↗ View this article in the original PDF newsletter
A jury unanimously recommended the conceptual design submitted by Patkau Architects Inc., Vancouver, with Kearns Mancini Architects Inc., Toronto, for the new Visitor Centre. In the recommended design, the Visitor Centre forms a new escarpment of weathering-steel, re-establishing the original sense of a defensive site. The jury noted that the success of the Patkau/Kearns Mancini design lies in the use of the steel-escarpment and a simple foreshore of grasses, which when combined with the recently launched multi-media art installation Watertable, interpret the historic site condition of the original Lake Ontario shoreline bluff, and provide a strong visual presence for the Fort.
From a field of 31 architectural firms who originally expressed interest in the design of the Visitor Centre, five teams were invited to submit conceptual design proposals. Submissions were received from: Patkau Architects with Kearns Mancini Architects Inc.; Raw Design with Gareth Hoskins Architects; du Toit Allsopp Hillier/du Toit Architects Ltd.; and Baird Sampson Neuert Architects. Diamond Schmitt were invited to submit a design, but notified the City in November that they would not be participating due to scheduling conflicts with other projects. Additional information regarding the jury and the conceptual designs is available at http://www.toronto.ca/visitorcentre.
After being displayed at a public open house, the anonymous designs were reviewed by a jury, which included George F. Dark, Antonio Gomez-Palacio, Rick Haldenby, Rocco Maragna, Marianne McKenna, Charles Pachter and Anthony Tung. As part of the evaluation, the jury considered a summary of public comments gathered at the open house.
Visitor Centre drawings courtesy of Patkau/Kearns Mancini.
The high quality of all four submissions was a comment heard consistently since the public open house and all teams are to be congratulated for their efforts. This is an important project for the Fort and the City of Toronto, and we want to thank all competition participants, the jury and members of the Fort York Visitor Centre Steering Committee. Work will begin with the Patkau/Kearns Mancini team in early January and all efforts will be made in order to ensure that the project is completed in time for a June 2012 opening. Whatever the Game: Sport and the Military in Early Toronto
Original printed pages
