Canadian Interiors March April 2011 by Annex Business Media

March/April 2011

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March/April 2011

Journal of Record of the Interior Designers of Canada

17 45

COVER — 29 Toronto’s new Pink Tartan shop, designed by Burdifilek. Photo by Ben Rahn / A-Frame

34 39

Contents FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS INSIDE — 8

BURDI + FILEK = MAGIC — 29 Nobody does it better than interior designers Diego Burdi and Paul Filek. By Mark Curtis EYE ON IDS — 39 Do-good designers, stylish siblings and promising young talent rule Toronto’s Interior Design Show. By Karolina Olechnowicz WORKING BEAUTIFULLY — 45 The latest Orgatec was all about the incomparable Vitra, and all about eyecatching chairs. By Michael Totzke

WHAT’S UP — 11 THE GOODS — 17 Take a walk The world beneath our feet gets the royal treatment with these new flooring products. By Peter Sobchak WHO’S WHO — 50

LAST WORD — 54 All that glitters For a Korean department store, Edward Lam of Toronto-based Moss & Lam creates a magical mobile. By Leslie C. Smith

March/APril 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 5

March/April 2011 VOL.48 NO.2

Publisher

Martin Spreer Editor

Michael Totzke Deputy Editor

Peter Sobchak Associate Editors

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

Mark Curtis, Karolina Olechnowicz Art Director

Lisa Zambri Advertising Sales

416-510-6766 Circulation Manager

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

Liz Callaghan Production

Jessica Jubb 416-510-5194 Senior Publisher

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Canadian Interiors magazine is published by BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd. Tel: 416-442-5600, Fax: 416-510-6875 e-mail: info@canadianinteriors.com website: www.canadianinteriors.com Canadian Interiors publishes seven issues, plus a source guide, per year. Printed in Canada. The content of this publication is the property of Canadian Interiors and cannot be reproduced without permission from the publisher. Subscription rates Canada $37.95 per year; plastic wrapped $40.95 per year (plus taxes) U.S.A. $70.95 US per year, Overseas $96.95 US per year. Back issues Back copies are available for $10 for delivery in Canada, $15 US for delivery in U.S.A. and $20 overseas. Please send payment to Canadian Interiors, 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2 or order online www.canadianinteriors.com For subscription and back issues inquiries please call 416-442-5600 ext.3543, e-mail: circulation@canadianinteriors.com, or go to our website at: www.canadianinteriors.com Newsstands For information on Canadian Interiors on newsstands in Canada, call 905-619-6565 Canadian Interiors is indexed in the Canadian Magazine Index by Micromedia ProQuest Company, Toronto (www.micromedia.com) and National Archive Publishing Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan (www.napubco.com).

Member of Canadian Business Press Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations

ISSN 1923-3329 (Online) ISSN 0008 - 3887 (Print) H.S.T.#890939689RT0001 Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd. Customer Number: 2014319 Canada Post Sales Product Agreement No. 40069240 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

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Inside

One chair two chair red chair blue chair For the last four months, I’ve had chairs on the brain. Old chairs. New chairs. Task chairs. Shell chairs. Chairs that swivel; chairs that stack. Chairs by Panton, Pesce, Starck. My obsession started at the end of October, at Orgatec in Cologne (see my report, “Working beautifully,” on page 45). There at the leading international trade fair for offices and facilities, I saw the latest seating marvels – including the ID Chair Concept, by Antonio Citterio for Vitra, which can be configured to fit individual preferences. Cut to January and the Interior Design Show in Toronto (see Karolina Olechnowicz’s report, “Eye on IDS,” on page 39). For me, the standout exhibit involved another Vitra chair, this one iconic: the Panton Chair, by Danish designer Verner Panton. First Seating displayed Panton Chairs “reimagined” by 20 of Canada’s most celebrated designers and architects – from Bruce Mau and Johnson Chou to 3rd Uncle and Figure3. On the opening night of IDS, the chairs had been auctioned off to raise money for Toronto’s Casey House (the first freestanding HIV/IDS hospice in Canada). On a recent evening, I encountered the Panton Chair again, this time in a version less than six inches tall. The occasion was the preview of Dimensions of Design: 100 Classical Seats, a miniature-chair exhibition of Germany’s Vitra Design Museum, hosted by the Goethe Institute and German Consulate General Toronto. Since 1992, the museum has been producing miniatures as reproductions of the world’s most famous chairs – from the likes of Le Corbusier, Marcel Breuer, Charles and Ray Eames, Frank Gehry and, of course, Verner Panton. How cool it was to see 100 of them, as scaled-down sculptures true to the originals, on pedestals under glass cases at eye level. Which brings me to a final chair, the one pictured on our cover. Found in Youssef Hasbani’s L’Atelier shop in Toronto, it was deemed by interior design firm Burdifilek the perfect chair to grace its new Pink Tartan project (see Mark Curtis’s profile, “Burdi + Filek = magic,” on page 29). Says Burdifilek’s Sonia Germain, “It was chosen for its texture, shape and proportions, but also because it’s somewhat unexpected to see such a traditional silhouette in a contemporary environment.” A single chair can make a big statement. c I CAdInt.May2011_Canadian Interiors SPARK 2/23/11 1:25 PM Page 1 Michael Totzke mtotzke@canadianinteriors.com

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MAR./APR. Dazzling A new exhibition at the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, examines the significant historical contributions to jewelry design and design innovation made by Van Cleef & Arpels. Since its opening in 1906 on the Place Vendôme in Paris, the famous firm has played a leading role in style and innovation, pioneering techniques and designs, with an attention to craftsmanship. Set in Style: The Jewelry of Van Cleef & Arpels features more than 300 dazzling works, including jewels, timepieces,

11 CANADIAN INTERIORS March/April 2011

fashion accessories and objets d’art, many of which were created exclusively for American clientele. It also features design drawings, commission books, fabrication cards and imagery from the firm’s archives. The exhibition is organized into six principal themes, outlined here with pertinent examples: Innovation (the Varuna bell push for the butler, a minutely detailed model of a yacht on a sea of choppywaved jasper – thought to be the earliest-known existing Van Cleef & Arpels object; and the 1937 Peony brooch, in gold, platinum, diamonds and rubies – a perfect example of the Mystery Setting technique, pioneered by the firm, in which the setting does now show

between the stones, creating a solid field of colour); Transformation (a brooch of a bird, whose wings can become earrings and whose tail becomes a brooch – featuring the stunning Walaska 95-carart yellow diamond suspended from the beak of the bird); Nature (the 1937 Bouquet brooch, which shows the colour combination of stones to their best advantage without worry about botany; and the 1948 Snowflake brooch in gold and diamonds); Exoticism (the 1924 Egyptian bracelet, with a soaring bird rendered in emeralds, sapphires and rubies); Fashion (a fitted-out ‘30s clutch, called the Minaudière, containing compartments for such items as a compact, lipstick, comb, mirror, calling- or dance-card holder, pill box, space

for money or a handkerchief, cigarette case, with a lighter hidden on the side and a hidden clock); and Personalities (a tiara worn by H.S.H. Princess Grace of Monaco; along with items from the likes of Marlene Dietrich, Eva Peron, Elizabeth Taylor and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis). French designer Patrick Jouin has created a site-specific installation for the exhibition. Set in Style: The Jewelry of Van Cleef & Arpels runs at Cooper-Hewitt through June 5.

