project 01 | My Site

256 Dufferin& King Renovation

This project proposed a new layout for the King & Dufferin area, which aims to bring vitality to the community. In addition, the design of the project focuses on the renovation of the heritage building and the integration of the new building with the existing building.

date. April 2021

city. Toronto

location. 256 Dufferin St.

Site Map View

Site located on the south side of King and Dufferin intersection. An area celebrates the culture of Tibetan, and with a strong industrial atmosphere.

Circulation

With the strong sense of industry development and diverse culture, King and Dufferin attract an increasing number of people from different districts in Toronto that we could see a positive potential of this area. However, considering the safety, environmental as well as social cohesive issues, renovations are needed in terms of the King and Dufferin area. In this project, we focused along the Dufferin St, where a multi-function parking lot will be designed to promote social cohesion, form a community-focused district. The gradual approach has been divided into four phases, firstly, aimed at green space arrangement, increase the number of curbside plants that visually pleased citizens year-round. To form shade pedestrian roads, promote air quality while balancing the overconcentration of vegetation in the park. Secondly, solving safety issues, enhance green space, and lighting’s quantity, as well as quality, have a significant effect on reducing hidden crimes. This also results in the reduction of noise pollution raised by the parking lot. Third, establish and combine a new parking lot with an original park area, the new parking lot will be functional as tourist &service center, playground, performance space. Fourth, connecting the XO condo and parking lot through the pedestrian bridge brings economic development. Through more occupancy and charity organizations, tramps’ problems will be mitigated. In conclusion, we see King and Dufferin St as a long-term development area that reserve historical feature but welcomes new blood coming in.

Site Plan

As for the social aspect, the first thing we considered is the safety issue, with the awareness that King and Dufferin are suffering from homeless and sanitation problems. While there is no government shelter in this area, the indirect approach will be taken as an increased proportion of green space and lighting devices, since people participate in the space more other, potential crimes will be lessened.

Parking Floor Plan

Although we see loads of parking areas in this district, few of them provide service to the visitors and residents living in the house. At this stage, considering the potential residents and further development, only a parking space could not satisfy people’s needs but became multi-functional. Green surface parking indeed helps the environmental issue with continuous development, nevertheless, the limited amount and restricted space became huge barriers. To achieve the purpose, seeing a parking lot as a social space that contains multiple functions give people a sense of the center of the community is necessary. Solving the parking problem while letting the structure be active not only to visitors but residents. Utilize green space to merge building into the landscape to blur the boundaries, have a playground on the top floor encourage individuals’ participants, connect XO condo’s backyard with overhead bridges give alternative pathway.

Park Elevation

A green corridor surrounds the building by filtering the light and protecting it from solar radiation on the façade. Therefore, hydroponic climbing vines are added to the outer wall to increase the green texture. These plants have strong moisture retention, durability and convenient installation. This special planting method solves part of the drainage problem of the building.

Dufferin St. Façade

Kingand Dufferin St is area with their own community identity, the red bricks,historical sites, all resonate and are embodied in citizens’ daily life. For theappearance of the car park, we decided to adopt a rust-coloured facade to createa building with a sense of history and a local cultural context. But innovationwas taken in structure and form, using similar colours to evoke a sense ofcomfort and familiarity. At the same time, hydroponic climbing vines are addedto the outer wall to increase the green texture.

Park Elevation

The main species of vegetation in the park are red maple, red cedar, hackberry, white spruce and bush honeysuckle. These plants have different growth cycles,presenting different states in 3, 10 and 30 years of future planning, and the selected trees will present different views in different seasons, ensuring that each period can create a unique landscape of the park.

Produced By: Daniel Chen, Zoey Sheng, Leo Zhang, Elza Yu

Instructor: Gamal Mohammed

Role: Concept Development, Collage & Rendering, Parking Building Design & Floor Plan

Software: AutoCAD, Adobe Photoshop, Ontario Population& Demographics, Microsoft Powerpoint

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