Artistic Living: The Downtown Penthouse, Toronto

Cecconi Simone's Masterpiece: A Balance of Public and Private Spaces

The Downtown Penthouse, a private residence in a new high-rise condominium, is the brainchild of Cecconi Simone. The design team, led by Principal Cecconi and Intermediate Designer David, was tasked with creating a modern living environment on a single floor for a couple of empty-nesters. The result is a sophisticated downtown home that balances openness and privacy while providing ample opportunities for showcasing various works of art.

Upon entering the penthouse, visitors are greeted by a softened and compressed introductory space, created by drapes and a lowered ceiling. This leads to a gallery-passage clad in white glazing panels, providing a neutral setting for artwork and contrasting with the panelled walnut flooring. A specially-commissioned, permeable screen delineates the gallery-passage from the expansive living area.

The living area, divided by a double-sided, cold-rolled steel, custom fireplace, offers a large section for informal gatherings and a smaller one for intimate conversations. Generous window openings frame city views, and white-painted walls serve as the perfect canvas for art. The adjacent open-plan dining-kitchen-den area is designed for both home-cooked get-togethers and catered meals, with a custom kitchen island that accommodates buffet-style events.

The private zone of the penthouse includes a master sleep area with separate ensuites and dressing areas for the couple. The husband’s ensuite, clad in linear brown marble, is acoustically isolated for quiet grooming sessions. The wife’s ensuite, sheathed in book-matched Statuario marble, features a bathtub at the windows, raised on a platform to hide plumbing, making it the focal element of the space.

The Downtown Penthouse incorporates many custom elements, including a two-sided fireplace with hand-rubbed, cold-rolled steel cladding, and a kitchen island with custom-polished chrome legs. The flooring consists of a laminated walnut veneer on a rubber composite backer, in a distinctive, panelized appearance. Natural stone elements, including book-matched Statuario marble and a marble feature element framing the sink in the kitchen, add a touch of luxury.

This design was awarded the Golden A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2013, a testament to its outstanding and trendsetting creation that reflects the designer's prodigy and wisdom. The Downtown Penthouse is indeed a venerated product and bright idea that advances art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with its desirable characteristics.