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84 | J UNE 2018 Hill and Dale Residences RENDERINGS COURTESY OLDSTONEHENGE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Hill and Dale Residences by ROBIN BRUNET T ypically, building renovations are intended to be eye-catching, to bring architecture of a bygone era back to life. But in the case of Hill and Dale Residences by Oldstonehenge Development Corporation with Clifton Blake Group, the renovation of a three- storey modernist office block from the 1970s was undertaken not to draw attention to the structure, but to deliver boutique upscale residences to Yonge Street between the Rosedale and Summerhill subway stations – an area the city has long targeted for residen- tial intensification. Hill and Dale is a heavily glazed yet energy-efficient building with 14,300 square feet of street-level shops and 13,500 square feet of office space, designed by Studio JCI with interiors by Chapi Chapo Design. Its transparency, which extends slightly over the side- walk, is inviting, but its six storeys are unobtrusive, thanks to the upper resi- dential units being tucked away from the street behind the offices and shops (which also allowed the creation of immense terraces that extend the own- ers' living experience beyond the walls). The 14 residences balance trans- parency with privacy, are expansive, and customizable. "No floorplate is quite alike, with some owners hav- ing purchased more than one unit, which allows us to reconfigure lay- outs to their liking," says Boris Mathias, CEO of Chapi Chapo Design. "We also partnered with many manufacturers – Bulthaup kitchen, Gaggenau appliances, Dornbracht faucets, and Delta lighting – to extend our customized services." Sue Jean Chung, principal at Studio JCI, adds, "The architecture is inspired by the rhythm of intimate storefronts that invigorate this area of Yonge Street; the building engages pedestrians, while maintaining privacy and exclusivity." From the pedestrian's viewpoint, no traces are left of the original office building, which begs the question, why go to the trouble of saving portions of it? Michael Dobrijevic, founder of Oldstonehenge Development (who for years wanted to create condominiums in this region where the Summerhill and Rosedale communities meet), replies, "Quite simply because it facili- tated and sped along the approval and rezoning processes when we launched this project in 2014. Yes, in terms of construction it would have been easier to demolish the old structure, but by making this a renovation we avoided the need for full-blown rezoning and saved about two years in development." Chung notes that the original office building was set back about 20 feet from the Yonge Street property line, which negated any kind of pedes- trian engagement. "So we designed the ground level retail shops to be located in front of the old structure, flanking the sidewalk." This would lend excite- ment to the pedestrian experience, while at the same time providing an open-air feel due to the staggered-back residential levels. Studio JCI opted early on to make glass (augmented by thin strips of stone with a vertical emphasis) the main building envelope material, "because it would provide the esthetic lightness Hill and Dale required as well as give unity to what is a mixed- use facility," according to Chung. "Additionally, glazing would prevent the northwest forecourt corner, which is entirely cantilevered, from appear- ing heavy and compressed." To mitigate heat gain and maximize energy efficiency, Low-E glazing was selected for the retail and office spaces, and triple-pane glass was used for the residences – the latter of which also provided noise insulation benefits. Chapi Chapo Design designed each living unit with its floor-to-ceiling windows so that it would function like a traditional family home, with floor plans emphasizing openness – albeit with carefully developed pri- vacy spaces. "Some elements we used include warm tones and earthy tex- tures for the living and dining areas, wide-plank engineered oak flooring, marble fireplaces, built-in shelving, and recessed lighting," says Mathias. Mathias adds that the degree of customization of each unit "resulted in many challenges with regards to relocating pipes and conduits, so we col- laborated very closely with Studio JCI and the engineers [The Aquila Group] to ensure a minimum of delays." That said, the developers allowed 10 months just for the finish of the individual suites. In 2015, Buttcon Limited began stripping the old office building down to its steel skeleton, a process that resulted in much more asbestos than originally thought being discovered and carefully removed. Existing steel foundations were reinforced. Structural consultants RJC Engineers determined that a new fourth floor with columns going down to the foundations would act as a "tabletop," augmented by two trusses that would carry a good portion of support for the upper levels and the mechanical penthouse. By 2017, the steel skeleton of Hill and Dale had reached its full height of 27 metres, and as of May, Dobrijevic said of the construction process, "The builders have done an excellent job of fulfilling the schedule. This is a fairly tight site, so careful scheduling and materials delivery were required, and extra care had to be taken with the installation of the huge panes of glass." Mathias says of the final out- come, "We wanted to create the very best possible flagship for the upscale Toronto residential market. Initially we patterned our designs to be mid-to- high, and in the end we went high-high, and the results speak for themselves. As of May all but one of the units has been sold, but more importantly we have a building that genuinely lives up to the descriptive of being unique." A LOCATION 1027 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario OWNER/DEVELOPER Oldstonehenge Development Corporation / Clifton Blake Group ARCHITECT Studio JCI CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Buttcon Limited STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT RJC Engineers MECHANICAL/ ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT The Aquila Group INTERIOR DESIGNER Chapi Chapo Design TOTAL SIZE 73,000 square feet TOTAL COST $22.1 million Allwall.indd General Royal Mechanical.indd

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