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Head of Slips (Waterfront Toronto, West 8/DTAH)

Attention News Editors:

Spadina WaveDeck Nominated for Brit Insurance Design Award

TORONTO, Jan. 7 /CNW/ - Waterfront Toronto's Spadina WaveDeck has been
nominated for a prestigious 2009 Brit Insurance Design Award in the category
of architecture and is the first Canadian project ever to be short-listed for
the awards.
The Brit Insurance Design Awards are the Design Museum of London's annual
exploration of the most innovative and forward-looking new work in design. One
hundred projects from around the world are nominated in seven categories,
which include architecture, fashion, furniture, graphics, interactive, product
and transport.
The Design Museum of London selects projects from the last 12 months
nominated by a group of internationally distinguished design and architecture
writers, critics and curators.
"We are thrilled to be nominated among such an esteemed and
internationally renowned group," said John Campbell, Waterfront Toronto
President and CEO. "Excellence in design is a priority for us and being
recognized for excellence in the architecture category is a tremendous
honour." Opened in September 2008, the Spadina WaveDeck is the first in a
series of spectacular new public spaces being built along Toronto's
waterfront. Designed by the internationally recognized and award-winning team
of West 8 from Rotterdam and du Toit Allsopp Hillier (DTAH) from Toronto, the
new wavedeck is a gateway to the lakefront at a site that previously lacked
public access.
The geometry of the 630 square-metre timber deck uses playful curves that
are constantly changing to provide for a flexible gathering space. The stairs
act as an informal amphitheatre and the varying heights of the deck allow for
different vantage points and ultimately different experiences with the lake.
In the evenings, the space is kept animated with 24 underwater LED lights.
The Spadina WaveDeck is the first step towards the implementation of the
highly anticipated West 8 + DTAH design for the central waterfront, which
spans 3km's from Bathurst Street to Parliament Street. Construction also began
on the Rees and Simcoe WaveDecks in the fall of 2008. These will both be open
for public enjoyment this summer.
An exhibit showcasing the nominated projects will be on display at The
Design Museum of London from February 12 - June 14, 2009 and the winners will
be announced on February 24, 2009. This year, in addition to an international
jury reviewing the nominees, the public is also able to vote for their
favourites at www.designsoftheyear.com.

The Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto
created Waterfront Toronto to oversee and lead the renewal of Toronto's
waterfront. Public accessibility, design excellence, sustainable development,
economic development and fiscal sustainability are the key drivers of
waterfront revitalization.
 
Well even though that's good news, I have to honestly say that I'm a tad surprised. It seems to pale in comparison to the appeal of some of the other designs on the list, and it wasn't even afforded a description on their page!

I say the Rees or Simcoe slips would serve as stronger competitors when they are built.
 
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Yea you have a good point there ... the scale of some other projects isn't really comparable.

Is this completion possibly teared? i.e. a prize for projects within a certain prize range? If that's the case then I can imagine this or one of the other decks winning.
 
This is supposed to be the First Canadian project to reach this stage and that saying something. The expectational is, no award. The next bridges/slips should make it.

Tender is to be let late January-early February for the Spadina Bridge.

Work is schedule to start in March and be completed in early 2010.

The bridge will have bike ramp out of wood since the bridge will have steps and lights.

Word is that the 2 new slips should be open in early July.
 
Summer 2009 should be interesting at the Waterfront with 3 heads of slips done by then and steady construction in the east on Corus and Sugar Beach.

Is Sherbourne park scheduled to start construction this year or in 2010?

I'm hoping they start ripping up Queen's Quay soon for the West 8 redesign project.
 
lead82 said:
Is Sherbourne park scheduled to start construction this year or in 2010?.
Click to expand...

They are doing work on Sherbourne Park now - well, maybe not at 6.45pm but you know what I mean! :) It is supposed to open in early 2010.

I agree with you it will be good to see work on Queen's Quay itself started but I think the EA is still ongoing. Now the rail spur to Redpath Sugar has been torn up the planning should move forward quite fast and be easier to deal with. I think the hold-up is actually how the streetcar will get to Union Station. The LRT is supposed to be running in 2011, but I expect it will be later.
 
DSC said:
They are doing work on Sherbourne Park now - well, maybe not at 6.45pm but you know what I mean! :) It is supposed to open in early 2010.

I agree with you it will be good to see work on Queen's Quay itself started but I think the EA is still ongoing. Now the rail spur to Redpath Sugar has been torn up the planning should move forward quite fast and be easier to deal with. I think the hold-up is actually how the streetcar will get to Union Station. The LRT is supposed to be running in 2011, but I expect it will be later.
Click to expand...

Construction on Queens Quay W will not start until summer/fall 2010.

As for Queens Quay E, it maybe 2011/12 and that depends on what happens to the portal location or what TTC dumb idea they are working on at the time.

There is a new EA to come out for the portal shortly. The rest of Eastbay will be the same as the West 8 design and that EA is being roll into the Central EA.
 
Similiar to what we've started to create. Some great ideas for spacing incorporated into them.

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/5075/maritime-youth-house-by-plot.html

plot6.jpg

plot2.jpg
 
If the slip is created like that, you can be sure there's going to be a lot of skateboarders hanging around there. It won't be a safe area to sit around or walk anymore. Also...imagine if the skateboarders fall off into the water o_O
 
/\ Yes and no. Though it may seem like an enticing spot it probably wouldn't be too popular. The planks which make up the deck are set perpendicularly to the direction in which a skateboarder would travel making it impossible to get enough momentum to make this a really good place to skate. First-timers would surely have a blast setting their skateboards up at the top and simply riding them down, but because of the composition of the pier (wood slats), stringing a line of tricks together would be difficult and more experienced skateboarders would be deterred.

Bikers on the other hand would glide over the cracks and have a great time here. However, because their sport requires a large, heavy, metal object, this would make the pier even more dangerous than it would be with skateboarders.

In fact, the best way to to deal with the skateboarder 'problem' is also the easiest. A long strip of smooth concrete (maybe 50x500 feet) lined with prefabricated or poured in place benches of varying heights. Done. That's it. The best part is that because it would benefit from shade, it can be slotted under the Gardiner with ease.

Will this ever happen? Sadly, I think not.
 
While reading that, I couldn't help but notice that all the new public space along the waterfront will be made of wood. This begs the question "Is it feasible?? How long until we have to replace the wood??" I am very afraid that they're not thinking long-term by making verything made out of wood. Also, won't the wood look crappy after years of exposure to rain??
 
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