Canadian Interiors: November/December 2009 Edition

November/December 2009

Sweet spots 3 delectable spaces

Plus: Paris and Toronto show reports

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November/December 2009

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COVER — 19 Coast restaurant, in Vancouver,

by Box Interior Design.

Photo by Larry Goldstein

Contents FEATURES

Sweet Spots FROM COAST TO COAST — 19 Having outgrown its Yaletown digs, Coast restaurant has packed up and moved to a larger location with a shiny new look conceived by Box Interior Design.

By Janet Collins SLEEP ON IT — 25 Opus Hotel Montreal opted out of an overnight transformation, in favour of a slowly evolving design.

By Erin Donnelly SIMPLY DELICIOUS — 29 An understated design by Nelson Kwong Architects keeps the focus at pastry shop Nadège firmly on the delicacies.

By David Steiner

34

SUNNY-SIDE UP — 35 It was hot hot hot in Paris the first week of September – and so was Maison & Objet’s annual exhibition of outdoor furniture.

By Michael Totzke DEPARTMENTS INSIDE — 8 WHAT’S UP — 9 SHOW BIZ — 15 An illuminating experience Though there was plenty to see at the 25th IIDEX/NeoCon, it was special exhibit Light Canada that really shone.

By Karolina Olechnowicz WHO’S WHO — 39 LAST WORD — 42 Tale of the acoustic veil Getting the sound just right at Toronto’s new Koerner Hall.

By David Lasker

15

November/December 2009 VOL.46 NO.8

Publisher

Martin Spreer Editor

Michael Totzke Managing Editor

Erin Donnelly Associate Editors

Janet Collins, David Lasker, Rhys Phillips, Leslie C. Smith Contributing Writer

Karolina Olechnowicz, David Steiner Art Direction/Design

Lisa Zambri Advertising Sales

416-510-6766 Circulation Manager

Beata Olechnowicz 416-442-5600, ext. 3543 Reader Services

Liz Callaghan Production

Jessica Jubb 416-510-5194 Senior Publisher

Tom Arkell Vice President of Canadian Publishing

Alex Papanou President of Business Information Group

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Inside

Taste tests In this issue, we bring together three interiors whose raison d’être is the preparation and serving of food.

Though they share attributes (two out of three also feature bars, for example), they are more different than alike: the first is a seafood restaurant in Vancouver; second is a fusion restaurant/nightclub in a Montreal hotel; and third is a French pastry shop in Toronto. What really connects them, other than food, is how successfully the designers of each have met certain challenges.

Challenge #1: Design a new Coast (a Vancouver seafood stalwart) without resorting to cliché (as Box Interior Design’s H. Jay Brooks puts it, “It’s easy to get trite and kitschy when you’re working on a seafood restaurant called Coast”). Brooks’s maritime elements are fresh, not fusty – such as an abstract work of art that suggests a school of fish and, in the adjacent O Lounge, mirrored ovals that hang from the ceiling like suspended jellyfish. (See “From Coast to Coast,” page 19.)

Challenge #2: Create a new restaurant/nightclub in Opus Hotel Montreal that is equally attractive to locals and hotel guests.

Designer Robert Bailey’s original design for Koko Restaurant + Bar – playing with the idea of day and night, white and black – is glam and fun and fits perfectly into Opus’s scheme of things. (See “Sleep on it,” page 25, managing editor Erin Donnelly’s review of Opus and Koko.)

Challenge #3: Transform a decrepit photography studio on Toronto’s Queen Street West into a modern French pastry shop that puts the emphasis on the food. In the pure and simple design for Nadège, Nelson Kwong Architects ensured that nothing would compete with the exquisite-looking pastries laid out on a pristine display case running the length of the room. “The design is guided by a simple honesty,” notes writer David Steiner. “See the food, buy the food, watch them make the food.” (See “Simply delicious,” page 29.)

Bon appétit. c I Michael Totzke mtotzke@canadianinteriors.com Ad_10-09_LEED_3x5_v3_PRESS.pdf

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What’s Up

NOV./DEC. You win!

Ontario’s design community was all dressed up with a special place to go – the Liberty Grand in Toronto – on an evening near the end of September. The occasion was a gala dinner held by the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO), during which the winners of its annual awards program were announced.

The awards honour the innovation, creativity and professional achievement in the province’s interior design industry. Judges selected 32 designs from 10 categories: 20 Awards of Merit, 11 Awards of Excellence, and Project of the Year.

