Sunday, 30 September 2007 | Levent OZLER
figure3 Wins ARIDO Project of the Year and Renovated Workplace of the Year
Toronto design firm figure3 was recognized last night with two ARIDO Awards of Excellence. Celebrating the best of interior design projects in Canada, the awards showcase innovative design strategies for business. "We were fortunate to work with two amazing clients on these respective projects: clients whose businesses are on opposite ends of the spectrum but have in common a willingness to take risks, and who value the contribution of design to the success of their business," says Allan Guinan, figure3 Managing Partner. "Being recognized by ARIDO is a testament to those champions of design, as much as it is to figure3."
 Project of the Year - Umbra Concept Store
This first flagship store for hip housewares retailers UMBRA revitalizes an aging building into a striking on-brand shopping experience in Toronto's trendy Queen Street West neighborhood. The gallery-like boutique positions iconic housewares as art objects in figure3's modular fixture displays. A dramatic floating staircase, extensive graphic installations and large video monitors featuring Umbra designers at work are all defining features of the space. In a clever twist, over-scaled chandeliers are re-inventions of UMBRA table lamps.
 Renovated Workplace of the Year - IBM
This design for an IBM sales office transforms and revitalizes the work experience. Three key points of focus for a new workplace concept emerged as a result of the partnership between figure3 and IBM: collaboration, technology and brand integration. Solutions evolved with an understanding of how IBM technologies should integrate with flexible furniture solutions to enable collaboration. A figure3-designed custom "workbench" approach results in space savings and the essence of the brand message is re-interpreted through high-energy graphic images throughout the space.
"Our goal is to help our clients achieve concrete business results by creating branded experiences that go beyond conventional thinking," says Christopher Wright, figure3 Partner. "Both the UMBRA store and the IBM project are illustrative of how design forms a tangible experience of a brand."
As designers of form, space and experiences, figure3 creates branded environments and products that go beyond conventional thinking. Achieving clients' business and brand objectives through exceptional workplace, retail and hospitality environments. Clients include, IBM, British Airways, Porter Airlines, Umbra, Roche Bobois, Warner Brothers and many others.
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