Number 85 - english version

Tête-à-tête / Up-Close & Personal

Le plaisir des affaires / Mixing Business & Pleasure

L’union fait la force / Stronger Together

Qui fait quoi ? / Who’s Who

Un nouveau chapitre / What Comes Next?

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INTÉRIEURS No. 85 SPRING 2022 EDITORS’ NOTE

Cover Architect Carl Gerges, jury member of the GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN Awards’ 15th edition, composer and drummer to rock band Mashrou’ Leila, onstage at l’Olympia in Paris. © Carl Gerges Architect Art Direction Caserne

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UP-CLOSE & PERSONAL VINCENT HAUSPY

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Work Ethics & Healthy Habits LOUISE DUPONT & KATRINE BEAUDRY LEMAYMICHAUD ARCHITECTURE DESIGN

STRONGER TOGETHER 20

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Wang, Bam, Thank You Ma’am!

ZÉBULON PERRON

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The Gatsbian Mile-Ender STÉPHANIE CARDINAL

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Qui fait quoi ?

“Peace Starts Within” - Dalai Lama

Who's Who

RIJK RIETVELD

The Dying Art of Sketching

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Downtown Allies

The Devil Is in the Details JASON & LYNN WANG

SID LEE ARCHITECTURE + IVANHOÉ CAMBRIDGE

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WHO’S WHO Who's who amogst the GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN's international jury's new recruits.

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MIXING BUSINESS & PLEASURE MICHAËL RICHARD / NEWTECHWOOD CANADA, NERGIFLEX, DISTRICT BBQ

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A Team-Trusting Micromanager ANTHONY BROCCOLINI / BROCCOLINI

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Pride, Passion & Tradition PASCAL BLAIS / NOBLE ELEMENT

MICHÈLE BÉLAIR-PAGNETTI 64

Vivaldi's Winter SALVATORE GUERRERA & NICK TEDESCHI/ SAJO

Built to Last Intérieurs 85

WHAT COMES NEXT?

MICHEL MORELLI 68

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Always Here & Everywhere 128

A Ride Down Memory Train JEAN-CLAUDE POITRAS

All Colors of the Rainbow

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EDITORS’ NOTE TALES OF TALENTS After 25 years of publication, INTÉRIEURS magazine remains a benchmark for excellence in design and architecture, in Quebec and internationally, a benevolent beacon, an anthology of beauty in the industry.

In this PEOPLE issue, we chose to present unique portraits of personalities, business people, designers and architects, free thinkers, creators and innovators that impress, here and beyond borders.

Be up-close and personal with leading designers and architects and learn to which rhythm beats their drums.

Mix business and pleasure along with involved and successful businessmen deeply involved in their community and allies of our industry. See the sky as the limit when a development company and a creative agency work together to embellish our lives. Find out who’s who amongst the new elite members of the GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN’s International Jury. And, last but not least, read about what comes next in the lives and careers of established and experienced talents.

Our editorial and creative team joins us in thanking the fifty some participants of this special People issue for their candor and confidence.

May these tales of talents inspire you, surprise you, move you and teach you a little something endearing about our chosen personalities. Let’s celebrate the talents that change the world, one project at a time, one idea at a time.

Publishers & Editors Brigitte Gadoury Ginette Gadoury Art Direction Caserne — caserne.com Content, Creation & Writing Juli Pisano Writing Madeleine Champagne Advertising Production & Diffusion Director Brigitte Gadoury Project Managers Hélène Goré Mariève-Patricia Langevin Patrice-Hans Perrier Print Impresse inc.

Subscriptions int.design info@int.design 450 651–3630 Subscriptions Canada 25 $ + tx — 3 issues 40 $ + tx — 6 issues International 80 $ + tx — 3 issues 125 $ + tx — 6 issues In news stands 12,95 $ + tx per issues INTÉRIEURS Magazine is published three times a year by Agence PID 450 651–3630 info@agencepid.com Publication mail agreement number 40019406.

Return all mail that cannot be delivered in Canada at the Publications Services.

Administration Co-presidents Ginette Gadoury & Brigitte Gadoury Accounting Gestion Lynda De Grandpré inc.

Any reproduction of texts, illustrations and photos of the magazine is strictly forbidden. Even if all precautions have been taken to confirm the information contained in INTÉRIEURS magazine, it is agreed that the magazine cannot be held responsible of errors or acts of negligence in the use of this information.

Ginette & Brigitte Gadoury Co-presidents

Legal Deposit Bibliothèque nationale du Québec, Bibliothèque nationale du Canada ISSN 1206–0208 Printed in Canada

ABOUT INTÉRIEURS The magazine INTÉRIEURS founded in 1996, now publishes three special editions per year: two issues dedicated to the winners of the GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN competition and one so-called People issue which highlights the personalities and professionals who shape our environment and mark our industry. This paper version of INTÉRIEURS presents articles in French and English while unilingual versions in the language of Molière or Shakespeare are available here, on INT.design.

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PIECING IT TOGETHER

Since 1949 CALGARY

DARTMOUTH

MONTREAL

OTTAWA

QUEBEC

TORONTO

WINNIPEG

WORK ETHICS & HEALTHY HABITS Associate Designer Vincent Hauspy lives with his loving family in Lachine, rides his bike to work and separates work from family.

If anyone has the look of the profession, Vincent Hauspy’s stylishly trimmed beard and silky silver hair have Designer and Partner written all over them! At age 44, he sits as one of the youngest partners at Provencher Roy’s design division.

His secret to a happy and balanced life? He NEVER EVER works from home, much like his father before him.

An up-close and personal peek at a predestined designer!

VINCENT HAUSPY by

Juli Pisano

UP-CLOSE & PERSONAL

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MORNING ROUTINE “The pandemic was hard for me to swallow! It showed me the extend to which workplac-es are essential to ensure mental and social balance and health. Our home is our own universe whereas the office space has all these other electrons that bounce off us and feed us.”

For the soon-to-be ten-year firm partner Vincent, this synergy and energy are essential to achieve strong business bonds and results. And so, the self-described light-to-moderate hyperactive, triathlon athlete, cross-fitter and cyclist pedals to work every weekday morning from April to November.

“I ride along the canal, from our home in Lachine to our offices in Old Montreal. As I cycle closer to the office, I see the green trees turn to concrete building and city street lights, the birds chirping morph into cars zipping by and I feel ready for work. I get to the office, great my colleagues, turn my computer on and read my screen-saving mantra: Ceux qui croient que c’est impossible sont priés de ne pas déranger ceux qui essaient.”

His busy work day may begin!

THE MOUREAUX HAUSPY GENESIS Vincent’s dad is none other than Georges Hauspy, cofounder of the reputed interior design firm Moureaux Hauspy and life-long patron of design. “Alain and my father both arrived in Montreal on July 14, 1969, with a hundred-dollar bill in hand and the idea of staying overseas a mere five years or so, simply to avoid Belgium’s military service.”

But Georges met Carole fell in love and wed. And by Year 4, Alain Moureaux and Georges Hauspy opened a Montreal-based firm and the rest is history… they never left Canada to return to Belgium after their evaded military service years.

AFTER-WORK COMMUTE Needless to say, sport is Vincent’s pick-me-up of choice!

After work, he cycles his way back home and, as the birds start chirping and green trees appear, he signs off for the day.

After a quickly taken and oh-so frequently interrupted-byinquisitive-kids shower, Vincent Hauspy closes all business files and puts on his father and life partner gear on.

“My father has always worked hard, and yet, he was always home for dinner.” What Vincent fails to recall is how after dinner, come bath time, he would zip out of the house again, drive downtown and go back to the officesqueaking floor tiles for a night shift.

A FATHERLY LESSON “I remember going into work with my dad. Their first office I ever visited was at the corner of Viger Avenue and McGill College.

The wooden floors creaked. There were two small meeting rooms as we entered, between which was my favourite spot of all… a jelly bean machine and its nearby jar of pennies for free sugar supplies!”

“I remember the distinctive smell of sepia ink and sketching paper.

In high school, I would spend my afternoons goofing around on Autocad at my dad’s office!”

All the while, Generation X kids his age were playing Mario Bros and mastering Zelda! “I used to go to a Montreal high school college. I basically made the Moureaux Hauspy offices my home away from home for those years.”

The design firm’s offices back then were comprised of two Victorian houses united in the heart of Concordia Ghetto. “I had made it my ‘home in the city’ in many ways. I would see my father and his partner Alain Moureaux lead a hard-working team of talents and chat with their employees come break time.”

A HAUSPY FAMILY TRIP IN ITALY, 2018.

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LIFE IN THE FAST LANE His father’s employees kept telling Vincent that he would eventually take over the reins. Vincent could not disagree more!

“I was all about Formula 1, racing cars and speed!” After high school plans? A college degree in pure sciences, and after that, a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

But alas! Vincent was not gifted in sciences and a career in mechanical engineering was a far-fetched bound-to-fail plan. An uncle of his was a graphic design professor at Daw-son and bluntly told Vincent he could easily see him fitting in the Industrial Design Program the college offered.

“I enrolled at Dawson and found my calling! The industrial design program was tough, complementary, hands-on and technical. I loved it!”

“We were taught about techniques, materials, machinery and tooling.” A hands-on schooling experience that confirmed Vincent’s ever-present love of objects and furniture in particular.

“My father is Belgian. Every two years at most, my parents, my sister and I would fly off to visit Europe.” Born in 1978, we’re taking many years before our digital reality.

Millennials may not relate, but there was actually a time when physical experiences were really the only way to soak up life. Born in 1978, Vincent is part of the last generation ever to have experienced their coming-of-age years, light years away from any virtual access to information or inspiration.

BNP PARIBAS - CAMPUS MTL, ÉTAGE CORPORATIF, BY PROVENCHER ROY ARCHITECTURE DESIGN, 2019.

“With my dual citizenship and my grandparents in Belgium, I had the pleasure and privilege to travel around Europe often in my youth and learn immensely about design, architecture and aesthetics, through the rich heritage of experiences that shaped my vision.”

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AUTODESK 10 DUKE, LOBBY, BY PROVENCHER ROY ARCHITECTURE DESIGN, 2018.

A GOOD DESIGN PLEASES By force of circumstances, Vincent was initially seduced by designing objects and furniture, in particular. “A good design, in my opinion, is pleasing, comfortable and pleasant. With Frédéric Galliot, after an industrial design degree, he launches Erratum Designers.

“Quite an arrogant name, looking back… we chose Erratum for literal reasons. In news room, an Erratum is literally published to correct errors committed. I’m not saying we thought we were going to correct all the mistakes of the world, but we sure thought we could!”

“My father once told me the lucrative tale of Christen Sorensen’s Respons chair. Essentially, the Danish designer signed a $20 royalty fee per chair sold. By the time he passed at age 93, Kielhauer had sold over 5 million chairs.”

Cha-ching! What a young and eager Vincent had heard in Sorenson’s 100-million-dollar chair tale was that one idea, one object, one design can make you succeed! Naive, right?

But inspiring to an aspiring young designer to be!

At the time of Erratum, Vincent worked at the offices of Moureaux Hauspy on Mondays and Thursdays and ran his start-up with Frédéric on Fridays. “We were having fun. We made

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small collections in limited series. We took part in a few trade shows, from the Montreal Design Show to trade events in Vancouver. We did not even pay each other. We were 24 years old, careless and free!”

But realities and priorities change with time. Fast-forward to eight years later, Erratum Designers parts ways and Vincent migrates 100% towards the field of interior design.

SHOVELLING CLOUDS & DIRT He opts for an interior design approach rooted in understanding the user, his habitat and the electrons it houses. In 2013, at the age of 35, he seizes the opportunity to become an associate partner at Provencher Roy. "University has given me a good shovelful of clouds!

The philosophy of design, the histo-ry of design, the ethics of design… a mindful of concepts essential to grasp the uni-verse, the heritage and the context of an art to better return to basics.”

Keeping both feet on the ground, Vincent truly grasped the importance of this very early in life, spending Fridays helping out in his father’s office.

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“I used to work out my class schedule in order to have no classes on Fridays.

I’d go in at my father’s office, once a week, and basically, be the office gofer.

I’d do whatever was needed to give a hand, from photocopies to the most undesired repetitive tasks. As long as I was helping out, no task was below me.

And I did them all… during all four of my University years.”

Needless to say, Vincent has known, seen, experienced and conquered most frustrations that young employees, trainees or technicians may encounter while asked to do seemingly more secondary tasks!

LE REPRENEURSHIP For many people climbing the corporate ladder, becoming a partner is the ultimate goal. The finish line. The top of the hill.

“For my part, I believe that becoming a partner is only the beginning. It comes with its own learning curve and challenges.”

As a teenager, Vincent sat astride the fence. “I would take breaks with office workers who would spill the beans on some office frictions. All the while, I would also hear my father and Alain share their management issues and challenges.”

“With great power comes great responsibility,” says Yoda. And Vincent’s grasp of this reality in the business world has armed him with a wonderfully perceptive management style.

Repreneurship, or the desire to nurture the development of skills and talents internally by touching on everything, listening to each other, making reasonable compromises and collaborating without limiting oneself to the shackles of predefined tasks defines the management style that Vincent has engaged in and strengthened for almost ten years now.

The importance of listening to others and searching for reasonable compromises is at the forefront of Vincent’s definition of his leadership role.

“A partner since 2013, my role is to listen to the needs and expectations of our customers. To grasp the purpose of the mandate and translate it well enough to my teammates, and, in turn, let them lead the project on their own and see where their own talents will lead.”

In other words, even though the colour palette suggested by the team does not turn out to be the one Vincent would have chosen, if it serves and elevates the project… Que sera, sera… let it be, it’s a win-win for everyone!

THE SOUND OF SILENCE A theme song? A cross fit or cycling playlist? What do you listen to in your headphones, while riding to work, morning and evening? “Nothing at all! No music. No playlist!

I simply listen to the sounds around me and to my own breath as I inspire and expire, and so on and so forth until I clear my head out and regenerate!”

So no smart phone? No smart watch? No GPS tracker and portable DJ or virtual trainer while you run, cycle or cross fit?

How do you possibly know when to stop, people ask him?

“When my legs hurt, well, I slow down a bit, before pushing harder again and going on!” Alas… everything is said!! provencherroy.ca

IRONMAN, MONT-TREMBLANT, AUGUST 2019.

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&

LEMAYMICHAUD ARCHITECTURE DESIGN

Women on Top

by

Madeleine Champagne et Juli Pisano

LOUISE DUPONT © LEMAYMICHAUD

LOUISE DUPONT

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS

UP-CLOSE & PERSONAL Intérieurs 85

Louise Dupont is a senior associate designer at LEMAYMICHAUD and leads the design projects of the Montreal team. Katrine Beaudry is his mirroring ally, leading the design teams at the firm’s original offices in the Quebec City, founded in 1979, six years prior to the Montreal office launch.

“Round trips from Montreal to Quebec City, and so on and so forth, were a customary thing along the years,” revealed cofounder Alain Lemay in a tribute video produced by the city of Quebec on the occasion of the Gala des Mérites de l’architecture.

Let’s take a round trip from Montreal to Quebec City and meet the women now on top, Louise Dupont and Katrine Beaudry, leading the LEMAYMICHAUD Design teams in both cities to continuously renewed heights in creativity and collaboration.

KATRINE BEAUDRY © LEMAYMICHAUD

KATRINE BEAUDRY

MONTREAL IS CALLING Let us, first, visit the Montreal office and meet associate designer Louise Dupont whose motto at work and in life goes as follows: “To push your limits, go back to basics.”

Passionate, fast-efficient and witty, Louise plays a strategic role within a firm renowned for decades for its power to touch and move people through exquisite design and architecture projects.

“To be creative is to have an active gaze. From these thousands of images stored in our subconscious are born emotional concepts that tell a story inspired by a brand’s DNA, a place and the people who inhabit it. Bold, innovative, even provocative, our designs move people because they are first and foremost human-focused and sensitive.”

BACK IN THE CAPITAL At the Quebec City office, associate designer Katrine Beaudry is enthusiastic, generous and emphatic.

Katrine sees life in Technicolor and wears bright clothes to emphasize it.

She grew up in Lac-Beauport, a region well known for its green nature and its magnificent lake. Today, while she spends her weeks in the city, she continues to escape on weekends sometimes to the river, sometimes to the mountains. It seems therefore quite natural that, when hipped up, talking about the projects she leads with her team, the words “nature” and “city”, endless sources of inspiration for Katrine, come back frequently.

Deeply anchored in her aesthetic approach, here is a woman also driven by a great concern and feeling of social responsibility. A true listener, Katrine is a unifying force committed to ensuring that each team member finds his place and well-being.

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CURIOUS AND LIVELY Katrine is curious, yes, but she is also lively. From her studies in South of France’s Montpellier, where she met her husband who is also a senior partner architect at LEMAYMICHAUD today, she cherishes the radiant joy and gourmet pleasures of life.

Katrine’s great joys are travelling and getting together with friends, around a good table, like the nice restaurant on the corner, Alphonse Cuisine & Cocktails.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: IRINA BESKOROVAYEVA (DESIGNER), ANNIE-CLAUDE GILBERT (ASSOCIATE DESIGNER), KATRINE BEAUDRY (SENIOR ASSOCIATE DESIGNER), KARINE CÔTÉ (DESIGNER) © LEMAYMICHAUD

HERE, THE FORMER BANK’S ORIGINAL SAFE SERVES AS THE RESTAURANT’S RECEPTION BOOTH. ALPHONSE CUISINE & COCKTAILS, BY LEMAYMICHAUD ARCHITECTURE DESIGN, QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC, CANADA, 2020. © JESSY BERNIER

This local vacant by Desjardins, located on a very busy street corner in Old Quebec, was recently revamped by LEMAYMICHAUD and transformed into a nice mouth-watering wine-sipping bistro that the designer loves to dine at.

DAILY INSPIRATION A creative at heart and slightly bohemian in her joie de vivre, Louise sometimes draws her inspiration from the unusual moments of everyday life. She likes to tell the tale that one day, while stuck in a traffic jam, her attention wandered to an old time-ridden bolt joining the steel joists of the Victoria Bridge. The image was so poetic that it inspired the wall patina of a Griffintown café later designed.

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IN NOVEMBER 2019, HOTEL LE GERMAIN MONTRÉAL REOPENED ITS DOORS AFTER AN EXPANSION AND COMPLETE RENOVATION. LE GERMAIN MONTREAL, BY LEMAYMICHAUD ARCHITECTURE DESIGN, MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 2019. © ADRIEN WILLIAMS

THE HOTEL-BOUTIQUE, THE DESIGN, THE GERMAIN Groupe Germain is a family business built on three generations of expertise. Paraphrasing the Little Prince… it all started with these words spoken by Christiane Germain to Viateur Michaud, cofounder and architect, describing the concept of a new hotel in Old Quebec, right next door to the offices of LEMAYMICHAUD: ‘Draw me the most beautiful hotel in the world’, she said. And the rest was history!

" The bar was set high and challenged us to surpass ourselves with each new project. Sometimes we are the avant-garde, sometimes it is the Germain family who come up with new and exciting ideas.

This cocktail is most magical and always surprising. A real give-andtake tango!”

- Louise Dupont

GROUPE GERMAIN’S ALT CALGARY HOTEL OPENED IN THE HEART OF CALGARY’S ACTIVE EAST VILLAGE DISTRICT IN 2018. ALT CALGARY BY LEMAYMICHAUD ARCHITECTURE DESIGN, CALGARY, ALBERTA, 2018. © ADRIEN WILLIAMS

THE INSPIRATION OF EXPO 67 IS FELT IN EVERY SUITE, ILLUSTRATED IN PARTICULAR BY THE WALLPAPER MADE OF ARCHIVES AND JOURNALISTIC CUT-OUTS FROM THE TIME. LE GERMAIN MONTREAL, BY LEMAYMICHAUD ARCHITECTURE DESIGN, MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 2019.© RAPHAËL THIBODEAU

GROWING TOGETHER At LEMAYMICHAUD, rumour has it clients tend to grow and evolve at the same pace and time as the firm.

Case in point: The Germain Hotels group long-lasting collaboration with the firm and the mutual trust that reigns between both teams, nay families!

Louise Dupont has been involved in the Germain Group projects since their inception. She mentions the incredible chance it is for creative talents to have clients with whom they can build a relationship of trust and have done so since the start. “In many ways, the word 'boutique' hotel first came to fruition with the Hotel Le Germain in Quebec City, essentially the starting point of the genre in Canada when it opened in 1997.”

VISION, AUDACITY & INNOVATION Louise Dupont proudly adds: " We have worked on eighteen Group Germain Hotels projects. From St. John's in the East to Calgary out West, and have worked with honest, proactive, and visionary talents and team players.”

The creative spark for the design of the Le Germain Montreal hotel relaunch was the year of construction of the building, 1967.

The decade of the sixties and the Universal Exhibition in Montreal guided the vision and inspired the creative teams.

Nostalgia and history meet elegance and comfort through well-chosen elements such as Eero Aarnio’s bubble chair, the prominent use of walnut throughout the space and the custom wall coverings of the curvy suite bathrooms made of 1960’s newspaper clippings and Expo 67 archive photos. Needless to say, opportunities to inspire and innovate are boundless!

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: JESSICA DORÉ-LAROCQUE (DESIGNER), LOUISE DUPONT (DESIGNER SENIOR PARTNER) AND NAOULI MALENFANT-BARRETTE (DESIGNER) © LEMAYMICHAUD

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LOBBY OF THE HOTEL LA FERME LOBBY (2012), TURNED LE GERMAIN CHARLEVOIX (2015). BY LEMAYMICHAUD ARCHITECTURE IN CONSORTIUM WITH ST-GELAIS MONTMINY ARCHITECTES & HUDON JULIEN ASSOCIATES, BAIE-SAINT-PAUL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 2021. © ANDRÉ OLIVIER LYRA

ONE-OF-A-KIND DNA When designing as many hotels as LEMAYMICHAUD does, is it still possible to offer something new every time? “Of course,” says Katrine Beaudry.

