Best Retail Interior Surface: Short List Entry
Surrounded by the exhilarating lights of Toronto’s culturally rich entertainment district is an intimate sanctuary honoring prestige and Japanese minimalism. Within the Nobu Presentation Gallery, materiality takes centre stage. While taking a holistic design approach, Studio Munge created a striking duality of colour and form through
Guests enter through a long corridor informed by interiors walls shaped by vertical cypress wood slats emerging from the depths of the stone floor. The blond wood, reminiscent of the exclusive Japanese Hinoki, pays homage to the brand’s infamous cuisine and heritage. As the experience evolves, guests must embark through a symmetrical water feature; the many delicate floor-to-ceiling streams flow downwards gathering in a curved pool integrated into the darkness of the floor. The sounds of the bustling city dissipate as the rhythm of trickling water perform as a metronome of tranquility. The seamless succession of blond wood curves through the space with fluidity and simultaneously creates unity and distinction for each room.
The interior walls stimulate an infinite visual experience promoting a refreshing balance of honest materiality and a promise of the highly-anticipated Nobu development to come. Representative of the brand’s legacy, the unique surface application elevates the experience of a sales centre into a harmonious recess of luxury.