Meet the Designer
Aiman
Fazil
aka. ARLF Studio , Environmental Design (Interior Design Specialisation)
“LOOM 14: A Creative Hub for Permanent PlacementArchitecture for an Economic Engine in Crisis: Reclaiming Toronto’s Industrial Heritage from Gentrification and ReceivershipToronto is the table, and the creative class are the legs that hold it up; if the legs buckle, the city collapses. LOOM 14 addresses the displacement of designers at 14 McCaul Street by establishing a new standard for architectural longevity. This space is vital because it provides the permanent foundation the creative economy needs to flourish, transforming a site in transition into a vibrant nexus—a central point where people, ideas, and industry intersect. This is the OCAD U alumni playground: a definitive sanctuary designed specifically to create, network, and connect.The building functions as a vertical ecosystem for innovation. The ground plane anchors the community with a public cafe and exhibition area, while the basement and upper floors house a high-performance network of adaptable working spaces and specialised maker studios for ceramics, fabrication, and model-making. Here, the architecture acts as a "structural loom," providing the permanent central spine that allows designers to scale their ideas and collaborate within a secure, long-term home.Sustainability is integrated through a circular 'mining' of the 1912 structure. By upcycling original rock maple flooring into communal furniture and utilising compostable wood-fibre masonry insulation, 100% of the building’s embodied carbon is sequestered on-site. This breathable, vapour-permeable envelope ensures long-term structural health and superior air quality. Combined with a chromotherapeutic colour palette—energising reds for brainstorming and focused blues for deep work—the space actively modulates the user’s psychological state to optimise creative output.Loom 14 reimagines the building as a vital public utility. While the masonry 'hardware' remains fixed and secure, a system of modular furniture and adaptable 'software' allows the interior to evolve alongside the community. By investing in these permanent legs, the project ensures that Toronto’s creative value is no longer extracted by real estate costs, but is instead woven deeply into the fabric of a resilient and enduring city.”
I am Aiman Fazil, a South Asian designer whose practice is defined by the seamless synthesis of spatial psychology and tactile storytelling. I operate at the intersection of the digital and the physical, utilising a transdisciplinary approach to curate interiors that do more than occupy space—they guide human experience. By integrating my work in photography, digital collage, and set curation, I treat every project as a layered narrative. My process is deeply informed by the environments I inhabit and the global nuances of language and culture, allowing me to source objects and conceptualise atmospheres that feel both culturally resonant and intentionally modern.My design philosophy is anchored in the "Atmospheric Tactile"—the belief that a space is best understood through the dialogue between comprehensive 3D models and the raw, honest materiality of physical model making. This dual exploration of form and furniture allows me to test how environments can subtly divert or invite interaction, always with a steadfast commitment to universal accessibility. For me, interior design is an act of curation; it is the skilled orchestration of research, objects, and empathy to ensure that the final built environment is not only inclusive but profoundly transformative for every individual who moves through it.
OCAD U - Faculty of Design
Environmental Design - Interior Design Specialization
Major Completed, 2026
Spatial Design Universal Design Design Research Heritage Restoration Rhino AutoCad SketchUp Adobe Photoshop D5 Render Adobe Lightroom Spatial Planning Digital & Film Photography
2023, OCAD U’s Look Inside Exhibition
Toronto, ON