Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Louis Vuitton’s Parisian palace P. 44 Starck, Nendo, Grcic + more P. 102 Italy’s sky-high tourist attraction P. 98
THE ANNUAL
SHOW BUZZ
2015
YOUR GUIDE TO THE
BEST DESIGNER EVENTS
AROUND THE WORLD
P. 52
HOUSES ISSUE
FROM BARELY THERE MINIMALISM
TO HOLLYWOOD POOLSIDE GLAM P. 62
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IN PORTUGAL,
BY MANUEL
AIRES MATEUS
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JAN⁄FEB 2015
PM40048073 R09064
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ic s o f q
d y n am ditions.
e c is io n a nd driving perfect con
s e d p r ion s a re
increa ll condit
W ith the A u d i Q 5 proves a
y, th e
technolog t a udi.ca/qu
attro
or e a
Find out m
©2014 Audi Canada. Please drive safely in accordance with road and weather conditions. The use of winter tires may be mandatory in your province or territory. European model shown. Some features may not be available on the
Canadian model. To find out more about Audi, visit your Audi dealer, call 1-800-FOR-AUDI, or visit us at audi.ca. “Audi”, “Q5”, “quattro”, “Vorsprung durch Technik”, and the four rings emblem are registered trademarks of AUDI AG.
Aesync and Syz
Aesync, a new conference chair, and Syz, a new table series – both designed by EOOS.
Use them together or individually to meet, confer, collaborate.
ITALINTERIORS
359 King Street East
Toronto, ON,
Canada M5A 1L1
tel. +1 416.366.9540
matteo@italinteriors.ca
TRIEDE DESIGN
S uite 15
385 Place d’Youville
Montreal, Quebec,
Canada H2Y 2B7
tel. +1 514 845 3225
info@triede.com
WING
design by
ANTONIO CITTERIO
FLEXFORM
MEDA (MB) ITALIA
www.flexform.it
made in italy
CANON.CA/L
Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. © 2014 Canon Canada Inc.
AGENT ANNA AVEDANO
T. 240 441 1001 - ANNAAVEDANO@HOTMAIL.COM
Binns kitchen + bath design Bow Valley Kitchens Ltd. Design First Interiors Heart Kitchen & Bath
1055 Bay Street 105F-58 Avenue, SE 270 Richmond Rd 7801 109th Street
Toronto ON M5S 3A3 Calgary AB T2H 0N8 Ottawa ON K1Z 6X2 Edmonton AB T6G 1C6
416.286.2222 403.258.2230 613.562.2655 780.433.7801
www.binns.net www.bowvalleykitchens.ca www.designfirstinteriors.com www.heartkitchens.com
Redl Kitchen Studio SieMatic Montreal
1669 West 3rd, Suite 102 8505 du Quartier Blvd
Vancouver BC V6J 1K1 Brossard QC J4Y 3K4
604.681.4457 450.462.5555
www.redlkitchenstudio.com www.siematic-montreal.com
Photo Michel Gibert. Special thanks: Architecte Juan Antonio Sánchez Morales - www.adhocmsl.com. *Conditions apply, ask your store for more details.
Manufactured in Europe.
Mah Jong modular sofa system dressed by Jean Paul Gaultier, design Hans Hopfer
Mythique rug, design Jean Paul Gaultier for Roche Bobois
2015
AWARDS
FOR DESIGN EXCELLENCE
AZURE’s international competition is open to designers, architects, clients, manufacturers
and students for work completed before December 31, 2014. Entries are juried by a panel of
international experts. Winners and finalists are recognized at the AZ Awards Gala in Toronto
and published in the AZ Awards Annual, released in June 2015.
PRESENTED BY:
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Interior Jan 22-25
Design 2015
Show Toronto
Jonathan Adler
GlobeStyle ODA by
Saturday Speaker Sebastian Herkner
at IDS available at Avenue Road
200
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Exclusively selected furniture and Fashion-forward products from across
designs that are built to last, and the globe, hand-picked by our lighting
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FA V OURITE
DA’S E.
CANA I N G STOR
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CELEBRATING OUR
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5
JAN⁄FEB 2015
FEATURES BRILLIANT
HOUSES
→
Rustic charm, beachfront luxe, Hollywood glam and more
62
90 London Design Festival
The city-wide jamboree of big names,
and new ones, was filled with novel
products. Giovanna Dunmall reports
PRODUCT
Under the Big Blue Sky In California, Deegan Day Design reinterprets the iconic glass house. By Andrew Braithwaite
68 74
94 More than 20 tile options to
redefine floors, walls and the great
outdoors. By Paige Magarrey
TECHNOLOGY
Beach Beauty A glass and steel house in New Jersey Modern Family At Rising Glen Residence in L.A., every
embraces its sandy backyard. By Melissa Feldman room overlooks the pool. By Katya Tylevich
80 84
JAN⁄FEB 2015 29
CONTENTS
JAN⁄FEB 2015
DEPARTMENTS
GROUNDBREAKER IDENTIKIT
FIELD TRIP
56 Et Cetera
The Six Mile pencil,
a cozy e-bike,
building blocks
and more
44 Very Gehry The celebrated architect’s 98 Inspired Alpine A ski chalet in northern
glass-encased art foundation for Italy is set to reinvigorate a town that
ALSO
Louis Vuitton lights up a park in Paris lost its winter hospitality mojo
42 Contributors
DESIGN FILE MATERIAL WORLD 108 Media Shelf Books, films and websites.
Plus what is Ben van Berkel reading,
watching and surfing these days?
ON OUR COVER
Photographer Nelson Garrido
captured the warm glow of
Casa No Tempo at twilight.
Located an hour’s drive east
of Lisbon, the elegantly reno-
vated pitched-roof building
102 Sit Tight A roundup of chairs, bar stools and 106 Floor Plan What’s on deck? Artisanal wood, encourages guests to unplug
dining tables to dress up any room cork, bamboo, vinyl and more for floors and unwind.
30 JAN⁄FEB 2015
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Project: The Education Centre at the Krembil Discovery Tower,
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Design: architects tillmann ruth robinson CUSTOM ARCHITECTURAL FABRICATORS
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CONTRACT SALES I.800.268.7328 ext. 258
ONLINE
JAN⁄FEB 2015
DAILY POSTS AT
LOS ANGELES AZUREMAGAZINE.COM
DESIGN ARCHITECTURE
Show and Tell Normann Copenhagen features Secret Garden David Baker Architects’ Bayview
the Era collection of upholstered lounge seating, Hill Gardens, a colourful San Francisco housing
with mix-and-match legs, at Paris’s Maison & development for the homeless, wraps around
Objet – one of many international trade shows a generously sized courtyard, which reveals a
we’ll cover in the new year. garden tended by the residents.
INTERIORS CURIOSITY
FEBRUARY
5+6 2015
Colouring Box Sako Architects’ Family Box In BIG Ideas For the exhibit Hot to Cold, the
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Contributors
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Johnson, Will Jones, Paige Magarrey, Philam Nguyen,
Terri Peters, Rachel Pulfer, Davide Tommaso Ferrando,
Katya Tylevich, Amy Verner, Taiyo Watanabe
Associate Art Director
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Junior Designer
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IDS 2015, Toronto
40 JAN⁄FEB 2015 AZUREMAGAZINE.COM
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Design’s light-infused C-Glass House, Melissa Feldman visited David Hu’s
on the California coast, for “Under monolithic beach house, whose
the Big Blue Sky.” → Page 62 double-height windows look out
onto the Jersey Shore. → Page 68
FOR A
RENDEZ-
VOUS?
WWW.MAISON-OBJET.COM
VERY
GEHRY
↑ The Fondation
dominates its site within
the Bois de Boulogne,
a wooded park on the
outskirts of Paris.
→ Olafur Eliasson created
Inside the Horizon, an
installation of light and
mirrors, for a site over-
looking a reflecting pool
in the building’s grotto.
TO REACH THE FONDATION LOUIS VUITTON, you head westward from the heart
of Paris to a wooded park and zoo at the edge of the Bois du Boulogne, just
barely within the city limits. This seclusion immediately puts Frank Gehry’s
grounded vessel at an advantage, since it need not fight with the grandeur
of Paris’s renowned urban planning, nor with the charming side streets that
would preclude a full-scale view.
Visit the Fondation after dark, though, and the building’s features become
discernible in a way that wows even more than by day: the steel geometries
through the 13,500 square metres of glass facade, the engineered wood
buttresses, the fibre-reinforced concrete blocks. Here you see, essentially,
a vessel for outsized ambition and imagination.
Since Louis Vuitton CEO Bernard Arnault first reached out to Gehry,
over a decade ago, their combined vision for a cultural gathering place has
straddled past and future. Gehry wished to acknowledge the city’s history of
glass architecture, from the Grand Palais to the greenhouses of the Jardin
d’Acclimatation. Whereas those structures are formal and symmetric, Gehry’s
is fluid and sculptural; if you accept the ship metaphor, his 12 enormous
glass panels are more like sails than windows.
When Arnault acquired the Dior brand in the early 1980s, the purchase
included the listed site of a bowling alley, which the Fondation now occupies.
