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The publishers cannot be held responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. Mastering Multi-Scale Design by TANNER MORTON RAIC Communications Co-ordinator M anaging a successful architecture firm is difficult, especially when the firm is involved at every level of the design process. UUfie is an award-winning Toronto-based studio that directs the architectural work in its entirety, from the design of the building to the furniture inside. The multidisciplinary design studio is the recent recipient of the 2019 RAIC Emerging Architectural Practice Award, which recognizes the achievements of the practice for the quality of their built work, service to their clients, innovations in practice, and public recognition. The Emerging Architectural Practice Award is highly competitive, with only one medal presented each year. At its discretion, the jury may also elect to award an Honourable Mention or not to confer an award. The award will be presented at the upcoming RAIC Conference on Architecture, which will be held this year in Edmonton, Alberta. Eligible firms need to be practicing and licenced in Canada, and can be no more than 10 years old. This is so that exciting new voices entering the archi- tectural landscape of Canada can be celebrated … and UUfie is certainly one of those voices. UUfie was established in 2009 by partners Irene Gardpoit and Eiri Ota in Tokyo, Japan. "We were working for different firms, but we knew each other," says Ota. "We left our companies at the same time and then said okay, now it's time to work together." It was through two separate projects, one in Tokyo and the other in Toronto, that Ota and Gardpoit began collaborating. UUfie has con- tinued to practice in both Canada and Japan, incorporating various elements from both architectural environments into their practice. An aspect of UUfie's architectural work that separates it from other firms in North America is its multi-scale approach. Unlike other firms that might only be hired for the design of the building and the larger architec- tural elements, UUfie is leading at every level of design. The team is responsible for the design of the building, the interior, landscape, and often the furniture as well. This multi-scale approach is still uncommon in North America, but it is an approach that Ota has always used in his architectural practice. "I was actually quite surprised how in North America each profes- sion was so separate," says Ota. "My understanding is that it's common to do everything." At any given time, the team at UUfie is made up of between two to four people, which gives Ota and Gardpoit flexibility for each project or design. The majority of UUfie's larger-scale projects are international, and over the years the firm has developed a vast network of specialists and collaborators to contact, depending on the scope of the design. "When we want to focus on a certain type of facade, fabric or light- ing, we form a team beyond our office," says Ota. "We try to make every design unique, so we have to form a team for the design or project." The firm's work is a synthesizing of architectural styles in both Canada and Japan. Their work is informed by nature and cross-cul- tural ideas and concepts. UUfie's profile continues to grow as the team continue their innovative multi-disciplinary architectural practice. By blending their unique design philosophy with a multi-scale approach, UUfie continues to be an exciting voice in Canadian architecture. A Peacock. Lake Cottage, ON. P H OTO G R A P H Y BY A N D R E W W I LCOX /CO U RT E S Y R A I C P H OTO G R A P H Y BY N A H O KU BATO/CO U RT E SY R A I C