The Institute without Boundaries joins programs in Graphic Design, Advanced Digital Design, Game Design, Design Management and Art and Design Foundation at the School of Design at George Brown College. Building on a heritage of leadership in graphic design education, the School of Design has developed a well-defined vision for future growth as a hub for interdisciplinary and digital design education in Canada.

The School has pioneered an educational approach based on design thinking, practice and culture, and fulfills this vision by developing research publications, exhibitions and practice laboratories where students work on real projects for non-profit and community clients. It is a member of ICSID (the International Council of the Societies of Industrial Design) and ICOGRADA (The International Council of Graphic Design Associations). The School also provides the Secretariat for ACID (the Association of Canadian Industrial Designers).

The Institute without Boundaries offers a learning experience that equips graduates with the capacity to solve complex challenges, by focusing the program around real design projects with tangible outcomes. Our students learn by doing – researching and developing original ideas in a realistic community context – with the full support, mentorship and resources of the Institute. Throughout the semester, students engage in a process of research, analysis, conceptualization, proposition, visualization, experimentation, testing, revision and presentation of theories in the public domain.

Projects cover a spectrum of creative practices from a variety of disciplines, and outcomes may include podcasts, videocasts, publications, exhibitions, design prototypes and international conferences.

Students are challenged by world thinkers, mentored by leading practitioners and academics, and work with local and international contacts. They learn about creative methodologies, integrated design process, strategic design planning, and innovative best practices.

In the process, students will also gain knowledge of
How to ask questions
How to listen
How to frame and carry out inquiry and research
How to interpret information and develop critical insights
How to present
How to make mistakes
How to bravely walk away from good ideas
How to design effective communication
How to visualize invisible concepts
How to find relevance in obscure detail
How to use design software
How to facilitate creative change
How to link business capacity with social interests
How to develop and manage projects
How to lead and allow others to lead
How to enjoy the fruits of one’s labour

Our aim is to produce graduates who, in the words of Buckminster Fuller, are ‘a synthesis of artist, inventor, mechanic, objective economist, and evolutionary strategist.’ To do so, we need to eliminate boundaries between design and other professions, and between designers and the local and global constituents they serve.

Coming out of the Institute without Boundaries, graduates will be able to effectively collaborate in the design process, whether they are designers or not. We aim to create:

The Institute without Boundaries was founded in 2003 by George Brown College and Bruce Mau Design. In the inaugural project, Massive Change, six students worked in the Bruce Mau Design studio researching, writing, designing an exhibition, a website, a radio show and a book, that explored and sparked a discourse on the future of global design.

In 2004, eight new students carried the exhibition project to fruition. Massive Change premiered at the Vancouver Art Gallery in October 2004. The same year, Phaidon published the Massive Change book and the student-designed Massive Change product line was launched by Umbra. The exhibition moved to the Art Gallery of Ontario in the spring 2005 and then to Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art in 2006.

For more information visit www.massivechange.com.

The second project at the Institute without Boundaries explores the evolution of home, ultimately focusing on the larger community. The project aims to produce a knowledge base for housing design that can be applied to local and international contexts. The goal is to generate a housing system that achieves a balance between the extremes of urban sprawl and urban slums and enables people to build sustaining, accessible, and healthy human dwellings and communities. To do so, the Institute has engaged students, teachers, and industry and community experts, locally and worldwide, to work on this challenge collaboratively.
         
For more information on the World House Project, visit www.worldhouse.ca

NEW! We are always looking to build our IwB student team and accept applications throughout the year. Offers of admissions are made in the winter and spring of each year for a September start date.

Download the application here

Each year, the Institute selects 10-20 candidates from an international pool of applicants who work together to research, design and realize a significant global project. We are looking for passionate people interested in joining a creative team interested in solving problems for real clients. Students will conceptualize leading-edge ideas and undertake work to bring these concepts to life.

Candidates are drawn from a diverse range of backgrounds and educational disciplines. Given the nature of the World House Project, we are particularly interested in architects, landscape architects, engineers (civil, structural, mechanical), interior and industrial designers, new media experts, communication specialists, sociologists, cultural anthropologists, political scientists, geographers, social historians, scientists, psychologists, and environmental designers.

Applicants require a post-secondary diploma or degree granted by a recognized institution of higher learning. Under special circumstances, equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of a degree or diploma.

