Michael McKenzie

Current

Director at Change Collective

Past

President at SpaceSmart Design

Education

Life Arts Alternative
The Occupational Safety School

Connections

41 connections

Industry

Design

Websites

Michael McKenzie’s Summary

There is a scent in the air of Renaissance everywhere!

My formative years were engaged in design, marketing and sales of protective gear for worker hazards in Police/Fire Services and the primary Industrial and Resources sectors.
For the past several years I've been self employed in pursuit of unique solutions for the live/work and small space residential markets of the multi-unit building sector.
Currently I'm involved with 'SpaceProyekt' a virtual office/firm of architecture/design pros from around the world that creates and markets proprietary products and CHANGE COLLECTIVE a new group of revolutionary design minds aimed at financial, social and environmental Renaissance.
Our mission is change driven by design principles dedicated to achieving environments that empower the everyday lives of 'everyman'.
We believe that the creative class must lead with design think aimed at unlocking the vast human potential in (BOP) bottom of the pyramid societies.
We begin with manufactured housing solutions and the quest to scale-up the prefab process.
We envision production housing as the most lucrative new business frontier on Earth, destined to be our most powerful global industry.

"The road less travelled...is wide open"

Michael McKenzie’s Specialties:

> Design Think applied to Marketing
> Marketing Think applied to Design
> Integrative thinking aimed at 'deviant' solutions for 'undershot' markets of the built environment.
> Specializing in minimalist design aimed at maximum efficiency of form, function, material and human empowerment.
In a word, the 'smartsmall' design at the root of a sustainable planet.

Michael McKenzie’s Experience

Director

Change Collective

(Design industry)

January 2008 — Present (2 years 2 months)

Currently in development of a virtual office of international Architecture and Design associates that creates and markets proprietary products and ideas.
Our primary focus is 'SpaceProyekt' a concept that aims to reinvent solutions to constrained space environments, homelessness and affordable housing with a systemized, modular approach to furnishings and interior elements intended for scale factory builds.
'The current rage for tiny prefab continually flashes and fades because its cute and cuddly exterior works best to disguise the compromises within"
"Our process works from the inside out, placing people at the heart of design, while maximizing material yield and exploring optimum functionality of all physical elements"
President

SpaceSmart Design

(Design industry)

March 1998 — December 2007 (9 years 10 months)

President/Owner, SpaceSmart Design 1996 - 2007

Specializing in design solutions for multi-unit, small space live/work environments; we have completed several unique projects and received wide media exposure for our furniture and design ideals.

Previous Chronology:
For 20 years I was employed by Safety Supply Canada, then the largest, manufacturer/distributor of Worker Safety Equipment in North America, (now Acklands-Grainger).
For most of that time I specialized in the Protective Apparel Products Group, with the following responsibilities:

Director - Safety Products, North America (1997)
National Product Manager - Protective Apparel, Auto Specialist
Ontario Regional Manager - Sales/Marketing
Central Canada Product Manager - Apparel Group
Kitchener-Waterloo - Branch Manager - Retail/Industrial/Fire Service
Ontario Region - Sales Specialist - Protective Apparel
Toronto - Sales Representative, Industrial/Commercial (1976)

Michael McKenzie’s Education

Life Arts Alternative

Professional , Music, English, Journalism, Design, Philosophy, Economics, Marketing, Business, Fine Arts.

Activities and Societies:

Architecture for Humanity New Delhi, Architecture 2030, MyarchN, One World One Art, BOUNCE and Toronto Indie Music Performers, .
The Occupational Safety School

Personal Protective Apparel, Ergonomics, Materials and Fabrics Tech

Activities and Societies:

OSHA, OHS Canada, Canadian Society Safety Engineering, Candian Standards Association

Additional Information

Michael McKenzie’s Websites:

Michael McKenzie’s Interests:

I believe that the Artist is our most important citizen and I'm very active in support of indie music and the aspiring Artist. Writing and reading about architecture, design and social causes also occupy much of my time and what's leftover is dedicated to photography and a wide variety of outdoor activity.

Michael McKenzie’s Groups:

Architecture for Humanity, New Delhi, India, MyarchN, the architects network,
BOUNCE in support of indie music and performers and Change Collective which I've discussed here.