Ēclos Capsule Collection 2026
Competition Brief
DesignTO and Cosentino are inviting Canadian designers — living in Canada or abroad — to submit proposals for the 2026 Ēclos Capsule Collection. Selected works will be fabricated in Toronto and exhibited in at least two curated showcases including one major Canadian city and one major U.S. city. The call is organized by DesignTO, a registered Canadian charity (Charitable Business #: 803833300RR0001) that operates the annual Toronto Design Offsite Festival, in partnership with the Cosentino Group, a global family-owned Spanish company producing innovative and sustainable surfaces for architecture and design.
The competition is free to enter and pays selected designers a $1,000 CAD artist fee. Eligibility is limited to Canadian citizens or permanent residents, whether based domestically or internationally, aged 18 and above.
Intent
The Ēclos Capsule Collection focuses on the creative use and application of Ēclos — Cosentino’s next-generation mineral surface featuring a layered 3D body integrated design, superior heat resistance, and a low-crystalline silica composition produced through robotic engineering and integrated decorative techniques. The call invites artists, designers, and architects to engage with the material in an unconventional way, expanding its application beyond surface to three-dimensional objects including furniture, objects, and sculpture.
The brief frames the creative challenge as exploring the material’s innate qualities while investigating its potential in the environments where people live and work — blending form and possibly function in unexpected ways. The Ēclos Eclectic Veins collection offers six colours: Ivora, Landr, Legnd, Phantome, Tajnar, and Wondr. Each selected designer receives one slab approximately 128 inches by 63 inches in 2cm or 3cm thickness. Additional materials are permitted provided Ēclos remains the primary material.
Purpose
The Ēclos Capsule Collection builds on a lineage of Cosentino collaborations with internationally recognized designers including Tom Dixon (Milan Design Week 2023), Gilles Reibell (No Waste furniture collection), Daniel Germani (Dekton Industrial collection), Studio Juju (OO collection), and a Dubai Capsule Collection featuring Nadine Kanso, Omar Nakkash, Rabah Saeid, Omar Al Gurg, and Thomas Trad. Selected designers receive a $1,000 CAD artist fee, professional photography of the collection, inclusion in the Capsule Collection press release and ongoing press outreach, and exhibition opportunities in at least one Canadian and one U.S. city.
Requirements
The call is open to Canadian designers (students and professionals) aged 18 and above, living in Canada or abroad. Submissions must include: a description of the object of maximum 300 words including a concept statement and proposed dimensions; a short bio of maximum 150 words; 2 to 5 images such as digital renderings, drawings, or sketches at a maximum of 2MB per image; and full contact information including name, email, phone number, mailing address, website URL, and social media handles. Multiple entries are permitted using one form per submission.
Design considerations stated in the brief include: an understanding of the Ēclos material; consideration of aesthetics and fabrication techniques; an object that can be used or experienced in multiple contexts and environments; and consideration of sustainable design approaches.
Submissions are made through the DesignTO online JotForm. Selected designers will work with fabricators during a design development phase from mid-July to mid-August 2026, followed by fabrication from late August to early September 2026.
Jury
- Brigitte Shim — Architect, Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, Toronto. One of Canada’s most recognized architects, known for material sensitivity and craft-driven design. Officer of the Order of Canada.
- Eduardo Cosentino — Executive Vice President, Cosentino Group and CEO of Cosentino Americas. Leads the global business strategy and brand development of the Cosentino Group.
- Elizabeth Pagliacolo — Editor in Chief, Azure Magazine and Executive Editor, Design Milk. One of Canada’s leading voices in design journalism and criticism.
- HaeAhn Kwon — Artist and Assistant Professor of Fine Arts, NSCAD University (Nova Scotia College of Art and Design).
- Luca Nichetto — Industrial Designer and Creative Director. Venice and Stockholm-based designer known for material exploration and collaboration with major international manufacturers.
- Nicholas Sangaré — Industrial Designer. Montreal-based designer with practice spanning furniture, objects, and material research.
