Canadian Interiors NovDec 2010

November/December 2010

Showstoppers from the Venice Biennale, Maison & Objet and IIDEX/NeoCon Canada

Including IDC’s Dimensions

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32 COVER — 20 Hylozoic Ground installation by Philip Beesley. Photo by Philip Beesley Architect Inc.

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Contents FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

THREE-PART HARMONY — 16 Hariri Pontarini Architects’ School of Economics reno at the University of Toronto combines three different buildings – two old, one new – into a unified whole. By Leslie C. Smith

INSIDE — 7

IT’S ALIVE! — 20 The latest work by Toronto architect Philip Beesley – a magical installation with a mind of its own – electrifies the Venice Biennale. By Helena Grdadolnik

WHAT’S UP —8 SHOW BIZ — 14 Seven wonders

Highlights from IIDEX/NeoCon Canada 2010.

By Karolina Olechnowicz

WHO’S WHO — 30 LAST WORD —32

HOT STUFF — 25 Maison & Objet’s Outdoor_Indoor show in Paris celebrates what’s new under the sun.

By Michael Totzke

25

Food and water

Where better to learn about sustainable seafood than on a floating dining room made of recycled plastic bottles?

By Janet Collins

Following page 12 November/December 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 5

November/December 2010 VOL.47 NO.8

Open Up Your Living Space

Publisher

martin spreer Editor

michael totzke

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12 concorde Place, suite 800 toronto, oN m3c 4J2 telephone 416-442-5600 Facsimile 416-510-5140 Canadian Interiors magazine is published by BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd. Tel: 416-442-5600, Fax: 416-510-6875 e-mail: info@canadianinteriors.com website: www.canadianinteriors.com Canadian Interiors publishes seven issues, plus a source guide, per year.

Printed in Canada. The content of this publication is the property of Canadian Interiors and cannot be reproduced without permission from the publisher.

Subscription rates Canada $36.95 per year; plastic wrapped $39.95 per year (plus taxes) U.S.A. $69.95 US per year, Overseas $95.00 US per year.

Back issues Back copies are available for $10 for delivery in Canada, $15 US for delivery in U.S.A. and $20 overseas. Please send payment to Canadian Interiors, 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2 or order online www.canadianinteriors.com For subscription and back issues inquiries please call 416-442-5600 ext.3543, e-mail: circulation@canadianinteriors.com, or go to our website at: www.canadianinteriors.com Newsstands For information on Canadian Interiors on newsstands in Canada, call 905-619-6565 Canadian Interiors is indexed in the Canadian Magazine Index by Micromedia ProQuest Company, Toronto (www.micromedia.com) and National Archive Publishing Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan (www.napubco.com).

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Inside

Sights for sore eyes I “oohed” and “ahed” my way through September and October, attending three prominent trade shows: Maison & Objet in Paris, IIDEX/NeoCon Canada in Toronto, and Orgatec in Cologne. Oh, what these eyes have seen: at M&O, an indestructible shade umbrella from the Netherlands, amid outstanding outdoor furniture from all across Europe and from the Philippines (page 25); at IIDEX, free-floating flooring that entirely eliminates the need for adhesives (page 11), along with a kitchen where appliances communicate with each other and a family of LED lighting with the clarity of daylight (page 14); and, at Orgatec, no less than 11 electrifying introductions from Vitra, the Swiss innovator of upscale office furniture (my Orgatec report is set to run in our March/April 2011 issue).

If I’d had it my way, Venice and Vancouver would’ve been on my itinerary as well, where I could’ve seen two modern Canadian marvels for myself: at the Venice Biennale in Architecture, Hylozoic Ground, an installation by Toronto architect and University of Waterloo professor Philip Beesley (“It’s alive!” on page 20); and, on Vancouver’s waterfront, The Plastic Dining Room, the brainchild of Shannon Ronalds, co-founder and CEO of the School of Fish Foundation, a non-profit organization working to create a positive change in the seafood industry (“Food and water,” page 32).

The former – a kind of forest made from thousands of digitally fabricated components – transformed the Canadian Pavilion at the 12th Venice Biennale into, in writer Helena Grdadolnik’s evocative words, “a delicate architectural Frankenstein with a mind of its own.”

The culmination of a decade-long process of research and development, “Hylozoic Ground didn’t win the coveted Golden Lion for Canada,” Grdadolnik reports, “but it was definitely a contender and the talk of the town.”

The latter – a floating dining room made from 1,700 recycled two-litre plastic bottles, moored at Vancouver’s False Creek Yacht Club – served as a venue where chefs could learn about sustainable seafood. As associate editor Janet Collins reports, the world’s first Plastic Dining Room garnered widespread attention and will go on tour – appearing in Aukland, New Zealand, this winter, then London, “once the weather there is better suited for an open-sided floating dining room.”

With any luck, I may one day a) board the Plastic Dining Room, and b) lose myself in Hylozoic Ground. c I Michael Totzke mtotzke@canadianinteriors.com

THOUSANDS OF CANADIAN DESIGNERS… HUNDREDS OF PROJECTS… 60 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE Join us in celebrating the announcement of Canada's National Design Exchange Awards.

The DXAs are Canada’s only design competition to judge design by results: balancing function, aesthetics and economic success. See winners in 12 categories including architecture, engineering, fashion, graphic design, industrial design, interior design, landscape architecture and urban design.

Awards Ceremony NOVEMBER 23 Tickets on sale now!

416.216.2119 tickets@dx.org

What’s Up

NOV./DEC. Winning ways At a gala dinner in September at Toronto’s Liberty Grand, the Association of Registered Interior Designers honoured its own, announcing the winners of its prestigious annual awards program. The ARIDO awards honour innovation, creativity and professional achievements in the province’s interior design industry. Total awards numbered 29: Project of the Year; five Awards of Excellence; 20 Awards of Merit; and three Awards of Merit: Sustainable Design (a new category this year).

The top honour went to Ottawa’s Carlyle Design Associates, for One Kids Place, a brand-new, 41,000-squarefoot children’s treatment centre in North Bay, Ont. Judges hailed the project ­– designed for kids and youth living with disabilities, along

with their families, providing therapy, treatment and early-learning services – for its “seamless integration of architecture and interiors with a great balance of neutrals and

8 CANADIAN INTERIORS November/December 2010

accent colours.” Designed as one level, with generous orientation to the outdoors, One Kids Place maximizes safety and accessibility, encouraging movement as an

Clockwise from top One Kids Place; Nadège Pastry; Real Sports Apparel; re Hotel and Residences, Model Suite.

What’s Up

integral part of therapy and learning activities.

The five Awards of Excellence encompass projects by Burdifilek (Brown Thomas Luxury Hall, a sophisticated retail space in Dublin, Ireland); Watt International (Real Sports Apparel, a fluid new retail environment in Toronto); Walker Lawson Interior Design (Discovery Employee Childcare Centre, a playful corporate daycare facility in Calgary); Cecconi Simone (re Hotel & Residences Model Suite, inspired by haute couture, in Ottawa); and nkA (Nadège Pastry, a clean and refined pastry shop in Toronto).

The three projects receiving awards for eco-friendly designs (each of which also received a regular Award of Merit) are Leon’s Furniture at the Roundhouse, Toronto, by Danielle Josette Interior Design; Air Miles Reward Program Customer Care, in Mississauga, Ont., by figure3; and The Green Grind, in Toronto, By HOK. “We are very proud that our members are creating award-winning designs within Ontario’s borders and beyond,” says ARIDO president Theo West-Parks.

“Our members work in all sectors and have an important influence of the spaces where the public live, work and play.”

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Western woodworks “Kozai” is the translation of a technical term used by Japanese woodworkers to denote hardwoods, particular solid hardwoods. It’s a fitting name for a Vancouver-based importer and retailer of finely crafted furniture and lighting from Japan. Kozai Designs, supported by workshops spread throughout Japan (often in smaller towns or the countryside), celebrates the

unique character and personality of solid hard and soft wood. Partners Ron Cromie and Hideki Shimizu take as their inspiration George Nakashima – the JapaneseAmerican innovator of 20th-century furniture design and a father of the American craft movement – who, in his book The Soul of a Tree, talked about giving trees a second life.

Here in Canada, Kozai Designs supports the Inside Passage School of Fine Woodworking, located on B.C.’s Sechelt Coast, by hosting an annual exhibit of works by the school’s students and resident craftspeople. The company has now expanded its collection to include outstanding West Coast artisans: Brent Comber, Seiji Kuwabara, Hyun Soon Hong, Arnt Arntzen and Ian Godfrey, on the furniture side; Jeff Trigg and Meagan Schafer, on the lighting side.

The company’s collection, Kozai Modern, reflects a

10 CANADIAN INTERIORS November/December 2010

mid-century-modern “less is more” aesthetic. The Kozai Modern showroom is located in the South Granville gallery area of Vancouver.

Counterclockwise from right Nehmo display stand, by Hyun Soon Hong; a Nehmo detail; Drum by Brent Comber; Bako display unit, by Seiji Kuwabara; T-cup by Comber; Ola centre table,

by Arnt Arntzen.

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Absolutely floored At NeoCon in June, and again at IIDEX/NeoCon Canada in September, a steady stream of visitors marvelled at a demonstration of an innovative new free-floating flooring installation system – from TacFast Systems International, based in Richmond Hill, Ont. The TacFast LocPlate product line features a free-floating substrate with a hook element covering its surface and a flooring surface with a loop fabric covering the underside; the flooring surface attaches to the hook substrate by engaging the hooks and loops, creating a mechanical bond that holds the flooring surface in place securely, but is releasable. The benefits are many: the need for liquid adhesives and other installation materials is eliminated; little or no preparation to existing subfloor is necessary; no setup or curing time is needed for installations; the substrate is not attached to the subfloor and can be easily moved and reused anywhere.

Says Wendy Berney, TacFast’s senior VP of sales and marketing, “The environmentally conscientious substrate eliminates the need for adhesives, while hook-andloop engagement simplifies repairs and retrofits, keeping floors looking fresh and clean.”

