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CALENDAR JUNE  TO NEOCON CHICAGO RENOWNED FOR his technically ingenious structures – including  Belgian brand Belgian brand SixInch presents the esents the a power plant that doubles as a ski hill, which just broke ground SixInch pr in Copenhagen – Bjarke Ingels headlines NeoCon’s keynote short and stout Hex roster this year. But the big ticket at the world’s largest contract stools, which double fur nish ings fair is the knockout office furniture, innovative task as side tables. lighting and brilliant floor and wallcoverings from such perennial → Steel case’s Regard favourites as Nienkämper, Herman Miller, Maharam and Inter face. is a modular desk and More than  manufacturers launch thousands of products seating system for at the Merchandise Mart, including newcomer SixInch, which is health care facilities. outfitting a vibrant on-site café and presenting variations of a hexagonal stool that also serves as a table. Other standouts include Steelcase’s modular Regard collection for health care, which seamlessly combines seating, desking and display areas discreetly wired for powering electronic devices; Bernhardt Design’s dainty sectional designed by Spain’s Lievore Altherr Molina; and Teknion’s hotly anticipated collaboration with Italy’s B&B Italia. neocon.com JUNE  TO OCTOBER  UPCOMING FAIRS SERPENTINE PAVILION LONDON, U.K. AUGUST  TO TENDENCE, FRANKFURT Sou Fujimoto conjures one of his delicate, nature-inspired forms Halls of tabletop accessories, home for the Serpentine Gallery. His lightweight pavilion, measuring furnishings and seasonal decor.  square metres, comprises a lattice of spindly steel poles – tendence.messefrankfurt.com an architectural cloud – that encloses a multi-purpose space with stepped terraces and a café. As with much of the Japanese SEPTEMBER  TO architect’s work, the structure is permeable to its surroundings, MAISON&OBJET, PARIS Fine furniture, ceramics and more. weaving together the plant life of Kensington Gardens with a maison-objet.com constructed geometry. serpentinegallery.org SEPTEMBER  TO MACEF, MILAN Home decor with a retail focus. macef.it JUNE  TO SEPTEMBER LE CORBUSIER: AN ATLAS OF SEPTEMBER  TO MODERN LANDSCAPES % DESIGN, LONDON NEW YORK Brit-flavoured home furnishings and eye-catching installations . MoMA’s ode to Le Corb – the largest to ever hit New York – percentdesign.co.uk plunges into his expansive oeuvre as an architect, interior designer, artist and writer. Found objects and still lifes share SEPTEMBER  TO exhibition space with his master plans for Rio and Algiers , IDS WEST and models of the multiple structures erected for his vision Interior design for the West Coast. of Chandigarh, India. For diehard fans, the exhibit presents idswest.com unseen silent short films he shot in the ’s. moma.org SEPTEMBER  TO CERSAIE, BOLOGNA, ITALY Aisles of tiles and bathroom fittings. cersaie.it AUGUST  TO OCTOBER AI WEIWEI: ACCORDING TO WHAT SEPTEMBER  AND TORONTO IIDEX CANADA, TORONTO Contract furnishings, lighting and finishes. To the presumed dismay of Chinese authorities, Ai Weiwei’s iidexcanada.com profile has only grown since the artist and political dissident’s release from a Beijing prison a year ago. This three-year-old globe-trotting exhibit lands at the Art Gallery of Ontario in August, bringing with it a survey of his sculptures, photography and installations. These include such works as the Colored Vases, where he coated millennia-old urns with industrial paint in pop art hues; and He Xie, a heaping pile of porcelain crabs. ago.net  JUNE  AZUREMAGAZINE.COM

drape by konstantin grcic _azure fa.indd 1 4/3/13 4:09 PM regular use logos for new advertising

et cetera 1 2 4 3 5 6 1 wool house 2 MuTAZIoNI BY 4 100 chAIrs BY MArNI 6 IsBjergeT lANZA vecchIA + wAI Wool: what is it good for? every thing, in one of the most lauded exhibits at julien De Smedt and ceBra teamed according to HrH Prince charles, For nodus, the italian- Singaporean the 2012 milan furniture fair, marni’s up with Dutch firm SearcH and who represents the cam paign for duo applied likenesses of insects vibrant line of chairs – handmade architect Louis Paillard to design the Wool, a global community of sheep to handmade wool and bamboo silk by colombian ex-prisoners – returned iceberg, a residential complex farmers, manufacturers, retailers rugs, for an unusual yet elegant for a second year with pint-sized named for its jagged forms, on the et al., whose livelihood depends on collection that includes a beetle seating for children. marni.com redeveloped waterfront of aarhus, the industry. For one initiative, the (shown) and a winged cricket. Denmark. Though the five-year organization invited such artisans as lanzavecchia-wai.com, nodusrug.it 5 pulsATe project (delayed due to the financial Donna Wilson and anne Kyyrö Quinn utilizing marazzi’s Sistemn tiles, crisis) was intended to provide sea to convert London’s Somerset House 3 BoTTlewAre BY NeNdo architects Lily jencks and nathanael views, not every suite has a sightline into a woolly wonderland. Here, Dutch coca-cola bottles worn out by Dorent injected psychedelia into to the water. However, a third of the textile designer claudy jongstra’s recycling were revived by oki Sato of capitol Designer Studio, a tile shop 200 units, presumably those that mammoth wall tapestries recall nendo, who has transformed them in London’s well-heeled Primrose don’t face the harbour, are allocated prehistoric times. into a dishware line that retains the Hill. The temporary space doubles as affordable housing. jdsa.eu campaignforwool.org original dimples and logo. nendo.jp as a cultural hub. cdstiles.com comPiLeD BY Diane cHan 54 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

- Leonardo Da Vinci

IdentIkIt studIo Experimenting with 3-D printing and DIY assembly, the Paris studio lets nocc the end-user shape the final product BY joann Plockova Members juan Pablo naranjo Born in Bogotá, 1981 jean-christophe orthlieb Born in cannes, France, 1982 location Paris ↑ The object of sound vases, lampshades education and candle holders come in 3-d-printed shapes naranjo universidad de Los andes derived from the sound waves produced by (Bogotá), industrial engineering, 2004 speaking their names. Strate collège (Sèvres, France), → The joints stools, created for la redoute industrial design, 2008 as part of a collection spearheaded by fabrica orthlieb Faculté des Sciences, art director sam Baron, showcase joinery université nice Sophia-antipolis techniques. (France), material sciences, 2003 Strate collège, industrial design, 2008 occupation The science of design narraTive sTYle industrial designers juan Pablo naranjo: Before attending Strate jPn: We often start with a coherent story about collège, where we met, both of us had studied the object, and the material has to be part of the selected exhibits subjects other than design. jean-christophe story. even with Help me Darwin [a furniture kit for 2012 nouvelle Vague, icFF (new York) was studying physics, and i’m an engineer. For emergency shelters], the idea was not to create and Harbourfront centre (Toronto) both of us, the leap from science to design was cardboard furniture, but to create an object that 2011 Salone del mobile quite natural. in science, you make observations could mutate and adapt. it happened that card - 2010 maison&objet, Talents and create hypotheses, which you then validate board had qualities that allowed this to happen, à la carte before proposing solutions. This process also so it came about as one of the solutions. even 2008 Stockholm Furniture & works for design, in the sense that if you observe the aesthetics are like a solution. We don’t make Light Fair the way people live you can create some hypoth- objects to be beautiful and then tell the story. esis about how this can be changed, improved The shape is always a result of the story. selected awards or reinterpreted, and then propose a solution or 2013 Wallpaper Design awards, an alternative. sounding iT ouT winner for Platform Tables for a good example is our elements shelving jPn: i think our first strong project was object of 19 greek Street gallery system. our hypothesis was that since the size Sound [a collection of 3-D-printed pottery in a 2010 Humanitech, first prize for of people’s spaces varies and standard shelves variety of shapes derived from the sound waves LeafBed don’t accommodate that, we would design a produced by pronouncing the objects’ names]. system that enables them to create a shelf that rather than taking ownership for the design selected clients does. We can justify every aspect of the system – ourselves, we were communicating that perhaps Serax, Swarovski, Petite Friture, an aluminum sheet with a special folding system an object has more value to you if you make it guzzini, La redoute, galery S. that the owner can shape and combine with yourself. But instead of having you create a piece Bensimon customized wooden boards – by coming back to of pottery that would be ugly, we gave you a the hypothesis that a “half-do-it-yourself” shelf certain playground where you can experiment, nocc.fr is the best solution for your specific needs. and the result will be controlled in a certain way. 56 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

