Nathan Phillip Square Redesign Winner

                              Image courtesy of Plant Architect Inc

In one of our Green News posts a little while back I included a link to an article (from Torontoist.com) about Toronto’s Nathan Phillip Square redesign competition – more specifically, an article providing a run down of the four finalists vying for the crown.

Just the other day I saw a very quick news blurb on TV mentioning that a winner had been selected, so I made a mental note to look into it.

I learned via a recent Toronto Star article that the winner was the team lead by Plant Architect inc and Shore Tilbe Irwin & Partners. I was definitely happy to hear the news, since out of the four finalists (who all incorporated at least some ‘green’ features) this team was apparently the ‘greenest’.

Here is an exerpt from the Torontoist.com article mentioned earlier (Nathan Phillips Square Design Finalists Unveiled):

The firm dubbed their design “Agora Theatre,” alluding to the architecture of classical Athens where the agora is a public and social gathering space, whereas the theatre is a home for political debate and decision-making.

Plant/STI had a very strong focus on environmental aspects of the design, attempting to create an urban forest and significant tree canopy. It is the “greenest” out of the four designs, with promises to salvage existing materials to be recycled into new tiles and building a complex system for sustaining the site’s biomass. Rainwater and waste heat are to be recovered, and low-level lighting is intended so that the night sky can be preserved as much as possible.

Like each of the other designs, there is a focus on easing entry into the square, yet providing clearly demarcated entrances. The main entrance pavilion, which houses a tourist centre and attached restaurant, is a glass box with highly-visible rental bicycles, echoing the importance of alternative transportation. The Peace Garden would be relocated to the west strip and feature a new reflecting pool.

One of the most interesting elements is the public garden green roof on the podium level (surrounding the base of the dome). With a nod to Revell’s unrealized reflecting pool, there would be a polished black granite disc surrounding the rotunda in the centre of the garden which would feature a “lightstick garden,” providing subtle visual effects at night.

The walkways would be wood-decked, which is a fantastic touch, though seemingly expensive to maintain, though there is little else planned for the ugly colonnade save for one small section of transparent glass. The PATH exit would be reconfigured so that pedestrians would exit facing City Hall. Plant also wants to re-open the old observation deck at the top of the east tower (it’s ridiculous that this was closed in the first place).

Be sure to also check out Plant Architecture’s Nathan Phillip Square Competition page for a full description and a series of beautful images.

I’m not sure when construction might be expected to begin on the project, but I certainly look forward to seeing the revitalized square once it is finished.

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Written by Bentley on March 14th, 2007 with 1 comment.
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