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      Large fireplaces bookend Evangeline rooftop bar at Ace Hotel Toronto

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      The rooftop bar and lounge at the recently opened Ace Hotel Toronto, by local studio Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, continues the earthy tones and exposed concrete from the lobby.

      Named Evangeline, the 80-seat bar overlooks Toronto from the 14th floor of the new building by Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, with interiors by Atelier Ace – the hospitality group’s in-house design team.
      Custom ceramic tiles by David Umemoto flank one of two fireplaces in the Evangeline lounge”With energy swinging from sunset cooldowns to late night revelry, Evangeline celebrates creativity through a keen eye for curation — drinks, bites, sounds and sights,” said a statement from Ace Hotel.
      “Its name is an ode to the first feature film out of Canada and its atmosphere influenced by the creative spark of the silver screen.”
      The bar and lounge is located on the 14th floor of the Ace Hotel TorontoServing craft cocktails and small plates by chef Patrick Kriss, the bar comprises a cosy indoor space and an outdoor terrace, divided by a fully glazed wall.

      The plant-filled patio faces south and west, enjoying views of Downtown Toronto and capitalising on sunset vistas.
      The space features various seating areas, patterned rugs and plenty of plants”A lush display of plants moves from indoors to outdoors, where the furnishings adopt a more casual, contemporary tone,” said the Ace Hotel team.
      The indoor space features tall ceilings and is bookended by large fireplaces – one of which is flanked by sculptural ceramic tiles by Montreal-based artist David Umemoto.

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

      Continuing the earthy colour palette from the hotel’s lobby, various seating options in the bar feature sage green and pale terracotta cushions, and the tables are mostly wood.
      A row of thick, board-marked concrete columns along one side of the room creates smaller seating nooks in between and delineates the lounge from the bar service area.
      The interiors by Atelier Ace continue the earthy tones from the hotel’s lobbyVintage-style patterned rugs cover the tiled floor, while light fixtures were custom-designed for the space by Toronto studio MSDS.
      Evangeline opened to the public on 21 October 2022, following the hotel’s debut in July.
      The outdoor patio faces south and west to overlook Downtown TorontoThe programming team plans to host a roster of events hosted by DJs, record labels and party producers, as well as a rotating series of artwork by Canadian talent.
      This is the hotel group’s 10th property, joining locations including Sydney, Brooklyn, Kyoto and New Orleans.
      The photography is by William Jess Laird.

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      Hariri Pontarini rethinks cold medical interiors at Barlo MS Centre

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      Canadian architecture studio Hariri Pontarini has completed a clinic in Toronto for multiple sclerosis patients that features warm wood tones and spaces designed to feel like “first-class airplane lounges”.

      The Barlo MS Centre is Canada’s largest clinic dedicated to those with MS, a complex autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system.
      The BARLO MS Centre was designed with atypical colours, materials, textures and lightingNamed after its two biggest donors, the Barford and Love families, the centre occupies the top two floors of a new 17-storey tower at St Michael’s Hospital in Downtown Toronto.
      The 30,000-square-foot (2,790-square-metre) facility was designed by local studio Hariri Pontarini Architects, which aimed to rethink sterile-looking healthcare spaces and focus on patient wellbeing through the use of atypical colours, materials, textures and lighting.
      The clinic’s two storeys are connected by a staircase that rises through an atrium”Canadians are particularly prone to MS for reasons that are unclear,” said the studio.

