An ever-evolving narrative

Back in 2024, our team designed a set of temporary banners that dressed the outskirts of The Park at CIBC SQUARE, a new green space project at the core of Toronto’s commuter district. The set of playful designs, commissioned by Hines and Ivanhoé Cambridge, reveal new layers of discovery with each encounter.

The name ‘Toronto’ derives from the Mohawk word ‘Tkaronto’, meaning ‘The place in the water where the trees are standing.’ Inspired by this, and Toronto’s 10 million+ trees, we developed a concept centered around a single branch, which mimics the shape of the Toronto waterfront on Lake Ontario. From this branch, native tree species grow alongside key cultural facts and phenomena, creating an evolving narrative that reflects the city’s natural and cultural heritage.

To celebrate Earth Day, CIBC SQUARE collaborated with DESIGNwith who transformed our banners into a sustainable collection of colourful bags and pouches. The partnership came to life quickly, empowering the female-led sewists at DESIGNwith, many of whom are new immigrants to Canada.

The bags and pouches were then gifted as part of a tenant focused Earth Day workshop led by the Backyard Urban Farming Company-remaining bags will be donated or sold to the public. This initiative aligns seamlessly with our drive toward greater environmental responsibility at Acrylicize, giving our work a meaningful second life. The collection maintains the stories and energy of the original banners, but stand now as a testament to the potential of repurposing and reuse in our industry. Here's to much more of this.