Our design seeks to create more reasons to linger in the park. We opened up the space in front of the building to allow better visual and physical access to facilitate ground floor retail opportunities by removing the trees and cutting through the raised planter. Nooks of tables and chairs were added along the street to attract patrons from surrounding food establishments. A center planted strip was added within the walkway make the space feel more intimate while still emphasizing movement through the space. A hood was designed for the vent grate that maintains air flow while transforming a purely functional object into a more attractive amenity that provides integrated seating and greenery.
(Competitor's text)
A simple, open design which lowers the KHC bunker wall to bench height and reduces it - to good effect ‐ by considerably widening its central staircase. As well as lightweight patio furniture - unsuitable for this location unless it is brought in at night - the design features "Toronto‐approved benches" in the park space. Vegetation is reduced to perennial grasses in the remnants of the bunker wall, a hedge to define the boundary of the parkette along the edge of Brunswick Avenue, "perennial and annual plantings" along the north edge and a chestnut oak shade trees in the park space in place of the mish‐mash of eight trees which occupy the park space at the moment. The covering of the raised vent at the south end of the bunker wall with a sloping "green roof" struck impressed many visitors. If problems with vegetation falling through the grid arise, this cover would still look impressive even if stripped of vegetation. An ingenious solution to a difficult problem.
(Excerpt from the jury's comments)
