They're not a large firm, and I bet their fees are pretty high. But I do agree, it would be nice to have more of their work around!
It is strange that their website doesn't even list their portfolio. I would love to see them design condos in the city and see what they could come up with for a tall office tower. Additionally, I wonder what a Shim-Sutcliffe vision for The Arbour would look like. Anyway, sorry for going off topic.
 
It is strange that their website doesn't even list their portfolio. I would love to see them design condos in the city and see what they could come up with for a tall office tower. Additionally, I wonder what a Shim-Sutcliffe vision for The Arbour would look like. Anyway, sorry for going off topic.
I just got a fund raiser announcing $1000 for a one foot tile. No other details. Do they not understand marketing?
 

"Landscape of Landmark Quality Project": Site Plan Control application to construct an underground parking garage to consolidate and relocate of parking from Front Campus and King's College Circle.
Proposed Use ---​
# of Storeys ---​
# of Units ---​
Type​
Number​
Date Submitted​
Status​
Applications:
Site Plan Approval​
19 129065 STE 11 SA​
Mar 21, 2019​
Application Received​


Development Applications
 
Updated application description:

Site Plan Control application to relocate existing surface parking around King's College Circle into a one-level below-grade garage under part of the Front Campus open space that would be accessed from Wellesley Street West and would contain 267 vehicle spaces and 226 bicycle spaces. The Front Campus at-grade open space is proposed to be expanded and enhanced through new landscaped spaces, pathways, planting, seating, lighting, sustainable design features and a 100 square metre pavilion building at the southeast corner of the Front Campus. King's College Circle is proposed to be redesigned as a shared street that prioritizes pedestrian and cyclist movement while allowing limited vehicular access for emergency vehicles, servicing and accessible parking.

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Renders of the pavillion:
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Are they intending to allow the tourist/sight-seeing buses on front campus still?
 
That's a very shallow underground garage - according to the plans, the roof will only have 60cm of soil on top. Not that they are likely to have anything but grass above.

AoD
 
Are they intending to allow the tourist/sight-seeing buses on front campus still?

I don’t think they have allowed those buses around King’s College Circle for a couple years now. I’m not around that part of campus as much as other spaces, so I might be wrong.
 
Is there no longer a northwest pavilion planned?

I believe they had initially planned to include a cafe located at the southeast one, but doesn't look like it any longer. I wonder why a pavilion is needed at all- why not just have an underground direct connection into the medical sciences building. A pavilion clutters the landscape and will make that corner of the circle look too "busy". Right now, the DNA sculpture is the focal point there, and this pavilion is going to take away from that.

What exactly about this plan is "landmark quality" by the way... has it received awards for design? significant attention in a landscape magazine? If not, they really should revise it or else not refer to it as "landmark quality"
 
Here we go! :)

This project is moving forward with a report to the U of T's Planning and Budget Ctte today.

The report recommends approval with construction to start in Spring of 2020 (next year).

Completion in full in 2023.

Full scope of project (including related but independently managed projects) is:

King's College Circle
Convocation Plaza
Medical Science Building Plaza
Medical Science Building fully accessible ramp/path to Queen's Park Circle
Hart House Circle (including indigenous garden)
UC Quad
UC residence landscape

Also........

(big smile) the project will incorporate geothermal to provide snowmelt on all the new paths around King's College Circle. (no more salt!)

Renders from the report linked below, follow:


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Finally some highlights of the project as listed in the report:m (text verbatim)

Sustainability design and energy conservation Integration of environmentally sustainable principles into buildings, landscapes and transportation options, has been a high priority in discussions with both campus and neighbouring communities. Broadly, this project recognizes the importance of pedestrians and cycling on campus, prioritising both within the public realm.
The re‐engineered lawn will be designed for proper drainage and function as a “green roof” for the below-grade structure.
Water that percolates through the green roof system will be collected and channelled to a large cistern at the south end of the garage to be be utilized for drip irrigation of all plantings and gardens around King’s College Circle.
A large‐scale geothermal field will provide heating to the surrounding buildings as well as primary heat for snow melting embedded within the hardscape surrounding King’s College Circle and related primary entrances.
The 263 stall garage will be equipped with 53 electric vehicle charging stations.

In summary, the project includes:
EV charging stations (53, or 20% of parking spaces)
Bike storage above and below grade (230 + 88), as well as bike ramps into garage and repair stations
Increased tree canopy (by 200)
Indigenous and Native Plant Species (exceeding Toronto Green Standard) •Durable materials (i.e. granite)
Waste Warrior (update recycling receptacles) •LED lighting (interior and exterior); fixtures will be dark-sky compliant
Water capture for irrigation; new cisterns installed to add to UofT’s existing collection of cisterns (13 currently on campus) •Green roofs (MSB plaza and the Front Campus over garage)
Under separate approval - Geothermal Energy (boreholes below the parking garage slab) and Heat Trace for snow melting embedded within the hardscape surrounding King’s College Circle and primary building entrances.

**
Further, the Landmark project: •Prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists by removing at grade parking spaces; replaces existing parking with below grade spaces •Maintains accessible parking spaces on the surface at accessible entrances, as well as drop-off for each building •Delineates the Convocation Hall plaza area with benches, preserving the existing car-free zone •Integrates a heat trace system to de-ice the granite, ensuring safe walking surfaces during winter months for accessible building entrances and ramps on King’s College Circle •Increases lighting throughout the precinct for safety after dark •Increases seating throughout the precinct, including a waiting area for the UTM shuttle •Increases activity or ‘eyes on the street’ through the addition of benches, seat walls and loose furniture •Enhances campus wayfinding with a new signage plan •Eliminates trip hazards and ensures structural stability over the long term for both pedestrian and vehicular traffic with installation method used for the granite pavers. •Improves surface condition with new soil and turf on the Front Campus, providing better drainage, and allowing for greater use year round for circulation, sporting activities, and leisure activities.
 
Why did U of T not hold a competition, open to emerging toronto/ontario architects to design this pavilion? These types of projects are perfect for younger firms to get some built-work experience and bring in some new ideas.
 
Why did U of T not hold a competition, open to emerging toronto/ontario architects to design this pavilion? These types of projects are perfect for younger firms to get some built-work experience and bring in some new ideas.
There was a competition to design the entire Landscape of Landmark Quality project, and KPMB and their associates won it.

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I understand there was a competition, however they could have been more specific in their competition requirements -

A good example of this in practice is the annual Young Architects Program at MOMA PS1 (aka pavilion competition).

The diversity and growth of architecture & design is stymied in large part by these larger firms continually being selected for the vast majority of projects - competition or not.
 
High res renderings are now up:

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That is one very fancy parking garage entrance.

Yeah, it made much more sense (obviously) when the plan was still to incorporate a cafe into it, but now it just seems excessive. They should at least plop some chairs and tables under the overhangs once it's built, and perhaps do whatever it is they have to do to get a little coffee truck/cart there as well.
 

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