Jaybird | Ste. Marie Art and Design

Throughout history, spaces of meditation have elicited the sensorial and emotional qualities of materials–emphasizing the connection between the external environment and the internal state. With no mirrors in the rooms and the music-led classes operating in darkness, Jaybird places importance on the haptic experience–a place to reflect inwards and solely on one’s self. In relation, we focused the design on the repetition of natural materials. A recycled cork tile became the building block of materiality, working to evoke the ephemeral, atmospheric qualities of space.

Movement, too, is considered. Integrating the principle of “flow” in yoga practice, the layout is intuitive and responsive–proposing a choreographed path of use. To achieve a symbiosis of the room and the body, we looked to art such as Constantin Brâncuși’s animate sculptures, and the choreography of modern dancers Lucinda Childs and Yvonne Rainer, to inform the navigation. The space, foregrounded with a vacuous entryway–evokes a primordial, warm cave. Moving deeper into the studio, white oak benches line the perimeter of the room, leading to the change room door, and then the studio door, setting a path of use that feels natural. The instinctual spatial design allows guests to leave pretense behind and respond spontaneously to their environment.

Entering from the glass-walled streets of downtown, Jaybird’s design transports the body and guides the mind, embracing what can’t be seen.