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At the meeting point of Toronto's Roncesvalles Village, Parkdale, and Brockton Village neighbourhoods, a new mid-rise condominium development is taking clear design cues from the early-1900s industrial design language of the surrounding blocks, and reinterpreting them in a modern manner. Gairloch Developments and Centrestone Urban Developments' 383 Sorauren Avenue topped off at a height of 10 storeys back at the start of the year, and in the time since, watching the details come together on the architectsAlliance-designed condominium development's exterior has generated much interest.
We last covered the project back in July, when the application of the building's exterior was quickly progressing. Since then, cladding installation has sealed off the inside from the outside, including the finishing off the highly detailed brickwork. Several types of brick were used to execute the project's modern spin on industrial architecture, including reddish-purple hued Endicott Ironspot Smooth 46 bricks and inset Manganese Ironspot bricks, imported from Nebraska. To address the building's chamfered edges, 50 unique brick shapes were necessary.
The most recent addition to the building's exterior is the unique balcony glass, with a ceramic frit that further emphasizes 383's brick walls.
Hidden behind the substantial frame that extends the brick to the eighth floor, 383 Sorauren's recessed penthouse levels on the ninth and tenth are now fully enclosed glass. A sweeping terrace on the ninth floor is currently being partitioned into individual terraces for each of the two-floor penthouse units. In the image below, the posts are in and will soon hold frosted balcony dividers, creating private outdoor spaces for residents.
Inside, residents are now moving into completed suites as high as the sixth floor while installations continue above. The image below shows a penthouse kitchen at an early stage of cabinet and appliance installation.
Residents of 383 Sorauren will enjoy a selection of on-site amenities, including a fitness studio, a party room, an outdoor lounge with a barbecue area, and will be able to put overnight guests up in a guest suite. Beyond the walls of the building, Sorauren Park is moments to the south, while the cafés, restaurants, brewpubs and shops of Roncesvalles and Dundas West are a short walk away. UPX and GO Trains which zip by are a few streetcar stops to the north.
Views from 383 Sorauren's upper floors vary, with Lake Ontario and the Humber Bay skyline to the southwest, High Park and sunsets just to the north of that, while eastern views take in the panorama of the tall buildings which line Yonge Street from north to south. The view down Dundas Street leads straight to Canada's best known skyline arrangement.
Additional images and information about 383 Sorauren can be found in the dataBase file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.
| Related Companies: | architects—Alliance, Bluescape Construction Management, Gairloch Developments, NAK Design Strategies, Peter McCann Architectural Models Inc. |
