Seven

ISP/VM+SD International Store Design Competition Winner
Entertainment Facility
First Place

By IV Design Associates Inc., Toronto
The project also won a Special Award for innovative store lighting.

Seven wanted to be Toronto's sexy house and R&B hot dance destination on weekends, yet support a weekday corporate lunch crowd.

The owner, Dynamic Hospitality & Entertainment Group (Toronto), already owned the office building. But it was a somewhat utilitarian space, so a compelling street presence and entry experience was also called for.

II By IV Design (Toronto) created a single large open lounge area on the main floor centered around a huge, hollow, square bar. The lounge is ringed with 4-foot-tall, internally lit column-like drink tables circled with metal footrails.

The lounge leads to a dazzling dance floor, overlooked by a second lounge on the mezzanine, where pure white, low-profile furnishings repeat the hollow, square layout of the first floor.

The name of the place, referring to the deadly sins, provides the core interior theme. References are sandblasted in mirror surfaces above the lounge banquettes and upstairs behind the 30-foot, internally lit bar. The backlit mirror continuously changes colors, matched by downlighting on the bottle display.

Client: Dynamic Hospitality & Entertainment Group, Toronto

Design: II By IV Design Associates Inc., Toronto – Dan Menchions, Keith Rushbrook, principals; Tanya Yeung, Andy Verhiel, designers

Suppliers: ISA Intl., Toronto (fabrics); Riverfield Renovations, Toronto (flooring); ISA Intl., Toronto, Kiosk, Toronto, Nienkampter, Toronto, Plan B, Toronto (furniture); Nova Classique, Toronto, Lightolier, Toronto, Eurolite, Toronto (lighting); McFaddens, Oakville, Ont. (laminates); Scenery Plastics, Toronto (wallcoverings)