WilkinsonEyre has just been selected to design the new Equinox Bridge in Toronto, Canada. Designed in collaboration with Zeidler Architecture, Two Row Architect, and Arup, this bridge will connect the central waterfront to Villiers Island and the expanded park system along the new mouth of the Don River. Selected through a competition commissioned by Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto, the bridge seeks to foster a connection between people and water.
Designed as a representation and celebration of the sacred connection between Indigenous communities and nature, the bridge offers a destination for meeting and connecting with the environment. The bridge offers an elevated path across the water, inspired by the Port Lands bridge typology, specifically the Cherry Street Noth Bridge. Boasting a curved S-shaped deck, the Equinox Bridge features arched forms connected by sculptural fanning cables.
The bridge also offers stepped timber seating areas at either end, emphasizing views aligned with summer and winter solstice sunsets. This alignment also frames the equinox sunrise through the bridge's arch. Compromising two mirrored C-shapes above the centerline, the accessible bridge design seamlessly integrates with the existing northern bank.
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Carlo Ratti Associati and Engineer Michel Virlogeux Propose a Replacement for the Collapsed Baltimore BridgeIn order to reduce its adverse environmental effects, the carbon-positive design uses locally sourced materials and an anti-funicular steel arch construction. The perforated metal screens are inscribed with Indigenous star constellations, selected in consultation with Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers, casting shadows by day and glowing by night when backlit.
Providing a new destination and the waterfront, this interactive site hopes to symbolize “building beneficial connections with the environment and promoting interaction, enjoyment, health and wellness for all living beings.” Additionally, designed in collaboration with the city’s Indigenous communities, the bridge symbolizes a step towards reconciliation and collaboration with the local community.
Many architects and designers have been working with this forward-thinking approach to urban development, seeking to honor and integrate the cultural heritage of the Indigenous community into modern city life. In New York, the Dia Art Foundation recently announced a major landscape project to reimagine the land at Dia Beacon, integrating Indigenous organizations around Beacon in the process. In Quebec, the 10th edition of Passage Insolites explored artistic diversity and highlighted Indigenous artsits’ talent and cultural richness, showcasing the work of six Wendat artists and one Atikamekw artist.
