INTERIORS • ARCHITECTURE • FASHION • ART • DESIGN ™
The DESIGN MAGAZINE for the Pacific Northwest
PACIFIC NORTHWEST DESIGNERS TAKE ON THE WORLD THE WORLD TAKES ON PACIFIC NORTHWEST DESIGNERS
WALL TILE MONACO MATT FLOOR TILE DETROIT ANTRACITA FREE STANDING SINKS LOUNGE BATHTUB UNIQUE WALL MOUNTED FAUCETS LOUNGE
TILE
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MOSAICS
KITCHEN
BATH
HARDWOOD & LAMINATE
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SEATTLE 88 Spring Street, Suite 120 Seattle, WA 98104 206.673.8395 graymag . com
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eames速 upholstered lcm, designed 1946 - made in the usa by herman miller
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herman herman millermiller vitra vitra fritz hansen fritz hansen kartell kartell bensen bensen knollknoll flos artek flos artek artifort artifort foscarini foscarini moooi moooi moroso moroso montis montis and more! and more!
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DESIGN COMPETITION WINNER Spark Modern Fires would like to congratulate Rob Evans the Grand Prize Winner of our 7th Annual Design Competition. He used a Linear Burner System Indoor and Outdoor to create the magnificent focal points in his winning entry. To see all the winners visit www.sparkfires.com or 203.791.2725
modern fires
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Curve of the Oak Residence, Valdosta, GA Architect, Designer & Photo: Rob Evans, AIA NCARB IPG Incorporated, Architects & Planners
Photo Michel Gibert. Special thanks: TASCHEN 1Conditions apply, ask your store for more details. 2Program available on selected items and subject to availability.
French Art de Vivre
Bubble. Sofa in Techno 3D fabric, design Sacha Lakic. Iride. Coffee table and end table, design Alessandro Busana. Waterline. Pedestal table, design Cédric Ragot. Manufactured in Europe.
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BRING YOUR STYLE INTO VIEW
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SEATTLE 112 Westlake Avenue North Seattle, WA 98109 Tel. (206) 341-9990 www.facebook/lignerosetseattle.com
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cont 38
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june–july.16
14. hello
World stage.
SCENE 25. sourced
An epic mother-daughter weekend in Taipei sparks Kush’s new collection of art-inspired rugs.
28. happenings
News, events, and openings.
38. hospitality
House of Bohn revamps a popular pho joint into a sleek eatery that looks toward modern Vietnam.
42. hospitality
El Santo puts a modern twist on traditional forms of Mexican craft and cuisine.
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STYLE 47. fashion
Prairie Underground and the Oula Company pair up in a socially conscious cross-cultural collaboration.
50. fashion
Seattle-based fashion great Luly Yang takes her work to new heights as the official designer for Alaska Airlines’ new fleet of uniforms.
52. made here
A pair of Hong Kong restaurants spotlights one-of-a-kind glasswork by British Columbia’s Nathan Allan Glass Studios.
FEATURES 56. natural habitat
Cutler Anderson Architects connects with nature—and bridges a pond—to create an award-winning residence for two winemakers in rural Oregon.
64. modern oasis
Two Vancouverites decamp to Mexico’s Baja Peninsula to open a modern rammed-earth restaurant in the middle of a palm-tree grove.
72. dinner theater
Portland interior designer Jessica Helgerson transforms a historic San Francisco building into a showstopping pizza restaurant.
tents 72
BACK OF THE BOOK 76. architecture
In shaping the new U.S. Embassy in Niamey, Niger, Seattle’s Miller Hull Partnership strives for diplomacy through design.
82. architecture
Su Casa Design’s minimalist mountaintop manse is the peak of sleek contemporary design.
90. context
For design lovers, a stop in Seattle isn’t complete without a trip to Kirk Albert’s eponymous shop. The vintage dealer and collector talks us through some of his awesome and kooky finds.
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94. essay
Vancouver architect Michael Green takes GRAY on a global tour of his design inspirations, from remote Tajikistan to the wilds of Antarctica.
102. workspace
GRAY lifts the veil on its brand-new office in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood, furnished entirely—and to stunning effect—by Room & Board.
110. resources
Your guide to the designers, artisans, furnishings, and suppliers featured in this issue.
114. obsession
Don’t call it Tupperware. Peter Miller, owner of the region’s premier design bookshop, explains his passion for food storage containers sourced around the world.
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✤
On the Cover
Two Vancouver entrepreneurs build a high-design getaway in Baja, Mexico, complete with an open-air restaurant and 12 tiny, stylish treehouses. SEE PAGE
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Photograph by DANIELA FERNÁNDEZ DEL BUSTO
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Trapper Keeper design in Moonrise colorway
CUSTOM | RESIDENTIAL | COMMERCIAL 205 NW 10 TH Ave. Portland, OR
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| www.kushrugs.com
life styled
One part lifestyle boutique, one part restaurant, Secret Location offers thought-provoking fashion and food.
concept store | one water street, vancouver, canada | secretlocation.ca
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| hello |
ALEX HAYDEN
WORLD STAGE
This May, GRAY moved to Seattle’s bustling Georgetown neighborhood, into a chic new office space designed and fully furnished by Room & Board. Here’s me and GRAY editor Rachel Gallaher testing the Sylphy desk chair at the Room & Board showroom. (It made the cut.) Turn to page 102 for the full reveal.
A magazine I worked at years ago had myriad reasons why it might reject a residential project pitched its way (all design magazines do). Sterile interiors. A bad couch. And so on. While I was there, another dismissive term came into use: “Too Northwest-y.” You know the type: undiscriminating use of earthy hued HardiePanel and rust-tinged slate tile. Possibly looks like it was made in SketchUp. Barring this now-clichéd regional design style, which fortunately seems to be in remission, a Northwest aesthetic isn’t easily pigeonholed these days— and certainly not easily dismissed. We’ll always love neutral palettes and live edge wood, but the work we’re producing here is diverse, unpredictable, and global in scope and impact. I know this on a rational level, because GRAY’s core mission is to celebrate the breadth of contemporary Northwest design. But it hit me on a visceral level this week as I made plans for my annual May pilgrimage to New York City for ICFF, WantedDesign, and the other events associated with NYCxDesign. As I fine-tuned my schedule, I was thrilled to see the PNW design saturation. Even if all I did in New York was check out Northwest work, I’d have too much to reasonably pack into a long weekend. From a collaborative lighting show at The Future Perfect to a particularly Seattle-heavy exhibitor list at Sight Unseen Offsite, the Northwest is representing. At a glance, you’d never know what’s Northwest-made. But look closer and you’ll find a distinctive approach to concept and execution. Almost two years ago, I interviewed Darin Montgomery, founder of the Seattle furniture and lighting companies Urbancase and Standard Socket. He described what’s unique about Northwest design not in terms of a style, but a cooperative spirit. “There’s no protectiveness or competitiveness. We’re all really open with our resources, vendors, press contacts,” he said. “There’s real camaraderie. The attitude is, ‘lets get us all on the map.’ We’re all in this together.” This approach has clearly paid off. Today the Northwest is firmly on the map. This year Darin is exhibiting in three shows during NYCxDesign and is about to launch a new furniture brand, Meer, as well as a contract furniture line in collaboration with Graypants. There’s energy and excitement around PNW design, across the board—and across the globe. I’m psyched to experience it palpably in New York in a few days. I’ll report back!
Jaime Gillin, Director of Editorial + Content Strategy jaime@graymag.com
INSTAGRAM: @gray_magazine // FACEBOOK: graymag // TWITTER: @gray_magazine PINTEREST: gray_magazine // LINKEDIN: company/gray-magazine
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Avery bed, $1699, Graham tables, $599 each; Profile frames, $89 each. University Village 2675 NE University Village Street, Seattle roomandboard.com
AMERICAN MADE SINCE. 1980 15 graymag com
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FOUNDER + PUBLISHER Shawn Williams DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL + CONTENT STRATEGY Jaime Gillin jaime@graymag.com SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR Stacy Kendall EDITOR Rachel Gallaher ASSOCIATE EDITOR Nicole Munson COPY EDITOR Laura Harger CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Courtney Ferris Brian Libby Alexa McIntyre Lindsey M. Roberts GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jami Smith INTERNS Agazit Afeworki Jordan Neslund Nessa Pullman CONTRIBUTORS Jeremy Bitterman Hadani Ditmars Hank Drew Rachel Eggers Daniela Fernández del Busto Alex Hayden Drew Kelly Edmon Leong Janis Nicolay Robyn Penn Colin Perry Provoke Studios Nate Watters
rug design studio We help you find the perfect rug by making the perfect rug for you The Pearl District | Portland, Oregon | lapchi.com
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ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dixie Duncan dixie@graymag.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Craig Allard Miller Kayse Gundram Laurelei Papajani ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Tracey Bjerke NEWSSTAND MANAGER Bob Moenster PUBLIC RELATIONS Canada: PiTCH PR P.A. TO THE PUBLISHER Tally Williams
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No. 28. Copyright ©2016. Published bimonthly (DEC, FEB, APR, JUNE, AUG, OCT) by GRAY Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint or quote excerpts granted by written request only. While every attempt has been made, GRAY cannot guarantee the legality, completeness, or accuracy of the information presented and accepts no warranty or responsibility for such. GRAY is not responsible for loss, damage, or other injury to unsolicited manuscripts, photography, art, or any other unsolicited material. Unsolicited material will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. If submitting material, do not send originals unless specifically requested to do so by GRAY in writing. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to GRAY, 5628 Airport Way S., Ste. 190 Seattle, WA 98108 Subscriptions $30 us for one year; $50 us for two years.
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| contributors |
CUSTOM MILLED SIDING & TRIM One of a kind for over a century. . 18 www.cedarexperts.com graymag com
JEREMY BITTERMANN bittermannphotography.com pg 56
HADANI DITMARS hadaniditmars.com pg 38
HANK DREW hankdrew.com pg 114
ALEX HAYDEN alexhayden.com pg 14, 102
DREW KELLY drewkelly.com pg 72
EDMON LEONG edmonleong.com pg 52
JANIS NICOLAY janisnicolay.com pg 82
COLIN PERRY twocolumn.com pg 42
PROVOKE STUDIOS provokestudios.com pg 38
NATE WATTERS natewatters.com pg 47, 50
Elements: Astrid 2948
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Adams Architecture adamsarchitecture.net
AKJ Architects LLC akjarchitects.com
pacific northwest architects
BattersbyHowat Architects battersbyhowat.com
Chesmore Buck
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These architecture and design firms are doing outstanding work in this region. They also support GRAY and our efforts to advance the Pacific Northwest’s vibrant design community. Please contact them for your next project. Visit their portfolios at graymag.com or link directly to their sites to learn more.
