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Continuing its long-running design saga, the proposal for Toronto's 33 Avenue Road development has changed once again. With documentation for a site plan approval submitted to the City of Toronto in March, Richmond and Zeidler Architects' redesigned tower maintains the attention-grabbing 'vertical forest' concept introduced earlier this year, though the exterior is now additionally characterized by copper-toned slats along the north and south elevations.
The Empire Communities and Greybrook Capital project has been in the works for over four years, with the design revised to reflect changing priorities and design aesthetics. Most recently, the building was re-conceptualized as a 30-storey greenscaped tower vaguely reminiscent of Stefano Boeri's Bosco Verticale in Milan.
Now, the design has taken another turn, with the 'vertical forest' concept—appointed by Scott Torrance—now joined by the distinctively coloured cladding. While the east and west facades remain largely unchanged since the previous design was revealed early this year, the copper-toned slats that characterize the tower now also accent the terraces.
At ground level, the smaller volumes fronting Avenue Road and Yorkville Avenue are also clad with the distinctive slats. Otherwise, the configuration of these structures appears unaltered.
In the coming weeks, we will return with a more thorough look at the project's design evolution, exploring the complex history of one Toronto's prominent developments. In the meantime, make sure to check out our associated dataBase file for more information, and additional renderings. Want to share your thoughts about the latest design? Leave a comment in the space below this page, or join in the ongoing conversation on our associated Forum.