The top honour went Toronto’s Cannon Design, for the transformation of a historical powerhouse in St. Louis, Missouri, into a modern office building. Cannon’s crisp design contrasts the original structure with contemporary elements.

In addition to Project of the Year, Cannon received two Awards of Merit for workplace designs (for Invesco Enterprise Services in Charlottetown and Urbacon in Toronto).

Other multiple winners include Burdifilek (two Awards of Excellence for W Hotel Downtown Atlanta, one for the hotel itself, the other for its Condo Sales Center; and another for Brown Thomas & Co. Men’s Department, in Dublin); Cecconi Simone (two Awards of Excellence, for Sub-Zero/Wolf Showroom and Lippincott Living Model Suite, both in Toronto); Gow Hastings Architects Inc. (an Award of Excellence for Humber College, Music Production Facility and Recording Studio, and a Merit for George

Clockwise from above Cannon Design’s crisp transformation of a St. Louis powerhouse; Sub-Zero/Wolf Showroom; Humber College, Music Production Facility and Recording Studio; W Hotel Downtown Atlanta; Stantec’s Toronto office.

Brown College, Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts, both in Toronto); and Stantec (an Award of Excellence for the design of its Toronto office, and a Merit for its office in Guelph, Ont.).

Says ARIDO president Deborah Rutherford, “The association takes great pride in the contribution its members make to public and private spaces.

ARIDO’s Awards Program builds public awareness of our professional capabilities and

the important contribution interior designers make to the built environment.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 CANADIAN INTERIORS 9

Against the grain Trove, a New York–based design company known for its nature-inspired products, has just introduced a groundbreaking line of eco-friendly wood veneer wallcoverings, manufactured using regional and rapidly renewable materials.

Several varieties of FSC-certified wood are used to produce these distinctive wallcoverings, including maple, oak, cherry, walnut, birch and bamboo.

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In Trove‘s wood veneer wallcovering, the actual appearance of the wood grain is preserved and visible through the different designs, applied as a transparent layer of colour.

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Two of the remaining, more conventional buildings are now complete, as is the Absolute Club, a one-of-a-kind entertainment and sports centre that serves all five towers. To ensure a noteworthy opening, the owners commissioned Toronto designer/sculptor Ralph Russo to design a special feature. Called Absolute Colour, it emerges from a shallow pool. Rich,

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The technology-driven art installation is powered by a custom-designed LED/RGB illumination array system from Wired OFX in Thornhill, Ont. The system pumps colourful LED/RGB ray combinations through 12 woven stainless steel tubulars. There are no moving parts; the optical effects

Absolute Colour, a special art installation by Toronto designer/ sculptor Ralph Russo, emerges from a shallow pool. Rich, translucent colours morph and pulsate between the water and the ceiling.

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Show Biz

An illuminating experience Though there was plenty to see at the 25th IIDEX/NeoCon, it was special exhibit Light Canada that really shone.

–By Karolina Olechnowicz

This year marked 25 years of IIDEX/NeoCon Canada, with lights, cameras and plenty of design action.

Attending architects and designers were able to touch and feel their way through Material World with its premiere exhibit, Think: Material. It was a designer’s playground with textiles, fabrics and cutting-edge materials to stimulate the senses. A variety of options were presented to get creative juices flowing and give new inspiration to projects.

While some projects were still searching for inspiration, others were receiving celebration at Canadian Interiors’ own 12th annual Best of Canada Design Awards. This year marked several changes for the awards: it was the first time the event was hosted on the IIDEX Keynote Stage, and the first time that winners were not announced until the ceremony. Glen Baxter from CTV’s In Fashion emceed the event and, along with sponsoring dignitaries from Teknion, Steelcase and Inscape, announced the 20 surprised winners.

An IIDEX favourite, Light Canada was back again this year with more than 100 exhibitors from Canada and abroad. The focus was on sustainable lighting and advances in LED technology, as well as exploration and manipulation of different elements in lighting design.

Lighting keynote speaker Stephen Knapp, an acclaimed lighting designer, conveyed the journey that led him to develop a technique to bend and manipulate white light to create a colour spectrum.

Unique to this year’s IIDEX, Knapp created a 12-by-24-foot light art installation, entitled “Castled Void,” which sent brilliant colours stretching over a vast white wall canvas.

