The B-Wall

Year: summer 2015
Client: Alvéole & Shangri-la Toronto
Design partners: Marc-André Roberge, Alvéole
Wood: Remo Torriero

The “B-Wall” was the latest addition to a luxurious collection of themed sculptures at the Shangri-La Hotel in Toronto and was developed in conjunction with urban apiculture company Alvéole. Atelier Gris handled the design and engineering of this wood-and-steel hive, which offers an unconventional link between guests of the hotel and a colony of 50,000 bees that pollinate nearby plants and supply the establishment’s restaurants with honey.

The main challenge was to strike a balance between functionality and esthetics. We designed a chrome steel observation cone that allows curious on-lookers to see, hear and smell the bees in the hive through the glass opening. The geometry and choice of materials mesh with the hotel’s image and architecture, and are respectful of the bees’ habitat.