SELECTED PORTFOLIO Hospitality
"From award-winning homes to neighbourhood watering holes and hip T-shirts, this design firm redefines casual modern living.� Western Living
Formed in 2001 by David Nicolay (Master of Architecture graduate) and Robert Edmonds (graphic design), EVOKE INTERNATIONAL DESIGN™ incorporates conceptual thinking, spatial and interior design and graphic design to ensure consistent and coherent branded environments for its clients. These multi-disciplines manifest themselves through Evoke's work for restaurant, retail and entertainment design and branding; residential projects (single and multi-family); and corporate office design. Realizing the potential of collaboration, and the ability to use not only graphics, but also spatial design, as a vehicle for communication, Evoke has developed an impressive list of projects, which include; David Hawksworth’s Bel Cafe at the Hotel Georgia, custom modernist residential projects for Townline Homes and The Salient Group, Pixar Canada's new 28,000 sq. ft. corporate offices (which include a Theatre Viewing Room and Server Room) and recent music releases for EMI Canada. It is this dynamic of spatial and graphic design which makes Evoke one of the most ‘in-demand’ design firms in Vancouver, and has prompted the recent opening of their Toronto office. Prior to forming Evoke, David and Robert pooled their design skills to create Tangerine Lounge/Restaurant - a successful neighbourhood restaurant which helped spawn a new wave of sophisticated modern, urban design eateries in Vancouver - clean, modern interiors, custom designed furniture combined with simple, vibrant graphics. They have since opened The Cascade Room, Charlie‘s Little Italian, El Camino’s and The Union Bar + Restaurant, along with a line of t-shirts Evokativ: T-shirts for the Thinking Class. They are also partners in the soon to open craft brewery, Main Street Brewing Company. At EVOKE™ we believe that to be successful an overall concept must be all-consuming. Corporate identity, signage and graphics must not only compliment, but challenge and enhance the interior/exterior design and, conversely, that design has the ability to enhance communication between space and object. It is these two aspects that must go hand-in-hand in the execution of a successful branded environment.
“With Heirloom recently making the shortlist for the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards (RABDA), you can now check-off its look as yet another factor of its success. While Evoke is best known at the moment for Pixar Canada’s new 28,000 sq. ft. corporate offices, they established their brand developing the interiors of local restaurants and bars like Union Bar and Habit Lounge.” Buoin Art Info - 2013
Heirloom Vegetarian Restaurant is an all encompassing project for which Evoke was responsible for the interior design, identity branding and custom art work. Heirloom is located in the Douglas Lodge building (built in 1907) at West 12th and Granville Street, Vancouver. Once dark and introverted, the room now takes on a light and airy feel through the use of bleached fir, white-washed brick walls andwhite Vitra Hal Chairs by Jasper Morrison. Repurposed wood and glass cabinetry serve as the back bar storage and display, while custom art work brings an element of humour to the room.
HEIRLOOM RESTAURANT Completed: Floor area: Occupant load:
2012 2,800 sf 94
“It’s a well-conceived concept restaurant, where the food is delivered quickly, the portions are generous and the prices are reasonable. The room is comfortable and lively. There’s no pretension. And it’s a hopping neighbourhood fixture.” Globe and Mail - 2013
The Union is a 2,200sf. Southeast Asian inspired restaurant & cocktail lounge. The modern industrial space utilizes dark woods, reclaimed barn board, exposed concrete walls and floors, large-scale pendants, custom wood tables and benches, and neighbourhood imagery, creating a contemporary and inclusive room organized around the bar and kitchen. The bar is highlighted by four backlit storage cabinets featuring details of grittier aspects of the neighbourhood. The 70 seat dining area is comprised of three custom-designed and built communal wood tables and benches. The banquette at the back of the room separates diners from the service spaces. Above the communal tables hang nine Jielde Augustin pendant lamps, chosen for their simple and industrial aesthetic. The open kitchen is wrapped in an installation of reclaimed barn board, inspired by the locale. The lyrics to “Crosstown Traffic” reference the young Jimi Hendrix who spent summer holidays next door with his grandmother, as well as the Georgia Street viaduct which was constructed in the early 1970’s as part of an extensive freeway system which was to flow traffic “crosstown” from the suburbs. The lyrics have been broken apart and reassembled to represent the fracturing of the neighbourhood caused by the viaduct, which went directly through the predominantly black community of Hogan’s Alley.
