Projects
Imbuing life: an artistic reflection on growth
First Gulf Environments | Digital | MediaThe new Globe and Mail Centre is located within the burgeoning St. Lawrence neighbourhood of Toronto on one of the original ten city blocks laid out in founding the Town of York. With a vision of transforming their pristine, but stark lobby, First Gulf asked Forge to craft an artful installation to add a vibrant sense of life to greatly enhance the tenant and visitor experience, while creatively capturing the essence of their brand – growth.
Opening windows into new worlds.
We began by creating an array of LED columns that expands across the 70 linear foot lobby wall, giving it the appearance that there are a series of ‘windows’ growing from the core of the building towards the entrance. This beautiful canvas has been leveraged to create two distinct, interactive artworks that attract attention, while also capturing and utilizing the constant pedestrian flow to affect the content.
‘Bloom’ invites the viewer to wander into its idyllic, hand-illustrated forest scenes to enjoy a moment of respite. It highlights the importance of maintaining a balance between nature and the urban sprawl, so that we can continue to find solace within its warm embrace. With 72 scenes, including seasonal changes, varying flora, floating lanterns, creatures of the forest, and shifting light that emulates the time of day, it will never cease to have new things to discover.
BALANCING TWO SIDES OF THE SAME THEME
‘Interstitial Space’ is an exploration of the symbiotic relationship between the city and its citizens. The piece actively translates the momentum of the lobby’s pedestrians, adding colourful lines that weave throughout the illustrated cityscape, revealing depth and imbuing energy into the art. Over the course of the day, 8 distinct eras celebrate the history of Toronto, from its humble beginnings in 1793 to its current vibrant state today.
The unveiled project has captured the hearts of those that encounter it. Whenever someone passes by it, we hope that it will intrigue them, inspire them, or at the very least, add a little spark of joy to their day.