NEWH - Summer 2017 - 48

PROJECT | KASA MOTO

Serenity Now
II BY IV DESIGN crafts a dreamy Toronto hotspot

By Alia Akkam
Photography by Hill Peppard Photography and Revelateur Studio

Toronto's Yorkville neighborhood is an appropriately
posh setting for Kasa Moto, the contemporary Japanese
hotspot from Chase Hospitality Group that opened in 2015.
For this bilevel restaurant, complete with rooftop terrace
and a coveted 10-person chef's table directly across the
open kitchen, local firm II BY IV DESIGN abided by a simple
directive: conjure an inviting environment where patrons are
keen to linger a bit longer.
"By keeping the Japanese fusion fare central to the design,
we endeavored to create a memorable sensory experience,
where the elegance and sophistication of the space amplifies
the cuisine," says cofounder Keith Rushbrook.
A respect of the building's architectural history, including
structural columns that couldn't be altered, led to "a series
of individually designed vignettes, each with its own

personality," points out Rushbrook, noting the presence of
alcoves and modern, geometric evocations of traditional Shoji
screens that demarcate intimate dining areas.
Inspired by the ancient temples encountered on a trip
to Tokyo and Kyoto with II BY IV partner Dan Menchions,
Rushbrook paid tribute to Japanese culture with a minimalist
aesthetic, juxtaposing dark wood with light. Throughout,
the restaurant features materials including bush-hammered
stone and natural walnut ceiling lintels, complementing the
muted palette of gray and blue that is accented with gold and
bronze, such as the metallic peacocks gracing the midnight
black wallpaper in the lounge-like upstairs. On the main floor,
the dining room is dominated by a duo of backlit onyx bars
dedicated to beverages and sushi.
Among the highlights are works by local artist Tisha Myles,
including dreamy murals of Japanese
landscapes and koi, as well as the largescale, colorful paintings capturing the
elaborate hairstyles of maiko and geiko
women on the second floor. "They provide
a sense of context and add a certain
sense of softness," says Rushbrook.
For Rushbrook and his team, who also
lent their savvy to the presentation of the
dishes, it was important that "the serenity
and simplicity of the design," allow for the
cuisine to bask in the limelight.

Left: II BY IV Design respected Kasa
Moto's architecture by creating a series of
individually designed dining vignettes, or
alcoves, around structural columns.
48 www.newh.org



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NEWH - Summer 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NEWH - Summer 2017

Newh - Summer 2017
Table of Contents
News
Conference Roundup
Who’s Who
Have You Seen?
Scholarships
Sustainability
Q&A: Becca Kundysek
Q&A: Dina Caruso
Q&A: Leslie Wynne
On the Cover: Delta Faucet Company
Project: Admiral Semmes Hotel
Project: The Miranda
Project: Kasa Moto
Chapter Highlights
Save the Date
New Members
Partner Profiles
Ad Index
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Newh - Summer 2017
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Cover2
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Table of Contents
NEWH - Summer 2017 - News
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 5
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 6
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 7
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Conference Roundup
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 9
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Who’s Who
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 11
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 12
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 13
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 14
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 15
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 16
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 17
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Have You Seen?
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 19
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 20
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 21
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 22
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 23
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 24
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 25
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Scholarships
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 27
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Sustainability
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 29
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Q&A: Becca Kundysek
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 31
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Q&A: Dina Caruso
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 33
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Q&A: Leslie Wynne
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 35
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 36
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 37
NEWH - Summer 2017 - On the Cover: Delta Faucet Company
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 39
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Project: Admiral Semmes Hotel
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 41
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 42
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 43
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Project: The Miranda
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 45
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 46
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 47
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Project: Kasa Moto
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 49
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 50
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 51
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Chapter Highlights
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 53
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 54
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 55
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 56
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 57
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 58
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 59
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 60
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 61
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 62
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 63
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Save the Date
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 65
NEWH - Summer 2017 - New Members
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 67
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 68
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 69
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 70
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 71
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 72
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 73
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 74
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 75
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 76
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 77
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Partner Profiles
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 79
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 80
NEWH - Summer 2017 - 81
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Ad Index
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Cover3
NEWH - Summer 2017 - Cover4
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