"We always immerse ourselves in the spirit of the place and the DNA of the client and no two stories are alike. We invite local craftsmen to create the elements of an exceptional decor, make the furniture, weave the cushions and throws or create unique and inspired lamps and paintings.”

This is how LEMAYMICHAUD was awarded the prize for the most beautiful hotel in the world with the Hôtel Le Germain de Charlevoix at the WAN Awards, quite simply because they knew how to create a place imbued with a unique soul reflected in the choice of materials and local know-how.

SUITE BATHROOM OF THE HOTEL LA FERME (2012), TURNED LE GERMAIN CHARLEVOIX (2015). BY LEMAYMICHAUD ARCHITECTURE DESIGN IN CONSORTIUM WITH ST-GELAIS MONTMINYARCHITECTES & HUDON JULIEN ASSOCIATES, BAIE-SAINT-PAUL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 2021. © ANDRÉ OLIVIER LYRA

A CLUB MED IN QUEBEC The first Mountain Village in North America, Club Med Québec Charlevoix unfolds at the foot of the Massif, between the river and the mountains. It is, you guessed it, a project signed LEMAYMICHAUD and piloted by the Quebec office and Katrine Beaudry’s design team.

Katrine Beaudry recalls. “To qualify for the design of the premises, we were expected to hand in a two-page presentation.” Katrine chose to gather her team in a room and put on paper, in color strips, everything that reflected the rich Charlevoix environment. All these images and textures quickly transformed the table into a large quilt of Quebec fiber, with St. Lawrence River shades of blue and season rhythms. This one was printed, rolled up and sent with maple syrup candies. The concept of the quilt became a benchmark for the creation, the basis of the concept.

EACH RESTAURANT AT THE VERY FIRST CLUB MED IN QUEBEC HAS ITS OWN IDENTITY. CLUB MED QUEBEC CHARLEVOIX,

BY LEMAYMICHAUD ARCHITECTURE DESIGN, PETITE-RIVIÈRE-SAINT-FRANÇOIS, QUEBEC, CANADA, 2021. © MAUD DELAFLOTTE

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CLUB MED QUEBEC CHARLEVOIX, BY/BY LEMAYMICHAUD ARCHITECTURE DESIGN, PETITE-RIVIÈRE-SAINT-FRANÇOIS, QUEBEC, CANADA, 2021. © MAUD DELAFLOTTE

“These are elements borrowed from the repertoire of Québécois daily life and reinterpreted in a contemporary way. The result is a place dubbed with its own signature identity.”

- Katrine Beaudry

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IN THE LOBBY, HANGS A LARGE QUILT REPRESENTING THE FOUR QUÉBÉCOIS SEASONS. CLUB MED QUEBEC CHARLEVOIX, BY LEMAYMICHAUD ARCHITECTURE DESIGN, PETITE-RIVIÈRE-SAINT-FRANÇOIS, QUEBEC, CANADA, 2021. © MAUD DELAFLOTTE

FOUR SEASONS Here is an eloquent example of a creative gesture, resulting from this brainstorming that led to a four seasons concept for the Cub Med of Charlevoix.

Seasons come and go with colour accents ranging from blues for winter, greens for spring, yellows for summer and oranges for fall.

Katrine stresses on the convivial aspect of the entrance hall with its long tables and rocking chairs.

The concept wanted customers to be received there as in they were in a comfy living room. But beware!

These are not elements that suggest “my Canadian cabin in the woods”.

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THE CONCEPT OF THE FIRST NATIONS HOTEL-MUSEUM COMBINES COMFORT AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCE. FIRST NATIONS HOTEL-MUSEUM BY LEMAY MICHAUD ARCHITECTURE DESIGN, WENDAKE, QUEBEC, CANADA, 2008. © PIERRE BÉLANGER

EMOTIONS & FIRST NATIONS It is with great emotion that Katrine evokes the hotel-museum of the First Nations, this complex, on the banks of the Akiawenrahk River, evoking the architecture of the longhouse, the traditional dwelling of the Iroquoian peoples of which the Huron-Wendat Nation is a part of.

Committed to making an exhaustive inventory of the environment’s resources, Katrine and her colleagues visited more than 75 local First Nations artisans in their respective homes. Quite a task!

“As designers, we have to step out of our comfort zones to create authentic projects. For this one-of-a-kind First Nations Hotel-Museum, we were searching for authenticity and wished to portray the rich culture as truthfully as possible.“ Beaudry of the Quebec office adds that this exceptional project was only made possible through a wonderful collaboration in which the innate talents of the First Nation artisans in embroidery, sewing, crafts and so on, were challenged with a skillful remix spotlighting the community’s diverse pool of talent as well as a contemporary sense of design.

NIGHT FALLS ON THE FIRST NATIONS HOTEL-MUSEUM. BOUTIQUE HOTEL, WENDAKE, QUEBEC, CANADA, 2008. © STÉPHANE GROLEAU

She insists: “Let’s not forget the sensory impact of the place created hands-inhands in full respect and communion with the Huron-Wendat community? To hear the gentle stream of the Akiawenrahk River, known as the snake river, stretching in front of each of the hotel rooms is pure bliss!” - Katrine Beaudry

EACH SPACE OFFERS A JOURNEY THROUGH FIRST NATIONS TRADITIONS AND CONTEMPORARY CULTURE. FIRST NATIONS HOTEL-MUSEUM, WENDAKE, QUEBEC, CANADA, 2008. © PIERRE BÉLANGER

“From this project also stems a missive of local hiring and training in sommellerie and hospitality, for example, everything to create a real and powerful local economic impact.”

- Katrine Beaudry

LEMAY & MICHAUD’S LEGACY There are those who follow the parade, and there are those who lead it.

LEMAYMICHAUD is definitely part of the latter, a heritage of pushing boundaries and working hand in hand with clients given by the firm’s founding fathers, Alain Lemay and Viateur Michaud, and passed through to architecture and design talents now leading the firm’s projects.

Katrine concludes: “It is a pleasure to work at LEMAYMICHAUD. The atmosphere is friendly, the legacy of its actors on the architectural and design scene is unique and inspiring. As per the creative process implemented and nurtured since its founding in 1979, it is truly impeccable in my view. Needless to say… We make a tightly knit and functional family!”

HAPPINESS, LOUISE? “ When artistry meets emotion.

Collaborating with local artists in a project is special. These moments make me happy!“ lemaymichaud.com

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JASON

WA

by Madeleine Champagne

JASON & LYNN WANG WANG, BAM, THANK YOU MA’AM!

大浪淘沙沙去尽，沙尽之时见真金 Large waves will stir up and wash over the sand.

Only then, will the gold surface.

COINCIDENCE? Coincidentally, Jason and Lynn are both Wangs! Let it be said, the Chinese surname 王, Wang (pinyin), literally meaning “a king”, is as common a name in China as Tremblay in Quebec.

Wang is as common a surname in China as Smith is in the States. And yet here, Jason and Lynn are not related. They simply work hand in hand as a perfectly functional and professional yin and yang duo.

WHO IS HE?

Jason Wang is a leading figure in the Chinese design arena, dedicated to the design industry as a curator since 2009.

Jason is also the general secretary of Shanghai’s Asia Pacific Design Center (APDC), an entity that helps architects and interior designers promote their work on the world stage.

This man’s eyes are curious, intelligent and lively…

To meet him is to be charmed!

WHO IS SHE? Lynn Wang is an exquisitely charming lady, a determined citizen of the world. She runs the APDC’s foreign affairs operations.

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Lynn has been dedicated to providing Chinese and international designers with a unique platform for communication and co-operation.

A passionate of organic lifestyle, she defines herself as a LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability), a philosophy that advocates a low carbon footprint and sustainability.

Fiery and fierce, she fascinates in many ways.

REWIND & CLOSE-UP Jason was born in the bustling and glittering city of Shanghai. Lynn, meanwhile, was born in the small town of Rui’an in Zhejiang Province, a 4-hour train ride from Shanghai. Propelled by her mother, she took the train to the city in 2013 and tried her luck there at a very young age.

A young and wide-eyed Lynn LITERALLY falls in love with the city. Its quirks and quarks. “The modern architecture mixed with the traditional one, the spirit, the zest”… simply said, she was conquered by Shanghai. A year later, Jason co-founds the APDC, hires her and it’s a go to the launch of a fabulous synergy.

NG

One day in Shanghai, the stars aligned. It was the day Ginette and Brigitte Gadoury, copresidents of the PID agency, met the founding members of the Asia Pacific Design Center (APDC), Jason and Lynn Wang.

In this moment, two missions collided and a promising partnership was born between the West and the East, aimed at the ever-exponential promotion of design and architecture talents internationally. Meet the man, Jason Wang, and the woman, Lynn Wang, working hand in hand, in Shanghai, to promote the talent and work of Chinese designers and architects.

LYNN

FIREWORKS

Together, Lynn and Jason founded the Asia Pacific Interior Design Awards for Elite competition under the theme “Celebrating Creativity”.

The competition honours the creativity, strategic process and imagination that goes into designing an exceptional environment or product.

At the start of the competition, Ginette Gadoury was notably asked to be part of the jury in Shanghai. The dice were cast.

A jump-start given to a lasting co-operation that grows to this day.

The Asia Pacific Interior Design Awards have grown to become one of the most sought- out and prestigious awards in the Chinese design and architecture community.

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ROUND TRIP QUÉBEC-SHANGHAI

The collaboration between the APDC and the GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN International Awards has flourished over the years with Chinese designers and architects now partaking in the GPD’s call for entries and Québécois designers and architects partaking in the APDC Awards, in return.

CULTURAL EXCHANGE This cultural exchange was and remains a breath of fresh air. New avenues, parallel paths and round trips have settled between Canada and China, creating synergy and a new and fertile basin of inspiration.

From the Eastern part of the world, we discover innovative, unifying and daring projects such as the 8th Bridge Buildings, the People’s Square and the Shanghai Himalaya Museum. From the West, Asia discovers all the tact and liveliness of Québécois design and our emblematic architecture.

SNAPSHOT Lynn and Jason are as different as can come and oh-so complimentary!

Lynn considers Jason to be her mentor, and yet, let it be said, she is the star ally who initiates contact with Paris, London, Geneva, New York, Montreal and many more design metropolises around the world.

Her lovely and beloved Scottish Terrier dog might be her biggest fan and is much like her in many ways. Likeable and welcoming, come rain or shine, he is smart and tender. “He’s also my confidant!”

But what Lynn loves most, what gets her going, is the work she undertakes on a daily basis and we thank her for it! It was Lynn who took the first steps by communicating with Ginette Gadoury, almost ten years ago. This initiative has since turned into an evolving adventure and a sharing of creativity and talent.

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LESS IS MORE Jason is also passionate about his work and invests all his energy in making the Asia Pacific Design Center increasingly universal and international in its approach and scope.

His philosophical master is Gu Long, a Hong Kong-born novelist, a giant in the wuxia style of writing which can be poetically defined as such: “Wu” means martial arts, action.

“Xia” conveys chivalry. “Wuxia”. Say it gently… “whooshah”… and it feels like a breath of serenity embracing you. Say it with force, “WuSHA!”, and you can feel its power.

This is a somewhat an exotic phonetic perspective, but remember, the power of words takes on a unique dimension and undeniable strength in Chinese culture. His mantra of choice is “Less is more”… the endless quest of designers and architects.

What does he wish upon emerging architects and designers?

For them to pursue learning and creating without fostering the fear of making mistakes along the way. His warhorse?

Subscribing your work to renowned international competitions in the design and architecture industry is the smartest way to showcase your talent and gain recognition from your peers.

Finally, we will be told that Jason Wang loves huangjiu, an alcoholic yellow wine from China made from sorghum cereals, millet, wheat, and rice that is said to be delicious. But beware the alcohol content is typically 12 to 9.5% per volume. Bam!

FLASH IMPRESSIONS OF QUÉBEC What were their impressions of Montreal the first time they set foot in the city?

Jason recalls Montreal’s snowy winters and the lovely hissing of snow as he strolled along the streets in much needed snow boots.

Lynn was enchanted with the absolute feeling of freedom that hung in the air. She was also delighted to notice that career women in Montreal and Quebec City entertain their professional lives well into their 60s and 70s in a most vibrant way. What an interesting, and flattering perspective!

Jason and Lynn Wang agree that Montreal is an awesome fusion of Paris and New York.

How flattering! apdc-awards.org

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ZÉBULON PERRON

ZÉBULON PERRON THE GATSBIAN MILE-ENDER

by Madeleine Champagne

ZÉBULON À L’EXPRESS. PHOTO : © ARSENI KHAMZIN.

Born in Montreal and raised in the back alleys of the Plateau Mont-Royal, Zébulon Perron has become a figure of the Mile-End, renowned for the excellence of his architectural design and interior fittings for over 20 years now.

His Montreal-based design agency Atelier Zébulon Perron is sought-out in the well-mastered niche of luxury hotels, restaurants and bars for their brilliant and boundary-pushing designs. Meet the man, the inspirations, the aspirations…

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UP-CLOSE & PERSONAL

LIKE A FAIRYTALE Born and raised in Montreal, Zébulon spent his childhood years in the busy backstreets of the Mont-Royal Plateau before moving to the Mile-End, where he still lives and set up his design studio.

His father, musician and historian Billy Georgette, was a regular at Montreal jazz clubs and hotel bars. Beginning in the 1960s, and for several decades, he played with jazz bands in the heart of Rockhead’s Paradise, the legendary jazz hall located at the corner of SaintAntoine and Mountain streets (renamed de la Montagne).

His mother, Suzanne, worked as a counselling therapist. An elegant lady, always singing or drawing, Zébulon remembers her many beautiful necklaces and bohemian maxi skirts.

"Our household was very Frenglish… we would waltz from French to English like many othe fellow Montrealers, a beautiful fusion of both Leonard Cohen's and Robert Charlebois's mother tongue."

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES With a laughing look, hidden under an unnamed black cap and behind huge spectacle eye glasses Zébulon remembers…

“The family climate was rather hippy.

My mother was very artistic, she created whimsical drawings that imbued the whole family with a great desire to surpass themselves, to design and, above all, above all, to create. He adds…”My mother had a great influence on my career.”

CULTURE SOUP Raised in this vibrancy, Zébulon developed his creative spirit at a very young age and he became this fantastically singular, romantic and solid designer he is today.

From the beginning of his career, the young designer was already interested in the design of unifying spaces such as hotels, bars and restaurants that serve a social function at the very heart of their raison d’être.

ATELIER ZÉBULON PERRON “Our studio’s design has always striven to deploy ways for people to have a meaningful time with one another and enjoy a significant and pleasant common experience.”

He adds: “And you have to consider beauty! There is something civilizing about beauty!”

PERRON FAMILY, PLATEAU MONT-ROYAL, MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA. © ARCHIVES PERSONNELLES ZÉBULON PERRON

THE FRIEND, THE MENTOR, THE POET Fifteen years after its launch, the studio thrives, stronger than ever. Along the way, talents met became friends and mentors such as architect Luc Laporte, nicknamed the Poet Architect in a most-friendly way, who has influenced the urbanscape in most significant ways.

The Poet Architect has signed the interiors of renowned restaurants including L’Express, sought after and frequented by “anybody and everybody!” It is by infusing the principles put forward by Laporte that Zébulon and his team work on their projects. “An elegant flair in the classic sense of the expression, with simplicity, economy of means and regularity.”

Oh, and guess what? l’Express by Laporte is Zebulon’s favorite hot spot! That’s a given!

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Let’s say it again, let’s say it proud, let’s say it loud! Zébulon is a maestro of ambiance!

THE HERE & NOW After winning a call-for-submission given by the City of Montreal, Atelier Zébulon Perron was selected to be part of the dream team that will create the Sanaaq Community Center where the promotion of Aboriginal cultures will be put forward.

The design dream team selected by the City of Montreal is composed of Cima+, Architecture49, Pelletier de Fontenay and Atelier Zébulon Perron.

The Sanaaq cultural and community centre set to be located in downtown Montreal is a very ambitious project in many ways. In addition to featuring state-of-the-art theatre halls, the centre will hold a music lab, a culinary space, a café and tutti quanti.

SIGNATURE METHODS In a confident voice, he lists the essential keys to the success of his team: 1) Listening to customers in order to establish well the atmosphere of the place that fits with its immediate surroundings.

2) Building with materials that become our allies with wear and the passage of time.

3) Thinking about durability both in the choice of materials and in the design durability.

After all, it is in the DNA of Zébulon to apply a quality design so that the greatest number of people benefit from it and derive pleasure from it!

RENDERING OF THE SANAAQ CENTRE FOR THE CITY OF MONTREAL. © LAURIER VERDAQUER

RENDERING OF THE SANAAQ CENTRE FOR THE CITY OF MONTREAL© LAURIER VERDAQUER

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LE BOULEVARDIER AT LE GERMAIN, DESIGN BY ATELIER ZÉBULON PERRON, MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA. © JEAN-SÉBASTIEN SÉNÉCAL

Expanding a place is Zébulon’s hidden weapon.

A very useful tool in the development of city buildings.

LE FLÂNEUR AT LE GERMAIN, DESIGN BY ATELIER ZÉBULON PERRON, MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA. © JEAN-SÉBASTIEN SÉNÉCAL

LE FLÂNEUR ET LE BOULEVARDIER In collaboration with Hôtels Germain, Atelier Zébulon Perron has designed a space on two levels, including a bar/lounge on the ground floor and a restaurant on the first floor, Le Flâneur and Le Boulevardier.

“Here, the original brutalist architecture of the building, its exposed concrete design and its other singular raw materials intrigued my team and myself to make good use of it.”

The ground-floor bar and lounge offers a chic and relaxed space infused with retro accents in which guests are welcomed by a majestic glass wine cellar

before walking up to the luxury restaurant above.

Atelier Zébulon Perron brilliantly achieved continuity between the open kitchen and the atmosphere of the dining room and ensured maximum efficiency for the operations of the chef and the team and created a lively, joyful and benevolent environment for both its employees and its guests. While a large bay window broadens the horizons, a strategic gallery of mirrors adorning the ceiling and chosen walls gives the illusion of a space that unfolds well beyond its real dimensions.

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CAFÉ CONSTANCE, DESIGN BY ATELIER ZÉBULON PERRON, MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA. © ALEX LESAGE

GATSBY GREATNESS At the Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal’s new bistro, Café Constance, this uniquely poetic experience is all around. In an instant, we feel transported into the world of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and we take the greatest pleasure in it.

In the words of famous author F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Poetry is something that lives like fire inside you.”

Opened in February 2022, the Café Constance revives the culinary scene smack down in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles and in a most Gatsby-inspired way! Here, the rich soul of the Grands Ballets is well felt and wise winks intrude here and there in brilliant ways, such as in these breathtaking lamps that look like draped ballet skirts.

Here, we discover the renowned caterer Olive Orange, the chefs Adam Bebawi and Pascal Dauchez, in a welcoming space anchored in the theatricality of its unique neighborhood. Named to pay tribute to Constance Pathy, president of the Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal since 1989, the café is absolutely magnificent and for good reason, the decor is the work of Zébulon, each of whose creations, from the Gentile Pizza Parlor to the Caffe Un Po Di Piu , transports us elsewhere with meticulous attention to detail to create the ultimate staging.

LA TERRASSE DU MARCUS, LE FOUR SEASONS MONTRÉAL, PAR ATELIER ZÉBULON PERRON, MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA. © OLIVIER BLOUIN

“I was born and raised in Montreal and proudly chose to work and promote the talents of fellow Montrealers.”

A WORD ABOUT MONTREAL “I believe there is no better business model than the small entrepreneur.

I support local design because it protects and enhances their work.”

POST-SCRIPTUM The creator’s eponymous phrase?

“At the end of the day, for us, design is not about form but about people.” zebulonperron.com

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CARDINAL

TÊTE-À-TÊTE / UP-CLOSE & PERSONAL

STÉPHANIE

“PEACE STARTS WITHIN” - DALAI LAMA

by Juli Pisano

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STÉPHANIE AT SUNRISE OVER LAKE MASSAWIPPI. © PERSONAL ARCHIVES STÉPHANIE CARDINAL

Thursday, 10 a.m. Teams Meeting on schedule with Stéphanie Cardinal, the passionate architect and designer, co-founder of Humà Design + Architecture, president of its design component, vicepresident of its architectural leanings, mother of three boys who have grown up into men-to-be and daughter of the emeritus Aurèle Cardinal, professor, architect and urban planner recognized in turn.

All Stéphanie has ever dreamt of was to become an architect like her father. The reality of her accomplishments went above and beyond her dreams.

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UP-CLOSE & PERSONAL

FIERCELY FIERY LOCKS On my screen appears a bright and igniting Stephanie who opens her heart to our readers and pierces the screen. I suspect she’s sipping her second plant-based latte of the day!

LET’S START AT THE VERY BEGINNING

“My father was always working. On Saturday mornings, he would head out to Rona and roam around the lumber and screw lanes. I’d always go with him.”

“My childhood friend had a similar ritual with her urban planner father. We would sit in the middle of the aisles and chat. After the run-ins at Rona, little Stéphanie would head off with daddy Aurèle to the day’s construction sites, or even to the office.

“I would get there, holding my briefcase filled with colouring pencils and would draw.”

NATURE & NURTURE There are strengths that we acquire through challenges and defeats. Then there are these innate strengths… talents inscribed in the stars! Stéphanie carries within her the best of her father and of her mother and navigates between the two in a constant search of balance.

Mother Lyette Noël Cardinal was a ballet dancer, an artist of movement and an art historian.

“Stéphanie is a liberal thinker that organizes space according to her criteria."

AURÈLE AND STÉPHANIE, LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER. © MAGALIE LAFLEUR

- Lyette Noël Cardinal

AURÈLE CARDINAL, CÔTE SAINT-FRANÇOIS HOUSE, DORVAL, QUEBEC, CANADA. 1946. © PERSONAL ARCHIVES STÉPHANIE CARDINAL

THE EYE OF THE TIGER Father Aurèle was raised on a farmland that his father sold for a greater cause. The land is where now stands the Montreal Airport, off Cardinal Street, go figure. As a renowned architect and firm cofounder and partner, Aurèle Cardinal has earned an enviable reputation in the field of urban planning throughout his career. His firm’s practice was deeply rooted in finding the meaning of the built environment.

