Pursuing novel methods of construction and sustainable materials is the clarion call for both the construction and architectural design firms of our age. It also happens to be a favorite subject for luxury lifestyle blogs that want to let readers know about the latest in cutting-edge architecture and design. No project better embodies this spirit than the planned Timber House from Adjaye Associates, set for Toronto’s sprawling and fast-growing waterfront. Part of the Quayside, Timber House is set to become the largest residential timber building in all of Canada upon its completion. Eco-friendly and avant-garde at the same time, the primary design consists of latticed wood in a terraced fashion with plenty of outdoor balcony and greenspace throughout.
The structure will organically integrate living and public spaces with an approach that transforms the building into a living urban landscape. Individual residences will come equipped with balconies and private access to their own green space as well as shared common spaces continuing this theme. Crowning this design achievement is an urban farm occupying the entirety of the building’s roof. This is essential to the holistic effect that the entire project wants to embody. With a top-down focus on sustainability and greenspace, Timber House looks less like a residential building and more like a nature preserve along the city’s waterfront. There is also the hope that the success of Timber House and related Quayside projects could spur further investment into making more buildings and urban areas just like it. In this way, Timberhouse and related projects are glimpses into the communities of tomorrow with sustainability and organic integration into the natural environment becoming driving forces in design and construction.
The structure will organically integrate living and public spaces with an approach that transforms the building into a living urban landscape. Individual residences will come equipped with balconies and private access to their own green space as well as shared common spaces continuing this theme. Crowning this design achievement is an urban farm occupying the entirety of the building’s roof. This is essential to the holistic effect that the entire project wants to embody. With a top-down focus on sustainability and greenspace, Timber House looks less like a residential building and more like a nature preserve along the city’s waterfront. There is also the hope that the success of Timber House and related Quayside projects could spur further investment into making more buildings and urban areas just like it. In this way, Timberhouse and related projects are glimpses into the communities of tomorrow with sustainability and organic integration into the natural environment becoming driving forces in design and construction.
Designed for over 800 homes, the development will also incorporate market and other commercial space into the neighborhood for maximum convenience for residents. The Timber House won’t be the only sustainable development coming to Toronto’s waterfront. The 12-acre Quayside project will also include other elements intended to underpin this theme and highlight it more broadly. In other words, Timber House, while largely conceived for the residents of the building, will be part of a larger development aimed at giving the city of Toronto itself more greenspace than before. Such efforts are critical at not only meeting demand for improved living conditions, but also the need for community spaces that promote health and wellness in an urban environment.
Specifically, there will be at least 8,000 square meters of total green space between the building and other developments in what proponents are touting as a kind of oasis in the middle of a large city. To bolster this effort, the space will host cultural events and centers with a particular nod towards Indigenous communities. The goal is to create a thriving community space as well as one that attracts visitors and tourists to the area though the primary goal is, first, to establish a strong community atmosphere. If successful, the Timber House and related projects could become a kind of blueprint for similar work in other cities and even in Toronto itself as sustainability and healthy urban living become increasingly important to consumers moving forward.
Images courtesy of Adjaye Associates
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