Tabla de contenidos para September/October 2021 en AZURE

The office is back. As life gradually returns to corporate spaces across North America after over a year of remote work, the importance of balancing collaborative, open layouts with personal comfort is more pronounced than ever. For Nienkamper, this combined need for community-oriented work culture and quieter, more intimate conditions is the driving force behind VOX Hex. Thanks to its distinct hexagonal shape, the system offers a pleasantly secluded personal workspace, cocooning the occupant in a semi-private nook within an open environment. The angular geometry also allows multiple workstations to be arranged into a spatially efficient cluster, where each workspace maintains a high degree of acoustic — and hygienic — separation. It makes for an eye-catching presence, with crisp lines and sharp angles fanning out in an elegantly kinetic interplay.…

Little Island’s reputation has long preceded it. Announced in 2014 with visualizations of a seemingly fantastical folly, the Hudson River’s new Pier 55 was almost immediately wrapped up in controversy over its funding by billionaire Barry Diller. Later, as the structure began to mushroom from the water during its more than five years of construction — 132 concrete piles showing off their faceted tulip heads — another marvel by London’s Heatherwick Studio was polarizing New Yorkers. The Vessel, which now faces an uncertain fate, became an emblem of the massive Hudson Yards development and the ongoing privatization of the city’s public domain. While Little Island has also garnered its admirers and detractors, it’s an undeniable and staggering feat of engineering. It celebrates the structural and aesthetic capacity of the humble…

“Increasingly, organizations will need to offer a new experience to their people,” says Bill Dowzer, a principal at global architecture firm BVN. “And shared work environments are key to this.” Dowzer and his team should know. They recently completed And-Co, a hospitality-inspired co-working space in Vancouver (shown above). Set to open this fall, the four-storey, 3,437-square-metre interior offers not only a highly sophisticated design but also an abundance of communal spaces, including an on-site restaurant and a fully equipped fitness centre with treatment rooms. Dowzer’s preferred phrase for this 360-degree experience: the “office as clubhouse.” As he explains, “In a world where choice is now available to everyone, an environment that feels inclusive and nurturing is absolutely essential — and it’s the future of the workplace as we know it.”…

1 CANVAS This series of freestanding dividers features a dual-sided fabric skin that can be specified with a wide range of the brand’s textiles, including Xorel Limestone (shown), the most recent addition to its sound-absorbing offerings. Its aluminum frame can be fitted with floor plates or a caster base. carnegiefabrics.com 2 BUZZICEE With its namesake C-shape, this bench promotes active conversation while still allowing for distance. Made with acoustic foam, the seat contributes to noise reduction in open offices and other public spaces; it can be used alone or in multiples that group together to create expansive landscapes. buzzi.space 3 ILLI Featuring sculptural PET fins and a high lumen output, this fixture meets the demands of bustling office environments. The pendant is available in two sizes — Landscape (shown) and…

For too long, the City of Toronto has outsourced its pollution problem to nearby Lake Ontario. Contaminants include the obvious culprits — raw sewage and industrial runoff — but also stormwater, which the advocacy organization Lake Ontario Waterkeeper calls “a nightmare of an environmental issue.” During rainfall, water runs along the roads and down the gutters, picking up sediment and mixing with oil, fertilizer and pesticides before disappearing into storm drains and into the sewage system. During heavy storms, though, it overwhelms the system and instead gets discharged into the lake. In 2010, Waterfront Toronto, the public corporation tasked with revitalizing the city’s thoughtlessly built and polluted downtown lakefront, hired Gh3* to design a stormwater-treatment centre in the West Don Lands area, southeast of Toronto’s core. Christopher Glaisek, chief planning…

The most influential of all architecture exhibitions premiered in La Serenissima in May, a year later than planned. In the context of the global pandemic, widening political divides and growing economic inequalities, curator Hashim Sarkis’s provocative cornerstone question — “How Will We Live Together?” — became more urgent, and he set out in search of a new spatial contract. The exhibitors and curators of participating national pavilions accompanied him on that journey, translating and negotiating it to encompass a broad array of themes. Alongside a tonal shift in content, there followed a shift in overall experience. “If you think of architecture as a kind of reference system, you like to think of the Venice Biennale as something like the centre of it,” says Nikolaus Hirsch, co-founder of E-flux Architecture and…

