Fireplace for Craig Russel

I have designed and built a beautiful vacation home on top of a mountain on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, as a retreat from my home in Southern California.  As part of my design process, I  made clear the importance of the use of natural stone with the wood structure and the importance of creating two “jaw-dropping” fireplace features in the home.  The solution to this challenge was the extraordinary work of Andreas & Naomi Kunert, who created the perfect complement to this home and its spectacular environment.  Andreas & Naomi took time to understand my design priorities and passion for these two major pieces, and blended my ideas with their own amazing creativity.  The result is two design elements which are clearly the features of the home without competing with its simple beauty.  They also tell stories which add tremendously to the richness of the experience of being in this home.

As a leader of Disney’s Imagineering division, I work on some of the richest projects and with some of the most amazing artists in the world.  As such, my expectations for this home and its creators was very high.  In the case of Andreas & Naomi, those artistic expectations were definitely exceeded.  I will enjoy this extraordinary work and the story it tells for many years to come.

Craig Russell

Director Walt Disney Imagineering | Los Angeles, California