Manitoba
Design
La Firme
Production
2014
Branding
Johan Högdahl
Photo
La Firme (Adrien Sorin) and Ulysse Lemerise Bouchard
Wild in the city
Mile Ex restaurant Manitoba evokes a woodland vibe that speaks with authenticity to an urban clientele without falling into rustic clichés. The design builds on the materials that were on hand. Custom-made sinks were added to the space’s concrete and steel, and functional wooden components subtly weave the forest into the design.
The urban and Arcadian intersect in the bar. The counter is an assembly of beams recalling a style often found in old rural houses. The concrete base rises from the concrete floor, giving the whole a monolithic, architectural feel.
Under the canopy
Manitoba’s signature piece is the airy, white cedar slab structure suspended from the ceiling. Made from sawmill waste, the structure diffuses light like the treetop canopy, greeting guests with something like a forest’s dappled sunlight.
Manitoba won La Firme Commerce Design Awards 2015 - Jury Prize.