Unlike the typical tall stand-alone condo tower, a successful infill design incorporates design elements scaled so pedestrians feel comfortable and relate to the massing of the building at a human scale. To achieve this objective, the first 100 feet of building height typically requires attention to carefully scaled design details created with brick, stone, windows, doorways and balconies.

It is also important for the building to respond to landscape and architecture surrounding it and this can be realized using materials with colours and textures that match or contrast the existing context.

Fitting in

The success of an infill project is best measured by its immediate comparison to the existing area it is built in. For example 9T6, a 17-storey infill condominium with 222 units, located on St. Patrick, a quiet side street in a dense urban area of downtown Toronto, illustrates pedestrian-friendly design and best use of available space. Footsteps away from shopping, nightlife and the subway, the site for 9T6 had a very restrictive zoning envelope defining height and shape of each floor profile. To help increase density the design team at onespace unlimited created a condo that fell within the boundaries of the zoning envelope while gaining an extra storey.

Sitting atop a two storey-podium that rises straight up from the property line, the mid-rise condo with 175,000 square feet of living and amenity space includes a private urban courtyard for occupants. The verticality of the structure is emphasized by rows of balconies one on top of the other, but most importantly the first 2 storeys break down the mass with a unique stucco material finish. In addition, the height of the base closely aligns with the building immediately to the south creating a consistent scale for passing pedestrians.

The colour scheme of the building was chosen to quietly set it apart from its neighbours. It includes subtle hues of grey-green, silver and pale green glass that fit well with the reddish coloured buildings to the north and south. Also complimenting the shady side street, the facade of 9T6 adds brightness with large expanses of glass.

No space is wasted

One of the greatest challenges facing the design team is the incorporation of considerable space required for fire and garbage service in accordance with City standards. Without proper planning, opportunities can be lost to inefficiencies. For 9T6, the design team took advantage of the overhead clearance requirements of garbage loading by creating a raised portion of the main terrace for condo owners to enjoy.

The success of an infill development is measured not only by its pedestrian-friendly design but also by what it contributes to a community. As a more sustainable approach than continuing urban sprawl, infill developments encourages cities to become more transit oriented, bicycle and pedestrian friendly and promote local jobs and services. While popular in a downtown core, we may begin to see them taking shape in neighbourhoods outside of dense urban centres and in smaller Canadian cities as the demand for intensification and sustainable urban growth increases.

Rod Rowbotham is president and principle architect of onespace unlimited inc., architects + interior designers, working across residential, care and detention, retail and hospitality industries. onespace unlimited was the principle design team for 9T6 and is currently working with partners on other infill developments in trendy hot spots in Toronto such as Two Gladstone, 717 Dovercourt and SYNC Lofts at 630 Queen Street East.