Contemporist Architecture : Avenue Road by Yabu Pushelberg

K3 House by Bruce Stafford Architects

This dramatic renovation centres around a spacious internal courtyard defined by natural rock face and lush vegetation. Large sliding glass doors in the main living area enable a seamless flow between inside and outside. The living areas also have the added benefit of glazing on the north façade which opens up the house to the view. The master suite pavilion, perched on the highest portion of the rock face, has been designed as a sanctuary for the parents, whilst maintaining a bird’s eye view over the living areas.

The Fourth Wall by François Bauchet, Eric Jourdan and N°111

Initiated by N°111 with François Bauchet and Eric Jourdan, the Quatrième Mur was one of the off exhibitions which spearheaded the event during the St Etienne Design Biennial 2010. In a former cinema and with this mysterious title, three ex- Saint Etienne students invited two of their ex-lecturers for a collective exhibition in the shape of tribute-thanks-transmission with a result which lecturers and pupils alike can be proud of. The installation comprised everyday objects which, through their design and varying scales, gave rhythm and composition to the scenic space. The objective was to encourage the spectator to observe the objects from our domestic environment from a different angle and to reconsider the relationship between objects. “The fourth wall evokes an intellectual wall separating the actor on the stage and the spectator in the room. The installation of the objects on a stage puts distance between them and the spectator. The goal of the distance is to lead the spectator to consider what is taking place on the stage with an investigative and critical eye. To distance, is to transform the thing that it is to be understood, to which attention is to be drawn, from something banal, known and immediately fixed, into something distinctive, unusual and unexpected. ” N°111 .

The Enclave Interior by Jamie Herzlinger

The clients are world travelers and after a brief period of time living in Milan, they understandably fell in love with the work of Carlos Scarpa! Interpreting his work in combination with the client’s lifestyle made this project very exciting and unique. The house had to be completely gutted, and it was only then that the soaring ceiling heights were discovered. Within the box of space that previously evaporated the entrance, dining room, hallways, and living room, we were able to make each of those public areas very dramatic by the controlled use of the bead blasted steel and poured terrazzo floors that had zinc screeds inlayed for a distinct separation. In the entry, the angled cabinet is a beautiful dining room buffet, fabricated in Makassar ebony and supported within two bead blasted steel columns. It is cantilevered in order to create a visual separation from the entrance, but at the same time contributing to the architectural details. The original master bathroom was combined with a walk in guest closet to create a larger space, as the programming required that the couple preferred to use the bath area together, thereby necessitating a larger space. Visual fluidity and an informal atmosphere were the driving and guiding principles in the complete renovation of this project. .

Streetwalk by Charlie Davidson

A commission won through an open call for artists from Sunniside Partnership, the acting body in charge of revitalising the Sunniside area of Sunderland. Charlie Davidsons original proposal was for a series of benches that had the appearance of walking. This idea was a direct response to the brief which asked designers to draw pedestrians into the east side of town and the newly furbished Sunniside gardens from Sunderland city centre. The original designs were too big for the finalized street layout so the designs were developed into a stool module. The final design is cast in a polymer based cement with coloured quartz and marble aggregate.

Yabu Pushelberg have designed the Avenue Road showroom in Toronto, Canada.

Established as a showcase for seductive, sophisticated furniture, AVENUE ROAD is one of Canada’s premier venues for classic and contemporary furniture designs. The Toronto-based company offers a wide range of furniture, lighting and textiles by legendary designers such as France’s Christophe Delcourt and British designer Eileen Grey.

A three-level, 15,000 square-foot interior renovation of the former Consumers Gas Company building from 1907 – made its debut on June 1, 2010. The design-driven restoration is located in Toronto’s up-and-coming Leslieville neighborhood (currently benefiting from numerous major rejuvenation projects) where the gallery-like setting plays host to AVENUE ROAD’s carefully selected furniture designs culled from all over the world. The vast majority of the building’s historical qualities have been brought back to original form or strictly maintained in order to preserve the integrity of the space.

The custom-designed Toronto showroom space is simple and symmetrical, providing a flawless backdrop for the brand’s worldly furniture collections. As if entering a modern art gallery, Yabu Pushelberg has superbly emphasized the natural light and the vertical nature of the space, which unfolds into a series of vignettes as one continues to walk through. Guests entering the luminous main gallery will find themselves amongst the works of Konstantin Grcic, Arco and Atelier Vierkant, each brilliantly displayed underneath the main skylight. The combination of lofted ceilings and streaming light provides the ideal setting for showcasing both the collections and the ultra-modern space. And the latter section of the showroom appears as a walkthrough window connecting to the director’s office and the glass-encased boardroom.

Over and above the restoration itself, the project speaks volumes about the continued desire for quality, inspired design, which is evidenced by AVENUE ROAD’s recent growth and successes (they physically grew out of their old space) despite the challenging economic times. The showroom is a destination in itself and is unique in its concept – being a hybrid between a showroom and a gallery, where one can actually sit on (and purchase) the art. The historical qualities and intrinsic beauty of the building are certainly other important distinctions, however having these elements fused with the imagination and creativity from Yabu Pushelberg has spawned what is a very uplifting space.