Aurèle has trained generations of urban designers by teaching for more than 30 years at the Faculty of Planning of the University of Montreal and as a guest professor at the coveted universities of Harvard and Columbia in particular.

And he’s Stephanie’s dad. The one who transmitted to her the sense of the human scale within the built environment and the importance of observing it well. The one who showed an obsession to measure all the streets of Montreal in order to reproduce the exact urban footprint.

STÉPHANIE AS A CHILD, IN AURÈLE CARDINAL’S WORK BRIEFCASE. © PERSONAL ARCHIVES STÉPHANIE CARDINAL

“I was his assistant. I held the tape measure from one tree to the next, from one end of the sidewalk to the other, from the left side of the street to the right side, and so on!”

With her Cartesian minded father, a young Stéphanie had already circled all the streets of Montreal and measured every distance from one urban element to the next. Becoming an architect was not only inscribed in Stéphanie’s DNA, it was all she ever wanted to be.

“You would never shut up about it!!!”, would say her Rona-aisle friend years later!

STÉPHANIE AS A CHILD, WITH HER MOTHER LYETTE AND HER GRANDPARENTS CARDINAL. © PERSONAL ARCHIVES STÉPHANIE CARDINAL

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JUMP BUMPS The first major bump in the road was faced at age 19 when a letter of decline came in the mail.

Stéphanie est refusée en architecture. Scandale ! La mauvaise nouvelle fesse fort. “Surtout quand ton père enseigne à l’université et qu’il est reconnu dans la profession pour l’excellence de l’exercice de son métier, c’est dur.”

For six weeks over the summer, she backpacks around Europe as many coming-of-age self-searching gems do, and was said to have drawn every window display of every Piazza and Plaza she’d crossed along the way.

Looking back, she clearly was fascinated by interior design in an instinctual way. A calling…

Instead of falling down on the refusal of the architecture program, Stéphanie enrolled in urban planning and set herself the challenge of being first in class. Goal set, goal reached!

She follows with a bachelor in architecture and a master’s degree abroad, destination Barcelona. “Humà, that was the subject of my master’s thesis. A Catalan word meaning human.”

LE ROCHER TRÈS PERCÉ, MÉTIS GARDENS, MÉTIS-SUR-MER, QUEBEC, CANADA. © PERSONAL ARCHIVES STÉPHANIE CARDINAL

GLASS CEILINGS & BABY BIRTHS Essentially, by Y2K, Stéphanie Cardinal was working as a project manager for the architecture department of Cardinal Hardy.

She was a young mother showing growing signs of a second pregnancy.

She felt, in a way, stopped by a glass ceiling. The subject of her thesis came back to her mind and, little by little, one narrative to the next, one project after another, Humà was born and grew.

ENTER HUMÀ DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE

Humà is also the thought-out appropriate name Stéphanie Cardinal gave to her start-up firm more than fifteen years ago. A name that holds the true value and meaning the founder attributes to her profession.

Humà is concerned with a human approach that takes into account the physical footprints of the occupants of a place. A body of work based on emotional intelligence, changing needs, movement. An approach that listens to the human being who inhabits the space, who observes their way of life and creates innovative spaces that are conducive to being appropriated.

AURÈLE CARDINAL’S VINTAGE STUDENT CARD, MCGILL UNIVERSITY, MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA. © PERSONAL ARCHIVES STÉPHANIE CARDINAL

LE ROCHER TRÈS PERCÉ, MÉTIS GARDENS, MÉTIS-SUR-MER, QUEBEC, CANADA. © LORELEI L’AFFETER

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KRACH & REBIRTH Arrive 2008 and the ups and downs of the stock market crash.

The design and architecture industry was in free-fall. Projects fell flat. Contracts were rare and the prices of materials, expensive. Armed with resilience, Stéphanie transforms a difficulty into an opportunity and leads her team to design and build her second home, a real laboratory on the first entirely ecological constructions in Quebec.

Along the Massawippi Lake now stands this exquisitely well-thought see-through cottage offering a breathtaking lakeside scenery. Made of wood, it almost seems to float above the water.

Inside, there are even old wooden beams that once were found in the Japanese pavilion of the iconic Expo 67 universal exhibit.

JEREMY BLANCHETTE, SON OF STÉPHANIE AT THE LAKE MASSAWIPPI HOUSE CONSTRUCTION SITE, QUEBEC, CANADA. © PERSONAL ARCHIVES STÉPHANIE CARDINAL

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, WITH HER THREE SONS, THOMAS, OLIVIER, STÉPHANIE AND JEREMY. © KIM HURLEY PHOTO

100% eco-friendly thanks to its geothermal energy, the presence of recycled wood and its floor made of old railway scrap; this creation by Humà Design is still a source of inspiration a dozen years later.

ABOVE & BELOW: RESIDENCE DU LAKE MASSAWIPPI, DESIGN BY/BY HUMA. © MARC CRAMER

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A RAY OF LIGHT Then came the incredible confidence demonstrated by certain clients which gave wings to the whole team and allowed the agency to earn its letters of nobility. An obstacle course that permitted Humà to deploy all its creativity, taking advantage of its multidisciplinary talents and, without being limited by constraints!

“I am oh-so grateful for visionary clients, such as the Cirque du Soleil’s Creative Director Jean-François Bouchard who entrusted Humà with designing state-of-the-art performance spaces from Montreal to Dubai along the years.” A phenomenal experience, no doubt.

“We are never as good as taking into account the chain to which we belong. And that includes our customers!”

THE POWER OF LISTENING If Stephanie said it once, she said it fifteen times! Once for each year of experience acquired in the profession of interior, exterior and urban architect, you will say!

“I welcomed the pandemic’s teaching with open arms. The recent hardships on a global scale have taught me to really listen to the others around me. To take the time to stop, listen, learn and converse.”

Would it not be what some people call female leadership? Perhaps! Maybe! Who knows? What we do know, however, is that Stéphanie leads her team in their projects, hand in hand, with a constant concern for authenticity and movement.

SCOOP! I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN LOVE WITH LARRY ROBINSON AND THE RECENTLY DECEASED BLOND DEMON GUY LAFLEUR WAS MY HERO OF YOUTH. VERY PROUD TO HAVE PUT THEM IN THE SPOTLIGHT IN THE ENTRANCE HALL OF THE TOUR DES CANADIENS 2!”

“Stéphanie succeeded in setting up a design team that is now highly recognized and infusing it with an approach that opens up a vision of architecture where the human being is the basis of the solutions provided.”

- Aurèle Cardinal, father and partner

TRANSFORMATION OF THE ICONIC ROCKLAND CENTER BY ARCHITECT VICTOR PRUS, DESIGN BY CONSORTIUM HUMA DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE ET ARCHITECTURE49, MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA. © STEPHANE BRÜGGER

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A DREAM BECOMING REALITY The Humà team, in consortium with Régis Côté and ATSH architectes, is currently working to design "seniors’ houses", a day hospital center and transit housing for and in partnership with the Cree First Nations community of James Bay. “The teachings buried in my youth rebound! My natural ease with the environment. My search for balance.

My respect for the experience of the elders and the heritage of their learning.

The values transmitted by my father help me to carry out this project with respect, observation, listening.”

“We’ve forgotten to listen to one another in so many ways, I believe. As an architect and designer, I see my role as an agent of change, an instigator of transformation and preservation, and I feel blessed and humbled to learn and create a body of work with and for Indigenous communities.”

CMC WASKAGANISH PROJECT. © ADRIEN COUTHURES AND ÉMILIE GADEL / ATSH-RCA-HUMÀ GROUP

THE LEGACY Stéphanie recently went back to school, at age 50, to pass her professional board exams of the Ordre des architectes du Québec, as a mother of young men pursuing their studies as well.

As for Aurèle, he joined his daughter seven years ago to sit at the head of Humà, as did Ludovic, Stéphanie's brother. "It's enriching to be able to create within an intergenerational practice.”

An inter-generational practice has its challenges and its rewards! “I feel Humà has an immense opportunity to learn from previous generations’ knowledge and experience to hold a history of memories as well, and try to interpret them to create significant gestures and spaces.”

WHAT’S NEXT? “Younger, I would have answered wanting to retire on a sailboat and sail the seas!”.

Today I still cherish the idea of going to study fine arts in Paris, a lifelong dream! Now wiser and attentive to others and to herself, Stéphanie realizes that the last two years have really shaken her up by allowing her to question herself and reflect on her role within Humà, but even more, within his profession.

“ To be actors of change, putting our talents and our creativity at the service of society.

I would like us to take the time to reflect and measure our actions. Really questioning the natural and built landscape of our city, our regions, which we want to pass on to future generations.”

AURÈLE, STÉPHANIE AND LUDOVIC CARDINAL, SHAREHOLDERS, HUMÀ DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE ©MAGALIE LAFLEUR

humadesign.com

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RIJK

RIETVELD THE DYING ART OF SKETCHING

by Juli Pisano

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Since its founding in 1993, Rietveld Architects, ran by power couple and architects Margaret and Rijk Rietveld, has been rethinking modern life, from the essential to the exuberant, from the Rijk’s home turf of the Netherlands to Paris, London, New York and the West Coast.

Based in New York, the agency serves as a laboratory for design innovation, exploring new paradigms in the architecture of living and working spaces. Let’s meet the Dutch architect turned true New Yorker… “the man of a thousand sketches!”

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UP-CLOSE & PERSONAL

D

A CHEESE HEAD The son of a Dutch architect, Rijk was born in Gouda, Netherlands and later studied at the Academy of Building Arts in Amsterdam. In 1987, he moved to New York City and by 1996, he took on the design of the Museum for German History in Berlin for I.M. Pei.

An avowed gear head, he drives a Spyker and even founded the Spyker owner’s website.

A SCIENCE DNA The daughter of a Polish-born NASA aerospace scientist, Rijk’s wife and business partner Margaret is equally at home in the world of science and engineering as she is in the realms of art and design.

Achieving a Master in Architecture at Columbia University. Margaret worked for architecture firms in Basel, Amsterdam, and Berlin, before she was hired by I.M. Pei and Partners to join the Grand Louvre team until project completion.

SPYKER FACTORY MUSEUM, BY RIETVELD ARCHITECTS, THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS. © RIETVELD ARCHITECTS

A LIFE PARTNERSHIP Nowadays, the happily married parents of twenty-some-year-old sons, Rijk and Margaret work on cutting edge, environmental and nature-inclusive designs in the Greater New York area, gaining some work on the West Coast where their kids currently live and continuously working in the Netherlands with projects in London, Paris and Italy.

“Margaret and I work marvellously well together. We each run our own projects, but we collaborate on each other’s designs.”

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“While I take on all projects in the Netherlands with larger more corporate or public clients, Margaret pilots our private clientele, everywhere else on this beautiful Earth!”

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KNOW THE FIRM Through research alliances with the world’s foremost building and engineering experts, Rietveld Architects has advanced notable building innovations, including the world’s thinnest four-story curtain wall façade for the InHolland College building at Delft University. While high-tech thinking informs all its projects, so too does a high-touch sensibility.

These distinctive inventions derive from the unusual background and broad interests of its principals, Margaret and Rijk Rietveld.

BOY MEETS GIRL

“I left my home country in 1985 at age 31 to accept a teaching position at Virginia Tech. I met Margaret and the rest was history!”

In 1993, Margaret founded Rietveld Architects and two years later, Rijk came on board for a trial period, as he says. “It’s always tricky to know if two well-working life partners can also be well-working business partners. In our case, we are of very different personalities and mindsets.” This means that between the more academic approach of Margaret and the more practical one of Rijk, sparks are bound to occur.

“Big fights can spur out of our different approaches. And then, a day will go by, and we will both see the other’s point of view more openly and find valid reasons to compromise or even follow the other’s perspective and navigate the course in a revised way.”

Only fools never change their minds, right?

MARGARET & RIJK RIETVELD AT WORK. © PERSONAL ARCHIVES

INHOLLAND UNIVERSITY, BY RIETVELD ARCHITECTS, DELFT, NETHERLANDS, 2010. © HANS MORREN

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BACK IN THE OLD DAYS “Back in the old days, when we had no computer, drawing was our only means of getting thoughts together and across. The building would construct itself in our heads. Through sketches.

Thousands of sketches for each and every project. One completing the other by adding details, layers and better proportions, and therefore, allowing me to move around ‘virtually’ inside these drawings in a most real way.”

Let’s not forget, amongst the agency duo, the architect master of sketches is also the go-to guy for everything in the mother land of the Netherlands. This involves many round trips from New York to Amsterdam.

“Picture me back in the days. I would literally travel with no clothes apart from those on my back and fill my luggage with piles of paper sketches to show clients at briefings and presentations.”

A DYING ART “I now use high-performance computer tools to build my sketches. I still draw as much, only digitally. I haven’t sketched out a drawing on paper in over 10 years but the result and the effect remain just as beneficial… not to mention that the New York-Amsterdam round trips are lightened with simple a carry-on for my laptop!”

“I believe new generations of architects, designers may easily fall into the trap of seeing the computer as a fully functioning brain and simply relying on its automated functions to create spaces.” For Rijk, sketches are sensitive ways to build a space in one’s mind in 3D.

HIGHLINE PENTHOUSE, BY RIETVELD ARCHITECTS, NEW YORK, NY, USA. © RIETVELD ARCHITECTS

“I walk around and through the many sketches I draw. Like a composer hearing the music by simply reading any score.”

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WONKA CONCEPT Proposing to repurpose millions of square feet of obsolete office buildings left empty after the financial crisis, Rietveld Architects offers a residential apartment concept of cost-efficient prefab units, outfitted with mechanical, electric and plumbing, onto each floor and has patented the concept since.

The key to their brilliant scheme is that the units stick out of the structure, affording extra square footage for each apartment and terrace space for the one above. A high-tech printed skin on the exterior end of each unit further serves to provide the building with a distinctive and appealing façade that echoes the outdoors.

WONKA CONCEPT, BY RIETVELD ARCHITECTS. © RIETVELD ARCHITECTS

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FORWARD TO A VIRTUAL WORLD “Our two boys live out West in San Francisco.” They don’t wear flowers in their hair though, “they chose real professions, says their loving father with a smile and a wink in the eye! One works at Google, the other is in the field of solar energy financing.

“I enjoy serving the type of architecture that we continue to design in a so-called virtual reality and the one that will come, in video games, Minecraft platforms, science fiction films and so forth.”

“In virtual worlds, columns no longer serve a need or a function. They can be abolished and replaced by greater ideas. I doodle around for fun on a spaghettiintertwined highway system on which a living platform could be built. The waistline would serve to replenish a new living ecosystem, a futuristic self-sustaining and carbon neutral urbanscape.”

MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB “Our younger son started playing piano at age 6 and, by his teen years, he struggled and wanted to quit, not seeing any progress. He rebelled. One dad-moment day, I asked him to play the first Piano piece he had ever practised, Mary Had a Little Lamb.”

Why the father-and-son tale? Because it serves to illustrate the importance of constantly returning to the very source of art, to its starting point, to its foundation.

And as Rijk sees it, in architecture, the foundation is sketching, no further comment! And since images are worth a thousands words, a thousand sketches, as Rijk sees, works and lives it, absolutely say it all. rietveldarchitects.com

RIJK AND SONS, BACK IN THE DAYS. © PERSONAL ARCHIVES

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Preserved moss

info@planterra.ca By appointment

The Original

FLUTED SIDING

Wood composite materials | Decking · Siding · Fencing · Beams

newtechwood.ca

Owning one company is an accomplishment. Owning two, a feat.

Owning three, the ultimate trifecta! The charismatic Michaël Richard is one of those young and dynamic entrepreneurs who breathe new life into the design market with contemporary and quality selections of products.

Let’s meet the man, the spouse and the father behind the successes of NewTechWood, Nergiflex and District BBQ. Michaël Richard co-owns NewTechWood Canada, as well as two sought-out design and architecture industry product suppliers of comfort and excellence, a family business started forty-some years ago, and its next-door neighbour, District BBQ. Meet the young and inspiring business-man and family man and discover these retailers and products worth falling for!

Michaël Richard / NewTechWood Canada, Nergiflex, District BBQ Co-Owner

by Juli Pisano

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A TEAM-TRUSTING PUZZLE-MAKER For a man who describes himself as a hardcore micromanager, letting go of certain day-to-day operations in one or the other of the three Québécois companies he co-owns is made possible only once the right talents are in the right places… like fitting pieces of a puzzle. An all-too-special nod to his better half, Denise Barcia, mother to their daughter Adriana and fierce marketing business ally.

Amongst his teams, the leader firmly believes that the right talents are in the right places and thus gives them all the confidence they deserve.

ENERGY RUNS IN THE FAMILY Totally hands-on, Michaël’s initiation into the business world took place at Nergiflex, a business established in Montreal for more than 40 years by the Richard family.

“As a child, I wanted to pursue a career in aeronautical or computer engineering. As I went along in my studies in science, I felt I was losing touch with what was concrete and real. I quickly realized it wasn’t my cup of tea.”

DENISE BARCIA & MICHAËL RICHARD, SAN FRANCISCO, USA.

“I started selling stoves and fireplaces of all kinds there on Saturdays in 2004.”

Traditional, contemporary, freestanding, built-in, linear, wood-burning, gas or electric, Nergiflex serves luxury and excellence in all heating spectrums.

Slowly but surely, Michaël shifted into a full-time sales position at Nergiflex, family-founded in 1978, and took on a more involved role in management.

In 2017, when he chose to open District BBQ and set up shop next door, Michaël and his sister took on the management of the original family business Nergiflex, with Michaël eventually taking the full-on lead in 2019 smack down in the middle of launching NewTechWood as well. Needless to say, challenges came in numbers on his path to business success!

VALOR L3 LINEAR GAS FIREPLACE, NERGIFLEX.

Right next door to Nergiflex boutique in Ville Saint-Laurent is none other than District BBQ, this coveted boutique of high-end outdoor kitchens, barbecues and outdoor fireplaces, opened in 2017.

NEIGHBOURHOOD COOKOUT With Nergiflex, the sought-out address for heating systems and fireplaces, and District BBQ, offering a mix of outdoor cooking and heating elements, a detour is essential, summer and winter alike, to discover products to surpass your needs.

OUTDOOR KITCHEN BY URBAN BONFIRE, DISTRICT BBQ.

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NORWEGIAN FLUTED CLADDING BY NEWTECHWOOD.

A WALK IN THE WOODS When, where and especially how does NewTechWood fit into the story? The Canadian leader in composite wood products that offers a range of innovative products to enhance any outdoor decor is the most recent addition to Michaël business portfolio, launched in 2020.

The team led by Michaël Richard at NewTechWood works hand in hand with customers and design and architecture professionals and offers a complete range of composite wood products such as exterior cladding, beams, fences, tiles and floors, that was designed to create tailor-made outdoor facilities, havens of happiness and comfort.

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A FAMILY MAN “Our daughter Adriana was born in January 2019, in a great moment of chaos and challenges at Nergiflex.

A few months later, I jumped into the new NewTechWood adventure with the absolute support of my partner in crime, marketing director and love of my life, Denise Barcia. History with a capital H will also remind us that 2020 marked the beginning of a brutal pandemic.

Launching a new enterprise in this context of putting the economy on ice was quite a stressful challenge.”

“I had way too many duties on my hands, all coming to me at the same time and I felt overwhelmed. And then… came Adriana’s eyes. These small round dark and bright marbles… I would forget everything and lose myself in the comfort of her eyes.”

A CUSTOMARY BRING-YOUR-DAUGHTER-TO-WORK DAY FOR ADRIANA.

And so, all hail Peter Gabriel’s In Your Eyes and the meaning ful and insightful lyrics that say it all…

I get so tired working so hard for our survival, I look to the time with you to keep me awake and alive.

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MICHAËL & DENISE IN COCKTAIL MODE AT DISTRICT BBQ.

KNOW THE MAN, KNOW THE MANAGER There are certainly crossovers, apprenticeships and business relationships that are improved by the fact of managing three companies with different and oh-so-complementary offers.

How does Michaël achieve it all? By being the ultimate team player, fully transparent and creative in his businessmaking decisions. Some say we are born leaders, some say we acquire qualities over time.

No wonder the boy who loved playing sports and defined himself through friends grew up to be a man who leads as a true team-playing manager.

Go team, go!

HARMONIOUS NEWTECHWOOD PROJECT FEATURING ANTIQUE COLOR DECKING, PARTITION BEAMS AND SIDING.

INSPIRED BY TALENT For Michaël, an inspired and inspiring day starts with a short black espresso and goes on with the unexpected!

“Meeting distinguished designers, renowned architects, experienced entrepreneurs is an endless source of inspiration and ideas for me. These talents allow me to witness, on a daily basis, the authentic and positive reaction to the quality, feel and aesthetics of our products.”

“On a daily basis, my three-hatted role is super pleasant, stimulating and rewarding!”

STUV 16 CUBE BY STUV AMERICA, NERGIFLEX. TEAM BUILDING TIME AT THE DISTRICT BBQ SHOWROOM.

The design and architecture industry’s stamp of approval and vote of confidence are daily reminders of the quality service and products we strive to put forward. The once proudly elected President of the Association of Heating Professionals in Quebec and member of its Canadian Board of Directors (HPBAC), Michaël remains closely involved in changes to municipal, provincial, Canadian and even some North American regulations, as well as in the implementation of government programs over the years.

HIS LIFE’S WISH LIST “Visiting Israel and Jordan was a HUGE to-do for the history aficionado in me.

In 2018, my dream came true! What a memory-lasting experience!”