Both at home and beyond, there is an immediate and profound desire for safety and sanctuary. Our loci of warmth and respite will continue to evolve as we introduce zones of wellness and healing into our living quarters — ones that always provide refuge, come what may. And we will seek out the places and experiences that return us to rituals — from tea ceremonies to communal dining — that are finding new expressions in design.…

Wood 1 Wavy Fir For its recent collaboration with Alpi, British studio Raw Edges crafted two FSC-certified poplar veneers — Wavy Fir Blue and Wavy Fir White — defined by an undulating grain pattern. The 250-by-65-centimetre sheets can be used on a range of vertical and horizontal surfaces. alpi.it 2 Louver Suited for both wall and ceiling applications, Plyboo’s fire-rated bamboo panels come in 1.2-by-2.4- and 1.2-by-3-metre modules in three designs (Butterfly, Beeswing and Sail), each with various options. Seven standard shades are offered, as well as customizable colours and acoustic formats. plyboo.com 3 Modulor Inspired by the work of iconic modernist architect Le Corbusier, the lacquered solid wood boiserie Modulor by Atelier Casabella is conceived for a host of bespoke installations. The made-to-measure product can be specified in any…

In urban India, funerary sites are often cold and impersonal, reduced to places of mere function by rampant development and overcrowding. Responding to this and the rapid erasure of public space in cities across the country, Ahmedabad-based d6thD Design Studio has proposed a new approach to the conventional crematorium that strives to remedy both. By combining ceremonial and social functions in a split-level riverside park, the firm’s Udan Crematorium embodies the optimism of life-after-death inherent in Hindu belief. Nestled in the small town of Amalsad in the country’s west, the landscape is a space for final goodbyes and new hellos where funerary and public programs are one — and the lush complex fittingly celebrates spirituality as a part of everyday life. Golden duranta and henna hedges form snaking pathways around…

Hugging the Persian Gulf’s salt-rich coast, the United Arab Emirates is the world’s second-largest desalinator. On a daily basis, seawater is cleansed of the equivalent of about 4,800 Olympic-sized swimming pools of sodium chloride — which is then poured back into the ocean as a concentrated brine — in order to supply the country with clean drinking water. To support the industrial treatment plants, a vast network of roadways and power grids have been built. These structures encroach upon and threaten the arid region’s natural salt flats, called sabkhas, which function as both integral habitats and carbon sinks sequestering CO2. To curtail the ripple effects of all this activity across multiple fragile ecosystems and to promote the conservation of the UAE’s unique wetlands, Dubai- and Tokyo-based studio Waiwai has developed…

Upon entering the third-floor swimming pool of the Kerry Centre in Shanghai’s historic Jing’an district last year, Alex Mok, cofounder of Linehouse, instantly knew what needed to be done. A shared amenity in the commercial complex, the 680-square-metre space was notable primarily for its defects. Dark and lifeless, it was certainly not — as it was meant to be — bustling with swimmers. Asked to transform the facility into a multi-functional space for office tenants, Mok and her team sought to reinstate its vitality, inspired by its commanding oval skylight. “We knew that everything had to be centred around that,” Mok says. “So we envisioned this radiating structure that came from the skylight itself; that’s how we conceived the idea of a hearth.” By linking the commercial scheme to the…

Aside from minding one’s hygiene, 2020 taught the global masses that they can and will find ways to work remotely. As the months wore on and people mastered group productivity tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams, ad hoc home offices became more established and efficient. But now that the post-pandemic trickle back into physical offices is underway, employers and employees alike are contemplating why they should even bother. What does it offer, other than a return to crowded commuting and rigid daily schedules? At its own headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, furniture brand Vitra is exploring this matter with the “Club Office,” a practical lab of sorts aimed at defining how the office of tomorrow can better serve those who use it. “We took this moment to go back to…

Modular office furniture is far from new. But it takes a measured approach to turn the oft-cited concept of a movable, adaptable working environment into a reality. Studio Komo, a design practice based in Stuttgart, Germany, may have hit the nail on the head, so to speak. “At first glance, everything looks so simple, but to turn simple boxes into a working system requires a bit of a developer mentality,” says co-founder Rene Rauls. Made of 2.1-centimetre-thick pine boards (with a three-millimetre-thick MDF reinforcement to hold weight at the recessed threads), the Komo collection is a reconfigurable system that can be used as amphitheatre seating, a stage or worktables — among other options. The modules themselves are rudimentary wooden cubes — and that’s what makes them special, according to the…

