Overlooking Robertson Davies Park, the site of Brandy Lane Homes' The Davies is part of a typologically varied stretch of Toronto's Avenue Road. With the breakaway 'Republic of Rathnelly' to its west, Summerhill to its east, and the rail tracks to its south, the Midtown project joins a topographically elevated neighbourhood of Victorian townhomes and mid-rise apartment buildings that overlooks a valley of skyscrapers below. 

The Davies at dusk, image courtesy of Brandy Lane Homes

Designed by Toronto's SMV Architects, the 9-storey condominium offers a sensitively scaled addition to the area, while a simultaneous revitalization of the neighbouring park will see the project provide an enhanced public space to the community.  

Looking north, the revamped Robertson Davies Park neighbours the project, image courtesy of Brandy Lane Homes

In a development landscape dominated by glassy point towers, The Davies' mid-rise form alone sets it apart from many of Toronto's new-build condos. Additionally, the prominent use of stone as a cladding material lends the building an uncommon aesthetic. "The materiality of the building was inspired by 'natural' elements," says SMV's Dan Cowling.

Each outdoor space features an in-built gas BBQ connection, image courtesy of Brandy Lane Homes

"The exterior features natural cleft stone, architectural stone veneers, and wood grain soffits for balconies and dividers," Cowling explains, adding that the building's gently "curvaceous form" and "its terracing, and its reference to nature in its materiality" help to relate the building to the neighbouring park while maximizing views and outdoor space for adjoining units. 

Meeting the scale of the neighbouring Cottingham Manor apartments (located immediately to the north), the building's mid-rise height enables a sense of "intimacy," and "a connection to the surrounding environs that high-rise buildings do not afford," Cowling adds. "Mid-rise buildings are inherently more human-scaled. They are the anchors of great avenues and pedestrian friendly environments. So, designing at a mid-rise scale is very satisfying."

The site as it appears now, image via Google Maps

Alongside The Davies' previously profiled features, the luxury building will also feature electric car charging stations, with each of the spots monitored via its associated suite. More information can be found in our associated dataBase file, linked below, while additional information about the project's interiors and amenity spaces is available in our previous stories, found linked below as well. Want to share your thoughts about the building's design? Leave a comment in the space provided on this page, or join the conversation in our associated Forum threads.