DTAH Partner James Roche is speaking at the upcoming OALA Conference, where he will discuss the Bloor-Annex BIA Parkettes. The theme of this year’s conference is Ripple Effect, exploring how small interventions can have lasting impacts on the well-being of our communities.

The award-winning Bloor-Annex BIA Parkettes is a compelling example of how the transformation of small spaces can have a big social, environmental, and economic impact on the surrounding neighbourhood. These asphalt paved spaces, used for parking and storage of garbage and waste material, were transformed, and reimagined into dynamic green social community spaces. Adaptive pollinator plant species and shade trees were carefully curated and porous surfaces were introduced to facilitate stormwater absorption. Reclaimed materials from local construction sites and quarries were salvaged and repurposed as sculptural seating elements, completing the transformation.

The result is a series of passive sustainable public amenity spaces for rest, contemplation, and social interaction. The dramatic shift from unsightly asphalt paving to lush, ecologically functional parkettes, serves as a successful model that can be implemented across other neglected small brownfields within the city.

Learn more about the Conference here

DTAH a proud sponsor of this year’s Park(ing) Day in Toronto, on Friday, September 20, to Sunday, September 22.

Park(ing) Day is an annual global event where citizens, artists, and activists temporarily transform parking spaces into pop-up parks and social spaces for a day. Park(ing) Day draws attention to the need to improve access to public open spaces in densely populated urban areas. By encouraging people to think critically about the allocation and usage of public space in cities, Park(ing) Day promotes civic engagement and raises awareness of the need for more open, green, and social areas in our urban environments.

The initiative began in 2005 by the design studio Rebar, transforming a single parking spot in San Francisco. Since then, it has grown into a worldwide movement, featuring hundreds of installations in over 35 cities across the globe.

Park(ing) Day Toronto 2024 Grants Program

Park(ing) Day Toronto is coordinated locally by Dubbeldam Architecture + Design. This year, DTAH has partnered with Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, SvN Architects + Planners, Arup Canada, and MASSIVart, to create a grants program to encourage more activations throughout the city. The program will offer grants of up to $500 for eligible activations hosted by non-profits, local community groups and individuals.

Host Your Own Park(ing) Day Activation

Create your own pop-up park in any parking space and join the global movement! Whether you're an individual, community group, or non-profit, hosting a Park(ing) Day activation is a unique way to reimagine urban spaces and foster community engagement.

To get started:

1. Register Your Activation: Visit the Park(ing) Day website to register your event and let the world know about your upcoming creative transformation. https://www.parkingdaytoronto....

2. Apply for a Grant: Take advantage of our grants program, offering up to $500 to eligible applicants and activations. This support can help turn your ideas into reality. The deadline to apply is August 23.

3. Get Inspired: Follow us on Instagram @parkingday_Toronto for inspiration and ideas from past activations and connect with others in the Park(ing) Day community

Activation Dates: Third weekend in September (Friday September 20 – Sunday September 22, 2024).

For more information, visit www.parkingdaytoronto.ca or reach out to us at hello@parkingdaytoronto.ca. We look forward to celebrating the transformation of urban spaces together!

DTAH Partner Megan Torza will be featured in an internationally recognized exhibit celebrating women in architecture.

From the MAXXI Museum in Rome, “Buone Nuove: Good News from Italy,” is a traveling exhibition that presents the work of women Italian designers to an international audience and recognizes their significant contributions and achievements. By highlighting their work, the exhibition aims to address the historical underrepresentation and to celebrate the accomplishments of these designers.

The Toronto exhibition is presented in partnership with Toronto Metropolitan University Department of Architectural Science, after traveling to cities including Doha, Qatar; Stockholm, Sweden; and New Delhi, India.

Megan is one of 14 prominent women architects in the region selected for the local component of the exhibition, which focuses on their leadership, mentorship, and advocacy. The exhibit also presents community-inclusive projects that exemplify their commitment to designing innovative and inspiring spaces.

