- Photography by Ian Grant Because of modern building techniques and population growth, it is common to see new buildings sprouting up in record time. However, buildings that we pass by everyday have great potential to reshape their communities. With creative design, designers and architects can breathe new life into existing spaces. In 2010, LA-based design and fabrication studio Ball-Nogues set out to give a facelift to a parking structure located in pedestrian- and traffic-heavy Santa Monica Place. Measuring 39 feet wide and 35 feet high, Cradle’s structural design evokes its namesake, Newton’s Cradle, an iconic model demonstrating the conservation of motion and energy, frequently displayed as a desk ornament. Ball-Nogues’ installation works as a whole: each of its many metal spheres relying on gravity and surrounding spheres to stay in place. The organic structure creates a funhouse mirror effect on the space around it and the polished spheres create distorted reflections of the bustling city and people passing by. The installation is mounted on a building with a proud pedigree of its own—Frank Gehry designed the parking structure in the late 70s, early 80s. The soft ripple of Cradle’s dimensions complements the linear elements of Gehry’s structure. The Edmonton Art Gallery was originally a modest brick building in the Brutalist style located beside Churchill Square in the Arts District of the city’s downtown core. As the city matured, the gallery outgrew its space, and in 2005, the city held an architectural competition for the design of a new facility. The winning design, by Randall Stout, enveloped the old building instead of suggesting a completely new build. His plans maintained portions of the old structure and added upon it extensively. The design initially received polarizing views since it was a vast departure from the relatively conservative architecture present in the city; the design’s undulating metal façade mixed with angular windows intended to evoke the city’s river and the Aurora Borealis. Renamed the Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA), the space blossomed to 85,000 square feet, with nearly twice the exhibition space, a 150-seat theatre, and dedicated gallery space for the permanent collection. Despite mixed opinions during the building process, the AGA has flourished in its new space, with approximately 30,000 visitors in the first six weeks after its reopening. Now, the art gallery is an iconic part of the city’s architectural identity and is host to a great variety of cultural events and programs. These two structures, an art installation and an extensive expansion, artfully show the effectiveness of recreating a public space. By revamping existing structures with modern design elements, these spaces merge function with artistry and provide unique reflections of the space they inhabit.

Architectural practice Foster + Partners have unveiled designs for the United Arab Emirates pavilion for the 2015 Milan Expo. The proposal applies vernacular planning principles used in traditional desert cities. There are self-shaded pedestrian streets made from 12-metre-high walls that occupy the 140-metre site in a series of parallel waves that also evoke sand dunes. In addition, the pavilion responds to the 2015 Milan Expo’s theme of ‘feeding the planet’ by featuring a variety of dining options featuring modern Emirati food.

- Photography by studio-e.ca - Art Direction/Styling by Sandra Sing Fernandes - Makeup by James Kershaw - Hair by Kelly Bula - Model Anika at Mode Models

The outdoor temporary arts festival is a relatively new trend in the presentation of art across Canada, but it’s not a new concept. Since 1986, The Works International Visual Arts Society has produced The Works Art & Design Festival in Edmonton, Alberta, offering over 250 exhibits, performances, and special events to the public, and attracting artists and patrons from around the world. At the start of every summer, The Works boosts the energy and imagination of downtown Edmonton by showcasing cutting-edge design, fashion, media, art and interactive installations alongside traditional visual arts such as glass, painting, drawing and photography. Artwork can be found in hotel lobbies, commercial spaces, office towers and public buildings, as well as larger than life installations outdoors on Sir Winston Churchill Square. The Works also partners with local galleries and interdisciplinary arts presenters to bring focus to the city’s year round art scene at a time when over 300,000 patrons from all walks of life are excited about art and design.  Here are the top 5 reasons that you should visit The Works this summer: It’s all there: the artwork ranges from traditional to interactive and immersive. The Works offers culturally diverse programming including contemporary indigenous artists in The Works Canadian Aboriginal Artist program. The Works’ main festival site has a multidisciplinary Street Stage, with ten hours of programming every day and an all ages licenced patio to sit and enjoy a variety of performances in between exhibits. Site #1 also features a market of Canadian made arts and crafts, culinary offerings from local restaurants and food trucks, and opportunities to create artworks for new and experienced artists of all ages. You will learn something: The Works integrates Education into everything it does, from the trained exhibit attendants and tour guides offering insights, to the artwork on display, to the opportunities to try your hand at a new arts technique. Each Spring, students and emerging artists from across Canada compete to participate in the Works to Work Program, one of the Enbridge art internships offered at The Works. In Works to Work, students learn the practical and theoretical aspects of arts presentation and administration, and then return the following summer to learn more and participate in teaching new recruits. This is the team that works alongside the presenting artists to bring the festival to life every June. It fits with your life and vacation plans: The Works is thirteen full days of free outdoor presentations and entertainment. All of the exhibits are on display for at least this length of time, with many holdover exhibits extended through the summer! With a bit of planning, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see them all. It’s great for creatives: whether you are a professional designer, an emerging artist starting a studio practice, or a hobbyist looking for a new project, you can take advantage of meet the artist opportunities, volunteer with artists on site, see something new, and meet with other creative visitors to inspire your own work. The Works is the perfect opportunity to get out of the studio and collaborate with the public as a presenter, test out an idea, or make connections with people in your own and neighbouring disciplines. Did we mention it’s totally free?  The Works runs a pay what you can donation program to support education programs and the continued accessible presentation of art and design in public. You’ll find opportunities to donate at exhibits with interpretive attendants, as well as on the main festival site, and no one is turned away from the public stage presentations, indoor or outdoor performances, exhibits, and even scheduled tours. With that, there’s almost no reason not to go, so plan ahead and add Edmonton and The Works to your summer festival schedule.