“Designing and managing the construction of our dream chalet and gathering there with family around the fireplace, or among friends at the barbecue pit, this is the next feasible life project that Denise and I foster.”

districtbbq.ca ; nergiflex.ca ; newtechwood.ca

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Anthony Broccolini is the third-generation leader of the renowned familyowned, family-run single-source provider of construction, development and real-estate services Broccolini. After a morning double espresso, the COO strives daily to continue and elevate his recently grieved grandfather's built legacy.

Broccolini operates as a general contractor, construction manager, project manager, developer and property manager of some 45 properties at the present, representing more than 11 million square feet of assets.

Back to the past to state the present and consider the future!

PRIDE, PASSION & TRADITION Anthony Broccolini / Broccolini

par

Juli Pisano

Chief Operating Officer

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“My grandfather was a proud Italian immigrant who came to Canada to work hard and serve a clientele to the best of his abilities. In 1949, he was able to establish the solid foundation on which Broccolini solidly rests today.”

FAMILY & BUSINESS VALUES As per Anthony’s father John and uncles Joseph and Paul before him, they were passionate men! Appassionati!

Entrepreneurs who poured years of their lives into transforming Broccolini from a residential and low-rise commercial construction company into a successful grand scale real-estate and development business.

Founder Donato Broccolini, 1949. © Broccolini. With deep sorrow, Broccolini recently announced the passing of its founding father, on March 26, 2022, at age 97. May he rest in peace.

From left to right, Paul, Joseph and John Broccolini. © Broccolini.

“For me, personally, Ottawa was also an opportunity to grow my skills. Broccolini was already a well-established machine in Montreal.

I wanted to make us a success in Ottawa.”

Avenue Pontiac Buick, by Broccolini, 1982. © Broccolini.

WHY OTTAWA? Anthony’s move to Ottawa was the perfect opportunity for Broccolini to expand its offer, not only by developing a new market, but also by adding a new component to its expertise.

“For me, personally, Ottawa was also an opportunity to grow my skills.

Broccolini was already a wellestablished machine in Montreal. I wanted to make us a success in Ottawa.”

Telus, design by Richard Chmiel Architect & Associates, Broccolini, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 2006.© Broccolini.

BUILT ON MEMORIES “The family business is part of my growing up. My playground was actually an empty residential lot next door to one of the houses we grew up in. I can’t tell you how many treehouses I built and tore down in there.” Countless evenings spent under the stars!

Anthony first started working for the family business at age 15. “I swept the floors and picked up the trash!”

Once his studies were completed, he became an assistant site supervisor until 2005, at which point he moved to Ottawa to develop new markets and territories.

Projects grew and multiplied.

Fast-forward to today and Anthony now leads a team of more than 500 talents that build and develop prominent and powerful projects yearly.

SURFING THE WAVE “Although the project that brought us to Ottawa did not succeed, it gave us the bandwidth to complete an exceptional project for Telus, and later, for EMS Satcom. We had found a new drive to perpetually challenge ourselves.”

The Broccolini name was already well-established well before Ottawa, yet this shifted the focus from smaller scale projects to high-rise and luxury complexes. “The Telus project in Ottawa set us on the trajectory we have been on ever since.”

The experience gained in the Canadian Capitol, gave the Broccolini team the ambition and ability to try their hand at high-rise residential and they aced it!

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DARE TO DARE Who dares to make their debut high-rise residential project, a 50-storey tower across the road from the Bell Centre?

Broccolini does! And they killed it! “With, L’Avenue in Montreal, we broke into that market with a bang!”

Realized in collaboration with the architects of IBI Group and the designers of Toronto’s Munge & Leung of Toronto for the conception and those of Montreal’s BLTA for the execution of interiors as well as the engineers of NCK and Dupras Ledoux, L’Avenue is an eloquent example.

It marks the first of three residential tower projects that followed in Montreal. Its 50 floors in the heart of the city centre have been offering exceptional urban habitat to its residents since 2017.

700, Saint-Jacques, Montréal, Québec, Canada, 2021. © Francois Leclair.

Site of construction, 700, Saint-Jacques, Montréal, Québec, Canada, 2021. © Francois Leclair.

“THE BUILDING INDUSTRY IS THE ULTIMATE TEAM SPORT!” Anthony sees his team as a tightly knit extended family.

A company made up of passionate, caring, intelligent and hardworking talents.

“Construction is not about bricks and mortar! It’s a business of people serving people. As a leader, I feel privileged to be doing meaningful things with caring and passionate people, working together towards the common goal of becoming Canada’s most sought-after builder and developer, praised for our quality service and known for the reach of our promising projects.”

L’Avenue, architects : IBI Group & Munge&Leung, design par/by Munge&Leung, BLTA, in collaboration with NCK et Dupras Ledoux, Broccolini, Montréal, Québec, Canada, 2017. © Broccolini.

DESIGN ON TOP As a leading company specialized in construction and real estate development, Anthony believes that the company’s role is to embellish urban fabrics in a lasting and enriching way. Great design is a key element of achieving this ambition.

Thus, Broccolini works hand in hand with several of the best talents in the design and architecture community such as BélangerMartin, IBI Group, BLTA and NEUF architect(e)s.

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“Elevating and raising standards is part of our DNA. Our design partners play a key role in constantly raising the bar!”

Above & below : Sales office and rendering of Victoria sur le parc, Montréal, Québec, Canada, 2018. © Broccolini.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE Broccolini has always strived to contribute to the development of the community serviced. This is manifested by the fifty or so projects built in the respect and conformity of LEED standards as well as the various contributions made to organizations or neighbourhood institutions over the years.

“I foster the vision of building something significantly different. Something that would enhance the fabric of the community and operate on a level that is sustainable not just in the way it is built, but also in the way it betters the lives of people who live, work and play there.”

“We have the opportunity to be leaders and instigators of the major changes that the world needs. Let’s develop evolutionary projects.”

SIDENOTE What song sends Anthony to a “good place”? Love Generation

by Bob Sinclair. “The world needs its warmth and positive energy!” Amen! broccolini.com

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A pioneer in the exposed massive framework, Noble Element has forged a reputation over the years, with sublime constructions, carried out all over Québec and across the border in New England States.

Meet its president Pascal Blais and discover a team that admires wood, this natural material that marks the history of all great civilizations and that has served to forge, north of the 49th parallel, our strong Quebec identity.

VIVALDI’S WINTER Pascal Blais / Noble Element

by

Juli Pisano

PASCAL BLAIS, LAC-BROME, QUÉBEC, CANADA, 2021. © PERSONAL ARCHIVES

President

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BLACK COFFEE The saying “Nature begins, and art perfects” applies, according to Pascal, as much to coffee as to wood and how Noble Element elevates it.

“I drink my coffee the way I like my wood, au naturel, without fearing the passage of time. I drink my coffee black and often cold, for lack of losing track of time. When it comes to wood, we like it natural and take our time to perfect it and bring out its irresistible and timeless beauty, quite simply.”

A BOY FROM SHERBROOKE “I grew up in a modest environment, in a duplex east of Sherbrooke. My father simply knew how to fix EVERYTHING. Something broke, he fixed it. This struck me.” Needless to say, the value of hard work was instilled early in the Blais household and family.

A cabinetmaker by trade, turned to construction, his father always worked with wood, often in the basement. “It smelled of wood all over the whole house. I have very vivid memories of listening to my father share the secrets of the trade with me and watching him go.”

“Today, at Noble Element, I combine my background as an engineer and manager with my passion for architecture and its solid and incredible beauty.”

FATHER & SON – ÉMILIEN & PASCAL BLAIS, SHERBROOKE, QUÉBEC, CANADA, 1994. © PERSONAL ARCHIVES

ALL GROWN-UP As a child, Pascal dreamt of becoming an architect, to design, create and improve living spaces. As a teenager, it was a passion for automobile mechanics that led him to choose mechanical engineering at university.

“When I was 18, I came across an issue of Timber Home Living magazine and as I was flipping through it, I thought, yes!

That’s it! That’s exactly it! I subscribed to the magazine, and I still read it, 25 years later.”

PROJET T – ARCHITECTURE TECH : CHARLES-ALEXANDRE TOUSSAINT, BROMONT, QUÉBEC, CANADA, 2021-2022 (ONGOING). © NOBLE ELEMENT ARCHIVES

A STRONG-BUILT CAREER As an engineer for large companies for more than fifteen years, Pascal has gone through challenges which allowed him to climb the ladder and acquire vast knowledge, proving to be most useful when he acquired the business.

“It was a hard decision to leave a stable position in a very large company to buy a small company in which I was almost alone to run things in the beginning. But it combined an item on my bucket list and a passion of mine, so I jumped forward.”

Very close to his creativity, Pascal has always deployed it in several ways. “I believe that to achieve goals in life, you have to use your creativity. It is what allows us to move forward and surpass ourselves.”

PROJET B – ARCHITECTURE STUDIO : ATELIER A. BELLAVANCE, BROMONT, QUÉBEC, CANADA, 2017. © NOBLE ELEMENT ARCHIVES Intérieurs 85

A NOBLE EXPERTISE Formerly called Charpenterie du Québec, Pascal Blais acquired the company in 2017 and established a marker in time, a year later, by renaming it Noble Element, echoing the nobility of wood, a timeless and identity material.

Noble Element designs and builds all the frameworks for its customers, according to their specific needs and tastes, and ensures faultless installation carried out by in-house teams of installers with framework plans approved by a specialized engineer and which comply with standards and laws, in force in Quebec and Canada.

Building massive exposed wooden works requires knowledge and expertise on several levels. Noble Element’s team of traditional carpenters knows how to recognize and choose the right piece of wood for the right application according to the static loads applying pressure to the frame. In addition to these skills, comes knowledge of structural elements, joints and the constraints inherent in constructions with exposed solid framework. Technical factors which, properly understood, translate into beauty. Pure and simple!

MOTIVATIONAL COACHES & MUSICIANS What music gets him going? Vivaldi’s Four Seasons’ Winter.

“The crescendo is outstanding and motivates me every time.”

Blais cites Tom Lombardi, the famous NFL coach: “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or we lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”

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NOBLE ELEMENT EASTERN TOWNSHIPS FACTORY, COWANSVILLE, QUÉBEC, CANADA. © NOBLE ELEMENT ARCHIVES

“LIVE HEALTHY, LIVE BETTER.” Unsurprisingly, since COVID, people are living more at home, both indoors and outdoors. People invest in their haven and emphasize it. Of course, this has created great opportunities that Noble Element has been able to seize in order to create exceptional constructions and continue to flourish.

For the past two years, the company has also been developing a pan-Quebec network of trained and certified installers to confidently deliver Noble Element products.

The team grew and new talents were added, causing a move to the former premises of the Cowansville Loblaws, in the Eastern Townships. In 2021, the company also acquired a factory in Sainte-Adèle in which a specialized machine allows to carry out even more tailor-made projects for rising clientele of designers, architects, home owners, estate managers and more.

MEXIQUE, 2018. © ARCHIVES PERSONNELLES.

A DAY AT THE OFFICE “What I love most about my day-to-day work is the relationship and the challenges that abound.”

“I think the fact that I sometimes lacked the manpower in developing the foundations of the business and that I did not always have the team perfectly aligned as it is today, contributes to the fact that I appreciate, every day, the col—leagues who surround me and support me.”

Special greetings to the vice-president of Noble Element, Marco Laplume, with whom I share the challenges as well as the successes. After all, alone we move forward, together we go further! As for challenges, bring them on, he says! “I love it when clients arrive with a project that represents a technical challenge, and that we have to pool our team’s brains and talents to find creative and aesthetic solutions.”

CARIBBEAN DREAM “I’ve had a long-held dream of building exposed-frame homes in the Caribbean.

It might seem like an offbeat combination, but I love the architecture of the timber frame and the sea has always attracted me—it calms and soothes me.”

“Combining the timber frame built and the Caribbean panorama would lead me to another life accomplishment, by bringing together passions that drive me.”

FUTURE MATERIAL “As for the future of wood, I see it being more molecular. I always want to push further, and wish to use wood fibres to develop a new product, knowing that the mechanical properties of wood are mind-blowing.”

“Wood is flexible, strong, can be worked incredibly.

I feel that we are rediscovering it more and more, especially now that we better understand its ecological properties. It is incredible to think that it is a material that has always been used, and that we can right now, again and very rightly, call it the material of the future.”

Amen! noble-element.com PROJET B – LAC-BROME, ARCHITECT : MYLÈNE FLEURY, LAC-BROME, QUÉBEC, CANADA, 2020. © NOBLE ELEMENT ARCHIVES

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Headquartered in Montreal, the leading construction firm SAJO was founded 45 years ago, and now boasts satellite offices in London, UK, Milan, Italy and Miami, USA. Internationally renowned, the firm delivers customized high-end integrated projects throughout the commercial, residential, retail, utilities and public works sectors, through commitment and dedication.

SAJO offers à la carte design, construction, procurement, maintenance, real estate and project technology services within an ever-changing industry.

A word from the co-founders, Salvatore Guerrera and Nick Tedeschi, and an overview of the impressive legacy they were able to build together, overcoming one economic challenge after another.

Salvatore Guerrera CEO

& Nick Tedeschi

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Juli Pisano

President

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HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Founded in 1977, SAJO’s humble beginnings originated in the trades with both founders working in the field doing anything and everything that was required. “Innocence powered by dreams”, says Tedeschi.

“At that time, Montreal was teeming with skilled labour. The future was bright.

We could seize the opportunity to capitalize on the positive attitude of the workforce, encourage its development and design living environments that inspire people and make them feel good,” adds Salvatore.

HE SAID, HE SAID “We met on a blind date”, jokes Nick.

“Sal was a caring, driven and visionary young man!”

“We actually met selling shoes. A common friend of ours got me a part-time job at the Villager. Nick happened to be my boss”, adds Sal. The year was 1974. Three years later, the friends by alliance in progress of becoming business partners signed the purchase of their first property with the idea of building their first real estate development project.

“Nick was solid, reliable and generous in person.

48 years later, I still admire those qualities in him.”

APPLE, BROOKLYN, NY, USA

GOYARD, DALLAS TX, USA

A BUILT LEGACY Over time, their shared vision of becoming a full-scale design/ build service provider was realized through the irrefutable quality of their high-end interior projects across Canada and the USA. Through hard work, dedication and a strong value system, SAJO grew to become the worldwide industry leader it is today.

Today, SAJO relies on a work team that deploys its talent and passion for a job well done and service well rendered in complete transparency. They deliver the excellence for which the company is recognized, here as elsewhere.

A STRONG SUCCESSION Among these talents who form the next generation of the company and will ensure its healthy continuity, are Jon Guerrera and Adrian Tedeschi, respective sons of both co-founders. They hold strategic positions as project managers and play a key role in the continued growth and development of large-scale projects commensurate with the company’s expertise.

DIOR, TORONTO, ON, CANADA

To this day, this vision of self-fulfillment based on the search for quality and the enhancement of the workforce remains a cornerstone of the corporate philosophy and the daily management of business and projects.

LUXURY ACROSS THE GLOBE SAJO’s portfolio of projects throughout the years is note- worthy, and impressive in its diversity and reach.

SAJO’s cross-pollination of different market segments from speciality and luxury markets enhances the organization’s capabilities in every way.

What new projects are soon to be tackled? “Exquisite core-and-shell projects of luxury homes and condos.”

“We aim to expand and enrich our know-how by further developing the markets of the Maritime Provinces and the cities of Ottawa and Vancouver,” adds CEO Salvatore, as forward-thinking and visionary as ever.

MIAMI BEACH RESIDENCE, MIAMI, FL, USA

A SOLID LEGACY Sal was born in Montreal. “My dad came in 1952, my mom followed in 1953.” Nick, quant à lui, est né dans un village tranquille de la province de Campobass. “I came in 1954 with my mom. My father had arrived a year prior.”

Today “mature”, according to the wise words of Nick, the family remains a central value for these two men of heart.

“Design was at the forefront of our vision from the start”, recalls Sal.

“Our shared European upbringing taught us the true meaning and value of all manual labour… the great sense of accomplishment that resides in building something of quality with one’s own hands.”

- Salvatore Guerrera

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MILESTONES & HARDSHIPS The firm’s impressive growth during the past 45 years continues to this day, as Sal and Nick weather the highs and lows prevalent in the industry and experience both the milestones and the hardships on their shared journey.

“We’ve sailed through all the economic crises of the last forty-five years.”

“The global financial crisis of 2007-2008 and the housing collapse that followed in Canada, the US and elsewhere, as well as the retail apocalypse of 2020… we’ve lived through these most uncertain of times affecting our industry. Our response was to seize the opportunity presented - to adapt, to develop new markets, and to come out stronger each time,” adds Sal. TIFFANY, VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA

“Making major decisions that would influence the course of our business - such as opening offices abroad or expanding the markets served - without forgetting the full range of turnkey services we offer; all this necessarily comes with its share of uncertainties and difficult times.”

- Nick Tedeschi

CELINE, LONDON, U.K.

SNAPSHOT OF THE DAY "Our Innovation Lab strives to advance the latest technologies and robotics within the construction processes”, explains Sal. In doing so, SAJO remains relevant to its clients by continuously being at the forefront of new market realities.

FOR BETTER OR WORSE Let’s face it. Sal and Nick’s binding partnership has essentially lasted much longer than the average marriage nowadays.

What’s the secret, one asks?

“We understand the necessary balance between giving and receiving, and do not keep personal agendas when it comes to the company and co-workers.”

“We are very tolerant towards each other and towards our colleagues and above all, above all… We don’t give up on each other.”

— Nick Tedeschi

“I agree”, adds Sal. “We complete each other by trusting one another. We know and value each other’s strengths and refer to the most capable between us in respect to the issue at hand.”

NICK TEDESCHI & SALVATORE GUERRERA

A RECIPE TO SUCCESS A company that has been growing for 45 years, it is certainly built first and foremost on solid foundations and a set of key ingredients that lead to success.

Here are five unveiled!

1) M ake every decision as if it were to last forever and consider your core values central to your decision-making.

2) L isten to your teams, act upon what you hear and keep talents happy.

3) H ire for attitude and train for knowledge.

4) S ervice your client beyond expectations.

5) O h, and show patience… in any and all instances!

LOUIS VUITTON, DALLAS, TX, USA

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A 20/20 VISION When asked about his vision, wanting to talk about the vision he has of the legacy built with his accomplice of four decades, the charismatic businessman Nick Tedeschi replies that he has a 20/20 vision!

By applying state-of-the-art technology tailored to each environment, SAJO is transforming the traditional approach of assessing and building physical spaces across diverse industry sectors. The company’s vision for the future is actually to continue to build a sustainable future for its colleagues and clients.

“A future in which our talents continue to live meaningful lives by bettering, embellishing and supporting the advancement and inspiration of humanity.”

- Salvatore Guerrera

JON GUERRERA & ADRIAN TEDESCHI

GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY As to how they envision the continuation of their legacy, Nick answers as follows. “We wish to mentor our dedicated sons and talented teams to continue to thrive well into the future. Satisfying family life while juggling a business has had its challenges and yet the birth of my son and subsequent births of my two beautiful granddaughters are the greatest milestones of my life.”

Inching towards its 50th anniversary with a most impressive portfolio of top-quality projects, a tight-knit professional staff, a workmanship-based approach to architecture, construction and design, and a solid understanding of human values and sustainability, there is no doubt that Sal and Nick’s vision for the future will come to fruition.

Lunga vita a SAJO!

“We hope for, indeed foresee, a future for the company firmly rooted in the system of human values that Nick and I have built, nurtured and reinforced over four and a half decades of growth.”

“We foresee our legacy’s future involving two, three, four generations of talents led by our dedicated sons Jon and Adrian, and, fingers crossed, our grandchildren, someday.”

sajo.com

- Salvatore Guerrera

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Exterior collection Place : 45°16’27.2»N 72°45’24.1»W Photograph : Jeremy Le Chatelier Model : Krema

Discover the structural charm

noble-element.com

Sid Lee Architecture + Ivanhoé Cambridge STRONGER TOGETHER

by

Madeleine Champagne & Juli Pisano

Downtown Allies What was the initial mandate handed to Sid Lee Architecture by global real estate industry leader Ivanhoé Cambridge? The story of this collaboration begins with the modernization, by Sid Lee Architecture, of the Rockhill apartments: a residential complex formerly owned by Ivanhoé Cambridge and located at the foot of Mount Royal.

It resulted in transforming this emblematic conciergerie at the foot of Montreal’s Royal Mount into new prestigious luxury living quarters.

A 20-million dollar investment and the launch of a wonderful adventure followed. Let’s take a look at the fruit of the union that makes strength between Sid Lee Architecture and Ivanhoé Cambridge, a partnership that embellishes the urban fabric of the city of Montreal, one emblematic place at a time.

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AT WORK, WE KNOW THE ARTISAN. – JEAN DE LA FONTAINE Jean Pelland and Martin Leblanc, cofounders of Sid Lee Architecture, firmly believe that the best way to see an architectural project is to analyze its cultural, social and economic context through its users. A practice that guarantees a strong identity and sustainability.

From this success and with this gospel in hand, the fruitful collaboration with the real estate development world-renowned leader, Ivanhoé Cambridge, sprang.

This means that Pelland and his partner, Martin Leblanc, work with the agency’s strategists and develop work methodologies adapted to the practice of architecture and interior design.

Let’s hear from Jean Pelland, architect and senior partner of Sid Lee Architecture, and Annik Desmarteau, VP Quebec Operations of Ivanhoé Cambridge.

PELLAND TELLS Pelland credits the good fortune that led the creative firm to collaborate on several large-scale projects with this development leader with a silo-free approach that fosters a deeper understanding of the project and the user, their needs and their environment.

I have in front of me, on the screen, a man with bright eyes.

He represents the quintessence of a lit professional: intelligent and politically frank. His air is both wise and curious.

“Benevolence must be put forward when doing business with a respected leader such as Ivanhoé Cambridge, entrusting us with important requalification of modernist heritage buildings in Montreal’s business district, notably.”

ROCKHILL APARTMENTS, BY SIDLEE ARCHITECTURE, FOR IVANHOÉ CAMBRIDGE, MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA, 2007. © STÉPHANE BRÜGGER

- Jean Pelland, Sid Lee Architecture.