The same zoning regulations that have preserved Paris as the world’s most attacked the problem using a program adapted by Gehry Technologies from
beautiful playground confined the new building to the size of the original: software developed by aircraft manufacturer Dassault.
the 11 galleries, an auditorium, a restaurant and a bookshop adhere to the per- “The space between the glass and the iceberg is living,” said Gehry of the
mitted 11,000 total square metres. The project’s team of over 100 engineers way his facade swirls around the building core, when addressing an audience
faced an even greater challenge: when Gehry proposed the concept, the before the opening in October. “There’s nothing precious about it.” Perhaps
technology to create such dramatic shapes had yet to be discovered. The firm he meant that the wind can make the panels appear as if they have truly been
pushed out like sails. Or maybe that the Fondation experience is only complete Navigating these spaces is not intuitive (in fact, it can feel downright
once you have passed through these limbo passageways to summit the disorienting), and the only explanation for such an unremarkable entry is
highest terrace. At night, looking farther west, the skyscrapers of La Défense that it discourages lingering. Still, the Fondation projects the Louis Vuitton
blink like a modern Oz; eastward, the Eiffel Tower rises; and here, equidistant spirit on a monumental scale. Above the outdoor ticket window, an LV logo
between them, a nexus of light surrounded by a black expanse of forest. speaks to the edifice’s status as an object of luxury – conceived by the free-
There remains, however, the not-so-minor issue of accessibility within. dom of an artist, but requiring a brand to serve as patron. foga.com
JAN⁄FEB 2015 45
FIVE QUESTIONS FOR…
SEBASTIAN
On being discovered (by Patrizia
Moroso) and why collaboration feels
HERKNER
like one big Ping-Pong game
Patrizia Moroso discovered the one-time ready in time for ICFF in May. I’m also working on and successful. If you knew beforehand, you
Stella McCartney intern – and his multi-hued a bistro table and stackable chair, woven in fishing would just do the same thing over again, so I’m
Bask collection of paper yarn and metal wire net yarn by African artisans, for Moroso’s Banjooli lucky when people say it’s a classic. I always try
baskets that double as tables – during Milan collection, along with a new sofa; expanding the to create products that will survive, because I
Design Week in 2010. Since then, Herkner has Wooster line for Very Wood; producing a light fixture don’t want to design things you just buy for one
been going full speed. Working out of a small for Gubi; and developing an outdoor collection season then throw away.
studio in Frankfurt, Germany, he now collab- for Dedon. This year for Pulpo, we introduced the It goes back to the materials: a wooden chair
orates with such top European manufacturers Oda lamps, big glass spheres on metal stands, will develop a nice patina from year to year, and
as Gubi, Rosenthal and Very Wood, as well as inspired by the water towers in the black and white so will porcelain, metal or copper. The top of the
ClassiCon, whose Bell Table has propelled him photographs of Hilla and Bernd Becher. We’re Bell Table is brass, and the bottom is glass; if it
into the spotlight since it debuted three years very busy. were made of plastic, you would see the scratches
ago. We asked the designer how he manages to right away. Instead, the imperfections, small air
keep up the pace. How do you develop your collaborations with bubbles, show that it’s mouth blown and not an
manufacturers? industrial piece. Two glass-blowers always work
You have a wonderful way of mixing materials. I start with a clear picture of how my work will fit on it together, because they need a great deal of
How did that evolve? in to the company’s portfolio. I visit the factory energy and must switch places often. You need
I select many materials when I’m travelling. When to meet the prototyping people, and I go through 10 years of experience to blow a piece like this.
I see a new material or colour, I keep it with me. the archive to understand the company’s approach.
Right now, I’m fiddling with the tab of a Red Bull Many manufacturers are interested in my colour What three elements influence every one of
can. Even this small, anodized aluminum clip and material philosophy, and they start by asking your designs?
can be developed into a new colour or material for mixed materials. Sometimes I get a brief, Authenticity – real materials. They must also be
combination. Working in fashion was also an or I think about what is missing in the collection personal and derived from my own design language.
inspiring experience. Thinking about material or what kind of project I’m interested in. Then And, there is this very German aspect of function.
combinations in handbags and in shoe design, I propose it to them, and it’s like a Ping-Pong They need to work well.
and how to choose colours, shaped the rules for game that can take anywhere from three or four
my current thinking and my design language. months to two or three years or even longer. Sebastian Herkner will speak at the Azure-
sponsored Trade Talks on January 23, part of
What are you working on these days? Your Bell Table for ClassiCon, a Red Dot Design Toronto’s Interior Design Show. Avenue Road
We are collaborating with Caesarstone for a Award winner, is already considered a classic. will also feature his work at IDS, in a booth by
slatted bench of solid surfacing intersected by Are you conscious of designing timeless pieces? the designer. interiordesignshow.com,
a round wooden tabletop. Hopefully, it will be You never know if a product design will be popular avenue-road.com
CARTE
Le Laboratoire Cambridge
presents a radical way to
DU FUTURE
rethink eating, drinking and
interacting with food
BY TIM McKEOUGH
CAFÉ ARTSCIENCE
Where diners
sample cutting-edge
gastronomy
MANY RESTAURANTS aim to deliver some degree
of novelty, but at the recently opened Café
ArtScience in Cambridge, Massachusetts, diners
are guaranteed an experience they won’t find
anywhere else. Along with food and cocktails, the
restaurant serves up an array of menu items that
seem teleported from the future. Step up to the
WikiBar and order WikiPearls – morsels of such
foods as yogurt, cheese and ice cream in edible,
electrostatic gel wrappers designed to behave
like a grape skin, so you can hold them with your
fingers. Or sample Le Whaf, a carafe that uses
ultrasonic waves to vaporize drinks so you can
inhale a flavour cloud; or AeroLife, a lipstick-sized
device that delivers a zero-calorie burst of taste
and nutrients.
The restaurant is part of the larger Le Labor-
atoire Cambridge, the North American outpost
of a Parisian education, experimentation and
exhibition space founded in 2007 by Harvard
professor and biomedical engineer David Edwards
to encourage collaborations between artists,
designers and scientists. “Le Lab is a sandbox of
creation,” says Edwards. “We do experiments like
any lab does, but we are committed to helping
future-of-food designs move from the sandbox to
the mass-market environment.”
Designer Mathieu Lehanneur, Edwards’ long-
time collaborator in Paris, designed the interior,
which features a honeycomb motif intended to
reflect the hive-minded activity within. A lecture
room with hexagonal cladding has a sliding curved
wall, so it becomes part of the dining room when
needed; meanwhile, a similarly patterned sus-
pended green mirror with integrated lighting both
illuminates and reflects activity at the bar.
LE WHAF In addition to the restaurant, Le Laboratoire
An ultrasonic contains a lecture hall, an exhibition space and
cocktail administrative offices. The inaugural exhibition,
you inhale Vocal Vibrations, running until March 22, takes
yet another step into the future. The show
includes the oRb, a hand-held ceramic ball con-
ceived by MIT Media Lab composer Tod Machover,
which translates the sound of a user’s voice into
intricate vibrations. Architect Neri Oxman, also
WIKIPEARLS
from MIT, debuts a cocoon-like chaise with a
Culinary items,
3-D-printed surface made up of 44 materials that
such as ice cream,
wrapped in edible absorb sound, creating a quiet, calming environ-
electrostatic gel ment – just the sort of thing you might require
for contemplation after a mind-expanding meal.
cafeartscience.com
MIND-BENDING
Shigeru Ban and other
masters showcase wood’s
WOODCRAFT
contemporary potential
BY WILL JONES
WHILE COMMEMORATING ITS 35TH ANNIVERSARY last summer, Colorado’s Aspen street-front elevations. The wood species – prized for its suppleness and its
Art Museum unveiled a striking structure with which Pritzker Prize–winning mahogany-like appearance – is more often utilized in boat building and guitar
Shigeru Ban once again reveals the versatility of wood in an original and making, and as a decorative veneer for furniture makers. Ban’s signature
unexpected way. Inside the four-storey building, an intricate wooden space- aesthetic sees the screen actually woven on site and applied to the exterior
frame ceiling crowns much of the upper floor, reaching out to form a canopy walls. The skin provides partial shading and casts an eye-catching grid of
over a rooftop sculpture garden. Most dramatically, the architect developed shadows on the grand staircase, which rises along either side of the glass wall,
a unique facade for his first permanent North American museum, by weaving with one half in the open air, between the glazing and the cladding, to a rooftop
long bands of ProdEX, a paper-resin composite sandwiched between veneers terrace with spectacular views of Aspen and the Rocky Mountains beyond.
of African okoume hardwood. Contemporary in design yet classic, due to its imaginative use of wood, Ban’s
Specially customized for the project, the strips are joined and affixed to a museum elevates a humble construction material to a work of art worthy of
structural steel frame, creating an open-mesh screen that clads the two the ones within the building. aspenartmuseum.org, shigerubanarchitects.com
Brent Comber is best known for his spherical Philadelphia furniture designer Matthias Pliessnig, The Tête De Bois Basket & Centrepiece Collections,
sculptures, carved from British Columbia’s wealth acclaimed for his use of steam-bent wood, has by Venetian designer Andrea Deppieri of Newton &
TOP PHOTO BY MICHAEL MORAN
of timber. His latest pieces, the Ikebana tables his work on display in the Smithsonian museum. Son, uses stratified veneers of sustainably har-
and benches, were inspired by the Japanese art of Shaping slender strips of white oak around moulds vested dark mahogany or lighter Tanganyika wood.
flower arranging. Sculpted from Douglas fir and fabricated with 3-D software, he combines tradi- Layered to the thickness of a Popsicle stick and
finished in white hard-wax oil, they represent Shin tional boat building methods with cutting-edge spaced by wooden washers hand threaded around
(heaven), Soe (earth) and Hikae (human), which technology. The sinuous pieces are strong enough an iron wire frame, the flexible forms employ the
the Canadian designer has masterfully reimagined for seating, as in this mid-size Slip bench. same technique as Deppieri’s wooden headgear.
into furniture. brentcomber.com matthias-studio.com tetedebois.it
Toronto Showroom
58 Berkeley St, Toronto ON M5A2W6
t. 416-364-6477 f. 416-364-6977
i n f o @ d o m t o r o n t o . c o m
www.dominteriors.com
na.valcucine.com 800-311-0681
info@na-valcucine.com
Dealership opportunities available
CALENDAR
2015 MONTH BY MONTH
SHOW
From Milan to Chicago, our top 22 picks for
design-savvy events, festivals and blow-out
BUZZ
shows in the months ahead
JANUARY 20 TO 22
KBIS, North America’s
largest kitchen and
bath show, once again
takes over the Las
Vegas Convention
Center with such
familiar brands as
Grohe and Kohler in
the mix. kbis.com MAY 1 TO OCTOBER 31
Global attention will be drawn to Milan for Expo 2015, which gathers
144 nations to examine the theme “feeding the planet, energy for life.” Italy
promises to impress with its pavilion designed by Nemesi Studio; and
FEBRUARY 13 TO 17
Mexico’s corn husk-inspired volume (shown), from Francisco López-Guerra
Looking to spot trends
Almada, will be another standout among 130 unique structures. expo2015.org
or source housewares
and seasonal gifts?
