GRAY No. 45

ISSUE

45

architecture interiors design culture

ART-LOVING DEVELOPER IAN GILLESPIE:

NO TIME FOR HATERS

French Art de Vivre

Photo Michel Gibert: for advertising purposes only. 1Conditions apply, contact store for details. 2Program available on select items, subject to availability.

Digital. Large 3 seat sofas, design Gabriele Assmann and Alfred Kleene.

Edito Lounge. Armchair and ottoman, designed by Sacha Lakic.

Ovni Up. Cocktail tables, design Vincenzo Maiolino.

Flag. Floor lamps, design Servomuto.

Manufactured in Europe.

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Architecture: Olson Kundig Photo: Aaron Leitz

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NO 45 : U N F I L T E R E D

14. H E L L O

The value of a self unfiltered.

BULLETIN 34.

44. G E T I N G E A R

Garments and accessories designed with top-notch athletic performance in mind.

HAPPENINGS

Exhibitions and events on our radar, including design weeks from Portland to New York.

38. T H E B E L L E S O F B E L L T O W N

Why the downtown neighborhood is Seattle’s next design destination.

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GRAY MAGAZINE

50. S H O P I T T O M E

Furnishings that channel design influences from around the globe.

80. M A T E R I A L W O R L D

How architecture firms’ librarians shape our built environment.

INTERIORS + ARCH 88. A R E T U R N T O P L A Y

The University of British Columbia’s Chan Gunn Sports Medicine Pavilion ensures everyone feels welcome.

UNFILTERED 64. A M O D E R N M E D I C I

Unpacking Westbank founder Ian Gillespie’s passion for the arts.

94. C L I F F H A N G E R

A riverfront home embraces its dramatic cliffside setting.

on the cover

Westbank founder Ian Gillespie at Shaw Tower in Vancouver, BC. Photographed by Tanya Goehring SEE PAGE

64

88

98. F A S T L A N E

An interior designer reinvents a home confined to strict historic preservation laws.

104.

APPENDIX

MODERN LODGING

122. H E R I T A G E O F A H O M E

A 1960s bungalow renovation enhances the original design with a two-tone color palette.

114. P R E T T Y I N P L Y W O O D

A fast-casual restaurant with interiors inspired by a chicken coop.

130.

ROLE REVERSAL

A renovation project flips a home on its head.

106.

130

120

120.

BETTER WITH AGE

Humble materials form the deluxe interior of Samara, a New American bistro.

FINDING FORM

Photographer Rodrigo Etcheto sees the world in black and white.

An architect’s solution to building in a region with an extreme climate.

GRAY MAGAZINE

11

Extremely Handmade by Tufenkian.

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I

HELLO

AS AN EDITOR AT MY HIGH SCHOOL’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER, I COWROTE AN ARTICLE THAT BEGAN WITH AN APOCRYPHAL QUOTE FROM VOLTAIRE:

“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

(I’ve since learned he never said this—it was actually written by the philosopher’s biographer, Evelyn Beatrice Hall, to paraphrase her subject’s beliefs.) For the story, we asked students who dressed exclusively in black, who loved video games, or who participated in marching band about their interests. The point was to celebrate freedom of expression and give our “alternative” peers the recognition that was often hogged by the homogenous popular set (who, we’d later learn, were at their life’s peak).

I don’t believe many things now that I held to be true then, but I do still believe in the importance of authenticity. Particularly in Seattle, a city whose distinguishing features have been razed by big corporations in favor of look-alike towers, real-ness remains hard to come by, probably because it can’t be taught. Authenticity, like style, is intuitive. People who have it claim it’s easy, because for them, it is. It isn’t about bravery or confidence; it’s about knowing who you are, what you like, and what feels right. It’s a self “unfiltered”—and it’s the theme of this issue.

The design media could use a dose of authenticity. Most cover the same subjects in the same way, following unspoken trends and featuring nary a critique. (Having written for several design titles, I am guilty of perpetuating these problems.) Since its founding in 2011, GRAY has taken a different approach, writing about creatives from traditionally under-recognized parts of the design world to boost their relevance amid the usual subjects. I accepted the position of editorial director here because of this legacy, and I intend to continue it by

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enhancing and expanding our coverage of outside-the-radar design and by devoting space to in-depth, incisive reporting that tells the stories of the people behind the objects, buildings, and environments that surround us.

Like any great work of art, design, at its best, expands your mind. It shows you something—about yourself, society, or the person who created it. Self-knowledge is required to make great design; if the process is disingenuous, the final result will be, too.

People with self-knowledge are refreshingly, even remarkably, multifaceted, like Kristen Becker, a partner at the architecture studio Mutuus, who first heard of the new Seattle restaurant Samara (page 120), which she later helped design, while performing as a clown in the Georgetown Carnival (a co-performer recommended her firm for the project). Or like Ian Gillespie, a Canadian real estate developer who got one whiff of the art world (page 64) and has since devoted much of his efforts to sharing the experience of it with as many people as possible.

You know people like this: symbols of truth in our increasingly soulless digital world. Here’s to raising them up.

TIFFANY JOW Editorial Director

roomandboard.com

MASTHEAD

CEO + Publisher SHAWN WILLIAMS

Editorial Director TIFFANY JOW

Senior Editor RACHEL GALLAHER

Associate Publisher DIXIE DUNCAN

dixie@graymag.com Account Executives ALAN BRADEN

Managing Editor

alan@graymag.com

JENNIFER MCCULLUM CRAIG ALLARD MILLER

Junior Art Director

craig@graymag.com

ABBY BEACH

Digital Content / Special Publications LAUREN MANG

Copy Editor LAURA HARGER

Contributing Editors RACHEL EGGERS BRIAN LIBBY RENSKE WERNER AMANDA ZURITA

Administrative Manager TRACEY BJERKE

tracey@graymag.com Newsstand Manager BOB MOENSTER

Public Relations PAXSON FAY

info@paxsonfay.com

Contributors JEREMY BITTERMANN MATT CARBONE HANK DREW TANYA GOEHRING JENNIFER BAUM LAGDAMEO JANIS NICOLAY EMA PETER KEVIN SCOTT KEVIN G. SMITH NATE WATTERS WILLIAM WRIGHT

Interns CLAIRE BUTWINICK KATHRINE GUZIK TAMAR LEVESON CAMILLE VANCE

FIREPLACE & ISLAND COUNTERTOP XTONE ARIA WHITE NATURE FLOOR TILES & FACE OF STAIRS XTONE SAVAGE DARK NATURE PORCELANOSA SEATTLE 88 Spring Street, Suite 120 Seattle, WA 98104 206.673.8395 www.porcelanosa-usa.com

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Published bimonthly (DEC, FEB, APR, JUNE, AUG, OCT) by GRAY Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint or quote excerpts granted by written request only.

While every attempt has been made, GRAY cannot guarantee the legality, completeness, or accuracy of the information presented and accepts no warranty or responsibility for such.

GRAY is not responsible for loss, damage, or other injury to unsolicited manuscripts, photography, art, or any other unsolicited material. Unsolicited material will not be returned. If submitting material, do not send originals unless specifically requested to do so by GRAY in writing.

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e ectur archit s or interi n g i s de re u t l u c

CONTRIBUTORS

TANYA GOEHRING PHOTOGRAPHER

“A Modern Medici,” page 64 “During the shoot, Ian [Gillespie] discussed how he felt after completing a project. He said he rarely still liked it by the end and was more excited about moving on to the next thing. But he’s clearly passionate about everything he does: Ian’s eyes lit up when I asked about his his favorite designer. ‘McQueen,’ he told me— and then proceeded to pull out a dress the British fashion designer made just before he passed away.

It was beautiful.”

Goehring is a Vancouver, BC–based photographer whose work has appeared in Vancouver Magazine and BC Business magazine, among other publications. She and her partner are currently working on a four-channel film installation set to an electronic music composition.

RACHEL EGGERS (“Material World,” page 80) is a Seattle-based writer who has managed public relations for the Seattle Art Museum and the Seattle International Film Festival.

JENNIFER BAUM LAGDAMEO (“A Return to Play,” page 88) is a Portland-based writer who has contributed to Dwell and Elle Decoration, among other publications.

BRIAN LIBBY (“Modern Lodging,” page 106) has written for the New York Times, Architectural Digest, Metropolis, and Architectural Record.

He is based in Portland.

RENSKE WERNER (“Fast Lane,” page 98, “Heritage of a Home,” page 122) is a Dutch-born, Vancouver-based writer and illustrator.

DESIGN + INNOVATION COMPETITION

Join us for Round 1: Portland at the Design Within Reach Studio April 8, 2019 WATCH contestants pitch their design ideas in our Shark Tank-like competition before a panel of industry experts.

VOTE for this round’s People’s Choice winner.

WIN a door prize: set of HAY Kaleido trays!

TICKETS: graymag.com/hot-new-next

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Entry portal opens May 31, 2019 Details: grayawards.com

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DESIGNER CHARLIE FERRER FOR CB2. PHOTOGRAPHED BY LINDSAY LANGSTON

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GRAYMAG.COM IS YOUR DAILY RESOURCE FOR NEED-TO-KNOW DESIGN NEWS, EXHIBITIONS, AND EVENTS. GRAY’s digital universe expands upon our coverage of the international design landscape,

provides a first look at essential industry happenings, and reveals what our editors are coveting now.

FOR WEEKLY DESIGN NEWS + INVITES, CHECK OUT

NOW ON GRAYMAG.COM: Meet the people behind the products and

brands making waves in the design world—including John Christakos and Maurice Blanks, cofounders of Minneapolis-based modern furniture brand Blu Dot, and London-based designer Tom Dixon—who sat down with GRAY to discuss their work and process. Our recently launched Design Datebook column pinpoints the top design events in the Pacific Northwest and complements our monthly calendar as your trusted guide to area goings-on.

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ar chi te ct s

Take a look at these firms first for your next project.

Visit their portfolios on graymag.com or link directly to their sites to learn more.

The following architecture and design firms are among the

4D Architects 4darchitects.com

babienko ARCHITECTS pllc babienkoarchitects.com

best in British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon.

They also support GRAY’s effort to advance the region’s vibrant design community. We are proud to call them

BjarkoSerra Architects bjarkoserra.com

our partners.