Pelland is referring to the repositioning of the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel and the construction of Espace C2, but also to several important mandates at Place Ville Marie, including the revitalization of Esplanade PVM in collaboration with Menkès Shooner Dagenais LeTourneux Architectes.

It is worth mentioning that the latter represents an investment that grazes $200 million.

IVANHOÉ CAMBRIDGE COMPLETES “When Ivanhoé Cambridge decides to do a project, our team does it very well and puts all its resources and energy into it to achieve its success. Sid Lee shares this vision. They are talented allies in solution mode whom we trust, and who trust us in return.

There are many issues and challenges that are encountered with projects of this magnitude, explains Annik Desmarteau, VP of Quebec Operations.

"It’s easy to fall into the negative instead of overdoing the positive.

With Sid Lee, this is not what we live. We join forces to innovate in solutions!"

- Annik Desmarteau, Ivanhoé Cambridge.

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CATHCART RESTAURANTS & BIERGARTEN, BY SID LEE ARCHITECTURE, MSDL, A5 HOSPITALITY, FOR IVANHOÉ CAMBRIDGE, MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA, 2020. © SID LEE ARCHITECTURE SID LEE ARCH IMAGINED BY SID LEE ARCHITECTURE & A5 HOSPITALITY, REALIZED BY CONSORTIUM SID LEE ARCHITECTURE | MENKÈS SHOONER DAGENAIS LETOURNEUX ARCHITECTES

PLACE À L’ÉRITAGE D’HENRY N. COBB The Place Ville Marie revitalization project carried out in collaboration with Sid Lee Architecture was carried out in a very great spirit of collaboration between the creative team and that of Ivanhoé Cambridge, explains Annik Desmarteau.

“The association of our two companies, building on our respective strengths, has been more than a winner.

We’re coming to the end of this project’s process with a revitalized shopping mall that infuses vibrancy and creates a one-of-a-kind food court, Le Cathcart, at the very forefront of what’s happening in the market here and elsewhere,” she reveals.

“Sid Lee’s creativity is immense. It takes projects to another level. This ensures that Ivanhoé Cambridge remains a leader in the market and we are very proud of it.”

ARCHITECTS HENRY N. COBB AND JEAN PELLAND MEET IN NEW YORK IN 2018 AND DISCUSS THE LEGACY AND FUTURE OF PLACE VILLE-MARIE. © SID LEE ARCHITECTURE.

Jean Pelland, for his part, is proud to say it: his team is part of this transformation which aims to restore the image of the modernist emblem and give it back the zest of its past. In meeting with Sid Lee Architecture, the building’s original architect Henry N. Cobb who designed the massive project with Ieoh Ming Pei in the 1960s said he was excited by the revitalization project and expressed his appreciation for the architectural

- Annik Desmarteau, Ivanhoé Cambridge.

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intervention of the firm, denoting that it gave back to this space its airs of modernity. Hallelujah!

The projects keep coming! A new version of the 360 Observatory is currently the subject of a collaboration between Ivanhoé Cambridge and Sid Lee Architecture and will soon see the day. Meanwhile, the PVM Esplanade has been home to one of the largest horizontal glass structures in North America.

It was Sid Lee Architecture, in collaboration with owner Ivanhoé Cambridge and operator Fairmont Hotels, who developed the vision for the repositioning of Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth and idealized the architectural and interior design concepts.

UMAMI TO THE QUEEN As per the actual construction of the new and renewed Queen Elizabeth, it was done by a large group of professionals, including Pomerleau and the consortium Sid Lee Architecture | Architecture49.

When the architect asked the client what he wanted, he was told de facto that he was given carte blanche.

Apart from budgetary and operational parameters and deadlines to be respected, Annik Desmarteau confirms this: “Sid Lee was rather free, on the design side of things… After all, the key to a good collaboration, I believe, is to trust others’ talents and expertise.”

“What is remarkable here is the confidence that Ivanhoé Cambridge has placed in us from the first stages of the mandate.”

- Martin Leblanc, Sid Lee Architecture

FAIRMOUNT HOTEL THE QUEEN ELIZABETH, DESIGNED BY SID LEE ARCHITECTURE & BCP (BY PETER CHASE), REALIZED BY SID LEE ARCHITECTURE | ARCHITECTURE49 ARCHITECTS IN CONSORTIUM AND POMERLEAU. © STEPHANE BRÜGGER

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ABOVE & RIGHT PAGE: ESPACE C2 BY/BY SID LEE ARCHITECTURE, FOR IVANHOÉ CAMBRIDGE, MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, 2017. © ADRIEN WILLIAMS

C2 TO THE STARS And it was quite a sweep that the workshop gave to dust off this grand hotel which, let us remember, was a symbol of excellence in the hotel industry at the time. Alas, over time it had lost its umami and it was time to take it to another level. We wanted a classy, plural and unusual hotel. Successful bet!

A new hotel experience, one with a holistic vision, open to the city, is designed! The establishment has since reaffirmed itself as an urban facility, serving local and international customers; a range of places such as the unique Espace C2 where people can go daily, whether to conduct business, participate in events, or be entertained.

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TO BE CONTINUED It is therefore thanks to this beautiful relationship of trust that Sid Lee Architecture and Ivanhoé Cambridge manage to carry out major projects that have a positive impact on the Montreal landscape. sidleearchitecture.com ivanhoecambridge.com

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In sum, Ex unitate vires…

From unity, comes strength.

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Who’s Who by Juli Pisano

Now at its 15th edition, the GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN Awards celebrate excellence, the creative talent of professionals and the clients who put their trust in them.

From Beautiful British Columbia to the shores of Newfoundland, from Beirut to Montreal, sought-out and renowned talents are recruited yearly to be part of our International Jury.

Find out who’s who amongst these architecture and design industry talents, ambassadors and leaders, members of our Jury and make way for revelations and insights sure to inspire.

These illustrious and active industry leaders freshly recruited as part of the International Jury of the GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN join returning members, back for a second year of worldwide search for excellence!

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Members of the jury with content on INT. design & INTÉRIEURS 81 // New jury recruits with content on INT. design Ryann Aoukar / Thomas Balsley / Christian Bélanger / Iman-Meriem Benkirane / Jacques Boily / Léa Boisvert / Karine Bouisson / Réal Boulanger / Jean-Sébastien Bourdages / Jaime Bouzaglo / Virginia Burt / Laure Capitani / Senih Cavusoglu / Marina Cervera Alonso de Medina / Gianni Cito / André-Yves Coendaraet / Sara Corvino / Antonio de Antonis / Matteo De Bartolomeis / Dina De Fina / Gauthier De Nutte / Youssef Derouich / Ximena Diaz / Ahmed Dridi / Filipa Figueira / Hans Fonk / Sonia Gagnon / Hugo J.S. Galland / Carl Gerges / Benoit Giguère / Jean-François Guimont / Charles Henley / Claudia Huge / Sophie-Anne Laflamme / Denys Lapointe / Dominique Lannoy / Sébastien Lebel / Patrick Leblanc / Marc Letellier / Gabriel Lopes / Dimitar Lukanov / Michael Machnic / Carlo Martino / Christian Matteau / Nastaran Moradinejad / Michel Morelli / Alain Moureaux / Roberta Mutti / Abhishek Patel / Claudia Piazera / Emilia Prevosti / Marco Tortoioli Ricci / Rijk Rietveld / David Rodier / Maria Salvati / Mark Schollen / Saule Séguin / Christiane Tawil / Lewis Taylor / Nadège Tchuente / Banu Tevfliker / Fabrizio Todeschini / Alessandro Valente / Emilia Weckman / Patricia Wheele / Brian Wiens

The GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN rewards excellence in design, architecture, landscape, products and built heritage and has done such for the past sixteen years of growth and recognition. Its 16th edition is officially launched and the registration platform is now open to all! Be part of the international cohort of candidates of the contest proudly created in Quebec and now recognized internationally as a stamp of excellence for the creative industry in which we gravitate.

15th Edition August 10 2022 Stay tuned for the online announcement of the bronze, silver and gold certifications.

Gold-certified projects and products become eligible finalists for the Platinum, Grand Laureates and Prize of the Year awards unveiled at our 2 galas during the year and in upcoming issues of INTÉRIEURS. September 16 2022 Attend the first Gala in Quebec City, at the Capitole Theater. Winners of the Interior Design, Product, and Communication & Brand Design disciplines shall be announced.

October 12 2022 Don’t miss the second Gala presented Montreal Casino’s Cabaret. Winners of the Architecture, Construction & Real Estate, Landscape & Territories, Art & Photography disciplines shall be revealed. Don’t miss the second Gala of the 15th edition at the Cabaret du Casino de Montréal. We will announce the winners of the Architecture, Construction & Real Estate, Landscape & Territories, Art & Photography disciplines.

Here are some dates to jot to your calendar in order to submit creative projects for the 16th edition and to follow results of the 15th awards edition, now duly judged.

16th Edition June 15 2022 The call for applications is officially launched!

Take advantage of a reduced rate by registering before October 31, and of the regular rate by registering before January 31, 2023.

April 1 2023 This is no April Fool’s joke, it is, indeed, the final deadline for the call for entries. Be there, or be square!

Learn more: int.design

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ALAIN MOUREAUX

MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA

15th GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN Jury President Designer & Co-founder, Moureaux Hauspy Design

The Moureaux Signature

The one who founded one of the most remarkable design agencies in Quebec and encouraged the next generation in all its forms has since turned the page towards a new chapter of well-deserved retirement without ever abandoning his involvement in the recognition of the profession.

Now retired interior designer and co-founder of one of Quebec’s most prominent design firms, Alain Moureaux is this year’s president of the international elite jury of the 15th GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN Awards.

THE FINISH LINE On a mentorship level, and as a true ambassador of value and talent of the interior design profession, Moureaux is most proud of the initiation of the Bachelor Degree at the University of Montreal that contributes to the acknowledgment and respect of the profession.

IF EVERYTHING WERE POSSIBLE “I would invite Andrée Putman, Pierre Carlier, a teacher who was instrumental to me at Saint-Luc and my father Robert Moureaux whom I miss immensely.”

Together, I would have them tackle the topic of the search for excellence, quality and perfection.

HIS STARTING LINE “Instead of going to Brussels, I chose to study at Saint-Luc in Belgium founded

by Catholics that came from Passy nearby Paris.”

“There, I studied art from 1963 to 1969. I learned photography, graphic design, advertisements and interior design. By the summer of 1969, and the mind and soul full of ideas, I was on a boat to Montreal with my friend Georges.”

FREE TO RUN It is a well-known fact by any of his neighbours or anyone who has ever met him… Alain runs! He runs to work. He runs marathons. He even runs in wintertime, opting for a 15-km run in the snow around Île Bizzard instead of a hot cocoa sipping session by the fireplace!

Simply said, Alain runs on caffeine, design, running… and cold showers! “But my wife makes me drink tea every evening to sleep reasonably! A theme song that describes it? Le plat pays by Jacques Brel, says the proud Belgian!

With his partner in crime Georges Hauspy, Alain founded Moureaux Hauspy and became one of the most invested Montrealers in the advancement of the profession in the country…

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CARL GERGES

Architect & Founder Carl Gerges Architects, carlgerges.com

BEIRUT, LEBANON

Indie Rock Architect HIS SOUNDTRACK Architecture made its impression on Carl during the early years, through family trips to Paris, notably. Totally blown away by the buildings that went up during the Industrial Revolution, notably the Eiffel Tower, the creative young boy would spend hours observing and drawing each and every detail.

As a University major, Carl first chose civil engineering before making the jump to architecture. “That’s how the band was formed. We are all architects and designers. Our common interests keep us bonded when we’re on tour, drawn to the same interests.”

The Lebanese architect also happens to be the drummer-composer of Mashrou’ Leila, one of the most prominent indie rock bands of the Middle East.

DRAWING BEFORE SPEAKING “Drawing and architecture have always been inseparable to me. The scents of pencils and magic markers conjure up my childhood. It also allows a different angle, one with an added sensitivity and subjectivity too often missing from photographs or software renderings.”

ARTISANAL WEALTH

“My trips made me realize the wealth that artisans contribute to their cities. Alas, many of these practices are destined to vanish. I feel our role is to help them live on. Maybe that’s why I feel that artisanal techniques are somewhat the fundamental letters of my architectural language.”

© CARL GERGES ARCHITECTS, CHARBEL ABOU ZEIDAN CONCERTS

“We work in an industry where so many different worlds intersect. Even if it is unconscious in some ways, music, art and architecture have always been intimately linked during my life, in one way or another.” His practice is thus based on a more theatrical approach aimed at creating a series of experiences and present moments instead of a series of spaces.

VILLA CHAMS, LEBANON.

“How fabulous it would be to share the table with musician John Lennon, and architects Carlo Scarpa and Charlotte Perriand. The notion of beauty would certainly be debated and discussed.” © CARL GERGES ARCHITECTS

AMAN DREAM As per dreams that could come true, Gerges would choose to design an Aman resort like no other. “I love how they silently emerge from a site and seamlessly blend with the surroundings.”

“In architecture, nature offers us fortuitous opportunities to seize, to which I always bow down with respect.”

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MICHEL MORELLI

MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA

Industrial Designer Morelli Designers, morelli designers.com

“Even a Butter Box Can Be Beautiful!”

Michel Morelli is a key figure in the exported expertise of Quebec industrial design. He shares the experience of handing over his company to a new leading partner and on his role shifting to Director of Business Development in a What Comes Next? article at the end of this same magazine.

Founder of Morelli Designers, Michel’s illustrious career path is nowhere near running off the train tracks.

CAR MAGAZINES “It all started with the discovery of concept car drawings in specialist magazines from the 1970s. As I have a curious temperament, anything related to design, directly or indirectly, stimulates me.”

New challenges, new materials, new sectors of activity… the goal is to constantly expand horizons.

After all, “there are no limits to our capacity to make dreams come true.”

LET’S BRAINSTORM Morelli’s guest list for the ultimate brainstorm session is most inspiring.

The topic of discussion? How to create tools for citizens and manufacturing companies to be proactive in solving environmental issues and how to track online and in real time the true impact of a product purchase on the environment! Bam! Even more promising than flying off into space!

“I would invite world luminary in artificial intelligence Yoshua Bengio, Canadian astrophysicist and ecologist Hubert Reeves, forward-thinking engineer Elon Musk and the mind of visionary entrepreneur Steve Jobs.”

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A LATTE HERE OR IN VENICE “The sea brings me serenity. Anna Maria Island is where we’ve elected our second home… a marvellous place that stimulates all my senses.”

The successes and achievements of Michel Morelli have marked and still mark the fibre of our society’s identity, here as elsewhere. Let’s savour his accomplishments, enjoy his creations, a latte in hand, here or in Venice as well.

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MICHAEL MACHNIC

Interior Designer IBI Group, ibigroup.com

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA

A Fortune-Teller’s Prediction Once upon a time, a fortune teller at a county fair informed a fouryear-old Michael that he would study architecture someday and design bridges. “It got me thinking!”

Since this fortune-teller’s prediction, the eye of Michael Machnic, interior designer at the office of IBI Group in Toronto, sharpened and his interest in design grew.

“My fantasy prediction is that this high school science fair winning experiment would shift climate change into reverse, once and for all!”

SHOW ME THE BUBBLES A Rioja coffee to start the day and a bubble bath to end it!

BRINGING MEANING TO STRANGERS

“At its best, my work supports the lives and aspirations of people I will likely never know.

EVERYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE IS REAL - PICASSO Interior designer Michael Machnic is a dreamer and a strong advocate of youthful strength. “I dream of seeing a winning ecological project from a high school science fair funded, developed and implemented globally.”

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“To create or to rejuvenate, I choose a spot with an expansive vista, supporting an open mind and inspiring a more empathetic outlook for everyone and everything out beyond the horizon.”

A CLOSING STATEMENT “Catch up with me tomorrow and any or all of these answers will have evolved!”

This is the beauty of life and the human experience in many ways, they evolve daily… there is always something new to learn and share.

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AHMED DRIDI

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

Architect Moke architecten, mokearchitecten.nl

Supreme Simplicity & Sophistication As Pennac wrote, Ahmed Dridi reminds us that “architecture is the art of suggestion”.

Inspired by the famous words of movers and shakers, the Amsterdam-based architect is driven by the desire to “create, communicate, share, collaborate, solve, manage, learn, discover, grow… and then start again!”

PABLO PICASSO SAID…

“Art washes away the dust of everyday life from our souls."

This is the mantra he repeats to himself on a daily basis, focusing his talents on various projects for commercial, industrial, tourist and residential use.

“For me, the constant catalyst of my work is that exquisite moment when the first idea hits you.” Then comes the sketch, usually doodled at his kitchen table, and the built result, the fruit of a magical and miraculous process.

TUNISIA PAVILION, UNIVERSAL EXHIBITION, MILAN, ITALY, 2015.

HIS FATHER’S STEPS

CITIZEN OF THE WORLD After studying in Tunis and Geneva, Dridi’s profession made him a citizen of the world from Montreal to Rome, and now settling in and making Amsterdam his home and play field.

“As a child, I would tag along with my father, an upholsterer and decorator.

I visited the most sumptuous residences of the Tunisian bourgeoisie and those of the high international clientele of a cosmopolitan Tunisia of the 1970s.”

THE BEST IS YET TO COME

“Imagine if we could bring together the woman of letters Marguerite Yourcenar, the inspiring leader Mahatma Gandhi and the progenitor of surrealism, Paul Klee.”

“A generous and hardworking man, an amateur of beautiful objects, my father would turn anything he touched into a gem.

He was my first teacher and mentor. And so, by age of 16, I was predestined for architecture.”

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“We would brainstorm ways to bring serenity through art in a world of bullies. You’re all welcome to join us!”

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GIANNI CITO

Architect & Founder Moke Architecten, mokearchitecten.nl

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

My Father Was a Carpenter

The agency has been successful on a global scale for decades, notably winning the Rome Award of Architecture in 2001 for its design of the Superbowl, redefining the lots of a former sugar refinery located in the village of Halfweg in the Netherlands.

Born in Zurich in 1970, Gianni Cito graduated from the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London in 1996 and is now co-principal of Moke Architectes Amsterdam.

WATCH CLOSELY The creation of new spaces and living environments inspires her on a daily basis. “I am in my creative element wherever I am happy… behind my desk or while I’m cooking!”

“Watch closely, you’ll see more!”, says the lively architect. After all, “space is nothing more, and nothing less, than what you can imagine it to be!”

BACK TO SCHOOL Near-Energy-neutral, the circular elementary school De Wereldburger in Amsterdam designed by Moke Architecten is giving its worn-out 1960s building a new lease on life! The school is part of the neighbourhood and links up with the public park perfectly. Its floorboards, stairs, ceilings, door handles, and washbasins have been recycled from the old and added to the new.

“We chose to reuse the old concrete frame and add a wooden structure to it to create a learning and play palace for young schoolchildren.”

© THIJS WOLZAK

Let’s dream! To which Cito replies that he dreams of seeing the Netherlands win the FIFA World Cup!

As a good philosopher of beauty, he also dreams of exchanging ideas with the late musician Prince, the writer Kafka and the surrealist painter Dali. Surreal, indeed!

“I would have them debate where resides the birth of an idea and what makes a space exist.”

DE WERELDBURGER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, DESIGN BY MOKE ARCHITECTEN, AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, 2021, © THIJS WOLZAK.

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NADÈGE TCHUENTE

Landscape Architect Nvira Environnement, nvira.com

QUÉBEC, QUÉBEC, CANADA

Antoine Lavoisier once said it, Nadège made it her mantra. Of Cameroonian origin, Nadège Tchuente cut her teeth in construction in Senegal before embarking on landscape architecture.

The love of design and urban development later led her to landscape architecture.

LANDSCAPE PROJECT BY NVIRA ENVIRONMENT

“Nothing Is lost, Nothing Is Created, Everything Is Transformed.”

THE GEOMORPHOLOGY OF THE SITE Nadège’s academic background in engineering and landscaping gives her a critical mind, particularly with regard to the technical aspects of structural and topographic construction.

“It is the environmental and geomorphological aspects of the site that fuel my creativity the most.”

“Inspired by the site’s specific needs, I work to create a rich and efficient experiential path.”

STONEHAM SUCCESS STORY Of her recent achievements, Nadège is the proudest of the founders’ park in Stoneham, Quebec, because of the eco-responsibility of the project.

In collaboration with Tergos Architecture, and for the municipality of Stoneham, Nvira redesigned the existing sports park, former baseball and soccer

LANDSCAPE PROJECT BY NVIRA ENVIRONMENT

fields into a multi-functional space for the many resident families of the municipality as well as the visual and physical access to the river.

IN DE LAVOISIER’S WORDS “I discovered the profession of landscape architecture entirely by chance. When I came to settle in Quebec, my goal was to do architectural design. Landscape architecture is not a known field in sub-Saharan countries.”

Once in Canada, she discovered the profession of landscape architecture through readings and was seduced by the field’s multidisciplinary feel, much like the biodiversity of nature.

“A single blade of straw does not sweep the yard…

This Ivorian proverb says it all! It is only by working together that we get results.”

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CHRISTIAN BÉLANGER

Interior Designer BELANGERMARTIN, belangermartin.com

ESTÉREL, QUÉBEC, CANADA

Into the Woods Sipping both tea and coffee, “ah, but separately”, well-awarded interior designer Christian Bélanger has been successfully navigated the realms of interior design and furniture design and retail for the past thirty-five years, and, has big dreams ahead… deep into the woods!

Having proudly chosen an urban exodus, he now happily lives and works in the heart of the Laurentians. “At home, in Estérel. This is where I am at my best to deploy my creativity as well as to relax and enjoy life!”

