The Daniels Faculty — in collaboration with the Ontario Climate Consortium (which includes the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and York University’s Faculty of Environmental Studies) as well as Parallel 52 and the Centre for Urban Growth + Renewal — is pleased to announce a student design competition to be launched at the 2017 Ontario Climate Symposium May 11 & 12. Participants will have the chance to contribute new ideas to the sustainable transformation of Toronto’s neighbourhoods — and win a $1,000 cash prize. The registration deadline is April 28.

Part of ongoing design-research, teaching and knowledge mobilization among Canadian and Dutch academic institutions, as well as private and public sectors, the design competition invites students from the Toronto region, the Vancouver region, and Dutch Universities to develop speculative, inventive and visionary pathways to the transformation of existing urban districts into net-positive biophilic communities, in both human and environmental terms.

The tower neighbourhood north of Finch on Kipling Avenue — one of Toronto’s largest apartment tower neighbourhoods — is the site of the competition. Students form any discipline and level of experience are challenged to envision the transformation of this site into to a resilient and environmentally and socially sustainable community.

Associate Professor Liat Margolis says the competition will build on past and ongoing design-research initiatives at the Daniels Faculty and strengthen relations with municipal and regional programs dedicated to issues of resiliency, climate change mitigation and adaptation, green infrastructure, and the sustainable retrofitting of social and affordable housing.

“The Competition is intended to expose students to these important issues and at the same time provide the professional experts with out-of-the-box, imaginative ideas for further exploration,” says Margolis. “The cooperation with the Dutch government and academic institutions is also very exciting as it provides opportunities to exchange experiences around municipal climate policies and transitioning to low-carbon urbanism.”

For detailed information on the competition, titled “Towers on the Ravine, 1967-2067: Transitioning to Net-Positive Biophilic Urbanism, visit the Ontario Climate Consortium website.

Questions? Contact Liat Margolis at liat.margolis@daniels.utoronto.ca

By Romi Levine
cross-posted from U of T News

University of Toronto post-doctoral researcher Terri Peters admires the sunlit graduate studio space on the third floor of the just-renovated One Spadina building – the new home of U of T’s John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design.

The large north-facing windows and the numerous skylights brighten the space without the need for artificial light.

Peters says this space is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it also has benefits to our well-being.

“You’ve got the natural light coming in and there's numerous studies that show increased productivity in day-lit environments,” she says. “Daylight is central to architecture and experience and to energy savings.”

Peters is the Daniels faculty’s only post-doctoral researcher. She studies how architecture and design can be used to both improve people’s well-being and be sustainable – calling the design practice “superarchitecture.”

“The idea with superarchitecture isn't that our buildings will get better, it's that we get better being in our buildings,” she says. “What if the jeans I was wearing were also toning my thighs and exercising me or my jacket should be charging my phone – all these things in our environment are designed and could be making us better.”

Peters guest-edited the most recent edition of Architectural Design Magazine on the topic of designing for health. Starting next month, she will be researching superarchitecture as a cross-disciplinary initiative between Daniels and the School of the Environment in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

“U of T has so many different people working on different parts of this puzzle,” she says. “No one discipline can claim all of this territory.”

There has been plenty of proof that improving our surroundings – by boosting natural light, adding greenery and plenty of fresh air – makes us feel healthier, says Peters.

“I've been gathering the evidence for this stuff. If we can prove it and we can argue it better, maybe it'll become a part of green building.”

There are certifications that measure well-being and sustainability, such as the WELL and LEED standards – but there needs to be a more comprehensive system, she says.

“There are challenges because fundamentally it should be about taking the existing condition and making it better whereas these green and wellness rating systems are about benchmarks and standards and measurement – they don't compare itself to itself,” says Peters.

Toronto is beginning to embrace superarchitecture, she says. The Active House – an experimental home designed by architecture firm superkül, which is led by U of T instructor Meg Graham – is putting these principles into practice.

“They're measuring green-ness and health and well-being and they're a bit like demonstration houses – they're not a mainstream way of building but they could be,” says Peters.

As these small examples of superarchitecture become more prominent, people will start to see – and feel – the benefits of conscientious design, she says.

“As people see it paying off, they’ll want these spaces and environments more – it will take off.”

Image, top: Terri Peters says the natural light at U of T's One Spadina building has "super" qualities (photo by Romi Levine)

Image, above: The Centennial Park Active House in Toronto was designed by superkül architects with Great Gulf and Velux Canada. It's an example of how superarchitecture can be used when designing homes, says Peters (photo courtesy of Terri Peters)

Current MArch student Kinan Hewitt and recent graduates Rupali Morzaria (BArch 2016) and Gabriel Valdivieso (MArch 2016) are among the winners of the HOLLYWOOD Design Competition hosted by Arch Out Loud. "Capitalizing on theiconic prominence of its site beneatht the famed Hollywood sign," the competition asked "participants to design a house of the future that demonstrates the use of innovative technology and integrative environmental strategies."

