Atelier Kastelic Buffey’s Story Pod Opens in Ontario

Unabashed nerds, sharing a love of architecture, art, and books, Mark Agnoletto and Aaron Finbow grew up together in Niagara, Ontario. And both eventually pursued interests in urban development. Agnoletto became a senior manager for the Department of Public Works Services in nearby Newmarket, and Finbow, after earning his bachelor’s degree in architecture, joined

Atelier Kastelic Buffey

. The two friends have now collaborated on a pro bono project, creating a seasonal public hub for the town.

Standing right off Main Street, Story Pod is a reading pavilion. It’s a compact 65 square feet when shut, at night. During the day, the black slatted walls hinge open manually, like a book, to reveal a bright interior veneered in an African hardwood. Benches are built-in, as are shelves filled with hundreds of books, some donated by Scholastic. Visitors, young and old, are encouraged to browse on-site, take a book away, or add one of their own to the collection.

>> See more from the October 2015 issue of

Interior Design