Clockwise from top left 1937 Bouquet brooch; bird brooch with yellow diamond in its beak; tiara worn by Princess Grace of Monaco; 1948 Snowflake brooch; 1924 Egyptian bracelet; Peony brooch; 1908 Varuna bell push; 1935 Volute Minaudière.

March/APril 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 11

Triple-threat Teknion Teknion, the designer and manufacturer of office systems and related products, has started 2011 off with a bang, garnering three important awards: an iF product design award, and two 2010 Good Design Awards. The iF product design award, introduced in 1954, is conferred annually by the iF International Forum Design. Teknion won for its Conflux LED Lighting line by industrial designer Carl Gustav Magnusson. Created in conjunction with Teknion’s in-house design team, Conlux introduces innovative design and technology advancements with its flatpanel structure and powersource capabilities. It is the first LED lamp in the industry to use a PIR (Passive InfraRed) sensor that works based on infrared waves emitted by the user’s body; the first with USB port/outlet that allows handheld devices to be plugged in; and the first with a Powermat surface in the lamp base to recharge electronic devices. “LED lighting design if beautifully complicated, demanding the expertise of many Teknion team members,” says Magnusson. “This prestigious award is for the whole team.” (In the 2010 iF competition, the Marketplace worktable – also designed by Magnusson and the Teknion team – was recognized.) The Good Design Awards are sponsored by the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design, and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies. Teknion won for its dna line of lounge seating and tables, and also for its Design Does Matter 12 CANADIAN INTERIORS March/April 2011

NeoCon 2010 Marketing Campaign. Designed to suit today’s collaborative workplace demands, dna addresses needs for flexibility, reconfigurability, and access to power and communications. It was created by Acer Design of Denmark in conjunction with Teknion’s in-house team. “Design Does Matter” was chosen as Teknion’s theme for promotional activities around NeoCon, the industry’s largest trade show. A book, video and

various printed pieces employed common colours, typefaces and design symbols; six icons – from a simple paper clip to a technologically advanced wind turbine – were used. The anthology included 26 essays by such noted professionals as Jack Diamond, Art Gensler, Peter Lawrence, Virginia Postrel and David Suzuki. The Design Does Matter Campaign was created by Michael Vanderbyl of San Francisco–based Vanderbyl Design, with Teknion. (Since

2004, Teknion has won an impressive 13 Good Design Awards.} Cheers to Teknion.

Top Three pieces of Teknion’s Design Does Matter campaign. Above left The dna line of lounge seating and tables. Above right Adjustable Task Light from the Conflux LED Lighting line.

Animal magnetism

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kitschy appeal of Pop Art with strong design sensibilities, Supon’s signature collections – such as Live Like a Queen (the Queen, the flag and other British icons), Hello Sailor (all things nautical) and Happy Hot Dog (a charismatic dachshund) – have grown into comprehensive product lines, ranging from accent pillows, clocks and lamps to serving dishes, coasters and bookends. It’s his animals we like best: from the Happy Hot Dog and Kitty Cat Darling to Oh Deer! and Totally Polar Bear. From the latest collection, we especially like the Cat and Kitten pillow and the Birds pillow, both celebrating the mothering instinct in a refreshingly charming way. To find out more about Naked Décor, visit nakeddecor.com.

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Make sure you’re at the meeting place for the whole industry – the international Techtextil trade fair in Frankfurt! Here you’ll ﬁnd technical textiles and non-wovens from all over the world. Meet senior decision-makers, make contacts for the future and discuss with exhibitors how to turn your visions into reality. At this forum you’ll discover a host of industry-speciﬁc solutions for e.g. furniture manufacturers, designers, interior designers as well as planners and architects from the contract sector. More information and tickets at www.techtextil.com info@canada.messefrankfurt.com Tel. 905-824-5017 Plus, take advantage of the synergies offered by concurrent events:

24 – 27. 5. 2011

Clockwise from top Happy Hot Dog tray; Birds pillows; Cat Face clock; Cat and Kitten pillows.

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Supon Phornirunlit has a way with animals. The Thai-born, Washington, D.C.– based art director and graphic designer frequently draws upon the animal world for designs under his Naked Décor label of home accessories. Having created award-winning corporate branding, advertising and marketing campaigns for companies around the world, Supon turned his attention to interiors and home accessory design, and founded Naked Décor in 2004. Combining the

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The Goods 1—LOVELY AS A TREE Netherlands-based Bolefloor chose Domotex 2011 to debut a new, fluidly curving hardwood flooring collection. The company and its product take their name from the word “bole,” or the trunk of a tree, and the soft lines of the floor planks mimic a tree’s natural growth. This is the result of proprietary scanning software developed by a Finnish engineering company, which uses custom algorithms so that no two curved boards are alike. Measuring 240 cm long, 15 to 30 cm wide, with a thickness of 21 mm, planks are currently available in oak, but other species will be available this summer. bolefloor.com

2—STYLE PUZZLE Esprit Home partnered with Vorwerk Carpets and launched a new line of domestic carpet tiles at Domotex 2011. Called Home Islands, these basic geometric tiles can be laid individually or combined into larger patterns. And by leaving gaps in the pattern to reveal the flooring beneath, a fascinating interplay between the floor and the structure of the tile surfaces is created. This new line is currently available in 16 colour variations, and comes with a new, environmentally friendly non-slip backing of polyester fleece made from 60 percent recycled materials. esprit-home.com 1

Take a walk The world beneath our feet gets the royal treatment with these new flooring products. —By Peter Sobchak

March/April 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 17

The Goods

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1—SIZE MATTERS In the wood world, longer means better, and British vinyl flooring manufacturer mFLOR followed that idiom when launching its Langster Plank line at Domotex 2011. Measuring 137.16 cm long by 18.42 cm wide, it is – mFLOR claims – the longest PVC plank in the industry. To support this length-to-width ratio, Langster utilizes the Stabilon glass-fibre reinforcement system, and is also designed to be hypoallergenic with ultra-low VOC emissions. The collection comes in a range of nine designs based on European hardwoods, including walnut, cherry and wild pear (shown). mflor.eu

