Hasta La Ideas

A year after establishing their architectural practice, Canadian architects David and Susan Scott have created a timber-lined studio for themselves in a converted butcher and grocery shop in Vancouver (+ movie).

The husband-and-wife team co-founded Scott & Scott Architects at the start of 2013 but until now have been without a dedicated studio, so they set about creating one in the former shop premises below their home – a building dating back to 1911.

The architects stripped back the interior of the 70-square-metre space to create a simple rectangular studio at the front, a workshop at the back and a wall of concealed storage in between.

Douglas fir planks were sourced from a local sawmill to line the walls, floor and ceiling of the main room. These were treated with a traditional beeswax, mixed with a solvent of Canadian Whiskey to produce a gleaming surface.

The former shopfront was fully glazed, helping to bring as much light as possible into the space, but also allowing neighbours to see what’s going on inside.

“The priorities were to maximise the use of natural light, enhance the connection to the neighbourhood, use regional materials which have a known providence and acknowledge the lumber-based building culture of the Pacific Northwest,” explained David Scott.

The couple enlisted the help of local carpenters to help them build the space themselves. Wooden cupboards were constructed from plywood and stained in black, creating a contrast with the lighter wood elsewhere.

The space is completed by glass pendant lights and a series of bespoke desks, which the architects designed and made with galvanised steel frames and hand-stitched leather surfaces.

Movie is by Odette Visual, with a score by Joel RL Phelps. Photography is by the architects.

Here’s a project description from Scott & Scott Studio:

Scott & Scott Studio

A year after the launch of their practice architects Susan and David Scott have completed the refurbishment of the historic commercial space in their 1911 East Vancouver residence. Once a butcher shop and a long running grocery store, the space has been stripped back to a simple volume lined with Douglas fir boards and completed with black stained fir plywood millwork.

Using familiar materials from their region, the architects built the space themselves with a couple of carpenters. The fir was supplied from a sawyer on Vancouver Island with whom they have worked for several years. Three fir logs were selected, milled and cut to suit the width and height of the space. The work was completed in a manner rooted in traditional methodology while utilising the availability of modern tooling. The unsalvageable south-facing storefront had been infilled by a previous owner and was restored to an area of glass consistent with the original size using a single high performance unit.

Informed by a desire to create work which is fundamental in its architecture and supportive of a variety of uses over time, the priorities were to maximise the use of natural light, enhance the connection to the neighbourhood, use regional materials which have a known providence, and acknowledge the lumber-based building culture of the Pacific Northwest.

The architects favour materials and approaches that wear in and appreciate over time, taking on warmth with maintenance. The interior fir boards are finished with a variant of a warm applied 19th century beeswax floor finish with the solvent replaced with Canadian Whiskey.

The tables (a first of their self-produced furniture designs) are hand-stitched finished leather tops on blackened galvanised steel bases.

The post Scott & Scott Architects build their own
timber-lined studio in Vancouver appeared first on Dezeen.

Alors que nous avons déjà pu parler de ses oeuvres, Janet Echelman a réalisé à Vancouver une sculpture aérienne imaginée en collaboration avec l’artiste Aaron Koblin, directeur créatif au Creative Lab de Google. Cette création a été dévoilée le 15 Mars à l’occasion du 30e anniversaire de la conférence TED à Vancouver.

The Great White North isn’t all pond hockey and maple syrup—Canada’s west coast province of British Columbia holds its own unique identity to the rest of the country and indeed the world. Drawing on influences from home and abroad, the country’s largest coastal city is a dramatic yet harmonious juxtaposition…

Continue Reading…

Notions and perceptions revolving around food have changed drastically in recent years. As organic options become the norm for many, the origin and social and environmental impact of food continues to become a greater concern—with many consumers seeking a greater role in the…

Continue Reading…

Over a hundred peg holes puncture the walls of this currywurst restaurant in Vancouver by Canadian studio Scott & Scott Architects, creating spaces to store furniture, hold lighting and display art (+ slideshow).

Located in Chinatown, sausage and beer parlour Bestie is designed by Scott & Scott Architects to accommodate a showcase of locally-produced art and design, which can be hung in different arrangements from the 116 holes in the oiled spruce lumber walls. These holes can also be used for storing for extra bar stools – whose legs slot neatly into the gaps – or for hanging customers’ coats, hats and umbrellas.

A set of lights by Canadian designer Zoe Garred slot into holes above the dining tables. Seating is provided by wooden benches with brightly coloured cushions, designed to evoke the familiar look of typical highway restaurants.

Architects Susan and David Scott designed the restaurant so that owners Clinton McDougall and Dane Brown could build it themselves. “[It draws] on their shared love for matter-of-fact detailing of ad-hoc construction and high considered rational design,” they explained.

“The design uses common materials that can be worked with a few simple tools and a limited amount of everyday items that are repeated, allowing the work to be completed on site with minimal shop support,” they added.

The kitchen is exposed to diners and is lined with white ceramic tiles. It features an adjustable hanging system made from thin strips of copper, accommodating hooks for utensils, beer mugs and shelves.

A copper counter runs along in front alongside more of the wooden stools, which were created by Canadian designer Joji Fukushima.

Other details include a wooden cuckoo clock that is fixed onto one of the walls.

Scott & Scott Architects are based in Vancouver. Other projects by the studio include a remote snowboarding cabin on Vancouver Island.

Other restaurants and bars on Dezeen include a 1920s-style bar and brasserie in Basel, a restaurant and nightclub in a converted car park near Stockholm and a Parisian penthouse and bar containing chunky black trees.

See more restaurants and bars »
See more architecture in Vancouver »

Photography is by the architects.

Here’s some more text from Scott and Scott Architects:

Bestie Currywurst

Restauranteurs Clinton McDougall and Dane Brown open their highly anticipated currywurst restaurant Bestie this week in the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown. The sausage and beer parlour is the first for the pair whose background is in art and design.

Architects David and Susan Scott designed the space around the owners’ desire to build the 25 seat restaurant themselves. The design uses common materials which can be worked with a few simple tools and a limited number of everyday details which are repeated to allow for the work to be completed on site with minimal shop support.

The project draws from the architects’ and owners’ shared love for both the matter-of- fact functional detailing of ad-hoc construction and for highly considered rational design. The work of fellow Vancouver designers is throughout the space including Zoe Garred’s Mariner lights and Joji Fukushima’s bar stools.

The loose tables and benches in the dining space allow for varied arrangement (film screening, communal dinners and removal) to facilitate changing events. The kitchen is fitted with a tool, stein and glassware hanging system that can be adjusted and added to over time.

The main wall will be an array of 116 holes and wooden pegs which will support an ever-changing rotating composition of locally produced design objects and art; coats and umbrellas; additional stools and pendant lights, and the odd copy of Der Spiegel.

As with the stripped down and direct menu of German street food made with locally sourced ingredients, the space celebrates ordinary materials and simple details with oiled economy grade spruce lumber; copper hardware and counters. The floors and walls are painted in the eating hall as an easily maintained backdrop to the benches and coloured vinyl cushions that have the familiarity of the highway restaurants of our youth.

Location: 105 E Pender Street Vancouver, Canada
Opened: 17 June 2013
Area: 750 sq‘ (70 sq.m.)
Photo Credits: Scott and Scott Architects

The post Bestie Currywurst by
Scott & Scott Architects appeared first on Dezeen.