King Toronto reimagines the traditional city block by seamlessly integrating historic buildings with a contemporary urban landscape. Located between Toronto’s Central Business District and low-rise residential neighbourhoods, the development is built around and within the footprint of several heritage structures, carefully incorporated into the design from the earliest stages. Rather than imposing upon these historic buildings, King Toronto wraps around them like an organic frame, growing naturally from the existing red-brick structures.

This 600,000-square-foot, mixed-use development features more than 500 stepped, terraced condos designed as a series of “pixels,” reminiscent of Montreal’s Habitat 67. The glass façade, drawn from the Maison de Verre in Paris, reflects light in unique ways throughout the day, thanks to the changing angles of the sun. It also incorporates vertical gardens that evolve with the seasons, creating a dynamic “living skin” that brings the building to life.

Each unit or “pixel” is prefabricated and is designed to the size of a room and rotated 45 degrees to maximize natural light and airflow. Each features a tree planted in an irrigated planter, with a trellis of vines to further enhance the greenery.

The building’s pyramid-like shape, along with thoughtfully placed openings, allows sunlight to fill the inner courtyard, avoiding the deep shadows often cast by taller structures.

Fostering a sense of community within this high-density urban environment, the inner courtyard will welcome residents and pedestrians alike to cultural events, performances, and daily social activities. A water installation will capture rainwater and release a cooling mist during warm weather and light installations will animate the mist at night, creating an inviting atmosphere.

At street level, the courtyard opens to the north towards the street and to the south towards a new park, enhancing pedestrian flow through a network of alleys and pathways that recall the site’s century-old layout. The heritage buildings, which house retail and office spaces, line the courtyard, contributing to the area’s vibrancy and connectivity.

KING Toronto is designed by BIG Architects with Diamond Schmitt as Executive Architect.