Creating another IIDEX must-see, Toronto retailer MADE took lighting to a whole new place: the dark side. Its Radiant Dark exhibit, designed by Julie Nicholson and Shaun Moore, showed the various aspects of modern, emerging Canadian design, with a focus on intriguing lighting pieces.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 CANADIAN INTERIORS 15

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granulated coloured glass poured into the interior. Orillia is also available in its clear state and in amber or black. eurofase.com 3-From the shadows Cali Balles and Don Maclennan’s Shadow lamps show that imperfection can be beautiful. Starting out as perfect glass forms of spheres and ovals, the shapes are corrupted through a prolonged heating process causing the glass to wrinkle and fold into itself. Shadow lamps are available in tall and round versions in various sizes, and come in smoke grey, sandblasted clear glass, or custom colours. madedesign.ca

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5-Break-through Lightform showcased Vibia’s outdoor sculpture light Break – by designers Xuclà and Alemany – cleverly named due to its appearance of breaking off. The slit between the breaking block pieces emits a pleasant and subtle light ideal for enjoying the evening outdoors. Break is available in both floor models and wall fixtures, and comes in various sizes with finishes ranging from urban concrete to modern lacquered finish in white. lightform.ca

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 CANADIAN INTERIORS 17

Sweet Spots

From Coast to Coast Having outgrown its Yaletown digs, Coast restaurant has packed up and moved to a larger location with a shiny new look conceived by Box Interior Design. –By Janet Collins

Photography by Larry Goldstein

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 CANADIAN INTERIORS 19

Coast’s design relies on subtle references, with the wall of abstract art that looks a lot a school of fish being as literal as it gets. Even the palette is a touch off the obvious, with rich teal hues used, rather than the usual seafoam and watery blues.

The mosaic tile floor – the only pattern in the room other than the fishy artwork – is a nod to San Francisco, while the 24-foot diameter bar (which doubles as a seafood display) is reminiscent of Pike Place Market in another coastal city, Seattle.

20 CANADIAN INTERIORS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

As deep-pocketed mall chains have increasingly usurped upscale boutique spaces, Vancouver’s Robson Street has lost much of its Rodeo Drive North cachet. Lower rents – and stylish neighbours such as the Shangri-La Hotel – have enticed the likes of Tiffany & Co., Hermés, Brooks Brothers and Betsey Johnson to opt for space one block north. Even so, the two-block stretch of Alberni Street between Burrard and Bute seems destined to be more of a mecca for foodies than for fashionistas.

A little over three years ago (before the Glowbal Group opened Italian Kitchen and Jean-Georges Vongerichten lent his name to the restaurant at the Shangri-La), few would have guessed that Alberni would become such a dining destination. Emad Yacoub, president/owner of the Glowbal Group, is so sure of the street’s potential that he relocated the seafood-focussed

Coast restaurant across the street from Italian Kitchen.

Yacoub insists the original Coast was too popular for its Yaletown footprint, but notes another reason for the relocation.

“Tourists want three things when they go looking for a restaurant,” says Yacoub, “seafood, Italian food, and steak. Coast is a seafood-focussed restaurant. I knew it would do much better if it was located nearer to where the tourists are, close to the major hotels, the cruise ship terminal, and all of that.”

A long-established dollar store provided the bones for the new restaurant space that is three times that of the original Coast room. Boasting a total of some 7,000 square feet, the new Coast restaurant features an adjoining 1,200-square-foot lounge.

“It’s always hard to put a restaurant

into a building that wasn’t designed for that purpose,” says designer H. Jay Brooks, principal of Box Interior Design. In the end, the team had to go up more than three floors – and through the bathroom of the language school upstairs – in order to install the exhaust system.

Today there is little evidence of the store that used to occupy the new Coast location. The two-storey space operates very much as an open plan. Sure, there’s a staircase tucked along a side wall to allow access to the upper level, but those seated near the railing of the mezzanine command spectacular views of the ground floor, including the small but efficiently laid-out open kitchen. Most of the other seats in the house also have good views of the room.

That is not to say this is a massive expanse of space. Rather, the introduction of different levels creates an illusion of more NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 CANADIAN INTERIORS 21

intimate areas, while still accommodating the maximum number of desirable seating options.

“One of the most challenging features was designing the bar,” says Brooks. “We really had minimal clearance around it.”

The resulting 24-foot-diameter installation creates a focal point for the room as well as a popular gathering point for customers, who are as eager to see and be seen as they are to dine on the fresh seafood fare.

It also doubles as a very tall display area.

“It has the same feel as the fish stall at Pike Place Market [in Seattle],” says Yacoub. Indeed, the bar’s tall centre attractively displays the seafood until it is ready to be prepared. Given that part of the structure’s counterspace doubles as Coast’s in-house sushi bar, the ingredients remain within easy reach of the chefs.

