Taking one of the  quintessential icons of British culture, Jake Phipps reworks the bowler and top hat into pendant lamps that are equally comfortable topping a dining room table, as topping the head of a well suited man. Made of wool felt, and aluminum, “The Jeeves & Wooster” [...]]]>

Taking one of the  quintessential icons of British culture, Jake Phipps reworks the bowler and top hat into pendant lamps that are equally comfortable topping a dining room table, as topping the head of a well suited man. Made of wool felt, and aluminum, “The Jeeves & Wooster” pendant lamps are a humorous  take on  society, and culture.  Counting Google, Harvey Nichols, and Tommy Hilfiger  as clients,  Jake Phipps is clever as he his brilliant.

The world’s thinnest folding chair  now in production via manufacturer Gebruder Thonet-Vienna, is made of lacquered plywood, making it in incredible light and incredible thin, it will pack up nicely and fit into the smallest of spaces. Available in Orange, black, white, and blue.

When Patkau architects of Vancouver brought together an enormous team of architects and structural experts to build the largest ecosytem laboratory in Canada, receiving an award from the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia for architecture was just icing on the cake.The Beaty Biodiversity Centre/Aquatic Ecosystems [...]]]>

When Patkau architects of Vancouver brought together an enormous team of architects and structural experts to build the largest ecosytem laboratory in Canada, receiving an award from the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia for architecture was just icing on the cake.The Beaty Biodiversity Centre/Aquatic Ecosystems  Research Laboratory at the University of British Columbia, aims to be the largest ecosytems learning centre in the country where not only students can learn but the public can too.

The natural history museum which is open to the public, houses a blue whale skeleton that washed up on a secluded shore in Prince Edward Island in 1987, and it is the largest skeleton in the world to be suspended without armature which is pretty impressive.  Besides the large natural history collections, wet and dry laboratories and office space, the AERL a certified LEED Gold building,  also features glazing at the top so sunlight can penetrate deeper into the building lowering the cost for heating in the winter. In the summer it has a complete opposite affect due to the natural ventilation that cools the concrete, eliminating air conditioning altogether on the first three floors.  Reducing energy consumption in a building that is 123,000 square feet will go a long way financially and environmentally.

Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory

Project Team

Greg Boothroyd, Michael Cunningham, Joanne Gates, Samantha Hayes,Maureen Kwong, Thomas Lee, Davis Marques, Patrick O’Sullivan,John Patkau,Patricia Patkau, David Shone  

Model Makers: Oliver Birett,Anike Duffner,Gregory Graemiger,Julianne Heinrich,Craig Simms,Christian Schulte,Jan Rasche,Tokimi Ota

Photographer: James Dow

Consultants

Structural: Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd.

Mechanical and Sustainability: Cobalt Engineering (formerly VEL Engineering)

Electrical: Stantec Consulting Ltd.

Landscape R. Kim Perry & Associates Inc.

Civil: Cochrane Engineering Ltd.

Code: Gage-Babcock & Associates

Building Envelope: Spratt Emanuel Engineering Ltd.

Audio Visual: MC2

Construction Manager: Bird Construction

Beaty Biodiversity Centre

Project Team

Tyler Brown, Bradley Cooper, Sebastian Cramer, Michael Cunningham, Christina Gray, Samantha Hayes,Dimitri Koubatis, Maureen Kwong,Michael Leckie, Hector Lo, Ricardo Cuesta Moya, Shane O’Neill, Patrick O’Sullivan,John Patkau,Patricia Patkau, Thomas Schroeder, David Shone, Craig Simms,Peter Suter,Michael Thorpe, Jinyong Yum

Photographer: James Dow

Consultants

Structural: Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd.

Mechanical and Sustainability: Cobalt Engineering

Electrical: Robert Freundich & Associates Ltd.

Laboratory: Maples Argo Architects

Landscape: Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg

Civil: Earth Tech Canada Inc.

Geotechnical: Trow Consulting Engineers Inc.

Code: Gage-Babcock & Associates

Building Envelope: Spratt Emanuel Engineering Ltd.