THE UNION BAR + RESTAURANT Completed: Floor area: Occupant load:
2012 2,200 sf 90
"If Commune Cafe evokes a familiar feel, it's understandable. It was designed by Evoke, the design company behind Habit, Cascade and Latitude on Main Street. This new spot on Seymour Street has the same clean lines and inviting casual flair but it's airier and brighter. Bright red chairs align like exclamation marks against the neutrals of grey and blond wood. Doodly red wall graphics look like something Keith Haring might have drawn on a caffeine high.� Vancouver Sun - 2011
Commune CafĂŠ is a modern “Take Out Eat Inâ€? space organized around the service kitchen, with large custom food display units and dark stone countertops. The menu boards are written with magnetic letters, easy to change and viewable from any location in the room. The dining area has a capacity of 26 seats, and is comprised of a long white oak communal table with 18 red lacquer chairs and custom built booths at the perimeter. The four 2-person booths are cushioned with recycled wool industrial felt. Above the communal table hang three cork pendant lamps. At the back of the dining room there is a large scale, vibrant mural that depicts a time when the cafe was the hub of social life and the inspiration for the exchange of ideas and creativity. There is a common design language used throughout Commune with Evoke being responsible for: interior design, custom-designed furniture, wall mural design and illustration, menus and all branding (incl. name development, logo identity, collateral graphics, signage).
COMMUNE CAFE Completed: Floor area: Occupant load:
2012 1,300 sf 24 + 26 patio + takeout
"In all, Bel CafĂŠ is that rare bird - a place that perfectly channels France without the confines of being French." Vancouver Magazine - 2012
The design of Bel Cafe is intended to reflect the quality of the heritage materials used in the Hotel Georgia lobby, but utilised in a more contemporary setting. Materials were selected to reflect the character of the european cafe: rich dark wood panelling and cabinetry; zinc service counters and tabletops; honed black granite floors; and classic leather and wool upholstery seating. The cafe is a total of 120 sq. metres and features a long service counter with display cases, display shelves for a limited product selection and a dining area that seats 20. A custom 2.4 metre diameter chandelier, fashioned from chromed ribbons of aluminum, greets customers at the entrance. Banquette seating finished in leather and raspberry-hued wool sit on either side of the entrance. This seating is combined with zinc tables and dark-stained bentwood chairs to provide an opportunity to dine in store. Customers are directed next to the long zinc service counter, where glass cases display the cafes offerings and espresso is served. Menu boards supported by the wood ceiling above are presented in a casual vintage fashion, further implementing the nod to the typical French cafe. A final touch is the use of custom designed wallpaper, extending the brand established by wordmark, in a pallete of soft colours.
CAFE BEL Completed: Floor area: Occupant load:
2011 1,500 sf 30 + 6 patio + takeout
“The east side of Vancouver has become an important corridor for the creative community. “Main Street has been an artistic hub of Vancouver for many years,” says Robert Edmonds, a partner in Evoke... “As designers, we find inspiration in these locations. We want to engage the neighbourhoods in which we live.” He and Evoke partner David Nicolay have designed hangouts that embody the style of modern Vancouver: funky eatery Habit, next-door gastro-pub The Cascade Room and the chic Latitude Wine Bar up the street. They are successful gathering places that “encourage people to meet and socialise,” Nicolay says, enriching both the neighbourhood and the creative community.” “Vancouver Cool” - Holland Herald - 2010
Opened in 2012, Forage is a 2,000 sf 'Farm to Table' restaurant located in The Listel Hotel. In accordance with the chef’s food sustainability philosophy, Forage was created to be Vancouver's "Greenest" restaurant; utilizing energy efficient kitchen and bar equipment, dedicated use of LED lighting for all general illumination, decorative light fixtures made from salvaged cardboard, FSC rated oak hardwood flooring, natural dyed wool felt wall covering and zero VOC white paint.
FORAGE Completed: Floor area: Occupant load:
2012 2,000 sf 78
"Whether the space is a restaurant or a residence, there’s always some sort of built environment that speaks to the brand. Ideas can come from the spatial design side or the graphic design side. We feed off each other.� Interview - David Nicolay: New American Luxury
Electric owl is a small live venue showcasing local and independent acts. The facility is spread out over two levels: the upper level houses three bars, a stage and dance floor, lounge and restaurant space, and a retail liquor store. The lower level provides the back of house services: coat check, washrooms, kitchen and ping pong room. The aesthetic is post industrial, with reclaimed wood, steel mesh, concrete and brick making up the minimal material palette. Vitra Hal chairs lend a modern comfort in the seating areas. The back of the space is anchored by a mixed medium installation offering an homage to anime. The sharp black and white graphics are overlayed with punches of vibrant neon, electrifying the owl flying into the room.
