More stories

  • in

    Appareil Architecture designs Montreal dental clinic to feel like “someone’s home”

    The minimalist interior of this Montreal oral surgery clinic by local studio Appareil Architecture “adopts a residential aesthetic” to help patients and employees feel relaxed.

    The Maxillo Tandem clinic in the city’s Technopôle Angus neighbourhood provides maxillofacial surgery, which deals with diseases, injuries and defects of the mouth, teeth and jaws.
    Appareil Architecture designed the dental clinic to feel more like a home than a medical facilityThe clinic’s founder, surgeon Anne-Frédérique Chouinard, gave Appareil Architecture a “carte blanche” to design the space differently to typical medical facilities.
    “The clinic adopts a residential aesthetic with durable materials to create an inviting, refined space that centers on well-being,” said the studio.
    Built-in seating wraps around the perimeter of the reception areaUpon entering, patients are met by a reception desk clad in vertically laid, off-white ceramic tiles that also cover the wall behind.

    “Their vertical positioning adds texture and rhythm to the wall, bringing the space to life, while remaining functional and easy to maintain,” Appareil Architecture said.
    Pale upholstery, linen curtains and beige walls all add to the serene atmosphereThe waiting area to the left is furnished with built-in seats that form a U shape around the perimeter and under a large window, while a double-sided island in the central adds additional seating.
    Polished concrete flooring and beige walls complement the pale upholstery and linen curtains, together creating a serene atmosphere.
    Off-white tiles clad the reception counter and the wall behind, adding texture and rhythm”All lend a reassuring character to the space,” said the architects. “In addition to a soft, peaceful colour palette, these materials contribute to the soothing, comforting ambiance.”
    On either side of the symmetrical reception counter, oak-framed doors with fritted glass panes both lead through to the treatment area.
    Oak-framed doors with fritted glass panes lead from reception to the treatment areasA central block of rooms for staff – also wrapped in the off-white tiles – runs back from the reception area, dividing the clinic into two sides.
    “This central structure naturally delineates the space, creating an efficient traffic flow that allows people to move easily in both directions,” the studio said.
    A U-shaped corridor connects the dentists’ offices, operating rooms and staff areasThe corridors continue the white and wood material palette and provide access to the dentists’ offices on the left side and operating rooms along the right.
    All of these rooms are also sparsely furnished and have a clean aesthetic, and are purposefully placed away from the reception area for patient privacy.

    Appareil Architecture uses minimal palette to update 1960s Montreal home

    At the back of the clinic is a space with a communal kitchen for employees to take breaks, which is oriented to enjoy afternoon light.
    “In the morning, the dentist’s offices, positioned on the window side, are flooded with natural light,” said Appareil Architecture.
    A minimalist approach was also taken in the consultation rooms”In the afternoon, this light pours into the staff areas and illuminates the central structure,” the team added.
    A wood-panelled wall topped with clerestory windows incorporates the staff kitchen facilities and storage, while a concrete island with rounded ends incorporates a cylindrical structural column.
    A communal kitchen for staff is located behind a wood-panelled wall at the back of the clinicSince Maxillo Tandem is part of an ecological real-estate project, the architects had to comply with strict energy efficiency targets, on top of meeting the medical operating standards.
    Overall, the clinic has been well-received by both patients and staff, according to Chouinard. “The customer feedback is very positive,” she said. “They feel like they’re in someone’s home, rather than a clinic. That was my intention.”
    A kitchen island with rounded ends incorporates a structural concrete columnAppareil Architecture has applied its minimalist style to many residential projects in and around Montreal, including an updated 1960s home, a stark dining extension to a city residence and a black metal cabin hidden in the forest.
    The studio has also designed a handful of more colourful interiors for hospitality spaces, such as a cafe and artist workshop in the city, and a restaurant inside a former factory.
    The photography is by Félix Michaud.
    Project credits:
    Client: Anne-Frédérique ChouinardContractor: Hub ConstructionWoodworking: Blitz DesignReception counter lighting: Lambert & FilsKitchen island: Béton Johnson

    Read more: More

  • in

    Studio Author models Toronto dental clinic on a hotel lounge

    Rich materials, ambient lighting and a waiter-serviced aftercare lounge are among the hotel-informed features that interiors firm Studio Author has incorporated into this dental practice in Toronto to help patients feel more at ease.

    Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, Paste Dental uses digital technology such as 3D-printing to make everything from night guards to permanent dental crowns in the hopes of providing a quicker and more stress-free dentist experience.
    Studio Author has designed the interior of Paste Dental in TorontoIn this spirit, Studio Author eschewed the sterile design elements that are typically associated with medical interiors in favour of those more commonly found in the city’s nearby hotel lounges.
    “Paste showcases a new attitude to dental care to make patients feel comfortable and shatters the usual preconception of a visit to the dentist,” said the studio.
    Velvet-upholstered seating boots provide a place to rest in the lobby”Our challenge was to separate the patient from both the expected sterile, white, clinical experience and the bustle of the city beyond,” the practice continued.

    To create an “elevated atmosphere” inside the boutique dental clinic, Studio Author clad the practice’s interior walls in limestone.
    A wood-lined corridor leads to the treatment roomsThis also served to block views from the street and foster a greater sense of privacy for patients.
    The circular lobby with its mohair upholstered walls and warm burl wood reception desk was designed to create a homey, welcoming atmosphere. The scheme is rounded off with an oversized, tiered paper pendant light and a colourful mix of marble tiles on the floor.

    Seven dental clinics designed to take the pain out of check ups

    Two individual gold velvet booth seats are recessed into the upholstered walls of the lobby to provide a private moment for customers upon arrival.
    A gently curved, wood-lined corridor with low-level lighting connects the reception to the treatment and consultation areas beyond.
    Dental equipment is concealed behind oversized doors”The spatial planning was thoughtfully carved to guide the guest through a controlled journey from arriving into the plush private reception area, resplendent with fresh flowers, through consultation, treatment and waiter-serviced aftercare,” Studio Author said.
    The material palette of warm wood and marble paired with soft lighting is continued in the treatment rooms, where dental equipment is deliberately concealed behind oversized doors.
    Each treatment room has a custom marble vanityEach room has a large mirror positioned above a custom marble vanity with an integrated sink and oak panelling.
    Finally, Paste Dental’s aftercare lounge is wrapped in velvet and wood panelling and furnished with lounge seating to provide a space for patients to rest after their appointment.
    Patients can unwind in the aftercare loungeThe project has been shortlisted in the health and wellbeing interior category of this year’s Dezeen Award alongside a Hong Kong gym informed by space travel and a dusty-pink welfare centre at an all-boys school in Melbourne.
    The photography is by Niamh Barry.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Neon lighting illuminates Strip Joint Chicken by Amanda Hamilton

    Canadian studio Amanda Hamilton Interior Design has used bold colour-blocking and neon lighting to give this Calgary chicken shop a “1990s meets Memphis” feel.

    Strip Joint Chicken in the city’s East Village neighbourhood is a fast-casual restaurant that serves “chicken fingers with a twist”.
    A dark entrance vestibule sets the tone for Strip Joint Chicken’s dining space beyondThe brand is fun, playful and cheeky, so the interiors of its 2,200-square-foot (204-square-metre) space needed to reflect this.
    Working with a return client, Amanda Hamilton Interior Design leant fully into the “offbeat” concept, creating an elevated interpretation of a seedy bar or nightclub that founder Amanda Hamilton described as “1990s meets Memphis”.
    A trio of colourful stripes is used to guide customers to the ordering area, and also spells out the brand’s name on the wall”At times subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) design elements take a nod (or a big ol’ bow) playing to the restaurant’s name,” said the designer. “In a market saturated with options for fast casual, standing out was key.”

    The main entrance vestibule is painted midnight blue and illuminated by vertical bands of neon lighting that connect wall-to-wall across the ceiling. This immersive passageway sets the tone for the main dining area, which is similarly lit with neon.
    Tangles of fluorescent-blue neon tubes are suspended above the service counterTangled fluorescent-blue tubes are positioned above the bar and service counter, while pink and yellow glow from LED strips within large colour-blocked arches that accommodate built-in seating for a row of dining tables.
    “Coloured lighting is used extensively to feature architectural details, enhance volumetric space, ground the bar and highlight seating areas,” Hamilton said.
    LED strips illuminate colour-blocked arched niches, which accommodate bench seatingPart of a larger retail space that was divided into four units, the chicken shop is accessible from both sides of the building.
    Therefore, close attention was paid to the flow of people through the space, and wayfinding tools were implemented to assist both dine-in and take-out customers.
    The arched niches provide space for dine-in guests to enjoy their chicken out the way of take-out customersA trio of thin, coloured stripes are inlaid across floors to guide hungry patrons to the ordering area.
    The same triple-line motif spells out the brand’s name in large letters across a wall, above a pink scallop-topped bench accompanied by small tables and terrazzo stools.

