BIG Partner Kai-Uwe Bergmann has posted an update to the firm's new contribution to the Toronto skyline, KING Toronto. The scheme is being developed at over 600,000 square feet alongside Diamond Schmitt Architects for clients Westbank Corp and Allied Properties. The project, which began construction in mid-2020, is inspired by Moshe Safdie’s Habitat 67 design and will culminate at 16 stories while adding an “experimental” touch to the nightlife-rich King Street West corridor.
This is the firm’s third project for Westbank, following the new Vancouver House and Telus Sky development in Calgary.
6 Comments
What a crowded mess. The greenery doesn't relieve but makes it more claustrophobic. It reminds me of scenes in sci-fi movies where civilization has died out and vegetation has taken over cities.
The disco balls don't help.
Been watching this go up on my morning runs through the city. It looks great in person.
The urban planning that comes with the project is also really strong. It connects through the very long city blocks in a few places which is amazing, and will tie into the interior galleria-type open mall that is the heart of the newly completed WELL to the south. Meaning it will actually form a significant new pedestrian path through the city that is enviable and impressive for being so rare. I dont know who made that happen with these two projects, but if you add it to the new park just completed to the north of the site, it adds up to an impressive improvement of the urban fabric that Toronto needs.
The landscape design is by PUBLIC WORK, a very good office based in Toronto with an approach to landscape in the city that is based on connection and ground level enjoyment of space. The space is narrow on the interior but I think they will do a good job of it.
Unit plans are also much better than is normal in Toronto. There are some units where having both a sofa and a dining table is not realistic, but in general the tilted plan seems to work in favor of actual comfortable living spaces where that kind of choice isnt necessary.
For a better analysis check out this site, which gets into the tradeoffs in the design and surprisingly represents a lot of work by the author to see how much bullshit is being covered over with brochures.
All in all this project is excellent and it has done a lot more within the market than most architects will ever bother with. If anything we need more housing of this quality, not less.
Thanks for the info and link. I saw this in person last week and wasn't sure what to make of it... Looking at the drawings, I see an obvious and very important code violation re: dead end corridors, which explains why I've never understood the floor plans and how people exit. Apparently I'm looking at a different Ontario building code than the one used for this project (and I'm even licenced there...). I now have more questions than answers....
it is a creative plan for certain. Best money can buy
Plenty of construction porn here:
KING Toronto | 57.6m | 16s | Westbank | Bjarke Ingels Group | Page 120 | UrbanToronto
Is it correct that the modular construction didn't make it into the realized project? It looks like a conventional poured-in-place structure to me.
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