Robert Wright has a BSc from the University of Ottawa in Open Space Planning, with a minor in Ecology and an MLA from the University of Guelph. Professor Wright’s work is design centered and extremely eclectic in nature. His notion of design does not privilege the traditional professional disciplines of architecture, landscape architecture or urban design. He places his work within a more contemporary and trans-disciplinary framework.
As both an educator and as a design practitioner, he holds a strong belief that “Design is built theory” meaning that the translation from thought and concept to built works is primary and essential to design discourse. Having had training in both ecology and landscape architecture, he places design as a practice that must at its essence deal with context. He is a self confessed “modernist” with minimalist and situationist tendencies. The art of design is not merely “object” making but the interplay of nature, person, community, city and place.
Rob is the Principal of iz-design an open and exploratory design practice. His practice looks to develop creative design experimentation not only in architecture, landscape architecture but across all the arts. He collaborates with all manner of designers, artists, and professional practitioners across the full range of design and planning practice. His Academic focus is on bringing the University’s expertise together with community, industry, and government. He is a full member of the OALA and a Fellow of the CSLA. Mr. Wright has also been in the past, the Interim Dean of Daniel,. Dean of Forestry, Director of the Centre of Landscape Research, Director of the Landscape Program (8 yrs.), Associate Dean of Research, Associate Dean (4 yrs.) and Director of the Knowledge Media Institute (4 yrs.)