BOUTIQUE 5AV BY BELANGERMARTIN, LAURÉAT COMMERCE GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN 13TH EDITION, MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA. © ADRIEN WILLIAMS

TWO MUST-SEES After the well-known and sought-after address on the island where Christian always spends his Saturdays, a second storefront on rue BELANGERMARTIN was added to the charming heart of Saint-Sauveur, 5 years ago already. An already well-established clientele has spread to the splendid shores of Lake Montebello and the peaks of the Pays-d’en-Haut Laurentian mountains. Although his achievements bear the seal of excellence, Bélanger recognizes that he holds a real privilege, that of working with clients who have absolute trust in him.

A blessing!

A WALK IN THE WOODS Christian has always dreamt jumbo-screen style! And off-path, for sure.”I dream of opening a space devoted to the promotion of design and to selling furniture, lighting, objects, clothing and food products… located smack down in the heart of the woods!”

“I would dream of brainstorming with Englishman Sir Terence Conran, Spanish architect Patricia Uquiola and Italian maestro Achille Castiglioni about the multifunctional and inspirational space… deep into the woods!”

“With the absolute power handed to me to create in total liberty of expression comes the great responsibility to exceed expectations in every possible way.”

FALLING FOR PUTMAN & ALVIN AILEY The year was 1980. “I discovered the work of Andrée Putman and that of Alvin Ailey and I saw the great power of designing and evolving in spaces by adopting a completely conceptual approach. I was sold and never looked back!”

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LAURE CAPITANI

Coordinator Wallonie-Bruxelles Design Mode, wbdm.be

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM

To Listen, To See, To Share Laure Capitani deploys her talents within this international development accelerator, this talent curator and this quality agency which supports the fashion and design industry in Wallonia and Brussels.

CAPPUCCINO & GO Seeing “her cappuccino cup of life half-full”, Laure is also an administrator of the Wallonie design association and represents WBDM in the Bureau of European Design Associations.

“My work allows me to articulate my strengths and interests while promoting the development and recognition abroad of Belgian fashion and design.”

EXTREME SPORTS & BEAUTY

“I would like to learn kitesurfing or go down a death ride from the top of a mountain!”

Hello, extreme dreams… and major vertigo!

DEBATING CITY CYCLING

“How fascinating would it be to have singer-songwriter Matthieu Chedid, author Amélie Nothomb and fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier debate, discuss and seek solutions that give more space to cycling in and around the city.

Something tells us that Laure is an urban cyclist who roams the streets of Brussels!

CREATIVE FUEL “A particularly fascinating project, in my opinion, is that of Resortecs, a Belgian start-up. Awarded for exceptional novelty, the company has designed heat-soluble sewing threads and thermal dismantling systems that facilitate textile recycling.”

Such promising applications to reduce the textile industry’s impact on the environment can spring from this innovation and many more inspire Laure daily in enabling the industry to fulfill these goals.

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BELGIUM IS DESIGN_SALONESATELLITE EXTRAMUROS 2021 © BELGIUM IS DESIGN

WBDM FASHION PROGRAMME 2022 © KIDNAP YOUR DESIGNER

ANTONIO DE ANTONIS

President AIPI - Associazione Italiana Progettisti di Interni, aipi.it

MILAN, ITALY

The Dream of Being an Artist Born a tea-loving Englishman, Antonio De Antonis studied architecture in Italy and has been working in the field and sipping espressos in Milan since 1992.

He also serves as the President of the Italian Association of Interior designers, established in 1969 and a long-lasting partner of the New European Bauhaus.

Over the years, his agency Antonio De Antonis Work Studio has designed prestigious projects in Italy, Germany, Kazakhstan, England and elsewhere, in the residential, commercial, tourist and luxury hotel sectors.

©VECERKA/ESTO, COURTESY SWA/BALSLEY AND WEISS/MANFREDI

A CREATIVE RECYCLING ECONOMY “I want to raise awareness and promote an economy of creative recycling and waste mitigation, in favour of a reflection on respect for the environment.”

“Awaken ideas that will draw new perspective horizons in which attention to sustainability and the environment coexists with aesthetic research and work together to create living spaces that convey well-being and happiness.”

LE CORBUSIER SAID… Words from Le Corbusier assail Antonio each time he tackles a mandate.

“The art of the decorator consists in doing in others what you would never dream of doing in yourself.”

“In many ways, I wanted to be an artist or a painter. The struggles and limitations of the field made me temporarily fall onto interior design.” Some thirty years later, it has become safe to say, the temporary fallback has grown into a permanent life passion!

STRAIGHT LINE OR CURVED LINE? “I spent hours, even days, listening to architects and designers of the past debate this simple question.”

“I picture Borromini, Gaudi and Mies van der Rohe meet some of our contemporary fellow architects and designers and debate the question of the straight or the curved line.

I would dare to bring up the question: Why not both?”

P.S. “I quote the Italian Alessandro Baricco: Things happen that are like questions.

A minute or years pass, then life responds.”

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JEAN-FRANÇOIS GUIMONT

Architect, General Manager Carbonleo, carbonleo.com

A skilled integrator, this architect also explored another dimension of building, that of real estate developer when recruited by a major real estate developer in the Middle East.

At Carbonleo since 2018, Jean-François Guimont leads the talents behind the Royalmount project, the new soughtout Montreal destination focused on innovation and user experience for a unique urban lifestyle.

MONT-ROYAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA

The Sole Constance Is Change ROYALMOUNT PRIDE For this new urban center, the aim is to reduce CO2 emissions by 93% thanks to the installation of an energy transfer loop and the use of clean energy. This is the very first project in Quebec to use the Traces Quebec program, which provides real-time encrypted tracking of the movement of contaminated soil.”

85% of demolition material were recovered, restored and reintegrated in the project.

THE SQUARE AT END OF ARMS Having lived in Morocco in his early childhood, he would like to see this country of a thousand colors again with the eyes of an adult and the passion of an architect. His first memories of youth related to the profession he exercises?

“I remember the image of my father, pencil in hand, drawing our first family house. Standing on the tip of my toes, I would try, by any means possible, to reach the angle bracket at the end of the wooden plank serving as the drawing table.”

TEMPUS FUGIT Time flies… better get the most out of it.

It is a thought that Guimont frequently recalls when appreciating, on a daily basis, the diversity that his job brings him. “From design to technology, through problem solving and interpersonal management, the profession enchants me.”

“Bringing people together to create meaningful spaces that will endure in time, that’s the wind beneath my wings!”

OH, THE NIGHT OWL His rejuvenating setting of choice?

“The enchanting Charlevoix region of Quebec, atop a cliff from overlooking the estuary’s span of ice of drift gently towards the ocean.”

When it comes to creativity, no matter where, Guimont creates by night. “When silence sets in.”

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← ROYALMOUNT PROJECT, OVERVIEW OF SHOPPING CENTER SURROUNDED BY MIXED-USE TOWER.

SOPHIE-CATHERINE LAFLAMME

Senior Director, Design & Tenant Delivery Carbonleo, carbonleo.com

Smile From the Inside Out

MONT-ROYAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA

Inspired by world-class creators and practices, the Carbonleo team deploys projects that meet the aspirations of current and future consumers while engaging communities.

Sophie-Catherine Laflamme is at the helm of design and tenant coordination for this team of story builders with a focus on Royalmount, a greenfield flagship retail complex home to more than 230 tenants, tenants, retailers and restaurants, as well as a luxury hotel, a spa, an aquarium, a cinema and an outdoor piazza.

We are building a green-living community of the future and a world where experiential attractions, retail, office space and accommodations are firmly rooted in nature, rejuvenation and sustainability-minded strategies— something to be most proud of!”

ENDORPHINS, ETHICS & AESTHETICS “The endorphins of physical activity give me the necessary distance to come back to work in force with ever more creative solutions.”

ROYALMOUNT PROJECT, MASTER PLAN OF AN ECO-INNOVATIVE NEIGHBORHOOD, SET OF HOUSING AND MIXED-USE UNITS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF MONTREAL.

A THIRSTY CURIOSITY “My path to design has been, and still is to this day, supported by a network of coaches, mentors and personal acquaintances.”

Her greatest source of inspiration in this profession stemming from her passion? Traveling!

WATCH OUT, GREEN LIVING Retail design is multifaceted and constantly changing, requiring an agile and open-minded approach. While remaining rooted in project parameters and client metrics, Sophie-Catherine is called upon to create new paradigms.

“I am unequivocally the Royalmount greenfield complex, set to be 100% carbon neutral at its opening.

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“I would get a kick in discussing ethics and aesthetics with Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, Japanese architect Tadao Ando and French fashion designer Virginie Viard.”

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DAVID RODIER

SAINT-HYACINTHE, QUÉBEC, CANADA

CEO Paysages Rodier, paysagesrodier.com

Landscape architect David Rodier is CEO of the company founded by his parents. “At a very young age, I was led to work there and to understand the various technical aspects of the field.”

The Power to Impress

“Alone, we can go forward. Together, we can go further.”

A simple but truly resonating mantra to the CEO of the family-founded, family-run agency known for its custom luxury landscaping designs.

UNDERSTANDING NATURE Like any landscaping enthusiast, David Rodier seeks to understand nature and use his creativity to change the built environment, to elevate it, to amaze!

“I particularly cherish mountains and would love to engage in a series of famous climbs, such as the one-andonly Kilimandjaro.” In the meantime, he communes with Mother Nature out in the Eastern Townships, at his cottage amidst a wide wooden lot.

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DREAM LARGE & GREEN Imagine his dream brainstorm…

“A colleague of my design team, the great Frederick Law Olmstead, known for his Central Park and Ron Williams who taught and marked me in college.”

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“I would pick their brains on the ultimately perfectly designed city park.”

JEAN-PIERRE RODIER & MIREILLE DION-RODIER, LES FONDATEURS DE PAYSAGES RODIER.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE As per sustainable projects put forward, Rodier is most proud of the landscaping of the family business’s office façade.

Completed in 2012, the landscaping of the offices of Paysages Rodier introduced principles of sustainable development, including permeable paving stones and a rainwater harvesting system.

CLAUDIA HUGE

Commercial Director France Wilkhahn, wilkhahn.com

BAD MÜNGER, GERMANY

Ambassador of the high-end office furniture brand Wilkhahn, Claudia Huge is closely linked to the international community of architecture and design.

After Canada, South and East Europe and Africa, she now acts as Commercial Director for Wilkhahn France. The design of Human Centered Workplaces for and with partners in a wide range of cultures has shaped her expertise in outstanding ways.

Empower Women

SKETCH OF THE WILKHAHN FACTORY HALLS BY ARCHITECT THOMAS HERZOG. THE WILKHAHN PAVILIONS, ARCHITECT FREI OTTO.

USINE WILKHAHN, ARCHITECT THOMAS HERZOG, © MANDY WILL.

THREE DECADES

DREAM IN 3D A latte please!

“Good design is the result of a state of mind that reflects the love of man and nature.”

“I would invite leading women Michelle Obama, Angela Merkel and Doctor of Social Work Brené Brown.”

Three decades ago, an advertisement in a political magazine, distinguished by unparallelled clarity and simplicity, put Claudia on the trail of a very courageous family business that understood this idea of “good design” and made it an integral part of its culture. The rest is history.

DAILY PRIDE “I am very proud to work for a company that makes sustainable development an absolute priority daily.”

“For decades now, through continuous innovation, Wilkhahn has raised the standards of environmental responsibility in the global furniture manufacturing industry.”

USINE WILKHAHN, ARCHITECT THOMAS HERZOG, © MANDY WILL.

“What a pleasure it is to carry out the task of creating fun, healthy, friendly, efficient and productive human-centred work environments in collaboration with architects and designers from all over the world.”

Let’s discuss women’s empowerment!

“The ratio of women in leadership positions is appallingly low. Let’s all have the courage to make individual changes to create more balance and diversity for our future.”

“As per evolution in design, I dream of seeing innovative solutions for workplaces made sustainable and accessible to every human anywhere through a simple 3D printing order.” Voilà !

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MARK SCHOLLEN

RICHMOND HILL, ONTARIO, CANADA

Principal Schollen & Company, schollenandcompany.com

The Outdoors Was

My Inspiration Wanting to be outdoors as much as possible was Mark Schollen’s inspiration to follow the path that led to the amazing fields of landscape architecture.

LOW-IMPACT DEVELOPMENT & GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE The landscape architecture firm Schollen & Company has put together a guide aimed at the various levels of government and which deploys good practices in favour of low-impact development, as well as green infrastructure.

The firm has prepared the Toronto Green Streets Technical Guideline which direct the integration of LID/GI into the design of Toronto’s street portfolio.

This new guideline will yield extensive environmental benefits on a city-wide basis. Hurray!

SPREADING THE POSSIBILITIES It is the multidisciplinary collaborations of the creative process that inspire innovation and expand the spectrum of possibilities in the profession.

“My design ideas often come from walking around the site and letting the space set in.

The biophysical, visual and spiritual characteristics of a site are all strong catalysts for design.”

DREAMING OF CIVILITY “Given the alarming situation in Ukraine, an end to senseless violence and a rebirth of world peace and civility is my ultimate dream.”

“On a professional level, I would brainstorm about inspiration for design innovation with Antoni Gaudi, Thomas Edison and Steve Jobs any daydream of the week!”

“I would then head out to Ontario’s Georgian Bay where I go to unwind!

I free my mind there by skiing, hiking, biking or kayaking… simply exploring and enjoying nature.”

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO SCARBOROUGH CAMPUS, ACCESSIBLE VALLEY LAND TRAIL, 2020.

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Principal FCSLA, FASLA Virginia Burt Designs Landscape Architecture, vburtdesigns.com

VIRGINIA BURT

MILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA

If One Can Dream It, One Can Build It Landscape architect Virginia Burt has designed and directed healing landscapes and gardens, labyrinths and sacred spaces.

WILDERNESS WELL-BEING “Our agency creates gardens and landscapes that embrace the human experience, our shared culture and the ecological values essential to a better world.”

The passion and respect with which the teams in its Ontario and Ohio offices approach their projects translates into a holistic and even therapeutic approach to the landscape.

“Large and small. Urban and rural. I foster the dream of seeing ecosystems restored and fully replenish, where the traces of design cannot be told. A seamless rebirth of life.”

WE ARE THE CHANGE “My brother once introduced us to a friend who was studying landscape architecture. It quickly fascinated me and, 100%, convinced me!”

“If one can dream it, one can build it!”

And when she builds it, people come and make it their own. Proof of matter?

This waterfront marvel… que voilà!

© ALEKSANDAR ANTONIJEVIC

© RICHARD MANDELKORN

Anything is possible! That is her mantra after all!

With that in mind, she would invite the anthropologist Margaret Mead, the poet Mary Oliver and the naturalist John Muir to discuss how design and nature may inspire the human race. I volunteer for writing down the meeting minutes!

ESCAPE IN NATURE On weekends and on vacation, it is by skiing or walking his dog Wilson that his batteries are recharged. A cold shower before leaving, a thermos coffee, a bubble bath on the way back…

“I unwind in the outdoors.”

A professional defect, perhaps?! “On site, I breath in the space and set my mind off.” ← ACADIA POINT, DESIGN BY VIRGINIA BURT DESIGNS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, BLANDFORD, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA, 2017, © RICHARD MANDELKORN.

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LÉA BOISVERT

MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA

Founder Léa Boisvert Architect

Having invested in opening her own office in Montreal, architect Léa Boisvert works by day and dreams by night with the goal of achieving growth and international recognition.

Never expect anything and always strive to achieve something! Here’s the mantra Léa lives by as the founding architect of her own firm.

Everything You Need Lies Within A REVEALING DISCOVERY “It was a very good friend who had just returned from an architecture internship in Vancouver who introduced me to architecture.”

“I understood, then and there, that architecture would enable me to fully accomplish myself and expand my talents and interests.”

A MOTIVATING FORCE

“Architecture is a field that evolves at the same pace as humans. Now it’s up to us to rise together and level up!”

Léa is a strong believer that the greatest human reveal is an emotional one. “We have the power to continually create those desired positive emotions through our spaces and that is a motivating force like no other.”

She would brainstorm with entrepreneur Tom Bilyeu, strategist Anthony Robbins and author Simon Sinek to collectively motivate each other to create a more flexible work environment and better collaboration.

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A PENCIL & A NOTEBOOK A pencil and a notebook are all Léa needs to feel in her element.

She cultivates her mind by drinking from travels, exhibitions and daily readings.

Instead of a bubble bath to relax, the architect chooses a bath with a glass of bubbles! Well done… and well deserved!

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CHARLES HENLEY

NLAA CPHD Architect Charles Henley Architect, charles@charleshenley.com

ST-JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR, CANADA

Building A Better Life Charles Henley has been practising architecture for over 40 years. His accomplishments include RCMP buildings in the Arctic, not to mention the building that houses the Faculty of Genetic Medicine at Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Always aware of the changing issues related to the global climate crisis, he went back to school himself and obtained the international Certified Passive House Designer… a first passive house by Henley is currently out for pricing. Hurray!

AN ECO-RESPONSIBILITY “I believe we, as architects and designers, owe it to ourselves and the next generations of citizens to acknowledge our responsibilities and act upon them as best we can.”

“One is never too old to relearn, reinvent and be current.”

Designing and producing buildings with low energy consumption is a really simple and affordable alternative.

“It’s the right thing to do!”

BAPTISM BY FIRE “My sister of mine saw a talent in me by age 7. I had little or no knowledge of architecture before I applied. It was a baptism by fire so to speak and I was quickly absorbed into something I grew to love very quickly.”

VIP GUESTS “I dream of seeing every human being live in a comfortable home. If I could, I would invite Vituvius, Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn to come up with tips to inspire everyone in the built environment industry to design better environments for people, society and our planet.”

A MOTIVATING DUTY For architect Henley, creativity, problem solving and human interaction are real markers of the liveliness of the industry.

“Passing on knowledge to others and never ceasing to learn, helping clients to create a better frame of life, mentoring young and old novices about the true nature of a good design… those are the elements that fuel my passion.”

SAINT-JOHN, NEWFOUNLAND, HOUSE PROJECT, 2015.

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DOMINIQUE LANNOY AISCHE-EN-REFAIL, BELGIUM

President and Associate in Fine Arts re Cré Arts ASBL, recrearts.org

Working with material and translating it is what drives the artist Dominique Lannoy in the exercise of her passion and in the transmission of knowledge of art to the next generation via a network of teachers dedicated to the development and promotion of art in French-speaking Belgium.

Matter & Transformation

“Creation springs from an emotion and the memory that lives in us. We can nourish it and translate it plastically. It then lives through the gaze of the other.”

LA VITA È BELLA “Investing in a place like a vegetable garden is a discovery for all our senses.

Forms and compositions are treasures to stage. We discover smells that awaken the memory… it is a whole that sends back our history and archives our memory.”

SOURCES OF INSPIRATION The inspirations that inhabit her range from the sensuality of the human body to the colors of garden spaces. In the words of Rilke, “a work of art is good when it is born out of necessity”.

The artist and president of re Cré Arts, a non-profit arts training school set in the Namur province of Belgium, has a sweet spot for gardens. “The sense of order that presides in them, in particular.

I admire the gardens designed by garden landscaper Gilles Clément and the innovative work of landscape architect René Pechère. I could roam around them for days.”

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ORGANIC PRINT BY DOMINIQUE LANNOY.

If all dreams came true, Dominique would invite the immeasurable Le Corbusier, sculptor Brancusi and fashion giant Max Mara to discuss the simplicity of the line.

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ORGANIC PRINT BY DOMINIQUE LANNOY.

“I think I was inspired by the liveliness of my father and the creativity of my garden architect uncle who decorated and animated with objects he found and put together to tell a story.”

“Nature is our history.

The one and only archivist of our collective memory.”

BANU TEVFIKLER

Associate Professor Eastern Mediterranean University, emu.edu.tr

FAMAGUSTA, NORTHERN CYPRUS

Imagine, Sang Lennon

Banu Tevfikler, associate professor at the University was born in Nicosia, Cyprus, in 1972. She has served as a jury member of important competitions around the world and one of the director members of the International Design Week EMU.

A Doctor of Architecture, she now molds the creative minds of tomorrow at the Eastern Mediterranean University of Famagusta in Northern Cyprus.

WHAT MAKES A SPACE A PLACE Introduced to school life through the iconic “köşklüçiftlik” elementary school, created by none other than the protagonist of the country’s modern architecture.

“Since then, on a conscious and unconscious level at once, I’ve been searching for what makes a space become a place.” A place people share, cherish and make theirs.

CREATING MOTIVATION Banu is always inspired by the everchanging nature and colors of landscapes, skies and seasides.

“Letting myself drift to happy oscillations is, altogether, an invaluable source of creative act for me, one that kick-starts the process.”

A WORLD OF PEACE In her dream world, she would arrange a meeting between Post Truth author Lee McIntyre, Sapiens author Yuval Noah Harari, and Eyes of the Skin author Juhani Pallasmaa to discuss the humanity and the new humanity in the context of this COVID pandemic.

© BANU TEVFIKLER.

CALENDAR ON AHMET VURAL BEHAEDDIN BY BANU TEVFIKLER © BANU TEVFIKLER.

“Teach the next generation the importance of associating human values with the philosophy of art and design and the creations that we create; also make them aware of the responsibility that accompanies creation. All this generates, for me, an infinite source of motivation.”

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BANU’S YOUNG SON ARA’S ART PROJECT ON THE TOPIC OF THE NEW MANKIND.

“I foster the dream of peace for all humankind. In the words of John Lennon: Imagine all the people, living life in peace…”

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FILIPA FIGUEIRA

Architect & Founding Partner Hinterland Architecture Studio, hinterland-as.com

OPORTO, PORTUGAL

What Is True Today, Might Not Be Tomorrow…

Architect Filipa Figuiera is a co-founding partner of Hinterland Architecture Studio, an international architecture practice based in Oporto, Portugal.

LEGO SCHOOL Filipa has lived, breath and beat for architecture for as long as she can remember. Before launching her studio, she co-produced with Tiago Vieira and Building Pictures, monthly episodes called Arquitectura a moda do Porto in which meaningful city architecture was explored and masters and up-andcomers, presented.

