Page 31 - Sharp September 2021
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DESIGN
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 Eye on Design
What you should be paying attention to in the worlds of design, architecture, and furniture
BY WILL KITCHENS
1. HOME BASE
The Winnipeg Art Gallery is now home to a massive extension, dubbed Qaumajuq, which houses the largest collection of contemporary Inuit art anywhere on earth. The building’s exterior is a rippling sheet of white stone. Architect Michael Maltzan was reportedly inspired by a trip to Inuit communities in Nunavut; its form nods to the shapes and textures of the region’s geography. Inside are three gallery spaces, artist studios, a theatre, and a multi-storey glass vault that contains more
than 5,000 carvings.
Winnipeg is not part of “the North,” so why is the world’s largest collection of
contemporary Inuit art located in the city? Qaumajuq is designed to bring Inuit culture to the rest of Canada, part of an effort to strengthen relations and understanding of a region where only an estimated two per cent of Canadians will ever set foot. It’s an important mission, now with a fitting home.
2. ONE TO WATCH
Italy may be the homeland of high-end designer sofas, but a similar (albeit smaller) scene may be sprouting on Vancouver Island. Part & Whole is a Victoria-based design company that launched its first product, the Total seating system, earlier this year. The result of nearly four years of R&D, Total isn’t so much a singular product as it is a family of modular parts that can be configured in different ways, from a single chair to a massive wraparound sofa. How? Total’s steel legs are designed as “junction points” to which arms, tables, or additional seats can be added.
Much like industrial designer Dieter Rams’s iconic 606 shelving system for German manufacturer Vitsœ, Total is designed to grow with its owner. Namely, instead of sinking money into a sofa only to buy a new one when moving elsewhere, users can reimagine Total to fit their changing needs and reconfigure it to fit new spaces. Better yet, all of its components are repairable or replaceable.
As the furniture industry tries to improve its environmental record, Part & Whole is a good reminder that sustainability isn’t only found through new tech and groundbreaking developments, but by creating products that last thanks to durable construction and smart design. As Dieter Rams’s most famous maxim says, “less but better” — and Part & Whole certainly fits the bill.
3. GRAIN ON ME
The coolest material in furniture isn’t terrazzo marble or brightly coloured 1970s plastic; it’s wood — wood with pronounced grain patterns, to be precise. While a visible grain pattern (the arrangement of fibres within a wood that create a distinc- tive, often wavelike surface) wasn’t in vogue for much of the 2010s, the decline of minimalism seems to have coincided with a surge in appreciation for grainy woods like pine and Douglas fir. Just look to the vintage re-sale market for Charlotte Perri- and’s yellowed pine stools and daybeds frm the Les Arcs ski resort in France — or to contemporary designers; U.K.-based designer Dean Edmonds has a knack for constructing furniture out of Douglas fir, while New York’s Green River Project LLC (fashion’s favourite furniture brand) has designed beautiful cabinets and stools that put Douglas fir’s wavy, grainy surface on full display.
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   SHARPMAGAZINE.COM
SEPTEMBER 2021 • GUIDE 31
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WINNIPEG ART GALLERY PHOTO BY LINDSAY REID. PART & WHOLE CHAIR PHOTO BY GUY FERGUSON. WOOD GRAIN PHOTO BY HAPA / GETTY














































































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