The Urban Rhythm in Toronto’s Annex Neighbourhood is Expressive

The urban rhythm in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood is expressive, dynamic, and tight; there is always something exciting going on. This rhythm brings an energy that required some space to properly appreciate; few chances to linger on sidewalks that are extremely well-used and require a gaited shuffle to successfully navigate. These parkettes take some of this pressure off the street edges, and find moments on the intersecting corners to program for those more passive moments that currently are not well-documented along this corridor.

There are beautiful details in this project worthy of noting as well, and these subtle moments were appreciated by the Jury. The bike rings designed by students; the public process of the murals; the targeting of quarry offcuts, to purpose an element otherwise destined for discarding, giving home and purpose to an otherwise unvalued material; and the timbers, having originated from Honest Ed’s, being repurposed as passive elements of our public realm, geared now toward pedestrian comfort, and taking pause on the otherwise vibrant is also a thoughtful detail that the Jury appreciated.

This project was appreciated simply for what it is, and what it is doing for the public realm, but these little details, and some of those thoughtful moments, collectively are what made this project award wor thy.

Project Information

Landscape Architect: DTAH 

Artist: Robert Cram

Developer/Owner/Client: City of Toronto Bloor-Annex BIA

General Contractor: Sanscon Construction Ltd.

Photographer: Scott Norsworthy