Warming Huts Completed Along Kew Beach in Toronto!

Driftwood Throne by Dm_Studio (London, UK) - Photo by Eamon MacMahon

Earlier this year, RAW Design, Ferris + Associates, and Curio announced the five winners of the Winter Station Design Competition. Now, the “Warming Huts” are complete and ready to be visited by you!

The competition launched last October and received over 200 submissions from around the world, including Russia, China, and the UK. The competition guidelines asked participants to transform lifeguard stations along Kew Beach into interactive structures, using warmth as the primary inspiration. Five winners were selected, including one from Toronto and one designed by the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science at Ryerson University.

Wing Back by Tim Olsen (New Hampshire, USA) - Photo by Eamon MacMahon

“Streetcar’s first few projects were in the Beach and we’re just embarking on another in the area now, not to mention almost half of our team is proud to call the Beach home,” says Les Mallins, President, Streetcar. “Public art installations of this nature contribute positively to the fabric of a neighbourhood and bring in visitors during a time of year that is reserved for the few people willing to brave the elements. I think the blanket of snow acted as the perfect canvas for the participants to showcase their creativity and skills.”

Streetcar was the presenting sponsor of the Winter Stations Competition, and the supporting sponsors included Fieldgate Homes, the Glen Condo, the Ontario Association of Architects, Reserve Properties, Rockport Group, Urban Capital, Urbancorp, Worsley Urban Partners, and Zen Homes. Partners of the competition included the Beach Village BIA, City of Toronto, DeClute Real Estate, and the Design Exchange.

Sling Swing by WMB Studio (London/Liverpool, UK) - Photo by Eamon MacMahon

“I think Winter Stations is a brilliant idea to animate the Beaches during the winter months,” says Leith Moore, Senior Vice President, Fieldgate Urban. “The fact that they actually provide a warming opportunity is especially welcome to my two labs and myself as we walk the shoreline on those cold mornings and nights! I am a Beacher, a daily user of the Beaches, and the builder of a new project coming this year to Queen and Woodbine, so our participation was a natural fit. Fieldgate builds homes that contribute to the rich fabric of each community and this project highlights the true amenity that our shoreline provides year round.”

Snowcone by Diana Koncan and Lily Jeon and the Department of Architectural Science, Ryerson (Toronto, Canada) - Photo by Eamon MacMahon

The five winners of the Winter Station Design Competition are:

• Sling Swing by WMB Studio (London/Liverpool, UK)
• Driftwood Throne by Dm_Studio (London, UK)
• Wing Back by Tim Olsen (New Hampshire, USA)
• HotBox by Michaela MacLeod and Nicholas Croft (Toronto, Canada)
• Snowcone by Diana Koncan and Lily Jeon and the Department of Architectural Science, Ryerson (Toronto, Canada)

Constructed by Alexandre Wilson and Alan Johnston of Atelier One Five, Four By Eight Sign Services, Mosher Originals, Ryerson Architectural Science Program, Vir Pasad of Sunrise Carpentry, and Zone Six Design Build, the Warming Huts are now standing along Kew Beach. Normally, we wouldn’t recommend going to the beach in weather like this, but now that the warming huts are standing, you can enjoy the views of the lake while being protected from the chill of the wind.

HotBox by Michaela MacLeod and Nicholas Croft (Toronto, Canada) - Photo by Eamon MacMahon

So, if you’re trying to beat the cold, why not go to the beach this week and check out the beautifully designed Warming Huts! The Warming Huts will remain open to the public until March 20, 2015.