2—TROPICAL TOUGH Winnipeg-based Global Access Distributors introduced Symmetry Bamboo Flooring at IIDEX/NeoCon Canada. This engineered bamboo product uses a German-made flexible resin mix and a dense 4-mm strand woven top layer, which prevents surface scratching that is common in engineered flooring. A 6-mm cross core, which resists cupping and warping, and a three-phase drying process make this sustainable tropical species suitable for harsh Canadian climates. bambooaccess.com

18 CANADIAN INTERIORS March/April 2011

3—OUT OF AFRICA St. Georges, Quebec–based Mirage has added African Mahogany to its Exotic series of prefinished hardwood floors. Reminiscent of sapele, a fine-textured wood with an interwoven, wavy grain, and offered in three colours – Brass, Terracotta, and Bronze – meant to evoke impressions of the dark continent, these new floors are available in engineered 5-inch boards with a semi-gloss finish. miragefloors.com 3

4—MULTIPLE LIVES Torlys is continuing to expand its Smart Floors offerings with the new Largo Collection of 7-foot long, extra-wide engineered-wood planks, launched at Toronto’s Interior Design Show in January. Like other Smart Floor products, the Largo line is made of 74 percent pre-consumer recycled wood fibres and chips from sustainable sources, and by utilizing the same high density fibre “smart core” and Uniclic joint system, can be “unclicked” and reused as many as three times and still remain under warranty. torlys.com

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The Goods

1—WALK THE LINE InterfaceFLOR has added two brand-new modular carpet tile patterns to its vast array of offerings. Sew Straight (shown) features a simple tailored line with a low profile face and fine threads of complementary hues in varying widths, while Primary Stitch’s bold colour combinations insert energy into commercial installation. Both patterns come in a shared palette of 12 neutrals and earth tones, and following the company’s environmental ethos, these tiles are constructed of between 46 and 50 percent recycled content from other carpets, which includes the backing material.

2 1

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2—WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBOURHOOD Tandus Flooring’s District carpet made quite a splash in 2010, winning Antron Carpet Fiber Product Innovation Awards, and INVISTA’s second annual People’s Choice Award. Designed by Suzanne Tick, the District collection features three patterns and 17 colourways in clean, deliberate strokes and rectangles reminiscent of Piet Mondrian, and come in both a modular carpet and Powerbond hybrid resilient sheet flooring in Antron Lumena solution dyed nylon. District is SCS and NSF-140 Platinum certified for its recycled and environmentally friendly materials. tandus.com 3—PATTERN FREE Bucking the rule that says carpets should be laid so patterns connect, Shaw Contract Group is encouraging clients to install its new No Rules collection of Cradle to Cradle carpet tiles in the most random configuration imaginable. The three patterns of Byline (pictured), Linage, and Link blend geometric shapes

with intersecting lines and colours to create truly abstract compositions. All use EcoWorx tile backing, which contains 40 percent recycled content, and are themselves completely recyclable. shawcontractgroup.com

4—TAKE A TURN The Interior Design Show in Toronto is where Roya Manufacturing & Supply Canada Inc. launched its new Primeflors commercial-grade modular carpet collections. Among them is Ibiza, with eye-popping geometric patterns inspired by the shadows, pleats and creases of origami paper-folding. These patterns are animated even more when adjacent tiles are rotated a quarter turn when laid (as shown here). royacanadainc.com

20 CANADIAN INTERIORS March/April 2011

3230-1349_

Pub Canadian Interiors 9" x 11.25" (84% of orig size)

1968 Social environmental movements take hold.

WHO SHAPES THE FUTURE OF GREEN DESIGN? You do.

1978 Earth Day brings awareness to Earth’s need for continual care.

What was once a quiet evolution has become a revolutionary force. Your desire for sustainable design has helped redefine the meaning of green. Since we began making nora® rubber flooring over 50 years ago, we’ve evolved with you.

1988 1,000 communities in America initiate curbside recycling.

Your concern for the environment continues to create new standards for designing

1998 EPA launches voluntary programs for energy, water, indoor air quality, waste and smart growth.

It starts with you. You and your challenges. You and your world. You and nora.

2008 U.S. Green Building Council member organizations grow to 15,000.

in harmony with nature. It is why we continually explore ways to blend the best of technology with greener thinking.

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The Goods

1—INSPIRED EXPEDITIONS Toronto-based custom carpet manufacturer creative Matters has reached far across the globe for new carpet inspirations and presented its findings at Domotex 2011 with the Terra collection. an example is lumina Silver (shown), in 100-per-cent hand-spun Tibetan wool and chinese silk hand-knotted by adult artisans in Nepal. The inspiration goes beyond just product finds: creative Matters supports the GoodWeave program, which works to end illegal child labour in the carpet industry and give educational opportunities to children in South asia. creativemattersinc.com

2—EXOTIC PROVENANCE New ravenna has introduced a line of marble mosaic tiles called the Silk road collection, which blends Eurasian materials with contemporary design elements. a palette of

five colours – Thassos, calacatta, carrara, Bardiglio, and Nero Marquina – can be used to individualize a collection of 30 patterns that evoke the romanticism of this legendary trade route. Tiles can be tumbled, honed or treated to create reflective and matt surfaces, and are durable indoors or out. newravenna.com

3—THINK BIG Milan-based Q-BO decided to begin the year in a big way, with its new XXl line of marble and natural stone floor coverings. Now several of the company’s collection of stone tiles, including the Domino, Onde, rombi and rose series, are available in 60-by-120-cmsized blocks of crema luna and ardesia ligure stones and white carrara marble. q-bo-project.it

1 2 3

22 caNaDiaN INTERIORS March/april 2011

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The Goods

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BENVENUTO! This past January, Ceramic Tiles of Italy made its first Canadian trade-show appearance at the Interior Design Show in Toronto, representing a handful of Italian tile manufacturers anxious to introduce new flooring product to the Canadian market. 1—Tracce, a new collection, is from Fap Ceramiche. This line of porcelain stoneware floor tiles is imbued with both the look and feel of real wood, and comes in warm gastronomicinspired colours such as butter, honey, walnut, coconut and almond. fapceramiche.com 2—Lab_21, a collection by Mirage, is an evocation and interpretation of the art of cocciopesto – which dates back to Phoenician times, when flooring material was created by crushing roofing tiles, lime mortar and stone granules. The collection is available in four sizes and comes in seven basic neutral shades. mirage.it

3—Bios, a new collection by Casalgrande Padana, has special antibacterial properties ideal for health facilities, schools, restaurants, and other areas where sanitation is extremely importance. It also helps contribute to LEED certification. Instead of just a surface treatment, new technology blends antibacterial mineral particles directly into the raw material used to manufacture the tiles, thereby extending its effectiveness. casalgrandepadana.com

24 CANADIAN INTERIORS March/April 2011

Johnsonite_C

Introducing Folio. The only thing missing is the sound of leaves crunching underfoot.

