Canadian Interiors July August 2022

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Refined Taste Contextually sensitive design strategies illuminate new dining spaces.

Airports must prepare for post-pandemic travel shifts.

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS!

25th Best of Canada Awards, the only national design competition in Canada to focus on interior design projects and products without regard to size, budget or location!

All winners will be published in the Nov/Dec issue of Canadian Interiors.

Submission Deadline: Wednesday, Sept 7th at 11.59 p.m. PST

Saint-Jean-Eudes School Library, Québec City BGLA architecture + urban design Photography by Stéphane Brügger

www.canadianinteriors.com/BoC

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07/08/2022 Features

21 UPPER EAST SIDE Dialogue 38’s approach to crafting organic and sensual dining spaces inflected with Asian influences that are both complex and carefree.

By Matthew Hague

26 DINING ON THE EDGE Populism meets high design at one of Canada’s greatest natural phenomena. By Peter Sobchak

30 UNCERTAINTY TO RESILIENCY As the world experiences more black-swan

events, from pandemics to extreme weather, airports must adapt by creating more agile business models. By Kai Fraser

34 FROM CALIFORNIA TO OTTAWA Adapting residential mid-century modern concepts. By François LeBlanc

Regulars

10 CAUGHT OUR EYE 12 SEEN Highlights and insights from Clerkenwell Design Week in London, U.K.; and Salone del Mobile.Milano. 40 OVER & OUT Kusama at Centre PHI. COVER – Dialogue 38 Inc. designed a fun and interesting environment for patrons to experience Machi Machi’s bubble tea. Photography by Kerun Ip.

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com Welcome to our podcast series, where we step away from the photographs and talk with interesting leaders about interesting ideas and issues facing the design world today. Available for listen or download on our website as well as a variety of streaming platforms, including:

Episode 16 Writing a Designers’ Manifesto w/ Bulent Akman

Reclaiming shores: Baie-de-Valois Nautical Centre PRISME and ADHOC Architectes collaborate to replace a deteriorating public chalet in Grande-Anse Park.

Episode 17 Re-examining the Industrial Design Process w/ Lee Fletcher

Let’s grab a bite: Place Carmin Clairoux brought bold artistic details to a warm, unique French brasserie in Montréal’s Quartier International.

IT A IO L N

E to xcl D o u ED IGI ur sive T

Restore, Reuse, Replace: LeFevre Office KWI Design transforms a heritage structure built in 1888 originally for Victoria Gas Co. in B.C. into a new office and event space.

From California to Ottawa: Adapting Residential

Mid-Century Modern Concepts

A safe place to call home: Institut Pacifique A Montréal-based conflict resolution and mediation facility for young people received a modernization

by CB Architecte.

CANADIAN INTERIORS 7/8 2022

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I N T U I T I V E. I M M E R S I V E. I C O N I C. The Statement ™ showering collection with Anthem™ controls and valves feature unexpected designs, indulgent spray options, and a range of universal forms. The versatile portfolios are meticulously crafted to fit all global plumbing standards, opening the door to truly seamless specification and unfettered creativity. Visit our website to explore the possibilities and unleash your imagination.

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July | August 2022 / V59 #4

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Canadian Interiors magazine is published by iQ Business Media Inc. 126 Old Sheppard Ave, Toronto, ON M2J 3L9 Telephone 416-441-2085 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.

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inside

listened to our industry on several of our key issues, including the elimination of the punitive alcohol excise tax on certain products,” said Restaurants Canada vice president, Federal and Québec Affairs, Olivier Bourbeau. “This represents a first step, but it is still the foodservice industry that was the hardest hit by the pandemic, with operators taking on enormous mountains of debt to survive.”

Table Service

After over two years of either losing money or barely breaking even, foodservice operators are naturally asking for monetary support in the form funding programs, extensions on loan repayments, tax credits and/or other sources of funding to defray the astronomic costs incurred from pandemic safety expenditures. But they are also asking the government to take a “do no harm” approach with regulations, particularly when it comes to the prohibition of certain single-use plastics in 2022. To many, single-use plastics are the backbone to takeout and delivery, which kept much of this business afloat. But to many others, single-use plastic is the bane of the environment.

It is no secret that Canada’s hospitality industry took a walloping during the pandemic, with the restaurant sector bearing the brunt of the pain. With summer now ahead of us and a collective feeling that the worst is behind us, one would think that all restaurants need to do is open their doors to accept the flood of pent-up demand. But sadly, the evidence shows that a return to normal for dining establishments is further down the road then most would like. According to a survey conducted by Restaurants Canada in February, 80 per cent of restaurants have taken on debt due to COVID-19, and nearly two-thirds of these businesses need at least a year and a half to recover.

To their credit, the federal government showed support for the sector in their new post-pandemic Federal Tourism Growth Strategy, which is “intended to help the sector plot a course for growth, investment, and stability.” Gestures supporting that plan were made in April’s Federal Budget release, but naturally many insiders are saying these gestures are not enough. “We appreciate that the government has

This feels like a design opportunity. We are already seeing companies integrate recycled plastic into the manufacturing of products used within a restaurant, from furniture and lighting to packaging and toiletries, but there is also an opening for design firms who service hospitality clients to employ design thinking to help steer clients away from its use when sending food out of the restaurant.

09 Peter Sobchak

psobchak@canadianinteriors.com

Bevel is the podcast series where lovers and practitioners of design speak openly about their thoughts and experiences in the industry and ignite dialogue about a discipline always interested in making things better.