INTERIOR DESIGN FOR KITCHEN AND DINING ROOM BY HINTERLAND ARCHITECTURE STUDIO.

“I spent endless hours building and creating everything and nothing in Lego. Today, I do much the same thing with slightly larger and much more varied materials.”

TRAVELING TO FIND ONESELF “To free my mind and generate ideas, I escape to the beach or the countryside. “The moments after traveling are the ones that are the most inspiring for Filipa. “Learning is constant and universal.”

“Different cultures, places, contexts and lifestyles inspire me.

I travel to take in these sources of inspiration and bring them home with me.”

ALWAYS OUTSIDE THE BOX

GREEN MEADOWS AND BLUE SKIES

Thinking outside the box is not only an effective mantra for Filipa, it’s a rule of thumb, a way of life.

“We held an international conference under the theme Build: From High to Low Tech, with the aim of discussing and promoting new approaches in design and construction that reduce the environmental impact of buildings. “A buoyant and promising moment.”

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The ultimate dream? A foursome dinner date with the action-driven Michelle Obama, the forward-thinking Pope Francisco and modern architecture founding father Oscar Niemeyer.

The topic discussed? The present and the future of the world… nothing less!

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AAPQ / AAPC Landscape Architect Municipal Infrastructure Design and Integration Division, City of Quebec City, Québec Tramway Project Bureau, tramwaydequebec.info

SÉBASTIEN LEBEL

QUÉBEC, QUÉBEC, CANADA

A New Day, A Renewal

“Quebec City is on the verge of carrying out the biggest project in its history,” says landscape architect Sébastien Lebel of the City of Quebec’s sustainable development department.

“An urban renewal! Our mission is to make Québec City’s tramway, the most seamlessly integrated system in North America.”

“I have the fulfilling feeling of proposing solutions related to issues that reflect our Quebec values.”

NATURALIZATION OF THE SAINT-CHARLES RIVER, DESIGN BY GROUPE IBI, DAA (DANIEL ARBOR AND ASSOCIATE (BECOME LEMAY), CITY OF QUEBEC, QUEBEC, QUEBEC, CANADA, 2005-2008.

THE LANDSCAPE, THE RESPONSE The journey that led him to landscape, 30 years ago.

The journey that led him to landscape architecture, begun 30 years ago, began at the Old Port of Montreal when he is hired as a horticultural attendant. The following year, he returned to work and, voilà, the urban figure of the Old Port was completely redesigned and redesigned that summer!

“The industrial port of Montreal was transforming before my eyes into a vast public landscape park accessible to all! WOW! Who did this? Landscape architects, that’s who, his! The rest is my history!”

THE PATH TO CHANGE Every day is an opportunity to make the city more friendly, more sustainable. Thus, in Quebec, islands of freshness are thus inserted into the urban landscape of the national capital to the delight of city dwellers and tourists.

CITY-SPACED LANDSCAPE Along the Saint-Charles River, in its urban portion, the banks have been restored, wildlife habitats created and bike paths and walking paths added. The whole thing represents a promising and unifying project, day and night, enhanced with each passing season.

“How fantastic would it be to invite late architect Frederick Todd, 19th-century landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and his son Junior who followed in his footsteps to debate and decide the optimal ratio of green spaces a city should host for its citizens to fully reap all benefits!”

RENDERING OF THE ROUTE, STREET OF THE CROWN (AFTER).

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YOUSSEF DEROUICH CASABLANCA, MOROCCO

Architect, Partner & Founder Orange Atelier Derouich Architecte et Associés, orangeatelier.ma

Arabic Calligraphy

& Architecture Youssef is at the head of a high-performance and diversified team of pungent talents and shapes the minds of tomorrow at the National School of Architecture in Rabat, Morocco.

© ILYASS TRIBA PHOTOGRAPHY

SUCCEEDING TOGETHER

“Sharing experiences with others is a daily source of motivation.”

CASABLANCA PRIDE Such a recent achievement? The Raffinity building with thermally and acoustically insulated facades, erected on the busiest avenue in Casablanca. An eco-responsible feat and a model to draw inspiration from!

In constant search of the immutable values of architecture, Youssef strives to build a multi-talented team driven to create perennial architecture that surpasses client expectations and enhances user comfort.

DREAMING OF TOMORROW It was a successful plastic art class in college and a marked passion for Arabic calligraphy that put the young Moroccan on the creative path of architecture.

COUNTRYSIDE BRAINSTORMING Let’s chat in the countryside!

A training school in architecture, this is the dream he wishes to realize.

In the meantime, Youssef helps himself to Moroccan tea and trains the next generation in Morocco.

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RAFFINITY TOWER @ORANGEATELIER

“I would invite Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris, says Le Corbusier, the giant Frank Lloyd Wright and the philosopher Averroès to the countryside.

We would argue about space and reason.”

Certainly a most-captivating philosophy and design class like no other!

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LEWIS TAYLOR

Design Director David Collins Studio, davidcollins.studio

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

“When designing spaces, David Collins always used to say to put yourself in our customer’s shoes and consider the journey of how the space will be used.”

At the start of any new project, the design director of the London agency Lewis Taylor underlines this thought from the founder to his team of talents: “True creativity comes from the incredible talent of our designers. The inspiration that emerges from a meeting around a round table or in front of a drawing board sets the stage for an exponential creative synergy.”

THE WOLSELEY, LONDON, UK, © THE WOLSELEY

Consider the Journey GRANDPA’S ANTIQUES A Freudian therapist would probably bring back Lewis’s love for design to his early childhood memories, a.k.a. his grandfather’s antique furniture shop.

“I used to help my grandfather restore old furniture and run auctions and antique fairs.”

“My interest in aesthetics and design well established early on, I later trained as a furniture designer and studied product design at the Royal College of Art. After which I started work as a furniture designer for David Collins, working my way up to my current position as Design Director.”

A HINT OF FANTASY

“In my dreams, I would discuss with quintessential British fashion designer Paul Smith, inspiring Italian designer Scarpa and industrial designer Dieters Rams known to have said as little design as possible, when considering operational and functional items and spaces.”

After all, the simplest solution is often the best!

EXTENDING THE LIFE-SPAN Sought after for a wide variety of luxury projects around the world, ranging from residential to hospitality and more recently to maritime sectors, David Collins Studio has always focused on sustainability and design responsibility.

“We have a sustainability focus group within the studio and have recently calculated that our projects’ life span was of fifteen years versus five to eight for industry standards.”

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ABHISHEK PATEL

BURNABY, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

CID, LEED AP Architect Abhishek Patel Environ Design, abhishek-patel-environ-design.business.site

Specific Design Leads to Terrific Business Abhishek is a certified and LEED accredited interior designer, a strong advocate for sustainable design and green building principles locally, nationally and internationally.

An experienced leader who has built a culture of highperforming, collaborative teams, the green building specialist Abhishek Patel is recognized for his innovative design approach to creative problem-solving results.

BRICKS & MORTAR “I used to spend most summers and weekends on a construction site along with my grandfather who was a renowned builder.

I would play with bricks, sand and other building materials.

I grew up to be a passionate and curious adult practising architecture and loving every minute of it.”

“Every client has a story to tell… the built environment is the perfect medium to unfold their story.”

COFFEE OR TEA? “Beer is better! And a cold shower to get the day started!”

Is it just me or is Patel’s most Canadian sense of humour is rubbing off on you too? When asked where and when he’s “in the zone”, the architect answers anywhere and anytime EXCEPT when I’m riding on my motorcycle. Born to Be Wild…

LET’S BUILD A BETTER WORLD “Being good stewards of the Earth we belong to is not a concept or a service. It is a deep belief. The architecture and design come from the community and are a reflection of it.”

“We have a sense of duty to commit to sustainability within our community through our architecture and design choices.

Period. What goes around, comes around!”

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Final thoughts? Less is more? Less is a bore? Does it matter?

What if Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (Less is more), Robert Venturi (Less is a bore) and Richard Rogers (Form follows profit) were to debate. Would it matter more to be less, would less be a bore, if it were to drive to a profit of sustainability? Food for thought… the type of things Patel cooks up while riding his bike!

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CARLO MARTINO

Full Professor of Design Sapienza Université de Rome, uniroma1.it

A PRIVILEGED PLACE OF TRANSFORMATION Carlo has designed numerous industrial and artisanal products and several graphic and exhibition projects over the years. Even today, he marvels at seeing them come to life.

“The industry is the privileged place of transformation. A magical place. Materials shaped, folded, printed take shape.”

ROME, ITALY

Peace & Beauty

“My real inspiration was, and continues to be, Achille Castiglioni. His ‘typological’ approach to design remains still today, in my opinion, the most valid. I very much appreciate all of Vignelli work, starting from the ‘Unigrid’ project for NPS National Park Service into 1977 to the NY subway wayfinding and infographic.”

Born in Bari, Italy, architect and designer Carlo Martino is a full professor of design at Sapienza University in Rome.

NATURE TEACHES According to Martino, these are the outcome of evolutionary processes of millions of years, the expression of a balance between resources and performance.

“Biomimicry in contemporary design has a promising future. It is essential to know nature in its most intimate and microscopic structures.”

BRAINSTORM FANTASY The subject of the meeting? The future of design, nothing less! The unlikely guests, but those he’d love in his dreams?

Stephen Mather, the American entrepreneur and environmentalist who published a simple communication tool in 1916 that convinced the United States Congress to found the National Park Service, Adriano Olivetti, the Italian visionary who integrated beauty into industrial objects, while paying close attention to the working conditions of his employees, and Ettore Sottsass, who, during his ninety years of life, crossed history and influenced international culture of the twentieth century.

“I want the search for beauty, at the heart of the natural world and its artificial counterpart, to be the priority of humanity.”

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HUGO J.S. GALLAND MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA

Creative VP Agence Oasis Communication Marketing, oasiscommunication.ca

“Dinner’s Served!”

Hugo leads the creation of offices in Quebec, Charlevoix and Montreal for this marketing and communications agency recognized for the excellence of its portfolio.

BRANDING, TOURISME CHARLEVOIX BY AGENCE OASIS COMMUNICATION MARKETING © THOMAS PATRY & OKOK

FIVE WORDS

Interest, listening, curiosity, analysis and risk. Five words that are the basis of creativity, according to Hugo.

“Knowing to reinvent ourselves constantly, enjoying always starting over and never accepting any automatic conditioned response, that’s what ignites my fire.”

DREAM A DREAM

“I would like to understand more my surroundings. Differences are the wealth of humanity.”

Will the brave new world be a tangible in-person one or a virtual reality? It is certain that it is easier to face virtual reality face to face. In the meantime, let's humanize ourselves.

Recently mandated to redefine the brand universe of Tourisme Charlevoix, his team created a campaign around the “L’attractionterrestrial” signature. A promise of connection between nature and humans in a harmonious way while respecting the territory.

A MONK AT WORK “The more silence, the better. Natural light, a window and no view. A table, a chair, a pen, a notebook… I’d be happy in a monastery.”

“A Kenyan black ristretto coffee, and above all, above all… no watch!”

FARMING IN THE ARCTIC

“How incredible it would be to bring together naturalist and gardener Francis Masson, inventor Leonardo da Vinci and stubborn and tenacious tennis player Jimmy Connors for the sole purpose of creating a self-sustaining greenhouse in the Arctic.”

P.S.: “Long live the counter-revolution.

And let’s, alas, talk to one another, eye to eye.”

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RÉAL BOULANGER

Architecture & Design Réal Boulanger Design + Architecture, realboulangerdesign.com

MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA

Free to Dream At 16, Réal visited his mother’s cousin and the architect gives him plans to transcribe. “Drawing calmed me down. If I was calm, it meant I had a pencil in my hand.”

Highly motivated by the creative essence of A&D, the trained architect Boulanger made his mark in interior design and built an impressive portfolio over decades of high-quality commercial and residential projects, both classic and contemporary.

PLAN OF A HAYLOFT, IN THE EASTERN TOWNSHIPS, TRANSFORMED INTO AN INN SOME FORTY YEARS AGO.

DOES SIZE MATTER?

VISIONS OF THE PAST, CITY OF TOMORROW

“A small and simple project well thought-out and designed is just as satisfactory as a complex multilayered one.”

“How grand would it be to have the ever-so imaginative Walt Disney, the exuberant design and architecture giant Philippe Stark and the inspiring master Frank Lloyd Wright discuss key elements of a new urban city and lifestyle!”

Recognized and coveted by a clientele seeking excellence in residential design, for example, Réal has always aimed to satisfy his clients, not by creating a signature, but by responding to their needs so that they really feel at their home.

AS CARLY SIMON SANG

A COUNTRYSIDE HAYLOFT Réal remembers a project carried out 40 years ago. A barn in the Eastern Townships, a hayloft in fact, transformed into an inn at the time. All of its original structure, its columns, its beams, its frame, its silo… Everything had been preserved.

FREE TO DREAM “If there is something that remains accessible to all, free and rewarding, it is the dream!”

Réal’s personal dreams are simple.

“To go on travelling around the work, soaking in beauty in our fascinating World’s landscapes and built environment of architecture and design.”

A tall glass of milk, or an Indian tea please, a table edge and the scent and feel of the outdoors, time alone to think and voilà Réal’s recipe to being in the zone!

And to take it easy with his muse, his beauty, his Marie-Élaine who is now teaming up with him to create turnkey projects, a bubble bath, of course!

Truth be told, the 29-year-young couple’s go-to song is none other than Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain! After all, even the simple pleasures in life are well-worth enjoying!

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PATRICK LEBLANC

BOUCHERVILLE, QUÉBEC, CANADA

Founder, Principal Designer Conception Leblanc, conceptionleblanc.com

A Pencil, a Paper, an Idea…

Trained in industrial design, Patrick launched his own interior design company in 2011 and puts commitment first.

“We can change the world, one project at a time!”

With this go-getting conquering attitude, the design passionate enjoys the good things in life such as moka coffees in the morning and tea time in the evening!

MENTOR MAUFFETTE “I remember winning drawing competitions when I was in grade school.

Later, Claude Mauffette became a go-to person for me, an incomparable mentor in many ways.”

In fact, it was industrial designer Claude Mauffette who congratulated Patrick, in his academic year, for choosing the path of industrial design.

“This touched me deeply. I keep a fond memory of that word of encouragement from a man I had always respected and admired.”

INTERIOR DESIGN - DUVERNAY DENTAL CARE, LAVAL, QUEBEC, 2022.

CREATIVITY TO THE RESCUE “A brainstorm session that would be out of this world? Imagine if Leonardo da Vinci met with my agency team of talents!”

“An artist, a painter, a sculptor, a musician, a writer, an anatomist, a botanist, a scientist, an engineer, an architect, a town planner… and one and the same man! That is to say that Da Vinci personifies the apogee of multitalent!”

DREAMS & CHALLENGES Dreams? Patrick has plenty! Like many others, he fosters the dream of transforming the interiors of Habitat 67 units! The DREAM playground for many!

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For the Conception Leblanc founder, the impact his work as an interior designer has on other people’s lives is significant and, therefore, creativity must be thought out through and through.

“My greatest motivation and satisfaction comes from the Before & After reactions of our clients.”

PRIDE & BLISS A pencil, a paper and a few key collaborations are even better!

“My greatest accomplishment is working with key talents to advance the scope and potential of our creativity.”

“The simplicity of having a pencil and a sheet of paper at hand to develop a new idea is all I need to feel creative.”

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Principal SWA/Balsley, swabalsley.com

THOMAS BALSLEY NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA

In-Person Must Rule When asked to choose between a hot bubble bath and a cold shower, the self-described incorrigible designer and landscape architect tweaks a cheat and answers "a hot shower!"

Slap in a quick coffee and Thomas Balsley is good to go, in a New York minute!

THREE BROTHERS, ONE FIELD OF DREAMS My brother, Jim, was studying in landscape architecture and convinced me to change paths. Our youngest brother did the same. All three of us now work passionately as landscape architects.

To be capable of touching thousands, millions, of day-to-day urban lives and healing the environment is what has motivated me daily over the course of my 50 years working in the field.

UNCOMMON GROUND As long as the director of the New York firm roams around spaces that could be transformed, he takes a critical look, rethinks the world and, alas, his mind never rests!

“A rock outcrop at the edge of the forest on an uninhabited rocky coastline almost gets me to rest,” says the restless visionary.

DREAMING OF EQUITABLE DESIGN Malcolm X, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elon Musk would be the dream guests to rethink design as a tool to create equitable and unifying public spaces and defend the importance of allocating public budgets to the design of such essential spaces.

“I’d actually be for some sort of urban inner city policy that would require all plazas and parks to be rethought and redesigned to reflect their changing contextual dynamics.”

VECERKA/ESTO, COURTESY SWA/BALSLEY AND WEISS/MANFREDI

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KARINE BOUISSON CANNES, FRANCE

Interior designer Mazzoli Interior Design, Instagram : karine_bouisson_ #interior designer, Facebook : Karine Bouisson Interior Designer

Karine retains the wise words of Albert Einstein, “imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited while imagination embraces the entire universe”.

French Riviera Interior Designer Karine Bouisson always knew she would deploy her talents in the explosive industry of design.

Imagination Embraces the Universe DESTINED TO DESIGN “My grandfather was a furniture manufacturer in the 1950s and my parents took over the management of Meubles Bouisson and introduced the Roche Bobois and Ligne Roset lines.”

Design, architecture, fabulous furniture and a taste for aesthetics and quality awake her senses and make the ordinary, extraordinary.

“Creating is also giving shape to your destiny,” wrote Albert Camus, a quote taken up by Karine.

SHAPING YOUR DESTINY “I dream thousands of dreams that allow me to continue to achieve and create the unprecedented.”

It is that any self-respecting interior project is based on codes where creativity is limitless and where choices made at the level of design, space planning and interior architecture make it possible to achieve an unparallelled result.

“How awesome would it be to pick the brains of Charles Eames, Florence Knoll and Frank Gehry.”

SEA’VASION “I’m at my best in my work environment.

As per when I want to evade, I am all about the endless horizon of the limitless sea.”

A beautifully suiting metaphor for the boundless power of design, I would say.

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Landscape Designer Les jardins de vos rêves, lesjardinsdevosreves.com

SAULE SÉGUIN QUÉBEC, QUÉBEC, CANADA

Let My People Go Surfing!

1975. Saule’s parents moved to the countryside. They founded Les jardins de vos rêves, a landscape company. In 2006, their children continued the adventure and teamed up with artists who shared their vision and their passion.

A seasoned landscaper, passionate about design and sensitive to ecology, Saule Séguin creates gardens that become true temples of life and havens of peace.

BEAUTY TO SAVE THE WORLD Let’s dare to dream! If Saule were to have it his way, he would invite Lance Hosey, the author of The Shape of Green: Aesthetics, Ecology and Design, Albert Mondor, his cousin and author, horticulturist and garden designer with an avant-garde vision towards sustainability and the architect Pierre Thibault whose work strikes a resonating chord in me.

As evidence for the jury… the work of François Cardinal and Pierre Thibault: Et si la beauté rendait heureux. The subject of the brainstorm? Ecology and beauty to save the world.

REANIMATING THE CHILD IN ME

“Working is for those who don’t know how to garden.”

Surrounding myself with the elements of nature, creating playful living spaces that revive the child in me, inviting people to take ownership of their exterior by practising the art of living there… that’s where everything lies my pleasure at work!

“When beauty compels us, a bond is created and the desire to take care of the eco-friendly space presides. This makes the design ever so sustainable over time.”

HOME SWEET HOME “I get to realize all my creative fantasies and explore experimental avenues.”

Sipping a coffee while waiting for happy hour, Saule reveals that it is at home that he reaches his highest level of creativity.

“Without any limitation or client-negotiation, apart from those imposed by my loving better half!”

“I wish to contribute to the quality of life of my community by collaborating in a local development that would be unifying and supportive. This is my definition of: Let my people go surfing!”

WINNER OF THE COMPETITION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPERS OF QUEBEC IN 2018: MILAN-HAVLIN PRIZE AND 1ST PRIZE IN THE CATEGORY “FROM MATERIALS TO NATURAL”.

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BENOÎT GIGUÈRE

MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA

Vice-president Content & Operations BrandBourg, brandbourg.com

Born to Design THE ECO SIDE OF EACH ERA “Every project is an enriching adventure in itself!”

“Each era has imposed its criteria and paradigms related to the protection and preservation of the environment,” says the BrandBourg’s VP Content and Operations.

PEOPLE NOT PLACES “What matters to me are people, not places.

I fall into my zone working with others.”

“I have always been passionate about design in all its shapes and forms. You might say I was born to design!”

“I escape through music and reading, both in town and in the countryside.”

MARC LETELLIER OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA

PRAGMATISM & FANTASY As much a fan of coffee as he is of tea, Benoît is one of those so-called pragmatic tradesmen.

The ideal brainstorm? “I would invite the two most competent professionals in their respective fields related to the planned project and the typical client for whom the product or services are intended!”

“Designing and building my own house is a dream for another life. Like directing Wagner’s Ring… if only I had that talent.”

His expertise and experience are leveraged through the mentorship he provides and the direction he gives to members of the design team.

Manager LWG Architectural Interiors, lwg-ai.com

Stay Forever Curious PASSION PRESIDES “If anything is worth doing, it’s worth doing with all your heart and all your might.” A simple mantra but one that resides true to the LWG Director, continuously challenged to develop innovative solutions for needs in diverse industries.

“I cannot name an event or a person who put me on the path to design. I was simply attracted to it, by the desire to create pleasant living environments that would benefit others.”

BLUE & GREEN DREAMS Letellier dreams of building a holiday home by the sea and far from the neighbours.

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Active president of the Society of Graphic Designers of Quebec from 2015 to 2021, Benoît Giguère has lent his expertise to several juries over the years.

From financial communication to branding; from exhibition design to digital applications; from traditional media to web content; the expert in content strategy and digital transformation feeds on everything he touches.

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His expertise and experience are leveraged through the mentorship he provides and the direction he gives to members of the design team at LWG Architectural Interiors in Ottawa.