↙ the glass overcover, made for a food design exhibit, holds cheese and comple- mentary foodstuffs, such as grapes. ↑ resembling an umbrella, the space/time wall clock is made up of 12 fabric sections. it was produced for elle déco lab and ikea. ↑ designed for serax, the porcelain trapped Vases have their archetypal forms encased within cylinders. ↑↑ imprint comprises two stools in one: a concrete block and the three-legged wooden seat visually derived from it. tell, like where do these mutations come from? Ah, they come from ideas about evolutionary adaptations observed in nature – and then maybe there is something else behind it. ↑ topped with steel grids, the Platform tables, from concePtual to accessible produced for 19 greek street gallery in london, Jean christophe orthlieb: Our work is conceptual, u.k., play with voids and solids. It was interesting, because in the end the objects but we try to make it accessible. Through these ↓ the kepis side tables, for la redoute, feature looked nice without this being intended. concepts, with several of our projects, we try oversized oak-veneered tops that nest together. We used 3‑D printing when the technology was to propose a new way of consumption, where new, because the concept is that the objects are you can create the object on your own, as with all unique – just like the different voices speaking Object of Sound, or make half of it yourself, as their names – and they needed to be produced with our elements shelving system. Or when we in a way that allows you to have different objects manufacture the object half with technology every time. and half by hand. layers of understanding taking time JPn: Throughout our years of working together, we Jco: At the moment, we are doing our first big have kept this idea of working with archetypes – interior project, a 25‑bedroom hotel in the centre these things that people don’t know they know, or of Paris, due to be completed in September 2014. those things we share in our common knowledge. JPn: In addition to recently releasing our Trapped You can see this through our Radiation collection of Vases for Serax, we are working on a project with chairs and stools. The archetype gives a base a group of glass craftsmen. It is more of an experi‑ for people to relate to the object, but we take them ment that will be looking at glass manufacturing from that base to another layer; we try to add from both historical and futuristic perspectives. It different layers of understanding. The idea is that will be our laboratory project for the year. everyone who looks at the object has the possibility Jco: This is not about designing objects, but to find something for themselves. Maybe you’ll designing a process. We are going to take our time find the aesthetics interesting or beautiful. But if with it. This is how we like to work in general. We like you want to know more, there is always more to to take it slow and have strong, interesting projects. june 2013 57

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san francisco social capital faceBook, evernoTe, aoL anD oTHer Big-name inTerneT firmS are Turning To STuDio  o+a To make THe office feeL Like Home by Paige magarrey when newly appointed yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer announced in February that she would ban her employees from working from home, a major debate ensued. For many people, including Yahoo employees, the return to the ofce seemed counterintuitive – a betrayal of everything the Internet age stands for: fexible hours, 24/7 communication and limitless mobility. And yet, Mayer explained, working intimately among peers results in greater productivity, along with something far more valuable: the spontane- ous interaction that often leads to unexpected (and potentially proftable) breakthroughs. She might also be acknowledging that for Yahoo to regain its competitive edge it needs to start thinking and acting like high-proft Silicon Valley companies and energetic start-ups, where dedicated employ- ees routinely put in long hours, making the ofce their home. Design studio O+A of San Francisco understands this reality well. Launched by partners Primo Orpilla and Verda Alexander in the early ’90s, the frm started out designing server rooms and labs, and graduated to craft- ing ofces for some of the most successful Internet start-ups on the planet, PHoTo BY Lorem iPSum DoLore including Facebook, PayPal and Evernote. “Ofce life is no longer show up at nine, take your lunch at 12, and leave at fve. It’s so much more than that,” explains Denise Cherry, O+A’s director of design. And while some 60 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

EVERNOTE An intricate chalkboard drawing by Brooklyn artist Dana Tanamachi greets visitors at the entrance to Evernote’s Redwood City, California, headquarters. O+A stripped the 7,400‑square‑metre space of its former flourishes ( lots of forest green paint and wood panelling ) and injected it with the online data storage company’s edgy, warehouse‑like aesthetic. “They wanted something clean and bright and simple,” says Cherry. “It’s about finding a balance between art and craft and keeping it uncluttered.” A zigzagging PHOTO BY LOReM IPSuM DOLORe wall of tillandsia air plants and a towering snack bar clad custom light fixture, a sparse low‑maintenance living in Douglas fir plywood lend an eclectic yet impressively uncomplicated feel. Beyond the lobby, employees can chill out at the wide staircase, made of white ash with colourful cushions, which leads up to small meeting rooms punctu‑ ated by brightly hued doors. june 2013 61

employers entice staf into clocking long hours with resort-like amenities brand. After spending hours meeting with execs and observing how its (Google continues to inaugurate over-the-top ofces, with tubu lar slides growing staf interacted in the existing ofce, O+A could decipher what and weekly massage sessions), the interiors O+A conceives are fun flled made the company, a start-up at the time, stand out. “We talked about their without being playgrounds. You don’t have to be twenty something to feel culture and product. They wanted something clean and bright and simple,” comfortable working there. says Cherry. Driven by a tight budget and time frame, O+A opted for a O+A excels at customizing communal spaces and complementing them simple plywood palette, inserting a few major gestures: a Herman Miller– with well-appointed nooks where you can work on your laptop or chat with furnished lobby where the Evernote logo is conveyed in sprawling chalk colleagues. The overall efect is that of an eclectically curated home, where calligraphy; a white ash staircase with colourful cushions that doubles as employees can break up their 15-hour workdays by moderating heads- stadium seating for all-hands meetings; a huge communal dining room for down desk work with impromptu meetings and moments of meditation, in nosh-and-chat sessions. All of this refects the interactive nature of the spaces that are more urban apartment than hacker fever dream. Evernote team. To balance it out, they devised semi-private workstations. PHoTo BY Lorem iPSum DoLore The ofce of Evernote, the company that developed the popular docu- CEO Phil Libin wasn’t keen on his designers, programmers and salespeople ment management app, is a prime example of how O+A achieves this facing each other at benching-style desks, so O+A came up with a fxed spine balance between collaborative and private work in a way that refects the that supports rows of desks, with side tables that enable each worker to sit in 62 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

← AOL The eminence grise of the Internet sought to rebrand itself with a more youthful start-up aesthetic. That shift is immediately apparent from the lobby of its Palo Alto building, with a reception space shaped like a skateboard ramp and crafted in birch plywood. In the 7,400-square-metre office, O+A conceived a palette of rugged raw materials: corrugated fibreglass and oriented strand board as cladding on the circular meeting pods throughout, and reclaimed Douglas fir on some of the drop ceilings. But it also worked in polished details. In the reception area (below, right), a Corian desk and custom-designed plaid vinyl wall- coverings are anchored by a high-drama chandelier by Tom Dixon. Along with the conversation pods, glassed-in meeting rooms and expanses of white- board encourage collaboration. → ReputAtiOn.cOm For Reputation.com, which manages its clients’ Internet profiles, O+A created a workspace inspired by Thomas Edison. Says Cherry, “They saw them- selves more as scientists and mathematicians than engineers.” Taking cues from Edison’s lab in Menlo Park, New Jersey, the headquarters in Redwood City, California, features pegboard, corkboard and whiteboard panels affixed to a pared-back uni-strut metal frame system. Custom-made desks by Mash Studios, in cast iron and reclaimed wood, are installed alongside an assortment of furnishings from Herman Miller, Pottery Barn, Anthropologie, Restoration Hardware and Emeco, while wall-sized graphics of the company’s press coverage animate the lounge space. PHOTO BY LOReM IPSuM DOLORe june 2013 63

multiple directions. The reasoning: to limit distraction when employees are quiet work or casual meetings and not be interrupted by passersby. concentrating on individual work, yet encourage fexibility. “Everything – If the plaza helps to organize the layout, the home is where O+A always even collaboration – has to be used in moderation,” says Cherry. returns. A workspace is rendered cozy through its furnishings and fnishes, For a model of how to mix private and playful zones, O+A conjures the and the frm has developed an impressive catalogue that draws from plaza. “If you have a plaza in a city, it’s more efective if it has smaller places high and low, as well as from bespoke products by local makers to clas- you can go so you don’t feel quite so exposed.” In its loftier commissions, sic furniture suites from the likes of Tom Dixon. This results in ofces up to 27,000 square metres, the frm staggers the ceilings, lowering them to with aesthetically distinct spaces, just like the rooms in a home. In the create intimate spaces, and letting them soar to atrium heights where open- 7,400-square-metre headquarters for AOL, another company angling to tap ness is required; they also insert variously sized rooms that relate to the the start-up spirit, they used just one product to create this efect, delineat- overall space in a dynamic way. Farming insurance company Climate Corp.’s ing diferent areas with Interface Flor carpeting: a muted mosaic of tiles in ofce – which measures 2,230 square metres and features a giant hanging one room, bold stripes and earthy green hues in the next. “We want to cre- globe in the lobby that reinforces the earth- conscious brand – exemplifes ate a space that feels as curated as your home does,” says Cherry. “For the this variegation. O+A installed glazed meeting rooms, clad in handsome longest time, designing an ofce interior meant you bought 50 of the same PHoTo BY Lorem iPSum DoLore black oak or in topographic wallcoverings; and relaxation zones, such as chair and put them in 10 similar rooms. We’re building spaces you would be a sculptural padded bench, complete with plant pots, that runs the length comfortable in for fve hours or 15 hours.” It’s enough to make your average of an extra-wide hallway so engineers can break away from their desks for business aim for a start-up feel. o-plus-a.com 64 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

