Explore "Pivotal Moments," a collaborative editorial design project by the Ottawa and New York Design Clubs documenting the turning points of creativity.

Design often celebrates the finish line. We see the polished logo, the live site, or the final render. We rarely see the friction that came before. "Pivotal Moments" is a 244-page print publication that shifts the lens. It ignores career highlights to focus on the pauses and decisions that changed everything.

The project is a collaboration between the Ottawa Design Club and the New York Design Club. It was edited, art directed, and designed by Izzy Poirier and Caroline Sarrette, with editorial contributions from Ariane Bédard. Instead of a standard open call, the team used a recommendation-based chain to curate contributors from across North America and the UK. This method ensures the content feels like a shared conversation rather than a gallery of individuals.

The editorial design is a study in restraint. In a world of loud typography and aggressive layouts, this book chooses a steady rhythm. No single story is prioritized over another. Every essay and artwork receives equal space, reflecting the non-linear nature of creative growth. This consistency allows the reader to focus on the cumulative weight of the stories rather than the visual hierarchy of the pages.

Texture plays a vital role in the physical object. The book was produced using Xerox Iridesse printing technology. The designers integrated white, silver, and clear specialty inks throughout the layout. These elements are not decorative flourishes. They are subtle shifts in contrast that only become visible as the reader tilts the book under the light. It is a clever metaphor for the "pivotal moments" the book describes: insights that are often hidden until you change your perspective.

The project culminated in dual exhibitions at Wallack’s Gallery in Ottawa and Seven House Gallery in New York. While the physical spaces differed, the book remained the anchor. The exhibition design acted as an extension of the printed page, proving that these creative turning points are universal across different city scales and communities.

"Pivotal Moments" succeeds because it treats the book as the primary artifact. It is not a supplement to an event; it is the event itself. By focusing on process over product, Poirier and Sarrette have created a rare document of the creative soul. It reminds us that the most important work often happens in the quiet moments before the solution is clear.

Credits: Ottawa Design Club & New York Design Club

Editorial Design