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Presented by Informa Canada, the three-day Buildings Show has taken over the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The exhibition invites professionals involved with the built environment−including the design, architecture, real estate and building industries−to showcase and discuss new technologies, solutions and strategies to pressing issues. With 1,600 exhibits, 500 speakers and an expected 35,000 people in attendance, The Buildings Show is North America's largest annual exposition, networking and educational event in the industry.
The 2014 event is the biggest yet, as seven stand-alone shows have united to expand the reach of designers, architects, builders and other professionals. The Buildings Show has now brought together IIDEXCanada, Construct Canada, PM Expo, Concrete Canada, Home Builder & Renovator Expo, Construct International and The Real Estate Forum, with exhibitors hailing from over 14 countries. IIDEXCanada, celebrating its 30th year, gathers professionals involved in every stage of design and construction. The event serves both as an educational and networking opportunity while showcasing the innovative ideas that designers have brought to fruition. As part of the educational experience, IIDEXCanada's Keynote Program provides free lectures by renowned architects, designers and developers, including David Mirvish and Daniel Libeskind.
On Wednesday, David Rockwell of Rockwell Group spoke about his impressive designs and the relationship between architecture, design and theatre. The Rockwell Group's extensive résumé ranges from hotels and restaurants to specific theatre set designs. Rockwell projects have included work on Tower D and the Culture Shed at New York’s Hudson Yards, Nobu restaurants and set design for the Academy Awards and several Broadway shows.
The casual conversation, which was hosted by Air Canada's enRoute Magazine Editor-in-chief Ilana Weitzman, allowed attendees to get a glimpse of some of the work Rockwell has completed, including his projects here in Canada. To start, Weitzman posed the question: "How do you engineer memories? How do you build the memorable?" Rockwell explained, "As designers, there are things we can control. We can control what the room looks like, we can control the furniture. There are a whole series of things that are much more ephemeral. I've always been interested in those parts of design."
He compared interior architecture to the magic of theatre. "The show only lasts a couple hours but the memory is quite deep," he said. "We think of our interiors and architecture as a performance. We try to create a rich, memorable experience where people leave with a connection."
Rockwell's emphasis on performance and activity within a space is evident in one of his most notable projects, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. "Isn't the idea of Las Vegas better than the reality?" he asked. "The idea is that it's fluid and ever changing but the truth is it doesn't change so much." He explained that the flow and circulation of people throughout the city's hotels and casinos is determined through the use of edges and barricades. With The Cosmopolitan, Rockwell wanted to create a space that can change and morph into something else. Several tall columns mark the lobby of the hotel and casino. Instead of leaving them bare, Rockwell decided to animate the space by projecting video onto the columns. Utilizing user-generated content, the images of the columns alter depending on the movement of the people passing through the space. The end result is a dynamic entryway that is constantly changing. Rockwell agreed that although technology has often come to limit human experiences and interaction, it can be used creatively to foster it as well.
Continuing with the theme of fluid spaces, Rockwell discussed TAO Downtown, a two-storey restaurant in New York. The restaurant consists of a 40-foot wide staircase, including 80 seats that face a statue of Guangyin, the East Asian goddess of mercy. The statue is illuminated with projected images that frequently change over the course of your meal. The content always changes, ensuring that guests return for a completely new experience.
Rockwell's designs aim to bring spaces alive. His other projects, like the Jaleo restaurant in Las Vegas, provide diners with an interactive experience. Surrounded by Spanish decor, people are invited to play foosball and watch the activity of the central wood burning paella bar.
On stagecraft and the relationship between architecture and theatre, Rockwell said they are both connected through their "sense of entrance." When entering a building, the layout and feel of the space communicates its associated rules, while the theatre entrance is the curtain itself rising as the show begins. Rockwell explained that entrances can be arranged and choreographed like a piece of theatre as they guide people through. For TED's 30th annual conference, Rockwell designed a portable venue for the Vancouver Convention Centre. The theatre emphasizes proximity to the speaker by arranging seats less than 80 feet away from the stage. The theatre also offers a variety of seating options, including benches, lounge chairs and beanbags. The intention was to create a flexible space where people choose to sit wherever they are most comfortable. "If you're at a five day conference, why would you want to sit the same way each segment?"
Another Canadian project referenced was the historic Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City. Restoring the public spaces of the hotel "was like a surgery" as Rockwell and his team had to determine where to improve and where to restore. Royal blue, used as an accent colour throughout the hotel, also mimics the nearby St. Lawrence River.
On Rockwell Group's future, he reiterated his desire to create spaces that people can feel a part of, rather than spaces that people simply move through. This theme will be captured once again in an upcoming project for a children's hospital by implementing an interactive aquarium feature.
IIDEXCanada ends today for another year with an address by famous architect Daniel Libeskind, whose Toronto projects have made him a household name in the city. UrbanToronto will be there for the speech, so return tomorrow to read all about it.
