Copenhagen-based firm 3XN has won a competition to complete a waterfront condominium building in Canada. Located on Toronto’s formerly industrial east bayfront area, ‘the waves’ will be sited next to ‘Aquabella’, another residential project designed by 3XN. Anchoring the eastern edge of the development, the scheme has been named after its lakeside setting with a façade that references the undulating surface of lake Ontario.
Commissioned by development firms Tridel and Hines, the 3XN-designed building has just been through its second design review panel and is expected to start construction before the end of 2018. The complex is shaped as a landscape with two high peaks flanking a valley — a configuration designed to maximise waterfront views from each unit. As the building steps back on higher floors, a large percentage of the suites include outdoor terraces. The building’s shared amenities are found within the valley, which contains both indoor spaces such as community rooms, along with an expansive deck space and an outdoor pool.
A key aspect of the project was finding ways to activate the waterfront. ‘Toronto’s waterfront is undergoing tremendous change, and the bayside development is a central role in its revitalisation,’ explains 3XN. The building’s podium will feature a continuous double height façade facing the promenade, with a through-block connection as an extension of edgewater drive. The design team has suggested that the podium includes a range of public functions, such as restaurants, cafés, and even a rowing club.
‘Waves at bayside’ will be located on the edge of Alphabet’s newly announced smart community project named ‘Quayside’, driven by its subsidiary Sidewalk Labs. Once completed, the district will span the entire 3,200,000 square meter (800-acre) waterfront area. As part of the plans, Sidewalk Labs and Waterfront Toronto have imagined a neighborhood that seeks to incorporate high-tech systems to help solve issues such as a lack of affordable housing, traffic congestion and safety, and environmental impact. a completion date for the project has been slated for 2022.
