Ground has been broken on a key component of Canada’s largest urban development undertaking, in the form of a 236,000 square foot mixed-use tower in the City of Vaughan, designed by Toronto-based firm Diamond Schmitt Architects. Situated at the core of SmartCentres Place with easy access to nearby retail and commercial spots, the tower will serve as the new home of PwC Canada, in combination with a 100,000-square-foot YMCA, a 20,000-square-foot public library, 10,000-square-foot community space and 3000 square feet of retail.
The PwC-YMCA Tower further illustrates the architectural quality and urban design excellence that is a hallmark of this smart, pedestrian-friendly precinct, explained Donald Schmitt, principal at Diamond Schmitt Architects.
Rising eight stories in total, the tower is located adjacent to the firm’s designed SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal and at the future junction of the extended Spadina subway line, as part of the Toronto Transit Commission’s expansion. The terminal is operated by the York Region Rapid Transit Corporation, and both transit points will be fully functional later this year, placing the tower at a key commuting zone.
The Great Hall, a two-storey interior galleria, forms a community social space while also “connecting the transit hub to the future residential neighborhoods." In addition to this, the interlocking form of the building is wrapped in gold anodized aluminum fins and incorporates a number of community roof terraces while unifying the mixed programs within.
Developers SmartREIT and Mitchell Goldbar are working in conjunction with the architects on the 100-acre masterplan that is intended to combine 17 million square feet of residential, retail and commercial space, revolving around a nine-acre central park.
The PwC-YMCA Tower is the cornerstone of this future community that prioritizes public infrastructure and amenity space to create a highly desirable, 21st-century urban centre, said Mitchell Goldhar, Chairman of SmartREIT.
This is Diamond Schmitt Architects’ second commercial project at SmartCentres Place, after the KPMG Tower’s successful opening in 2016. Construction on the PwC-YMCA Tower is expected to be completed by 2020. Check out the video above for more on the project.
News via: Diamond Schmitt Architects.
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