Lounge Chairs

Find additional soft seating options at azuremagazine.com/spec-sheets

1 Bernard

Generously stuffed cushions perch atop an open base in this seating series by Nina Mair, which includes three armchairs, sofas, ottomans, a lounge chair and coordinating side tables.

Solid beech, polyurethane foam, steel, lacquered steel, polyester fibres, multiple upholstery options

71 H × 100 W × 85 D (shown)

Lacividina, lacividina.com

2 DS-142

Both armrests and the back of this playful piece adjust independently of each other, easily transforming it from armchair to lounger to recliner. Leather

106 H × 160 to 198 W × 82 to 98 D De Sede, desede.ch

3 Citizen Lowback

Konstantin Grcic’s interpretation of a lounge chair, Citizen features a seat suspended from three cables to facilitate swinging and rocking while its shape discourages slouching. A highback version with neck pillow is also available.

Black powder-coated metal, polyurethane foam, multiple upholstery options

80 H × 77 W × 88.5 D

Vitra, vitra.com

4 Dorso Lounge Chair

Gamfratesi concealed a 360-degree swivel mechanism within the clean-lined and compact design of Dorso, making it ideal for offices and homes alike. Steel, plywood, moulded polyurethane foam, oak, multiple upholstery options

72 H × 77.5 W × 69 D

Hay, hay.dk

Metal 1 Making Waves

Metalworks Airtite, the latest addition to Armstrong’s portfolio, is a range of steel and aluminum radiant ceiling systems that sustainably heat and cool. Consisting of six panel options (extruded to modular), the line suits a wide variety of institutional settings and can be backed with acoustic infill. armstrongceilings.com

2 Going Graphic

Arktura has updated its award-winning Vapor series with five striking new designs: Gradients, Frequency, Liana, Sky and Element (shown). The powder-coated aluminum torsion-spring wall and ceiling panels are also offered with wood, felt or polycarbonate acoustic backing for improved sound dampening. arktura.com

3 Rolling Through

Available with integrated shelving or simply as a single surface, Isomi’s hot-rolled-steel wall panels add an industrial edge to retail and corporate environments. Each 0.9-by-2.6-metre module is finished with a matte lacquer that prevents it from oxidizing and increases resistance to natural oils and stains. isomi.com

4 Chain Reaction

Designer Luis Eslava’s Gradient collection for Kriskadecor consists of eight versatile designs that can be suspended from ceilings as partitions and dividers or wall-mounted as a surface covering. The line’s aluminum chain links can be fully customized in a number of sizes and hues. kriskadecor.com

5 Copper Covering

Cipher — De Castelli’s newest range of seven-by-14centimetre metal tiles — consists of four rectangular options created through a distinct erosion technique. Each copper (shown) or brass brick can be mounted using epoxy adhesive or grout and is suitable for vertical indoor use only. decastelli.com

See additional wall and ceiling solutions at azuremagazine.com/spec-sheets

Wood 1 Skin Deep

Featuring a unique joining system, Wood-skin’s Mesh Sheet modules can be mounted or suspended to create seamless bespoke three-dimensional walls and ceilings. The adaptable surface is currently available in four patterns with natural wood (shown here in okumè) or painted finishes. wood-skin.com

2 Striking Slats

Offered in 10 species and five designs, ASI Architectural’s Grille is a solid wood and veneer wall and ceiling system. A custom hemlock installation (shown) features prominently in Cuningham Group’s recently completed Minnehaha Academy in Minnesota. asiarchitectural.com, cuningham.com

3 Tropical Modern

Smith & Fong’s mid-century-inspired range of carved wooden wall and ceiling panels for Durapalm are intended for use in a variety of commercial interiors. Consisting of a bamboo core and a palm face, the 1.2-by-2.4-metre segments come in eight refined colours and are Class fire-rated. durapalm.com

C

And the winners are...

received the Ordre des architectes du Québec’s awards of excellence in early June. Montreal studio Les architectes FABG took home the Grand prix d’excellence for Espace Paddock in the city’s parc Jean-drapeau. Atelier Pierre Thibault, Lemay, Alain Carle Architecte, Bisson associés, Provencher_ Roy, La SHED architecture, Blouin Orzes architectes, Natalie Dionne Architecture, Pelletier de Fontenay, Saucier + Perrotte Architectes, L. Mccomber — architecture vivante, Coarchitecture, In Situ atelier d’architecture and Jacques Plante Architecte were among the additional Quebec-based winners.

Movers and shakers

Eva Franch i Gilabert was fired from her role as director of London’s Architectural Association by the school’s council following a vote of no confidence in mid-july. As per the institution’s unique democratic structure, students, staff and faculty cast their ballots on key decisions, including, in this case, Gilabert’s strategic plan, which was rejected by over 80 per cent of the school. A statement from the council cited a “failure to develop and implement a strategy and maintain the confidence of the AA School Community” as the cause of her termination. The outcome has drawn widespread criticism, including from an author of the AA’S rule book, former instructor Elia Zenghelis, who argued that the decision “puts into question the council’s legitimacy, demeaning its authority and making its incumbent resignation a de rigueur obligation.”

African–american designer Paul R. Williams — known for crafting palatial residences for Hollywood elites (such as Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball) and for being the first Black architect to receive the AIA Gold Medal — was jointly acquired by Los Angeles’s Getty Research Institute (GRI) and the University of Southern California School of Architecture in late June. Consisting of approximately 35,000 building plans, plus original drawings, photographs, notes and more, the significant trove — once thought to have perished in a fire following the 1992 Rodney King riots — provides an important record of the trailblazing architect’s work.

of the London School of Architecture, Will Hunter, announced in early July that he would step down from his position at the conclusion of the 2020–21 academic year. “It has been the greatest privilege of my life to found the London School of Architecture,” says Hunter. “I conceived the idea in 2010, and I’m delighted that, only a decade on, my many excellent supporters, colleagues and pioneering students have succeeded in making the school into a thriving reality and force for change.” He will remain involved with the institution on a part-time basis as director of entrepreneurship.

welcomed new deans this summer. In Toronto, associate professor of landscape architecture Robert Wright assumed the role of interim dean of the Daniels Faculty as the search for outgoing dean Richard Sommer’s replacement has been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At UC Berkeley, architect, educator and Practice for Architecture and Urbanism founder Vishaan Chakrabarti will now lead the California institution’s College of Environmental Design. “As I begin my tenure, the world is at an inflection point like no other,” he said in a message to the school. “These swirling forces envelop us and push us to do better, to do the right thing and to do so together.”

In memoriam

Janis Kravis passed away on July 16 at the age of 84. Relocating to Canada in 1950 from his native Latvia after a detour in Sweden, Kravis established Karelia Studio nine years later and would go on to craft distinctly mid-century interiors for a range of clients, including Four Seasons, the Constellation Hotel in Toronto and Carleton University in Ottawa. In addition to these spaces, the designer also produced a number of striking furniture pieces that inspired the establishment of a retail arm, Karelia International, located in both Toronto and Vancouver.