Soon after architect Elisa Silva moved to Caracas, Venezuela, in 2007, she found herself in La Morán, one of the city’s many barrios. Erected in the mid–twentieth century during the country’s economic expansion, these self-built, spontaneous settlements have since grown to house almost half the capital’s population. However, such unplanned sectors, which also include La Palomera and Chapellin, suffer from unequal access to resources, and are both stigmatized and under-recognized as part of the official city. It’s this fragmentation that Silva is interested in reconciling. Almost 15 years on, Silva — who grew up between St. Louis and Venezuela — has created a multidisciplinary design practice, Enlace Arquitectura. Part of its focus is on community initiatives, civic activations, architectural interventions and exhibitions that address the public domain of the barrios…

Public parks have always been important, but global lockdowns have made them downright essential. The need for play — for aimless discovery, blissful distraction and re-energizing recreation — is especially strong now. These bold visions for outdoor spaces show us how to embed more whimsy into the urban fabric, while the latest furniture and lighting designs seek to bring a smile to our faces. We’ve earned it.…

When architect Marco Ortalli was approached to design a home for a couple and their young child in Carugo, in the Italian province of Como, they asked him to use reinforced concrete as the defining finish. It might seem an unusual request for a family’s inner sanctum, but the couple had already seen Ortalli work magic with the material in an earlier project. True to form, he delivered for them a house, Casa ELL, that is resolutely modern, minimal and brutalist — both inside and out — while at the same time enveloping in its coziness. A 220-square-metre barn-shaped structure, the house features concrete exterior walls that are 47 centimetres thick and punctuated by deep-set wood-framed openings, turning what could have been foreboding into something decidedly more friendly and approachable.…

Architectural acupuncture. That’s how Beijing-based Xu Tiantian describes her “healing treatments” for the ancient villages of China’s Songyang county. Dating back at least as far as 100 BCE, the medical practice she draws inspiration from involves the calculated insertion of needles in specific parts of the body to redistribute energy. For Tiantian, buildings can work in a similar fashion, intervening in rural spaces to re-articulate the flow of tourism and resources — and bolster the economic stability these enterprises confer — while recalibrating the cultural landscape and its social structures. Whether on the body or in the urban fabric, the intervention is preceded by careful mapping to find the exact remedy for the intended site. Take, for instance, Tiantian’s 2015 Bamboo Theatre, just outside Hengkeng Village. Here, the architect and…

When envisioning a faucet, what better inspiration than water itself? For Toronto- and New York–based duo Yabu Pushelberg, the crystalline blue of northern Italy’s Lake Orta was an appropriate point of departure for the new Sailing collection. A collaboration with Italy’s renowned Fantini Rubinetti, a company founded on Lake Orta’s shores, the series subtly translates natural — and nautical — heritage into a contemporary design language. “We wanted to emulate the lake’s essence as a tranquil retreat while paying homage to the boldness of Fantini’s creative point of view as a master faucet producer,” the designers say. And the results show. An understated carved-pipe form defines the sleek spout, while the horn-shaped handles evoke the classic nautical cleats used to tie boats to the dock. Smoothly contoured, both elements quietly…

“My inspiration is always based in the sartorial world,” says Spanish designer Jose Manuel Ferrero. “Even in my interior design work, I play with upholstery.” Raised in the small municipality of Ontinyent in Valencia, known for its booming textile industry, Ferrero developed an interest in fabric production at an early age. After studying design in Castellon and briefly working under famed architect Oscar Tusquets Blanca in Barcelona, Ferrero came back to the city in 2003 to start his own practice, Estudi{H}ac. For his first collection with local manufacturer Harmony, the designer returned to these nostalgic roots, this time in an unexpected material: ceramic tile. Entitled Pique, the line is a nod to the classic cotton fabric of the same name. Dating back to the 18th century, the textile’s weave is…

When it was first erected in 1767, Paris’s Bourse de Commerce was a bustling commercial hub trading in grain and goods shipped in from France’s agrarian hinterlands. Over the centuries, it evolved into a modern-day stock exchange, and with this transition, the building — a circular neoclassical edifice capped with a dome Victor Hugo once described as an enormous English jockey’s cap — transformed, too. In the late 1800s, the structure was refurbished and an elaborate allegorical fresco by five artists depicting a glorified chronicle of France’s colonial history came to adorn the soaring cupola. But in 2021, François Pinault, the founder of luxury conglomerate Kering, revealed the Bourse’s most ambitious renovation yet — this time, by minimalist Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Best known for his spartan chapels and contemplative…