      “This hospital’s mission is nothing less than to transform MS care and become the world’s leading MS centre through research and clinical treatment.”
      Circular consultation rooms are partially clad in walnutTaking cues from the hospitality industry, the team aimed to create a “comfortable and welcoming environment” by filling the spaces with daylight and offering views of the skyline.
      The two floors are connected by a double-height atrium, topped with an oculus that allows more natural light in from above.
      The wavy panels conceal the rooms from the main circulation corridorA staircase rises up through the atrium, curving towards the top with a glass balustrade to follow the shape of the opening.
      Downstairs, the atrium connects to a lounge at the corner of the building and a reception area anchored by a curved white counter.
      Infusion pods are given privacy by pale wood screensA wide corridor leads past a series of cylindrical consultation rooms that are partially glazed, but screened where they face the circulation area by wavy walnut panels.
      On the other side of the floor plan, smaller and more open consultation booths named infusion pods are still offered privacy with curved pale wood screens.
      Different varieties of wood give the interiors a warm tone”The infusion pods where patients may sit for up to eight hours are modelled to resemble a first-class airplane lounge and provide complete control over their environment,” the Hariri Pontarini team said.
      Various light-toned woods are used for wall panels and balustrades, as well as thin slats that extend across the ceilings.
      The atrium connects to a lounge and waiting areaAll spaces were designed with durability and accessibility in mind, considering that some MS patients have vision and cognitive loss, fatigue and impaired coordination.
      Bronze-coloured handrails were installed along the majority of walls and partitions, while anti-slip porcelain tiles cover the floors to aid patient mobility.

      UUfie completes light-filled Ontario medical clinic with translucent polycarbonate walls

      The centre also includes a gym, a mock apartment adapted for MS patients, and rooms for meetings, research and administration.
      Together, it provides patients with a space to see a dedicated healthcare team in one location and clinicians the state-of-the-art resources to offer the best possible treatment.
      An oculus above the atrium brings daylight into the centre of the buildingHariri Pontarini Architects was founded by Siamak Hariri and David Pontarini in 1994.
      One of the studio’s most recognisable buildings is the Bahá’í temple in Chile, featuring torqued wings made of steel and glass, while its work closer to home includes the glass-wrapped Tom Patterson Theatre in Stratford, Ontario.
      Handrails are provided throughout the clinic to aid patient mobilityThe Bar MS Centre is one of five projects shortlisted in the Leisure and Wellness Interior category of the Dezeen Awards 2022, along with a Shenzhen cinema and a spa in the Maldives.
      See the full Interiors shortlist and vote now for your favourites.
      The photography is by A-Frame.

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      Victorian balusters pattern surfaces at Aesop Yorkville store by Odami

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      The history of Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood informed this store for skincare brand Aesop, which local studio Odami has given ruby-toned walls and smooth beige counters.

      Odami, a design studio based several blocks west of the Aesop Yorkville shop, used features typical of the area as a starting point for elements of the design.
      Aesop’s third store in Toronto includes a “fragrance library” for testing the brand’s new aromas”The interior takes inspiration from the downtown area’s architectural and societal history – starting with the Victorian houses that populate the district, and the lanes and squares where communities have gathered over the decades,” said a statement from the brand.
      The profile of balusters found across nearby buildings and porches is translated as a closely repeated pattern that forms maple wainscoting around the interior.
      The profile of a Victorian baluster forms wainscoting around the storeWalls and ceiling are painted oxblood red, creating a dusky and intimate atmosphere inside the compact space.

      “The design is anchored by a sense of warmth, and sees traditional materials imagined anew,” said Aesop. “The geometry is akin to that of a bustling town square: a large and open space with smaller enclaves around its perimeter.”
      Walls, ceilings and furniture are coloured ruby red, while counters and sinks are beigeSeating and counters that are coloured to match the walls blend into the background, while units that have sinks for testing skin and hair products stand out in pale beige.
      The largest basin is positioned in the centre of the store, incorporating three faucets and doubling as a tea station.
      The wall colour creates an intimate atmosphere, while allowing the signature Aesop bottles to stand outA slender, metal light fixture is suspended horizontally above, directing light from a trio of tubes down onto the central counter.
      Three pale-toned cylinders set into the back wall form a “fragrance library” for the brand’s growing collection of aromas.

