Celebrating excellence
The ATA Canada 2015 Honours Program winners.
By Galynn Nordstrom
Five winners were selected this year by the Canada Honours Program at the ATA Canada Expo, held Mar. 12–13 at the Renaissance Vancouver Harbourside Hotel in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Entries are open to members of ATA Canada, and judged on complexity, design, workmanship, uniqueness and function.
In memory of former ATA Canada Chairman Jeff Nash, each year one Honours Program entrant is selected to receive the Nash award. It’s given to a first-place winning project that most exemplifies the high standards for craftsmanship, function and innovation that Jeff Nash showed in his work.
NASH AWARD | AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
INTERIOR DISPLAY
Sollertia Inc.
Montreal, Quebec
PROJECT: Serge Ferrari Exhibition Booth
FABRICS: Batyline® AW, Soltis, Stamisol® FT 381; Serge Ferrari North America Inc.
Asked to design an eye-catching trade show booth to highlight the company brand, Sollertia Inc. decided to create a spatial experience that would showcase the technical and aesthetic qualities of Serge Ferrari membranes by presenting them in large format with the materials themselves as the source of inspiration—underlining the qualities of transparency, translucence, luminosity, lightness, fluidity, flexibility and stability. The inviting interactive space used large sliding fabric panels to make the experience sensorial for visitors.
The 30 x 40-foot booth featured a linear, translucent architectural volume with sober lines and surfaces bathed in light, rising to a height of 14 feet to create a strong visual presence. A succession of Ferrari composite membranes modulated the interior of the space in steady rhythm to expose their natural qualities; inspired by the company’s logo, a sinuous line was exploited to create an undulant ceiling.
The booth presented a minimalist geometry with daring curves, conveying an image that was both conservative and dynamic. At each end of the structure, openings could be used to showcase large-format Stamisol membranes or to highlight Serge Ferrari’s innovative solutions in terms of recyclability, and a monitor screen installed in the open area was used to project images of material possibilities and existing architectural projects.
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
RESIDENTIAL AWNINGS AND CANOPIES
Rolltec Rolling Systems Ltd.
Concord, Ontario
PROJECT: Overlapping awnings to protect an elevated porch; Markham, Ontario
FABRIC: Sattler; Sattler AG
To provide adequate coverage for an unevenly elevated porch, one large terrace-style awning was installed in the center of the porch, powered by a Somfy motor, and two additional classic lateral-style awnings were installed at each side of the terrace awning. The lateral-style awnings were mounted at a slightly lower elevation, while the 19-foot terrace-style awning was mounted slightly higher, resulting in full coverage of the entire area because the three awnings overlapped to provide complete protection.
The owner had requested sun protection for his patio doors and an entertainment area that would provide shelter from the sun in its varying positions. The awnings had to cover a large projection of 19 feet and cover the width of the client’s porch throughout the day, made more complex by the porch’s longer length in the center. To provide optimal coverage, the retractable 19-foot projection terrace-style awning was chosen; the two smaller lateral-style awnings were installed at each side of the terrace awning, to offer a shield wide enough to enclose the entire depth and width of the porch.
With the overlapping side awnings also offering uninterrupted protection during light rain, the installation has worked perfectly to protect the porch area from the late afternoon sun and allow the client to entertain family and friends at any time of day.
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
MISCELLANEOUS AWNINGS AND CANOPIES
Auvents OmbraSole Awnings
Montreal, Quebec
PROJECT: “Oasis” outdoor shelter at a seniors residence; Quebec
FABRICS: Sunbrella® by Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC, from Trican Corp.; Soltis by Serge Ferrari North America Inc., from Trican Corp.
“Oasis” is both a sun shelter and attractive garden furniture, providing both protection from harmful UV rays and outdoor comfort. The robust aluminum structure is weather-resistant, will not crack or rot like wood, and does not require seasonal maintenance. The retractable roof is made of 100 percent waterproof vinyl, acrylic or Soltis canvas, and the double sofa, covered with Sunbrella® fabric, can seat three people on each side. A four-sided curtain system may also be added as an option for intimacy or inclement weather conditions. An exclusive and nearly transparent mosquito netting system that integrates the roof and all four sides may also be added.
The manager of a seniors residence wanted to install sofas and umbrellas in the back yard for residents to sit and read comfortably, and offer protection from mosquitoes. During his product research he came across the Oasis 3-in-1 system and contacted Auvents OmbraSole. The Oasis system protects the residents from sun, mosquitoes and harsh winds, allowing them to stay outside longer and in greater comfort. The manager is now referring the system to other senior centers.
Oasis requires no annual storage; the retracted canvas automatically stores inside a vinyl cover during the winter.
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
MARINE PRODUCTS
Precision Custom Canvas Inc.
St. Catharines, Ontario
PROJECT: “Night Vision” acrylic windshield for a Searay 370; Hamilton, Ontario
FABRICS: Acrylite from Piedmont Plastics; Sunbrella®
by Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC, from J. Ennis Fabrics
The owner of a 2012 Searay 370 wanted windows he could actually see through; he had already replaced the windows once through the original manufacturer, but the improper fit left them wrinkled and his view obscured, especially at night. He wanted a rigid window that would curve perfectly between the fixed windshield and the arch, giving him the same quality view as through the fixed windshield.
The solution: bonded windows, using heavy-gauge acrylic. Precision Custom Canvas modified the sizing of the windows, making the center slightly larger, as it would now be the only one the customer would open. The center window hinges back and fastens to the underside of the arch when opened. The owner no longer gets any distracting reflection off the windows when traveling at night; he finds the windows easy to keep clean, and is considering rebuilding his soft aft enclosure to get a better fit. And after seeing the workmanship on his powerboat, a dock mate has ordered a new dodger, bimini and enclosure for his sailboat.
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
MISCELLANEOUS
Sollertia Inc.
Montreal, Quebec
PROJECT: Institut national du sport du Québec; Montreal, Quebec
FABRICS: Précontraint® 402, Defender® 7772;
by Serge Ferrari North America Inc., from AB2CS
The project called for two tensioned-fabric walls of double curvature geometry, one 21m(w) x 13m(h) and one 19.5m(w) x 13m(h) for a total surface area of 544 square meters. Installed inside Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, they were designed to serve as barriers against the humidity between the indoor pool and a recently built state-of-the-art gymnasium, requested by the architect in charge of the interior renovation of the Institut national du sport du Québec, Benoit Forcier, Lapointe Magne & associés.
Translucent Précontraint 402 in white was chosen for the luminosity it would provide; several different fastening systems and tensioning devices were developed, each adapted to one of many specific structural components for a precise fit. One of the fabric walls hid a cube-shaped opening that couldn’t be revealed until the second phase of construction; Sollertia designed a frame at the level of the opening and hermetically sealed it off. During the second phase, the sides of the cube were attached to a newly built second frame, and the membrane covering the original opening was carved out, requiring high precision from the installation team.
The translucency of the membranes creates luminous surfaces that are a good fit with the architectural style of the new sports facility. For more details on this project, read the second part of the Markets column in this issue, on page 69.
