Bjarke Ingels, Bjarke Ingels Group

The concept for the Vancouver House lobby was to create a gallery type atmosphere in which different functional objects appear to float as pieces of art in space, as reflected in the design of the reception desk, the mailboxes and the mezzanine stairs. In designing the Fazioli piano, we wanted it to have a similar language as these other floating objects and to seem like a natural addition to the abacus of these elements. All of these elements have a finish of blackened steel – a material choice that was made intentionally in order to create the maximum visual contrast against the raw concrete walls and white terrazzo floor. The piano was stripped down to just its essential components, a simple trapezoidal element it appears to float with an illuminated underside, that is conceptually and visually linked to the other elements of the lobby.