pierre poussin

Selected Public Art Commissions

Variegation Courtyard, Quartz Condominium Towers, Concord Adex Developments, Toronto, Ontario, Construction Fall 2012.

Winner of an International Public Art Competition to design several elegant light installations throughout a large eighty-thousand square foot courtyard for Toronto’s Quartz Condominium Complex. This Public Art Program will include series of large light columns, custom public seating, windscreens to help mediate high ground wind conditions, and feature light installations depicting playful interpretations of local ferns and flowers sprouting and growing throughout the large exterior courtyard.

Exported Floras, Florian Condominium Complex, Diamante Development Corporation, Yorkville, Toronto, Ontario, Construction Fall 2012.

Winner of a National Design Contest to create a detailed Public Art Program including a large exterior feature wall and a focal art element located at the main entrance of Yorkville’s chic Florian Tower, opening Fall 2012. Located on Davenport Road at Bay Street, the concepts for these public art installations were inspired by Davenport’s rich history as one of Canada’s oldest trading routes. Exported Floras’ imagery is composed of three indigenous flowers which were all exported to Europe during Canada’s early colonization period.

Seeds, Uptown Mississauga Condominium Complex, Pinnacle International Developments, Mississauga, Ontario, Construction 2014.

Commissioned to create a feature public art installation, located at the main entrance for the first condominium tower in Uptown Mississauga. Seeds will be a large and elegant screen inspired by the area’s rich history of farming and agriculture.

Picturesque Landscape, the City of Ajax, Community, Recreation & Cultural Department, Ajax, ON, Construction Spring 2013.

Winner of a National Public Art Competition to create an exterior artwork installation for the City of Ajax’s Waterfront Wildflower Meadow, located near Lake Ontario. This beautiful landscape is composed of a variety of native plants, insects, and animals which thrive in this unique ecosystem. This playful public art installation will be made using structural steel beams with weather-proof industrial finishes. Picturesque Landscape was designed to encourage the public to further appreciate this exceptional scenery, while capturing Wildflower Meadow’s dynamic natural moments, unique characteristics and picturesque scenery.

World Markets, Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, Mississauga, Ontario, Fall 2011.

Commissioned to design the main entrance feature wall for Sheridan College’s new Business Campus, in Mississauga, opening Fall 2011. World Markets will be a playful and dynamic public art installation which will depict the relationships of our commodities, currencies and stock markets and the influence they play with one another, using different illustrative graph styles commonly used in Business Schools.

Fireworks Boulevard and Flames, the City of Vancouver Olympics and Paralympics’ Public Art Program, Vancouver, British Columbia. January 2010.

Fireworks Boulevard and Flames were created for Vancouver's 2010 Winter Olympics' Public Art Program, in collaboration with Adrian Göllner’s Rain Barrels installation. These pieces inspired directly by the festive spirit of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Flame, and were both made using lightweight steel structures, shaped and machined polycarbonate extrusions, along with programmable and wireless LED lighting systems. They serve as animated street art, as well as original way-finding for athletes and spectators to Olympic live sites and venues, and were both showcased in the 2010 Olympics Torch Relay. These LED light works will remain installed as part of Vancouver’s Olympic Legacy Program.

Mitosis Courtyard, Panorama Condominium Tower, Concord Adex Developments, Toronto, Ontario, 2007 - 2010. 

Winner of a National Public Art Competition, commissioned to create a large exterior courtyard for Panorama Tower, Concord Developments’ newest, ultra-chic Lakeshore condominium complex. This concept was inspired by Toronto’s evolving shoreline, which in 1884, before the extension of the area in the late industrial revolution, spanned the area now beneath Panorama’s courtyard. My responsibilities for the creation of Mitosis Courtyard included extensive concept design and development, detailing and industrial design of all 25 custom light columns, 6 public seating units, as well as hand-drawn organic ground painting and the supervision of prototyping, fabrication and installation, and the design of the parking layout. Execution of these elements required architectural drafting, material research, industrial design and outsourcing of all custom light columns, public benches and custom artworks.

Floating Waters, Panorama Condominium Tower, Concord Adex Developments, Toronto, Ontario, 2009 - 2010.

Commissioned to design a dynamic interior public art installation, Floating Waters is a playful depiction of Toronto’s old shoreline, which has expanded and evolved since Canada’s industrial revolution. This public artwork was designed for Panorama Tower, located in downtown Toronto. Suspended across this feature Lake Shore corridor, these pieces were created to mimic the ebb and flow of water, evoking movement throughout the space. The floating cells were made using dynamic optical films which simulate reflective water surfaces, and frames made from powder-coated steel, suspended from fixed aircraft cables. My responsibilities included the concept design, development and material specification, as well as prototyping, fabrication and installation supervision.