Canadian Interiors conversations

Available at canadianinteriors.com/podcasts, as well as: Apple Podcasts

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caught our eye Milan Design Week edition

Marco Gualtieri

Crystal Symphony Print does not do this installation justice. Seen at the offsite event Tortona Rocks during Milan Design Week, Czech firm Preciosa Lighting cleverly combined light, crystal and music in a large-scale exhibition. Two sections — an outer ring reminiscent of sound waves and an inner “heart” — were arranged to encourage visitors to move inwards and then play the inner sections by tapping the crystal rods, whereupon the contact was translated into both light and sounds which then travelled though the outer rings.

Ten Spot Canadian luxury furniture and lighting brand Gabriel Scott celebrated its 10th anniversary and to mark the occasion, founder Scott Richler commissioned six international designers and architects to reimagine its best-selling product, the Welles Chandelier. They included two Americans, two Brits, one from Paris and Canadian hotshot, Alessandro Munge. The results were shown at an exhibit in Milan’s 5VIE District during Salone del Mobile.

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Dry Dock Normally the main courtyard in the middle of Università degli Studi di Milano contains a dazzling piece of sculpture that doubles as a key landmark for Milan Design Week. This year was more of a headscratcher. Piero Lissoni used an array of Innocenti tubes to create complex scaffolding that apparently refers to the structures used to build boats in shipyards. Take away the boats and the idea is that scaffolding itself carries some inherent beauty.

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Simone Bossi

Reflecting the Past Poltrona Frau celebrated its 110th anniversary with an installation in the 18th-century Palazzo Gallarati Scotti courtyard of their Milan flagship showroom. Designed by Milan-based Greta Rosset and styled by Simona Cremascoli, the sculpture also acted as an exhibit, taking guests through the brand’s past, present, and future through ambient music, evocative lighting, artistic representations and audio-visual effects all inside the mirrored cone.

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seen Compiled by Peter Sobchak

Chuffed to Bits!

Celebrating its 11th edition after a two-year hiatus, Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW) festival took over London’s charming district for design industries, to the gratitude of throngs of design lovers.

Victoria Collection | Benchmark Seen in the British Collection exhibition, the new series includes a modular workbench system and folding meeting table; sit-stand desk; credenza; planter and end-of-desk storage, all intended to address the needs for workplace flexibility.

Crafted from solid oak and ash with soft chamfered edge profiles gives the line a pleasing look and feel somewhat unexpected for modular office furniture. www.benchmarkfurniture.com

Revo | Profim The new lightweight modular furniture range designed by Pearson Lloyd, inspired by the design of bicycle helmets made from expanded polypropylene (EPP), is also made from recycled EPP, which is already in its second life and can be remoulded in the future. And, for true circularity, the range is completely demountable, which allows materials to be separated so they can be returned to their technical cycles. No glueing or stapling, the fabric is gathered at the bottom with a simple drawstring. www.profim.eu CANADIAN INTERIORS 7/8 2022

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Sam Frost Photography

Interface at St. John’s Square Placed within St John’s Arch, near Interface’s new showroom in Pennybank Chambers, the installation is a symbolic statement on the company’s evolution from petroleum-intensive to climate-conscious flooring manufacturer. At one end, black yarn represents those carbon beginnings; the middle “pinch” signifies a moment in 1994 when founder Ray Anderson was asked what his company was doing to support the environment, to which he had no response; followed by a fan of rainbow-coloured 100 per cent recycled Econyl yarn used in their carpet tiles; and capped by a ring of light, representing Interface’s aims to become carbon negative by 2040, a “bright future” reflected by the bed of greenery that supports the entire installation.

Kata | Arper Designed

by Barcelona-based Altherr Désile Park and launched late last year, the Kata armchair was still drawing attention as Arper’s first solid-wood lounge seat. The chair blends oak and black locust wood in a frame with a unified seat and back made from a 3D knit textile created from recycled polyester made from post-consumer plastic that is converted into durable and lightweight fibers. www.arper.com

Black Edge Productions

Acoustic Felt – Recycled PET | BAUX Expanding the company’s portfolio of environmentally sensitive sound absorption material with nine new panels in different sizes, shapes and colours all with ceiling-to-floor applicability, design studio Form Us With Love made a couple sustainability focused moves: downsize the hardware kit to just four standardized pieces; and most importantly, use recycled PET bottles collected from various recycling entities across Europe. www.baux.com

XAL & AGO @ Fabric One of CDW’s main charms is its use of interesting buildings and facilities within which to showcase companies and their products. Arguably one of the best this year was the POP exhibit, held in a former Victorian-era cold-store turned nightclub called Fabric. In the bowels of the space, lighting brands XAL and AGO took full advantage of the crypt-like atmosphere to create large-scale, floor-to-ceiling installations to show off their luminaries: the Jane series of flexible light cables by XAL; and Cirkus by Korean company AGO, U-shape modules that can be moved and directed in diverse directions. www.xal.com / www.agolighting.com

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seen Compiled by Peter Sobchak

Return to Form

More than 262,000 people visited Salone del Mobile’s first full-scale event since 2019. And that was just to the fairground. The city of Milan was buzzing with a familiar energy all were clearly happy to be part of again.

