“The legislation responds to municipal and stakeholder calls for provincial leadership to address the negative effects of urban sprawl and encourage population growth where it is needed. It allows the government to designate geographic growth areas and work with local officials to develop growth plans that meet specific regional needs, while respecting the greenbelt.”

The Madison, Toronto.

The result is a need to use space within the designated areas, and that has meant intensification and the rise of urban nodes. In future, these nodes will be linked by transit, whether subway, dedicated high speed buses or light rail. Streets will become walkable, with retail, cafés, and other amenities for local residents.

It’s not always easy to envision how these developments might contribute to the community. We have seen examples of some big-box retail in building podiums, but the reality is that many podium tenants will contribute significantly to building and maintaining community in these areas.

We can reveal that several of our residential tower projects will be anchored by grocery stores like Loblaws (at the Madison) and Whole Foods (at Hullmark Centre) – food shopping is key in community building, and tenants are catering to that idea. Just look at the bustling new-style Maple Leaf Gardens Loblaws store in downtown Toronto, with its popular delicatessen eat-in or take away area.

In our project Cinema Tower on Adelaide Street West in downtown Toronto, the ground floor tenant will be the arts organization Artscape’s new performance and programming space. Several years ago, the forward-thinking organization embraced development by moving into Westside Gallery Lofts at 48 Abell St. near Queen Street and Gladstone Avenue with a gallery space and affordable live/work spaces for artists, which contributes significantly to the artistic integrity of the area.

But these kinds of tenants are only the beginning. Community centres–an essential lifestyle resource for families, students, recent immigrants– are also potential tenants for building podiums. Inviting these kinds of organizations into our new developments will go a long way to increasing the health of an area, particularly if they are conveniently accessible by foot, bike or public transit to surrounding neighbourhoods.

Schools also need to be easily accessible. As urban nodes intensify with townhouses suitable for families, the place to put schools, particularly for elementary children, is right in the heart of the community where parents can access them. It’s becoming more common, too, for churches to occupy less conventional stand-alone buildings. Like community centres, churches bring communities together.

In short, the way we experience Toronto’s urban fabric is changing. It may not be what we’re used to, but it’s evolving in all kinds of interesting and exciting ways.

-David

Together with Ward 33 Councillor Shelley Carroll, we discussed the projects, policies and political process behind successful developments that bring together intensified residential living, public transit and walkable, community-oriented streetscapes.

Madison on Eglinton

The panel discussed how strong municipal plans and good use of existing infrastructure affects the success of intensification in downtown neighbourhoods. An example of unfortunate planning brought up by moderator Bert Archer was Peanut Plaza, in Don Mills.

Some important issues relating to this topic include outlining the characteristics of a good urban node; how the current transit situation impacts development; the key principles to consider when determining potential sites and how community elements such as schools and churches fit into urban intensification strategies.

Madison on Eglinton

Please have a look at this article in the North York Mirror, written by Toronto transit reporter Rahul Gupta on the discussion.

- David

He comments, importantly, on the value of drawing by hand, in addition to on computer. “Drawings are not just end products: they are part of the thought process…(they) express the interaction of our minds, eyes and hands.”

At Kirkor we design highly complex projects, so programs like BIM and Revit are vital to what we do. But for my design team, when they get stuck, I always ask them to move away from the computer and pick up a pencil. Hand sketching helps to break whatever problem they are struggling with down into a simpler idea. It’s a more direct connection between mind/eye/hand than the computer. It gives them real tools that engage their imagination, because it’s a less limited, more open process of how to design.

Sketches of the evolving podium of Cinema Tower, Toronto.

The initial sketch is not random, or throwaway. It represents the architect’s vision. You need to keep testing that vision, and later on in the process, on the computer, you can see how much you’ve deviated–or not–from that original idea. So it helps to keep our designers on track. This process is demonstrated in the above sketches and the accompanying rendering of our project, Cinema Tower, which is currently under construction in Toronto.

Cinema Tower: sketch and under construction

Another example of this is our project Aristo at Avonshire. We were looking to find a starting point that would resonate with buyers, and ended up starting a sketch with the trademark plaid of the fashion brand Burberry. The building looks nothing like Burberry, but you can see echoes of the plaid in the polished look of the buildings, particularly the rooflines that were designed to extend the pattern into an unconventional feature.

Would that have come about without the initial vision, tested with pencil and paper? I don’t believe so.

-David

Canadian kayaker Mark de Jonge with silver medalist Adam van Koeverden and bronze medalist Mark Oldershaw.

Then, in April, he broke his finger, which sidelined him for quite some time. But in June, Mark took the last qualifying spot for the Canadian Olympic team. In that trial Mark’s time broke the international record by 0.176 seconds.

Kirkor Architects is delighted to sponsor Mark in his impressive endeavors. I have personally spent many hours on the water paddling in various disciplines (when not tied down to the office desk!) and I certainly recognize Mark’s achievements balancing work as an Intern Engineer at Stantec, and his energy and drive toward achieving his athletic goals in London.