At NeoCon in Chicago, the demo took place at the permanent space of Pure Contract Carpets – the new

The TacFast system uses the LocPlate substrate, which is composed of 24-inch-square Hook Plates that are connected in the corners by circular Connector Discs. Once the substrate is in place, carpet tiles – or any other flooring material backed in the appropriate manner – can be installed on top in any orientation.

stand-alone brand of carpet tile from Beaulieu Canada, the Quebec-based manufacturer and distributor of wall-to-wall carpet in Canada, which has formed a partnership with TacFast.

Because Pure Contract’s carpet tiles get their stability from the LocPlate substrate, they are 70 per cent lighter than any other carpet tiles on the market.

TacFast LocPlate went over like gangbusters at NeoCon. Pure Contract Carpets, representing the installation system, was selected as the Grand Prize winner in the Environmental Solutions category for the Product Innovations Awards

by Buildings Magazine.

At IIDEX/NeoCon Canada in Toronto, Beaulieu Canada not only introduced Pure Contract Carpets, but also debuted its first-ever madein-Canada carpet tile, which will available in early 2011.

As for TacFast International, the company is also working with producers of other types of flooring, including hardwood and ceramic.

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contents/sommaire departments

features Code compliant: To be, or how to be

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In the land of building code compliance, what’s the trend today: in-house experts or outsourced professionals?

Dans le monde de la conformité au Code du bâtiment, quelle est la tendance aujourd’hui? Les experts à l’interne ou les professionnels à l’externe?

Net worth

Whether through your own home page or IDC’s DesignFIND, how much work will a website generate?

Combien de travail votre page personnelle sur Internet ou le DesignFIND des IDC vous rapporteront-ils?

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On a professional note…

Sur une note professionnelle…

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On your behalf…

En votre nom…

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In conversation with…

En conversation avec…

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Industry members/Membres de l’industrie

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dimensions team

idc staff

idc board of management

Publisher: Susan Wiggins, Executive Director, IDC swiggins@idcanada.org

Susan Wiggins, Executive Director Sue Gravelle, Director, Professional Development Penny Tomlin, Manager, Communications Julia Salerno, Communications Coordinator Jenn Taggart, Manager, Marketing Debora Abreu, Marketing Coordinator Marc Sintes, Marketing Coordinator Irma Kemp, Executive Assistant

(BC) David Hanson, President (AB) Donna Assaly, President Elect (BC) Jenny Mueller-Garbutt, Past President (MB) Stephen Lamoureux, VP Finance (ON) David Gibbons, Secretary/Director At Large (AB) Adele Bonetti, Director (BC) Ada Bonini, Director (SK) Aandra Currie Shearer, Director (ON) Clinton Hummel, Director (NB) Monique Leger, Director (NS) Carolyn Wood, Director (MB) Michelle Du, Director At Large (NB) Jessica Gozdzierski, Director, Intern/Provisional (ON) Ron Hughes, Director, Industry (AB) Janice Smith, Director, Education (QC) Denis Chouinard, Provisional Director (ON) Trevor Kruse, IIDEX/NeoCon Canada Liaison

Editorial Director: Penny Tomlin, Manager, Communications, IDC ptomlin@idcanada.org Editorial Advisory Board (MB) Heather Anderson (SK) David Chu

Dimensions is the official magazine of IDC (Interior Designers of Canada) © 2010

(BC) Kate Holmes (ON) Ron Hughes (ON) Johane Lefrançois-Deignan (NS) Carolyn Maguire

canadian interiors team Publisher: Martin Spreer, Publisher, Canadian Interiors mspreer@canadianinteriors.com

Interior Designers of Canada C536–43 Hanna Avenue Toronto ON M6K 1X1 t 416.649.4425 tf 877.443.4425 f 416.921.3660 e dimensions@idcanada.org w www.idcanada.org

Art Director: Lisa Zambri, Canadian Interiors French translation: Pierre-Éric Villeneuve

www.idcanada.org

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On a professional note…

Change is good. This old adage has been put to the test with the recent reorganization of Interior Designers of Canada (IDC). More specifically, it was put to the test in Toronto for four days in September, during IIDEX/NeoCon Canada, where we launched several IDC events and activities under the reorganized structure.

An action packed four days included an open house of our new corporate headquarters, the opening of IIDEX/NeoCon Canada (now owned by Interior Designers of Canada), an IDC annual meeting, a face-to-face board meeting, a meeting of the provincial presidents, and a workshop on industry memberships. It was a full agenda that allowed for dialogue and information sharing—and there was plenty of both. In addition to the meetings and celebrations, we launched a new website at www.idcanada.org and our Dimensions magazine, packaged inside Canadian Interiors magazine. Both met with extremely positive feedback.

Our primary focus over the next six months must be communications and education of what it means to be a member of IDC.

There were a few subtle clues during this time—such as our failure to meet quorum at our annual meeting, and visitors dropping by the new IDC booth to ask how they can become a member of IDC—that told us some of our members don’t know about the exciting changes to IDC and the resulting new programs and services available to them. This led us to the conclusion that our primary focus over the next six months must be communication and education of what it means to be a member of Interior Designers of Canada—or alternatively, for those who are not already members, how they can become a part of this growing, dynamic organization.

We are anxious to move forward and will continue to roll out national programs and services to all members. We are moving ahead at a steady pace with our plans to build strategic relationships and enhance our communication programs. In April, we will meet to establish our strategic plan and chart our course for the next three years.

Throughout our progress however, we will make it a priority to continue to keep you informed of the changes, how they will affect you, and when you will need to be involved. For example, participating in an annual meeting should be high on your priority list. It is your opportunity to be updated on Association activities and present ideas on how we can better serve you as a member. And, as a full member, it is your right to vote. We encourage you to exercise that right.

Winston Churchill said, “There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction.” We are headed in the right direction; we just need to be sure to drive the speed limit. We promise we will. n

D a v i d Hanson P re s i dent/ Président

Susan Wiggins Executive Director/ Directrice

Check out IDC’s new website: www.idcanada.org

Your member resource 4

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www.idcanada.org

Sur une note professionnelle…

Le changement est une bonne chose. Ce vieil adage a été mis à l’épreuve lors de la récente réorganisation des Designers d’intérieur du Canada (IDC). Plus encore, il fut pareillement mis à l’épreuve, à Toronto, lors des quatre jours du Salon IIDEX/NeoCon Canada, où nous avons lancé plusieurs événements et activités des IDC sous la bannière de sa nouvelle structure.

Ces quatre jours d’intense activité comprenaient la crémaillère de nos nouveaux bureaux, l’ouverture du Salon IIDEX NeoCon Canada (dont les propriétaires sont désormais les IDC), une assemblée annuelle des IDC, une réunion du conseil d’administration, une réunion des présidents des associations provinciales, sans compter un atelier portant sur les questions qui concernent les membres de l’industrie. En somme, cet agenda bien rempli a permis autant le dialogue que le partage d’information. En plus de ces rencontres et célébrations, nous avons lancé un nouveau site Internet à www.idcanada.org et notre nouveau magazine Dimensions, désormais incorporé au magazine Canadian Interiors. Le tout fut reçu avec beaucoup d’enthousiasme et de commentaires positifs.

Il y a eu aussi quelques inconvénients durant cette même période de festivités, notamment le fait que nous n’avons pas eu de quorum lors de notre assemblée annuelle, sans parler des visiteurs qui sont venus aux kiosques des IDC pour nous demander comment ils pouvaient devenir membres. Tout cela nous prouve que certains de nos membres ne connaissent en rien les nouveaux changements des IDC ainsi que les nouveaux programmes et services qui leur sont offerts. Ce constat nous a permis de réaliser comment, dans les six prochains mois, notre tâche première devrait être axée sur la communication et mieux renseigner les gens sur ce que représente le fait d’être membre des Designers d’intérieur du Canada. Et il importe aussi, pour ceux qui sont déjà membres, de chercher à savoir comment ils peuvent jouer un rôle plus important dans cette organisation dynamique et en devenir.

Nous étions anxieux de faire avancer les choses et nous continuerons de fournir des programmes nationaux et des services aux membres. Nous progressons à un rythme satisfaisant en ce qui concerne nos intentions d’élaborer des relations stratégiques et d’améliorer nos programmes de communication. En avril, nous allons nous réunir pour établir un plan stratégique et ainsi mettre de l’avant un agenda pour les trois prochaines années.

Dans les six prochains mois, notre tâche première devrait être d’échanger avec les gens et de les renseigner sur ce qu’être membre des IDC signifie.

Il va sans dire que durant cette période de réflexion, notre priorité sera de vous tenir informé des changements et de comment ils vous concernent. Et nous vous rappellerons, lorsque le temps sera opportun, de vous impliquer. Participer à une assemblée annuelle devrait faire partie des choses prioritaires sur votre liste, car cela est une occasion de vous tenir au courant des activités de l’association et de nous présenter vos idées sur les manières de mieux vous servir en tant que membre.

Il s’agit aussi de votre capacité de voter en tant que membre de plein droit et nous vous encourageons à le faire.

Winston Churchill pensait «qu’il n’y a rien de mauvais dans le changement quand ce dernier va dans la bonne direction». Nous avançons dans la bonne direction. Il nous suffit de respecter la limite de vitesse. Nous vous promettons de le faire. n D a v id H a n s o n P re s i d e n t /P r é s i d e n t

Susan Wiggins Executive Director/ Directrice

Visitez le nouveau site Internet des IDC à www.idcanada.org

Une ressource pour les membres www.idcanada.org

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CoDe CoMPliaNt:

To be, or how to be In the land of building code compliance, what’s the trend today: in-house experts or outsourced professionals?

Dans le monde de la conformité au Code du bâtiment, quelle est la tendance aujourd’hui? Les experts à l’interne ou les professionnels à l’externe?

By David Steiner

P

roficiency in code compliance among interior designers today is the norm. Clients expect it as part of a complete service, and it’s good business sense for the design team to be well versed in the code rather than having to hire an outside consultant. That hasn’t always been the case though. “The level of building code knowledge has greatly increased among interior designers,” says Les Muniak, “and there is a desire to apply it in a much more professional way.” Muniak, a partner at the highly regarded code consultant firm Larden Muniak, works for interior designers across Canada and does code consulting for interiors work internationally.

