Design Quarterly - Winter 2010

Showcasing BC & Alberta’s architects and interior designers

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WINTER 2010 Vol. 10 No. 3

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Private Residences at

Hotel Georgia Buildex Vancouver Preview 2010

Designer Shelley Penner | Fireplaces | Tile & Stone | Furniture | Green Design

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contents

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Y WINTER 2010 Vol. 10 No.3

www.designquarterly.ca PUBLISHER Dan Gnocato dang@mediaedge.ca Managing Editor Cheryl Mah Graphic Designers Shannon Swanson Cory Dawson CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lesley Beale, Noel Cormack,Suzanne Drake, Katie Dunsworth- Reiach,Mark Friesen, Nicala Hicks, Preston Meyer, Michael Oshman, Joanna Ostrowski, Rod Sigman Miguel Strother, Jim Toy B.C./ALBERTA SALES Dan Gnocato 604.739.2115 ext. 223

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06 Designer Profile

Vancouver designer Shelley Penner has been leading the way for green design for more than 20 years.

PRESIDENT Kevin Brown vancouver office

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12 project Profile

The Private Residences at Hotel Georgia, with its unique location and modern design, will reshape Vancouver’s skyline as one of the city’s tallest buildings.

Features 20 Tile & Stone

The Beauty of Glass Tiles The Skinny on Porcelain Tile and Stone Sealers

26 Fireplaces

Stylish Flames: Modern Eco-Friendly Fireplaces Fireplace Glass Doors: Safety and Style More Fireplace Design Options

30 Furniture

Hospitality Furniture: Comfort and Design Modern Italian Furniture Design Taking Sustainability to the Next Level

40 Green Design

Greening the Restaurant Industry The Green Patient Room Living Green

departments 04 From the Editor 43 IDIBC Waking Up to the Business of Design 44 Architects in Alberta Designing Sustainable Communities 45 Design Headlines

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ON THE COVER: Private Residences at Hotel Georgia, Vancouver.

The purpose of Design Quarterly is to reflect and represent practitioners and professionals in the architectural, interior design and design resource communities throughout British Columbia and Alberta.

Winter 2010 | DESIGN QUARTERLY 3

::::::: from the editor :::::::

growth and densification

V

ancouver’s downtown building height restrictions and view corridors were a hot topic of debate lately. The view corridor policy, formally adopted in 1989, was being re-examined by the city, sparking intense dialogue between advocates and critics.

As a long time Vancouverite, I love our downtown skyline and being able to see our spectacular mountain backdrop and waterways. It sets our city core apart from others and why Vancouver has been often recognized as one of the most livable in the world. So I’m glad council rejected the recent proposal for new taller towers. How the city chooses to address future growth and densification will be an important one to monitor.

Of course, exceptions for taller buildings have been made — as long as they respect the view corridors. Set to become Vancouver’s second tallest building is The Private Residences at Hotel Georgia, our feature project. The $480 million development includes the construction of a 500 foot mix use tower and the complete renovation of the adjacent historic Hotel Georgia. Read about the dis-

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DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

tinctive design for the tower’s form and the various green features incorporated including the use of solar cells (a first for a Canadian residential building).

A well recognized leader in green design is Shelley Penner. The Vancouver designer recently opened a storefront for p+a furniture — a line of residential and contract furnishings. We talk to her about that, how she got to where she is today and of course green design.

Continuing on the theme of green, we highlight how sustainable principles can be applied successfully to different types of projects in our focus on green design. Other feature articles include furniture, fireplaces, tile and stone.

As always, this issue contains our annual Buildex Vancouver preview. This year the popular trade show will be held at the new Vancouver Convention Centre West.

Cheryl Mah Managing Editor

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::::::: designer profile :::::::

green pioneer

By Cheryl Mah

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DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

p+a furniture store

M ar t i n Tes s le r

S

helley Penner has been practicing and leading the way for green design for more than 20 years. The Vancouver designer’s passion for sustainability dates back to her university days when she was first introduced to the concept of environmentally responsible design.

Penner, well ahead of her time, helped to pioneer sustainable design principles not only locally but nationally.

She co-founded the EcoDesign Resource Society in 1992, a predecessor to many of today’s organizations which promote sustainable design, planning and development. It was a grassroots non-profit multidisciplinary organization created to encourage and provide environmental resources for design and construction.

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“I remember talking to David Rousseau who was very encouraging about a need for such an organization. And this is all prior to LEED and organizations like the Canadian Green Building Council,” recalls Penner, who devoted several years to the society’s development.

Since then, her green expertise has been well recognized and sought after. She was the LEED project team administrator for the VANOC 2010 projects and she was also involved with the groundbreaking Sustainable Condo in 2004.

As the director of one of Canada’s leading sustainable interior design studios, Penner & Associates, Penner heads a multi-disciplinary team that balances sustainable design strategies with strong aesthetics, function, performance and cost.

“Good design and green design is really synonymous and that’s what’s happening now. Sustainability is becoming more and more mainstream,” says Penner.

The 43-year-old has come a long way since growing up in Winnipeg. The youngest of three, she remembers first “designing” with a Lego set.

“My cousin and I were enthused with Lego in our early teens. She was going to be an architect and I was going to be an interior designer and we would build things with Lego,” Penner says with a laugh.

At an age when you can do almost anything, Penner chose interior design as a career path and the rest, as they say, is history.

“It was a very rigourous program — very challenging for me because I really had no background in design, architecture or drawing.

I went into it right out of highschool,” says Penner. “I hit it right in terms of choosing interior design and the fact that I’m still involved in it is quite remarkable.”

After graduating with a Bachelor of Interior Design from the University of Manitoba in 1988, Penner initially worked for a millwork company. The recession at that time meant design work was scarce.

“I learned so much there in terms of how to build things and shop drawings. It was a great experience where I dealt with clients, stakeholders and contractors,” she says.

Penner moved to Vancouver in 1989 and worked for different in8

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P a u l J o s ep h

Centre kitchen

M a r ti n Te ssl e r

designer profile :::::::

terior firms before she turned her attention to green research and co-founded the EcoDesign Resource Society. In 1997, she started her own design studio with early commissions focused on private residences and research projects.

The studio’s first significant project was a private residence on Salt Spring Island in 2003. The environmentally conscious design of the 4,500 square foot waterfront home earned Penner the first of many awards for design excellence.

Penner describes her style as modernist minimalism with warmth.

“For me it really is stripping back to get to the essence so it’s not superficial application of finishes and materials. There has to be a good rationale for using one thing or another,” says Penner. “We have a very significant aesthetic but it’s really about developing unique solutions for clients based on their programmatic requirements.”

M a r ti n Te ssl e r

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Tides Renewal Centre reception

Penner oversees a staff of five including long time associate Robin McIntosh. Her responsibilities include overseeing design (in particular LEED projects) and business development. In addition to professional practice, Penner is involved in delivering seminars, writing and conducting research.

“I love applying creativity to the many different things I do,” she says. “I really love designing but I also see myself first and foremost as an entrepreneur.”

Today, the design practice has diversified to include commercial, residential and institutional projects all primarily located in Vancouver. Current projects include private residences, an organic and natural food store and the Tides Renewal Centre.

Being selected to design the Canada Green Building Council’s Vancouver office and the Arbutus Lands Info Centre in 2006 help broaden the practice’s scope of services.

“We have a wide ranging skill set and because we’re green, we have lots of different projects coming to us,” says Penner. “We have a lot of experience with LEED projects with three Gold and one Platinum certified project and hopefully two more Gold soon.”

The studio has firmly established its reputation for high aesthetic standards, sustainable leadership and innovative design solutions.

Penner attributes success to talented and creative people, hard work and professionalism.

“We’ve been fortunate because we’ve been leaders in green design, which sets us apart,” says Penner. “People ask me what happens when green becomes mainstream? I say we’ll always be ahead of the curve because we have a drive to do that.”

Always aspiring to “go to the next level”, Penner expanded her design talents to the retail sector with the launch of p+a furniture — a line of residential and contract furnishings.

“Initally, p+a was an exit strategy from Penner & Associates but I recognized some time ago how symbiotic the two are,” says Penner. “p+a embodies our design commitment to sustainability. The inspiration for p+a stems from the principles of simple and clean lines, functionality and the idea of buying for a lifetime.”

Manufactured in Calgary, designs utilize certified veneers and solid wood from sustainably-managed forests, low-VOC stains and finishes, and natural, renewable materials like wool and hemp. Even the packaging is from reusable and recycled materials.

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DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

Descriptive bilingual cards accompany all products, providing details such as the materials and finishes, a sustainability scorecard and care instructions.

The p+a furniture store officially opened June 4, 2009 in the newly renovated Flack Block on West Hastings Street. The storefront is a showcase for p+a furniture and is also the new home of Penner & Associates.

The Flack Block is also the site of The Renewal Centre, which is Penner’s largest project to date.

“Our role started as interior designers and then it expanded to wearing many hats and performing project management on behalf of the client,” says Penner. “It was a beautiful and challenging project.”

Although the studio has been working on a mainstay of commercial projects, Penner says the storefront is attracting residential clients.

“The whole point of the studio and store combined is to turn the design process inside out and allow transparency through the design process,” explains Penner. “At this point of my career, I’m interested in applying creativity to business development and business models. This combination of the design studio and p+a is something I’m interested in exploring… potentially opening up in city centres elsewhere.”

The furniture line is designed to have a broad appeal and the target niche is a middle market between IKEA and high-end custom stores.

“There is such an absence in the middle market of well designed economically accessible furniture,” notes Penner. “We’re looking at the contract side of furniture — the hotel market — to create volume orders so we can get costs down and hit a middle market.”

Penner knows diversification is key to business survival so the creation of the furniture line was also in part to help ensure future growth potential. The current market conditions clearly reinforce the importance of her decision.

“It’s going to be challenging for small and mid-size firms in the upcoming years so that’s why I’ve been on this path of creating options and a more resilient business model so that we can continue to grow and re-envision ourselves,” she says about the market slowdown.

Developing the p+a business model has occupied most of Penner’s time in the last two years — meaning long hours away from home.

Her resolution for 2010 is to spend more quality family time with her husband Bryan and her 9-year-old son Tobias. DQ

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::::::: project profile :::::::

height of luxury

By Cheryl Mah

W

ith its exceptional blend of location and contemporary design, The Private Residences at Hotel Georgia is set to take luxury condo living to new heights.

Designed by IBI/HB Architects, the Private Residences is being built in the heart of downtown Vancouver at Georgia and Howe. The 48 storey tower will offer 156 condos and 60,000 square feet of office space. When completed, the 500 foot tower will reshape the skyline as one of the city’s tallest buildings.

“The Private Residences at Hotel Georgia will place the city’s favourite heritage hotel next door to a daring, contemporary highrise design,” says Bruce Langereis, president of Hotel Georgia Development Ltd.

