Spadina WaveDeck Nominated for Brit Insurance Design Award

Toronto, January 07, 2009 – Waterfront Toronto’s Spadina WaveDeck has been nominated for a prestigious 2009 Brit Insurance Design Award in the category of architecture and is the first Canadian project ever to be short-listed for the awards.

The Brit Insurance Design Awards are the Design Museum of London’s annual exploration of the most innovative and forward-looking new work in design. One hundred projects from around the world are nominated in seven categories, which include architecture, fashion, furniture, graphics, interactive, product and transport.

The Design Museum of London selects projects from the last 12 months nominated by a group of internationally distinguished design and architecture writers, critics and curators.

“We are thrilled to be nominated among such an esteemed and internationally renowned group,” said John Campbell, Waterfront Toronto President and CEO. “Excellence in design is a priority for us and being recognized for excellence in the architecture category is a tremendous honour.”

Opened in September 2008, the Spadina WaveDeck is the first in a series of spectacular new public spaces being built along Toronto’s waterfront. Designed by the internationally recognized and award-winning team of West 8 from Rotterdam and du Toit Allsopp Hillier (DTAH) from Toronto, the new wavedeck is a gateway to the lakefront at a site that previously lacked public access.

The geometry of the 630 square-metre timber deck uses playful curves that are constantly changing to provide for a flexible gathering space. The stairs act as an informal amphitheatre and the varying heights of the deck allow for different vantage points and ultimately different experiences with the lake. In the evenings, the space is kept animated with 24 underwater LED lights.

The Spadina WaveDeck is the first step towards the implementation of the highly anticipated West 8 + DTAH design for the central waterfront, which spans 3km’s from Bathurst Street to Parliament Street. Construction also began on the Rees and Simcoe WaveDecks in the fall of 2008. These will both be open for public enjoyment this summer.

An exhibit showcasing the nominated projects will be on display at The Design Museum of London from February 12 – June 14, 2009 and the winners will be announced on February 24, 2009. This year, in addition to an international jury reviewing the nominees, the public is also able to vote for their favourites at www.designsoftheyear.com.

The Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto created Waterfront Toronto to oversee and lead the renewal of Toronto’s waterfront. Public accessibility, design excellence, sustainable development, economic development and fiscal sustainability are the key drivers of waterfront revitalization.

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Please visit the project page for further background information on the Spadina WaveDeck.
 

Media Contact:

Tanya Bevington, Waterfront Toronto