Head to Frankfurt‘s
Ambiente, which boasts APRIL 14 TO 17 MAY 21 TO 23
more than 4,700 The international celebration of SIDIM, held annually in downtown
exhibitors. ambiente. all things tile and stone, Coverings Montreal, is the catalyst for an entire
messefrankfurt.com returns to Orlando, Florida, with week that puts the spotlight on such
JANUARY 22 TO 25 900-plus exhibitors from more local talents as the Établi collective
Toronto’s Interior Design Show includes such than 40 countries. coverings.com and Pascale Girardin. sidim.com
crowd favourites as the Studio North showcase of
emerging talent. Speaking of which, young German
designer Sebastian Herkner is in town to talk
about his work, such as the Banjooli line for Moroso
(shown). Urban Capital and Italian designer Luca
Nichetto round out the bill, with a novel urban
living space. interiordesignshow.com
MAY 8 TO 19
NYCxDesign takes
over the Big Apple
this spring. During the
week-long festival,
be sure to hit ICFF
at the Javits Center,
along with the local JUNE 1 TO 30
talent showcase The month-long London Architecture Festival offers one of the most novel
Wanted Design. ways for the public to engage with design, as events, pop-ups and installations
nycxdesign.com transform the city and its streets. This mobile workshop, by students from
the Cass, appeared on last year’s lineup; and the annual Serpentine Gallery
pavilion in Hyde Park should not be missed. londonfestivalofarchitecture.org
FEBRUARY 3 TO 7 APRIL 14 TO 19
The Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair is the Milan’s annual launch
PHOTO OF MOBILE WORKSHOP BY
ultimate destination for tapping in to Scandinavian pad for international JUNE 15 TO 17 JUNE 19
design from Swedese, Alexander Lervik, et al. furniture brands, Chicago’s Merchandise Mart The 12 international winners of
Special guest Ilse Crawford – known for several Salone del Mobile plays host to NeoCon, the biggest Azure’s fifth annual AZ Awards are
high-profile projects in Stockholm, among them includes Euroluce, contract furniture event in North announced and feted, at an outdoor
STEPHEN BLUNT
the Grand Hotel’s three restaurants – will create which dedicates two America, with Herman Miller, Knoll gala held at Toronto’s Evergreen
an inviting lounge in the main entrance hall. great halls to lighting. and Teknion on the exhibitor list. Brick Works. azuremagazine.com
stockholmfurniturelightfair.se salonemilano.it neocon.com
Quick-ship available. Check with local dealer for products and availability.
CALENDAR
2015 MONTH BY MONTH
OCTOBER 18 TO 26
Imagination, smart solutions and
whimsical fun underlie the Dutch
aesthetic, and plenty of that can be
seen during Dutch Design Week in
Eindhoven, the Netherlands. More
than 400 workshops, seminars and
exhibits are spread across the city,
as well as showings of international
works, such as the wood and steel
1/2 Stool from Poland’s Witamina D.
ddw.nl
SEPTEMBER 19 TO 27
This year, the anchor of the London Design Festival, 100% Design, moves
from Earl’s Court to the historic West Kensington exhibition hall Olympia
London. The events that pepper the city, big and small, range from boutique
selections on view at 19 Greek Street (shown) to major interventions within
the Victoria and Albert Museum. londondesignfestival.com,
100percentdesign.co.uk
SEPTEMBER 24 TO 27
IDSwest, Vancouver’s
version of the Interior
Design Show, features
the best of the West
Coast and its laid-back
love for natural wood,
sustainable materials
and craftsmanship.
idswest.com
DECEMBER 2 AND 3
IIDEXCanada,
Toronto’s architecture
and design industry
DECEMBER 1 TO 6 conference, is now
NOVEMBER 4 TO 6 For lovers of high design and art, Design Miami is part of the even bigger
The World Architecture Festival in Singapore honours projects of varying an extravaganza of both disciplines, with wildly Buildings Show.
scope and scale with an awards program that named this Vietnam chapel, original works on show, like Studio Job’s Chartres iidexcanada.com
by a21 Studio, the 2014 building of the year. worldarchitecturefestival.com Cabinet in 24-karat gold leaf. designmiami.com
↓ MASS BIKE
Philippe Starck and
Moustache Bikes have
produced a line of electric
all-terrain bicycles. Models
include Mud, Asphalt
and Sand. Snow (shown)
features a faux fur wrap
to shield the battery
from icy temperatures.
moustachebikes.com,
starck.com
urbancapital.ca
FORWARD THINKING
DEVELOPMENT
TORONTO // OTTAWA // MONTREAL // WINNIPEG // HALIFAX
RIVER CITY PHASE TWO MONDRIAN SMART HOUSE McGILL OUEST TABLEAU
Toronto Ottawa Toronto Montreal Toronto
Urban Capital pioneers residential developments in untapped urban locations, often creating flourishing new neighbourhoods. Forward-
thinking in terms of architecture and interior design, it has also led the trend towards modern, clean-looking buildings that complement their
urban surroundings. From its first unit in 1996 to the over 4,000 it has since delivered or now has under development, Urban Capital has
always pushed the envelope in terms of urban location, high-end yet functional design and green living. Today Urban Capital is continuing to
build on that corporate DNA while exploring new markets that extend from Toronto west to Winnipeg and east to Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax.
IDENTIKIT
JORAN
The French designer’s approach is
shaped by a love of collaboration and
BRIAND
a surfer’s connection to the ocean
BY TERRI PETERS
BEGINNINGS I first came to Paris – to the big city – to I worked in collaboration with the architect Rudy
Born Vannes, France, 1983 study art, but I didn’t yet know what I really wanted to Ricciotti, as well as engineers and my friend and
do. I had a brainwave, though, when I visited the former colleague Etienne Vallet. My role as an
Location Paris
Radi Designers exhibition at the Fondation Cartier. It industrial designer was to focus on the facade.
Education Bachelor of product design, turned my thinking completely upside down. The Specifically, I was asked to create a pattern for the
École Nationale Supérieure des Arts designers were questioning the status of the object outer shell, a kind of brise-soleil composed of
Appliqués et des Métiers d’Art (ENSAAMA by working on the frontiers of fine art and applied art, high-density concrete panels.
Paris); master of product design, École and their multidisciplinary vision had an immediate The system I created allowed each panel to have
Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs impact on me. Later on, I saw the work of Marc a different graphic, even though they were cast from
(ENSAD Paris) Newson and became a huge fan. When I look at it, I the same moulds. It’s now part of the building, but
see freedom; he finds a balance between the work to me it is still an object. I did all of the models and
Occupation Product designer
he does on his own, private commissions and projects mock-ups at my studio to work out the details, then
Selected awards 2013 Valorisation de for big companies. At 20 years old, I was excited by delivered it to the architects, who used this kit of
l’Innovation dans l’Ameublement the idea of a designer achieving that kind of success. moulds to manufacture the concrete panels for the
facade. That’s why I see the lamp and the stadium as
Selected exhibits 2013 Granit, Paris
BREAKTHROUGH ACROSS SCALES I did two projects similar – because for each I designed a system and
Selected clients Alain Mikli, APCI, soon after graduating that were very different – one a way of making it adaptable.
Cinqpoints, Confidence and Light, a children’s lamp, and the other a stadium – but my
Cuisse de Grenouille, Dasras, Davide way of thinking about them was similar. The Climbing MATERIAL DETAILS The Vera Light for Roche Bobois
Groppi, Dorel, Eiffage, ENO, Eye-Like, Lamp is a kit of parts that can be as simple as a began with a brief from Studio 02. They were the
Gold of Bengal, Léon Grosse, Magnalucis, bedside lamp, or formed into a lighting chain that architects of a library in Brittany, France, and they
Redsoul, Roche Bobois, Saintluc, spreads across the walls and ceiling. It could be six requested a new style of lamp for it. I wanted to
Sièges Perouin, Vinci lights or made into a structure of 20; you can play use the same materials as for the building, ash wood
around with the scale. and perforated steel panels. For the shape, I took
For Stade Jean Bouin, a rugby stadium in Paris, inspiration from a traditional lace hat of the region.
It looks a bit like a sail, and it’s very lightweight. I went to California to meet with friends – an ↓ The Denved stool
During the design process, the assembly of the two architect, a product designer and an illustrator – provides “à la carte”
parts resembled a mast, and it made me think about and with representatives of surf brands. I’ve seating with matching
the character of this region and its relationship to completed retail interiors for surfing shops and sofas and tables.
the water, so I incorporated some of those details even made some surfboards, but my dream is
into the final product. to do more holistic art direction for these brands.
I don’t separate these elements.
