strategic spatial design & interventions
We are a creative and strategic design firm that unifies the creative process with production coordination to reach integral, cohesive design solutions.
our craft
We are designers, solvers, makers and managers.
We specialize in small-scale commercial, retail, non-profit, educational, and residential spaces.
Xolo Design is here to support design and project management needs to materialize your vision through our skills in Industrial Design, Planning, Project Management, and Fabrication/Production Coordination.
Our skills bring material solutions to our clients and community through design and project management services.
OUR SERVICES
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Storefront design.
Signage design & permitting support.
Retail display & shelving design.
Interior layout and merchandise display.
Front-of-house hospitality design and furniture design.
Outdoor patio design & permitting support. -
Community/Rec Hall layout and interior space design.
Classroom & workshop space solutions.Gallery & exhibit space design.
Art installation layout & design.
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Secondary suite design and permitting support.
Home-office and home-based business design.Backyard patio & deck design.
how we do it
We view design as a facilitation process to make our clients’ lives easier. Design is layered, nuanced and multi-faceted.
We break down our process in the following way:
REVEALING THE ‘WHY’
We start by listening to your story. Why do you need this done? What do you need this space to do? What are you seeking to accomplish?
What layout should your store have? Why do you need 4 workstations instead of 2? What materials are best for your countertop?
Delving into your ‘Why’ lays the foundation for the functions, forms, and requirements of the project.
CONCEPTUALIZING & PLANNING
Once we understand the ‘Why’ we focus on the ‘What’.
What will this look like? What dimensions will it have? What’s the budget? What are the must-haves and nice-to-haves?
We sketch, draw, render, conceptualize, review, and fine-tune the plans for the tangible deliverables.
MATERIALIZING & DELIVERING
With plans and drawings in hand, we move to the ‘How’.
We provide you with the roadmap for materialization, including estimates from contractors we work with.
From here, you can choose to take the plans and roadmap yourself, or have us procure estimates from third-party contractors for you to select and we quarterback the fabrication and installation, saving you the time and energy of dealing with contractors.
our design philosophy
As fellow creative professionals who have lived and experienced life in different countries and cities, our paths crossed in Moh’kinsstis (Calgary) in 2021.
We quickly realized the similarities in our experiences and our worldview. Our skills and career paths were complemented with each others as we developed a creative partnership and a joint vision of impact through design.
With a common background in Industrial Design and a shared affinity for aesthetic and cultural appreciation we have a solid foundation that is strengthened by our unique skills.
Whether affordable and well-thought design for a local shop or business to public realm furniture that creates a sense of place, we believe in design as a craft that bridges the needs of the community with the practical, tangible solutions that fosters social equity and wellbeing.
why xolo
Xolo (pronounced shoh-loh), short for Xoloitzcuintli or the Mexican Hairless Dog. The Xolo dog takes its name from Xolotl, the Mexica (Aztec) god of transformation and duality.
The Xolo is thought of as guardian in life and death, bridging the gap between the Earth realm and the Mictlan or spirit world.
Xolo Design is inspired by the prehispanic philosophies of duality and transformation to engage in design as a practice and craft that bridges skills and knowledge with real-world applications for social, economic and community impact.
Photo by Hugo López on Unsplash
DROP US A LINE
Have a project in mind? Questions about our services and scope of work?
Reach out and we’ll be happy to connect and explore if Xolo Design can provide what you need to bring your project to reality.