A collection of rubber tiles inspired by nature. Consider the two patterns shown here: Botany and Seasons. A perfect balance of aesthetics and performance. Folio offers six foliage patterns, each strong enough to go it alone, yet designed in pairs to play well together. Folio lets you create insets and accents, borders and highlights. You can even set off open spaces by designing rug patterns. Anything is possible with Folio, part of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most integrated, high-performance flooring system. To learn more about Folio, visit johnsonite.com or call 800-899-8916.

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The Goods

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1—GLASSES NOT INCLUDED Armstrong is continuing to champion the transition to fiberglass vinyl sheet flooring with its new Duality collection, which combines ultra-realistic, three-dimensional visuals with the company’s ToughGuard Flex backing. Organizing the collection into three basic groups – stone, wood and alternatives – visuals are achieved using Armstrong’s MasterWorks Technology printing, which captures the depth, definition and dimension of natural materials, so that stones look like stones, and woods look like woods. armstrong.com

2—COLOUR BLAST Nora has just introduced noraplan degree, a high-performance rubber flooring covering with a textured, modular look. The line features a colour palette versatile enough to ensure a wide range of design possibilities across a variety of applications and environments; named after U.S. state capitals, the palette encompasses 30 coordinating colours

26 CANADIAN INTERIORS March/April 2011

separated into 10 colour families. Available in both tiles and rolls, noraplan degree is extremely dirt- and stainresistant, and never needs waxing or sealing. nora.com 3—PICTURE PERFECT LSI Floors of Toronto continues to turn the floor into a blank canvas ideal for corporate branding by further refining its large-format digital-image vinyl tiles and planks. Starting with the highest-resolution-possible large-format digital image, photo processing software segments it into 12-inch squares. These are then printed and numbered as vinyl tiles via a direct-to-press computer, packaged in order and delivered to site. lsifloors.com

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Nobody does it better than interior designers Diego Burdi and paul Filek. By Mark curtis

photography by Ben rahn / a-Frame

commercial interior designers Diego Burdi and paul Filek, principals of Burdifilek, have a simple job – to make their clients look good. The execution of that work is not so straight-forward, of course, but whether its exotic, one-of-akind treatments for luxury goods retailers such as holt renfrew or comparatively understated designs for the likes of budget-conscious loblaw fashion brand Joe Fresh Style, Burdi says he and partner Filek’s work taps the essence of their clients’ brand. “i think that what we’ve been able to give our clients is an aesthetic value that is uniquely them,” Burdi says. “We’ve pulled out the hidden potential that’s always been there.” Burdi, 45, is the main creative force behind a trusted staff of 40 in the firm that he and 44-year-old Filek, the managing partner, started in 1993 after working together at acclaimed Yabu pushelberg in the early 1990s. They had common interests and backgrounds (both studied interior design at ryerson in Toronto) and though Filek recalls the economy was in recession at the time, they felt they had something to offer as a team. “We had a similar desire to try to do this on our own, so we very naively did,” Filek says with a smile. Burdi laughs at the recollection of their youthful chutzpah: “Why not? it’s a recession. let’s go.” after three years of working by themselves on small local projects, Burdi and Filek got their first big break. in 1996, fashion retailer Joseph Mimran hired them to design his club Monaco stores, first in Toronto and then nationally. Finding an affinity for retail design, Burdifilek added such new clients as levi’s and Telus. The firm’s club Monaco work culminated in designs for two flagship New York locations in 2003, the same year Burdifilek began working with holt renfrew. Today, Burdifilek’s base is 8,000 square feet of office space in Toronto’s Queen West neighbourhood, a tenfold increase of their original two-person downtown office. The design partners have sought that fine balance of creating memorable environments that nevertheless do not overwhelm their client’s brand. While in the main Burdi heads up the studio and

30 caNaDiaN INTERIORS March/april 2011

Above In Holt Renfrew’s Toronto flagship, 40,000 pristine white rods hang in suspended animation in ceiling coves, creating an ethereal backdrop. Left Burdifilek’s lastest project for upscale Dublin retailer Brown Thomas is its Luxury Hall; the perimeter of the jewelry department is sheathed in subtly reflective, gold-hued dichroic glass. Opposite Principal rooms in Toronto’s new Pink Tartan location feature pale oak herringbone floors, delicately panelled matte white walls, and brush-blackened display tables.

March/April 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 31

Filek develops and maintains client relationships, they say there’s frequent crossover and both have significant input on both creative and business matters. One of their most recent projects is a compact, two-level Toronto retail design for pink Tartan, a modern womenswear fashion line that president and head designer Kimberley Newport-Mimran describes as “preppy chic.” Noting the new Yorkville shop’s corner location in a weathered brick 1867 heritage building – it was originally a Town of York jail – Burdi says, “We decided to create a modernist, cleaner envelope on the inside.” They did so with such features as herringbone-patterned bleached oak floors on both levels, minimalist Fronzoni-like glass and metal fixturing, and focal walls finished with a linen effect. To mix things up, there’s a suggestion of art Deco in an upstairs bureau and low-back chair. More generally, Burdi opened up the spaces that had been considerably darker in the shop’s previous incarnation as an antiques store. “i’m ecstatic about the way it turned out,” Newport-Mimran says. “Diego’s sensibility for space and light is fabulous.” Newport-Mimran’s husband, Joseph Mimran, is the driving force behind Joe Fresh Style, the loblaw fashion brand that is rolling out its first stand-alone retail locations with Burdifilek as interior designer. The brand’s flagship Vancouver store opened last fall. The downtown Granville Street location features two floors of style and price-driven Joe Fresh Style fashions with a Burdifilek backdrop of neutral tones to showcase the youthful, design-savvy product. italian porcelain flooring, cerused oak display tables and white powdercoated metal wall systems create an environment “to make the product sing,” Burdi says. Eight more Joe Fresh Style locations by Burdifilek are in the works. in contrast to these fashion retailers, Burdifilek’s design challenge with telecom giant Bell was, not surprisingly, technology-driven. called in to design more than 100 Bell retail locations opening across canada in the next 20 months, Filek says, “We made quite a large monumental shift off of what Bell’s existing stores were by creating more of an interactive experi-

32 caNaDiaN INTERIORS March/april 2011

This page In Club Monacoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 57th Street flagship in New York, ebony-stained jatoba flooring provides a dramatic contrast to an overall white palette. Opposite In Joe Fresh Styleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vancouver flagship, the clothing is the focal point, artfully framed by white powdercoated metal wall systems; fixtures and finishes are rendered in a unified palette of crisp whites and sandblasted acrylics.