    Mutuus Studio designs inclusive Supernova nightclub in Seattle

    Custom-designed feathery wallpaper adorns the back of the central arch and inside the “tender neutral” bathrooms, which are tucked behind bright pink doors.
    For guests wishing to stay longer, a private dining area named the Hens Den is obscured from view by gauzy drapery.
    Custom feathery wallpaper adorns the bathroom interiorsThis monochromatic room features a brass pole in the centre of its dining table, around which a lazy susan for sharing food rotates.
    “As an extension of the space, the predominately custom furniture is equal parts playful and sculptural, creating a conversation-worthy addition to the space,” Hamilton said.
    Located behind bright pink doors, the bathrooms are designated as “tender neutral”The designer founded her eponymous studio in Calgary, where she’s based, and also operates a second location out of Vancouver.
    A trend for bright psychedelia in hospitality and entertainment spaces has been gaining pace recently, with other examples found in Seattle’s Supernova nightclub and the Resonant Head music venue in Oklahoma City.
    The photography is by Joel Klassen.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Giannone Petricone Associates rescues Ontario hotel from ruin

    Toronto studio Giannone Petricone Associates has spent a decade restoring a dilapidated hotel in Ontario, linking the building’s past and present through regionally influenced design details.

    Located in Picton, a town in Prince Edward County (PEC) that lies close to the shores of Lake Ontario, The Royal Hotel was in bad shape when the Sorbara family purchased it in 2013.
    The Royal Hotel’s interiors draw upon a mix Victorian and contemporary influences, as seen in the reception area. Photo by Graydon HerriottThe new owners hired Giannone Petricone Associates (GPA) to save what they could of the existing building, which was first completed in 1879, and transform it into contemporary lodgings.
    “Its central staircase was lined with a lush carpet of green moss, and early in the planning phase, the roof caved in,” said the hotel team.
    One of four hotel bars is lined with tambour panelling”But the family vowed to restore the property and bring it back to life as a nexus for both locals and guests of PEC’s burgeoning food and wine region.”

    The architects were able to salvage three of the original brick walls, and within them created a cafe, three bars, a fine-dining restaurant; and a spa, gym and sauna.
    Playful design elements include ceiling rosettes that mimic water ripplesA landscaped terrace overlooks a fourth bar and a brick patio with lounge seating, while an outdoor swimming pool flanked by a row of cabana beds lies beyond.
    A total of 33 guest rooms are available: 28 in the main three-storey hotel building, and a further five suites in a rebuilt stable named The Royal Annex.
    Another cosy lounge area features dark tambour panels around its fireplaceFor the interiors, GPA played on tropes of Victorian railway hotels, mixing formal elements of British tradition with PEC’s more laid-back rural sensibility.
    “The Royal is designed to be a transporting experience while deeply rooted in the local context,” said GPA principal Pina Petricone. “The experience benefits from the charged contrast between ‘genteel’ and ‘real’ elements.”

    Ace Hotel Toronto by Shim-Sutcliffe Architects features a suspended lobby

    In the lobby, the reception desk is wrapped in a floral pattern and a wooden shelving system forms a boutique displaying items for sale.
    Tambour panelling lines the adjacent bar area, which flows into a lounge where softly undulated plasterwork frames a fireplace.
    The hotel offers 33 guest rooms, which feature details like cross-stitched headboardsA variety of checkered and tartan patterns are found across hallway carpets, mosaic bathroom tiles and cross-stitched headboards. Ceiling rosettes throughout the spaces are designed to mimic mushrooms and water ripples.
    “We wanted to have moments in the hotel that were a bit nonsensical,” Petricone said. “The Royal is about escapism, and our research into the hotel’s history demonstrated that it was always a pretty quirky place.”
    A variety of checkered patterns are found throughout the hotel, including in the mosaic bathroom tilesOther recently opened hotels in Canada include the Ace Toronto, which boasts a suspended lobby and rooftop bar.
    Last year, the 1 Hotel Toronto by Rockwell Group and The Drake Hotel Modern Wing by DesignAgency, also in the city, were longlisted in the Hotel and Short Stay Interiors category for the Dezeen Awards.
    The photography is by Doublespace, unless stated otherwise. Main image is by Jeff McNeill.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Ivy Studio converts historic bank building into offices for Montreal ad agency

    The offices that Montreal’s Ivy Studio has designed for digital advertising agency Cardigan include a mesh-wrapped mezzanine and a “futuristic” basement within a former bank building.

