City of Toronto Urban Design Manager James Parakh followed with a look at how policy and design are guiding growth, which depends on a well-connected public realm, including parks, POPS, and heritage conservation. “The challenge is not just building tall,” he said, “it’s about how these buildings meet the street.” Nerys Rau, Director of Design and Construction at George Brown College, outlined Limberlost Place as a “living lab.” Designed by Moriyama Teshima Architects and Acton Ostry Architects, the building incorporates real-time performance data into the curriculum and features interactive displays throughout. 

Carol Phillips, Partner at Moriyama Teshima, described how applying a nine-metre grid and shallow slab bands allowed the team to carve out double-height “breathing rooms” at each end of the floor plates, bringing in natural light and fresh air while meeting height limits without reducing floor count.

Krista Palen, Partner at Transsolar, explained the building’s climate strategy, which prioritizes passive operation through twin solar chimneys enabling natural ventilation for much of the year, supplemented by motorized windows, pressure-regulating vents, radiant panels, and Enwave district energy connections.

Mike Love, Senior Superintendent at PCL Construction, closed the discussion with lessons from the field, describing how early coordination with trades and prefabrication of CLT slabs supported a collaborative process that welcomed hundreds of visitors, including competitors and regulators. “We knew this project would push boundaries,” Love said, “so we brought everyone in early and said, let’s all learn together.”