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      Studio Paolo Ferrari designs Toronto restaurant as a “world unto itself”

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      Toronto-based Studio Paolo Ferrari has created cinematic interiors for a restaurant in the city’s Downtown area, combining influences from filmmakers that range from Stanley Kubrick to Nancy Meyers.

      Unlike a typical restaurant layout, Daphne unfolds as a series of rooms with distinct identities, each borrowing references from different cinema styles.
      Daphne is laid out across several spaces, including a Great Room designed to feel like Nancy Meyers movieStudio Paolo Ferrari intended each space to offer a different experience for guests, and custom-designed all of the furniture and lighting for the restaurant to make it feel even more unique.
      “Daphne is an elevated and exceedingly creative take on the American bistro, fusing the nostalgia of New England prep with wonder and eccentricity,” said Studio Paolo Ferrari. “At once intimate and grand, eccentric and sculptural, convivial and experimental, the deeply imaginative space is reminiscent of a great residence that’s evolved over time.”
      Studio Paolo Ferrari designed custom furniture and lighting throughout the restaurantGuests arrive into an intimate space that features a transparent full-height wine cabinet, which offers glimpses of the dining area beyond.

      They then move through to the Great Room, a cavernous room framed by a dramatic vaulted ceiling and decorated in a warm neutral palette.
      The Drawing Room is fully enveloped in a burnt orange hueThrough the centre is a line of dining tables, each paired with a rounded striped sofa and two boucle-covered chairs.
      The open kitchen is fully visible through the arches on one side, while a darker, cosier dining area coloured a burnt orange hue runs along the other.
      A mirrored corridor with a hand-painted landscape mural leads to a separate bar area”The grand space is reminiscent of the warmly luxurious spirit of a Nancy Meyers film, with custom furnishings that are deeply residential in feel and varsity-inspired checkerboard tiling,” said Studio Paolo Ferrari.
      The Drawing Room beyond continues the burnt orange colour, fully enveloping the walls, ceiling and seating upholstery to create a monochromatic space.
      The mural continues across the wavy walls of the bar room and green banquette seating follow the curvesCove lighting is installed behind louvres that cover the upper walls, adding texture and shadows as well as hint of “Cape Cod Americana”.
      The bar area is reached via a long corridor that’s mirrored from floor to ceiling along one wall, and is lined with a hand-painted landscape mural across the opposite side.
      The glass bar countertop is illuminated from within, while the counter front is flutedThis verdant rural scene continues across the wavy surfaces in the bar room, above green banquettes that follow the flow of the wall.
      “Daphne is a world unto itself, awaiting discovery,” the studio said. “Stepping into the bar is almost akin to stepping into an exquisitely-designed film set.”

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      The snaking glass-topped bar counter is illuminated from within, as a nod to the bar in the fictional Overlook Hotel from Stanley Kubrick’s movie The Shining.
      The counter front is fluted in reverence to Beaux-Arts architect Henry Bacon, while reflective stainless steel across the back bar matches the circular tables and chair feet in the room.
      An adjacent dilapidated building was razed to create an expansive outdoor terraceA dilapidated building adjacent to the restaurant was demolished to make way for an expansive outdoor Garden Terrace with a dining area and bar.
      Sandwiched between two brick structures, this exterior space features comfy yellow and white-striped seating surrounded by plants, and a row of tall trees in the centre – continuing the botanical theme from inside.
      Plants behind the yellow and white-striped seating continue the botanical theme from insideA separate entrance from the street leads guests between tall columns clad in dark blue-purple iridescent tiles into the alley-like space.
      “It was important that the space had depth and a quality of experimentation,” said Paolo Ferrari, founder of his eponymous firm. “Daphne is truly an active experience of discovery, where guests can uncover thoughtful and innovative details throughout.”
      Columns of blue-purple iridescent tiles form a gateway from the street into the alley-like outdoor terraceThe designer’s earlier projects in Canada have included a lake house with wood and granite interiors, and a showroom for a development in Ottawa that appears more like a home than a sales gallery.
      Other recent additions to Toronto’s dining scene include Prime Seafood Palace, which features a vaulted-wood interior by Omar Gandhi Architect.
      The photography is by Joel Esposito.

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      Ménard Dworkind outfits Montreal restaurant with custom wine storage

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      Canadian studio Ménard Dworkind has created an intimate French restaurant in the Villeray neighborhood of Montreal complete with warm interiors and a custom white oak wine cellar.

      Known as Casavant, the 850-square foot (80-square metre) brasserie-style restaurant was completed in September 2023 on the ground floor of a 1920’s residential building, replacing a sandwich shop.
      Ménard Dworkind has created a restaurant in a 1920s Montreal buildingMénard Dworkind (MRDK) designed the small restaurant – which seats 45 patrons – to bring diners together in a space that combines art deco influences with Montreal’s vibrant culinary scene. It was designed to “blend timeless elegance with a contemporary twist”.
      Located on the corner of the block, the guests enter the rectangular interior through a white brick facade. Natural light comes in from multiple directions through large, black-framed storefront windows.
      Large windows let in plenty of lightThe floor is speckled with 3D-patterned matte tiles by Daltile arranged in a custom mosaic, while beige tile climbs up the walls.

      Burnt orange corduroy banquette seating wraps around the two outside walls with two linear high-top tables floating freely in the space. The vintage French bistro chairs were acquired from another restaurateur.
      Vintage furniture was usedThe party wall serves as the focal point with the bar and custom white oak wine cellar and displays a selection of natural wines in raw wood cabinetry with rounded corner glass-front doors.
      “The wine cellar has been the focal point as soon as we started discussions with the clients,” said partner Guillaume Ménard. “It was important to be able to see it from everywhere you sit or stand.
      “Since it’s wall mounted, it attracts the eye pretty quickly with action going on behind the bar as well as the light coming out of it,” he said.

