Special Black Friday to Cyber Monday Offer

Book your "Roadmap for Your Renovation" Assessment Between November 27 to November 30, 2015 

and get 20% off your Bill for the Assessment and the Report. 

Black Friday to Cyber Monday 2015 Offer

Promotional Code: BLMON2015

 Picture credit: www.itimes.com, Changes Wo:Built Inc

It is the season for savings and deals. Hence, we are happy to offer our Black Friday Deal. And we have extended the offer period to Cyber Monday.

The Roadmap for your Renovation Process provides you with a stress free process during any point in your renovation. From first conception through design, to construction/renovation, mediation & trouble shooting we help you to achieve your Dream Home.
We can help make your life easier. It starts with the Project Assessment.

Proper Planning and knowing what you need and want before you start even designing your project will save you $1000's of dollars. Hence we are here to help. We even sweeten the pie by taking off  20% off the total bill for both the Assessment and the Report when you book the Assessment during the period from Black Friday to Cyber Monday. You need to quote the promotional code BLMON2015 to qualify.

For more information on our unique Renovation Help tool (the Roadmap for your Renovation Process) please go to Http://roadmapforyourrenovationbywobuilt.strikingly.com.

 or look at our previous post entries:

 http://wobuilt.blogspot.ca/2014/11/wobuilt-roadmap-for-your-renovation-service.html

 http://wobuilt.blogspot.ca/2014/12/what-to-do-when-you-outgrow-your-home.html

  

 When ready, please fill out the Booking Form or contact us on 416 402 2679.

Roadmap for Your Renovation Assessment Booking Form 

We look forward to hearing from you. Please note Wo-Built is located in Toronto and outside the GTA  our affiliated partners may do the assessments.

Martina Ernst 

Narrowest House puts a Broad Smile on our Face Keret House by Jakub Szczesny ekes out a place in our Hearts

Image Collage by Wo-Built: Jakub Szczesny’s Keret House

Images Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

"I started to think who could live there. It had to be a person that would like to be a hermit, someone who would like to spend time alone doing something…It requires a sense of humour, as you cannot stay long in a place like this"

~ Jakub Szczesny, Architect

Source: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

The Keret House, squeezed into a crevice between two buildings in the centre of Warsaw, is a perfect example of how light can transform even the smallest of spaces into a place perfectly livable.

Image: Etgar Keret in his house, Photo by Bartek Warzecha

Source*: kerethouse.com: KeretHouse: First night at home: Etgar Keret in his house

Well, okay, claustrophobes need not apply. But considering that the house, designed by Polish architect Jakub Szczesny, is a mere 122cm at its widest point, one cannot but smile at the ingenuity of design and clever use of space—what little there is of it.

Image: Keret House: Entrance Hall & Stairwell.

Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

According to the official website, Keret House was an exercise attempting to “fill the cracks” of a disjointed Warsaw.

“Jakub Szczęsny decided to fill such a crack, to restore its existence by turning it into a perfectly functional living space and by inviting somebody to take care of this space. The architect designed a House, which, despite its microscale caused by the size of the plot, constitutes a functional space – a place to live. Szczęsny invited an Israeli writer of Polish descent - Etgar Keret to live in the House. By doing so he imparted one more function to the House – the function of a study.”
Source: kerethouse.com: Keret House: Settle in Void

Image: Keret House: Looking down on staircase.

Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

Szczesny paired up with Israeli writer Etgar Keret and began developing the triangular house which could reasonably accompany a single person to live and work—the kind of work a writer might do.

Image: Keret House: Main level after staircase “hatch” closed.

Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

All the furnishings in the house are custom, which is how they managed to fit all the furnishings, according to Szczesny.

Image: Keret House: Custom furniture is as minimalist as the house is narrow.

Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

We here at Wo-Built think that Keret House is more than just some novelty or one-off art project.

Image: One would have to be very friendly with anyone sharing Keret House’s only bed.

Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

We think Keret House demonstrates what can be achieved with the use of natural light and how remarkably tight spaces can be made to feel more open and inviting (if not exactly “spacious”).

Image: Keret House.

Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

There are many homes in old Toronto, Etobicoke, Markham and elsewhere build on long, narrow lots. While none of these houses are as extremely narrow an example as Keret House, a great deal can be learned from its example in opening up the feel of these old houses, and making better use of space.

Image: Keret House in Warsaw, Poland rendering.

Source*: dezeen.com: Dezeen - architecture and design magazine: World's narrowest house by Jakub Szczesny

Just how useable is the space? See the Keret House “in action,” below:

YouTube Video: The world's thinnest home has been built in a Polish alleyway Published by ITN

Source: youtube.com: The world's thinnest home has been built in a Polish alleyway

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build
Project Director
PeapodLife - Advanced Human Habitat via Building EcoSystems & Technology

* Image Photography is by Bartek Warzecha, © Polish Modern Art Foundation, The National Centre for Culture.

Habitat for Humans: Indoor Vertical Garden of Eden

CBS News: God's Architect: Antoni Gaudi's glorious vision

Architect Antoni Gaudi's vision for the Sagrada Familia, a church under construction for over 130 years, is aided by modern technology. Lara Logan reports.