In Ontario, Bill 124 has forced designers to learn a lot more about code compliance than was necessary in the past. This provincial regulation requires that permit submissions be stamped by someone who has passed a set of rigorous building code exams. It demands an understanding of areas that interior designers generally may not be familiar with, such as HVAC and electrical. A greater knowledge of building code fundamentals — exiting, travel distances, fixture counts, occupancy loads — has, in Muniak’s view, reduced the inconsistencies in designers’ preliminary drawings.

For firms that work on projects with complex code situations that involve security and life safety concerns, such as exiting from hospitals, banks and assembly occupancies, it is professionally responsible to consult with code experts. However, for design firms that focus on smaller commercial work, like restaurants and hotels, fluency in local building codes can add significant value to their design service. Steve Forler, a principal at Squarefoot Design, in Toronto, says his in-depth knowledge of the Ontario Building Code allows him to guide his restaurant clients in determining their seating numbers, where to spend money on renovating existing structures, and what is necessary to get a café or restaurant up to barrier free

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e nos jours, la norme veut que les designers d’intérieur respectent la conformité au Code du bâtiment. Les clients le voient comme faisant partie intégrante des services offerts et, pour une équipe de design, bien connaître les rudiments du Code du bâtiment au lieu d’aller chercher l’expertise d’un consultant externe démontre un plus grand sens des affaires. Cela n’a pas toujours été le cas, avouons-le.

«Le niveau de connaissance du Code s’est grandement amélioré parmi les designers d’intérieur, dit Les Muniak, et il y a une volonté de l’appliquer de manière beaucoup plus professionnelle.» Muniak, un partenaire dans la firme de consultants experts Larden Muniak, travaille pour des designers d’intérieur partout au Canada. Il est un consultant expert du Code du bâtiment pour des travaux d’intérieur à l’échelle internationale.

En Ontario, la loi 124 a forcé les designers d’intérieur à en savoir davantage sur la conformité au Code, plus que cela était nécessaire par le passé. La régulation provinciale exige que les soumissions de permis soient autorisées par une personne qui a réussi les examens rigoureux du Code du bâtiment. Cela demande une compréhension des sphères avec lesquelles les designers d’intérieur ne sont pas familiers, comme les questions relatives au système de ventilation et à l’électricité. Une plus grande connaissance des éléments essentiels du Code du bâtiment — les sorties, les distances de déplacements, le nombre des diverses installations et la densité d’occupation — ont, selon les vues de Muniak, aidé à réduire certaines lacunes dans les dessins préliminaires des designers.

Pour les firmes qui travaillent sur des projets avec des codes du bâtiment plus complexes, selon les situations, et qui touchent la sécurité des personnes, comme les sorties d’urgence des hôpitaux, des banques ou autres édifices, il est préférable de consulter des experts du Code du bâtiment.

Cela dit, pour les firmes de design qui travaillent sur des projets commerciaux plus modestes, comme les restaurants

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standards. Code issues, such as exiting and fire safety, are the purview of architects and are always dealt with by the landlord before Forler’s company gets involved. When fitting out new construction, “we’ll submit for our permit,” says Forler, “only after the landlord has an occupancy permit.”

One item Forler stresses is interpretation of the building code. In smaller towns, he has found that plans examiners can be quite strict in what they see as minimum compliance. In contrast, he says, examiners in larger cities will often be more flexible, especially in their approach to the renovation of older buildings. In both locations building safety is paramount but some of the finer points, like providing two unisex washrooms to comply with a minimum of “two water closets” in a café, will pass more easily in a larger city than in smaller communities.

Responsibility for compliance with building codes will often fall to the lead designer on a project. As the scheme develops, the design is continually checked to ensure it meets fire, life safety and accessibility requirements. It would be calamitous, and highly unprofessional, to work on a design without reviewing it against local regulations, only to discover fundamental safety and accessibility issues later on.

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et les hôtels, les compétences en matière du Code du bâtiment peuvent rehausser la valeur des services rendus.

Steve Forler, le président de Squarefoot Design, à Toronto, avoue que sa connaissance en profondeur du Code du bâtiment en Ontario, lui permet de conseiller sa clientèle dans la restauration, de savoir mieux jauger le nombre de places et comment dépenser l’argent du budget alloué à la rénovation des structures existantes. Cela lui permet aussi de savoir ce qu’il faut faire pour qu’un café ou un restaurant soit à la hauteur des normes exigées et accessible à tous les individus, y compris les personnes handicapées. Les questions du Code du bâtiment qui concernent les sorties d’urgence et la sécurité incendie, relèvent de la compétence des architectes. Elles sont le plus souvent résolues avec le propriétaire avant même que Forler arrive dans le dossier.

«Lorsque nous développons notre nouvelle construction, dit Forler, nous allons faire une soumission de permis seulement après que le propriétaire a obtenu son permis d’occupation.»

Le Code du bâtiment est une priorité pour Forler. Dans les plus petites municipalités, il a remarqué comment les gens qui examinent les plans sont parfois plus stricts lorsqu’ils jugent qu’il y a un minimum de conformité aux normes. À l’opposé, les gens qui examinent les plans dans les plus grandes villes montreront plus de flexibilité, surtout

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When asked who is responsible for code issues in his office, Ken Bunn, a senior interior designer at Kasian, in Vancouver, says, “Everyone. We’re an integrated firm with architects and interior designers. Every individual needs to be aware of how the code affects the design piece they are currently working on.” Bunn says they often devise their own solutions and resolve tricky problems in-house since many clients expect such service. Young designers are encouraged to take a code course almost immediately after joining the firm and Kasian has a policy of group mentoring.

Though building codes do change, alterations are infrequent and when they do occur are widely published.

A deep familiarity with the code and its application to multiple building types are now simply part of an interior designer’s craft. Code compliance is vital to an interior designer’s service and is one more tool in producing high quality, functional interiors.

The onus is on you, as an interior designer, to provide your clients with a successful design solution that meets building code requirements. There are several ways you can achieve this, and the choice you make will no doubt depend on your circumstances, the size of your firm and the areas in which you work. If you are the sole proprietor, you may choose to become an expert yourself, or to hire a code consultant for your more complicated projects. If you are a principal in a large firm, you may want all your designers to be well-versed in the building code, or you may choose to have one or two specialists within your firm. Regardless of how you do it, clients have a right to expect that their projects will be code compliant. n

“The level of building code knowledge has greatly increased among interior designers,” says Les Muniak, “and there is a desire to apply it in a much more professional way.”

«Le niveau de connaissance du Code s’est grandement amélioré parmi les designers d’intérieur, dit Les Muniak, et il y a une volonté de l’appliquer de manière beaucoup plus professionnelle.»

lorsqu’il s’agit de la rénovation de vieux immeubles. Dans les deux cas, la sécurité du bâtiment est une priorité mais sur certains points — comme le fait de pourvoir à deux toilettes unisexes pour satisfaire les exigences du minimum de deux salles d’eau dans le cas d’un café —, les choses passeront plus facilement dans les grandes villes que dans les plus petites communautés.

La responsabilité de la conformité avec les codes du bâtiment seront souvent le lot du designer en chef d’un projet. Au fil des étapes du projet, le design est continuellement mis à l’épreuve pour faire en sorte qu’il rencontre les exigences requises en matière de sécurité incendie, de la sécurité des personnes et de l’accessibilité. Cela serait une bévue et un manque de professionnalisme que de travailler sur un design sans revoir le tout en fonction des régulations locales et découvrir, plus tard dans le projet, des problèmes de sécurité et d’accessibilité.

Lorsqu’on lui demande qui est responsable des questions du Code du bâtiment, Ken Bunn, un designer d’intérieur senior chez Kasin, à Vancouver, déclare : «Tout le monde.

Nous sommes une firme intégrant des architectes et des designers d’intérieur. Tout le monde doit savoir dans quelle mesure le Code du bâtiment a un impact sur le design sur lequel il travaille présentement.» Bunn ajoute qu’on trouve souvent les solutions aux problèmes plus épineux à l’interne, car plusieurs clients croient que cela fait partie des services offerts. Les jeunes designers sont fortement encouragés à prendre un cours sur le Code du bâtiment aussitôt engagés par la firme, et Kasian a une politique de mentorat.

Même si les codes du bâtiments changent continuellement, les modifications ne sont pas fréquentes et elles sont largement publicisées. Une connaissance en profondeur du Code du bâtiment et de son application selon les types d’immeubles fait simplement partie du travail d’un designer d’intérieur. La conformité au Code est un service vital pour un designer d’intérieur et demeure un outil supplémentaire pour offrir des intérieurs fonctionnels et de qualité supérieure.

Il est de la responsabilité du designer d’intérieur de fournir aux clients des solutions de design garantissant que les critères du Code du bâtiment soient conformes. Il y a plusieurs façons de le faire et votre choix dépendra le plus souvent des circonstances, de la grosseur de votre firme et du domaine dans lequel vous souhaitez travailler. Si vous êtes le seul propriétaire, vous voudrez peut-être devenir vous-même un expert, ou engager un consultant expert du Code pour les projets plus complexes. Si vous êtes le propriétaire d’une plus grosse firme, vous voudrez peut-être que tous vos employés connaissent bien le Code, ou avoir deux ou trois spécialistes du Code dans votre équipe. Peu importe les manières de faire, les clients ont le droit d’exiger que leurs projets soient conformes aux normes du Code du bâtiment. n

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www.idcanada.org

Why leave an impression when you can leave a legacy?

There’s a reason why you give every project your all. We feel it too. That indescribable feeling that lets you know you’ve covered every detail. Crafted every whim. Created the perfect balance between passion and performance. At Thermador, our products are designed with all this in mind. You can find it in elements like our stylish mirror induction cooktop with Thermador’s ZoneSmart technology. It automatically adjusts the heat to the size of the pan or shuts itself off if the pan is removed. Visit Thermador.ca and see how you’ve inspired us to create products no one will ever forget. thermador.ca

Thermador is a registered trademark of BSH Home Appliances Ltd.

