the pages inside, the interplay between text, images and neutral space is a delight to the eye. Even better, it tells a story in a compelling manner. It’s engaging to look at and to read. It transmits the message that quality matters at ddb. Especially for its intended audience, this is graphic design that makes the reader want to know who are the people behind all the creativity on view in the Agency Book. design requirements The ddb Canada Agency Book was created to act as an introduction to the agency for attracting new business prospects and employees. The book needed to convey the unique culture of ddb Canada, and highlight the passion for creating great work. In addition, the book needed to be a showcase for the creative and multidisciplinary work that the agency is known for. design solution The Agency Book has been successful in communicating the underlying beliefs and culture that make ddb Canada so unique. The textural quality and size of the book make it seem special, giving the book a gift-like presence. Copies have been handed out to current staff, and potential new clients.