By Peter Saltsman | Photography by Derek Shapton
Leerom Segal’s Yorkville penthouse exists, almost exclusively, for parties. Segal, the 33-year-old president and CEO of the digital marketing firm Klick Health, travels for work most weeks. So when he’s home, he likes to see his friends. And when he sees his friends, he likes to show them a good time. Last year, he decided to turn his condo, which he’d been living in since 2009, into an event space, a modern-day Gatsby –esque playground for killer barbecues and splashy all-night dinners.
To do that, Segal turned to Prototype Design Lab, an architecture and design studio known for its work on restaurants, spas and offices—including Klick’s Toronto headquarters. He told them he wanted the place to have a “bespoke” feel, gave them a key and left for the airport. The unit had been a nondescript two-bedroom. PDLab knocked everything down—even collapsing one of the bedrooms into the main living space—and started from scratch. They added details like a wet bar and a DJ booth. And they integrated cool bachelor pad technology: three touchscreens allow Segal to adjust the lights, ignite the outdoor fireplace and control the massive flat screen (he doesn’t watch much TV, but he uses it to exhibit photography). His favourite part is just outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, where a hot tub bubbles under mood lighting. It’s perfect for winding down parties, soaking up the early morning view of his town.
193181 (Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: Yorkville condo Great Spaces: Yorkville condo https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-intro.jpg 656 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-bachelor-party/slide/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-intro/ great-spaces-yorkville-condo-intro 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
193183 Prototype Design Lab, the studio that designed the space, sourced the <strong>microfibre Bloom chairs</strong> directly from the designer, Kenneth Cobonpue. (Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: Yorkville condo Great Spaces: Yorkville condo https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-01.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-bachelor-party/slide/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-01/ great-spaces-yorkville-condo-01 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
193184 The <strong>wool rug</strong> is from a Swedish company called ByHenzel and was sourced and imported specifically for this space. (Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: Yorkville condo Great Spaces: Yorkville condo https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-02.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-bachelor-party/slide/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-02/ great-spaces-yorkville-condo-02 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
193185 In the corner of the living room, Segal added a <strong>wet bar</strong>—now fully stocked—and a <strong>DJ booth,</strong> both of which get lots of regular use. (Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: Yorkville condo Great Spaces: Yorkville condo https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-03.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-bachelor-party/slide/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-03/ great-spaces-yorkville-condo-03 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
193186 The <strong>wall of mirrors</strong> does a cool party trick: four of the two-inch-thick panels light up to create the optical illusion of hallways that go on forever. The lights can change colour, too. It was inspired by an installation Segal saw one year at Art Basel Miami. (Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: Yorkville condo Great Spaces: Yorkville condo https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-04.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-bachelor-party/slide/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-04/ great-spaces-yorkville-condo-04 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
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(Image: Derek Shapton)
193187 PDLab also designed and built two big <strong>stainless steel sculptures</strong> for the space. This one standing sentinel in the doorway is called Oscar. (Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: Yorkville condo Great Spaces: Yorkville condo https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-05.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-bachelor-party/slide/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-05/ great-spaces-yorkville-condo-05 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
193188 The 18-foot <strong>kitchen island</strong> is made of steel, marble and Italian walnut. It came in two parts, each of which just fit into the building’s elevator, and was assembled in place. (Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: Yorkville condo Great Spaces: Yorkville condo https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-06.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-bachelor-party/slide/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-06/ great-spaces-yorkville-condo-06 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
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(Image: Derek Shapton)
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(Image: Derek Shapton)
193190 The <strong>bedroom closet</strong> has no doors. This way, Segal has easy access to his collection of made-to-measure suits. (Image: Derek Shapton) Great Spaces: Yorkville condo Great Spaces: Yorkville condo https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-08.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/style/great-spaces-bachelor-party/slide/great-spaces-yorkville-condo-08/ great-spaces-yorkville-condo-08 0 0
(Image: Derek Shapton)
close – except Gatsby presumably had good taste…