On your behalf…

As part of our mandate to promote the profession of interior design, we recently formalized a partnership with IDC Foundation on your behalf…

The Foundation supports Canadian interior design education and research. Incorporated as a registered charitable organization in 1990, the Foundation promotes the profession by providing scholarships, awards and bursaries in interior design education, and grants for interior design research.

Its major accomplishments to date include the creation of the Teknion/Global (IDCF) Fellowship in 1997. The fellowship, in the master’s of Interior Design (MID) program at the University of Manitoba, was made possible by donations from Teknion, the Global Group, and the Alumni Association of the University of Manitoba. The fund currently has more than $230,000 and gives out annual awards to students in the master’s program.

In 2008, the Foundation pledged $50,000 to create the IDC Foundation Legacy Fund at Ryerson University School of Graduate Studies. An initial gift of $30,000, coupled with the Ontario Government’s enhanced matching program for funds endowed to Ontario universities, set the fund at $78,000. The total value of the fund will be more than $125,000, once the remaining $20,000 of the pledge has been fulfilled and enhanced by the provincial government’s matching program. The fund will provide an annual award to an eligible student enrolled in the Master of Interior Design program at Ryerson University. This program is awaiting final provincial approval and should be up and running in 2012.

This past September, at IIDEX/NeoCon Canada, the Foundation held its first fundraising BBQ. The event drew a large crowd and provided a modest profit for the organization. Plans are to repeat this event at next year’s show and in the years to follow.

Support the IDC Foundation.

The Foundation is always seeking worthy opportunities in research and education in which to invest. If you have any suggestions, please let the board know. The eight-member board has representatives from across Canada and is led by the current president, Doug Bullock of Bullock Design in Toronto. We encourage you to visit IDC’s new website at www.idcanada. org, where the Foundation has a presence on the home page, and to include the Foundation in your annual list of organizations to support. n

Please give now and give generously!

Contact Doug Bullock at 416.868.1616 x 23 or dbullock@bullockdesign.com to contribute today.

An important mandate of IDC is to build relationships and alliances with industry stakeholders. Our goal is to ensure that interior design practitioners benefit from these relationships and alliances. You can monitor all of our recent activities through the Association website at www.idcanada.org.

Need us to act on your behalf? Let us know. We’re here to help.

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En votre nom…

Nous avons récemment formé un partenariat avec la Fondation des IDC, en votre nom.

Cela fait partie de notre mandat, qui cherche à promouvoir la profession du design d’intérieur.

La Fondation soutient l’éducation et la recherche dans le domaine du design d’intérieur. La Fondation, incorporée comme un organisme de bienfaisance enregistré depuis 1990, fait la promotion de la profession en octroyant des bourses, des prix dans le domaine de l’éducation du design d’intérieur et des subventions de recherches.

Ces réalisations les plus importantes incluent jusqu’ici la création de la bourse Teknion/Global (DICF) en 1997. Cette bourse, octroyée dans le programme de maîtrise de design d’intérieur de l’Université du Manitoba, a été mise sur pied grâce aux dons de Teknion, de Global Group et de l’Université du Manitoba. Le fonds a déjà ramassé plus de 230 000 $ et donne des prix annuels aux étudiants du programme de maîtrise.

En 2008, la Fondation a également promis la somme de 50 000 $ pour soutenir la création de la Fondation Legacy Fund des IDC à l’École des études avancées de l’Université Ryerson. Ce don initial de 30 000 $ s’ajoute au système de financement de subventions de contrepartie offert par le gouvernement de l’Ontario pour créer un fonds s’élevant à 78 000 $. La valeur totale du fonds sera de plus de 125 000 $, une fois que la balance promise, correspondant à 20 000 $, sera versée en plus de l’argent obtenu grâce au programme gouvernemental. Le fonds offrira un prix annuel pour un étudiant inscrit dans le programme de maîtrise en design d’intérieur de l’Université Ryerson. Ce programme est dans l’attente d’obtenir l’approbation finale de la province. Il devrait entrer en fonction en 2012.

En septembre dernier, durant IIDEX/NeoCon Canada, la Fondation a tenu sa première collecte de fonds sous la forme d’un barbecue festif. L’événement a attiré une foule et l’organisation a fait un modeste profit. Nous avons l’intention de renouveler l’aventure l’année prochaine et dans les années suivantes.

La Fondation est toujours à la recherche d’opportunités d’investissement dans le domaine de la recherche et de l’éducation. Si vous avez des suggestions, n’hésitez pas à les partager en informant le conseil d’administration. Le conseil est composé de huit membres et a des représentants partout au pays. Il est sous la gouvernance de son président, Doug Bullock, de la firme Bullock Design, à Toronto. Nous vous encourageons à visiter le nouveau site des IDC à www.idcanada.org, où la Fondation a pleine visibilité sur la page d’accueil, et à l’inclure sur votre liste annuelle des organisations que vous n’hésiterez pas encourager financièrement. n

Un des mandats les plus importants des IDC est d’établir des relations et des alliances avec les partenaires de l’industrie. Notre but est de nous assurer que les praticiens du design d’intérieur profitent de ces relations et de ces alliances.

Vous pouvez suivre nos récentes activités grâce au site Internet de l’association au www.idcanada.org.

Besoin de nous pour faire de la promotion en votre nom?

Faites-nous le savoir. Nous sommes là pour aider.

www.idcanada.org

Soutenez la Fondation des IDC. Donnez maintenant et généreusement!

Contactez Doug Bullock au 416 868-1616, poste 23, ou dbullock@bullockdesign.com pour faire un don dès aujourd’hui.

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Net

worth

Whether through your own home page or IDC’s DesignFIND, how much work will a website generate?

Combien de travail votre page personnelle sur Internet ou le DesignFIND des IDC vous rapporteront-ils?

By Leslie C. Smith

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et’s face it, it’s an online world. Googling is so prevalent a concept that it’s become a verb. Someone contacts you about a job, you google them; just as they’ve likely googled you before calling. If only as a kind of electronic business-card-cum-portfolio, every designer needs a web presence, something that tells potential clients who you are and what you do—a really great website, mind, because you are, after all, a designer.

Word of mouth referrals are still preferred on both sides of the equation, and they still produce the bulk of new business. But a website must be there for backup and validation. As Dolores Pian of Spaces Custom Interiors puts it, “They’re absolutely essential now…I’ve heard some condo committees won’t even look at a designer who doesn’t have a website, because they think he or she can’t be that professional.”

Pian admits to being “forced by my web guy” to initiate a site in 2002 (www.spaces.to, which she has since twice revised). But, having tracked her online stats via a dedicated software package, she became a convert. And she has some advice for new-to-the-web designers: Do your research, see what everybody else is doing, and try to distinguish yourself from your colleagues.

“When I did my own web research, I saw a lot of sites that were all white, with small pictures and little to no text.

So I made my site colourful, full of case studies and interesting FAQs, with text that’s Google-searchable, which helps increase my internet ranking.”

Pian keeps track of where her hits are coming from as well, which is why she’s also a fan of IDC’s relatively new

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oyons francs, nous vivons dans un monde en ligne.

Le «googling» est un concept tellement intégré qu’il est pratiquement devenu un verbe. Une personne vous contacte pour un emploi, vous faites une recherche sur Google, tout comme cette personne a fait elle-même une recherche sur Google avant de vous contacter. Si on considère sa valeur de carte d’affaires ou de portfolio électronique, un site Internet informe les clients potentiels de qui vous êtes et de ce que vous faites. Finalement, cela devrait compter pour vous, puisque vous êtes un designer.

Peu importe l’équation, le bouche à oreille est encore d’usage quand il est question de référer une personne, générant même une grosse partie des affaires pour plusieurs. Mais un site Internet doit être là pour valider et justifier une réputation. Comme le mentionne Dolores Pian, de la firme Spaces Custom Interiors : «Les sites Internet sont pratiquement essentiels de nos jours. J’ai entendu dire qu’un comité de condos ne prendra même pas la peine de considérer un designer qui n’a pas de site Internet, pensant qu’il ou elle ne doit pas être très professionnel.»

Pian affirme avoir été «forcée par son technicien Web» de mettre sur pied un site en 2002 (www.spaces.to, un site qu’elle a depuis modifié deux fois). Mais après une consultation des statistiques concernant son site grâce à un forfait de logiciel, elle s’est convertie. Elle a aussi quelques conseils à donner aux nouveaux designers prêts à investir dans cette aventure : «Faites vos recherches, voyez ce que ce que les autres font et soyez certain de vous distinguer de vos collègues.»

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DesignFIND search engine. “The stats coming through for hits on me are incredible,” she says, noting that DesignFIND is not only a good portal for people beginning a designer search, it also helps raise one’s Google PageRanking (the likelihood of your site being listed ahead of similar sites) if your website is linked to another.

Victoria Horobin at KBH Interior Design researched her competitors’ sites prior to creating her own in 2002 (www.kbhinteriordesign.com, updated in 2007). She says she routinely monitors her competitors’ sites to see if they are offering new information or services that her site might lack. Like other designers we interviewed, Horobin figures most of her business comes from word of mouth referrals—estimates range anywhere from 50 to 75 per cent, with internet searches coming in a distant but still respectable second, ranging from 15 to 25 per cent, and a small remainder from standing client agreements.

She, too, appreciates IDC’s DesignFIND: “I really like the format—the big photos, the description, the link through to your website. It’s very easy for clients to click through.”

More to the point, the search engine is bringing in work. “We’ve had two or three successful projects come from it, and as many more making enquiries. So I think it’s great value for the money.”

IDC marketing coordinator Deb Abreu says that what went before was a simple database search. If somebody wanted to hire a designer, “they’d call our office and describe their needs. We’d pull up a category and give them the top three names from our database. Then it was

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«Lorsque j’ai fait ma propre recherche sur le Web, j’ai vu plusieurs sites qui étaient tout en blanc, avec des petites images et aucun texte. J’ai ainsi décidé de mettre de la couleur dans mon site, de le remplir d’études de cas et d’avoir une rubrique portant sur les questions les plus fréquentes avec des textes qui sont faciles à chercher sur Google, ce qui aide à rehausser ma cote sur Internet.»