Marc Letellier’s 40-year experience spans the breadth of design industry including world exhibitions, hospitality and retail, healthcare, surgical facilities, manufacturing, and clean labs, implementing notably the first LEED project in Ottawa.

He also dreams of participating in the development of the design, planning and implementation of a self-sufficient urban community. Dreams worth realizing! As they say, dream big or go home!

“I draw inspiration from almost anything around me.”

ECO-PRIDE As long as you dream… Why not dream big!

Letellier imagines bringing together Le Corbusier, Da Vinci and Douglas Cardinal.

“Let’s brainstorm on the development of an expandable ecologically self-sustaining urban community.”

PATRICIA WHEELE

Interior Designer LWG Architectural Interiors, lwg-ai.com

EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA

From Ski Bum to Design Buff

Interior designer Patricia Wheele hit the ski slopes and travelled the world before returning to school at Algonquin College in Ottawa and becoming a designer, a profession she pursues with contagious energy within by LWG Architectural interiors.

“Look on the bright side of life… Like Monty Python, I try not to take myself too seriously!”

A LIFE TO LEARN The globe-trotting ski-bum travelled and worked her way around high-end London scene restaurants, soaking in life experiences and inspirations along the way before the path towards her ever-fulfilling career.

“In doing what we do, we become eternal students and never ever experience the dreadfulness of boredom!”

“I love the fact that our profession is one that is constantly evolving. We are always discovering new solutions, more sustainable and at the forefront.”

A TREE-HUGGER IN OIL-COUNTY It’s with much pride that the interior designer works for one of the first LEED ID offices in Ottawa. Although she now lives in oil-county Edmonton, Alberta, her tree-hugging values are still deeply rooted in her and transcend in her every-day work and design projects.

“I look at our world so disconnected and I hope to see the pendulum return to a more united world.”

LONDON TEA & MOMMY COFFEE Patricia is now a mom and a career woman. This means that coffee addiction has clearly taken hold!

But the lady also lived in London, so, obviously, she has to have her cuppa tea!

“Imagining a conversation between my 7 year-old child, the great mind of Albert Einstein and designer Eileen Gray blows my mind! I can’t think of any three people with more divergent ideas and experiences than them. Who knows what topic they’d tackle, but talk about one crazy discussion, for sure.”

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A project by

LE SHERBROOKE.COM

So many solutions.

So many possibilities.

DESIGNER PROGRAM SIMPLE AND ADVANTAGEOUS

1452, rue Bélanger, Montréal 9150, boul. de l’Acadie, Montréal

espaceplomberium.com

4595, autoroute 440 Ouest, Laval 10, montée Masson, Mascouche 1075, boul. du Grand-Héron, St-Jérôme

514 729-1821 514 385-1212 514 370-5511 450 474-3881 450 436-2318

by Madeleine Champagne

Fierce

Michèle Bélair-Pagnetti

Always Here

What comes next?

Michèle Bélair-Pagnetti’s career as an interior designer and artistic director, spans four decades and several continents.

And just like that… the interior architect and artistic director known to always be everywhere, candidly shares what her creative profession and rich path have taught her along the way.

& Everywhere

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PORCELAIN PRETTY Blessed with a mother who was always dapper and joyful, free from prejudice, caring for her darling little girl… life gets off to a good start. “My mother sang and danced in our kitchen, from morning to night!”

PORTRAIT OF LITTLE MICHÈLE

Her free-spirited mother's go-to song? None other than Patsy Cline's Crazy.

Simply perfect!

FASHION INSPIRATION. As the most sought-out babysitter in the hood, the young Michèle jumps on the occasion to devour all French and British fashion magazines that she could find. "I now realize the extend to which these magazines have contributed to developing my imagination."

Simply said…

“I drew EVERYWHERE and ALL THE TIME!” PORTRAIT OF HER MOTHER BETTY

MICHÈLE AND HER MOTHER BETTY, UNITED

LEAVING THE NEST What was bound to happen happened.

At age 15, Michèle enrolls in one of the two art schools Montreal had at the time.

Instead of choosing the MBA, and wanting much more, she opts for the Institute of Applied Arts.

The Institute of Applied Arts’ curriculum responded wonderfully to her desire to know EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING in terms of creation.

A scholarship later, and propelled by Maman Bélair’s encouraging words: “Go ahead, go for it!” Michèle takes off.

DRAWINGS SIGNED MICHÈLE BÉLAIR, 1968-1969.

DESIGN BY JULIEN HÉBERT, 1967.

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CHANGE OF DIRECTION After two years of Interior Design, Michèle branched off into the Presentation Aesthetics program, instituted by the famous Madeleine Arbour, who famously signed the Refus Global and was a star window dresser at Birks. Michèle also meets mentor teachers Guy Boulizon and Jean-Claude Planchard.

In the likes of mentor Madeleine Arbour, Michèle meets and studies under the renowned Julien Hébert, a true pioneer of industrial aesthetic, designer of the iconic and timeless Expo 67 logo.

A dozen graduates were hired to contribute to the major international event that is Expo 67 and Michèle Bélair was one of them. The committee assigns her the staging of the thematic pavilions.

“We were all between 17 and 21 years old. Fresh graduates from the Institute of Applied Arts!” Happiness, she says!

Michèle remembers working late at night, on Terre des Hommes, under a sky full of stars… "The world was ours to conquer!"

MICHÈLE WITH MADELEINE ARBOUR.

GLORY, STRAIGHT AHEAD! At 19 years old, Michèle was working as a graphic designer, first self-employed, and later, as an advisor to interior decorator Roger Haeck’s department store.

“There, I started building a loyal clientele.”

In 1981. Michèle acquires a down comforter franchise, discovered at a trade show in Germany. She convinces the former owner to pass on over the showroom lease on Crescent, the most chic street in Montreal. She sets up her office there and sets sail. Finally, she's the captain of her own ship, living the dream, full steam ahead.

During this time, she runs salons and showrooms from Milan to New York. She became an unbeatable expert on the lookout for a sharp design, innovative materials and avant-garde technology and was part of North American delegations in Verona, was invited by the Canadian delegation to Chile and Brazil…

La vita è bella, quoi !

MICHÈLE WITH MARCEL WANDERS.

MICHÈLE WITH INGO MAURER AND JEAN-CLAUDE CALABRO, CEO OF LUMIGROUP.

ECLECTICISM & POETRY Michèle develops a strong friendship with lighting magician Ingo Maurer and dines with Neo-Baroque Dutch designer Marcel Wanders known for defying design dogmas and opting for holistic solutions rather than technocratic ones.

The eclecticism and poetry that we recognize in Wanders and the sublime creations of Maurer interfere in Michèle's designs through thoughtful interventions that add a touch of fantasy.

MAURER'S DESIGNS BRIGHTEN, ELEVATE AND ECHOE TO BÉLAIR PAGNETTI'S INTERIORS.

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LES MULTI-FACETS OF THE BUSINESS With every decision comes issues to solve, to which Michèle answers with her one main mantra…

"There are no problems, only solutions!"

In a residence set up in Hudson, we find ultra-coherent interiors where furniture and architecture tell the same story as the light stages.

A nod to Master Ingo Maurer, again!

“Absolute perfection occurs when there is nothing left to add or take away from a project.”

In another interior of a 1970s-style home, Michèle revives the 70s, altogether.

Strong graphic lines and a refined design style gives pride of place to eraappropriate furniture while combining new technologies hence redefine modernism with aesthetic accents.

A home run!

LACHINE CANAL PROJECT, MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, DESIGN BY INTÉRIEURS BÉLAIR PAGNETTI, PHOTOS: MBP.

How do you recognize a design by Interiors Bélair-Pagnetti?

The answer is five-fold!

SIGNS OF A BÉLAIR PAGNETTI DESIGN A serene atmosphere, miles away from tinsel and overstatement, against a neutral backdrop of colors that pop here and there.

• A multiplication of vanishing points… the space must “breathe"!

• An omnipresence of timeless works of art.

• An extreme precision brought to functional details such as lighting.

• Minimal and high quality furniture.

And there you have it!

PROJET QUARRY POINT, HUDSON, QUÉBEC, CANADA, DESIGN PAR/BY INTÉRIEURS BÉLAIR PAGNETTI, PHOTOS : MBP.

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MICHÈLE WITH HER DOG BETTY ON THE PRE DES CANTONS, PHOTO: ARCHITECT K. CIENCIALA.

AIRSTREAM LIVING DANS LES CANTONS-DE-L’EST.

NOODLES & WHEAT Here stands a radiant and versatile woman, passionate in all her endeavours. As evidence for the jury, I present a woman who once, swept off her feet in a love affair, made massive quantities of homemade pasta noodles that she hung off laundry lines in the dining room to dry.

It is this same passionate and committed woman who radiates a happy career, who takes pleasure in sitting on several juries and advisory committees and who was, once upon a time, the proud subject of the very first design article of the widely read consumer magazine Elle Quebec.

TOWNSHIPS & COVID

The resplendent Michèle decided to live in the heart of the Eastern Townships and that's where she lives since, surrounded by forest and growing soybeans, millet and oats…

Alouette!

MICHÈLE, A REGULAR OF RED CARPETS, LAUNCHES, COCKTAILS AND INDUSTRY EVENTS.

POST SCRIPTUM It is a beautiful and fruitful story, that of Michèle. This new chapter is just the continuation of an inspired and inspiring career and life.

OPA! TEA TIME Whom would she like to have tea with?

Let the sun shine in! Life is sweet for Michèle in the Eastern Townships… and then, BAM! The pandemic. Five months of silence. No calls. No emails. No clients. No projects. No contracts. Zilch. Nada. Niente.

Finally, on a sunny morning, it starts again… it tumbles!

Michèle has unearthed creative mandates in Brittany, Long Boat Key, Florida, Georgeville, the Atwater Market and Westmount.

The globetrotter is back in business!

What comes next? Same as before!!

“I’m still here and full of energy and ideas!"

"I would have tea time with the dazzling fashion designer Vivienne Westwood. We are much alike in many ways." The fly on that tea- room wall would be a lucky one! belairpagnetti.com FB : Intérieurs Bélair Pagnetti

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MICHEL MORELLI

What Comes Next?

Memory Train Intérieurs 85

At age 63, trailblazing industrial designer Michel Morelli hands over the reins of Morelli Designers, founded in 1981 and striving since, to colleague Jonathan Côté while remaining on board as Director of Business Development.

Son of a father working on the railways, industrial designer Michel Morelli has a trajectory of international success and a roadmap of achievements, each more impressive than the next.

by

A Ride Down

Madeleine Champagne

Trailblazer

THE TRAIN THAT ROLLS ITS YOUTH At birth, we jump on the train. This trip life takes us on is full of joys, sorrows, expectations, successes, love… hellos and goodbyes.

Michel’s father has Italian roots. He came from the Puglia region, to be exact. Immigrating to Montreal and subsequently hired by a railway company, his dad frequently obtained free train tickets for the family to enjoy.

Giggling, Morelli recalls: “Simply said…

I spent my childhood on train tracks!”

THE BART METRO, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, USA, DESIGN BY MORELLI DESIGNERS. © MORELLI DESIGNERS.

THE BART METRO, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, USA, DESIGN BY MORELLI DESIGNERS. © MORELLI DESIGNERS.

MICHEL MORELLI TESTING OUT THE URBAN FURNITURE COLLECTION ORA, DESIGN BY MORELLI DESIGNERS. © MORELLI DESIGNERS.

RAILROAD PORTFOLIO It is therefore not surprising that Michel Morelli, a graduate in industrial design from the Faculty of Planning at the University of Montreal and founder of Morelli Designers, was inspired to carry out gigaprojects in the railway field throughout his career.

Let’s talk about the Bay Aera Rapid Transit light rail system in the San Francisco area. His team assisted the Bombardier engineers, particularly in the design of the train’s shell and interiors, as well as its cockpit.

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THE ROCKY MOUNTAINEER, DESIGN BY MORELLI DESIGNERS. © MORELLI DESIGNERS.

A HEAD-TURNING TALE Morelli Designers has worked on several achievements in the railway field, including the Rocky Mountaineer tourist train, this emblematic sought-out train, with many angles of view offered within the double-decker and glass-domed coaches.

The Rocky Mountaineer has been fitted with spacious and robust seats and, in keeping with the arts of the table, the crockery from local craftsmanship.

Hurray!

It is the world’s top top winner in tourist trains, so the challenge was even greater. The finishing details were one of the very important elements.

It being a pricey train ride, its clientele is fervently high-class and Morelli Designers delivers beyond expectations.

Morelli and his team thus made a nickel reputation in this field. All these concepts of tourist or urban trains require precise plans and a great preliminary analysis, a thoughtful design and an ergonomic realization, and let’s say it, a WOW effect!

THE BANKS OF THE CHARLEVOIX It is also to Michel Morelli and his team that we owe the interior design of the Massif de Charlevoix train, the Amiral tourist train, the Gaspé train and the Chicago commuter train.

THE CHARLEVOIX TRAIN, DESIGN BY MORELLI DESIGNERS. © MORELLI DESIGNERS.

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TABLEWARE COLLECTION, DESIGN BY MORELLI DESIGNERS. © MORELLI DESIGNERS.

AN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN IMPERATIVE A quick side note: Transparency and listening are vital in industrial design. The clarity of use instructions, in which a supervisor, an operator or a repairer intervenes, is imperative.

“It’s all about cognitive ergonomics linked to the interface with the user. In industrial design, we are must fully think about user experience. This requires considerable design work.

Design lives in me, sometimes I dream at night about projects or solutions to design problems. I always have a notebook on my bedside table to jot them down as they spring.”

“And always, I remain curious. It is the very driving force behind who we are as an industrial designer. If your sense of curiousness lacks, you’re simply not meant for industrial design.”

TIME FLIES Tempus fugit… Less than 40 years ago, at the beginning of the 80s, AutoCAD appeared, the most widespread of the first computer-aided drawing software. “Wow! It helped greatly in terms of the speed of production,” according to Morelli.

Morelli’s team did not only achieve great success in the rail- way environment. Their talents have touched thousands of cases!

SUCCESS “Our customer satisfaction barometer is 90%. They come back to see us satisfied with the result and especially the good communication with the team.”

He insists: “It is thanks to my well-knit and competent team of talents that I had so much joy in carrying out this river of projects. Our working atmosphere is fun and makes things stimulating.”

AND THEN, LIFE… Recently, at the age of 63, as a good father, Michel Morelli sold the practice founded in 1981 to his designer colleague Jonathan Côté. He remained on board as director of business development.

“I always promised myself that I would never allow my firm’s actions and status to decline while I was still alive to do something about it. And I’m still here to stay for several years!

This is simply a shift of power.”

AND NOW… What does the future hold for him? “I thought a lot and I would like to create and market products based on bio materials, materials with low ecological impact imagined with local creators and artisans and marketed in small quantities. Niche products or products inspired by new consumer needs.”

“Taking advantage of recycled materials, designing lighting, in short, I’m not quite sure where I’m going with my ideas but I know I’m going somewhere!”

One thing is certain, no matter where Morelli’s train of thought takes him, his creative journey will be a joyous ride! morellidesigners.com

MORELLI AND FRIENDS EMBARK ON A SAILING RACE AND DEPART FROM THE NEW PORT OF BERMUDA IN 2016. © MICHEL MORELLI ARCHIVES.

ARGON 18 TRIATHLON BIKE ELEMENT 114, DESIGN BY MORELLI DESIGNERS. © MORELLI DESIGNERS.

Intérieurs 85

Jean-Claude Poitras

by

photo

Madeleine Champagne © 2021_Isabelle Jetté

Fashion Maestro All Colors

What Comes Next?

A warm voice, absolute elegance… voilà the extraordinary creator who has practiced all the arts with incredible mastery.

From fashion designer to interior designer, from spokesperson to speaker, from sculptor to inspired artist… Jean-Claude Poitras shines!

of the Rainbow Intérieurs 85

“What does a cultured mind look like? He is the one who can see things from a large number of points of view.” - Henri-Frédéric Amiel

JEAN-CLAUDE POITRAS &COLETTE CHICOINE, © MICHEL GAGNÉ, 1972

POITRAS ARCHIVES, © VAN DYCK, 1952

BOY POITRAS Should we attribute these successes, in part, to a very happy youth where the Poitras child was inspired by his beloved grandmother, Marie-Jeanne, who had a passion for clothes.

Or this doll he had received as a gift and for which he made many clothes? Or perhaps at those Sunday masses he attended, fascinated by the central aisle of comings and goings of ladies in furs and silk dresses going to Communion? It goes without saying that this blessed childhood is his first podium.

And then there is that famous “orientation” school day during which the word “fashion” was spoken towards the end of the day.

“I jumped up and said: that’s it! Faced with so much enthusiasm, my parents had no choice but to encourage me to pursue the chosen path!”

NEVER-SEEN From the start in his fashion adventure, Jean-Claude Poitras understood that he had to stand out. He did so during the fight of the century in 1980, opposing boxers Duran and Leonard at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal.

It is Jean-Claude’s first solo fashion show. And it is broadcast and watched on TV all over the world.

Kampai!

Colette was the incarnation of a garment, a collection, a gesture that is so many initials for a designer. It is an inspired to inspiring relationship, where one becomes the other.

“And since fashion is cinema”, said Poitras once, there are also Audrey Hepburn, Jeanne Moreau, Romy Schneider and Anouk Aimée, all strong women who fascinated him with their class and their “Gusto”. Their aura transcends in Poitras’ collection of drawings.

Poitras even describes his clothes as kites or mobiles, aerodynamic creations, in a way.

TRENCH COAT, 1990, © MUSÉE MCCORD-STEWART.

POITRAS ARCHIVES, ETHNÉE DE VIENNE, RITZ-CARLTON, MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA, 1993

DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE In his chivalrous adventure marrying fashion and all things design, Poitras is inspired by rich and opulent tones, textures such as sheepskin, deep jewel tones… he is quite simply "maniacal for beautiful materials”.

Drawing inspiration from architecture, he created his famous long coats, in thick fabrics and built with pure lines, as well as his emblematic trench coats with firm angles and elegant fittings.

His blouses, delicate and transparent, recall the flourishes of Victorian architecture. Their lightness makes them appear as if they are floating in the wind.

A MUSE MUST Every artist has his muse. For JeanClaude Poitras, this necessary muse is Colette Chicoine, who was his spouse and for whom he devotes infinite admiration. Inspiring, Colette is his accomplice, his soul mate… an assoluta muse.

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DARK DAYS “I can share this here in all candor, there was a blank slate era to my career.” One in which Jean-Claude saw himself unable to begin, continue or even finish a line of work.

Thank goodness he recovered from the dark days with flying colors. He shares this phase of his life with us with a smirk, remembering the words of his adored grandmother when, as a child or young man, he experienced a little sadness. They were then called a spleen.

“Jean-Claude, she said in a soft voice, you are a rare bird.”

LE MALI DE MES AMOURS, COLLECTION MAISON BY JEAN-CLAUDE POTRAS, © CHLOE

“And since those words, I know that I was born marginal and that I will die atypical.“ NEW PERSPECTIVES An artist at heart, Jean-Claude Poitras closed his studio in 2002 to explore other creative avenues. He designs and signs crockery, table linen, stained glass and other objects and accessories for the home.

“I had dressed women, now I wanted to dress tables.”

Poitras has reinvented himself over the years and stretched his talent as a designer across all departments, from fashion to home.

He advocates a design without borders and compartments. He tackled his most recent incentives like bridges between genres, and the coming chapters are sure to be just as inspiring.

It was the GREAT Simone de Beauvoir who said: “Let us consider craftsmanship as one of the exemplary forms of human activity.”

UNE SUITE DE RÊVE And oh! What happiness… Let’s illustrate this principle by looking at another dream of fashion designer Jean-Claude Poitras. Invited designer of the CMAQ, he is the artistic director of a project to live and dress, on the occasion of his 50-year career, a high-end accommodation space at the Fairmount The Queen Elizabeth hotel.

The Poitras Arts and Crafts Suite brings together a sought-after selection of utilitarian and decorative objects, furniture and expressive works created by more than 30 local artists and artisans who are well established here or from the next generation.

Intérieurs 85

MÉTIERS D’ART SUITE BY POITRAS, FAIRMOUNT LE REINE ELIZABETH, MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA, 2021, © BENOIT ROUSSEAU

It thus becomes the mirror of a part of Montreal history.

According to Poitras, “this set of contemporary pieces recalls the Quebec identity, in a neotraditionalist spirit. They harmonize with sober colors that match the furniture already in place.” Amen!

HE WRITES His long experience and his proximity to other creators from here have ignited in him a creative flame that still burns just as ardently as ever. Inhabited by an inexhaustible passion and a deep duty of memory, Jean-Claude Poitras chose to write the history of Quebec fashion, from the 1950s to the 2000s.

This fantastic work is called "Quand la vie défile : histoire de la mode au Québec des années 1950 à aujourd’hui".

He hopes through his writings that the population, especially young people, retain the incredible know-how of our pioneers, our creators, our manufacturers, our retailers and our craftsmen from a fascinating universe that is the design of fashion over time.

HE PAINTS It was during a trip to the Côte d’Azur, taking note of the pluralism of the great Jean Cocteau and drawing inspiration from the career of Marc Séguin, that he too wanted to explore this diversity.

He now devotes himself excellently to this more intimate art that is painting.

He paints on canvas, on paper or on glass, working with colors and even textiles. Surprise, surprise… Here again, art forms mesh and meld.

COUVERTURE QUAND LA VIE DÉFILE : HISTOIRE DE LA MODE AU QUÉBEC, BY JEAN-CLAUDE POITRAS, 2021, © BENOIT ROUSSEAU

TO DREAM, MR. POITRAS? "Yes! A lively creation workshop in which the youngest will learn this know-how from creators who have come before them.

So that they know and use their experiences and their achievements. It would be wonderful!”

WORDS OF WISDOM

“With life and over time, he told me, his voice firm and urgent, I went from I to We.” monpoitras.ca jeanclaudepoitras.com

© BENOIT ROUSSEAU.

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