EightyOne Wellesley
81 Wellesley Street East, Toronto
Developer: Aragon Properties Ltd.
Units: 179
Storeys: 29
GFA: 160,487 sq.ft.
Completion Date: 2021
Simple rectangular shapes
EightyOne Wellesley is located in a largely apartment dominated neighbourhood just east of Church Street Village. This historic area is warm and vibrant and in close proximity to the subway, parks, boutiques, and restaurants. The architectural design concept for this building was to create a series of slim, bundled tower elements that are setback and offset in a way that responds to the site’s context.
Maximize the light
Being in a highly urban and dense neighbourhood with many apartment buildings in varying typology, EightyOne Wellesley draws inspiration from the area’s existing architectural language by reflecting the other circa 1960s, modernist apartment buildings defined by their white colour and simple rectangular shapes. The proposed building’s massing responds to its local context through the stepping of the upper floors to reduce shadow impact.
White precast cladding
The floor plate was designed to maximize the light and views to the living spaces, while also providing setbacks to minimize overlook to the adjacent properties. The proposed white precast cladding, clear non-reflective glazing, and a dark mullion colour reflect a palette that is simple and elegant.
Large publicly accessible covered courtyard
The podium exterior walls will have an open, lattice-type feel, with the balconies behind a brick screen, creating an interesting architectural variation on the typical brick-clad podium. The design is stepped on the north side to avoid shadowing the nearby park. It also features a large publicly accessible covered courtyard in front of the building. Two vehicle elevators provide access to the below-grade parking as the site was too small to accommodate traditional car ramps.
Consultant Team
GC: Aragon Properties Ltd.
Structural: Jablonsky, Ast and Partners
Mechanical: AEC
Electrical: Able Engineering
Interior Design: Aragon Properties Ltd.
Landscape: Janet Rosenberg Studio
