Canadian Interiors July/August 2015 by IQ Business Media

CANADIAN INTERIORS

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July August 2015

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A tri p Maison in Miami Kitchens

www.canadianinteriors.com Official publication of IDC

JULY AUGUST • 2015 PM#40069240

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is a collection of innovative products that create graceful architectural features with natural gypsum components. All edges and joints interlock for quick, accurate alignment and superior joint stability. Borrowing from the idea of drywall, the seams are blended with a fortified filler, allowing the creation of a seamless sculpted surface or 3-dimensional wall of nearly any size.

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07/082015 Features

34 NEAR & DEAR Exquisitely composed and effortlessly quirky, Drake Devonshire Inn – a manageable drive from Toronto – has proven to be worth the hype.

41 TALKIN’ ’BOUT MY GENERATOR With Paris its latest fait accompli, Toronto’s DesignAgency initiates the era of the less-hostile hostel.

46 SPEAK EASY In Vancouver’s legendary Rosewood Hotel Georgia, first opened in 1927, Munge Leung ushers in Prohibition.

Regulars

11 CAUGHT OUR EYE 14 HOW IT’S MADE One Fold, by John and Patricia Patkau. 17 SEEN Maison & Objet discovers America. €€ SEEN NYC overrun by design for a month. 31 THE GOODS Kitchen products that look as good as they perform. 48 SCENE 50 OVER & OUT Just kidding: in Toronto’s Thorncliffe neighbourhood, Kohn Shnier Architects builds a better kindergarten.

COVER – Loft Suite in the Drake Devonshire Inn, designed by +tongtong. Photo by Nikolas Koenig

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METRIS KITCHEN. RECIPE FOR SUCCESS. Modern Style and Superior Ergonomics. With distinctive, angular design featuring a unique, intuitive pull-out spray on the main and prep models, Metris will fuel your passions in the kitchen. Available in chrome and steel optik. Discover our entire assortment at www.hansgrohe.ca.

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com Exclusive to our DIGITAL EDITION Canned goods

Held this spring in Toronto’s financial district, the 16th annual Canstruction competition brought out the best in the teams of professional designers, architects, engineers and students who took part. In all, 71,000+ pounds of donated food were sculpted into audacious, edible, thought-provoking statues – or Canstructures – in an effort to fill the city’s hunger gap.

NYCxDESIGN

From May 8 to 19, the third edition of NYCxDESIGN blanketed New York City with nearly 400 events spanning all scales, origins and disciplines of design. Just like the city itself, the pure volume of high design was almost overwhelming, but a variety of standout products emerged from the four anchor shows of Collective Design, WANTEDDESIGN, BKLYN Designs and the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF).

Blue skies

Teknion works

At this year’s NeoCon, held every June in Chicago, Teknion’s 22,000-square-foot booth, recently reconfigured by Vanderbyl Design, was definitely one of the “places to be.” The Toronto-based furniture company introduced its latest workplace product designs from Teknion, Teknion Studio and Teknion Textiles. Among the innovative offerings was UpStage (shown); based on a simple platform or stage, it frees users from the constraints of a benching frame or panel, allowing them to build along horizontal or vertical planes to create layered work surfaces and multi-storey volumes.

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The Interior Design 2015/16 Outlook and State of the Industry report, released at NeoCon by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), forecasts continued positive growth for the interior design industry.

Visit the expanded digital edition of

Someone’s in the kitchen

AyA Kitchens & Baths, which offers “a tailor-made product at a competitive price,” has opened a seventh showroom in the Great Toronto Area in the heart of the city’s Castlefield design district.

to see our roundup!

7/8 2015 CANADIAN INTERIORS

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Alex Papanou Head Office

80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 Telephone 416-442-5600 • Facsimile 416-510-5140

Canadian Interiors magazine is published by Annex-Newcom LP. Tel: 416-442-5600, Fax: 416-510-6875 e-mail: info@canadianinteriors.com website: www.canadianinteriors.com Canadian Interiors publishes six issues, plus a source guide, per year. Printed in Canada. The content of this publication is the property of Canadian Interiors and cannot be reproduced without permission from the publisher. Subscription rates > Canada $38.95 per year; plastic wrapped $41.95 per year (plus taxes) U.S.A. $71.95 US per year, Overseas $98.95 US per year. Back issues > Back copies are available for $10 for delivery in Canada, $15 US for delivery in U.S.A. and $20 overseas. Please send payment to Canadian Interiors, 80 Valley brook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 or order online www.canadianinteriors.com For subscription and back issues inquiries please call 416-442-5600 ext.3543, e-mail: circulation@canadianinteriors.com, or go to our website at: www.canadianinteriors.com Canadian Interiors is indexed in the Canadian Magazine Index by Micromedia ProQuest Company, Toronto (www.micromedia.com) and National Archive Publishing Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan (www.napubco.com).

Member of Canadian Business Press • Member of the Alliance for Audited Media

ISSN 1923-3329 (Online), ISSN 0008-3887 (Print), H.S.T. # 815380985 RT0001

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caught our eye

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URBAN REFUGE Likened to a climbable sculpture, the award-winning Sunset Parklet by Interstice Architects – in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset district, on the Judah light-rail transit line – includes bike parking, seating for eating, play area for children and dogs, and community gathering space. intersticearchitects.com 7/8 2015 CANADIAN INTERIORS

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caught our eye WEATHER OR NOT Buffalo, NY’s Café Fargo features the largest woodburning kachelöfen (German for “masonry heater”) – clad in cement tile – in North America. In summer, extralarge operable windows and skylights keep things cool. davidsonrafailidis.com

AHOY, MATEY! Winner of the 2015 Red Dot: Best of the Best (Product Design) Award: Swiss firm MB&F’s awesome HM6 Space Pirate wristwatch is inspired by the biomorphism art movement, which takes its cues from the shapes of living organisms. mbandf.com LIGHT FANTASTIC Swedish master Svante Pettersson tackles lighting design and philosophy in his illuminating See the Light. aopublishing.com

BUG OFF! A slender piece of aromatic cedar joined to the Duo Hanger’s aluminum body repels insects and keeps clothes fresh. goodthingny.com

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7/8 2015 CANADIAN INTERIORS

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how it’s made 1—The project was inspired by a challenge put to artist Paul Jackson, to make an origami sculpture with only one fold. “It is difficult to do this in steel; paper is pliant and can be forced to break across an existing fold, while steel becomes extremely strong when folded and virtually impossible to break.”