Giulietti | Schouten AIA Architects gsarchitects.net
Integrate Architecture & Planning Iredale Group Architecture integratearch.com
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iredale.ca
Janof Architecture janofarchitecture.com
Baylis Architects
BC&J Architecture
Ben Trogdon | Architects
DAO Architecture LLC
David Coleman Architecture
Emerick Architects
Guggenheim Architecture + Design Studio
Hacker
hackerarchitects.com
HELLIWELL + SMITH Blue Sky Architecture Inc
KASA Architecture
Lane Williams Architects
Lanefab Design / Build
baylisarchitects.com
daoarchitecture.com
guggenheimstudio.com
kasaarchitecture.com
bcandj.com
davidcoleman.com
lanewilliams.com
bentrogdonarchitects.com
emerick-architects.com
blueskyarchitecture.com
lanefab.com
o. EIGHTEEN GRAY ISSUE Ngraymag . com
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LEVER Architecture
Malboeuf Bowie Architecture
Prentiss Architects
rho architects
richard brown architect
Scott | Edwards Architecture
Skylab Architecture
Stephenson Design Collective
STUDIO-E Architecture
Tyler Engle Architects
William Kaven Architecture
Workshop AD
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stephensoncollective.com
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CLIFF HANGER TEN YEARS AGO, during what might be considered the ultimate mother-daughter weekend—a three-day jaunt to Taipei for the reopening of the National Palace Museum— Rebecca Lurie experienced heart palpitations . . . of a good sort. The exhibition featured a collection of precious paintings, calligraphy, and ceramics from China’s Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). “In dimly lit halls, we saw long, faded, yellowed scrolls of mountain scenes, clouds, trees, and calligraphy, each one more beautiful and ancient than the last,” recalls Lurie, co-owner of Portland’s Kush Handmade Rugs. “The emotion in the art was palpable. I still feel it all these years later.” For Lurie, the saying “art begets art” proved true. Still entranced by those ancient Chinese works, she recently designed a new line of wool and silk rugs, the Landscape Collection, featuring abstracted rocky cliffs and outcroppings. h
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conversation sessions Seattle Portland Vancouver
JUNE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN CONTEMPORARY PRODUCT DESIGN PORTLAND: June
14, 5 p.m. at Hotel Lucia
DESIGN CAPITALISM: HOW CORPORATE DESIGN IS RESHAPING THE PNW SEATTLE:
June 21, 6 p.m. at Sorrento Hotel
JULY
LEARNING FROM TECH: DISPATCHES FROM DESIGN’S NEXT FRONTIER
BELATHÉE PHOTOGRAPHY
SEATTLE:
July 18, 6 p.m. at Sorrento Hotel
AUGUST Special Panel & Party with Jeff Kleinsmith, Sub Pop Creative Director
HOW GRAPHIC DESIGN AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY INFLUENCE PNW DESIGN CULTURE SEATTLE:
Date and location to be announced
SEPTEMBER
FOR THE THIRD YEAR RUNNING, GRAY presents dynamic discourse with the Pacific Northwest’s top design talent. Join us at Portland’s Hotel Lucia and Seattle’s Hotel Sorrento for our GRAY Conversations series—a cocktail hour followed by frank and inspiring panel discussions moderated by GRAY editors, on a variety of essential design topics. For more details and a list of confirmed panelists, head to graymag.com/GRAYconversations.
DESIGN REBELLION
GRAY Conversations events to be announced VANCOUVER: GRAY Stage at IDS, Sept. 22–25
For more details and ticket information:
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Timeless living begins here. Stop by today or schedule a complimentary design session in advance at dwr.com/studios. SEATTLE 1918 First Ave.
© 2016 Design Within Reach, Inc.
PORTLAND 1200 NW Everett St.
THE BEST IN MODERN DESIGN W W W.DWR.COM | 1.800.944.2233 | DWR STUDIOS Shown: Authentic Saarinen Pedestal Table, Bacco Chair, Nelson™ Star Clock and Nelson™ Bubble Lamp® graymag . com
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“THIS EXHIBITION PROVIDES AUDIENCES WITH AN UNUSUAL OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THE CONCEPTUAL SCULPTURES AND GESTURAL DRAWINGS THAT UNDERPIN [ALLIED’S] CREATIVE PRACTICE AND THAT EMBODY THE FIRM’S UNIQUE APPROACH AND STANDING WITHIN THE FIELD.” —BRIAN FERRISO, DIRECTOR, PORTLAND ART MUSEUM >>
SEE Through Oct. 9
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(1) Seattle’s Asian Art Museum has the blues, and we’re totally on board. “Mood Indigo: Textiles from Around the World” pays homage to the fascinatingly layered history of the color blue. A staple in the textile industry for thousands of years, natural indigo is a demanding dye with unique chemical properties that make its use challenging.With more than 100 works drawn primarily from SAM’s global textile collection, the exhibition offers sublime surprises around every corner, from a 19th-century Japanese fireman’s hat to an impressive trio of 12-foot Flemish tapestries from the late 17th century. An immersive installation by contemporary artist Rowland Ricketts—who learned to make indigo out of compounded leaves during a two-year apprenticeship with a farmer-dyer in Japan—is composed of a large indigo-dyed textile, dried indigo plants, and sound sculpture from collaborating artist Norbert Herber that tickles listeners’ ears with an evocative chorus of parched and crackling indigo leaves. ›› seattleartmuseum.org
Two cannot-miss shows hit the Portland Art Museum this June. Over the past few decades, the fashion industry has slowly become more inclusive and diverse, and the museum is celebrating this evolution with “Native Fashion Now,” an exhibition showcasing traditionrich garments from indigenous designers from the past 60 years. Categorizing the designers into four themes—pathbreakers, revisitors, activators, and provocateurs—the show features works from the likes of Virgil Ortiz, who, after an internship at Donna Karan, introduced Native designs to the label in a collaborative collection. Architectural ideas are stripped down to their artistic essence in (2) “Case Work: Studies in Form, Space & Construction by Brad Cloepfil/Allied Works Architecture,” a showcase of sculptures and drawings from the New York– and Portland-based firm. Sixty conceptual works give viewers a rare glimpse into Allied’s unique investigative process, featuring pieces such as a mixed-media collage meant to evoke a bird’s-eye view of Wisconsin farms. Catch the show here before it embarks on a two-year international tour. ›› portlandartmuseum.org
1. WRAPPING CLOTH (FUROSHIKI) (DETAIL), 19TH CENTURY, JAPANESE, COTTON CLOTH (TSUTSUGAKI), 61 X 52 3/4 IN., GIFT OF THE CHRISTENSEN FUND, 2001.502, PHOTO: NATALI WISEMAN; 2. STEPHAN ALESSI; 3. © PICASSO ESTATE/SODRAC (2016), © RMN-GRAND PALAIS / ART RESOURCE, NY PHOTO BY J.G. BERIZZI.
June 4–Sept. 4
June 11–Oct. 2
(3) Pablo Picasso remains an iconic symbol—the quintessential modern-art revolutionary, he still transfixes audiences of all generations—and most recently he served as Kanye West’s muse in the rapper’s 2016 album Life of Pablo. Vancouver Art Gallery is showcasing selected works from the Spanish master in “Picasso: The Artist and His Muses,” focusing upon six women who influenced Picasso’s early career, including his first wife, Olga Khokhlova. The exhibit rounds up 60 works that provide fresh perspectives on Picasso’s work and his investigation of female subjects. ›› vanartgallery.bc.ca
July 7–Aug. 26
2 Our actions and conversation regarding such changes, however, are more malleable. Design in Public’s “Changing Seattle” exhibition tackles gentrification, development, and the tech boom head-on in a retroactive look at how the city has reached its present condition and the current reshaping of local communities and cultures. Through its exhibition and related programming, DIP aims to provide a space for dialogue, education, and the exchange of ideas to further the notion that all Seattleites can thrive together in their advancing city. » ›› designinpublic.org
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A city’s ongoing transformation— for better or worse, depending on one’s perspective—is inevitable. graymag . com
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VISIT (4) Sequestered in the abundant
forests of Whistler, B.C.’s Fitzsimmons Creek, the new Audain Art Museum is elevated one story off the ground in an offthe-grid glacial valley. The museum, which opened in March 2016, invites visitors to experience Vancouver home developer Michael Audain’s personal collection of Canadian art, ranging from the 18th century to the present, with pieces such as First Nations masks juxtaposed with electric-hued paintings from postwar modernist Jack Shadbolt. The 56,000-square-foot space, designed by Patkau Architects and clad in dark metal and wood panels, is built to withstand the natural elements in an area prone to snowfall averaging 15 feet per year. ›› audainartmuseum.com (5) Last fall, Portland’s Fieldwork Design & Architecture moved into its new design and fabrication studio in a former car dealership. Stripping away carpet, acoustic ceiling tile, and interior walls to reveal old-growth Douglas fir beams and trusses, original concrete floors, and 1920s wallpaper, Fieldwork is carrying out its concept to turn the 7,400-square-foot space into a design lab. Equal parts gallery,
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studio, fabrication shop, testing lab, and showroom, the newly pared-down interior aims to foster inspiration. Fieldwork’s first subtenant is WildCraft Studio School, which offers onsite classes for adults in contemporary crafts such as woodblock printing, carving wooden spoons, hand-cast jewelry (June 12), indigo and shibori textile making (June 18), and more. ›› fieldworkdesign.net ›› wildcraftstudioschool.com
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EXPERIENCE June 16–18
This June, Emily Carr University hosts Information+, a three-part event dissecting the information design and information visualization fields. Programming includes a two-day conference featuring high-profile keynote speakers and a hands-on workshop dedicated to finding collective solutions for global water conservation issues. Even if you miss the conference, you can get in on the action by stopping by the university’s Concourse Gallery during June, where an exhibition will explore how contemporary designers negotiate media to visualize abstract and complex information at every scale. » ›› informationplusconference.com
4. COURTESY PATKAU ARCHITECTS; 5. BRIAN WALKER LEE
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6 Aug. 4–7
GRAY LOVES (7) Always expect the unexpected from Vancouver-based designer Karen Konzuk, who handcrafts minimalist jewelry for the contemporary connoisseur. Konzuk’s latest collection, Stellar, is inspired by 20th-century kinetic sculpture and steeped in architectural principles of balance, rhythm, and harmony. All 49 items—including rings,
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necklaces, earrings, pendants, and bracelets—are created from blacktinted concrete illuminated with diamond dust, blending industrial and hyper-elegant elements into pieces that resemble the midnight sky. Each is unique, and, as the designer explains, each is intended to be a small touchstone, encouraging its wearer to seek out the dazzling beauty of the world. ›› konzukshop.com (8) Pacific Northwest designers often reach outside the region on new ventures with nationally known companies, and the latest exciting transcontinental collaboration is the Portland Chair, designed by Stevenson, Washington–based Phloem Studio for Portland, Maine– based company Thos. Moser. An esteemed 44-year-old company that specializes in American-made furniture, Thos. Moser sought out Phloem founder Ben Klebba—a like-minded designer-maker—to reenvision its craft legacy through a contemporary lens. The clean-lined, cooperative design that resulted recently won Jury and Architizer A+ Popular Choice awards. h ›› thosmoser.com ›› phloemstudio.com
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6. COURTESY SEATTLE ART FAIR; 8 COURTESY THOS. MOSER
(6) After the pivotal success of the Seattle Art Fair last year, art appreciation in the Emerald City jogged the Richter scale in new and surprising ways. The annual cornucopia of art returns to CenturyLink Field this year with 48 newly participating galleries, from Paris to Santa Monica, with a particular focus on work from the Pacific Rim. New programs are set to infuse the city with a little Art Basel vibe, including a weekendlong showcase from L.A. musician Brendan Fowler and local artists in Pioneer Square and a Fair Talks series assembling artists from a variety of fields to discuss film, music, and culture. ›› seattleartfair.com
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this september in
VANCOUVER, B.C.
gray awards dueling designers keynote speaker conversations with pnw designers pitch tank celebrates
design rebels at
details:
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Interior Sept 22-25 Design 2016 Show Vancouver
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your luxury oceanfront home awaits
Washington Coast
855-724-0237 | SEABROOKWA.COM
Emily Henderson Sat Sept 24, 1pm Caesarstone Stage
Style, Play, Everyday. Emily Henderson will share her style solutions and creative inspiration at IDS Vancouver.
