York Downs Golf & Country Club
4134 16th Ave, Unionville
New vision
The original York Downs Clubhouse, built in the early 1970’s is a remarkable building in the modern style of that period. The articulate form of the building, its exposed architectural concrete detailing and the suspended cedar canopy, create a rich sense of arrival. Having been slowly stripped of its original design coherence over the years, the Club commissioned CORE to renovate and restore it to its former glory.
Design strategy
Design solutions were borrowed from the clubhouse’s architectural origins while introducing a new vision based on more contemporary ideas. Phase I renovations included new men’s and women’s washrooms and a renovation to the formal lounge and dining area. The pyramidal space was 5,000 sq. ft. and varied in height from eight to thirty feet. The design strategy is based on placing carefully designed architectural elements to warm up the room and give scale to the existing monolithic concrete walls.
Classic and elegant feel
Sculptural seven-foot-high lanterns are suspended from the ceiling and illuminate the lounge, while elegant wood panels fastened to concrete walls demarcate seating areas. Updated finishes and new furniture give the space a classic and elegant feel. “We strongly believe that this initiative assisted in one of the most successful membership drives that York Downs has been associated with, recruiting over 90 new members since the completion of the projects, and we continue to receive compliments on the changes to these areas” Leonardo De La Fuent, General Manager/Chief Operating Officer, York Downs Golf & Country Club/
