TORONTO – GHD, design studio SLA and Waterfront Toronto have unveiled the design for the public realm and streetscapes of Ookwemin Minising, Toronto’s new island community in the Port Lands.
The “Growing Streets” concept places streets and public spaces at the beginning of city-making, “shaping not only how the neighbourhood looks, but how it lives, grows and connects,” explains a release.
The streets are designed to perform as infrastructure and will manage stormwater, reduce urban heat and support biodiversity.
Rainwater is captured, filtered and reused through integrated green infrastructure, while planting strategies create habitats for local species.
“This project demonstrates how infrastructure and public space can work as one integrated system,” said Chris Hunter, GHD chief executive officer for the Americas, in a statement. “By embedding climate resilience, water management and low-carbon strategies directly into the streetscape, we’re creating infrastructure that not only performs at a high level but also enhances everyday life and supports long-term sustainability.”
GHD is the prime consultant and technical lead for the project and SLA is design lead for the urban realm and landscape.
The design is structured around five strategies – including Living Legacy, Ookwemin Minising Character, Space for Nature, Strategic Density and Everyday Mobility.
The public realm design is based on the site’s history and its transformation from industrial waterfront to restored river landscape and was developed in close collaboration with Indigenous co-designers Trophic Design.
The broader design team includes Allies and Morrison (architecture and density), Transsolar (sustainability and low-carbon infrastructure), Monumental Projects (public engagement and community outreach) and Level Playing Field (accessibility services).
Spanning 10.9 hectares of mixed-use development, first occupancy is expected in the early 2030s at Ookwemin Minising.