ELECTRIC OWL Completed: Floor area: Occupant load:
2011 10,000 sf 300
Noodlebox is a southeast Asian noodle bar that had its humble beginnings in a hole in the wall in Victoria's Chinatown more than a decade ago. The chain was purchased in 2012 and evoke was hired for the rebrand of the existing and future stores. The client mandate was for Evoke to design a space that reflected the craft in the food: local, vibrant and honest. The result is an aesthetic built from basic raw materials: wood, concrete and steel. The wood is salvaged pine beetle wood, with the natural damage left to provide the local feel. Custom lights are built from well used woks that have had their day in the kitchen, but come to life with a glossy red finish on the interior. Long communal tables made from mild steel and salvaged pine provide a not-so-subtle nod to the family aspect of dining. Thonet stools and chairs lend a bit of history, providing a modern look without appearing trendy.
NOODLEBOX Completed: Floor area: Occupant load: Note:
2013 2,100 sf 40 + takeout
1st in a number of locations being built nationally.
A fire gutted the original Bimini in 2007. Evoke was hired for the redesign of this local legend, the first neighbourhood pub in Vancouver. Bimini’s first opened its doors in 1974 and the busy bar was quickly embraced by the post-Summer of Love era hippie locals; environmental agency Greenpeace’s head office was across the street, and many of their radical plots were hatched in strategy meetings over pints at the bar. The design is a take on the modern British pub, with local nods throughout. Spread over three levels, the experience begins at the street level lounge and games area. A custom designed mosaic tile floor in a dynamic tartan pattern introduces the theme, while a fireplace lounge provides a respite from the grey Vancouver weather. Rich wood wall panelling, an artifact library & Paul Smith tartan wool upholstery add to the warmth. The second level houses the main bar, stage and dance floor. Leather clad booths line the perimeter of the space, with reflections captured in steel angle framed mirrors. Large reclaimed wood beams are suspended above the space, adding scale and a reference to the local boat and fishing history. The third level mezzanine provides an intimately scaled space from which to watch the action below. Warm coloured leathers line the bench seating, while a smaller satellite bar provides a great place to quietly watch a game.
THE BIMINI PUBLIC HOUSE Completed: Floor area: Occupant load:
2011 5,400 sf 235
PROJECT: Identity
www.evoke.ca
PROJECT: Identity
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION
www.evoke.ca
PROJECT: Posters: Live Nation & House of Blues
www.evoke.ca
PROJECT: Posters: Live Nation & House of Blues
www.evoke.ca
RECOGNITION: • Heirloom Restaurant shortlisted UK Restaurant & Bar Awards - International category. • Frame Publishing “Night Fever 2”: International Design publication featuring Latitude Wine Bar. • “21st Century Bars”: International Design publication featuring Latitude Wine Bar and The Cascade Room. • Twenty+Change (West 9th Residential): 2009 Emerging firms group exhibition Toronto, ON. • Designers Of The Year 2008 Western Living Magazine. • Bayda/Boniface residence featured in ‘Metropolitan Home” magazine “Best of 2005”. • “100 of the World's Best Bars”: International Design book featuring Afterglow Lounge and Crush Champagne Lounge. • Vida Spa at the Sutton Place Hotel - Received the Jack Sigurdson Award for Best Architectural Millwork Design 2005 • House of Blues Concerts poster designs included in the "Graphic Noise" exhibition at the Museum of Design: Atlanta, USA - Aug-Sept, 05 • Elevator Strategy - Identity award recognition by ’Advertising & Design Club of Canada’. • Evokativ - T-shirts for the Thinking Class featured on ‘CBC Arts’ "History by Design: Telling Canada's Story Through T-Shirts". • Evokativ - T-shirts for the Thinking Class featured as part of the Bark Design Collective All Terrain Cabin (ATC) 2006 • Evoke ID featured in the "Movers & Shapers: Contemporary Vancouver Designers" exhibition as part of the Vancouver Interior Design Show at BC Place.