climate corp. Inside the lobby of the 2,230-square-metre concrete shell of Climate Corp., which sells insurance to farmers based on its climate change research, a three-metre-wide globe floats next to a glass-enclosed meeting room. Purchased through the federal government, it projects real-time weather data for the entire world. This large central common area also houses a reception, dining and conference zone, with long wooden harvest tables and PHOTO BY LOReM IPSuM DOLORe right). The smaller meeting rooms, named after benches and a simple kitchenette (middle Newton, Tesla and other thinkers, are covered in custom wallpaper that evokes pages of vintage science books (background, right), while one semi-private meeting room is clad in black oak (top right). june 2013 65

milan adult contem- porary ForgeT THe FooSBaLL TaBLe. goring & STraja ProDuceS a grown-uP oFFice BLuePrinT For auToDeSk’S neweST HuB by andrew braithwaite at some point during the information revolution, interior designers decided (did they all vote via internet poll or something?) that tech‑ companies ought to be housed in playful ofces devised to nourish the creative engineer’s inner teenager. The resultant go‑to palette of bold colours, grafti graphics and slides suggested a strange sort of daycare for programmers raised on energy drinks and MTV. So when the California software developer Autodesk, which created AutoCAD in 1982, commissioned Goring & Straja Architects to design a more sophisticated ofce in Milan for 40 employees, they were quite aware that the frm possessed a resumé that might presage an aes‑ thetic like that of Silicon Valley’s start‑up playgrounds; founded in San Francisco in 1995 by Jim Goring and André Straja, the frm boasts a portfolio that includes projects for Microsoft and JWT. Fortunately for PHoTo BY Lorem iPSum DoLore both sides, the quiet yet assured space that Autodesk desired turned out to be one that GaS was only too happy to deliver. “Italian design is about rigour, and the spaces we gave Autodesk are not 66 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

GaS took advantage of the original building’s bank of seven- metre-tall windows to reduce energy consumption. The H-Beam pendants by Flos are controlled by sensors that detect motion and natural light conditions. PHOTO BY LOReM IPSuM DOLORe june 2013 67

↖ The reception area is defined by a concrete desk and a box letter autodesk logo made of aluminum. Lighting by Yamagiwa. ← ← classic furnishings and natural tones give the office a chic sophistication. ← Surface motifs, such as the blueprint pattern seen here on a glass wall, are a nod to the pre-autocaD era. “They’re our fossils,” says principal architect andré Straja. fagrant in their vocabulary. They are detailed and meticulous in their The 850-square-metre Milan ofce, composed of simple straight lines execution,” says GaS principal André Straja, who heads his frm’s Milan and a muted white colour scheme spread over two levels, demonstrates its ofce, just a 10-minute drive from Autodesk’s new space. Set in Via Tortona, chic bona fdes through material choices intended to highlight Italy’s repu- Milan’s southwest quadrant, where edgy of-site exhibitions are held tation for craft. “Italy is not a country of wood and steel; it’s a country during the annual Salone, the ofces stand alongside condos and show- of masonry and cement,” says Straja. The space’s big idea, as he calls it, rooms in a new live-work complex completed in 2009 by the Italian is a long central wall that unifes the upper and lower foors, which are architect Matteo Thun. connected by a foating staircase. One side of the wall, which uses gaps and The design brief focused on two outcomes, one rather broad and the apertures to allow diferent departments to connect visually, is overlaid other quite specifc: Autodesk wanted a space that evoked its global nature with a perforated acoustic-dampening material. The other side, in a hand- (with ofces in 35 countries) through a lens of polished Milanese style, made Venetian stucco, plays of the dominant whites with its mossy tone, and they also sought to achieve LEED Gold certifcation. The frst set of achieved by adding pigment during the fnal application of plaster. PHoTo BY Lorem iPSum DoLore criteria was right up Straja’s alley. He helped to found GaS’s Bay Area head- The use of green evokes the many invisible touches that make the space quarters in San Francisco, but he has run the frm’s Italian practice since ecologically green, too. The original building is powered by a low-impact 1997 (a third GaS ofce is located in Rome). hydroelectric plant and features wall- and ceiling-mounted radiant heating 68 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

The resin floating staircase is white, like most of the furniture throughout the office, including the Herman Miller task chairs at each workstation. PHOTO BY LOReM IPSuM DOLORe june 2013 69

↑ in the second-floor break area, the ↗↗ Sliding doors with minimalist monolithic concrete countertop is Dorma hardware prevent the internal embossed with the protractors, tri- walkways from being blocked. angles and other tools that autocaD → → Laminated mDF walls by DSa rendered obsolete. Travel mugs line interni are installed in the board- the orange shelving area above. rooms and elsewhere. panels. As well, GaS retained as much natural light as possible with a work- space plan that relies on open, fexible shared spaces; running the length of the long glazed side is a double-height, seven-metre-tall space that opens onto the upper and lower foors. Lights operate via sensors that detect both occupancy and daylight conditions. Some 40 per cent of the materials were manufactured within 800 kilometres of Milan, and more than 80 per cent of construction waste was recycled. The resultant interior nods to its Italian setting with nine conference rooms named after famous homegrown designers, Castiglioni, Gismondi, and Pininfarina among them. Even the lighting and furnishings, created by such non-Italians as Mies van der Rohe, Ross Lovegrove and Karim Rashid, lend a sense of refnement. “The pieces didn’t necessarily need to be Italian; they just needed to refect high design, to feel Italian,” says Straja. But while the ofce features Barcelona chairs in place of beanbag chairs, the project is not without a hint of youthful cheekiness. When the client rejected Straja’s idea to use an integral coloured concrete to enliven the cofee bar and other work surfaces, GaS decided to punctuate the moulds of the neutral grey tabletops with protractors, triangles and other classical PHoTo BY Lorem iPSum DoLore drafting tools that AutoCAD rendered obsolete with its technological solution to engineering drawings. “They’re our fossils,” says Straja. “You know, ‘Video killed the radio star.’” gasarchitects.com 70 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

website.com PHOTO BY LOREM IPSUM DOLORE jUnE 2013 71

toronto MOBILE DEvIcE neeD an oFFice rigHT aWaY? HeaTHer DuBBeLDam ProPoSeS a SnaP-TogeTHer WorkSPace THaT FiTS inSiDe a conTainer by john bentley mays photography by shai gil stripped to its barest essentials, an ofce is merely a place to power up one’s smart phones and tablets, and a surface to work on, says Toronto architect Heather Dubbeldam. But how basic can a workplace become and still be comfortable, welcoming and functional? Dubbeldam gives us her answer with a kit of parts fashioned from soft maple forklift pallets and scaled to ft inside a standard shipping container. Pop-Up Ofce provides just about all of the millwork and furniture needed to set up a small business operation quickly and cheaply. Tables, desks, benches, even foors and ceilings and walls, are included in fve separately packaged modules measuring just under a metre wide and two metres high, all designed to be mixed and matched. One module’s in-built desk provides an individual workstation; another ofers lounge seating with sinuous chaises for informal meetings and conver- sations; and a third sports a bar at kitchen counter height, ideal for cofee and lunch breaks. The sociable combination of tables and benches meant for collaborative projects comprises the remaining two modules. The style is rough and ready, much like the discarded cargo pallets them- selves. Nothing has been painted or varnished. Where the body comes into contact with the wood, Dubbeldam has sanded down the slats and planks; otherwise, the timbers are as raw as the day she rescued them from a local fooring distributor. Pop-Up Ofce was originally designed as a demonstration exhibit at the Interior Design Show in Toronto earlier this year, but Dubbeldam is open to the project becoming a viable product. She foresees several uses for her imaginative scheme. It could serve as a temporary command centre in a disaster zone, the heart of a start-up on a tight budget, or the headquarters PHoTo BY Lorem iPSum DoLore for an outdoor festival. Wherever it goes, the architect says, the ofce will embody adaptability and sustainability – key elements in any workplace tailored to the new ways we work. dubbeldam.ca 72 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

