Cover photo: Credits Joel Esposito
On a quiet side street in Toronto, a storefront emits a bright glow, catching the attention of passersby as — just beyond the glass — a coded door hides Suite 115, the cocktail bar designed by Atelier SUN. The space, opened in 2024, was conceived to celebrate nightlife culture through an original experience balancing mystery and warmth.
It begins with the small lounge by the entrance, inspired by the colors of a sunset: as the bar opens, the red walls illuminate the central mirror, which captures guests’ reflections and reveals the secret code to access the room.
How Atelier SUN interpreted light
Guests are welcomed inside to an intimate setting where symmetry and lighting create a unique atmosphere. A luminous profile running along the ceiling and walls visually splits the long, narrow room in two, creating the illusion of a central backlit mirror.
Every element of the project has been designed to enhance this reflective effect. For example, the bar counter comprises two identical modules, and the shelving is divided by the same wall-mounted lighting profile. Light plays a crucial role here — the slim pendant that spans the full length of the space and the recessed lighting within the shelves appear to mirror each other along the luminous axis.
Opposite the bartender’s station, a series of tables and chairs with small table lamps completes the interior. Andrew Sun, founder of the studio, explains:
«The ambient lighting was calibrated very carefully. The tables are illuminated by a single light source, allowing guests to comfortably read the menu, while the overall atmosphere remains intentionally soft and suggestive».
An immersive interior
With Suite 115, Atelier SUN created an immersive space where guests become the protagonists of a sensory experience suspended between mystery and quiet warmth. As Andrew Sun notes, the long, narrow floor plan plays an essential role in this:
«We chose to embrace the elongated shape instead of fighting it. We worked with geometry using lights, reflections, and controlled shadow to create cinematic depth — almost like a sequence of shots».
«This rhythm accompanies guests throughout the bar, intuitively guiding them and enabling them to fully experience the mirrored illusion along the way. The proportions present an opportunity to create a series of immersive experiences as one moves through the interior. Every lighting effect and material was carefully chosen to enhance the perception of width and emphasise the bar’s atmospheric, slightly futuristic character».
