Landscape + Parks
Photo: Eduard Hueber / Archphoto
Image: Leni Schwendinger Light Projects
HtO Toronto Harbourfront Parks
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Client
The City of Toronto
Team
Janet Rosenberg + Associates, Claude Cormier Architectes Paysagistes, Hariri Pontarini Architects, Stantec
HtO Harbourfront Park in Toronto was envisioned as a connection between downtown and Lake Ontario. Sustainable design principles were incorporated at every level and include waterfront accessibility, enhanced connections to the city, forward-thinking ecological design, integrated public art, and lighting design. The park design by Claude Cormier and Janet Rosenberg and Associates is a series of experiences including the roadside connection, floating dunes, and finally, by the harbor, a tiered esplanade reaching into the water.
During the day visitors are drawn to the water. At night, the focus shifts toward the sparkling backdrop of the city. A moonlight effect is layered with color accents to create an after-dark living theatre in the dunes. Underwater illumination gives the appearance of a floating park. “We call the design HtO,” noted the landscape architects, “because it proposes a new chemistry between Toronto and the waterfront - a fundamental change in the relationship.” The project is cited for its innovative waterfront transformation.