Made from reclaimed shipping pallets, the Pop-up Office is an inexpensive option for setting up a workstation anywhere, any time. each of the five modules suits a different function, from a basic desk and bench system to casual seating for face-to- face conversations. PHOTO BY LOReM IPSuM DOLORe june 2013 73

paris the box office for a small creative agency, “it was a ballet of boxes,” quipped Antoine Santiard, one of three architects h2o architectes makes the who worked on the Hypernuit project, in which a 62-square-metre ofce space in Paris was assembled almost entirely from custom-made containers. most of cubbyholes and It was the type of original solution that could only come from an unconven- tional brief: how to design a layout for a collective of creative types who storage space by amy verner wanted to feel together but keep their autonomous identities. And, who also needed a multifunctional space that could simultaneously store and show of the photography that united them together. Naturally, the budget for the start-up agency was tight. But at least the space was raw, oriented lengthwise and facing out to the street. So for H2O Architectes, installing full-length windows was an easy frst step. Santiard and his colleagues Charlotte Hubert and Jean-Jacques Hubert initially proposed three “scenarios” before settling on the modular arrangement. It consists consisting of fve workstations confgured with a surfeit of boxes to accommodate computer servers, portfolios, books and other ofce needs. While the workstations are fxed, all the peripheral boxes can be easily 74 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

H2O fabricated boxes in 13 varying dimensions, to create a versatile inter ior for the multimedia creative agency Hyper nuit. While five work stations are fixed into place, peripheral containers can be moved around as needed. moved and restacked for gatherings. The walls have been lined with panels that maintain a consistent line within the stations while allowing artwork to be mounted and removed without damage. Meanwhile, the back corner of the space has been allocated to a meeting room separated by a glass wall and sliding screen. There is also a well-concealed kitchenette. Everything exists in a neutral palette of white and grey laminate with a matching polished concrete foor. Santiard explains that the white interior boxes enhance the lightness of the space and encourage personalization from stafers. While the ofce was completed in three months, at a cost of just $85,000, it mostly came together in the fnal four days when all 81 boxes arrived from the millworking shop. The project represents a “mise-en-interieur” where, as Santiard notes, an endless variety of assemblages allows for a versatile, layered space. Already, he has returned to host exhibitions only to fnd the cubbies flled with books and art lining the walls. And he seems pleased: “You can already see how they have appropriated the space; each has made it their own.” h2oarchitectes.com june 2013 75

Four studios in montreal that are EchoEs of AbsEncE LA critiquE At the C2-MTL event in May 2012, guests For this multi-screen exhibit about art criticism in Place des Arts, the studio spoke into a microphone to activate this LED sound and video installation. collaborated with artists and writers. hitting baillat it big Cardell et Fils Jean-Sébastien Baillat and Guillaume Cardell Multimedia designers Working out of the city’s Graphic desiGn, brandinG, motion desiGn, scenography, video, print and instal- lation: there is no accurate way to compartmentalize the mood- enhancing brick-clad warehouse environments created by Baillat Cardell & fls, a fve-year-old studio that operates out of a warehouse near Mile End. Principals Jean-Sébastien Baillat and lofts, these local firms are Guillaume Cardell, both former VJs, have earned numerous awards for their live event visuals, which they have created for such acts as British DJs Sasha & creating highly experimental John Digweed and Québécoise singer-songwriter Ariane Mofatt. Perhaps their most accessible piece is a 15-metre-long wall of video screens works in graphic design, installed in the underground passageway of the Espace Culturel Georges-Émile- video installation, furniture Lapalme in the Place des Arts in downtown Montreal. It consists of meditative and oblique vignettes, accompanied by ambient sounds, that fash across fat-screen and interiors TVs, with a mix of animated faces and illustrations by local artists worked in. While Baillat and Cardell now employ a full-time staf of six, they built the frm from the ground up. In 2008, while their ofce was still a work-in-progress, they hosted an open house to generate buzz. “We were forced to improvise,” says Cardell. “We used masking tape to outline the desks and divisions, to make something that would surprise and amuse people when they visited.” Creatively, they still get their best results by ping-ponging projects between By Austin Macdonald teams and staying late to jam on Magic Tuesday Nights. “There are no interrup- PHoTo, ToP, courTesy of sParksHeeT Photography by Will Lew tions or clients calling. We can all work together with loud music going,” says Baillat. “Those moments are sacred.” baillatcardell.com 76 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

In 2008, after meeting in Montreal’s VJ circles, Guillaume Cardell and Jean-Sébastien Baillat co-founded their multi- disciplinary studio, located in a warehouse near Mile End. JunE 2013 77

Variable Hidden-Function MonolitHs In this smoked glass set, the chairs tuck into the table to create a simple rectangular box. EntEring thE officE of Jean-Maxime Labrecque’s architectural practice, housed in a beaux arts style building on rue St. Jacques, is a bit like stumbling upon the solo practice of Howard Roark, the architect protagonist of The Fountainhead. A similar aura of solitary discipline permeates the tiny space, from the way Labrecque lays his books out on the table in grid formation to the monotone palette he prefers in his work and attire. The principal of INPHO Archi- tectures Physiques et d’Information since 2000, Labrecque says it was not Roark, but rather Rem Koolhaas’s acclaimed book S,M,L,XL, that changed his creative course when he was a student. Since then, he has built his iconoclastic minimalism into retail clothing stores, includ- ing Montreal’s François Beauregard and Reborn, and seven residential projects. In one recent commission, he designed a small apartment space for a client who asked that it be an interior “ people might fnd cold, like a gallery.” He responded by stripping the space to its original concrete and inserting modules made of raw Working out of his sixth- aluminum that serve as built-in floor micro–corner office in furniture, including a bed and sofa. old montreal, Labrecque He fnished the bathroom entirely takes subdued minimalism in black. to the extreme. Residential commissions have inspired him to design a new line of furniture prototypes that currently inpho fll a portion of his micro-sized ofce: monolithic cubes made of glass, aluminum or wood that transform architecture into a simple dining table, sofa or desk. “Architects are flters,” he says, “and the more neutral the flter, Jean-Maxime Labrecque the better the result. The absolute is to make architecture vanish, Architect knowing that you can never do so completely.” inpho.ws 78 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

The no-holds-barred design-build studio La Firme consists of Pierre julien, Simon Cantin and Louis Beliveau, who work out of a loft in Little Italy. La CabanE Wool sock seats and stacks of lumber furnish this Canadiana lounge. La FErmE Suspended from a ceiling- mounted frame, this leather and wool chair is part of a furniture line for Hôtel La Ferme. “We’re a design-build ofce that ofers turnkey custom designs,” says Simon Cantin, who operates La Firme out of a loft on the fringes of Little Italy, along with Louis Beli veau and Pierre Julien. They design from creative inception to fnal execution. “Anything from castles to cofee mugs,” adds Beliveau ofandedly, to emphasize their willingness to take on whatever comes their way. Ofcially open since 2010, the studio has crafted residential and commer- cial interiors, including a lounge made out of cardboard for the 2012 Montreal International Documentary Festival. One of its most innovative furniture pieces is a folding chair that fattens into the shape of a mail tag and hangs on the wall. Last year, during La Cabane (an urban-chic sugar shack food experi- ence held in Montreal’s Old Port) the studio crafted a banquet lounge by installing a 11-metre-long Adi ron- dack sectional, stacks of lumber that served as tables, and three cloth swinging chairs woven to look like giant wool socks. It became an la firme instant classic of contemporary lumberjack Canadiana. “We just try to survive in the urban jungle,” Beliveau says. Work- days start at 6:30 a.m. when they have construction going on, and Louis Beliveau, Simon Cantin, Pierre Julien 9 a.m. for the ofce. “We come in early to check emails,” he says. Interior and product designers “Then we put out fres from 9:01 until 6.” lafrme.ca june 2013 79

