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Photo of the FCAD creative innovation hub sign on Yonge Street.
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FCAD creative zones to relocate under the same roof

By Kiernan Green

The renovation of 110 Bond St. will allow all members of the Faculty of Communication and Design’s (FCAD) three creative zones to collaborate under the same roof this upcoming spring.

FCAD’s three creative zones are the Design Fabrication Zone, Transmedia Zone and Fashion Zone. According to their individual websites, the zones serve as a place for students and public to support design invention and manufacturing, experimentation in media and storytelling, and innovation fashion enterprise respectively.

Currently the three FCAD zones are separated across campus. The Transmedia and Fashion Zones are located at 10 Dundas St. E. on the tenth floor and basement level. The Design Fabrication Zone (DFZ) is divided from the other two zones by Victoria Street, operating from four classrooms on the Victoria building’s third floor.

Charles Falzon, the Dean of FCAD, said that although the current creative zones were functioning well, “they have all felt at different times that they could be sparking more innovation if they were rubbing shoulders with the other creatives.”

“FCAD, as our sign says, is a creative innovation hub. The students and the faculty have been really indicating that they want more ways of working together between different programs – interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary,” said Falzon.

Lili Jeon is a Ryerson architectural science graduate and the technical coordinator of the DFZ. She has enjoyed working with FCAD to determine the space and facilities required at 110 Bond St. for the DFZ’s members to work well. At the Victoria building, there have been challenges in the past with running an office and workshop, she said.  

“[The Victoria building] is a classroom building. We do a lot of things that are really noisy that obviously disturb classes. [110 Bond St.] will be good because we won’t have to worry about having to move around each other. It’ll just be better to be in a relevant space, a space where there’s just zones in its own building. It makes a lot more sense,” Jeon said.

Sarah Shelson, the Programing Manager for the Transmedia Zone, said that she will miss her zone’s old location in the Roger’s Communication Centre because of its close proximity to media students. Nonetheless, she said the relocation to Bond St. will be largely worthwhile because “we’re going to have all the [FCAD] zones in one space.”

“The point of the zones is to break down the silos between all the different departments. So being able to be in one space where teams can collaborate and run into each other and meet and chat is going to be very, very beneficial,” she said.

The 10,000-square-foot space at 110 Bond St. will also have room for the Transmedia Zone’s music den and a general study space.

A federal government strategic investment fund of $31.9 million will go towards the new FCAD creative zones space.

The renovation is set to be completed by April 2018.

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