The Last of the First by Rupali Morzaria and Gabriel Valdivieso

Morzaria and Valdivieso collaborated to create “The Last of the First,” which won Director’s Choice. The project “integrates an interior kinetic volume—a rotating platform, that contains the circulation and specialized functions (kitchen, study, bedroom, washroom) of the unit,” writes Morzaria and Valdivieso in their project description. “Our design liberates its user from the constraints of static architecture, eliminating sequential circulation, fixed program, and a definite perception of space.”

LANDhouse by Kinan Hewitt and Dorothy Jones

Hewitt and competition partner Dorothy Jones received Honorable mention for “LANDhouse,” a proposal that resurrects the original “Hollywoodland” sign.

From the project description:

“Every house has a story, this is the story of the LAND house. Grounded in the history and culture of the site, this is not the last house on Mulholland, but perhaps the first. I can remember when the sign read HOLLYWOODLAND, announcing the arrival of the neighborhood, and the exile of the last four letters. I took it upon myself to resurrect these letters, and allow them to accomplish their fundamental purpose. The letters once again glow among the flashing of signal towers and warmth of homes. I find solace, retreating into LAND, and excitement in wandering its eminence.”

Photo, top: The Last of the First by Rupali Morzaria and Gabriel Valdivieso

The Townships Farmhouse designed by LAMAS — the firm of Assistant Professor Vivian Lee and Lecturer James Macgillivray — won Architizer’s A+ Awards, in the Residential – Private House XL > 5000 sq ft category.

From the project description on Architizer:

“In the eastern townships of Quebec, the courtyard configuration for barns has been used since the mid-19th century for convenience of access and for shelter against the wind.
For this working farm, our first design decision was to take the concept of the “aisle” from barns—essentially a thoroughfare for bringing in materials and livestock—and repurpose it outwards to capture views from the surrounding fields. Because the house is arranged in a courtyard formation it goes back in on itself and the interior spaces can be superimposed onto the background of the landscape in unexpected compositions.”
 

For each category, five finalists were chosen as a winner through a popular vote. The Jury Winners and Popular Choice Winners was announced on April 11, 2017 with an Award Gala Event taking place in May.

To view all projects considered for the Architizer A+ Awards, visit awards.architizer.com/winners-gallery/finalists/

Toronto’s Lower Junction neighbourhood (Lower JCT) — in particular, an eight-acre development site about three blocks south west of Bloor Street and Lansdowne Avenue — is gearing up for big changes. The industrial brownfield site where Sterling Road bends to meet Perth Avenue just east of the West Toronto Rail Path (WTR) will soon be transformed into a mixed-used community, with the new home of the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada (MOCA) at its heart.

With the overall site development approved and implementation of key development blocks underway, graduate students from the University of Toronto’s John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design explored the design of the area’s open spaces including a public park and POPS (privately owned public space) that extends through the core of the development to the West Toronto Railpath. As part of her third year graduate design studio, entitled Art Site Urbanism, landscape architect and Daniels Faculty Lecturer Victoria Taylor challenged the students to take a different approach to site design research, one that focused on the important role that public art can play in “reading, understanding, and ultimately informing” the open space design.

“We studied the Land Art movement from the 60s and the work of artists currently working at the intersection of landscape architecture, architecture and public art,” says Taylor. “This research inspired an early group project that involved a series of site-specific ‘pop-up’ installations built right on the West Toronto Railpath. Engaging in the public space adjacent to the studio site gave the students a new confidence and interest in seizing the opportunity to contribute to the conversation about the design of the new neighbourhood.”

Castlepoint Numa, together with Greybrook Realty Partners, is leading the site’s transformation, which is expected to bring 1,000 new residents and 3,500 jobs to the area, as well as new community amenities, including over an acre of new parks and open spaces, affordable housing, and a new day care facility. MOCA’s new home on Sterling Road is now under construction in the heritage-designated Tower Automotive building, which is being restored and preserved by architectsAlliance.

“I was extremely interested in the diverse social context surrounding the site,” said Master of Architecture student Karima Peermohammad. “The park will be immediately surrounded by residential, light industrial, commercial, rail path, and of course cultural uses.”

Karima Peermohamed's proposal Perth Collective explores a mix of ecology, residential, employment, and museum spaces

Peermohamed’s proposal focused on extending these uses to the open space surrounding the buildings through careful consideration of scale, boundaries and textures. Her plan incorporates opportunities for social interaction among a diverse group of users.

In a neighbourhood that already attracts artists and gallery-goers alike, taking a more interdisciplinary approach to the design of the community’s shared open spaces and using public art as (as Peermohammad describes it) a lens through which to better engage with and understand the site provides designers with a greater set of tools to develop their creative vision. It’s an approach that has become more common in Toronto since 2008, when the City mandated that public art be included the development process.

As part of their early course research, the students explored public art projects in Toronto and Cleveland, including LANDstudio, a firm that specializes in public art, collaborative planning, programming and sustainable building design.

'Scape Canvas by Tom Kwok

For his final project, Master of Landscape Architecture student Tom Kwok proposed creating opportunities to bring art from inside MOCA outdoors. In his design, the park became a “canvas” where public art, including projections, interactive art, and performance, can be displayed. He says one of his goals was to create an art and cultural destination in Toronto, using landscape architecture to complement MOCA’s activities and programing.