Registration Fees
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| All applicants — students and professionals, Canadian citizens or permanent residents | Free |
Prizes and Rewards
| Award | Cash / Fee | Additional Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Selected Capsule Collection Designers | $1,000 CAD artist fee per selected designer | One Ēclos slab provided for fabrication (approx. 128″ x 63″, 2cm or 3cm). Fabrication support coordination. Professional photography of the completed Collection. Press release and ongoing press outreach. Exhibition in at least one major Canadian city and one major U.S. city. Toronto Debut in early November 2026. |
Key Dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Submission Deadline | 22 May 2026, 11:59pm ET |
| Jury Session | Mid-June 2026 |
| Selected Designers Notified | Mid to Late June 2026 |
| Public Announcement | Late June 2026 |
| Design Development Phase | Mid-July to Mid-August 2026 |
| Fabrication | Late August to Early September 2026 |
| Toronto Debut Exhibition | Early November 2026 |
| Additional Exhibition Opportunities | Dates TBC |
✦ ArchUp Competition Review
The Ēclos Capsule Collection is a materially specific open call with a clearly defined creative brief, a named and credentialed jury, a documented lineage of past Cosentino collaborations with recognized international designers, and a paid artist fee for selected participants. This combination places it in a distinctly different category from generic online recognition award platforms: it is a commission-adjacent design call with fabrication support, a real material to work with, and a concrete exhibition outcome. The eligibility restriction to Canadian designers limits the international scope but ensures the platform is genuinely accessible to the target community without competing with a global applicant pool. The $1,000 CAD artist fee for selected designers is modest relative to the time investment of design development and fabrication coordination but represents a real acknowledgment of creative labour uncommon in open calls of this type. The jury is exceptionally well composed: Brigitte Shim is one of Canada’s most distinguished architects, Luca Nichetto is an internationally practicing industrial designer with material expertise, Elizabeth Pagliacolo brings editorial credibility through Azure Magazine, and HaeAhn Kwon represents fine arts and academic practice. The requirement for designs that work in “multiple contexts and environments” rather than a singular site-specific installation is a pragmatic constraint that encourages broader design thinking. The sustainability dimension — low-crystalline silica, recycled materials, sustainable design considerations — is integral rather than decorative, which gives the call environmental coherence. For Canadian designers and architects working in material, product, or object design, this is one of the more substantive and consequential open calls available in 2026.
Final Thoughts
The Ēclos Capsule Collection represents a model of open call that is increasingly rare: a specific material brief, a paid artist fee, fabrication support, a named jury of genuine professional stature, and a physical exhibition outcome. DesignTO’s track record as a registered charity running the Toronto Design Offsite Festival gives the organizational context credibility, and Cosentino’s history of landmark designer collaborations gives the Capsule Collection a recognizable lineage.
The submission deadline of 22 May 2026 is pressing — less than four weeks from the current date. Canadian designers working in architecture, interiors, industrial design, fine arts, or material research should treat this as a priority call given the combination of jury quality, artist fee, and exhibition reach. The low-barrier submission format (300-word description, brief bio, 2 to 5 images) means the investment to apply is minimal relative to the potential return.Competition Brief
DesignTO and Cosentino are inviting Canadian designers — living in Canada or abroad — to submit proposals for the 2026 Ēclos Capsule Collection. Selected works will be fabricated in Toronto and exhibited in at least two curated showcases including one major Canadian city and one major U.S. city. The call is organized by DesignTO, a registered Canadian charity (Charitable Business #: 803833300RR0001) that operates the annual Toronto Design Offsite Festival, in partnership with the Cosentino Group, a global family-owned Spanish company producing innovative and sustainable surfaces for architecture and design.
The competition is free to enter and pays selected designers a $1,000 CAD artist fee. Eligibility is limited to Canadian citizens or permanent residents, whether based domestically or internationally, aged 18 and above.
Intent
The Ēclos Capsule Collection focuses on the creative use and application of Ēclos — Cosentino’s next-generation mineral surface featuring a layered 3D body integrated design, superior heat resistance, and a low-crystalline silica composition produced through robotic engineering and integrated decorative techniques. The call invites artists, designers, and architects to engage with the material in an unconventional way, expanding its application beyond surface to three-dimensional objects including furniture, objects, and sculpture.
The brief frames the creative challenge as exploring the material’s innate qualities while investigating its potential in the environments where people live and work — blending form and possibly function in unexpected ways. The Ēclos Eclectic Veins collection offers six colours: Ivora, Landr, Legnd, Phantome, Tajnar, and Wondr. Each selected designer receives one slab approximately 128 inches by 63 inches in 2cm or 3cm thickness. Additional materials are permitted provided Ēclos remains the primary material.
Purpose
The Ēclos Capsule Collection builds on a lineage of Cosentino collaborations with internationally recognized designers including Tom Dixon (Milan Design Week 2023), Gilles Reibell (No Waste furniture collection), Daniel Germani (Dekton Industrial collection), Studio Juju (OO collection), and a Dubai Capsule Collection featuring Nadine Kanso, Omar Nakkash, Rabah Saeid, Omar Al Gurg, and Thomas Trad. Selected designers receive a $1,000 CAD artist fee, professional photography of the collection, inclusion in the Capsule Collection press release and ongoing press outreach, and exhibition opportunities in at least one Canadian and one U.S. city.
