L-R Reid Shier (Presentation House Gallery), Rainer Müller (PARC), and Uno Langmann (Collector) view excerpts from a Presentation House exhibit.

PARC Retirement Living announced today a $250,000 donation to North Vancouver’s Presentation House Gallery. The gift will be directed to Presentation House’s new Polygon Gallery, currently under construction on North Vancouver’s waterfront at the foot of Lonsdale Avenue. 

“The Polygon Gallery will transform arts and culture on the North Shore. PARC is proud to support Presentation House’s bold vision for the future of arts in our community,” says Rainer Müller, PARC’s Founder and Chairman. “Art can powerfully enhance quality of life and enliven the everyday, and we make it a priority in our PARC communities. We look forward to seeing the Polygon Gallery come to life and introducing our residents to it.”

“Rainer Müller has long been a supporter of the arts in North Vancouver,” says Reid Shier, Director / Curator, Presentation House Gallery. “He is a community citizen whose investment in the fabric of culture on the North Shore has positively impacted Presentation House Gallery in the past, and will help propel Polygon Gallery into the future. 

PARC opened its first retirement community in North Vancouver in 2001, and today more than 560 North Shore residents call one of three PARC communities home. Müller, a member of the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects, has a philosophy of developing communities where seniors benefit from cultural, social, and educational opportunities. He has invested in works of art for PARC residences and has forged long relationships with community arts organizations like Presentation House Gallery. The gallery has often brought excerpts of exhibitions directly to PARC for residents to enjoy.

PARC has partnered with Presentation House Gallery for many years. The organization’s support to the Polygon Gallery capital campaign is among the largest gifts the campaign has received, and marks an exciting level of support for the gallery. The campaign goal is $20 million and this contribution brings the total to over $16.5 million. 

Designed by renowned BC firm Patkau Architects, the Polygon Gallery will be Vancouver’s first new public art gallery of the 21st century. The gallery will be a welcoming waterfront landmark at the gateway to North Vancouver. The new building is designed to be operationally self- sustaining, and includes a gift shop and cafe, as well as exhibition and education space. 

Congrats to our friends at Burritt Bros. Carpets who just enjoyed a huge week in the Vancouver Sun.

First, there was this Business section article and video about how Harvey Burritt, Keith Donegani, and Chris Dragan have turned their 110-year-old carpet business around through sheer determination, guts, and, frankly, just being really good people.

And then today, Rebecca Keillor featured the Burritt's in this beautiful story about rug trends. 

In our humble opinion, it couldn't happen to a better group of people. Congrats to the whole Burritt Bros. team on your amazing new space in the River Design Quarter! And here's to the next 110 years of success!

Granville Island is in the midst of a planning process that will set a course for the Island's next 25 years. Elettra Communications is proud to be supporting the project with communications services.

There are a number of ways that the public take part in setting Granville Islands's course for 2040. Last weekend's Big Ideas Fair was the first in a series of public events. At the Big Ideas Fair the public was encourage to draw, write, and map their thoughts. Attendees were also asked to comment on a series of emerging ideas currently being developed by the GI2040 planning team. 

The next event up is the Ideas Workshop on Saturday, October 14 from 10am-4pm. At this day-long, hands-on design workshop, the planning team will  share the research, precedents and exciting design ideas for Granville Island that the Granville Island Vision 2040 team have been inspired by so far in their work and outreach. Participants will be asked to review, respond to, and build upon the ideas and work carried out so far, and to share any new ideas for the future of Granville Island. This will be a collaborative workshop with members of the design team and other participants.

Registration is required for this event. Click here to RSVP.

If you can't make it to the Workshop, then be sure to take the Granville Island 2040 Survey.

Of course, comments via social media are always welcome. Just hashtag your thoughts with #GI2040 and we'll get those comments to the planning team. Follow us on Instagram at @GranvilleIsland2040.

And finally, don't forget to sign up for regular updates by providing your email.

