From 1889 to 1984 the Don Valley Brick Works was one of Canada’s pre-eminent brickyards, producing more than 43 million bricks a year. Evergreen, in partnership with the City of Toronto and the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority, selected a large, multi-disciplinary design team including architects, landscape architects, interpretive designers, engineers, ecologists and artists, to transform the site into an environmental education centre incorporating themes of nature, culture and community.

Led by Joe Lobko of du Toit Architects, the team proposed the adaptive/reuse of all 16 buildings interconnected by new vibrant public spaces. A new “incubator” building, Centre for Green Cities designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, is inserted on the base of a historic storage facility at the heart of the site and contains the offices for Evergreen and other like-minded community and social organizations.

Client:
Evergreen

Team:
du Toit Architects, du Toit Allsopp Hillier
Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc; E.R.A. Architects Inc; Claude Cormier Architectes Paysagistes Inc; Halsall; Stantec; BA Group; TSH; David Dennis Design; Leber Rubes; The MMM Group; Dougan & Associates; Ferruccio Sardella; Eastern Construction

Awards:
Green Award of the Year, NAIOP Greater Toronto Chapter, 2012

Canadian Institute of Planners, Great Public Spaces in Canada, 2011

Holcim Award for Sustainable Construction, 2008