Event Design eh - Brock Lumsden

Elements enhance-Fairmont Chateau Lake LouiseTerrace

As part of our Canadian design session (Event Design 'eh) at The Special Event in Nashville on January 10th, our third featured presenter is Brock Lumsden, President of BLD Decor and Scenery in Vancouver, BC.  This session will be excellent as we have brought together designers from across Canada to share their perspectives on event design and collaboration, and we look forward to seeing many of our fellow designers there to learn and yes, play with design ideas!

Q1. Can you tell us briefly about your current role and involvement in the design process?

BL: In past, before my role in my current company, my role had always been one of lead designer.  This would have found me as a part of creative team leading all things design, visual or physical. I would have created and overseen all designs and design process' for an event or, more typically, a multi-day multi-event program.   This would include all technical management, drafting, design building, and design project management.  Now, in my current role as business owner,  my focus is far more on getting my company team structure performing those roles. For the past seven years I've spent more time working on my business than working on designs.  I still lead and design our larger projects.  Getting my company, as an organized unit, to perform creatively, efficiently, and profitably, in conducting and coordinating design outcomes for our clients is a constant and fascinating challenge. 

Q2. Beyond our ubiquitous Mountie, what is one thing you consider “Canadian” when we talk about event design?

BL: Design in Canada, like anywhere,  can be driven by global influences, or regional influences.  The global influences are what can be found within all kinds of media: movies, magazines, or websites, that describe design and taste.  Bizbash, Houzz, Pintrest, Azure. Fashion mags, wedding mags,  are all describing a global design influence that now, in our current content stream,  we all have equal access to.  So I can't really say that these represent a "Canadian" influence.   What I think are 'Canadian' are locally driven and inspired materials, forms, and cultural influences.  For me, in the West, specifically Vancouver, these influences are often found in natural elements.  The outdoors and our mountainous and ocean rain forest locale add up to a unique West Coast vibe.  Wood, rock, water,  temperate rain forest features,  all form a local design vocabulary. The ways these are represented and combined makes for interesting results.  Coast Salish art and other more traditional crafts ( ceramics, wood working, glass blowing )  all inspire as well.   These materials influence all local design mediums: architecture, interior design, hospitality design, sculpture, fine arts, fashion and craft work, and therefore inspire us as event designers.  For me, here in the West, these inspirations often relate to material choices.  Most popular recently are wood.  Using wood in refined contemporary, sculptural and evocative ways that exude a West Coast sense of style is seen in unique ways here. 

Q3. If you were giving special event participants one reason to attend our session, what would you say?

BL: Come see how we do it in Vancouver !!   I love tapping in and coming to an understanding of people's worlds and seeing how they approach their work.   Its one of the beauties of TSE.  I enjoy seeing how designers or firms in Los Angeles tackle a problem, versus how a firm in Colorado, or San Diego, or New York, or Paris,  may approach the same challenge.  This session offers you a glimpse into our worlds which are uniquely Canadian.  Mine is driven through a West Coast aesthetic which, I think, is unique.