WAY OF WORKING I like to ask myself, “What can I
do with this?” and push the technical potential of a THE FUTURE I’m now designing a guitar that’s dipped
material to its limits. When I’ve stretched a material in a resin bath like a candy apple, in collaboration
to the max, then I think about how I can tell a story with a guitar atelier for the French band La Femme.
and begin to research iconography. My work also I’m completing the interior of the Spindrift boat-
shifts scale quite a bit. When I work in response to house in my hometown, Vannes. I’m also producing
a building or a specific place, I like to get to know a table, bench and stool for LIPSI, a new company
the history of the area. My most successful projects that works with craftspeople in Cambodia to develop
have found a balance between the material and their pieces. In return, there’s a benefit to the local
the object’s story. It’s true that form follows function, community; they’ve helped to build a school, which
but sometimes a contextual approach shapes the trains workers and teaches their children.
object. There are ultimately three elements to each The ocean is a recurrent theme in my pieces. My
project: material, form and context. ultimate goal is to create a second studio in France,
perhaps Basque Country or Brittany, somewhere
FURNITURE, INTERIORS…AND A BOOK? Last year, close to the sea. I am developing a method of working
I wrote West Is the Best, which describes the links with surf brands to do that. joranbriand.com
between art and surfing. I wanted to understand
where the sport of surfing meets creativity, so
JAN⁄FEB 2015 59
SOUNDSCAPE
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8
PHOTO BY LOREM IPSUM DOLORE
1
CALIFORNIA
SPEC SHEET
Project: C-GLASS HOUSE
Location: DILLON BEACH, CALIFORNIA
Firm: DEEGAN DAY DESIGN,
LOS ANGELES
Size: MAIN HOUSE AND GUEST
HOUSE, 195 SQUARE METRES
Lot size: 23 HECTARES
Structural materials: STEEL FRAME,
CORRUGATED STEEL PANELS,
FLEETWOOD GLAZING AND DOORS,
LINIT CHANNEL GLASS, SUNPOWER
SOLAR PANELS, POURED CONCRETE
FLOORS
Custom features: BIRCH PLYWOOD
CABINETRY, NATURAL STONE
COUNTERTOP
62 JAN⁄FEB 2015
BLUE SKY
JAN⁄FEB 2015 63
← The main house is a single ↑Radiant, polished concrete
space without walls. Sliding flooring and natural cross
glass doors, which double ventilation keep the monthly
as cladding, open to the energy bill at less than $10.
environment on two sides.
A DAY AT C-GLASS HOUSE BEGINS with morning sunlight cresting the hillside
and hitting the main structure’s eastward-facing translucent glass walls.
Meanwhile, the two fully transparent western sides offer a clear, expansive
view of Tomales Bay as it opens into the shimmering waters of the Pacific
Ocean. Here on the coast of California, site selection, orientation, and
material choices by Deegan Day Design come together in a house that both
frames and adapts to the terrain. Call it architecture in landscape.
The remote 23-hectare lot – located an hour north of San Francisco and
surrounded by cattle and turkey ranches – was purchased in the mid-1990s
by the client, Margarete Hachigian. She commissioned Joe Day, also her
son-in-law, to come up with a design that would become her retirement
home. The gist of the brief: a New York loft–type living space transposed
onto a California landscape. “She wanted a minimal level of barrier
between herself and the environment,” says Day.
The residence took more than a decade from conception to completion
(Hachigian lived in an Airstream on the property during construction). It
sits not on the water’s edge but on a compacted sand dune near a hilltop,
all the better to capture the views. The total footprint is split between the
140-square-metre main house and a newly completed 55-square-metre
JAN⁄FEB 2015 65
← The cabinetry, including the
kitchen island and a built-in
bed, is made of birch plywood
with a white pickle finish.
Pulls by Sugatsune.
↑ The bathroom and laundry
area are hidden from view off
the main space.
guest house, organized in a detached L shape with the former living space
MAIN HOUSE 4 one level above the latter.
The upper volume consists of a single-level steel frame rectangle clad
5 in glass. Rather than orienting the long axis of the shoebox toward the
bay, Day angled a corner in that direction. The two sides that open up to
2
the ocean feature full-height glass panels by Fleetwood, with three sets of
1
sliding inset panels that allow you to watch turkey vultures soaring
beyond, and to smell the sea on the stiff breezes that pass through the
6
7 naturally ventilated space.
8
The sides that overlook the approaching dirt road feature double panes
of pebbled, alkali-cast channel glass panels. The entire structure, which
3 9 clearly echoes Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House or Philip Johnson’s
Glass House (take your pick), forms one contiguous space punctuated by
6 two vertical columns. Bathrooms and laundry are hidden on the translucent
10 side, while a bed and an open kitchen face the water.
The guest house is accessed by an external stair, giving visitors their own
retreat. “Margarete liked her autonomy,” says Day. Where the upper volume
partly rests upon columns above the dune, the guest house is built directly
into the hill. Its rear side is the original retaining wall built to contain the
granite gravel used for the driveway.
Concrete walls and Douglas fir ceiling beams lend a more cavernous
GUEST HOUSE country feel than the open minimalism upstairs, and the facade is clad in
MAIN LEVEL PLAN
corrugated metal with just a few windows. As a result, the guest house feels
more closely linked to the abundant chaparral than does the wide-open
top portion.
9 The coastal climate can be rugged, with plenty of rain and fog, and winds
7
9
that surpass 100 kilometres per hour. “With all the glass, you sometimes
5
10
6
end up right in the middle of weather, like the reverse of an aquarium,” says
11 Day. Because of the prevalent salt-kissed moisture, the external steel
structural elements require regular repainting with Dunn-Edwards rust-
12 bonding paint, more typically used on boat hulls. A five-by-five grid of
245-watt SunPower solar panels atop the guest house means that energy
use amounts to less than $10 a month.
FLOOR PLANS
Sadly, Margarete Hachigian died in 2013, so the house has become a
1 Roof 7 Kitchen retreat for her children and their families. Still, Day has upheld her philoso-
2 Solar panels 8 Dining area phy that the glass house have no curtains. As the sun sets over Tomales
3 Driveway 9 Entry Point, layering stunning oranges and pinks against the skyline, darkness
4 Deck 10 Bedroom and stillness sweep over the outside world. The remote landscape that the
5 Living area 11 Storage
architect sought to capture in daytime provides its own privacy at night.
6 Bathroom 12 Mechanical room
A glass house is not for peering into, after all, but for looking out of.
deegandaydesign.com
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68 JAN⁄FEB 2015
PHOTOS BY JAVIER ODDO
2
NEW JERSEY
BEACH
BEAUTY
With one continuous glass
wall that spans over 24 metres,
New York architect David Hu
makes the most of a stunning
oceanside property
By Melissa Feldman
Photography by Javier Oddo
and Wade Zimmerman
JAN⁄FEB 2015 69
70 JAN⁄FEB 2015 AZUREMAGAZINE.COM
SPEC SHEET
Project: JERSEY SHORE BEACH
HOUSE
Location: MONMOUTH COUNTY,
NEW JERSEY
Firm: DAVID HU ARCHITECT,
NEW YORK
Size: 1,030 SQUARE METRES
Lot size: 2,400 SQUARE METRES
Structural materials: GLASS, STEEL
BEAMS, STUCCO, CONCRETE
AND WHITE EPOXY FLOORING
Other features: KITCHEN BY BOFFI,
BATHROOM FURNITURE BY AGAPE
“I WANT A HOUSE I HAVEN’T SEEN BEFORE” was the mantra repeated by David
Hu’s client. The idiosyncratic abode he designed for said client, on the
Jersey Shore in Monmouth County, is a 1,030-square-metre behemoth
that mimics the shifting mood swings of its natural surroundings.
Taiwanese native Hu is accustomed to working on large-scale projects.
His practice extends to commercial developments, including a 162-hectare
mixed-use complex in Wuhan, China, which contains its own museum of
modern art. After graduating from the University of Washington in 1982,
he landed a job at Johnson Burgee Architects, where he worked with
the modernist master Philip Johnson on 191 Peachtree Tower, a 50-storey
skyscraper in the heart of Atlanta. When he eventually opened his own
office in New York in 1996, one of his first projects, the Wild Lily Tea Room,
caught the eye of restaurateur Michael Weinstein, who invited him to
submit a proposal for Lutèce, his then-touted restaurant in Las Vegas.
Weinstein in turn recommended Hu to a friend, a psychiatrist turned
screenwriter looking to build his dream house. With Weinstein’s directive,
the search led to two candidates – Hu, and Pritzker Prize laureate Thom
Mayne of Morphosis – and Hu says he eventually earned the commission
through dialogue. “The client liked the way I approached the house,” he
says. “That’s how trust was established.”
Construction began in 2008 on the glass, stainless steel and concrete
home, which sits on a 30.5-metre-wide beachfront property with neighbours
on either side. The six years it took to finish the house resulted from various
obstacles along the way, including two hurricanes, with Superstorm
Sandy in 2012 inflicting the most damage: an entire wall of glass-panelled
doors was demolished, along with the basement, and the ground-floor pool,
which filled with water and 109 metric tons of sand.
Now complete, the blue stucco house is capped with an angled roof made
of stainless steel, and eight variously sized triangular skylights that
flood the interior with sunlight. The moment visitors step inside, the main
level’s most striking feature grabs their attention: a narrow pool that
stretches for 11.6 metres toward a two-storey curtain wall overlooking the
beach, the ocean and beyond. A glass bridge across the sunken water
feature, which doubles as a lap pool, connects the living area and a library
PHOTOS BY WADE ZIMMERMAN, LIBRARY PHOTO BY JAVIER ODDO
at one end of the expansive space to a dining area and an all-white Boffi
kitchen and pantry at the other.
On the second floor – accessed by way of a dramatic staircase built
of exposed steel with glass risers (or via a glass elevator) – four bedroom
suites are furnished with interior courtyards: one a water garden; the
other designed for vegetation. On the top level, two master bedrooms
↖ A glass bridge crosses over ← Murray Moss furnished the ↑↑ The upper levels are ↑ Eight uniquely shaped
a lap pool, connecting the living house with such icons as the accessed by a dramatic stair- skylights are incorporated
areas with the dining area and Campana Brothers’ orange wire way, or via a glass elevator. into the stainless-steel roof.
an all-white kitchen. Corallo Armchair. The two white
lounges are vintage finds.
