Arthur's restaurant wins international awards notably for its unique octagon ceiling with a central dome that forms a stunning focal design point.
Photos by Elaine Fancy
Since opening in 2019, Arthur’s Restaurant has become one of the most notable new restaurants to appear on the Toronto dining scene in recent memory. Designed by gh3* and fabricated by Unique Store Fixtures, the space features an intimate lounge and bar area in addition to the main dining room, which features a stunning octagon ceiling with a center dome as the main focal point. The exceptional design and execution have garnered critical acclaim. Unique and gh3* have recently received two notable awards: the Gold 2020 Shop! Design Awards for Restaurant Fine Dining and the Silver for A’Design Award and Competition Interior Space and Exhibition Design Category Award.
Unique Store Fixtures fabrications and gh3*designs have also been shortlisted for the International Hotel & Property Awards. gh3* is a peer-recognized and award-winning Canadian design practice. Principals Pat Hanson and Raymond Chow lead an office team that includes architects, landscape architects, designers, and technical staff. gh3* works in the increasingly complex realm where architecture, urbanism, and landscape overlap. The energetic and interdisciplinary team is committed to the best in creative practice. gh3* believes excellent design is an essential part of everyday life, and that spatially and visually engaging places can inspire joy and civic pride.
Unique Store Fixtures is an award-winning company, with recent accomplishments of Gold in Shop! Design Awards, and Gold and Silver A'Design Awards. Unique has also been featured in AZ Awards for Design Excellence, Dezeen Awards, Restaurant and Bar Design Awards, Global Future Design Awards, Canadian Interiors' Best of Canada Design Competition, and International Hotel and Property Design Awards.
They came together for this restaurant by Chase Hospitality Group (CHG, which is a full-service restaurant, catering, and events company. Founded in 2013, CHG’s vision is to redefine the future of hospitality in North America. Their love for hospitality extends further than their dedication to creating amazing guest experiences; it’s in their team of hospitality professionals; their quest to find the finest ingredients; their obsession with beautifully designed spaces. Their passion for hospitality lives in all of these elements and in every experience that they create for their clients.
“We are incredibly privileged to have worked with the exceptional designers of gh3* and to have been entrusted to execute their design flawlessly in the creation of one of the most distinctive rooms and restaurants in Toronto. It is a source of great pride to our team to be recognized in this manner,” says Ferro Corrente Jr., Chief Operating Officer, Unique Store Fixtures.
“Unique Store Fixtures created a faceted ceiling design with wood veneer, and the resulting geometry feels like cut crystal hanging above diners, with the materials used providing an intimacy by their subtle detailing,” says Shawna Seligman of gh3*, who served as the project architect for Arthur’s. “Each panel was hand-crafted in-house by Unique to the exacting finishes and specifications as per our design. We had a great experience working with Unique.”
The octagon’s center dome is constructed out of bronze patina, which draws the eye inward, while at the same time housing the lighting and mechanical details. Bronze is also used throughout much of the space, including in the bar and lounge area, which features a welded bronze tartan display used to house bottles and glasses. In addition, the solid bronze panels in the main dining room bar have all been hand-painted to create a bespoke finish and add a decorative accent throughout the large dark space.
Arthur’s Restaurant is the latest offering by Chase Hospitality Group, also known for Kasa Moto and the Planta series of restaurants. “The best part about working with Unique was that I was doing a project that was so close to my heart and as a tribute to my father. And who is a better company to discuss that vision with than Unique, which is a family-run business,” says Steven Salm, CEO of Chase Hospitality Group. “Unique treats you like a family, and every step of this project was very easy.”
Unique Store Fixtures is an award-winning Toronto-based fabrication company guided by the principles of craftsmanship, innovation, and partnerships. Their work encompasses custom furniture, single-family homes, multi-unit residential buildings, restaurants, and extraordinary retail feature locations. Unique’s award-winning creativity, quality craftsmanship, and customized products are hallmarks of some of the leading brands in the world’s most desired retailing destinations, including Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Holt Renfrew, Bergdorf Goodman, and Christian Louboutin.