Caserne signs on as Design Partner for DesignThinkers 2027

Joining the roster of esteemed firms that have developed branding for the RGD's DesignThinkers conferences over the past 26 years, Caserne shares its process, challenges and sources of inspiration for the 2027 branding.

DesignThinkers 2027 will be held at the Vancouver Playhouse on May 4–5, and in Toronto on October 21-22, both with options for live streaming.

Why did you and your team want to take on the 2027 DesignThinkers branding as a project?

For us, taking on the DesignThinkers identity is both an honour and an opportunity to give back to a community we care deeply about. We've always admired the iconic Canadian studios that have shaped the event over the years, so contributing our own perspective to that lineage feels incredibly meaningful. The RGD plays such an important role in bringing the design community together, and we wanted to be part of that in a significant way. We're also excited by the opportunity to build anticipation for the next edition and create an identity that can amplify the incredible lineup of speakers and ideas that DesignThinkers brings together. — Léo Breton-Allaire RGD, Partner and Creative Director at Caserne

What has been the most challenging aspect of developing the design/concept?

The biggest challenge has been finding a theme that feels universal and unifying, while still being distinctive and relevant to where design and culture are today. DesignThinkers brings together people from different disciplines, backgrounds and perspectives, so the concept needs to create common ground without becoming too broad or generic. We've been looking for that balance between something immediately accessible and something with enough depth to inspire different interpretations. It's a challenging brief, but that tension is also what has made the process so interesting: finding an idea that can bring everyone together while still feeling unexpected and specific to this edition. — Ugo Varin Lachapelle, Partner and Creative Director at Caserne

What are your sources of inspiration for the concept? What research did you undertake?

A big part of our research came from conversations with the RGD team. Hearing their perspective on previous editions—what resonated, what they learned and how the event has evolved—gave us an important foundation for the project. At the same time, our experience creating FORUM, our own design event in Montreal, over the past five years has been a form of ongoing research in itself. It has taught us a lot about how an identity can shape the energy around an event and connect a community. It's especially interesting now to apply those learnings to DesignThinkers, while approaching it from a completely new perspective and context. — Léo Breton-Allaire RGD, Partner and Creative Director at Caserne

What has been your team's process to tackle the project?

We approached the project as a very collaborative exercise from the beginning. Rather than having a small group define the direction, we wanted to involve the broader team and bring as many perspectives into the process as possible. We explored what DesignThinkers represents today, what we would want to experience as attendees, and where we saw opportunities to create something fresh. Ideas were shared, challenged, combined and pushed in different directions before gradually converging into a stronger point of view. It's similar to the way we approach FORUM each year: creating space for different voices early on, then using that collective thinking to build a clear and cohesive concept. — Ugo Varin Lachapelle, Partner and Creative Director at Caserne