King's College Circle Precinct
University of Toronto

Site: University of Toronto
Landscape Architect: Andropogon Associates Ltd.
Associate Landscape Architect: Elias + Associates
Civil Engineers: R. V. Anderson Associates Ltd.
Lighting: Clanton & Associates
Historian & Heritage Advisor: Unterman McPhail Associates
Structural Engineers: Halsall Associates
Client: University of Toronto

Project Description

King's College Road was transformed from a drab, vehicular service road into a lively urban corridor - giving priority to pedestrians and offering opportunities for social interactions at many scales. The road is centre-drained rather than crowned to eliminate curbside puddles, improve walking conditions, and reduce winter salt splash onto lawns and trees.

Two pedestrian corridors adjacent to King's College Circle - Sir Daniel Wilson Walk and Knox College Walk - were redesigned and built as attractive passageways leading to the heart of campus. Because of the importance of trees in dense urban spaces, trees were provided with better growing conditions - less compaction, and larger growing spaces for appropriate plant species that are well suited to the site's alkaline soils.

In addition, the LA defined design standards for paving, lighting, plantings, signage, and site furniture to present a coherent campus image within the precinct.

Jurors' Comments

The King's College Circle scheme, now being realized at the heart of the University of Toronto, is a good example of solid design principles applied to a key and much-loved Toronto site that had been allowed to deteriorate architecturally and environmentally over many years. The jury applauds especially, the strengthening of the Circle's pedestrian connections with surrounding neighbourhoods, and the improvements of King's College Road. While recommending the architects' good accomplishments for an honourable mention, however, the jury wishes to register its unanimous dissatisfaction with the Alumni Gateway, and its hope that the University will reconsider the strategy of defining its perimeter with ponderous ceremonial portals.