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Design Renovation
August, 2010
Make Room for Generation Y
Move over Baby Boomers, Generation Y is grown up and ready to take on the real estate market. Greater metropolitan areas are seeing a large influx of young professionals and recent graduates, referred to as Generation Y, moving in. They have just completed their studies or are entering the work force, and coupled with their success and new sense of adulthood, they are prepared to take that next big step: moving out.
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July, 2010
Think about condo design
By now most purchasers are well versed on what to look for when buying- and know all about location, location, location and of course the right choice of amenities, but do they ever give any thought to architectural and interior design?
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July, 2010
Cool Roofs
No, this is not the name of a new band, an interesting coffee shop or a local pub, rather “Cool roofs” is a term being used to describe the hot, new green technology for flat (low slope) roof designs. Since the beginning of high and low rise building construction, the maintenance requirements of roof systems have always been a major issue.
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June, 2009
Dabbling in hues
How does colour affect the way we buy or sell condos? Can the colour of a display room, common area, the walls of a unit, or even the exterior of a building sway a potential buyer? Condo developers are searching for a way to appeal to a broad audience and compete with new developments popping up all over cities. While condo managers are looking for ways to ensure their residents feel at home. Is colour the new frontier?
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May, 2009
Condo developments – integrating architecture and interior design
This month’s general theme of architecture and design sparked our desire to elaborate a little bit on the integration of architecture and interior design as it pertains to condominium developments. Luxury developers retain the services of a team of prime consultants: architects, interior designers, marketing agents, advertising firms, project managers/builders and landscape architects. As a collective group they establish a solid path with the developer to produce a product that not only will sell but will also be memorable.
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March, 2009
Parking garage deterioration
Parking garages are exposed to the most severe environmental and user-related conditions of almost any building type. They are subjected to constant soaking, road salt contamination, severe temperature fluctuations, snowploughing, tire wear and vandalism but are expected to offer trouble free operations over the course of their service lives. Deterioration of parking garages leads to millions of dollars in repair costs annually in Canada alone.
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November, 2008
Textiles spice up common areas
One of the most challenging hurtles to overcome when designing condominium common spaces is satisfying regulations and code requirements established by the city. As Interior Designers, we are compelled to aesthetically push the envelope striving for uniqueness through creative space planning, specifications of luxurious materials and finishes and careful selections of exquisite furnishings, art, decorative lighting and accessories. A successful end product is a happy marriage between strict city regulations and the designers’ aesthetic vision.
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October, 2008
Design detox
Pending federal regulations to reduce or outright ban certain environmentally harmful substances will necessitate new chemical formulations for many common building products and flame retardants used in interior furnishings. However, design experts note that many less detrimental alternatives are already available, while some of the proposed new standards fall short of specifications that sustainable design advocates have voluntarily adopted.
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June, 2007
A building renewed: part II of a refurbishment story
The story began in the March 2007 issue of CondoBusiness where I presented New and Improved: A Refurbishment Story. The article outlined the process involved to complete an interior refurbishment of 150 Heath St., a building built in the mid-70s in the heart of Foresthill, Ont. Originally built by The Cadillac Fairview Corporation, the building had many of its original architectural finishes.
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April, 2007
Restoration of domestic water pipes in high-rise buildings
One of the main objectives for the conscious property manager is a well thought out preventative maintenance program. In Ontario’s housing market, long postponed capital upgrades have begun.
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