Category: Green Infrastructure + Urban Ecology

+ THE QUESTION ?

Can landscape architecture and green infrastructure encourage transit use in a car-centric society?

The Concept and Challenges
The concept is programmatically driven by urban ecology, steep topography, triangular site geometry, and climatic challenges. It lies within a windy industrial corridor and two parking lots bisected by an arterial road.

The Connective Bridge, Urban Ecology, Succession Meadows, Stormwater Management, Green Roofs
The bridge enables pedestrian and animal movement. Seeded meadows evolve into forest ecosystems. Runnels directly overflow to a cistern, irrigating plantings until self-sufficiency. Green roofs mitigate climate change. Plants are selected to reflect the industrial character of the site.

The Cinematic Experience
The transparent station frames seasonal views of color, merging planters and slopes into an immersive, atmospheric commute grounded in ecological succession. Ecological succession, a design intervention, can influence other design disciplines. The site’s transparent architecture, sheltering ecological succession, allow commuters to once again re-engage with nature.

Award – Architizer Vision Awards, Vision For Landscape Finalist, Eglington GO Station (2025)

Award – Canadian Architect Award of Excellence (2015)

+ ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION

The Site
Guildwood GO Station, located in Toronto, Canada, intertwines with the city’s ravine system. It is an innovative project, the first station to integrate green roofs with architecture and ravine ecosystems. Our team used an urban ecology approach as an intervention on the embankment slopes, green roofs, and roof courtyard.

Urban Ecology
Ecological succession is a biotic self-generating ecosystem that evolves from meadow to deciduous climax forest over a hundred-year period.

Concept
Embracing architecture and ecological succession enabled us to envision the landscape as a BRIDGE for human and non-human community movement and a GREEN OASIS amid an industrial corridor.

Track embankments create a linear topography echoed in the architecture. The geometry and materiality are repeated in the landscape through linear hedges, grasses, 18-meter-long stainless steel and Ipe wood seating planters. Granite strips embedded in the concrete plaza continue the lighting/flooring pattern of the interior and canopy. The green roofs and roof courtyard integrate vertically with the architecture.

The Experience
Inside views to the green roofs and roof courtyard at every point of commuter movement further establish an architectural connection with the landscape. Upon exiting the tunnels, commuters are greeted with panoramic views of borrowed landscapes merging into the roof meadows and slopes on both north and south platforms. The landscape atmospherically changes each season, from spring’s vibrant green to the warm colours of summer and fall to the whites of winter.

Ecological succession, a design intervention, has the potential to influence related design disciplines and engage the public. At Guildwood GO Station, with its unique mix of inviting architecture, ecological succession and traditional landscape aesthetics, commuters can once again engage with nature.

Award – Architizer A+ Awards – Sustainable Transportation Finalist (2024)
Award – Green Roof and Wall Award of Excellence – Special Recognition (2023)
Award – Architizer A+Awards – Architecture + Landscape Finalist (2023)
Award – Toronto Urban Design Award (2021)
Award – Ontario Concrete Award (2019)
Award – Infrastructure Award Best of Year for Innovation and Excellence (2019)

+ ECOSYSTEM TOWN PLAN

The Town of Caledon was in the process of reviewing its Official Plan policies pertaining to environmental protection and heritage conservation. Stage 1 of the Review work study program included the completion of two background studies: this Environmental Background Study; and a Cultural Heritage Background Study. The purpose of the Environmental Background Study and the Ecosystem Planning Goals, were to recommend a framework for an ecosystem based masterplan. The computerized (GIS Systems) utilized for this study, revealed a natural environment in the Town of Caledon which is both extensive and unique. The sustained health and integrity of this natural environment contributes to the maintenance of air quality, surface and sub-surface water quality and quantity, biological diversity and quality of life.  This ecosystem plan would ensure the long term, sustained health and integrity of the town’s natural systems and provide Caledon’s communities with a meaningful, ongoing participation, in the environmental planning, management and decision making process.

+ ECOSYSTEM TOWNSHIP PLAN

This regional planning strategy for the township of Eramosa facilitates sustainable development by minimizing impact on riparian corridors and maintaining an interconnected network of forested areas.

+ MASTERPLAN

The masterplan for this 80-hectare site was developed as the first phase in the staged development of a large Jewish community campus. The plan includes several schools, senior centers, and synagogues, all situated near the sensitive Oak Ridges Moraine. Urban design elements are used to create a sense of INDEGINOUS PLACEKEEPING through the fusion of typologies that represent the regional history of human settlement. The AGRIGCULTURAL GRID AND LINEAR HEDGEROWS are incorporated as spatial organization devices. The planting strategy reflects multiple land uses over time: wind-protective hedgerows of lilac, poplar aspen, and red maple represent the agricultural use of the early pioneers. Bosques of sugar maple represent the traditional maple syrup harvesting of the Mississauga tribe.

The design principles of the masterplan are carried through in the plan of the TanenbaumCHAT Kimel Education Centre. Sugar maple bosques mark the entry to the building, and hedgerows of trembling aspen and birches reinforce the linearity of seating benches where children can sit while waiting for their parents to pick them up.  These benches also act as security devices.

+ ECOSYSTEM TOWNSHIP PLAN

This regional planning strategy for the township of Eramosa facilitates sustainable development by minimizing impact on riparian corridors and maintaining an interconnected network of forested areas.