Online Trade Registration Now Open
Vancouver Convention Centre West
IDSwest.com #IDSvancouver
Fri Sept 23 Miele Trade Day
Sat Sept 24 General Admission
Sun Sept 25 General Admission Produced by
Sponsors
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Thurs Sept 22 Opening Night Party
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(re)imagine modern America’s Largest Design Event Join us at Dwell on Design & experience: • • • • • •
400 brands that shape modern 2,000+ modern furnishings & products 40+ on-stage presentations led by 70+ panelists 4 full-scale prefab homes 3 days of Dwell Home Tours Networking with 30,000+ design enthusiasts
June 24-26, 2016
Los Angeles Convention Center
la.dwellondesign.com $5 off with code: GRAY16
The Dwell on Design trademark is used under license and with the permission of Dwell Life, Inc.
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HIT REBOOT
House of Bohn redesigns a Vietnamese restaurant for its next-generation owners.
Written by HADANI DITMARS : Photographed by PROVOKE STUDIOS
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A bar with geometric patterns made of stained wood neatly bisects Vancouver’s new Anh + Chi restaurant. Lighting mixes minimalist brass fixtures (Allied Maker pendants over the bar; Cedar & Moss blown-glass pieces over the tables) with classic Vietnamese oil lamps.
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Siblings Vincent and Amelie Nguyen have effortlessly fused tradition and modernity in their new restaurant. Named Anh + Chi—Vietnamese for “brother” and “sister”—it aims to honor Vietnamese food in a fresh way.
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AS 18TH AVENUE MEETS MAIN STREET in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood, it curves and widens, creating a natural junction between Main’s buzzing, commercial north end and its more residential south stretch, the core of a longstanding immigrant neighborhood. The intersection is an apt locale, both functionally and metaphorically, for Anh + Chi. Building on the foundation of their parents’ popular Pho Hoang noodle house, established after the couple had fled Vietnam in the late ’70s, siblings Vincent and Amelie Nguyen have effortlessly fused tradition and modernity in their new restaurant. Named Anh + Chi—Vietnamese for “brother” and “sister”—it aims to “honor Vietnamese food in a fresh way,” explains Vincent. The siblings turned to Vancouver-based House of Bohn for an interior that pays homage to both their Saigon roots and their West Coast homeland, with an elegant blend of evocative nostalgia and earthy minimalism. Designer Karin Bohn, working with CDC Construction, gutted and completely transformed the long, narrow space, removing the mauve carpeting and sea-foam tile to reveal aggregate concrete flooring that she polished back to life. Out went the plastic tables and chairs, replaced with custom millwork, oak tables stained in three different colors, and walnut seating. New floor-to-ceiling windows line the restaurant’s west side, offering glimpses from the sidewalk into the reimagined space. Bohn’s palette of green, wood, and brass—inspired by Vietnam’s lush landscapes, ubiquitous straw hats, and tropical light, respectively—plays well in Vancouver’s temperate-rainforest clime. “Referencing traditional Vietnamese elements throughout the design was very important to us,” says Bohn. “We researched the country intensely and curated only a select few photos, from a pile of hundreds, for our actual design inspiration.” The designer expertly weaved classical influences into her contemporary atmosphere. Banana-leaf patterns recur throughout the space—on custom wallpaper in the bathrooms, for example, and in a stained-glass piece behind the bar—simultaneously recalling Vietnam’s jungles and the iconic pattern made famous by the Beverly Hills Hotel. Artwork on one wall reveals itself, upon close inspection, to be made up of hundreds of chopsticks, arranged in a radial pattern and lacquered with a few gold accents. Provençal blue tiles from Vietnam also adorn the walls, their French colonial style juxtaposed with modern wall-mounted oak tables. Tiny Vietnamese oil lamps pepper the room, illuminating Anh + Chi with a soft glow. The banquette at the restaurant’s southeast corner is a special, secret shrine for the owners: a plastic chair leg from Pho Hoang is hidden inside. “We want to remember where we come from,” says Vincent, who left a promising medical career to resuscitate the family business—and, in the process, delight a whole new generation of Vancouver diners. h
FROM TOP: The juxtaposition of wall-mounted walnut tables and Provençal-style Vietnamese tiles epitomizes designer Karin Bohn’s old-meets-new, East-meets-West approach to the interior. A rich weave of walnut and oak wood offers an earthy contrast to Vietnamese ceramics. OPPOSITE: A custom House of Bohn–designed brass chandelier, its form inspired by the shape of a nón lá (the conical Vietnamese “leaf hat”), illuminates a curvilinear banquette.
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El Santo Unmasked Eschewing standard Mexican-restaurant brights in favor of a sophisticated, earthy palette, El Santo embraces traditional craft and modern design. Written by JORDAN NESLUND : Photographed by COLIN PERRY
HALF AN HOUR WEST of Vancouver sits New Westminster, British Columbia—the province’s oldest city, now a rapidly developing and increasingly urbane suburb. It’s an area abounding in diverse culinary offerings—Thai, Greek, Japanese, Italian—but until recently, Mexican food was scarce. When Alejandro Diaz moved to New Westminster in 2010, he saw an opportunity to introduce fresh cuisine from
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his home country, and to do so “without the typical stereotypical kitsch,” he says. The result, opened this past December, is El Santo, named after the Mexican wrestling legend and Diaz’s childhood hero. The 2,900-square-foot eatery offers sustainably sourced menu options, more than six dozen tequilas and mezcals, and modern décor. “El Santo turns the familiarity of Mexican cuisine into something new »
OPPOSITE: Restaurateur Alejandro Diaz and Space Harmony founder and designer Negar Reihani sit in a marigold-colored booth in El Santo, Diaz’s recently opened Mexican restaurant in New Westminster, British Columbia. THIS PAGE: Central seating areas show off hand-stitched leatherette panels that transition into metal mesh squares woven with yarn in a floral pattern. Delicate light fixtures made from black yarn and sourced from Nuevo Living hang above the wooden tables.
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“WHEN PEOPLE THINK OF MEXICAN RESTAURANTS, THEY OFTEN THINK OF SOMBREROS, PIÑATAS, AND BRILLIANT COLORS. IN REALITY, MEXICO— WHERE I’M FROM—IS VERY COSMOPOLITAN, AND THAT IS WHAT I WANTED TO ECHO WITH EL SANTO.’’ — ALEJANDRO DIAZ, RESTAURATEUR AND OWNER
and sophisticated,” says Vancouver-based interior designer Negar Reihani, founder of Space Harmony and the brains behind the restaurant’s design concept. “We applied the same idea to the design elements. We used common materials— tile, glass, and textile—but presented them in a fresh, unexpected way that you notice, layer after layer, as you settle into the space.” The main dining-area walls are clad in leatherette and metal mesh panels intricately hand-stitched with colorful, geometric floral patterns inspired by traditional Mexican textiles and needlework, all produced by Vancouver-based Sign Company. Glass pendants from Nuevo Living cluster above the bar, built by Mercury Contracting. Geometric-patterned tile runs seamlessly down the bar front and across the concrete floor. Rebelling against the tropical palette typical of taquerías, Reihani opted for soft-hued blue, yellow, and brown to create a tonal balance with the surrounding wood and concrete. “When people think of Mexican restaurants, they often think of sombreros, piñatas, and bright colors,” says Diaz. “In reality, Mexico—where I’m from—is very cosmopolitan, and that is what I wanted to echo with El Santo.” h
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A view of El Santo’s main dining area. A wall hanging in the shape of the mask of El Santo—the famed Mexican wrestler and the restaurant’s namesake—was crafted from more than 1,500 wine corks by Sign Company. Reihani covered the bar front with Azulej tiles designed by Patricia Urquiola for Mutina, which transition gracefully from bar to floor.
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Haiku Lights Featuring onboard occupancy and light sensors, this LED fixture conserves energy by turning off when you leave and dimming when it detects daylight.
Haiku Fans Honored with more than 60 design and technology awards, Haiku Fans move eight times more air than conventional, less beautiful fans.
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Building a Better Home Haiku® Home’s collection of connected products – designed and manufactured by Big Ass Solutions® – makes homes better by combining meaningful technology and award-winning design. Our fans and lights work together wirelessly to automate your comfort (and look great doing it). Haiku fans and lights keep your home comfortable, respond to your presence and conserve energy – automatically. Visit haikuhome.ca/gray616 to bring your Haiku products home.
haikuhome.ca/gray616 | 844 424 5848 graymag . com
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M A IS O N I N C interior design
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style
“We don’t live in a literal society anymore. It’s all about hybridity and conversations among cultures,” says Erika Dalya Massaquoi, founder of the Oula Company, who collaborated with Prairie Underground founders Davora Lindner (center) and Camilla Eckersley (right) on a new apparel collection that incorporates African textiles. Prairie Underground x Oula launches June 30.
UNCOMMON THREADS A trio of Seattle designers collaborate on a brand-new suit with African roots. Written by RACHEL GALLAHER : Photographed by NATE WATTERS
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COURTESY PRAIRIE UNDERGROUND
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THE COLLABORATION initially sounds like a headscratcher: a hip-hop-loving Miami native and two Midwestern transplants band together in Seattle to create a denim suit with African print details. But delve deeper, and it makes perfect sense. Erika Dalya Massaquoi, founder of the Oula Company, and Davora Lindner, cofounder of Prairie Underground, first met after a film screening in 2015 and bonded over a shared passion for integrity in fashion design and manufacturing. “Oula and Prairie are similar: the ethical practices embedded in our company missions later became industry trends,” says Lindner, who established Prairie Underground in 2004 with her childhood friend Camilla Eckersley. Building on their brand’s strong commitment to small business, sustainable materials, and subcultural inspiration, Lindner asked Massaquoi—who designs apparel, home goods, and accessories using African, Asian, Indian, and Latin American textiles—to collaborate on a new collection. “We never would have worked with African prints without Erika,” Lindner says. “She has a wealth of knowledge about the history and provenance of textiles.” After just a few meetings, the three had designs sketched out for a new collection that
launches June 30: Prairie Underground x Oula, which includes a raglan half-sleeve denim jacket and a loose-fit jean with a tuxedo stripe. The pieces merge light- or dark-wash denim with swaths of traditional patterns cut from colorful African textiles upcycled from Oula’s first collection. Massaquoi’s mission with Oula, which she founded in 2015, is to celebrate the international influence of African designs from traditional sources. To investigate suppliers and trade, she first traveled to West Africa in 2014 to build relationships, eventually sourcing textiles from local artisans and markets in Ghana as well as from distributors in Belgium and India. “I wanted to do something socially responsible,” notes Massaquoi, former assistant dean of the School of Art & Design at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. “I believe in design as a catalyst for economic and cultural development.” By transferring African prints onto contemporary Americanmade clothing, Oula and Prairie Underground aim to make more than your new favorite pair of jeans. Their enterprise simultaneously supports underserved communities, enriches design dialogues, and demonstrates the richness and relevance of other countries’ and cultures’ notions of style. Well dressed, indeed. h
The collaboration between the Oula Company and Prairie Underground yields a contemporary spin on formalwear. ABOVE: The dynamic blue and green prints (on light-wash denim) and the orange, pink and yellow textiles (on dark-wash) are upcycled from Oula’s first collection, and the jeans flaunt a patterned tuxedo stripe down each leg.