Published March 10, 2013 4:00 PM

Can “God’s Architect” show us how to design & build heavenly spaces here on earth? Naturally!

Whether you are a devout anything or not, there is no question: La Sagrada Familia must be counted among the architectural wonders of the world. And it’s not even finished yet.

The vision granted to Antoni Gaudi some 130 years ago has been under construction for most of the time since. We won’t recount the history in detail; see the above 60-Minutes feature video for a good overview.

Rather, we’d rather focus on snapshot images like these; “majestic” and “awe-inspiring” come to mind.

Image: La Sagrada Familia – Interior, showing giant “tree” columns supporting “canopy” ceiling.

Credit: Jeremy Jones; Source: Paperblog: A Sincere Apology to La Sagrada Familia

What immediately captured our interest was the majesty and reverence invoked by this building’s interior. It is entirely inspired by nature. Natural light casts shafts of illumination down through the spires in what amounts to a pure white forest of other-worldly design. Inspired design. (Where do you think the word “spire” comes from?)

The following two images capture this effect in greater detail. The feelings evoked are truly that of a magical forest. One can imagine oneself in the mystical Loth Lorien from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. In truth, the space captures in essence, the purity and genius of any forest ecosystem.

It manages to uplift the spirit not unlike the majesty of West Coast Redwoods do when one encounters those columns reaching toward the heavens.

Two Images: La Sagrada Familia Interior Space Interior Detail of tree trunk and branches columns supporting canopy ceiling, and the heavens above. 
Credit: Warwick Mihaly; Source: Panfilocastaldi | Architecture, design and photography: La Sagrada Familia forest + La Sagrada Familia ceiling

This image of the space above the sanctuary (the altar and surrounding area) perfectly illustrates how natural themes and elements reach upwards toward the heavens, where natural light floods the space from above in harmonious union with the divine (religare: from which we derive the word religion).

Image: La Sagrada Familia Interior Space Above the Sanctuary.

Credit: Jeremy Jones; Source: Paperblog: A Sincere Apology to La Sagrada Familia

La Sagrada Familia is the epitome of how natural light and themes transform a space into something more…much more. They bring a vibrancy, life, vitality, energy, to a building. They evoke positive feelings of peace and tranquility, even in the face of such majesty as this cathedral…exactly like nature itself does. It is a perfect union of architectural mastery and building technology with the essence of nature – light, energy, the foundations of the natural world.

Antoni Gaudi’s vision was to immortalize in glass and stone the glory of God, the majesty of nature, and the mystery of how the heaven’s and earth unite. Heady stuff. Sort of requiring a building project on the scale of La Sagrada Familia. Wo-Built can’t help but ask: can this same effect be created in a home? An office? Any building?

Absolutely.

With lots of natural light; a living breathing ecosystem; some nature-inspired design and a healthy dose of sacred geometry, even the smallest of buildings, the tiniest of spaces can be transformed into tribute to the glory and majesty of Divine Mother Nature, the Divine Father of Everything, and where the two unite in mutual harmony and symbiosis to create something truly wonderful and magical together: habitat worthy of true human beings…a building suitable for us…the so-called Children of God.

Advanced Human Habitat. A space to thrive in; to feel better about yourself and others in. A building which makes you gain more by consuming less. Saving energy and warming your heart instead of burning energy and warming only your body.  A space which provides purity of air, water, and atmosphere. A place that is your sanctuary. An Indoor Vertical Garden of Eden. A little bit of Heaven on Earth…for you and your loved ones. A habitat for human beings to aspire to their highest selves, perform to their utmost abilities and achieve their greatest achievements.

And you don’t have to believe in anyone or anything but your own senses: you can see, feel and benefit from such inspired habitat. You don’t have to believe…you need only be human!

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Top Five Design Ideas for Kitchens

Screenshot: Kitchen Gallery Webpage of Wo-Built Inc: the Vision Builder
From L to R: Kitchen renovation to give the kitchen a new lease on life with a completely new look.
New kitchen integrated into open-concept space matching existing furniture with new kitchen cabinets.
New open plan kitchen designed and built to fit into open-concept space and make the kitchen a focal point.
2013 @ wobuilt.com

Over the years we have asked ourselves what made some of the kitchen spaces more successful than others. Hence, we have come up with our list of top best design ideas for kitchens:

• 1. The kitchen is the heart of the house;
• 2. Make the kitchen bright and light;
• 3. Make the kitchen a multi-functional social space;
• 4. Explore natural textures and materials;
• 5. Bring nature into the space.

1. The kitchen is the heart of the house

The kitchen is the heart of the house; it becomes the center for living and entertaining, a social hub for the family and guests. So we found that by providing a semi or complete open concept between the kitchen and the living area enables a much better interaction and communication.Open concept also gives the illusion of more space and often facilitates having more light in the space, because more windows can contribute to the light level. Neutral light not bold trendy colours also help by having better light reflection, making the space look brighter. Which leads to the second top idea:

2. Make the kitchen bright and light: highlight surfaces and provide focal points

The kitchen designs were most successful if a lot of daylight could be provided and make the kitchen bright and light. This had to be enhanced by energy efficient task lighting and general lighting which highlight surfaces and provide focal points.

