Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/147234
photos: philip castleton Motion by Angela Altass otion is a new rental building located at 570 Bay Street in the heart of downtown Toronto. Standing 29-storeys high, Motion consists of 463 air-conditioned homes with a variety of layouts including studio suites and two bedroom plus den homes, along with ground-floor retail space. "The Motion project had to be a modern urban response that captured the corner of Bay Street and Dundas Street and made it its own," says Drummond Hassan, principal, Young + Wright/IBI Group Architects. "The design has always been geared toward the rental student population and therefore has a higher quotient of small one bedroom and bachelor units," adds Hassan. "Architecturally, the north/south oriented central spine provides a strong support mechanism for the framed balcony feature, while at the same time providing the corner massing designed to capture this important corner in the Toronto urban downtown fabric." M 88/ august 2013 p88-89Motion_Ecole St.Thomas.indd 88 Motion is one of a growing number of new apartment buildings that require a strong and sophisticated architectural response as a requirement from the client base, says Hassan. "There is a large hydro transformer station immediately to the south of the project on Bay Street that required some extensive mandated design responses," says Hassan. "In the end these requirements created an interesting building massing and elevational treatment facing to the south." The street-edge material is predominantly limestone along the retail frontage. "We introduced brick at the higher edges of the podium referring to the building to the south and the surrounding low-rise street-edge context," says Hassan. "The higher components of the building are well-detailed window wall, framed in some locations by stone-coloured precast." Environmental sustainability was important in the development of the building. The project targeted the highest level of the Toronto Green Standards Tier 2 and LEED Gold certification. The landscape vision for the project focused on creating a sense of place in a diverse urban area close to major institutional and retail destinations, says Sibylle von Knobloch, principal at NAK Design Group. "Defining and enhancing pedestrian-oriented space on a very small site, despite the requirements to address cars and service vehicles, is critical for creating long-term successful urban spaces," says von Knobloch. "The key aspects and features of the landscaping for this project include an arrival courtyard and distinct areas for pedestrians, bicycles, short-term parking and servicing, as well as amenity terraces on the second and 18th floors." The amenity terrace on the second floor incorporates groupings of lush planting to define private areas for lounging and dining. There are also larger terrace areas for casual seating. "Landscape materials are simple, contemporary and complimentary," says von Knobloch. "A development focused on the efficient and effective management of a downtown rental building, as well as striving for LEED Gold, was a symbiotic process. The landscape strategy contributed to sustainable objectives with the use of permeable paving, the implementation of green roofs and the reuse of storm water for irrigation purposes." Units come equipped with modern finishes and energy-efficient appliances including a dishwasher and in-suite laundry. Building amenities include a resident lounge, games room, study/work centre, gym facility and numerous outdoor terraces ideal for barbecuing or lounging. The building also has three levels of underground parking. "Architecture sells and our clients know this more now than at any time previously," says Hassan. "This has been an exciting building to be involved with, which is particularly true when you are working with such an experienced and sophisticated client as Concert Properties Ltd." n Location 570 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario Owner Concert Properties Ltd. Architect Young + Wright/IBI Group Architects General Contractor Deltera Construction Structural Consultant Jablonsky, Ast & Partners Mechanical Consultant M.V Shore Associates Electrical Consultant Trace Engineering Ltd. Landscape Architect NAK Design Group Interior Designer Chapman Design Group Total Area 30,685 square feet Total Cost Undisclosed Motion 13-07-12 2:08 PM