Lakeshore Canopy, Panorama Condominium Tower, Concord Adex Developments, Toronto, Ontario, 2009 - 2010.

Hired to design an exterior focal canopy for Panorama Tower’s main Lakeshore Boulevard entrance. This feature entrance canopy was inspired by the dynamic nature and movement of water. Lakeshore Canopy was fabricated using bent structural steel beams, along with laser-cut and powder-coated steel surfaces, highlighted with light-diffusing composites which are backlit, using an internal LED lighting system. My responsibilities included the industrial design, development and outsourcing of all Lakeshore Canopy components, as well as the supervision of the installation and fabrication. 

Terrace Windscreens, Panorama Condominium Tower, Concord Adex Developments, Toronto, Ontario, 2009.

Commissioned to design playful windscreens for the public rooftop terrace for Panorama Tower, which also complements the Mitosis ground-floor pedestrian courtyard. These pieces were developed with structural and wind engineer consultants, who advised specific open/close ratios for the screens surface areas, for the specific wind conditions of this rooftop terrace. They were made from curved laser-cut and powder-coated steel, with custom-machined steel posts. I was in charge of the concept design, development and industrial design of all four custom windscreens, as well as the supervision of the outsourcing and fabrication. 

Selected Press

“Pierre Poussin: Where Science Meets Art”, by Carol Hill, Ovation Magazine, Sheridan College’s Yearly Alumni Publication, 2011.

• “Pierre Poussin has achieved more in five years than many artists do in their entire careers. In 2010 alone, his installations in Toronto and Vancouver put him on the fast track to a bright career in public art.”

• “Pierre is a very creative artist who can blend a disparate discipline like molecular biology into spectacular artwork,” says Gabriel Leung, Senior Development Manager for Concord Development Corporation, builder of the Panorama Tower.”

• “Poussin has made his mark in the public art world on the west coast as well. After winning an international design competition, he created public street lighting artworks for the Vancouver Olympics Public Art Program. These LED light works will remain installed as part of Vancouver’s Olympic Legacy Program.”

“City of Lights: Public Artwork Illuminates Toronto,” by Leah Sandals, The Toronto Star, Jan.19, 2011.

• “Cityplace boasts Pierre Poussin's Mitosis Courtyard: two-dozen columns with circular patterns inspired by cell division. They come across orderly, phosphorescent mushrooms that bring a sense of play and enjoyment to the Gardiner.”

• “Toronto’s Poussin first trained as a biochemist, and it shows. […] The result? An unlikely sense of play and enjoyment brought to the dark underbelly of the Gardiner. Granted, litter around the courtyard means some of the underpass’s dinginess remains, but it’s a great example of how art and design could grow good vibes for this overlooked zone in the future.”

“Pierre Poussin’s Mitosis Courtyard is a new place to appreciate our growing city,” by Shannon Anderson, Design Lines Magazine, Jan.1, 2011.

• “Pierre Poussin’s recently installed Mitosis Courtyard, a mini forest of 25 steel pillars – some reaching as tall as four meters high – is located close to the Rogers Centre, in a spot where baseball fans and concert-goers tend to pass by.”

• “Internally lit with LEDs, these luminous forms suggestive of cell division are surrounded by a swirling blue pattern painted on the asphalt. From afar, the glowing landscape gives the impression of fantastic new life forms rising from the pavement.”

• “So not only is our city changing dramatically [Toronto began infilling its shoreline 160 years ago] but Poussin, whose work has grown from home use to public spaces, is also clearly on the move.”

“Pierre Poussin's Mitosis Courtyard installation to save Gardiner Expressway,” by Siân Disson, World Architecture News, Sept. 3, 2010.

• “Artist Pierre Poussin has decided to take the initiative and, instead of joining the rally to get rid of the Gardiner, has created developments that utilise the neglected expressway.”

• “This is the first building to use the space beneath the Gardiner as an urban room and features light installations by public artist Pierre Poussin. The design aims to incorporate the Gardiner as a fluid part of the city’s design for the future.”

“Retail Therapy: Pimlico Gallery’s colourful design stars,” by Nathalie Atkinson, The National Post, July 9, 2010.

• “The future collectible: Ontario designer Pierre Poussin’s laser-cut, powder-coated steel Mitosis furniture series. It’s manufactured for Nienkämper and populates the Princeton University library, among other places. “I think he’s the next Karim Rashid,” Velasevic (gallery owner) says with a grin, “but he doesn’t like it when I say that!”