SELECTED PRESS
Evoke ID Discuss RABDA-Shortlisted Design of Vancouver’s Heirloom Restaurant. by Rea McNamara - 23/07/13
When Evoke International Design took on Heirloom Vegetarian Restaurant, they made sure to veer far from the stereotypical salvaged interior trappings. “We always want to play off the old against the new - you find that’s a lot more interesting than this retro look everyone is into these days where they go full hog to make things look old,” says Robert Edmonds, co-owner of the in-demand Vancouver spatial and design firm. “You can still pay homage to that old stuff, but we like to make it little more relevant to today.” Located in the heart of Vancouver’s South Granville District, the 100-seater deliberately appeals to the omnivore who hopes to get in more of those greens — like avocado frites or a tempeh reuben sandwich — thanks to a casual menu created by Georgia Morley, the former personal chef of Lululemon founder Chip Wilson. And due to the colorful nightlife cred of its co-owners (former nightclub doorman-slash-Olympic wrestler Yogi Johl and Gus Greer, a proprietor of the rough-and-tumble local watering holes, the Bourbon and Johnnie Fox's Irish Snug) not to mention its 1am liquor license gives the restaurant an edge in a crowded Main Street marketplace full of other sexy vegetarian spots like the Acorn and the Parker. But with the restaurant recently making the shortlist for the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards (RABDA), you can now check-off its look as yet another factor of its success. While Evoke is best known at the moment for Pixar Canada’s new 28,000 square foot corporate offices, they established their brand developing the interiors of local restaurants and bars like Union Bar and Habitat Lounge. So for further insight, Edmonds and his fellow Evoke co-owner David Nicolay provide a guided tour of the space, with commentary on how they made a vegetarian restaurant in a heritage building feel refreshingly modern. Our fingers are crossed this design duo will walk away with the “Americas Restaurant” prize at RABDA’s ceremony in London on September 12 for their effort.
(Photo: Janis Nicolay)
Heirloom Restaurant is on the main floor of the 2,400 square foot heritage landmark Douglas Lodge, where the 53-year-old Primos Mexican Grill once operated. The first order of business, then, was to “lighten” the interiors with whitewashed walls and new brushed oak flooring. David Nicolay: “One thing we didn’t want to do was compete with the existing interior, at all. While we did use some reclaimed items, it wasn’t really the drive for the project. There was enough heritage and history in the building that we weren’t looking to create a pastiche. Once we stripped it all back, the basic idea was to get lightness in the space. It was all very heavy dark — it was clouding every surface and every space. So the main idea was to pull all those surfaces off and put a coat of white paint on it. So that was the first big move — let the structure, in all its roughness and rawness, just let that be exposed and give it a white wash to lighten it up. We did the same thing with the brick — we didn’t actually paint those surfaces, they’re all whitewashed, the brick and the concrete. So that was the first big step.” The bar’s antique wall cabinets and emerald Vitra HAL stools ensures space is true to its Georgian Revival structural elements, but still feels fresh, contemporary, and (literally) green.
(Photo: Janis Nicolay)
Nicolay: “We built the space in two, basically. There’s the bar on one side, so we have tall seating in that area, and on the other side, is the dining room, which is all low table and the one group table. The owners’ basic desire was to have as much moveable furniture as possible for groups, so the only fixed seating was on the back wall. When it comes to furniture, we used Vitra, because they’re a very contemporary company. That was the contrast we were looking for — to make sure everything was crisp and clean lines and not overly decorative, as well as functional and comfortable and all that stuff. Vitra really fit that spot, and then we did the same furniture, but at bar height, on the bar side.”
To match its casual vegetarian cuisine, Heirloom’s decorating is rendered playful, with subtle storytelling nods in the custom-made art by Evoke to the owners and space, as seen in the vintage gardening tools and blown-up vegetable crate labels hanging on the restaurant’s walls.
(Photo: Janis Nicolay)
Robert Edmonds: “In relation to Heirloom, we used wood panels and then just did multimedia installations. It’s a mixture of acrylics, found imagery, and collage. We reference a lot of old vegetable crate labels, so the punch from those old graphic labels gave a really nice burst of color. And then in one of the six panel installations, the mixture of the crate labels and the spokes of a bicycle wheel was speaking to the owners’ new-found enthusiasm for health and exercise, so that was a nice way to layer the two elements of the restaurant concept in together.”