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Your new favorite t-shirt, plus some other cool stuff you need to own! Tucked between breweries and decked in rustic industrial style, a thoughtfully distilled collection of menswear essentials has opened its doors. SHARPLY, a lifestyle brand designed to be the destination for a guy’s new favorite t-shirt and only the stuff he needs to own, opened this month in Ballard. The store offers sportswear and accessories from top-notch brand partners, but its private label t-shirt collection is the real attraction. SHARPLY co-founders Joe Blattner and Molly Kuffner talk about what makes SHARPLY different from other men’s lifestyle brands. Tell us about the inspiration behind
What is special about the SHARPLY
What’s next for SHARPLY?
SHARPLY. Why create a men’s lifestyle
t-shirts?
Hey, we just launched! For now, we are
brand?
We knew we had to set ourselves apart if
focused on getting the word out and finding
We noticed a specific need in the industry
we were going to specialize in essentials.
men who will love what SHARPLY is offering.
for regular guys that enabled them to look
Everyone has a favorite t-shirt, so we
We make the shopping experience easy—no
great without putting a lot of effort into the
thought that would be the perfect place to
mess, no drama, just your new favorite t-shirt
shopping experience. SHARPLY offers an
start. Collaborating with Sonya Trejo, owner
and the stuff you need to own.
edited assortment of essential items known
of Creative Strategies in Los Angeles, we
for their authenticity, quality, and distinct
created what we can honestly say are the
style, while also being a great value.
softest t-shirts around. Plus, with Sonya’s expertise, the shirts have been designed to fit perfectly.
www.shopsharply.com | @live_sharply | facebook.com/livesharply
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“I want to create uniforms that will look current for the next 10 years.” —LULY YANG, FASHION DESIGNER
PROJECT RUNWAY
Alaska Airlines taps Seattle’s queen of couture to redesign uniforms for its crew of 12,000.
Written by RACHEL GALLAHER : Portrait by NATE WATTERS
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FROM TOP: COURTESY LULY YANG; NATE WATTERS; ALASKA AIRLINES HISTORICAL ARCHIVES
SEATTLE-BASED FASHION DESIGNER Luly Yang has been sending her whimsical dresses down the catwalk for almost two decades, but in 2018, she’ll face her biggest launch yet. In February, Alaska Airlines announced that it has asked Yang to reenvision uniforms for every one of the company’s 12,000 employees, from pilots and flight attendants to ground crew and customer-service staff. Utilitarian design—creating flexible, durable uniforms for hardworking staff—might seem to be a radical departure for Yang, who is best known for her signature couture gowns and wedding dresses that require months (and dozens of yards of fabric) to make. But her varied background—before establishing her fashion label, she was a fitness instructor and architectural graphic designer—gave Yang both a well-honed knowledge of how the body moves in clothing and a deft hand in coordinating large teams. “For both air and ground crews, being able to perform their jobs without worrying about their clothing getting in the way or feeling uncomfortable is absolutely crucial,” she says. Yang, who admits that in the past she was a flier who just “boarded the plane, sat down, and shut everything else out,” turned her every flight into a reconnaissance mission. Carefully studying flight attendants’ movements, peppering the crew with questions, and collecting pages of written feedback about uniform desiderata—everything from fabric breathability to sufficient stretch around the joints—Yang was an airborne market-research team of one. On the ground, Alaska arranged focus groups for Yang to hear ideas from hundreds of its employees across the country. The final uniform program is set to roll out in 2018, and Yang is now intently sketching, researching, and “learning about the business, its story, and its heritage,” she says. A key resource, lent to her by flight attendants who have been with the company for decades, is the airline’s original instructional booklets, which depict iterations of Alaska uniforms from the ’60s through the ’90s. Impressed with the company’s strong heritage of brand pride, Yang explains that she’s crafting uniforms that reflect the airline’s history as well as the wonder of air travel itself. “To me, flying has always meant freedom and adventure, and I hope I can capture that spirit in my designs.” h
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OPPOSITE: Known for her luxurious couture gowns and wedding dresses, Seattle-based fashion designer Luly Yang is stretching her wings by creating new uniforms for Alaska Airlines employees. THIS PAGE, FROM ABOVE: Yang with Alaska Airline pilots under a plane adorned with the company’s new logo; a mood board with swatches of fabric, button samples, and sketches; historic images of Alaska Airlines uniforms through the years.
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high drama
Fine dining and a chic tapas bar share a stunning space—and a British Columbia design connection— at Isono and Vasco in Hong Kong. Written by STACY KENDALL : Photographed by EDMON LEONG
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Hong Kong’s striking Isono tapas bar dominates the industrial-meets-urbane space of its shared interior. Above it, fine-dining Basque restaurant Vasco is a dramatic presence behind kiln-formed glass crafted by Surrey, British Columbia– based Nathan Allan Glass Studios. OPPOSITE: The understated entrance to Vasco.
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FROM LEFT: Vasco’s intimate space features marble paneling, softly lit onyx ceilings, and Art Deco–inspired furniture. Exposed raw-steel columns complement Isono’s discerning blend of the new and the old.
“The intrigue makes people walk up and touch the glass. They’ve never seen anything like it.” —BARRY ALLAN, NATHAN ALLAN GLASS STUDIOS
IN HONG KONG’S BUZZING SoHo neighborhood, two distinct dining experiences are joined—yet also separated—by glowing swaths of prismatic glass. Refracted views, dramatic sightlines, and elaborate patterns of light and shadow impart cinematic glamour to diners’ meals. As conceived by Londonand Hong Kong–based interior designer Joyce Wang, Isono Bar & Eatery and Vasco are truly immersive design experiences. Vasco, the fine-dining restaurant, serves contemporary Basque cuisine on the mezzanine level, and Isono, its urbane little sister below, specializes in cocktails and tapas. To create two discrete culinary experiences in a single location, Wang brought in Nathan Allan Glass Studios of Surrey, British Columbia, to construct a one-of-a-kind wall of glass that envelops
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diners in Vasco. The innovative studio has been pushing limits in glass design for more than 30 years, and its work shines in projects around the world for luxury kingpins such as Fendi, Ritz-Carlton, and Louis Vuitton. “Nathan Allan Glass Studios is an exciting company that pushes glass design to the edge, and I sought out their unique textures,” says Wang, who most recently incorporated Nathan Allan glasswork into her own design studio. Wang wanted the restaurants’ glass to distort light to dramatic effect and to provide “privacy without forfeiting the warmth, openness, and sense of fluidity in the overall design.” She worked with Nathan Allan to customize its proprietary convex kiln-formed glass, shrinking the grid’s cell size to create intimacy while letting 99 percent of light through the panes. Wang strategically deployed the glass in each space to achieve different effects: warm, glowing light diffuses through Vasco for a luxurious feel, while Isono’s glass resembles glittering silver to complement its industrial look. The glasswork’s simultaneous exposure and obfuscation work in elegant counterpoint to produce the twinned restaurant’s captivating atmosphere. Barry Allan, director of Nathan Allan, notes, “The intrigue makes people walk up and touch the glass. They’ve never seen anything like it.” h
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NATURAL HABITAT
Nestled among trees and spanning a pond in northwest Oregon, a house by Cutler Anderson Architects fully— and artfully—embraces its surroundings. Written by RACHEL EGGERS : Photographed by JEREMY BITTERMAN
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In a simple yet romantic gesture, this rural Oregon home by Cutler Anderson Architects spans a pond, fostering a habitat for humans and wildlife alike. The structure’s back façade is almost entirely glass, affording the owners—who cultivate nearby vineyards—a strong connection to the water year-round.
DESIGN TEAM
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hree people stand near a vineyard in rural Oregon, scanning the land for an ideal building site. Two are husband and wife, looking to create a new home. The third is an architect, not the first one the couple’s invited out here. But he is the first to point to a mossy, overgrown pond and say, “What about over there?” That architect was Jim Cutler, of renowned Bainbridge Island, Washington–based firm Cutler Anderson Architects, who created for the couple a house that expresses an ancient, yet deeply urgent, desire to live in symbiotic connection with the natural world. The 1,650-square-foot home (with adjacent 500-square-foot guest wing and garage) is essentially a bridge, elegantly constructed of Douglas fir and Cor-ten steel, that spans the now-enlarged and gently reshaped pond. Owners Carey Critchlow, an attorney, and Michael Etzel,
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managing partner of Beaux Frères winery in nearby Newberg, mark the passing of time by observing the creatures that share their habitat. They await visits from Herman, the heron; they perceive the changing seasons through the activity of deer, birds, and mosquitos. It’s a familiar lifestyle for both— Critchlow grew up in rural Texas, and Etzel always keeps his pruning shears close at hand. Together they’ve started their own wine label, Sequitur; they just released First Born, its inaugural vintage. The building recently won a prestigious housing award from the American Institute of Architects, but the home’s true power lies in its expression, through its design and material palette, of connection to the surrounding land. “The best architecture feels inevitable,” says Cutler. “I want my work to move people to a point where they can’t imagine living without the natural world.” »
OPPOSITE PAGE: While the owners have a detached two-car garage adjacent to the home for convenience, most visitors must park 150 feet away and journey through a dense forest of hemlock, cedar, and rhododendron bushes to reach the home. Cutler even called for additional plantings to heighten what he calls “compression”: a sense of dramatic discovery capped by the visitor’s sudden view of the entrance to the home. THIS PAGE: A path leads from the main house to the guesthouse, adjacent to a water garden designed by Cutler Anderson Architects and PLACE Studio and planted with slough sedge and hardstem bulrush.
