PART 2: David Pontarini on New Trends and New Projects

Welcome to PART 2 of our interview with renowned architect, David Pontarini of Hariri Pontarini Architects. Our discussion continued, focusing on the Tall Building Guidelines, their Ordnance Triangle project and other projects, as well as some new trends in architectural design.

On to the interview!

Newinhomes (NIH): Your firm was a part of establishing the Tall Building Guidelines. Tell us a little more about that.

David Pontarini (DP): Our office, working with Urban Strategies, did the first draft of the Tall Building Guidelines. We submitted it to the City and staff. They then went through it and modified it and changed things that they didn’t quite agree with. I think they’re on version two or three right now. It’s now up to them to decide what they want to change and what they want to add. That was an interesting process because we worked with City staff, so we got to know them really well and what their issues were, and tried to work with them to develop a strategy to bring tall buildings to the downtown core.

NIH: How has the City altered your initial draft?

DP: I think they increased dimensional setbacks between towers, and they increased setbacks relative to the street. So if anything, they were a bit more conservative - in a good way - giving more space over to sidewalks and the public realm, and making sure that there are better light, view, and privacy separations between towers.

NIH: Many people have different views of the Guidelines. Some believe it restricts the architect's creativity, and some believe it forces them to be more creative. What side do you fall on?

DP: I’m on the side of it forces them to be more creative. I think that all they’re trying to do is set a minimum filter through which they can pour these projects - what comes out on the other side is something that starts to reflect a better building design. And I think that their expectation is that if you meet these minimum standards, and you can do something better, we’re open to it. I think it’s incumbent on architects and developers to push for excellence and to make buildings that are actually better and exceed the guidelines. I think it happens, Toronto has some very talented architects.

All photos courtesy Hariri Pontarini Architects

NIH: So, we’ve discussed 1 Yonge. Another big project in the works is Garrison Point at Ordnance Triangle by Diamondcorp, Cityzen, and Fernbrook. Can you tell us more about it, or any other projects?

DP: Phase 1 is being developed at a higher level because it’s basically got its approvals - two towers that are on the north side of the site, with the one that kind of faces the downtown core - those are the two that are being developed right now in detail. The other three are being worked on. The new material on that will be released in the next few weeks, because they’re going to go to market on Phase 1 in early fall.

Another interesting project that we’re working on is the Globe Lands down at Front and Spadina. It includes the site on the corner that used to be the car dealership and it also includes the site that has the existing Globe and Mail building on it - so it’s about seven acres. It’s a gateway entrance to the west side of the city. It’s a joint venture between Diamondcorp, Allied, who has a lot of buildings in the area, and RioCan.

It’s going to be a mixed-use development, we haven't figured out how many towers. We haven't even made an application to the City, we’re just in initial discussions. But it will be office, retail, and residential - a true mixed-use development.

NIH: So, what new trends are we seeing in architectural design? What will we see moving forward?

DP: I think the biggest one is the true mixed-use development. They have significant office, significant residential, and retail combined. 1 Yonge does that, the Globe Lands will do that. I think that it’s being driven by the fact that people want to settle in the downtown area. That’s the biggest trend I’m hoping to see continue to develop.

I think the smaller, tighter, more complicated buildings are going to become more difficult to execute, so the focus may shift. We’ve got a project next door that Context was going to develop - pure residential - and in the end, they didn’t go ahead with it. It was picked up again by Allied and RioCan, so we’re doing a mixed-use project right next door, with a small portion of residential, office space, and retail.

When I started going to school downtown in Toronto, it used to be that at five o’clock, the city would empty out - this was back in the ‘70s. Planning was designed to segregate uses, and now it’s all about desegregating and bringing all these uses back together.

There’s a whole generation that wants to live downtown, I see it everyday, walking by our front window here. They want to live in this area, they don’t want to own a car, they want to walk up the street to Loblaws, buy groceries, go home, have a bite, go to movies, go to clubs, whatever - that exists - that market isn’t going to go away. You know, we’re not like your traditional American city, they’re having trouble with mixed-use space. We’re lucky as a city, we’re very fortunate.

We would like to thank David Pontarini for his time, and we look forward to watching HPA’s many projects come to life over the next few years.