    For Cardigan’s expanding team, Ivy Studio has renovated a stone building that was built as a bank in 1907, in the Rosemont area of Montreal.
    Ivy Studio inserted a steel mesh mezzanine inside the historic bank building to provide additional spaceThe structure has had many uses, including most recently a religious establishment, and boasts plenty of historic architectural details.
    While the upper floor is a residential condo, Cardigan occupies 1,250 square feet (116 square metres) across the ground and basement levels – spaces with very different ceiling heights and light conditions.
    The mesh was painted white to accentuate the bright and airy feel in the office space”One of the main challenges of working with the building was the contrasting ceiling heights between each floor,” said Ivy Studio. “This made the spacial blocking very important at the start of the project.”

    To benefit from the 16.5 foot (5 metres) clearance and abundance of natural light, all the workstations are positioned on the ground level.
    Under the mezzanine sit multiple phone booths and meeting roomsHowever, the floor plate was not sufficient to accommodate all 25 employees as well as meeting rooms, so the studio took advantage of the ceiling height and added a mezzanine.
    This addition was placed in a corner to avoid blocking the arched windows, and was painted entirely white to accentuate the bright and airy atmosphere of the space.
    During the renovation, the building’s large arched windows were fully uncovered to let in more lightThe structure is made from perforated steel mesh, allowing light to enter the phone booths and meeting rooms tucked underneath, and a gap was left between the mesh and the glass partitions behind to make space for planters.
    Additional workstations are located on top of the mezzanine, which is curved at its corner. “The newly-built mezzanine structure interprets the curves of the existing space without competing with them,” Ivy Studio said.

    Ivy Studio populates MAD Creative Hub with pink and purple elements

    To let even more light in, the boarded window arches were reopened to their original form, while the parquet flooring was replaced with natural oak to retain the warmth.
    Meanwhile, in the basement, low ceiling heights and a lack of windows called for an entirely contrasting strategy.
    “It is a different universe of its own,” said Ivy Studio, which took a “futuristic, in your face” approach to the sub-grade space.
    In the windowless basement, a contrasting “futuristic” aesthetic was chosenThis level accommodates the bathrooms, kitchen, lounge and storage, and features a mix of plastered ceilings, ceramic walls and epoxy floors.
    In the kitchen, all of the surfaces are coloured baby blue, while the adjacent bathroom block is completely grey.
    The spaces are colour-blocked to heighten their visual impactAcross the kitchen island, a circular mirror faces an opening that’s exactly the same shape and leads into a room painted in orange.
    “The spaces are all monochromatic, to increase the visual impact of their intense colors but also help camouflage the imperfections of the existing building,” said Ivy Studio.
    Baby blue and stainless steel cover the kitchenThe office’s levels are linked by two staircases: an older one made from wood and a newer minimal design that emerges from under an arched portico.
    Both are painted navy blue and are intended to reflect Cardigan’s contradicting “hard-working yet playful values”.
    The adjacent bathroom is executed entirely in greyIvy Studio’s portfolio of projects in its home city spans from workspaces and restaurants, to a spinning studio and a dry cleaners.
    Recently completed interiors by the firm include a creative hub populated with pink and purple elements, and a renovated eatery that was damaged in a fire.
    The photography is by Alex Lesage.
    Project credits:
    Design and architecture: Ivy StudioConstruction: Group Manovra

    Read more: More

  • in

    MRDK uses arches and mosaics for Ciele Athletics store in Montreal

    Rounded walls and archways create a flow through this Montreal boutique, designed by local studio MRDK for Canadian sportswear brand Ciele Athletics.

    The first boutique for Ciele, which sells technical headwear and apparel for running, opened in April 2023 on Notre-Dame Street in Montreal – the brand’s hometown.
    Black and white mosaic tiles form a pattern based on Ciele’s apparel at the entrance to the storeThe 3,000-square-foot (279-square-metre) flagship store was designed by MRDK to be as much a boutique as a community space for runners to meet and socialise.
    Along the narrow entryway, flooring comprises black and white mosaic tiles that form a graphic pattern based on select items of the brand’s apparel.
    Visitors are lead past a quartet of mannequins to a community lounge areaAscending four steps or a ramp leads visitors past a large white-tiled planter, then a display of mannequins lined up in front of a brick wall.