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The $480 million project, being developed in association with Delta Land Development Ltd., includes construction of a reinforced concrete commercial and residential tower along with the restoration of the historic Hotel Georgia. The iconic landmark will be transformed into a luxury boutique hotel with 154 guest rooms

by Endall Elliot Associates.

Built in 1927, the hotel is one of the few remaining Georgian Revival structures on the West Coast. Protecting the hotel’s heritage elements was a critical part of the project, notes Langereis, and one of the first things to be done when Scott Construction broke ground in 2007.

The hotel’s exterior and interior will see a number of heritage feature elements reconstructed and restored to its original appearance.

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NET WORK. Stay eet new contacts m d ills an d ol h it w ur professional sk yo ep keep in touch ke d an ry your indust is happening in t ha w t ou ab t en rr EDUCATE. Be cu the and talent may be es ic rv well honed. se , ts uc od and new pr rapidly changing is ld or w ss ne si e bu DISCOVER. Th ness. real to close new busi ed ir qu re l or commercial ia ge nt ra de si leve re of g d managin dational gning, building an e above three foun si th de e nd th ou in ar ed ed lv iz s invo s are organ For professional es and trade show nc re fe n co X E D estate the BUIL : es where you can ated industry business principl n and in a co-loc io pt ce re et re G the Meet & the show floor, at on rk o tw e N • uet. ill t or awards banq d professional sk association even an c fi ci pe -s ry st er 100 indu team at one of ov ur yo d an lf se ur • Educate yot seminars. show enhancemen tors on our trade bi hi ex of ds re es from hund urces and servic so , rs lie pp su w • Discover ne us at floors. t to help. Contact an w e W d. te ec EX events. d stay conn upcoming BUILD te new business an r ea ou cr of to e ity on un to rt u po elcoming yo Don’t miss the op look forward to w e .W m co s. ow sh www.buildex

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DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

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::::::: project profile :::::::

The 14 storey building has also undergone a multi-million dollar seismic upgrade which included the installation of heavy reinforcing rods 80 feet down.

“The seismic work was a lot more than what we anticipated,” says Langereis. “It’s been a complicated structural exercise.”

The parking structure immediately north of the hotel was demolished to make room for the new tower. The architects were challenged to fit multiple programs on the constrained site.

“The main difficulty on that project was the extremely small footprint and figuring out how to get an underground parkade and a 500 foot tower to fit on the tight site,” says Hilde Heyvaerts, an associate with IBI/HB Architects. “That was the first hurdle to overcome. It was tough but we made it work right down to the last inch.”

The project was a two year design process for IBI/HB Architects, who came on board in 2005. Redevelopment of the site has been in the works since 1997 with a previous design that was not built.

The small footprint also required an unconventional approach to the tower’s form and mass.

“If we had gone straight up it would have given us a small tower plate which is not very efficient,” explains Heyvaerts.

Instead, the tower flares out as it ascends, creating a distinctive sculptural form with canted facades. At night the high performance curtainwall will be lit up with LED light displays. The top of the building will be lit up with changing colour LEDs while the northwest corner will have a vertical column of LED lights to create a “soft trickling raindrop effect,” describes Heyvaerts.

The base of the tower is mainly terra cotta panels — a modern brick panelling system that visually ties in with the current brick of the hotel.

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Taking advantage of the deep excavation for the eight level underground parkade (the deepest in Vancouver at 100 feet), a geothermal system was installed using a hybrid drilling rig to avoid any construction delays. Another green feature is the use of photovoltaic technology on the south west elevation to minimize solar heat gain. Commonly used in commercial applications, the solar cells will be a first for a Canadian residential building. Motorized blinds on that elevation will be powered by the solar power.

One of the key design features will be the vaulted porte-cochere accessed off Howe St. The 32 foot high structure, with lots of natural lighting, will act as a third and prominent entry into the hotel and tower, says Heyvaerts. To visually minimize the presence of the loading dock at the end of the porte-cochere, a series of water jets will act as a water fountain feature when the dock is not in use.

Linked to the hotel at level four, tower residents will have access to all of the services and amenities offered by the hotel. Amenities include a nightclub, a courtyard garden, the Hawksworth Restaurant and 24 hour concierge service. Within the tower, other amenities include a spa, fitness centre and an indoor swimming pool.

“We believe the five-star quality of the hotel will have a direct impact on the residential,” says Langereis.

The Private Residences, starting on the 14th floor, occupies the top 35 floors. The elegant and timeless interiors by Mitchell Freedland feature exceptional attention to detail. From hardwood flooring and custom shop finished millwork to the latest technology, nothing has been overlooked.

“The client was looking for something contemporary but transitional that would appeal to a wide range of buyers,” says Gerald Day, senior designer at Mitchell Freedland.

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::::::: project profile :::::::

The residences offer 17 floor plans with suites ranging in size from 630 square feet to the 7,100 square foot penthouse. Oriented towards the views with floor-to-ceiling windows, the high end well appointed suites are designed to maximize the use of space. Suites will come with a large balcony or deck and are available in one, two and three bedroom sizes.

“There was a large variety of suite types requested and different floor plates which was challenging but once we got through that space planning process, material selection went smoothly,” recalls Day. Oversized mahogany doors, limestone thresholds and millwork oak paneled entry ways lead into open plan entertainment sized living rooms and kitchens that transition to intimate bedrooms and spa style bathrooms.

The gourmet kitchens with custom cabinetry and stone countertops are fitted with premium appliances from Miele and Subzero.

Bathrooms feature luxurious soaker tubs and separate glass showers with beautiful white marble cladding.

Two colour palettes are available for the suites — a dark smoky oak and a traditional light oak.

“Every piece and every corner in the suites have been well thought out,” says Day. “We’ve used some classic materials in terms of marble and stone and updated it with additional millwork features. It’s elegant and has a very open feeling.”

The tower is slated to complete in spring 2012 while the hotel is scheduled to complete for an opening for 2011. To be managed by Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, the fully restored hotel will be known as Rosewood Hotel Georgia.

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DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

Only at the hotel was wrapped last October on two sides with the world’s largest Canadian flag

“We’ve been stalwarts in terms of keeping the project on track and on budget,” says Langereis. “Trying to work through the financial storm was probably the biggest challenge — a test of commitment more than anything.”

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games in February will have some anticipated minor impacts on construction, notably the loss of use of Howe Street.

“We had to move some of our staging and our construction activities off of Howe Street,” reports Langereis. “It’ll cause a bit of a slowdown— moving trucks in and out without having Howe available but we’ve already built that into our schedule.”

To support Canadian athletes, the hotel was wrapped last October on two sides with the world’s largest Canadian flag. The vinyl building wrap measures 105 ft high x 210 ft long (larger than an Olympic hockey rink) and was installed over two days.

Langereis says with a laugh that the corner of Georgia and Howe Streets has been renamed “Canada Corner.”

“We’re really excited about the Olympics. We’re proud Canadians and we’re demonstrating that with one of the most visual patriotic gestures,” he says. DQ

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::::::: tile & stone :::::::

the beauty of glass tiles

By Nicala Hicks

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se of glass tile in residential and commercial design has been growing exponentially in the past two decades. The reasons for this renewed interest are obvious — glass tiles, in effect, provide the design professional with a palette to create an artistic statement that can defy the passage of time and dated trends. This upcoming year will certainly see the introduction of more stunning glass accents, designer artisan tile, glass mosaics and unique shapes that will add to the depth of the designer’s choices as well as to the versatility to offer a unique touch to every project.

The popularity of glass tile stems from the purity of its colour coupled with its iridescence resulting from light dancing off the surface. Prominent colour trends such as gray tones, from charcoal to light silver, to warm off-whites and rich browns will have a direct influence on the monochromatic glass tile we will be seeing in 2010. Equally popular this year will be colour selections inspired by nature, such as cool watertoned glass mosaics. Multi-coloured and patterned tiles will continue to be used to add a more dramatic effect, with some offering a punch of orange, cinnamon, purple or blue-green. These bolder accent colours are breaking up the dark and neutral palettes of 2010.

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DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

Other alluring aspects of glass tiles are the depth and textures they offer, and in the case of matte versus glossy, it looks like matte glass is starting to rule. Glossy glass has been seducing us for the last few years. This year however, it is a matte look that draws greater interest, with its subtle hues and complexity. A new and attractive look combines both matte and glossy glass to play off of each other, adding a new dimension of texture.

Small artisans and larger manufacturers alike continue to reveal new and beautiful options of colour and texture using pre and post-consumer glass waste (even cathode-ray tubes from TVs).

These offerings are now broad enough to become a mainstay and are no longer a consideration simply for the environmentally conscious clientele. Another bonus — many artisans and manufacturers of recycled glass tile are located in the western provinces and states, supporting the ever-increasing dual desires to minimize the carbon footprint caused by long distance shipping, and to support locally made goods.

Many continue to think of glass tiles in small square and rectangular formats, but the options are far greater, and will continue to grow. A trend seen last year, large format glass tiles in sizes like

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20” x 20” and 12” x 24” allow cohesiveness rarely attainable with small glass tiles. These larger offerings, in natural matte hues, have mostly been and will continue to be used in hospitality, retail and commercial spaces.

Small and large format tiles will be increasingly offered in a variety of shapes. Moorish and Japanese- inspired patterns continue to influence the shapes offered, and introduce more fluid lines in their installations.

So, the trend that we expect to see accelerate is the application of this expansive selection of colour, texture, size and shapes to create custom accents — in homes, retail and hospitality spaces alike, transforming plain areas into artistic focal points. When used as an accent, vivid glass tiles provide exciting visual highlights. Conversely, when covering an entire wall, streamline large format glass tile can create a luxurious atmosphere. Glass tile murals, large and small, to meet every budget, will be a key trend of 2010. Decorative themes ranging from fluid Asian to theatrical Art Deco will inspire designs. Murals will be created from singular or combined materials: artisan tile, waterjet-cut glass, back-painted, art and recycled glasses; the inclusion of materials such as tumbled stone, bamboo, copper and pewter will become more prevalent and will add interest to each installation.

In the world of glass, there are smaller boutique studios throughout North America. Their innovative designs, techniques and surfaces are exploring the versatility of the medium to create exceptional works. We expect that designers will increasingly tap in to this talent to assist them in executing on their vision, leveraging the beauty of glass tile in innovative ways. DQ 22

DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

Nicala Hicks is the artistic director for Edgewater Studio in North Vancouver, B.C., where the company creates its Glass Connectables and Tile Murals collections, as well as custom wall and flooring features. www.edgewaterstudio.com or info@edgewaterstudio.com.

