Statements
1. Identity
There exists a clear image of the Canadian lafefront; however, what is Toronto's identity and relation to the water? How can we promote the authentic Canadian lakefront within the metropolis?
2. Connectivity
-Connectivity along the lakefront
-Connectivity to the hinterland
- Representation of identities and cultures on the waterfront
- Stitching & weaving the waterfront and its tracks
3. Sustatinability
-Biotopes
-Stormwater
-Durable timber detailing
-Moonlight lighting
-Clean water
-Aquatic habitat
-Accessibility
-Public transit and bikes
-Green Foot
-Natives Trees, robust landscape
(From competitor's text)
The jury for the Toronto Central Waterfront Design Competition unanimously recommends West 8 as the winning design team.
The jury appreciated West 8's bold and unified design concept proposing the creation of a continuous water's edge and a re-conceptualized pedestrian and bicycle friendly Queens Quay Boulevard and their insistence on a generous civic scale for both. This team proposed a clear, simple and strong idea that can be implemented in the near future to create much needed public access to Toronto's Central Waterfront for the citizens of the Toronto area.
The West 8 scheme addressed the competition brief's number one goal by proposing the creation of a continuous 18 metre wide water's edge promenade made up of a generous wooden boardwalk, granite pavers, a double row of native trees and series of new bridges across the ends of the slips. The jury appreciated the designer's interest in building with enduring materials and a simple yet consistent palette. The jury felt that this design concept could provide an excellent blueprint for future city building in other areas of Toronto's waterfront.
The jury supported and applauded the idea of a series of new bridges providing much needed east-west continuity, but the jury also discussed the important role the bridges should also played in framing open views of the water in the north-south direction, particularly at Spadina Avenue. The jury felt that the West 8 team needs to be given the latitude to explore innovative ways of opening or manning selected bridges to accommodate existing uses along our central waterfront.
West 8's scheme addressed the competition brief's number two goal of alleviating the current pinch points at the heads of slips while simultaneously creating a continuous public promenade along the south side of Queens Quay Boulevard. Their proposal was the only one of the five competition schemes that chose to keep the streetcar lines in its existing location while also creating a generous pedestrian promenade parallel to a new portion of the Martin Goodman Trail, an allée of trees to the south, one lane of west and east bound automobile traffic, and some parallel parking spots to the north, where space permits. This practicality has enormous advantages. Many technical details need to be resolved to make this work, but the Jury believes that by choosing not to move the streetcar tracks along Queens Quay Boulevard, the West 8 team put forward a scheme that could be implemented immediately.
Despite its great clarity, the Jury observed upon closer examination that in the West 8 proposal many existing features of Toronto's Central Waterfront are altered. The jury felt that there are some significant existing elements along Toronto's Central Waterfront such as the existing Music Garden, Harbourfront skating rink, HTO Park (now under construction) and other selected moments along our current waterfront that reflect the collective efforts of many citizens in our city at large.
The jury felt strongly that these existing elements must be maintained and included in a vital new continuous water's edge promenade and Queens Quay Boulevard. The jury felt it was imperative that the West 8 team work in consultation with the designers of the existing public elements to ensure that the interface between the continuous waters' edge promenade and specific existing moments is handled in a respectful and sensitive manner.
The jury appreciated West 8's proposal to provide floating seasonal pontoons that would create small moorings perpendicular to the continuous water's edge promenade and ensure flexibility as the Toronto Central Waterfront evolves. The jury felt that during the warm weather these short wooden fingers would contribute to the vitality of Toronto's Inner Harbor. During the winter months, these floating pontoons would be store elsewhere and remounted the following season.
By contrast with the great power of these basic components, however, the jury felt that many other elements proposed by this design team were kitschy and unconvincing including the Maple Leaf Boardwalk Island, Simcoe on a Stick and Chinese Dragons and they detracted from the strengths of their design submission. The jury felt that the resources for the implementation of the project must focus on the two key goals and not get sidetracked on other less convincing areas.
West 8 proposed a new pedestrian link from the CN Tower to the central waterfront and a new public park at the base of the CN Tower. The jury felt this idea was worthy of further exploration but it is beyond the scope of this design competition and should not deter from the primary competition goal.
(From jury report)
15 scanned / 15 viewable
- Presentation Panel
- Presentation Panel
- Presentation Panel
- Perspective
- Perspective
- Perspective
- Site Plan
- Perspective
- Axonometric Drawing
- Axonometric Drawing
- Axonometric Drawing
- Schema
- Schema
- Construction detail
- Construction detail