If the bar display is reminiscent of Pike Place Market, then the floor surrounding the bar must be a nod to San Francisco.

The mosaic tile floor – the only pattern in the room other than the fishy artwork on one wall – beautifully captures the flavour of the City by the Bay, adding a sense of timelessness to the room in much the same way as the character of San Francisco’s 22 CANADIAN INTERIORS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

older buildings is retained in the more stylish modern establishments.

“It’s easy to get trite and kitschy when you’re working on a seafood restaurant called Coast,” says Brooks. Subtle references to major West Coast cities, ample displays of seafood and an abstract work of art that looks a lot a school of fish are about as literal as the design gets here.

Even the palette is a touch off the obvious, with rich teal hues used, rather than the usual seafoam and watery blues. The result is a design that is likely to age well.

Variations in table size and shape as well as subtle changes in the floor level allow for a variety of seating arrangements on the main level. For example, two rounded booths near the room’s entry are popular gathering spaces for regular clients, while a grouping of small tables on a raised section at the foot of the stairs provides more intimate seating. Individual diners, along with those preferring to be in the centre of the action, will find ample seating at the bar.

The mezzanine level offers even more seating options. A series of oval tables (set for two but large enough for four guests) line the glass railing that overlooks the

The introduction of different levels in the double-height space creates an illusion of more intimate areas, without sacrificing the see-and-be-seen aspect.

Those seated near the railing of the mezzanine command particularly spectacular views of the ground floor.

To continue seeing and being seen long into the night, patrons hit the adjacent O Lounge and settle into the soft seating for after-dinner drinks under the doublesided mirrored ovals that hang from the ceiling like jellyfish suspended in the sea.

lower level, enabling diners to see what’s going on throughout the room. A big oval table in the centre of the mezzanine is perfectly suited to accommodating larger groups partaking of a working lunch. Adjacent seating is given a sense of intimacy thanks to the installation of tall glass wine cases that double as privacy screens.

More private seating is available in the back room where a pivoting room divider can separate the space into two smaller rooms should the need arise.

At the top of the stairs, the design team created a seating area that is as comfortable as it is inviting. In homage to the Scandinavian/mid-century esthetic that permeated the Yaletown incarnation of the restaurant, the walls, raised floor and lowered ceiling of this space are covered in teak, which creates a warm, intimate oasis (or a visual raft in the subtle sea theme, if you want to push the metaphor). Capiz shell “curtains” serve as dividers between the tables (the shells also make an appearance in the lighting fixture above the oval table at the centre of the mezzanine).

Though views of the room beyond are not the best from this vantage point, it’s hard to imagine why anyone would feel the need to look beyond this cozy space.

The adjacent O lounge (think eau, get it?) continues the subtle coastal theme.

Rectangular light boxes arranged on the ceiling and floor like a forest of kelp (but functioning as lighting fixtures and illuminated bar tables respectively) provide a rich, warm glow through a patterned acrylic material that shimmers like abalone. Double-sided mirrored ovals hang from the ceiling like jellyfish suspended in the sea and float on waves of air provided by the air-conditioning system. Once again, different levels allow for different seating/ gathering spaces – more relaxed seating on the soft seating of the lower level, and room for mingling and dancing on the raised area dominated by the light boxes.

The lounge makes the perfect gathering spot for after-dinner drinks or for partying into the night. The flexibility of the space (thanks to those differing floor levels and partitions between tables – and movable partitions in the mezzanine level’s private room) will also make Coast a popular venue for movie wrap parties, 2010 Olympic-related gatherings and other social occasions. As for me, I’ll be hanging out at the seafood bar. c I

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Sweet Spots

Sleep on it Opus Hotel Montreal opted out of an overnight transformation, in favour of a slowly evolving design. –By Erin Donnelly

It’s been nearly two years since Opus Hotel Montreal began the transformation from its former incarnation as the Hotel Godin.

Trilogy Properties, the owner of Opus Vancouver, purchased the Godin in 2007, with plans to turn it into a sister property to the West Coast boutique hotel. Having already established strong branding in the initial Vancouver location, with the help of local designer Robert Bailey, Opus Montreal would need to get the company stamp as well. But instead of shutting down to perform a massive renovation, the design has been allowed to evolve slowly and steadily since the purchase.

The Godin’s interior was done only a few years prior to the sale, by Yabu Pushelburg, and a total redesign would not have been economically or environmentally responsible. Nor was it truly necessary, says Bailey, who was brought in to give the new location a look that would blend with the original.

