Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2020 i AZURE

Until the COVID-19 pandemic upended just about everything just about everywhere, AZURE had been poised to celebrate two important milestones in 2020: the magazine’s 35th birthday (which we marked with a special dual-cover May issue, released just before Canada’s lockdown began in earnest in March) and the 10th edition of the AZ Awards (which, given that a Toronto gala has been a hallmark of the prizes since day one, has made this special occasion a little trickier to fete). Like other planners of big events, we decided, once it became clear that a large public gathering wasn’t in the cards, to hold a virtual awards ceremony on September 18 (go to awards.azuremagazine.com for information on where to view it). Yet another cornerstone of the AZ Awards is the issue you’re…

_Tacofino Kitsilano _Vancouver, British Columbia _September If residential interiors are self-portraits, restaurants might be considered landscapes. The owners of Tacofino were wise to this, creating a series of wildly atmospheric spaces on Vancouver Island and throughout Vancouver that mine the West Coast imagination. As the eatery, known for its locally inspired fare, continued its march across the region, co-founders Kaeli Robinsong and Jason Sussman enlisted Shiloh Sukkau, principal of Vancouver studio September, to broaden their coastal iconography. “It’s been a research project,” says Sukkau. “It’s allowed me to develop a language around materials and use them in a combination that’s really particular to the West Coast.” For their latest outpost in the city’s Kitsilano district, the direction shifted to Tofino, the town where it all began in the back of…

In his youth, Magnus Wastberg followed his lightingmanufacturing father on trips across Europe, visiting factories and listening to conversations about illumination with clients and suppliers. “Every time I went to see clients in their big offices, the lighting always made me feel poorly,” he recalls. “I had a strong sense that the way we do lighting doesn’t make us feel well.” So in 2008, when he decided to launch his own brand after a career detour as a management consultant, he knew exactly what kind of company it would be. “I wanted to create products,” he says, “that had the highest aesthetic, technical and emotional quality.” Some 12 years later, Wastberg has become known for its technically advanced, impeccably designed lighting for offices and beyond, as well as for highprofile…

→ DIPPING LIGHT Barcelona-based designer Jordi Canudas’s awardwinning Dipping Light is now available in a portable cordless version. Maintaining its vibrancy through a multi-dip paint application, the on-the-go iteration has a rechargeable battery in its sleek metal column base (available in graphite or brushed brass) that lasts up to 20 hours at quarter power. 22 cm H. marset.com ← FLOAT Set on an ultra-thin steel pedestal, Float’s aluminum-encased half-dome LED diffuser can be removed for recharging or for use on its own — or even to perch atop a wine bottle for a quirky look. Available in five colourways, the light is turned on and off and adjusted via a soft-touch system. 34.7 cm H. axolight.it ? BONTÀ Two removable glass vessels were designed in tandem with the milk glass…

Fast. Cost-effective. Adaptable. These three qualities determined the simple yet bold brief for a mixed-use complex combining multi-family housing with commercial space on a roadside site in the Portuguese city of Vale de Cambra. For the Porto-based architecture practice Summary, the open yet limited mandate offered a tailor-made opportunity to showcase the exceptional attributes of its innovative modular building system, called Gomos. First prototyped by Summary’s Samuel Gonçalves at the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale, the Gomos System — consisting of prefabricated concrete panels, slabs and rings — employs these elements to create spatially and thermally insulated modules that can function as single-family dwellings or form part of a larger complex. At VDC, Gomos enabled the quick and inexpensive assembly of an intricate multi-purpose structure while incorporating a design flexibility that…

It’s ill-advised to compete with nature. Indeed, doing so is outright taboo among contemporary landscape architects, most of whom have little in common with such historical forebears as André Le Nôtre, the French master gardener who sought to impose his will on the natural world, rendering it in idealized form. Nowadays, the inclination is to tread lightly on a landscape, not to overwhelm it. But how do we foster an appreciation for nature — especially when so much of it is imperiled and so many of us are cut off from it — without disturbing or restricting its health and beauty? Enter a design such as Forest Tower, which is both a subtly integrated platform for taking in a pristine setting and a profound architectural statement designed to attract and…

