Middle East meets King Street West at Toronto’s Hammam Spa,a modernreinterpretation of the traditional hammam (Roman or Turkish baths) for an overstressed, urban clientele.

By Gabrielle Hohnson

                                                                                                                                                               There is an appealing incongruity to the location of hammam, Toronto's newest luxury day spa. Braving the city's slushy sidewalks in the bitterly cold dead of winter, it is a special treat to enter the unassuming King Street West building and find 8,000 square feet of warmly inviting.

It is a decent into relaxation – literally. The spa is below ground level and the steps leading down to the reception area curve beautifully over a small waterfall and flower strewn pool. Exposed brickwork frames a frosted glass window with a laser-cut foliage design that is echoed throughout the space. A panel in the floor gives the appearance of being peeled back to allow a thriving tree to poke through. The wood under the front desk is similarly stripped away to expose fragments of bark, creating a nice harmony between nature and metropolis.

Toronto’s King Street West is now home to an eclectic and chic collection of restaurants, galleries and boutique shops. Once an industrial enclave with old shop houses and factories, the district has now undergone a mass conversion into a community of bright and open loft-like spaces.  Much like the city’s distillery district, which was also treated to an artsy makeover, this neighborhood serves tourists by day and the hippest crowds by night. Such are the roots of Century Room, originally a printing warehouse. In its early days, the space was recycled into a college pub. However, now with surrounding buildings receiving much need primping, the student party spot has joined the design revolution, emerging as a classy hangout for socialites. Local firm Prototype Design Lab (PD Lab) was responsible for its latest reincarnation in November 2006. Founded by Interior and Product Designer Antonio Tadrissi, PD Lab covers a breadth of disciplines including architecture, interiors, furniture and product design, branding and advertising. In fact, its broad talent base led an offshoot company, Caprice Living, which specializes in designer furniture.

Design within reach King Street West is Toronto's answer to NewYork City cool.
By Vanessa Craft

According  to urban entrepreneur Zark Fatah, King Street West is the "hottest street in Canada." Located in downtown Toronto, the King West area has been flooded with high-end condos, trendy restaurants and bar-lounges for the beautiful people. "It's the city's version of New York City's Meatpacking District," he says.

Architect/designer Antonio Tadrissi agrees, "People who want something different are coming here," he explains. "They're buying into a lifestyle, a community." Here's the real reason why the area is so high up on the hip-list: Umbrella Lifestyle Concepts, run by Fatah and Tadrissi, has commenced a not-so-subtle takeover. Housing seven different lifestyle businesses under one very well-dressed roof, Umbrella Lifestyle Concepts covers furniture and interior design, health and wellness, public relations, social entertainment, architecture and fine dining.  

What’s the name? Toronto-based restaurateur Zark Fatah, already known for his hip establishments Blowfish and Century Room, adds edge to his latest undertaking by naming it with the Japanese word for ‘poison’. Culture fosters a rich collection of symbols and words to describe danger: ‘toxic’, ‘deadly’ and the legendary ‘skull and crossbones’ to name a few. Why then would one give a snazzy spot such a negative association? Maybe to distinguish this eatery from others mushrooming in the city. Or to appeal to our dark side… to go for that thrill of doing something forbidden or potentially harmful.  In this case it’s more to titillate then to invite us to actually put ourselves through risk. Opened last March, Doku 15, an Asian fused hub combining a restaurant and a lounge, is snugly located within the skyline Cosmopolitan Hotel. Expanding on the hotel’s Zen and Feng Shui themes, already infused with by local firm Core Architects Inc, a minimalist, meditative spirit is carried through to the restaurant - but with a modern spunk.