Like most design-focused global brands, had its sights set on Toronto’s Design District. “We had a showroom pencilled in on Castlefield,” says Fisher & Paykel chief operating officer for Canada Crt Prasnikar, describing the process of building Canada’s first Experience Centre. Yet “something didn’t feel right,” Prasnikar recalls. His first call was to architect . He agreed. “It just felt kind of banal, like any other showroom,” says Gandhi. The search for a signature space both complicated and clarified the process. Prasnikar, Gandhi and the Fisher & Paykel team focused their efforts on creating a marquee experience — one that exemplifies the brand’s ethos and heritage. They found it in Liberty Village. Tucked into a mid-block lane, Fisher & Paykel’s new Toronto Experience Centre re-imagines the boiler room of a historic 1898 carpet factory as a procession of three unique culinary — and social — environments, each of which showcases appliances in a distinct setting.
From the entrance, it’s apparent that this is no ordinary showroom. In the elegantly pared-down foyer, the building’s exposed brick walls set the stage for a deftly balanced interplay of old and new. “It’s an incredible building; one that really tells the story of Old Toronto in its bones,” says Gandhi. For the architect, it entailed an intervention with a light touch. Stepping inside, a striking Fisher & Paykel product sculpture at the base of a meticulously restored chimney invites visitors to look up into the soaring barrel of industrial brick above.
Beyond the foyer, a sculptural plinth greets visitors with a “hot rock” induction and a serving of kawakawa tea — derived from a fragrant New Zealand plant prized for its medicinal properties. Here, the streamlined Minimal Kitchen showcases appliances within a warm yet artfully understated ambiance. Crafted by local cabinet makers , the subdued space illustrates how Fisher & Paykel’s Minimal Style designs sit quietly in support of bespoke architecture. The kitchen is paired with Fisher & Paykel’s luxury wine experience, which is likewise tucked seamlessly into the woodwork.
Around the corner, the sleek Professional Kitchen reveals an entirely different mood. Designed in collaboration with , the highly functional yet refined space places an emphasis on exceptional performance. High-grade stainless-steel appliances are a highlight, taking pride of place alongside a palette of walnut millwork and natural finishes to create a clean, unfussy and sophisticated milieu.
The journey culminates with the Mastery of Temperature Experience. At the heart of the Experience Centre, the showpiece Contemporary Kitchen is a working social space designed to be hosted by in-house chefs. Anchored by a large-format stainless-steel Arclinea island — which brings guests up close to the action — the kitchen also accommodates a more formal dining encounter with a table by Canadian designer , allowing for combined seating of up to 20 people. It’s another good place to look up: The open room is framed by Gandhi’s suspended ceiling installation, which fosters a sense of both intimacy and quiet awe.
After the Mastery of Temperature Experience, it’s worth sticking around. Only the seventh in a global rollout of Experience Centres, Toronto’s newest design destination is also outfitted with comfortable lounge areas and a compact apartment kitchen — as well as a DCS kitchen that illustrates a chef-level outdoor cooking solution. It’s a perfect setting to explore the breadth of Fisher & Paykel products, and to understand how each high-performance appliance can complement — and even inspire — the design journey. Throughout, the fine balance of old and new makes for a gracefully refined setting.
“The functional aesthetics of the industrial architecture have been celebrated and drawn upon as a source of contrast, highlighting Fisher & Paykel’s ongoing interest in the concept of raw sophistication,” says Gandhi. “It recognizes that a spatial experience heightened through the contrast and layering of textures and materials evokes a greater emotional response.”
This content was published by Azure on behalf of .
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