Introduction
“The Bentway reimagines the space beneath Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway, transforming one of the city’s least liked places into a new model of shared public space that has captured the soul and spirit of the city. The areas between the “bents,” the concrete columns that support the elevated highway, have been made into a series of outdoor rooms, paths, and venues for community programming and creative expression. This project, which is designed as a continuous but multifaceted experience, shows adaptive use on a grand scale, created with the active participation of the seven surrounding neighborhoods, and adaptable to a variety of uses. Its innovative approach to stormwater management also ensures that this new place of common ground will help sustain both the city’s environment and its civic life.”
– 2019 Awards Jury
– 2019 Awards Jury
Reason to Be Selected
The Bentway helps transforming one of the city’s least liked places into a new model of shared public space, by creating a continuous but multifaceted experience. The project won 2019 ASLA General Design Award of Honor.
Highlights:
stormwater managementadaptable to a variety of uses
a new model of shared public space
Details
The Bentway project reimagined Toronto ’s 20th-century transportation plan, transforming a divided area into a new type of shared public space. The space under the bridge has been reshaped into a public facility that meets the urban scale. The public space and the trail stitch together the seven blocks around the highway, which not only expands the path to the core areas such as the York Fort National Historic Site and the Central Marina District.，but also brings new venues for the growing population of Toronto.
Recommended
The team launched a two-year community participation plan through social media, official websites, public meetings, on-site visits, name campaigns and other special activities, aiming to fully integrate public space design and community planning. The space under the highway is transformed into a continuous, flexible and flat space, combining public and private land, and using new walkways to make pedestrian traffic more convenient, while allowing rainwater and lost soil to be recycled and reused.
The most iconic part of the four season culture of the project is the 220-meter winter ice lane and a highly flexible amphitheatre and balcony. The Bentway project also adopted a light-impact rainwater management method to reduce the pressure on the city's sewer system. The sophisticated design and design of the Bentway project enable it to continue to grow with the site environment.
Conclusions
The Bentway completed by PUBLIC WORK Office for Urban Design and Landscape Architecture and active participation of the seven surrounding neighborhoods, helps transforming one of the city’s least liked places into a new model of shared public space, by creating a a continuous but multifaceted experience.
FULL STORY:
https://www.asla.org/2019awards/635136-The_Bentway.html
https://www.gooood.cn/2019-asla-general-design-award-of-honor-the-bentway-toronto-public-work-office-for-urban-design-landscape-architecture.htm
https://www.gooood.cn/2019-asla-general-design-award-of-honor-the-bentway-toronto-public-work-office-for-urban-design-landscape-architecture.htm
| Lat: | 50.6386 |
| Lng: | 120.114 |
| Type: | |
| Region: | NorthAmerica |
| Scale: | District |
| Field: | Environment |
| City: | Toronto |