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A massive, mixed-use redevelopment is coming to the sprawling, 72-acre former Imperial Oil lands on Port Credit's waterfront in Mississauga. The upcoming Brightwater community features a masterplan by Giannone Petricone Associates and Urban Strategies, that will revitalize this stretch of lakefront property with a wide range of housing typologies and tenures including 2,995 new homes in a mix of towers and townhomes, including 150 affordable housing units, anchored by over 300,000 ft² of retail, restaurants, office space, plus a future elementary school and community centre and 18 acres of new green spaces.
The project from Port Credit West Village Partners—a joint venture of DiamondCorp, Dream Unlimited, FRAM + Slokker, and the Kilmer Group—is being hailed as an important step forward for Mississauga's waterfront revitalization. A statement issued by Mississauga Mayor, Bonnie Crombie, earlier this month reads “We are thrilled to be welcoming Brightwater to Mississauga’s waterfront. Brightwater will help redevelop and reanimate our waterfront into a hub for innovation, culture and tourism. “Most importantly, it will bring 150 much-needed affordable housing units to the Port Credit community. I look forward to seeing these former brownfield lands revitalized into a vibrant waterfront destination that will attract residents from Mississauga and beyond.”
After over five years of planning, the team behind the project is now moving ahead with the first phases. Recently unveiled, they are to be a pair of condominium buildings known as Brightwater I & II, both designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects. Brightwater I is a boutique-style five-storey mixed-use building, while Brightwater II is a 14-storey mixed-use building. The boutique building is planned with 76 condominium suites, offered in one and two-bedroom layouts, while the taller tower is to house 235 condo units in one, two, and three-bedroom layouts, as well as townhouses. Suites for both buildings start from the low $400,000s.
The two buildings would be situated on the northeast parcel of the wider Brightwater site, forming a gateway to the community along the site's Lakeshore Road West frontage. The smaller Brightwater I building is designed with what is described in a news release as a "modern village aesthetic while paying homage to the heritage charm of Port Credit." This is accomplished by a contemporary geometric massing with cantilevered upper levels, clad in brick finishes that reference the area's older building stock.
Brightwater II takes a different design approach than its shorter sibling building, its balcony edges curving at their ends in a nod to the nearby waves of Lake Ontario. A podium clad in red brick and modern copper-like cladding will complement Brightwater I, while the tiered upper levels are planned with bright white finishes.
Donald Schmitt, Principal at Diamond Schmitt Architects, spoke of the buildings' designs in a recent statement that reads “We were greatly motivated by the Brightwater team’s vision to bring exceptional, sophisticated design to this site. We challenged ourselves to create unique architectural forms that dialogued with each another yet stood striking on their own. Every detail, from the materials to the variation of colours were all reviewed at length with the partners to ensure we were setting the right tone and bringing Port Credit’s character through to the future.”
These first two buildings are to be joined by a single-storey standalone retail building, inspired by heavy-timber design, and designed with a green roof that softens the development against the natural waterfront landscape.
Inside the new buildings, residents will have access to a collection of common and amenity spaces. “Our designs were inspired by the reflecting and refracting interaction between light and water. Then we chose a natural, rich and fresh material scheme to pay homage to Port Credit,” reads a statement from Truong Ly, Founder of Truong Ly Design.
These first three buildings together frame an outdoor public space to be known as Brightwater Village Square, one element in the wider public realm plan from landscape architects Public Work. The public realm is to be a major player in this community, bringing 18 acres of new green spaces, including a new 9+ acre waterfront park, walking and cycling promenades, pedestrian mews, and public plazas.
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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