Seventy5 Portland

Complete in January 2011, Seventy5 Portland is an innovative modern jewel embracing the indigenous culture of this lively Toronto neighbourhood. The developer wanted to create a unique statement with the building façade, which formed an anchor to the terminus of the street.

The design of Seventy5 Portland distinguishes itself with its lively façade and glass-fronted, cantilevered balconies suspended intimately over the street. The building exterior features smooth concrete paired with clear glazing in anodized aluminum frames. The building site plan was designed in a unique U-shape that embraces a serene courtyard and complements the Portland streetscape. The eleven storey structure is characterized by massed elements that shift in and out. This is accentuated by soaring 18-foot concrete ceilings in two-storey units, floor-to-ceiling glass, generous balconies and terraces, which give the structure a bold dramatic presence and allow for an open-air lifestyle in a bustling setting. The projecting concrete fins also serve to frame neighbourhood views and give the exterior balconies a sense of enclosure. A flash of yellow, the only concession to colour, is emblazoned over the front entrance and repeated again within the front entrance hall.

Concrete was the perfect material to express the complexity of the façade of our project. We needed a material that would be both structural and architectural while at the same time lending an elegance to the composition.