Amanda Ryan -
In 365 days, our team has accomplished many things both personally and professionally. A growing office family and increasingly challenging projects kept us on our toes, which is just how we like it. Looking back, here are the major project highlights from this year that really stood out for us: 1. One Lake’s Edge Three […]
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Amanda Ryan -
The process of creating a piece of backlit onyx is one of transformation. From raw material extracted from the earth, onyx material undergoes a series of changes in making it to a final installation, illuminated in its glory. The characteristics of the stone shift at every step in the production process, making the upfront selection […]
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The world of design is brimming with new developments in up-and-coming technology, product launches, and the next big ideas. Take the Scribble pen, for example. Any Photoshop devotee would be thrilled that the “eyedropper” tool has come to life, meaning that you can use the pen to grab a color from any real-life object and […]
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Last winter, the GPI Design team was commissioned to engineer one very unique feature wall in the lobby of 150 Elgin Street in Ottawa, Ontario. Within the main lobby of this 21-story office complex, the designers at NEUF Architect(e)s and ownership at Morguard Investments imagined a glowing onyx wall to dazzle visitors and tenants. Intended […]
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We like to consider our projects works of art, especially when it comes to selecting and perfecting the surface (or face) of the backlit project. There are truly endless arrays of translucent surfaces that we can implement into our backlit systems, and each will “speak” differently to every client. No one has the same interpretation. […]
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We have a confession to make… in the process of creating backlit features, not everyone likes our stone sourcing process. As beautiful as our backlit onyx features turn out in the end, there are pain points along the way and selecting an onyx variety is sometimes one of them. While we’re scouring the world for […]
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What a great experience working with the design team at Hickok Cole to develop these custom backlit onyx ottoman tops! Designed specifically for a lobby space in downtown Washington, D.C., these movable ottoman sets were envisioned to have a glowing white onyx finish against a cubic wooden base. Creating custom furniture pieces is always refreshing […]
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The GPI Design team flew out to San Francisco to build and then present a mock-up prototype for backlit onyx elevator cabs that we have been developing for quite some time now. Built and reviewed in under 72 hours, the trip was a whirlwind but it was so rewarding to see our renderings jump off […]
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What a nice way to end a busy week here at GPI- we received our 3form award trophy for our work at the Grand Hyatt San Francisco! The backlit escalator walls at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco won the 3Form Best Public Space in Hospitality Award. Designed by Indidesign and installed by the millworkers […]
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The Oculus Bar at the Venetian Hotel is an icon of Las Vegas. Reflecting the Italian grandeur and charm of the city of Venice, the original design of the Oculus bar boasted Ionic columns, ornate statues, strong spatial divisions, and layers upon layers of color and form. When the design teams of Wilson Associates and […]
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Newspapers, often considered an ordinary, universal object around the world, are one of the most extraordinary types of documentation of life and society. There are few mediums that can physically capture a tragic moment, a joyful celebration, or a life-changing event in a style that relates to people of all ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic groups […]
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With numerous technological innovations that have revolutionized the construction industry, do natural materials remain a major source of inspiration for modern architects and designers? Though often treated as an applied finish or an afterthought, what if we re-frame our thinking about these natural building materials to allow their deeper roots to inform our designs? If […]
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by Fallon Burgdorf and Caitlin Walsh for the American Institute of Architects #AIA2012 Blog Off During the week of March 25 – 31, architectural bloggers and design professionals create blog posts to discuss the topic: “Design Connects”. Everyone has a history. It is an integral part of our existence. History reminds us of where we’ve […]
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