Meet the Minds Behind Restaurant Design: David Nicolay and Robert Edmonds Jul 31, 2013 - By Alia Akkam Longtime partners David Nicolay and Robert Edmonds, the men behind Vancouver firm Evoke International Design, have crafted interiors for local restaurants like Bel CafĂŠ at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Heirloom Vegetarian Restaurant, and Commune CafĂŠ. The entrepreneurs are also behind five stylish eateries. Here they talk collaboration, sustainability, and a reverence for Le Corbusier. Did you always know you wanted to be a designer? DN: I always enjoyed both the arts and science, so architecture school was a great match. After school I realized design was way more fun. RE: It was survival of the fittest for my subjects at school, with the last two standing being art and English. So a career combining words and images was a natural.
David Nicolay
What are some of your first memories of design? DN: I grew up in a great 1970s West Coast modern-style house. I must have drawn it fifty times. RE: As a child, I was fascinated by the graphics of wine labels and would soak them off the bottles my parents had at dinner, collecting them in a scrapbook. The mornings after a dinner party were a gold mine. How did you end up where you are today? DN: After graduation I decided to start my own design business, orgoing a formal architecture path. Along the way I met Rob and we merged our two companies in 2000.
Robert Edmonds
RE: Having worked in design studios in Melbourne, Australia, and London, I settled in Vancouver in the early nineties and started my own studio. After several years of project collaboration with David, we decided to merge our companies to form Evoke.
Do you have a greatest lesson learned? DN: In the beginning, no job is too small. Truthfully, we still try to stay engaged with small start-ups. You never know who's going to be a huge success down the road. What inspired you to start your company? DN: After architecture school, I had a real desire to start designing my own projects, on my own schedule. This allowed me to go after the kind of work I was really interested in. RE: The recession of the early nineties. After a year stint back in Australia working as an art director at FCB-Melbourne, I returned to Vancouver to find that agencies were no longer hiring. So I opened my own studio, forcing me to become business as well as creatively minded. Tell us about your office culture and design process. DN: Evoke operates as a design studio, in that we all work together in open spaces. All designers are given a voice to contribute to the design of a project, from start to finish. We like to keep the size of our office down to no more than ten so that Rob and I can be properly involved in all the work.
Why hospitality? DN: We've always had an interest in travel, and hotels and restaurants are a big part of being away. Restaurants specifically grabbed us in the early days of Evoke, and in fact it's what led Rob and I to open our own restaurant in 1999. Since then we have four more of our own, and are currently building a brewery. RE: Hospitality is the most fluent and natural way of combining our design disciplines of spatial and interior design, along with graphic branding and art. How do you think being in Canada influences your approach? DN: While we do travel a lot and appreciate an international style, we believe in the power of local design and specifications. Vancouver is very rainy and gray for a lot of the year, so maximum daylight and punches of color are really important. We recently opened an office in Toronto, so we'll see what that brings. What are some of the challenges of the industry today? DN: We are moving more and more into focusing on sustainable design for the hospitality industry. It has long been deemed too expensive, but we just did two restaurants in Vancouver that were heavily driven by green decisions. Forage was built around local materials and energy-efficient lighting, while Heirloom was more of a reclamation approach. How do you first tackle a project? What do you look for? DN: For us, the early stages are all about the client and their objectives and goals. We really see design as a collaboration, and the client needs to be an essential part of this. Our most successful projects are the ones where the client was an active participant in the design and construction process. RE: Storylines are important to us—whether that be the history of the neighborhood or building, the passions of the chef, or the style of the food. We look to weave the personal into our designs. What’s a recent project that was most challenging and why? DN: We recently were the designers for Pixar Canada's head offices. While not a hospitality project per se, there are many lounge, bar, and dining areas within the space, and based on our hospitality experience we were really able to bring some creative ideas to these areas. The challenging part was that the 30,000-square-foot space had to be designed and built in about sixteen months. It also had to be phased as the client was already occupying the space. What’s one project that you are most proud of and why? DN: I am really proud of one of our own restaurants called the Union. It's a Southeast Asian bar and restaurant on the edge of Chinatown in Vancouver. The area is emerging, and the local community has really supported it well. We're also really happy with Heirloom, as it was a pretty incredible transformation of a space that had housed the same restaurant for almost sixty years, on a very tight budget. RE: Commune Café in Vancouver. Commune incorporates bold graphics with Scandinavian-inspired interiors. Evoke was involved with every aspect of this project, from spatial flow, interior design, and custom furniture to naming, branding, and interior and exterior murals. What are some projects you are currently working on? What’s next for you? DN: We are currently working on a country western-themed nightclub, a rapidly expanding chain of Asian restaurants called Noodlebox, and our own brewery called Main Street Brewing Company. Next up is our expansion into the Toronto market. RE: Summer is also a busy time as we continue our twelve-year association with Live Nation, creating graphics to promote outdoor concert series and festivals.
