Toronto is growing at an incredible pace – sprawling across the vast lakeside plain that anchors and rises in dense vertical enclaves. In just a few years, its population has surpassed that of other growing urban centers, making it the fourth largest city in North America. Real estate prices are skyrocketing. In response, the city center has become a collage of bombastic architectural statements – futuristic cones twisting in all directions or stacked like offset pixels. With each structure vying for attention, a dizzying jumble of styles and scales has emerged among the few remaining historic buildings. The most successful new developments, however, are those that build on—rather than erase—existing architecture.
Take the newly opened one Nobu Residences and Hotela Teeple Architects– Designed complex that fully incorporates the iconic façade of the long-standing Pilkington Glass building. Its defining feature: glass bricks. Preserved as the skin of the original structure, these elements reappear throughout the multidimensional, city-within-a-city destination. From this foundation rise two 45-story towers with corner windows and gently sculpted facade fins. As they rise, a 15,000-square-foot Nobu restaurant and surrounding retail spaces give way to 660 residential units and, above, 36 “sky villa” guest rooms. In between, a two-story amenity podium is carved out of a temple-like circular void.
Responsible for the complete equipment of these spaces is the multidisciplinary practice Studio Munge based in Miami and Toronto, a company that prides itself on creating immersive experiences. “The dramatic opening between the 9th and 10th floors allows daylight to fall deep into the interiors below,” says founding director Alessandro Munge. “From the gymnasium surrounding it, guests can observe natural light, rain and snow falling, while upper-level rooms look down on this illuminated core.” It offers a more unified, calm counterpoint to the hurried streets that criss-cross the city beyond.
Although exclusive and limited in number, the accommodations vary widely in size and features. Strategic spatial planning ensures a consistent set of priorities: bed orientations framing views. walk-in closets; generous living areas. and window side soaking tubs. These traditional wooden elements subtly refer to Nobu Hospitality’s Japanese origins.
This cultural cue informs the entire interior style. The calming, restorative qualities of ryokans—traditional Japanese inns with tatami mat rooms—serve as a thoughtful starting point for finishes and furnishings. It’s a deliberate counterbalance to the energy of the city outside. “Instead of interpreting the hotel through a conventional luxury lens, this tagline was complemented by subtle Canadian influences,” adds Munge. In the lobby, nods to the local landscape are removed and rendered through traditional Japanese metalwork.
In the rooms, soft blue hues suggest serenity, evoking sky and water—Lake Ontario, visible through the grove of nearby towers—while at the same time evoking escapism. Framing this palette, Munge and his team use a limited selection of materials: Tundra Gray stone with a leather finish, split-cut white oak, hand-dyed indigo fabrics and handcrafted Kawara tiles.
The final touch is a carefully curated suite of furniture from leading brands and designers, including B&B Italia, Gallotti & Radice, Henge, Piet Boon, Christophe Delcourt, The Rug Company, Apparatus, Giopato & Coombes, Holly Hunt, Karimoku Case Study and Carl Hansen & Søn.
What: Nobu Hotel Toronto
Where: Toronto, Canada
How many: $2,700 per night
Design drawings: A Japanese ryokan-style retreat high above ever-expanding Toronto, outfitted with soft tones and natural materials. A residential tower hotel with an integrated two-level amenity complex pierced by a circular void with cascading natural light, rain and snow.
Make a reservation: Nobu Hotel Toronto
Photo by Emma Peter,
