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(Image courtesy of Waterfront Toronto)
Global professional services company GHD and SLA, a Danish nature-based design studio, have been awarded the role of prime consultant by Waterfront Toronto for phase one of infrastructure and streetscape design for a new island community.
Formerly known as Villiers Island, Ookwemin Minising is a new island born from a flood protection and river restoration project in Canada’s largest city. A historic gathering place, the Don River will be at the heart of this future community that is expected to provide residences for more than 15,000 people, with occupancy expected to start in by 2031.
GHD will serve as prime consultant and technical lead, while SLA will take the design lead for the project’s urban realm and landscape. The two companies have been asked to deliver a bold new urban environment that honours the legacy of the Don River through an approach rooted in resilient infrastructure, cultural memory and deep ecological integration.
Drawing inspiration from global precedents and local Indigenous knowledge, the team’s “Growing Streets” concept is proposing streetscapes that evolve like living ecosystems – simultaneously boosting biodiversity, sequestering carbon and reconnecting people with nature.
“This project represents a significant milestone for Toronto’s waterfront revitalization,” said Chris Hunter, GHD chief executive officer for the Americas. “By integrating innovative engineering with responsive design, our team will help create infrastructure that’s not just functional, but truly adaptive to community needs while honouring the ecological transformation nearing completion at the Don River mouth.”
Integrated, sustainable infrastructure
The team, which includes architects Allies and Morrison and international climate consulting firm Transsolar, will integrate design for streetscapes and public realm with a review of the density and built form on the island, and the aim of engaging sustainable, low-carbon principles.
“Tri-government investment unlocked the potential of the Port Lands, allowing us to create a brand-new island,” stated Chris Glaisek, chief planning and design officer at Waterfront Toronto. “Now, renewed investment in waterfront revitalization means this new island is ready to launch. By integrating design for streets and public realm with a review of built form on the island, this team can build on the planning done by the City of Toronto, Waterfront Toronto and CreateTO to deliver as much new housing as possible, while building a truly world-class neighbourhood.”
The vision for Ookwemin Minising is guided by seven core principles, including surface-level rainwater management, soil repurposing, native vegetation and social spaces that foster mobility and interaction, with the design championing active mobility through integrated pedestrian and biodiversity corridors woven throughout the island. Informed by leading examples from cities like Copenhagen and London, the design will seek to maximize sustainability without relying on future technologies, relying on the power of nature to address urban challenges like flooding, heat and social disconnection.
“We’re thrilled to bring our ‘Growing Streets’ vision to life in Toronto,” said Rasmus Astrup, design principal and partner at SLA. “This is urban design at its most alive, where trees, water, wind, soil and people grow and flow together.”
Formerly known as Villiers Island, Ookwemin Minising is a new island within the Toronto Port Lands. It was created through a flood protection program in the city, and will be developed into a new waterfront community embracing its distinct industrial functions alongside spectacular new parks, public spaces and ecological features.