Faculty of Design

Environmental Design - Interior Design Specialization

Jiaxuan Li

Amber Reels

This group project reimagines a boutique hotel at 460 King Street West by adapting a heritage building in downtown Toronto. The design extends the existing structure and reframes its interior atmosphere through gentle contrasts of light and shadow, evoking a quiet, timeless rhythm.

“Inspired by the cinematic energy of the nearby TIFF Lightbox, the Amber Reels boutique hotel reimagines the nostalgia of vintage film through architecture and spatial storytelling. A four-story heritage building merges with a three-story contemporary extension, wrapped in curved brown glass that captures the organic form of a film reel. A dedicated retail space specializing in vintage cameras echoes the aesthetic of the hotel. The interior features circular and curvilinear layouts, accented by amber glass elements and dark wood slats that artfully reinforce the cinematic motif. These design choices create a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, evoking a sense of fluid movement and organic rhythm throughout the space. A sepia-toned color palette dominates the scheme, recreating the nearly monochromatic tones of photographic film negatives, which offers a novel sensory experience to the guests.”