Spectrum | Jan Kath The German brand known for making hand-knotted rugs in Nepal has a new collection that draws inspiration from the Northern Lights and “their capacity to ensnare the light and dilute it into the colours of the spectrum, to create an effect resembling a water colour paint as it spreads on paper.” www.jan-kath.com Eleganza | Kartell & Missoni This furniture behemoth was everywhere in Milan, and while I generally despise booths with tighter security than Fort Knox, I can’t help but admit a certain fondness for this armchair. Inspired by the world of fashion, Philippe Starck used Missoni’s trademark zig-zag jacquard effect, creating a high-impact geometric design. Plus, the fabric weave means that it can be reversed, checking both aesthetic and sustainable boxes. www.kartell.com

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Aliante | Rimadesio This new glass cabinet designed by Giuseppe Bavuso is eye-catching for the lightness and transparency of a precious glass box, whose internal accessories including glass shelves and wooden drawer units are reduced to a minimum in order to enhance the objects on display with an integrated LED lighting system. www.rimadesio.it

To-Tie | Flos Neatly summed up by the name, the construction of this table lamp collection “was born by putting in relation three simple elements: cable, bar and cylinder,” says designer Guglielmo Poletti.

Without the need for screws, glues or welds, “the core of the project lies in the tensioning system, which outlines both the formal and functional qualities of the lamp.” www.flos.com Promontory | Refractory This Chicago-based studio had arguably the most interesting space within a campus of interesting spaces: a concrete-enveloped attic on top of a former psychiatric hospital building called Alcova in the Inganni district on the edge of Milan.

With multiple products on display, this standing lamp stood out for the sculptural delicacy of two heavy asymmetrical halves leaning into one another. www.refractory.studio Hortensia Armchair | Moooi Picking one object from the whimsical Dutch brand’s new offerings is like picking one flavour from Baskin Robbins. Impossible, but you know you’re going to love it. Here, the user benefits from Andrés Reisinger and Júlia Esqué envisioning what sitting on 30,000 freshly bloomed petals would be like. What began as a rendering that went viral on social media is now available in two limited edition colours of pink and grey. www.moooi.com Venezia | Fantini This new series of glass handles designed by Matteo Thun and Antonio Rodriguez in collaboration with Venini go delightfully against type for a company typically known for its industrial aesthetic of metallic angles and textures. Here, Murano glass is used to pleasing effect in two handle families: filigree and two-tone (shown), the latter a cylindrical shape in colour combinations of aquamarine/ green, amethyst/amber and red/amber. www.fantini.it Archibald Limited Edition | Poltrona Frau In celebration of the company’s 110th anniversary, Argentine-Spanish mark-making artist Felipe Pantone reimagined the brand’s iconic chair with a mesmerizing, digitized gradient of colours in their new Impact Less leather, bringing together an “analog past and digitized future” says the artist. www.poltronafrau.com

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SaloneSatellite Big business happens in the pavilions of Salone del Mobile.Milano, but it is small forward-facing design gestures that are the most encouraging, and such gestures were in abundance in the SaloneSatellite exhibit, showcasing the work of some 600 promising design talents all under the age of 35.

Naturally there was an awards program, with three prizes and two Special Mentions being handed out for “the message they embody, focusing not just on the formal incisiveness of their design but also their sustainable, communicative, interactive and ludic element, essential for the lives of adults and children now and, hopefully, also in the future.” Top place went to Lani Adeoye of Nigeria for the RemX walker (left), which “exudes a sense of dignity, helping to empower the user.”

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Face à face | Agape Practical? Maybe.

Statement-making? Absolutely. A new geometric bathtub and washbasin concept

by Jean Nouvel Design marks the first collaboration between the Italian and French entities and pays tribute to Jacques-Louis David’s painting The Death of Marat, at least according to the starchitect. What is most interesting is how a system of invisible joints makes the surfaces appear to simply approach one another side by side, showcasing the beauty of natural marble through the language of two-dimensionality. www.agapedesign.it

Re-Rug | nanimarquina Using 1kg/m2 of reprocessed leftover wool accumulated by the company’s suppliers, this new collection is made using the hand-loomed dhurrie technique, resulting in rugs with a flat structure formed from a 50/50 split between warp (made of New Zealand virgin wool dyed black/white, yellow/blue, green/ tile), and weft from marbled recycled yarn of varying thickness and colour. www.nanimarquina.com

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By Matthew Hague Photography by Kerun Ip

Dialogue 38’s approach to crafting organic and sensual dining spaces inflected with Asian influences that are both complex and carefree.

Toronto is a bubble tea town. There are well over 100 spots slinging the popular Asian drink, a number that rivals Starbucks with its 131 locations. A recent outpost of Taiwan-based Machi Machi, in the Toronto suburb of Richmond Hill, stands out. The menu has something to do with it. The long list of playful flavours such as matcha latte with panna cotta jellies are a draw for the young people who regularly line up out the door.

Above The second location for the upscale Yu Seafood restaurant opened in Yorkdale Shopping Centre. Design elements reflect a marriage of traditional and modern aesthetics and incorporate natural finishes to create a warm atmosphere.

The interiors are another big part of the appeal. Curving, colourful walls envelop the service counter, creating a Dr. Seuss-like shroud that makes passersby think: “huh that’s cool.” The big move of the walls is accentuated by something much more subtle. A Venetian

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This page A school of fish fabricated from laser cut steel and finished with gold leaf adds a touch of whimsy. A striking marble bar introduces texture space by evoking the imagery of calligraphic brushstrokes. The design also incorporated elements from the original location including signature coral leaf sculptures and lotus shaped chandeliers that pay homage to the other location’s live seafood tanks.

plaster finish mimics the sheen of the pearls that gives bubble tea its name; it also leaves the walls with a pleasant, eye-catching texture.

Long-time followers of Toronto’s interior design scene might not be surprised to know that Machi Machi was designed by Bennett Lo, founder of Dialogue 38. The architectural feel of the space — the way the walls swoop around, almost creating a building within a building for the service area — is one clue. Lo, who is originally from Hong Kong, earned a Master of Architecture degree from Virginia Tech prior to starting his interiors practice.