Konstantin Grcic is known both for his functionfirst approach to furniture and for his prolific output. In April 2017, during Milan Design Week, the Berlin-based designer stayed true to form by launching seating for Cassina, Magis, Plank and Mattiazzi. It was his then-conceptual lighting collection for Flos, however, that stood out as something new altogether — an art project of sorts from the pragmatic designer. Three years later, what was an imaginative proposition is now a practical and frequently specced product. Called Noctambule, the assemblage (you can create up to 16 compositions for suspended lamps and 12 for floor) is composed of blown-glass columns that appear to float between rings of ambient light. Roughly translated from French, Noctambule can mean “night reveller” or, as Grcic puts it, “the kind of…

In 1968, Mexican architect Luis Barragán completed Cuadra San Cristobal, the renowned residence on the outskirts of Mexico City. Defining its iconic courtyard, a fuchsia wall with rectilinear apertures graphically establishes a threshold between the home and the world beyond. Conceived for design firm VIDIVIXI, which recently opened a showroom in the Mexican capital, the fittingly named Cuadra mirror by New York’s Bower Studios was inspired by Barragan’s distinctive language. Measuring 1.2 by 2.1 metres, the piece consists of three slender appendages that recall the architect’s elemental forms. Subtle changes in its geometry and reflective hues give it a sense of depth, further emphasized by the solid wood frame that tilts to imply perspective. Fully customizable (it’s shown here in clear and bronze glass with a blackened walnut frame), the…

After encountering the work of designers Verner Panton and Ettore Sottsass during her time at University of the Arts London, Kusheda Mensah soon pivoted her attention from fabrics to furniture. “I was looking at what I was going to be making fabric for,” she says, “and I thought: This is really boring. I should start making the actual pieces.” She could hardly have dreamed that, one year later, her work would be showcased at SaloneSatellite in Milan. “I just applied with hope, a statement and drawings, and I got accepted,” Mensah recalls. Her eponymous line, Modular by Mensah, was then solidified; the British–Ghanaian designer hasn’t looked back. Out of her Peckham studio in South London, Mensah crafts objects informed equally by her surroundings, relationships and community. Noticing the discord between…

_Linear Track Systems _Understanding UV _Portable Lamps In Calgary, the Canadian Pacific Railway slices through the heart of the city, dividing the downtown core from the Beltline neighbourhood. On a daily basis, tens of thousands of vehicles and pedestrians transit below its hulking underpasses, key gateways that have deteriorated over the years. Commissioned by the City of Calgary as part of a larger rehabilitation project, local firm Marc Boutin Architectural Collaborative reanimated the dreary 4th Street SW underpass with a corridor of light and colour. “It’s pragmatic and poetic,” says principal Marc Boutin, “a combination of traffic infrastructure, urban armature and public art woven together.” At the beginning of the design process, the firm analyzed how pedestrians moved through the subterranean space. “As people descended into the underpass, it changed…

The Borden Park Natural Swimming Pool is the first facility of its kind in Canada. Engineered to purify city-supplied water with botanic filtering processes rather than noxious chlorine, the chemical-free “constructed beach” is win–win–win: The easy-to-maintain system improves well-being and accessibility, lowers operating costs and creates new habitats for native flora and fauna. And the overall design allows it to do so beautifully, with a gentle shoreline-inspired pool slope and a low rectilinear change room building that translates the purification process into elegant, restrained architecture. To fully appreciate the design, you must first understand the inner workings of the water-cleaning systems: a set of regeneration basins at one end of the pool deck (visible to patrons but protected by glass) and an adjacent bed of crushed granite concealed behind the…

How do you generate buzz for your latest lighting series during Milan Design Week, when countless product launches, cocktail events and eye-popping installations clamour for attention? That was the question facing Montreal’s Lambert & Fils, which in 2019 was presenting its Sainte collection, a line of coloured-glass pendant fixtures. For an answer, the firm provided the one thing that everyone from overworked designers to over-walked journalists craves during the packed design extravaganza: a place to relax, grab a quick bite and maybe throw back a flute of prosecco. To that end, it commissioned the Italian firm DWA Design Studio to create Caffè Populaire, a unique experiential setting centred on the essentiality of food. Taking over a former panettone factory, the space enticed with a simple message: Come for the food…