“Boulevard,” Public Art Pamphlet for the City of Vancouver Olympic & Paralympic Public Art Program, Dec.1, 2009.

• “As a way of brightening Vancouver’s dark winter nights, artists Pierre Poussin and Adrian Göllner have created three artistic lighting schemes for the Cambie Street corridor and Yaletown. Fireworks Boulevard, a series of LED fireworks down Cambie, welcomes visitors as they travel along one of Vancouver’s busiest routes. Downtown, people can find their way between LiveCity Vancouver celebration sites by following Flames, a set of flickering candle-like LED lights that bring a touch of the Olympic Torch outdoors.”

“Toronto’s Coolest New Stuff by Best Local Designers,” by D.Carr-Harris, G.Grace, K.Hayward, Toronto Life Magazine, Feb.1, 2008.

• “Pierre Poussin; a biochemist turned designer, Poussin developed an unlikely bridge between the natural and man-made worlds: his Mitosis series of laser-cut, powder-coated steel tables, trays and boxes is a startling riff on the beauty of cell division.”

“Welcome To Your Next Hangout,” by Siri Agrell, The Globe and Mail, March 26, 2011.

“Hidden Gems,” by Nathalie Atkinson, The National Post, July 10, 2010.

“Pimlico Design Gallery; Shop Here,” by Diane Chan, Design Lines, September 1, 2010.

“Lighting up the Olympics,” by Peter Simpson, The Ottawa Citizen, February 20, 2010.

“Multi-coloured artworks light up streets,” by Neal Hall, The Vancouver Sun, February 18, 2010.

“LED artworks give Vancouver an Olympic burst of colour,” by Neal Hall, The Vancouver Sun, February 18, 2010.

“Take it Outside: New Olympic Public Art Announced,” by Marsha Lederman, The Globe and Mail, November 11, 2009.

“City Gets More Cutting Edge Public Art,” by Kevin Griffin, The Vancouver Sun, October 24, 2009.

“City Picks Six Artists to Create Public Artworks for the Games,” by Kevin Griffin, The Vancouver Sun, September 25, 2009.

“Vancouver Gets Major Infusion of Public Art,” by Kevin Griffin, The Vancouver Sun, September 25, 2009.

“Geek Chic, Designers Morphing Sciences and Design,” by Tim McKeogh, The Globe and Mail, April 7, 2007.

“Canadian Designers to Watch Out For,” [number one on the list], by Janice Lindsay, The Globe and Mail, January 1, 2007.

“Christmas Wish List,” [number one on the list], by Janice Lindsay, The Globe and Mail, November 25, 2006. 

Selected Commercial Public Art Commissions

Spiral Tree, for Classic Displays and The PeaceBridge Authority of Fort Erie and Buffalo New York; Canada & USA Border, 2009.

Commissioned to design custom seasonal LED Light Installation for an International Canada & USA Border.

Disney Princesses, for Classic Displays and the Walt Disney Corporation, Niagara Falls, Ontario, 2009.

Commissioned to create a custom LED Artwork Installation for Walt Disney’s seasonal light festival held in Niagara Falls; Festival of Lights.

Marine LED Installation, for Classic Displays and the City of Oakville, Ontario, 2008.

Commissioned to design custom LED pieces for the City of Oakville’s Marina and Harbor neighborhoods.

Front Lobby Eagle, for Ramp Design and GreyEagle Casino, Calgary, Alberta, 2008.

Commissioned to create a feature LED Public Artwork for GreyEagle Casino’s entrance and lobby area.

LED Mountainscape, for Ramp Design and GreyEagle Casino, Calgary, Alberta, 2008.

Commissioned to design a feature LED Artwork for a large overhead soffit in GreyEagle Casino’s main gaming floor.

Outdoor Waterfall, for Ramp Design and GreyEagle Casino, Calgary, Alberta, 2008.

Commissioned to design the main water feature for GreyEagle Casino’s public entrance.

Flame Light Panels, for Ramp Design and GreyEagle Casino, Calgary, Alberta, 2008.

Commissioned to design Blaze Bar & Grill and all custom art panels as focal artworks for main restaurant and bar.

Wheat Lights, for Ramp Design and GreyEagle Casino, Calgary, Alberta, 2007.

Commissioned to design custom featured lighting elements for GreyEagle Casino’s High Limit and VIP Rooms. 

Selected Consulting Projects & Commissions 

ShakeOut Dessert Parlor, Orlando, Florida, 2009 – 2011. 