3. Make the kitchen a multi-functional social space for the family and guests

Technology such WiFi, homework nook, extra electrical outlets for computers, a place for a TV also contribute in making the kitchen a multi-functional social space.

4. Explore natural textures and materials: environmentally friendly sustainable kitchen

As our emphasis is always about green building and sustainability some of the ideas revolved around the choice of materials. In open concept spaces it is nicer to have the same floor treatment in the living area and the kitchen. Good choices are Bamboo and Cork (good because they grow fast, but have large transportation impacts). Natural materials for countertops are preferable. Unfortunately granite and marble have a large footprint as they have to be transported over large distances, but soapstone and concrete counters are alternatives.

5. Bring nature into the space and provide a stunning effect to your kitchen

And, of course, one design idea we can always recommend. Bringing nature into the space. Our next evolution in kitchen designs. Eco-systems that provide, air, food and well being. Stay tuned for updates.

Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
wobuilt.com:blog: Home Automation Trending at CES 2013
wobuilt.com/blog: Interior Design Show 2012 – Wo-Built’s WOW! Moments
wobuilt.com/blog: Kitchen Design Tips: Why to Remodel
wobuilt.com/blog: Kitchen Design Trends: Emerging Trends for Kitchens
wobuilt.com/blog: Kitchen Designs – Are We Missing the Boat?
wobuilt.com/blog: Kitchen Upgrade – Plan Yours Today!

Is There Even One Straight Line in Nature? So Why Design & Build Civilization with Them?

Image Mosaic by Wo-Built: Biomimetic Analysis of Lines in Nature

Image Credits: MS Office ClipArt: Close-up of Green Leaf, Close-up of Fire,

Snowflake, Bees on Honeycomb, Close-up of zebra stripes,

Rock formations, Close up of bamboo trees , X-Ray of Hand

"Nature does not proceed in a straight line, it is rather a sprawling development." 
~ Robert Smithson, American sculptor and painter

Suffice it to say, we at Wo-Built and Peapod Life feel Mr. Smithson was onto something. And while his words express nature’s apparent preference for nonlinearity simply enough, his artwork bespeaks the essence of this truism on a scale more befitting of Mother Nature herself.

youtube.com: Robert Smithson - Spiral Jetty (Excerpts)
Uploaded by MtCenis on Mar 18, 2009
YouTube Video: Excerpts from the short film “Spiral Jetty,” featuring Robert Smithson’s 1970 earthwork sculpture of the same name. “Built on the northeastern shore of the Great Salt Lake near Rozel Point in Utah entirely of mud, salt crystals, basalt rocks and water, Spiral Jetty forms a 1,500-foot-long (460 m), 15-foot-wide (4.6 m) counterclockwise coil jutting from the shore of the lake.”

Source: Wikipedia: Spiral Jetty.

This begs the question: what is humanity’s obsession with the straight line? I am not referring to geometry as such. There are countless examinations and discussions of sacred geometry, for instance — the geometry found repeatedly in nature.

I am speaking specifically about the line itself, and that most peculiar and frankly unnatural quality of linearity. Let’s explore this line of thought, shall we?

No matter what our line of work, we line up, draw the line, line dance, hold the line, walk the line, hang-up the line, go down the line, cross the line, end up in the firing line, maybe fall back in-line, often in the line of duty, possibly in the theatre where we learn our lines and worry about sightlines, in the hopes the audience falls for our performance hook line and sinker, so that someday down the line things align for us and looking back we see that somewhere along the line we were thinking along similar lines.

Okay, all cheekiness aside, where does this come from!? I mean, is it simply a question of efficiency? After all, geometry 101 states the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, right? And while that may be true in theory, in reality, every “line” in nature eventually leads to its origin (it returns). Even light travels on a curve. So, there is ultimately no distance between any two points in the grand scheme of things (an infinite timeline; or, conversely, if time doesn’t exist at all, but is only an illusion of the intellect).

In that sense, then, efficiency is not one of nature’s cardinal rules of thumb. Humanity is obsessed with efficiency (whose origins can be found in a combination of laziness and greed) and thus linearity. Why is linearity very difficult to find in nature?

Nature is cyclic. Nature is built not on an intellectual theory about the distance between two points, but on the actual foundations of reality — that time and space are illusions of the intellect — and that all points are, in reality, all interconnected. And that in a very practical, meaningful and ultimately scientific way, all interconnectivity between nodes are transient movements and passing interrelationships on the gentle cyclic rhythm of life — points simply expanding and contracting.

The big bang will one day lead to the big crunch and the whole cosmic dance will begin again. That, my friends, is called a circle, a cycle, a wave, an “anything but a straight line.” And so it’s on the experiential knowledge of this objectively observable cosmic wisdom that Wo-Built proceeds with its Peapod Life Building Ecosystems and Technology initiative.

