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Issue link: https://ccr-mag.epubxp.com/i/190248
E ven though it's getting much better, the U.S. trade defcit with China continues to be the largest trade imbalance between any two countries in the world. In 2011, for example, the United States imported $365 billion in Chinese goods, yet only exported $92 billion of American goods to China. To gauge and compare professional business services brought from one nation to the other is even harder to assess based upon different degrees of control each country's government exercises. Quite frankly, to bring services to The People's Republic of China can be one of the most challenging things for a foreigner to accomplish in terms of business. The regulatory barriers are substantial and diehard commerce norms still exist. Offcially, women have the same rights as men in the workplace, and yes, the party has promoted this sense of equality the past two decades. But traditional Confucian thinking really does not sit easily with this notion of gender equality. Based upon the above, can you imagine what an incredibly major triumph it was for the talents of Annie Aalto of Aalto Design of Fairfeld, Iowa, to design a state-of-the-art stone foor at the 5-Star Renaissance Hotel hotel in the burgeoning Putuo district of Shanghai? the next, color-wise. "The tonal patterns had to work together," she says. "In particular, one design goal was to produce a foor that was contemporary, impactful, yet still in some way keep it understated so not to take away from the rest of the lobby features." Because of the long curves of this – Annie Aalto, Aalto Design pattern, which only could be achieved via computer-driver waterjet cutting, perhaps the It all started when the contemporary interior, designed by VOA project's main challenge was for the installers to masterfully ft together Architects of Chicago, had a unique "wind pattern" theme that included each piece of stone after arriving at the jobsite from the nearby factory. a "Tornado Bar" and swirling wind patterns seen in the ceiling were to be This process was accomplished by incorporating complete in-factory mirrored by a custom stone foor. Not only was this unique foor pattern layout, and then dry-ftting all stone pieces together at the site. to follow curvatures of the ceiling, it was to impart a motion effect directA graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design, Aalto grew up in an ing the fow of traffc from the hotel's lobby right to the reception desk; artistic family environment, which for the last 25 years has had an emphasis from there to guestrooms and then, through the bar and seating areas. on the decorative fooring industry. Because of this, she has become an To add to this daunting design challenge, the client, MingJie expert in all phases of the design and manufacturing process. Her father, Real Estate, also requested that the foor design include a repreFinnish-born artist Harri Aalto, has established an international reputation sentation of the RuYi, a Chinese ceremonial scepter or talisman for visionary design excellence as creative director of Creative Edge Master symbolizing power and good fortune. Shop, the world-leading waterjet fabrication company serving the architec"This was really a good example of a great team effort," Aalto tural and design community. Aalto Design was created to offer a unique, says. "For the last few years, we've been partnering with Hawei Pervalue-added design capability to further distinguish the work of that frm. rett of FNW Co. in Shanghai, who functions as our project manager "Basically, we're an artisan workshop that happens to be situfor upscale productions such as the new Renaissance. Communicaated in Fairfeld, Iowa," Aalto says. "Even though we may be located tions were perfect, and under her guidance, the foor was installed in the heartland of the United States, clients from around the world precisely to our design specifcations." don't seem to mind. They know that our design work will meet their Aalto says the client wanted to make sure the four subtle colors goals; and perhaps one reason why they continue to specify our serof natural stone chosen for the foor, which consisted of visually vices is because they know we look at every custom foor not as an compatible marble and limestone, would transition nicely from one to installation project, but rather, as a long-lasting, work of art." CCR "This was really a good example of a great team effort." Ron Treister is president of Communicators International, A Jensen Beach, Fla.-based marketing frm. He can be reached at rlt@communicatorsintl.com. september : october 2013 — CommerCial ConstruCtion & renovation 99