March/April 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 33

Above The floor fixtures in Bellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Toronto flagship were inspired, in form, by an actual mobility device; the store is cleanly designed, with a strategically limited palette. Left A blue-tinted Starfire glass screen provides a backdrop for window displays; the team introduced an oversized backlit Bell logo along the length of the space. Opposite In a compact Capezio in Toronto, walls, ceiling and floor merge, the store becoming a sculptural installation in itself; floor and seating are in dynamic Tokyo purple.

34 CANADIAN INTERIORS March/April 2011

ence.” Walking into Bell’s new flagship store in Toronto’s always bustling Yonge and Eglinton neighbourhood, customers are met with an oversized, glowing white Bell logo set against a lacquered wall finish of proprietary Bell blue. company product is showcased on smart-phoneshaped floor fixtures and tall blue glass display towers. The 2,500-square-foot space is cleanly designed, organized, and bright with a strategically limited colour palette of blue, white, grey, and black. But downtown Toronto is where Burdi and Filek first brought their expertise to a larger audience with all-custom interior redesigns at famed higher-end retailer holt renfrew’s main location on the city’s so-called Mink Mile on Bloor Street. half a decade on, the retailer’s power shoppers continue to navigate spaces with Burdifilek touches – such as an overhead gold-coloured flower sculpture, desiged by the firm and made by local artisans Unit 5; and such upper-loor features as a transparent lucite, South pacific–style space divider and artful ceiling-suspended clusters of white powdercoated aluminum rods. The all-custom work at holt renfrew allowed Burdifilek to make “a grander brand statement,” Filek says. The award-winning work also led to several overseas projects, beginning in 2005, for luxury Dublin retailer Brown Thomas. located in a series of heritage buildings, the irish business got the full-on Burdifilek treatment in areas such as a 7,000-square-foot shoe department, where the canadian design team finished walls in a combination of soft earth-coloured suede and bleached zebra wood. The firm’s latest work for Brown Thomas. a revamp of its luxury hall, included honed marble flooring in beige tones, cantilevered fixtures anchored by champagne-coloured Starfire glass bases, and a gold-tinted dichroic glass perimeter wall. Back in Toronto, one of Burdi and Filek’s favourite past projects is a modestsized redesign for trendy women’s shoe retailer capezio. also on Mink Mile, the small space features a high ceiling composed of a sculptural white drywall that suggests the aluminum facade of the nearby Daniel libeskind–designed royal Ontario Museum addition. (Their design was first, though, and on budget, Burdi

March/april 2011 caNaDiaN INTERIORS 35

says with another laugh.) The shoe store’s upper white volume is contrasted by custom Burdifilek soft seating upholstered in Knoll Tokyo purple. The carpeting is also purple. Burdifilek’s work for Toronto-based office furniture manufacturer Teknion resulted in the firm’s first winery interior design, completed in early 2006. Teknion president and cEO David Feldberg was branching out with his new Stratus Vineyards venture and had commissioned an environmentally sustainable retail and production building in Niagara-on-thelake. The Toronto designers were responsible for the building’s retail and tasting area, as well as two private tasting rooms. in the public spaces, charcoal terrazzo flooring contrasts with a white marble and whitewashed oak bar. Burdi says the firm’s designs are guided by “a global approach” and that also translates into increasing international work, such as Burdifilek’s recent designs for the W hotel in downtown atlanta. inspired by the Georgia city’s lush green spaces, the hotel lobby, or “living room,” features Toronto artist Dennis lin’s space-filling mobile of hundreds of white gold-coloured aluminum leaves that gently sway like a canopy of trees. along with custom-designed curved seating, the lobby also includes steamed and burnt bentwood screens and a tall water feature with an onyx reflecting pool. an extralarge Extreme Wow suite is designed in teal shades, while other suites feature indigo or mulberry colours; all suites feature detailing of macassar wood and glossy acrylics. Seventeen years on, Burdi says he and Filek’s working partnership is “like breathing,” but the goal of their work is clearly closer to “breathtaking.” c I

Top For Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Stratus Winery, Burdifilek created a “library of wine” around the perimeter of the space. Bottom In downtown Atlanta’s W Hotel, undulating, hand-carved solid walnut walls provide a rich backdrop to the entrance and lobby; grace notes include an installation of metal spheres. 36 caNaDiaN INTERIORS March/april 2011

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This past In January, the Interior Design Show made a triumphant return the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Over four days, tens of thousands of visitors perused the aisles of the 175,000-square-foot space, to see what 300-plus exhibitors had to show. At the entrance, nestled between escalators, a pulsating video monolith by 64th and Queen provided a sense of excitement and anticipation. This year’s Opening Night party, kicking off the 13th annual IDS, doubled as a unique charitable fundraising campaign where attendees could get their hands on a one-of-akind creation by today’s most celebrated designers and architects. participants – including Cecconi Simone, Karim rashid, Johnson Chou Inc. and even CBC’s own Steven & Chris, were put to the challenge of redesigning and personalizing Vitra’s panton Chair. Their efforts helped to raise more than $21,000 for Casey house, Canada’s first freestanding hIV/AIDS facility. After these pieces were scooped up in the auction, they remained on display for the duration of the show. Another attention-grabber was the Sibling revelry exhibit, a partnership of four design teams of Canadian siblings who transformed 600 square feet of space into their own unique statement of design. Upon first entering, visitors tiptoed through a garden of white pebble stones and columns of green foliage by Thien and My Ta Trung (periphere, Montreal). Twins Jason and lars Dressler (Brothers Dressler, Toronto) filled their space with their distinct touch of rustic wood and leather, with overlooking lights of the weaving Branches chandelier. The room of 1,000 paper cranes by David and Glenn Dixon (Toronto), inspired by a Japanese fable, was designed to be a space where wishes come true. The final space, by Theo and Sarah richardson (New York/Toronto), was a play on the idea of reverse engineering where the rooms were created around the products drawing inspiration from either a particular product or colour. There was no shortage of product designs on the floor, but it was the up-and-comers that really caught our eye this year. These new designers are rediscovering raw materials, minimizing their carbon footprint and designing products for the changing needs of interiors and people that inhabit them.

Eye on IDS Do-good designers, stylish siblings and promising young talent rule Toronto’s Interior Design Show. —By Karolina Olechnowicz Clockwise from top The Brothers Dressler, Jason and Lars; the Dressler’s Branches chandelier, an instant classic; entrance to the 13th annual Interior Design Show, featuring a video monolith by 64th and Queen; iconic Panton Chairs redesigned and personalized by Karim Rashid (blue background), Cecconi Simone (red background) and the CBC’s Steven & Chris (orange background).

