Polycarbonate's Architectural Sides

Indoors …

Of Montreal’s major downtown department stores, Eatons was the biggest. But in the late 90’s it was a tough time for old-style department stores everywhere and Eatons was forced to close. It was bought by the development company Ivanhoe Cambridge in 1999, and has been developed.

It is now a multi tenant building, anchored by Montreal’s most energetic retailer, Les Ailes de la Mode (literally: “The Wings of Fashion”). Inside it feels light years away from anything resembling the former store. “We carved out the inside of the building” says architect Louis Lemay of the project. “We needed a grand entrance, so we created a three- story corridor from Ste. Catharine Street. Then we made a central atrium through the whole height of the structure to form a real heart for the project.”

Entering the space really is a grand architectural experience. You walk around the 30 foot high show window of the Les Ailes de la Mode into a vast, glittering hall. It’s support columns are a line with fluorescent tubes sheathed in Lexan® polycarbonate lighting panels so that the glass and stainless steel balconies seem to float on shafts of light. The panels, produced by Plastifab Industries, Saint Laurent, Canada, are fully operable allowing for maintenance and are protective of the lighting system due to polycarbonate's toughness. The custom lighting color allows for diffused and soft lighting effects.

And Out

Umbra, the vanguard Canadian home goods designer opened a retail store after 27 years of selling its distinctive- looking wares through other outlets.

Part architectural statement, part showroom-cum-test lab for new design ideas, the Toronto flagship aims to do for Umbra what retail stores did for top consumer brands such as Nike and Apple after they opened up highly individualized stores aimed at extending their business and their brands.

While Umbra has blossomed into an industry leader with distribution in 75 countries and annual sales exceeding $150 Million, only a fraction of its vast product selection is on display at most retailers. That changes with the opening of the first store in Toronto, an eye popping architectural marvel sheathed on all sides by 30-foot high columns of bright pink plastic. The bright pink plastic was manufactured from Lexan polycarbonate resin and processed into the semi-finished shape by Plastifab and then fabricated and installed by AL Plastics, Toronto. Polycarbonate is renowned for its toughness, color-fastness and unique colorability. Backlit for night exposure, the 30-foot panels provide a strong visual identity for Umbra’s first retail store.

Founders Les Mandelbaum and Paul Rowan are planning to open more flagships in key cities and polycarbonate’s unique footprint will be part of the growing expansion.

For more information, contact Plastifab Industries, 7777 Route Transcanadienne, Montreal, PQ, Canada H4S 1L3, 800-361-4774/514-325-9840, Fax: 514-325-5222, E-mail: infoprod@plastifab.ca, Web: www.plastifab.ca.