Toronto Halsa at 230 Royal York | 31.79m | 9s | Leader Lane | LWPAC
- Thread starter AlbertC
- Start date
HousingNowTO
Senior Member
From INTELLIGENT CITY post - "The first envelope panels are now installed at 230 Royal York! More than just a milestone — this marks the first use of our fully integrated mass timber envelope and structural systems, enabling faster delivery of cost-effective, low-carbon housing. Built in Canada, for Canadians — and designed to scale."
HousingNowTO
Senior Member
Toured the site today, with the local MP James Maloney and MP Jennifer McKelvie (Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure) -
Sauga89
Active Member
There's a question about this building which has been rattling around my brain. Since you've visited the site, perhaps you know the answer.
I get the impression from photos in this thread that they built the concrete elevator core in a more conventional fashion, rather than using pre-cast concrete sections. Is there a reason for this?
I know that there are other pre-fabricated builders in the city who use pre-cast concrete, and I can't help but wonder whether they could have built this building faster and cheaper if they worked on the elevator and the rest of the building simultaneously, rather than sequentially.
FormerTorontonianBackInTO
Active Member
Does anybody know how much of the interior (if any) will end up having an exposed wood finish? I ask because my understanding is that exposed wood is easier to do in office buildings whereas the building code requires fire/sound barriers that trigger the need to cover up the exposed wood. Maybe they'll be able to do exposed wood ceilings at least (I'd prefer that wood over exposed concrete or drywall)
HousingNowTO
Senior Member
Photos from earlier today...
Full Metal Junkie
Active Member
Oof... All that black cladding. If black cars soaking up the sun can raise city temperatures by as much as 4 degrees Celsius (source), I can only imagine what's the impact of all the dark grey and black clad buildings and rooftops is.
D
DavidCapizzano
Guest
They’ve gotta figure out a way to detail the exhaust vents better. Ruins the look imo
HousingNowTO
Senior Member
Shot this CBC story at the site yesterday -- it ran tonight...
Full Web Story is HERE -
Full Web Story is HERE -
Branden Simon
Senior Member
From the GO train on the way to CNE (August 31, 2025)
GameOnBrad
Active Member
Milaisacat
Active Member
My hunch is that the use of conventional cast-in-place concrete and steel reinforcement for the elevator core was due to this technique being so ubiquitous, easy to design, and straightforward to hire trades and source materials. A concrete core made with pre-cast and/or a hybrid system would undoubtedly be possible, but unlikely to be warranted since it wouldn't offer an improvement over CIP concrete.
As for why a concrete core was used with a mass timber, it provides lateral stability and simplifies code compliance. Here's a good case study prepared by the Canadian Wood Council about the University of British Columbia Brock Commons 'Tallwood House'. This is an 18-storey student residence that was, arguably, the first high-rise mass timber building and the trailblazer for this building system in Canada. It was also the tallest mass timber building in the world for a time.
HousingNowTO
Senior Member
OCTOBER 30, 2025 - took our U of T School of Cities MUCP students out on a site-tour yesterday -
schoolofcities.utoronto.ca
Multidisciplinary Urban Capstone Project (MUCP/IMUCP) - School of Cities
The Multidisciplinary Urban Capstone Project (MUCP) / International Multidisciplinary Urban Capstone Project (IMUCP) is a full-year academic course open to undergraduate students in their final year from all U of… Read more
schoolofcities.utoronto.ca
HousingNowTO
Senior Member
NOV. 2nd, 2025 - nicer weather than on our recent tour day…
Northern Light
Superstar
The offset alignment of the cladding and windows starting on the 5th level is looking mighty odd a this point. I don't think that will improve as it does align w/the renders. How unfortunate.