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Designs Northwest Architects designsnw.com GRAY MAGAZINE

AKJ Architects LLC akjarchitects.com

Artisans Group artisansgroup.com

Atelier Drome atelierdrome.com

Baylis Architects baylisarchitects.com

BC&J Architecture bcandj.com

Ben Trogdon | Architects bentrogdonarchitects.com

Board & Vellum boardandvellum.com

CTA Design Builders ctabuilds.com

David Coleman Architecture davidcoleman.com

Eerkes Architects eerkesarchitects.com

Eggleston | Farkas Architects eggfarkarch.com

Emerick Architects emerick-architects.com

architects

First Lamp firstlamp.net

Giulietti | Schouten AIA Architects gsarchitects.net

Guggenheim Architecture + Design Studio guggenheimstudio.com

Johnston Architects johnstonarchitects.com

KASA Architecture kasaarchitecture.com

Lane Williams Architects lanewilliams.com

Risa Boyer Architecture risaboyer.com

RUF Project rufproject.com

Scott | Edwards Architecture seallp.com

Stephenson Design Collective stephensoncollective.com

Studio Zerbey Architecture studiozerbey.com

Sturman Architects sturmanarchitects.com

Hacker hackerarchitects.com

Hoshide Wanzer Architects hw-architects.com

Janof Architecture janofarchitecture.com

Lindal Cedar Homes lindal.com

Openspace Architecture openspacearchitecture.com

Richard Brown Architect, AIA rbarch.com

SHKS Architects shksarchitects.com

Stark Architecture starkarchitecture.com

Steelhead Architecture steelheadarchitecture.com

Tyler Engle Architects tylerengle.com

William Kaven Architecture williamkaven.com

Workshop AD workshopad.com

Take a look at these firms first for your next project.

Visit their portfolios on graymag.com or link directly to their sites to learn more.

interior design The following design firms are among the best in the Pacific Northwest. They also support GRAY’s effort to advance the vibrant design community.

We are proud to call them our partners.

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Caitlin Jones Design caitlinjonesdesign.com

Carol Williamson + Associates cwainteriors.com

Finley Grace Design finleygracedesign.com

GATH Interior Design gathinteriordesign.com

Hyde Evans Design hydeevansdesign.com

Marc Blackwell, This Life! marcblackwell.com

Michelle Dirkse Interior Design michelledirkse.com

Penny Black Interiors pennyblackinteriors.com

Tammara Stroud Design tammarastroud.com

Van Sickle Design Consultants vansickledesign.com

Weedman Design Partners weedmandesignpartners.com

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BULLETIN

THE DERSCHANG GROUP

Goings-on in the world of design, including WantedDesign and ICFF’s plans for NYCxDesign, the Architectural Institute of British Columbia’s 100th meeting, and an exhibition that traces the history of Seattle fashion.

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CHARLOTTE HILL

HAPPENINGS

BULLETIN

Notching its seventh successful year, Design Week Portland returns in 2019 with seven days of programming, open houses, talks, and tours. GRAY is thrilled to once again be a media sponsor of DWP. The annual festival celebrates the city’s creative community through discussions on topics ranging from fashion and product design to architecture and interiors.

Follow the DWP website, designweekportland.com, for the full week’s schedule. And join GRAY April 8 at the Design Within Reach showroom for the first iteration of this year’s Shark Tank-style Hot New Next competition, and wraps up with our Meet Me in the Bathroom afterparty at The Eleanor, presented

by Chown Hardware.

MAY 7

MAY 16–21

MAY 19–22

AIBC Confab 2019

WantedDesign

ICFF

The Architectural Institute of British Columbia’s 100th annual meeting, held this spring, kicks off a year of initiatives recognizing the institute’s decades of regulation. Among them is AIBC’s Confab 2019 (May 7, at the Vancouver Convention Centre West), focused this year on the theme “The Art of Conversation” and including panel discussions, a workshop, and seminars. Must-check-out chats include “Affordable Housing: The Role of Architects” and “Understanding Real Feng Shui and Its Impact on Architecture,” presented by Canadian architect James K. M. Cheng and feng shui expert Marlyna Los.

WantedDesign conducts its annual takeover of two boroughs to showcase work from the international creative community. Things kick off at Brooklyn’s Industry City on May 16 with happenings that include an exhibition on Prison Blues, a collaboration between prison inmates and the University of Oregon Product Design Program on a new durable fashion line. From May 18–21, Manhattan’s Terminal Stores building showcases brands and designers including Caesarstone, ceramics designer Yuko Nishi Kawa, and New York–based multidisciplinary design firm Slash Projects (which won WantedDesign’s American Design Honors 2019). The same venue also hosts the seventh-annual Launchpad event, which highlights up-and-coming designers from around the globe.

The 31st iteration of the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York will present the latest top-end furniture, lighting, and textile offerings. Held at Manhattan’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, the affair features designers from 64 countries and a whopping 900-some exhibitors, among them Oregon’s hand-painted wallpaper studio Juju Papers, helmed by Avery Thatcher, and Washington’s handcrafted furniture firm Phloem Studio, founded by Benjamin Klebba. »

APRIL 6–13

Design Week Portland

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Š 2019 Design Within Reach, Inc.

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APRIL 26–27

Sustainable Fashion Forum

Few pairings are more iconic than sustainability and the Pacific Northwest. This April, Portland is adding fashion to the mix with its third–annual Sustainable Fashion Forum. The two-day event explores how consumers’ and designers’ choices affect the environment and social communities. Keynotes and panel discussions will feature designers, influencers, and editors,

including GRAY’s Senior Editor Rachel Gallaher. This year, the conference also focuses on the power of influencers to promote sustainable fashion and the effects of repurposing discarded garments. A live fashion show caps off the night.

Despite its casual reputation, the Emerald City has a rich history of fashion trendsetters who are often overlooked among the talent coming out of New York and Los Angeles.

This spring, the Museum of History and Industry sets the record straight with Seattle Style: Fashion/Function, an exhibition showcasing Seattle’s biggest fashion moments, ranging from relaxed couture and wet weather–inspired outerwear to beloved grunge–era plaids. Visitors

embark on a thematic journey through the city’s historic fashion landscape—more than 65 garments and 60 accessories dating back to the mid-1800s are displayed—that highlights the eclecticism, and growing influence, of a wide range of local designers, including Luly Yang and Mark Mitchell. h

MOHAI

HAPPENINGS

BULLETIN

MAY 4–OCTOBER 14

Seattle Style: Fashion/Function

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F O R M E R L Y S C H U C H A R T / D O W

DOWBUILT AB RESIZE

ARCHITECTURE / Designed by Kristen Becker, Mutuus Studio, with design mentor Tom Kundig PHOTOGRAPHY / Kevin Scott

@DOWBUILT

BULLETIN

Best known as the late-night crowd’s stomping ground, this downtown Seattle district is becoming a design destination. Here, we detail our favorite spots.

THE DERSCHANG GROUP

NEIGHBORHOOD

The Belles of Belltown

Hail to the Queen

One of the city’s oldest bars is now the latest address in the Derschang Group’s culinary lineup. Opened last fall under the creative direction of Linda Derschang (the undisputed queen of Seattle nightlife), Queen City marries the bar’s original design elements—exposed brick, mahogany booths, and a 1920s-style

Willkommen

Bobbie’s World

German-born kitchen and bathroom cabinetry brand Bauformat opened its showroom in January. In addition to showcasing the line’s elegant products, the space is the only US display site for Bauformat’s custom closet line, BauCloset. “The Seattle market is growing rapidly, and there is a real taste in the region for modern design,” says Dave Giltner, who runs marketing and operations.

“Bauformat is a great match for that aesthetic, so it was a natural fit to open shop here.”

Design aficionados around the world were crushed when jewelry designer Bobbie Medlin closed her Washington, DC, boutique in 2013.

Known for her discriminating eye for European art, jewelry, and objects, the Seattle native returned to her roots in 2015 by rebooting her East Coast store in her hometown. Filled with her signature one-of-a-kind finds—ranging from sculptural pieces by Seattle artist and architect Louise Durocher to French market baskets from

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bar—with Derschang’s signature edge and irreverence (black-andwhite portraits of drag queens pepper the interior). “We had a big responsibility to create a place that was updated yet maintained a sense of history,” Derschang says.

“And of course, royalty and drag queens totally work together!”

Marrakesh—Medlin’s store is also the primary Pacific Northwest retailer for Parisian ceramic line Astier de Villatte. “Each de Villatte piece is made of black terracotta, with clay regionally sourced from outside Paris, and covered with a light milky glaze,” she says. “You can see the artisan’s hand in the work—yet each piece is dishwasher-safe!” h

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FIELDWORK

HANK DREW

The people, places, and objects in our orbit, spanning stark sportswear to striking furniture.

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F I E L DWO R K

Get in Gear

FASHION

This spring’s top apparel and accessories vault up to the winners’ podium with ace athletic performance and design.

Written by CLAIRE BUTWINICK Photographed by HANK DREW

With a name that suggests the eternal struggle between good and evil, it’s no wonder that Wings + Horns creates pieces that straddle two conflicting styles: luxury apparel and streetwear. The brand’s Calf Hair trainer, designed in Vancouver and made in Italy, features a cow-hair leather upper stitched in a subtly paneled pattern. While better-suited for pounding the pavement than the gym, the shoe’s padded sock liner, six-eyelet lace-up closure, and furry texture elevate it to the realm of the divine. wingsandhorns.com

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Since GRAY introduced Christopher Bevans, owner and creative director of clothing line DYNE, last year, he’s developed a new collection for spring 2019, which tells a fresh story of technology meeting fashion.

FROM LEFT: His Renzo shorts feature 3D thigh-contouring pockets, while the Schoeller woven shirt is produced at a Swiss bluesign-certified mill, where each step of the process chain complies with the five principles of sustainability. It’s also embedded with a near-field communication chip that interacts with your mobile device. dyne.life »

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FASHION

F I E L DWO R K

Now more than a century old, Seattle-based activewear brand Brooks marries high design with peak performance in its spring 2019 collection. CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The FastForward Zip sports bra combines proprietary DriLayer fabrication with a zipped-front design that gives the breathable, sweat-wicking garment both easy wearability and a sophisticated look. The LSD (Lightweight Shelter Device) jacket offers windproof protection. The geometric pattern of the Formation crop leggings camouflages two seamless pockets along the waistband. brooksrunning.com Âť

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AUTHENTICALLY SPARK! Fires designed and engineered to be extraordinary.

See our photo gallery at www.sparkfires.com or 203.791.2725 Where family and friends gather.