MArCh/AprIl 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 39

1—Wine o’clock The 4.2 (pronounced “For2”) chair by designer Sia Zanjani of A6DS – After 6 Design Studio is perfect for small living spaces. This multifunctional chair is specifically designed to be shared by two people and also provide ample storage space. The chair neatly stores 15 wine bottles below the seat in three rows of five, has hanging room for eight wine glasses on either side of the backrest, and also space in between for magazines or other accessories. The 4.2 is made mainly out of birch plywood, with the seat of 100 percent wool felt. The finishes and colours can be customized by request. after6studio.com

2—Cast in concrete Jean Willoughby’s concrete cabinet pushes the limits of the function of concrete in the world of design, freeing it from strictly industrial applications. The cabinet’s concrete frame appears to envelop the two wooden drawers in a juxtaposed, delicate fashion. Upon opening the drawers, the thickness of the concrete frame is actually wider than at first glance. The concrete carcass is created with concrete first being poured into a mould, allowed to harden and removed after two to three days. The drawers are made to fit and then installed. This 24-by-15-by-19.7-inch cabinet is a non-traditional design lover’s dream. jeanwilloughby.com

40 CANADIAN INTERIORS March/April 2011

3—Touch of art The Lucius set of drawers by Alain Bélanger is the newest of his series of art furniture. A piece that is definitely a unique focal point with a look of something out of a dream, Lucius 1st was presented at IDS ’11 as the first piece in a limited series of five. Despite its crafty appearance, the drawers are fully functional and equipped with a slow-motion closing system. The body is made up maple with basswood legs. The unit measures 41 by 22 by 17 inches. Lucius is made to order, allowing customers to choose their preferred wood and finish. alainbelanger.com

4—Getting giggy with it Just as a musician has several gigs on one concert tour, the Gig seating system, known as “four-track furniture,” is actually four separate furniture pieces in one. Prepared for a future where urbanization and energy efficiency will ultimately create more compact interior spaces, designer Davide Tonizzo’s Gig is a chair, two ottomans, a chaise lounge and a bed. Moving the birch frame together or apart and sliding the lightweight foam cushions in or out of the frame make transitions from one furniture piece to another easy and fluid. While Gig is designed for small rooms, its multifunctional nature allows a room to be used in several ways. designd-online.com

5—Come together The Tug of Chair by Alexandra Chacinski, from the Ontario College of Art & Design, blends the processes of human interaction with design. The concept of tension and the idea of two individuals engaged in a patent lawsuit over a design of a chair were quite literally brought to life in this design. The tugging of ropes from both ends of the chair frame is what transforms essentially pieces of wood into a piece of furniture. The chair is composed of seven pieces of 0.75-inch plywood intertwined with ropes. For her design, Chacinski won the Rado Switzerland Award for Young Design at IDS ‘11.

6—Racking ’em up Wine racks are literally reaching new heights with Vinox Concept’s adjustable stainless steel wine poles. These 2-inchdiameter tubes affix to both floor and ceiling, holding by vertical pressure without the need of installation tools. There are two models available in two sizes: the Tornado spiral formation that holds 30 to 34 bottles depending on height, and the Traffic 90 degree formation that holds 42 bottles. Because of the unique adjustable attachment system, the poles can reach ceiling heights between 8 and 9½ feet and can be customized to reach upwards of 12 feet. The tubes can also be shortened for installation in basements or wine cellars. vinoxconcept.com

March/April 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 41

Who’s Who

1—Heat wave Etherma’s Lava Designs Infrared Glass Heating System is an energy-efficient, clean and revolutionary heating solution based on the principle of solar radiation – all wrapped up in a piece of art. The heat emitted is as natural as the warmth that comes from the sun or a wood-burning fire, and since the units do not provide air circulation there is low dust transport and no mold. The Lava comes in five standard colours, including mirror, and four other options of Lava Images in three different designs. Each can be outfitted with towel rails for the bathroom to create Lavabath, a solution for cold bathrooms. lava-designs.com

2—A history lesson Bringing meaning to “waste not, want not” the Offcuts #003 by the Caroll Street Woodworkers is part of a series shown for the first time at IDS ’11. This wall hanging is almost an ode to woodworking history, where its elements are derived from the authentic pieces cut off from prior furniture projects. Over years, instead of being discarded, the leftover wooden sections are collected and assembled into a collage of workshop artifacts. This sculptural wall hanging is then stained black. Offcuts #003 measures 60 by 60 by 4 inches. cswfurniture.com

42 CANADIAN INTERIORS March/April 2011

3—Patriotic pillows Noticing a hole in today’s design market for modern accent pillows, Nicole Tarasick dug deep into her Canadian roots and created two sizes of graphic pillows, imprinted with a distinctly Canadian mark. Coloured in earthy blends, the pillows come in a 20-by-20-inches square or 20-by-11-inches rectangle. They are made from locally sourced fabric, in both cotton and linen blends, and are filled with 100 percent feather insert. The prints are silk screened by hand, and all designs are printed with non-toxic acrylic pigments. Designs include Canadian Goose, Canada Map (shown) and the Toronto airport code, among others. nicoletarasick.com

4—By moonlight Quite fitting that Tahir Mahmood’s new Chaand lamp translates to “moon” lamp, as it brings a warm comforting glow to any living space. Handmade by artisans in Mahmood’s studio in Lahore, Pakistan, the lamp’s body is made of Dalbergia Sissoo wood, also called Indian rosewood. The lacquered sections are made from sapbased resin and applied with palm leaves. The lamp measures 30 inches in height with a base diameter of 5½ inches. The materials and the construction process align with the sustainability of Mahmood’s previous designs. tahirmahmood.com

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Who’s Who As always at Orgatec – the leading international trade fair for office and facilities, held every two years in Cologne, at the end of October – the Vitra stand was “where it’s at.” Even the surrounding wall of the stand was impressive: constructed of boards of native spruce, 132 yards long, 20 feet high and three feet thick (the height was achieved by stacking five wood pallets on top of each other). In a nod to sustainability, Vitra merely leased the wood; after the show, most of it was shipped to Antwerp to be used as concrete shuttering. Inside the big wall, a suitably big idea: Citizen Office 2011, Vitra’s stocktaking of the current state of offices. To wit: “In a Citizen Office employees do their part in a work culture of mutual trust. They also decide what work pace, work form and workplace is right for the task at hand: concentrated work or communicating; standing or sitting; office chair or sofa. The employees have many options to choose from, and when everything is within easy reach, it is not a problem to quickly switch between these options either.” As for options, Vitra introduced 14 new products, from the likes of Antonio Citterio, Jasper Morrison, Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, Naoto Fukasawa and Arik Levy – a sampling of which you’ll see when you turn the page. Elsewhere in the mighty halls of the Koelnmesse, the chair ruled (new systems and collections seemed scarce). In the following pages you’ll find eight knockouts, two each from Wilkhahn and Walter Knoll, the rest from Herman Miller, Interstuhl, Lammhults and La Palma. All in all, Orgatec 2010 was an upbeat affair, attended by 61,000 visitors from 110 countries, taking in the concepts and products of 608 companies from 41 countries.

