The City of Toronto has received a Site Plan Approval submission for the fourth and final phase at Urban Capital's River City development in the West Don Lands. Dubbed 'Harris Square' after Lawren Harris Square, the new street and public space that the building will front one side of, the 13-storey building is designed, like the first three phases, by Montreal-based Saucier + Perrotte Architects and Toronto's ZAS Architects.

Looking northwest towards Harris Square condominiums by Urban Capital, image retrieved from City of Toronto submission

Harris Square's design reflects and reacts to its location in interesting ways. Rising on an irregularly shaped site bordered on the northwest by the Eastern Avenue flyover, the angular building lifts its units up above the road to provide residents with views and access to sunlight. Near the ground level, the building's first two levels are sculpted to touch lightly on the ground in order to maintain views underneath it between the public parks adjacent to it on two sides: Lawren Harris Square and Underpass Park.

Looking north towards the Harris Square podium, image retrieved from City of Toronto submission

The palette and materials are similar to those found on earlier phases as well. Lower levels will be dominated by cast in place concrete—mirroring the supports of the Eastern Avenue flyover to the north. On upper levels, a dark smoked glass will front balconies, with clear glass predominant on the walls. Occasional white metal panels will also be used for solid wall cladding sections, while at ground level a coloured green glass will face the park spaces.

Current progress at River City Phase 3, image by UT Forum contributor rdaner

Across the square to the east, phase 3 of River City is rising, now at seven storeys. River City 3 is also located on an irregularly shaped lot, with the Eastern Avenue overpass running along its north side. On its lower levels, it employs board-formed concrete—with the textures of wood imprinted on its surface—to mesh with its surroundings.

Recent progress at River City Phase 3, image by UT Forum contributor skycandy

More information on and many more renderings of all phases of River City can be found in our dataBase files for the projects, linked below. Want to talk about the plans? You can get in on the discussion in the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.