A City Residence Boston, MA Architect: Josh Slater Designer: Greg Wilson, Warren Square Design Photographer: Eric Roth

modern ďŹ res

FASHION

F I E L DWO R K

The 45-liter Competition duffel bag from urban-athletic line RYU is formed by a polyurethane-coated canvas that makes the carryall both scuff- and water-resistant. The bag’s nylon interior is treated with Polygiene technology that prevents the growth of odor-causing bacteria. To top it off, the convertible carryall is actually two bags in one: use it as either a duffle or a backpack. ryu.com h

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DESIGN / BUILD REMODELING HANDYMAN SERVICES CUSTOM HOMES

An entertainer’s dream home wrapped in rustic charm.

Located in a gorgeous wooded setting, this Craftsman-inspired project truly amazes.

Natural timber and stone add scale and mass, unify the design, and enhance the feel of the property. One space after another welcomes the eye with warm color and texture. And, with an abundance of covered area to shelter guests and serve treats, the home is also an outdoor entertainer’s delight. Talk with us. We’re ready to dream along with you.

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PRODUCT

F I E L DWO R K

SHOP IT TO ME

From textiles hand-woven by Nepali artisans to bent-steel chairs that mimic the topography of the Rocky Mountains, these objects channel influences from around the globe.

Written by TAMAR LEVESON

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1.

When Sasha Burchuk, founder of Portland’s New Age Design Studio, first saw a velvet painting by artist Maria Joan Dixon depicting images that the Hubble Space Telescope had captured of the Deep Field (a distant star cluster in Ursa Minor), she thought of gems floating in black concrete. That vision informed the materials she used in her latest collection, Epicureans, which includes candle holders and vases made using Burchuk’s signature gemstone terrazzo. Each piece features a constellation of semiprecious stones, including tiger’s eye, amethyst, malachite, rose quartz, lapis, and amazonite, in place of traditional marble or glass. newagedesign.studio »

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PRODUCT

F I E L DWO R K

2.

2. The centuries-old technique of straw marquetry becomes modern geometry in the hands of furniture manufacturer Normandie Woodworks. The shop’s sustainable rye-grass tiles are made from straw that is cut, dried, and flattened to form ornate patterns that play with light and reflection.

The tiles can be configured in different directions, too, creating a contemporary wall treatment that’s rooted in history. normandiewoodworks.com

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3. This Balinese teak coffee table—part of the Housewright Private Collection, the latest retail initiative from architecture and interior design firm Hoedemaker Pfeiffer— derives its visual impact from exaggerated proportions. Standing just 3 feet high but stretching 8 feet long, it was inspired by low and wide Balinese community gathering tables and is adorned with hand-carved concentric circles, burnished with a waxed finish that gives it a look similar to Japanese shou sugi ban. housewrightgallery.com

4. At first glance, the Tatami rug from Driscoll Robbins, inspired by the designer’s love of indigo-dyed Japanese textiles and woven of Himalayan wool and silk, appears almost monochromatic. But a closer look reveals a finely constructed pattern composed of 16 colors of yarn, each individually dyed and hand-knotted by Nepali artisans. “The designs in the collection are inspired by watercolor paintings,” says company founder and namesake Driscoll Robbins. “The gradual change of one color to the next is difficult to achieve, but the results are unlike any other rugs on the market.” driscollrobbins.com »

4.

3.

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PRODUCT

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5.

6.

With the exception of its name, the minimal, modern form of designer Lukas Peet’s Plateau chair seems to belie its rustic roots. Informed by the landscape surrounding the Rocky Mountains (the backdrop of Peet’s Alberta childhood), the seat is produced in western Canada

by Division12 and made from CNC-routed bent-steel tubing with a powder-coated finish. “I wanted to explore the height and scale of the transition between mountain, foothill, and prairie in a graphical way,” says Peet. “I chose to communicate the connection with the floor by raising the chair up to create the plateau.” The seat debuted at IDS Toronto earlier this year. division12.ca

7.

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Blu Dot’s Racer dining chair is a study in contrasts. Its black powder-coated steel sled-leg base strikes an industrial note, while the curved shapes of its plywood seat and back, both upholstered in a linen blend, extend an ergonomically inclined invitation to take a seat. bludot.com

Made of blackened steel with subtle bronze-toned accents, the SV lamp, designed by Jack Kearney at Seattle-based design firm Company K, takes an inventive approach to the traditional floor fixture. A custom axle and integrated wires allow the top to pivot without compromising any of its electrical components. companyk.com h

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who to know promotion

-IN CONVERSATION WITH-

Blake Garfield Bedrooms & More has been a staple in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood since 1972. From its exclusive custom-designed mattresses, to made-to-last textiles, bedding, and furniture, the family-owned business has been operating for two generations. GRAY’s Tamar Leveson sat down with Blake Garfield, the company’s general manager and treasurer, whose goal is to sell you your last bed, and to keep mattress waste out of landfills.

Bedrooms & More is dedicated to production transparency of sustainable and ethically sourced products. Shouldn’t we expect this from all retailers?

It needs to be happening more.

Unfortunately, I don’t see it happening on a particularly large scale. I think [production transparency] is more of a grassroots effort that many small retailers are pursuing. A large portion of the market share is controlled by big-box stores, which make you feel warm and fuzzy about “organic” cotton pillows or a perception that they’re doing something renewable.

[These] larger companies merely make you feel like you’re doing something good—it’s the smaller companies are that are really doing

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it from top-to-bottom. There’s just not a lot of money to be made that way for bigger companies.

of millions of dollars like a big corporation—but we can have a significant impact.

Your company’s ethics in production seem to go hand-in-hand with your dedication to community outreach.

Tell us about one of your favorite non-profits you work with.

Your family has owned its company for 20 years. How has working with your kin shaped your approach to business?

I really like the [Seattle women’s and children’s shelter] Mary’s Place.

It’s a really big deal to be able to provide a step forward for people.

You can try to go through government services, but Mary’s Place has picked up a lot of the slack where it lacks, and I’m excited to be a part of it.

They tell us how many beds they need, and we provide them. We’re a small company—we can’t give tens

I think it’s more about running a company by feel. It’s strange that we’ve been, to a degree, successful because of my parents’ integrity.

They've seen a lot of trends in the marketplace in the course of nearly 50 years, and along the way, they made sure they offered products they could be proud of and a level of service that represented our family name. Because our family and our business are inextricably linked

in our minds, we make sure we’re doing things along the way that we won’t feel bad about later. It’s informed many of our decisions over the years: If we wouldn't want it in our home, why would we sell it to someone else? It also adds a degree of difficulty because we have to make sure we’re on the same page about every decision. Those choices don’t just represent ourselves; they represent the entire family.

about being able to offer value and quality regardless of [someone’s] budget. Mattresses, seating, upholstery, bedding, it doesn’t matter—I want to offer the best bang for your buck. And I pair that with using as natural and sustainable elements as possible within the available budget.

I want to make sure that every purchase will last.

How has that effected your brand philosophy?

I do a lot of our product design, and one of the exciting things we have coming up is a total upgrade to a lot of our mattresses: They will now have zippers. Usually, a mattress is only as durable as its least durable component, but if you have access to

If you asked each family member that question, we’d each pull a slightly different angle from our mission statement, which we worked on together. For me, our company is

What does the company have planned for this spring?

the inside of the bed, you can switch from one coil system to another, to a layer of foam to a natural latex, or you can replace the cover. The goal is for it to be the last bed you ever have to buy, and for it to stay out of a landfill. The average ton of mattress garbage takes up nineteen times the volume of the average ton of regular garbage, you know.

Last, we recently launched a program for interior designers, who can work with clients in-store and borrow samples. We also created a designer rewards program, where we extend our legendary support to them. As with any customer, we make the process seamless. h

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-IN CONVERSATION WITH-

James Geiger South Carolina–based shading systems company J Geiger is known for its high-tech, minimalist window coverings that have no visible wires or screws. The product was hatched in 2011 when James Geiger sought out a clean, modern shading system—and couldn’t find one. GRAY’s Tamar Leveson spoke with Geiger, the company’s founder and president, about problem-solving, ideation, and finding inspiration in unlikely places.

J Geiger is known for its pared-down shading systems. How did you come up with the design?

People tend to do the same thing over and over, and don’t realize there’s a better solution until someone presents it. I was part of that group, and never noticed [unsightly shading systems] were a problem. I was on a project doing ceiling pockets, and was looking for a modern, clean-looking shading system. I Googled and Googled, but there was absolutely nothing on the market. People say they don’t want to see the shades.

But when you make pretty shades, they can look like they’re part of the building and something people want to see. Back then I had an audio/ video company that made custom products, so I didn’t really think about it—I just made [the shading system] and put it out there. That was in 2011.

Right, when you were developing this new shade technology, you were a media system designer.

When did you realize this was your calling?

Pretty quick. My previous role

involved a lot of large jobs located throughout the country. I was traveling all the time and felt like I was away from my family [too often].

Shading systems are much easier than a complex A/V installation.

Plus, they are repeatable—before, I was designing creative things that I only made once. It speaks to the system’s flexibility that you can go into basically any home and apply it.

Tell us about how you idieate a new product.

It usually starts with a problem, or something I don’t like that I want to make better. Then I [map out the idea in] a sketch. A lot of times I’m solving a problem that already exists, so I can make a prototype for my [solution], even if it’s rudimentary: We use 3D printers often, and have access to milling machines to make one-off products. If the product is successful, we add it to our product line.

Currently, you offer three different systems: the R and D Series, which have exposed brackets, and the P Series, which is pocketed; you also

offer a commerical line. How do these systems reflect your company’s core values?

Between R and D, it’s basically a price difference. The P Series came about, as we discussed earlier, as a reaction to ceiling pockets. Traditionally, when you add a ceiling pocket, you have a line where the aluminum of the pocket meets the sheet rock of the ceiling, and that line is never pretty; there’s always a crack. The P Series represents my attempt to make that crack as pretty as possible.

What new projects are you working on now?

The gap between the panels of the pocket model will be turned into a drapery track in the future. And we’re making a bigger push for [incorporating] battery motors [in lieu of wired motors] in our commercial work. The battery technology is changing all the time, and allows shades to be installed without wiring in their location. Voice control also works with battery motors, and the technology only keeps getting better and better. h

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who to know promotion

-IN CONVERSATION WITH-

Scott Gates

Western Window Systems is on a mission to design moving glass walls and windows that help its customers live better, regardless of their demographic. GRAY’s Tamar Leveson spoke with Scott Gates, president of the Arizona-based brand, who discussed its products and unique company culture.