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Another hint might be the careful way that Lo incorporates Machi Machi’s standard brand elements while also experimenting with new ideas. Just about every Machi Machi around the world, including the one in Richmond Hill, has a wall that says “I Love You So Machi,” perfect for Instagram selfies. But no others had the swerves before Richmond Hill, a feature that, after Lo introduced it, has already been rolled out to another Toronto location with more to follow.

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Lo has many years of experience helping retail and hospitality brands establish themselves in Toronto. The interiors for a jewellery store called Eko, which Lo did in 2006, was an early success. On the city’s always bustling Queen Street West, the space was a calm respite.

Composed of white walls that folded with origami-like delicacy, the room managed to be both minimal yet inviting, in part because its accordion interiors were so intriguing to anyone walking past.

“We were very lucky that the client saw what we were trying to do,” says Lo, thinking back. “We were trying to solve the problem of how

Above and right Machi Machi Bubble Tea has been expanding in Canada with Dialogue 38-designed locations, including this newest one in Richmond Hill. A wall surface treatment using multiple layers of curved Venetian plaster add dimension and texture to a neutral palette that is both bright and energetic and mimics the effervescence of the beverage’s trademark “bubbles.”

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to display items that are both art and products at the same time, because we were trying to highlight how unique Eko’s jewellery was.”

More notably, Lo helped build the once thriving (though now closed) Spring Rolls pan-Asian restaurant chain. He not only designed 12 of its locations but conceived all the branding and the menus (before Dialogue 38, Lo spent six years working for prominent graphic designer and artist Burton Kramer, famous for creating the CBC logo).

As the chain was expanding in the aughts, Spring Rolls was a revelation in Toronto. According to a 2008 article in Canadian Architect, Lo’s efforts showed the city that Asian restaurants were so much more than clichéd, cheap-and-cheerful affairs. Rather than plastic table clothes and humming fluorescent lighting, each Spring Rolls location had elegant chandeliers, high-end finishes and the buzz of a hip cocktail bar.

Perhaps that precedent is one reason that Yu Seafood, a ritzy new Chinese restaurant, has aspirations to expand in Toronto. Lo designed

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This spread Konjiki Ramen together with dessert spot Saryo Cafe soft-opened a new location in Yorkdale Shopping Centre during the pandemic. Like Dialogue 38’s other clients, this is the newest location in an expansion plan in Toronto that started with their first location in North York back in 2017. A custom storefront mosaic incorporates floral elements found in Japanese art and is used throughout the entire store, juxtaposed against darker elements such as angled wood panelling in the dining area.

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dining room, though, created by the darker material palette and softer lighting scheme at Yorkdale).

both of its locations in the city, the first in Richmond Hill and the second inside the well-trafficked, posh Yorkdale Shopping Centre (the shopping centre has a Tiffany’s boutique and a Louis Vuitton around the corner from a Tesla dealership).

Near to Yu, but still within Yorkdale, Lo has also designed Konjiki, the Canadian transplant of a Michelin-starred, Japanese ramen spot. Despite both being within a shopping plaza — one of Canada’s busiest, with 18 million annual visitors — Lo has carefully crafted distinct worlds apart.

Over and above hip buzzy-ness, for Yu, Lo tilted toward poetry. At Yorkdale, he notes that the black, grey and white tones in the massive marble bar evokes “the imagery of calligraphic brushstrokes.” Both places have abstract chandeliers that have the eye-pleasing layers of water-born lotus flowers.

This is partly achieved by the layout. Yu’s 10,000 square feet is divided between two levels; a main entry opens to the mall on the lower portion, but the 8,000-sq.-ft. dining room is tucked out of sight on an upper floor.

Konjiki is one level, but the main mall traffic moves past an upfront desert counter, perhaps intrigued to stop by a dazzling floral mosaic that wraps the entry. Within the dining room, nestled in the back, slatted walls of blond wood recreate the vibe of a quaint Tokyo pub; a moody one, with a jet-black ceiling and sleek, cylindrical drop lights.

A Fine Palette To Lo, part of what makes a design work is taking care of the details both big and small. Whimsical touches of all sizes elevate Yu, such as a series of fish fabricated from laser cut steel then finished with gold leaf, or the 20-foot sculpture of a coral that makes the space seem like a chic underwater reef. Another aspect is paying attention to the needs of the location, including the demographics of the potential clients. In a simple sense, that could translate to Machi Machi having a youthful attitude because it is frequented by tweens and teens who love Asian pop music and have yet to graduate high school.

But Lo also delves deeper into nuances. At the Richmond Hill location of Yu, there are eight VIP rooms, because the local clientele is more apt to throw large, pre-planned private parties; Yorkdale’s Yu only has two VIP rooms, because customers in Yorkdale are less likely to have organized events, more likely to pop-in after binge shopping at Holt Renfrew (there is still a sense of intimacy in the communal

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Konjiki and Yu were built mid-pandemic. That might seem like a strange time to invest in hospitality design. And maybe it is. Especially as the designs only nod slightly to the hardships of COVID-19.

“Clients are now asking more for things like touch-less faucets,” says Lo, “to avoid having to touch common surfaces.” Otherwise, there are no plexiglass dividers or seats spaced at least two metres apart.

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“It’s true that hospitality was badly effected by the pandemic,” says Lo. “For a while, I had no hospitality projects. Then when things started to open up again and looked like they were returning to normal, some clients said okay. Let’s do this. Let’s do something new!”

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Populism meets high design at one of Canada’s greatest natural phenomena.

