The University of Toronto’s Trinity College has submitted a Zoning Bylaw Amendment application for a 5-storey institutional building containing a 350-bed student residence, classrooms, and office space adjacent to Varsity Stadium. Originally proposed in March, 2019 as a 14-storey building, the design has since sprawled outwards from its original footprint, which simply utilized the surface parking lot at 7 Devonshire Place. The revised scheme now stretches across what is currently known as the North Field, over to Philosophers Walk on the east side.

Aerial overview of the new Trinity College Residence, image via submission to the City of Toronto

The latest plans still share the original vision of retaining the existing George Ignatieff Theater and Gerald Larkin Building, proposing to create a new vestibule and lobby space wrapping around the north and west faces of these buildings. 

Looking east from Devonshire Place, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Designed by Dutch firm Mecanoo Architecten working with Toronto-based RDH Architects, the T-shaped building would be constructed in mass timber framing, following in the footsteps of other recently proposed U of T buildings including at Victoria College and the Academic Tower to the north of the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport. Mass timber is becoming a more popular structural option as of late, providing a sustainable alternative to concrete and steel without sacrificing structural integrity. Although material selection will not be finalized until the subsequent Site Plan Approval phase of the planning process, the building appears to be clad in limestone, brick, and glass, all framed in an irregular grid of aluminum gold fins.

Looking west through the new North Field, image via submission to the City of Toronto

At ground level, public spaces include an academic courtyard just to the east of the Ignatieff Theatre and a residential courtyard to the east of the building’s ’T’, bounded by a covered walkway linking the new building to the historic Trinity College building to the south. Though not large enough to carry on its existing use as a soccer field, the portion of the North Field not built upon would continue to operate as greenspace. An urban farm would span the roof of the structure. 

Looking west to the interior residential courtyard, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Additional information and images, including earlier renderings for the project, can be found in our 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 below.

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