One of Western Window Systems’

Can you share examples of how you

That kind of concern for others

goals is to blend the indoors and the

made your products more appealing?

extends throughout your company,

outdoors with its products. What

Our products need to be versatile enough to allow homes to be flexible, and to give a homeowner whatever they need at any given moment. Our indoor/outdoor systems, such as [a pocket door that slides into a wall], make the door and glass panels disappear completely. Our products are equally impressive when a customer wants to insulate themselves from harsh exterior elements. When closed, our doors are extremely energy efficient and strong. They are built to massive glass sizes that frame views and flood a home with natural light. We want our customers to get the best of both the indoors and the outdoors, because that is how we help them live better.

all the way to its employees and the

inspired that objective?

Bringing outdoor and indoor spaces together has been at the heart of our company’s renaissance for almost a decade now. This window and door technology has been around for more than 30 years, but companies, including Western Window Systems, didn’t do enough to make it available to a wide array of consumers across different geographies and demographics. After developing innovative ways to make doors and windows work for a variety of customers, the results were outstanding.

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community it serves.

Our three core values are excellence, innovation, and partnership. I often tell people that partnership is the most important—in the end, all business is about people. We call all the stakeholders of our business— employees, vendors, customers, and our community—“partners” because we believe that word best describes the symbiotic relationship we have with the people who make us successful. Our company motto is emblazoned on the walls of our building. It’s “#oneteam.” This approach has been part of our secret sauce and a big part of why we create and innovate so quickly.

Authenticity is clearly important to

Tell us about your staff, and what

your brand. How do you encourage

they contribute to the company.

and maintain that kind of company

We have created a unique [workplace] that attracts some of the highest-quality talent in the market.

We have an infectiously fun environment, punctuated by innovative methods and a commitment to topnotch service and approach.

culture?

Authenticity comes through in our steadfast commitment to our vision statement, which says, “Have fun creating a winning company that changes construction and helps our partners live better.” Our brand must reflect that vision and provide a spirit of fun. We don’t want people to choose us [merely] because of our features and benefits. We want people to choose us because we’re an incredible group of people who are hell-bent on making your life better—and if you give us the chance, we will.

those challenges, and achieved our goal in 2018 with our Simulated Steel family of windows and doors, which is something really special.

We are excited to see this product filter into custom homes and historic commercial projects throughout North America in 2019. h

What is the next big thing Western Window Systems has on the boards?

The market and consumers love the historic look of putty bar steel windows and doors, but hate the price, lead times, and complex friction those products inject into their construction schedules. We challenged ourselves to give the market what it wants while solving

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UNFILTERED

COURTESY WESTBANK

A candid look at design world influencers, featuring Westbank founder Ian Gillespie’s surprisingly genuine interest in the arts. Plus, architecture firms’ powerful librarians.

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Ian Gillespie in Vancouver, BC. OPPOSITE: An artistic interpretation of The Butterfly building, designed by Bing Thom, located in downtown Vancouver.

A MODERN MEDICI Real estate developer Ian Gillespie is a popular target in debates over the changing social and cultural landscape of Vancouver. While his buildings come with high price tags, they’re also bringing world-class art to cities around the globe.

Written by RACHEL GALLAHER Photographed by TANYA GOEHRING

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“YOU CAN USE ART AND ARCHITECTURE TO FEELS ABOUT ITSELF, BUT ALSO HOW THE

CHANGE NOT ONLY THE WAY A COMMUNITY WORLD FEELS ABOUT THAT COMMUNITY.” —IAN GILLESPIE, FOUNDER, WESTBANK

UNFILTERED

IAN

GILLESPIE

IS ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL FIGURES IN VANCOUVER.

Perhaps he’s not as reviled as the notorious Sahota brothers (known for raking in millions as slumlords running decrepit single-room-occupancy hotels on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside), or as controversial as three-term mayor Gregor Robertson (a man with big goals for tackling homelessness and affordable housing— still unsolved issues today), but mention Gillespie’s name in a group of Vancouverites and you’re likely to get a strong response, or at the very least an eyeroll.

In the 27 years since Gillespie founded Westbank, one of Canada’s leading real estate development companies, the firm has grown to include offices in eight cities around the world, including Toronto, Seattle, Tokyo, and Beijing, and it has built more than 35 international projects that range from high-end luxury residences and office towers to multiple five-star hotels. He gallivants (and often collaborates) with some of the world’s most powerful creatives: his much-anticipated Vancouver House project was designed by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, and Gillespie recently met with Frank Stella at the octogenarian artist’s studio.

His is the kind of dizzying wealth and glamour that most people can only dream of, and no doubt it’s a cause of great jealousy: Who wouldn’t want to hop on a private jet and fly to Europe to explore museums and meet with art-world elite? The press, and scores of internet commenters, has not been kind to Gillespie. He’s been accused of “artwashing” (a term coined to describe the use of art and artists to rejuvenate derelict, often lowincome neighborhoods, eventually leading to displacement of the original population) and building expensive residences aimed at attracting wealthy, mostly Asian buyers. His 2017 Fight for Beauty exhibition, erected at the Fairmont Pacific Rim (a hotel partially owned by Westbank), was slammed by the media—one critic described it as no more than a “PR campaign, propaganda,

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[and a] marketing bonanza.” In a scathing backlash, the parody website “The Real Fight for Beauty” proclaims, “Westbank is not a cultural practice. Period. It’s simply a real estate development company that thinks way too much of itself.”

But then there’s the flip side: the Gillespie who has a passion for art and the means to share it with the public.

The man who, in 2015, opened up 12 fully furnished apartments in one of his downtown Vancouver residential developments as transitional accommodation for Syrian refugees, and who, in 2017, donated $2.5 million to Vancouver’s Emily Carr University. Like every other human being, Gillespie is complex, full of contradictions, and sometimes judged without really being known.

I

’ll admit I was nervous as I walked across the courtyard between the Fairmont Pacific Rim and Shaw Tower, a 2005 Westbank project that sits at the edge of Vancouver’s Coal Harbour. Along with 24 stories of condominiums, the tower, among the city’s tallest buildings, houses Westbank’s offices. I wasn’t sure what to expect as, accompanied by Gillespie’s PR representative, I waited in the reception area, which holds a 3D portfolio of the company’s various development projects in the form of detailed architectural models set atop waist-high podiums. A 15-foot model of downtown Vancouver includes future and in-progress Westbank buildings, including the Butterfly, a sculptural concrete-and-glass residential tower in Vancouver designed by the late Bing Thom.

Despite the company’s distinction, the office atmosphere was relaxed. Two dogs (Hunter, a golden retriever, and Mia, a French bulldog) seemed to have the run of the place. When Gillespie finally appeared, he looked more like someone sitting front row at New York Fashion Week than a powerful businessman. Of course, the two aren’t mutually exclusive, but Gillespie’s shaggy blond hair, quiet demeanor, and black sweatshirt emblazoned with scattered neon green words projected an air of disarming normalcy. »

Pieces from Gillespie’s couture collection at Shaw Tower, Westbank’s global headquarters.

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THIS PAGE: ©PAUL WARCHOL, COURTESY WESTBANK; OPPOSITE: TANYA GOEHRING

Diana Thater’s light art installation at Shaw Tower, commissioned by Westbank and unveiled in 2005. OPPOSITE: A mirrored sculpture of 400 W Georgia, a Westbank project designed by architects Michael Sypkens and Esteban Ochogavia. »

COURTESY WESTBANK

Installation view of “Japan Unlayered,” an exhibition mounted at the Fairmont Pacific Rim in 2017. OPPOSITE: John Hogan’s “Light as a Common Thread,” a glass veil that will be incorporated throughout Westbank’s First Light project in Seattle. »

As soon as we sat down and started talking about art, Gillespie became animated. His excitement was palpable as he ticked through various artists he’s worked with over the years: Martin Boyce, Diana Thater, Douglas Copeland, Jeff Wall, Omer Arbel. He’s made sure to include a public art element in nearly every one of his projects. And while some would argue that he’s just following development regulations in Vancouver (more on that later), Gillespie never stops at the bar of requirement, often bringing in the best talent, regardless of cost, to help build a lasting cultural landscape.

“We believe we’re here to serve the community [in a way that delivers the] maximum positive impact,” he says. “It’s interesting to see what can happen when you take things out of the gallery and into a public context.

Art is powerful, and I think everyone should have access to experiencing it.”

Gillespie does not come from money. Born in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, he was one of five children raised in a 700-square-foot house heated by a wood stove. Growing up, he wasn’t heavily exposed to visual art (“Music was my thing,” he says), and in high school and college, his focus was athletics—specifically, middle distance running. Training under former Olympic track

“The vast majority of public art out there is just ornamentation, and unfortunately the vast majority of architecture is terrible. All I can do is try to do it better, set the bar higher, and hope that, over time, we’ll have a positive impact.”

—IAN GILLESPIE, FOUNDER, WESTBANK

and field athletes Doug and Diane Clement, Gillespie improved his 800-meter race time enough to try out for the 1984 Canadian Olympic team. Despite his efforts, he finished third at the trials and didn’t make the cut.

After that disappointing outcome, Gillespie took the dedication and determination of race training and funneled them first into completing school (he graduated from the University of British Columbia with a business degree in 1985, followed by an MBA at the University of Toronto in 1986), and then into real estate.

The story of Gillespie’s entree into the development industry has been told many times and in many publications: He was inspired by his older cousin Rod Schroeder, who pulled up to the Gillespie home one day in a red

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1972 Jaguar E-Type convertible. The young Gillespie was so dazzled that he vowed to own one himself someday. And he does—the cherry-colored beauty sits permanently outside the Fairmont Pacific Rim, greeting guests with sporty aplomb. “Seeing that particular car was the first time design had a profound impact on my life,” Gillespie recalls. There’s a reason that New York’s Museum of Modern Art not only acquired a 1970 Jaguar E-Type Roadster for its permanent collection, but also dedicated a four-month exhibition to the E-Type in 1996.

“It’s one of the finest pieces of industrial design of the past century,” Gillespie says. “I have wondered where I would be now if my cousin hadn’t pulled up in that particular car.”

Gillespie first worked for Vancouver real estate development company Schroeder Properties but soon grew disillusioned with his projects, which were mainly strip mall developments. In his early 30s and still filled with ambition, he decided it was time to strike out on his own. He founded Westbank in 1992, and the company’s first mixed-use project, London Plaza, opened two years later in Richmond, BC. Soon afterward, Gillespie tapped Vancouver architect James Cheng (who studied under Richard Meier and apprenticed with Arthur Erickson) to design his next project, dubbed the Palisades—a high-end residential development that nabbed the 1998 LieutenantGovernor Award of Excellence in Architecture. It was the start of a decades-long partnership that continues to this day: Cheng designed Westbank’s First Light project in Seattle, which is slated to open in early fall 2022. And while Cheng always will be known as the father of the architectural typology known as Vancouverism, which joins high-density residential construction and an emphasis on public amenities, he also can be credited as one of the first to expose Gillespie to the world of visual art.

