3XN has released details of its plans for T3 Bayside, the first office building in Toronto’s emerging Bayside community, and the tallest timber office building in North America. Located on the shores of Lake Ontario, the structure stands at 42 meters in height and serves as part of the 2,000-acre revitalization initiative to transform Toronto’s waterfront.
The scheme is designed to reflect and emphasize the emerging neighborhood in which it sits, intertwining principals of life, work, and play. A continuously-activated ground level is abundant with retail opportunities, bleeding into a central plaza, exhibition spaces, flexible office spaces, and coworking facilities.
T3 Bayside will join 3XN’s two residential buildings in the area and combines with an adjoining plaza to create a dynamic visual and pedestrian gateway to the entire neighborhood, connecting residents and visitors to the revitalized waterfront. Through a series of stepped roof terraces, the building strengthens and emphasizes the movement and heights of the masterplan at either end of the site. The terraces step down towards the plaza, serving as a new urban gateway and focal point to attract visitors and residents alike.
We are honored to contribute to the development of this new neighborhood in Toronto. 3XN believes in creating buildings that focus on people and contribute to the public realm, which is our aim in this project as well. WithT3 Bayside we created flexible office spaces that can meet the requirements of a diverse group of tenants both at the moment and in the foreseeable future.
-Kim Herforth Nielsen, Founder and Creative Director, 3XN
As the tallest timber office building in North America, the scheme’s use of timber reduces construction time and allows the building’s elements to be easily disassembled and reused for other purposes. The structure is to be built of Cross Laminated Timber, a strong and efficient material that reduces the scheme’s carbon footprint and creates unique interior aesthetics. The use of wood also allows the release of moisture to ensure a naturally-regulated and healthy indoor environment.
Canada, with its great forests, seems a natural place to build the tallest timber office building in North America and we are excited to be part of this development. The wooden structure will be a prominent part of the design and provide a warm tactile environment for the tenants that doesn’t compromise sustainability. The flexible layout will be able to meet the diverse needs of the users and bring people together.
-Jens Holm, Partner in charge of 3XN North America and Head of Design for the T3 project
News via: 3XN
