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Hot on the heels of the revitalization of the Tower Automotive Building in Toronto's Lower Junction neighbourhood—that building became the new home of the Museum of Contemporary Art—plans are advancing for a pair of mid-rise office buildings that would rise just south and west of the heritage industrial tower. Originally planned as a single office building by Castlepoint Numa and Greybrook Realty Partners it was to be known as the Draft Building. The latest plan seeks Site Plan Approval for two buildings with a new design by Chicago-based architects DLR Group working with local architects WZMH, and Hines now leading the site's development under their "T3" timber-frame concept.
Toronto got its first look at Hines' T3 concept at their Bayside proposal on the waterfront. This T3 building is the second proposed for Toronto, following on the heels of properties in Minneapolis and Atlanta. Like the other T3 properties, these two buildings would be built using timber as the primary construction medium, leveraging innovations in timber construction techniques and integrating wood's aesthetics in the design.
The plan has four components, two of which are buildings—Block 3A is planned as a six-storey, 1,782 m² building located immediately adjacent to the former Tower Automotive Building on an irregularly shaped block; Block 5A, an eight-storey, 3,193 m² building at the southwest corner of the site—with a privately-owned public space (POPS) adding green space to recreate in, and a private street providing access across the site. The two T3 buildings would be connected via a third-floor skybridge.
Architectural drawings shed light on the articulated, warehouse-inspired exterior, which includes metal panels covering timber beams, a window wall system with aluminum and glazing, criss-crossed by diagonal metal braces. The timber frame, dark colour palette, and heritage-sensitive window treatment are all designed to respond to the area's industrial character.
Renderings of the interior show off the buildings' timber structural elements, as well as a preview of how the diagonal metal exterior braces add to views from within.
Additional information and images can be found in our Database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment below.
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