Japan Handmade 2019

 

On June 6th, we welcomed the return of the Japanese Master Craftsmen, Takahiro Yagi of Kaikado (Metal Tea Caddies), Shuji Nakagawa of Nakagawa Mokkougei (Wooden Vessels), Toru Tsuji of Kanaami-Tsuji (Wire Weaving), and Kenya Imanishi of Kagizen Yoshifusa (Confectionary) to speak about their craft and family legacies.

Masters of West Coast Modernism

 
On October 4th, we hosted the West Coast Modern League, to celebrate the creative contributions of Bruno Freschi, Don Vaughan, Paul Merrick, Peter Cardew, Richard Henriquez, and their pivotal roles in the shaping and evolution of the west coast design ethos.
 
This was the second instalment of the Masters of West Coast Modernism, this series aims to reflect on the creative contributions to our built environment of West Coast Modern Masters, and to offer insight into influences of personal and continued significance to their careers, design philosophies, and creative processes.

IDS Vancouver 2018

It is the time of the year when Vancouverites celebrate all things design. With IDS Vancouver — now in its thirteenth year — comes a wide range of on-site and off-site events, as well as, independent design-focused events throughout the city. Here are our top picks of those to check out.


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L A M P
This year, L A M P’s Exhibition Awards Gala will kick off the Offsite Programming
for IDS Vancouver. L A M P (Lighting Architecture Movement Project) attracts the Pacific Northwest’s top product designers, architects, business entrepreneurs and design enthusiasts to its unique event that celebrates the best in emerging, contemporary lighting design. Purchase your tickets here.
September 18 | 7pm-11pm | Inform Contract: 405 Railway Street

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Lee Broom

On Tuesday June 5th, we were delighted to welcome award-winning British designer Lee Broom to our 50 Water St showroom. He presented OBSERVATORY, his new stellar-inspired lighting collection and spoke of his latest products as well as his work over the last 11 years.

Capture Speaker Series

We took part again this year in hosting the Speaker Series for the Capture Photography Film Festival. On three Tuesdays in April, we listened to great minds speak at length about some of the ins and outs of their discipline. Though they were all quite different, each delighted and intrigued equally. Watch below and sign up for our newsletter so that you can join us for the next ones.

Nadia Belerique & Sky Goodden: Between the Shutters—Nadia Belerique and the Spatial Object

Nadia Belerique, the artist behind this year’s BC Hydro Dal Grauer Substation Public Art Project, discusses In the Belly of a Cat and her other works with Sky Goodden, founding editor of Momus. They touch upon the poetics of perception, the role of images in contemporary culture, and the exchange between artist and viewer.

 
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Japan Handmade

An Exploration of Japanese Craftsmanship
 

On June 13 and 14 we are delighted to welcome four accomplished craftsmen from Japan to our 50 Water Street showroom where they will host workshops and discuss how their work strives to maintain a strong bond to the traditions of their ancestors while looking forward to the needs of future generations. There will be a presentation on Thursday June 14 from 5 to 7pm, click here for more information and to RSVP.

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Alex Schweder | Performance Architect

Alex Schweder coined the term “Performance Architecture” in 2007 to encapsulate the understanding of architecture that gives cues for how we are to behave and offers itself as a prop for inhabitants to form and perform their identities. His work along these lines has been exhibited and collected internationally in prestigious institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, the Tate Britain, Perform 17, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale. He is a fellow of the American Academy in Rome and currently lives and works in New York City.

Todd Saunders | For Fogo’s Sake

Well known for his exemplary work on the Fogo Island Inn, Todd Saunders’ firm is led by a strong contemporary design sensibility. The studio believes that architecture must play an important role in creating place through the use of form, materials and texture to help evoke and shape memory and human interaction. The office operates within existing natural, as well as, manmade contexts. Examples range from an award nominated dramatic viewpoint structure set amidst a rich protected landscape to several new-build houses within more traditional suburban settings.

*This video contains mature language and may not be suitable for all viewers.

Returning from the Edge of Design

One week per year Eindhoven, Netherlands hosts Dutch Design Week where the world of design takes focus on the once tiny town. During this week, the visitors outnumber the locals, lasting professional relationships are born and many designers’ dreams of growing from ‘aspiring’ to ‘recognized’ come true. I knew nothing of Eindhoven before visiting but as soon as I arrived, I felt comfortable. It has Design coursing through its veins.

Eindhoven is roughly 1.5 hours south of Amsterdam by train. The city has a practical, industrial vibe thanks to the rise of industry initially centred around tobacco and textile. The city’s industrial sector grew significantly with the rise of lighting and electronics giant Philips, which was founded as a light bulb manufacturing company in Eindhoven in 1891.

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