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To design something beautiful is one thing, to design something beautiful to support those in need is another.  Next month, six Ryerson School of Interior Design students will have the opportunity to do just that as they see their original utensil designs auctioned off at The Stop Community Food Centre’s What’s On The Table event. The annual event brings top chefs from across the city and Canada together under one roof to raise both awareness and funds for The Stop’s many educational programs and outreach services.

“It’s not often that designers contribute to a food issue,” said interior design professor Lorella Di Cintio, “these students are offering their work for a fundraiser but it’s still high design with a strong aesthetic. These are beautiful objects the proceeds of which are going back to the community.”

For the second year in a row, Ryerson School of Interior Design professor Di Cintio has partnered with The Stop, which over the years has developed a range of community development, education and skill building programs, all centred around healthy food, as part of Obje[c]t De Cuisine studio – a first year subtractive design project completed by all interior design students. Based on contextual research on hunger, food bank use and access to healthy foods around the world, students are challenged to design and create a wooden utensil that represents their understanding of these concepts. After months of research, design, revision and finally, carving, the results are beautiful, original pieces of work with a purpose.

As part of the research process, staff and clients from The Stop gave a presentation on the issues and participated in a question and answer period with the students. Students also learned about The Stop’s Do the Math and Hungry for Change: What Toronto Eats campaigns. According to Di Cintio, experiential learning projects such as Obje[c]t De Cuisine allow students to engage with their work at a deeper level.

“Students’ understanding of local or global issues tends to be navigating on the surface of understanding - until they have the opportunity to delve into the matter on a local level - then they start to truly comprehend the challenges and can contribute in a valuable way. To do this, the model has to be achieved by removing the helping approach and attempting to become a contributing partner in finding a solution. That’s when we get more success and that’s why I’m so proud of this project. It gives students a chance to express their commitment to design but it’s also giving back to community”, said Di Cintio.

Over 100 students created original designs as part of the project, which took place during last year’s winter semester. The top 20 designs were selected by Di Cintio and her colleagues, which were then adjudicated by an external panel of judges including a local activist, members of Ryerson’s Centre for Studies in Food Security and the dean of the Faculty of Communication and Design.  

Now in their second year, the top six students selected to participate in What’s on the Table have carved second copies of their designs – entirely on their own time. Each piece will be auctioned off as part of What’s on The Table’s silent auction, each starting at $100. All six students will be on hand for the event and look forward to seeing their utensils raise money for a great cause.

Ryerson University is Canada's leader in innovative, career-oriented education and a university clearly on the move. With a mission to serve societal need, and a long-standing commitment to engaging its community, Ryerson offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs. Distinctly urban, culturally diverse and inclusive, the university is home to 28,000 students, including 2,000 master's and PhD students, nearly 2,700 faculty and staff, and more than 130,000 alumni worldwide. Research at Ryerson is on a trajectory of success and growth: externally funded research has doubled in the past four years. The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education is Canada's leading provider of university-based adult education. For more information, visit www.ryerson.ca

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