32-Storey Summerhill Tower Planned in Toronto

Woodcliffe has unveiled final designs for The Summerhill, a 32-storey residential tower planned for Yonge Street and Birch Avenue in Toronto's Summerhill neighbourhood.

The 62-residence development will combine a contemporary high-rise with the preservation and restoration of historic retail facades along Yonge Street.

Peter Clewes led the architectsAlliance design team, while Brian Gluckstein is responsible for the project's interior design.

Construction Canada reports that the development continues Woodcliffe's investment in the Summerhill area, where the company has previously worked on the restoration of North Toronto Station, now occupied by the LCBO, and the Shops of Summerhill.

32-Storey Tower Will Contain 62 Residences

The Summerhill will rise 32 storeys but contain just 62 residences, creating a relatively low unit count for a tower of its height.

The design team used the surrounding Yonge Street streetscape as a reference when establishing the new building's proportions, scale and material palette.

The tower's massing has been designed to respond to the surrounding neighbourhood while allowing the upper floors to provide expansive views across Toronto and Summerhill.

The project will transition from a heritage-focused street-level design to a distinctly contemporary architectural treatment as the building rises.

Historic Retail Facades Will Be Preserved

A major component of the construction program will involve preserving and restoring the historic retail facades along Yonge Street.

Rather than replacing the existing street character with an entirely new tower frontage, the development will incorporate the historic facades into the base of the project.

The podium, streetwall and cornice lines are designed to reinforce the established Yonge Street frontage.

Integrating the preserved facades into a new 32-storey structure could require extensive coordination between heritage restoration specialists and the contractors responsible for the new tower.

Facade stabilization, masonry restoration, temporary structural support and connections between old and new construction could become important parts of the construction process.

Contemporary Curtain Wall Tower Above Podium

Above the heritage-influenced podium, The Summerhill will transition to a modern architectural expression.

Primary exterior materials will include:

• Large-format curtain wall systems
• Flush glazing
• Expansive windows
• Porcelain cladding

The extensive use of glazing will give the upper portion of the tower a considerably different appearance from the historic street-level facades.

Large windows will also play an important role inside the residences by maximizing natural light and views.

The porcelain cladding will add another specialized exterior component requiring coordination with the curtain wall and glazing systems.

Residential Interiors Designed by Brian Gluckstein

Interior designer Brian Gluckstein is developing the residential interiors with an emphasis on natural light, privacy, circulation and connections to outdoor spaces.

Layouts are being designed to maximize usable living areas while taking advantage of the tower's views.

The relatively small number of residences compared with the building's 32-storey height could also result in larger individual units and a more specialized level of interior construction and finishes.

Woodcliffe CEO Eve Lewis said the design process considered materials, proportions, arrival sequences, views and the various points of interaction between residents and the building.

Architecture Responds to Summerhill Streetscape

Peter Clewes and the architectsAlliance team have taken a restrained contemporary approach to the tower rather than attempting to replicate the historic architecture at street level throughout the entire building.

The strategy creates two distinct architectural conditions.

At the base, restored retail facades, podium proportions, streetwall and cornice lines respond to the historic Yonge Street environment.

Above, the tower uses curtain wall, flush glazing and porcelain cladding to establish a contemporary identity.

The combination will make the transition between the preserved structures and new construction one of the project's more important architectural and construction details.

Construction Trades Involved

The combination of heritage preservation and high-rise residential construction could create opportunities for a wide range of Toronto contractors, subcontractors and specialty suppliers.

Potential trades include:

• Heritage facade stabilization contractors
• Selective demolition contractors
• Masonry restoration and conservation specialists
• Tuckpointing and historic masonry contractors
• Shoring and underpinning contractors
• Excavation contractors
• Foundation contractors
• Concrete forming and reinforcing contractors
• Structural steel and miscellaneous metals contractors
• Curtain wall contractors
• Architectural glazing contractors
• Window installers
• Porcelain cladding contractors
• Building envelope specialists
• Roofing and waterproofing contractors
• Mechanical contractors
• HVAC contractors
• Plumbing contractors
• Electrical contractors
• Fire protection contractors
• Elevator contractors
• Drywall and insulation contractors
• Carpentry and architectural millwork contractors
• Cabinetry and countertop suppliers
• Flooring and tile contractors
• Painting and wall-covering contractors
• Lighting contractors and suppliers
• High-end residential interior finishing contractors
• Retail restoration and fit-out contractors
• Exterior and streetscape contractors

Heritage facade work could be particularly important early in the construction process, since the existing street-facing elements may need to be stabilized and protected while new structural work proceeds behind and above them.

Final Design Moves Project Forward

With final designs now unveiled, The Summerhill provides a detailed look at how Woodcliffe intends to introduce a 32-storey residential tower while retaining the historic character of the Yonge Street frontage.

The project combines two substantially different construction programs within one development: restoration and preservation at street level and contemporary high-rise construction above.

For contractors and suppliers, that combination could generate opportunities ranging from heritage masonry and facade stabilization to concrete construction, curtain wall installation, porcelain cladding, building systems and high-end residential interiors.

The result is planned as a 62-residence tower that preserves important elements of Summerhill's existing streetscape while adding a distinctly contemporary building above it.