JAN⁄FEB 2015 71
FIRST FLOOR
1
2 4
3 5
6 7 11
12
8
9
10 13
14 14
15
16
SECOND FLOOR
21
17
6
18
21 20
19 14
21
14 14
14
THIRD FLOOR
14
6
with ensuites share full views over the shoreline, which are not meant
22 14 for modest souls.
23 Gardens, bridges, even canyons and cliffs, are incorporated into the
24 overall concept, as a way to connect the sub-spaces into a continuous
flow. One cavernous angled ceiling extends up through all three floors,
25 25
while natural light bounces off the white epoxy floors. With so much
25 25 25 glass and exposed steel, the house could easily come across as too austere.
However, the mechanical coolness is saved by natural light streaming
in from all directions, and a collection of artful furnishings that give the
living spaces a warm, playful feel.
FLOOR PLANS “The house acts like a prism, deflecting light,” says former retailer
1 Landing
Murray Moss, principal of the New York design consultancy Moss
8 Library 15 Garden 22 Balcony
2 Living area 9 Den 16 Driveway 23 Shoe closet
Bureau, who worked on the decor. The client’s collection of pedigreed
furniture was purchased through Moss over 12 years, and includes iconic
PHOTOS BY WADE ZIMMERMAN
Come visit us at
Interior Design Show 2015
Toronto www.fleurco.com
booth 1722 www.designashower.com
3
CALIFORNIA
MODERN
FAMILY
When it comes to raising a family, childproofing usually trumps
aesthetics. Los Angeles architect Hagy Belzberg builds a
house in Hollywood that elegantly mixes work and play
By Katya Tylevich / Photography by Taiyo Watanabe
74 JAN⁄FEB 2015 AZUREMAGAZINE.COM
The home office and an artist’s
studio perch above the ground
level, where the main living spaces
face a central pool.
SPEC SHEET
Project: RISING GLEN RESIDENCE
Location: HOLLYWOOD HILLS,
CALIFORNIA
Firm: BELZBERG ARCHITECTS,
LOS ANGELES
Size: 530 SQUARE METRES
Pool size: 130 SQUARE METRES
Lot size: 1,858 SQUARE METRES
Structural features: GLASS WINDOWS
AND DOORS BY FLEETWOOD, WHITE
TERRAZZO FLOORING
Other features: CUSTOM WHITE OAK
CABINETRY, KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS
BY CAESARSTONE, DESERT
COLLECTION OUTDOOR LOUNGERS
BY MARMOL RADZINER
JAN⁄FEB 2015 75
Multi-track glass doors by
Fleetwood slide away, removing
any barrier between the interior
spaces and the courtyard.
PERHAPS THE KEY TO A HAPPY FAMILY IS: to eat together but work separately. interior designer Ryan Jackson, Belzberg created an environment that
Hagy Belzberg recently completed a residence for a family of three anticipates people’s movements throughout the home. The experience
with just such a motto in mind. The clients consist of a “he” who works begins as one enters the front gate to the garden, which is intended to
in e-commerce, often from home; and a “she,” an artist and former model be relatively low maintenance, with stone and concrete beds for miniature
with the need for a studio at home; meanwhile, their young son is at an age palms, and narrow ponds to either side. Visually, though, the high-impact
where childproofing trumps aesthetics. Add to the brood a growing art landscape provides a celebratory prelude to the interior spaces.
collection that also requires a good architectural fit, and you’ve got your- The glass front door reveals a white wall and large artwork (by
self a logistical challenge. Los Angeles artist Peter Eaton Gurnz), though the home’s true expanse
More accurately, for Belzberg, the starting point was the original one- is only revealed when visitors turn a corner and find themselves standing
storey home the couple bought in the Hollywood Hills – a bad example before the common areas, situated on a single plane. The open kitchen,
of mid-century modern, says Belzberg. He and his team gutted it to the dining and living areas and playrooms are seamlessly integrated, facing a
bare bones, then expanded it into a 530-square-metre, multi-functional boot-shaped pool surrounded by inviting loungers. “The real engineering
“modern Mies.” feat for us was the 15-metre-long single-span beam without any columns,”
Though technically a renovation, the realized home is a completely new says Belzberg. The open expanse keeps the interior-exterior flow constant.
experience, custom fit for a family with unique requirements (including As we tour the integrated spaces, he tells me that the goal with the sleek
private workspaces from which they can reconnect with others by looking white terrazzo flooring was to create a doughnut shape, and “expose the
into shared rooms without being distracted). In close collaboration with circulation of the home as opposed to concealing it.”
JAN⁄FEB 2015 77
1
3
11
12
6 4
8 13
6
7 9 10
5 14
16
15
17
16
18
At the centre of the house,
a boot-shaped pool with a
row of loungers by Marmol
Radziner invites relaxation.
FLOOR PLAN
In the southeast wing, the master bedroom overlooks the pool area and
the lush mountainside, while a massive adjacent closet features a skylight
and a window into the enclosed garden. In the west wing, guest bedrooms
and bathrooms ensure privacy while remaining connected to the residential
core. A small home theatre is the only cocooned place to be found; the rest
is aglow with natural light and white finishes.
Above each wing are the private workspaces. His office features a silver
wave marble accent wall, and full-height custom windows tucked into
the ceiling provide open views. Her art studio, by contrast, sports concrete
floors (for paint spills), a Nanoglass fireplace, and more floor-to-ceiling
windows for unframed views of the hillside.
As Ryan Jackson tells me later by phone, “There have to be quiet parts in
the architecture and the interior that allow the eyes to rest, creating negative
space for art, furnishing and decoration.” The owner echoes that sentiment.
Looking out the window from her studio, she says, “We love coming back
home. This is where we spiritually relax.” belzbergarchitects.com
JAN⁄FEB 2015 79
WHERE
WILD
TURKEYS
ROAM
Lisbon architect Manuel Aires Mateus
turns a neglected farmhouse surrounded
by wheat fields and cork oak trees into
a timeless paradise of minimalist serenity
By Rupert Eden
Photography by Nelson Garrido
AZUREMAGAZINE.COM
SPEC SHEET
Project: CASA NO TEMPO
Location: MONTEMOR-O-NOVO, PORTUGAL
Firm: AIRES MATEUS, LISBON
Owners: JOÃO AND ANDREIA RODRIGUES
Size: 400 SQUARE METRES
Pool size: 400 SQUARE METRES
Structural materials: EXISTING WALLS,
CORK BOARDS, CLAY BRICKS,
ORIGINAL CLAY
Other features: KITCHEN APPLIANCES BY
SMEG, SOFAS BY LIVING DIVANI, LIGHTING
BY DAVIDE GROPPI
JAN⁄FEB 2015 83
5
BRITISH COLUMBIA
EPPICH RETURN
BattersbyHowat Architects takes on the ultimate challenge: renovating Arthur Erickson’s
all-concrete icon into a livable – and waterproof – family home
By Adele Weder / Photography by Sama Jim Canizan
84 JAN⁄FEB 2015 AZUREMAGAZINE.COM
SPEC SHEET
2 Project: HELMUT EPPICH HOUSE
BY ARTHUR ERICKSON
Firm: BATTERSBYHOWAT ARCHITECTS
Location: WEST VANCOUVER
House size: 353 SQUARE METRES
Lot size: 4,612 SQUARE METRES
Structural materials: CONCRETE,
GLASS
Other features: APPLIANCES BY
GAGGENAU, ELM VENEER KITCHEN
CABINETRY, CORIAN COUNTERTOP,
LIVING ROOM FURNITURE BY
B&B ITALIA
THE MODERNIST HOUSE WAS ONCE THE SIGNIFIER of a brave new age. But what
1 2 3 happens when a future-forward structure becomes a restoration project?
The question looms over us, as mid-century landmarks begin to crumble.
A lattice wall with The kitchen, expanded The firm retained
The hallowed principle of demarcating old from new with contrasting
an oculus was an from a much smaller the wood features,
add-ons and additions doesn’t always make sense with modern-on-modern,
identifiable but dated galley, is framed with complimenting the
and changing living patterns often require a whole other kind of design
feature. The architects metal detailing, which fir ceiling with elm
overhaul – or do they?
replaced it with a defines the newly veneer cabinetry,
On the slopes of West Vancouver, few residences are more iconic than
railing of slender built from the original and a sleek Corian
Arthur Erickson’s Helmut Eppich House. Built in 1972 for the self-made
steel cables. concrete walls. countertop in white.
businessman (co-founder of EBCO industries) and his wife Hildegard,
it was Erickson’s first house rendered in concrete yet built as a post-and-
beam, in true West Coast style. Cantilevered stairs cut a diagonal trail
through the glazed facade, evoking “sculptural objects, symbolic bridges
JAN⁄FEB 2015 85
↑ An impermeable
membrane was added to
the exposed (and leaky)
concrete beams that
extend to the outdoors.
→ A painting in the
family room hangs on a
moving wall that hides
a flat screen TV.
→→ The kitchen leads
to the family area, and a
terrace and pool beyond
sliding glass doors.
and a dense site of phenomenological ekstatis, literally, astonishment,” unlike a contemporary crooner reinterpreting a Billie Holiday classic.
enthused scholars Ricardo Castro and David Theodore in their 2006 mono- Eppich House stands as a stark reminder of modernism’s overconfidence
graph, Arthur Erickson: Critical Works. The building is also known for its in its own tenets. Of the Vitruvian ideals of durability, utility and beauty, it
code-defying death traps and copious amount of leaks – but such imprac- embodied the third quality – often at the expense of the others. The relent-
ticalities were not enough to doom it, even when it changed owners a few less West Coast rain would often seep along the exposed beams that run from
years ago. As local architect David Battersby likes to say, “The house may the outside to the inside, and the open stairways and landings were delight-
leak, but the architecture is bigger than the leak.” fully free of such visual nuisances as railings. The dearth of balustrades
Enlisted to update the property, Battersby and partner Heather Howat around magnificently artful stairways has long posed a potential hazard for
grappled with how to approach such legendary architecture. Rather than the very young, the very old and the very tipsy. “We were told that the
reinventing it, the modus operandi involved reformatting it with some Eppichs would never have put in handrails, because Arthur would have
restraint, and applying the firm’s signature vocabulary throughout, not had a fit,” says Battersby.
