oneSKYpark!
The design of a new park at 229 Richmond St. W. brings forth the challenge of conceiving a park space for an area in flux. With its downtown mid-block location, the space is close to active streets and significant attractions, but it is also in the midst of a neighbourhood undergoing major change. Significant new building developments are planned or being built on virtually every block, including two slated for construction right alongside the park, which contributes to issues of noise, shade, and air quality, and puts new pressures on existing green spaces.
At an abstract level these changes are an expected part of a large growing city's trajectory. At a human level, they present day-to-day challenges to those in the community seeking safe, engaging outdoor space and exposure to nature. In such an environment of flux, how is equilibrium restored? Where is the common ground? What unites us? The sky is something we all share. We all look at the same moon, feel the same sun, live under the same stars. The sky is ever-present, no matter the changes to our material world, and in this sense, it represents our common experience.
oneSKY Park is the culmination of these knowledges inhabited by all; land and sky, water and wind; clear and purposeful.
The eight Park Goals identified in the RFP provide critical guideposts to achieving a quality public space in Toronto's Entertainment District. At their core they speak to the great opportunity this new park has to distinguish itself as a truly authentic community space that immerses visitors; a place where nature and culture can interweave in potent form, within the broader framework of existing and planned public space in the downtown. In service of these goals, we have focussed our design approach around three straightforward objectives:
1. A Green Oasis,
2. The Current Site,
3. Need to Connect .
(From competitor's text)
The jury commended the team on the clear and evocative illustrations in this submission. The team embraced the idea of maximum nature, with a commitment that was uncompromising. The jury appreciated the thoughtful approach to planting and the creation of a verdant urban park, however, they were concerned about accessibility within the natural areas.
The idea of burying the washroom within the landform was an intriguing concept that the jury supported. The creation of the stepped terrace to provide access and occupiable space was very well received. The results of the public survey indicated a preference for schemes that focused on trees and planting. The public showed a preference for oneSky, with many citing that it provided the most green space of all the submissions.
Jury members were concerned that access to the washroom was down a narrow alley with the potential for safety and security issues resulting from the lack of surveillance into the building. The jury questioned the need and use of the breezeway space. Jury members felt that the washroom building wall along Nelson Street created a barrier to access from the south. These concerns were shared by the City's Steering Committee.
The jury felt that the submission did not provide the same level of information regarding Carbon Net Zero as other submissions, so it was difficult to determine if the team was reaching the City's imperatives.
The jury appreciated both public art installations, but felt they were disparate. Some felt the Aqueous Veil installation was too large, ominous, and not generated from the specifics of this site. There were also concerns about the materials and the kinetic nature of the installation. The jury shared the concerns of the City's Steering Committee relating to the location of the Woodland Wall on the Nelson Street washroom, outside the park.
The team's commitment to provide an opportunity for park visitors to experience nature within the downtown core was beautifully illustrated and the jury appreciated the legibility and thoughtful approach to landscape by this team.
(From jury report)
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- Presentation Panel
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- Perspective
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- Site Map
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- Cross-sectional perspective
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- Elevation
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- Axonometric Drawing
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- Schema
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- Presentation Panel Excerpt
