Toronto Lower Don Lands Redevelopment | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

[hawc]

Here we go. All the designs so you don't have to click on the link:

 

[hawc]

The Mamamwi is the clear winner.

 

[afransen]

I would say the 'Equinox' is the most striking/memorable, while having some conversation with the other bridges. over the channel.

 

[Northern Light]

Here we go. All the designs so you don't have to click on the link:View attachment 510718View attachment 510719View attachment 510720View attachment 510721View attachment 510722

Why would you have to click on the link, when I posted every render for every proponent here?

Lower Don Lands Redevelopment | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

Can’t make up my mind, but I did like hearing the Nda - Nwendaaganag team talk about having several expedited plans

urbantoronto.ca

 

[Vminkov]

I would say the 'Equinox' is the most striking/memorable, while having some conversation with the other bridges. over the channel.

The Equinox is dressed in Dublin harp bridge drag which I'm here for

 

[EnviroTO]

1. Maamawi' Bridge - Simplicity, smooth lines, focus on the view, nature, sustainability, environmental impact, and indigenous inputs . Clearly hits the design goals.
2. The Harbour Eye - Not as big a fan of the shape of the bridge, but really like the focus on the aquatic habitat, viewing spaces, and indigenous components.
3. Nda-Nwendaaganag - The turns are a bit sharp which makes it look less organic. Love the bonfire idea... might be a challenge to keep people away in a public space but there are a number of ski resorts that have them and they are great in the winter and evenings. The most accessible designs are the ones with no stairs at all and unfortunately they chose stairs.
4. Equinox Bridge - It is a beautiful bridge which could have been designed for a fully modern and urban context. What, is this not the "make the coolest bridge" competition?? It seems they missed the memo on all the other considerations and the context. This is a bridge into nature, not a high tech district.
5. Salmon Run - I feel like a bridge was created, then a story. The inspiration was a swash of light blue paint from a wide brush and a squiggly black line of paint from a calligraphy brush... I don't get it. From that you get a Salmon coloured S shaped bridge with a supporting structure that looks like it used roller coaster track leftovers from Canada's Wonderland. Other than talking about Salmon and a few floating plants there was not a lot that tied this to the themes set in the design goals.

 

[GabrielHurl]

The Equinox is dressed in Dublin harp bridge drag which I'm here for

Certainly reminiscent of the Samuel Beckett Bridge in the Dublin docklands - which is a Calatrava

Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Beckett_Bridge

 

[reinventingthewheel]

5. Salmon Run - I feel like a bridge was created, then a story. The inspiration was a swash of light blue paint from a wide brush and a squiggly black line of paint from a calligraphy brush... I don't get it. From that you get a Salmon coloured S shaped bridge with a supporting structure that looks like it used roller coaster track leftovers from Canada's Wonderland. Other than talking about Salmon (which is a non-native species of fish in the great lakes) and a few floating plants there was not a lot that tied this to the themes set in the design goals.

I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment but I do want to point out one correction. I didn’t favour the Salmon Run design in my votes but I will credit the rich history associated with the design.

Atlantic salmon, while migratory, are technically native to some landlocked regions of fresh water such as the St. Lawrence, Lake Ontario, and could even be found in the Don River. They were considered locally extinct on few occasions due to human impacts, but most recently in 2006 a restorative effort begun.

You can read more on the topic here:
Salmon in Toronto and GTA Waters

Edit: Also, the name salmon run refers to the annual migration event where salmon can be seen flopping their way upstream.

 

[thefreak]

The Harbour eye has my vote - to me it's the only bridge that is a place where you can hang out. It's a destination. All the other options are throughfares.

 

[EnviroTO]

I was thinking about Pacific Salmon (Chinook and Coho), but that makes sense that the Atlantic Salmon would have found their way into Lake Ontario since the rivers would easily permit it, but not likely up the Niagara Falls where human intervention has been populating Salmon into Lake Huron and Lake Superior. I'm not sure I'm onboard with "the rich history" associated with the design though, but the name may be a bit more relevant considering Atlantic Salmon being here in the past.

 

[reinventingthewheel]

I'm not sure I'm onboard with "the rich history" associated with the design though, but the name may be a bit more relevant considering Atlantic Salmon being here in the past.

Agreed, it’s only in a name and choice of path colour. Not very inspired.

 

[Northern Light]

Not to sidetrack the thread to any great degree, but seeing the discussion on (native) Atlantic Salmon in Lake Ontario waters; I thought I would share a directly link to the restoration program:

History | Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program

www.bringbackthesalmon.ca

I would then add, there is no current effort to restore Atlantic Salmon in the Don River specifically. It's just a more challenging, degraded eco-system than many others. There is ongoing work to address that, and non-native salmon do run in the Don, you can see them jumping, roughly, at the Pottery Road bridge.

That said, restoration efforts in the GTA have been focused on Bronte Creek,
the Credit River, the Humber River, Wilmot Creek, and
Duffins Creek.

The hope has been to have the population be self-sustaining by 2025. Success TBD.

 

[3Dementia]

Certainly reminiscent of the Samuel Beckett Bridge in the Dublin docklands - which is a Calatrava

Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Beckett_Bridge

The Equinox also seems to have a bit of shared DNA with a number of other bridges in the WilkinsonEyre family (eg. The Peace Bridge).

wilkinsoneyre.com

 

[abovegrade]

currently in Copenhagen, specifically around christianshavn area where there are a lot of pedestrian and cycle bridges over the canal that are very modern but less 'obtrusive' on top. I must say I hate the fanning-like support beams that go over bridges as depicted in some of the finalists. I want it to be more contemporary and simple, where one is able to see the skyline and canal from certain vantage points. I think the Nda-Nwendaaganag or Maamawi' are my fave.

 

[old boy]

Not to sidetrack the thread to any great degree, but seeing the discussion on (native) Atlantic Salmon in Lake Ontario waters; I thought I would share a directly link to the restoration program:

History | Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program

www.bringbackthesalmon.ca

I would then add, there is no current effort to restore Atlantic Salmon in the Don River specifically. It's just a more challenging, degraded eco-system than many others. There is ongoing work to address that, and non-native salmon do run in the Don, you can see them jumping, roughly, at the Pottery Road bridge.

That said, restoration efforts in the GTA have been focused on Bronte Creek,
the Credit River, the Humber River, Wilmot Creek, and
Duffins Creek.

The hope has been to have the population be self-sustaining by 2025. Success TBD.

And further east there have been restoration efforts in the Cobourg-Port Hope areas that I'm aware of. A creek in our Managed Forest eventually joins the Cobourg Creek . We've done Atlantic Salmon restoration a number of years ago directed by MNRF and Anglers & Hunters in the section of cold water stream that runs through our place. I'm unable to tell you the survival rate.