An underutilized building in Toronto’s Corso Italia neighbourhood has been transformed into a mixed-use creative hub, reflecting the local architect’s belief about urban renewal—serving as a catalyst for change, with positive impacts on a community.
With the acquisition of a century-old, three-storey brick building in which to house its own studio, Dubbeldam Architecture + Design undertook a major renovation not only to custom design its own workspace, but also to develop a creative and entrepreneurial community, integrating complementary businesses under the same roof.
Occupying a corner site on St. Clair West, at the edge of Corso Italia, the underutilized building was in decline and disrepair after more than a decade of neglect before the project was started. With the studio occupying the building’s top floor, the firm’s principal, Heather Dubbeldam, and her partner Kevin McIntosh established Lokaal, a collegial and inclusive co-working space for creatives on the second floor to strengthen community purpose within the building.
On the ground floor, a marketing agency is joined by an indie coffee shop to form the critical retail anchor to serve the building’s inhabitants as well as the local community. In the raised basement, a residential unit provides a much-needed opportunity for rental accommodation.
Prior to the renovation, the building facades were a patchwork of decades-old neglect: mismatched bricks, delaminated stucco, and undersized, randomly positioned windows. Newly enlarged openings look out onto St. Clair Avenue and the adjacent neighbourhood, drawing in abundant natural light and increasing the transparency of the building to establish a more open and inviting presence on the corner.
Reflecting the creative nature of the building’s inhabitants, the two public-facing elevations activate the streetscape with a bold and playful graphic presence; painted drop shadows surrounding the windows create a 3D trompe l’oeil effect to passersby.
The striking exterior graphics continue throughout the project, from the distinctive and eye-catching signage at the building’s entrance, to the materially rich wayfinding on all three interior floors. Some examples of this include a custom Baltic birch pegboard panel on the first-floor landing that serves double duty as a directory for the businesses in the building, as well as a thriving green wall populated with lush plants in fragrant cedar boxes. Lipstick pink and terra cotta paint are applied to the underside of the stair to add colour and energy.
Essential to Dubbeldam’s vision, the studio had to reflect the firm’s philosophy, working methodology, and commitment to sustainability. The design provides opportunities for staff, clients, and visitors to exchange ideas around architecture and design, while demonstrating principles of sustainability and adaptive reuse. Open workstations occupy most of the office to reinforce collaboration, while a breakout area equipped with a large table for group work and discussion was also included. This space doubles as a library of reference books and material samples on shelving around the perimeter with natural daylight pouring in from the expansive corner window cut out of the north and east facades.
The boardroom and light-filled kitchen/lunchroom create additional spaces for discussion, while high ceilings and sliding walls in the studio provide ample room for pinup, essential for sharing and exchanging ideas.
Thoughtful attention was also given to the building’s interior details. For instance, the interior design has a Scandinavian-inspired natural material palette, featuring exposed brick, maple floors, Baltic birch slats, and warm millwork. Charcoal-grey doors and furniture create a striking contrast. A white Corian waterfall panel greets visitors with an inscribed “hello” at the reception desk, and the wall and ceiling-mounted eco-felt panels provide acoustical benefits. The work of local designers and fabricators was incorporated into the project as much as possible: light fixtures, furniture, workstations, and textiles were sourced locally. Thinking more broadly about sustainable approaches, and supporting local independent businesses, 80 per cent of the materials were obtained locally, even sourcing wood from a nearby lumber yard. Many of the consultants and tradespeople—including the structural engineer, millworkers, carpenters, and metalworkers—either lived or worked within walking distance of the job site.
