Where sophisticated Architecture and Urbanity Meet the Toy Box
Raymond Girard has spent much of his career at the intersection of design, storytelling, and global audiences, shaping how people experience brands across travel, media, events, and built environments.
Through Pen & Brick, he creates architectural sculptures and immersive installations, often using LEGO® alongside other materials to explore cities and public space through a medium that is both familiar and unexpectedly sophisticated.
His work bridges audiences effortlessly, combining accessibility with architectural rigor. The result is art that feels distinctly premium while functioning as both sculpture and shared experience, drawing people in and creating memorable moments in public space.
PORTFOLIO OF SELECTED PROJECTS
OMniplasticity 1, 2, 3 at la maison simons yorkdale • permanent COLLECTION
Three large-scale sculptures installed high within Simons’ Yorkville store. Inspired by the exuberance of heroic modernist architecture, the pieces draw visitors toward the upper reaches of the retail environment. A playful exploration of scale, structure, and architectural optimism.
KALEIDOSCOPE CITY AT THE RON JOYCE CHILDREN’S HEALTH CENTRE • HAMILTON, ON • permanent collection
As part of this groundbreaking health centre’s permanent art collection, this 21-foot fantasy skyline was installed in the prosthetics and orthotics waiting area. Inspired by cities around the world, the work was designed to reveal new details from different vantage points, no matter the viewer’s ability. Patients encounter it over many years and from many perspectives, whether on foot, crutches, stretcher, or wheelchair.
BRICK WEAVING • STANTEC WINDOW GALLERY • TORONTO
A sculptural installation in the Stantec Architecture window gallery on Spadina Avenue. The work references the building's past as the McGregor Socks factory, translating textile patterns into architectural LEGO form. A contemporary homage to the site's industrial heritage.
Large-scale photographic reproductions of my LEGO® architecture, photographed by Laird Kay, wrapped an entire city block of construction hoarding. The installation animated the streetscape while promoting the development behind it. Art used as both placemaking and storytelling at the scale of the city.
IT'S A WRAP! CONSTRUCTION HOARDING • NORTH TORONTO
SERIOUS PLAY AT FILTER DESIGN • HAMILTON, ON
An exhibition of diminutive architectural sculptures, each one a complete building in its own right, created during my recovery from a serious accident. Each piece draws inspiration from the experimental pavilions of mid- century world's fair architecture. Taking a page from the brilliant work of Charles and Ray Eames, the work reflects how play, curiosity, and architecture can coexist as tools for healing and exploration.
BLOCK PARTY • AKASHA ART PROJECTS • TORONTO 2018
A full sculptural takeover of the loft-like gallery space accompanied by large-scale photographs by Laird Kay. Dozens of LEGO® structures were integrated into walls, ceilings, and floors, creating an immersive architectural environment. The installation was designed to engage the street and draw attention from passing streetcars and pedestrians along this Cabbagetown street.
PEN & BRICK Brand LAUNCH AND show AKASHA ART PROJECTS • TORONTO 2019
A sculptural exhibition inspired by the modular architecture of Habitat 67 in Montreal and a month-long launch event for the Pen & Brick brand. The show combined framed LEGO® sculptures with drawings that reveal the conceptual thinking behind them. An exploration of architecture, modularity, and the creative process.
TOYING WITH UTOPIA 313 DESIGN MARKET and DESIGNTO FESTIVAL 2020 • TORONTO, 2020
A window installation exploring the idea of mobile architecture responding to the street. The display engaged pedestrians and passing streetcars alike and was awarded the DesignTO People's Choice Award for Favourite Window Installation. A demonstration of public engagement through architecture, light, and imagination.
Landsdown park TOYBOX • Burlington, ON
A series of playful decals wrapping playground utility boxes in Burlington. The project demonstrates how modest interventions can create meaningful urban impact. Even the smallest pieces of infrastructure can become moments of delight within the public realm.
HOLIDAY WINDOWS FOR A stressed-out CITY • 313DESIGNMARKET TORONTO 2020-2021
A series of illuminated LEGO® skyline installations created during the pandemic. Six-foot tall sculptures glowed with colour and light as a gesture of optimism for the neighbourhood. The project became a seasonal landmark and a gift from the store to passersby during difficult times.
FILTER DESIGN WINDOW ACTIVATION • HAMILTON, ON
Architectural LEGO sculptures displayed in the Ottawa Street windows of Filter Design. The installation helped establish the shop as a distinctive destination among the surrounding vintage stores. A small intervention with strong visual identity.
BUBBLES & BRICKS® EVENTS AT AKASHA ART PROJECTS • TORONTO
Invitation-only evenings where VIP guests were encouraged to build with LEGO while enjoying champagne and music in a gallery setting. The experiment blurred the line between art installation and social gathering. It also proved that the appeal of LEGO transcends age and social boundaries.
LEGOMETROPOLITAN • HOLT RENFREW MEN • TORONTO 2015
Store takeover featuring 20 freestanding architectural sculptures installed at the entrance and within the “wonderwall” of Holt Renfrew’s new Yorkville menswear store. Inspired by the rich textures, colour palettes, and graphic pattern language of houses such as Missoni and Etro, the work translated fashion into architectural form, making it a natural fit for a luxury retail environment.
