ODA new york pivots bayside apartments to face toronto's lakeshore

ODA new york pivots bayside apartments to face toronto’s lakeshore
images © by-encore / ODA new york

proposed for the lakeshore neighborhood of toronto, ODA new york have envisioned the ‘bayside’ project visualized as a towering block of cascading volumes that form the balconies of the residential development.

the torsional shift opens 43% of 90 rear units to water views and increases the size of the south facing terraces

the architects explain: ‘the practice of orienting a home to the path of the sun is as old as civilization itself, and in nature, significantly predates it. just as plants and flowers orient themselves to the sun through photo-taxis.’ using this concept, each level is orchestrated to respond to the waterfront, parks and promenades through strategical pivoting and sloping of what began as an L shaped mass.
each apartment is distributed to receive the best views and natural light

described as ‘if planted from seeds’, ODA new york’s aim is to enhance the quality life in urban areas by capitalizing on natural light, access to green space and conveying a sense of community. the simple 45% twist of the modules allows the creation of an astounding 68,550 square feet of terrace space. as a result, 221 out of 228 units (97%) have terraces, and 163 units (71%) have water views. additionally the scheme will have access to a large communal terrace and pool area sited right on the waterfront, with glass walls that open fully to a first floor retail space.

the proposed scheme is designed for the emerging lakeshore neighborhood of toronto

‘we are leading a quiet but unyielding revolution to replace the dogma of resigned and compromised city living for one that enriches our lives. we can and must rethink our reliance on the extruded big box concept and instead, design permeable residential buildings more as a collection of individual private homes. restoring our relationship to nature within our most private spaces is a crucial element in maintaining both our physical and psychological well being.’ – eran chen, founder and executive director – ODA new york

glass walls open fully to a daycare facility, and 10,228 square feet of first floor retail