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::::::: tile & stone :::::::

the skinny on porcelain Newest technology makes thin tiles easy to install

O

ver the years porcelain tiles have evolved from serving as a generic commodity item used only for industrial purposes because of its durability, to becoming a central component in the aesthetic design of any building. In recent years, these trends have turned towards tiles that resemble wood and natural stone. In addition, we have seen a significant shift towards the use of thinly-made tiles which are less than half the thickness of traditional tiles.

Several innovative 4mm thin porcelain tile lines are now available, especially designed for hassle-free installation.

The most exciting recent technological advancement in tile is the production of thin tiles that are pressed in a way that makes them extremely strong and resistant. These pressed slim tiles that have just recently made their debut in the market are unique in that they offer all the advantages of using a thin tile without any of the typical installation issues.

What makes these new tiles different from other thin tiles? The innovative technology of pressing which results in tiles that are as strong and resistant as thicker tiles, are easier to install without breakage and do not require special installation techniques. Also exciting about these lines is their wide assortment of sizes and textures which were not previously available in thin tile. Some of the advantages of using the new thin pressed tiles over traditional 10mm tiles are: • Ideal for renovation projects because they cover existing floor and wall coverings without requiring time-consuming and costly demolition and disposal.

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• Low weight reduces cost of transportation and makes them easier to handle on the job site.

• Environmentally friendly due to reduction in landfill and carbon imprint (no demolition required and you can transport more than double the quantity with each shipment).

“These are cutting-edge products which are superior to other slim tiles in the market,” says Greg Smelser, manager of Stone Tile Pacific in Vancouver. “We predict that these 24

DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

highly resistant slim tiles will eventually become the tile of choice for designers and contractors due to their green appeal and the ease with which they can be transported and installed.”

Stone Tile carries a number of these new slim tiles including Ergon Alabastro Greenlite; Rex Abisko Slim/4; and Casa Dolce Casa Pietre Slim/4.

Another trend in the tile industry is the use of porcelains that closely resemble natural stone. Lines such as Marmo D from Impronta and Exedra from Cotto D’Este, are great examples. Groundbreaking technology meets the beauty of marble. The product is almost identical to the natural equivalent with all its delicate shade variations, but has the strong, reliable heart of glazed fully-vitrified stoneware. Innovative digital technology bestows

on glazed porcelain all the appearance and elegance of stone, in an alteration of shapes and colours that merge and dialogue, creating unique, ever-varying patterns. These tiles come in 50x50cm and 50x100cm with two different surface finishes.

Finally, the other major innovation in the tile industry is the wood look-alike. Italian manufacturers have come out with design patterns that resemble oak wood and are produced in large vertical formats with minimal repetition in patterns. What is also great about this option is that it is suitable for exterior spaces. This has become a great alternative to natural wood as it replaces all maintenance while at the same time closely resembling real wood. What does the future hold for porcelain tiles? It appears that the sky’s the limit! DQ

::::::: tile & stone :::::::

tile and stone sealers What to use, what to know and why

By Rod Sigman

A

long with the tremendous growth of the tile and stone industry over the past 30 years has come an explosion of new companies and “experts” to clarify the simple question of sealing. While there are many in the industry that can put this issue in proper perspective, there are an equal number who tend to undersell and oversell sealers both in terms of the need to seal and the performance benefits that can be achieved.

To assist designers in specifying or applying tile or stone sealers, here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

does all natural stone or tile need to be sealed?

The honest answer is no. While all natural stone and some ceramic tile are porous to some extent, the following questions must be considered: Where is the tile or stone being installed? On a kitchen countertop, hotel lobby, patio, pool deck or residential shower? What are the expectations of the owner? How will it be maintained?

While some prefer the look and appeal of an Old World, rustic European installation, most want the installation to look relatively the same 10 years from now. Sealers can definitely help here.

With the exception of glazed ceramic, most porcelain tile and a select few natural stones, sealing tile and stone is highly recommended.

Testing tile and stone, both sealed and unsealed, with contaminates common to the area of installation is also very beneficial.

what is the purpose or benefit of a sealer?

Sealers are designed primarily to do two things: provide a given degree of stain resistance and a certain amount of reaction time. If the concern is to repel dirt, mud and common water-based stains, then a general water and stain repellent will work just fine. If the concern is food or exposure to harsh chemical and cleaning agents or simply to provide the highest level of protection, then a premium water and stain repellent will be required.

When choosing the appropriate sealer, price typically dictates performance. Again, testing the tile or stone with common contaminates is recommended to ensure desired results are achieved.

Be sure to consult the manufacturer’s guidelines before sealer application as the number of coats is directly related to the porosity of the tile or stone and overall square footage. On highly porous tile or stone, sealers can be stretched too thin resulting in inadequate coverage. Additionally, overall stain resistance will not be achieved.

what type of sealer is best for tile or stone?

There are three main categories to consider: natural look, colour enhancing and topical or coating sealers. Natural look, impregnating or penetrating sealers do not change the appearance of the tile or stone and can be used on any interior or exterior porous surface.

Colour enhancing sealers are extremely popular but generally used on natural stone. These sealers are also impregnating or penetrating in nature. This means they will deepen the colour of the stone but will not change the surface sheen, texture or slip resistance. Topical or coating sealers will bring out some colour in the tile or stone and provide a low to high sheen coating. They are generally recommended for interior applications and will change the slip resistance to some degree.

With all sealers, test on a sample piece of tile or stone and call the manufacturer for additional information and recommendations.

Most companies list a toll-free number on their bottles for technical assistance.

how often should I reseal?

The reality is it depends. Is the installation residential or commercial? Is it interior or exterior? Is it an entryway or a shower? Will it be subject to wear and tear from five or 5,000 people a day? Is it a floor or a wall? How will it be maintained?

As one can see, the frequency of resealing is dependent on a number of variables. However, by simply calling the sealer manufacturer, designers can more accurately recommend the frequency with which clients should reseal. It is also recommended that clients conduct periodic water tests or look for water penetration (darkening) when cleaning. While it is not a perfect test, chances are if water is darkening or absorbing into the tile or stone, so will more sealer. DQ Rod Sigman is division technical manager with Aqua Mix Inc., a leading provider of innovative care products for natural stone, tile and grout. Rod sits on the National Tile Contractors Association technical committee and graduated from the ceramic tile consultant course in 1995.

What sealers don’t do

What sealers do

Make the installation stain proof

Provide a given degree of stain resistance and reaction time

Make the installation maintenancefree

Reduce ongoing maintenance requirements

Allow the use of any cleaner for ongoing

Preserve or enhance the appearance of tile or maintenance stone

Last forever with one application

Minimize the severity of etching on calcium-based stone

Make free-thaw sensitive tile or stone

Provide long lasting protection when freeze-thaw stable premium sealers are used

Stop etching on calcium-based stone

Reduce efflorescence related issues

Winter 2010 | DESIGN QUARTERLY

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::::::: fireplaces :::::::

stylish flames: modern eco-friendly fireplaces Spark Modern’s vent free unit

E

co-friendly fireplaces are taking the traditional fireplace to a new level of style and function. Modern, distinctive and eco-friendly fireplace design options continue to expand. New products like flue less fireplaces and gel fireplaces are popular alternatives on the market today that burn clean, cutting down on emissions while using renewable fuel sources.

Eco-friendly fireplaces offer the look and feel of a traditional wood burning fireplace without using the normal fuels such as wood, propane or electricity. They come in a variety of styles from inserts (which fit over existing fireplaces) to portable free standing and wall mounted models.

Many flue less fireplaces are not only versatile and long lasting, but also do not require a fuel supply. Instead, they use a renewable energy source called denatured ethanol, which provides a carbon free burn and is composed of only biological products. When burning, it produces just heat, steam and carbon dioxide unlike wood or oil.

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DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

Schulte Design’s Fire Furniture

::::::: fireplaces :::::::

Left:EcoSmart Zeta Below: EcoSmart XL Burner

“Fireplaces have become more and more advanced both aesthetically and environmentally,” says Robert Koby, founder of Vancouver Gas Fireplaces.

One of the first to offer ethanol-fuelled fireplaces, EcoSmart Fire continues to create stunning fireplaces with beautiful designs, colours and textures.

“We’re always thinking ahead, innovating, using new technology, new shapes, new materials, joining forces with top designers — and ensuring the highest quality,” says Stephane Thomas, director of EcoSmart Fire creator, The Fire Company.

Two of the latest models in the EcoSmart Fire Collection offer designers more flexibility to create stunning centrepieces for both residential and commercial applications.

The award winning Zeta, designed by architect John Dimopoulos, is a fully portable elliptically shaped fireplace, sitting on a brushed or polished stainless steel swivel base.

The one meter long XL Burner offers elegance and cutting edge performance and functionality. It was developed by EcoSmart due

to overwhelming demand by designers and architects who wanted to join several burners in line to form an elongated flame.

The constraints of a traditional fireplace are replaced with flexibility. Since these types of fireplaces do not require a flue, piping, conduit or ventilation system, designers can install these units wherever they want.

Another great green option is Spark Modern Fires’ award winning Fire Ribbon vent-free units which can be at any height, on interior or exterior walls, basement or common room. No chimney, flue, or hearth is needed.

Spark’s direct vent and vent free units are clean burning and energy efficient. At 80 per cent efficiency for direct vent models and 95 per cent efficiency for Vent Free models, these fireplaces contribute to the bottomline.

And for a more functional option, Schulte Design’s Fire Furniture line offers both warmth and a usable surface with their coffee table and podium. The flame burns off of a liquid that is both smoke and emission-free. DQ Winter 2010 | DESIGN QUARTERLY

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fireplace glass doors: style & safety

By Preston Meyer

M

anufacturers are providing more choices than ever in fireplace products. Fireplace glass doors have been used with fireplaces primarily for safety for decades but now advances in technology and demand for modern styles have changed their functionality and appearance. Glass doors now range from the simple to striking custom designer products.

Glass doors offer two types of glass. The most common being tempered, rated to withstand heat up to 500˚ F. The second choice is ceramic glass. Ceramic glass fireplace doors allow radiant heat to pass right through (four times as much as tempered) and are highly heat resistant with a threshold of 1500˚F. There are various types of glass doors. Double doors or swing doors consist of two larger panels of glass that swing open onto the hearth.

Bi-fold glass doors run in a track affixed to the fireplace. These doors are popular because they stay out of the way when fully open. Air tight glass doors are now available for masonry fireplaces only. Meaning you stop as much room air as possible from entering into the fire chamber so it’s important to ensure there is a direct outside air source into the fire chamber or the fire will not ignite and will just smolder.

Choices also include glass colour, frame finishes and widths. Fireplace glass doors can be decorative and come in a wide range of finishes: copper brass, pewter and stainless steel.

Glass doors for factory built fireplaces or zero clearance fireplaces have to be tested and certified for each different make, model and manufacturer. Those for masonry fireplaces are more flexible — they can be fitted on the outside of the fireplace opening or on the inside.