Working beautifully The latest Orgatec was all about the incomparable Vitra, and all about eye-catching chairs. —By Michael Totzke

Activity, dynamism and motion characterize Vitra’s Citizen Office. MARCH/APRIL 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 45

V-V-V-VITRA Had I the space, I’d show every one of Vitra’s 14 introductions. Following are my seven favourites. 1—ID Chair Concept Antonio Citterio and Vitra have come together to create a chair that can be configured to fit individual requirements and preferences, while essentially remaining the same. A new patented mechanism platform – allowing for fluid movement of 46 CANADIAN INTERIORS MARCH/APRIL 2011

the back and enabling a forward and backward tilting motion coupled with a synchronized weight adjustment – forms the basis of the design. 2—Ad Hoc High Work Citterio’s masterful Ad Hoc furniture system (1994) is now available as a fully functioning High Work version designed for working while both sitting and standing, with a fixed table height of 41 inches; it is completely compatible with

the existing system. 3—ID High The healthy habit of switching between standing and sitting is made easier with Citterio’s Id High office swivel chair. 4—Kuubo Similar to an aircraft carrier (“kuubo” in Japanese), this table designed by Naoto Fukasawa has its technology hidden away. The tabletop, divided into segments, has built-in, recessed storage boxes that

supply sufficient space for a laptop, phone and other devices; also installed here are power and network cable connections. The overhanging flat-top tabletop is held together by a steel frame construction resting on voluminous cylindrical legs.

5—Alcove Work Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec designed this sofa workstation, with extra-high backrest and sides, for concentrated individual work. The fixed, leather-covered writing

shelf, with integrated cable ducts, forms a stable, nonslip surface for computer work; a handy storage box is underneath. 6—Storage Vitra has extended its Storage range created in partnership with Arik Levy. The designer’s Locker line, offering several

configurations, is especially handsome. Doors are available in eight colours, with a newly patented acoustic perforation providing a moiré effect.

7—Hal In Jasper Morrison’s new interpretation of the classic shell chair, a one-piece seat shell rests atop a base that is both visually and constructively separate. Available in numerous colours, the shell can be combined with many different bases, in tubular steel or oak. vitra.com

MARCH/APRIL 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 47

2 1

CHAIRED

1—Volume 8_2011 Designship in Ulm is the firm behind Interstuhl’s new swivel chair with an expansive volume. Bucking a trend, the chair’s technology is neatly tucked away. The generous upholstered seat, very comfy, contrasts with the almost filigree backrest. interstuhl.de

supports much like the principles of a suspension bridge – thus the name Sayl, reflecting the sailing vessels that pass beneath those bridges. The back, with its pleasing organic shape, is available in nine colours; the armpads come in seven colours. Two base colours can be paired with this spectrum. hermanmiller.com

2—Sayl With his new chair for Herman Miller, acclaimed designer Yves Béhar has created the first full-suspension back that is literally frameless; freed from a rigid exterior frame, the back suspends and

German company Wilkhahn introduced several chairs, including these two beauties.

48 CANADIAN INTERIORS MARCH/APRIL 2011

3—Chassis Designed by Stefan Diez, Chassis is the

first mass-produced chair whose frame is made with advanced space-frame technology from the automotive world. Covering it is an ergonomically shaped, 4-mm-thick, finely grained polypropylene seat and backrest. Chassis’s detachable shell is through-dyed to match the black, grey or white frame. 4—Graph In this new, high-end range of conference chairs – designed by Markus Jehs and Jürgen Laub – the seat shell can be divided and put together differently, with the armrests becoming the main link between seat and backrest. Graph’s

armrests, bearer, swivel pedestal and foot section are in die-case aluminum; the seat and back are made of upholstered, fully textile or leather-covered plywood shells. wilkhahn.de

German company Walter Knoll exhibited nine new products, among them these two snazzy chairs. 5—Lox Lox by PearsonLloyd is an elegant allrounder. On the outside, the sweeping bucket seat supports the back; inside, the seat and back padding ensure comfort. Lox

swivels slightly, whether on an aluminum four-star base or a tubular steel base. 6—TP-1 Chair Created by Eoos, the TP-1 – which swivels 360 degrees – is designed for brainstorming and team meetings: a group of them can be gathered together for such a purpose. The backrest is just the right height to serve as an armrest if the user sits sideways. walterknoll.de 7—Linea Lapalma’s latest stacking chair, designed by Gabriele Pezzini, offers strength, lightness and comfort. The perfect balance of metal

tube frame (conceived as an architectural shape) and plywood seat and back was a difficult goal to reach. lapalma.it 8—Comet Swedish designer Gunilla Allard continues her fruitful collaboration with Lammhults with Comet, which comes in two versions: a lounge chair with a comfortable, slightly lower seating position; and a chair on glides with a light, airy look. In both versions, seat and back are softly shaped to create a harmonious whole. lammhults.com

MARCH/APRIL 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 49

Who’s Who

IDS OPENER For 13 years, the Interior Design Show has staked a claim to being Toronto’s premier contemporary design show. As always, the opening-night soirée officially kicked off Toronto’s Design Week. 2

Winter delights —By David Lasker

1—The six-foot-seven Dressler brothers played professional basketball in Germany for a year; at IDS, they had their own Sibling Revelry exhibit space. From left: Victoria Baster, art professor at University of Lethbridge, Alberta; Jason Dressler; Pat Horrocks, co-ordinator of Lethbridge’s visiting speakers series; and Lars Dressler. 2—Luciano Lorenzatti, industrial designer, Teknion; Ziya Tong, host of Daily Planet on Disney Channel; Kelly Deck, director of her self-named Vancouver residential design firm; and Paul Kruger, senior industrial designer, Teknion. 3—David Benjamin, director of the Living Architecture Lab at Columbia University; Heather Fleming, founder and CEO of sustainable designers Catapult Design, San Francisco; Hunter Tura, president and CEO, Bruce Mau Design; and Matthias Hollwich, co-founder of NYC-based Architizer. 4—David Barclay, a partner in Atelier 688, an art and design boutique; Zac Ridgely, owner of Ridgley Studio Works, which makes unusual, artistic lighting; Zac’s father, Gordon, architect to Toronto’s elite; and Geordie Dalglish, chairman of the W. Garfield Weston Foundation. 5—Scott Summers and Debra Chang, associates at design-build firm Le Blancq Design, and interior designer Chris Wood chill out at the New Caribbean Design Guyana space.

5 1

AVENUE ROAD PARTY Avenue Road’s showroom-cum-gallery in Toronto’s thriving Leslieville neighbourhood hosted the official IDS Trade Day after-party. The three-level, 15,000-square-foot interior renovation of the former Consumers Gas Company building, built in 1907, is one of North America’s great showrooms.

