NEWH - Fall 2012 - (Page 46)

Project Scarpetta Dining Pavilion at the Thompson Toronto Photography by Dan Cuoto Modern Tea Party Scott Conant’s innovative dining pavilion in Toronto fter turning down an opportunity to design Scott Conant’s New York Scarpetta restaurant some two and a half years ago, designers Keith Rushbrook and Dan Menchions serendipitously had another chance to work with Conant. Close friend and developer of the Thompson Toronto, Tony Cohen, recommended them for his outdoor dining pavilion set within a green space framed by the hotel and a park. “Tony said you have to work with these great designers, who are very close friends of ours,” explains Rushbrook, partner of Toronto-based II BY IV Design. But the Scarpetta Dining Pavilion isn’t your typical al fresco eatery. It’s a roughly 1,000-square-foot space housed in a black anodized aluminum pergola designed by gh3; inside 40 people dine side-by-side at a long, white Corian-topped communal table, a continuous surface that whimsically changes from table height to counter height to bar height. “The pavilion wasn’t wide enough to do typical tables and chairs,” explains A By Stacy Rauen Rushbrook, adding that the communal table was the first drawing he and his team did. “Our inspiration was the Mad Hatter’s tea party. It feels very special and private, even though you are having dinner with 40 other people.” Besides being a solution for a challenging space, the sculptural white table with its stainless steel legs standing on black stained concrete floors also contrasts the black angular structure, with its ribbon-like crisscrosses. Elsewhere, the designers used a mirrored chrome finish—on the hostess stand and bar, and Emeco chairs, barstools, and rockers with white leather cushions—so that they would “disappear” by reflecting the surrounding park and water feature. The only color comes in the form of orange Kartell Cindy lamps, which play off of a dominant color in the hotel’s lobby. Says Rushbrook: “This is very out of the box for us, but we love these challenges. It’s not just a patio; it’s a really cool patio.” 〉〉〉 46 www.newh.org http://www.newh.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NEWH - Fall 2012

NEWH - Fall 2012
Table of Contents
News
Who’s Who
Sustainability: Point of View
Sustainability: Conference Recap
Design 101
Icon of Industry
Q&A: Christine Wasmer
Q&A: Rich Gesteland
Have You Seen?
Product Know How
On the Scene
American Atelier
Project: Scarpetta Dining Pavilion
Project: St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort
Save the Date
New Members
Partner Profiles
Ad Index

NEWH - Fall 2012