STAFF WRITER – The GTA Construction Report
Quadrangle Architects has applied to build the first sixstorey wood frame residential building in Ontario, with a building permit application to the City of Toronto for Heartwood the Beach Condos at 1884 Queen St. E.
This is the first application in Toronto for a six-storey wood frame residential building since the provincial building code raised the number of storeys permitted from four to six on Jan. 1, 2015, the architect said in a news release.
Fieldgate Urban, with Hullmark Developments, engaged Quadrangle to design the building, to be sited at the northeast corner of Queen St. and Woodbine Ave. in Toronto’s The Beach community.
“This is a huge step forward for low impact density in Toronto,” says Quadrangle principal Richard Witt. “We hope that it will lead to very different living environments, defined by loft like interiors with exposed wood beams and floors but rendered in a contemporary language.”
The architect says many of the wood components for the project, titled Heartwood the Beach, will be prefabricated and assembled offsite, including floor and wall slabs as well as the exterior.
“Prefabrication ensures higher quality construction while cutting costs by reduced construction time and onsite accidents,” said the news release.
Witt and fellow principal Caroline Robbie have led the architecture and interior design to “showcase the beauty of wood frame construction. Expansive glazing will showcase the rich wood interiors that will feature exposed wood ceilings and exposed wood walls.”
The project will have about 40 units, from 750 to 1,500 sq. ft. each, intended for families and long term residents.
Construction is anticipated to start by March 2016 with completion scheduled for early 2017.
