BDA Spotlight: Monos Ossington
Meet the winning project of this year’s Best in Design Award for Shop/Showroom
Toronto’s Ossington Avenue has quickly become a hot spot for the city’s culture enthusiasts, making it a natural choice for Monos’ first Canadian outpost—this year’s winner of the Best in Design Award for Shop/Showroom. Designed by Ste Marie Studio, with architecture by BDPQuadrangle, this travel goods shop masterfully blends modern design with the tranquil ethos of Monos, creating a serene, immersive environment that stands out as a beautiful addition to one of Toronto’s most dynamic streetscapes.
Drawing from the Japanese concept of “mono no aware,” which finds beauty in the transient, Ste Marie Studio envisioned a space that evokes reflection and calm while celebrating the joy of discovery. “We sought to craft a space that feels like a journey, slowing visitors down and connecting them emotionally with both the space and the products,” explains the Ste Marie team.
The result is a retail environment that feels more like a tranquil retreat than a conventional store. At the heart of the space is an olive tree, symbolizing nature’s fleeting beauty and anchoring the design. Soft, diffused lighting from an illuminated stretch fabric ceiling bathes the tree, while waxed plaster walls and split-faced cottonwood limestone create a textured, grounding backdrop.
The store’s centrepiece is a hand-finished water feature, its gentle flow enhancing the atmosphere of serenity. Surrounding the water are custom movable plinths crafted from honed Turkish Rainbow Onyx, which display Monos’ minimalist travel goods with a sense of intention and elegance. This flexibility allows the store to evolve while maintaining its meditative aesthetic.
Monos Ossington. 2025 Shop / Showroom.
This award affirms our value of intentional design—design that tells a story, serves a purpose, and connects with its audience. Monos Ossington was an opportunity to explore how physical environments can move beyond transaction to create meaningful experiences.
These spaces foster connection, prompt reflection, and bring meaning to everyday interactions. We see this award as a reminder that, as a design community, we have a responsibility to continue pushing boundaries—creating spaces that are purposeful, considered, and rooted in experience. Ste Marie Studio
Ste Marie Studio’s thoughtful design, combined with BDPQuadrangle’s architectural expertise, has made the 2025 Shop winner a standout on Ossington Avenue. By merging modernity with mindfulness, the shop not only showcases Monos’ travel goods but also redefines what a retail space can be—an experience of reflection, discovery, and beauty.