The mellow, rhythmic interplay of surf and sand feels naturally calibrated to relax us. The modular, low-slung Surf sofa, designed by Toronto- and New York City–based design firm Yabu Pushelberg for Italian manufacturer Molteni&C, channels that inherent dynamic. Like its namesake, Surf doesn’t retain a rigid, constant shape. With central, chaise, corner, island and terminal elements — the longest of which is just two metres — it adapts to its setting and can be easily configured to suit residential or commercial purposes. Each juncture maintains a smooth, contoured silhouette rather than creating a distinct visual break. Available in linen, leather and other well-wearing upholstery, it has a defined form, but straight lines are almost entirely absent. And with a minimum of visible stitching, it has the subdued (albeit powerful) appearance…

How do you make a lasting impression with something that isn’t meant to last? You embrace the ephemeral by utilizing basic materials and then elevate them to stunning effect. At least, that’s what the local multidisciplinary studio Stacklab did with its Temporary Tyvek lighting installation for Toronto’s Stackt Market, a community-focused urban development in the heart of the city’s downtown. Composed entirely of shipping containers spread across 9,290 square metres, the much-anticipated open-air marketplace opened in April 2019 on previously vacant, city-owned industrial land that’s scheduled for development in 2021. Until then, the multi-use venue will play host to revolving retail and culinary pop-ups (both local and international), start-up incubators, art exhibits, music shows, workshops and other cultural events. Called in to contribute a functional lighting display for a brewery…

Based in India’s capital, Studio Lotus challenges the norm of typically private government offices with Krushi Bhawan, an inclusive administrative centre in the northeast state of Odisha that celebrates regional craft and community empowerment with free-flowing public amenities. The 12,077-square-metre Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment is a floor-to-ceiling canvas for local artisans, its every surface imbued with textures and motifs unique to Odishan culture. A pleasant breezeway inspired by traditional open-air markets called haats connects public learning spaces on the ground floor, providing comfortable, shaded areas for informal gatherings and knowledge-sharing. Adjacent to the breezeway, a lily pond surrounded by indigenous trees and plantings offers a cool reprieve from the tropical climate. Above this plaza are three floors of naturally lit private office space, ventilated by passive methods including…

“We’re cooking for a family of five,” says Ali Budd, “and we have our dream kitchen.” For the acclaimed Torontobased designer and her brood, achieving an ideal space came naturally. Budd’s expert eye ensured an optimal layout and note-perfect finishes, and her choice of JennAir appliances elevated the feel and functionality of the luxe yet hard-working space at the heart of the home. Marrying design and performance with technological innovation, JennAir appliances epitomize modern luxury. One of the brand’s distinct design expressions, the Rise collection of cooktops, refrigerators, range hoods and more is a powerful focal point in Budd’s home. “I love the warm detailing and the contours,” she says, highlighting the subtle touches — like the solid brass accents and knurled handles with asymmetric diamond grips — that bridge…

1 BORNE BÉTON GRANDE Designed by Le Corbusier for the Unite d’habitation in Marseille in 1952, this brutalist floor light has been reissued with LED technology for the North American market. Weighing in at almost 53 kilograms and standing nearly 60 centimetres tall, each lamp is handcrafted from concrete and can illuminate large expanses. nemolighting.com 2 CLIMBER This vertical wall-mounted LED fixture by Piero Lissoni directs light both upward and downward to wash exterior walls in a flattering light. Its geometric die-cast aluminum body (in white, brown, black, anthracite, grey or green) and glass lenses are designed to minimize glare. flos.com 3 LEO AREA LIGHT Constantly evolving, Leo is now offered in four pole heights, with the tallest reaching 7.6 metres. The die-cast aluminum body comes in a range of…

