The term “disruptor” has become omnipresent over the last decade or so, applied to everything from peer-to-peer ridesharing companies that revolutionized urban transportation, to financial technology companies that seek to simplify the way we bank. But the term is equally applicable to less digitally-oriented endeavours, like the redevelopment of 300 Bloor Street West (a forward-looking plan to ensure the continued longevity of Bloor Street United Church and promote a modern community) and its neighbour to the south, the MaRS Discovery District.

Located on the southeast corner of University and College, just a short walk from 300 Bloor Street West, the MaRS Discovery District is a hub of industry disruption, “a launchpad for start-ups, a platform for researchers and a home to innovators.” Founded in 2000 by a group of 14 civic leaders with the support of the government, key corporations, and the Univeristy of Toronto, MaRS brings together members of the innovation community to grow the economy and make an impact. And that impact can be felt not only on some ofsociety’s greatest challenges, but on the community surrounding the campus itself.

The MaRS ecosystem, a curated community of entrepreneurs, investors, corporates, academics, and government partners, reaches far and wide, supporting Toronto’s position as a global tech hub and creating thousands of jobs and billions in revenue. The original building opened in 2005. 2016 saw a West Tower expansion, and plans are underway for a new space set to launch in 2021.

Occupying 1.5 million square feet, MaRS is North America’s largest urban innovation hub. More than 120 diverse tenants call this home – a curated mix of startups, global corporates, and leading research labs that form a community addressing some of society’s greatest challenges like the healthcare system, disease, urban infrastructure, clean water, and climate change. It’s a space that unites like-minded individuals looking to generate a collective positive impact on the world, a space that lends innovation and diversity to the neighbourhood, creating a stronger community. And a space that will continue to act as a magnet for the best and brightest, disruptors on a local, national, and global scale.

MaRS Facts & Figures

1,200+ startups in the MaRS ecosystem
12,800+ jobs created by MaRS-supported ventures in 2017
$4.8B capital raised by MaRS-supported companies since 2008
$3.2B revenue generated by MaRS-supported companies since 2008
$11.7B amount contributed to Canadian GDP since 2008

Photo credit: www.marsdd.com

Learn more about the 300 Bloor street neighbourhood, rich in innovation, community, and culture on www.300bloorstreetwest.com.

Known for its clean lines and muted colour palette, Scandinavian design is a timeless aesthetic that can make your home feel fresh, modern and airy. Inspired by the cozy homes of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland, this minimalist approach to interior design is focused on creating beautiful, functional spaces that reflect the natural environment.

Give a nod to the Nørdic lifestyle and bring a Scandinavian colour palette into your home in 2020 by following these four simple design guidelines.

Embrace Nørdic Neutrals
White serves as the backdrop of all Scandinavian design and is the ideal base from which to build your overall home aesthetic. Scandinavians favour soft tones and neutrals like white, beige, grey and cream – think subdued colours that inspire calm and tranquility. Achieve a clean, curated look in your home by sticking to a monochromatic colour scheme throughout the space and layering neutral colours in varying shades. If you want to inject subtle pops of colour, stick to muted natural tones and pastels; colours should feel washed out and lived-in rather than bright and saturated. Banish hot pink and vibrant teal from your colour scheme in favour of dusty rose, mint green, icy blue, and soft grey.

Keep Statement Pieces Subtle
While fun accent pieces can inject some personality into your home, you want to take a ‘less is more’ approach when recreating that stylishly stark Nørdic aesthetic. Scandinavian style is all about openness and minimalism, so try to avoid cluttering up the room with too many colourful knickknacks. Any decorative artwork or accent pieces you want to display should work to complement – rather than compete with – your neutral colour palette. If you want to introduce a patterned element like a unique wallpaper or rug, avoid anything that’s too busy and baroque. Instead, lean towards simple prints with clean lines like geometric patterns in muted colour tones or classic black and white stripes.

Stick to Light Woods and Modern Metallics
When it comes to wooden furniture, fine craftsmanship is a key element in Scandinavian design, so it’s important to invest in high-quality pieces that will stand the test of time. Keep the wood tones in your home light and natural to bring warmth to the space. Scandinavian style favours blonde timber, white-washed birch, pine, fir and elm. For some added shine, invest in brass and copper light fixtures and kitchen accessories for a contemporary finish.

Be Inspired by Nature
Scandinavian design is greatly inspired by the outdoors, which means the colour palette for your home should draw upon naturally occurring tones you might find at the beach or in the forest. Try to incorporate environmental colours, textures and design accessories into your space to create a sense of ‘Hygge’ – a Danish and Norwegian term that conveys a sense of coziness and comfort. Fabric furnishings should be made with soft and organic fibres like wool, linen and cotton, and can be dressed up with natural-inspired accessories like a mossy green throw pillow or a soft sheepskin rug. Feel closer to nature by bringing the outdoors in with driftwood accent pieces and green houseplants potted with natural stones in simple white ceramic pots.

