Kroonenberg Groep and ProWinko unveil new tower design for Toronto’s mink mile
Sited at the corner of Bay and Bloor, 87-storey tower will be designed by Herzog & de Meuron and Quadrangle
World-renowned, Swiss-based architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron and Canadian architects Quadrangle have been appointed by Kroonenberg Groep and ProWinko to design a mixed-use tower at the northwest corner of Bay and Bloor in Toronto. Bloor Street has played a significant role in the identity and organization of the city.
It is a major east-west axis which defines the northern edge of the downtown core and hosts one of the best-known shopping areas in Toronto. Its intersection with Bay Street – the location of this project – is a strategic site within the city and at the heart of a new cluster of buildings.
“This is an iconic block in the neighbourhood and Toronto at large. We have an opportunity to deliver a project that sets a new benchmark for design and strives to give something back to the city,” says Lesley Bamberger, owner of Kroonenberg Groep.
Courtesy of Herzog & de Meuron
With a 3:1 ratio in the north-south orientation, a simple extrusion of the site footprint rises 87 storeys, resulting in an elegant, well-proportioned tower volume. A linear core at the western façade is proposed which maximizes the usable area of the floorplate, the aspect over Bay Street to the east, and simultaneously provides privacy from any adjacent development to the west.
Providing diversity in the proposed program is an important component of the building’s approach to sustainability and enhancing the vibrancy of the local community. The first 16 floors will replace the existing retail, office and technical functions. A private amenities level will separate these functions from the condominium levels above, which are characterized by generous daylight through the floor-to-ceiling operable windows which provide natural ventilation. Additionally, external shutters allow each individual user to regulate the daylight and heat load into the apartment. A large restaurant, sky lounge and rentable spaces occupy the highest three floors of the building with spectacular panoramic views over the city of Toronto.
Courtesy of Herzog & de Meuron
The proposal is a layered expression of the vertical structural elements, interior glazing (thermal envelope), exterior timber roller shades and an outer layer of transparent, open-jointed glass. The effect is a building which at times appears transparent and expressive – revealing the scale and activity within the building; and at other times, the reflective outer layer of glass gives the building an abstract quality, emphasizing its dramatic proportion.
At street level, residents enter a triple-height lobby from Bloor Street and take one of four dedicated lifts to their condo level. Residences will range from one bedroom, to multi-level penthouses, totalling 332 condominium units spread over 64 floors.
The tower marks Herzog & de Meuron’s first design in Toronto, with Quadrangle serving as project architect and Urban Strategies rounding out the design team.
About Kroonenberg Groep
Kroonenberg Groep provides housing for retail space, workspace, and residential space. We realize creative and sustainable tailor-made solutions that are completely in line with the needs of the market. We are continually optimising our own portfolio of properties. Our organization is compact and has all the necessary in-house expertise and experience. This allows us to focus effectively but flexibly on our core activities: property management and project development. We ensure further growth via the purchase of individual properties and the acquisition of existing portfolios as well as land positions. In doing so, we aim to realise an optimum return.
About ProWinko
ProWinko’s roots lie in the Netherlands, where the company has been active since 1990. The globalization of our activities has given us access to high quality real estate, which forms a sound foundation for our growth ambitions. The portfolio consists almost exclusively of high quality real estate at top locations in major city centres. We are currently active in six countries (Canada, The Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Luxembourg and Switzerland), where we are realizing our ambitions by investing with a long-term vision; establishing and cultivating relations with partners and tenants for the long term; and building sustainable units that meet the wishes of tenants and the consumer. Our tenants prove that our passion for creating attractive locations is appreciated.
About Herzog & de Muron
Established in Basel in 1978, Herzog & de Meuron is a partnership led by Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron together with Senior Partners Christine Binswanger, Ascan Mergenthaler, Stefan Marbach, Esther Zumsteg, and Jason Frantzen. An international team of nearly 500 collaborators including the two Founders, five Senior Partners, eight Partners, and 42 Associates work on projects across Europe, the Americas and Asia. The main office is in Basel with additional offices in London, New York, Hong Kong, Berlin and Copenhagen.
The practice has designed a wide range of projects from the small scale of a private home to the large scale of urban design. Many projects are highly recognized public facilities, such as museums, stadiums, and hospitals, and they have completed distinguished private projects including offices, laboratories and apartment buildings. Awards received include the Pritzker Architecture Prize (USA) in 2001 and the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (USA) in 2014.