DORVAL 05 Montreal’s Lambert & Fils has reimagined its Dorval 01 pendant by Paris’s SCMP Design Office as a suspension light (plus table, floor and wall lamps). Dorval 05 spaces four of the original square LEDs, which are inspired by airport runway lights and classic Motobecane mopeds, along an aluminum bar that spans 184 centimetres; two new hues — beige and midnight blue (shown) — are also available. lambertetfils.com MINIMAL TRACK This easy-to-install, low-voltage surface system features miniature profiles (1.5 by 1 centimetres), luminaires and other components for use in spaces where discreet yet effective lighting is required. The pressure-connected LEDs can be arranged with 90-degree rotations and have no discernible fastening elements. arkoslight.com STRUT With a magnetic framework, this modular solution can be reconfigured and adapted on site while…

Meet the Jury The process of determining the winners of this year’s AZ Awards — the 10th annual — was a unique one for us. In March, when the world was grappling with the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, our international jury of leading designers met online for the first time in the history of the program. Together they selected the winners in 20 categories, their choices honouring some of the world’s most thought-provoking and inspiring work. Distilling it all to come up with individual victors was a tough job, made all the more challenging by having to confer remotely. But they did it admirably: Now more than ever, the projects that populate the following pages shed light on how design can truly create a better place for us…

When Atelier launched in 2019, its makers — the global architecture and design firm Gensler and the Italian furniture manufacturer Fantoni, working in collaboration — couldn’t have anticipated that a global health crisis would soon catalyze the emptying of offices, sending employees home to conduct business at kitchen tables and rudimentary standing desks. Atelier was envisioned for the workplace we once knew, one that played host to a throng of people moving freely between collaborative and private work within a communal office space. It speaks to Atelier’s versatility that the system doesn’t seem like a relic of our pre-COVID-19 world. The same qualities that made it ideal for busy workplaces — the uber-mobility, the sleekness of its form, the minimalist character that doesn’t look entirely corporate — make it a…

Architecture often aims to resist the passage of time. Rarely, however, do interiors aspire to this same sense of permanence. In the case of Shadow-Box, Toronto-based architects Johnson Chou and Silke Stadtmueller’s sparse three-storey abode, the residence becomes a kind of record — a blank canvas capturing ephemeral movements of the world just beyond its walls. Occupying a narrow site on a bustling street in their home city’s Upper Beaches neighbourhood, the deliberately austere white facade appears like a full-scale model that, in fact, shelters the pair’s 189-square-metre home. Separated from Chou and Stadtmueller’s collaborative office by a slender lane, the ground floor opens to a dining area and kitchen outfitted with a sprawling island that continues outside into the protected rear courtyard; the palette is a rigorously muted one,…

Overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Japan’s central Fukushima Prefecture, the town of Tomioka was an idyllic seaside community prior to the massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami that destroyed many of its buildings and caused the meltdown of the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. More than 100,000 people were evacuated from the prefecture in the fallout, leaving a pall that still weighs heavily on the areas closest to the power plant. The life that now stirs in the ruins of the region consists mainly of the decontamination crews that are razing devastated structures, clearing away debris and dealing with radioactive waste. But the demolition of these buildings, argues Connery Friesen, a student at the University of Manitoba in Canada, also amounts to an eradication of the past. Rather…

And the winners are… Fifteen striking projects received the Ordre des architectes du Québec’s awards of excellence in early June. Montreal studio Les architectes FABG took home the Grand prix d’excellence for Espace Paddock in the city’s parc Jean-Drapeau. Atelier Pierre Thibault, Lemay, Alain Carle Architecte, Bisson associés, Provencher_ Roy, La SHED architecture, Blouin Orzes architectes, Natalie Dionne Architecture, Pelletier de Fontenay, Saucier + Perrotte Architectes, L. McComber — architecture vivante, Coarchitecture, In Situ atelier d’architecture and Jacques Plante Architecte were among the additional Quebec-based winners. Movers and shakers In a controversial decision, Eva Franch i Gilabert was fired from her role as director of London’s Architectural Association by the school’s council following a vote of no confidence in mid-July. As per the institution’s unique democratic structure, students, staff and…