The Manulife Centre is located at the core of one of the most exclusive stretches of real estate in Canada along Bloor Street West and the edge of the prestigious Yorkville neighbourhood. The client, public, business improvement association and multiple levels of government have high expectations for a transformative redesign at street level.

B+H, along with MdeAS Architects, were engaged with the responsibility to redesign the building’s podium to revitalize the building as one of Toronto’s finest commercial properties. The multi-faceted program highlights a unique new glass façade encompassing 38,000 square feet of new ground and second floor retail space. A new Eataly restaurant will take up a total of 50,000 square feet of space within the centre. The sleek, contemporary custom glass panels system will give the building a new grandeur along Bloor Street Bloor, while blending with the highly recognizable existing precast. Other interior and exterior renewals include updated lobbies, redeveloped circulation scheme, upgraded retail/commercial areas and extensive mechanical and electrical system upgrades that bring a new standard for sustainable and operational efficiency.

In addition, B+H was engaged to re-energize the streetscape through planning and landscaping to create a consistent look and feel, a pedestrian-friendly environment with easy access to the buildings, an animated street edge that is of human in scale, and adding meaningful and memorable urban experiences. In sum, the result will be an enhanced pedestrian/commercial experience with widened sidewalks, mature trees, flower gardens, modern lighting and public art - a nexus for the vibrant city.

- See more at: http://www.bharchitects.com/en/projects/418#1