      MSDS Studio illuminates Aesop store in Toronto with collection of compact lamps

      Two tubes display the signature Aesop bottles, while the third has a clear front and acts as an infusion chamber for items of clothing.
      Odami was founded in 2017 by Spanish architect Aránzazu González Bernardo and Canadian designer Michael Fohring, and has completed several interiors in its base city.
      The central countertop includes a long sink and also doubles as a tea stationThey include the Sara restaurant, where a roughly plastered wall curves over the dining area, and a renovated 1980s apartment with a green-painted sunroom.
      This is the third Aesop location in Toronto, following a store designed by MSDS on Queen Street West, and another in the Downtown district.
      The history of the store’s Yorkville location provided references for its designThe brand regularly collaborates with local architects and designers on its store interiors around the world.
      Among the most recent are an outpost in Tokyo by Case-Real that features coarse plaster walls, and another in London by Al-Jawad Pike that’s filled with red sandstone from Scotland.
      The photography is by John Alunan

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      Studio Paolo Ferrari combines wood and granite for Canadian lake house

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      Exposed finishes that draw cues from the forests and geology of Canada come together in this remote holiday home by Toronto-based architect Studio Paolo Ferrari.

      Named after the Muskoka region where the project is located, the retreat overlooks Lake Rosseau, an area that is known as one of Canada’s most sought-after vacation destinations.
      The retreat overlooks Canada’s Lake RosseauThe area sits roughly two hours north of Toronto, and is known for its natural setting. It inspired a collective of painters, known as the Group of Seven, who produced some of the most iconic Canadian imagery of the early 20th century.
      “We wanted to create a place of respite from the intensity of city life and also to build as sensitively as we could, complementing, but never overwhelming, the surrounding environment,” said Studio Paolo Ferrari.
      Granite and Douglas fir define the interior designTwo primary materials were used for the two-storey building: granite, which forms many of the islands in the area, and Douglas fir, which the architects used in the exposed roofs found throughout the home, as well as in cabinetry and on certain walls.

      “The granite is coarse-grained and hard,” said the studio. “It references the minerality of the site and imbues the interiors with a sense of ruggedness.”
      “The Douglas fir offers tactility and warmth, and it connects the house with vernacular building traditions,” the studio added, noting that some of the materials used came from the site itself.
      Studio Paolo Ferrari placed the communal areas on the upper floorStudio Paolo Ferrari designed an inverted layout for the two-bedroom home, placing the communal areas on the upper floor to give them the best views of Lake Rosseau.
      The open-concept kitchen, living, and dining room is anchored by a granite kitchen counter that appears to be made of a rough block of stone. Its edges cantilever out, creating a place to sit for a casual meal.
      Two bedrooms feature on the ground floor”The kitchen island – a large, unfinished block of granite – evokes the boulders and outcroppings one sees across the Canadian Shield, an expanse of bedrock that extends from the Great Lakes to the Arctic Coast,” said Studio Paolo Ferrari.
      “With its size and monumentality, the island offsets the expertly crafted cabinetry that surrounds it.”
      A granite island takes centre stage in the kitchenThe living room is fronted by tall, sliding glass doors that open onto a terrace that offers sweeping views of the lake below.
      Most of the surfaces are covered in a light-coloured wood, which helps the space feel airy and bright.

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      The bedrooms were located on the ground floor. The primary suite faces out onto the lake, while a guest bedroom is located at the back of the home. Its windows open out onto rocky outcroppings and thick trees, lending the space a sense of privacy.
      “Windows frame views in all directions, not only outward to the lake but also inward to the granite escarpment, which is every bit as exquisite as the dappled water,” added the studio.
      Furnishings were kept simple throughout the homeThe home’s bathrooms were finished in dark granite, creating a sense of contrast from the bright open spaces in the bedrooms and communal areas.
      Throughout the home, the furnishings were kept as simple as possible.
      “Our guiding ethos was warm minimalism,” Studio Paolo Ferrari explained. “The interiors derive their elegance from a lack of visual clutter.”
      The lake house includes a gabled roofOther natural retreats in Canada include a dramatic, cantilevered structure overlooking a lake, and a ski cottage that appears to have been split in two, by Montreal-based firm Naturehumaine.
      The photography is by Joel Esposito.