“I enjoyed designing for a site that is simultaneously in real life development,” says Kwok. “It was exciting to know that our work will attract interest from stakeholders.”

Artistic Influx by Shaine Wong

Renderings by Master of Landscape Architecture student Shaine Wong show water flowing through a portion of the park, which would become a skating rink in the winter. An earth bridge extending from MOCA’s entrance would provide a sheltered area for programming, while a pathway through the park would connect to the West Toronto Railpath.

In February, Taylor, with support from Castlepoint Numa and Greybrook Realty Partners, held an exhibition of the student’s work at the developer’s gallery space on Sterling Road. The event gave neighbours, MOCA members, railpath advocates, and others the opportunity to view the ideas generated in the studio.

"The work presented by the students demonstrated a very thoughtful design process that responded to the complexity and opportunities of the site,” said Alejandra Perdomo, Planner/Development Coordinator at Castelpoint Numa. “We are very happy that the Lower Junction could provide a hands-on educational opportunity for students and future designers"

Chainlink, by Noah McGillivray

For the students, the exhibition was an unique opportunity to appreciate the possible impact of their work beyond the studio’s Final Reviews.

“The experience was very rewarding,” said Wong. “We received a lot of positive feedback. And it’s exciting to know that our projects could possible play a role in the future design of the site.”

Representatives from the City of Toronto Planning and Parks department, Castlepoint Numa, MOCA, and Toronto’s design and arts community worked with the students, providing feedback on their ideas throughout the term.

David Liss, Artistic Director and Curator at MOCA, noted how important it was for the students to understand the site and surrounding context.

“[The students] challenged their imaginations and, to some extent, even challenged the nature of the site, which I thought was great, rather than totally give in to expectations and predictable solutions,” he said. “They made the most of an unusual opportunity to wrap their imaginations around a very relevant 'real world' situation: how to examine and create engaging social space within the context of urban intensification in a rapidly evolving city.”

1. Transition Node, by Yusong Li  2. Play(ed)ground, by Sébastien Beauregard  3. Art in Four Seasons, Landscape in Four Elements, by Shahrzad Khatami

Alumna Ridhima Khurana (MArch 2015) recently published a calendar featuring photos taken on a field trip for ARC1012Y, a first year Masters of Architecture course. Taught by Associate Professor Rodolphe el-Khoury and coordinated by Associate Professor Shane Williamson, the students visited architectural sites within the Great Lakes area to better understand the environment, building, culture, and symbolic aspects of the sites.

“I started capturing the details of all the buildings we visited around the Great Lakes,” says Khurana.“[I refrained] from revealing too much information about where each building stands, [and instead focused] on the smaller pieces that make up the complete design.”

The course asked students to analyze and interpret one of several buildings in terms of natural light, circulation, structure, geometry, symmetry and balance, and unit to whole relationship. Khurana was assigned the Milwaukee Art Museum designed by Santiago Calatrava.

‘The field trip provided an opportunity to photograph the details of this building that would otherwise not have been available to me,’ says Khurana. ‘Seeing Calatrava’s architecture up close and in-person completely left me in awe.’

Khurana incorporated the photos taken from this field trip into a calendar published through RK Studios — her recently established photography and architectural design firm. The calendar, which can be purchase online, also includes photography of Toronto, which she plans to make into an exhibition later this year.

Photos above of the Milwaukee Art Museum, by Ridhima Khurana

On February 14 in New York, Daniels Faculty Assistant Professor Wei-Han Vivian Lee presented recent work — and jokes! — as part of Storefront for Art and Architecture's Cabaret Series. The event, entitled ha ha ha (The Funny, the Witty, and the Grotesque) explored the intersections between humour, art, and architecture through performance and discussion.

From Storefront for Art and Architecture’s website: “Laughter, giggles, grins, and smirks — actions that often originate as spontaneous and instinctive expressions of amusement — create a sense of self-awareness. That which we find funny can be genuinely ground-breaking, changing people’s perspectives by signalling common spaces of understanding"

For those who weren’t able to attend, a video of the full event is now up on Storefront for Art and Architecture’s Youtube page. Lee’s set starts 22 minutes and 14 seconds in.

The Rosemary House designed by Kohn Shnier Architects — the firm of Associate Professor John Shnier — was one of five residential projects featured in Azure Magazine’s Annual House Issue. Blending in with its pseudo-Tudor style neighbours, Rosemary House is innovative in its flexible programming and sensitive use of materials.

“Rosemary House encourages modern family living that is interactive, open to choices and growth, [which is achieved with] spaces that are zoned, yet not necessarily enclosed,” describes Kohn Shnier Architects. “An innovative use of custom solid limestone masonry is tonally sympathetic with other homes, yet demonstrates how contemporary design can contribute difference.”

For a copy of Azure’s 2017 House Issue, visit shop.azuremagazine.com/products/the-annual-houses-issue

Photos by Amanda Large & Younes Bounhar, Doublespace Photography.