“The two people who really opened that door for me are Cheng and Bob Rennie,” the developer recalls. Rennie made his fortune in real estate marketing, and ArtNews has nominated him four times (most recently in 2018) as one of the world’s top 200 art collectors. He’s on the board of London’s Tate Modern and has an eponymous art museum in Vancouver’s Chinatown neighborhood. In the past, Westbank has worked with Rennie to market some of its projects and Rennie and Gillespie forged a relationship in which Gillespie’s inquisitive nature and appreciation for beauty was stoked by Rennie’s knowledge of and access to the global contemporary art scene. At the same time, Cheng was advocating for the inclusion of art as a critical element of the architectural process.

“James and Bob held my hand and brought me into the art world,” Gillespie says. “Once you’re pulled down that rabbit hole, you realize that your own personal growth is dependent on your ever-growing introduction

into the arts. It’s that moment when, for example, you meet [English artist] Liam Gillick, and you’re growing every minute you’re in his presence. Once you’re in it, [art] becomes this drug that you just don’t want to give up.”

Not much is known about Gillespie’s private art collection (assuming he has one), but he can be credited with bolstering the presence of public art in any city his buildings grace. Westbank has become known—and also scrutinized—for its increasingly complex and audacious art installations. A Rodney Graham piece, Spinning Chandelier, set for installation later this year near Westbank’s Vancouver House, is a physical manifestation of the artist’s 2005 film Torqued Chandelier Release. The 14-by-21-foot 18th-century-style chandelier will hang under the Granville Street Bridge and slowly rotate as it ascends over the course of each day, then return to its starting point. To add to the already ambitious nature of the project, Westbank had to get specially drafted permitting for the placement of the piece, and a new type of mechanism was engineered specifically for the project by Washington’s Walla Walla Foundry in collaboration with Arup. Few developers would have the time—the piece is now six years out from ideation—the patience, or the willingness to sink as much money into the public art component of a building. But Gillespie sees it as an investment in the neighborhood. “This is the kind of piece that will become a must-see for those visiting Vancouver,” he says. “It’s going to have a big impact.”

Critics often lambast Westbank’s projects as mere appeasements or distractions from the fact that a majority of the firm’s condos are aimed at the ultrawealthy (a 413-square-foot one-bedroom unit at Vancouver House is listed for $719,900 on Westbank’s website). And in a city where bylaws require the inclusion of public art in any new building over 100,000 square feet (if the project is seeking rezoning), many developers regard it as just another element to check off their to-do list. According to Reid Shier, executive director of the Polygon Gallery in North Vancouver and Westbank’s public art consultant, city bylaws require that, in order for a building to receive its occupancy permits, a project must spend $1.98 per square foot on publicly accessible art (again, this is for projects that require rezoning). One of the ways the selection process runs, and the one Westbank most often employs, involves a jury made up of the architect, developer, and three independent arts professionals who together make a list of prospective artists, two to three of whom will be invited to submit proposals.

All selection processes are proposed and approved by the City of Vancouver’s Public Art Committee.

Shier first met Gillespie more than a decade ago while sitting on the jury that would eventually commission a 2009 text-based Liam Gillick artwork for the Fairmont

Pacific Rim. He’s served as Westbank’s public art consultant since 2012. “Ian has a real eye for art,” he says. “That’s not something you can necessarily teach.

I think it comes from a place of true curiosity and openness to the creative process and to being challenged by the conversations of good artists. Ian is really eager to work with very ambitious artists, hear about their processes, and help them realize their visions.”

One thing that can be unequivocally said about Gillespie is that he is willing to push the boundaries of both art and architecture. In cities full of buildings that often look the same, a visionary tapping the talents of creatives unafraid to take risks can only be a good thing.

Even if a building’s design brings ire from the public for being “too modern” or “too strange,” it’s a relief that people are actually discussing the thing rather than passing it by without notice. Any emotion elicited, it can be argued, is better than no emotion at all.

For all the focus on his wealth and status, it should be noted that, in addition to commissioning public art projects, Gillespie has his hand in a series of ventures aimed at helping communities in need. In 2009, Westbank completed the redevelopment of the historic early-1900s Woodward’s Building in Vancouver’s neglected Downtown Eastside neighborhood. Working with Vancouver-based frequent collaborator Henriquez Partners Architects, Westbank made a play to revitalize the downtrodden surrounding area as well, and in addition to market-rate apartments, the site now includes community housing, a new home for Simon Fraser University’s Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, and an open court with a basketball hoop where Westbank hosts community breakfasts several times a year.

In late 2017, working independently from Westbank, Gillespie launched the Creative Housing Society, a Toronto-based nonprofit that is collaborating with the Canadian government to build 50,000 units of affordable housing, primarily in Toronto and Vancouver. Some call these efforts a move for publicity, but both cities currently are experiencing a staggering rise in homelessness, exacerbated by a lack of affordable housing. Isn’t any form of help better than none?

Although he balks at comparison to the Medici family, one can’t help but draw parallels between the contemporary Canadian developer and the famed Florentine clan who served as patrons to some of the most notable architects and artists of the Renaissance, including Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Like the Medici, a banking family and political dynasty, Gillespie’s reach extends far beyond his daily work. In addition to his patronage in the art world, he also owns a large and growing vintage couture collection, comprising more than 200 pieces that range from runway pieces by » GRAY MAGAZINE

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THIS PAGE: RACHEL TOPHAM; COURTESY VANCOUVER ART GALLERY;

THE COLLECTIVE YOU

Zhang Huan’s “Rising” (2012), commissioned by Westbank for the facade of its Shangri-La Toronto hotel. OPPOSITE: Detail of Reena Saini Kallat’s “Woven Chronicle” (2015), a site-specific installation at Vancouver Art Gallery Offsite. »

British fashion designer Alexander McQueen (Gillespie’s favorite couturier) to early works by Yves Saint Laurent, including one of his infamous Mondrian dresses.

Among the collection is an original Chanel dress once worn by Amal Clooney. A series of belted, fringed, and bright Versace garments is displayed in glass cases in the lobby of the Fairmont Pacific Rim. “People are way more interested in the couture pieces than the [Guido] Molinari paintings,” Gillespie says of the large paintings that hang throughout the hotel’s lobby. One is a square of solid blue, the other a series of vertical stripes in orange, green, purple, yellow, and blue. “It doesn’t matter to me, though. I bought these paintings because I really like them.”

“Beauty is a process leading to an outcome, and that outcome is making a community, or the world, a better place. There’s beauty in so many things—mathematics, nature, the arts, architecture. . . It’s one of those things you know when you see it.”

—IAN GILLESPIE, FOUNDER, WESTBANK

Gillespie admitted that he’s not quite sure what to do with his couture collection, which began when his daughter Lauren suggested purchasing a vintage McQueen dress for her graduation. He’s fascinated by the evolution of style from runway to consumer, and as with the Molinari paintings, Gillespie really just appreciates their beauty. “Couture fashion isn’t widely considered an art form on the same level as, say, painting or sculpture,” he said, standing in front of an open closet packed with gowns, “but it absolutely should be.”

In every endeavor, Gillespie goes big, as expressed by his recent foray into the literary arts. He’s written two books, one of them the 622-page tome Fight for Beauty (published by Westbank Projects Corp.), his manifesto about the meaning and purpose of beauty in life. “The [goal] of my writing this book wasn’t for you to read it,” he says. “The purpose was for me to write the book.” It’s a very Gillespian thing to say, and it encompasses his seemingly deep and genuine curiosity about the world.

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During our photo shoot, we chatted about a handful of his other creative ventures. While posing at a conference table on an upper floor of the Westbank offices, he mentioned Siegel Entertainment, a curation firm that provides live entertainment for luxury hotels and corporate and private events. Westbank is an equal partner in Siegel, and the company is in the process of expanding its services beyond Canadian borders.

Gillespie also has an interest in the performing arts, and has invested heavily in the Vancouver-based Goh Ballet Academy, which he plans to expand to Toronto, Shanghai, and eventually Seattle. The Vancouver Art Gallery’s outdoor exhibition space, located just west of the Shangri-La Hotel (another Westbank project), was built by Westbank and Peterson Investment Group, and Gillespie (among others) is given special recognition at the bottom of the museum’s Offsite webpage. Since its opening in 2009, the space has hosted a round-robin of pieces by international artists working in a range of materials, from film and light to mixed-media sculptures.

And the list goes on and on.

As the saying goes, you have to take the good with the bad. Not that there is anything “bad” about Gillespie in the wicked sense of the word, but his force on Vancouver’s real estate market—a dominance that has a major impact on everything from home prices to the urban landscape—does deserve a critical eye. But criticism has never been enough to really ruffle Gillespie’s feathers.

He’s on a mission to bring as much beautiful, complicated, and emotion-stirring art to the world as possible, and he really doesn’t care what others think about it. Last October, the creative arts publisher Phaidon released a book called Destination Art: 500 Artworks Worth the Trip.

Of the 15 works cited throughout Canada, three of the pieces—Diana Thater’s Light Art, the aforementioned Liam Gillick poem encircling the Fairmont Pacific Rim, and Stan Douglas’s 26-by-42-foot photograph Abbott & Cordova—were commissioned by Westbank.

“Sometimes I look at people’s personal art collections and think, ‘Oh, man, I wish I had done that, or bought that,’” Gillespie says, glancing out the window toward seaplanes taking off. “But at the end of the day, the amount of people who actually get to see personal art collections is so limited. Oftentimes, the work is just stored in a warehouse. I compare that to the millions of people a year who are seeing the art we’ve created. At the end of the day, I’m really proud of what we’ve done.” h

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Rachel

Gallaher and Gillespie at Westbank’s global headquarters; a model for Westbank’s forthcoming First Light mixed-use tower in Seattle; Gillespie’s book, Fight for Beauty.

MATERIAL WORLD

Meet the people who play a vital—yet often overlooked—role in creating the spaces where we live, work, and play.