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Douglas-fir rafters angle toward the back of the home, with its multipaned, panoramic view of the pond. This sudden opening produces what Cutler calls the “release”: the counteraction to the compression of the entrance. Owner Michael Etzel handcrafted both the coffee table and the fireplace mantle from reclaimed wood. The distressed leather couches are from Restoration Hardware. OPPOSITE: Door hardware throughout the house was designed by Cutler Anderson Architects and created by Reveal Designs. »
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“THE BEST ARCHITECTURE FEELS INEVITABLE. I WANT MY WORK TO MOVE PEOPLE TO A POINT WHERE THEY CAN’T IMAGINE LIVING WITHOUT THE NATURAL WORLD.” —JIM CUTLER, ARCHITECT
Note the handles on this window, looking out from the master bedroom, which are one of three counterweighted vertical-lift windows (custom built by Pacific Wood Works) across the back façade of the home, facing the pond—the others are in the kitchen and living room. With one hand, you can hoist it up and step outside to the concrete terrace to pick fresh herbs, cast a line to catch a stocked trout, or launch the boat for a float in the pond. “It’s just easy to live here, so peaceful, so pretty,” says Critchlow. “Everyone who visits asks, ‘How can you ever leave?’” h graymag . com
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DESIGN TEAM
architecture: FabrikG interiors: Mar Studio Design construction: Álvaro Villaseñor
Sited within a palm grove just outside San José del Cabo, Mexico, Acre assumes unexpectedly contemporary form with its rammed-earth walls, created onsite from sand and soil. “We perform bioclimatic architecture and focus on the carbon footprint of each of our projects,” says Gonzalo Elizarraras, principal architect at FabrikG, the firm spearheading Acre’s design process. “Rammed earth is the most cost-effective technique in this area: earth, sand, and rocks are the main local supplies.” The freestanding walls provide natural passive solar cooling by encouraging cross-ventilation throughout the open-air dining space and insulating enclosed areas. »
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modern COURTESY OF ACRE
oasis
Two Vancouver entrepreneurs bring a Northwest ethos to their latest design: a farm-to-table restaurant amid a palm grove on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. Written by RACHEL GALLAHER
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The main dining area opens to the surrounding elements, with a steeland-stick pergola shading diners. OPPOSITE: Mar Studio Design and Acre owner Cameron Watt sourced dĂŠcor entirely from Mexican companies, including rattan chairs and Oaxacan pottery. Concrete stairs lead to a rooftop terrace where guests enjoy artisan cocktails in the sunshine.
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COURTESY OF ACRE
ROBYN PENN
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he southern tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula is renowned for its Edenic beaches, cerulean waters, bold sunsets—and Cabo San Lucas’s rowdy bars and party crowd. But half an hour’s drive northeast sits the quiet, historic town of San José del Cabo. Vancouver entrepreneurs Cameron Watt and Stuart McPherson first visited San José four years ago and were so taken with its laid-back vibe and colonial architecture that they decided to move there and start a business. They set stakes just outside San José, opening Acre— a modern farm-to-table restaurant and bar—in late 2015. “We wanted to create a place that reflects the surrounding landscape in an authentic way,” Watt says of the restaurant’s
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relationship to its surrounding 25 acres of farmland, lush with palms and mango trees. “It’s contemporary in design but respects traditional elements. We tapped into local sources wherever we could.” After a series of setbacks, including cycling through several architects and a hurricane in 2014 that wiped out their initial construction efforts, Watt and McPherson recruited Gonzalo Elizarraras, principal architect at FabrikG, a Mexico City– and Berlin-based firm. Elizarraras was experienced in traditional regional building processes and in designing rammed-earth structures. Rammed earth—a building technique with ancient roots that compresses a mixture of soil, sand, and cement within a reinforced wood frame to create solid walls—has a
FROM LEFT: Owners Stuart McPherson and Cameron Watt on Acre’s property. Acre is in the process of building 12 tiny treehouses, which will be open for rental later this year or early next. Watt designed the pendant lights, made from local palo de arco twigs. The onsite Distillation Lab—which produces floral waters, oils, and spirits— features stained-glass windows from Guadalajara.
LEFT TO RIGHT: COURTESY OF ACRE; DANIELA FERNÁNDEZ DEL BUSTO; ROBYN PENN; COURTESY OF ACRE
very low environmental impact, as its materials are locally quarried and compressed onsite. The majority of Acre is open air, set atop a 4-foot-thick poured-concrete foundation. Steel-framed pergolas shade the dining area, lined with sticks from the local palo de arco tree. Working closely with Watt, local firm Mar Studio Design equipped the space with furniture, glassware, and décor sourced exclusively from Mexico. Twig pendant lights, designed by Watt, emit a soft glow that adds to the restaurant’s subtropical vibe. As part of its ecofriendly design plan, Elizarraras protected 99 percent of the site’s existing palm trees, pouring the foundation and creating openings in pergolas around the trees
where necessary. The resulting look—as palms sprout serendipitously throughout the restaurant—adds to Acre’s quirky charm and reminds diners that they’re in the middle of a grove. Guests encounter Acre by walking up a path from the parking lot. “You discover this restaurant,” explains Elizarraras. “You don’t expect to find a building like this in the middle of a palm forest. But the surprise factor is part of its idea.” Acre’s contemporary architecture is a bold gesture in the middle of the Baja desert, but the design team’s respect for local culture and materials shake off any pretention. “We really love the area and want to reflect that love in both the design and the food,” Watt says. “It’s a special place—you just have to find it.” »
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COURTESY OF ACRE
“you discover this restaur here, and you don’t expect this in the middle of a palm factor is part of its idea.’’
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r ant. a path leads you to find a building like forest. but the surprise —GONZALO ELIZARRARAS, ARCHITECT
Part of the magic of Acre lies simply in finding it. From the parking lot, guests ascend a concrete walkway surrounded by scrub, thousands of palm trees, and other sun-worshipping plants. A set of wide concrete stairs leads to a breezeway walled with rammed earth and bordered by a triangular lattice. Lively blue-and-white geometric Guadalajaran floor tiles lure visitors onward to the restaurant, where farm-to-table meals focus on organic ingredients from Acre’s own 5-acre farm. h
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OPPOSITE: A cozy corner in San Francisco’s new Del Popolo restaurant, designed by Portland-based Jessica Helgerson Interior Design. Vintage portraits hang salon-style on the walls, a nod to the restaurant’s name (del popolo means “of the people” in Italian). THIS PAGE: The semicircular bar is clad in Pratt & Larson tile in custom Kelly green, which glows against the board-formed concrete walls, painted in Down Pipe by Farrow & Ball. “That’s our one strong color move,” says Helgerson. »
dinner theater
Portland interior designer Jessica Helgerson gets moody with San Francisco’s new Del Popolo restaurant. Written by JAIME GILLIN : Photographed by DREW KELLY
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o call Del Popolo’s previous iteration—a tricked-out semi with handsome glass-andsteel doors, a 5,000-pound pizza oven, and a $180,000 price tag—a food truck would be a massive understatement. Clearly, owner Jon Darsky appreciates a sense of drama and scale. So when the San Francisco–based pizzaiolo went searching for a space to build out into a permanent restaurant, he knew he’d found something good in 855 Bush Street. A former theater, “it had been stripped down to nothing, just an empty, boarded-up shoebox,” says Jessica Helgerson, the Portland-based interior designer Darsky tapped to revamp the space. But it has 14-foot-high ceilings and two skylights that filter sunshine into the cavernous room in an appealingly cinematic, light-fromthe-heavens way—a setting well suited to Darsky’s vision, which is, according to Helgerson, to “elevate pizza to a fine theatrical art.” Helgerson took inspiration from the meaning of del popolo—“of the people” in Italian—for the restaurant’s interiors, scouring eBay, antique shops, and flea markets for vintage portraits to populate the walls. “I’d text Jon photos at all hours,” says Helgerson. “‘This one is $35; do you like it, should I buy it?’” Continuing the democratic theme, she placed two 8-foot-long oak communal tables by Hudson Goods in the center of the room, encouraging chance meetings and a sense of community among diners. Stools built into the industrial steel table base swing out to accommodate guests and tuck back in when they’re not needed. The first thing diners see as they enter the space is the Acunto Napoli wood-fired pizza oven anchoring Del Popolo’s far end. It’s installed directly below the skylights and in front of a domed steel alcove stockpiled with logs. When the chef works the dough, flour dust sparkles in the sunlight like a celestial cloud. “It felt right that the hearth should be the focal point,” says Helgerson. After all, she reminds us, “this place is a shrine to pizza.” h
FROM TOP: Helgerson redesigned the façade of the building— formerly a boarded-up theater—with wood-framed Marvin windows and herb-filled window boxes. Helgerson sits at a communal table; chef-owner Jon Darsky reached out to her to design the space after his wife, Sara, saw Helgerson’s work on a blog. Pendants from Barn Light Electric pepper the room, defining a variety of dining areas. The Douglas fir floors are original to the space.
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| architecture |
DESIGN TEAM
architecture: The Miller Hull Partnership interiors: Integrus Architecture landscape architecture: AECOM structural and civil engineering: Magnusson Klemencic Associates mechanical and electrical engineering: Interface Engineering
MAKING PLANS FOR NIGER
COURTESY THE MILLER HULL PARTNERSHIP
Seattle’s Miller Hull Partnership takes its sustainable expertise to Africa with the U.S. embassy in Niamey. Written by BRIAN LIBBY
ALTHOUGH SEATTLE’S Miller Hull Partnership has faced many challenges in its nearly 40-year history of awardwinning projects, the firm recently confronted one of its most complex design briefs yet: a new U.S. embassy in one of the harshest climates and most challenging security situations in the world. Much of Miller Hull’s portfolio has been built on the West Coast, but in 2013 the firm successfully won a five-year contract with the U.S. State Department to design embassies
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around the world. Why change gears and go international? Miller Hull principal Craig Curtis links that decision to “a high point of [his] career”: a U.S. border-crossing project between San Diego and Tijuana that the firm undertook for the federal government (phase 1 was completed in 2014). The experience taught Miller Hull that it could successfully represent the United States abroad and at home, and that it could deliver projects “of a very large scale and level of complexity.” »
Heliotrope Architects, Photo: Jill Hardy
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Miller Hull’s first project on the State roster is a new U.S. embassy in Niger’s capital city, Niamey, slated for completion in 2020. “I can’t think of a loftier design brief: the opportunity to design something that tangibly represents the United States and faces incredible technological and security challenges,” Curtis says. The goal is to fit the sophisticated and safe 21st-century embassy into its local context of deprivation and, given its site in a mostly residential area, to harmonize it with the neighborhood’s humble dwellings. “I’ve done a fair amount of traveling worldwide, but it was an earthshattering experience to see this country,” Curtis says. Niger ranks among the poorest countries in the world, and Niamey’s urban fabric is a sprawling collection of walled compounds and simple wood and sand-stucco homes. Miller Hull’s design for the 10-acre embassy site is centered around the 11,500-square-foot Chancery building, which the firm clad in concrete dyed to match the buff hues of local earthen buildings. “If you don’t embrace the color, the structure will take it on anyway because of the dust and wind,” the architect explains. The city’s dry climate also spurred Miller Hull toward a LEED Gold certification design: all wastewater is treated and recovered onsite to provide 87 percent of the embassy’s irrigation needs, and 1.2 million megawatts of energy are produced by one of the largest photovoltaic arrays on any U.S. embassy compound in the world. »
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COURTESY CRAIG CURTIS
On research trips to Niger prior to designing the U.S. embassy in Niamey, “we looked at examples of typical architecture and were inspired by it out of respect,” explains Miller Hull architect Craig Curtis. The resulting building, situated on an asymmetric site and slated for completion in 2020, was influenced by the capital city’s mazelike layout as well as by the sand-hued masonry seen throughout the country and the simple, informal nature of Niger’s village architecture.
