Aesop Yorkdale Centre

A lightwell invites visitors to cast and rest their eyes across a dappled, golden maple veneer that contrasts with the subdued matte floor—a textural variety mirrored by the juxtaposition of smooth and scratched aluminium.

Aesop Yorkdale in Toronto, Ontario, offers a moment of respite within the busy shopping centre of the same name. The generous proportions, minimalist approach and geometric composition of its aluminium tile façade were inspired by the work of Canadian-born abstract expressionist painter Agnes Martin. With an eye on material restraint, the mill-finish aluminium structure of the entrance is left bare to reduce overall waste.

Inside, the shelves and cabinets are clad in a thin layer of locally sourced Canadian bird’s eye maple, contrasting the warmth of wood with a cool metallic sheen. Bathing the materials in a soft, diffuse glow, a lightwell at the back of the store invites visitors to cast and rest their eyes across the maple, whose dappled, golden finish contrasts with that of the subdued matte floor—a textural variety that is mirrored by the juxtaposition of smooth and scratched aluminium.