Point Passage: Fostering Toronto's Future

The following boards showcase work down over a fifteen day period in which our team of four redeveloped and re-imagined an underutilized part of the City of Toronto. Bounded by a highway and river to the west and train tracks to the south. Our challenge was to create a vibrant, urban community that fits within the urban fabric while also reconnecting the old industrial site to the Don River. 

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Entitled Point Passage, the design was inspired by Toronto's role in the film industry, coupled with the city's Poet and Photo Laureate Programs. The Arts & Culture District created three distinct places that celebrate the performance, visual, and literary arts. The adaptive reuse of the BMW Showroom Tower becomes the beacon for Point Passage, as well as the lobby, concession, bar and restaurant space for The Edge Theatre. Other visual and literary arts buildings surround the large green space and feature studios, galleries, roof top sculpture gardens, and a digital library. Two north-south running streets connect Point Passage to the surrounding urban context. These streets are lined with residential towers meeting the housing needs of Toronto due to the the major employment development occurring to the south. Point Passage also features a capped highway to further connect the site to the river while also reducing noise pollution. The extension across the river additionally connects Point Passage to Downtown Toronto and its immediate amenities.