Yes, we take biomimicry this seriously. This is the depth of appreciation for the foundation of nature which must be considered, comprehended and embraced if we are to successfully construct a new building paradigm for the 21st Century — one that has resiliency and sustainability at its core.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
wobuilt.com/blog: Where Does One Get Good Ideas from for Innovative Design?

wobuilt.com/blog: Organics make List of Best New Restaurant Designs
 
wobuilt.com/blog: Combining Old and New Technology - The New Paradigm for Building?

wobuilt.com/blog: A New Construction Paradigm for Buildings

Playing to Win-Win-Win

Image Montage: Screenshots from Amanita Design’s Indie Game Botanicula
Images source: Amanita Design: Botanicula - Point and Click Exploration Game

Botanicula charms its way into our Hearts by letting us dive into an imaginary ecosystem under threat.

At Wo-Built, we like to have fun. From our own home-grown cartoon character Wobinna, to our childlike-wonder and amazement of nature at the heart of Peapod Life, we believe a healthy dose of light-heartedness and innocence is just what people need in today’s crazy world.

Most of us are stuck in patterns that dictate our lives; ones we’ve come to accept as normal. Like machines, we go to work, make money, go shopping, eat, sleep, wake, wash, rinse and repeat.

Our world is becoming more and more technologically complex. The ominous effect an intensely mechanistic, automatic way of life has on us is entrenched programming on our psyche: reactive behaviors; absolutist beliefs. Intellect and economy rule—matters of the heart take a back seat.

We are jaded, bored, disenchanted with the world. We’ve seen it all, done it all, and unless something is viscerally spectacular, shocking or completely over-the-top, we shrug or yawn or tune out altogether.

But every now and then something comes along that is simple, charming, and hauntingly beautiful; something which, despite its meekness, we find it utterly arresting and compelling. Botanicula, the latest effort by Czech indie game developer, Amanita Design, is just such a thing. Watch the video:

youtube.com: Botanicula - Pre-release Trailer (HD)

Botanicula is a beautiful point and click adventure puzzle game 

that launches for the PC and Mac on 19th April. Find out more at http://www.strategyinformer.com.

Published on Apr 5, 2012 by StrategyInformercom1

Amanita Design demonstrates how technology can turn us back into bright-eyed, innocent, curious children exploring and discovering our world for the first time. In this case, we find ourselves exploring a stylized version of nature … and possibly our own nature as a humanity run amuck in the world.

Botanicula is a game of pure discovery and exploration. A point-and-click hunt for “Easter eggs” and solutions to the innumerable challenges faced by a small band of unlikely heroes in a fantastical ecosystem under threat from an ominous darkness.

But why are you still stuck here passively reading this blog? Go play the FREE DEMO at http://botanicula.net/ and go find the inner child inside you!

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:

wikipedia.org: Botanicula is a point-and-click adventure game developed by Amanita Design.
Botanicula follows the adventure of five botanical creatures that are trying to save the last seed of their home tree from evil parasitic creatures that have infested their home.

Watch more on auto-generated by YouTube topic - Botanicula 

New Codes, Better Buildings: 2012 Green Building Festival, October 11 & 12

Screenshot: Green Building Festival 2012: New Codes, Better Buildings

October 11-12, 2012 at Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto

Credit: Sustainable Buildings Canada: 2012 Green Building Festival

Being environmentally conscious, eco friendly and green we, at Wo-Built, are always striving to minimize the ecological footprint in all our projects, and our passion is energy conservation and green building design. We like to tell everybody about upcoming 2012 Green Building Festival this October 11 & 12 at the Evergreen Brick Works.

2012 Green Building Festival
Dates: October 11 & 12, 2012
Location: Evergreen Brick Works,
550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON, M4W 3X8
Website: www.sbcanada.org/gbfestival
Registration: http://gbfestival.eventbrite.ca

About the Green Building Festival
The Green Building Festival is Canada’s most comprehensive conference on green building design, operations, technologies, and materials. Since 2005, the Festival has brought together industry leaders from across the country and around the world to transform the building industry through educational presentations, technical training, and interactive workshops.

Living Building Challenge Keynote aims to inspire at 2012 Green Building Festival
At the 2012 Green Building Festival on October 11th & 12th, key decision-makers and opinion leaders in the sustainable building sector – including experts such as Jason F. McLennan, CEO of the International Living Future Institute, the Seattle-based hub for visionary green building programs, Edward Mazria, Founder of Architecture 2030 and developer of the widely-adopted 2030 Challenge, and Mario Cucinella, the renowned Italian architect who has won dozens of major awards in international competitions – will gather with a range of players from across the burgeoning sector at the beautiful Evergreen Brick Works – Toronto’s LEED Platinum ‘Centre for Green Cities.’

The new Ontario Building Code, Low-Impact Development Guidelines, and the move from prescriptive to performance-based standards are the timely topics that drive core programming at the 2012 Green Building Festival. Sustainable building experts will address the real world practicalities of understanding, meeting, and exceeding the new SB-10 energy efficiency requirements in the Ontario Building Code.

Other talks include:
Stream 1
Achieving Building Performance
    Meeting the Energy Requirements of the new Ontario Building Code
    Toronto Green Building Standard
    Archetype Condo Project
    Envelope & Glazing Options
    Mechanical System Options

Stream 2
Low-Impact Development
Full-Day Training Session
    Stormwater Fundamentals
    LID Planning & Design
    LID Construction & Supervision
    Financial Considerations

Stream 3
People & Buildings
Sustainable Behaviour
    How We Make Decisions
Current “State of the Art”
    Architecture, Building Controls, Occupant Cultures & Dashboards
Development Workshop
    State-of-the-Art & Leading Edge Pilot Options
PRESENTED BY:
Sustainable Buildings Canada: Enabling the building industry to measurably improve the performance of the built environment.

