Architecture takes inspiration from rare terra cotta details
With historic roots and modern panache, the twin towers of King Blue Condominiums are designed to make a striking imprint on Toronto’s Entertainment District.
The north and west façades of the heritage-designated, six-storey Westinghouse building that occupies the corner of King Street West and Blue Jays Way will be integrated into King Blue, with quintessential warehouse styling and atypical terra cotta details that served as inspiration to architects at Page + Steele IBI Group Architects, designers of some of Toronto’s most prestigious residences. Executive vice-president Mansoor Kazerouni and his team are responsible for landmark Toronto projects such as the Ritz-Carlton (in collaboration with KPF Associates) and the Four Seasons (with architectsAlliance). Kazerouni is also at the helm of the Delta Hotel’s new downtown flagship, Toronto’s first major stand-alone hotel tower in decades.
“The podium responds to the scale and materiality of the Westinghouse building, without attempting to mimic it. Rather than try to match the brick, we chose to highlight it by introducing a darker brick,” says Kazerouni of the podiums that will flank the historic facades to the east and south. The framing detail against the dark brick references the terracotta frames of the Westinghouse façades.
The Westinghouse façade is separated from the new podium by a glass reveal that punctuates a walkway offering access to the central courtyard, an integral part of the personality of this extensive complex. “King Blue embodies the vibrancy, energy and eclectic character of the entertainment district, combining historic and contemporary elements,” Kazerouni says. All street frontages will be lined with restaurants and shops, adding to the animation and activity of the public realm.
A 48-storey tower, a 44-storey tower, and podiums of various heights frame the courtyard, creating in effect a huge outdoor “room” whose walls are defined by the lobbies of the residential towers and integrated Theatre Museum, blurring the line between indoors and out.
The future home of Theatre Museum Canada is beautifully articulated in a playful second-storey framing detail that horizontally wraps the southwest corner, contrasting the vertical details on the Westinghouse and King Street façades.
The two condo towers ascend with a bold, dark glazed palette as the backdrop to the artistic, fritted-glass balconies that project from two corners, nearly opaque white at the bottom and transitioning to transparency at the top. On the other two corners, the black glass pulls back to reveal recessed balconies for a sharp, vertical edge.
Easton’s Group of Hotels brings a reputation for excellence to the total-lifestyle experience taking shape at King Blue. To find out more, visit
kingbluecondos.com or call 416-599-1355. Follow us on Twitter
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