TORONTO — Martin Hirschberg, Toronto artist and founder of interior-design company Hirschberg Design Group in the early 1970s, passed away on November 16.
Hirschberg was one of the first major restaurant designers in Canada, creating designs for successful chains such as Yogen Fruz, Druxy’s and Pickle Barrel. He was also responsible for many food-court designs across the country, including the Terminal 3 food court in Toronto Pearson Airport. One of Hirschberg’s more challenging projects was to re-define what people thought of off-track betting. He accomplished this with the design of downtown Toronto’s Turf Lounge, an upscale bar, restaurant and off-track betting lounge for the business crowd. After a 40-year run, Hirschberg Design Group closed its doors on February 27, 2015.
Not only was Hirschberg renowned for his award-winning design firm but also for his art. His work has been in shows at the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Stratford Art Gallery and the Blue Dot Gallery in the Distillery District in Toronto.
He was the beloved husband of the late Marion and loving father and father-in-law of Sheri Hirschberg and Charles Karstadt, Cindy Hirschberg-Schon and Andrew Schon and Staci and Rob Weingust. Memorial donations may be made to Jewish Family & Child Service or the Koffler Centre of The Arts.
