Discipline : Landscape & Territories
Categories :
Landscape Architecture / Landscape Architecture - Commercial & Office Project
: Gold certification
Categories :
Landscape Architecture / Landscape Architecture - Public Space
: Gold certification
Categories :
Urban Design / Urban Design Plan
: Grand Winner
Formerly an 8-acre light industrial site – the Globe and Mail Headquarters –The Well is now known as a vibrant mixed-use community, thoughtfully woven into Toronto’s thriving King West neighborhood. Drawing on historical urban connections to unlock the site’s potential for the city, The Well’s dynamic architecture and interconnected open spaces create a striking choreography of urban experiences that welcome residents and visitors alike.
The Well incorporates office, retail, and residential programs through an ambitious pedestrian network of plazas, promenades, and a three-level exterior retail colonnade. It features 1700 residential units across six buildings plus one office tower. Here, over twenty thousand daily users are expected to live, work, shop, and interact.
Architectural and landscape character are symbiotic – blending old and new, exterior and interior with key features such as tree-lined promenades, vibrant plazas, lush passageways connecting to neighbourhood parks, dynamic retail fronts, and climate-adapted green infrastructure. Together, these elements create an iconic yet timeless character, enabling seamless wayfinding, and acting as an economic and social catalyst for the community.
The Well is designed with inclusivity, connectivity, and accessibility as fundamental principles. These commitments are bolstered by diverse programming initiatives that are offered throughout the year, making The Well a new urban hub and destination.
The Well exemplifies how a visionary team can transform a complex site using a landscape and public realm-driven approach. Through thoughtful and purposeful design that responds to downtown Toronto’s need for connectivity, walkability, resiliency, and community character, The Well challenges perceptions of what a mixed-use site can be and invites everyone to indulge in the unexpected.
