Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1506758
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 3 | 89 T3 Bayside R EN D ER I N GS CO U RT E S Y H I N E S T3 BAYSIDE by ROBIN BRUNET D eveloper Hines' T3 (Timber, Transit, Technology) con- cept, most recently expressed in Toronto's 10-storey cross lami- nated timber T3 Bayside project, is an effective solution to the drawbacks of converting old warehouses into office space – a trend that continues to be popular across North America. Myles Millard, managing direc- tor of Hines, explains, "Converted warehouses have a fantastic ambiance steeped in heritage that inspires staff creativity, but too many of them leak and are hot in summer and cold in winter. With this in mind, 10 years ago we set out to develop a hybrid product that paired timber with modern ame- nities and technology." T3's design came from the vin- tage brick and timber buildings in Minneapolis' nearby Warehouse Historic District and was first deployed in 2016 in that city's North Loop, in the form of an all-timber office building. Since then, T3 has become Hines' prototype for this unique type of office development. T3 Bayside, designed by Danish architecture firm 3XN with WZMH Architects as the architect of record, departs from the template in major ways. "T3 Bayside is part of a reimag- ing of Toronto's waterfront and part of Bayside Toronto, a master-planned community of luxury condomini- ums, affordable homes, shopping, and restaurant destinations," Millard says. "Given the modern ambiance intended for the community, 3XN eliminated the typical exterior ware- house aesthetic in favour of a modern curtain wall, and made the interior timber a showcase." The building's 10-storey design ris- ing 42-metres tall at the highest point is centred around elevating the tenant experience by providing a differentiated platform of amenities, including both a double height tenant lounge and a con- ference/events facility, a club-quality fitness centre, and a rooftop patio fea- turing panoramic lake and city views. 3XN, which also designed two residential buildings in the Bayside community, intended T3 Bayside to reflect the emerging surrounding neighbourhood and principals of live, work, and play. At ground level this translated into retail bleeding into a central plaza that links the building with a future second phase. "The plaza is the public heart of the T3 Bayside project," 3XN said in a statement. Elsewhere, flexible creative office spaces were a focus, with timber defining the double- and single-height spaces. "The lobby leads via a feature staircase to a fully open second floor tenant lounge and then continues to a double-height corner-oriented con- ference facility enclosed by glazing for privacy," Millard says. "It's a true rein- vention of office space." LOCATION 251 Queens Quay West, Toronto, Ontario OWNER /DEVELOPER Hines ARCHITECTS 3XN (design architect); WZMH Architects (architect of record) CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Eastern Construction Company STRUCTUR AL CONSULTANT Magnusson Klemencic Associates MECHANICAL CONSULTANT TMP Consulting Engineers ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Mulvey & Banani L ANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Janet Rosenberg & Studio TOTAL SIZE 262,000 square feet TOTAL COST $115 million