50 CANADIAN INTERIORS March/April 2011

1—Ian Grégoire, CFO, Ur-Channel Multimedia Broadcasting Company, and David Grisim, associate marketing director Canada, Procter & Gamble. 2—Michael Barr, Avenue Road marketing director, and interior designer Rafaell Cabrera. 3—British-born, Montreal-based designer Cédric Sportes and British-born, Hong Kong-based designer Michael Young. 4—Canadian interior design superstars Glenn Pushelberg and George Yabu of Yabu Pushelberg, who designed the space, flank French design eminence Jean-Marie Massaud and Avenue Road president Stephan Weishaupt.

IBI GROUP PARTY Winnipeg-like weather didn’t deter the happy throng from beelining to IBI Group’s annual client party, held in a presentation centre nestled among condo towers of IBI’s own design at trendy Liberty Village in Toronto’s west end.

1—IBI Group’s Mashid Fakhteh-Fazel, associate, interior designer; Don Loucks, senior associate, architecture, urban design and heritage planning; and William Pol, associate; with Glenn Miller, VP education and research, Canadian Urban Institute. 2—IBI Group’s Stephanie Hoang, interior designer; Paula Margaritis, architect and senior designer; and Jaymie Cooper, interior designer. 3—Phyllis Stewart, director, enterprise support services, and Beth Grozier, associate director, at chartered accountant Ernst & Young; interior designer Eric Heppner, senior associate, IBI Group; and Cynthia Perrone, director, facility services at Goodmans, the Bay Street law firm.

BOUZAGLO BOOK LAUNCH Jaime Bouzaglo, whose Montrealbased Crear Design Studio creates edgy products and interiors, fêted his newly released book, Design Vision. (Handout photo.)

MADE AT HOME LAUNCH

1—Arrayed along the iconic Piero Fornasetti backdrop are Simonetta Giustini, media relations, Insomnia Communications; Alexandra Vincent, interior designer, Hava Design; Jaime Bouzaglo; Stéphanie Mahé, reporter, Époque Times Montreal News; Monica Henchey, HR assistant, Genivar Group consulting engineers; and Christine Schilte, nurse, Residence Riviera, Laval.

In 2008, Julie Nicholson and Shaun Moore launched MADE, an annual exhibition of contemporary Canadian design. The January 2011 show took place in the apartment above their Dundas Street West boutique in Toronto. 1—Soft-furnishings designer Bev Hisey, whose Gemstone collection of hand-tufted carpets hangs in the next room, and Shana Anderson, the digital-print textile designer who created the lampshade shown. 2— Posing in front of a Hisey carpet: MADE founders Shawn Moore and Julie Nicholson; Orest Tataryn, whose sculptural neon lights are available through Montreal’s Art Mur; Melanie Liaw, an interior designer at HCA Architecture; and artist-designer Sarah Nasby. 3—Nara Wheeler (left), a painter and wife of furniture designer Jason Wheeler of Oshawa-based Wheeler’s Studio (far right), flank Alisa and (husband) Dylan McKinnon, she a graphic designer at Quebec-based Beaver Books Publishing, he a furniture designer. 4—Writing and design star Douglas Coupland; Rachel Gottlieb, consultant and curator at MMPI (which manages IIDEX/NeoCon Canada and owns the Interior Design Show); and Matthew Searle, director of marketing, IIDEX/NeoCon Canada.

51 CANADIAN INTERIORS March/April 2011

EurO Full Page - Aug2010 Final.pdf 1 27/08/2010 2:06:27 PM

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Svend Nielsen www.svendnielsen.com page 37

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Teragren www.teragren.com page 10

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The International Furniture Market (IFM) www.ifm.net.my page 43

Interface www.interfaceglobal.com page 23

W Studio www.wstudio.ca page 19

TORLYS Inc. TORLYS Inc., a global hard-surface flooring company, is known for progressive, innovative designs and the environmental integrity of its products. A wide collection of beautiful hardwood, laminate, cork and leather floors are styled and produced to exceed strict European and California environmental standards. 1-800-461-2573 www.torlys.com

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To book your ad space in Canadian Interiors please contact Martin Spreer at 416-510-6766

Johnsonite www.johnsonite.com page 25

Mercier Wood Flooring www.mercier-wood-flooring.com Page 7

www.canadianinteriors.com To book your space in the Professional Directory please contact Martin Spreer at mspreer@canadianinteriors.com 416-510-6766

MArCh/AprIl 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 53

Last Word

All that glitters For a Korean department store, Edward Lam of Toronto-based Moss & Lam creates a magical mobile.

—By Leslie C. Smith

The sculptural installation as a reflection of commerce. Literally. It sparkles and shimmers, it glints and glistens, depending on the light, day or night. Over seven storeys high, far taller than a Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and more wonderful to behold. Customers at the newly built Lotte department store in Cheongyangni, Korea, can be forgiven for stopping their shopping just a moment to look up and marvel. Or while riding the flanking escalators to focus their gaze on the glittering maze-work of pearly beads, crystallized diamonds, chunks of amber and tiny, faceted disco balls, strung on near-invisible nylon lines studded alike with stylized butterflies, leaves and petals, all gold and silver polycarbonate and brass mesh subtly swaying with the in-store air currents; all covered, as it were, in collective reflective glory. Edward Lam, of Toronto’s famed Moss & Lam custom design studio, was the principal mind behind the Magic Garden, this huge atrium-domiciled mobile unveiled, after many weeks of intensive teamwork, last August. His inspiration: how do you take so many little things, over 200,000 of them, and create a giant, unified whole? His caveat: this is art; yet, being a commercial commission, isn’t quite. Given the masses of hands and intricate detail involved, it is more like a movie, what director David Lean once termed “a near-art form.” Lam, keeper of the concept, acted very much like a film director. The clients, too, took a role. The sculpture needed to interact with its surroundings, so it plays strong counterpoint, pouring down from the ovoid Plexiglas dome overhead, suggestive of a shower of fractured sunlight, shattering the very rigidity, the blandly beige angular modernity, of the store below. It must also speak to the customers, mirroring the company’s philosophy of fantasy, prestige, femininity. Just as elsewhere in the world, women represent by far the majority of retail customers; but in the Far East, there is still an older-fashioned, one-income system in place, where the men work for the money wives and girlfriends spend. Unabashedly female-centric then, the Magic Garden resembles most a luxurious chandelier earring shot in extreme close-up, designed to whet buyers’ appetites and inspire them to take a fragment of this glamour home. c I

54 CANADIAN INTERIORS March/April 2011

Photos by Moss & Lam

CMY

SIDIM_canadianINTERIORS_mars2011.pdf

CMY

11-03-04

10:38 AM

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All Images Photographed at SOFA, nov. 2010