Most creative solution for a cool design feature you have recently come up with? DN: I like the back bar for Heirloom. It's built of a variety of reclaimed windows and cabinets, which were left with the original finishes intact. This detail met both a budgetary concern as well as the sustainable design approach. RE: The kitchen at the Union is built from reclaimed barn board and stenciled with the lyrics to Crosstown Traffic, referencing the young Jimi Hendrix who would spend his summer holidays next door with his grandmother. The lyrics have been broken apart and reassembled to represent the fracturing of the neighborhood caused by the adjacent Georgia Street viaduct—which cut directly through Vancouver’s black community - in order to flow traffic 'cross town into the city. What would be your dream project? DN: Definitely a design-focused hotel. RE: A boutique hotel. What’s the key to a successful collaboration between designer and client? DN: Our business approach is to carefully select the type of work we believe to be best suited to our modern aesthetic, values, and creative process, and to align ourselves with clients who share the desire to create innovative and original projects. We approach design from a collaborative point of view, rather than from a position of simply applying a final aesthetic to the work of the other consultants. We see client involvement as critical to the success of a project and operate under the assumption that the client wants to be an active participant in the design and construction of the project. Collaboration and open communication is of paramount importance because we share the same goal as the client: to arrive at a successful and cost-effective project that meets or exceeds expectations. What’s the most important thing to remember when designing a hospitality space? DN: Stay focused on the overall theme and concept. We like to meet with all critical members of the team so that we can always stay on message. Greatest accomplishment so far? DN: In general, growing our company to what it is today. Our growth in the past thirteen years has been based on our understanding that we are providing a service, and the needs of the client are always put first. If you weren’t a designer, what would you be? DN: If it were remotely possible, a professional hockey player. RE: A musician. If you could have supper with anyone living or dead, who would it be? Tell us about them. DN: Le Corbusier, greatest architect of all time. RE: The Australian artist Jeffrey Smart, who recently passed away. He combined architecture, graphics and color into work that spoke uniquely of the relationship of humans to the built environment. Describe that meal and what you're eating and drinking. DN: Hopefully something typically French, like bread, cheese, and wine. RE: It would be in the Tuscan village of Smart's adopted home, with pasta and buckets of red wine. Whom do you admire the most? Why were they an influencing factor in your career and life? DN: Historically, a tie between Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe. I really appreciate a rational approach to design, one that results in something timeless and not trendy. RE: Saul Bass. For the way he was able to visually bring personality & emotion to words & graphics.
Inside Pixar Canada's Offices Catherine Roscoe Barr | OCT 7, 2013
A collaborative atmosphere at Pixar Canada fuels a work-hard, play-hard culture. To transform a three-floor, heritage-building space and set the stage for Pixar Canada Inc.’s collaborative culture, general manager Amir Nasrabadi worked with creative director Dylan Brown, chief technical officer Darwyn Peachy and local design firm Evoke International Design Inc. “We like to consider our space a smaller version of the Emeryville studio,” says Nasrabadi, of the 30,000-square-foot Gastown studio. “We knew that on each floor we would have a mix of large cubes, offices, meeting rooms and, importantly, have the best view—north side—available for everyone to enjoy,” says director of human resources Sarah McNair. “Pixar values focus on collaboration, teamwork and producing work at the highest quality, so our space had to reflect that,” she adds. Groovy common areas and large workspaces were purpose-built with the utmost quality and impeccable materials to inspire the high standard of work produced by Pixar Canada’s 80 employees. “We kind of have this work-hard, play-hard mentality,” says creative director Dylan Brown of the corporate culture, adding that the layout encourages interaction among disparate departments. They wanted to give employees a reason to visit every floor, increasing natural interaction. “The design of our space is really trying to encourage that flow and that casual connection, because that’s where you’ll get great ideas.” Workspaces Only 80 staff work in the 30,000-square-foot studio. Spacious custom cubes were made from solid local wood there are seven different types throughout the building—to soften the predominantly brick-and-concrete space. Monsters, Inc. character Mike Wazowski “We wanted to bring in some of the history of the company; it has such a rich history,” says