VictorEric Design Journal Our Latest News & Thoughts On The Design Industry

There are huge polluting companies throughout the world, such as companies that manufacture cement or mine for coal.  However, there is one giant coal mining company in South Africa that is changing its ways to make their activites more eco-friendly for the world.

AngloAmerican has decided to make good use of their waste by-product called gypsum.  Gypsum is a non-toxic mineral that is soluble when wet, but also incredibly hard when dry.  They experimented with gypsum and found that when mixed with cement, it stays waterproof and can continue to stay dry.

From this, an eco-friendly brick can be made which is even better than traditional cement bricks because it is harder with greater sound and heat insulation.  As this brick is composed of less cement there is less of a need for cement manufacture which substantially reduces the amount of the pollutant carbon dioxide.

So far, AngloAmerican have built 62 houses with these eco-friendly bricks, and plan to build another 400 to house their entire workforce. 

Head of Minerals at the British Geological Survey, Andrew Bloodworth, is a little sceptical that gypsum is a safe material to use because it is water soluble and will lose its hard properties as soon as it gets wet. 

Peter Gunther, AngloAmerican’s head of sustainable development has responded to concerns saying “the brick mixture has been subjected to the most rigorous trials by the South African Bureau of Standards, and passed without any problems.”

For the full article: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/11/23/world/africa/coal-mine-gypsum-bricks-south-africa/?hpt=hp_c2

The amount of money that churns through the residential construction industry is mind boggling.  When you look at last year,  for 260 work days there was $14.9 billion, breaking down to an average of $57.3 million a day across BC.  It even dwarfs the ship building industry which is only worth $8 billion spread over 30 years.

The impact this has on the economy and the lives of every day people is substantial.  The steady stream of jobs means a stable support for families, even workers in secondary industries reap the benefits.  Unfortunately, the construction industry doesn’t get a lot of publicity, nor does it get enough support politically. 

The looming issue is that the ambiguous HST transition rules is expected to slow down the construction industy.  This is because new home buyers are struggling with tax and are desperate for tax relief from the government. 

The news is a little better for the rental housing industry.  After 2 years of steady work, the Coalition have slowly gathered support throughout different levels of government to collectively deal with the rental housing shortage and rising homelessness.  Their discussions at a conference that was held recently had resulted in positive support, however there  is still a long journey before any changes are instigated.

For the full article:  http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/home+buyers+need+relief/5738050/story.html

For the first time in 30 years, Canada has opened it’s first purpose-built law school in the University of British Columbia. 

This building design has moved away from the design of traditional Law faculties and embraced an open, inviting and flexible environment. It incorporates blond, butter-coloured bricks and Douglas fir millwork and panelling to bring a warm environment, coupled with the amazing views of Howe Sound and the coastal mountains.

Architecture firm, Diamond and Schmitt Architects, worked with CEI Architecture Planning Interiors of Vancouver to design this 141,000 square foot, five-story building.   The Law Faculty wanted to engage students and be part of the university, so the building was designed with a wide range of study spaces for its law students as well as a lecture hall to hold the entire school population.

It is no surprise that this $65 million building with its double height library and fourth-floor sculpture garden is in the running for a LEED Gold designation.

For the full article: http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=17658

The new modern temporary shelter has been unvelied at the Interior Design Show West, with the new product receiving great feedback. 

Designer Todd Macallen calls his product the “softshell”.   It’s unique design allows for the walls to be flexible so they can contract, stretch and join together.  He says “it’s like an expanded honey comb, so several folded pleats pull a wall apart, it expands and then each wall has magnetic end panels.  A wall can be joined to another wall”. 

This design provides the privacy needed for families living temporarily for several months.  An example would be for emergency situations such as an earthquake where families can set up their softshells in a public area like a school gym for several months at a time.

For the full article: http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/283660–new-emergency-shelters-unveiled-at-design-show

The idea of homelessness is foreign to most working class Canadians.  They work hard to look after their families by providing food and shelter.  However, what happens when something as basic as shelter is in short supply?

Every year, new rental housing  units are built to keep up with the growing population.  Unfortunately, only 600 housing units are built when 6,500 are needed.  Furthermore, these rental units are rising in price.

Coalition cochariman of Metro Housing Committee and Mayor of New Westminister, Wayne Wright, says “If we don’t have affordable rentals we could have more homelessness”.

Desperate families are currently being forced to double up by living in basement suites or living in one bedroom suites.  These same families are also moving frequently from one rental to another.  Executive-director of the Tenants Resource and Advisory Centre, Nick Dunlop, says “All of this is destabilizing for families and individuals”. 

Katharine from VictorEric is also very passionate about the homelessness issue.  She says, “truly, I personally care about the homelessness situation in Van I’m just out of power to offer what actually makes a difference. Other than being aware and volunteering where I can, there isn’t much anyone can do really”.