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      Nivek Remas renovates founder's home to serve as its office space

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      Toronto studio Nivek Remas has renovated its founder’s home to create an office for the studio based on changes in working conditions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

      Early in 2020, the Canadian interior design studio led by Kevin Chan and Samer Shaath was poised to lease new office space for its expanding business. However, these plans were halted by pandemic restrictions.
      Nivek Remas renovated one of its founder’s home for the studio officesThroughout the lockdowns that impacted Canadians and the subsequent work-from-home standards, the office sought ways to work together in the future, without going to an office full-time.
      “[We] quickly recognized the shift in what defines an office and the culture that was evolving from those blurred lines,” Nivek Remas’ Kevin Chan told Dezeen.
      The home was converted to have spaces for work and leisureThe duo decided to renovate one of their homes to serve as an office for the young firm, which was established in 2016.

      The new studio was completed in 2021 and is located in an area of Toronto called Cabbagetown, just east of the city centre.
      The studio plays into the work-from-home trendIt occupies 1,250 square feet (116 square metres) of a standalone house in a residential neighbourhood.
      The completed studio has a main office area, conference rooms, as well a kitchen and a dining nook.
      The ground floor has eight workstationsVisitors enter the office along a green hallway accented with glass wall sconces. By the entrance, there is a powder room and a coat closet.
      The ground floor has eight workstations laid in an open-concept configuration. Most of the furniture is black, including the desktops and chairs.
      The space functions as a workstation for the interior design studioAt the front of the house, a kitchenette and breakfast nook look out onto the street. The designers used a darker palette of greens and olive tones in the kitchenette area to contrast the workstations, which are painted white and filled with light and plants.
      An open staircase leads to the upper floor, where the team included a new conference room that offers some privacy from the main work area. It includes a long table and a couch, for more informal gatherings.
      Dark greens were used for some walls and detailsOther amenities of this home-and-office combination include a gym and bike storage for commuters located in the basement.
      The founders of Nivek Remas said that although the new office space helps collaboration, they balance out the time spent there with remote work.

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      The studio said that it has embraced a fully hybrid model and that the office space allows for “creative gathering”.
      “We see this as our studio for at least another five years or until we outgrow the space,” Chan said. “It’s a true representation of our studio work and ethos but also a true representation of the times and how casually defined offices are now.
      “Corporate offices are trying to become more WFH and more casual with coffee bars, and table tennis or gaming break out areas, but we’re approaching it from the other direction and making a residential space more studio,” he added.

      Many architects and designers embraced the work-from-home trend, building out new spaces for themselves during the pandemic.
      Other examples include a coastal Maine cabin that 30X40 Design Workshop completed as its office, and the Beverly Hills home of Gerhard Heusch, who built himself an underground office using concrete.
      The photography is by Scott Norsworthy.
      Project credits:Interior design: Nivek RemasConstruction: Shape Building GroupMillwork: Ell-Rod Architectural Millwork

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      Omar Gandhi designs a “light-filled wood cathedral” for Toronto restaurant

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      Canadian studio Omar Gandhi Architect has created a vaulted-wood interior inside a non-descript brick building for chef Matty Matheson’s restaurant in Toronto.

      Prime Seafood Palace is located in West Queen West and was a collaborative effort between Omar Gandhi Architect (OGA) and the restaurant’s chef, Matheson, who has developed an internet following.
      OGA designed a restaurant in the West Queen West neighbourhood of TorontoThe space was imagined as “a light-filled wood cathedral, lining an otherwise inconspicuous existing brick-clad building that blends into the city’s urban fabric,” the studio said.
      “I think that all of us brought different ideas to the table, but for our design team we wanted the space to be a surprise inside of a fairly unassuming new urban building on a very busy street,” Omar Gandhi, principal of OGA, told Dezeen.
      The restaurant has vaulted wooden ceilingsThe primary entrance to the restaurant is separated from the street by a courtyard next to the adjacent building. The facade of the building – an earlier brick building, similar to many others in that area of Toronto – was painted white.