Brown, of the Pixar characters and original artwork in the studio. “It’s important for people to remember that history and to feel a part of it. Now it’s their company, too.” Library The library, like all common spaces, is on the north side of the building to provide every employee with the best views of Burrard Inlet and the North Shore mountains, and has playful elements including a secret bookshelf passageway and custom damask wallpaper featuring tiny Pixar characters. Kitchen Pixar Canada’s layout is planned to facilitate “forced collisions” of staff, an idea inspired by Pixar co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs and his approach in Emeryville. “Jobs believed that it was really important to have a large common area for people to meet and eat together,” says McNair. Inside Connection “The only piece of wood not from B.C. is in our kitchen,” says Nasrabadi, referring to the fallen California redwood that was made into two tables. “One half is in Emeryville and the other half is with us at Pixar Canada a little symbolism for the two studios working together.” Lounge “People are sitting in front of a computer doing incredibly detailed work, so it’s important to have spaces for them to get away from their desks,” says McNair of the common spaces on each of Pixar’s three floors, like this cosy lounge. Full article: http://www.bcbusiness.ca/your-business/inside-pixar-canadas-offices
DECEMBER 2012
How Do You Maintain a Unified Brand Identity with a Diverse Portfolio of Work? “Whether the space is a restaurant or a residence, there’s always some sort of built environment that speaks to the brand. … Ideas can come from the spatial design side or the graphic design side. We feed off each other.” - David Nicolay As Told To Kelli McElhinny “Our projects range from restaurants to concert posters to single-family homes to t-shirts, so we have to incorporate elements of our aesthetic style into all of our efforts to maintain the Evoke brand. In some ways, our eclectic work is a result of our diverse professional interests. I have an education in architecture, and my business partner, Rob Edmonds, who is also my brother-in-law, is a graphic designer by trade. Those perspectives make our firm unique and versatile. No other Vancouver firms really do exterior, interior, and graphic design. Our approach is modern in every sense, and we’re inspired by mid-century design. At the same time, we create a sense of luxury through our custom work, which is an area of focus for all of our projects. The West 9th Street Residence offers a good example of how we blend tailored details like millwork and fixtures with a minimal material palette to achieve our desired effect. This compact single-family, three-bedroom home is only about 2,300 square feet, but the wide-open floor plans create the illusion of more space. On this project, our partnership with Summit Glazing exemplifies our emphasis on custom work. Summit provided us with the oversized windows that defined the project—that firm is very designer friendly. They never say no! It may seem like a stretch to go from building design to restaurant ownership, but sometimes opportunities just present themselves and we have to follow where they lead.We had become acquainted with the owner of our first restaurant, Tangerine, and knew it was for sale. We acquired the business and brought in operating partners, and that initial foray, which has since been sold, was the gateway to our current group of four restaurants with another one underway. Now, we’re even branching into the brewery business with the Main St. Pilsner that we’ve brewed for the past two years. We initially met the suppliers for that initiative through our restaurants, too. The designs of our restaurants are extensions of our brand. All of them have a unique aesthetic. Our restaurant ownership actually appeals to some potential clients, too. As restaurant owners, we have a reputation of keeping costs down, and we apply that philosophy to our building design projects. The restaurants also brought us into contact with the owners of Linden Construction, the client for the West 9th Street residence. It turns out that they’re just a couple of hockey players (retired NHL players Trevor and Jamie Linden) who love design. Whether the space is a restaurant or a residence, there’s always some sort of built environment that speaks to the brand. We like to bring a lot of art to it, and ideas can come from the spatial design side or the graphic design side. We feed off each other. With some clients, the end result blends our brand with theirs. At Pixar’s new Canadian headquarters, we created a graphic wallpaper design emblematic of Evoke’s work, but we did so by including many of the most iconic Pixar characters to emphasize their work. Collaboration is also important to us. Regardless of the nature of the project, the strongest ones are always the one that had a really strong client. We expect our clients to bring a lot to the table.
2028-777 Richmond Street West, Toronto, ON M6J 0C2 | t: 647-748-8772 2388 Alberta Street, Vancouver, BC V5Y 3K7 | t: 604-875-8667 e: studio@evoke.ca | evoke.ca