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TOP: The embassy is set back from the street so that it doesn’t look imposing, while a large canopy extends over the entrance to provide shade. A series of exterior façade screens keep the sun’s heat off the building. BOTTOM: The main Chancery building includes one of the largest interior courtyards of any U.S. embassy, with a large wall of glass shaded by a grove of mature trees.
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Given Niger’s desert climate, the building’s façade is outfitted with a series of exterior vertical and horizontal shades and screens as well as a large floating canopy at the entrance. “The key to a high-performance building is to prevent the sun from hitting the walls or roof,” Curtis explains. “It’s a pretty traditional construction approach that you see all over rural Africa.” Yet the architects didn’t want the embassy to be a fortress closed off from the city; after all, an embassy’s raisons d’être are diplomacy and the forging of human ties among nations. Particularly given the modest, lowtech nature of the surrounding cityscape, the embassy’s symbolism was nearly as important as its function. Thus the architects incorporated large swaths of glass into the building’s public areas. “When you’re inserting a U.S. embassy into another country—and ours are usually so much larger than other countries’—it’s critical to display diplomacy through design,” Curtis says. Before beginning their design process, the architects traveled to Niger to talk not only with U.S. diplomats, but also with local staff to get a sense of regional traditions and values. North African vernacular buildings make extensive use of outdoor courtyards—as did the United States’ previous embassy in Niger—so the new main building opens onto one of the largest secure public courtyards of any U.S. embassy. Though Miller Hull has long designed prominent civic buildings, Curtis says that working on the Niger embassy has been “an emotional experience that has affected me. It was humbling to see the conditions in which the typical Nigerien lives, yet to also see such beauty and happiness. It caused me to spend an enormous amount of time thinking about how the embassy will feel to visitors, who will see the USA through this piece of architecture.” With an embassy for Guatemala next on the boards, Miller Hull’s international influence—and collection of passport stamps—continues to build. h
COURTESY THE MILLER HULL PARTNERSHIP
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EAGLE’S-EYE VIEW
A CALM, CONTEMPORARY RETREAT FOR A COUPLE SEEKING SERENE DESIGN IS ALSO A TOTAL VISUAL KNOCKOUT. Written by STACY KENDALL : Photographed by JANIS NICOLAY
Designer Andy Friesen and contractors Paul Thiessen and Gerry Gauer of New Creation Homes exercised fastidious care in the design and construction of a home on a steeply sloped site in Abbotsford, British Columbia, including creating 360-degree digital renderings. A two-sided infinity pool faces sprawling Fraser Valley. OPPOSITE: The homeowners love to entertain, so the dining room was designed as a showpiece. A request for a round table spurred the idea to construct a round room. Lindsay Adelman’s Agnes chandelier adds some visual punch. The flooring is by Canadian Heritage Timber Company. »
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DESIGN TEAM
architecture and interiors: Su Casa Design construction: New Creation Homes landscape: Heartwood Landscaping pool: Aloha Pools millwork: Kurt Sander cabinetry: Old World Kitchens
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“I wanted to create layers of interest in the architecture. I don’t like it when everything is revealed at once.” —ANDY FRIESEN, DESIGNER
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arly in every designer’s career comes a defining project. For residential designer Andy Friesen, owner of Su Casa Design, based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, it was the Eagle Mountain House, perched on its breathtaking namesake peak overlooking Fraser Valley’s farmland. The 8,800-square-foot home, with its open, flowing floor plan and floor-to-ceiling windows, was fine-tuned by Friesen to drink in those expansive views. The clients spend half the year in Arizona, but they didn’t let distance impede the design process; instead, they flew to Abbotsford for weekly meetings with Friesen and visited showrooms and shops for what they called the “sit test” on every piece of furniture that Friesen spec’d to gauge comfort and feel. The project took seven years from start to finish—the economic downturn put work on hold midway—but in retrospect, Friesen
appreciates the gradual approach. “Extra time was a blessing because the project turned out even better than we’d originally planned,” he says. “It gave us a chance to reflect on which elements were really important and to refine them.” » OPPOSITE: The main-floor living room is a casual gathering place on a grand scale. Clerestory glazing maximizes light, while 14-foot-high windows from Craftsman Glazing dazzle visitors with sweeping valley views. The cream-colored sofas and chairs are by Natuzzi. ABOVE, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The kitchen features two parallel islands topped with Luce de Luna Quartzite—a durable, low-maintenance material with a marbleized finish—and waterfall edges. “The kitchen area is geared toward hosting,” notes Friesen. The double-island concept keeps one area completely free to proffer food and drinks during parties, while the other serves as a gathering place and prep area. An exterior view reveals the home’s many appealing outdoor areas.
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The main-floor powder room is a work of art in its own right, with a vanity cove of Calacatta marble, a starry array of LED crystal lights, and millwork by Old World Kitchens & Custom Cabinets. Âť
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The master bedroom adheres to the clients’ strict décor guidelines: a palette of cream, taupe, and black—and no stark white. Downstairs, a casual area intended for gatherings and friendly gamesmanship features Tom Dixon pendants, Natuzzi club chairs, a table from Once a Tree Furniture, and a Restoration Hardware game table. Interlocking perforated resin blocks from Seattle company ModularArts separate the bar from the stairs in the daylight basement. “I wanted to create layers of interest in the architecture. I don’t like it when everything is revealed at once,” says Friesen. h
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“When you’re at an antique fair looking at 20,000 things, it’s critical to pick the right ones,” Kirk Albert (left) notes. “If a piece is potentially politically or religiously offensive, I’m probably going to like it. I hunt for things that make your blood pressure rise.” BELOW: “I found this woman in San Francisco. She’s a stylized bronze figure from the 1960s, and she appears to be curtsying or bowing. With her exaggerated hips, her form is just beautiful.”
better with age Seattle vintage goods dealer Kirk Albert takes us on a storytelling tour through some of his favorite finds.
ON THE WALL in Kirk Albert’s eponymous south Seattle shop—a treasured source for designers seeking that perfect, offbeat vintage object— hangs a trio of derelict scarecrows from the 1940s. One is missing a head, another is faceless, and the third has a maniacal grin pulled straight from a classic horror movie. They’re not your typical antiques shop fare, but that’s why Albert, a lifelong collector who opened his shop in the gritty Georgetown neighborhood in 2007, loves them. “I don’t want to regurgitate what you can find elsewhere,” he says. “We sell the extremes of any era or style. Things that make your pulse race from fear or arousal or passion.” Albert’s latest publication, Perfect Imperfections 2.0, released this past fall, chronicles some of the dealer’s beloved singular finds—objects he refers to as “proverbial needles in the haystack.” He constantly scours antique fairs and taps his personal network of dealers all over the country as he hunts down the weird and the wonderful. “It’s easy to be imperfect,” he explains. “But to be perfectly imperfect, with just the right amount of flaw, humor, or quirk—now that’s a challenge.” »
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ABOVE AND OPPOSITE: BEN MENZEL; LEFT: JEFF CULVER
Written by RACHEL GALLAHER
“WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL IN DETROIT, THE GUYS WHO BULLIED ME DROVE TRANS AMS. FOR ME, THOSE CARS SYMBOLIZE A SPECIFIC ERA AND A FEELING OF MACHISMO. I SPOTTED THIS TRANS AM HOOD WHEN I WAS OUT AT A SALVAGE YARD ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, AND I WAS TICKLED BY THE IDEA OF PUTTING IT ON THE WALL. SINCE THEN, I’VE INSTALLED HOODS IN RESIDENCES AND IN SELECT NORDSTROM MEN’S DEPARTMENTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.” graymag . com
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“I found this ceramic dog in an outdoor market in Massachusetts, and I purchased it for its whimsy and kitsch. It’s so wonderfully executed—the mane is so lionlike, and he looks so proud and brave. He must be, as a dog wearing earrings.”
“I DON’T WANT TO BE A PROVOCATEUR, BUT IT’S FUN TO POKE THE BEAR A LITTLE BIT, TO SHOW SOMETHING OUT OF STEP. USING AN UNEXPECTED ITEM IN A SPACE IS LIKE WEARING A TRENDY FASHION PIECE. IT’S ALL ABOUT YOUR CONFIDENCE.”—KIRK ALBERT, SHOWROOM OWNER
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ABOVE: “This is an early hang glider, about 14 feet long. I found it in a basement in Seattle’s Capitol Hill. People used to run down hills with such things as fast as they could, trying to become airborne—but then soon afterward found out how stupid they’d been. This one was all beat up because it had been used so much. I don’t know its full history, but maybe it belonged to a Boeing machinist.” RIGHT: “I’m drawn to objects that have a twist—like this birdhouse, found at an outdoor market near Austin, Texas. It’s something ordinary yet feels so grand. It strikes a chord because it reminds me of my fantasy grand summer home, where family and loved ones could gather once a year throughout a lifetime: constant yet decayed and in rough shape, worn with years of good times and bad weather.” h
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Into theWild
ARCHITECT, ACTIVIST, AND AVID MOUNTAINEER MICHAEL GREEN TAKES US ON A ROUND-THE-WORLD TOUR OF PERSONAL DESIGN INSPIRATION. Interviewed and condensed by JAIME GILLIN Photographs courtesy MICHAEL GREEN
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“The wild parts of the world are where I find my greatest influences,” says Vancouver-based architect Michael Green, shown here ascending Denali. “It’s not that places like Rome and Paris haven’t shaped me. It’s just that they don’t ask me any new questions; they only solidify the old answers. The wilderness offers an unending capacity to teach designers about the sophistications of natural systems. We design in incredibly primitive ways compared to nature.”
In 2013, Vancouver architect Michael Green stepped into the global spotlight with a much-viewed TED Talk that’s a rallying cry for building wooden skyscrapers. It was a heady time for Green; just a year earlier, he’d founded his own firm, Michael Green Architecture (MGA), with a mission to move the needle on mass timber construction. He’d been designing big wood structures for years and decided it was time to spread the word. As he explains, building with timber—“a renewable, carbon-sequestering material grown by the sun”—is the smartest and most sustainable approach to architecture. It was a 2012 kayaking trip to Antarctica and South Georgia that had awoken Green to the urgency of addressing climate change and catapulted sustainability to the top of his design priority list. Since then, he’s designed several of the world’s biggest all-timber buildings, pushing the limits on the possibilities of wood. Consider his 2014 eight-story Wood Innovation and Design Centre in Prince George, British Columbia, or his upcoming T3 office building in Minneapolis, which, at 220,000 square feet, will be the largest timber building in North America. Green sat down with GRAY to discuss that life-altering trip and other unexpected influences he’s drawn from nature and the world’s remotest corners.