3—Patkau Architects’ solution was to develop a series of machines to simultaneously fold sheets of stainless steel and break them across the fold, as opposed to what is done sequentially with paper.

One Fold

Photography by Patkau Architects

2—“We began with two-foot square sheets of 24 gauge galvanized sheet metal, made a hole and folded it across the hole. We were then able to force the sheet metal to break across the fold at the location of the hole much like paper. However as soon as we increased the size and thickness of the steel sheet we found that our ability to mimic the behavior of paper quickly diminished.”

An architectural experiment “that finds beauty in structure and structure in beauty” By Peter Sobchak

Part of an architectural ambition to create structures with increasing strength-to-weight ratios, One Fold, by John and Patricia Patkau, is a research project exploring the architectural possibilities of folding a single sheet of steel one time. As a self-supporting thin shell structure, One Fold covers an area with a minimum of material and embodied energy. “It represents an attention to material that finds beauty in structure and structure in beauty, promoting that aspiration within architecture generally,” say the Patkaus. To date, One Fold exists only as a prototype. For their efforts, the Vancouver-based architects garnered the 2015 RAIC Innovation in Architecture award. - - - - - - - - - patkau.ca - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - •

Above “To demonstrate the spatial and structural potential of this ‘broken’ vault we developed a design for a simple landscape shelter utilizing three 10-by-24-foot sheets of stainless steel.” CANADIAN INTERIORS 7/8 2015

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4—“Working through sheets of increasing size we were able to enlarge and refine the machine to successfully form an 18 gauge 5-by-12-foot sheet (the largest sized stocked in Vancouver) into a stable, self-supporting ‘broken’ vault.”

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A M i dsum me r N ights Dre a m

AS TOLD BY DXV

Every home has a story. Tell yours with the anthology of kitchen and bathroom products from DXV. Culled from 150 years

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of pivotal design movements, each piece tells a distinctive story. What will yours be? Visit dxv.com to find your local showroom.

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seen

Maple hanging clock (limited production); Button 90 LED pendant light available through ANDlight; asymmetrical candleholders of stone resin and brass for Umbra Shift. lukaspeet.com

New world Maison & Objet discovers America By Michael Totzke

Maison & Objet is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2015 with high hopes and global ambitions. Along with its two Paris shows (one in January, the other in September), M&O presented the second Asian edition in Singapore (March) and the premier American edition in Miami (May). - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ---------------------------------------------------------Maison & Objet America was hot stuff – with the temperature topping 30º C and the humidity truly breathtaking; 350 exhibitors from 24 countries filling the Miami Beach Convention Centre in sexy South Beach; a host of events in surrounding neighbourhoods, including (of course) the Miami Design District; and a roster of design luminaries making an appearance, from Dror Benshetrit, Piero Lissoni, Paola Navone, and David Rockwell to Canada’s own Karim Rashid, George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ---------------------------------------------------------As befits a show in its infancy, Maison & Objet Americas showcased Rising American Talents: seven promising designers – from Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and Argentina – who, with the charm and exuberance of youth, effortlessly stole the show. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ---------------------------------------------------------•

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Lukas Peet

CANADA

Graduate of the Netherlands’ prestigious Design Academy Eindhoven; overall winner of the Torontobased DX’s first Emerging Designer Competition; lives in Vancouver; designs furniture, lighting, decorative and industrial objects, graphics and public spaces.

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seen

Primo Shelving System in ash, walnut or white oak with brass or stainless-steel supports; Stick Table made of white oak (stained or unstained) with glass top. caseylurie.com≠≠≠≠

Casey Lurie U.S. WEST COAST Spent three years in Tokyo as designer-in-residence for Idée, Japan’s leading furniture manufacturer; established his own studio in Chicago.

David Pompa

MEXICO

Studied product design in London; grew up in Mexico and Austria, so his interdisciplinary studio – which rethinks Mexican artistry – is based in both countries. CANADIAN INTERIORS 7/8 0/0 2015

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Hielo pendant using handmade Uriarte Talavera pottery. davidpompa.com

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Cristián Mohaded

ARGENTINA

Grew up in Argentinian countryside, studied at the university at Cordoba, now lives in Buenos Aires; moves between product and interior design.

Circus lamp crafted in iron and textured glass; Arlequin comprising five mirrors coloured in bronze, silver and gold for Roche Bobois. cristianmohaded.com

Leo Capote

BRAZIL

Grew up in São Paulo surrounded by items in his family’s hardware store; introduces the tools of DIY in his products and spaces.

Egg Nuts Armchair, an interpretation of Arne Jacobsen’s enduring chair, which uses 2,000 nuts in carbon steel. leocapote.com

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Ramon Laserna

COLOMBIA

Studied in Bogota; fuses the disciplines of design, photography and kinetics; leans toward the geometric and the abstract.

Award-winning multi-coloured wicker chairs, by Laserna and Alexandra Larsen.

Max Gunawan

U.S. WEST COAST

Series of LED book lamps, each of which fold out of a woodbound book.

Born in Jakarta, based in San Francisco; spent 10 years as an architect before creasing Lumio, a studio dedicated to multifunctional objects; believes in clean-line design.