The Opus update started with paint.

Bailey had developed a concept in the Vancouver location referred to as “lifestyle concierge,” which can match guests to one of five personalities, each of which corresponds to a different room theme.

The suites have each been painted in one of five colours: red (Billy), orangey-yellow (Pierre), electric green (Mike), purply-blue (Susan) or grey (Dede). The rooms also incorporate artwork chosen to appeal to the invented personalities, and the hotel can even recommend appropriate restaurants, activities and amenities for each.

The colours will be updated again in the near future and the furniture, which mostly remained from the YP design, will be replaced as well.

The existing public areas, like the lobby and corridors, have been left as they were.

But there was one space missing from the Godin, that would make Opus Montreal the destination it was envisioned to be: a restaurant. Rumor has it that the Godin’s demise was due to its inability to procure a liquor license. As a result of that difficulty, the large space that occupies much of the street level of the original building had remained empty. Opus has brought this space to life with Koko Restaurant + Bar. Koko opened just a little more than a year after the Opus takeover, and after nearly a year had the benefit of some design tweaking to perfect the look and atmosphere. The restaurant was intended 26 CANADIAN INTERIORS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

to be a destination not only for hotel patrons, but also for locals, thus giving guests a taste of the city and its nightlife without even leaving the hotel. Bailey’s design delivers the same, exemplifying a fun yet sophisticated look that is very much Montreal.

The design was influenced by Coco Chanel (hence the name), with a colour scheme that is primarily black and white, with bright green accents, metallic touches and lots of pattern. The restaurant spans a large area that crosses from the new building to the old (built in 1914 by Joseph-Arthur Godin, for whom the hotel was previously named) and outside, to an impressive 2,000-square-foot terrasse (the biggest in the city).

The original concept for Koko was more bar-focused, but the food aspect became more important as planning progressed.

The final result seamlessly makes the transition between restaurant and nightclub, even managing to balance both functions mid-evening. Not surprising, given that the original design premise for the building focussed on playing with the idea of night and day, a concept that Bailey noticed had accidently continued with the addition: “We had two spaces, one tall and open [in the new section] that felt like day, and one low and dark [the heritage part of the building]. That gave us the idea to stick to black and white.”

Amidst the glamour of the space, there are fun little design surprises, such as the Phillipe Starck–designed Attila gnome table. “It’s hard to accessorize in a space like that; it makes it human scale,” Bailey says. Perhaps the most memorable accessory is the Moooi horse lamp that graces the restaurant’s outside entrance, where Bailey wanted “something really strong.”

The slightly absurd, light-heartedness of this piece fit the bill perfectly and certainly makes an impression on those entering Koko from the lively Sherbrooke and SaintLaurent corner, or leaving the hotel for a night on the town. c I Opposite The first design intervention at Opus Montreal was painting the rooms. The colours and artwork for each room correspond to a lifestyle concierge concept, originally created for the flagship Vancouver location, by designer Robert Bailey. This page Koko Restaurant + Bar’s Coco Chanel–inspired design gives guests a taste of the city without leaving the hotel. The très Montreal aesthetic, featuring a predominantly black and white palette with metallic and green accents, was envisioned to attract visitors and locals alike.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 CANADIAN INTERIORS 27

Compass collection

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Sweet Spots

Simply delicious An understated design by Nelson Kwong Architects keeps the focus at pastry shop Nadège firmly on the delicacies.

–By David Steiner

Photography by Abel Gill

  

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 CANADIAN INTERIORS 29

Nadège Nourian, a young French woman, and Morgan McHugh, her Canadian partner, arrived in Toronto from Europe one year ago with an ambition to sell the tastiest French pastries, made with the finest ingredients, at a reasonable price. Nourian is a fourth-generation pastry chef in a family of restaurateurs, having learned the art from her grandmother. She and McHugh searched the city for the right spot and found it at the corner of Queen Street West, where hipsters prowl, and the southeastern tip of Trinity Bellwoods park, one of the city’s nicest. Here, urban bustle rubs up against the shady grass of a large park with its sporting amenities and giant trees. Early in July, after six months of planning and construction, they opened the patisserie named after its chef.

Nelson Kwong Architects designed the interior space of Nadège; Red Box – a graphic design and branding firm – did the logo and packaging. Having worked in fine kitchens throughout France, Sweden and the U.K., Nourian insisted that the same level of craft given to the food would be evident in the branding and interior design. “She had a very clear sense of what she was after,” says Nelson Kwong, “and she trusted us to take the design where we thought would best suit her concept.” According to Nourian, the concept was “something very clean and very modern with the centrepiece being the food and kitchen.”