    A lounge area at the end is designated for gathering and conversation, offering “anyone with an interest in movement and connection a chance to experience running and the many facets of its dynamic community through regular meet-ups and events”, said MRDK.
    Access to the main retail space is via an archway that punctures a dark green partitionAccess to the main retail space is through an archway with rounded corners that punctures a deep, dark green partition.
    “An arched wall gracefully separates the more public community area from the rest of the store, creating a sense of intrigue and inviting exploration,” MRDK said.
    The green hue continues behind the fluted white service counterOther similar openings in this spatial divider are used to display clothing on single or double-stacked rails.
    The same forest green shade continues on the wall behind the service counter, which is fronted by a white fluted panel and includes a small glass vitrine set into its top.
    Lime plaster covers the angled walls, which feature bull-nose edges that soften their appearanceHerringbone white oak parquet floors are laid wall to wall, running beneath a low central island that is designed to be broken apart and moved around the store depending on merchandising needs.
    A textured lime plaster finish was applied to the walls, wrapping around the bull-nosed corners that soften the angles created by the offset displays.

    MRDK creates a “journey through nature” at Attitude boutique in Montreal

    “The play of light and shadows on these textured surfaces creates a sense of dynamism, accentuating the uniqueness of the space,” said MRDK.
    In one corner, a 12-foot-tall (3.7-metre) shelving system presents Ciele’s range of hats on cork mannequin heads.
    A tall shelving system displays Ciele’s hat collectionFitting rooms at the back of the store are kept minimal, with green velvet curtain draped behind the arched openings to the cubicles.
    “The thoughtful combination of materials, textures, and colours creates an atmosphere that seamlessly blends modernity with a touch of timeless elegance,” said MRDK.
    The fitting rooms are kept minimalist and feature green velvet curtainsFormerly known as Ménard Dworkind, the studio was founded by Guillaume Ménard and David Dworkind, and has completed a variety of retail spaces in Montreal and beyond.
    Most recently, these have included a store for plastic-free beauty brand Attitude.
    The photography is by David Dworkind and Alex Lesage.
    Project credits:
    Team: David Dworkind, Benjamin Lavoie LarocheContractor: Groupe ManovraCeramic floor tile: DaltileLighting: SistemaluxLime plaster: VenosaWood profiles: Brenlo

    Read more: More

  • in

    Mason Studio reimagines its Toronto workspace “for the greater good”

    Toronto interiors firm Mason Studio has redesigned its offices to offer community programming like exhibitions, events and other public-facing activities.

    Mason Studio relaunched its workspace as a new hybrid office and cultural hub to serve “the greater good” during the DesignTO festival earlier this year.
    Mason Studio has redesigned its two-storey office building to serve as both a workspace and a cultural community hubAs well as an office for the studio’s team members, the building in Pelham Park now operates as a gallery space, community library, fabrication hub, experimentation space for non-profits and a coffee bar to name a few.
    “Today’s office is no longer just a place for work, but rather a space for conversation and discourse, a space for inspiration and rejuvenation, and a space for community to get involved, and gather and share knowledge,” said the team.
    The space hosts a variety of exhibitions, installations and events, including An Optimistic Future pictured hereThe two-storey, industrial style building is largely decorated white, with curtains used to divide the various spaces and functions.

    A double-height atrium can house artworks and installations, which are able to be suspended from the ceiling beams.
    A materials library is open to local architects and designersAmong the areas within the building is a plant-filled study garden upstairs, where stools and chairs are placed around mossy tables that sprout foliage from their centres.
    “The greenery and natural elements of the garden create a sense of tranquility, which helps reduce stress and improve overall well-being,” said Mason Studio.
    The study garden allows team and community members to work and read among the greeneryAn open materials library can be utilised by local architects and designers, and a “give-one-take-one” book library is open to all community members.
    Mason Studio also hosts storytime sessions for the children of their team and other community members. “This experiment was a reminder of how vital play is as a tool to socialize, learn and focus — even in the workplace,” the team said.
    White curtains are used to divide the building’s various functions and areasDuring the annual Toronto design festival DesignTO, Mason Studio hosted a series of installations and activations to create a space where visitors “could experience an optimistic vision of the future”.
    For example, a temporary pay-what-you-want cafe donated any funds collected to local non-profit organisations.