  - Photography by Grant Olson - Photo Editing by Derek Jagodzinsky - Clothing by Kelly Madden - Accessories PHABRIK - Set/Styling by Sandra Sing Fernandes - Makeup by Jenn Vatour - Hair by Davines Sesson Team - Models Julian, Nicole, Jami, Tara-Lynn, Emma, Jody, Chantal, Muffin - Location PHABRIK art+design Canada Styling Hair with Carl Reeves: The Kevin Murphy Session Master The haircare industry values professional training and takes education very seriously. Learning new skills and gaining experience are essential to perfecting the quality of hairstyles and maintaining an edge in the business. There’s no one else that understands this more than well-known session stylist, Carl Reeves, who was in town working with the Davines Session Team on an editorial shoot. His unbridled passion, dynamic creativity and extensive knowledge in the industry were a welcoming inspiration. The opportunity to style hair alongside Carl Reeves proved to be an exciting, invaluable experience that the Davines Session Team will surely never forget. By Teresa Simmons

- Photography + Digital Art by C Side Photography - Article, Makeup + Art Direction by James Kershaw - Models Gaydra R., Rachel, Grace, Lauren at PHABRIK artist + model management Read My Lips What’s on everyone’s lips this Spring? Colour! Everything from soft pastels to vivid brights in matte, cream or glossy finishes. No bland beiges this season! Clarins Paris proposes a trio of sheer vivid brights in their Joli Rouge Brilliant line, and a pair of new shades, a bright coral and a new crystal clear (not shown), from the house’s Gloss Prodige line presented in the Opalescence Spring makeup collection. Jane Iredale adds two new shades to her very successful line of Lip Fixation lip stains, playfully named after moods or emotions; this spring, look for a vivid coral named Craze and a mauve plum named Compulsion. Each colour is paired with a delicately shimmered companion gloss. Lise Watier also adds to her lip stain collection with the Duo Glam Rouge Infini, her long wear stain mated with a matching lipstick for a chic sophisticated cream finish. Elizabeth Arden’s new range of Beautiful Colour lipsticks launched in Fall 2013, with two very on trend brights: their Neo Classic Coral and Ultraviolet, both ideal for this season. Sweet Cheeks One of the easiest ways to brighten your look is with a pop of colour on the cheeks. Clinique’s new Cheek Pops, the Gerber daisy embossed blush shown here in three of the four shades available has an innovative formula that begins as a liquid that is then transformed though a slow baking process into a soft powder that imparts long-wearing, silky smooth, sheer vibrant colour. PurMinerals launches two new ways to blush this season: cream and powder formulas, both of which are paraben free and have no fillers or chemical dyes. The cream formula is available in two shades, while the powder is available in four. Clarins Paris launches a new version of their much loved Multi-Blush. Clarins describes their newest cheek enhancer (which may also be used on the lips) as a sensorial cream blush that merges with the skin. This new product, available in four bright yet very natural looking shades, is enriched with plant extracts, mimosa, rose water and jojoba to help maintain optimal hydration. The subtly shimmered Havana Bronzing Powder by Lise Watier delivers that much desired sun kissed glow; this item is also available in a matte finish. Jane Iredale, one of the pioneers in the mineral makeup industry, offers a new shade of the popular In Touch Highlighter, the new Comfort shade. It is a gold shimmered pink and is a perfect companion product to her In Touch cream blush sticks. Easy on the Eyes Some of the planet’s most forward fashion houses, such as Dior, Chanel, Prada and Lanvin, as well as Versace, in their spring ad campaigns with Lady GaGa, are showing models wearing the lightest, freshest eye makeup seen in years. Soft pastels or shimmering metallics are swept across lids, often alone or subtly embellished with a flick of liner and mascara. Cosmetic houses this season seem to have an “easy on the eyes’’ attitude. Lise Watier’s Imagine eye shadow quad is a mix of cool and warm shades with a soft pearlized finish inspired by the sky. Clarins’ Vibrant Light Mineral Palette blends cool lilac and violet with soft grey and a shimmering silver highlighter, while Jane Iredale’s new aptly named Golden Girl trio is a blend of soft warm metallics that may be accentuated with her new gel liner in brown.