VRCA Outstanding Woman in Construction Libby Rowe (in middle) with Lindsey Dru from Canadian Construction Women and Danielle Johannes from the SuperSae Group of Companies.

Showcasing the finest in B.C.’s construction industry

The Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) recognized the finest in B.C.’s construction industry at its 28th Annual Awards of Excellence, held last night at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

This year’s competition attracted more than 150 entrants and shone the spotlight on 45 projects representing approximately $1.3 billion in construction value.  A total of 23 awards were presented including 14 Gold awards, 7 Outstanding Achievement Awards, a Judges’ Award and a Heritage Award. 

"Through these awards we shine a light on the dedication and professionalism that our members bring to their projects - the complex, state-of-the-art infrastructure that we citizens use every day," says Fiona Famulak, President of the VRCA.

Standout projects included the Audain Art Museum and Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre, each receiving two Gold Awards.  In addition, multiple projects at YVR and UBC were recognized including YVR’s A-B Connector and Expedited Transfer Facility, as well as UBC’s Student Union Building, District Energy Centre, and the DES Phase 6-9 DPS & UBC Phase 6 & 7 ETS. 

Division 15 Mechanical Ltd and Houle Electric Ltd. were among the evening’s top winners.  Division 15 Mechanical won Member of the Year and Gold in the Mechanical Contractors Award - over $8 Million category for the UBC DES Phase 6-9 DPS & UBC DES Phase 6&7 ETS, in addition to two Silver Awards. 

Meanwhile, Houle Electric took home Gold in the Electrical Contractors Award - $2-$8 Million category for the Northern Rockies Regional Recreational Centre, Safety Award for superior safety record in the category of Trade Contractor 200,000 or more personhours, and the Innovation and Productivity Award for the Connected Snow Removal Camera Solution.

This year, the judges reviewed and recognized two truly impressive project submissions neither of which fitted into existing award categories.  Britco LP received the Judges’ Award for their contribution to the Bella Bella Staff Housing Project, Canada’s first multi-unit modular Passive House. Vintage Woodworks Inc. took home the Heritage Award for its restoration work as part of the MNP Tower.

“While these awards celebrate the achievements of the construction industry’s finest companies, they also provide insight into where the industry as a whole is heading,” said Tony Everett, Chair of the Awards of Excellence Judging Panel.  “This year, our Judging Panel noted a number of key trends amongst the winners that include the use of wood, the number of live sites, and the emergence of high-efficiency heating and cooling systems from overseas.”

For a full list of winners, click here. 

Downtown Vancouver BIA pilot project reimagines city laneways as animated pedestrian zones

This week, the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA) will be unveiling its first More Awesome Now reimagined laneway. Work is underway to transform the laneway that runs behind West Hastings street between Seymour and Granville, from utilitarian service corridor into a bright, playful public space to be shared by people and vehicles.

More Awesome Now is an experiment in reshaping city laneways into engaging, accessible public spaces that contribute to the vibrancy of the city. The project is a partnership between the DVBIA, the City of Vancouver’s VIVA Vancouver program, and HCMA Architecture + Design.

“Laneways serve an important business function, but for a big part of the day they are underused and full of potential,” says Charles Gauthier, President & CEO, DVBIA. “So we asked, if we make our lanes more appealing, could they become public spaces? More Awesome Now is an experiment in turning laneways into places of discovery - friendly, accessible, and lively parts of the urban streetscape.”

In juxtaposition to its location in the heart of the business district, the reimagined Hastings West laneway is themed “Play”. The lane has been painted in bold pinks and yellows and soon will be outfitted with basketball hoops and furniture. In the coming weeks, decorative lighting and a geolocation orb will be installed. The public is invited to use the laneway for play, exercise, or socializing.

“Boldly re-imaging downtown laneways can bring vibrancy to underutilized spaces in the city year-round,” says City of Vancouver Director of Public Space and Street Use, Margaret Wittgens. “The City is thrilled to be working with community partners to enhance Vancouver’s walkability, liveability and sense of creativity one laneway at a time.”