As an architect and urban designer, Megan’s professional development has been influenced by a strong personal interest in sustainability and adaptive reuse and the integration of contemporary architecture into historic urban fabric. The award-winning Tommy Thompson Park Entrance and Pavilion is featured in this exhibition for its successful embodiment of the rich history of the Leslie Street Spit, while providing a new front door to the park that is welcoming, engaging and ecologically sensitive to its context.

Women in Architecture: Practices, Stories, Visions
September 5 – October 10, 2024
Paul H. Cocker Gallery
Toronto Metropolitan University

Dufferin Grove Park is a vital community hub supporting a range of programs, including the popular weekly Farmers’ Market on Thursday afternoons. DTAH led architecture and landscape architecture improvements to the northwest corner of the park to increase the accessibility, functionality and capacity of the park’s Clubhouse and surrounding landscape to support existing and future community programming.

Improvements include a renovated Clubhouse, including a new kitchen, an enlarged multi-purpose room for community use, new all-gender and universal washrooms and improved storage space and consolidated utilities; a new double-pad ice rink; a separate Zamboni garage; a new basketball court with six basketball nets (including two at child-height); a permeable pedestrian plaza between the Clubhouse and rinks and other green stormwater management and sustainability features; and accessibility improvements to this corner of the park to meet AODA standards with improved pathways, additional seating, and more efficient and effective lighting.

After over 30 years at 50 Park Road, we are looking forward to beginning a new chapter in Toronto’s King-Spadina neighbourhood. Effective Monday, June 24, 2024, our new address will be:

425 Adelaide St. W
Suite 600
Toronto, Ontario
M5V 3C1

We’re excited about the possibilities and opportunities of our new location!

City of Vaughan recently celebrated the grand opening of the first phase of Edgeley Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, June 12.

Located at 300 Maplecrete Road, this is the first public park to open in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. DTAH led the architecture and landscape architecture for the park, which features a new pavilion and green roof, accessible washrooms, a community use room; a skating loop; a splash pad; a unique play area designed by Earthscape; and an open lawn.

The first phase of Edgeley Park is an active play area for the larger Edgeley Pond and Park, an important open space for the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, which is intended to function as a naturalized online stormwater management facility for the growing neighbourhood. DTAH led the vision and design for the site, which will integrate passive recreation opportunities while celebrating the important role that Black Creek plays in the larger watershed.

DTAH is excited to participate in Doors Open Toronto again this year! Our studio at 50 Park Road is open to the public on Saturday, May 25, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last admittance at 4:30 p.m.

We will offer free presentations throughout the day as a part of the Toronto Society of Architects (TSA) Open Studio program. Members from our studio will speak about some of our current projects.

The schedule of presentations:

11:00 a.m. Public Park Design: Creating a Dynamic Public Realm, presented by DTAH Partner James Roche

1:00 p.m. Overlea Bridge Renewal: Aesthetic, Safety & Public Art Enhancements, presented by Partner Mark Langridge

3:00 p.m. Toronto Island Park Master Plan: A Place for Nature and Play, presented by DTAH Senior Associate Victoria Bell

Visitors will get a chance to walk through our studio and learn about its rich architectural history. Completed in 1954, 50 Park Road was designed as the original headquarters for the Ontario Association of Architects. It is critically acclaimed as a landmark modern building in Toronto and unified architects within the province with its high-profile design. Visit the studio to observe how the heritage building has evolved over the years, and experience the working environment of a leading architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design firm.

50 Park Road was our home for over 30 years and is an important part of our firm’s history. This is your last chance to visit us at this location. In June, we are moving to the King-Spadina neighbourhood!

The Urban Design Guidelines for the Town of New Tecumseth are now complete! The guidelines were updated in response to the significant growth the town is experiencing, which is only expected to increase in the coming years. The updated urban design guidelines provide a foundation to guide development, creating a context-sensitive approach to infill, intensification, and redevelopment.

High-quality urban design promotes economic, social, and environmental benefits, and influences how people experience a place as well as how they move around. The guide recommends how to create a more accessible, inviting, and memorable public realm that will promote active lifestyles, foster social interactions, and encourage inclusiveness. The ultimate goal of the guidelines is to create a sustainable, healthy community.

Read more about the project on the Town of New Tecumseth’s website