The Re-Designed Practice: Threats, Opportunities & The Future of Design

An evening with a cross-disciplinary panel assessing disruptions, evolutions, and the future of design practice across Canada. Design is facing an identity crisis. Between rapid AI transformation and changing economic realities, the baseline for "good work" is shifting overnight. As automated tools simplify design execution, the design practice faces an urgent question: what is the true value of a human designer in an era of prompt-driven refinement? How might we use these tools to advance our work? Are the threats to our livelihoods real, or are we missing the bigger picture? What is the true value of a human designer? How will my design practice evolve? Join us on Oct 29, 2026 for a cross-disciplinary evening examining the future of design practice across Canada—spanning Industrial Design, Graphic Design/UX, Architecture, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, Interior Design, and Fashion Design, as well as the future of design education. Together, we’ll candidly assess how practitioners view the evolution of their fields, unpack real-world disruptions, and chart the emerging competencies required to lead the next era of design. Event Overview • Cross-Disciplinary Panel Discussion: Design leaders across design practices debate de-professionalization, threat vs. opportunity, and strategies for navigating our changing fields. • AI’s impact on the future of design (DIAC): Tim Haats presents short key insights fresh from the Design Management Institute’s Academic Design Management Conference in Atlanta, sharing DIAC's latest research. • The future of design education (Cumulus): Jacob Kessler and Job Rutgers share short highlights from recent Cumulus sessions, tracing the shift from current educational disruptions to essential future competencies and modernized curricula. • Q&A: Participants will have the opportunity to engage directly with the panelists, ask questions, and explore how these shifts might shape their own practices, careers, and approaches to the future. DesignMeets is proud to partner with the Design Industry Advisory Committee (DIAC) to bring you this special event. Panelists Atif Aqeel Principal, AAA Architects Chris Hardwicke Director, Urban Design, City of Toronto Dylan Horvath Founder & CEO, Cortex Design Kevin Post Landscape Architect, Consulting Arborist & Founder, Beyond The POST Nicola Hamilton Creative Director, Serviette Magazine, Founder & Creative Director, Issues Magazine Shop Susan Keiko Langdon, C.M Creative Consultant/Advisor, Contract Lecturer, Toronto Metropolitan University Moderators Lisa Fulford-Roy Co-Founder & CEO, Fulford Roy & Associates Consulting Inc. Tim Haats Assistant Professor, School of Industrial Design, Carleton University Ian Chalmers Founder & Principal, Pivot Design Group & DesignMeets