The laneway will be shared by people and vehicles, which will continue to access the lane for service purposes. There’s no formal schedule of events planned for the space, instead, property owners, tenants, and visitors will share responsibility for enjoying, cleaning, and monitoring it. 

Vancouver’s downtown street grid includes more than 200 blocks that are bisected by a lane. Reimagined, these laneways have the potential to increase the public pedestrian area by up to 30%. The Hastings West laneway is the first of what could become a network of interconnected downtown laneways, each with its own sense of place and evolving identity. There are plans to bring the concept to the Granville Street entertainment and Alberni Street fashion districts in the near future.

Last year the DVBIA conducted Re-Imagine Downtown Vancouver 2040, a collaborative visioning process. The desire for more public spaces of every scale, including rooftop patios, animated laneways, and large public squares, was a major theme that emerged from the process.

 “More Awesome Now will optimize existing urban space and inspire new opportunities for social connections, resulting in happier and healthier citizens, community, and city,” says Darryl Condon, Managing Partner at HCMA Architecture + Design.

 The More Awesome Now Hastings West laneway has its official launch with an event on the evening of Thursday, September 15, 2016 from 5pm-8pm. The public is invited to attend. The launch is part of the Placemaking Week’s #POPCrawl or Power of Placemaking self-guided tour of downtown public spaces. View the map:  https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1lXd573wBf-xME7XC1AT0dNeXtv0

SOCIAL:

#MoreAwesomeNow

Twitter:             @DowntownVancouver

Instagram:        @DowntownVan

Facebook:        Downtown Vancouver

110-year-old Vancouver company looks to future in new South Vancouver design hub, Launches celebratory rug collection

One of Vancouver’s most enduring businesses, Burritt Bros. Carpet & Floors, has officially announced its relocation to the up-and-coming interior design hub of South Vancouver. The company is marking the move to its new Fraser Street and SE Marine Drive home with The River Design Quarter Rug Collection, a series of rugs that celebrates the shared history of Vancouver and Burritt Bros.

“There’s a renewed energy in South Vancouver today. Along with major residential development, the area is attracting top-notch design-related businesses – it’s being dubbed the River Design Quarter,” says Harvey Burritt, co-owner, Burritt Bros. Carpet & Floors and Colin Campbell. “Opening a beautiful showroom in this central and accessible neighbourhood is the perfect way to launch Burritt Bros.’ next 110 years.”

Burritt Bros. is joined in the new location by Colin Campbell, providers of fine flooring to the design and architecture trades. The two shops sit side-by-side with a stunning showroom, offering retail and trade customers an unparalleled selection of high quality, high fashion floor coverings. The spacious showroom boasts soaring ceilings, a flood of natural light, and an artfully displayed collection of fine area rugs, carpet, and hardwood flooring.

Burritt Bros.' Main Street shop, 1967 - 2016

Burritt Bros. has a longevity that is rare in Vancouver. The company was founded in 1907 by Ed Burritt, grandfather of current co-owner, Harvey Burritt, and the company’s story is interwoven with the city’s history. Over the past century Burritt has covered the floors of the city’s most iconic buildings (including all three incarnations of the Hotel Vancouver, the Marine Building, and the Orpheum Theatre), laid linoleum on troop ships in World Wars I and II, and installed flooring in countless family homes throughout Greater Vancouver.

The River Design Quarter Collection includes the Aerial ‘48; a rug that celebrates Burritt’s new home on the Fraser River. The rug was inspired by a City of Vancouver archival photo depicting the 1948 flood of the Fraser, with farms on either side, absent of any of today’s industrialization. The rug pays homage to the mighty Fraser, which has powerfully shaped the region’s geography and economy but is rarely celebrated.

Ariel '48 from the River Design Quarter Collection

“Through our custom rug design process we use historical artefacts to celebrate our connection to Vancouver and the region,” says Keith Donegani, co-owner of Burritt Bros and Colin Campbell. “Aerial ’48 is an ode to our new home on the river, and we’re certain Vancouver history buffs and B.C. enthusiasts will adore it.