Constrained by a tight budget, McHugh, working basically alone, demolished what had been a photography studio for half a century, and realized Kwong’s design. Only the wood floors, excavated from under six layers of vinyl, are a visual reminder of the interior’s history. Everything else gives the impression of being one part gallery and one part patisserie, all of it surgically clean. The layout is guided by a simple honesty: see the food, buy the food, watch them make the food. As such, a feast of the most exquisite-looking pastries is laid out on a wide display case running the length of the room, with seating farther back and a big window at the rear looking into the kitchen.

(The case is actually a custom-made fridge, constructed in a location the owners won’t reveal, which keeps precise control over moisture and temperature levels.)

The display and an adjacent coffee bar are wrapped in seamless white Corian panels, creating what looks like a continuous object with distinct areas for various

    

Below The layout is guided by a simple honesty: see the food, buy the food, watch them make the food. A feast of pretty pastries is laid out on a wide display case running the length of the room, with seating farther back and a big window at the rear looking into the kitchen. Right White Corian shelves display assorted teas and treats.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 CANADIAN INTERIORS 31

functions – presentation, pick up, cash, coffee. A newly constructed bulkhead, suspended above the counter, acts as a visual device to connect the front and back while “giving the space a bit of variation,” as Kwong points out. Other than the charcoal grey ceiling and a bolt of magenta in the 16-foot logo recessed into the east wall, everything is arctic white, allowing the focus to remain on the beautifully crafted edible goods: cakes, macarons, sandwiches, buns, even marshmallows.

The store is gracious, with ample room to mill about while waiting for your order.

A wide stair to the basement, where an old entrance used to be, is lit by a new floor-to-ceiling window. Outside, Crezon plywood boards painted in a white enamel (often used for signs and movie sets) cover the angled store entrance and part of the exterior brick around the corner.

Next summer, a patio along the side street is planned to replace a sliver of grass between the building and sidewalk.

For now, though, the uninterrupted views of Queen West and Trinity Bellwoods – seen through the large picture windows preserved during the renovation – create a slight tension: do you stay in this wonderfully calm space eating your Alaskan crab and avocado sandwich on an herb bun, or go outside and stroll through the park nibbling on a clutch of macarons and a lemon violet cake? c I



32 CANADIAN INTERIORS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

Right A wide stair to the basement, where an old entrance used to be, faces a new floor-to-ceiling window. Below Other than the charcoal ceiling and a bolt of magenta in the logo recessed into the east wall, everything is arctic white, allowing the focus to remain on the beautifully crafted edible goods. Graphic design and branding firm Red Box created the logo and packaging.

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Sunny-side up It was hot hot hot in Paris the first week of September – and so was Maison & Objet’s annual exhibition of outdoor furniture.

–By Michael Totzke

TWO’S COMPANY Designed by Michael Koenig, the water-resistant Sun Deck comprises a lounger, with two seats at different heights (providing an unconventional way to sit together and side by side), and a stool. Made by Flora, a German company in business for more than 130 years, Sun Deck’s steel frame is zinc-plated and powdercoated in light grey or orange. flora-online.de

On the third day of the Indoor_Outdoor show, a signature part of Paris’s Maison & Objet, the gods smiled down, ushering in a weeklong heat wave. Visitors and exhibitors alike at Parc d’Expositions de Paris-Nord Villepinte took frequent timeouts from the show, exiting Hall 7 to lounge in comfortable outdoor chairs and sofas – under the sun along one side of the building, or shaded by a sort of sultan’s tent along another. Suddenly it made absolute sense to be thinking about outdoor furniture.

Inside the hall packed with new introductions, metal ruled.

French furniture maker Fermob made use of top-grade metal to create a chaise longue version of the country’s famous Bistro chair.

For Belgian brand Domani, Stefan Schöning used lacquered steel wire to fashion a pristine collection of chairs, ottomans, tables, lights and pots for plants. Even Italian company Borella Design, best know for its design and production for the automotive and airspace industries, got into the act – with a sleek chaise of powdercoated aluminum.