Fireplace glass doors are more than just aesthetically pleasing, they can serve as a second damper in wood burning fireplaces, stopping 28

DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

heated room air from escaping up the chimney flue. Masonry fireplaces have loose fitting dampers or dampers that have warped over the years and do not seal properly. As the weather cools, the cold outside air drops down the flue to enter into the home. Fireplace glass doors eliminate this, improving efficiency and reducing heat loss.

Glass doors are also a safety feature, stopping sparks or logs from rolling out onto the hearth. A hearth is required by code to extend 16" in front of the fireplace to protect the floor from sparks and embers.

But depending on the type of wood being burned, moisture content etc will determine how many sparks snap out onto the floor. Besides being dangerous, it can also cause serious damage to the flooring material.

Another option is selecting a factory built insert that can transform an inefficient fireplace to a 70 per cent or greater efficiency.

With controlled combustion wood inserts, these inserts simply install into existing fireplaces with a new stainless steel chimney liner to bring it up to code. They have fan forced and convection heat. The rate of burn can be controlled and in doing so, it greatly increases the heat flow and consumes far far less firewood. Some models burn up to eight hours on one single load. All models now are EPA approved burning off 90 per cent or more of the smoke in the fire chamber for extended burn times and far less smoke being released to the atmosphere. Of course with these models they offer the ceramic glass, the circulating feature, the fan, controlled combustion, and are environmentally friendly. DQ Preston Meyer is co-owner of Hearth and Home Fireplace Specialties based in Calgary Alberta. He has been in the fireplace business for more than 35 years. Contact him at preston.meyer@ hearthandhomefireplace.com.

Wide Plank Hardwood Ltd.

Eukula Hardwax Oil

Natural oils and hardwax oils for impregnation, oiling and coating, or oiling and waxing in just one step.

Time-tested in the restoration of wooden inlays and on wood floors subjected to heavy wear, these oilbased stains make the wood come alive and give it a warm and beautiful sheen. Please call Wide Plank for further details on how Eukula can finish your flooring project.

EUKULA DEALERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE Eukula Strato

Proven performance world-wide to be the very best hardwood water based finish, now available here in Canada.

Eukula Strato water based finishes are available in either one or two component systems, with a variety of sheens to select from. Quick drying times, non-yellowing, easy roll-on application, excellent results! Wide Plank Hardwood is pleased to introduce this eco-friendly, extremely durable floor finish into Canada. Please call Wide Plank for further details on how Eukula can finish your flooring project.

Wide Plank Flooring

Long length, random width flooring achieves a natural appearance and closely mirrors the look of earlier traditional floors.

Authentic Reclaimed Douglas Fir available

Locally manufactured solid wood flooring

Reclaimed Fir

This 3/4”, solid wood, kiln dried product is available in a variety of species to fit your interior design specifications. All floors are offered either unfinished or pre-finished with environmentally friendly, non toxic, spot repairable Eukula Hardwax Oil from Germany.

Locally manufactured engineered flooring Specifications: 1/2” Baltic Birch Plywood & 1/4” solid wear layer. Options: antiqued, distressed, & handscraped. Unfinished or pre-finished with stain and/or hardwax oil.

Widths: 5”+ wider.

For information contact sales associate.

Hickory

Please visit Builtgreen.ca to see how Wide Plank Hardwood & Eukula Products can assist in your Build Green project.

By buying products with the FSC label you are supporting the growth of responsible forest management worldwide

SW-COC-002496 © 1996 Forest Stewardship Council A.C.

Office and Showroom: 8444-A Aitken Road, Chilliwack, BC V2R 3W8

www.hardwaxoil.com info@hardwaxoil.com

Office: (604) 795-2237 Showroom: (604) 795-9962 Toll-Free: (877) 795-2236 Fax: (604) 795-2260

www.wideplankhardwood.com

Western Maple

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more fireplace design options

By Noel Cormack

A

fireplace can add a lot more than heat to a home.

With the addition of a new fireplace come the ambiance, elegance, and a focal point that won’t be missed. Whether your clients are interested in changing their existing fireplace, or complementing their home décor with a complete new addition, fireplace trends are constantly evolving so it is important to remember what type of feel you are trying to achieve in your space. There are many new fireplaces on the market, and both traditional and contemporary fireplaces have taken their design to the next level.

Traditional fireplaces have geared toward a cleaner, less ornate look while still providing subtle touches of classic traditional elements. What has become really popular is combining the use of an authentic looking fireplace with a cleaner looking trim package, to bridge the gap between a traditional and a contemporary fireplace. There is a larger selection of log sets available, including ones that look more authentic, and new decorative patterned liners such as ledge stone. Fireplaces have been improved by adding larger clean lined viewing areas, and eliminating the use of louvers. Town & Country Fireplaces provide units that achieve an authentic look of a real fire and give a large viewing area to enjoy the fire.

While many still enjoy the look of a traditional fireplace, clean contemporary looking fireplaces are taking the podium in many homes. Linear, wide screen style fireplaces are a sleek look with the flame dancing around glowing rocks, decorative ember glass, or for the minimalist — simply a ribbon burner that emphasizes 30

DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

the fire. The Infinite by Marquis is a very sleek wide screen fireplace that can be finished with decorative glass to cover the burner or just a ribbon like flame.

The flame from a contemporary style fireplace can be enhanced with a porcelain reflective panel, to provide a reflection of the flame from the sides and back. These fireplaces can be finished with a wide range of new trims that include stainless steel, pewter, copper, and for those on the adventurous side why not go with a pop of red or royal blue.

Valor Gas Fireplaces has two fireplaces that are recent additions to their collection, known as the H4 and Vogue, very similar to each other, just with a few different trim and size options. They both offer a clean contemporary look, without sacrificing the easy controls.

Overall fireplaces have been improved with the clean view look, less ornate trims, larger viewing areas, different shapes and different burner configurations. Larger and smaller scale fireplaces have been introduced with different heat outputs to help you find the ideal fireplace for any application. They have also been enhanced with better technology that allows a wider range of control over fireplaces, including programmable thermostats and timers. What can we expect in the future? We will be introduced to a larger selection of fireplaces that will allow us to find the ideal fireplace for any application, and decrease the amount of time and money we spend on the space to accompany the fireplace. New fireplaces with different heating capacities and improved technology will always be on the horizon. DQ Noel Cormack is president of Fireplace by Maxwell in North Vancouver. For more information, visit www.maxwellfireplace.ca.

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800.506.9997 T. | 800.953.3495 F. | www.valleycountertops.com | 30781 Simpson Rd. Abbotsford, BC V2T 6X4

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hospitality furniture: comfort & design

By Mark Friesen

W

hen guests visit a hotel, first impressions are critical. High quality hospitality furniture plays an important role in that first impression. Now more than ever hotel guests are no longer simply searching for a “place to sleep”, but instead are searching for a “superior guest experience”. From the spa like bathroom to the casual high tech lobbies or the green luxuriously comfortable interiors, guests are looking for experiences that are noticeably nicer than their homes.

In response to the demand for a “spa like experience,” the trend has seen hotels increase the size of bathrooms and replace conventional shower heads with “rain-like shower heads.” Guests are increasingly savvy when judging bathrooms. As more and more people visit spas on a regular basis, the expectations are increasingly higher. There is no substitute for fresh scented soaps, superior terry, high design tiling or modern vanities and plumbing fixtures. There has also been a strong movement away from bathtubs with traditional shower curtains. Instead the light and airy glass enclosures are becoming the norm in many hotels in the same way they’ve become so popular in residential construction.

The sleeping experience is one of the most important memories guests will have at any hotel. By selecting premium thread-count sheets along with choosing the ideal pillows and mattress, guests should be assured a restful night sleep. The rule remains that anything that comes in contact with the guest’s skin should be of the highest quality.

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Since the introduction of the “White Bed” more than 10 years ago, hotels have uniformly moved away from the polyester bedspread replacing them with the ultra soft, white covered duvet. With this simple backdrop, the addition of a decorative bed scarf, or luxurious woven blanket, or a statement fabric on a side chair can change the look of a room instantly. Toss cushion or bolsters have also made their way onto the bed to help provide colour and depth, once again striving to create an inviting customized oasis.

The need for sustainability has brought forward the focus on energy consumption and an increasing demand for green products.

Guests are becoming very conscience of hotels that are environmentally friendly and are very aware when they see wasteful practices.

Comfort comes in many forms, one of which is having all wireless needs at the fingertips. The average traveler demands connectivity wherever they are and the traditional guestroom now features flat screen televisions, Wi-Fi accessibility and IPOD accessories for the guest’s pleasure. No longer is there a need for a large armoire to house the big box television and TV’s can be found in bathroom mirrors or over the soaker tub.

We are seeing a shift to sleek, smaller pieces and a more streamlined, minimalist design approach. The furniture is looking more and more like millwork and the veneers and wood types that are being used are exotic and extreme. From a wenge, walnut, and white oak, there is a strong movement to wood types that pose a lot of character.

Just as the interior design and furniture in the guest rooms are important, the same also applies to the lobby and common areas. No longer simply traffic zones, lobbies and public areas have evolved into social gathering places that are warm and inviting. Large and small seating areas co-exist without the privacy barriers. Openness between lobbies, bars, restaurants and other meeting spaces allow guests to be connected and aware of all their surroundings easily. Just as the lines between work and play have been blurred throughout the years, so has the separation between rooms. There is a longing for guests to mix the use of spaces available to them whereby they can enjoy a glass of wine, while working away on their laptops and conducting social and business meetings simultaneously. Sleek lines and interesting textures are definitely en vogue. From the ultra high pile area rugs (circa 1960s) to the ankle high coffee tables with high sheen finishes, we’ve seen a continued interest in furniture that’s funky and functional. Signature items in the lobbies also include oversized wing backed chairs and low profile sofas that make you take notice. DQ Mark Friesen is a principal at Beyer Brown & Associates in Vancouver. The company specializes in hospitality FF&E and OS&E. Contact him at mark@beyerbrown.com or visit www.beyerbrown.com.

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modern italian furniture design Quality, Functionality and Originality By Joanna Ostrowski

T

he beginning of the year is an obvious time for predicting new trends and directions. Furniture design is no exception but no new direction, however exciting and original, comes out of a void. Everything is influenced. A spectacular salon de mobile 2009, collective experience of ”annus horribillis 2009”, instant exposure to news via twitter and face book, are all major factors shaping new trends in 2010.

We have been seeing the growing importance of original, well made and — often quite expensive furniture. Clients are willing to invest in what they believe will satisfy their needs in long term.

High-end furniture manufacturer Minotti is a perfect illustration of this trend, especially the new collection by Rodolfo Dordoni. It consists of 24 unique yet integrated products that are refined, yet practical and elegant. The new Williams seating system combined with consoles and coffee tables of the same name will undoubtly grow into another Italian classic. Each element of this collection exemplifies great design and attention to detail true of Italian craftsmanship.