Grinder Perron’s wood-clad interior for the Montreal hot spot evokes its his tor ical roots. While Zébulon Perron may be behind some of the most successful bars in Montreal, known for their artful mixture of old-world coziness and texture, his own ofce does not refect the same studied aesthetic. He is the kind of designer who focuses on environments that engage rather than on quiet workspaces. “Our interest is really about people and their experience,” he says. “I’m interested in how a layout facilitates social contact and interactions.” The Perron look is a skillful curation of distressed, imperfect and“somewhat messy” surfaces, fxtures and furnishings combined with a rigorous foorplan. It’s a style that responds to what people are seeking when they go out. One of his favourite devices is a central bar that naturally draws crowds. “I’ll try to make sure no one is isolated, so people can observe each other and there’s an intrinsic circulation pattern to the space.” At Bar Furco, his latest after- work destination at 425 rue Mayor, he designed a sinuous rail above the The designer in his newly bar that supports 40 custom light completed Bar Furco on fxtures made out of powder-coated rue mayor. it exemplifies his aluminum, smoked glass and walnut. go-to palette of distressed “You have to punctuate your designs textures, custom fixtures with diferent moments,” he says, and warm materials. “and provide tacit wayfnding. The fountain outside the washrooms is purposeful, a sort of reward for zébulon Perron completing a journey.” As for his own day-to-day aes- thetic, he prefers to walk to his ofce architecture and design at the city’s hippest crossroads, avenue du Parc and rue St. Viateur. Location is key, he adds. “I go out Zébulon Perron at noon, sit and have a cofee, run into people, have a chat and get a feel for Hospitality designer what’s going on.” zebulonperron.com 80 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

Custom Privacy Films Imaged and Cut privacyfilm Window Graphics architecturalfinishes Add privacy to any office, boardroom or lobby facilitysignage Utilize custom designed or corporate imagery Cut or print any shape, pattern, logo or text interiorimaging Full or partial window coverage options exteriorimaging Fasara™, DI-NOC™, Security, Sun Control fleetgraphics eventvehicles tradeshows Autograph Trim is a recognized 3M Platinum Select Graphic Provider. Fasara and DI-NOC are trademarks of 3M. © 3M 2013. All rights reserved. ATrim_Azure_9x11pt5_jun13_fin.indd 1 13-04-08 12:22 PM version Project: Azure FP Ad Admin: IM Ownership of Conceptual & Production work: fin Filename: ATrim_Azure_9x11pt5_jun13_fin.indd All original layouts, designs, creative concepts and production files remain the Docket: Internal copyright and property of Autograph Trim unless otherwise specified in writing. Notes: June Office Issue Approval: Scale: 1:1 Artist: DW Revision Date: 04/08/2013 Trim: 9 x 11.5 Bleed: 9.25 x 11.75 Live Area: 8.5 x 11 PMS____ PMS____ PMS____ PMS____ PMS____ PMS____

Dot Calm Subtle but hard working, circles and ovals are always on point. Here are eight dotty textiles for seating and windows that will add a visual lift to the office compiled by tory healy ⁄ photography by paul Weeks ⁄ styled by alanna davey 3 5 2 1 4 PHoTo BY Lorem iPSum DoLore 82 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

1 IDRA 7104 Mechanically frayed holes in a matte cotton-velvet overlay reveal an underlayer of reflective satin. Decobel’s latest design comes in seven colour variations. $130 per metre, decobel.it 7 2 COMEBACK CF Stinson’s antifungal and bacteria-resistant jacquard with 8 egg- shaped dots linked by squig- gles is made of post- industrial nylon, with eight colourways to choose from. $55 per yard, 6 cfstinson.com 3 OFF & ON Both retro and contemporary, HBF’s two-tone pattern says office. The upholstery is made of re cycled post-consumer nylon in 16 hues. $30 per yard, hbftextiles.com 4 BAM BAM Alhambra’s arrangement of three- millimetre dots against a hot pink cotton backdrop looks quaint up close, but from a distance it reads as a solid colour with texture and depth. Ideal for drapery. $100 per metre, alhambraint.com 5 CUSH Toronto textile designer Julie Jenkinson rendered this dense concentration of computer- generated dots on charcoal grey Ultrasuede. The lightweight fabric is machine washable. $75 per yard, juliejenkinson.com 6 RUSTIC POP Vaguely floral, this rich pile of pink and purple velvet is a soft pelt atop a coarse cotton backing. Alhambra offers the touchable upholstery in three shades. $260 per metre, alhambraint.com 7 SYMBOL With a motif of chat icons, app logos and proofreaders’ marks, Momentum’s cotton- polyester textile is a pop art take on the wired world. In nine colours; Greenguard approved. $70 per yard, themomgroup.com 8 GALAXIE Celestial patterns stamped in metallic on sheer polyester PHOTO BY LOREM IPSUM DOLORE artsy-chic window covering by flannel add shimmer to this Élitis, making the fabric filter and reflect light in painterly flashes. From $180 per yard, elitis.fr WaLL HOOkS BY MUUTO, COURTESY Of TORP InC., TOROnTO jUnE 2013 83

Some of IN Design’s additions are subtle, including a brass- → A Paul Smith Swirl carpet (courtesy coated leaf inserted into the of Avenue Road) and Nada Deb’s vintage dining table. Gold bowl Pebble table tie together the room’s by Tom Dixon, blue table lamp by yellows, oranges and browns. Dipinta Diesel with Foscarini, courtesy Di Blu (black carbon fibre chair) by of Studio Pazo, Toronto. Marco Papa for Adele-C.  JUNE  AZUREMAGAZINE.COM

shock factor IN8 Design sweetens a two-bedroom apartment in Toronto with unexpected hits of orange and yellow By Alex Bozikovic / Photography by Bob Gundu and Paul Orenstein JUNE 2013 85

↖↖ The bathrooms are colour blocked, one in yellow, the other in orange. The designer used miniature molten mosaic tiles from Trend USA in both rooms. ↑← Baltic birch in the foyer conceals shelving for a vast shoe collection. Above, a sandblasted panel slides open to reveal the kitchen. in most cities, apartment tower interiors are seen as bastions of feature- grey laminate. “It’s like an iceberg in the middle of the room,” Arcand says less boxes cloaked in humdrum tones. So it is rare to fnd a creative interior, of the monolithic form that keeps dinner party kitchen messes out of sight. never mind one that counters the trend with a blast of citrus yellow lami- The living room, with a foor of grey-stained white oak, provides a neutral nated millwork. A recent renovation by interior designer Michel Arcand of backdrop for a collection of contemporary paintings and photography, and Toronto’s IN8 Design is a sophisticated revision of a two-bedroom apartment a Danish rosewood table that has been in the family since the ’60s. Arcand with materials and details micro-tailored to the desires of a lively couple. had one leaf of the eight-seat table painted with two layers of lacquered The owners moved in to the 149-square-metre space with their two teen- brass leaf, to evoke one owner’s occupation as a mining executive. agers eight years ago, and now, empty nesters, they were looking to upgrade But the boldest moves happen in the suite’s two small bathrooms, which their poorly detailed interior. Arcand’s team left the foor plan as it was, with share similar custom millwork and molten mosaic tiles: a teeth-jarring shade bedrooms at either end, making only a few incisions. The frst is visible of yellow in the master bath, with the guest bath defned by an equally from the front entrance, with a sandblasted sliding panel that either hides forward shade of orange. or reveals the kitchen beyond, and lets natural light reach the entry from a Manufactured by Trend USA, the slip-resistant tiles are meant for out- full-height window. door pools. Countertops of white quartz by Cosentino and a conspicuously Surfaces throughout were dramatically redrawn to make way for blocks clean ceiling plane with concealed fans make a bit of room for the eye, but PHoTos, THis PagE, by PaUl orENsTEiN of extremely bold colour. The frst is vibrant panels of yellow-laminated the efect is overwhelming, and deliberately so. “We know how we want to plywood and Baltic birch that surround the kitchen on all sides, separating live,” says one of the owners. “Every morning, I come in here, and it feels it from the living and dining areas. The colour carries over into the kitchen exactly right.” Clearly, if the neighbours don’t like it, she couldn’t care less. cabinetry with accent features, including cupboards and light fxtures, in in8designinc.com 86 JUNE 2013 azUrEmagaziNE.com

Yellow cabinetry incorporates a backlit neon art piece by Orest Tataryn. Engineered white oak flooring by Baltic Wood, chair by B&B Italia and resin vase by Gaetano Pesce, courtesy of Studio Pazo, Toronto. JUNE 2013 87

