frill LASALLE COLLEGE INTERNATIONAL VANCOUVER 路 STUDENT MAGAZINE
CANU BACK TO THE BASIC DEDICATION TO DOWN TO EARTH
FALL 2013
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3 INTRO Frill it up
Image – this page: by Reiko Katayama
Table of Contents
Frill it up…
W
elcome to the Frill, the newest magazine by the graphic design students at
LaSalle College International Vancouver. This time, we focus the publication on design and artistic process and discovery. In the premier
4 FRILL CREW
issue, we feature the “journeys” of current
Mind Map
well as a profile of CANU, a tech start-up
6 CANU Getting it Together
students Priya Olak and Reiko Katayama, as co-founded by LaSalle graduate,Vitali Poluzhnikov. Here’s hoping you find it informative and entertaining – a real frill.
— Daryl Askey (instructor)
12 Back to the Basic Looking around the Surroundings
16 Dedication to Down to Earth Priya Olak Interview
Cover Photo by Karen Chen
Back Cover by Reiko Katayama
200 – 889 West Pender Street Vancouver BC V6C 3B2 Canada 604 683-2006 • Toll-free 1 877 847-7902 lasallecollegevancouver.com
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FRILL CREW Mind Map
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Getting It Together CANU is about the near future and getting together – in real life.
D
eveloped by LaSalle College
on the go. They want you to stop scroll-
graduate,Vitali Poluzhnikov and
ing through the past. Look into the future,
his partners Didrik Persson
join the fun and be part of something real.
and Roger Calaf, CANU is an
Part of that was reversing the order and the
app that makes it fast and simple for you
direction of the feed. It’s like a treadmill.
to share and join spontaneous activities Frill Magazine 7
What makes CANU different? They found that in order to get users to spend as little time as possible with the app
that appear “closest you” are those events
they needed to strip away all the unneces-
happening soon. The team strives to make
sary features to make the experience as
CANU the quickest way for you to get
simple and smooth as possible.
together with people around you on the
So, they did exactly that and they like
go. Through coordinating events using
saying that it takes the same time to open
CANU, barriers between attendees be-
the Facebook app as it takes to create an
come minimal.
activity with CANU. It should be that quick. The main point about the idea is “get together.” You start at the bottom of the 8 Frill Magazine
feed, and work your way up so events
Didrik Persson
Roger Calaf
Vitali Poluzhnikov
CEO & Founder.
CTO & Founder.
Vision/Design & Founder.
From Tillytorp, Sweden. Loves
From Barcelona. Loves soccer, sail-
From Russia and studied in Van-
problem-solving.
ing, nature and coding.
couver & Montréal.
The CANU Crew
How did it all get started? It was born when the founders had just
made him creative. Roger is a natural-born
moved to Stockholm and wanted to get to
coder. As for Vitali, he enjoys questioning the
know the locals, they found that there was
status-quo and creating something new. He
no spontaneous and relaxed way of doing
is driven to discover the next thing, not just
that. So they created an app that lets you
ride on trends.
propose what you want to do with people
Clearly, the founders built the product in
around you. They thought it would be bit
response to their own situation – recently
like Twitter for activities, only location based.
moved to Stockholm and looking for new
They wanted to make the phone a tool for
friends, they created an app that could help,
getting together in real life.
so that’s always a good start.
Because Didrik lived outside of any civilization on a farm in the south of Sweden, he believes that the isolated life there is what Frill Magazine 9
The Future? And they have the plans for the next six months. Step one is finding their fourth member – another IOS developer. After that they are going for first round of investment. As for product,our goal is to add privacy as soon as possible and if all goes well we will have an Android version soon as well. More info: www.canu.se
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“I’ll be putting full load on CANU with the team – we need to reach the desired goal. Just the start. Working hard … the upcoming updates will be quite good.” –Vitali Poluzhnikov Frill Magazine 11
Back to the Basic Why do we want to live somewhere? Look around the surroundings. Vancouver is a beautiful city indeed.
Words & Photos 12  Frill Magazine
Reiko Katayama
S
omebody was saying, “ All I can
However, something has changed my
think of Vancouver is a bunch
perspective and design philosophy over
of glass boxes.”. I used to agree
the year since I started Photography. It
with the thought. It sounds
gave me the opportunities to discover
negative but there is nothing wrong with
about the different aspects of the city. I
contemporary architecture with num-
realized it wasn’t just a bunch of glass
erous glasses. Simplicity makes design
boxes. There are much more than what
timeless. Besides modern design is func-
I could ever imagine but yet, I had never
tional. All high-rise near ocean deserve
paid attention to them because they
to have beautiful sceneries. It could be a
were there all the time. I used to wish
shame if there are not enough windows
to be in a different city where there are
to enjoy them. So why not?
historic buildings designed by famous Frill Magazine 13
architects, museums which exhibit those pieces of art
the city with my SLR to explore and capture those rare
shown in the textbook, large departments which carry the
moments. There was no specific place in my mind, however,
well-known fashion labels and so on. I was living in my little
I wanted to feel something old instead of modern objects
own world for a long time and wasting my energy for seek-
which are every where in the city. Maybe the fog or bright
ing the things not even here.
fall leaves made me feel sentimental. I started my short
The fall this year was quite special. As soon as the
journey from West end and ended in Gastown of down-
summer is over, it usually rains day after day so we don’t
town Vancouver. By paying attention and leaving precon-
see many trees with bright leaves under the blue sky or fog
ception, I was surprised how everything looked different
during the day or night with stars but it turned out one of
through the view finder of my camera.
the gorgeous seasons of the year. I decided to go around
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The truth is Vancouver was beautiful as much as other
cities I used to dream about. There are history, art and
had to do is focusing on the things happening here. It is that
warm vibe even in a small park.
simple.
We easily demand or complain in the world we are living
Finally I felt like stepping out of my little own world. I
instead of appreciating what we have. However, I’ve learnt
will keep continuing to do Photography because there are
something very important through my Photography experi-
too many precious things to discover here in Vancouver, the
ences, It made me go back to the basic of life principle. All I
city where I am living.
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is a 24-year-old Indian young girl who was raised in Richmond, BC. She loves life. She loves to help others around her and enjoys seeing others happy. People describe her as a down-to-earth person with an old soul living in this young lady. Priya takes it as a compliment and she treasures everyday in her life. To Priya, everyday counts as a new experience. Different than others in her age, she enjoys quiet life, appreciates simple things in life, and she loves a huge cup of coffee!
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Priya is a very creative and hands-on per-
Moreover, religion plays an important
son that she has a great passion of painting
role in Priya’s life and design. Her purpose in
and drawing. Her love of creativity leads her
design is bringing joy to others’ lives. It has
into Graphic Design. She’s always inspired
a huge impact on Priya’s attitude toward the
by everything around her; anything from
design industry too; as it can be a cold and
music, nature, people, and food. But most
competitive working environment. Hav-
of all, Priya’s mother is her greatest inspira-
ing faith has taught Priya to be humble and
tion. “She has always given me the power to
always put others at first. People doubted
achieve my dream goals, whether they are
Priya would survive in this industry with
small or big. She is such a positive and sup-
such a soft personality. She responded, “…I
portive person and I’m so grateful for having
have faith that everything will work out!”
her around”, Priya described.
Message
Elder
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Priya Olak
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Reflection
Beyond our Imagination