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This past fall, Bianca Pollak submitted Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Approval applications to the City of Toronto for a 7-storey irregularly shaped residential building on a small infill site at Davenport and Dupont, just steps from Designers’ Walk.
The southeast corner provides a ‘notch’ above 3rd storey in order to better align with the existing 3-storey building to the south. Design by KFA Architects + Planners Inc.
The property is located at 361 Davenport Road south of Dupont Street in the Annex neighbourhood. It currently operates as a surface parking lot for adjacent businesses.
Site within dashed line. Trapezoidal in shape, it has an area of 402.58 m2 (18m of frontage, depth of 18.5m). Image by KFA Architects + Planners Inc.
The surroundings include a mix of uses; multi-unit residential, office, and some retail. Building heights range from one to eight storeys. The character of the Annex has evolved over time with the introduction of mid- and high-rise apartment buildings, especially along Davenport Road within the Davenport triangle.
Property and surrounding context. Image courtesy of KFA Architects + Planners Inc.
Designed by KFA Architects + Planners and ElasticoSPA, the distinctly configured seven-storey building contains 16 dwelling units along with 60 m² of office space at grade, and one level of below-grade parking. The total area of the site is 402.58 m² and the total gross floor area is 1569 m², resulting in a Floor Space Index of 3.90.
The street-facing office will contribute to the commercial character of the avenue. The building’s entry vestibule will also be on Davenport Road, supporting easier access for residents. There will be bike storage at the rear, as well as a garbage room, easing curb-side pickup. Floors 2-6 will comprise three trapezoidal-shape dwelling units each (one one-bedroom, two two-bedroom), the penthouse level will house one three-bedroom unit.
Building section: right of way width of Davenport is 23m, proposed height of the building is 24.7m. Design by KFA Architects + Planners Inc.
The building will be 24.7 m high, in keeping with the approved heights of upcoming developments, and based on policies within the Mid-Rise Guidelines, which call for 1:1 ratio of the right of way to the building height.
The architects’ have proposed a unique form of trapezoidal shapes, responding in scale to the context, especially to the predominantly single-detached dwellings to the rear. Per the Urban Design Guidelines, a 45-degree angular plane has been considered in principle in the massing of the building. The rear portion of the building will be highly articulated, with additional step-backs to provide transitions in terms of height and mass, to minimize the shadow impacts and overlook.
Rear (West) elevation. Design by KFA Architects + Planners Inc.
The design proposes a variety of materials and textures to help break up the building’s perceived mass: the façade of the 3-storey base has a rhythm of aluminum brise-soleils, while the façade above is a combination of sky-grey stone-finished solid walls and transparent glazing at the openings.
Looking south to 361 Davenport, exterior cladding details. Design by KFA Architects + Planners Inc.
The building will have a one-way driveway along the west and the southern property lines leading to an automated underground parking elevator.
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 in the space provided on this page.
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