Pian ne manque pas de se renseigner sur les gens qui fréquentent son site, ce qui explique qu’elle est fervente de l’outil de recherche DesignFIND des IDC. «Les statistiques qui me sont transmises sur les gens qui consultent mon site sont incroyables», dit-elle, précisant que DesignFIND est non seulement un point de départ efficace pour ceux qui cherchent un designer, mais qu’il aide aussi à rehausser la cote de fréquentation de la page Web sur Google (lui permettant notamment d’être listé avant d’autres sites similaires) si votre site Internet est relié à un autre site.

Victoria Horobin, de la firme KBH Interior Design, a fait une recherche des sites en compétition avec le sien en 2002 (www.kbinteriordesign.com, mis à jour en 2007).

Elle raconte qu’elle surveille régulièrement les sites de ses compétiteurs pour voir si ces derniers offrent de l’information nouvelle ou des services que l’on ne retrouve pas sur son site. Comme les autres designers que nous avons rencontrés pour un entretien, Horobin dit que la plupart de ses contrats viennent de gens qui l’ont référée de bouche à oreille, soit entre 50 et 75 % des cas, avec, en second lieu, les recherches sur Internet, qui correspondent à entre 15 et 25 % des cas, sans négliger les ententes

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up to that person to call each designer individually.”

Now, this arbitrary and rather archaic system has been replaced with one that acts as everything from a directory listing to a mini-website, depending on one’s choice of entry levels. And Abreu says the response from both designers and the public has been excellent. “We can tell that a lot of people go on the site. Since our launch in 2008, we’ve had over three million hits.”

Her advice to interior designers: Make sure you are listed on the site. “Sometimes members think they’re automatically listed, as they were in the old referral program, because we have their information in our database. But you have to fill out the paperwork to be there now.”

Maureen Sanborn of Heintzman Sanborn Architecture & Interior Design, who, like Horobin and Pian, also has acquired customers through DesignFIND, emphasizes that “people tend to check these kinds of general compendiums first.”

“Websites give you exposure,” says Sanborn, whose own site (www.heintzmansanborn.com) is just three years old. “We’ve had several magazines find us over the internet and that leads to more exposure which, in turn, leads to more referrals and more work.”

So is a business web presence necessary? According to our experts, definitely. Does it replace old-fashioned human contact? Not at all. But it can broaden your marketing reach exponentially, as well as speed up the process of connecting one-on-one with potential clientele.

It’s valuable enough to make your initial net investment of time and money very worthwhile. n

IDC’s DesignFIND is available to all members, coast to coast.

Sign up now and bring new business to your company!

Members in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and Ontario’s GTA, WOC and GVC chapters should contact Deb Abreu at dabreu@idcanada.org, while members in Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario’s NOC, SOC and EOC chapters should contact msintes@idcanada.org.

Le DesignFIND des IDC est disponible pour tous les membres, d’un océan à l’autre. Inscrivez-vous dès maintenant et multipliez les occasions d’affaires de votre compagnie!

Pour les membres de la Colombie-Britannique, de l’Alberta, de la Saskatchewan, de la Nouvelle-Écosse et de la région métropolitaine de Toronto, y compris les bureaux de l’Ontario de l’ouest et ceux de la Grand Valley, contactez Deb Abreu à dabreu@idcanada.org.

Pour les membres du Manitoba, du Québec, du Nouveau-Brunswick et de l’Ontario du nord, du sud et de l’est, contactez Marc Sintes à msintes@idcanada.org.

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établies avec des clients réguliers.

Elle apprécie également l’outil de recherche DesignFIND des IDC : «J’aime beaucoup le format --- les grosses photos, la description, les liens avec votre site Internet.

Rien de plus facile pour les clients que de cliquer ici et là.»

Plus important encore, cet outil apporte du travail. «Nous avons obtenu deux ou trois projets terminés avec succès grâce à cela, sans compter les gens qui nous contactent avec des questions. Je pense aussi que cela a une grande valeur pour l’argent investi.»

La coordonnatrice du marketing des IDC, Deb Abreu, raconte qu’autrefois, on faisait tout simplement une recherche de données. Si quelqu’un voulait engager un designer d’intérieur «ils appelaient notre bureau et nous décrivaient leurs besoins. On déterminait la catégorie appropriée et on leur donnait les trois premiers noms que notre bande de données sélectionnait. Cette personne avait ensuite la responsabilité de les contacter individuellement.»

De nos jours, ce système arbitraire et archaïque a été remplacé par un outil qui comble le tout, allant d’un répertoire jusqu’à un minisite Internet, selon les choix opérés lors du début de la recherche. Abreu ajoute de surcroît que la réponse, autant chez les designers que le public, a été jusqu’ici excellente. «Nous pouvons affirmer que plusieurs personnes fréquentent le site. Depuis notre lancement en 2008, on compte plus de trois millions de visiteurs.»

Son conseil aux designers d’intérieur est le suivant : Soyez certain d’être enregistré sur le site. «Les membres pensent souvent qu’ils sont automatiquement répertoriés, comme ils l’étaient dans l’ancien système de référence, puisque nous avons les détails qui les concernent dans notre bande de données. Il est désormais obligatoire de remplir des formulaires pour être répertorié.»

Maureen Sanborn travaille pour la firme Heintzman Sanborn Architecture and Interior Design. À l’instar de Horobin et Pian, elle a trouvé des clients grâce à l’outil de recherche DesignFIND et insiste sur le fait que «les gens ont tendance à investiguer sur ce genre de répertoire général en premier lieu.»

«Les sites Internet vous donnent de la visibilité», dit Sanborn, dont le site (www.heintzmansanborn.com) n’a pas plus de trois ans. «Plusieurs magazines nous ont aussi trouvés grâce à l’Internet, ce qui nous donne plus de visibilité, sans compter que ces contacts créent des références futures et nous procurent du travail.»

Est-ce que la présence sur le Web se révèle une chose nécessaire? Selon nos experts, définitivement. Est-ce que cela remplace le contact humain selon les anciennes façons de faire? Absolument pas. Mais cela peut ouvrir de manière exponentielle vos zones de marketing, sans compter la rapidité du processus de contact possible avec une clientèle potentielle. C’est une raison suffisamment valable pour faire un investissement initial de temps et d’argent qui en vaut la peine. n

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in conversation with…

Harpreet Singh believes hard work is the secret to success.

By Julia Salerno

Harpreet Singh credits the passion and guidance of one memorable high school teacher with starting her along the road to success. A couple of major accomplishments in recent months have moved her career farther along that road: Harpreet completed her interior design internship and was part of an award-winning design team. Not bad for a young designer.

“Nothing comes without hard work and dedication,” says Harpreet, who currently works in commercial design for Mayhew in Toronto. “The more you put into something, the more you will get out of it.”

In the spring, Harpreet wrote and passed the National Council of Interior Design Qualifying (NCIDQ) exam. “Passing NCIDQ was a big relief!” says Harpreet. “It was an awesome feeling and a definite achievement—an important step forward in my career.”

In September, Harpreet’s hard work was further rewarded when the design team she worked with won an ARIDO Award of Merit for the design of the CTV Olympic Digital Lounge in Vancouver.

“Winning an ARIDO Award at this point in my career is very exciting. It’s nice recognition for all of the hard work I’ve put in over the last few years,” says Harpreet. “This award encourages me to continue to better my knowledge and creativity so that my work will continue to stand out.”

Harpreet identifies her high school art and photography teacher as the one who introduced her to the world of interior design. “Mr. Passarello convinced me to join the gifted arts program in Grade 11,” recalls Harpreet. “In my final year, I decided to apply to the Environmental Design program at OCAD in Toronto.” She envisions becoming a teacher herself one day. “I hope to be able to help students pursue their careers, just as my teacher guided me along the way.”

Harpreet’s advice to colleagues just starting their career:

“Never be afraid to make a

The most valuable lesson Harpreet learned through her internship experience is to visit project construction sites as much as possible, in order to learn how things are constructed. “I think that every designer is capable of selecting finishes and doing working drawings,” she says. What sets a good interior designer apart from the average, according to Harpreet, is the ability to understand how a project goes from the planning stage to completion.

“A fascination with colour, forms, textures, and structures drew me to interior design. What keeps me hooked is that every single day is a new challenge, a new obstacle, and a new learning curve. You never stop learning in this field! ” n

mistake or to ask questions. you learn from your mistakes and the knowl-

Name: Harpreet Singh

edge that you

Age: 28

gain in the process will stay with you

Years since graduation: Five Jobs since graduation: Two Favourite design tool: SketchUp Least favourite tool: Revit

forever.”

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volume 2, 2010

www.idcanada.org

en conversation avec…

Harpreet Singh croit que le travail soutenu est le secret de la réussite Pa r J u l i a S a l e r n o

Harpreet Singh évoque la passion et le legs d’un professeur du secondaire quand elle raconte ses débuts sur les chemins de la réussite. Quelques accomplissements majeurs les mois derniers auront suffi à faire avancer sa carrière un peu plus loin dans cette direction : Harpreet a terminé son stage en design d’intérieur et a fait partie d’une équipe de design primée. Impressionnant pour une jeune designer.

Au printemps dernier, Harpreet a passé les examens du National Council of Interior Design (NCIDQ). «Avoir terminé ces examens a été un véritable répit!, dit Harpreet. Ce fut une sensation extraordinaire et une réalisation définitive, une étape importante vers l’avenir pour ma carrière».

En septembre, le dur labeur de Harpreet aura porté ses fruits lorsque l’équipe pour laquelle elle travaillait a remporté un ARIDO Award, celui du «mérite pour le design» pour le projet du Olympic Digital Lounge de la station CTV, à Vancouver. «Remporter ce prix à ce moment de ma carrière est excitant. C’est une belle récompense pour tout le travail investi durant les dernières années», dit Harpreet. Ce prix m’encourage aussi à persévérer dans l’amélioration de mes connaissances et de ma créativité pour faire en sorte que mon travail ne cesse de se distinguer.»

