August 2009
One of the most elite addresses in Toronto, 130 Bloor Street, has been awarded the 2009 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) Award of Excellence for Innovation in Architecture.
This ambitious and challenging project includes a seven-storey addition on top of an existing 14-storey building, as well as major renovations to the retail level, the office space - where existing floors 11 and 12 were converted to residential units - and a restoration programme for the penthouse apartment. Once completed, the resulting building will house 14 new luxury condominiums, nine floors of office space and one floor of prime retail space.
Halcrow Yolles was commissioned to provide full structural engineering services for the renovation and addition to 130 Bloor West. The project involved significant structural work to update and reinforce the existing building which was built in the 1960’s. Other challenges successfully addressed by the Halcrow Yolles team included preserving the heritage listing of the existing residential space, and meeting the client’s objective to maintain occupancy throughout the duration of the work.
This year’s jury made the following comments about 130 Bloor.
“This project offers important approaches in the practice and process of complex, high-density projects. Great inventiveness in logistical planning and technical sophistication is apparent… new extensions on top of existing buildings will become an interesting trend, and creative solutions such as these offer important lessons.