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After months of eager anticipation on the UrbanToronto Forum, with teases of building materials arriving at KING Toronto like elevator components, the long-awaited installation of the project's unique glass block cladding is finally underway. It has been a year since UrbanToronto’s last update, which noted the initial presence of three glass block panels on KING Toronto's west side. In the meantime, the Forum community has keenly observed the forming progress of the building's mountainous peaks, which have been steadily rising.
Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) for Westbank Corp and Allied Properties REIT, the 16-storey development is rising along King Street just west of Spadina Avenue. Ten months after our previous update, this image from July, 2024 shows a topped-off peak at the east end of the site, part of the staggered and terraced design influenced by mountainous forms and inspired by the Moshe Safdie-designed Habitat '67 in Montreal. This section displays a robust concrete slab that marks the top. Red safety fencing lines the perimeter for each storey, with shoring posts also seen. To the right, a retained heritage wall, hidden away from the King Street West frontage, has been affixed to new structure behind it.
Earlier this month in September, 2024, this northwest-facing view reveals the emerging structure. The building’s design is on full display with its staggered-box facade, where the varying levels create a terraced effect, like a mountain range. A tower crane remains stationed by the west peak.
The main attraction lately, however, is at ground level, with several glass block panels captured here installed along the west wall. Positioned below the staggered boxes and above the garage entry ramp, some of the panels will feature a mirrored back coating that renders the walls opaque from the interior, creating a rich depth and radiant effect when illuminated by sunlight.
In other areas, the glass blocks are designed to be translucent on both sides, for greater natural daylight into the residential spaces while casting a warm glow through the building's exterior during the nighttime. The wall design takes inspiration from the Maison de Verre in Paris, known for its use of glass to manipulate light and space.
A few days later, two more glass panels have been installed on the north side closer to King Street West. The facade offers a mid-century aesthetic and modern engineering, with each block utilizing argon-filled interiors, optimizing both sound insulation and thermal efficiency by minimizing heat transfer.
KING Toronto is making its mark at 489 King Street West with both its mountainous massing and glass block facade. The building’s peaks will rise to a final top height of 57.6m, housing a total of 440 residential units.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
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UrbanToronto has a research service, UrbanToronto Pro, that provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area—from proposal through to completion. We also offer Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.
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