We are proud to have helped alleviate any strain that Mark may have felt in regards to monetary support, allowing him to maintain the singular focus required in London and to achieve his ultimate goal.

Here’s an article from the Globe and Mail on de Jonge.

Go Mark go!

- David

The panel at The Innovation City at MaRS Discovery District, Toronto

The conference, which took place at Toronto’s MaRS Discovery District, brought together thought leaders from across North America and Europe to discuss how 21st century megacities are being shaped.

I had the pleasure of speaking on a panel, The Metropolitan Neighborhood: Urban centers and local economies, alongside Vancouver-based real estate marketer Bob Rennie, Mayor of Edmonton Stephen Mandel, and Gothenburg, Sweden’s Carl-Johan Korsas, former CEO of Framtiden Housing Corporation.

The panel at The Innovation City at MaRS Discovery District

I articulated Kirkor’s position on city planning – that Smart Growth nodes must be developed around transit, allowing people to live, work, shop and play in communities in close proximity to where they live, reducing the need to rely on cars. This must be coupled with green spaces, pedestrian-friendly design and planning strategies.

Hullmark Centre, Sheppard and Yonge, Toronto

One theme of our discussion was the concern that the charming and unique elements that we all love downtown – the small, independent shops, the uniqueness of downtown living – can’t be forcefully designed into these new developments. We feel that these special elements will take care of themselves, popping up once residents move in and create their own communities. The main thing is to provide sustainable environments for people who may not be able to afford living downtown, or may not wish to.

The panel at The Innovation City at MaRS Discovery District

For instance, some cultures may prefer to live closer to already existing immigrant communities. Toronto’s Persian community is centered around Yonge and Finch, which is far from ‘downtown’ Toronto but much closer to the soon-to-be-completed urban node at Yonge and Sheppard, where our project Hullmark Centre is presently under construction.

Single women and retired couples also may prefer the close proximity to services and access to transit that these new uptown, ‘downtowns’ can provide. Click here and here to read more of my thoughts on this in a recent interview with the Toronto Star.

-Cliff

7171 Yonge Street, Markham

Joining Cliff on the panel will be Stephen Mandel, Mayor of the city of Edmonton; Vancouver’s Bob Rennie, president of Rennie Marketing Systems and Carl-Johan Korsas, former CEO of the Framtiden Housing Corporation in Goteberg, Sweden.

The panelists will discuss the new approaches to urban planning that are called for in the era of mega-cities, in which multiple downtowns are increasingly common. Cliff will focus on numerous examples of our large-scale, mixed-use, transit-focused developments at the nodes that are shaping urban centres around the GTA: Mississauga, Markham and Vaughan, among others.

They will also examine the building codes, land-use policies and other attributes that will promote livability, sustainability and economic growth in a 21st century metropolis.

7171 Yonge Street, Markham

The Innovation City is a partnership between former journalist Miro Cernetig and Marc Andrew, and the MaRS Discovery Centre, which brings together leaders who are creating solutions that will improve our urban centres.

JOIN US at this two-day conference, where speakers will examine issues including new ‘Catalyst Cities’; cities as hubs for public and private investment; how local economies can thrive in new urban centres; the impact of research and innovation on economies; why sustainability matters from a business perspective and the importance of culture to growing economies.

For more information on the agenda and speakers, and to register now, click here

- Cliff

The Madison, at Yonge and Eglinton, Toronto.

Urban nodes are smartly designed, transit-accessible, pedestrian friendly areas that contain a mix of building types. The neighbourhood of Yonge and Eglinton, one of the city’s early nodes, is an established area with single-family homes centered around a major subway and bus terminus. Now with the Eglinton LRT under construction and the redevelopment of the Yonge Eglinton Centre, the area will be able to support more inhabitants. A few condominiums have already gone up nearby, and our award-winning project, Madison on Eglinton, which is currently being built, will follow suit. It’s located east of Yonge and will, importantly, incorporate a Loblaws store in its base.

Hullmark Centre, Sheppard and Yonge, Toronto.

Directly north of Yonge and Eglinton, the corner of Yonge and Sheppard is being redeveloped and intensified. What was formerly a barren landscape will be filled in with Hullmark Centre our large-scale, mixed-use project at the south east corner that will be the new heart of North York City Centre, with a significant urban plaza surrounding retail including a Whole Foods store. The project is set above two subway lines and includes accessible green roofs and tree-lined streets to encourage pedestrian traffic. Designing this project, with all the stakeholders (gas and hydro, TTC and others) has been extremely complex. But it will provide essential infrastructure for the surrounding condominium projects, including Emerald Park by Bazis developers and the 88 condos by Minto.

21 Clairtrell, at Sheppard and Bayview.

Moving east, along Sheppard to Bayview, is yet another new neighbourhood. Overseen by the elegant ARC condo above the subway, the corner will also see Jade Condos, a nearly completed low-rise project, as well as the more traditional mid-rise development 21 Clairtrell nearby. The adjacent Bayview Village has a large Loblaws store, an O&B Cafe Grill and Chef Claudio Aprile’s upcoming stand-alone new restaurant, Origin North. It is significant that the area is home to a number of types of residential, from high and low rise condominiums, to large, single-family homes and retirement residences.