By Peter Sobchak

Photography by Ben Rahn / A-Frame

A jewel in the crown of Canada’s natural wonders, Niagara Falls is actually composed of three thundering cascades, but the one everyone thinks about, and which certainly graces almost all tourist paraphernalia is Horseshoe Falls. When visitors come to the Canadian side, they invariably make a pilgrimage to Table Rock, the most dramatic viewing point from which the 2,600-ft.-wide curved lip of the Falls extends across to the American side. “Breathtaking” barely describes the spectacle. So breathtaking, in fact, that many seem to forget to turn around and experience the understated Welcome Centre, a retail and dining complex mere steps away.

Built in 1926, expanded in 1974 and owned and operated by Niagara Parks Commission, the existing restaurant and retail areas were looking “dull and dingy,” as Commission chairwoman Sandie Bellows admitted in a Niagara Falls Review story. So, the Commission turned to Torontobased Johnson Chou Design in collaboration with +VG Architects to enact a $9.7-million program that called for a complete modernization of the main floor retail and fast-food area, renamed Table Rock Centre, and extensive refreshment of the former Elements on the Falls on the upper level, now called Table Rock House Restaurant, including the dining areas as well as main entrance, waiting area, kitchen service and bar.

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This spread Comprised of retail spaces, an up-scale restaurant and fast casual dining, Table Rock Welcome Centre is inspired by both the site’s history and awesome beauty of nearby Niagara River and Horseshoe Falls. A central circulation hall connecting the spaces employs a “river” motif of textured stone flooring and linear ceiling lighting in light blue, referencing both flowing water and the nightly coloured illumination of the Falls. Natural materials are used throughout, such as brass and copper counter finishes and undulating wooden screens in the Market.

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Table Rock House Restaurant

Visitors’ first exposure to the facility is the Welcome Centre, which Johnson Chou describes as “a notional hub” through which one engages with the essence of Niagara Falls. Here, all the retail and hospitality features — the Main Entry, Table Rock House Shop, The Table Rock Market, and the Journey Behind the Falls — function “in a supporting role to the visitor’s appreciation of the awe-inspiring, brutally magnificent, cascading natural wonder,” says Chou.

The design concept elevates said experience by “creating spatial narratives with metaphorical forms and details” of both the history and natural wonder of the area, according to Chou. This is most evident in the dynamic main circulation hall ceiling, or “River,” suggesting the movement of water flowing through the Welcome Centre connecting the attractions, retail and hospitality components.

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The 6,383-sq.-ft. restaurant — “a sophisticated, high-end dining option on the precipice of one of the Seven Wonders of the World,” according to Paul Sapounzi, president and managing partner of +VG Architects — seats 280 and features locally sourced food and artisanal wines from the adjoining Niagara-on-the-Lake region. “The room was conceived as a means to frame the phenomenal view of this angry torrent of water,” says Chou. “The beauty and raw violence of the Falls is simultaneously shocking and mesmerizing.” An entry sequence starts at the cantilevered entrance tunnel enclosing the host station, after which patrons are led into the restaurant past a weaving, custom acrylic screen and living wall inspired by the bubbles and frothing water of the Niagara River gorge, whereupon they descend a gentle ramp which captures and prolongs the experience of the

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This spread The design focus of Table Rock House Restaurant on Level 2 is to amplify the view of the Falls. The entrance sequence was reconfigured via an extended ramp to visually connect guests with a prolonged view of the Falls. A radial configuration of the dining and bar areas result in every seat having a view, and reflective ceiling surfaces conceal low ceilings while having the impression of being “wet.” At night, coloured lighting references the colour-changing illumination of the Falls. The use of natural materials such as stone, wood and indigenous planting draws the exterior environment indoors.

Falls. “You are met with an immediate, stunning view and suddenly you’re seated,” says Chou.

A limited colour and materials palette helps the space to read as a cohesive whole. Copper cladding lends an antique quality to the entrance tunnel, bar, cash desk and servery. Stretched, mirrored ceiling material on the room’s central circular bulkhead reflects table settings below it and the scene outside. The ceiling treatment raises the room’s apparent height while letting patrons see the Falls in their peripheral vision no matter which direction they’re looking.

“Our design concept was inspired by the client’s notion that Table Rock is a ‘portal’ to a unique Canadian experience,” says Chou.

“Recognizing it as the first destination immigrants often visit to

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celebrate their arrival, where they take their visiting friends and family and its enduring, visceral impression, our design is intended to build upon that memory, to create an extraordinary dining experience that enhances and defers to the natural wonder, the unbridled power and majesty of the Falls.”

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xxxxxx

Uncertainty to Resiliency

By Kai Fraser

As the world experiences more black-swan events, from pandemics to extreme weather, airports must adapt by creating more agile business models.

Over the last two years, even the best resiliency plans have been tested, prompting many to re-evaluate what resiliency looks like going forward. Airports are in a unique position to become that best-inclass model for the future.

The way buildings are upgraded, managed, and built will also need to be considered in the future as more severe weather prompts the need for more resilient buildings. Even if the building is not very old, it may be prudent to review the structure on a periodic basis to adjust for natural disasters and the effects of climate change.

Both capital and operational resilience must be considered as part of any resilience plan. Capital resilience is the ability to deliver projects in a constantly changing environment, resulting in agile models that can pivot and reallocate capital throughout the asset lifecycle. On the other hand, operational resilience is the need to support operations teams with planning, identifying problems and proposing solutions that mitigate short, medium, and long-term risks and avoid critical failures.

For example, in British Columbia, a lot of work is being done to ensure key infrastructure maintains the highest level of seismic resilience. And at many other airports in North America, where coastal flood maps have been redrawn, portions of runway, terminals, and hangers have or will need to be augmented to prevent damage from storm surges and unusually high tides.

