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UDAD Awards 2019

Winner- Aquavista Rugs | REPUBLIC OF II BY IV

The Aquavista Rug Collection is a series of five carpets custom designed exclusively for the Aquavista Residence of the Bayside Waterfront Community, the newest residential development on the beautiful shores of one of Canada’s greatest cities, Toronto.

GFDA-2020

Winner – Urban Design & Architecture Design Awards 2019
Firm | REPUBLIC OF II BY IV
Category | Household
Team | Dan Menchions and Keith Rushbrook
Country | Canada

The inspiration behind the Collection is drawn from Canada’s spectacular natural landscape and the topography of Toronto’s waterscape. Although scientific in their primary purpose, topographic and weather maps have stunning graphic and linear features, which were incorporated into the design of each rug.


Reflections on the waterscape from daytime sunlight and nighttime city lights encouraged the bright tones seen in the designs. The overarching colour story also takes inspiration from the surrounding waterfront geography. In topography and weather maps, bold and contrasting colours define the shapes of climate changes. In this Collection, unapologetically bold colours are used to draw focus to the graphic nature of the design. Although each rug has a different colour palette, they all tell the same colour story to complement one another.

Bold, graphic, and abstract, the hand-tufted textiles are manufactured and designed to be used in public places. The entire design and production process took less than eight months. It is fast fashion at the highest level for commercial grade carpet, meeting all code requirements, and with a very residential hand. The hand-knotted technique used is the fastest type of technology available that does not compromise quality. The result is a beautifully hand-crafted design, with striking colours that surprise yet charm any space.

Aquavista Rugs honours the undiscovered landscape of Toronto, one of Canada’s greatest international cities. The uniqueness of Toronto’s waterfront topography is represented and celebrated. The designs don’t stand in one decade or style, but are created to exist beyond the present, embodying design longevity, and illuminating the panoramic beauty of the natural world.