Written by R ACH E L E G G E R S | Photographed by NATE WATTER S

UNFILTERED

WHEN I VISIT ARCHITECTURE FIRM MG2, it is the birthday of its

design lab manager, Candon Michelle Murphy, and a balloon bobs above her desk. But even on a regular weekday, there’s a celebratory vibe in her affable realm. She runs the bright, often busy materials library at MG2’s flagship office in downtown Seattle, where shelves and drawers are filled with fabric, tile, and carpet, and tables are strewn with materials meant to ignite creativity. There’s cozy seating, a mood board, and a sign made by a colleague with a sense of humor: “The Doctor Is In.” The doctor, of course, is Murphy: she’s there to spark inspiration—as well as to do in-depth materials research—as required by MG2’s architects.

Design librarians, who may be little-known outside the industry, often serve, like Murphy, in more than one capacity. Traditionally this individual manages a firm’s materials library, where samples are kept.

She also conducts detailed research on costs, durability, and trends and acts as liaison between vendors and the firm’s architects and designers.

Operating as a consultant on various

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projects, the design librarian is a nexus point of learning, refuge, and play.

In other words, it’s a role that wears many hats. Murphy, for example, has a background in industrial design; she originally wanted to be a sculptor, but ended up opting for a more financially viable career in interior design instead. Dan White, senior associate at architecture firm NBBJ’s Seattle headquarters, is a former teacher who got his start at Jones and Jones Architects and Landscape Architects, where he organized its archives of a half-million slides. In Vancouver, Kim Stanley, an interior designer at Perkins+Will, had a passionate interest in materials that led her to manage the firm’s library, where she advocates for the use of nontoxic, long-lasting renewable products. And Erica Buss, library manager at the Portland office of Ankrom Moisan, is a professional librarian who found a way to marry her academic skills with her love of design.

In an era when digital tools are increasingly dominant—most architects have turned to AutoCAD and other computer-aided drawing

systems for drafting—design librarians underline the importance of physicality in the field. You can look at an online photo of a rug sample to get an idea of its color and shape, but no image can give you an accurate idea of how it will feel under your client’s feet.

Equally important are the librarians’ organizational and relationship skills. In sharing their body of knowledge, they play a key role in the final outcome of their firm’s designed spaces. “You make so many statements with the materials you choose,” says Murphy. Even a slight shift in the color, texture, or size of media such as wallpaper can have a huge impact on how people feel in a space, especially a public one. And when it comes to a project like a restaurant or storefront, that shift can factor into its overall profit or loss.

As design firms address political and environmental issues including climate change and green living, the librarians’ awareness flows outward to firms’ individual departments.

Librarians dedicate time to research vendors’ products and use their ordering power to downplay or »

Candon Michelle Murphy arranges a palette of materials at MG2’s Seattle office. THIS PAGE: Dan White in his materials library at NBBJ. PREVIOUS SPREAD:

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Although often little known outside their industry, design librarians have a strong impact on the product market. A rising demand for sustainable materials will hopefully lead manufacturing companies to be more accountable about the origins and components of their products.

advocate for certain materials.

“Designers are savvy and question things,” says Stanley. “We look for more transparency about materials and what processes they’ve gone through.” Concerns about the origins of materials, conditions at factories, and the potential toxicity of components are raised by design librarians, and, as a result, the industry as a whole has begun to respond to demands for sustainability. “In the past, we’ve had requests for vinyl flooring for its resistance to wear and tear,” Stanley says. “Not only is vinyl bad for the environment, but it is toxic in all phases of its life cycle.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is on Perkins+Will’s precautionary list, and we avoid specifying it at all costs.”

Design librarians are also, unequivocally, tastemakers, especially those involved in the creation of public or commercial spaces. We see their work hundreds, if not thousands, of times a day, and it becomes part of the identity of many businesses. In the Pacific Northwest,

design librarians are proving especially influential. Social media’s ever-growing presence means the local aesthetic is exported—all four of the design librarians I interviewed pointed to the dominance of steel, wood, glass, and natural patinas in regional design, and noted a preference for them due to the quality and character of the materials. “We like the real thing,” says Buss.

In describing their constantly changing day-to-day activities, design librarians rely on interpretation and diplomacy, as well as metaphor.

They also see concrete results in the thousands of decisions they make that help guide their firms’ projects to completion. “It’s a tremendous responsibility,” says White. “We’re supporting designers who create long-term spaces for people we’ll likely never meet.” Nonetheless, design librarians’ quiet work is omnipresent. Thanks to their curiosity and care, you’ll feel and see their presence in every building, restaurant, and office you visit. h

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Standout stories on the built environment, stretching from a cinema-inspired kitchen to a cliff-hanging riverside residence.

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ARCHITECTURE

A RETURN TO PLAY Unlike most traditionally sterile medical facilities, a university’s new medical building makes welcoming design a top priority.

Written by J E N N I FE R BAU M L AG DA MEO | Photographed by EMA PETER

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The entry pavilion, designed by HCMA Architecture + Design, makes a bold statement despite the building’s narrow footprint. A branching light fixture by Artemide lends a sense of motion to the entrance. Distinguished by its charred wood exterior, the upper level contains the building’s research facilities. The ground floor houses the clinic, with a waiting area veiled in glazed glass panels. »

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w

ith its modern angles, cantilevered second floor, and trail of shou sugi ban siding, the Chan Gunn Sports Medicine Pavilion is among Vancouver’s latest design destinations—albeit an unexpected one. Part of the University of British Columbia, the facility—designed by HCMA Architecture + Design and opened in March 2018—houses the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Clinic, a rehabilitation and research gym, a kinesiology and physiology laboratory, and an advanced-technology imaging suite. It’s a place anyone would want to visit, out of design curiosity or medical need.

Erected on a narrow parcel of land immediately adjacent to the university’s Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, the structure sits upon a skinny, grassy plot, a

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constraint that informed the building’s long, streamlined design. Its southwest wall is nestled against the adjacent sports center, and its dramatically cantilevered second floor juts out over the entrance, where rectangular forms and wood exteriors are a stark contrast to the lower level’s glazed glass panels.

“We were looking to express the notion of movement in the design,” says Stuart Rothnie, lead architect at HCMA, noting that his team used the building’s function as a rehabilitation clinic as inspiration for the project.

“We were interested in the idea of a return to play: going from a rigid movement to a free-flowing movement that you would associate with an athlete.” In addition to serving the school’s sports teams, the facility offers a walk-in clinic that, Rothnie says, made it “extra important for the building to be instantly recognizable as a public destination.” The architects achieved this by differentiating »

HCMA inserted a row of windows and skylights along the second floor’s corridor to bring light into the space and down through the center of the building. Vertical wood stairwell pickets riff on the shou sugi ban treatments used both inside and out. OPPOSITE: The mostly black and white materials inform a bold, clean interior, as evident in the waiting area, where the upper and lower levels visually connect.

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the building from its context through the use of color and materials, while orienting the building mass and entry points outward.

The ground level is divided into two sections. At the front are the clinic and waiting areas, where sidewalk-facing, full-height glazed glass panels allow daylight to enter, while the panes’ white ceramic frits create a partial screen that, as Rothnie puts it, “prevents patients from feeling like they are in a fishbowl.” The consulting rooms are at the back, for additional privacy.

Upstairs, the research facilities feature charred black wood, which also runs like a dark ribbon around the upper level on the interior, defining it as a separate

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volume. A grand staircase connects the two floors with vertical black wood pickets that form a stark, screenlike railing. “The wood creates a sense of arrival. It also draws your eye up to the second floor and connects the two levels in a powerful way,” says Rothnie. The ceiling is composed of rough-sawn western red cedar planks—a material also used in the exterior soffits to highlight the connection between interior and exterior and create a welcoming entrance for patients.

“The building has a distinct personality and has created another frontage for the Thunderbird arena,” Rothnie says. “That synergy activates the plaza and brings new life to this part of the campus.” h

The ceiling above the second-level hallway features motorized louvers for natural ventilation. They are part of a building-wide system that mixes outside air with room air to improve thermal comfort. This is the first building to utilize the proprietary system, which was created by UK company Breathing Buildings. OPPOSITE: A running track extends down the length of the building and provides a place for physicians to observe athletes’ performance.

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“‘Return to Play’: that’s the catchphrase we developed for the building. Its whole purpose is getting people to a place where they can be active again.”

—Stuart Rothnie, architect

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CLIFF HANGER A new build on a precipitous lot draws upon its dramatic setting.

Written by RACHEL GALLAHER | Photographed by JEREMY BITTERMANN

GENERATIONS COME AND GO, BUT THE LANDSCAPE IS FOREVER.

Case in point: this modern three-story residence has a shape informed by the steep, rocky site it occupies on the western bank of Oregon’s Willamette River. Situated about seven miles south of Portland’s downtown core, the property was purchased by the current homeowner’s father in the early 1960s. She and her two sisters spent childhood summers at the home, waterskiing and fishing in the river.

“We had the most glorious time growing up there,” she says. “We wanted our children and grandchildren to have the same experience.”

When her father passed away and left her the property in 2015, she and her husband immediately began planning a renovation of the house so it could accommodate large

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gatherings (they sometimes host up to 18 family members at once) and multiple overnight guests.

“This property has undergone several different construction projects,” says architect Risa Boyer, founder of Portland-based Risa Boyer Architecture.

“When the three daughters moved out in the ’70s, their father split the lot and built a smaller house for himself and his wife. After the land was passed on to the client, we started talking about remodeling her father’s house—but it became clear very quickly that renovating would be just as expensive as building new.”

Presented with the prospect of customizing a new home—the existing structure’s rooms were small and poorly connected, maintenance issues abounded, and a series of in-ground planters had caused water damage—the client jumped at the

opportunity. “The house my father built was contemporary and cuttingedge for its time,” the homeowner recalls. To honor that history in the site’s next incarnation, she decided to go back to her roots, following her father’s pursuit of modernism.

Charged to design a house that featured “dark, blocky masses coming together,” Boyer worked with Ben Shook of 2BPS Construction to erect a 3,760-square-foot dwelling with a corresponding 220-square-foot guest house tucked into the trees nearby.

Given the plot’s proximity to the cliffside, Boyer had to work within the restriction of an environmental overlay zone that prevented her from expanding the new home past the footprint of the original one. A 40foot cement retaining wall would be the lone survivor; it provides support for the lower level of the project, »

Architect Risa Boyer designed this three-story house for a client who wanted it to echo both Japanese and Norwegian design. Cedar siding was stained black, and windows at the back of the main structure provide unobstructed views of the Willamette River. Âť

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where a three-bedroom, two-bathroom guest suite opens onto a concrete patio overlooking the river. “In the summer, the kids wake up in the morning and rush down to the dock to play and fish,” the homeowner says.