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hellolumio.com

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Cnd Inte

New Corporate Awareness

architex-ljh.com

The James Collection

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Design State of Mind

From May 8 to 19, 2015 the third edition of NYCxDESIGN blanketed New York City with nearly 400 events spanning all scales, origins and disciplines of design. With official support from the city and collaboration among individual event organizers, NYCxDESIGN has proved to be a game changer – raising public awareness of the design industry and establishing New York as one of the world’s leading design capitals. By Kristin Coleman and Danielle McWilliams

BKLYN DESIGNS | May 8-10, 2015 | Brooklyn Expo Center BKLYN DESIGNS underwent a complete transformation this year, with a new production partner, fresh identity and change of venue. After 12 years in DUMBO, Brooklyn’s pioneering design event presented by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce moved to a light-filled space in Greenpoint, attracting over 7,000 visitors during the first few days of NYCxDESIGN. Showcasing a cross section of art, design and architecture in Brooklyn, it celebrated the sprit of collaboration and craftsmanship. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Evan Z. Crane | Creature Credenza Based in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Evan Z. Crane designs modern heirloom furniture with a playful twist. The Creature Credenza is a perfect example, whose contrasting material palette creates a charmingly unusual piece. It’s pictured here in dark stained walnut, oxidized maple and Icelandic sheep hide with a custom graphic fabric from De Islas lining the cabinet doors’ interior. evanzcrane.com

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Urban Chandy | LED Edison Bulbs What began as one chandelier made from salvaged wood by owner Cassidy Brush, Urban Chandy has quickly grown into a multi-faceted lighting design and fabrication company that fills a niche between industrial and high-end. At the show, the Brooklyn designers introduced an innovative line of LED Edison-style lightbulbs that have the same charming look as incandescent lights but use 87 per cent less energy and can be dimmed. urbanchandy.com

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MOR-HE Art Tectonics | Vesica Chair The Vesica chair is part of the Flower of Life series, which incorporates ancient scientific and universal orders of sacred geometry into the design. A testament to hand-craftsmanship, each chair takes the designer, Roman Heczko, 500 hours to build using a combination of machining (bronze and brass), metalsmithing (rusted metal) and craft woodworking (cherry and other hardwoods). mor-he.com Bolé Road Textiles | Spring Collection Part of interior designer Hana Getachew’s debut textile line, the Spring Collection conjures images of springtime in Ethiopia, where she was born. Each pillow is named after the flower that inspired its design, marked by vivid yellows, reds and fuscias from the country’s indigenous blooms. All pieces in the collection are handwoven in Ethiopia and sewn in Brooklyn into pillows, napkins and table runners. boleroadtextiles.com

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WANTEDDESIGN | May 15-18, 2015 | Terminal Stores Celebrating its fifth anniversary, WantedDesign delivered a 360-degree experience with innovative installations, memorable products, pop-up stores, interactive experiences, convivial lounges, thought-provoking student workshops, engaging discourse and more. The Terminal Stores building was once again transformed into a creative destination for the international design community, featuring an interesting mix of emerging designers and well-known brands, student work and collective exhibits from Poland, Norway, Ireland and other countries. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Moroso | Rock Chair Moroso’s ongoing collaboration with Diesel Living has produced a trove of fashionable furnishings representing two different yet coexisting aspects of contemporary design: one, which is dark and inspired by the underground world; and the other, which is soft and inspired by nature. The Rock chair is a perfect example of this with a comfortable seat enveloped by a faceted, crystalline shell (in black or white). moroso.it Everything Elevated | Passivation Tables The Passivation Tables series was one of many intriguing works in the “Calm, Cool and Collected: New Designs from Norway” exhibit curated by design writer Paul Makovsky. Featuring simple, curved forms and oil-like colour gradations resulting from the chemical process of passivation, the tables - as well as the exhibition and graphics - were all designed by Everything Elevated, whose minimal aesthetic and elegant execution perfectly embodies Norwegian design. everything-elevated.com

Graypants | Murmurations Moving beyond the Graypants’ characteristic material palette of repurposed corrugated cardboard, Murmurations is a dynamic new LED light installation with an intriguing 3D form. Inspired by the breathtaking avian spectacle, it’s a highly adaptable lighting system, available in individual and standardized arrangements or as a bespoke installation. graypants.com

Stefan Rurak | Charred Stump Stools The cartoonish charm of these charred stump stools by Stefan Rurak are balanced by utility and sustainability. Part of the Brooklyn designer’s Sandy Project, they are made from reclaimed southern pine and finished with a Shou Sugi Ban technique, producing a beautiful, weatherproof seat with a rich, dark texture. Each stool is one of a kind and features hand-turned legs and drawers made of sapele or walnut from shop cut-offs. stefanrurak.com

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COLLECTIVE DESIGN | May 13-17, 2015 | Skylight Clarkson SQ Guided by founder and creative director Steven Learner with a diverse collective of figures in the art and design world, the third annual Collective Design Fair felt like a cabinet of curiosities. Situated in a raw space on a quiet block in Hudson Square, the fair welcomed visitors to a flashy modular structure of gold light reflector discs. Once inside, the show presented an interesting cross section of art and design, historical and contemporary, live craftsmanship and sophisticated production. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mimi Jung | Four Teal Walls Like all of Mimi Jung's work, Four Teal Walls stands at the nexus of art and design. With curved forms for privacy, the woven partitions are functional yet exude a feeling of permeability, exploring the tension between the desire for isolation and the need to participate with one's surroundings. Made of natural fibres and powdercoated steel, the walls exude a softness in a gradient of teal and are available in four different configurations. mimijung.com

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Sidsel Hanum | AIR J. Lohmann Gallery showcased an extensive range of objects d’art including this stunning natureinspired vessel by Sidsel Hanum - a Norwegian ceramicist with growing international fame. What looks like a 3D printed sculpture is actually an intricate form handcrafted from layers of liquid porcelain, each no more than one millimeter thick. hanum.no