For more information, please read Green Building Festival New Codes, Better Buildings Brochure.
Follow #gbf2012 to stay on top of Green Building Festival news and updates.

Our Green Commitment
We are dedicated to being environmentally conscious and have embraced Green Design and Build Construction in all our projects. We strive to be the leading design and build company that is sought after for its innovative design and quality construction and one that is recognized for using their projects as a means to help women, the community and the environment.

Plants, Water, Microwaves, and Wo-Built: Quality of Space = Better Quality of Life

Image: Grade 6 Science Project: Microwaved water kills plants.
Image Credit: Arielle Reynolds

"I put instant coffee in a microwave oven and almost went back in time."
- Steven Wright, American comedian, actor and writer
Source: BrainyQuote

Microwaves. They are ubiquitous, indispensable tools in our busy lifestyles. How could we ever live without them? Well, I for one have lived quite comfortably without one since 2008, as have my retired parents, and numerous friends and acquaintances. Why? What’s the big deal with microwaved food?

Do a Google search for “microwaved water” and see for yourself. It seems to “kill” some unknown quality of water that seems to be essential to life (plants anyway).

Now certainly, microwaving water doesn’t change the fact that it’s water — H2O. But scientists are discovering that there’s more to water than just its fundamental molecular structure. Water, it seems, has structure. What’s more, its structure appears capable of storing information … “memory.”

youtube.com: Water has Memory
Uploaded by oasishdchannel on Feb 3, 2011

It appears what water is exposed to affects its structure; and, microwaving water appears to have adverse effects on plants which consume it.

Is it possible that there’s more to the question of water quality than “purity?” Now, we know that traditionally, water quality is affected by the physical environment: impurities that are absorbed in the water. But what about the energetic qualities of the environment; the “space” water occupies?

youtube.com: Human Emotions Alter Water Molecules!
Uploaded by LotusLinkIntl on Nov 16, 2009

All of this is purely observational at this point, since serious scientific investigations have yet to be conducted to determine what, if anything, is going on in the above uncontrolled experiments.

But it begs the question: what are the effects of microwaving food? Or holding a cellphone against one’s head? Or walking around harboring negative emotions all day? People have observed plants growing better when they talk nicely to them. What is going on here?

Wo-Built knows that space has a quality to it that cannot be measured scientifically yet, but can be directly experienced. This “intangible quality” affects (and is affected by) everything: water, plants, people, lighting, decor—energy.

That’s why Wo-Built “feels” our designs as much as think them through. It’s why we are the Vision Builder: we help you envision what the look n’ feel of the design will be. And you can always see and feel the results. This whole other dimension of quality is another way Wo-Built builds your life better.


Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Here is more links to helpful information:
wikipedia.org: Quality of life

aesop.euss2011.net: Quality of space – quality of life
AESOP European Urban Summer School 2011

ace-cae.eu: The Conference "Designing the Future: The Market and Quality of Life"
The Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE) Conference 10th April 2008 at Flagey - Brussels, Belgium

wobuilt.com: Adding Value to Your House – How About Adding Value to Your Life?!

Interior Design Show 2012 – Wo-Built’s WOW! Moments

youtube.com: InteriorDesig Show: IDS 12: 90 Seconds of Design - Details
Uploaded by InteriorDesignShow on Nov 28, 2011

Connecting the right people

with the right product
in the right place.
IDS12: Interior Design Show 2012

This weekend saw world-renown designers and architects descend on Toronto for the thirteenth annual Interior Design Show. Held at the Metro Toronto Convention centre, the event was a showcase of the latest trends in home design and décor, with exhibitors and guest speakers participating from around the world.

As always, Wo-Built was in attendance to get the low-down on the latest trends and technologies making their way into homes across the GTA (and around the world). Here are some of the products that caught our eye and/or captured our imagination.

Wo-Built is all about space, and the Space beds really caught our eye. These cool beds have handy storage built into the base, with single and double-height drawer models available. We think they’re more functional than a murphy bed for smaller rooms, eliminating the need for additional storage.

youtube.com: NewMusikPlayer: Positive Space Interior
Uploaded by NewMusikPlayer on Sep 20, 2011

Next, we couldn’t help but gush over the sample kitchen outfitted with the latest Blum SERVO-DRIVE drive system. This motor-assisted system makes opening, closing and organizing drawers and cabinets in the kitchen truly effortless. It’s a thing of beauty you really need to see (and touch) to appreciate; and one Wo-Built intends to put to excellent use for clients looking for the ultimate in kitchen utility.

youtube.com: brianwong73: Blum Servo-Drive Kitchen System
Uploaded by brianwong73 on Jun 23, 2008

Less spectacular but no less functional, Infinity Drain offered up a clever designer twist to an old problem. The “Tile Drain” replaces that boring old drain-cover with one that blends seamlessly into the décor of your shower. A very slick solution that we intend to put to good use in future bathroom installations.

