{"id":13627,"date":"2023-02-28T02:57:12","date_gmt":"2023-02-28T10:57:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/kirkor-architects-share-insights-on-design-of-villages-of-oak-park-phase-1\/"},"modified":"2023-02-28T02:57:12","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T10:57:12","slug":"kirkor-architects-share-insights-on-design-of-villages-of-oak-park-phase-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/kirkor-architects-share-insights-on-design-of-villages-of-oak-park-phase-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Kirkor Architects Share Insights on Design of Villages of Oak Park Phase 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Development in the western GTA municipality of Oakville continues apace, and not just in the Town’s highly marketable Old Oakville and Bronte Harbour areas. Another emerging development centre is growing to the north as well, in an area known as the Uptown Core, where developers Ballantry Homes<\/a> and Silwell Developments Ltd<\/a> are working on a multi-phased mixed-use community project, Villages of Oak Park<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Street view of Phase 1 at Villages of Oak Park, image courtesy of Ballantry Homes<\/span><\/p>\n

Zooming in on the details of the development\u2019s first phase, the project\u2019s architects, Kirkor Architects Planners<\/a> have offered some interesting insights into their plan to build the community up from scratch.\u00a0Dubbed Oak Park 3, the first phase will see the delivery of a 12-storey residential building offering a total of 225 units, occupying the northwestern edge of the greenfield site. \u201cKirkor Architects are proud to have been part of the Oak Park 3 development,\u201d Roman Pevcevicius, Partner at Kirkor, told UrbanToronto. Discussing the unique role of Oak Park 3 specifically, he explained that, \u201cas the first building of a multi-phased site, we understood the importance of the proposal in its larger context as a touchstone for place making.\u201d<\/p>\n

Map view shows sites for next phases in green with phase 1 pictured as complete, image courtesy of Ballantry Homes<\/span><\/p>\n

Discussing the design of the building further, Pevcevicius focussed in on the exterior expression to identify some of the primary motivations behind the approach to the massing and facade conditions. \u201cWe made a conscious effort to create active facades on every face of the building,\u201d he said, \u201censuring that it would have an engaging and inviting presence.\u201d These active facades are free of any blank wall conditions, and feature a mixed materiality that highlights the formal changes between the building\u2019s different volumes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Precast panelling with a red brick finish clads the majority of the building\u2019s lowest levels, while precast concrete panelling with a light tan tint is applied extensively to the upper portion of the building. The visual interest, however, takes place in the areas where the materials are exchanged.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A variety of materials work together to define exterior, image courtesy of Ballantry Homes<\/span><\/p>\n

The brick finish rises up to the eighth storey on the southern elevation, while the precast finish makes an appearance across the various elevations in the detailing of the grade level. Furthermore, a third material, a dark grey-tinted aluminum panelling, adds another point of material and colour contrast. \u201cWe carefully selected the building materials to give the architecture a timeless appearance that would fit into the surrounding neighbourhood,\u201d said Pevcevicius.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Elevation drawings show materiality on south (left) and west (right) elevations, image from submission to City of Oakville<\/span><\/p>\n

On the interior, a number of themes are conveyed in the design of the various common spaces and amenity areas. The lounge space, for example, is defined by the extensive use of wood and the role of the natural grain as an organic motif.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lounge amenity space feature wood-focussed design, image courtesy of Ballantry Homes<\/span><\/p>\n

In the fitness centre, the extra height of the building\u2019s grade level plays into creating a more industrial-style setting that features nearly full height windows to highlight the size of the space. A number of more vibrant elements are added, however, to balance the industrial atmosphere, with features like patterned tiling and a bright red-coloured floor.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Industrial-style fitness centre with vibrant accents, image courtesy of Ballantry Homes<\/span><\/p>\n

While intensive planning is still in the works to develop designs and programming for the subsequent phases, the first phase of the Villages of Oak Park is about as complete as it can be. \u201cWe are proud of the final result,\u201d Pevcevicius said, \u201cand we are excited to see how it will continue to impact the area in a positive way for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, linked below. If you’d like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.<\/p>\n

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UrbanToronto has a research service,\u00a0UrbanToronto Pro<\/a>, that provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area\u2014from proposal through to completion. We also offer\u00a0Instant\u00a0Reports<\/a>, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter,\u00a0New Development Insider<\/a>, that tracks projects from initial application.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n