George J. Sowden | D’Antibes With Postmodern making a pronounced comeback, especially among younger designers, the D’Antibes cabinet feels of themoment. Designed in 1981 by George J. Sowden, one of the Memphis Group’s founding members, the statuesque cabinet features saturated primary colours and silkscreened lacquered wood. Available through the Memphis - Post Design Gallery. store.memphis-milano.com

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ICFF | May 16-19, 2015 | Jacob K. Javits Center With over 700 exhibitors from around the globe, ICFF continues to be a cornerstone of New York Design Week. The show’s footprint expanded by 30 per cent this year, delivering a large assemblage of fresh talent, two new pavilions—HO.MI New York and Luxe Interiors + Design—and on-floor educational programming curated by ASID. Innovative and oversized lighting solutions dominated the show’s design scene along with mixed materials, gold accents, bold colours and retro touches. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•

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M2L BRAND for Harvey Probber | Deep Tuft Deep Tuft is a sumptuous sectional sofa with plump, tufted cubes. Originally designed by Harvey Probber in 1972, it is one of the mid-century master's best-known pieces, revived alongside other coveted furnishings under the M2L BRAND for the Harvey Probber collection. The sofa is available in customer's own material and three basic units to create a unique composition. m2l.com Duravit | Cape Cod Cape Cod is a new bathroom series designed in collaboration with Philippe Starck. Inspired by the comfy style of New England, it includes three types of washbasins with impressively slim rims, a bathtub with a soft-to-the-touch matte finish, and vanities with a chrome frame and four wood counter options (including a rough hewn vintage oak reminiscent of driftwood on the beach). duravit.us TWENTY2 | DEEP 3D Twenty2 partnered with Pratt Institute to present DEEP, a series of lush 3D wallpapers that fray the boundary between surface and sculptural space. The collection features five patterns, including Vikingr (pictured) designed by Nadia Shaheen. The hand-drawn pattern is composed of ships that sway in the waves as bearded visages undulate within the depths of rough seas. As one's eyes adjust to these depths, smaller ships appear, weaving their way through the turbulent waters. twenty2.net

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PURE TASTE. ULTIMATE REFRESHMENT. GROHE BLUE®

Great tasting filtered water at the ready. GROHE Blue ® dual function faucet is the alternative for purified, still water straight from your tap. GROHE Blue ® filter technology turns ordinary tap water into fresh water by removing all substances that can impair its taste. The base model offers filtered water while the premium model offers filtered chilled and sparkling water thanks to the cooler and carbonator. Two separate internal waterways eliminate the potential for contamination. Finished in GROHE StarLight ® chrome or SuperSteel Infinity Finish™, GROHE Blue ® is resolutely contemporary. A smart solution for the home or office. Enjoy a pure, sustainable refreshing taste experience. GROHE.CA

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the goods

Smooh t operators Kitchen products that look as good as they perform

By Michael Totzke

1—SHOWROOM PLUS In Toronto, GE Appliances has opened the Monogram Design Centre, artfully envisioned by Hariri Pontarini Architects. The main

floor features two fully functional kitchens; upstairs is the Great Cooks interactive cooking studio (shown), featuring three working stations plus a chef’s station. MDC is the very model of a showroom that is much more than a showroom – a most welcome trend. monogram.ca - - - - - - - - - - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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the goods

COOL CUSTOMER Blanco Tolon is a new family of crystal-

white ceramic sinks available in three sizes (the compact version is shown). The generous drainer with only a few grooves and a striking U-shaped arrangement offers a modern look. blancocanada.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -------------------------------------

TOGETHER & APART Motus by Scavolini, designed by Vittore Niolu, brings

together independent elements that can be put together and taken apart and, based on available space and functional needs, recombined over time. Distinguishing features include the asymmetric opening of the door without a handle; the geometry of the shaped drawer, island and peninsula units; and the chromatic range of gloss and matt lacquer or melamine with matching finishes. scavolini.us - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -------------------------------CANADIAN INTERIORS 7/8 2015

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3€

BLACK IS THE NEW STAINLESS STEEL KitchenAid has unveiled a dramatically redesigned major-appliance collection available in a range of finishes including stainless steel, black, white and — an industry first — black stainless steel. It comprises a five-door refrigerator, front-control ranges, and dishwasher with a window. kitchenaid.ca - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ----------------------------------

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GET A GRIP From Bulthaup comes a solid stainless-steel trivet. With

non-slip nubs on the underside holding the stand in place, it can be easily gripped on both sides. bulthaup.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -----------------------------------------

IN FORMATION The condiment set by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor for Alessi was inspired by the natural forms of crystals, stalagmites and stalactites. alessi.com - ----------------------------

LOOK MA, NO HANDS Miele’s Knock2open is the industry’s first handleless dishwasher. Its minimalist, stainless-steel front panel opens when tapped twice. An on-screen display outlines energy and water consumption of the program in use. miele.ca - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --------------------------------------

SHINE ON Among Bosch’s new

ENDLESS SUMMER Thermador’s Professional Grill allows the home

collection of 24-inch appliances (ideal for the compact city condo or the small basement) is a Glass Door Refrigerator, which offers a sleek verticality. bosch-home.ca ---------------------

cook to enjoy summer fare all year round. With ceramic briquettes and grill plates that fully cover the heating elements, it is safe (minimizing flare-ups) and easy to clean. thermador.ca - - - -------------------------------------------

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GREAT OUTDOORS Superior storage is offered to the backyard cook by Liebherr’s compact 24-inch outdoor under-counter beverage centre and wind cooler. liebherr.com - - - - - - ------------------------------

7/8 2015 CANADIAN INTERIORS

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Near&dear

Exquisitely composed and effortlessly quirky, Drake Devonshire Inn – a manageable drive from Toronto – has proven to be worth the hype

Above The covered porch hugs the entry of the inn, offering a quiet place to relax and a clear view of the lake beyond. Opposite Beside the reception desk nestles a micro–Drake General Store, handy for whenever one finds oneself in need of such trifles as an alpaca-covered bar of lemonbalm soap or the complete collection of New York Times Sunday crossword puzzles. (Other signature pieces from the Drake Hotel’s inaugural incarnation scattered throughout the inn’s three storeys include clearplastic-topped ottomans and one-armed bar stools.) The site-specific installation Cabin Fever is by New York artist Kirsten Hassenfeld.