As the world has experienced an increasing number of black swan events, such as the pandemic or more severe weather systems, it is important that resilience plans adapt. Airports are in a unique position as they are the “front line” for many of these significant events.

One way of adjusting is the concept of adaptable terminals and making investments to ensure that an airport can either ramp-up or deleverage their usable space based on demand.

Economic factors can also be very influential. In 2021 we saw a lot of change with net-zero commitments made by many major companies.

Some commitments already exist but with net-zero commitments taking hold, this will lead to a restructuring of the economy over time.

A clear example is the Government of Canada announcing a ban on the sale of fuel-burning cars and light-duty trucks from 2035. Airports will need to adapt by identifying and including infrastructure to support electric vehicles in the future. It will quickly change from a “nice to have” to a potential risk if not factored into capital plans.

For example, airline consolidation has resulted in numerous mergers and acquisitions over the last decade. For an airport, if a merger were to occur with its major airline, would the airport be able to survive if it were no longer a hub? It is this sort of planning that has prompted Pittsburgh International airport to develop cargo and freight revenue streams to offset lower passenger demand. Conversely, the opposite may be true. As we transition from the pandemic stage to the endemic stage of COVID-19, many airlines and airports are anticipating that the pent-up demand for travel will result in the highest passenger volumes the industry has seen potentially in decades.

Many airports will have to contend with the associated high traffic volumes, footfall, retail consumption and gate congestion to maximize the number of aircraft that can land and take off per hour each day. Road networks and mass transit options will need to be optimized to avoid impairing traffic. Routine maintenance and cleaning/ disinfection will need to be ramped up. And techniques like flexible gate systems, where airlines can grow and shrink the number of available gates, may need to be installed.

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However, with every risk comes opportunity. And how each airport manages this will determine how resilient they are in the future. It will be important to factor these emerging trends into any resiliency plan, while also considering the practical implications of any investments, to ensure they add operational and economic security when needed most.

In the future, the most successful airports will be the ones that have diversification of income streams and invest in upgrades that can protect against changes in regulations, sudden drops in passenger volumes, and unforeseen extreme weather events.

Kai Fraser is Director at Turner & Townsend, an independent professional services company specializing in program management, project management, cost and commercial management and consulting across the real estate, infrastructure and natural resources sectors.

This article was included in the 2022 Canadian Construction Market Intelligence Report released in

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February. www.turnerandtownsend.com

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NANAIMO AIRPORT office of mcfarlane biggar architects + designers (omb) Photography: Andrew Latreille

Monolithic departure gate counters are made of slate from a local quarry, and solid Douglas fir stools were sourced from neighbouring forests and manufactured by local artisans. The millwork and thresholds are lined with solid Corian surfaces, inset with white wayfinding to minimize visual clutter.

Located south of the growing port city of Nanaimo, on B.C.’s Vancouver Island, the 17,500-sq.-ft. expansion is the first phase in omb’s 55,000-sq.-ft. master plan for the terminal, comprising a new passenger lounge, dedicated security screening area and a new repeating modular building design that can facilitate future expansion for a terminal anticipated to triple in size by 2035.

Inside and out, omb used the island’s geology, mining and forestry industries for visual motifs, such as a carved interior ceiling volume made of pickled Western Hemlock representing underground coal mining seams. A Nordic-inspired palette of neutral white woods and light greys showcases the terminal’s strong angular forms, while dramatic V-shaped exterior columns, inspired by trestle bridge geometries, brace the entire structure.

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The building modules each face the direction of travel, gradually opening toward the airside into expansive views of awaiting aircraft, acting as passive wayfinding and helping to alleviate passenger anxiety, especially in the security queue. These public circulation paths are reinforced by a maple-lined wall running the full length of the new departure lounge, which provides privacy for the passenger screening area while also concealing critical building services such as air distribution, garbage and recycling receptacles, and public washrooms.

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VICTORIA AIRPORT office of mcfarlane biggar architects + designers (omb) Photography: Andrew Latreille

Located at the northern tip of the Saanich Peninsula, the Victoria International Airport Holdroom expansion is the newest addition to the B.C. capital’s main airport terminal building. The design approach, while rooted in embracing tight construction constraints given that it was still an active airport, embraced the three primary qualities of materials, light and views.

As the day progresses and weather changes, the quality of the overhead daylight constantly changes, in contrast with the more diffused light entering through the glazed walls, which also provide foreground views onto the apron, highlighting the buzzing activity of the terminal while operation and maintenance equipment are concealed by outdoor planters which run the length of the expansion.

The day-lit space is punctuated by hemlock-panelled monoliths that mark each of the departure gates for ease of passenger wayfinding.

Where each monolith meets the ceiling, it is complemented by a large skylight which maps onto the airline counter and queue space below.

A material palette selected to be durable and withstand constant heavy use by passengers includes terrazzo for both flooring and interior planters, and ceramic and carpet tiles used to distinguish the active circulation areas from the more informal seating areas.

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CHIBOUGAMAU-CHAPAIS AIRPORT EVOQ + ARTCAD Photography: Maxime Brouillet

proximity to the boreal forest, the terminal’s design showcases locally produced wood, particularly high-performance products such as glulam and cross-laminated timber (CLT) structural slabs. The waiting area is delimited on three sides by timber curtain walls, topped by a raised roof forming a south-facing clerestory. Stressed CLT panels spanning 12 metres are supported by wood columns at each end, reinforced with high-strength steel rods tying the centre to the extremities.

