2018 Provincial Award of Excellence Winner
2019 National Award of Excellence Winner
About the Project:
The ground floor open air common space of this downtown Toronto condo was in need of an update. The original space was bland and unusable, and was rarely used. Our goal: to create an inviting and welcoming living space that would draw the residents down from their condo to a relaxing gathering area. To achieve this we designed multiple large group seating areas that could be reconfigured to accommodate smaller groups. Each area features a fire bowl for visual interest, and is complimented by concrete benches that double as planter boxes. A custom concrete bar supported by steel boxes created a unique place for residents to sit and converse. The perimeter was enhanced with gardens and artificial turf. Ambience was further enhanced with perennials and shade loving evergreens to replicate the feeling a forest floor.
Site Challenges:
- Condominium Board plan and approval process.
- Difficult machine access. Constant pedestrian traffic
- Existing structural considerations including floors and overall weight restrictions
- Prefabricated metal beams supporting pergola were and installed with a crane.
Special Features:
- Large wood and galvanized steel pergola
- Fire bowls
- Concrete / metal planter benches + IPE benches
- Artificial Turf
- Modern stone pallet
- Perennial and evergreen planting pallet
- Irrigation
- Landscape Lighting
Client Testimonial
“It was amazing working with Taylor. He came up with a design that far exceeded our expectations. It was original and beautiful. We have been getting compliments about it ever since.”
– Aaron C
Six50 king – Landscape Design Work
Construction Progress
A garden was located in the middle of the space. To fill this space, engineering was done to calculate how much weight could be put in the cavity. This was filled with styrofoam and topped with gravel to account for this weight calculation
Existing water feature was leaking, so it was waterproofed and repurposed as a garden
Site access was located in the busy driveway where residents came and went. 2 glass panel sections were removed and a ramp was built to bring in necessary equipment
The existing drainage system was reused. Catch basins were replaced by sleeker slit drains with stone inserts.
Most of the space was paved and not designed for specific use. Tiles were chiseled away, and the ground was built up to remove the step down
A large number of residents balcony view was looking down into the garden, so a beautiful top view design was important for this space.
