Nestled in an infill site in an 19th century Toronto neighborhood, the Tao Sangha Centre creates a place of healing through the holistic art of Tao Shiatsu. Rooted in the Asian philosophy of the Tao and the Japanese healing tradition of Shiatsu massage, the warm, hand-crafted spaces of the project embody and resonate with the ancient practice. The new two-story, 2,400 square-foot building is situated on a tight urban site just over 12 feet wide. To take on this challenging condition, we drew inspiration from infill precedents in dense urban centers across Japan and Asia. Following the time-honored principles of harmony and balance, the building becomes both fabric and object. The interplay of clear and frosted glass, framed by mahogany mullions, steel structure, and cedar cladding transforms the building into a lantern, a beacon, and a symbol of rejuvenation. The Healing Centre constitutes the entire ground floor, while a related multi-purpose room for art, calligraphy, language, and music faces the street on the second level. Adjacent and across the light well is a separate single-bedroom apartment with a cedar terrace garden. Generous skylights allow sunlight to penetrate deeply into the spaces of the project, uplifting mind, body, and spirit. Natural ...
Nestled in an infill site in an 19th century Toronto neighborhood, the Tao Sangha Centre creates a place of healing through the holistic art of Tao Shiatsu. Rooted in the Asian philosophy of the Tao and the Japanese healing tradition of Shiatsu massage, the warm, hand-crafted spaces of the project embody and resonate with the ancient practice. The new two-story, 2,400 square-foot building is situated on a tight urban site just over 12 feet wide. To take on this challenging condition, we drew inspiration from infill precedents in dense urban centers across Japan and Asia. Following the time-honored principles of harmony and balance, the building becomes both fabric and object. The interplay of clear and frosted glass, framed by mahogany mullions, steel structure, and cedar cladding transforms the building into a lantern, a beacon, and a symbol of rejuvenation. The Healing Centre constitutes the entire ground floor, while a related multi-purpose room for art, calligraphy, language, and music faces the street on the second level. Adjacent and across the light well is a separate single-bedroom apartment with a cedar terrace garden. Generous skylights allow sunlight to penetrate deeply into the spaces of the project, uplifting mind, body, and spirit. Natural ...