    Mason Studio designs Kimpton Saint George hotel as “homage to Toronto”

    “These types of new amenities not only stimulate local economies but also contribute to the cultural vitality of the community,” said Mason Studio.
    The inaugural art installation in The Gallery at Mason Studio, a collaborative effort named Full Moon Reflected On The Ocean At 01:34, comprised a giant glowing orb that was reflected on sheets of fan-blown mylar fabric.
    A community library and workspace is offered as a resourceIn March 2023, the studio partnered with Toronto-based contemporary art gallery Cooper Cole Gallery to present works by emerging BIPOC and marginalised artists in the space.
    Then in April, The Gallery at Mason Studio hosted Canadian artist Kadrah Mensah’s exhibition titled Surely, You’re Joking, which included video, sculpture, and installations intended to normalise digital body manipulation.
    The Gallery at Mason Studio’s inaugural installation comprised a large glowing sphere reflected in fan-blown mylar sheets belowMason Studio was founded over a decade ago by Stanley Sun and Ashley Rumsey, who have since completed projects that range from a cloud-like installation to the interiors of the Kimpton Saint George hotel.
    The most recent edition of DesignTO, Toronto’s citywide celebration of design, took place from 20-29 January 2023. Find more design events, talks and installations on the Dezeen Events Guide.
    The photography is by Scott Norsworthy.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Studio North adds plywood barrel vaults to Business & Pleasure bar in Calgary

    A barrel-vaulted ceiling covers this cosy cocktail bar in Calgary, Alberta which locally based Studio North designed as a contemporary take on a speakeasy.

    Business & Pleasure is tucked away between historic brick buildings on a back lane in the Canadian city’s Inglewood neighbourhood, just a few blocks from Studio North’s office space.
    A vaulted plywood ceiling contrasts with the black interior of the bar”The location and scale of the Business & Pleasure bar space immediately reference visions of the iconically intimate and secluded speakeasy from last century,” said lead designers Damon Hayes Couture and Hayden Pattullo.
    “However, this transformation sought to recreate the speakeasy’s quaint and classic qualities using contemporary methods of parametric design, digital fabrication, and material experimentation.”
    The fir plywood is CNC cut to allow it to bendHidden at the back of a cafe, Studio North’s take on prohibition-era drinking establishments features a dark interior, with many of the furniture pieces and surfaces in black.

    In contrast, fir plywood is shaped into barrel vaults of different widths that run the length of the narrow 350-square-foot (32.5-square-metre) space.
    Vaults of different widths run the length the ceilingThe material is kerfed to allow it to bend, forming a cut-out pattern that adds a translucent quality to the wood.
    “Like clouds, the geometry and pattern vary slightly throughout the room to create unique areas and experiences of moving through it,” said Studio North.
    Paper lanterns hang from the wood vaults, which are suspended from steel ribsThe vaults are suspended from a series of steel ribs, and some panels are held in place with magnets – a system that Studio North prototyped at 1:1 scale and built in-house.
    Parametric modelling and computer numerically controlled (CNC) cutting were used to produce the desired effect.

    Frank Architecture recalls 1960s glamour at Major Tom bar in Calgary

    “The pattern of the ceiling kerfing changes using a parametric image map to add and subtract bridge tabs, creating more grid interruption around the seated areas,” the designers said.
    In places, the plywood extends down from the ceiling onto the walls, forming panels that touch the tabletops and shelving in recesses.
    A custom black barn door separates the bar from a cafe at the frontThe same material forms a custom barn door separating the cafe from the bar, which is painted black and allows guests a peek at the back space through the thin vertical gaps.
    Globe-shaped paper lanterns hand from the ceiling to bathe the space in a warm, ambient glow.
    The bar is designed to evoke speakeasies from a century agoArtworks and a selection of vintage items are displayed on the walls and shelves, connecting the contemporary interior to the heyday of speakeasies.
    Studio North is a design-build studio that more commonly works on residential projects, such as a laneway house in Calgary that the team outfitted with a dog nook and a fireman’s pole.
    The photography is by Hayden Pattullo and Damon Hayes Couture.

    Read more: More