High end materials, exceptional quality and unique ideas are typical of the new breed of luxury products perceived by clients to be a timeless investment rather than disposable goods. In a world of endless copies and cheap ”knock offs”, the pride of owing an original Minotti becomes very gratifying.

An increased emphasis on creating the “perfect” home means that previously neglected or under-utilized areas are also getting a

complete make over. The new ”must have” are beautiful closet systems, like the ones from Italian manufacturer Lema. With its endless possibilities of custom made elements, state-of-the-art finishes and technical “know how”, every woman’s (and some men’s!) fantasy of a dream closet becomes flawless reality.

No respectable home of 2010 will be without fabulous outdoor furniture. Again the emphasis is on lasting quality, functionality and original design. Like the wire hangers of the closets past, cheap plastic outdoor furniture is no longer acceptable in fine homes (and about time, too). We also see the disappearance of the traditional division between indoor and outdoor. This is made possible thanks to products from manufacturers like Roda Italia. The collaboration with Rodolfo Dordoni resulted in developing complete systems such as net work and basket. Both are flexible collections suitable for creating outdoor rooms. This is a very important concept for 2010, synonymous with relaxation, informality and the modern way of living.

To sum it up, more than ever, what we expect from furniture in 2010 has to do with good, original design, quality, and expression of individual needs. DQ Joanna Ostrowski has worked for Livingspace in Vancouver for 15 years, involved in both sales and design projects for clients.

Visit www.livingspace.com.

Winter 2010 | DESIGN QUARTERLY

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taking sustainability to the next level

By Katie Dunsworth-Reiach

I

f green is the new black then smart, flexible and lasting are the new green.

In the design community, environmentally sustainable products are now a given. However, there are a limited few that truly walk the talk and bridge the gap between design savvy and environmentally efficient.

As leaders in sustainable design, T.O.R. (The Office Resource), a full service commercial interiors company, has earned its environmental bona fides. TOR CEO David Mendell was an early adopter. He understood that innovative organizations want to stay on the leading edge by combining effective and flexible space solutions with chic and environmentally efficient products. TOR recognized this correlation early, and has developed and supplied some of the brightest in architecture and design with award-winning products. This year the company championed green commercial environments and great design by hosting its first annual “Workplace Matters” design awards which recognized projects like the Ritchie Brothers head office designed by Bunting Coady Architects.

On the product side, Mendell points to Knoll’s Generation Chair and DIRTT Agile Office Solutions walls as two of the most sustainable and chic products on the market.

Knoll was an early innovator in sustainability, winning environmental awards for its plants as far back as 1972. Their latest innovation, the Generation Chair, leverages the inherent properties of a high performance Elastomer (used in snowboard bindings).

The chair features a Flex Back Net and dynamic suspension providing both structure and flex, using fewer parts, and less energy to produce. It doesn’t sag or crumble with time or pressure, but can be manipulated to provide the greatest flexibility of any task chair. The “Gen” recently won Interior Design’s 2009 Best of Year Product Award and attained platinum S.M.A.R.T. Certification (the LEED of product manufacturing). To complete the green life

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DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

cycle, Knoll has created a chair buyback program for every existing chair they replace, with the commitment that every component will be recycled.

Calgary-based DIRTT Environmental Solutions lead the way in smart sustainable design. The pre-manufactured, pre-engineered walls that horizontally support new and legacy furniture are the buzz of the A & D community. DIRTT utilizes the software program ICE® which creates an intelligent, graphical interface of your space that automatically provides pricing and produces shop drawings to build the walls. At the same time it produces an interactive, real-time 3D experience that can be explored with both designer and client. Changes are reflected throughout the file without any re-work. DIRTT received the Best of Year Award for Architectural Product from Interior Design Magazine and the Excellence in Partnership Award for Industry Green Partner from the U.S. Government Services Administration. DIRTT Walls virtually eliminate construction waste and any future renovation waste — negating demolition, dumping, procuring and re-building. The results are dramatic and meaningful for the environment and the triple bottom-line.

Mendell notes major changes in recent years, “When we first forged our relationships with these suppliers, environmentallyproduced products were a novelty. As time passed, many companies began producing green products — to greater or lesser degrees. Today, sustainability relates not only to manufacturing methods and materials, proper waste management and recycling, but also to lasting design, quality and flexibility. Building something that will retain its beauty and function over an extended period of time. At TOR, it also refers to building relationships for the long term — everything from staff retention and environmentally responsible procurement to client relations and vendor support. The expansion of the green ethos brings new challenges and excitement to us every day.” DQ

Buildex is about designing, building and managing real estate

aPril 21 & 22, 2010 VancouVer conVention centre West

www.buildexvancouver.com

PHoto creDit: chris collacott, winner of Buildex Vancouver northern exposure Photo contest

Exciting News from Western Canada’s Largest Annual Event...

Buildex Vancouver, now in its 19th year, continues to be one of the largest trade events in Canada. In fact, this event is one of the largest trade-focused regional expositions in North America.

What was once a small table-top showcase now encompasses over 100 lecturers, 600 exhibits and 12,000 professional attendees. The multiple industries of Real Estate Management, Construction, Architecture and Design are represented making this one of the best once-a-year networking opportunities for the industry.

For 2010, Buildex will take place in Vancouver’s newest and most impressive event space, the newly completed Vancouver Convention Centre West. This move will allow the event to continue to grow to meet the needs of Canada’s leading industry manufacturers, distributors, retailers and professionals. Attendees are encouraged to register for Buildex online before April 7th for early-bird benefits. 3 Visit the tradeshow floor where you will find over 600 exhibits.

Multiple Industries: One Show Buildex Vancouver encompasses multiple industries including: 3 ProPerty ManageMent

3 ConstruCtion

3 real estate DeVeloPMent

3 renoVation

3 interior Design / arChiteCture 3 FaCilities / oPerations ManageMent PM diaMOnd sPOnsOr

PM PLatinUM sPOnsOrs

PM GOLd sPOnsOr

Media Partners

SPECIAL FEATURE | 2010 Buildex Vancouver Show Preview

Seminar Highlights 3Exploiting Chaos: how to spark innovation During timEs of ChangE Exploiting Chaos is a beginning-to-end exploration of how to leverage viral trends and methodical innovation to generate breakthrough ideas.

This visually engaging presentation is packed with vivid examples and multimedia, and will provide opportunity for audience participation. Jeremy begins this session with the importance of culture and customer obsession. He then enthrals the audience with captivating micro-trends, providing a toolkit to filter ideas down to “cluster of inspiration.” Finally, he teaches the audience how to articulate their messages for viral domination.

Speaker: Jeremy Gutsche, MBA, CFA; founder of TrendHunter.com

3rEal EstatE markEt outlook for vanCouvEr

SESSIOn SPOnSORED By

3thE boma EnErgy impErativE

Peter Laforest, BOMA BC’s new energy manager will explain how a new partnership with the Provincial Government, BC Hydro and BOMA plans to achieve energy and carbon reduction targets for the commercial real estate industry. This presentation will include implementation strategies and the latest national research on energy and environmental performance for over 450 BOMA BESt certified buildings. As well, the latest developments on energy training for operations personnel will be announced. The session will encourage audience participation with a panel discussing the latest information on BC Hydro’s incentive program, tenant engagement and the BOMA E-Energy training program.

Moderator: Peter LaForest, Energy Conservation & Sustainability Programs, BOMA BC Speakers: Jennifer Davis, Consultant, TurnLeaf Consulting Inc. Robert Greenwald, P. Eng, MBA, President, Prism Engineering Ltd. Glen Thompson, Senior Key Account Manager, BC Hydro

After a drop in the real estate market, prices in Vancouver stabilized and began to rise in the end of 2009. Will this trend continue or will it plateau in the near future? A panel of leading real estate senior executives will offer their insights on these and other strategic issues facing the real estate market in Vancouver and BC as a whole. Specific references will be made to the office, industrial, retail and multi-unit residential markets. The panelists will discuss where they see the real estate cycle leading over the next four quarters, and how the current economic state is affecting the market.

3amEnDmEnts to strata propErty aCt

Moderator: Cameron Muir, Chief Economist, BC Real Estate Association

Speaker: Elaine McCormack, Associate Counsel, Alexander Holburn, Beaudin & Lang LLP

SESSIOn SPOnSORED By “The times, they are a changing.....” Elaine McCormack, Associate Counsel at Alexander Holburn, Beaudin & Lang LLP, will explain all of the important changes under the Strata Property Amendment Act. The Strata Property Amendment Act affects the everyday management of Strata Corporations, including record keeping and responding to record requests, charging interest on unpaid special levies and the interpretation of rental bylaws.

The requirement for depreciation reports and audits will also be discussed, as well as changes in dispute resolution.

Speakers: TBA

3thE grEEnEst City — rEnEwablE EnErgy for vanCouvEr’s urban builDings Vancouver has a commitment to becoming the world’s greenest city by 2020. With over 30% of Metro Vancouver’s greenhouse gas emissions relating to building heating and cooling and hot water demand, numerous economical, durable and proven sustainable renewable energy technologies can help meet this goal. Apartment building, strata and co-op building owners will gain insight into the economic, social and environmental benefits offered by these systems and they will learn how renewable energy can protect them from fluctuating prices of conventional energy.

Moderator: Ruben Arellano, P.Eng, LEED AP, Energy Projects Director, Hemmera Speakers: Kristen Mucha, Manager Business Development and Customer Relations, Terasen Ralph Rubini, Director of Construction, Beedie Group Richard Slegenthaler, BSc. (Mech Eng), Renewable Energy Specialist, Hemmera

3Quality of EnErgy for nEt-ZEro builDings: is thE sourCE of EnErgy CritiCal? Learn how the net-zero approach proactively addresses building performance, rather than relying on complex, reactive engineering systems.

Combining high-energy efficiency building envelopes with integrated renewable energy options, Net-Zero buildings produce the same amount of energy as they consume in a year. Drawing on several project examples, Albert Bicol will address topics including human comfort, passive design, microclimate and energy modeling. This engaging seminar will provide a new perspective on building energy use, explaining why shifting to reliance on lower energy quality — exergy — is just as important as reducing the energy quantity used in sustainable building design.

Speaker: Albert Bicol, P.Eng, LEED AP, Partner, Cobalt Engineering

Meet & Greet Networking Reception

Visit our website

April 21 • 5:00pM – 6:30pM

For further information on these and other exciting seminars, or to register please visit

network with your peers. enjoy beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres.

Visit www.buildexvancouver.com under “special events” for further details.

www.buildexvancouver.com

SPECIAL FEATURE | 2010 Buildex Vancouver Show Preview

Exhibitor List

(current to February 1, 2010)

24 Hour Glass Ltd.

Bay Resource Group Inc.

