AZURE

azure

EditorDanny SinopoliArt DirectorJoe SilveiraExecutive EditorElizabeth PagliacoloManaging EditorKendra JacksonSenior Associate EditorErin DonnellyCopy EditorDavid Dick-AgnewDesignerKari SilverDigital DesignerDaniel HildrethContributorsVeronika Aquila, Iwan Baan, Alex Bozikovic, Asa Bruno, Alexandra Caufin, Ty Cole Photography, Giovanna Dunmall, Philip Durrant, Lasse Fløde, Marc Goodwin, Matthew Hague, Rasmus Hjortshøj, Will Jones, Miriam Kvistad, Eric Mutrie, Philam Nguyen, Stefan Novakovic, Catherine Osborne, Ema Peter, Amrit Phull, Carolyn Pioro, Sergio Pirrone, Corinna Reeves, Rasmus Kramer Schou, David Schreyer, Tekla Evelina Severin, Shanghoon, David Sokol, Timothy Taylor, Laura May Todd, Max TouheyAdvertising DirectorPam Chodda Young(416) 203-9674 x226pam@azureonline.comSenior Account ManagersJeffrey Bakazias(416) 203-9674 x238jeffrey@azureonline.comNeil Young(416) 203-9674 x230neil@azureonline.comDirector Integrated ProductionAlessandro CancianDigital Development ManagerFrancesco SgaramellaDigital AssistantEvelyn ChinDirector Marketing & PartnershipsMahasti EslahjouAudience Marketing ManagerAmanda BeattieAZ Awards Development ManagerStephanie GaltAdministrationOlga Chernyak, Elena ZaralievaEditorial Director/Chief Content OfficerNelda RodgerLetters to the Editor: azure@azureonline.comPublisher/Chief Executive OfficerSergio SgaramellaStaff can be reached at: firstname@azureonline.com…

work at play

Not long ago, architect Thom Mayne visited Azure’s offices, where he joined a panel of other distinguished design pros to determine the winners of this year’s AZ Awards for excellence in architecture and design. It was a long and exhilarating day of debate and deliberation, full of surprises. Among those surprises was the extent to which the 75-year-old Pritzker Prize winner marvelled at the high quality of submissions in the arena of commercial work. Throughout his career, Mayne explained, it has traditionally been residential projects that break the rules and move design forward, the smaller-scale and private nature of such commissions allowing for greater risk taking among both clients and designers. As he noted while poring over the awards submissions, however, the houses in contention seemed safer and less boundary-pushing…

we asked…

What features help spur productivity in your own office?DANNY SINOPOLIAzure’s EditorSince cutting-edge design and architecture are Azure’s stock-in-trade, it’s important that our staff is exposed to and surrounded by examples of exceptional work. To that end, our HQ, which is located in a mammoth one-time transformer factory and was realized by Toronto architect Heather Dubbeldam, is a veritable treasure trove of Canadian design talent. From the far reaches of the corridor approaching our offices, you’ll see a mass of Cloud Softlight paper pendant fixtures by Vancouver studio Molo hovering over our reception desk (pictured above). The desk itself boasts a curvaceous wood top courtesy of our neighbours, the Brothers Dressler, creators of such modern Canadian classics as the Onedge Rocker and Branches Chandelier. Our location on Sterling Road, in a…

first + foremost

Fried Egg ChairAs suited to a lazy Sunday morning as its namesake, the Fried Egg chair was so christened for its amorphous form – punctuated by a yolk-shaped seat cushion – when viewed from above.The asymmetrical seat is inviting and unusual in equal measure, with a flat, wide armrest that encourages users to get comfortable, legs thrown casually over the side. Originally known as Model 188, the chair was created in 1956 by Danish designer and architect Hans Olsen. Long out of production, the 188 was highly sought-after at auctions for years before Frantz Longhi launched this reproduction under his new brand Warm Nordic.Longhi’s company offers a counterpoint to the idea of “cool Nordic” style with a collection of comfortable, informal pieces, including contemporary works, as well as several authorized…

curves ahead

“We are calling it low-tech, K-Pop minimalism,” interior designer Ryan Genesin says of the super-slick interior of Ban Ban, a new Korean fried chicken joint in downtown Adelaide, Australia. From the edge of the sidewalk outside, a field of baby blue tile glides up the facade and under the folding windows, then sprawls across the interior’s dividing walls, bartops, banquette seats and even the tables – not only covering the flat planes, but wrapping every curve and corner in smooth ceramic. Only the exterior walls and the existing concrete floors are left uncovered by gleaming blue tile.The use of DTile, a unique three-dimensional tiling system from the Netherlands, was an integral part of the design, says Genesin. “There is an entire series of pieces that curve: concave, convex, plus inside…

plant power

Vegan. Cruelty-free. Plant-based. Whatever label you stamp on it, there is no denying that veganism is more than just a food trend or dietary choice – it’s a lifestyle, a culture. And as such, its tenets are moving into fashion, design and even architecture, with major brands dipping a toe into the waters.Now that herbivorous restaurants are on the rise in every city, there’s a growing demand for vegan-friendly interiors – and the products and materials to fill them. With the increasing availability (and promotion) of these goods, other spaces are eschewing animal products as well. U.K. designers Bompas & Parr, for instance, recently collaborated with Hilton Hotels to launch a vegan hotel suite in London. Free of leather, wool and feathers, the suite boasts cotton carpets, pillows stuffed with…