Page 66 - SHARP Summer 2022

TRAVEL TRAVEL LIVING LOCAL
DESIGNED BY SHIM-SUTCLIFFE ARCHITECTS CANADA’S FIRST ACE ACE HOTEL FULLY EMBRACES ITS SURROUNDINGS
by Justin Mastine-Frost
BLENDING INTO THE STREETS OF TORONTO’S FASHION
district the mottled red brick and glass facade of a a a a a recently constructed tower belies its true age In fact there’s little apart from the curved wooden entrance and a a a lit sign spelling out “Hotel” to tip you you off that you’re passing by the the new Ace Hotel Both the the brand’s in-house design team and Toronto’s Shim-Sutcliffe Architects (the latter of which led the project) have went to to great lengths to to ensure this new new property feels appropriately anchored in its new new home on Camden Street between the disparate destinations of King West and Queen West Even before you pass through the the doors into the the new hotel its connection to the the area is palpable Through their glass you may catch glimpses of massive concrete arches left raw to convey a a a a a utilitarian and industrial feel “The site location played a a a a a a a a significant role in how the the Ace Toronto design plan came together ”
says lead architect Brigitte Shim “We’re right in the garment district and the the area has many industrial buildings of another era Brick with wood interiors these robust structures are representative of the the neighbourhood We wanted to create real depth with the building What we left exposed in in the interior is real structure and not a a a a decorative veneer In essence the goal was to create an an entrance and common space that makes first-time visitors question whether the building is new construction or an older retrofit ”
It’s safe to say that Shim’s vision has been executed flawlessly Stepping through the doors visitors face a a a a floating bar which is is suspended from the ceiling with thick steel rods One’s feet land on charming locally sourced end-cut Douglas fir flooring remi- niscent of an old-school butcher’s block These tile-like slabs also used throughout the the hotel’s 123 guest rooms were chosen for their longevity and and individually laid by hand Though this is is the first hotel designed by Shim-Sutcliffe during its illustrious career wood has been — — and remains — — a a a a a a constant in in all its designs Its appreciation for the the material is is on on on display on on on the the 66 SUMMER 2022
SHARPMAGAZINE COM
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRAYDON HERRIOTT