Infinity Drain Linear System Installation from Infinity Drain on Vimeo.

There was lots more cool stuff at the show, like the Siena Adagio Chaise Lounge from Stone Forest, the amazingly high-tech Cristadur sinks distributed by Novanni Elite, and the funky indoor wall fountains from Saline Solutions.

Collage: Cool Stuff at IDS12 Toronto
Images Credits:
stoneforest.com: Siena Adagio Chaise Lounge
novanni.ca: CRISTADUR Sinksalinesolutions.net: Pink Bubblewall
vad.no: Convita Chair

There is so much to see, we were there several hours at least. But after all that, perhaps what we enjoyed the most was a nice relaxing recline in VAD’s Convita zero-gravity chair. We seriously did NOT want to get up! These chairs go together with phrases like “deep meditation” and “stay-at-home vacation;” not “high productivity.”

IDS 2012 Toronto was a fun time and thoroughly enjoyable. Too much to talk about/show in a blog, so do yourself a favour: give Wo-Built a call and let us show you how you can transform your existing space into the epitome of “form-meets-function.”

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Interior Design Show: Ideas and Inspiration in Design and Architecture

Screenshot: IDS12 Interior Design Show
January 26 to 29 2012, MTCC Toronto
Canada's Largest Contemporary Design Fair
Left: William Yeoward, Designer, London, Presented by Primavera,
Osborne & Little for Designers Guild,
Keynote Speaker: Globe Style Saturday presented by Para
Right: Paul Aloisi, Language Structure, Toronto, Prototype Exhibitor
Credit: www.interiordesignshow.com

Being design and build construction company we know design is all around us. Coming from an architecture background, we look at spaces and often start analyzing them to see what makes them work or more often not. Spaces define values. We believe that well-designed and built spaces can increase productivity and improve our clients’ quality of life. We would like to inform you about one of the most exciting contemporary design fair upcoming today in Toronto - the Interior Design Show.

Interior Design Show 2012
Connecting the right people
with the right product
in the right place.
IDS12

When: January 26-29, 2012

Location: Metro Toronto Convention Centre (North)
255 Front Street West, Toronto Ontario M5V 2W6

Now in its 14th year, the Interior Design Show (IDS 12) presented by RADO, is Canada's largest contemporary design event.
IDS12 will be a year of fresh ideas and new events, with the most innovative in international and Canadian products presented by over 300 best-in-class exhibitors.
Legendary design stars and emerging talent are set to share their ideas through never-before-seen features and enlightening symposiums.
Introduced for the first time is IDS PLATFORM presented by RADO and AUDI: a series of talks, installations and exhibits, highlighting the cultural content of design.
Located in Toronto, IDS has established the city as a design destination and secured Canada as a leading player on the international design map.

Thursday, January 26, 2012
Conversations in Design - 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
IDS Opening Night Party - 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Friday, January 27, 2012
Professional Trade Day - 9:00 am to 7:00 pm

Saturday, January 28, 2012
Public Day - 10:00 am to 7:00 pm

Sunday, January 29, 2012
Public Day - 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Details and Tickets at:
InteriorDesignShow.com
IDSPlatform.com
ConversationsInDesign.com

Twitter Live Stream @IDSToronto: #IDS12

Come see the design world's trailblazers, gamechangers and celebrities and hear about their inspiration, projects and view on the direction of current design trends.

Update: Please read our short post Interior Design Show 2012 – Wo-Built’s WOW! Moments and you will see some of the products that caught our eye and/or captured our imagination.

Lighting Design of a Retail Space

Photo: Corus Entertainment Building - Overlooking the Atrium
See how the eye is drawn towards the light.
2011 @ wobuilt.com
Uploaded on twitpic.com

Design is all around us. Coming from an architecture background I look at spaces and often start analyzing them to see what makes them work or more often not. Recently I looked at the impact daylight has on the illumination of an up-market restaurant.

Let's imagine a restaurant with a store front, i.e. any passer-by can look into the restaurant and daylight can enter the building. This is a challenge during the day due to the brightness contrast between outside and inside. If the restaurant is not lit brightly enough to be seen, the space will look dark and forbidding from the outside. How often have we stood in front of a restaurant or a shop and wondered if it is open or closed. And, of course, if there is uncertainty we don't even try the door.

An up-market restaurant is a special case, since over lighting it during the day would make customers feel as if they were in a fast food environment, not very romantic and relaxing, but under lighting it would not be very inviting from the outside. Big dilemma.

Fortunately, a solution for this dilemma is simple and inexpensive. The solution is a combination of lighting and surface treatment. As the eye is automatically drawn to bright areas, the end area or wall of the restaurant has to be brightened up by using lighter colours and light fixtures that will wash the wall with light. This will give the inviting element to the space. The remaining restaurant can be kept relatively darker to create the more intimate setting. The lighting should be concentrated to shine on the tables, so that the diner can appreciate the food as we do eat with all our senses: taste, smell, appearance and even sound (just remember the crunchiness of freshly baked bread).