Commissioned by a British developer to design a new modern boutique dessert parlor, located in downtown Orlando, Florida. My primary tasks included concept development and design of interior space, featuring vibrant display walls with incorporated LED lighting, interior bars with built-in public seating areas, as well as an exterior patio with custom-designed furniture, fixtures and signage.

Princeton University Library Furniture, Julian Street Library, Princeton New Jersey, USA, December 2009. 

Mitosis Furniture, manufactured for Nienkämper, is commissioned to be the principal furniture used in the front lobby and lounge areas of the Princeton University student library.

Mitosis Furniture, Nienkämper Furniture and Accessories Inc., Toronto, 2007 - present. 

Mitosis Furniture is a unique line of laser-cut, break-formed, welded and powder-coated steel furniture, commissioned by Nienkämper Furnishings, Canada’s leading commercial and residential furniture manufacturer and showroom. Fusing art and science, these pieces serve as playful depictions of cellular division and molecular movement, studies of positive and negative space, as well as experimentations of light and shadow. It was featured in the Nienkämper exhibition at the Toronto International Interior Design Show, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, February 2008.  

Toxic Fish Showroom and Corporate Office, Argon Distribution/Technologies, Toronto, Ontario, 2006.

Duties were to convert warehouse space into a retail showroom and corporate office for new clothing company. Responsibilities included concept development, space planning, computer renderings, architectural drafting, design and outsourcing of all custom display units and furnishings for both showroom and office space.

Modular Fence System, Gaetano Rao, Architect, Toronto, Ontario, 2006.

Tasks included conceptual development, computer 3D modeling, drafting, material exploration and outsourcing of components.

Gallery Space, Ontario Crafts Council, Toronto, Ontario, 2006.

Draftsman and assistant renovator for new office and gallery space located on Queen Street West.

Employment

Self employed consultant, 2006 - present.

Consulting design, architectural and computer rendering services for clients including Nienkämper, Classic Displays, Ramp Design, Toxic Fish, and the Ontario Crafts Council.

Industrial Designer, Classic Displays, Mississauga, Ontario, 2008 - 2009.

Designer for a firm manufacturing decorative light fixtures, seasonal LED installations, and outdoor furniture. Duties included the conceptual development and detailing of public light installations and municipal fixtures for clients such as the Walt Disney Corporation, the City of Toronto, the City of Oakville, and the Peace Bridge Authority of Fort Erie, Ontario and Buffalo, New York.

Environmental Designer, Ramp Design, Toronto, Ontario, 2006 - 2008.

Designer of interior designs for clients including the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, the McMaster University cafeteria and food court, and the Lexus/Toyota’s Car Show Exhibits XM listening stations. On the GreyEagle Casino, in Calgary, Alberta, developed conceptual design of the main gaming floor, restaurant, bar, gift shop, wayfinding and front lobby public art. Duties included development of concepts, preparation of computer and manual renderings for client presentations, specification of graphics, fittings, millwork and other components, and co-ordination of installation with fabricators, contractors and suppliers.

Furniture Fabricator, Nienkamper factory, Scarborough, Ontario, summer 2004

General factory laborer performing a wide variety of fabrication and finishing duties including veneering, sanding, edging, upholstery and assembly.

Education

Advanced Diploma in Design, Furniture, Crafts & Design Program, Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, Oakville, Ontario, 2003 - 2006

• Three-year intensive program covering design process, research methodology, manufacturing, fabrication and industrial techniques.
• While a student, developed and initiated the Sheridan College & Nienkamper Internship Scholarship Program.
• Winner of the Best in Show Award at the Graduate Design Exhibition in May 2006, for innovative use of industrial processes.
• Featured graduate for Sheridan College’s Graduate Success Program, October 2010 - present. 
• Commissioned by Sheridan College to design Public Art for their new Business Campus, located in Mississauga Ontario.
• Selected Alumni to give Graduation Address at the Sheridan College 2011 Convocation Ceremony.

Skills

Expert computer skills for 3D modeling, rendering, prototyping and manufacturing using a variety of advanced software including;

• Rhinoceros 3D versions 3.0 & 4.0
• 3DMax 2011 
• VRay
• Flamingo
• Maxwell
• EzCam
• AutoCAD (2D & 3D) versions 2003 - 2010
• Adobe Suites 7.0 - CS5

Technical expertise in:

• Industrial fabrication, processes and production techniques
• Outsourcing and coordination with various engineering and fabrication firms
• All metal fabrication and woodworking tools for carving, shaping and machining elements
• Technical material research, pricing and scheduling