This thesis considers place and belonging and explores craft as a method of discovering community. I recently moved my furniture practice from Toronto to Prince Edward County, an agricultural region in rural Ontario. This relocation inspired my research; Prince Edward County was the setting of this work and the community in which I attempted to form connections through my practice. The principles of architectural theory Critical Regionalism were applied as a framework for the design of new regional furniture.
The concept of becoming through making is explored throughout this research and refers to both a maker’s acquisition of embodied and material knowledge, and to becoming part of a community. The paper documents the process of developing a body of work informed by Critical Regionalism, taking the form of wooden seats, and an engagement with community members through various craft-based projects, ranging from bending a metal basket to knitting furniture.

Keywords: Craft, Design, Furniture, Critical Regionalism, Place, Community