      OGA placed a vaulted wood structure within the brick envelope so that the main dining room of the restaurant nests within. In order to achieve this, the architects suspended the wooden vault from the ceiling.
      Natural leather was used for the upholsteryThe principal goal was to create a “timeless space, free of trends, with local, natural materials that develop a patina and continue to enrich the restaurant over time,” said OGA.
      “Designing with wood and light was the starting point for the design,” the studio added.
      Brass detailing was used throughout the main dining roomThe vaulted room hosts the main dining room, where the white maple louvres that make up the ceiling extend over the windows.
      Here, OGA upholstered the booths that line the space with natural leather, based on ones used in Matheson’s grandfather’s restaurant on Prince Edward Island, the Blue Goose.
      Above the space, a “wood-clad cloud” runs the length of the peak of the vault and filters natural light from a skylight in the roof of the exterior envelope.
      The bar is covered by a wooden canopyNear the servers’ station is an accessible restroom with concrete walls, which has a double-height volume that allows the space to be lit by a skylight above.
      In this restroom, a custom concrete sink by Brandon Gore was cast in the shape of Canada’s Lake Erie, with a brass marker indicating the location of Matheson’s Ontario farm.
      The wood extends into the open kitchenMore louvres form the railing that separates the different sections of the main dining room, which feature brass detailing and lamps.
      A full bar covered by a cantilevered wood canopy stretches the length of the space, while a passage next to the bar leads into a private dining room.

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      At the end of the bar is the elevated slope that leads to an open concept kitchen.
      The restaurant also has a secondary dining space in the backroom, which has slightly different detailing – such as a wood-burning stove and wooden walls – that makes it “reminiscent of Ontario’s cabin country,” according to the designers.
      The backroom opens up onto the courtyardThis dining area also has glass doors on one side that lead out into the courtyard.
      Throughout the restaurant, OGA worked with Coolican & Company to conceive custom furniture both for the kitchen and the dining space. A standout feature was the inclusion of drawers in the booths that hold the restaurant’s custom knife sets.
      The custom tables have drawers for steak knivesOmar Gandhi Architects is based in Novia Scotia. Other projects include a home near Lake Ontario with a winding wood staircase as well as a cedar-clad home in Halifax.
      The photography is by Adrian Ozimek and Doublespace. 
      Project credits:
      Design team: Omar Gandhi, Stephanie Hosein, Jeff Walker, John Gray Thompson, Chad Jamieson, LaurenMcCrimmon, Kris MacDonald, Liam ThornewellRestaurant team: Matty Matheson, Gary Quinto, Coulson Armstrong, and Our House Hospitality CompanyPhysical model: Mary MaStructural: Diomis EngineeringMechanical & electrical: Spline GroupCode: LMDG Building Code Consultants Ltd.Lighting controls & dimming: OneLXCustom furniture: Coolican & CompanyMillworker (primary): Canara Woodworking Inc.Additional millwork: CNC Cung Inc.Custom concrete sinks: Brandon Gore (Hard Goods)Custom booth pendants: Concord Custom LightingCustom signage: Filo TimoArt: Darby MilbraithSpecialty paint finish: Handsome PaintersUniforms: Rosa RugosaContractor: Mazenga Building Group (primary), Bootstrap Design/BuildManufacturers/Suppliers: Moncer (engineered hardwood flooring), Baro Klaus (selected furniture & specialty lighting), Stone Tile (tile), KOL (fiber cement cladding), Vaughan Electrical Supply (lighting), Nella (equipment), Stovemaster (brick hearth), MBH (Steel/glass doors), Sørensen Leather

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      Superette models playful cannabis dispensary on Italian deli

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      Green and beige checkerboard flooring, deli props and tomato red hues feature in this marijuana dispensary in Toronto, designed by Superette’s in-house design team.

      Named The Annex after its location within the Annex neighbourhood of Toronto, the latest marijuana store by Superette is a 500-square-foot cannabis dispensary-cum-hangout space for local young adults.
      The exterior of The Annex cannabis dispensary has green and beige striped awningsIt sits a few blocks away from two college campuses, the University of Toronto’s St. George campus and George Brown College’s Casa Loma campus.
      For the new space, the company turned to the “convivial spirit” of the college canteen for inspiration, aiming to appeal to the student demographic walking through its doors.