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      The compact kitchen – with an open pass-through window into the dining space that shows off the lively action of cooking – and the dark blue restroom corridor are tucked at the back of the restaurant.
      “The ceiling boasts a unique, funky patterned alcove made from colorful acoustic panels, contributing to the restaurant’s eclectic and inviting character while helping with the acoustical comfort,” the team told Dezeen, referencing the tray-like inset with a blush, maroon and peach abstract graphic.
      It has a ceiling clad with acoustic panels”We really like the addition of the patterned acoustical panels on the ceiling,” Ménard noted.
      “It adds depth, comfort and colors to the space. It also acts as a lantern since it is lightened up by a dissimulated LED strip.”
      A custom wine cabinet was installedIn addition to the locally crafted and sourced materials, artistic details occur throughout the space like a painting from local artist Nicolas Grenier and a vintage Medusa pendant light by Carlo Nason, which displays the restaurant’s charm through the glazing to passers-by.
      Two of Ménard Dworkind’s previous restaurant interiors in Montreal include the Italian 1960’s-inspired design for Tiramisu with a chrome service counter and large leafy plants and the retro-themed design for Caffettiera Caffé Bar with a checkerboard floor and teal accents.
      The photography is by David Dworkind.
      Project credits:
      Team: Guillaume Menard, Fabrice DoutriauxContractor: Avodah ConstructionCeramic floor and wall tile: DaltileLighting: humanhomeStools: UlineUpholstery: Bisson BruneelAcoustic panels: Akustus

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      Olson Kundig and Erica Colpitts renovate mid-century house in North Vancouver

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      US architecture firm Olson Kundig and Canadian designer Erica Colpitts have renovated a mid-century house near Vancouver, warming the modernist structure with natural materials and neutral colours.

      The residence is surrounded by tall cedar trees on a quiet plot in Edgemont, a village-like neighbourhood of North Vancouver, across the water from the Canadian metropolis.
      Wood lines the ceiling and floors of the renovated home, contrasting the blackened steel structural elementsIts new owners are a family of four who relocated to the West Coast from New York City, looking for a community to put down roots.
      Olson Kundig, which has an office in nearby Seattle, was asked to update and slightly expand the building to meet the owners’ needs while respecting the original design.
      The living spaces are all connected along the back of the house, in its single-storey portionLocally based Erica Colpitts was brought on to complete the interiors with a softer, warmer feeling than typical mid-century designs.

      “The pure challenge of this home completely appealed to me,” said Colpitts. “My task was to meld Olson Kundig’s overall design for the home with an ever so slightly soft and romantic interior.”
      Dark tones in the kitchen, including the steel hood and shelving, match the building’s beams and columnsLike many homes from the period, the building has a low-slung form, a shallow roof pitch and large expanses of glass across its facades.
      Blackened steel structural elements were highlighted throughout the interior, and their dark colour is repeated across several other elements.
      The kitchen connects to the patio via a bar counter and sliding windowThese range from the guardrails and supports for the staircase unit, which connects the home’s multiple split levels, to a custom hood and shelving in the kitchen.
      The staircase is separated from the lounge by a huge bookcase that is original to the house, along with a red-brick fireplace on the other side.
      An original bookcase separates the lounge from the entry hallway and staircaseAll of the primary living spaces run along the back of the home, in the single-storey portion, facing the landscaped garden and a plunge pool through huge windows.
      Wide-plank flooring and a wood-covered ceiling connect the open-plan areas, which culminate at the dark-stained kitchen.
      Bedrooms in the two-storey side of the house follow the same design aestheticThe hues and materials chosen for the these spaces are warm and inviting, such as cream surfaces and heathered oatmeal textiles paired with cognac-coloured leather, dark flax, and deep grey.
      “This home has a decidedly neutral colour palette to go with the natural materials selected; however, it is warmly neutral and texturally layered,” said Colpitts.

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      “Where colour was used, we wanted those colours and their textures to be reminiscent of a gentleman’s library,” she added.
      The bedrooms, bathrooms, and additional living areas are organised within the two-storey side of the house, where the same design aesthetic continues.
      The home’s large expanses of glass connect it to the surrounding landscape, designed by Amelia SullivanOn the exterior, weathered ebony siding and a Corten steel front door were added in keeping with the building’s modern-industrial appearance.
      “This home is a juxtaposition of all good things,” Colpitts said. “Dramatic and serene. Rustic and refined. Industrial and romantic. Exquisite and comfortable.”
      Olson Kundig aimed to respected the building’s original design while slightly expanding its footprintThe mid-century architecture style remains incredibly popular with homebuyers across the US and Canada, which has led to many renovations that align these residences with contemporary living.
      Recent examples include a Hamptons home that owner Timothy Godbold transformed to resemble a lair from a James Bond movie, and the former seaside home of modernist architect Henry Hill respectfully overhauled by Studio Schicketanz.
      The photography is by Ema Peter.
      Project credits:
      Architect: Olson KundigInterior design: Erica Colpitts Interior DesignContractor: Brent Braybrook / Braybrook ProjectsMillwork: Robin Woronko / Intempo InteriorsLandscape architect: Amelia SullivanMetalwork: Drabek Technologies

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

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      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.

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      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

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      Studio Author models Toronto dental clinic on a hotel lounge

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      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.

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      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.

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      Neon lighting illuminates Strip Joint Chicken by Amanda Hamilton

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      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.

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      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.

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      Giannone Petricone Associates rescues Ontario hotel from ruin

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      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.”

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      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.

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

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      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.

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      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

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