Remember, keeping things simple can make a bold statement. To achieve a sleek Scandinavian-inspired colour palette in your home, start with clean monochromatic neutral tones and then incorporate warm woods, natural shades and textures, and muted pastel hues to create a sleek, comfortable space that’s uniquely yours.

What’s tall and slender, with a beautiful profile and a knack for catching the perfect light? These words could be describing the towering glamazons found on catwalks from Paris to Milan, but they’re equally appropriate as a descriptor for the towering scale models that grace sales centres across the continent. And, for the last thirteen years, Michael Burke has been turning out some of the best.

In the late 90s Burke was an architecture student at Ryerson University, regularly pulling all-nighters to build models for class. After graduation he scored a job at a professional model shop and five years later, he launched Myles Burke Architectural Models, with business partner David Myles. Today, the firm produces around 50 models each year for some of the biggest names in development. We sat down with the partner, co-owner, and model maker to find out what exactly goes into building a mini-dream. Super indeed.

Scale models are a very particular niche – how did you end up in the industry?
MB: I was at Ryerson studying architecture and one day, outside of the library, they had a scale model, built by a professional model building company. Until then I had only really seen our student cardboard and wood versions and this model blew my mind – I couldn’t believe the level of detail and the accuracy! I couldn’t figure out how anyone could do that… what materials were they using? How did they get the materials to look so real?

I discovered that a girl in my class was working at a model shop and in fourth year, when she and the rest of my classmates went out and got “real jobs,” her position opened up. I interviewed and got the job.

I really had no idea what I was doing, but I was eager to learn and excited by every new challenge and responsibility. I thought I had the coolest/funnest/most interesting job in the world.

I had only been working there about six months and then this other kid got hired – his name was David Myles.

David and I hit it off right away. We were the same age, had similar interests, and we were really into our jobs.

After about 5 years we felt we were ready for a new challenge, so we started Myles Burke
Architectural Models in 2006 and never looked back.

What’s the largest scale model you’ve ever built?
MB: Some of the larger models we’ve produced at Myles Burke have been The World Towers (Lodha, Mumbai), a full 14’ tall; and Rivington (Toll Brothers, Connecticut), an 11′ x 16′ model with a total area of 176 square feet. The largest model I’ve ever worked on in my career was the Burj Khalifa. The tower was 21′ tall, the base was 32′ in diameter. I went to Dubai for the install. It took 14 days to set up.

Give us the scoop, were you super into Lego and building blocks as a kid?
MB: You guessed it, Lego was totally my thing. I’d build for hours, mostly making stuff up on my own rather than following any instructions in the kit. I also had a train set and I loved building dioramas for school projects.

Why is it important to have a scale model of a project?
MB: Scale models seem to have a unique appeal – they’re part art installation/exhibit, part technical construction. I think people gravitate to them because they’re beautiful, complex, and analogue. They tell the complete story of a project – with just one glance you’re able to understand the size, shape, spatial relationships, etc. of a design. Most people can’t understand a set of architectural drawings but they can understand a scale model in an instant. There’s also an element of authenticity, of truth – scale models, by nature, have to be accurate (their inherent “scale” is found directly in the name), so people experience an immediate sense of trust.

Are you worried that technology may render physical models obsolete?
MB: When it gets to the point when VR is indistinguishable from reality, perhaps physical models will become obsolete, but I’m not worried about it for two reasons: one, when it does happen, I’ll finally get some time off work; and two, I expect to be retired by then.

Seriously though, people always try and tell us that we should just 3D print our models. We’re more than happy to print a model for someone, if they’re looking for an expensive piece of junk, but in my opinion, they don’t hold a candle to what we do. Our work is the real deal.

How many hours did it take to build the Tretti scale model? And the model for Nordic?
MB: Tretti took nearly 588 hours. Nordic has been 695.88 to date.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever been asked to replicate?
MB: The strangest thing I’ve been asked to build was a model of a flat earth for a flat earth convention. I declined the job – I refuse to contribute to such a anti-intellectual conspiracy and outright denial of obvious and testable truths about the oblate spheroid shaped earth.

What’s the average budget for a scale model?
MB: It ranges. The models that we work on aren’t usually less than $10K, average around $25K, and have gotten up to $180K.

What’s your favourite part of the process?
MB: I’ve been doing this for nearly 20 years and I still get excited in the final days of the project when everything comes together. It’s pretty sudden actually – all the parts, fresh out of the paint booth, get glued in place, the trees get installed, the furniture gets added. It’s amazingly satisfying to watch it all take shape.

Finish this sentence, “If I weren’t a scale model builder, I would probably be…”
MB: If I weren’t a scale model builder, I would probably be a starving musician. Thank goodness scale models paid off.

Visit the Collecdev Sales & Design Centre and see some of Burke’s work in living colour with the scale models of Tretti and Nordic, our latest communities.