Cannon Hygiene

Curaflo of BC Ltd

A&A Optoelectronics Ltd.

BC Iron Arts

Canstar Restorations Ltd.

Custom Building Products of Canada

A.K. Draft Seal Ltd.

BC Safety Authoriy

Cantrust Manufacturing International Inc.

Custom Ornamental Ironworks

ACO Systems

BCIT – School of Construction & The Environment

CanWest BC Building Supplies

Daltile of Canada Inc.

Cascadia Design Products

Dansk Imports Ltd.

Cellcom Wireless/Rogers Authorized Dealers

DARO Flooring Construction Inc

BFL Canada Insurance Services Inc.

Ceraclad/Kubota Matsushitadenko Exterior Works Ltd.

DC Roofing Inc.

BL Innovative Lighting

CertainTeed Corporation

Black & Decker Hardware and Home Improvement Group

CGC Inc.

Adera Natural Stone Supply Aggressive Distribution Inc. Albrite Lighting Ltd. All Weather Windows Ltd Alliance Designer Products Alu-Rex Inc./Gutter Clean System Ambient Design Showroom Ambius American Technical Publishers Ames Tile & Stone Ltd Ampco Grafix Apex Granite & Tile Inc. Arcon Rock & Waterscapes Arnott Tools Inc Art For Everyday ASSA ABLOY Canada Award Magazine Award Windows & Doors

Bell Mobility Benjamin Moore & Co. Limited

Blanco Canada Inc. Blenard’s Decor Ltd. Blu Bathworks Blue Grouse Wine Cellars BMS Plumbing & Mechanical Systems Ltd. Bradlee Distributiors Inc. Broadleaf Logistics Brodi Specialty Products Limited Burritt Bros. Carpets Busy Bee Gardening C.R. Laurence Co., Inc.

Champagne Edition Inc. Chem Link Circle Property Services City Elevator Ltd. Colin Campbell & Sons Ltd.

Decortec Home Lift Inc/Eltec Elevator Ltd. Delineatorboot.com Detail Pressure Washing Ltd. Direct Sales Ltd. Divine Hardwood Flooring Ltd. DMX Plastics Ltd. Dominion Blue Repro Graphics

Colin Griffinson Inc.

Dongguan Kin Long Hardware Products Co., Ltd.

Colonial Countertops

Dow Chemical Canada Inc

Commercial Electronics Ltd.

DS Doors & Louvers

Construction Safety Network

DSG Custom Glass

Constructive Solutions For Business Inc.

Duochem

Cosella-Dorken Products Inc.

DYG Windows Ltd.

Countercast Concrete Designs

Eagle West Cranes

CP Distributors Ltd.

EasiFile Canada

Barclay Restorations

Canada Revenue Agency / Agence du revenu du Canada

Barkman Concrete Ltd.

Canadian Prestressed Concrete Institute

Crown Roofing & Drainage Limited

EcoBrite-LED

Basalite Concrete Products

Canam Canada

Cultec Inc.

Ecosip Industries Inc.

BASF Canada

Can-Cell Industries Inc.

Cultured Stone

Edgewood Matting

SPECIAL FEATURE | 2010 Buildex Vancouver Show Preview EECOL Electric

Integrated Pest Supplies Ltd.

Neogard

Skyfold (Vertical Solutions Inc.)

EHS Partenrships Ltd.

Inter Provincial Roof Consultants Ltd.

Nordic Engineered Wood

Skyline Building Systems/DecTec

Esthers Sheet Metal Ltd.

Intercoast Sales Agency

Northwest Landscape Supply

Soprema

ETM Distribution

International Marine Floatation Systems (IMFS)

NRC Institute for Research in Construction

Sound-Rite Accoustics Inc.

Odyssey Wallcoverings

South Fraser Stairs / Old Iron Studio Ltd.

Omega Custom Furniture & Design Inc.

Standard Products Inc.

Onside Restorations

Starline Windows

Pacific Coast Warehousing

Starpatch Concrete Products

Johnsonite

Pacific Environmental Consulting & Occupational Hygiene Services

Stone Age Coatings

Journal of Commerce

Paisley Products of Canada Incorporated

Julian Ceramic Tile

Panasonic Canada Inc.

Kate Holland Landscape

Pangaea Natural Stone

King Metals

Pella Windows and Doors

Kingspan Insulated Panels Ltd.

Penfolds Roofing & Siding Ltd.

Kitchen & Bath Classics (a Wolseley Company)

Peregrine Plastics

Klio Real Estate Systems

Phoenix Enterprises Ltd.

Knight Wall Systems

Phoenix Glass

General Electric

Legrand Canada

PJ White Hardwoods Ltd.

General Paint Co.

Leisure Bath

PODS

Gentek Building Products Ltd.

Levelset Technologies/ProSpec

Pollyco Metalogic Enterprises Inc.

GL Stone

Leviton Manufacturing

Power House Building Solutions

Global DEC-K-ING

Lightolier (Canlyte)

PremierGarage

Goodbye Graffiti

Little Giant Ladders

Prestige Railings & Stairs

Green Sheet Construction Data

LOGIX Insulated Concrete Forms

Primco

Grohe Canada Inc.

LSC Pre-cast Systems

Protecto Wrap / Tec Agencies Ltd.

Guardian Building Products Distribution

Lutron Electronics

Qingdao Sint Stone Co. Ltd.

GWP Wallworks, Acoustic Arch. Products

Lynden Door Inc

Quad-Lock Building Systems Ltd

Hafele Canada Inc.

Malco Products, Inc.

Quantum Lighting Inc.

Hambro

MAPEI INC.

Racks International Trade Ltd

VICWEST

Hardwoods Specialty Products

Maple Leaf Self Storage

Raeco (Western) Ltd.

Viessmann Manufacturing Co Ltd

HD Supply

Marvin Windows and Doors

Reed Construction Data

Vinyltek Windows

Henry Company Canada

Masco Canada Ltd.

Regal Aluminum Products Inc.

Waste Management

Hettich Canada L.P.

Maxxon Canada

Regency Fireplace Products

Water Matrix Inc.

Hilti Canada Corporation c/o Hilti Inc.

Mayne Coatings Corp

Rheinzink America Inc.

Watertiger

Homeowner Protection

McGregor & Thompson Hardware

Roaron Construction Ltd.

West Coast Windows

Hotsy Cleaning Systems Ltd

Measure Masters

Robinson Lighting & Bath Centre

Westeck Windows Mfg Inc.

Houle Electric Limited

MediaEDGE Communications West Inc.

Rocky Mountain Stoneworks

Western Elevator Ltd.

Hunter Douglas

Merx

Roofing Contractors Association of BC

White River Hardwoods-Woodworks, Inc.

IBC Technologies Inc.

Metl-Span LLC

Schluter Systems

White-Wood Distribution

ICBA

Metro Vancouver

Se:math Industries

Whittaker Designs

Ingersoll Rand Secuirty Technologies

Metro Wallcoverings

Securiguard Services

Wide Plank Hardwood Ltd.

INHOFF Systems

Midland Appliance

Sedmek Inc

Wizard Industries

Innotech Windows Canada Inc.

Moen Inc.

Shaw Industries

Worksafe BC

Innovative Fall Protection

Moulding and Millwork

Shnier

Xypex Chemical Corporation

Inspec Consulting Services Inc.

Nana Wall Systems Inc.

SimplexGrinnell

zPoint Products

Insulspan

Nawkaw Corporation

SJ Imports Ltd.

Zurn Industries Limited

Fireplaces Unlimited Firestone Building Products FirstOnSite, Edenvale Division Flextherm Fluke Electronics Canada LP Flynn Canada Ltd. Fontile Corporation Forbo Flooring Systems Four Seasons Insulation Fraser Valley Gutter Doctor Gaco Western/ Sigma Products Garaventa Canada Ltd. Garland Canada Inc. GE Security Canada

I-XL Masonry Supplies J & S Cabinet Doors Ltd. James Hardie Building Products JELD-WEN Windows & Doors

Stratacon Inc. Studio G3 Glass Graphic Group Ltd. Suspended Stages Sylentmite Distribution Canada Inc Talius Taymor Industries Ltd. Tendu Stretch Ceiling Group Terasen Gas The New Patcraft & Designweave Tile Safe Products Trail Appliances Triumph Construction Tufdek Tuftex Carpet Mills United Scaffold Supply Comp.

Uretek Canada Inc. Valley Countertops Industries Van Gogh Designs Furniture Ltd VanderWal Homes & Commercial Group

Early Bird Deadline April 7 register by april 7 to benefit from lower seminar prices and Free admission to the exhibition. you will also receive your badge in the mail before the show!

Visit www.buildexvancouver.com for more information.

Advertise in Design Quarterly and let us connect your products and services to the design industry Endorsed by the leading design and architectural associations, Design Quarterly is the publication of choice by advertisers who want to connect with the decision makers in the multi-billion dollar B.C. and Alberta design marketplace.

To advertise your products, services and expertise or for more information on customizing an advertising program, please contact: Dan Gnocato 604.739.2115 ext. 223 dang@mediaedge.ca

www.designquarterly.ca

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::::::: green design :::::::

the green patient room An exercise in rethinking conventional patient room design

I

n today’s ecologically conscious culture, the desire to adopt sustainable practices and lifestyles has become a full-fledged race to be green. However, in the architectural community, the desire to be green is often thwarted by a lack of knowledge about green products, a fear of the additional costs of green materials, and the misconception that a facility must be new to be effectively sustainable.

The Green Patient Room — developed and designed by Anshen+Allen, in partnership with IFMA and Skanska — is the first full-scale concept room of its kind. It is a traveling educational exhibit that incorporates green materials and technologies in conjunction with healthcare best practices to demonstrate how sustainable design can improve patient care, increase staff efficiency, and mitigate the anxiety of staff, patients, and families. Even more importantly, it demonstrates how to succeed in achieving green goals without major demolitions or renovations and without exceeding a project budget.

That’s because each product in the room is economically viable, readily available and appropriate for use in intensive healthcare settings. All products that are integrated into the design are currently on the market and have been donated by more than 35 product vendors who have partnered with Anshen+Allen. They have been selected because they are both ecologically-friendly and patient-safe, for a truly eco-effective healing environment is one that protects our natural resources while restoring and nourishing the people within its walls through safe materials. Most materials and finishes are made of recyclable or recycled post-industrial content from the polyester upholstery to the porcelain floor tiles. They are also PVC-free, 40

DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

by Suzanne Drake

urea-formaldehyde-free, nontoxic and low in volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions to minimize off-gassing which can have long-term hazardous effects on people.