Photography by Nikolas Koenig

By Leslie C. Smith

Is the schlep from Toronto really worth it? That’s what my travel companion and I wondered as we wandered warily down twisting country roads, two and a half hours’ distance from the big city. - - - - -------------------------------------------------If it weren’t for Jeff Stober’s involvement, we might not have attempted this trip. But Stober has done amazing things in the past – most notably the revitalization of the Drake Hotel a decade ago that, in turn, led to the entire west end of Toronto becoming a boomtown for artists and hipsters. Since then, he and his band of hand-picked designers have opened the popular Drake One Fifty restaurant in downtown Toronto, as well as three locations of the Drake General Store, which specializes in “curated curiosities old and new.” Now, after two CANADIAN INTERIORS 7/8 2015

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years’ work, the Drake Devonshire Inn, a.k.a. “Drake by the lake,” is ready for its closeup; thus, the car ride to the small town of Wellington, in Prince Edward County, on the stony cusp of Lake Ontario. - - - - - -------------------------------------------------We are greeted in the lobby of the small, 11,000-square-foot boutique inn by John Tong, principal of the lead design firm, Toronto’s +tongtong. Actually, we are greeted before we reach the lobby by the sight of a gorgeous, polished bronze “dumpster” crafted by Newfoundland’s Zeke Moores, one of the inn’s several Plein Air artworks curated by Mia Nielson, head of cultural programming for the Drake chain. This Dada-esque piece signals what’s ahead for us: the brand’s signature blend of artistry, surprise and whimsy. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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-------------------------------------------------Next to reception, an exposed-brick living room is practically all that’s left of the site’s original structure – first an 1849 steel foundry and later transformed into a bed-and-breakfast lodge. The room certainly catches the eye, with its crazy-quilt floor tiles jostling each other for visual supremacy. Like the inn’s jumbled tongue-and-groove wainscotting and flashes of floral wallpaper, this a nod, says Tong, to the “architectural archeology” of working on old houses: “I’ve renovated so many houses over the years. I wanted to capture those different levels of wallcoverings and linoleum that you find.” - - - - - - - -------------------------------------------------The living room acts as a junction, linking past and present, as well as the new Glass Box meeting/games room and patio to the rear and publicly accessible restaurant on the lakefront. Philip Evans, principal of ERA Architects, has created a building envelope to suit this chronological convergence, with olde-tyme, tin-gabled roofs surrounding a central peak set atop ultramodern glass curtain walls that allow unexpected light and sightlines into the interior. Perhaps as a tongue-incheek reference to Wright’s Falling Water, he cantilevered part of the dining room over the tiny creek that runs past the property. Fittingly, for the site’s foundry origins, this entailed the use of a great deal of steel. -------------------------------------------------Comparisons to summer camp mess halls are inevitable within this barnlike space, with its broad Douglas-fir vaulting and picture windows overlooking water and woods. Echoes of cottage life come from the purposely mismatched chairs and white-washed, engineeredpine flooring. Yet, given the room’s custom marine lights, wood-slat banquettes and “infinity pool” view of Lake Ontario, an even stronger sensation is that of being aboard some beautiful, becalmed ferry. In one swoop, Tong has engendered nostalgia, longing and peace, a perfect setting for chef Matt DeMille’s locally sourced wines, seasonal ingredients and cozily upscale comfort food. - - - - - - - - - - - - -------------------------------------------------Beyond the restaurant proper, the entertainment area stretches towards another rafter-and-truss room – the screened Pavilion – and spills out into the open air via a huge, connecting cedar deck and bleacher/steps facing the beach. Landscape architect Joel Loblaw has assisted nature here as elsewhere with a variegated selection of native plants and trees. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -------------------------------------------------Clockwise from opposite bottom The screened, east-west Pavilion (host to musical performances, farmer’s markets and guests seeking protection from the sun or bugs) boasts a huge custom mural by Brooklyn collective FAILE; with its white walls, floors and furnishings contrasting with dark Douglas-fir vaulting and blackened steel overhead, the barn-like dining room evokes many associations, from camp mess hall to ferry boat to family cottage; inspired by utility and a theme of old-and-new, custom-designed dining-room tables integrate floorboards and Corian panels into a painted-steel frame; the Pavilion’s hydraulically hinged “barn door” shutters double as a unique porch awning, while tempered-glass barriers leave the lake view unimpeded; opposing glass walls of the Glass Box (whose amenities include a Ping-Pong table, a trunk full of board games and a wet bar), allow a throughway for light and sightlines from the entryway’s pea-gravel lot on one side to an intimate stone patio on the other.

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Above Like one’s private chalet in the sky, the Owner’s Suite features a magnificent lake view from the fir-lined, A-frame interior and secluded, glass-parapet deck beyond. Custom furnishings, such as rope-crochet ottomans and a picnic-table “desk,” rub elbows with mid-century-modern accoutrements sourced from antique shops and flea markets. Left The inclusion of a large skylight turns the small box-room adjacent to the Owner’s Suite into the nighttime-spectacular Star Gazing Room.

