Flagship Store for a Coffee Chain in Toronto

In their design for a flagship store for the % Arabica coffee chain in Toronto, Tacklebox Architecture were inspired by the glacier formations of the Canadian landscape.

The new coffee bar is in Toronto’s Union Station, a main railway terminal that also serves as an important hub for local public transport. It forms a white-gleaming, bilaterally glazed body between an escalator and the station concourse, whose monochrome, natural-stone surfaces create a stark contrast with the minimalist appearance of the new flagship store.

Inside, the space encompasses a large counter with a centrally positioned bar table and rows of seats along the glass fronts, plus a row of chairs along the interior wall and a further wall offering merchandise. Storage is separate and is found behind the counter.

A gypsum glacier

The complex glaciers of Canada served as a model for Tacklebox Architecture, who have translated them into sculptural surfaces made of gypsum plasterboard. Layers of “ice” and “stone” have been fashioned into 172 faceted blocks that were handmade from 3452 layers of stacked gypsum panels. They serve as cladding for the counter and walls, where they extend from floor to ceiling.

Above the counter, coffee sacks are displayed in steel boxes. © Eric Petschek

Contrast-rich interior design

Above the counter, the blocks have been perforated with 24 white, powder-coated steel boxes where coffee sacks are displayed. Thanks to their textile feel and brown colour, these sacks contrast with the white of the fittings, walls and floor. The same can be said for the coffee machines and grinders on the counter, all in brown and black, which take on the additional function of striking decorative objects.

An artificial retreat

The surrounding work surface of the counter consists of white Corian, a composite material that adds to the synthetic appearance of the coffee bar. In fact, despite its large glass surfaces the new flagship store acts as a retreat where customers can immerse themselves in an artificial world. After all, the white-brownish colour echoes that of the product sold here. It also meets the client’s intention to show his customers the world of coffee.