To address the issue, the firm inserted steel cables, strung floor to ceiling, entering by way of the facade, the architects affixed three chevron-shaped
which made the structures gracefully safe. The careful use of metal metal canopies over the most exposed sections, including the front entrance.
detailing – at which BattersbyHowat excels – now prevails throughout, Another challenge: making a starkly minimal, open house more family
with refined steel door frames and aluminum grilles replacing their aging friendly. To this end, the galley kitchen was enlarged and reconfigured as a
wooden counterparts. partial open plan, the better to splay out within. On the lower level, the den
To solve the propensity for leakage, the firm had to rethink the cherished has been repurposed into a shared bedroom for two children. Circumscribed
ideal of leaving structural openings to the elements. To stop the rain from by free-standing walls, the space now generates an opaque section on the
causing soggy carpets, they sandwiched an impermeable membrane erstwhile fully glazed rear facade. Anyone lurking in the backyard’s lush flora
between the original patio and the concrete support beams, and added an and fauna at sunset will no longer behold the surreal view of a staircase that
overlay of new concrete. While the beams are no longer visible, their location traverses the house from the top floor to the bottom across four levels. But
is marked by smooth, linear concrete tiles; and, to prevent water from so what? In its place there is now a functional, private bedroom area.
JAN⁄FEB 2015 87
TOP LEVEL
2
3 7
4 4 5 6
1
MAIN LEVEL
9 10
5 7
11
13 7
12 14
LOWER LEVEL
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5
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FLOOR PLANS
The ornamental gestures that many people associate with the Eppich – the home’s artfully oblique positioning on its sloping site, and the spectacu-
in particular an interior lattice wall in the dining area with a large oculus lar pond and surrounding gardens.
at its centre – required hard-headed decisions. The decorative element has BattersbyHowat has reformatted Eppich House with a deft touch,
long been a visual identifier whenever the house appears in the media or in extending its longevity and making it meaningful for a 21st-century family.
books. The round window, and its evocation of 1970s Zen Buddhist culture, Yet it essentially remains at the same size – 353 square metres – which is
served no practical purpose other than marking the house within its era. spacious enough, though small by comparison to the monster-home stan-
With the feature’s removal, an expansive tableau vivant conveys a dif- dards of the surrounding neighbourhood. Battersby, coining an oxymoron
ferent semiotic. This is 2015, and as Vancouver’s North Shore bulldozes for our age, sums up the entire renovation as “crazy-modest.” As modernist
full-grown trees along with its mid-century heritage properties, a verdant landmarks lose ground, this update saves a classic for at least another half
landscape is becoming distinctive in its own right. (The oculus wall was century. That, says Battersby, is one way of thinking environmentally.
given to the city’s Arthur Erickson Foundation rather than being consigned battersbyhowat.com
to the landfill.) The most important signifiers, however, remain unchanged:
SHOW REPORT
LONDON POWERS ON 3
FROM AIRBNB TO ZAHA HADID, THE INSTALLATIONS ON VIEW DURING THE LONDON DESIGN
FESTIVAL PRESENTED A WILDLY DIVERSE TAKE ON CREATIVE INNOVATION BY GIOVANNA DUNMALL
NOW IN ITS 12TH YEAR, the London Design Festival has unveiled new works at Gallery Fumi. Meanwhile, the 1 RIDE THE WAVE
established itself as a global force to be reckoned with. Wish List paired 10 young talents in collaborations Intended for Dubai’s ME Hotel, opening in
With over 395 events and installations across the with established designers. 2016, Zaha Hadid ’s the Crest looked right
capital, four main trade destinations (among them Lee Broom introduced a tube light milled from at home stretched across the V&A’s pool.
100% Design, the show that started it all nearly 20 a single piece of marble, which brought opulence Made of super-thin pre-stressed aluminum,
years ago), and six designated design districts (one up to mundane strip lighting; while Kvadrat launched it invited contemplation – and never looked
on last year), it was indeed possible, if not compulsory, knitted textiles by Alfredo Häberli alongside the the same twice. zaha-hadid.com
to “lose yourself in design,” as this year’s 210-page eclectic objects that inspired them.
show guide invited visitors to do. As it did in Milan, Danish manufacturer Hay and 2 CHAMPAGNE SUPERNOVA
The magnificent Victoria and Albert Museum once Wrong for Hay demonstrated a flair for display. Home For this Perrier-Jouët exhibit, Jeremy
again stood as a central hub for the nine-day event, accessories and novelties popped against the glossy Maxwell Wintrebert stacked German-
and home to some striking gallery installations by the parquet floors, cornices and elegant sash windows of a made cylinders from one of the world’s
likes of Barber & Osgerby and Zaha Hadid. Rising star traditional Georgian townhouse. The space doubled as oldest factories for mouth-blown glass,
Jeremy Maxwell Wintrebert produced a beautiful a restaurant serving Scandinavian cuisine, highlighting housed within the V&A’s medieval and
composition of large, hand-blown glass cylinders, and the design world’s love affair with pop-ups. renaissance galleries. jeremyglass.com
5 A NEW LIGHT
Lucie Koldova’s Mona lamp for Brokis now
comes in a table version. The hand-blown
glass shade atop a steel frame sets off the 8
horizontal light source, while the play of
geometries adds dramatic tension.
brokis.cz
8 ANGULAR ETHICS
3 WORLDLY EXPLORATIONS The socially conscious online shop
Lee Broom’s Nouveau Rebel line explores StandSeven launched during LDF with a
the possibilities of carving marble into seat in the shape of the number seven,
ultra-thin, curved or unlikely shapes. Globe, by architect David Adjaye. Stool 7 is made
a half sphere of Carrara marble, is fitted from recycled metal, and the proceeds
with an LED and covered by a lead crystal from each unit sold will go toward an
dome. leebroom.com ebola-response kit. standseven.com
JAN⁄FEB 2015 91
LONDON DE 12
13
11
11 TILE MILE
Channelling art deco, these bold Piano tiles
(handmade in Morocco) are part of London
designer Afroditi Krassa’s debut signature
line. The four two-tone patterns combine to
mesmerizing effect. afroditi.com
92 JAN⁄FEB 2015
ESIGN WEEK
16
17
19 A FLYING START
Michael Sodeau’s ultra-thin Halo lounge
chair is the first piece of furniture made
from Hypetex , a coloured carbon fibre
composite. hypetex.com
19
20
22 LOCAL ACT
The latest collection by East London
studio Vitamin celebrated craft
practices and small-scale production.
The charming K Lamp is handmade in
Stoke-on-Trent, U.K. vitaminliving.com
JAN⁄FEB 2015 93
CERS AIE
1
SHOW REPORT
CERAMIC CHAMELEONS
1 ON THE LEVEL
Evoking the plastered walls of a factory
from the 1940s, Portland 325 by Ceramica
AT CERSAIE IN BOLOGNA THIS PAST SEPTEMBER, 1,000 EXHIBITORS FROM 40 COUNTRIES CAME Ariana installs with umbrella company
TOGETHER, SEEMINGLY TO ANSWER ONE SIMPLE QUESTION: WHY TILE? BY PAIGE MAGARREY ABK’s auto-levelling additive, a proprietary
technology that gives the tiles a touch
of elasticity so they won’t crack against
FOREMOST IN EUROPE, and now on this side of the Atlantic, in on particular tree species, right down to the last imperfect surfaces. ariana.it
tile has expanded its reach far beyond kitchens and knot and nuance of colour; along with “reclaimed
baths to cover statement walls, exterior facades lumber” tile that look as though each plank is uniquely 2 ORDER VERSUS CHAOS
and virtually every surface of commercial buildings. scuffed and worn, even up close (Sant’ Agostino London designer Robert Dawson’s double-
Some of this newfound popularity can be attributed modelled its planks after those found in rundown fired wall tiles, for Bardelli, feature curving
to such bold and beautiful decor trends as giant houses in the Alps). lines that can follow a prescribed grid or be
hexagons, statement-making pop-art patterns and Manufacturers highlighted the enduring qualities mixed into unique configurations. Available
mix-and-match compositions, to name a few. But of metal-like tiles: Corten, oxidized to perfection, in gold and platinum colourways. bardelli.it
much of the growth has to do with manufacturers in for instance, is part of Caesar’s Trace collection of
Italy, Spain and elsewhere employing digital printing metallics with an old-world patina. Meanwhile, marble 3 BACK TO THE FUTURE
and other advanced techniques to mimic different tiles from Mirage, TheSize and Casalgrande Padana Bisazza’s Contemporary Cement Tiles,
materials, pairing ceramic’s aesthetic appeal with evoke quarried stone from around the world, with styles by Paola Navone and Jaime
durability, resistance to germs and environmentally celebrating the veins and colour variations as works Hayon (shown), constitute a departure for
sound practices. of art – minus the heavy environmental footprint the manufacturer of glass mosaics.
With tile that simulates wood, for example, the that real rock entails. It is great to see these eco- They come in 20-centimetre square and
featured benefit was specificity. Porcelain planks friendly options becoming the norm in Europe, as 20-by-23-centimetre sizes. bisazza.com
from La Fabbrica, Marazzi and Emilceramica zero well as in North America.
