Misc Coffee is a small café located just north of Toronto’s Ossington strip, designed to make a strong visual impact using a minimal number of materials. The space is defined by translucent green FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic) panels, an industrial grating material typically used in infrastructure and utility settings. In this project, FRP is recontextualized to bring light, color, and texture into a compact interior.
The layout is organized around a triangular bar, positioned to guide circulation efficiently while giving prominence to the FRP panels from the entry. This geometry allows for a clear flow of people and supports the shop’s operational needs, while also using form to frame the material expression of the space.
Above, a matching canopy mirrors the bar’s triangular footprint. It’s suspended from a grid of exposed Unistrut channels, another material drawn from industrial construction. The Unistrut grid and the FRP panels share a pattern-based logic, creating a layered visual effect that plays with transparency, repetition, and structure. Together, these elements introduce a strong spatial identity using standard off-the-shelf materials.
Stainless steel countertops and shelving complement the green FRP and support the industrial palette. Their reflective surfaces amplify natural and artificial light, allowing the green tint of the panels to shift in tone throughout the day. These material choices also emphasize durability and clarity, qualities that align with the project’s intent to feel both utilitarian and unique.
The design approach was straightforward: use readily available materials in an unconventional context, allow the geometry to support both form and function, and create a distinct environment with minimal intervention. Rather than adding layers of finish or decoration, the project focuses on letting light, material, and layout do the work.
Located in one of Toronto’s busiest and most design-conscious neighborhoods, Misc Coffee introduces an unexpected interior language to the area; one that aims to stand out through simplicity, contrast, and a rethinking of industrial materials in a hospitality setting.