Throughout the exhibit there are placards that detail the sustainable and health benefits of each product and the designers’ intent for integrating them into the design. Some products can be easily integrated into existing facilities with very little renovation and very little additional cost such as a laminar low flow sink fixture or compact fluorescent light bulbs. Others, however, may require more time and more extensive renovations and have a higher initial cost as opposed to their non-sustainable counterparts. However, they have a much higher return on investment when considering life-cycle costs. That’s because a healthier environment for the earth and the hospital’s occupants can have such domino effects as higher staff retention, faster recovery times for patients, and increased market share. There are also the more immediate and tangible cost benefits of lower utility costs through water and energy conserving methods such as the integration of operable windows, sun shading devices and a low-wall displacement ventilation system. The Green Patient Room explores all of these methods because a green room occurs as part of green building and construction methods. The type of mechanical system and operational efficiency must all be considered. DQ Suzanne Drake, LEED, CID, is senior associate at Anshen + Allen. Anshen + Allen is an international firm dedicated to the design of healthcare, academic, and research buildings. Contact her at szd@anshen.com

::::::: green design :::::::

greening the restaurant industry

By Michael Oshman

G

reen is no longer just a colour. It’s a movement that is moving quickly through the business, restaurant and design worlds. As designers and, particularly, business persons, it’s important to be ahead of the game. Forward thinking and creativity are crucial elements to delivering a successful product.

At the core of the green movement is the mantra, “reduce, reuse, recycle.” In green design and building, this should be first and foremost. Opportunity is hiding behind every old table, used bar stool and swinging diner door. Salvaged goods are gold; not only do they add character and charm but they cost less and help reduce the environmental impact.

When it’s necessary to purchase new materials, like paint, or equipment, designers should look for non-toxic products and energy-efficient appliances that will run for years and provide a solid return on investment.

Other green building material options to look for include: Bamboo A fast growing, rapidly renewable grass. It can be harvested in three to five years and requires no pesticides or fertilizers to grow. It is harder than most wood species and has a very similar appearance.

Sisal Fibre Made from sustainable, rapidly renewable materials and contains low or zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Sisal safeguards indoor air quality by reducing emissions from paints and adhesives while minimizing sound transmission within the building.

Granite countertop alternative There are materials made from recycled newsprint that feel and look similar to a hard granite surface.

Wood In particular, look for sustainably harvested wood products, salvaged wood and recycled wood fibre. Also, look for FSC certified wood products.

Ten years ago, it was difficult for restaurants to even recycle.

The resources were simply not available in the capacity that they are now. Luckily, the green movement is booming and there is an abundance of great products from which to choose.

At the same time, there are many products that are not truly green. It’s important to research and carefully select products and materials that have a trusted endorsement or certification from a third party source. ‘Greenwashing’ — a company selling a product as “green” when it really is not — is a term that has crept into the green lexicon and is quickly becoming something to watch out for.

As the green movement grows, more products and services will sprout up. Because of the creative nature of the design and architectural world, there are endless opportunities to take advantage of these resources, reuse retro furnishings and recycle old materials that are past their prime. After all, good design is not only intelligent from an aesthetic perspective; it leaves a lasting impression on customers but not on the planet. DQ

Michael Oshman is the director of the Green Restaurant Association (GRA). Founded in 1990, the GRA not only certifies start-up restaurants but any foodservice operation and has a points-based certification systems, GR4.0, where restaurants are awarded with two-star, three-star and four-star certification based on the accomplishments they’ve made.

green design tips • Use natural light whenever possible. This will naturally warm the space and conserve electricity.

• Look online or in the local community to find restaurant furniture auctions.

These auctions often showcase retro materials, hard to find novelties and even antiques.

• Research local artists that make furniture from felled wood.

• Whenever possible, use products (for example, insulation and wallcoverings) that contain recycled materials.

• Old wooden doors make great tabletops, hostess stands and coat hangers.

• Design kitchens around energy-efficient appliances and equipment. This upfront investment in high-quality, efficient products will save significant cash down the road. Go beyond the minimum energy efficiency and look to GR4.0 standards to see different levels of efficiency for different equipment.

• Look for tiles, décor, centerpieces and light fixtures made from recycled glass.

Winter 2010 | DESIGN QUARTERLY

41

::::::: green design :::::::

living green

A

ttached directly to Vancouver International Airport is a train station that hovers 18m off the ground, is supported by plants, and houses an owl with a 15-foot wingspan.

YVR-Airport Station — the first stop on Vancouver’s $2-billion Canada Line — captures the spirit of the west coast and was brought to life with the help of Kaisan Architecture, Design and Planning Ltd. Two of the station’s most inspiring features are the largest green wall in North America and a spectacular red cedar sculpture of an owl.

The green wall climbs from beside the totems and fountain work in Chester Johnson Park, south of the YVR Domestic terminal. At 17m-high and 12m-wide the wall appears to hold up the entire station with 28,249 individual plants on 2,173 panels 42

DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

Mi ch ael B o l a nd

by Miguel Strother

along a built-in irrigation and feeding system. It is a living monument to the flora of coastal Canada.

“The green wall helps YVR-Airport Station tell a story that is entirely unique to the region,” says Kasian president and CEO Don Kasian. “When the local plants in the wall bloom it will be an absolutely spectacular sight. Combined with views of the North Shore Mountains, the station reflects the incredible natural beauty of B.C.” The wall is designed by renowned landscape architects Sharp & Diamond who’ve previously collaborated on other large scale Kasian projects such as the UBC Thunderbird Winter Sports Arena Complex. The wall is composed of local plants including bergenia, fern, common nana and white and green euonymus. Much like the multi-cultural mix of people, these plants from around the

world thrive together in British Columbia.

“People from every nation and culture will pass through the building on their way to and from one of the most beautiful cities on earth,” says Kasian. “This station needed to be a memorable place because for many people it represents one of the first and last parts of the Canadian journey. Features such as the green wall really help accomplish that goal.”

The station is a key point on a 25-minute, 19km trip that directly connects the airport and the city of Vancouver. The Canada Line is the only rapid train transit line in the country directly connected to the International airport and according to officials it now takes more than 200,000 one-way car trips off the road each day. That is the equivalent of installing a 10-lane highway through one of the busiest corridors in Canada’s third largest city and will significantly help reduce pollution. “[The Canada Line] will make a significant contribution toward our greenhouse gas reduction goals and all of the efforts going in to keeping Metro Vancouver’s standing as one of the most livable places on earth,” says TransLink CEO Tom Prendergast.

There will be plenty of eyes on the project to see if it lives up to these expectations, especially with the arrival of traffic for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Watching from the passenger platform above the green wall is ‘Cedar Connections’, a western red cedar carving by Aboriginal artist Susan Point of the Musqueam First Nation. The 15-foot wide owl is supported on an 11-foot base of a large cedar tree with the face of her uncle, storyteller Dominic Point carved into it. This permanent exhibit is the first welcome to the station for visitors who travel past the waterfalls, natural stone work and 40-foot Haida totem pole of the Link building, another Kasiandesigned piece of YVR. Wrapped in structural glass, the station reinforces the YVR thematic plan of land, sea, and sky of British Columbia through stunning visual connections.

Kasian principal Vaughan Hoy was the lead architect on the project and he says for him it was really important to stay within these themes.

“Really, YVR-Airport Station is all about connecting people,” says Hoy. “Whether it’s connecting them from their flights to a train ride into the city, or connecting them in a more emotional way with the rare natural gifts of this incredible place.” DQ

::::::: idibc :::::::

waking up to the business of design

By Jim Toy

L

ingering recessionary times have forced many of us to adjust how we conduct our personal and business lives. In recognizing and dealing with the consequences of the downturn, companies have embarked on ways to mitigate the bottom line by seeking solutions to be more resourceful and less wasteful within our work environments.

This age of uncertainty has spawned social, economic, environmental and political change and by default, created new demands on design companies and how we do business. Of late, cracks have appeared in the recovery process, and the anticipation of a slower recovery has many design company owners wondering what lies ahead.

Some firms have taken steps to reduce expenses and to cut costs by implementing staff layoffs, reducing salaries and introducing shared work programs, all in an effort to address the effects of the economic slow down. At the same time, there has been a tendency to react in knee jerk fashion, cutting professional fees in an attempt to compete against those who unknowingly (or otherwise) undervalue their services.

However, maintaining a more fiscally responsible approach to the business of design begins with understanding that what we offer as design professionals cannot be undermined to the point where creativity takes a back seat to cash flow.

We continually promote good design as an effective business tool — why then are we not attaching the values we deserve in the form of appropriate fees? It’s no secret that many would rather focus on the design side of running a business, but this approach lacks the acumen needed to properly draft smarter business strategies. Showcasing talent needs to run concurrent with establishing an equitable price for design brilliance. In this market, it seems that many of us have yet to come up with a quantitative measure of our worth that could be collectively calibrated, endorsed and used as an industry pricing benchmark.

How is it that other professionals dealing with intangibles are able to command seemingly worthier fees for their services? Clearly, the design industry could do better by looking to other commerce groups for counsel on how to set and maintain better business rates. If we cannot justify among our own community what our worth is perhaps we need to seek answers outside of our comfort zone. We need to consolidate our efforts in getting the message across to the public and to our practitioners that what we offer as consultants has lasting and credible value.

Have we unwittingly adopted a speculative manner to setting our fee structure, much like any other trade commodity? Based on supply and demand scenarios, this business formula works favourably in good times, but when negative growth occurs, all bets are off.

Should we expand our market boundaries? In taking on a broader outlook, we should be aware that great opportunities to do business exist elsewhere. Most of us are hesitant to offer our skills outside of our own backyards, but a portable model for doing business can be rewarding in certain situations. Local companies are now landing work in places that a few years ago seemed far out of reach. Design service is a very marketable export commodity.

But many of us continue to overlook an important element in quantifying our work. In defining business valuations, principals and

owners need to better recognize and rate the most obvious and vital commodity — designers themselves.

The highest cost, and greatest asset to any business is people, followed by real estate, technology, furniture and energy. As design professionals, we can provide to clients better solutions that use less space and energy, and produce a sense of well being and improved productivity — for others. We can measure overall outcomes using key performance indicators to track improvement — for others. But our inability to properly price our most valuable resource within a design workplace is troublesome. It is in fact challenging to drive change in our approach to business due to economies of scale — most design firms are small businesses, and lack the resources that larger companies have for business research and development. Still, we should all look to how we can more readily evaluate our scope of work and charge accordingly.

So what can we do as a professional body? Our community stands to benefit by conducting self-examination and establishing common rates that are accepted industry wide. Without an effective means to set standards we cannot sustain a competitive edge needed to address future economic change. If we can justify efficiency, effectiveness, and worth for others, we can do the same for ourselves.

We must collectively acknowledge and support goals, objectives and an agile approach based on fair trade and benchmarking to realistic levels in order to facilitate a healthier business development model. If our aim is to find synergies that help achieve cost parity relative to other professions, then we must first take an assertive stance in rationalizing what we do as industry professionals.