6 5
6 MARBLE TO ORDER
Casalgrande Padana’s Marmoker series,
from the Granitoker line, is digitally printed
with the undulating veins, sheen and colour
of marble. The indoor-outdoor tiles can be
specified with antibacterial or self-cleaning
properties. casalgrandepadana.com
7 THINK BIG
The latest in Eiffelgres’ Megamicro line
of large-format ceramic tiles is MM_Layer,
a six-millimetre-thick slab for floors and 8
9
4 THE LAYERED LOOK
The aesthetic of screen-printed metal is
a growing trend, as in Target Studio’s
stoneware Etro tiles for floors and walls,
which come in 10 muted hues and four
sizes. The collection includes a hexagonal
form with an embossed, patinated pattern
of linked chain. targetstudio.net
5 HEAVY METAL
Taking cues from bronze, iron and Corten,
Caesar ’s Trace is among the more detailed
stoneware tiles with a metal theme. The
“oxidized” finish creates a realistic look for
floor and wall applications. caesar.it
JAN⁄FEB 2015 95
CERS AIE
10
11
12 13
14
10 RECLAIM REDUX 13 OLD-WORLD CHARM 16 WELL WORN IN
Fioranese’s Urban Wood reimagines Referencing the plastered walls of Tuscan Sant’ Agostino’s Blendart wall and floor
the salvaged timber trend with a glossy, homes, the Creta collection for Fap includes tiles take inspiration from the planks found
marble-like finish and new shapes. As a satin-polished matte finish in five hues, a in aging houses in the Alps – peeling paint
well as planks, the tiles come in 7.5-by- decorative accent pattern and a sculptural and all. In four colours and one pre-mixed
90-centimetre strips and 15-centimetre 3-D-textured option. fapceramiche.com set, with four sizes up to 120 centimetres
squares. fioranese.it long. ceramicasantagostino.it
14 OUT AND ABOUT
11 MIX AND MATCH There are many advantages to bringing 17 LESSONS IN COMPOSITION
Inspired by old hydraulic tiles, the three wood-grain porcelain slabs out to the Italian architects Lavinia Modesti and
styles of Generation by Collage (3-D deck. Marazzi ’s anti-slip Treverkhome20 Javier Deferrari won a Mirage design
textured, monochromatic and multicolour tiles can be applied on grass, sand, gravel competition with Xgone, a collection of
patterned) combine to achieve any level and raised floor systems. marazzi.it stoneware tiles in various shapes, sizes
of drama. collagecraftsandtiles.com and colours that can be assembled into
15 PORCELAIN POTPOURRI more than 70 configurations. mirage.it
12 ON THE GRID It’s a patchwork quilt with a modern,
Originally made for a hospital in Seoul, Filo clean-lined feel: Inga Sempé’s Tratti 18 JAGGED LITTLE TILES
by Refin was meant to give the floor some collection, for Mutina, consists of 10-by- Maison indoor-outdoor tiles, by Mosarte of
“electricity,” say designers Ales sandro and 10-centimetre tiles based on everything Brazil, include the asymmetric Poligono for
Francesco Mendini. Twisted to abstraction, from cartographic keys to architectural floors and walls, in a range of raw materials
the pattern takes on the classic orthogonal patterns. In white and grey and eight such as slate limestone and marble.
grid. refin-ceramic-tiles.com different motifs. mutina.it mosarte.com.br
20 ON THE DOT
16
Intrigued by ancient pebble mosaics,
Michael Anastassiades wanted to see
how they would look when rendered with
machine-made consistency. Each of his
Thrilled tiles for Brix features over 1,700
perfect round “pebbles,” made of marble
18 powder and polyester resin binder.
brixweb.com
21 CORNER CREATORS
A nostalgic warmth exudes from Del
Conca’s Murales collection, which recalls
17 the brick facades of New York apartment
buildings. But the real sell is that these
outdoor tiles turn corners. delconca.com
19
20
21
JAN⁄FEB 2015 97
FIELD TRIP
PIANCAVALLO, ITALY
INSPIRED
In northeastern Italy, a hotel influenced by
the traditional mountain vernacular puts a ski
ALPINE
resort on the world’s architectural map
↑ The angular profile and exposed AT 1,301 METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL, in the craggy The story begins in 2010, when partners
structural elements in concrete and Dolomite Mountains of northeastern Italy, the Stefano Pujatti and Alberto Del Maschio, of the
wood reference the terrain of the small ski resort town of Piancavallo displays the Torino architecture and design firm Elasticospa+3,
mountainous region. remnants of a 1960s building boom. The clumsy won the invited competition, in which 10 European
mixed pastiche of cantilevers and pitched roofs, firms competed during the final round. The chal-
strip windows and balconies, concrete structures lenging program called for a resort destination
and wooden facades was meant to reinterpret capable of creating a “new aura” for Piancavallo. On
traditional Alpine architecture in a modernist the 1,800 square metre corner parcel along the
fashion. Instead, these buildings set up a stark town’s northern border, a two-storey guest house
contrast to the stunning setting, where on a sunny was to be restored and extended to 3,425 square
day an uninterrupted view extends as far as metres, accommodating up to 99 guests, with a
PHOTOS BY JACOPO RICCESI
the Adriatic Sea, 90 kilometres away. A popular construction budget of almost $6.5 million.
year-round destination for local skiers and hikers, On a site unburdened by physical constraints,
the town has lacked the panache to attract a with the exception of nearby residential buildings,
wider following – until recently, when the land- the most impressive feature is a panoramic view
scape of Piancavallo was transformed by the of the Carnic Alps. The architects began by
striking 1301 Inn. orienting the V-shaped footprint at an angle atop
the original structure, so the balconies and guest elevated to a height of five metres via seven like a sculpture from the roof’s lowest point, which
room windows take full advantage of the setting. multi-pronged concrete pillars, whose V-form was was intentionally placed in view of the lounge. Also
The inn, named after its elevation point, is a developed to mitigate earthquakes. The building’s on the second floor, a private spa offers a Turkish
refreshing reinterpretation of typical mountain dynamic form is further defined by a slate roof bath, two saunas, aromatherapy showers and a
construction, incorporating a steeply pitched slate that dips and bends intentionally to release snow solarium. On each level, V-shaped hallways lead to
roof, A-frame dormers, and such rustic materials and ice, while, in the architects’ words, “the a total of 37 guest rooms, including four two-level
as exposed wood beams and concrete, which facades relate to time and weather conditions.” suites with loft bedrooms.
comment on the regional architecture while estab- Past the lobby, elevators lead to a triple-height Elasticospa+3 shaped every detail to highlight
lishing a new context. Its shape-shifting profile lounge on the second floor. Overhead, a drum the Alpine experience, from the abundant use of
changes from every angle. chandelier made of light aluminum chain-link is raw larch to the exposed concrete and terracotta
The former ground level was converted into the printed with a portrait of acclaimed Italian archi- flooring. With its largest project to date, the firm
lobby, with an adjoining casual dining area equipped tect and designer Carlo Mollino, a ski enthusiast has successfully reinterpreted the iconic Alpine
with rustic bench seating, while part of the base- known for his innovative chalets. A generous glass style, so much so that the Slow Horse – as the firm
ment was cleverly filled in with debris from the facade, framed and bisected by exposed beams, calls the resort – has been nominated for multiple
demolition phase – a well-considered sustainable provides an expansive view of the surrounding honours, including the Mies van der Rohe Award.
solution. Towering above the rectangular volume, mountain range. In winter, the roof’s steep pitch Pretty impressive for a ski chalet.
the three-storey larch wood and concrete frame is creates a spontaneous ice stalactite, hanging
JAN⁄FEB 2015 99
FIELD TRIP
PIANCAVALLO, ITALY
If you go
WHAT TO SEE A 35-kilometre drive north of THINGS TO DO Piancavallo is a well-equipped San Quirino, about 25 kilometres south of
Piancavallo takes you to Friulian Dolomites Natural sports resort offering a wealth of summer and Piancavallo – is one of the few Michelin-starred
Park, 37,000 hectares of wilderness listed as a winter activities: 25 kilometres of downhill ski restaurants in the area. Run by the Canton family
UNESCO World Heritage site. About 30 kilometres slopes, extensive trails for cross-country skiing since 1873, it is famous for its reinterpreted
to the south, the city of Pordenone is worth a visit and hiking, climbing walls, tennis courts and traditional cuisine and wide selection of wines,
for its frescoed palaces; its Gothic architecture, ample opportunities for mountain biking or more than 1,500 regional, national and interna-
including the town hall; and the Corso, a medieval horseback riding. tional labels.
street characterized by long porticoes populated
with bars, restaurants and boutiques. Art aficio- WHERE TO EAT If you enjoy wild game, visit the → Open November to April and June to September.
nados will enjoy the Galleria d’Arte Moderna e rustic Taverna all’Urogallo, where such regional One night double occupancy costs $125 to $210,
Contemporanea Armando Pizzinato, housed in a food as frico (melted cheese with potatoes and depending on the season and meal choices
newly designed building in the central Parco Galvani onions) or gubana (a cake filled with fruit and (three-night minimum). 1301inn.it
and featuring works by Picasso, Braque, Chagall nuts) is served at reasonable, though not cheap,
and many others. prices. La Primula – in the nearby town of
AS ASTONISHING
AS YOU ARE.
