Located just steps from the bustling Yonge and Sheppard intersection in Toronto, Hay Sushi is a neighborhood restaurant known for its refined Japanese cuisine and relaxed atmosphere. Odami had the opportunity to redesign the Spring Garden location, moving it to a new space that doubles its previous capacity. Odami’s intervention aims to translate the understated elegance of the restaurant’s menu—featuring well-structured dishes, meticulously detailed yet not overly decorative—into a warm, inviting, and familiar environment that strengthens and enhances Hay Sushi’s role within the local community.
The new space, situated on the ground floor of a 1990s residential tower, had been obscured by years of DIY renovations that hid its street presence and inherent spatial qualities. By stripping away these layers, the 2,500-square-foot space reclaimed its essential industrial structure, defined by the solidity of concrete and abundant natural light streaming through restored floor-to-ceiling windows, reestablishing a dialogue with the exterior.
Odami embraced the raw nature of the built environment through a thoughtful layering of materials that reveal and enhance the site’s potential. The warm color palette—composed of terracotta tiles, sand-toned leather, and white oak furnishings—softens the massive presence of concrete, creating a contrast between structural strength and material lightness. The rigid geometry of the square columns and beams is counterbalanced by circular details: rounded openings, arched doorways, spherical pendant lights, and the curved cocktail bar.
This material dialogue is further enriched by the interplay of opacity and transparency, achieved through the use of textured glass, high-gloss epoxy flooring, and stainless steel millwork. Light filters through the glass, glides across reflective surfaces, and bounces off brushed metal, creating moments of texture and movement that break the rigidity of the concrete and offer a continuous perceptual variation.
The expansive space was reimagined through subtle architectural interventions that ensure both flexibility and ease of navigation. The elevated dining area is defined by exposed ceilings that create an airy ambiance, while a lowered canopy and dinner bar scale the space down towards the street, fostering a more intimate atmosphere. Cream-colored banquettes and floors visually blend into the walls, highlighting two central glass-block partitions that act as focal points for the main service area while providing privacy from the corridor leading to the kitchen.
Beyond the high-traffic entryway, the curved cocktail bar, wrapped in speckled marble and textured porcelain tiles, offers a welcoming and refined point of arrival. This feature flows seamlessly into the sushi preparation area, an active station that showcases the day’s offerings, emphasizing the direct relationship between chefs and diners.
The project is grounded in a philosophy of simplicity and discipline, aligning with Odami’s interest in the dialogue between opposites: the contrast between weight and lightness, industrial materials and artisanal touches, opacity and transparency. Every architectural gesture is stripped down to its essence, fostering an honest dialogue with the existing structure while respecting the urban context and the social function of the restaurant.
Credits
Project: HAY SUSHI
Studio: Odami
Location: Toronto, Canada
Year: 2024
Photo: Kurtis Chen