Harpreet reconnaît également l’importance d’un autre professeur du secondaire, en photographie, comme étant celui qui l’a initiée à l’univers du design d’intérieur. «Monsieur Passarello m’a convaincue de m’inscrire au programme en arts, en onzième année, se souvient Harpreet. Durant ma dernière année, j’ai décidé de soumettre ma candidature au programme de design environnemental de l’Ontario College of Art and Design, à Toronto.» Elle envisage même devenir professeure un de ces jours. «J’espère être en mesure d’aider les étudiants à poursuivre leur carrière tout autant que mon professeur a su le faire pour moi.»

Selon elle, la plus importante leçon apprise dans son expérience de stagiaire est qu’il faut visiter, autant que possible, les sites de construction pour mieux savoir comment les choses sont construites.

«Je pense que tous les designers sont capables de choisir des types de finitions et de faire des dessins», dit-elle. Mais ce qui distingue un bon designer d’intérieur de la moyenne, selon elle, c’est l’aptitude à comprendre comment un projet se développera depuis ses premières étapes de planification jusqu’à sa finition.

«Ce qui m’a portée vers le design d’intérieur, c’est ma fascination pour les couleurs, les formes, les textures et les structures. Ce qui stimule ma passion au jour le jour, ce sont les nouveaux défis, les obstacles que l’on rencontre tout autant que les nouvelles choses apprises. On ne cesse jamais d’apprendre dans ce domaine!» n

Nom : Harpreet Singh Âge : 28 ans Années de pratique depuis la graduation : Cinq Emplois depuis la graduation : Deux Outil de design de prédilection : Sketchup Outil de design le moins apprécié : Revit

www.idcanada.org

Le conseil qu’Harpreet donne à ses collègues qui débutent leur carrière:

«il ne faut pas avoir peur de commettre des erreurs ou de poser des questions. vous apprenez de vos erreurs et le savoir appris dans le processus restera une chose acquise pour toujours.»

volume 2, 2010

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industry members* Membres de l’industrie With thanks to our industry members for their continuing support of IDC. Avec nos remerciements aux membres de l’industrie pour leur soutien continu aux IDC. IDC/IIDEX partners DIRTT Environmental Solutions Ltd. INSCAPE InterfaceFLOR Teknion Furniture Systems Ltd. Nienkamper Furniture and Accessories Inc. Tayco Panelink Ltd.

IDC print partner Astley Gilbert

IDC/IIDEX national Bentley Prince Street

IDC national ally Steelcase Canada Ltd. Tandus (Monterey, C&A, Crossley)

IDC regional ally Haworth Ltd. Shaw Contract Group

IDC provincial ally American Standard Beaulieu Commercial Benjamin Moore & Co. Ltd. Brigholme Interiors Group Crown Wallpaper + Fabrics Dauphin Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Mabe Canada (GE Monogram) MARANT Construction Ltd. Miele Limited Odyssey Wallcoverings

IDC industry allies 12 | 12 Decor Inc. 360 Living Inc. Abet Corp.

Allsteel Altro Floor and Wall Systems AMTICO International Inc. Applied Electronics Ltd. Arborite, division de/of ITW Canada Archer Construction Group Ltd. ARCONAS ARTOPEX Automated Interiors Avenue Road

AYA Kitchens and Baths Ltd Bennett Mills Agency Berenson Inc. Blum Canada Ltd. Brack Electronics Brunswick Manufacturing Co. Ltd. Business Interiors by Stapels California Closets Cambria Natural Quartz Surfaces Canadian Contract Leathers Inc. Carpenters Union, Local 27 CAS Interiors Inc CF + D | custom fireplace design CGC Inc. Ciot Marble & Granite Inc. Click Lighting and Home Cohen & Cohen Full-Line Office Interiors Connect Resource Managers & Planners Inc. Contract Supply Corp. Ltd. Convenience Group Inc. Cooper Bros. International Coopertech Signs and Graphics Coreplan Construction Inc. Crate and Barrel Canada Cubo Design Inc. Custom Closet Organizers/Shelving Outlet Decorium DEKA Patio Cushions & Umbrellas Design Exchange Designers Walk Doctor TouchUp Dominion Rug Sales Ltd. DPI Construction Management Drechsel Business Interiors DWMartin Construction ECO HARVEST WOOD COMPANY Envirotech Office Systems Inc. European Hardwood Flooring Centre Fendi Casa, Canada Floor Coverings International Flux Lighting Inc. Forbo Linoleum Inc. Fountain Creations Inc Gallery 133 Geovin Furniture Inc. Global Group Go Resilient Canada Grand & Toy Grohe Canada Inc.

Hardwoods Specialty Products Herman Miller Canada Inc. High Point Market Authority Holmes & Brakel Hunter Douglas-Div Window Fashions I. C. I. Paints Canada Inc. Interna Furniture Design Ltd. INVISTA/Antron Carpet Fiber J+J/Invision Johnson’s Business Interiors Jump I.T. Leber Rubes Inc. Louis Interiors Inc. LSD Lighting Limited LSI Floors Luxo Lamp Ltd. MacCormack & Sons Ltd. Magnum Opus Maharam Mannington Commercial Marble Trend Ltd. Meadowbrook Construction Inc. Metro Wallcoverings Inc. Metropolitan Hardwood Floors (Eastern) Inc. Milliken & Company Missoni Home Canada MOEN INC. Momentum Group M-Tec. Inc. Office Source Inc. OLON Industries Olympia Tile International Inc. Optimal Performance Consultants Orion Hardware Corporation Para/General Paints Partition Components Inc. Paytrak Payroll Services PI Fine Art/ Posters International POI Business Interiors Prima Lighting Pro Source Wholesale Floor Coverings Toronto Prolific Marketing Inc. Rae Brothers Ltd. Reid & Lyons Renovations By Gray Restoration Hardware - Trade RHB Enterprises Inc. Robert Allen Fabrics Canada Rodgers Wall Materials Inc. Roman Bath Centre

Roya Manufacturing & Supply Canada Inc. Royal Lighting Savoia Canada Inc. SCI Interiors Ltd. Shurway Contracting Ltd. Silk and Style By Dann Imports - 707585 Ontario Li Silverwood Flooring Smart-Tech Systems Ltd. Smitten Creative Boutique SOFA, Source of Furniture and Accessories Sound Solutions 1997 Inc. Stonequest Inc. Sun Glow Window Covering Products of Canada Ltd. SunProject Toro Inc. Taps Bath Centre The floor studio inc.

The Gallery on the Lake Inc. The Sullivan Source Inc. Threadcount Textile & Design Three H. Furniture Systems TORLYS Inc. Turco-Persian Rug Co. Ltd. Tusch Seating Inc. Vandyk Commercial Co. Ltd. Videoscope W Studio Ltd. Weavers Rug Gallery Whittington Furniture Mfg. Wilsonart Canada Workscape Interiors Ltd. Your Home Custom A/V Systems *As of October 13, 2010

InTeRIoR DeSIGneRS of CAnADA C536–43 Hanna Avenue Toronto on M6K 1X1 t 416.649.4425 tf 877.443.4425 f 416.921.3660 e dimensions@idcanada.org w www.idcanada.org

Show Biz

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Seven wonders Highlights from IIDEX/NeoCon Canada 2010.

—By Karolina Olechnowicz

1—It’s a hoot Boss Design’s new Hoot stool is a colourful blend of versatility and playfulness.

Its unique aesthetic and practical structure fits the mood of any reception, breakout, bar or lounge area. The distinctive design makes Hoot an eye-catching stand-alone element, but also allows the stools to nest together creating a multitude of configurations. The choice is given to decorators to either bench the stools together or stick to individually shaped formations. Hoot is available in a wide range of fabric choices to accompany any upholstery product. boss-design.co.uk 2—It’s a zoo 2010 IIDEX/NeoCon Canada Innovation Awards, Bronze, Seating: Tables Children’s love of animals blends together with design with Nienkämper’s ZooDesk Collection by Silvio Russo Design World, 14 CANADIAN INTERIORS november/december 2010

ideal for children’s libraries, classrooms and other spaces that encourage creativity and learning in young minds. Crafted from sturdy, interlocking FSC plywood forms with laminate painted primary colours, the collection features various animal cut-outs. The stools, all measuring 11 by 11 by 13¼ inches, come in yellow cat, blue bison, green seal and orange deer, plus good old Canuck red maple leaf. The desks vary slightly in dimensions, but average 45 by 45 by 48 inches; they come in yellow cheese, blue bison, green elephant and orange deer. nienkamper.com 3—Cutting-edge kitchen As the name suggests, Hettich’s Kitchen Concept 2015 is kitchen design for the future, maximizing work surfaces and reducing the design to only what is needed at a given time. Appliances, sinks and taps disappear behind fascias when

not in use; faucets can be electronically retracted and a shallow sink blends discreetly with the kitchen landscape.

Overall, the kitchen becomes an interconnected environment where the appliances communicate with each other, using display screens to, for instance, display oven temperature and remaining cooking time. As well, the Internet, television and other building services can be controlled and operated from a central point. hettich.com/ca/

4—The light stuff 2010 IIDEX/NeoCon Canada Innovation Awards, Best in Show, Innovative Lighting The Conflux family by Teknion includes the Adjustable Task Light, Desk Lamp, Floor Lamp and Undercabinet Light. The flat panel design demonstrates the evolution of LED technology resulting in a better quality of light, comparable to

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daylight, with less shadow and glare. The Conflux collection uses a more accurate Passive InfaRed (PIR) occupancy sensor that works based on body heat and detects a 360-degree coverage of human activity, which prevents premature shutdowns. Nine watts of ultra-low energy is used to generate 800 LUX of illuminating power and 3,500 Kelvin of warm white light, offering up to 55,000 hours of illumination. teknion.com 5—Drawn in Kids Glass from Skyline Design combines art and entertainment, encouraging interactivity and creative play in children, allowing them to finally draw on the walls. Easy to clean and marker-friendly, Kids Glass comes in 11 bold graphics with either an opaque, back painted, low-VOC water-based coating or on Eco-etch translucent glass. Engaging graphics

allow children to try on different hairstyles, complete a maze, connect the dots or draw a picture. Kids Glass is available in various glass thickness and all glass sizes up to 72 by 144 inches. skydesign.com

6—Touch and go Created with the busy working professional in mind, Tayco’s One-Touch Table is a simple and convenient solution to work training. Geared toward training scenarios, breakout rooms, touchdown stations and meeting rooms, it sets up with the touch of a button and, when not in use, nests together for easy storage. The table is available in a full range of laminate colours to complement any workplace environment. tayco.com

7—Cookin’ good The future of cooking is coming this December with Thermador’s Steam and Convection Oven, which combines benefits of health, versatility and convenience in one cooking appliance. This is an industry first, a steam oven that combines three distinct cooking solutions: steam, true convection, and combination of steam and convection. The oven allows multiple dishes to be cooked simultaneously without the risk of flavour transfer or the need for temperature adjustment. The design features an easy-to-use knob and touch-control panel with a clear digital display. The oven is also sized to fit a 30-inch microwave cutout so it can be easily integrated into existing kitchens. thermador.com

November/December 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 15

Three-part harmony Hariri Pontarini Architects’ School of Economics reno at the University of Toronto combines three different buildings – two old, one new – into a unified whole.