Audio Visual: MC2

Construction Manager: Scott Construction

Yves Saint Laurent & Hazel

Shooting under the pseudonym of Alice Springs aka June Newton, Helmet Newton’s wife began her four decade career as a stand in for her husband due to ill health. Creating a back catalogue of works including 20th century icons, ads, and editorials, [...]]]>

Yves Saint Laurent & Hazel

Shooting under the pseudonym of Alice Springs aka June Newton, Helmet Newton’s wife began her four decade career as a stand in for her husband due to ill health. Creating a back catalogue of works including 20th century icons, ads, and editorials, a variation are portraits of magazine assignments, others are private images from her personal collection. The 1970′s saw Alice shoot several campaigns for French hairstylist Jean Louis David that would end up as a editorials in major magazines, as she racked up a list of rock stars, and actors on both sides of the Atlantic that read like a list of who was popular and who was a rising star . The 150 work exhibtion with be on display to the public at the Kestnergesellschaft Gallery, Hannover starting 25th November – 5th February, 2012.

 Architect and product designer Jeff Oakes decided to create an exclusive studio that tapped into a web of global artisans in 2008, but his visit to India developed into a love and respect for the strong cultural craftsmanship he was able to witness. Working with a student weaver [...]]]>  

 Architect and product designer Jeff Oakes decided to create an exclusive studio that tapped into a web of global artisans in 2008, but his visit to India developed into a love and respect for the strong cultural craftsmanship he was able to witness. Working with a student weaver entrepreneurs program not only sustains local artisans, but keeps traditions alive, and creates exclusive items such as hand loomed, vegetable dyed, cotton and silk blended scarves.  Each scarf in the Young Weavers Entrepreneurs Program is a limited edition small run made of 100% silk. Weavers learn how to create, produce, and distribute their products while creating revenue.

Known for his highly recognisable prints, Zoran Dobric has been an under rated designer who’s progress I have followed for years. His hand painted prints have always been  astoundingly intricate and effortless, and seem to appeal to a wide range of women around the globe. For many years he [...]]]>

Known for his highly recognisable prints, Zoran Dobric has been an under rated designer who’s progress I have followed for years. His hand painted prints have always been  astoundingly intricate and effortless, and seem to appeal to a wide range of women around the globe. For many years he showed his collection in Toronto to an audience that  couldn’t quite understand his direction, or what he was trying to achieve. Now based in London where he is working on completing is masters in womens wear, Zoran told me it is  quite intense, but he’s now working on his masters collection which I hope to see in the near future. I don’ t know if there will be any organic fabrics used but the prints are highly collectible and definitely not disposable. At the very least ethical practices will be investigated and possibly implemented.

Sitting down with Michael Upshall at the fall home show was an eye opener into the future of sustainable architecture in Toronto. I learnt that older houses aren’t an easy job to tackle, however energy efficient upgrades to your furnace and windows is something everyone can do. Unlike Vancouver, [...]]]>

Sitting down with Michael Upshall at the fall home show was an eye opener into the future of sustainable architecture in Toronto. I learnt that older houses aren’t an easy job to tackle, however energy efficient upgrades to your furnace and windows is something everyone can do. Unlike Vancouver, building sustainably hasn’t really taken off in Toronto due to a lack of government iniatives, and well the willingness to move ahead. I started to learn about Toronto’s slow process into a more eco friendly city, it all came down to money. But Michael Upshall a former Vancouverite is determined to change that in Toronto. As he fielded questions from the public, I soon learnt his desire for building eco friendly homes was an exciting challenge he was eager to tackle. 

His plans for building an eco community is in the works, and educating the public via seminars is something he’s planning to do. If nothing else Micheal stressed the need for education, people are overwhelmed by all the information out there. According to the LOHAS Consumers report, Canada was the top country willing to pay 20% more for  sustainable and eco friendly products, so why is Toronto lagging behind Vancouver ? Vancouver has positioned itself  to be the eco capital of Canada, they took the lead early by being the first city to have those wheelie bins that are commonplace now, they’re also more apt to re-use in certain circumstances.  I also found out from numerous sources in Vancouver they tend to support their own homegrown talent. Not buying locally is frowned upon out west. It was quickly pointed out to me that Toronto is a finance city, yet why isn’t the potential seen here at a legislative level? Seeing the lack of eco friendly and/or sustainable  booths at this past Homeshow seemed surprising to me as the rest of the world moves ahead at break neck speed to carve out an economical niche is this ever increasing market.  I suspect things will change, after all we now have someone here from Vancouver that’s keen to get going.