My favourite introduction, though – a bench by Naoto Fukasawa for B&B Italia – hid its aluminum frame under teak slats in a wavy progression, summoning up a quintessentially summery image of wind over water.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 CANADIAN INTERIORS 35

1-STRIPED TO GO Last year in Milan, Freek outdoor carpet – made from ultra-soft but durable fibres that are UV- and water-resistant – was introduced to the world for the first time. This year, Netherlands-based Freek presents two new striped patterns, one in natural colours, the other in brights. Easy to clean, the carpet can be left outdoors all year round. freek.nl 2-FROM CHAIR TO CHAISE At 120 years old, the Bistro chair is the same age as the Eiffel Tower. Fermob, the French creator and manufacturer of outdoor furniture, is the trustee of the model – and has introduced a chaise longue version of the popular beauty in top-grade metal. Luscious colour options (more than 20 in all) include lemon, paprika, fuchsia, fjord blue and apple green. fermob.com

1

3-GOOD AS GOLD During the 17th century, Chinese porcelain was so highly coveted in Europe it became know as “white gold.” Inspired by such porcelain, designer Stefan Schöning has created the Whitegold collection for Belgian company Domani – including easy chairs, ottomans and tables; lights; and plant pots in various shapes and sizes. Frames are made of lacquered steel wire; tabletops, light shades and some pots are made of white Chinese porcelain.

2

whitegold.be

4-LEATHER & WEATHER Bourbon’s Airstream collection – which includes dining chair and one- and twoseater, along with dining, side and coffee table – was inspired by old U.S. aircraft, with its use of nailed aluminum and soft leather. Cushions of quick-dry foam, covered in “extreme” leather, can be left outside. All products from the Belgian furniture brand are handmade. bourbonfurniture.com

3 4

36 CANADIAN INTERIORS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

5-THE RIPPLE EFFECT Designed by Naoto Fukasawa for B&B Italia, the Titikaka bench – with teak slats on an aluminum frame – “contradicts” the rigid shape of traditional outdoor benches: the seat’s surface seems to ripple with the graceful effect of wind over water. And, in fact, the slats do have a wavy progression, continuing to the floor on both sides of the bench. What’s more, Titikaka’s curves are ergonomically sound as well as sculptural.

5

bebitalia.com

6-OUTDOOR LANDSCAPE Designed by Wolf Udo Wagner for German company Fischer Möbel, the Univers collection of modular seating allows landscapes of any desired size and configuration to be created. A frame of weather-resistant thermal ash serves as each module’s base; the trapezoidal modules themselves are made of “fm soft,” a combination of high-calibre foam of great density and abrasion-resistant, water-repellant lacquer. Four colours are available: anthracite, quartz, white and green. fischer-moebel.de

6

7-CLEAN CUT Belgian luxury brand Tribù is known for outdoor furniture that is pure, clean and timeless; its new Mirthe collection – made of 6-mm-thick powdercoated aluminum – is no exception. Fabiaan Van Severen designed Mirthe’s curvy tennis bench and tables.

Wim Segers completed the collection with two chairs that look to have been formed from a single surface: a side chair and an armchair whose armrests can be removed for stacking. In aluminum or white. tribu.com

7 8

8-BUILT FOR SPEED Italian company Borella Design is best known for its design and production of high-resistant steel, aluminum and carbon for the automotive and airspace industries; now it has turned its attention to interior and outdoor furniture (including beach umbrellas, tables, and cat and dog houses). Its sleek Gass chaise longue, made of powdercoated aluminum and marine fabric, features an automatic reclining system. borelladesign.com

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 CANADIAN INTERIORS 37

Who’s Who

And the winners are...

–By David Lasker 1 2

5

3

4

Best of Canada Awards The 12th annual Best of Canada Design Awards took place Sept. 25 on the Keynote Stage at IIDEX/NeoCon. Frank Delfino, president, World Markets, Teknion, presented an interesting perspective on the trends and outlook for Canadian design in the year ahead. Then, emcee Glen Baxter, host of CTV’s In Fashion, along with sponsoring dignitaries from Teknion, Steelcase and Inscape, announced the winners. They received a nine-pound crystal prism etched with the winning category and their company name. The celebration continued with guests enjoying hors d’oeuvres, networking and good cheer.

1—Host Glenn Baxter and freelance writer Karolina Olechnowicz, a frequent contributor to Canadian Interiors who assisted in handing out the awards.

2—Valerie Gow, of Gow Hastings Architects; Bartlett & Associates’ Inger Bartlett; and communications director Marni Andrews with her counterpart at Burdifilek, Sonia Germain.

3—Teknion’s Laura Barski, marketing director, and Frank Delfino, president, Canadian and international markets.

4—Kasia Pawlowski, sales associate at Klaus by Nienkämper, and Klaus Nienkämper (Isola 8 seating).