I WAS BORN IN THE CANADIAN ARCTIC, far up north. I started climbing when I was ten, and I’ve done a lot of mountaineering on all seven continents. I’ve spent most of my life traveling to parts of the world that are more developing than developed, and seeing architecture that might be primitive in some respects but is more beautiful and compelling to me than the classics. Vernacular buildings evolve from questions like “How can we build our communities and create comfort out of what we have around us? What’s right here that we can pick up and use?” Those are useful considerations no matter where you’re designing. We’ve done buildings in Tajikistan for the Aga Khan Development Network that were inspired by local construction traditions: they’re built of stone that rolled off the surrounding mountains, and they’re insulated with local sheepswool. But even when we work in cities, we take a similar approach. When we built City Hall in North Vancouver, we needed to remove a giant elm tree, so we cut it down, milled it, dried it, and incorporated it into a feature interior wall that sits 20 feet from where that tree grew. The wilderness, too, has taught me so much as a designer. There’s a lot to learn from the logical survival instinct of nature. For example: In the Pacific Northwest, you often see a cedar and a maple tree side by side. Why? They nurture each other at different times of year—the cedar passes carbon to the maple in the winter, and in the spring the maple transfers it back. That’s the kind of discovery that could inform the future of the built environment. Will our buildings feed each other a century from now? My biggest influences, though, are the trips I’ve taken with my kids to remote parts of the world. Ever since they were little, I’ve taken them one at a time on big adventures. My daughter Elsa and I hitchhiked across Guatemala when she was four and rode horseback across the Atlas Mountains in Morocco when she was eight. My son Makalu and I biked across Japan when he was seven and kayaked in southern Egypt when he was eight. In January 2012, when he was ten, we took an expedition kayak to Antarctica and South Georgia to follow the path of Ernest Shackleton, one of my hero-adventurers.
These trips are always powerful. But our trip to Antarctica felt like a pilgrimage. I was sitting on the beach with my son and 250,000 penguins and 50,000 seals and it just hit me: When he’s my age, he’ll see a very different Antarctica. Huge glaciers are already calving, and there are far greater areas of exposed land. While we were there, a piece of glacier broke off that was the size of Rhode Island. It became an opportunity to talk with him about climate change and sea-level rise—it was very visceral. I’ve always been aware of climate issues, but this trip helped shift my focus as an architect. It reinvigorated my sense of responsibility to take action—and to be vocal about taking action, to change the way we talk about and build buildings. After I came back, I decided to start MGA, my own firm, where I can focus on things that really matter to me and push the agenda we’re now known for: tall, wood urban buildings; low-energy building solutions; and finding ways to house the global population in a sustainable way. I strongly believe that the only way for us to become more carbon-neutral is to build with wood. Wood can sequester thousands of tons of carbon dioxide over the life of a building. Our Wood Innovation Design Centre [in Prince George, British Columbia] is made with 1,470 cubic meters of lumber and sheathing. U.S. and Canadian forests grow that much wood in 4 minutes, and the amount of carbon dioxide it stores is equivalent to taking 281 cars off the road for a year. The future of architecture demands that we look at buildings that are in harmony with the natural world. We’re all screwed unless we start paying attention to this stuff. I’ve seen it over and over again on my trips: big, remote wildernesses are changing more quickly than we can imagine. I believe architects are profoundly responsible for addressing issues of climate change, but the profession has dropped the ball on leading that conversation. Too often, we talk about how things look but not about how they’re changing the world. It’s a crisis for the profession of design. It’s time for architects to decide if they want to make the world pretty or make the world better. » graymag . com
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“I define my work as an architect as adventure: breaking convention, breaking bounds, understanding our relationship with the wild.When we hit a roadblock on a project— height limits in wood construction, say, or bad zoning—I see it as just a hurdle.” —MICHAEL GREEN, ARCHITECT
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Scenes from a 2012 father-and-son trip to Antarctica and South Georgia, an adventure that changed Green’s trajectory as an architect as he witnessed the effects of climate change firsthand. “None of us really knows how climate change, sea-level rise, and mass migration and extinction will impact humankind,” he says. “But we do know architecture has a huge impact on climate and can therefore be part of the solution.” »
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ED WHITE
Green’s pioneering Wood Innovation and Design Centre in Prince George, British Columbia, put his ideas and ethics into action: the eight-story building was the tallest all-timber tower in the world when it was completed in 2014. Built using CLT (cross-laminated timber, made from wood scraps glued together into large, strong panels), LVL (laminated veneer lumber), and other engineered wood–based products, it is both a demonstration and a celebration of the possibilities inherent in timber construction. In 2015, it won the RAIC Award of Excellence for Innovation in Architecture and a merit-level Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Award in Architecture. »
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North Vancouver City Hall—one of Green’s last projects with his previous firm, McFarlane Green Biggar Architecture + Design—responds thoughtfully to its site, merging a 1970s-era building with an adjacent, recently vacated library. A soaring atrium connects the two renovated structures and incorporates wood from a 75-foot elm tree felled onsite into a dark-stained, richly textured feature wall. h
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ABOVE: EMA PETER; BELOW: MARTIN TESSLER
“FOR A LONG TIME, ARCHITECTS HAVE BEEN TRAPPED. WE’VE FOCUSED ON THE SHAPE OR CHARACTER OF BUILDINGS, THEIR PROPORTION AND SCALE. BUT WE SHOULD LOOK AT HOW THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT CAN MAKE US MORE CONNECTED TO NATURE AND THEREFORE FUNDAMENTALLY MORE HEALTHY AND HAPPY.”—MICHAEL GREEN, ARCHITECT
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FOR A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT THE PROCESS, CHECK OUT OUR DESIGN DIARY ON GRAYMAG.COM.
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Step into our office. . . . Written by STACY KENDALL : Photographed by ALEX HAYDEN
IT ALL HAPPENED SO FAST. Office suites in Seattle’s historic Rainier Bottling Plant in Georgetown aren’t available very often, so we snapped one up the instant it was offered. That decision was easy, but then we found ourselves—in the throes of getting the next issue out the door—faced with a raw (albeit very cool) suite to furnish. That’s when our longtime friends at Room & Board stepped in to fully outfit the space. And now, what a space it is. Their expert staff worked swiftly and seamlessly to make our relatively small area work functionally as well as aesthetically (we’re so picky!). Melodie Harrison, on the design team at the Seattle showroom, guided us through the entire process. And now for the big reveal. »
ABOVE: A “before” photo reveals the rawness of the space before Room & Board transformed it. LEFT: The entry to GRAY’s new Seattle office features Room & Board’s plush Sabine sofa in Vance Indigo and Lind ottomans in buff set atop the new Tulum rug in slate. For a bright welcome, we also opted for the new sand stain on domestically sourced ash in the Keaton bookshelf—which also screens our open-plan workspace from the door. The GRAY magazine sign was created by Seen Signs in Vancouver.
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For sophisticated lightness and simplicity, we picked Room & Board’s Pratt Desks with white powder-coated steel bases and white glass tops. The Sylphy Office Chairs in white merge ergonomics and style. Under each desk island is a new Sequence flat-weave rug. In the foreground, the Portica table, with its walnut top and Manhattan Mirror, is a useful vanity.
ABOVE LEFT: The exposed-brick wall highlights a custom sign by Dominion Blue. In a nod to our associate publisher Dixie Duncan’s Montana ranch roots, her desk features a honey-colored cowhide rug. Each desk also has a Milo Rolling File Cabinet and handcrafted wool Kori storage bins for blankets—these old buildings get drafty!—and other items. ABOVE RIGHT: The vast Pratt Desk of GRAY’s founder and publisher, Shawn Williams, serves desk-side meetings well, aided by the elegant Chloe chairs in Vance Indigo and warmed up with a glam sheepskin throw. The Monterey Coat Rack holds daily essentials, and a Copenhagen Lateral File Cabinet (pictured above) keeps all the important stuff secure. The floor-to-ceiling infinity mirror bounces light back into the room. »
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
Aura wallpaper, by artist Ryan Tomkinson for Rollout, sets a sophisticated, contemporary tone in the entry area. (Toronto-based Rollout, then in Vancouver, was featured in the very first issue of GRAY.) In the kitchen, the Delano Cabinet in walnut doubles as a bar and countertop. Seattle artist Dylan Neuwirth’s PUNK print adds some edge. Glossy white Tolomeo table lamps, a modern design classic, grace every desk. The conference area features Hirsch chairs in black surrounding the oval Julian tabletop in sand finish with a stainless base. Glow glass pendants, hand-blown in Minneapolis by Hennepin, recall the building’s history as a bottling plant. White Addison bookcases provide ample storage and extra surface space. In lieu of a kitchen island, we opted for a Portica Courier Table with a white marbleized quartz top and Collins counter stools upholstered in “cement” canvas— handsome perches for lunch and coffee breaks. h
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Born in Hong Kong and raised in Vancouver, architect Bing Thom attributes some of his success to feeling like an outsider. “That’s very much a part of my psyche,” he says. Pick up our August/September issue for more on the influential septuagenarian who’s shaped libraries, concert halls, college campuses, and skyscrapers around the globe.
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25. SCENE Kush Handmade Rugs Portland kushrugs.com
28. HAPPENINGS Asian Art Museum Seattle seattleartmuseum.com
38. HOSPITALITY Allied Maker alliedmaker.com
52. MADE HERE Isono Eatery & Bar isono.com.hk
Anh + Chi Vancouver anhandchi.com
Nathan Allan Glass Studios Surrey, B.C. nathanallan.com
Cedar & Moss cedarandmoss.com
Audain Art Museum Whistler, B.C. audainartmuseum.com
CDC Construction Vancouver cdc-construction.com
Design in Public Seattle designinpublic.org
House of Bohn Vancouver houseofbohn.com
Emily Carr University Vancouver ecuad.ca Fieldwork Design & Architecture Portland fieldworkdesign.net Konzuk Vancouver konzukshop.com Phloem Studio Stevenson, WA phloemstudio.com Portland Art Museum Portland portlandartmuseum.org Seattle Art Fair Seattle seattleartfair.com Thos. Moser thosmoser.com Vancouver Art Gallery Vancouver vanartgallery.bc.ca WildCraft Studio School Portland and White Salmon, WA wildcraftstudioschool.com
42. HOSPITALITY El Santo New Westminster, B.C. elsanto.ca
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Del Popolo delpopolosf.com Hudson Goods hudsongoods.com
Wang Design joycewang.com
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56. FEATURE Beth Wheeler Interiors Bainbridge Island, WA (206) 617-1894
Marvin Multiple locations marvin.com
Cutler Anderson Architects Bainbridge Island, WA cutler-anderson.com
Pratt & Larson Multiple locations prattandlarson.com
Finer Cabinetry & Woodwork Bend, OR finercabinetry.com
76. ARCHITECTURE AECOM aecom.com
Lindal Windows Seattle lindal.com
Hinman Consulting Engineers hce.com
Nuevo Living nuevoliving.com
Madden & Baughman Engineering Portland maddenbaughman.com
Integrus Architecture Spokane, WA integrusarch.com
Space Harmony Vancouver spaceharmony.ca
Pacific Wood Works Bend, OR pacwoodworks.com
Mercury Contracting Vancouver mercurycontracting.com Mutina mutina.it
47. FASHION The Oula Company Seattle theoulacompany.com Prairie Underground Seattle prairieunderground.com
50. FASHION Alaska Airlines Seattle alaskaair.com Luly Yang Seattle lulyyang.com
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PLACE Studio Portland place.la R&H Construction Portland and Bend, OR rhconst.com
64. FEATURE Acre acrebaja.com FabrikG fabrikg.com
Interface Engineering Portland interfaceengineering.com Magnusson Klemencic Associates Seattle mka.com The Miller Hull Partnership Seattle millerhull.com
82. ARCHITECTURE Canadian Heritage Timber Company Chilliwack, B.C. canadianheritagetimber.com
Mar Studio Design marstudiodesign.com
Craftsman Glazing Port Coquitlam, B.C. crafstmanglazing.com
72. FEATURE Acunto Napoli acunto.it
Lindsey Adelman lindseyadelman.com
| market | THE ULTIMATE BUYER’S GUIDE
Fran’s Chocolates
not2big®
Considered one of the best chocolatiers in the U.S., Fran’s Chocolates offers elegant presentations of award-winning chocolates for every occasion. Each confection is handmade in small batches with the finest local and organic ingredients to reflect a passion for exquisite flavors and the pure taste of chocolate. Visit us online or at at one of our four Seattle-area retail stores: Downtown, Georgetown, University Village, and Bellevue.
