Toronto, Ontario

Rafael + Bigauskas, Architects

Located at the southwest fringes of York University is a 7.38 ha (18.24 acre) site, formerly owned by the University. The client's vision for this site is to develop a residential community which focuses around a landscaped setting incorporating ponds, streams, waterfalls, rocks, footbridges, footpaths, pavilions, colonnades, and an amphitheater.

Associating the University's proximity to these grounds, the client decided to carry out the theme of neoclassical (scholarly) architecture amidst a natural selling.

The community is to be developed in three phases totaling 1,573 residential units and 15 guest suites. The sales office is located at the west entrance to the site where the third and final phase is to be built. Although by code a temporary structure, this 697 m2 (7,500 sf) sales office is anticipated to stand for upwards of ten years. Thus, much attention has been paid to tying it into its future setting. Proposed architectural elements and colors have been borrowed from the first phase design to kick off the theme.