—By Leslie C. Smith

The ideal is to be given a project for which there’s unlimited time and money, as well as free rein to express a single, singular artistic vision. The reality, most often, is compromise.

Reality is Max Gluskin House, 150 St. George Street, home of the School of Economics at the University of Toronto, a reno and infill project completed at the end of last year by Toronto-based Hariri Pontarini Architects. Siamak Hariri, partner-in-charge, and Michael Boxer, project architect, were faced with refurbishing and combining two extant heritage buildings – a plain Georgian revival south of a wildly ornate Victorian – with a new, modern building to the north that would also extend around to the property’s rear.

“We were dealing with a very tight [$10 million] budget stretched over 40,000 feet,” 16 CANADIAN INTERIORS november/december 2010

says Hariri, “so we had to be highly judicious in our use of materials. We also had no single-focused client; there were so many influences to account for because it’s institutional. You have to please people who view the same project through very different lenses – users, administration, students, facilities staff. Often ideas can get put through a meat grinder and after the process, you might end up with something quite different.”

A case in point was the combined complex’s entry point. Hariri wanted to stick with the central Victorian’s bespindled portico, so one would “begin the journey through the building moving from old to new.” Instead, the entry was set into the glass-and-steel “bridge” connecting the Victorian to the Georgian. Visitors step up a wheelchair-accessible ramp and onto a

polished concrete floor. Side walls made from blackened steel, pockmarked with rough welds, frame a narrowed view of the grassy quadrangle and back building ell beyond. To the left is an ordinary office area; to the right, generously proportioned doorways and a curling staircase – all in age-darkened oak – transport one back in time. More offices and meeting rooms are upstairs.

A further bridge leads into the tintedglass-and-steel modernity of the northern structure (also devoted mainly to offices, with additional lounges and a resource centre), but take a moment to cast an admiring glance backwards at the old building’s outer brick wall, which has been enclosed within the renovation, complete with casement windows and parking signs.

The inside-out theme runs through this Photography by Tom Arban

Tktk Tktk

Opposite Max Gluskin House combines two heritage buildings – a Georgian revival south of a Victorian – with a new, modern building to the north. Top In the main-floor gathering place, raw-planed Douglas fir timbers support a matching ceiling. Above left Skylighting, a retained brick wall and blackened-steel hallway partitions play with our perception of the great indoors.

Above right Rust-coloured Corten turns a side staricase into a folded sculptural form.

November/December 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 17

Pub Canadia

architectural marriage of convenience, as if portions of the design have been deliberately everted – a brick wall here, a blackened steel extrusion there, and everywhere rust-coloured Corten. Corten helps to visually yet unobtrusively connect the outer bridge elements to the brickwork buildings, turns ordinary side staircases into amusing folded sculptural forms, and completely clads the back ell. “We wanted something that would tie in with the brick of the buildings,” says Hariri, “but we wanted it to be lighter visually and structurally, a light cladding with softer material facing the interior courtyard, like the lining of a suit jacket.” What the team was really going for, he continues, is a kind of “New York Chelsea gallery look – a durable and affordable aesthetic, rugged but warm. A bit like a warehouse loft.”

Since the School of Economics boasts the largest 101 class at the university and a huge student body must access the complex’s administration and professorial offices, it was imperative that all building materials be capable of standing up to repeated use and abuse. Thus the polished linoleum and concrete floors; the rough steel and salvaged bricks; the raw, sandblasted Douglas fir timbers and square-milled ceiling planks that enliven the main-floor hallway and gathering space overlooking the grass quad. Inside-out, too, are such multiple interior views of exterior nature, allowable by the complex’s frequency and size of glass walls and windows.

Max Gluskin House is not a house at all, but rather three distinct icons of differing architectural eras that normally would war against each other. That they have been unified through clean, simple lines and well-crafted motifs is a tribute to the Hariri Pontarini ingenuity. As for any necessary compromise involved, Hariri says he welcomed it: “We are not building a big, new thing. We’re respecting the old and building on it. Call it humane heritage.

“We want to work with buildings that are well-loved. Hopefully we’re doing something that people will also take delight in and love.” cI

Above right The upper hallway of the glassed-in bridge illustrates Siamak Hariri’s “push to create as much warmth and light as possible on a very tight budget.” Below right Corten clads the project’s back ell, mimicking the warmth of the Georgian’s brick without slavishly copying it. As befits a “cathedral of higher learning,” the sheer height of new rectangular windows hint at high aspiration.

18 CANADIAN INTERIORS november/december 2010

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10/20/10 1:21 PM

It’s alive!

The latest work by Toronto architect Philip Beesley – a magical installation with a mind of its own – electrifies the Venice Biennale.

— By Helena Grdadolnik 20 CANADIAN INTERIORS november/december 2010

Photography by Philip Beesley Architect Inc.

November/December 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 21

The ancient belief that all matter has life gave rise to Toronto architect Philip beesley’s vision of buildings that can respond to light, heat and even a person’s mood. Working with a host of collaborators – including engineer rob Gorbet and chemist rachel Armstrong – beesley filled the Canada Pavilion at this year’s venice biennale in Architecture with his latest work, Hylozoic Ground, a petrified forest made from thousands of digitally fabricated acrylic components.

The international exhibition in venice is the closest contemporary architecture comes to having an olympics, with more than 50 countries participating. Hylozoic Ground didn’t win the coveted Golden Lion for Canada, but it was definitely a contender and the talk of the town. At other countries’ exhibit openings, in line for the washroom, and at dinner, I overheard countless discussions on Canada’s contribution – there were a lot of superlatives and rapturous praise.

The Hylozoic Ground project has evolved over the last five years, growing

Hylozoic Ground comprises an intricate lattice of small, transparent acrylic meshwork links, covered with interactive mechanical fronds, filters and whiskers. These digitally fabricated components are fitted with microprocessors and sensors that respond to the human presence.

22 CANADIAN INTERIORS November/DeCember 2010

larger and more complex with each iteration from Copenhagen to mexico City.

The installation in venice is the most ambitious to date. The intricate web of fronds, filters and whiskers was painstakingly assembled by hand and fitted with microprocessors and touch sensors so that the piece interacts with visitors. beesley’s studio has created a delicate architectural Frankenstein with a mind of its own. The installation doesn’t always respond to direct requests, even from its master. Parts wake up and nervously twitch or tentatively reach out when someone approaches, while others lie dormant even if prompted by waving hands, only to spring to life a few minutes later. The beast is temperamental, but that is part of its charm and the reason it feels alive, rather than programmed. even when the installation was crowded, the experience was somewhat solitary, as individuals were swallowed into the web. People were so enthralled that all that could be heard was the sound of the mechanical crickets and the odd exclama-

tion of surprise. This year’s overall theme for the biennale was “People meet in architecture” – in Canada’s exhibit, people got lost in the woods. The visceral experience made a virtue of the interior of the pavilion: the floor-to-ceiling angled glass facing the courtyard was covered with a translucent black film that reflected the installation against the faint backdrop of the surrounding tree canopy.

Hylozoic Ground is a beautiful and engaging sculptural piece, but Philip beesley also sees it as a prototype for the future of architecture, where building systems react and modify themselves according to environmental factors. It would be great to see this project’s technology applied and tested with inhabited spaces outside of a museum setting. We aren’t too far away from a building that could breathe in carbon to clean the air.

With this installation, it is easy to imagine a building that could also give you a hug when you feel lonely. cI

SAVE THE DATE FOR THREE DAYS OF GREAT DESIGN

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Tktk Tktk

On the grounds of the Parc D’Expostions de Paris-Nord Villepinte, home to Maison & Objet, you could spot the Parisians among us. Though the temperature hovered around 27ºC, these chic specimens – dandies in blazers and scarves, gamines in long-sleeved frocks – were already rocking the fall fashions, this being September.

They appeared effortlessly cool, of course.

I, on the other hand, already sweltering in my summer clothes, felt faint from the sight of all that wool.

And so it was a relief to get out of the hot sun and into Hall 7, home to Maison & Objet’s September show-within-a-show, Outdoor_Indoor. Hall 8, I mean, since a brand-new hall – proof that all is well with

M&O – has usurped its number. (Also making its debut this year was a Centre for Excellence.) All was familiar, as this was my third visit to Europe’s biggest show of outdoor furniture and accessories.

Third time’s the charm, as they say: Outdoor_Indoor ’10 was outstanding, with a staggering number of introductions on display – from firms both familiar (B&B Italia Outdoor, Fermob, Emu) and fresh (Indera, Hive, At-once). I had a tough time whittling my down choices to 15. It’s a marvel what can be done these days with the “poly”s (polyester, polymer, polyethylene and polypropylene), metal and weatherresistant fabric (wood seemed old-fashioned). This is outdoor furniture as art.

MADE FOR SHADE Based in the Netherlands, senz° is known for its “ultimate” storm umbrella.

Made of a water-repellant pongee fabric (providing UV protection) and featuring an aerodynamic shape, it can withstand winds of up to 100 kilometres an hour.

