Now under construction on Queens Quay East, Daniels Waterfront - City of the Arts is contributing mixed-use density to Toronto's revitalizing lakefront. Joining what could become one of the most densely populated communities in Canada, the project's first phase is rising amidst an urban landscape in transition, with new development transforming the previously industrial waterfront into an extension of Toronto's Downtown. 

The full project, viewed from the southeast, image courtesy of The Daniels Corporation

While the development's latter phase will eventually include residential towers to the north, the office complex is contributing 280,000 ft² of innovative commercial space to the waterfront. Designed by RAW and Rafael + Bigauskas Architects, the office component will be fronted by 27,000 ft² of retail space—emerging onto a northern extension of Sugar Beach—with an eclectic mix of commercial programming planned above. 

Sugar Beach North will front the office development, image courtesy of The Daniels Corporation

The two phase one towers will feature a total of 167 office condominium suites, ranging in size from 720 ft² to 2,345 ft². Allowing for flexible configurations, the suites—which can be delivered in shell or turn-key condition—can be combined to create larger spaces, meeting each tenant's specific needs. While the complex includes onsite commercial parking, bicycle spaces, and shower facilities, a number of individual suites also feature private terraces, fostering pleasant environments that allow workers to enjoy the outdoors. 

The 13- and 10-storey office towers are now under construction, image courtesy of The Daniels Corporation

Known as 'The Hub,' an amenity space will be located on the 9th floor of the east tower. Accessible to commercial tenants of both buildings, the space will feature a communal lounge and kitchenette area, facilitating casual networking, as well as coffee breaks, and informal meetings. Meanwhile, two private boardrooms will facilitate more formal discussions. The amenity space will step out to a 4,900 ft² wrap-around terrace. Featuring seating, greenscaping, and a barbecue area, the shared amenity terrace is designed as a relaxing space that adds a recreational element to the workplace. 

A plan of the amenity area, image courtesy of The Daniels Corporation

The commercial office towers will also be home to the Quadrangle-designed Artscape Launchpad. Described by Artscape as "part incubator, part co-working facility and part entrepreneurship centre," the 30,000 ft² multi-disciplinary spaces brings together a range of collaborative work areas. Individual zones are programmed to facilitate a variety of needs and work styles, ranging from traditionally desk-based office work to more flexible, interactive spaces, while the interiors throughout are designed to maximize natural light and encourage collaboration. 

The Artscape Launchpad features a variety of programming, image courtesy of The Daniels Corporation

Designed to provide a footing for innovative small business, the Launchpad's talent clustering could foster spillovers of knowledge. As latter phases of the Daniels Corporation's waterfront community come online, the development will also feature phase one's 150,000 ft² 'Creative Industries Hub,' along with a 240,000 ft² post-secondary space that's being developed in collaboration with OCAD U and George Brown College. The 'Creative Industries Hub' will provide headquarters for a group of non-profit organizations including Artscape, Manifesto, and The Remix Project, while the City of the Arts development will also include a new headquarters for the Daniels Corporation itself.

A closer look at the street level, and Sugar Beach North, image courtesy of The Daniels Corporation

We will make sure to keep you updated as construction continues, and the mixed-use complex beings to make its mark on the area. In the meantime, additional information and renderings can be found in our dataBase file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment using the space provided at the bottom of this page.