WEAVE
The Geary-Dovercourt Underpass / Overpass is a product of Toronto's historical and enduring grid layout for transformation infrastructure. This infrastructure disrupts the corridor at various points along its length. Weave seeks to reconnect the disjointed sections of the Green Line corridor in the form of a large sculptural intervention; that in this instance will extend over Dovercourt and wind its way under the overpass.
We propose a pushing and pulling. We begin by re-grading, pushing down the embankment that currently parallels the tracks to encourage a wet environment that will support a fast growing species - Coppice Willow; a traditional crop grown in areas of high water table, best known for its value as a weavable, workable material. Next we bridge the underpass by pulling up and across, using the cuttings from the willows as the intervention's material. The sculptural bridge defines the intersection, providing a powerful connection to the presence of the green corridor. The cutting of the willows creates clearings, new public spaces that change over time, that may extend along the full length of the Green Line, finally explicit the valuable space previously unacknowledged.
(Competitor's text)
