Decorating & Design
Meet The ‘Starchitects’ Behind Toronto’s New Ace Hotel
Updated on July 26, 2023
Howard Sutcliffe and Brigitte Shim of Shim-Sutcliffe Architects are known for projects, including Toronto’s new Ace Hotel, that are richly nuanced and responsive to their landscapes. Scroll down to learn more about the new hotel and discover their latest design preferences.
Canada’s first Ace Hotel has officially arrived in Toronto’s Garment District — and it’s been seven years in the making. Shim-Sutcliffe Architects designed the stunning 14-storey building and collaborated with Atelier Ace, the in-house creative agency, on the interiors. The quirky mix of brick, concrete, copper and wood creates a layered aesthetic that represents a harmonious marriage of these design minds. A whimsical swooping entrance is the perfect teaser to the chic interiors, where guests will find curated original art, custom-designed copper sconces, in-room vinyl collections and bespoke patchwork quilts.
51 Camden St., Toronto
Steel-edged concrete arches emphasize the lobby’s grand scale. On the back wall is Horizon Line, a three-storey art installation by A. Howard Sutcliffe.
Helmed by chef Patrick Kriss, Alder, the hotel’s signature restaurant, features a Mediterranean-inspired menu and wood-fired grill.
Keep scrolling to see what’s inspiring these ‘starchitects’ lately!
One of Howard and Brigitte’s favorite views at Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Tugendhat House in Brno, Czech Republic.
Recent Inspiration: Mies van der Rohe’s 1930s Tugendhat House in Brno, Czech Republic. We were astounded by the amazing use of color, materials and textures, and the interconnections between the building and its landscape.
Key Influence On Design: Climate change requires architects and designers to rethink how we use resources to create meaningful and valued spaces. We need our buildings to be givers, not takers.
If You Could Buy Only One More Thing For Your Home: Isamu Noguchi’s Akari paper lamp. It creates such a warm glow in any room.
One Thing Every Room Needs: Natural light shapes our spaces, and our spaces shape us. We enjoy exploring and experimenting with how to invite natural light inside.
Howard Sutcliffe (left) and Brigitte Shim’s firm Shim-Sutcliffe Architects was awarded Canada’s prestigious Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Gold Medal in 2021. Since its launch in 1994, the firm has made an indelible contribution to Canadian architecture.
Design Objective: Striving for the best fit between built form, landscape and our client’s needs.
Atmosphere You Like To Create: Rich, spatial experiences. We’re always building spaces with a range of scales, from grand to intimate.
Design Idea You Love To Use: Water is a critical part of our natural world, and we intertwine and interweave it into our projects whenever possible.
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