It is important to be able to create different light levels, as at night the contrast to the outside is reversed and it does not take as much light to sparkle. Hence in any design dimmers and selective switching of light fixtures is a must.

Lighting design is not cookie cutter and each situation need to be designed on its own merits. We incorporate lighting in all of our designs, and for restaurants and retail spaces good lighting is an absolute must. It will often make or break a space. Just imagine how much better your business would do if you created the right ambiance for your space.


Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build
Member of IESNA
Illuminating Engineering Society of North America

Contemporary Design vs. Classical Design – Personal Preference or De-facto Evolution of Design?

Collage: Contemporary Design vs. Classical Design
Images Credit: MS Office ClipArt: Cube Houses in Rotterdam; Row Houses in Amsterdam

"All the evolution we know of proceeds from the vague to the definite."
Charles Sanders Peirce

Vs.

"All the ills from which America suffers can be traced to the teaching of evolution."
William Jennings Bryan

Quotes Sourced from: Brainy Quote

The argument for and against evolution is fitting given the question of contemporary versus classical design. It’s a case of the future versus the past. But which belongs in the present?

Contemporary designers would argue no-doubt theirs is the valid approach. After all, isn’t this the 21st Century? Raised on Star Trek, dreaming of the day our living spaces made us feel we were an advanced, sophisticated, space-faring society, why not envelope ourselves in stainless steel, glass, concrete, etc.? Trouble is we are none of these things (at least not in the way we imagined). Technology has made us more detached from each another, our communities, our food and the environment. Contemporary western society confuses connectivity with connection; complexity with sophistication.

Maybe this explains contemporary design’s obsession with simplicity and “cleanliness.” Simple forms and clean lines counter the chaos of the modern world, but does it create warmth; comfort? There is nothing warm or inviting about stainless steel and concrete. Like industrial food (another “technological wonder” of the last Century), all the “life” has been processed out.

Classical design, on the other hand, seems sorely outdated—quaint for stay at a B&B in the Muskokas or a fancy dress ball at the Royal York. But really, who needs all that clutter in their everyday life? If you live in a farmhouse in rural Ontario, great; but, in East York, Oakville, and elsewhere in the GTA, the trend is to blend contemporary interiors with existing buildings (be they brownstones or loft conversions of old factories). Blending old and new in — dare I say it — a contemporary way.

The reality is that design is always a sign of the times. Like any other art form, it reflects the idiosyncrasies of particular eras or moments. Our society faces advancing technological complexity at a pace never before imagined. Resistance to change is equally potent. Today’s design is truly eclectic. We can see every conceivable permutation and combination of old and new imaginable. Old-style houses made from faux concrete stones with stainless steel kitchens, steel roofs and hardwood floors. Concrete, glass, and stainless steel buildings with animal skin rugs, wood furniture, stone accents.

To say it comes down to personal preference seems like a cop-out. It’s really about livability. Does a space strike a liveable balance between what you find aesthetically pleasing and what you need practically speaking? It’s not just about what a space looks like or how it works, but also how it feels.

The question of contemporary vs. classic has always been there, as each generation struggles to fit the new into the established. What makes a space liveable for you? That’s what matters today.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
wobuilt.com/blog: Architecture: Combining New and Old

wobuilt.com/blog: Do Industrial Buildings Have a Future?

wobuilt.com/blog: Design in Motion … in a House!?

A Truly Liveable Space Needs a Nourishing Colour Palette

Collage: Choose a Nourishing Palette for Your Mind and Soul
Image credits: “Equinox” by Hans Hofmann, 1958, painting
MS Office ClipArt: Paint can and paintbrush
2011 @ wobuilt.com

“The whole world, as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color. Our entire being is nourished by it.”
Hans Hofmann

If the above quotation by American abstract expressionist painter Hans Hofmann is considered in the context of our living spaces, the choice of colour should never be left to a complete stranger.

When Wo-Built completes a building or renovation project, they often deliver a “blank canvas” to their clients. This usually means white walls primed for interior design and finishing—in a word, colour.

So what do you do when presented with a beautifully designed space yearning for a personal expression of colour that will “feed your being” for years to come?

For starters, you might want to read-up on the psychology of colour. Don’t make the mistake of simply going with “what looks nice,” in a magazine or on a colour swatch. Our perception of colour changes over time. To test this theory, go into your closet and find that outfit you’ve only ever worn once.

Generally, colours are categorized as warm (red, orange, yellow) or cool (blue, green, violet). Warm colours enliven and are associated with higher energy, while cool colours promote serenity and tranquility. Blue is especially calming. Red and orange are said to stimulate hunger, while blue is said to curb it. Yellow can be cheerful, while violet promotes creativity, but both can get tiresome quickly.

Another factor to consider is colour combination. A monochrome colour scheme (different variations of the same colour), provides a soothing effect. A little more audacious is a colour scheme based on similar colours. A contrasting colour scheme is most dynamic, with colours appearing brighter than they actually are, and is best suited to high-activity areas like the kitchen; these can also get tiresome.

There is one more approach to consider: let your furniture and artwork be your colour! With some well-placed “accent walls” painted to draw focus and separate spaces, the rest of the space can remain just as it was delivered by Wo-Built: a clean canvas “painted” by your interior pieces; personal style.