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Amidst all these elements of communal relaxation and refreshment, however, one must not forget that Drake Devonshire is au fond an inn. Eleven cleverly quirky bedrooms occupy the second floor, and two unique suites comprise the entire third storey. All rooms are decorated with custom touches plus a mishmash of vintage and modern furnishings, sourced from antique shops and flea markets by Tong and Drake stylist Carlo Colacci. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -------------------------------------------------Setting the Loft Suite and Owner’s Suite apart are both their size and their vantage points. The Owner’s Suite in particular offers a spectacular, A-framed view of the lake that simply screams Canadiana. This panorama extends through sliding glass doors onto a private, glass-parapeted deck. An adjacent box-room, perfect for a kid or two, has been dubbed the Stargazer for the large skylight directly over its queen-sized platform bed – perfect for falling asleep under the stars. -------------------------------------------------So, was our trip to Wellington worth the time and trouble? If all of the above is not enough to answer that question, we leave it to New York’s annual Hospitality Design Awards. This June, out of an international field of 560 entries, the Drake Devonshire was accorded Best Boutique/Lifestyle Hotel, Best Boutique/Lifestyle Guestrooms or Suites and, the most coveted prize of all, Best of Show. - - - - - - - -------------------------------------------------•

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ISA_Maestro_IntDesign_ad.pdf

2015-07-08

10:53 PM

MAESTRO COLLECTION

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15-07-16 1:49 PM

Ta lk in ’b ou tm y

With Paris its latest fait accompli, Toronto’s DesignAgency initiates the era of the less-hostile hostel

Ge ne rat or

New millennium, new rules. For those of us who remember making our way across Europe one grotty hostel at a time, living in cramped, single-sex dorms under strict curfews, and schlepping down the hall to shower in dingy, mildewed stalls, the change couldn’t happen soon enough. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -------------------------------------------------Seven years ago, Josh Wyatt, an American working for the New York private equity arm of the global real estate firm Patron Capital Partners, came up with the concept of investing in affordable, temporary

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By Leslie C. Smith

Photography by Nikolas Koenig 7/8 2015 CANADIAN INTERIORS

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4€ 15-07-16 1:50 PM

Overleaf In the lobby, the design team created an installation combining the glass mural from the original building with Seletti light sticks and Lucille macramé plant hangers from Berlin-based collective Llot Llov. Opposite With its curved subway tiles, banquettes upholstered in retro transit fabric and life-sized print of a platform by local photographer Ludovic Le Couster, the lower-level bar creates the impression of a secret party on the Métro tracks. Above In the upstairs Moroccan-style lounge, distressed concrete wallpaper, leather ottomans and kilim couches – plus the occasional flea-market find – create a chill-out vibe.

living spaces in the heart of the world’s major centres. The twist? Bringing in great design. Creating a cool space to take a hot shower. Making it a hang worthy of its mainly millennial customers, a group well known for its sense of entitlement. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -------------------------------------------------Wyatt shared his idea with Anwar Mekhayech at a party they both attended in New York. “We stayed in touch,” Mekhayech says. “When Patron acquired the Generator brand and bought the Dublin Hotel, Josh asked if we wanted to redesign it.” That “we” includes Allen Chan and Matt Davis, co-partners with Mekhayech in the Toronto-based DesignAgency, a multi-purpose studio that merges architecture, interior and industrial design with digital design and holistic branding. - - -------------------------------------------------After accepting the gig, Mekhayech’s ensuing discussions with the client helped hone future intentions concerning the Generator chain. They decided each hostel should be its own space, leading customers

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on a cross-continental journey of spaces and building word of mouth for each site (“Have you seen the lobby in Venice?”). A core esthetic soon emerged, centred on “trendy, cool, warm, raw industrial, found objects, area artists, and layering in a level of design that speaks to each locality.” Youth is at is centre – thus the ready accessibility of WiFi; snack vending machines plus built-in cafés and nightclubs; as well as 24/7 lounges, laundry and reception – yet clientele of all ages are encouraged to visit, both for economic reasons and diversity’s sake. - - - -------------------------------------------------DesignAgency is currently working on its 12th hostel, in Amsterdam, with more European sites to come. An extension into the U.S. (and possibly Canada) is also planned. At this point, though, the brand showpiece has to be its recently completed Paris locale. This six-storey building, a decommissioned 1985 office block, features 199 rooms and 916 beds, making it the largest Generator project to date. Situated in the 10th arrondissement in the city’s hip northeast sector, it looks across the street at the curved glass curtain of the French Communist Headquarters, built in the early ’70s by Oscar Niemeyer. -------------------------------------------------The city’s rigid control of its external built environment meant underplaying Gen Paris’s exterior and saving any real showiness for the inside. Mekhayech more than compensated for this stricture, however, with his concept of a “bright lights, big city” electric marquee overhanging a reception desk picked out in bold, Mondrian-inspired colours. 7/8 2015 CANADIAN INTERIORS

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The you-are-star-of-your-own-film feeling is further enhanced by the lobby’s sound-stage-like industrial setting, with its large overhead spotlights and occasional hanging grid, Deco chalkboard graphics surrounding the travel desk, and rich Technicolor shots of strong-hued glass set into the foyer’s window panes. Aside from “generating” excitement, these decorative elements fit the chain’s design mandate of exemplifying their surroundings. Those in the know, including film buff Mekhayech, will tell you that Paris is the world mecca for fans of old movies. -------------------------------------------------But there is much more at work here than a single theme, as each of Gen Paris’s public spaces touches upon multiple associations. Past the ground-floor elevator bay lies Café Fabian, its name picked out in blue tiles against white, just like the nearby Metro stop it references. CANADIAN INTERIORS 7/8 2015

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The dining area overlooks a swath of green garden planted with vegetables and herbs, and a private alcove features both a floral mural and rolling barn doors – all hinting at the farm-to-table sensibility so cherished by the French. In another filmic flourish, a large electric arrow points the way downstairs to a two-tier bar/nightclub. Its lower level, created by reclaiming 10 parking garage spots, is now a tiled tunnel filled with banquettes upholstered in cheesy 1980s transit fabric. The back wall shows a super-graphic of a subway train pulling out of a platform, imparting the dangerous impression of partying on the Métro tracks. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -------------------------------------------------Upstairs, on the premier étage, yet another world opens with the Moroccan-inspired chill-out lounge. In a nod to the North African artistry