New this year is the senz° UV-catcher, employing the same patented technology.

Durable yet lightweight, it offers flexible shade and total protection in all weather conditions. senzumbrellas.com

Hot stuff Maison & Objet’s Outdoor_Indoor show in Paris celebrates what’s new under the sun.

—By Michael Totzke

November/December 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 25

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1 1–CHARLES IN CHARGE B&B Italia Outdoor has added Antonio Citterio to its roster of well-known designers. Thirteen years after its debut in the regular B&B Italia collection, Citterio’s Charles sofa system – one of the company’s longtime bestsellers – has been introduced in a new outdoor version.

Featuring the same slim aluminum frame, Charles has a surface created by openweave polyester bands. The range of sofas, terminal elements and chaise longue pieces, made up of nine elements of various styles and sizes, expands with a small armchair and a reclining cot. The three sizes of back cushions can mirror the neutral shade of the frame or come in brilliant colours. bebitalia.com

2–GROOVY With Sixties, created by Frédéric Sofia, French firm Fermob brings a new fabric – woven polymer – into the fold. Over its structure of painted aluminum, the armchair features a light, airy and stylishly patterned weave of high-density technical resin in a contrasting colour.

Accompanying the armchair is a curvy, compact table, available in all 24 luscious shades of the Fermob colour chart. fermob.com

3–ROAD TO MOROCCO Sixty-year-old Italian company Emu has developed Shalimar with the firm Chiaramonte/Marin. Made of metal sheeting using modern techniques, the fanciful

collection – consisting of a low table, armchair, sofa and partition – was inspired by Moroccan wrought-iron works of art. A wide choice of large cushions is available. emu.it 4–OBJETS D’ART Faz is a serene and sculptural outdoor collection designed by architect Ramón Esteve for the Spanish company Vondom.

It comprises a sun lounger with auxiliary table, armchair, modular sofa and coffee table, plus three flowerpots of different proportions forming a unit. High-quality nautical or polyester cushions are also available. vondom.com

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5 5–SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL Emu’s colourful Arc En Ciel collection updates the classic metal bistro set for small urban patios and balconies. The lightweight table is rectangular rather than square; the equally light folding chairs are easy to use and transport. emu.it

6–HOLD ME TIGHT Born in the Philippines, Kenneth Cobonpue is known for his signature designs in natural fibres and materials. Hugo, his outdoor lounge set – including a sofa, armchair and coffee table – takes its inspiration from crochet. Frames are of double powdercoated steel; over top, two different shades of recyclable polyethylene fibres create a shadowing effect.

Hugo’s bolstered arms convey a sense of homey embrace. Sunbrella cushion covers add warmth. kennethcobonpue.com 7–EXTENDED REPLAY Fermob’s Biarritz table has a trick up its streamlined aluminum sleeve: it can expand from 6 ½ feet to 10 feet in just a few moments, thanks to its two side extensions. Biarritz is light, sturdy and easy to move. fermob.com 8–IN AND OUT B by Indera is a new affordable luxury range from the Belgian company; ‘‘no frills” versions of Indera’s designs allow for standardized production, keeping the costs down. For this new range, Studio Segers has designed Lis, a no-nonsense

lounge set suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Comfortable and durable, Lis features highly weather-resistant material (standard or leatherlook), which is removable and washable. indera.be 9–JUST SWELL Gee, that’s Swell – and by Swell I mean a new outdoor collection by Karim Rashid for Italian firm Talenti. Inspired by the “sweet caress of a wave,” the curvy, retro-futuristic Swell comprises a living set (sofa, armchair and coffee table) and a dining set (table and chairs). All items are made of metallic tube and expanded metal lath. Chairs are stackable. talentisrl.com

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1 1–GLORIFIED Young French firm At-once has introduced the generous Glorify chair for use indoor and out (high armrests are guaranteed to make the user feel royal). made of polyethylene and 100 per cent recyclable, Glory is available in seven colours. at-once.fr 2–BUSHED The bux pouf from Dutch Summer was inspired by the boxwood shrub. The plastic “vase” comes in white, black and terracotta; the upholstered pillow is available in various colours and finishes. dutchsummer.nl

3–HEY, BUD Designed by brad Stebbing for Philippines-based Hive, the bud outdoor hanging lamp offers a warm light created by its laminated fiberglass diffuser within a collapsible series of polyethylene strips.

It comes in standard and long sizes, in natural, red or green. designbyhive.com 4–LET’S PLAY For Dedon, prolific Philippe Starck has designed Play, a lightweight, durable and stackable chair with a molded polypropylene and fiberglass frame. various covering materials are offered, including solid teak, mirror-finish aluminum and hand-woven synthetic fibre. mix-and-match colours include chalk, carbon, stone, terracotta and bronze. dedon.de

5–GROW TO GO bacsac is a flexible, weightless and portable plant container – for both indoors and outdoors – made of a doublewalled geotextile fabric. resistant to both frost and sun, it comes in various shapes, sizes and configurations. bacsac.fr

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ELTE’S 90TH ANNIVERSARY Ken and Renee Metrick opened up their splendid Toronto penthouse duplex to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the family business, well known for its elegant home furnishings.

1—Design star Brian Gluckstein, who devised the Metrick digs, and his optician life partner Gary Sarantopoulos, owner of Modern Optical on the Danforth.

2—A mass of Metricks: Ken, Elte CEO; son Andrew, a buyer; Ken’s brother Laurence, president of branding agency The Metrick System, flanked by his kids, Ellie and Ben; buyer Renee; buyer Jamie, son of Ken and Renee; and Mary-Ann, sister of Ken and Laurence.

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ARIDO AWARDS GALA Traditionally, the annual ARIDO Awards dinner – this year held, as in 2009, in the “beaux arts” splendor of the Liberty Grand at Exhibition Place – caps the IIDEX/NeoCon Canada festivities.

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1—Shannon O’Reilly, interior designer; with Alan Dalquen, senior interior designer, Stantec, and his wife, Mai Dalquen, event co-ordinator, Ontario Media Development Corporation.

2—Oh what a night: the Liberty Grand, all dressed up for the awards.

3—Cambria crew: Sumnu Kath, brand director; supermodel and “mascot” Cheryl Tiegs; Linda Leatherdale, VP marketing and business development; and Sara Rooney, Canada district manager.

4—Interior designer Anna Simone, principal, Cecconi Simone; with her client, Gary Switzer, president and CEO, Mod Developments, and his wife, Susan.

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Fall follies 2

—By David Lasker

Dialog is the moniker for a recent merger of several bicoastal architecture and design firms: Cohos Evamy, Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden, Mole White, and Office for Urbanism, Dialog has offices in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Toronto. A party celebrating the merger took place at the Burroughes Building on Queen West in Toronto.

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30 CANADIAN INTERIORS November/December 2010

DIALOG LAUNCH

1—Jay McCarthy, manager, business development, Ledcor Construction; architect Charles Lau, associate, Dialog; Michael Suljak, general manager, Graham Construction and Engineering; and James Rutherford, architecture project manager, Dialog.

2—Leslie Tuttle and Elizabeth Broxterman, interior designers at Arcade Architecture and Design, flank Noemi Byrnes, electrical engineering consultant at Dialog, and Derrick Nielsen, VP at contract furniture maker Svend Nielsen.

3—Dialog architects and principals, from here and there : Douglas McConnell, Edmonton; Joost Bakker, Vancouver; and Jim Anderson, Toronto.

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November/December 2010 CANADIAN INTERIORS 31

Last Word

Food and water Where better to learn about sustainable seafood than on a floating dining room made of recycled plastic bottles?

—By Janet Collins

Since Vancouver is the country’s largest West Coast port, various vessels are as much a part of its scenery as are the coastal waters and surrounding mountains. Even so, a uniquely designed craft moored at the False Creek Yacht Club this past August and September garnered more than a little attention.

The structure, dubbed The Plastic 32 CANADIAN INTERIORS november/december 2010

Dining Room, was the brainchild of Shannon Ronalds, co-founder and CEO of the School of Fish Foundation, a non-profit organization working to create a positive change in the seafood industry by educating chefs around the world about sustainable seafood. “The dining room was built as a way to raise enough income to get the program going and to create some buzz to

raise further funds from donors,” says Ronalds. Expanding on the environmental aspects of the foundation’s goals, Ronalds and his team hit on the idea of constructing a floating dining room supported by recycled bottles. Matt Kirk-Buss of Loki Ocean reworked Ronalds’ preliminary design into something that would float.

The 12-by-20-foot Plastic Dining Room is essentially a raft made from 1,700 recycled two-litre plastic bottles. Kirk-Buss fashioned a framework using donated wood reclaimed from beetle-damaged forests in Northern B.C. Plywood was laid underneath, and the bottles (arranged in rows with their cap end straight up) filled the 12-by-3-foot voids. A tongue-andgroove pine floor keeps the bottles from escaping, though diners can view the arrangement through a Plexiglas panel inserted in the floor under the dining table.

Mike Lis of Goodweather Design used B.C. cedar for the superstructure. Panels of 3/8-inch Plexiglas cover the lower portion of the walls, with the upper portion left open to the elements. Two full-sized wine barrels positioned at each end provide handy serving stations and double as much-needed ballasts. The chairs were donated by a local rental outfit, the chandelier by a local shop and the dining room table was taken from Ronalds’ own home. All food is prepared at nearby C Restaurant (located just off the wharf from where the room is moored).

“From the minute we put [the dining room] on the water, we had several offers from people wanting to buy it,” says Ronalds. “And then, within days, a restaurant in London enquired about having us set up the dining room there.”

From a sustainability point of view – and an economic one – it made good sense to keep using the original structure, on a possible tour of cities, instead of building a new one at the end of each engagement.

Packing the “room” for transport is easy, as the roof and beams can be dismantled.

“The shipper is musing with the idea of putting the ‘room’ in an open-sided platform on top of a load,” says Ronalds.

However it travels, the world’s first Plastic Dining Room is scheduled to appear in Auckland, New Zealand, this winter, and in London, once the weather there is better suited for an open-sided floating dining room. c I

SPON

Photo by Hamid Attie

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