We need to do this now, in a bid to preserve our industry and to set the course for emerging realities in the new business of design. DQ Jim Toy is principal and founder of False Creek Design Group.

He is the past president of IDIBC. Winter 2010 | DESIGN QUARTERLY

43

::::::: aia :::::::

designing sustainable communities “... [T]he rules of what constitutes sustainable development are hereby changed, or more accurately, established for the first time. It is no longer acceptable to build a high-performance building in a greenfield, automobile-dependant context and have it certified as ‘green.’ It is no longer good enough to develop in a responsible location and build an admirable, walkable, mixed-use neighborhood while ignoring the level of resources required to build and maintain the buildings there. The time for half measures has passed.” — Douglas Farr, Sustainable Urbanism

By Lesley Beale

diverse & compact community design The community must be diverse and provide housing for a variety of incomes with assorted housing types and mixed use development; a variety of employment opportunities; and local office and retail opportunities. It must also provide a range of local services and amenities including sports, cultural and educational; a rich variety of public spaces and must also provide services for people of all ages including seniors.

preservation of local context character and heritage The task should be to develop a distinct and memorable community identity by ensuring that new development is compatible with adjacent land uses. Buildings must employ high quality architectural and landscaping standards so that housing styles are complementary to local community character without reverting to a pastiche or imitation.

The design of streets and roads should ensure they are treated as public spaces. In addition the ecology, microclimate and landscape of a community should be understood and respected by new development.

walkable & well connected communities If we are going to design walkable communities, not only do the streets and buildings have to provide the suitable conditions, we must also provide a transit service alternative. There is a direct relationship between the amount of residents living in an area and the ability to afford a reliable transit service. We must create opportunities for localized transit including handi-bus opportunities so we can walk, bike or use a wheel chair to access transit.

street design To provide walking and bicycling connections we have to design streets to accommodate pedestrians, using sidewalks on both sides of the street and ensuring that the distances between intersections are relatively short, i.e.100 meters (300-400 feet). Public sidewalks should be wide enough to accommodate pedestrians and provide room for street trees which also serve to shade the streets and reduce the heat island effect. Many Canadian street standards are designed to accommodate vehicular traffic at the pedestrian’s expense.

44

DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

The Bridges

They are often too wide which encourages speeding — the majority of streets should be no more than 2 travel lanes wide. Lower speed streets can more easily accommodate shared networks of pedestrians, buses, cars and bicycles.

The positive social and health benefits from designing walkable streets include opportunities for greater social connection and improved health benefits from walking or biking. We need to empower all ages to use the streets so that children can walk to school, and disabled people feel comfortable using wheelchairs or walkers. Parking associated with development should be placed underground wherever possible, while on-street parking will generate traffic calming.

Finally, streets and pathways need to be linked so that travel for the pedestrian is the shortest distance possible.

enhanced public realm and open space A well designed public realm, with public parks and open spaces, is critical where a higher number of residents reside. Parks should be designed to accommodate a range of activities including active sports, playgrounds and passive uses, and should include a variety of hard and soft surfaces and plantings. The adjacent buildings should serve to frame the space of the park, formalizing its surroundings so that the park becomes the living room of the community. Access to views and landmarks should be exploited wherever possible.

The parks should also create opportunities for storm retention and controlled storm release.

sustainable urban design Potentially all issues are sustainable issues, however, responsible urbanism can address such specific concerns as using brownfield sites to preserve greenfield sites; the design of sustainable infrastructure; utilizing sustainable construction techniques and encouraging both public and private developers to build sustainably. DQ Lesley Beale is a partner at Sturgess Architecture and is passionate about sustainable urban master planning. She has worked on award winning sustainable projects including The Bridges Master Plan, the Strathearn Heights Master Plan and The Water Centre.

Ro be r t L e m e r m e y e r

T

he influence that the sustainable design movement has had on the design of buildings is beginning to make a positive impact. Progressive Canadian cities such as Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver have mandated LEED standards for their facilities. The effect on private development has also begun to be felt, however greater opportunities for sustainable design can occur with the design of communities. There is a direct link between increasing density and reducing urban sprawl.

The question is how do we apply intensification in the right way, i.e. in a sustainable way, to the design of communities? As we know, for the last 20 years, human resource demands have far exceeded the world’s ability to provide them. Because of our car based culture, buildings, cities and towns and the vehicular trips we take between them are directly responsible for the increase in our carbon footprint. The following outlines key principles for sustainable community design.

::::::: design headlines ::::::: Calgary Zoo North Gate Pavilion.

Inset: Bankers Court

Urban Design Winners Cohos Evamy earned top honours at the Calgary Mayor’s Urban Design Awards for both the new Bankers Court Office Tower and the new Calgary Zoo North Gate Pavilion projects. A third entry for the Royal Canadian Pacific Entry Pavilion received an Honorable Mention. The biennial awards seek to recognize excellence in many facets of urban design. Urban design award recipients are eligible for nomination to the national Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Urban Design Awards planned to take place in 2010.

Other winners included Marc Boutin Architects (Memorial Drive: A Landscape of Memory); GEC Architecture (West LRT Extension); and Sturgess Architecture (The Grand Theatre Rejuventaion and Flights YYC).

Wilkinson Named Associate Principal

Zeidler Earns Lifetime Achievement

David Wilkinson has been appointed as an associate principal at Cannon Design. He has been responsible for the business development, operations and management of major projects in Cannon Design’s western Canadian region, with a focus on health, education and wellness.

With more than 25 years of practice experience, his recent projects include the University of Victoria athletics and recreation complex, Whistler/Blackcomb Peak2Peak gondola terminals, Sparkling Hill Resort, H20 Aquatic Adventure Centre in Kelowna, Royal Jubilee Hospital 500-bed tower and the University of British Columbia Student Union Building master plan.

Eberhard Zeidler, senior partner emeritus at Zeidler Partnership Architects was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American College of Healthcare Architects. The award, which is the highest honour bestowed by the ACHA, is in recognition of a significant body of work of lasting influence on the theory and practice of healthcare architecture.

His first significant project was in 1967 when the firm was awarded the job of designing the new hospital and schools of medicine and nursing within the new McMaster University Health Sciences Centre in Hamilton. Since then, his work has revolutionized healthcare design across North America.

Baker Heads SmartDesign Nick Baker, co-founder of Vancouver commercial design firm SmartDesign Group, has announced his sole control of the company with the retirement of partner and co-founder Jon Sunderland.

Sunderland, a 35-year industry veteran, founded Sunderland Innerspace Design Inc. in Alberta before relocating to Vancouver in the 1980s. In 2000, he merged his practice with Bakers, The Design Group, of London to form SmartDesign Group.

Baker will continue to play a central role in business strategy and development while the existing senior management team, Allan Dieckmann, Emily Woeste and Neal Sims, will manage day-to-day operations at the Canadian head office.

Firms Merge Vancouver’s Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden Architects will merge with Edmonton-based design firm Cohos Evamy effective in January 2010. The merger will give the new firm national presence wtih studios in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Toronto. A new name for the merged firms has not been announced.

In coming together, HBBH, best known for innovative, mixed-use, urban designs such as the internationally recognized redevelopment of Vancouver’s Granville Island and Cohos Evamy, current designers for numerous high profile projects such as the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton, the Calgary International Airport expansion, and Toronto’s upcoming Bay Adelaide East office tower, will complement each other to better service clients and their communities.

More Firm Mergers Toronto-based Shore Tilbe Irwin & Partners has joined forces with Perkins+Will, a global integrated design firm. The combination marks Perkins+Will’s 19th office in North America and second in Canada. The merger will broaden the firm’s Canadian footprint and expand its presence into the sports and recreation sector.

Winter 2010 | DESIGN QUARTERLY

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::::::: design headlines ::::::: Group2 new principal and associates Douglas Ramsey is the new principal of Group2 Architecture’s Edmonton Studio.

He joined Group2 in 2007 with more than 20 years of experience in the design of public buildings in both the private and public sectors with a particular focus on educational facilities. During the past two years with Group2 he has continued to focus on collaborative institutional projects delivered with a commitment to client service.

Group2 also announced three new associates to the Red Deer and Calgary studios: Stacy Christensen and Ray Rogers (Calgary) and Jon Gulayets (Red Deer).

Barry Johns will continue to bring his knowledge and expertise to Group2 projects across the province as executive director of design. Group2 merged with Barry Johns (Architecture) Ltd. in 2007 at which time the Edmonton Studio became known as Johns Group2. Moving forward the Edmonton studio will be called Group2 Architecture Engineering Ltd.

The Rolston Construction of the 23-storey high rise, The Rolston, is slated to begin in summer 2010. It will offer smart and sustainable design, while revitalizing the neighbouring Yale Pub. The Rolston is a key component of the City of Vancouver’s revitalization plans for the north end of the Granville Street Bridge, including changes to the current cloverleaf traffic configuration to allow for pedestrian friendly access to Granville Street, new parks, childcare facilities, and even the potential for a “Granville Island North” district.

All 185 residences will offer oversized view balconies. The glass and concrete tower will be built to LEED Gold equivalency standards. The project is designed by Vancouver’s Cause + Affect, the multi-disciplinary studio headed by husband and wife duo of Steven and Jane Cox.

Call for Entries Canadian designers are encouraged to submit their projects for consideration for the Sustainable Building Challenge. The Challenge will form a key part of the Seventh World Sustainable Building Conference (SB11) to be held in Helsinki, Finland, from the 18th to 21st of October, 2011.

Commercial, institutional and multiunit residential building types from either the public or private sector will all be considered for the Challenge, but eligibility is restricted to projects that demonstrate potential exemplary and balanced sustainability performance objectives as part of the design process. All projects must be of the highest architectural quality and projects submitted for consideration must have complete design documents and be under construction or completed prior to June 1st, 2010. The iiSBE Canada SB11 Team will select three building projects from those submitted for full evaluation and presentation at the Helsinki conference.

Further information and application forms are available from the Sustainable Building Challenge Website at: http:// www.iisbe.org/sbc11/canada/call.

World’s First Vancouver Convention Centre West has achieved LEED Platinum, making it the world’s first convention centre to do so. The new 1.2 million square foot world class building is the west companion to the exiting facility, tripling the total square footage of convention centre space.

Designed by Seattle based LMN Architects in collaboration with Vancouver MCM and DA, the centre features a number of innovative sustainable design strategies including a six acre living roof (Canada’s largest) and extensive use of local materials (Douglas fir and Hemlock).

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DESIGN QUARTERLY | Winter 2010

LEED Platinum Hotel Parkside Victoria Resort & Spa, the new luxury resort hotel in Victoria, is targeting LEED platinum certification. It will be Canada’s first LEED Platinum resorthotel. Designed by The Hulbert Group, the 126 room resort is located at 810 Humboldt Street. Completed in 2009, the two phase project totals 176,000 square feet and will include 61,000 square feet of commercial space.

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