PLAYBOOK AT HOTEL X TORONTO

Playbook is a hospitality concept reimagined through architecture; a collaboration between DS Studio and Denizens of Design that reshapes how guests experience sports within a dining setting. Rather than relying on the usual mix of bright screens, basic menus, and seating arranged toward one direction, the team aimed to reinvent the sports-bar model.

Historically, arenas and stadiums have centered spectators around a single focal point, a pattern inherited by sports bars. Playbook breaks from that tradition by turning guests toward one another, placing food and social interaction at the core of the experience.

Circular banquettes, sculptural seating clusters, and stone-and-wood millwork form small zones that encourage conversation. Screens remain plentiful, but they are carefully integrated discreetly; hidden in millwork, built into windows, or deployed as drop-downs. This creates a subtle 360-degree field that makes the game feel ambient rather than dominant.

This shift broadens Playbook’s appeal, welcoming families, mixed-interest groups, and diners who prioritize the meal over the match. Sports become an enhancement rather than the primary purpose, making the space equally suited for casual lunches and major events.

Material choices reinforce this hospitality-first vision. Custom stonework, warm wood details, and textured upholstery reject neon-and-metal stereotypes, opting for a palette aligned with boutique hotels and contemporary restaurants.

Playbook unfolds through distinct zones: the Garden Bar, the Main Bar, the dramatic Dining Room with concealed AV systems, and the inviting and warm SI Lounge. Together, they create an environment where sports are never overpowering, offering Toronto a new hybrid typology in which thoughtful design and dining lead the experience.