A gateway to the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Québec and servicing a large territory that includes the growing communities of Chibougamau, Chapais and Oujé-Bougoumou, a new terminal building was deemed necessary to meet an increasing demand not just in passenger traffic but also freight, medical evacuations and forest firefighting operations, which the airport also fulfills.

The new building is composed of two low structures on either side of a glazed concourse that serves as a central hub. The exterior façade features the name in Cree and French and is accented with artwork

by Emmanuelle Gendron, integrated into the transparency of the timber curtain walls and paying homage to the Eeyou Istchee region.

Visual connectivity from the parking lot to the runway is reinforced by the consistent use of materials and lighting treatment. Highlighting its

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A mixed roof structural system combining engineered wood and steel components allows for both large spans and reduced roof thickness, which contributes to the interior shading strategy through its generous overhangs. The curtain walls provide natural light and improved energy efficiency, contributing to structural bracing, while the clerestory acts as a load-bearing axis, eliminating the need for a structural beam.

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From California to Ottawa

Adapting Residential Mid-Century Modern Concepts

By François LeBlanc Photography by Gordon King

CANADIAN INTERIORS 7/8 2021

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owners were particularly attracted to designs by architect Rudolph A. Matern having an “adventurous approach.” Matern designed an elevated residence that provided a complete list of well-organized facilities for the full life and activities of the family. A prominent skywell feature was located in the centre of the plan which allowed opportunities for most rooms to have inward facing fenestration, light and additional views to the exterior.

The story of Isabelle and Pietro Borracci’s new single-family residence project began approximately 15 years ago. Pietro Borracci bought an investment property in the Carlingwood West neighbourhood of Ottawa in 2004. In 2019, Isabelle and Pietro decided to build a new residence on the property, carefully designed and tailored to suit their family and lifestyle for decades to follow. The lot was large – 84 feet by 103 feet – and the existing house on the property, constructed back in the 1950s, had no significant architectural features and was to be demolished to make room for the new residence that would take better advantage of the lot size and site opportunities.

The houses in the immediate surroundings are primarily low-lying bungalows, clad in red and light-coloured brick, built during the mid20th century era. To integrate with the existing streetscape character and setting, Isabelle and Pietro established a vision for their new residence to echo mid-century-modern architectural characteristics and vocabulary, while having a contemporary signature. After spending ample time exploring diverse examples of residential architecture from this era, they were particularly attracted to Californian westcoast housing designs. After narrowing down their inspiration, the

Once Isabelle and Pietro shortlisted must-have features to be incorporated into their new residence, followed by a series of thoughtful sketches to arrive to a preliminary floor design layout they were happy with, it was time for them to retain an architect to elaborate on their concept and bring it to life. Isabelle and Pietro set objectives for an architect who would take their initial ideas and sketches and carefully refine their functional program, while developing a distinctive personalized design for their new long-term home.

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They selected Ottawa-based architect, Robert Martin, from Robertson Martin Architects (RMA). Robert was quite familiar with this mid-century-modern architectural style through his 25 years as a 7/8 2021 CANADIAN INTERIORS

FLOOR PLAN

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ENTNCE WAY ENTRY MASTER BEDROOM ENSUITE WALK IN CLOSET BEDROOM BATHROOM PANTRY LAUNDRY KITCHEN DINING AERA LIVING ROOM COURTYARD DECK GARAGE DRIVEWAY

ture a sky-well in the center of the house, floor-to-ceiling windows, skylights and transoms, complete with private outdoor rooms and patios. Eichler homes are also known for their flat or low-slung roofs and low horizontal forms.

practicing architect, and also having a family relative that owns and lives in an Eichler House that embodies the mid-century modern architectural movement. Matern’s architectural style was associated with various design explorations in California during the mid-century, including Eichler Homes.

Design

What is an Eichler Home?

Following on Isabelle and Pietro’s vision and initial sketches, Robert Martin and his colleague, Nicholas Breault, designed a one-storey house that borrowed, by analogy, the primary characteristics of an Eichler Home, while aiming to bring a revitalizing contemporary design sensibility into the neighbourhood.

From 1945-1966, Case Study Houses, sponsored by Arts and Architecture Magazine, commissioned prominent architects of the postwar period to experiment, design and build inexpensive and efficient model homes in California for the growing United States residential housing boom. Joseph Leopold Eichler (1900 – 1974) was inspired by living in a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home as well as the proliferation of Modernist design ideas by the above group and their associates. He was a 20th-century post-war American real estate developer known for developing distinctive residential subdivisions of mid-century modern style tract housing. An Eichler Home is one of the 11,000 dwellings built by developer Eichler and his company between 1949 and 1966. Many consider Eichler Homes to have changed the face of modern architecture and interior design in California. Indeed, today they are known as quintessential examples of the mid-century-modern, or “California modern aesthetic.”

Architecturally speaking, a signature Eichler concept focuses on “bringing the outside in.” Accordingly, Eichler homes commonly fea-

Stemming from many design elements of Eichler Homes and midcentury modern cues, the design features predominantly horizontal forms, a flat roof with large overhanging eaves, exposed rafter tails, transom windows, symmetry in both plan and elevation, and large windows overlooking the rear yard amenity space and framing surrounding greenery.

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In plan, the bedrooms and private spaces are intentionally located at the front, while all public and living spaces are clustered together. Upon entering the home through a large custom wood-panel door into a spacious hall, unobstructed views immediately unfold reaching across the depth of the floor plan, distinctly made possible by an open-air central courtyard that is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glazing and adjacent 7/8 2021 CANADIAN INTERIORS

corridors. The architect’s reinterpretation of the Eichler Home courtyard, which has been meticulously adapted to the Canadian climate, results in a unique residential architectural feature in the Ottawa area.

