Created for the Fall 2012 Urban Design Studio “Design of the Public Sphere — The Case for Ontario Place,” this proposal envisions using landfill to build out the shoreline between Ontario Place and Bathurst Quay, thereby doubling the land area of the site. This new land would make it possible to extend Queen’s Quay and connect it to Dufferin Street, which would improve access to Ontario Place by linking all modes of transportation, most importantly the streetcar line. By selling and leasing the new land that is created, enough revenue could be generated to finance the landfill and subsidize public park space. The addition of low-rise housing within a mixed-use development would help bridge the gap between the existing waterfront neighbourhood to the east and Ontario Place.
The new buildings in the new neighbourhood would take inspiration from Zeidler’s pods and Harbour City, interacting with the water via land configuration, canal design, unique architecture, and programming. The area south of Lakeshore Boulevard would be connected to Exhibition Place through a land bridge. Open park space flanked by commercial and retail uses would connect to existing programs at Exhibition Place. The existing Ontario Place pods would be surrounded by natural park landscape that connects to the existing parks along the waterfront. Fifty percent of the area would be devoted to public park space with year round programming and activities.
For more information about the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto, visit us at http://www.daniels.utoronto.ca
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