Award

1. 2. T Minimalist Flair Johnson Chou's unique design vision takes toronto by storm by Robin Brunet Take a base of Taoism sprinkled with the philosophy of Confucius; add hefty doses of musical training; top that off with architecture schooling and a passion for furniture design, and what do you get? Toronto-based Johnson Chou and his one-of-a-kind design firm, Johnson Chou Inc. To say that Chou, 51, marches to the beat of his own drum would be an understatement. With single- minded determination he has developed an interdisci- plinary practice catering to clients who are as fanatical about design as he is. The unorthodox is perfectly natural for Chou, hence his famous use of a children's slide to connect two floors of a client's workspace. His approach to projects, which can be described as highly intellectual yet downright loopy, has earned him an international reputation, even though Johnson Chou Inc. first opened for business just 14 years ago. Conversing with him is an experience in itself. When discussing his work for clients such as Blow- fish Restaurants, Grip Limited, Red Bull Canada and a host of condominium developers, he seems incapable of talking in standard architectural terms. Instead, he discusses metaphors, transformation and other ephemera. "Clients are the source of our inspiration, who they are and what they want to convey; this is translated into forms and details linked by a narrative and activated by movement," he says. "The objects and spaces I create are portraits of these clients." But there's no pretentious tone in Chou's voice, only good-natured enthusiasm. Accordingly, his eccentrici- ties are not intended to shock. In fact, they are entirely appropriate for the utilitarian as well as stylistic func- tions required by their clients. It's just that his quest to achieve drama and engage- ment knows no bounds, and by controlling every aspect of a project's design (right down to developing websites or creating a new brand name for clients, if need be), Chou, Silke Stadtmueller and an eight-member team produce results that routinely go beyond traditional concepts. Stadtmueller regards Chou as her muse and harshest critic, and she's instrumental in ensuring the designs are realized through construction. At a time when architectural freedom is increas- ingly restricted by head office standards, Chou's iconoclasm is refreshing. "Success cannot be taken for granted. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to flourish at what I love most in my practice, the act of creation – whether it is realized through architecture and interiors, furniture, product or graphic design. "My business emerged solely through word of mouth, and principally by clients that have visited my projects. I was of the generation that believed in a single employer for one's entire life, but the recessions I and my colleagues endured dramatically altered that perception," Chou says. In fact, at one point Chou temporarily turned to working as a courier for a high-school classmate to make ends meet. "That was a particularly dark moment in my life, especially when I was dropping off packages at architectural offices," he laughs. When Award talked with Chou in August, he was busy in the early conceptual stages of revamping hold- ing areas for Toronto Pearson International Airport. His client, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), wants to revolutionize seating in these zones, and Chou's intent is to program and design them according to use. "We propose different seating types and arrangements for business travellers, families and so forth," he explains. "The GTAA also wants us to cre- ate children's play areas, and art and craft exhibition spaces in the corridors. "Considering that even in new airports the holding areas are typically generic in appearance, the Author- ity is wonderfully forward thinking. Its inclination to Tom ARBAn PhoTogRAPhy Ben RAhn/A-FRAme PhoTogRAPhy 8/ october 2014 Johnson chou Inc.

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