The adjacent corridors allow for fluid procession through the residence from front to back, by providing a choice to proceed either right or left around the courtyard. Alternatively, one can take the shortcut directly through the courtyard via outward sliding patio doors located at each end, establishing a strong relationship between inside and outside, which is notably one of the most important design themes in Eicher Homes: to bring the outside in. Within the courtyard, a feature tree, bound by a landscaped stone walkway and natural stone steps into the residence, provides a focal point for the design. The courtyard is sloped towards interior perimeter trench drains to strategically shed away annual snowfalls in our northern Canadian climate, when required.

Just past the courtyard are located the common areas in series that include the kitchen, dining area, and living space, each having a playful configuration of large windows providing ample natural light and visual connections to the outdoor yard and greenspace. The rear yard is accessed by two glazed doors, located on each side of the dining area and centered on the circulation hallways flanking the courtyard.

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dence that reach out to the rear yard and intentionally frame key landscaped elements and plantings.

The texture and warm colour of the exterior wood, brick, and stucco finishes blend in harmony, while neutral interior areas of the house come alive as they are cast in varying light and shadows giving a sundial effect as both the sun and moon change positions, all made possible by the central courtyard. The courtyard in a winter snowstorm offers delight akin to watching an internal snow globe.

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The window proportions were carefully studied to balance with the solid elements and create a sense of rhythm across the façades. Their locations were intentionally aligned on-center with doorways and hallways beyond, further echoing axial relationships and symmetry found at the very root of the mid-century modern housing design movement.

The front-facing awning and transom combination windows, serving two of the four bedrooms, provide a generous amount of natural light to the dwelling areas while creating a subtle feeling of privacy. This intriguing window configuration and symmetrical location across the front façade, paired with the minimalist cladding palette, yields a crisp geometric appearance to the streetscape, while both fitting into context in modest fashion and standing out at the same time.

lifted and the building permit was finally issued, Isabelle and Pietro were faced with yet more difficulties as the prices of building materials rose sharply and trade workers became very difficult to find.

For Robert and Nicholas at RMA, the success of this project largely came down to their iterative design workflow and principles, as well as a nurtured collaboration with their clients, Isabelle and Pietro. The project began with a set of ideas to reflect key design characteristics of mid-century modern residential architecture, while adapting the design to the site and Canadian climate. These considerations evolved into an understanding of where and how to integrate certain features into the design, all while adjusting to suit a modern-day family’s lifestyle, needs and well-being.

The framing components for the Borracci residence were pre-ordered and pre-fabricated just before the pandemic struck. However, because of the provincial shutdown, they were temporarily stored at the manufacturer’s premises. As the shutdown dragged on, keeping the material in storage became a challenge. Other challenges included the sudden major price increases for wood (110 per cent in three months) and other building materials and some very frustrating situations when manufacturing facilities closed their shops, such as siding, tiling, roofing, fireplace, as well as windows and doors. When it was all said and done, the pandemic caused a budget increase of around $30,000 and a delay of at least six months.

Construction Phase To keep construction costs down as much as possible, Isabelle and Pietro decided to take on the role of “builders” for this project and hired Paragon Homes as construction manager to assist with the selection and management of the various trades.

Then the unforeseeable happened: Covid-19. Preparation for building the new residence had started early in 2020, just a few months before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the Ottawa region. The delayed issuance of the building permit meant that that when the Ontario provincial government decided to halt residential construction not already underway, the project had to stop for several months. When the restrictions were

In the end, the Borracci residence turned out to be a good example of how to create quality architecture and keep costs down as much as possible in unprecedented times.

François LeBlanc is the former National Capital Commission Chief Architect and Head of Field

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Projects at the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angeles.

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Photo by David Zwirner

over & out

Infinity and Beyond

Kusama’s environments proffer analog experiences both within and outside our universes.

By Elsa Lam

between being in our bodies and part of the world, and being connected to something larger than ourselves,” says Sim.

Montréal is emerging from two years of pandemic lockdowns and curfews with a bustling summer restaurant scene, the return of festivals, and the reopening of museums. Topping it off is an extra special treat: a new exhibition by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. “It’s the bomb,” says PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art managing director and curator Cheryl Sim. The non-profit organization, which operates out of a trio of buildings in Old Montréal, was fortunate that the 93-year-old artist agreed to the relatively small exhibition amid several larger retrospectives around the world, says Sim. “Dancing Lights that Flew up to the Universe” includes two of Kusama’s celebrated Infinity Mirrored Rooms, as well as a duo of Peep-In Rooms and a tightly curated selection of paintings and sculptures. Full of dots and mirrors, the work sparks delight, but also has deeper resonances that are particularly apt for this moment of emergence from the pandemic. It’s about “exploring the tensions CANADIAN INTERIORS 7/8 2022

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Kusama has long-standing personal experiences with feelings of connection and disconnection: since she was a child, she has suffered from hallucinations, perceiving patterns that engulfed her surroundings and consumed her. She checked herself into a hospital in 1977, where she has lived since. She likens her own being to a single dot among an infinite number of dots. “Being amid thousands of points of lights, there’s a fear of being lost and disappearing, but we also hope that visitors find a moment of peace,” says Sim. The exhibition runs until January 15, 2023 at the PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art in Montréal.

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Elsa Lam is editor of Canadian Architect.

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RBC Wealth Management Millwork feature wall with LED illuminated logo Designed, developed & delivered by eurOptimum

eurOptimum.com

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design / develop / deliver

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New Silestone With HybriQ+ Technology

Changing the World From the Kitchen More Sustainable. More Silestone.

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July August 2022

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