To apply to this program, applicants must submit a complete application form, c.v. or resume, profile, letter of intent, and academic transcripts. International students, for whom English is not their first language, are required to submit English proficiency test scores or otherwise show a good comprehension of the English language. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

If you would like to be a student at the Institute without Boundaries or have any questions about the application, please contact our program coordinator Elise Hodson, at elisehodson@worldhouse.ca

"Having no background in design, the IwB was a unique experience because I learned about different types of design as well as other disciplines by sharing and working with a multidisciplinary team. The experience has been enriching as I am able to analyze and critique projects from different points of view, i.e. construction, aesthetics, functionality, sustainability, universality."
- Ana Hindelang, IwB Year 2

"The Institute is a great place to experiment and a unique collaborative environment. It was exciting to be given the forum to pursue designs that were not commercially viable, yet in many respects advanced in the realm of progress."
- Karl Johnson, IwB Year 2

"The IwB enabled me to learn how to think, rather than what to think. What I liked most was feeling surrounded by expertise, likeminded people and lots of time to further develop myself, not only as a professional but also as a human being, it felt like reading a good book for 10 months."
- Thomas Lommee, IwB Year 1

Q. How do I apply?
A. The Official Application Package is available in .PDF format here. Students are expected to have a minimum of an undergraduate degree, college diploma or equivalent experience. Applicants must submit a complete application form, applicant profile, letter of intent, c.v. or résumé, professional references, and academic transcripts. International students, for whom English is not their first language, are required to submit English proficiency test scores or otherwise show a good comprehension of the English language.

Q. What is the application deadline?
A. We accept applications on an ongoing basis. Offers of Admission are generally issued in the Spring or Summer. Late applications may be considered for either the current year or for the following year, in consultation with the student.

Q. Where do I send my application?
A. This information is included in our Application Form.

Q. What happens once I've applied?
A. Your application will be reviewed and your references may be contacted. You will then be contacted for a telephone interview. A second telephone interview may also be held.

Q. I am an international student. Will I need a study permit?
A. To study in Canada, you will need a study permit. For official information about the application policy and procedures, contact a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) office in Canada, the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate nearest you, or see the CIC website at www.cic.gc.ca. To contact George Brown's International Centre, please call 416.415.5000 x.2115 or 1-800-265-2002 (Canada and the US) or email internationalcentre@georgebrown.ca.

Q. When does the program start?
A. The academic year begins in September, following Labour Day (September 1). The exact date will be communicated to incoming students.

Q. What does the program cost?
A. Tuition for Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents is approx. $12,000 CAD* while tuition for International Students is approx. $19,500 CAD*. There is no application fee.
*Please note that tuition fees are subject to change without notice.

Q. Is financial aid available?
A. Canadian students can apply for a ScotiaLine® personal line of credit that allows graduate students to borrow up to $12,000 per year. While in school, students are required to make interest-only monthly payments. Details are available at www.scotiabank.com, any Scotiabank branch or by calling 1-800-972-6842. Unfortunately, this is not available to International Applicants at this time. Due to the specialised nature of this program, OSAP is not available for domestic students.

Q. Is student health/dental coverage available?
A. Health benefits are managed by George Brown College’s Student Association. Click here to visit their benefits website.

Q. What other costs are involved aside from tuition?
A. In addition to tuition fees, students pay ancillary fees of approximately $1,000 CAD and a health insurance fee, which is different for domestic and international students. For more information on the health plan, please visit the Student Association benefits website.

Some travel may be required, which will be at the students’ expense. All students are responsible for their own living accommodations and expenses while attending the program. International Students can choose a homestay option from George Brown College’s International Centre. It is also recommended that students bring their own laptop (both Mac and PC are acceptable).

Q. How many hours a week can I expect to devote to this program?
A. Students can expect to work 40+ hours per week in this intensive program. Working part-time is not recommended, as it will be difficult for students to balance a part-time job and full-time study.

Q. Can I visit your studio or discuss my application with someone?
A. Visits and meetings can always be arranged. Please contact our program coordinator, Elise Hodson, at elisehodson@worldhouse.ca

Q. What media will I be working in?
A. Students will engage in the fullest range of creative practices, from research and writing, to photography, filmmaking, design in myriad media, production and project management. The work of the Institute may result in publications, video productions, web sites, exhibitions, and prototypes. It is recommended that students bring a digital camera for some of the work.

Q. What do I receive at the end of the program?
A. Students will receive an Institute without Boundaries Certificate Integrated Design Practice certificate from George Brown College.

ADDRESS
230 Richmond Street East, Toronto, ON, M5A 1P4, Canada
T: +1 416 415 5000 x 3434

THE WORLD HOUSE PROJECT
For details on the World House Project and our current news and events, please go to www.worldhouse.ca

GENERAL QUESTIONS & COMMENTS
We are always interested in hearing your thoughts and feedback! If you have any questions or comments about our program, projects, or website, please contact Priscilla Li at priscillali@worldhouse.ca

SPONSORS, PARTNERS & AFFILIATES
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, partner or affiliate of the Institute without Boundaries, please download our sponsorship package and contact Elise Hodson at elisehodson@worldhouse.ca

ADMISSIONS
If you would like to be a student at the Institute without Boundaries or have any questions about the application, please contact Elise Hodson at elisehodson@worldhouse.ca

CHARRETTES
If you have an interesting project and would like to do a charrette with the Institute without Boundaries, please contact Silvio Ciarlandini at silviociarlandini@worldhouse.ca