About

About Bouncing Ideas:

Bouncing Ideas is a resource for creating, discovering and sharing insights and possibilities that emerge between design, biology, architecture, ecology, materials research, consumer insights, business, systems thinking and anything else that is dug up. The emerging insights and questions are source material for speaking, workshops, research and consulting.

Carl Hastrich, in the wild, on an Eames Elephant drinking a lovely red.

About Carl Hastrich

Carl Hastrich is the founder of Bouncing Ideas, and a Biomimicry  Fellow. Born in Australia, he  practiced as a toy designer before recognizing a need and desire to dramatically evolve design innovation and strategy. Carl moved to North America and worked directly with Janine Benyus and Dayna Baumeister on the development of the Biomimicry Guild, an innovation consultancy and the Biomimicry Institute, an educational non-profit, to develop core processes of engagement, research and translation between biology, ecology, design and business. Carl has consulted, presented, and taught workshops  with audiences ranging from high school students to working professionals.

In Toronto, Carl has been an Associate Professor at OCAD University, developing biomimicry courses with Bruce Hinds which included research for Herman Miller and Autodesk, while teaching in the Industrial Design program. Most recently he was a senior designer and researcher at KerrSmith, a unique innovation strategy company that centres its practice on research to application. A key project explored the relationship between historical ecology and the city, seeking inspiration for cities to function and natural systems. Carl was trained at the Swinburne National School of Design in Melbourne and OCAD University, where he is currently in the Masters of Strategic Foresight and Innovation.

If you’d like to know more about anything in particular, or to discuss possible opportunities, please drop me a message; info.bouncingideas@gmail.com

Speaking & Workshops

• 2013: Urban Ecology and Biomimicry – Building Science, Ryerson Toronto
• 2013: Design for Play, portfolio workshop at OCAD University – for high school students
• 2013 & 2010: Biomimicry and Design Thinking, with Bruce Hinds – McMaster University, Engineering & Design Masters Program
• 2013: Biomimicry and Architecture, ArchiTEXT – for Future Builders workshop, young high school students
• 2012: Design Thinking Primer, with Zahra Ebrahim – Trade School Toronto
• 2011: Biomimicry and Innovation – University of Guelph with Centennial C.V.I. Included a hands on workshop with high school students, facilitated with PhD biology students.
• 2011: What would a cactus do? Sustainability Crash Course – Pratt Institute of Design
• 2011: Biomimicry, with Bruce Hinds – University of Akron
• 2010: Biomimicry, Art City – Art and Design Festival, Calgary
• 2010: Biomimicry & Systems Thinking, with Bruce Hinds – Strategicy Foresight and Innovation Masters Program
• 2010: Biomimicry and Design – CCAD, Columbus Ohio
• 2010: Biomimicry Alumni Gathering, with Bruce Hinds – San Diego
• 2009: Chemerical, interview for documentary – Toronto
• 2009: Paper Futures Conference – Canopy, Toronto
• 2009: Biomimicry and Design Process – Whirlpool Corporation, Design Team, for Biomimicry Guild
• 2009: Intro to Biomimicry – New York University – Environmental Monitoring by Natalie Jerimijenko, New York
• 2008: Green Building and Design – Centre for Design – Brisbane and Perth, Australia

For an overview of services and experiences, click here.

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