25 TOP SPOTS IN NEW YORK IN TIME FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE FAIR IN MAY , NEW YORK WRITER TIM MKEOUGH SOURCES THE BEST NEW SHOWROOMS, EVENTS AND RESTOS AROUND TOWN FLOS SHOWROOM   THE AMERICANO RESTAURANT  Greene Street  West th Street When Flos first set up shop on this busy SoHo corner, adjacent At Chelsea’s scrim-sheathed Hôtel Americano, by Mexican architect Enrique Norten, to Moroso and the now-closed Moss, New Yorkers felt as if they you don’t need to be a guest to enjoy the polished aesthetic of the Americano, which serves were witnessing the construction of an incredibly chic design a Latin-infused French menu, from burgers to Oaxacan lobster, in a lustrous interior mall. The showroom remains a top source for inimitable contem- animated with Allegro pendant fixtures by Foscarini. Up a flight of white stairs, the patio porary lighting, from Castiglioni classics to Soft Architecture offers a view of the hotel’s brick and fire escape milieu. fixtures, such as Ron Gilad’s Wall Piercing, that blend into walls . Dinner Mon–Fri –, Sat & Sun –midnight; in summer, lunch served Sat & Sun on the rooftop Mon–Sat –; cocktail reception Sat, May  flosusa.com hotel-americano.com WANTED DESIGN DESIRON SHOWROOM  th Avenue   New York Design Center Back for its third year,  Lexington Avenue, Suite Wanted Design is the most A fixture in SoHo, where it operated inclusive of the off-site an expansive street-level store, events that take over the Desiron recently relocated to the city during ICFF. Expect New York Design Center, a nexus of a diverse group of exhibi- showrooms that sell to the trade. tors, including Cappellini, Under the creative direction of Frank Design Within Reach, Joe Carfaro, Desiron turns out simple, Doucet, and Bernhardt robust, large-scale modern furniture, Design, which is debuting such as the chunky Bedford wooden the Helix table (shown) by dining table with metal insert, and Chris Hardy. There are also the upholstered Empire bench with regional showcases, such as flat-bar steel base, made to order From Quebec, Fresh From in the US. Unlike many NYDC show- Brasil, and Design in Puerto rooms, it is open to the public. Rico. Mon–Fri –; Sat – desiron.com May –, Sat–Mon – .wanteddesignnyc.com  JUNE  AZUREMAGAZINE.COM

STDIBS.COM SHOWROOM AVENUE ROAD SHOWROOM New York Design Center  West th Street, th floor  Lexington Avenue, th floor At the New York outpost of this Toronto retailer, you will find an inter national The premier online marketplace for vintage range of furniture and accessories that you won’t see anywhere else in the designer furniture, stdibs.com now has a city, from the hexagonal MUC tables in multi-hued ceramic by Christophe bricks and mortar shop at the New York Design Delcourt, to the cantilevered Figilio sofa by Marcel Wolterinck. Resembling a Center, where it presents booths from more residential loft, the showroom also stages Canadian talent. Yabu Pushelberg than  of the website’s top dealers. For lovers consulted on the interior, and Toronto art studio Moss & Lam produced one of modern, there’s plenty of mid-century, and of the most prominent features, an installation of curving floor-to-ceiling you may also come across rarefied present- screens with a bird motif. These custom elements are for sale, and Avenue day pieces – such as the Drag lamp by Julien Road carries a selection of production pieces from both firms.   LLADRÓ BOUTIQUE Carretero (shown) – from the recently shuttered Mon–Fri –, Sat –; open house Sat & Sun, May  and  avenue-road.com Moss shop. Mon–Fri :–:, Sat (July & Aug only) – stdibs.com/nydc  Madison Avenue The Spanish porcelain company Lladró has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years, expanding its focus from kitsch Lladro figurines to the modern vignettes – sometimes starring a jauntily clad jester – of Jaime Hayón. Now it has swung open the doors of its new flagship (also designed by Hayón), a gleaming white beacon on a prominent corner of Madison Avenue. Full of generously curved corners and rounded rectangular display cases, the look is crisp and friendly, with just a hint of a sci-fi vibe. It’s also luminous, thanks to minimalist pendants and track lighting and a wall of bevelled mirror panels. However, the manufacturer has not completely eschewed its past. Its traditional bombonieres sit side by side with more experimental pieces developed by contemporary designers and artists, including Gary Baseman’s new Guest Collection. Placed inside this boutique, it all appears fresh – proving, once again, that context is everything. Mon–Sat –; cocktail reception Tue May , – lladro.com JUNE

KARKULA SHOP  South th Street, Brooklyn The design store Karkula has come home. Opened in Brooklyn in  as an -square-metre shop named Breukelen, it made the jump to Manhattan’s then emerging Meatpacking District in . Priced out when the area became overrun with bars and clubs, it relocated first to TriBeCa, and now back to its original borough in Williamsburg, where owner John Erik Karkula lives. Throughout that -year saga, it has supported young local designers, such as Jim Zivic and David Weeks, while introducing the wares of lesser-known European brands. Today it carries products from such renowned companies as e, Extremis, Kettal, Oluce and Santa & Cole, as well as raw, vaguely utilitarian PROENZA SCHOULER SHOP pieces by local office Token , and a handful of items designed  Madison Avenue by Karkula himself. Located on a moneyed stretch of Madison Avenue, fashion house Proenza Schouler’s Mon–Fri –, Sat & Sun – karkula.com first boutique, designed by London, U.K., architect David Adjaye, surprises with its materiality. At first blush, it’s the antithesis of bling: weathered wooden beams, pock- marked brick, rusted metal screens cut out in a triangular pattern, and long expanses of concrete. But in Adjaye’s hands, the result is far greater than the sum of its parts, offering a sense of permanence as well as an unfussy representation of urban cool. Mon–Sat – proenzaschouler.com CAMPBELL SPORTS CENTER PARTY WALL INSTALLATION, MoMA PS West th Street and Broadway – Jackson Avenue, Long Island City Situated at the northern tip of the city, this new building may In late June, visitors to MoMA PS can find shade, culture and entertainment in a towering cause commuter whiplash. Designed by Steven Holl Architects, structure clad in waste wood from skateboard production, right in the art museum’s it stakes a place at the centre of Columbia University’s Baker courtyard. Party Wall, as it’s called, also functions as an aqueduct: a stream of water that Athletics Complex. The angular ,-square-metre building, runs along the top carries water to pools and sprays mist. Pieces of the facade, made up with its criss-crossing external staircases, is inspired by football of  wooden panels, can be removed to serve as benches and tables during the museum’s and soccer field diagrams. With a robust exposed steel struc- Warm Up music parties. The installation was designed by Ithaca-based CODA, a studio ture and an aluminum rain screen, it projects a sense of strength headed by architect Caroline O’Donnell . In Manhattan, MoMA hosts Applied Design, curator while responding to its gritty urban location on the edge of the Paola Antonelli’s latest brainy exhibition (think: Pac-Man alongside a roving IED detonator), elevated subway tracks. stevenholl.com before it inaugurates a major show on Le Corbusier, which opens June . MoMA PS: Thu–Mon – (closed Tue & Wed) momaps.org; MoMA: Mon, Wed & Thu, Sat & Sun :–:, Fri :– (closed Tue) moma.org  JUNE  AZUREMAGAZINE.COM

