This morning I rode out to Toronto's new Leslie Lookout Park, which opened two weeks ago. I came down Cherry Street, crossing the new north bridge, and then I went all along Commissioners Street, crossing its new bridge.
It's great to see the Port Lands area continue to develop. Every time I'm down there, it feels more and more real -- like an extension of the city. Now we just need to start developing within the blocks.
If you find yourself at Leslie Lookout, make sure you locate Claude Cormier's heart up in the tower. Claude's firm CCxA was the landscape architect behind the project; but sadly, he passed away last year.
Exactly 1 year before the opening of this park.
Today, one of the top landscape architects in Canada -- Claude Cormier -- died from complications associated with something known as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome. He was only 63.
Claude, and the firm he founded CCxA, have been responsible for some of the most beautiful, whimsical, and critically acclaimed public spaces in Canada.
Those of you familiar with Toronto will know Berczy Park, Sugar Beach (pictured above), the new Love Park, and others. These are easily some of the most successful public spaces in the city, and for good reason.
CCxA is also the landscape firm behind our 100 Lombard project, where we have been similarly working to create a new and whimsical public space in downtown Toronto.
We're all sorry to see you go, Claude. Canada is a better -- and more fun place -- because of your work.
Photo by Filip Mroz on Unsplash
Earlier this week, Slate Asset Management and Forum Asset Management submitted a new development proposal for 100 Lombard Street in downtown Toronto.
At the time of writing this post, the applications (zoning by-law amendment and site plan control) hadn't yet hit the city's website. So here's some information about the project, including its big moves:
This is the first mixed-use residential project in Toronto designed by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA). The proposal includes residential, office, and retail spaces.
Architecture by OMA and WZMH Architects. Heritage by ERA Architects. Landscape and public realm by Claude Cormier + Associés. Planning by Urban Strategies. Structure by Stephenson Engineering.
The principal architectural idea is to create a vertical urban village through a series of "urban rooms" interspersed throughout the tower. These spaces would serve as amenities for the building and house a variety of different functions. See above rendering.
The proposal introduces three important public realm moves: (1) a new public plaza that pays homage to the site's former neighbor to the east -- Second City; (2) a new mid-block pedestrian connection running north-south from Richmond Street East to Lombard Street; and (3) an outdoor public art gallery featuring oversized art tableaus.
The site currently houses one designated heritage building (86 Lombard Street), and the design contemplates relocating and fully retaining this building on the eastern edge of the site. Once you see the drawings, you'll fully understand why this was the most logical move.
The entire project team is very excited to get this proposal out and into the world. And we hope that you will see it as being representative of our ongoing and lasting commitment to elevating architecture, sustainability, culture, and city building in Toronto.