Queen's Quay Boulevard wins Award of Excellence
Image: Queens Quay Boulevard, Central Waterfront, by DTAH + West 8The Queen's Quay Boulevard Revitalization, designed by DTAH in collaboration with West 8, has received a 2017 Award of Excellence - Large Places and/or Neighbourhood Designs from the Toronto Urban Design Awards
Jury Comment
The redesign of Queen's Quay Boulevard clarifies the multiple modes of transportation that occupy the boulevard. Through a process of condensing and compressing the space used by car traffic, additional space is created for adjacent public and commercial functions, including a streetcar corridor, cycle lanes, and enlarged sidewalks. The distinct material palette associated with each mode of movement ensures the clear identity of each zone, and allows for the flattening of the pedestrian plane (via curbless edges) between the adjacent layers of movement. The design’s sensitive but robust details draw on a graphic iconography celebrating Canadian and nautical themes, resulting in an unusually coherent, multi-layered urban realm. These are just a few aspects of this design that set a new precedent for North American urban design.