The main level—containing the kitchen, living/dining area, and a powder room—took shape with river views in mind. The house sits in close proximity to its neighbors to the north, so Boyer forwent windows on that façade, opting instead for a glassed-in entryway that creates a sense of unfolding space as one approaches the back side of the structure. There, a river-facing wall of floorto-ceiling Fleetwood windows opens to an extensive deck

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with views of Elk Rock Island, a small state park. A custom blackened-steel, cold-rolled fireplace, made by local metalworker Jeff Whitaker (who also produced the deck and stair railings and exterior awnings), anchors the living room. Its texture and patina change slightly depending on the light. Objects collected from the couple’s travels to Asia, Africa, and Europe add further visual interest.

The top level of the house is the master suite, or “our place to escape if things get a little chaotic,” as the homeowner describes it. If she is really in need of a break, she’ll grab a glass of wine and sneak over to the guest quarters, located 5 yards from the main residence. It’s

The homeowner led the interior design, choosing a blackand-white palette to direct the choice of finishes and furnishings. The living area has a custom fireplace created by metalworker Jeff Whitaker, who also made the railing that borders the deck. Two In-es.artdesign Mezza Luna dome lights illuminate the dining table, which is surrounded

by Orbit by CB2 dining chairs. THIS PAGE: The custom staircase is one of the homeowner’s favorite details—its treads are 2-inch rift-sawn solid white oak, and the railing and zigzagging stringer, both made from cold-rolled steel, were crafted by Whitaker.

OPPOSITE:

built on a spot that once held a storage shed, and it has since become a favorite family hideaway.

The exteriors of both structures were stained black, tying them to the light-and-dark interior palette. It’s another element that connects the project to the land.

The house is visible to passing boats, but its mindful architecture and blending with the surrounding trees pay homage to the decades of natural and family history entwined within the property. “Every time I walk in the door, I set down my bags and feel like I’m home,” the client says. “Risa captured the spirit of my father’s house, but reenvisioned it in a way that suits our family now.” h

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FAST LANE

A modern art collection informs the contemporary interiors of a home regulated by historic preservation laws.

Written by RENSKE WERNER | Photographed by EMA PETER

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Black metal elevates the living room’s bylaw-dictated trusses. Interior designer Jennifer Heffel sourced the sofa and chairs from Holly Hunt, one of her favorite furniture lines. 

INTERIORS + ARCHITECTURE

INTERIORS

Brass details throughout the home include chandeliers

by Lindsey Adelman and Matthew McCormick. A painting by Gordon Smith anchors the space.

T

he catch-22 interior designer Jennifer Heffel encountered upon meeting her new clients was more than just a clash of styles. A family with a large modern art collection and a love of contemporary design, her clients were living on a lot in Vancouver’s Shaughnessy neighborhood—a historic, upscale locale with heritage bylaws that require architects to honor the design legacies of historic styles including Craftsman, Dutch Colonial, Arts and Crafts, and Tudor. The family’s new 8,600-square-foot

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Craftsman-style home, designed by local firm Formwerks, followed the strict guidelines: exterior features include stone and shingle siding, pitched rooflines, and standing-seam metal awnings. But for the interiors, the homeowners requested a streamlined 21st-century approach. Most of the design choices, they said, should be inspired by, and based around, their art collection.

“Even though my clients requested a modern interior, I am a strong believer in not straying too far from the architectural style of a house,” says Heffel, owner of HB Design. “So we developed a plan to »

Artwork by Etienne Zack, sourced from Vancouver’s Equinox Gallery, hangs above a leather Holly Hunt bench.

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Echoing the metal trusses in the living room, the glass-and-metal wall that divides the gym and garage provides a show-stopping view of the homeowner’s prized Porsche 911. The wine cellar’s front wall and pivoting hinged door mimic the interior garage wall. The central back wine case doubles as a hidden door, swinging open to reveal a narrow storage area for wine boxes and crates.

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marry the two styles. We focused on timeless materials and traditional details, but pared down their execution to create a simplified, edgier finished product.”

The project started with an inventory of the art collection. The clients created a list of 12 paintings, in a variety of sizes, they wanted on prominent display. Heffel used the list as a jumping-off point, arranging furniture and lighting to show off each piece. She selected a material palette drawn from early-19th-century European heritage design—including oak, Carrara marble, and brass—and opted for neutral shades of black, white, and gray to keep the art front and center.

In the living room, Heffel inserted a custom fireplace, built by Keystone Projects, that would be a compelling focal point, but not the centerpiece, in the room. That honor would go to two large Robert Longo paintings; one hangs on either side of the fireplace, which is clad in antique smoked-mirror panels and beveled glass, accented with gold leaf. “All of these materials are classic,” says Heffel, “but setting them in a linear, minimal aesthetic successfully fuses old and new.”

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Elsewhere, Heffel continued her alchemy by updating the traditional scissor truss design required in the architectural drawings. “I cleaned up the lines of the trusses and chose to manufacture them in blackened metal for a more contemporary look,” she says. The trusses’ dark finish and width became details that feature in other areas of the home, including the den’s pocket doors, the garage and wine cellar walls, and the blackened-steel railing along the stairs.

Heffel was also charged with creating a way to view the garage from inside the house. Her solution: installing a glass-and-black-metal wall between the family’s gym and the garage, allowing the homeowners a glimpse of their prized cherry-red Porsche 911. In a nod to the classic car and the homeowner, an automotive executive who loves to drive race cars, Heffel installed a high-end racing simulator on the wall’s opposite side.

“The contemporary use of classic materials was successful because it was done consistently throughout the home,” says Heffel. “The client put their trust in me, but at the same time, their taste was so exceptional, they challenged me to do even better.” h

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To meld a couple’s diametrically opposed color choices for their new kitchen, Benni Adams of Hyde Evans Design employed a black-and-white palette. Bright white penny-round Daltile backsplash tiles complement a custom MSI Arctic White quartz-stone countertop from MSI and white oak rift-sawn flooring.

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Role Reversal

One partner wanted a black kitchen. The other wanted white. A cinema-inspired solution delighted them both.

Written by CLAIRE BUTWINICK | Photographed by WILLIAM WRIGHT

WE’VE ALL HEARD THE TERM “FLIPPING HOUSES,” but in the

case of one recent home rebuild in Seattle’s Madrona neighborhood, the design team literally turned the project upside-down.

Led by local firm Motionspace Architecture + Design, the remodel reversed the rooms’ traditional orientation, moving the kitchen, living, dining, and powder rooms to the top floor to take advantage of the home’s proximity to Lake Washington.

“While it’s more common to put the bedrooms above the living space, we find most clients don’t spend a lot of daylight hours in the bedroom to appreciate the view,” says the firm’s principal architect, Nazim Nice. “By reversing the floor plan, the view can be enjoyed during the daytime.”

Contrasts continued when it came to the kitchen’s color palette. One homeowner preferred white, the other, black. “My wife describes her ideal home as the house from Father of the Bride,” says the husband.

“Mine is Cameron’s house in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” So Benni Adams, of local interior design firm Hyde Evans Design, conceptualized a design in which opposites attract.

The kitchen blends the competing colors: walls are brushed with Benjamin Moore White Dove paint, which features a hint of gray that balances nicely with the black-painted cabinets. Walnut trim and a walnut island base tie the room together, while brass knobs and pulls punctuate the dark surfaces.

“We didn’t think it would be possible to bring our two styles together,” says one of the homeowners. “The team managed to create the lived-in, cozy feel of a traditional home while providing an adult, modern design. It is definitely a reflection of us.” h

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DANIEL KAVEN

The Camp Minoh residence, designed by Portland-based William Kaven Architecture, is nestled into a lakeside acre of a northern Michigan forest, with concrete and charred shou sugi ban siding that provides protection from the elements. »

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modern lodging Walls of windows and durable materials allow a modern lakefront home to embrace, and withstand, the elements.

Written by BRIAN LIBBY | Photographed by MATT CARBONE

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The house’s zigzagging layout maximizes its corners, formed by Kolbe windows, to ensure abundant natural light in each room. The living room features a custom steel-plated fireplace, pickled Douglas fir ceilings, an Eero Saarinen Womb chair, and a Como sectional chaise from Design Within Reach. OPPOSITE: The foyer juxtaposes raw concrete floors and walls with walnut paneling.

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WITH ITS SHORELINE SITE ON NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN SURROUNDED BY AN ACRE OF PINE AND BIRCH TREES, the Camp Minoh

residence is a picturesque year-round retreat.

Located in a region with an extreme climate— swirling winds, snowy winters, and hot, humid summers—the house, designed by Portland-based William Kaven Architecture, needed to stand up to the elements. It also had to sit lightly on the land.

“Designing a house for a large site is a special challenge,” says the firm’s cofounder, Daniel Kaven, who codesigned the house with his partner, Trevor William Lewis, for the parents of one of their firm’s interns. The project’s ample footprint offered unusual opportunities, too: “We did exhaustive studies of how to position the building so you could hang out in the sun on the Fourth of July,” he says. »

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ARCHITECTURE

Bertoia barstools from Knoll complement a kitchen island and walnut-clad cabinetry.

A white quartz island countertop brings a modern feel to the home’s mostly wood palette.

The resulting 3,949-square-foot, four-bedroom home includes three pavilions—a garage, the main house, and a master suite—connected by small, enclosed glass bridges. The pavilions are laid out in a fan-like shape that maximizes natural light.

“The plan evolved into a pinwheel so we could create two outdoor spaces,” Kaven says. “There’s a forested front area, with the house blocking the wind, and a terrace overlooking the lake.” Every space—be it the expansive terrace to the southwest, the combined living-dining-kitchen area in the middle pavilion, or the ground-floor master bedroom—has two walls of windows, plus a view of the lake.

The exterior cladding was chosen for its durability. Concrete on the ground floor and shou sugi ban charred cedar siding for the upper

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level visually reduce the house’s mass into interlocking pieces.

Inside, the rooms feature walnut cabinetry and wall paneling, as well as exposed Douglas fir ceilings.

The second level, 300 square feet larger than the first, has three bedrooms and a large study–cum– family room where its residents often gather to watch football.

With the cozy characteristics of a cabin elevated through a pareddown aesthetic, the house strikes a balance between its two regional influences—rugged Michigan and the misty Pacific Northwest—in a nuanced way.

“When the house lights up with an amber color at night, it looks like a beacon,” Kaven says. “It is as if you could weather a tremendous storm, sitting comfortably by the fire.” h

A hole cut into a wall in the front of the house for firewood storage frames views of the forest.

