Northward: Canada's Design Future – Details, episodes & analysis

Episode 00: Michael Grigoriev - The very first episode of the Northward podcast, in which host Michael Grigoriev explains why we need to have conversations about the role of design in this country.

Project Northward is about bringing a spotlight to design in this country, and the power it has to proactively shape a better future. This podcast, is an opportunity to learn and spotlight leading design minds on what their experiences are, and what it will take to raise the bar for design’s impact in this country.

Episode 01: Ian Chalmers on listening to CanadiansIn this inaugural episode of the Northward podcast, host Michael Grigoriev talks to Ian Chalmers, a prominent figure in Canadian design, founder of Pivot Design Group and DesignMeets. They explore the essence of Canadian design, its evolution, and its impact on society. Ian shares his journey from graphic design to human-centred design, emphasizing the importance of understanding people's needs. The conversation touches on the challenges facing Canadian designers, the need for a national design council, and the potential of design as a tool for social change. Ian reflects on his proudest moments in design and the importance of community engagement in shaping the future of design in Canada.

Episode 02: Dylan Horvath on why Canada needs to get serious about Industrial Design

Host Michael Grigoriev sits down with Dylan Horvath, a leading figure in Canada’s industrial design community as they explore what industrial design really means far beyond just “making things look sexy” and dig into its power to solve human problems at scale. Dylan unpacks Canada’s untapped potential in using design to commercialize innovation, strengthen the healthcare system, and boost our economy. He shares his own path from systems engineering to design entrepreneurship, why public understanding of design still needs work, and what a more design-literate Canada could look like.

The conversation also touches on the importance of nurturing the next generation of designers through student competitions like Rocket, and why Canada should take cues from countries like Japan and the UK to embed design more deeply in policy and industry.

Episode 03: OD Krieg on Designing the Future of Housing

Host Michael Grigoriev speaks with OD Krieg, President of Intelligent City and a national voice in the movement to industrialize housing through design. Together, they explore how Canada can move beyond one-off construction and toward scalable, sustainable building systems without compromising design quality to meet Canada's housing challenges.

OD reflects on Canada’s evolving design identity, the need for higher baseline expectations around quality, and why prefab doesn’t mean generic it means better. Drawing from his experience in Germany and Vancouver, he highlights how thoughtful system design can unlock both customization and repeatability at scale.

The conversation digs into the challenges of scaling housing supply, the role of public investment, and the cultural shift required to reframe prefab as a premium, not a compromise. From mass timber and manufacturing automation to partnerships with architects, OD outlines how Intelligent City is building the full stack to meet the moment.