Finally, don’t worry about impressing others with your “sense of colour.” Instead, choose a “nourishing palette” for your mind and soul. This will support a truly liveable space. Guests will respond to the positive energy of a space more than they will to a designer colour palette.


Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

You can read other related articles here:
wobuilt.com/blog: How many paint colours?!

wobuilt.com/blog: Paint Colour Trends 2008... Are you making the most of your investment?
by Sylvia O’Brien

wobuilt.com/blog: Colour for Your Home and Your Life: Intention Of Space
by Lonya Miller

Design in Motion … in a House!?

Jerome Olivet Visionary Design: Architecture: Jet House
Image Credit: Jérôme OLIVET Book: Architecture: Plant inspiration

Good Engineering and Beautiful Aesthetics Can Go Hand in Hand in Your Home.

In recent years, there has been an emerging school of thought in design that could be called "motion design" or even "design in motion." From computer animation to automotive, the focus is on designs that look good while moving, not just while standing still. In the automotive world, the approach evolved from ever-more intense aerodynamic testing for performance and fuel efficiency. In other words, it was a natural progression of an age-old tradition in design called "form follows function." When we consider design in motion as another example of form follows function, we can apply the concept directly to home design and layout — and no, we’re not talking mobile homes!

A house is in constant motion. It’s all a question of perspective and relativity. After all, in a wind tunnel test, a car stays in one spot: it’s artificially generated wind that’s really moving; and yet, its aerodynamics can be tested … that is design in motion. In much the same way, rooms, hallways, counters, closets — all these elements stay put. It’s the people living in and around them that move. The motion of a house relates to its occupants. So, if you really think about it, design in motion is perhaps the most relevant consideration when building a house, an addition or any major re-redesign project.

Here are some questions worthy of consideration: in the morning, how many people are there in the house getting ready within the same time-frame? What is the flow of people between bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, laundry and hallways? Where are the “bottlenecks”? We live in Canada: does the home have an alternate entrance and/or mudroom where slushy shoes and snowsuits can be removed and stored away from the primary entrance (i.e. the one used by visitors and guests)? Speaking of guests, is there an office or sitting room relatively near the main entrance close to a powder room where surprise guests can be entertained without disturbing the rest of the household? Perhaps that same office can contain a sofa bed or futon to accommodate overnight guests (in which case it’s best the powder room also has a shower for them to use). Is there a handyman in the house? A gardener? How about a laundry room with a shower within easy reach of the garden, workshop, or wherever soiled people and their clothes enter the house?

Of course, people are not the only things that move in a house. Sound is also an element that is in motion; "sound carries." Anyone who has ever lived in a side-split or back-split arrangement will attest to a design which essentially turns the entire house into a single audio zone (and these are very common among the many "cookie-cutter" designs prevalent in the Greater Toronto Area and elsewhere in Ontario). The placement of rooms next to or above other rooms where "noise contamination" may take place is an important consideration. In some cases (positioning a baby room) you may want to hear every sound coming from the adjacent room. Of course, sound carries through houses in sometimes unanticipated ways. Duct-work can channel noise remarkably efficiently. A finished basement with ceiling vents connected to existing duct-work could inadvertently make a direct (and unfortunate) "audio pipeline" between the basement washroom and the main floor kitchen or living room.

Similarly, light is also an element in constant motion. Obviously, over the course of a day, daylight and shadow shift from one side of the house to the other. But in the evenings, artificial light from one space within the home can "flood" an adjacent space quite easily. There can be too much light or not enough given the activities in any particular room. Often, designer fixtures that "look good" in the showroom are sorely lacking in terms of providing adequate light. Finally, new digital dimmers and timers add a whole other dimension of motion—changes in lighting intensity over time.

The point is this: aesthetic considerations of design aside, a home must be lived in. Designing the layout and functionality of a house in motion will result in a more livable home. The key is to work with a designer and/or contractor who has the ability and the patience to take you through the process of understanding the numerous motions the house will go through to determine the best design.

If all this sounds too much like an exercise in engineering and too little like design, remember: good engineering and beautiful aesthetics go hand-in hand. Truly, having one without the other is not very practical when it comes to building anything that "must be lived with" (lived in). However, one thing is absolutely certain: having a home that just "looks good" at first glance will become very tiresome very quickly if it encumbers the natural flow of the people and daily life. Maybe that’s why so many people in Toronto are opting to build additions or have dramatic re-designs and re-builds done on their existing properties — what was aesthetically pleasing once must be brought up to speed of 21st Century living.

As for the "Aerodynamic House" in the image that opens this blog: in the not-too-distant future, global warming and more extreme weather patterns — particularly here in Canada — may indeed begin to play a more critical role in design in motion considerations as they relate to homes. But that, as they say, is a topic for another day.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
Jérôme OLIVET. La boutique

Jerome Olivet Visionary Design

gizmodo.com: home is where the art is: Jet House is a New Look on an Old Design
By Christopher Mascari

Cjacotguth’s Blog: Research: Aerodynamic House
By Charlotte Margareta Jacot Guth

luxist.com: The Jet House, Sleek Aerodynamic Living
by Rigel Celeste