React. Reduce. Rethink. Recycle. Relax. At not2big, we build modern artisan furniture and accessories one piece at a time. Handcrafted and individually numbered, no two pieces are exactly alike. Our designs combine the warmth of wood with a creative mix of other materials to produce timeless furniture that is functional and beautiful. Whether you choose an in-house design or a custom piece, it will be a true original. Our goal is to inspire, delight, and surprise, bringing our clients a personalized experience and providing them with a unique product not available anywhere else. We’re rethinking how furniture is made.
franschocolates.com
(425) 503-0710 | not2big.com
Jamieson Furniture Gallery
RMC Powder Coat
For the past 25 years, Richard Jamieson has been recognized as a trendsetter in the Modern Urban Plank Movement. His large Bellevue showroom artfully blends live-edged tables with uniquely designed hardwood furniture and custom leather sofas and chairs. 10217 Main Street, Bellevue, WA 98004 | (425) 577-8627 jamiesonfurniture.com
Digital Metal Powder Coating • Seattle’s 30 Year Metal Finishing Company Experience the latest in metal coating technology: digital powder coating. Similar to printing, the high resolution imaging of stones, wood grains, and more are now available for your furniture, sheet metal, aluminum, and steel. 7951 2nd Avenue S., Seattle, WA 98108 | (206) 243-4831 rmcpowdercoat.com
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| resources |
ModularArts Seattle modulararts.com Natuzzi natuzzi.com New Creation Homes Surrey, B.C. (604) 589-5889 Ocean Pacific Lighting Surrey, B.C. oceanpacificlighting.com Old World Kitchens & Custom Cabinets Chilliwack, B.C. oldworldkitchens.com Once a Tree Furniture Vancouver onceatreefurniture.com Restoration Hardware restorationhardware.com Su Casa Design Abbotsford, B.C. sucasadesign.com Tom Dixon tomdixon.net
90. CONTEXT Kirk Albert Vintage Furnishings Seattle kirkalbert.com
94. ESSAY Michael Green Architecture Vancouver and Portland mg-architecture.ca
AD INDEX 55. Alchemy Collections Seattle alchemycollections.com camerichseattle.com 105. Argent Fabrication Seattle argentfab.com 16. Atelier Lapchi Portland lapchi.com 81. Bloom Furniture Studio Vancouver bloomfurniturestudio.com 89. Chown Hardware Portland and Bellevue, WA chown.com 24. 26. DEKTON by Cosentino Vancouver, Portland, Seattle, and Spokane, WA cosentino.com 27. Design Within Reach Seattle and Portland dwr.com 93. Distinct Interiors Vancouver distinctinteriors.net 77. Dovetail General Contractors Seattle dovetailgc.com 37. Dwell on Design Los Angeles la.dwellondesign.com 99. EWF Modern Portland ewfmodern.com
102. WORKSPACE Rollout Toronto rollout.ca
115. The Fixture Gallery Multiple locations thefixturegallery.com
Room & Board Seattle roomandboard.com
105. Gary Gladwish Architecture Seattle 2garc.com
114. OBSESSION Peter Miller Seattle petermiller.com
45. Haiku Big Ass Solutions haikuhome.ca/gray
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4. Hive Portland hivemodern.com
101. Resource Furniture Vancouver resourcefurniture.com
31. Hoedemaker Pfeiffer Seattle hoedemakerpfeiffer.com
7. Roche Bobois Seattle and Portland roche-bobois.com
36. IDS Vancouver idswest.com
15. Room & Board Seattle roomandboard.com
18. Issaquah Cedar & Lumber Issaquah, WA cedarexperts.com 107. Kozai Modern Vancouver kozaimoderntrade.com 12. Kush Handmade Rugs Portland kushrugs.com 9. Ligne Roset Seattle ligne-roset-usa.com Available through: Livingspace Vancouver livingspace.com 19. Lindal Cedar Homes Available through: Warmmodern Living Bellevue warmmodernliving.com Seattle Cedar Homes lindal.com/seattlecedar 79. Lundgren Enterprises Seattle lundgrenenterprises.com 107. Madera Furniture Company Tacoma, WA maderafurnitureco.com 46. Maison Inc. Portland maisoninc.com 107. Paper Hammer Seattle paper-hammer.com 2. Porcelanosa Seattle porcelanosa-usa.com 101. Ragen & Associates Seattle ragenassociates.com
99. Savvy Cabinetry by Design Seattle savvycd.com 23. Schuchart/Dow Seattle schuchartdow.com 35. Seabrook Pacific Beach, WA seabrookwa.com 13. Secret Location Vancouver secretlocation.ca 8. The Shade Store Seattle, Portland theshadestore.com 49. Sharply shopsharply.com 6. SPARK Modern Fires sparkfires.com 17. Sub-Zero and Wolf Available through: Bradlee subzero.com/seattle 87. Tufenkian Portland tufenkianportland.com 116. Urban Hardwoods Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles urbanhardwoods.com 33. Van Gogh Designs Surrey, B.C. and Mississauga, ON vangoghdesigns.com
| market | THE ULTIMATE BUYER’S GUIDE
ZINC Modern Art + Object ZINC brings a mix of modern furniture, contemporary art, and a collection of unique gifts to the waterside village of Edmonds, just 15 minutes from Seattle. Visit ZINCArtObject.com for hours, 24/7 shopping, and a schedule of art openings and special events. ZINC makes your world FUN to live in! 102 3rd Avenue South, Suite B, Edmonds, WA | (206) 467-1027 ZINCArtObject.com
Ryan Tomkinson’s “Aura” by Rollout
Stillwater Dwellings Rooted in contemporary Pacific Northwest design, Stillwater Dwellings’ homes are built using a systems-based sustainable construction method that provides design flexibility and cost predictability. The Stillwater team is with you every step of the way, from determining building site feasibility to personalizing finish options. Start with one of over 20 floor plans available, or have us design a custom home just for you. 3950 6th Avenue N.W., Seattle, WA 98107 | (206) 547-0565 stillwaterdwellings.com
Rollout is a custom wallcovering agency that provides architects, interior designers, and innovative brands with an immersive, boutique wallpaper design experience. Shaped to fit the audience of each project, our authentic designs bring wallcoverings into the spotlight, creating desirable spaces that captivate and inspire. Rollout’s wallcoverings are commercial-grade type II vinyl, ideal for hospitality, retail, and workspace interiors. Ryan Tomkinson is a multidisciplinary designer on Rollout’s roster who divides his time between Venice, California, and Vancouver, B.C. His new wallpaper design, Aura, from his Sacred Geometry collection, blends structured linework with subtly aged patinas inspired by technical maps and organic elements. (416) 960-0110 | rollout.ca
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“LIKE BOOK SPINES, FOOD CONTAINERS ARE VIEWED SITTING ON A SHELF. THEY CAN BE ANONYMOUS, OR THEY CAN BE QUITE ELEGANT.”
| obsession |
WHO:
peter miller Owner, Peter Miller Books OBSESSION: Food storage containers SINCE WHEN: Mid-1990s, while on a trip to the Frankfurt Book Fair
“I’ve developed affection for certain food storage containers, and in every city I visit, I seek them out at design-minded sources—ABC Carpet & Home in New York has some 400 containers in its basement, and my daughter, who lives in Stockholm, brings me some every Christmas. Each little container has a million secrets—how its lid fits, how it stores, how it cleans, how it holds food. British containers are squared up and often look Deco or modern. The Swedes’ big concern is not to leak, and the price. The Finns play with colors and different handles. And no one makes extraordinary, thin, crystalline glass like the Japanese. Each one tells the story of what it was intended to do and what its designer’s hopes were.” h
JAPAN
ENGLAND
FRANCE
FINLAND
GERMANY
UNITED STATES
Photographed by HANK DREW
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ELEVATE YOUR BATH
STATELY & CLASSIC
A tribute to the art of decorative detail perfected by the skilled artisans and A tribute to the art of decorative detail perfected by the skilled artisans and craftsmen at the turn of the century. The St. George Collection is stately, sculptural, craftsmen at the turn of the century. The St. George Collection is stately, and and well-proportioned. St.balance George bathroom fixtures marry flowing curves with Style substance strike a perfect in the bathroom faucet collections from American Standard速. sculptural, and well-proportioned. St. George bathroom fixtures marry sculpted to provide that classic architectural St. George collection Our faucets ridges are engineered to look beautiful and function flawlessly.feel. Worry-free, drip-free and built to last, flowing curves with sculpted ridges to provideand thatbathrom classic architectural feel. products include toilets, freestanding bathrubs, sinks. Come in today all of our bathroom faucets are covered by our Limited Lifetime Warranty on function and finish. Designed St. George collection products includekitchen toilets,&freestanding bathtubs, and to speak with one of our knowledgeable bath consultants. to create an elegant and luxurious bathroom focal point, our freestanding tubs come in a variety of styles bathroom sinks. Come in today to speak with one of our knowledgeable and are made to fit in the space of an average-sized bathroom. kitchen & bath consultants. Tigard Showroom Bendone Showroom Salem Showroom Eugene Showroom Come in today to speak with of our knowledgeable kitchen & bath consultants 7337 S.W. Kable Lane 503-620-7050
20625 Brinson Blvd. 541-382-1999
2710 S.E. Pringle Rd., #110 503-779-2882
110 N. Garfield 541-688-7621
Seattle Showroom Pacific Showroom 8221 Greenwood Ave. N. 703 Valentine Ave S.E. 206-632-4488 253-299-7156
See our new website THEFIXTUREGALLERY.COM VISIT OUR OTHER SHOWROOMS IN IDAHO AND WASHINGTON
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