Located in Toronto’s Distillery District, Lightscapes provides a space for the exploration of new technologies in solar energy generation and sustainability. This multifunctional resource center is home to galleries, lectures, experimentation and more. As a public building, it allows people to come in and discover the new advances in energy production and how we can all be more sustainable. Harnessing the power of sunlight is demonstrated in the building’s design where the roof uses the latest technologies in solar energy generation. Its interior shows how to intelligently and responsibly design a space that can manipulate and filter sunlight to accommodate the user’s needs in each area of the building. Lightscapes aims to be a preview of the future where we will successfully incorporate new sustainable technologies within design, creating beautiful and healthy spaces for us to live in.
A Healing Playground in Mexico City for the year 2040
Upon entering, one takes their first step into a space where healing becomes enjoyable. The Exchange mimics the environment of a Mexico City market place and provides a healing payground for the hospital patients, staff and guests. Taking on the sensory and emotional aspects of a market, this space will incorporate lots of energy and excitement, providing a sense of livliness to patients in the hospital. Excitement and laughter echo as friends, family and patients enjoy each others company. People move freely throughout the space, interacting, encouraging friendship and comrodery. Here, one feels encouraged to grow physically, mentally and spiritually.The Exchange enhances the patients time spent in the hospital and inhibits them from feeling like they are sick, similar to their daily lives outside of the hospital. An idealic place, where one can gather with friends and family to enjoy life outside of the sterile hospital environment, surrounded by natural elements that simulate the outside world. Welcome to The Exchange, your journey to health and happiness has just begun.
This multifunctional space combines the use of a studio, workshop, retail store, gallery, cafe and second floor residence. These workers include those who run the cafe, retail space, and those who make the furniture. The carpenters are joined by apprentices who are interested in learning more about the craft and can stay in the residential units above. The shop sells everything that is made, including refurbished antique wood furniture, in the retail space at the front of the building. The cafe’s furniture acts as a showroom where customers are able to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee while testing out the furniture. All aspects of the space come together to compliment each other's strengths and provide the community with a personal service, a creative atmosphere and beautiful hand made furniture. Natural Grains will be able to serve the community well into the future with several new condo developments being built, all needing to be furnished.
18 York will be transformed into a space that reflects the style and needs of Mathieu Lehanneur and his design team. The new office will inspire, encourage, and helps the team to develop new and innovative designs that will impact the way in which we live our lives. This space will enhance the team’s working experience and will encourage them to explore their creativity while using the materiality and structure offered in the new workspace. A functional layout spotlighting the versatile workshop hubs will become the soul of the office and will allow teams to either work independently or communally. The office will have features that work in tandem with the team members, helping them to generate more innovative products. It will be a place that encourages a healthy lifestyle through energy efficient materials and devices. Floor to ceiling windows will help the sun breathe life into the office, as well as into the people and plants that are housed within. It will be a place that is reflective of Mathieu’s current designs, set against a crisp backdrop of glossy white with splashes of saturated blues, natural green and vibrant orange. This modern, fresh, and bright space will be an office Mathieu and his team will look forward to coming to each day.
Whenua is a destination for the passionate explorer. It is a place for the re-evaluation of one’s life where achieving goals is encouraged through the help of teachers. Through the experience of exploring, the passionate voyagers will be led on a mental, spiritual and physical journey. The vast and wild terrain of New Zealand makes this destination a place perfect for the person who thrives off of excitement and adrenaline. Guests will be limited to the amount of luggage they may bring to help them literally and figuratively leave their baggage behind in order to rediscover themselves. The guests and teachers coexist in a community setting by getting to know each other through eating, relaxing and exploring the site together. The explorers and teachers will work collaboratively in an effort to prepare food and maintain Whenua as a whole, creating a sense of family. Whenua emphasizes on intense physical activities, but also offers more relaxing and restorative options. These activities will open the explorers up to the physical land, spirit, and culture of New Zealand.
The Kawhe space at Whenua will provide the explorers a place to grab a quick bite to eat between meals. Kawhe, the cafe, will be adjacent to the Haukai (dining) area, where a communal vegetable garden will be shared between the two. The garden provides users with the ingredients they need to make their own food. Fresh and fast is the inspiration of this space, acting as a quick refresher station for explorers on the go. To reflect the open and airy concept of the spaces at Whenua, the Kawhe will have opens walls to the outdoors, providing the explorers with beautiful views. The Kawhe will feel like a garden in the sky.
Located at Hazelton Lanes shopping center in Toronto, Quick Steps is an athletic shoe store catered to women. The brand aims to inspire women to be more active and to celebrate being healthy. The vibrant and lively store invites women of all ages who wish to work out. The brand sees an importance in health and fitness and wishes to encourage women to be more enthusiastic about athletics and working out. The attraction of the store is the ability for customers to be able to experience testing the shoes on a variety of real workout surfaces. Turf, track, pavement, stone, gravel, and wood surfaces are all available to the customers to test out the products offered. This fun and interactive space sets the goal of encouraging all women to be more active.
Drawings are the quickest and easiest way to express an idea or something you have seen. Below are pen and pencil drawings and sketches that capture ideas and thoughts about objects, interiors and architecture.
There is nothing like travelling to see the world and capturing the beautiful scenery and objects that are discovered along the way!
