Quadrangle Architects Limited has been awarded the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s (RAIC) Award of Excellence for Innovation in Architecture — for work on the nearly completed 130 Bloor Street West project in the heart of downtown Toronto.
Quadrangle was singled out for accomplishing the architectural feat of adding what amounts to an entirely new building onto the top of an existing 1960s office building. Owned by KingSett Capital Inc.,130 Bloor Street West features a heritage-listed two-storey penthouse, 14 new luxury residential suites, nine floors of office space and one floor of prime retail space on an exclusive expanse of Bloor Street West.
“We’re pleased that Quadrangle Architects has received this award,” says Jon Love, Managing Partner of KingSett Capital Inc. “130 Bloor Street West is a high-profile address in the City of Toronto. Quadrangle has excelled at taking an ambitious multi-use vision and translating it into exceptional design, resulting in this project achieving its potential and lasting legacy.”
The RAIC’s Innovation in Architecture Award recognizes the excellent technical innovation and project delivery employed by Quadrangle when overcoming the numerous design challenges for this renovation and addition. The existing building required significant structural work to update, reinforce and strengthen it so that it could bear the weight of the 1,400 tonnes of steel used in this project. Part of this work involved surgically carving up floors 11 and 12; and then, without substantially disturbing the existing penthouse above, adding seven floors of high-end residences, ensuring minimal noise and vibration would be transmitted to the new suites. All of this was done while the office and retail tenants below maintained their ongoing operations.
“It was like performing open-heart surgery while the patient is awake,” says Brian Curtner, founding principal of Quadrangle Architects. “We are honoured that our work on 130 Bloor Stree West has been recognized with this prestigious award. “
Quadrangle Architects Limited are experts at renovations and adaptive reuse, and capitalize on the inherent qualities of an existing building, finding innovative design solutions to ensure the spirit of the original building remains even as new architectural elements are added.