Please close cut with slight shadow thanks, k TOM DIXON SHOWROOM AXOR SHOWROOM  Broadway, Suite   th Avenue After a prolonged flirtation with New York, Tom From Philippe Starck’s twisted Organic faucet to Patricia Dixon has finally made a commitment and opened Urquiola’s free-standing tub that looks like a frozen wave, Axor a modest contract showroom in a historical  makes bath fittings and fixtures that people actually covet. In this building. The space is stuffed with the British Meatpacking District showroom, designers and homeowners now designer’s latest works, including the new Rough & have a place to see and touch the full range from the upscale Smooth collection of metallic lighting, furniture designer line produced by Hansgrohe. and objects. Just don’t expect a casual shopping On-site product specialists are ready to pull together com pre- fling; the showroom is open by appointment to the hensive specifications for projects, but don’t come here expecting trade only. tomdixon.net to buy on the spot. Instead, clients are directed to local dealers to complete their purchase. If your design project extends beyond wet areas, you’re also in luck. The Axor showroom is located on the upper level of Vitra’s showroom, so you can pick up a Tip Ton chair by Barber Osgerby or a Noguchi Prismatic table on your way out. Mon–Fri –, or by appointment hansgrohe-usa.com FONTANAARTE SHOWROOM  Greene Street A mural depicting the interior of Milan’s La Scala opera house covers the entire rear wall , as a tribute to FontanaArte’s home base. Designed by Italian architect Piero Russi, the interior is otherwise spare and simple, letting the light fixtures shine. From classics by Gio Ponti, who co-founded the company, to the  collection created under new art director Giorgio   FDR MEMORIAL old company’s rich breadth. Of course, the showroom isn’t the Biscaro – including such fun fixtures as the Blom table lamp by Andreas Engesvik (shown) – you get to experience the -year- only place to see these products in action. Just up the road at  Prince Street, the Camper store, designed by Shigeru Ban KAVA COFFEE SHOP Roosevelt Island and topped with cardboard tubes, features rows of seating  Washington Street When it comes to hospitality design, illuminated by the Japanese architect’s minimalist Yumi floor When architect Louis Kahn died of a heart attack in New York’s Penn Station in , he was carrying lamps for FontanaArte. Roman and Williams is the most the final drawings for this memorial to American imitated, firm in New York. However, Mon–Fri –, Sat –; cocktail reception Mon, May president Franklin D. Roosevelt in his briefcase. this tiny, off-the-radar boutique cof- fontanaarte.com fee shop by the powerhouse studio demonstrates its knack for crafting former employees, was approved for construction, spaces that feel rooted in a history political changes and financial problems soon that never quite existed. The café Although the design, completed by some of Kahn’s derailed the project – for more than three decades. is grounded by a sunburst terrazzo Finally completed last year with help from a team floor and has a vaguely nautical feel, that included Mitchell/Giurgola Architects, the with a porthole door and ceiling park – featuring the giant bust of FDR and a coves, and a wall installation of red- contemplative space formed by enormous blocks tipped wooden slats. Just in case of white granite – is a belated surprise gift from the interior is not enough, there is one of the country’s most fondly remembered a secluded garden out back. modernists. For a bird’s-eye view of New York while Open (am to pm) Mon–Wed –, Thu  en route to Roosevelt Island in the East River, take & Fri –, Sat –, Sun – the aerial tram from nd Avenue and East th kavanyc.com Street in Manhattan. Thu–Sun – fdrfourfreedomspark.org JUNE

BARNEYS  Madison Avenue The highlight of Barneys’ recently unveiled reno – especially for devotees of Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik – is the sparkling fifth-floor shoe department, where marble walls and full-height glass panels laminated with brass mesh add a tasteful touch of glam to a serene, sophisticated space. The multi-phase, multi-year renovation is the work of Yabu  Pushelberg, under the guidance of the store’s creative director, Dennis Freedman. Mon–Fri –, Sat –, Sun – barneys.com PARISH HALL EATERY ALPI SHOWROOM  North rd Street Brooklyn  Greene Street, Suite K Joseph Foglia’s design breaks The Italian company Alpi produces reconstituted wood from sharply from the trend of weath- sustainable sources. Derived from readily available poplar and ered barnboard and exposed basswood trees, many of its products – ran ging from wood Edison bulbs. Instead, it offers veneer and flooring to doors and door knobs – recreate the perfectly plain white-painted appearance of more exotic species, such as rosewood, ebony, brick walls, blond woods and zebra wood and fumed oak. The company cele brates the custom furniture with simple engineered nature of its product with bright integral colours modern shapes, inviting patrons and unusual patterns that still somehow feel warm and familiar. to savour food that puts a focus HOME FRONT EXHIBIT, For that reason, this showroom (one in a string of new out- on local ingredients; as is de  MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN posts, including Milan and Moscow) is bound to be a favourite rigueur these days, the restau-  Columbus Circle haunt of architects and designers looking to push their material rant grows its produce on its In its most ambitious program yet, MAD ramps up its palettes. Designed by Matteo Ragni – and launching just in own farm. With its Scandinavian recurring Home Front series, dedicated to the state of time for ICFF with a party hosted by Azure – it is located right feel, it’s a real palate cleanser. American design. Running through June , the must-see in the heart of SoHo, on the th floor of the aptly named Mon –, Tue–Sat –, Sun After the Museum: The Home Front  comprises an SoHo Building. – parishhall.net exhibition, workshops, and lectures on everything from Mon–Fri –; Azure cocktail reception Mon, May , – digital design tools to how design objects are sold. alpiwood.com Tue & Wed, Sat & Sun –, Thu & Fri – (closed Mon) madmuseum.org  JUNE  AZUREMAGAZINE.COM

UNIQLO SHOP  th Avenue Come to Uniqlo for the skinny jeans and stay for the archi- tecture. What most adherents of the Japanese brand might not know is that this prime ,-square-metre spot on th Avenue is the fast-fashion chain’s larg- est shop. The cavernous interior is full of reflective surfaces, light installations and video screens – dynamic features specified by Wonder- wall designer Masa michi Katayama , Japan’s king of glamorous retail interiors. Mon–Sat –, Sun & holidays – uniqlo.com L’ABBRACCIO  GAETANO PESCE EXHIBIT Fred Torres Collaborations  West th Street CHRISTIAN LIAIGRE BOUTIQUE Gaetano Pesce has never hidden his love for New  East st Street York, his home since , which also happens to The champion of restrained yet contemporary French elegance, be the year that he created the New York Sunrise Christian Liaigre has ended his representation by trade furniture giant sofa, inspired by the city’s skyscrapers, for Cassina. Holly Hunt to inaugurate his own Upper East Side showroom. Expect That love is finally requited with a solo exhibition, three floors of simple furniture and case goods on a grand, monolithic L’Abbraccio (The Embrace) that runs to May . scale, many featuring touchable textured woods and fabrics, which The name comes from one of the featured pieces, he has placed in the private homes of his own interior design clients. a cabinet that, when its two doors are closed, Mon–Fri – christian-liaigre.fr resembles an embracing couple. Also on view are drawings, maquettes, furniture and lighting by the resin-loving Pesce, which date from the s. Mon–Sat – fredtorres.com MATTER BOUTIQUE HUNTERS POINT SOUTH WATERFRONT PARK  Broome Street Long Island City, southern Queens Matter became a must-visit design shop by showcasing an unusual mix of furniture Located directly across the East River from midtown Manhattan, and accessories by local talents, international designers and top European names. Hunters Point South Waterfront Park provides a beautiful public space These days, the highlight is the store’s own collection, MatterMade. It has grown for a new residential development. For those of us anxious about steadily for the past three years, and now includes meticulously crafted pieces by the extreme-weather future, it gives something more: a glimpse of such U.S.-based designers as Stephen Burks, Lindsey Adelman, Paul Loebach, Harry what designing for rising water levels can look like. Conceived by Allen and Jonah Takagi. This year, MatterMade launches its most ambitious offering Weiss/Manfredi, Thomas Balsley Associates, and Arup, the park fea- from a single design studio yet, a furniture and lighting collection by the blistering-hot tures an urban beach, a shade canopy, walking paths, and a platform for New York firm Roman and Williams, which puts the emphasis on robust construction viewing the city from afar. But the most intriguing element is a large oval and hard-wearing materials, such as brass, leather and American black walnut. lawn, which serves as a temporary holding pool for flood waters, protect- Mon–Sat –, or by appointment; RSVP-only opening party Sat, May  mattermatters.com ing the park from post-hurricane destruction. hunterspointsouth.com JUNE

field trip Alentejo, PortugAl Modern Contemporary architecture and winemaking make an excellent vintage pairing at this Portuguese resort By CrAille MAguire gillies ↑ Designed by lisbon architecture firm l’and vineyards is an hour’s drive east of Lisbon, its agricultural and winemaking business, it enlisted Promontório, the striking, prism-like near the walled town of Évora. Beyond the gates, the Lisbon firm Promontório to design a central central building houses the resort’s the first thing you notice is rows of newly planted structure ( referred to as the hotel ) to house the reception area and lounge, a restaurant, grapevines weaving among 200-year-old olive resort’s reception area and lounge, a restaurant, a winery and a spa. trees. Then your attention is drawn to the white- a winery and a spa. The striking building, which washed facade of the prism-like hotel, which opened in may 2011, supplies hospitality services seems to float above the ground. in the distance, to a range of completed and planned accommo- the ruins of a medieval castle crown a hill, while dations for rental and private owner use. a few dozen sheep dot the farmlands below. Promontório, which created the master site Surprisingly, the minimalist hotel and its rural plan, also designed a cluster of 31 townhouses with surroundings blend perfectly. wide patio spaces. configured in seven blocks, The resort is one of the country’s first winery- they are arranged like an amphi theatre around hotels, marrying the owner’s love of contemporary a man-made lake. of these, ten 120-square-metre architecture with the alentejo region’s history Sky-View Suites (named for the large skylights of winemaking. a few years ago, when the Sousa over the beds) are designated for hotel guests. cunhal family group decided to branch out from The suites are partially recessed into a hill, each 94 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