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Opposite The ground-level Café Fabien, offering a mash-up of textures, colours and furnishings, layers interior and exterior architecture; Parisian sensibilities are alluded to in the Métro subway tiling and farm-fresh murals, as well as seating that includes both traditional leather banquettes and charmingly offbeat Piet Hein Eek scrapwood bucket chairs. Above In a cheeky nod to bookstalls lining the Seine, the twin suites are defined by their book wallpaper by Mineheart as well as such quintessential French details as Lampes Gras lighting; sliding twin beds can be set up as queens (premium rooms include large terraces with hammocks that overlook the city). Right Shared rooms are simple yet functional, encouraging guests to spend their free time in the social areas; all rooms are equipped with the essentials, including custom-designed beds, en-suite bathrooms, personal lighting and WiFi.

and immigration which has long impacted the city, this large room is filled with circular leather ottomans and low-rise couscous tables, in addition to couches in traditional tapestry fabrics whose pallet-wood bases hint at imported origins. It was crafted, says Mekhayech, to “look like somebody’s rec room. A home away from home, where you can hang out, move stuff around, and put your feet up on the furniture.” -------------------------------------------------All these public areas, plus the accessible rooftop terrace, are meant to give extra dimension to a Parisian stopover. The bedrooms themselves are basic: well designed yet stripped down to essentials, a place simply for recharging. In the city at large and at Gen Paris itself, real life happens elsewhere. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -------------------------------------------------•

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7/8 2015 CANADIAN INTERIORS

15-07-16 1:50 PM

Speaksy In Vancouver’s legendary Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Munge Leung ushers in Prohibition Photography courtesy Rosewood Hotel Georgia

By Michael Totzke

If forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest, then bathtub gin must’ve registered on the tongue as pure ambrosia. Though the homemade spirit isn’t on the menu at the new Prohibition cocktail bar in Vancouver’s Rosewood Hotel Georgia, first opened in 1927, a concoction even more “mad, bad and dangerous to know” — absinthe, a.k.a. the “Green Lady” — is. Her presence is suggested at the purposely enigmatic entrance, marked only by a sign-less rusted door, by way of a single green light — as seductive as the one at the end of Daisy’s dock. - - - - -------------------------------------------------Welcome to a glamorous take on the speakeasies of the ’20s and early ’30s by Munge Leung, the Toronto-based firm responsible for the rejuvenation of the historic hotel itself as well as Hawksworth, its anchor restaurant. Once admitted, you and your party descend the main staircase and are greeted by a gorgeous, glittering, custom-deCANADIAN INTERIORS 7/8 2015

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signed glass-and-metal chandelier. You’re in; the atmosphere is luxe; the night is young and ripe with possibilities. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -------------------------------------------------Look up: an ornate ceiling clad in Macassar Ebony veneer, with six octagonal stepped sections, floats above the main bar (topped in black stone with quartz highlights) and banquette alcoves (separated by sharp-edged metal screens). Shades of jade run throughout: at the bar, in table lamps and stools’ crushed-leather and cowhide upholstery; in the alcoves, in plush tufted-leather seating and ottomans. Lavish black-velvet drapery exposes and conceals. - - - - - - - - - - - - -------------------------------------------------Prohibition’s specialty absinthe and cocktail program includes the namesake Hotel Georgia cocktail, pulled from the hotel’s archives as a tribute. If you go, order one for me, and tell them Jay Gatsby sent you. -------------------------------------------------•

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Clockwise from opposite Shades of jade rule at Prohibition, in table lamps and in barstools upholstered in crushed leather with textured cowhide backs; setting the tone for a glamorous night is a customdesigned glass-and-metal chandelier; the bar’s absinthe experience involves water from an ice-frosted fountain, pristine sugar cube and goblet a third full of the “Green Lady” herself; the lounge is wrapped in lavish black-velvet drapery and is accented by support columns swathed in black-leather panels with cross-strap detailing and velvet accents.

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scene

DX auction

The champagne preview of the first-ever Design Exchange Design Auction, presented by Natuzzi Italia at Hudson’s Bay, was a benefit for DX educational programs, curatorial initiatives and the permanent collection. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1—Dwayne Evans, sales rep, Urbanlife Realty; Raymond Girard, president, content marketing at magazine publisher (and event host) Spafax; and Anton Vidgen, senior director, customer and technology, Air Canada Rouge. 2—Steven Levy, founder of the Interior Design Show and One-of-a-Kind Show; his wife Michelle De Los Santos, director, treasury and risk management, CIBC; Jeffrey Douglas of his eponymous interior design firm; and illustrator and graphic designer Steve Yeates. 3— Mary Turner, head of business development, Hudson’s Bay Company; Linda Lewis, DX founding president and retired chair, Ryerson University School of Fashion; and DX president Shauna Levy. 4— The crown jewels at the auction were a pair of prototype Steamer chairs by Thomas Lamb, the only version of that Canadian design icon (reposing in the Museum of Modern Art permanent design collection) ever made of cedar rather than bent plywood, donated by Linda Lewis.

Can-do Text and photos by David Lasker

Canstruction

Canstruction is an annual international design-and-build competition to raise awareness of the growing “hunger gap.” Teams of architects, engineers, designers and students design and build Canstructures, structures made entirely from canned foods. After the competition and exhibition, these are “deconstructed” and the cans are donated to the Daily Bread Food Bank. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1—At Quadrangle’s “Shifting Perspectives” exhibit, whose title refers to the need to move around to get the bigger picture on the food-distribution situation: Jamie Black, communications specialist; Marcella Au, junior architect and Canstruction team captain; and junior architects Amanda Carson and Kelvin Kung.. 2— At GM Blue Plan Engineering’s exhibit, gaps between the tuna cans symbolize our imperfect food distribution system: Sandy Naime, infrastructure planning, GM Blue Plan Engineering and Canstruction team captain; and Khalil Djalal, GM Blue infrastructure planner. 3— At the cala lily–themed structure by PCL + Entuitive: Matt Smith, designer at Entuitive and team captain; and Mike Campolieti, business development, PCL Constructors Canada.

