Vladimir Subert, first steps in retail interior design
Vladimir Subert was born in 1937 in Slovakia, formerly a part of Czechoslovakia. His childhood was spent near Prague in the turmoil of World War II and political conflicts. At age 15, he is forced by the Communist regime to become a metal turner for aircraft engine parts at the Motorlet factory, now GE Aviation.
His Journey Changed by a Drawing
Around 1950, Vladimir takes part in a drawing contest organized for the youth working in the state-run factories, under the patronage of the Czechoslovakian Communist Party and wins first place. Because he received this prize, the Party grants him permission to attend school.
From 1954 to 1958, he studies in Prague at the Secondary School of Applied Arts During his university training, he also studies stage design at the Academy of Performing Arts. He is subsequently hired by the Institute of Czech Co‑operatives as an architectural designer and industrial furniture designer and holds this position until 1968.
A Fresh Start in America
In 1968, several hundred thousand Soviet soldiers invade Czechoslovakia in an attempt to end the Prague Spring. Away on holiday in Yugoslavia, Vladimir sees this as an opportunity to change the course of his life. He flees to Austria and is granted a visa from the Canadian Embassy. That same year he travels to Canada to be with his companion Jana, who was a puppeteer at the Czechoslovak pavilion at Expo 67.
From Industrial Designer to Interior Designer
Upon arrival in Canada, Mr. Subert is hired by Ebena Lasalle, a manufacturer of laboratory furniture and one of his tasks is to copy other creators’ chairs. This brief stint in industrial design results in a lack of interest for the field. In 1969, he joins Colin Rae & Associates, a firm specializing in interior design for retail.
“In my early days, there was no such thing as commercial interior design. We had to invent it,” recalls Mr. Subert. He defines himself as an architectural and interior designer. “I’ve always focused on the big picture, the concept rather than the details. My creative approach was one of clarity, simplicity and functionality,” he says.
Developing His Expertise
From 1973 to 1976, Vladimir continues his career with Design International, formerly known as D.I. Design and Development Consultants, a Toronto-based architecture firm which acquired Colin Rae & Associates. His strength is ideation and with the help of three or four interior designers, he works on a large number of shopping mall layouts, renovations and expansions.
Several projects are worth mentioning, including Place Québec near Old Quebec, and two projects in Montreal: the Quartier Cavendish and the Rue Elle in Place Ville-Marie’s underground shopping mall. He also collaborates on a number of team contracts, such as the Galeries d’Anjou, the 2020 University (now Tour Intact’s underground shopping centre), the Galeries Rive Nord, and the Square Décarie, all shopping malls located in Montreal. He also works on the Dartmouth Shopping Centre in Nova Scotia and the commercial centre in the Thomas D’Arcy McGee Building in Ottawa, formerly known as the Royal Bank Centre.
Standing on His Own Two Feet
In 1976, he launches his own company, Vladimir Subert Design. For the next 26 years, he continues to take on projects at a frantic pace. He works, amongst other things, on the Steinberg grocery stores and Miracle Mart stores (a division of Steinberg), and on several projects in and around Montreal, such as the Fountainhead Amusement Corporation, the Côte St-Luc Shopping Centre, Les Jardins Dorval, the RioCan Place Greenfield Park, the St-Martin commercial centre (Laval) and the Mega Centre Notre-Dame (Laval). He also develops projects for his two largest clients, Cogem and Atlantic Shopping Centres in Nova Scotia, a subsidiary of Sobeys[1]. While working with Cogem, his expertise crosses borders and extends to Brazil, Portugal, Switzerland and Belgium.
His clients particularly appreciate his inspiring renderings that quickly illustrate the essence of a project. Speaking of colour, Vladimir says: “Colour is the reflection of function. Each shade has its own psychological impact on people. Colour also represents the reflection of matter itself.”
His Creative Life Continues
In 2002, at the age of 65, Vladimir Subert retires after 50 years of hard work. He buys land in the Eastern Townships and has a house built to his liking. There, in this charming and secluded area, he paints, skis and serenely enjoys life with Jana.
Professional Involvement
1985 – Member of the Société des décorateurs-ensembliers du Québec SDEQ (Quebec Society of Decorators)
2002 – Lifetime member of the Société des designers d’intérieur du Québec SDIQ (Quebec Society of Interior Designers)
2003 – Honorary Member of l’Association professionnelle des designers d’intérieur du Québec APDIQ (Quebec’s Professional Association of Interior Designers)
The APDIQ would like to introduce you to its honorary members; these early members who built the profession and made it shine long before us. Our editor Annie Jolicoeur went to meet these pioneers and tells us their fascinating story.
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