5—Partygoers at the bar.

1

2

Bullfrog launch The late, lamented Montreal Bistro, the live-jazz eatery, now swings in another key as Operation Snow White Contemporary European Design Furniture Store – the first North American franchise store of Germany’s Bullfrog Design (China already boasts 20).

1—Two of TV’s three Designer Guys, Anwar Mukhayesh and Matthew Davis of Design Agency (formerly Precipice Studios); Kati Wicht, founder of Germany’s Bullfrog Design; hostess and store owner Christine Chang.

2—Bill Dietrich, mortgage broker, Invis; Paul Devereaux, VP, Choice Bank; Brian Simpson, general manager, Travelocity.ca; and Brad Karsh, general manager, Bullfrog and Limitless.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 CANADIAN INTERIORS 39

3

2

ARIDO Awards gala

1

During IIDEX/NeoCon, the A&D community celebrated the 25th anniversary of IIDEX and the 75th birthday of ARIDO in style at the Liberty Grand at Exhibition Place.

4

1—On the podium: Deborah Rutherford, ARIDO president, and Robert Chaban, ARIDO fellow and honourary chair of the 2009 ARIDO Awards Gala.

2—From IBI Group: Willem Berends, project manager; Filomena Monteiro, project director; and Erik Heppner, principal.

3—Trifon Voltsinis, interior designer, and Roger Mole, associate, Mole White and Cohos Evamy, flank Nancy Tran, designer, Shikatani Lacroix.

4—Loraine Buyar, A&D market manager, Teknion; Kasian’s Liana Butt, senior interior designer, and Dean Matsumoto, principal.

Inscape InJazz Inscape’s après ARIDO Awards InJazz party at the Reservoir Lounge jazz club on Wellington Street East.

1—Janice LeBlanc, design director, DePM; Megan Husk, intermediate designer, Designstream; Jon Taylor, owner, construction manager Govan Brown; and Karen Boyce, product application specialist, Inscape.

2—Richard Hudon, VP sales, Inscape; Mahesh Babooram, A&D regional manager; Samantha Hulst, interior designer, KBH Interior Design; Tim Au-Yeung, interior designer, Kasian; and Sharad Mathur, VP marketing, Inscape.

1

2

40 CANADIAN INTERIORS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

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Last Word

Tale of the acoustic veil Getting the sound just right at Toronto’s new Koerner Hall.

–By David Lasker

The exterior of the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Michael and Sonja Koerner Hall at the Telus Centre for the Performing Arts, which opened in September, may be your standard International Style reticulated box. Inside the audience chamber, though, Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects partner Marianne McKenna let her hair down with a dramatic whiteoak veil that wraps the ceiling and front wall. Its lacy curves are as satisfyingly sensuous as the serpentine forms in Frank Gehry’s Art Gallery of Ontario reno a few blocks away.

Although McKenna was seemingly influenced by wheat sheaves or tuning forks, her veil owes its form to a collaboration with Koerner’s acoustician, Robert Essert, president of Sound Space Design, in London. As acoustician for the excellent Four 42 CANADIAN INTERIORS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009

Seasons Opera House, and a member of the team, while employed at New York–based Artec Consultants, on George Weston Recital Hall in North York and the Roy Thomson Hall renovation, he considers Toronto to be his home away from home.

To make Koerner seem unusually intimate for its seat count (1,135), McKenna wanted the ceiling to appear lower. She also wanted to conceal the lighting, rigging and loudspeakers. “There’s a forest of steel and catwalks up there,” says Essert. “Instead of big bands cutting across the ceiling where the lighting positions are, they’re carefully obscured by her veil and by the lighting.

Her timber elements weave in and out and open at the right places and angles so that the light beams shoot right through.”

Aside from gracefully concealing the mechanicals, McKenna’s veil affects the

acoustics. “Downstage of the reflector surface, the veil had to be absent and not block the sound from going up to the ceiling,” Essert explains. “Here, the ribs are more or less vertical. I wanted some threedimensional relief over the players as the ribs come forward. But down at the choir loft they are more like tree trunks, scattering the sound behind the brass to help balance with the strings. By twisting the ribs, Marianne’s design graciously turns ceiling-obscuring elements into soundscattering elements. Her veil – the design element that ties everything together – is acoustically absent at the back of the hall and acoustically productive at the front.”

How would Essert sum up Koerner’s sound? “Clarity along with resonance, instead of just having lots of reverberation that muddies things.” c I Photo by Tom Arban Photography

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