The full River Design Quarter Collection is on display online www.burrittfloors.ca and at the Burritt Bros. shop in South Vancouver.

The new combined showroom and offices are located in the River Design Quarter at #60 (Burritt Bros.) and #55 (Colin Campbell) 8385 Fraser Street in Vancouver. 

Everyone is rushing to check out the new Suquet Interiors. Read all about the beautiful new Yaletown shop in these publications:

WESTERN LIVING

WESTENDER

VITAMIN DAILY

BLUSH

Our client Meetingmax today had their op-ed featured in the Vancouver Sun. Check out President and CEO Jeff Duncan's thoughts on why the meetings industry should embrace the collaborative economy.  

We're thrilled to see our good friends at Carter Hales Design Lab featured on Hey There. 

If you haven't checked out Carter Hales before, you really should. They do incredible design and branding work. In fact, they just delivered a new identity and website to NYC's La Guardia Airport, which is pretty big time if you ask us!

We are thrilled to bits to be working with the fine folks at Suquet Interiors on their PR launch.

Check out our news release to learn about the great story behind this Vancouver interiors brand:

Suquet Interiors Unveils Yaletown Retail Shop

New gallery-style shop features an eclectic collection of objects for the home

Vancouver, BC; June 13, 2016 – Suquet Interiors has announced the official opening of its new Yaletown showroom. The stunning space is as much a gallery of striking design pieces selected from around the world, as it is a shop offering luxury furnishings and objects for the home. The 4,200 square foot Homer Street space beautifully demonstrates how to artfully blend rustic, traditional, modern, and edgier style elements. 

Design-savvy Vancouverites will be familiar with the Suquet Interiors name. Originally founded by architects Georgina Tapia and the late Ramon Masana, Suquet was known for the magnificent and massive stone fireplaces and facades that it first imported from Mexico and Europe, and then began producing locally.  Suquet’s beloved stonework can still be found in homes and restaurants, and on retail exteriors across the city.

The new Suquet Interiors is a retail-focused operation helmed by the original founders’ son, Ramon Masana Tapia, and his business partner, Rick Bohonis, co-founder and past-president of national interiors chain, Urban Barn. While the original handcrafted Suquet stone fireplaces have pride of place in the new shop, they sit alongside diverse range of furniture and housewares selected by Masana Tapia and Bohonis.

“Suquet has a rich history. What we’ve created in this new space is both an ode to my parents and a leap forward into something much more eclectic,” says Masana Tapia. “Our collection reflects a design aesthetic in which rustic and traditional pieces nestle perfectly alongside modern, even edgy pieces.”

The collection is diverse and luxurious, whether it’s a live-edge teak table from Indonesia, a ceramic urn from Vietnam, leather camp chairs from Texas Rover Company, or a superhero-inspired surfboard mosaic by artist Jason Dussault. 

“Our collection reflects the way people are designing their home today,” says Bohonis. “It’s no longer about the strict adherence to a single style or era, but rather a focus on beautiful, singular pieces, collected over time, that together make the home an expression of self.”

“And while we’ve certainly chosen the pieces that inspire us in that way, part of our vision is the act of creation with our customers,” continues Bohonis. “Discovering the things that bring our customers joy will play a big role in how Suquet evolves.”

 Suquet’s selection of fine art is curated by Art Director, Jennifer Angers Daerendinger. She has lovingly selected pieces from respected local and international artists, including Justin Oglivie, Jason Dussault, and Tanya Slingsby.

 Suquet Interiors is located at 1014 Homer Street in Vancouver. The shop is open from 10am – 6pm Monday – Saturday and 11am – 5pm on Sunday. http://suquetinteriors.com

Our intern, Sara MacIntosh, shares her tips for creating a digital content calendar.

Engaging your audiences online is one part art, one part consistent effort. If you’re responsible for your organization’s social media, the need for content may feel like it’s never ending.  Keeping up is challenging, but a content calendar can help you take a strategic approach to both storytelling and time management.