1 2

Diamond Schmitt Summer Solstice

Celebrating its 30th anniversary of celebrating the longest day of the year, Diamond Schmitt Architects (DSA) held its annual Summer Solstice Party for clients, friends and associates at Evergreen Brick Works. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------• 1—DSA’s Gary Watson, associate architect, and partner and architect Donald Schmitt flank James Becker, owner of construction company Woodbecker. 2— Agnieszka Wloch, V-P, development, Minto Communities; Alan Vihant, senior V-P, high-rise at condo developer Great Gulf; Martha McOuat, project advisor, electricity rates applications, Ontario Energy Board; Lyle Scott, principal at sustainability consultant Footprint; Sibylle von Knobloch, principal at landscape architect and urban planning firm NAK Design Group; art consultant Catherine Williams; and Robert Glover, partner and architect at planning consultants Bousfields. 3— Architectural photographers Tom Arban and Richard Johnson flank DSA architects Rob Micacchi and Steve Bandar, and Pelin Yeter, business development.

CANADIAN INTERIORS 7/8 2015

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thai.indd

The Bangkok International Gift Fair 2015 and Bangkok International Houseware Fair 2015, or BIG+BIH 40th edition, the most comprehensive one stop shop exhibition of lifestyle products, is returning again. Be indulged with thousands of chic, trendiest and stylish lifestyle products from gifts to premiums and houseware with top export quality from 500 Thai and international manufacturers/exporters, 1,600 exhibit booths on 40,000 sqm.

Be the first to select distinctive and unique product designs in eight categories as follows: Gift and Premiums

Toys and stationary

Artificial flowers and plants

Houseware

Decorative and handicraft items

Eco friendly products

Candle and spa products

Others

Christmas trees and accessories

Dazzle with special feature zones in the show, such as • An exhibition of pet product market development project in Japan. • Lampang ceramic product cluster match-making community-level ceramic product entrepreneurs in Thailand and Japan, leading to reciprocal market expansions in both countries. • 60+ Project, Showcasing products for the elderly in Japan in a “Select Shop” setting, including furniture / home decorations for the elderly, as well as jewelry, cosmetics and spa products. • Exhibition on Chiang Mai gift and souvenir cluster developing Chiang Mai gift and souvenir cluster entrepreneurs among 20 member companies in 6 products. • Design Hall filled with selected trendiest quality products. • DEmark, an exhibition of products receiving “Design Excellence Award” • Top of OTOP, showcasing finest quality products from throughout Thailand. • I+D Style Cafe’ and TTM + PM Award: Designed as new modern cafe‘ with comfort, relaxing and friendly ambience to welcome visitors, the new look cafe’ is decorated with ecological and innovative products. Also displayedinside are products receiving Prime Minister’s Award and Thailand Trust Mark (TTM). Advisory services will be available for manufacturers/producers to participate in numerous projects by Office of Design and Innovation for Trading Promotion with special emphasis on utilization of green and eco-friendly rawmaterials. • DITP Logistics Pavilion project facilitating and providing fully integrated logistic services. To learn about the previlages of Pre-registration, contact: Thai Trade Centre, Toronto Email: thaitradetoronto@on.aibn.com Thai Trade Centre, Vancouver Email: ttcvan@telus.net

thai.indd 1 13 Scene.indd 41

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Photo by Tom Arban

over & out

In Toronto, Kohn Shnier Architects builds a better kindergarten

Just kidding By Rhys Phillips

Kindergarten children are not young “students in training.” They are first and foremost just children, learning about the world to be sure but through creative play and de-stressed interaction. This conclusion, supported by extensive consultations with teachers and classroom observation, is the key principle architect Martin Kohn (of Kohn Shnier Architects) distilled from Dr. Charles Pascal’s best-practices report for full-day, 4-to-5-year-old learning. His Fraser Mustard Early Learning Academy in Toronto’s ethnically diverse Thorncliffe community, therefore, provides simple, naturally lit and highly flexible spaces dedicated solely to its 700 4-to-5-year-old kindergarten kids. -------------------------------------------------Located smack in the middle of a dense superblock of high-rise apartment buildings, the 80,000-square-foot, two-storey facility is in plan a slightly distorted triangle with a “tail” that slips out toward the street. A fully segregated basement level houses a city daycare that boasts a floor-to-ceiling glazed wall opening onto a large 12-by-60-metre sunken courtyard providing secured play in a more temperate micro-climate. -------------------------------------------------To ensure abundant natural light and schoolyard views to help orient the young children, well-glazed classrooms are all located on the periphery surrounding a central, two-storey triangular atrium topped by skylights. Rooms along the tail are single loaded with views to the schoolyard from the hallway. “Based on Pascal’s report CANADIAN INTERIORS 7/8 2015

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and our own research,” Kohn tells me, “the classrooms were as large, as simple and as versatile as we could make them.” - - - - - - - -------------------------------------------------The atrium is a key element. Its wide, open ramp spirals up around the edge to the second level serving as the main means of vertical circulation. Without stairs and minus rambunctious 5th-graders threatening to bowl over the smaller children, “kids in this school are very quickly allowed into the hallways on their own thus encouraging responsibility,” Kohn says, “and you can tell they really like this freedom.” Required enclosed stairs are extra wide to accommodate a hand-in-hand child with adult while lower risers accommodate little legs. - - - - - - - -------------------------------------------------The atrium floor doubles as an indoor playground as well as a venue for larger events like a puppet show with the kids watching from the ramp. “Various parts of the oversized hallways,” Kohn adds, “are used as art and music stations while the white-painted walls serve as galleries for student work.” - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -------------------------------------------------Toon Dreessen, president of the Ontario Association of Architects, sums up why Fraser Mustard recently won an OAA Award: “The building is designed from a child’s perspectives, from how a child uses space, how a child feels welcome and how a child feels less stressed interacting in a very multicultural environment.” - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - •

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