  Totally Soled Out Rockabilly fans can hoot n’ holler as the pointy toed, buckled shoe reappeared on the runways. Animal, floral and even oh so-feminine lace prints strode down this season’s catwalks. The gladiator sandal, now considered a summer staple, made its presence known in many presentations. Materials ran the gamut from classic leather, both smooth and embossed, to suede. to translucent plastic, in the form of t-strap sandals at John Galliano. Well Heeled Designers turned to elegant styles of yore; lady-like, slim heeled slingbacks and pointy toe pumps all made a comeback this season. Platform soles were not in the forefront as in seasons past, although they are still around, often in the form of the wedge heel. Bright jewel tones made a statement, as did girly embellishments such as bows and ruffles.

- Photography Grant Olson - Article + Art Direction by James Kershaw - Model Ross L. at PHABRIK model + artist management Two of the hottest men’s scents for Spring 2014 are of European and North American origin. John Varvatos, one of the most prolific American designers, adds to his portfolio of best selling men’s fragrances with the launch of the limited edition Artisan Acqua. This invigorating citrus blend has accents of spices and herbs that create a unique woody aroma. The fragrance is the third in the Artisan series following the original Artisan and Artisan Black. The fragrance opens with notes of tangelo, mandarin and angelica root developing to heart notes of clary sage, coriander, basil, geranium and jasmine sambac, and finishes with notes of moss, patchouli and fir balsam.The second fragrance from the house of Mont Blanc is the new Mont Blanc Emblem which debuts in May. Described as a fresh woody aromatic scent with top notes of clary sage, cardamom and sparkling grapefruit, the scent warms to notes of violet leaves and cinnamon, finishing with notes of precious woods and tonka beans. Prada adds another scent to their growing collection of men’s fragrances with the new Luna Rossa Extreme, a new version of their uber successful Luna Rossa launched in 2012. The fragrance is named after the house’s sailing vessel/team that competes in the America’s Cup race. This new interpretation, blended by perfumer Daniela Andrier under the creative direction of Miuccia Prada, is housed in a Yves Behar designed black glass bottle with a jet black carapace cut with vertical apertures. The fragrance opens with bergamot from Italy and it invigorates the black pepper and activates fresh lavender notes, warming to notes of leathery labdanum and juniper berries, m aturing to notes of intense lavender absolute and rich vanilla.

- Photography by Kelly Rosborough - Styling for Derks Formals by Jon Harmon, Sterling Derk, Sean McClure - Architecture and Décor Sandra Sing Fernandes - Model Max M. Mode Models

The season’s trends pay homage to classic styles dating back as early as the 1920’s, but updated for some seriously modern wardrobe play. The Wide-Leg Trade in your skinnies, there’s a new trouser in town. Popularized by Coco Chanel in the 1920’s, wide-leg pants are making a comeback as one of the most wearable trends this year. Labels BCBG MAXAZRIA, Trina Turk and Alice + Olivia perfected the pant in loud prints, billowy fabrics and high waisted versions to elongate the tricky silhouette. Cropped Cher Horowitz would be, like, so stoked to see this 90’s fashion staple dominating spring/summer 2014 runways. This season’s modern crop top has been classed up in well-tailored versions and mature palettes. See 3.1 Phillip Lim’s elegant lavender fabric and BCBG’S boxy white sportswear take on the trend. Candy Store It’s no surprise sugary sweet pastels are trending for spring, nor Pantone’s “Colour of the Year,” Radiant Orchid. What is surprising are these soft hues matched head to toe as seen on Burberry, Armani and Jason Wu runways—a bold statement that can earn you serious street style points. Great Lengths Characterized by its calf-grazing hemline, the midi-skirt dates back to the 1940’s post-war era. Fashion has recycled the style over the years, always staying true to its origins as a sophisticated and elegant piece, à la Grace Kelly. The skirt swished onto runways last spring and is coming back even stronger for 2014. Editor favourites included the playful plaid House of Holland and Marchesa lace pencil midis. Bombs Away Labels Suka Clothing and Marc by Marc Jacobs are putting a feminine spin on the traditionally sporty bomber jacket with accents like floral sleeves and satin sheen. Paired with a pencil skirt, the garment looks extra chic.