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APPENDIX

KEVIN G. SMITH

An invigorating coda, containing blue-ribbon restaurants, a revamped 1960s rancher, and show-stopping black-and-white photography.

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Pretty in Plywood An architect hones humble materials to a sophisticated edge in an Anchorage fast-casual restaurant.

Written by RACHEL GALLAHER | Photographed by KEVIN G. SMITH

THE NUMBER OF ARCHITECTS WILLING TO CREDIT THEIR DESIGN INSPIRATION TO A CHICKEN COOP PROBABLY COULD BE TALLIED ON A SINGLE HAND.

But Petra Sattler-Smith, principal architect and owner of Anchorage, Alaska–based Lumen Design, might be one such rare—and enthusiastic—example.

Last spring she wrapped up the design of Chicken Shack, a streamlined eatery that specializes in Southern comfort food with an emphasis on fried chicken. “The name came before the design,” says Sattler-Smith. “One of the first images that popped into my head was a chicken coop with sunlight filtering through the cracks in the wood. I wanted to capture that juxtaposition of light and dark [in this project.]”

Sattler-Smith, who is originally from Germany but has been an Anchorage resident for two decades, planned out the sleek space with general contractor Willodell Enterprises and the restaurant’s owner and chef, Shana Whitlock. The room is anchored by its existing concrete floor—patched and repaired in some places—and a

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modest material palette that is dominated by plywood.

“It was an inexpensive solution we made modern by cutting the boards to custom sizes,” Sattler-Smith says of the plywood. The team made tables, benches, and booths from the wood and studs, as well as a shelving system behind the counter to display merchandise. To really make the plywood pop, Sattler-Smith covered the walls and ceiling in Sherwin Williams’s Greenblack paint. A custom steel counter, brushed with the same dark shade, continues the industrial aesthetic, while its slim profile keeps things restrained and focused on the food.

Furniture, too, is minimal—Sattler-Smith chose Form bar stools from Normann Copenhagen for nonbooth seating, and Menu’s tied pendant lights hang from a framework made from 2-inch-by-2-inch studs in one area of the restaurant. “It was about creating an atmosphere that would highlight the menu,” she says of the space.

“Like the food itself, the design is straightforward and honest, without a lot of frills.” »

At Chicken Shack, a restaurant in Anchorage, Alaska, architect Petra Sattler-Smith of Lumen Design opted for a chiaroscuro scheme of pale plywood, moody walls, and a custom counter fabricated from steel and covered in pine-tinged black paint.

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To give the plywood booths a refined feel, the team came up with an inventive assembly process that highlights the joint without exposing fasteners or hardware. Âť

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Sattler-Smith used SherwinWilliams’s Greenblack paint throughout the restaurant as a tonal juxtaposition to the plywood. Mad Dog Graphx created the branding; the sign seen here, in a font used throughout the space, is made from cut-out plywood.

Tied pendant lights from Menu dangle from a custom ceiling lattice. h

“Simplicity in design is timeless, honest, and quiet, and it’s reflected in the choice of material and attention to craft.”

—Petra Sattler-Smith, architect

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APPENDIX

Better with Age Local, natural materials reflect a New American restaurant’s like-minded menu.

Written by T IFFANY J OW | Photographed by K E V I N S CO TT

PHOTOGRAPHS OF SAMARA, A RESTAURANT THAT OPENED AT THE END OF JANUARY IN THE SUNSET HILL NEIGHBORHOOD OF SEATTLE, could easily be mistaken

for Dutch still-life paintings. The space’s shadowy interior enhances its sumptuous furnishings, which are skillfully made from humble materials such as brick and wood.

The aura is due in part to the 1,178-square-foot, 36-seat eatery’s unusual cooking-heat source: a single applewood-fueled oven and hearth. Seattle-based architecture studio Mutuus (pronounced “moo-tus”) is responsible for this painterly effect, which epitomizes the handiwork of the firm’s partners, Kristen and Saul

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Becker (who are married) and Jim Friesz. You wouldn’t guess they had never designed a restaurant before.

Eric Anderson, the chef (and former chef of the Portland institution Besaw’s Cafe), was introduced to Mutuus through a mutual friend.

When he met with the firm, Anderson already had a name in mind: Samara, which is the word for several tree species’ twirling helicopter-like seeds and, coincidentally, the designation Frank Lloyd Wright gave to one of his Usonian homes in the Midwest, where Anderson grew up.

The chef is also a fan of traditional craftsmanship and its embrace of local, natural materials. Mutuus realized he’d already incorporated

this approach into his menu, which focuses on heritage-breed animals and sustainable seafood. He’d even commissioned a local potter, Akiko Graham, to create a selection of the dishware (other pieces were sourced from Paris). Inspired, the firm translated his ethos into the restaurant’s interiors in a way that is at once contemporary and new.

The dining room offers a commanding view of the grill, which is surrounded by a food prep area and a chef’s counter to evoke the intimate, comforting feeling of a fireside gathering. Dark-stained oak paneling and wainscoting wrap around a portion of the space, whose original firewall—thick stacks

In Samara’s dining room, everyday materials are transformed into elevated accents. Each table holds a vase made by one of Mutuus’s founding architects and is illuminated by the firm’s Mallet light.

of native wood 2x4s—serves as a reference to Samara’s preferred cooking method. Patina-heavy copper cladding and handmade bricks (“You can see thumb indentations in them,” Saul says), made in Denmark and embedded with fused glass, sourced from northern Washington—based Kerry Johnson Glass, surround the hearth.

Saul, who began his career as an artist, installed one of his paintings near the bar. He also designed and fabricated the lighting fixtures—the chef’s counter and prep station feature his Cinder and Ember lights, made from knurled copper pipes, while leather banquettes are illuminated by Mallet, a custom

light with a rotating arm. In the washroom, a spent artillery shell, perforated and coated with reflective glass beads that resemble Swarovski crystals, serves as a pendant.

The eight-seat chef’s counter is made of soapstone, a beautiful, highly functional material selected for its ability to withstand hot skillets placed directly on it. It’s an example of Mutuus’s aim to create a deluxe space that rejects the notion of a precious white-walled restaurant. “This is a space that will get better with age and use,” Saul says.

“We want people to really interact with it.” Other details reinforce this message: the tables were made of pine that once formed a Lake

Union pier and have feet that adjust independently to prevent wobbling and tipping, and the chairs were handmade by Amish craftsmen and have arched backs where customers can hang their bags.

“Samara feels historic, with a warm, hearth-like light everywhere,” Saul says. Anderson’s plan is to expand Samara’s current dinner-only service to brunch later this year while ensuring the restaurant remains connected to its location. “People come in and feel comfortable almost immediately,” he says, adding that customers enjoy being close to the cooking action. “It just feels good to be in this space.” h

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THIS PAGE: In the kitchen, interior

designer Vanessa Stark incorporated a black cabinet wall, installed by Pacific Rim Cabinets. An extra-large Silestone kitchen island suits the client’s busy lifestyle, illuminated by Tom Dixon’s bronze pendant lights. Kolbe sliding glass doors admit natural light into the space and onto the Paulig rug, which was purchased through Salari Fine Carpets.

OPPOSITE: The home’s original brick fireplace was updated with Benjamin Moore’s Space Black paint. Blu Dot’s Toro lounge chair softens its imposing façade. »

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Heritage of a Home Symmetrical layouts, brass accents, and muted colors create a restrained yet inviting interior.

Written by RENSKE WERNER Photographed by JANIS NICOLAY

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throughout the house are covered in Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace paint. Concrete floor tiles from Ames Tile provide a cool contrast to the warm pine post-and-beam ceiling. A Dekton counter and backsplash complement JennAir appliances.

INTERIORS

FROM LEFT: Walls

WHEN INTERIOR DESIGNER VANESSA STARK INITIALLY SET FOOT IN HER CLIENTS’ HOME, she

made two snap decisions that would guide her through the project. First, she knew the post-and-beam ceilings had to be preserved. Second, the original central brick fireplace had to stay, too. “I want the spaces I design to speak honestly of the heritage of the home,” says Stark, cofounder of Chambers and Stark Design Studio.

“I also try to use the bones of the original space to create interest.”

Aside from the fact that almost every finished surface needed to be removed and replaced, the single-

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level 1960s bungalow made a strong first impression. The family had lived in the house for 10 years before deciding to remodel and expand.

Local architect Kelvin Humenny designed an addition built along the north and east sides of the home. The 500-square-foot wing expanded the existing dining room and includes a new music and TV room and a master suite. With the new configuration, public spaces are clustered at the southeast end of the house, while the private spaces are sequestered at the northwestern end.

During their initial design consultation at the designer’s office, the

clients whipped out several images of black-and-white kitchens. Riffing on this color scheme, Stark created an interior with black millwork, white walls, and splashes of soft gray. She also installed large sliding glass doors to bring natural light into the formerly dark kitchen.

Not a single square foot of the house is wasted, and there’s still plenty of breathing room throughout.

“Everything is the perfect size,” says Stark, who has a soft spot for West Coast ranch-style homes that reflect the region’s no-nonsense, laid-back attitude. “This is the kind of space I would design over and over again.” »

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Anne Saks tiles and Ames Tile white marble inform the bathroom’s dramatic color palette, which is enhanced by Kohler and Aquabrass fixtures. An addition along the home’s north and east sides made room for a master bathroom and bedroom, where the bed features a custom headboard by Fabulous Furnishings. Pacific Rim Cabinets designed the bedside tables and all the bathroom millwork. h CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE:

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APPENDIX

LAST LOOK

Finding Form

Rodrigo Etcheto, photographer As told to JENNIFER McCULLUM “SHOOTING IN BLACK AND WHITE IS ABOUT SIMPLIFYING. Color can be a

distraction: it can keep you from seeing an object’s underlying shapes and forms.

When you remove color, you see the structure. It’s like looking at a 3D model— what’s interesting is the form of things. Everything has a temporary shape that’s created and turned into something else. You can see that very clearly in water.

“With [my latest series,] Nothing Is Random, I photographed the shapes created by waterfalls on [Washington’s] Olympic Peninsula. At first, these images look like random shapes falling at different rates. But their trajectory isn’t random. What you’re seeing are the laws of nature and gravity playing out. This has implications in a much broader sense. Nothing that happens around you is random. There are laws at work in everything.” h

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“Creating custom features and building with unusual materials is exciting. It’s my favorite part of the work I do.”

LEO perez carpenter WITH ROBERTS GROUP FOR 10 YEARS

Founded, designed and built in Seattle. henrybuilt.com