A content calendar (AKA an editorial calendar) is simply an outline that lists your social media channels and plots out content opportunities over a given time period. It typically includes post copy, relevant links, and an indication of the images and video you’ll use. At a glance, you’ll be able to see what is to be posted and when, making gaps or overlapping content easy to spot.

Here are my five tips for creating an effective content calendar:

1.     Start with a solid understanding of your audiences. Which of your social media channels reach which of your audiences? And what kind of content is the audience interested in? Not all of your content will be appropriate for every channel.

2.     Determine the calendar range and set a frequency. Identify the amount of time you are working with. Are you planning for week? A month? Working month-to-month is often a good place to start. You get the benefits of planning ahead without the information gaps that might exist with longer range planning. Frequency is important to consider – some organizations will post multiple times a day, while for others a few times per week will be sufficient. Either way, if you set an explicit frequency goal, you are more likely to achieve it. 

3.     Identify the stories you want to tell. What does your organization have to say? Are you making announcements, launching new products? What insights can your leadership team offer on your industry? When you don’t have internal stories to share are there universal topics that you can tag onto (eg: holidays, larger news stories)?

4.     Words + visuals = content. The words you use to tell the story are important, but no social media post is complete without an image or a video. Write posts and source images ahead of time where appropriate. Whenever possible, include a call to action in the post.

5.     Pre-schedule your posts. Social media management tools like Hootsuite are a community manager’s best friend. They allow you to pre-schedule posts, helping reduce the pressure of posting on the fly. Having said that, it’s important leave some room in your social media plan for spontaneity. The real social media magic happens through genuine conversation with your audiences – and that can’t be scheduled!

Elettra Communications provides social media strategy and content development services. We build content calendars for all platforms. Contact us at info@elettra.ca.

We are excited to welcome our new PR Consultant Sarah Hitchings to the Elettra team this week.

Hailing from New Zealand, Sarah brings extensive PR experience, having worked in the field for more than six years on a diverse client portfolio.

Working for Vancouver Fashion Week as PR and Media Coordinator in April was a natural fit as her first PR role in Canada, after working with New Zealand Fashion Week for several years.   Prior to this, her previous role back home saw her working for one of NZ’s top not-for-profit specialization agencies, working alongside charities, social-change organizations, and top NFP clients. 

Sarah’s career has seen her launch New Zealand’s first Kickstarter campaign, she account managed Deaf Aotearoa’s New Zealand Sign Language Week and Diabetes New Zealand Awareness Weeks, and was appointed Social Media Liaison for the Rise Up Christchurch Global Telethon (after the devastating Christchurch earthquakes in 2011).  She is passionate about niche communities, evolving technologies, social good, awareness weeks, and small business.

Seeking adventure, snow, and the world’s best maple syrup, Sarah packed her bags and moved to Canada in October 2015, and has embraced the Vancouver lifestyle enthusiastically.  When she isn’t reading, you’ll find her writing, biking to yoga at Dude Chilling Park, camping, ice-skating or snowboarding. 

Sarah is excited to get stuck in and achieve great PR for Elettra clients, and we are delighted to have her at the agency.

It's been a busy spring at Elettra, and we're delighted to welcome a slate of new clients to our agency:

The Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) is the voice of the construction industry in the Lower Mainland, representing more than 700 members. We'll be partnering with them on media relations, communications strategy, and content development.

Suquet Interiors is a stunning new Yaletown shop offering original and exclusive furniture and objects for the home. We'll be working with them on a media relations launch and event.

PARC Retirement Living builds and operates premium retirement residences where the focus is on living well. Elettra will provide media training and media relations services to PARC.

Since 1996, JYSK has been offering Canadians "Quality for Less". With a passion for Scandinavian design, they offer furniture and accessories with a sense of sophistication at affordable prices. We're working with JYSK on native advertising.

A big welcome to all. We're looking forward to working with you!