      The same retro colour and pattern theme is continued inside”Taking design cues from the convivial spirit of the college canteen, The Annex offers a one of a kind experience where students aged 19 and above can conveniently purchase and consume cannabis, as well as work and socialize,” said the brand.
      “This highly nostalgic and immersive space is rooted in one of our favourite communities.”
      Marijuana paraphernalia and cool drinks are displayed on lime green shelvesFull of entertaining colours and quirky objects, The Annex’s floors are covered in green and white square tiles which match the awnings on the store’s exterior.
      Marijuana products are displayed on lime green walls and shelves while contrasting splashes of tomato red was used for the stools and hanging pendant lights.
      The designers drew on the nostalgic interiors of a classic Italian deliSuperette is French for mini supermarket and all of the brand’s shops take cues from retro-themed eateries like old school diners and bodegas.
      The Annex takes cues from an Italian deli.

      Superette cannabis dispensary in Toronto resembles a retro grocery store

      A deli counter at the back of the store contains an array of pre-rolled joints and different strains and strengths of cannabis, while stools designed to recall a canteen are positioned next to the windows.
      “All of our shops pay homage to similarly familiar and nostalgic retail environments from diners, bodegas, to flower shops, and subway newsstands,” said the brand.
      They hope that the jovial design attracts local studentsAlongside pre-rolled marijuana joints and cannabis, customers can purchase cannabis paraphernalia including bongs, ashtrays and lighters. They can also peruse a selection of other homeware items such as candles and mugs.
      A slew of dispensaries have cropped up in the city of Toronto following the legalisation of marijuana in Canada.
      Among these is a minimal store by architecture studio StudioAC that has sheets of industrial grating over the product displays and a dispensary with mirrored ceilings by Toronto-based designer Paolo Ferrari.
      The photography is courtesy of Superette.

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      Toronto beach house by Odami resolves “contradictory” context between waterfront and city

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      Canadian studio Odami has completed the interiors of a split-level home in Toronto, using light tones that nod to the nearby beaches of Lake Ontario.

      The Beaches House was completed for a client living near the city’s waterfront, which is lined with long stretches of sandy beaches.
      Odami’s design for the interiors drew inspiration from typical beach homes, while also offering a contemporary living environment in Canada’s largest city.
      The Beaches House takes cues from typical beach homes”Toronto’s Beaches neighbourhood presents a peculiar condition within the city,” said the studio, led by Aránzazu González Bernardo and Michael Norman Fohring.
      “To experience the area is to seamlessly transition between a natural and calm landscape, and an urban and lively atmosphere,” they added.

      The split-level home is located in TorontoOdami’s interior palette features typical beach-inspired finishes, such as textured wall panels of varying widths, sand-hued countertops, and plenty of tropical plants throughout the home.
      Throughout the living space, light wooden floors and creamy tones offer a tranquil environment.
      A skylight illuminates the steel-and-wood staircase”Responsible for the interior design, our goal was to create a home which would reflect this contradictory context: a house which would belong as much to the city as it would to a beach far removed from it,” Odami explained.
      At the centre of the house, a skylight illuminates the steel-and-wood staircase, helping to brighten the interiors and draw visitors upstairs as they move through the home.

      Oak staircase links split levels of Canadian house by Omar Gandhi

      “The central staircase, which winds its way up through the split levels of the house, was detailed with thin steel pickets and floating treads, continuing the rhythmic language of the paneling,” said the designers.
      This calmer palette contrasts some darker materials that were used in circulation spaces, such as a grey stone in the entrance hallway, and a bathroom where the walls and floors are lined with a dark terrazzo.
      Odami added dark terrazzo elements to the bathroom”In the bedrooms and bathrooms of the last floor, the sequence comes to rest, as light, repetitive elements give way to moments of stillness, calm, and dense materiality,” the studio explained.
      Odami was founded in 2017 in Toronto. Other projects from the Canadian studio include a collection of wooden furniture that was crafted from the same dying tree, and a restaurant where the walls are lined with roughly troweled plaster.
      The darker tones contrast with the home’s lighter elementsAlso in Toronto, the Winter Stations design competition recently unveiled the pavilions for its 2022 edition.
      The photography is by Doublespace Photography.

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