For the full article: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Affordable+rentals+Keeping+with+demand+coalition/5701559/story.html

The old heritage areas of Toronto is buzzing with activity, with non-stop applications to re-build and keep the old cobblestone street facade.  Condominium and commercial projects are being proposed where modern day facilities are incorporated with the nostalgia of historical building fronts. 

The largest project to date is on  Joseph Street in downtown.  The “Five Condos” is currently in construction, where the old warehouse facade is to be restored with a modern 45-storey glass tower on top.  This will provide heritage housing lofts, a rooftop garden, a huge 13,000 square feet of indoor amenities and another 10,000 square feet of outdoor amenities. 

The Five Condos project is a litte more special than the other heritage projects, as it’s not just a new building with an old face, it’s also incorporating heritage features within its construction throughout the building.  This is the true blend of old with new, respecting heritage perservation. 

For the full article: http://life.nationalpost.com/2011/11/11/follow-the-cobblestoned-street-to-the-city%E2%80%99s-best-new-but-old-condos/

If you think Toronto is already a big city, then you’ll be in for a big surprise in 2012. 

Mr. Gillespie, Developer and owner of real estate firm Westbank Projects Corp,  is planning to unveil the new luxury hotel in Toronto in August 2012.   This luxury hotel is the Shangri-La and it will be a towering 66 floors. 

Internationally, the hotel is known for it’s ethnic style, being the best-known brand in Asia.  It will now provide Toronto with more hotels than just the Ritz and the Four Seasons.

Furthermore, two Toronto condominiums behind the Shangri-la are in the works, where one will be designed by Denmark’s famous architect Bjarke Ingels. 

For the full article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/architecture/john-bentley-mays/west-coast-builder-has-big-toronto-plans/article2232087/

Scotiabank have partnered with RONA to put forth a contest where the grand prize is a fully built $40,000 kitchen.  To have a chance to win, all you need to do is be a homeowner and register online on http://ecoliving.scotiabank.com/contests.

The grand prize involves a consultation with a designer from Green Living Enterprises.  The consultant will work with you to draw up a design for your kitchen, incorporating $20,000 in RONA eco-products and $20,000 in design and labour.  And for those who miss out on the grand prize, there are still plenty of RONA products you can win valued at approximately $100.

Enter today, not just for the free kitchen but also to promote the idea of an eco-friendly living.  Scotiabank want to bring awareness on the advantages of eco living, where eco-friendly products are both stylish, practical and minimize impact on the environment.

For the full article:  http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/876983/scotiabank-launches-40-000-eco-friendly-kitchen-renovation-contest-with-rona

When we think about homes, we think about homes being traditionally rooted to the ground.  However, based on this idea, land disappears quickly as cities become over populated.

A designer in Berlin by the name of Werner Aisslinger has put forth a brilliant solution.  Why not live on top of roofs in the city?  All those commerical buildings, with flat unused space is plentiful in the city.  With 360 degree views of the sky, who wouldn’t want to live there?

Aisslinger has designed a modular home that is compact and stylish called the Loft Cube.  It is has a ground living area of 40sqm, with many customizable options.  The Loft Cube is constructed from a kit and then placed on rooftops wtih a crane or helicopter.

There is some preparation involved to allow the Loft Cube to be installed.   The rooftop perimeter is first secured with railings, the roof is certified to carry the extra weight and the utility lines are extended from the building.  The effort is worth it, with contemporary accomodation ready to move into.

For further details: http://www.loftcube.net/loftcube_project/main.html

There has been a growing concern by Vancouverites that foreign Chinese buyers are stopping Canadians from buying prime real estate in their own country.

With money as no object, Chinese buyers are snapping up properties and increasing bids on homes, particularly in West Vancouver.  It has reached a point where families living  in West Vancouver have to tell their children to buy elsewhere.   In this year alone, prices  for homes worth $2+ million are being pushed up 118 per cent.

Mayor Gregor Robertson and rival Suzanne Anton are reluctant to address this issue, as the foreign buying trend is bringing in capital.  They’ve rejected the idea of applying restrictions to the number of homes a foreigner can purchase and do not want to introduce additional taxes to foreign buyers.

However, we have to ask, how founded are the fears of Vancouverites?  Real estate expert Tsur Somerville believes that even if there were no foreign buyers, the price for housing would still be unaffordable  to Canadians. 

Furthermore, many of the foreign buyers may not be as foreign as we think.  Cam Good, president of a real estate firm tailored to Asian buyers called The Key, believes that his typical clients are immigrating housewives with husbands still residing in China. 

For the full article: http://www.theprovince.com/business/time+curb+foreign+real+estate+buying+Vancouver/5703433/story.html