The Drake Hotel
Toronto
Paul Syme Architect and 3rd UNCLE design

Vestiges of the past guide an old building’s dynamic new program

© George Whiteside

For more photos click on 'photos & drawings' above. To see the people and products behind this project click on 'people & products.'

An extensive renovation of a 110-year-old building, the Drake Hotel incorporates guest rooms, a bar/lounge, dining room, cafe, music/banquet/theatre venue, yoga gym, two outdoor patios and staff areas. Starting with owner Jeff Stober’s cultural vision, Paul Syme Architect and 3rd UNCLE design assembled a creative team of talented professionals and artisans and directed the collaboration. Charged with developing a sensitive design concept and spatial strategy, the architects found a solution that would preserve the essence of the original building while allowing the building and its program to continually evolve in a dynamic and new way. The design process and final result imaginatively engages the story of the Drake Hotel and its neighborhood. Drawing on the physical fabric of the building uncovered during the project, the hotel extends and enriches this story to encompass new interpretations by a current community of users.

Reconfigured existing spaces create alternative possibilities for use. New instrumental elements–a stage, a blackboard, an electronic information and entertainment network–invite creative participation. Found objects have been refurbished and altered to accommodate fresh uses. Other newly designed pieces, including ottomans, stools, and lamps, weave new histories into the fabric. Certain existing materials remain, revealing traces of past use, whereas new materials have been chosen for their patina, their ability to register use and age. The Drake is already a vibrant part of the neighborhood and cultural community. Its design concept, developed as part of a symbiotic relationship with the program and the users, ultimately establishes the brand identity of the Drake Hotel.

Formal name of Project:
The Drake Hotel

Location:
Toronto, Ontario

Gross square footage:
7,156 sq. ft.

Owner:
Jeff Stober

Architect:
Paul Syme Architect
8 Camden St., Suite 300
Toronto, ON, M5V 1V1
phone (416)504-2934
fax (416)504-7641

Interior designer:
3rd UNCLE design www.3rduncle.com