Requirements
The call is open to Canadian designers (students and professionals) aged 18 and above, living in Canada or abroad. Submissions must include: a description of the object of maximum 300 words including a concept statement and proposed dimensions; a short bio of maximum 150 words; 2 to 5 images such as digital renderings, drawings, or sketches at a maximum of 2MB per image; and full contact information including name, email, phone number, mailing address, website URL, and social media handles. Multiple entries are permitted using one form per submission.
Design considerations stated in the brief include: an understanding of the Ēclos material; consideration of aesthetics and fabrication techniques; an object that can be used or experienced in multiple contexts and environments; and consideration of sustainable design approaches.
Submissions are made through the DesignTO online JotForm. Selected designers will work with fabricators during a design development phase from mid-July to mid-August 2026, followed by fabrication from late August to early September 2026.
Jury
- Brigitte Shim — Architect, Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, Toronto. One of Canada’s most recognized architects, known for material sensitivity and craft-driven design. Officer of the Order of Canada.
- Eduardo Cosentino — Executive Vice President, Cosentino Group and CEO of Cosentino Americas. Leads the global business strategy and brand development of the Cosentino Group.
- Elizabeth Pagliacolo — Editor in Chief, Azure Magazine and Executive Editor, Design Milk. One of Canada’s leading voices in design journalism and criticism.
- HaeAhn Kwon — Artist and Assistant Professor of Fine Arts, NSCAD University (Nova Scotia College of Art and Design).
- Luca Nichetto — Industrial Designer and Creative Director. Venice and Stockholm-based designer known for material exploration and collaboration with major international manufacturers.
- Nicholas Sangaré — Industrial Designer. Montreal-based designer with practice spanning furniture, objects, and material research.
Registration Fees
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| All applicants — students and professionals, Canadian citizens or permanent residents | Free |
Prizes and Rewards
| Award | Cash / Fee | Additional Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Selected Capsule Collection Designers | $1,000 CAD artist fee per selected designer | One Ēclos slab provided for fabrication (approx. 128″ x 63″, 2cm or 3cm). Fabrication support coordination. Professional photography of the completed Collection. Press release and ongoing press outreach. Exhibition in at least one major Canadian city and one major U.S. city. Toronto Debut in early November 2026. |
Key Dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Submission Deadline | 22 May 2026, 11:59pm ET |
| Jury Session | Mid-June 2026 |
| Selected Designers Notified | Mid to Late June 2026 |
| Public Announcement | Late June 2026 |
| Design Development Phase | Mid-July to Mid-August 2026 |
| Fabrication | Late August to Early September 2026 |
| Toronto Debut Exhibition | Early November 2026 |
| Additional Exhibition Opportunities | Dates TBC |
✦ ArchUp Competition Review
The Ēclos Capsule Collection is a materially specific open call with a clearly defined creative brief, a named and credentialed jury, a documented lineage of past Cosentino collaborations with recognized international designers, and a paid artist fee for selected participants. This combination places it in a distinctly different category from generic online recognition award platforms: it is a commission-adjacent design call with fabrication support, a real material to work with, and a concrete exhibition outcome. The eligibility restriction to Canadian designers limits the international scope but ensures the platform is genuinely accessible to the target community without competing with a global applicant pool. The $1,000 CAD artist fee for selected designers is modest relative to the time investment of design development and fabrication coordination but represents a real acknowledgment of creative labour uncommon in open calls of this type. The jury is exceptionally well composed: Brigitte Shim is one of Canada’s most distinguished architects, Luca Nichetto is an internationally practicing industrial designer with material expertise, Elizabeth Pagliacolo brings editorial credibility through Azure Magazine, and HaeAhn Kwon represents fine arts and academic practice. The requirement for designs that work in “multiple contexts and environments” rather than a singular site-specific installation is a pragmatic constraint that encourages broader design thinking. The sustainability dimension — low-crystalline silica, recycled materials, sustainable design considerations — is integral rather than decorative, which gives the call environmental coherence. For Canadian designers and architects working in material, product, or object design, this is one of the more substantive and consequential open calls available in 2026.
Final Thoughts
The Ēclos Capsule Collection represents a model of open call that is increasingly rare: a specific material brief, a paid artist fee, fabrication support, a named jury of genuine professional stature, and a physical exhibition outcome. DesignTO’s track record as a registered charity running the Toronto Design Offsite Festival gives the organizational context credibility, and Cosentino’s history of landmark designer collaborations gives the Capsule Collection a recognizable lineage.
The submission deadline of 22 May 2026 is pressing — less than four weeks from the current date. Canadian designers working in architecture, interiors, industrial design, fine arts, or material research should treat this as a priority call given the combination of jury quality, artist fee, and exhibition reach. The low-barrier submission format (300-word description, brief bio, 2 to 5 images) means the investment to apply is minimal relative to the potential return.
Registration Deadline
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