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Unconventional chairs and stools
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5
6
1 Psi by Ligne Roset 3 Uncle Jim by Kartell 4 Five by Matsuso T 6 Rival by Artek
Paris designer Vincent Tordjman refer- Philippe Starck utilized Kartell’s single- Claesson Koivisto Rune incorporated Konstantin Grcic’s first design for the
enced the pitchfork form of the Greek mould polycarbonate technology for his Asian philosophies around the number Finnish manufacturer is a birch swivel
letter psi for his dining chair made from curvaceous seating, in a bevy of colours five into its wooden furniture for start-up chair with a round seat and splayed legs.
leather and ash. ligne-roset-usa.com (red, orange, yellow, green and blue) and Matsuso T, a collaboration between product High- and low-backed versions, with fabric
neutrals (transparent and smoke grey). designer Jin Kuramoto and carpenters or leather upholstery, come in white, black,
2 Iuta by B&B Italia A companion Uncle Jack sofa model in Hiroshima. The line consists of seating, red or natural. artek.fi
With its mesh seat atop solid oak legs completes the set. kartell.com tables and a clothes rack in rounded,
in four different stains, Iuta is Antonio pentagonal forms. jinkuramoto.com
Citterio’s latest design for B&B. The seat
comes in bronzed nickel or off-white, 5 Catch by &Tradition
with a cushion upholstered in a choice of For the Danish company, Jaime Hayon
16 fabrics or three leathers. bebitalia.it produced an organically shaped chair
covered in wool or leather, with wooden or
metal legs. andtradition.com
11 12
10
TASTE
Asymmetric elements and innovative
materials make for super-stylish tables
MAKERS
1
2
Each visit to SOFA is better than the last, thanks to a full-scale metamorphosis underway here.
Dozens of new manufacturers’ showrooms will be opening throughout the year. They’ll feature
multitudes of products from international brands, like this stunning custom handcrafted silver-grey
natural oak flooring available from Carlisle Wide Plank Floors at SOFA. We’re here to make the
designer’s job more stimulating and rewarding. Come tell us how we’re doing. Call for a tour, or
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BY PHILAM NGUYEN
PROJECT:
DENIM R&D,
ISTANBUL
THE FLOORING at Bulur Textile’s new design studio habitable workspace that supports the denim and-pull of the layered surfaces.
could easily have been viewed as an aesthetic company’s diverse functions. The multi-functional zones established through
consideration – a material choice with little bearing The project called for a research and develop- this volumetric approach address the client’s
on the programming for the space. Istanbul-based ment lab that not only serves as a collaborative desire for a flexible space while visually expressing
architects Zemberek Design instead opted to environment, but also as a showroom. Niches the company’s culture. In a sense, the floor is both
employ it as the element that shapes the project, incorporate informal meeting spots, work sur- symbol and conduit for expanded possibilities –
treating the floor as an extruded 80-centimetre- faces, and built-in storage. The horizontal planes, a solid foundation upon which to work, create and
deep volume. Curvaceous voids are carved including seating and steps, are all clad in the interact. zemberek.org
out, rendering the two-dimensional plane into a same smoked oak parquet, playing up the push-
CORK AND BAMBOO Granorte’s new patterns in the Bloom series – Mosaic,
Bit and Grid – are made up of small square segments, in
These rapidly renewable choices come in a range of various colours and textures of cork, assembled on
patterns and finishes, mimicking wood and stone or just 91-by-30-centimetre planks to achieve a pixelated look.
expressing the material’s essence. A ceramic lacquer coating makes the GreenGuard-certified
product moisture resistant and hard wearing. granorte.pt
Ecotimber has introduced unfurled bamboo floors. The Teragren The solid bamboo Visions line gives the
manufacturing technique maintains the plant’s material appearance of traditional hardwood in a 138-millimetre
and visual integrity by simply compressing the round wide-plank format, combined with the green benefits
stalks into tongue-and-groove planks. Designed for glue, of a rapidly renewable material. More durable than oak
nail or floating installation, it comes in a natural finish and finished with zero-VOC hard-wax oil, it comes in nine
with the bamboo’s outer skin intact – nature’s version of colourways, from elegant, muted Slate Grey to deep
a highly durable “topcoat.” ecotimber.com Charcoal and Chocolate. teragren.com
← Expanko The Vallarex line includes digitally printed cork WE Cork ’s patented technology custom-prints cork
veneers that resemble real wood or stone. Also available modules with any image, for commercial projects over
in natural cork finishes, this floating plank option is laid 93 square metres. The Serenity collection is fade resistant
with the glueless SnapTech locking system, is GreenGuard and hypoallergenic, and it provides acoustic and thermal
certified and works for light commercial applications. insulation. wecork.com
expanko.com
HUMANITARIAN
ARCHITECTURE
Book edited by Mary Christian
Aspen Art Press ⁄ DAP (hardcover, 280 pages)
Fri Jan 23
Professional
Canada’s Design Fair Trade Day AZURE
Trade Talks
Presented by
Metro Toronto Convention Centre
InteriorDesignShow.com North Building
Sponsors Produced by
BOLDFACE
COMING IN AZURE: AND THE WINNERS ARE… The Royal Institute of British Architects presented
MAR /APR 2015 Li Xiaodong’s branch-clad Liyuan Library has won the
two honours in October. The Stephen Lawrence Prize
went to Denizen Works’ House No. 7, a restoration
Moriyama RAIC International Prize and its $100,000
and extension of a Scottish blackhouse crofter’s
purse. The project’s modest scale and budget set the
cottage. RIBA’s biggest award, the Stirling Prize, went
tone for the newly minted award, which recognizes
to Haworth Tompkins, for the new Everyman Theatre
exceptional, socially conscious design. Constructed
in Liverpool, which pays tribute to the theatre’s
in the hillside village of Jiaojiehe, China, the library
THE
beginnings in a 19th-century chapel by mirroring the
was funded by Hong Kong’s Lu Qianshou Trust, a rural
shape of the original auditorium.
development grant to improve economies and attract
tourism. Xiaodong accepted the prize at an October Europe’s 40 under 40 list of emerging architects and
gala held at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. designers for 2014 has been selected by the European
Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies
The results of the Cooper Hewitt National Design
and the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture
Awards were announced in October. The 2014 People’s
and Design. The current roster draws talent from 11
Design Award went to China’s Zhao Zhao for her
nations, with names from 18 French firms, including
wearable Spire device that tracks and analyzes
DATA, h2o Architectes and Ajeance. View the
physical and emotional health. Winners in nine other
complete list at europeanarch.eu.
categories were also recognized, including
Los Angeles firm Brooks + Scarpa for architecture. Toronto’s Andrew Jones has won the Battery Con-
See the full list at cooperhewitt.org. servancy Americas Design Competition with Fleurt, a
GETAWAY
floral-inspired metal stacking chair. The contest,
Two projects have been named the inaugural winners
established in 2012, considered some 700 proposals
of the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize: Álvaro Siza’s
for a chair that will provide scattered seating across
Iberê Camargo Foundation, constructed as a home for
the lawn of the popular New York park.
the namesake painter’s works in Porto Alegre, Brazil;
and Herzog & de Meuron’s mixed-use masterpiece MOVERS AND S HAKERS
1111 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach – both honoured as
the best built works in the Americas. The projects were David Chipperfield has been appointed artistic
chosen from among seven finalists announced earlier director of Driade, the Italian furniture brand known
this year. for quirky pieces designed by Philippe Starck, Patricia
Urquiola and Ross Lovegrove. The news coincides
The restoration of Alvar Aalto’s Viipuri Library in
with the launch of a new flagship showroom in Milan,
Vyborg, Russia, has been recognized with the 2014
ISSUE
just a year after the company was rescued from near-
World Monuments Fund¢/¢Knoll Modernism Prize.
bankruptcy. Driade’s partnership with the architect,
A shining example of Aalto’s mastery, the institution
who is equally well known for his minimalist aesthetics,
was finished in 1935 but fell into disrepair under Soviet
will make for interesting results.
rule. Efforts to revive the architectural treasure were
initiated in 1992 by the Finnish Committee for the Elissa Auther has taken on the role of Windgate
Restoration of Viipuri Library. It worked with the Research Curator at the Museum of Arts and Design
library organization and the Russian Federation on the in New York. The new position arose from an initiative
project, which was eventually completed in 2013. spurred by a partnership between MAD and other
educational institutions focused on design, craft and
Future Hunter-Gatherer, a virtual shopping game,
decorative arts. Auther comes to the museum from
conquered the Electrolux Design Lab competition for
the University of Colorado, where she served as
2014. U.K. designer Pan Wang created the playful
associate professor of contemporary art and theory
alternative to the traditional food shopping experience:
as well as director of the art history program.
it allows users to hunt, fish and gather holograms
HOTEL CONFIDENTIAL: for dinner, while the program orders up grocery store The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation
OhCanadaYYC.com Presented by
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Also available in
counter height.
Sweet spot
A honey of a project from Snøhetta
“Farm follows function” – a catchy maxim I first want to make the hive look good,” says lead cities is that people often fear the insects. Girgis
heard used by American architect and urban designer Peter Girgis. “We wanted the bees to be admits that he felt it himself on site, “the hum
agriculture advocate William McDonough – could happy.” In other words: aesthetics after apiary. was so loud.” But close contact, watching the bees
well be the calling card for two newly installed It’s surprising to see honeybees making work and interact, led him to a changed perspec-
beehives on an Oslo rooftop. Everything about the their homes in an urban centre, and even more tive. Now, when he tends his own garden and sees
Vulkan Bigård project, from the honey-coloured remarkable to find one built for them. However, them buzzing around, he thinks, “That bee could
PHOTO BY MORTEN BRAKESTAD
wood used in construction to the comb-patterned with diverse vegetation readily accessible, cities be one of the ones living in the hive we made.”
ornamentation, resonates with a bee vibe. provide an excellent habitat. In contrast to rural Thus the Vulkan Bigård project is not simply
Designed by Norwegian architects Snøhetta areas, where monocultural crops limit nectar about creating a home for bees in the city; it is also
and positioned on the roof of a local food market, and pollen sources, city parks and gardens can about reimagining the city as a home for them.
the hives are home to roughly 160,000 individuals offer exactly what bees need: a progression of
and have produced 80 kilograms of honey for blooming plants, from spring to fall. Lorraine Johnson is the author of City Farmer and
beekeeper clients Heier Du Rietz. “We didn’t just Of course, one problem with beekeeping in editor of Ground: Landscape Architect Quarterly.
The Ultimate
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