These emerging neighbourhoods exemplify the changing face of the suburbs. No longer the victim of unplanned sprawl, these areas are developing into rich and diverse living spaces that will become important communities unto themselves. The next step is to link the nodes by encouraging development along arteries and ensuring appropriate transit between them.

- Cliff

Photos: Yvonne Bambrick

For Kirkor, this year’s walk took on a more playful approach offering one of the city’s only Junior Jane’s Walks. Participating children were outfitted with a loot bag consisting of a pair of Jane Jacobs eyeglasses, a sketchbook, coloured pencils, a disposable camera, a set of googly eyes, and an interactive route map.

The walk was led by Kirkor architect David Butterworth (and his friendly puppet Eddie who kept the kids smiling and entertained). David prompted the children and parents alike to think about how they interact within an urban space and how different spheres of public and private life shape the way people live. Even some of the younger kids answered questions like how the purpose of a home differed from a space of business or public space. David focused on the important values of parks, play, and public space within a community. The kids were encouraged to use their cameras to take pictures of inspiring architecture and spaces throughout the walk.

The tour started behind one of Toronto’s oldest landmarks, the Flatiron building in Berczy Park and continued through Brookfield Place displaying some of Santiago Calatrava’s brilliant architecture. David prompted the kids to question what the soaring arches made them think of: some popular responses included a train station, a bridge, palm trees, and a cave. The tour continued past The Hockey Hall of Fame, through Toronto’s PATH (the world’s largest underground path system – a full 28 kilometres!) to the Fairmont Royal York and concluded at Roy Thompson Hall.

Perhaps the most memorable moment was at Toronto Dominion Centre Plaza where the children exuberantly ran towards Canadian artist Joe Fafard’s cow sculptures. The seven life-sized bronze cows lazing in a grass square next to Mies van der Rohe’s minimalist towers are referred to “The Pasture”. The kids really took a liking to the sculptures – riding, sliding, and jumping all over them.

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who came out Saturday and participated in the Junior Jane’s Walk, helping to make the event a big success! Our work is just beginning with our Junior Walk, and we will be working closely with Jane’s Walk over the course of the year to not only improve next year’s walk, but to expand the concept of bringing urban design right into our schools.

Stay tuned !

Brookfield Place, photo: Ansgar Walk

This will be our second Jane’s Walk – the first one was led by Cliff up at Sheppard and Yonge Streets, where our development Hullmark Centre is under construction.

Jane’s Walk is a series of free public walks around cities, over one weekend each year that celebrates the ideas and legacy of urbanist Jane Jacobs, who was a champion of walkable neighbourhoods. She wrote a highly-regarded and pioneering book, The Death and Life of American Cities which was a critique of modernist planning principles. Instead, it championed healthy urban neighbourhoods and ways to achieve them, including density, urban renewal and pedestrian friendliness.

Toronto's Flatiron building

Our Jane’s Walk will involve fun activities for kids that encourage them to look around and think about the architecture and planning en route from Berczy Park to the Royal York Hotel (completed in 1929), to Santiago Calatrava’s stunning Allen Lambert Galleria at Brookfield Place and finally over to Pecaut Square at Metro Hall.

There will be assistants to help with the kids and provide additional information to parents if necessary. There are also washrooms and cafes at various points along the route.

I hope you will join us!

-David

The Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown LRT project.

I have always been a subway supporter, but as an urban designer and city builder, I appreciate that the demand for subways must be demonstrated. Toronto is growing and it needs to grow into a first-rate transit system.

As far as the Eglinton LRT goes, the city and the province agree that it will run underground from Black Creek Drive in the West to Laird Drive in the east. If it were tunneled along that route, I would suggest extending the line east to Don Mills as phase one, and continue east with buses in dedicated lanes until the demand for a phase two extension to Kennedy can be demonstrated. The section from Brentcliffe Rd. to Don Mills can be a surface route in a dedicated right of way on the south side of Eglinton. The intersection at Don Mills and Eglinton is undeveloped. A proposal call should be issued immediately for a truly integrated LRT station, bus terminal and mixed-use development at this corner. The proponent will bear the cost of constructing this terminus.

The corner of Don Mills and Eglinton as it is today.

Is there time to affect the cost of the Eglinton crosstown? Open houses run by Metrolinx for the proposed Allen station and Bathurst station reveal the station boxes have been placed centered on both Eglinton Avenue and the Allen and Bathurst. The location of the Allen station creates a grand underground concourse with all the associated costs, construction complexity and traffic chaos as a result of the loss of Allen Rd access. The Bathurst station would also create traffic chaos by closing down key north south traffic lanes during construction. Moving the stations completely to the east or west of major north south arteries will be faster and cheaper to build with 50% less traffic disruption. It’s an issue that requires carefully considered design.

-Steve