The main building supplies hospitality services to guests and private owners. In the foreground, concrete lattice spans a town- house patio space. ↑ Designed by Márcio Kogan of Studio MK, the hotel’s lounge features a long fireplace paired with expressive furniture. ←← The architecture of the entire resort reflects the Mediterranean court- yard house concept. Open patio spaces abound. ← For the pool and sauna area, Studio MK selected Gervasoni chaise longues. slightly askew for privacy. Elevated behind them of the buildings, despite multiple architects, is Near the reception area, a large glass opening is a second row of privately owned one- storey mirrored in the interiors of the hotel and the rental reveals winemakers at work around the silver vats, townhouses, the L’And View Suites, that go into unit townhouses, designed by Brazilian architect turning the winery into a kind of art installation. the L’And rental pool when owners are absent. Márcio Kogan of Studio MK. Throughout the And just as the architecture is integrated into the Portuguese architects João Luís Carrilho da hotel, expansive, minimal spaces – combined with landscape, the living experience blends with the Graça and José Paulo Dos Santos were re cruited by natural materials, such as chunky Indonesian wood winemaking. L’And vintners harvest the owner’s Promontório to design complementary residential coffee tables and Portuguese wool rugs – make for grapes and turn them into bespoke vintages, clusters on the -hectare site, and future villas a sophisticated earthiness. In front of a horizontal complete with custom labels. are expected from Peter Märkli of Switzerland and fireplace that spans an entire wall, Vladimir Kagan’s In late , the Sousa Cunhal family group the U.K.’s Sergison Bates. Promontório has two Ondine chairs offer a modernist nod to the wing- will extend the L’And concept an hour to the villa clusters under construction, one of which is back . Warming the spare approach is Kogan’s southeast, with the -suite L’And Reserve Hotel slated for completion in . In all, seven residen- fondness for wood, shown in the slatted screens and Spa. Designed entirely by Studio MK, it tial clusters are planned or completed, some with that shield the townhouses and the main building will feature modern steel, stone, glass and wood private vineyards, and all reflecting the traditional from views and the intense summer sun. The slat structures that overlook the Alqueva reservoir, Mediterranean courtyard home. motif reappears in wall panels, and in the bedrooms carrying on the sensitive blending of old culture The subtle approach and visual consistency as Studio MK–designed headboards. with new. JUNE

field trip Alentejo, PortugAl ← Hotel guests stay in one of the 10 Sky-View Suites, named for the skylights over the beds. other options include owner villas or townhouse suites when available. ↙ Studio MK27’s minimalist approach is warmed by a profusion of wood, and opulence figures in such choices as a huge soaking tub. ↓ In the guest suite’s ample living area, light fixtures by tom Dixon and Secto are paired with a wooden table designed by Studio MK27. ↓↓ Private patios with gas fireplaces and out- door showers offer guests a secluded haven. If you go WHere to eAt AnD DrInK WHAt to See WHAt to Do at L’and, chef miguel Laffan serves up a posh Life was once turbulent within the ancient in Évora, adega da cartuxa ( cartuxa.pt ) is one take on local fare (think: cured cod with the fortified walls of Évora. The town was a centre of of the region’s largest, most esteemed wineries, resort’s own olive oil or organic pork loin). For a the Portuguese inquisition, but now the uneSco and a popular spot for a tour and tasting. Wine snack, stop by one of the pastelarias in nearby World Heritage Site is packed with monuments presses have operated on the site, a former jesuit montemor‑o‑novo before strolling through and museums spanning two millennia. Start in residence, since the 18th century. countless other the castle ruins. For a proper night out, many Praça do giraldo, a one‑time execution ground, small wineries are dotted along the alentejo head to Évora, a 30‑minute drive away. Fialho then swing by the roman temple. other highlights Wine route. Take along a designated driver and (  restaurantefialho.com ) and restaurante Dom include Palácio cadaval (  palaciocadaval.com ) find your own way ( v inhosdoalentejo.pt ), or go joaquim ( restaurantedomjoaquim.pai.pt ) are and convento dos remédios. For a drink and a with a custom‑planned trip from such companies go‑to spots for an authentic alentejo meal. snack – oxtail soup, anyone? – head to perennial as cellar Tours (  cellartours.com ). favourite café alentejo ( cafealentejo.com ). → Suites from 185 euros a night. l-andvineyards.com 96 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

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Design File boardroom and privacy Top These models seamlessly integrate technology or modularity for a lighter, TABles brighter boardroom by dianE cHan 1 2 3 4 5 7 6 1 Zi 3 Keypiece 5 Harvest 6 naòs by Tuohy by Walter Knoll by allsteel by Unifor Small screens rise from this table This table with aluminum legs is part available in seated or standing For a twist on the conference table, for teleconferences. it comes in of a new contract line by austria’s height, with a split or full top, this Pier luigi cerri’s piece is composed of many sizes, shapes and materials, eoos. The tops are available in such table inspired by communal dining a painted aluminum profile with a including FSc-certified woods forms as boat shaped or trapezoid. has optional power access and glass top. it can be specified up to and veneers. tuohyfurniture.com walterknoll.de sliding doors in a trough to manage two by eight metres. unifor.it unruly cables and cords. 2 branch 4 metronome allsteeloffice.com 7 Essentia by arco by nienkämper by artopex With slots at either end for easy Toronto’s FigForty designed these electrical outlets in the centre and handling, Branch extends to 3.4 tables in sizes from cozy to board- removable panels in the base keep metres with a removable leaf. it’s room, with options for power, data cables hidden yet accessible. The made of wood and steel, in various and video. They come in veneer, line is available in wood finishes that colour combinations. arco.nl laminate or glass, with an aluminum include zebra, teak and oak. base. nienkamper.com artopex.com 98 june 2013 azuremagazine.com

chair Ergonomic executive and task seating – on casters or fixed bases – that works inside the dance boardroom and out 1 2 4 3 7 5 6 1 You 3 Physix 5 Work Lounge 7 Diffrient Smart by Allseating by Vitra by Coalesse by Humanscale With a mid- or high back in elasto- Alberto Meda and Vitra developed a jean-Marie Massaud’s plush swivel This task chair automatically adjusts meric mesh, curvy You’s sinuous highly resilient elastic knit, allowing chair encourages long-term work in a to each sitter, giving appropriate u-shaped frame houses a suspen- Physix’s continuous shell to take relaxed posture. A height- adjustable back support via a patented weight- sion system that conforms to the on the user’s contours. Its flexible pivoting tablet accommodates sensitive, mechanism-free recline. sitter’s back. allseating.com polyamide side beams follow the traditional and electronic note books. The armrests move back ward and body’s movement. vitra.com coalesse.com forward as well as in and out. 2 Gesture humanscale.com by Steelcase 4 Spree 6 Cona by Global by Keilhauer Steelcase observed 2,000 workers in 11 countries to develop this Global and japanese manufacturer Inspired by a ’60s bucket seat, Cona ergonomic task chair. It adjusts to Itoki clad the back of Spree with a incorporates a well-proportioned a range of postures, for texting mesh that provides support without backrest, a knee-tilt mechanism and or swiping a tablet, and comes in restricting shoulder rotation and seat-height adjustability for upright leather and vinyl. steelcase.com arm reach. globaltotaloffice.com work or reclining. keilhauer.com june 2013 99

DESIGN FILE BOARDROOM AND PRIVACY From hooded seats to glass enclosures, these privacy options have you covered  Trivati  ID Trim Cap  Kontour  Optos by Haworth by Vitra by Davis by Teknion The triple-grooved rails of this For moments of alone time, Antonio This quilted modular seating line, In this thin-profile wall system, the garage-style enclosure can be fitted Citterio’s high-backed ID Trim L task in fabric or leather, comes equipped vertical glass panels are joined by with any glass or metal partition chair, with padded neck support, with power and data access options. transparent adhesive tape to form a from other manufacturers, providing now sports a privacy hood of sound- The overhead and surround screens, virtually seamless wall and increase a quick solution for boardroom or absorbing leather or polyester in nine colours of fabric, provide light transmission through office office privacy. haworth.com fleece. vitra.com respite amid busy work environments. spaces. Optos can be inte grated davisfurniture.com with Teknion’s Altos wall system;  Reform  Targa two levelling ranges accommodate by Johanson Design by BuzziSpace irregular floors. teknion.ca Swedish designer Alexander Lervik Alain Gilles’s booth encloses a devised this semi-private hexagonal work station, dampening the ambient seating nook with wood and metal noise. It comes in  sound- insulating legs. Available in over  fabrics and felts and seven config urations, from leathers. johansondesign.com single screens to modules with roofs. buzzispace.com  JUNE  AZUREMAGAZINE.COM