1 EPIX Intended to future-proof offices, this collection — a first-time partnership with Sweden’s Form Us With Love — comprises chairs, tables, shelving and storage (another first for the brand), all made entirely from recyclable materials. The reconfigurable pieces are aimed at creating distinct gathering spaces that foster creativity. keilhauer.com 2 CABANA LOUNGE With their short depths and upright rounded backs, the single-seat, two-seat and corner sofas in Cabana Lounge encourage postures that facilitate engaged work. The compact modules, designed by Patricia Urquiola, can be fitted with privacy screens in two heights, along with power, tables (attached or freestanding) and more. haworth.com 3 VETTORE Designed by Milan’s Toan Nguyen, this modular lounge series is built around a uniform low-profile metal base that can be topped with a combination of upholstered…

1 CANOPY Combining abstract depictions of the natural world — tree canopies and jungle landscapes — with lush textures, the Canopy collection introduces a serene sense of escape to traditional office spaces. Nine complementary patterns are included, along with two tile sizes, broadloom and custom formats. shawcontract.com 2 OPEN AIR Organized into four categories — geometric, organic, textured and linear — the 22 patterns in this series come in a variety of neutrals, transitional styles and bright colourways. Made from 100 per cent recycled nylon, the tiles are ideal for defining zones and wayfinding across large areas. interface.com 3 MODERN REFINEMENT Updating three classic techniques through present-day processes, Modern Refinement brings the look of cozy knot-stitch, elegant corded cloth and blended linen to today’s hard-working office. The collection features textures…

“Let the structure grow.” This was the unique brief for a West African university, the Burkina Institute of Technology. Rising from a barren desert landscape in a region with limited access to higher education, the 2,100-square-metre school entices prospective students with its compelling and expandable architecture. “The kids started coming by as soon as we began to build,” remembers Diébédo Francis Kéré, founder of Berlin-based Kéré Architecture and the mind behind the university’s design. “First to watch, and then with, ‘Wow, something new is happening here and we want to attend.’” The school offers programs in computer science and electrical and mechanical engineering; together with Lycée Schorge — an elliptical high school Kéré also designed, completed in 2016 — it establishes a steadily expanding campus on the edge of Koudougou,…

The camera pans over a neighbourhood framed by Toronto’s skyline. In the foreground, the last of the area’s remaining mid-century social housing fans out in a repeating grid. Just beyond, new mixed-income buildings blend into the glass-and-steel horizon. The community is Regent Park, and the film is the video for Mustafa’s “Stay Alive,” the opening track of the artist’s acclaimed 2021 album, When Smoke Rises. “All of these tribes, and all of these street signs / None of them will be yours or mine,” he sings. It is a lament for friends lost and for a community in the midst of irrevocable transformation. “Before that flattening, I want to try and beautify it as best as I can,” Mustafa told the Guardian. “I’m trying to preserve the memories of young…

In 2008, the global recession spawned a new term fit for an age of depleting resources and increased precarity: the sharing economy. Over a decade later, the pandemic has made the fragile networks that connect us more abundantly clear and highlighted the urgent need to re-address them. Whether celebrating inclusive practices or approaching the housing crisis anew, these designers reveal emergent strategies for shaping a communal future together.…

Bathtubs 1 Stillness Infinity A sensorial set-up inspired by Japanese forest bathing, the Stillness Infinity bath features an experience tower with full-spectrum chromatherapy, fog, and an infinity edge that lets water (which fills from the bottom) overflow into a hinoki wood moat. Available in 2022. Materials Acrylic Dimensions From 91.4 H × 182.8 L × 182.8 W Manufacturer Kohler, kohler.ca 2 BeOne Deep and circular with a built-in raised seat, this freestanding single-user tub can be equipped with up to 40 therapeutic air jets; other options for the Japanese-style fixture include radiant heating and chromatherapy. Materials Acrylic in three finishes Dimensions 76.2 H × 116.8 L × 99 W Manufacturer BainUltra, bainultra.com 3 Toulouse Rising at either end in a classic bateau shape, hand-cast and-finished Toulouse is light enough for…