Running throughout the summer at the Design Exchange are two exhibits that couldn't seem more oppositional. Play > Nation, which opened on July 1st, examines the myriad ways in which Canada's unique geography has fostered a collective love of outdoor activities and the degree to which this has influenced and inspired Canadian design principles. Divided into for thematic elements — Water, Winter, Forest, and Urban — viewers are treated to a history of Canadian sporting equipment that spans from the first objects used by First Nations to the cutting edge bike designs of Cervelo.

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Also on right now is Out of Sorts, a thoroughgoing look at the evolution of print and book culture. From typography to cover art, the exhibit privileges form over content to look at the book as physical artifact and to ask what might be on the horizon in the digital age.

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Photos by Tony Chen