{"id":511808,"date":"2026-05-31T14:55:52","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T14:55:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/511808\/"},"modified":"2026-05-31T14:55:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T14:55:52","slug":"sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/511808\/","title":{"rendered":"SLA Designs Public Spaces and Streetscapes for Toronto&#8217;s New Island Community in the Port Lands"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a160690d7d6cc0180bd11c5-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" rel=\"attachment nofollow noopener\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 100%;\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"SLA Designs Public Spaces and Streetscapes for Toronto's New Island Community in the Port Lands - Image 1 of 11\" data-nr-picture-id=\"6a160690d7d6cc0180bd11c5\" fetchpriority=\"high\" height=\"337\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"eager\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a160690d7d6cc0180bd11c5-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands_1.jpg\" style=\"min-height: var(--featured-height, auto); aspect-ratio: auto 640 \/ 337\" width=\"640\"\/><\/a>Ookwemin Minising waterfront public space project in Toronto, 2026. Image \u00a9 Allies and Morrison<\/p>\n<p>    Share<\/p>\n<p>Share<\/p>\n<ul class=\"afd-share__networks clearfix\">\n<li class=\"afd-share__social\"><a aria-label=\"Facebook\" class=\"afd-share__button\" data-insights-category=\"share\" data-insights-label=\"facebook_sharing_options\" data-insights-value=\"1041869\" data-social=\"facebook\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a>\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"afd-share__social\"><a aria-label=\"Twitter\" class=\"afd-share__button\" data-insights-category=\"share\" data-insights-label=\"twitter_sharing_options\" data-insights-value=\"1041869\" data-social=\"twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=SLA%20Designs%20Public%20Spaces%20and%20Streetscapes%20for%20Toronto%27s%20New%20Island%20Community%20in%20the%20Port%20Lands&amp;url=https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands&amp;via=archdaily\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a>\n<p>Twitter<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"afd-share__social\"><a class=\"afd-share__button\" data-insights-category=\"share\" data-insights-label=\"email_sharing_options\" data-insights-value=\"1041869\" data-social=\"email\" href=\"mailto:?subject=SLA Designs Public Spaces and Streetscapes for Toronto's New Island Community in the Port Lands&amp;body=https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\"><\/a>\n<p>Mail<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"afd-share__social\"><a aria-label=\"Pinterest\" class=\"afd-share__button\" data-insights-category=\"share\" data-insights-label=\"pinterest_sharing_options\" data-insights-value=\"1041869\" data-social=\"pinterest\" href=\"https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.archdaily.com%2F1041869%2Fsla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.adsttc.com%2Fmedia%2Fimages%2F6a16%2F0690%2Fd7d6%2Fcc01%2F80bd%2F11c5%2Flarge_jpg%2Fsla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands_1.jpg%3F1779828396&amp;description=SLA%20Designs%20Public%20Spaces%20and%20Streetscapes%20for%20Toronto%27s%20New%20Island%20Community%20in%20the%20Port%20Lands\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a>\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"afd-share__social\"><a aria-label=\"Whatsapp\" class=\"afd-share__button\" data-action=\"share\/whatsapp\/share\" data-insights-category=\"share\" data-insights-label=\"whatsapp_sharing_options\" data-insights-value=\"1041869\" data-social=\"whatsapp\" href=\"whatsapp:\/\/send?text=SLA+Designs+Public+Spaces+and+Streetscapes+for+Toronto%27s+New+Island+Community+in+the+Port+Lands+%7C+https%3A%2F%2Fwww.archdaily.com%2F1041869%2Fsla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands%3Futm_source%3DWhatsapp%26utm_medium%3DIM%26utm_campaign%3Dshare-button\" rel=\"nofollow\"><\/a>\n<p>Whatsapp<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Or<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/office\/sla\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Landscape and urban design studio SLA<\/a> has unveiled the design for the public realm and streetscapes of Toronto&#8217;s new 39.8-hectare waterfront community. The urban landscape project &#8220;Ookwemin Minising&#8221; is located in the Port Lands, an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/industrial\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">industrial<\/a> and recreational district southeast of downtown Toronto, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.waterfrontoronto.ca\/our-projects\/scope-scale\/port-lands?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=archdaily.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">currently undergoing urban revitalization<\/a> to transform the area from a former industrial zone into a naturalized river valley, mixed-use neighbourhoods, and public parkland. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/977158\/alison-brooks-architects-adjaye-associates-henning-larsen-and-sla-to-develop-torontos-waterfront\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">The overall transformation is being led by Waterfront Toronto<\/a>, a publicly funded, not-for-profit corporation established in 2001 to oversee the regeneration of the area, as part of a broader government initiative to renaturalize urban areas and increase housing density. The redevelopment of Ookwemin Minising is expected to be completed in phases between 2031 and 2040.<\/p>\n<p class=\"thumbs afd-desktop-e clearfix\"><a class=\"thumbs__link\" data-nr-picture-id=\"6a1607f3fd529207909d2836\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a1607f3fd529207909d2836-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-image\" rel=\"attachment nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"SLA Designs Public Spaces and Streetscapes for Toronto's New Island Community in the Port Lands - Image 2 of 11\" class=\"thumbs__img b-lazy\" data-nr-picture-id=\"6a1607f3fd529207909d2836\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands_5.jpg\" height=\"125\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a1607f3fd529207909d2836-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-image\" title=\"Aerial photo with project area outline. Ookwemin Minising waterfront public space project in Toronto, 2026. Image Courtesy of Waterfront Toronto\" width=\"125\"\/><\/a><a class=\"thumbs__link\" data-nr-picture-id=\"6a16068ffd529207909d2835\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a16068ffd529207909d2835-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" rel=\"attachment nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"SLA Designs Public Spaces and Streetscapes for Toronto's New Island Community in the Port Lands - Image 3 of 11\" class=\"thumbs__img b-lazy\" data-nr-picture-id=\"6a16068ffd529207909d2835\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands_2.jpg\" height=\"125\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a16068ffd529207909d2835-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" title=\"Ookwemin Minising waterfront public space project in Toronto, 2026. Image courtesy of SLA. Image \u00a9 Norm Li\" width=\"125\"\/><\/a><a class=\"thumbs__link\" data-nr-picture-id=\"6a16068e093e92018986673a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a16068e093e92018986673a-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" rel=\"attachment nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"SLA Designs Public Spaces and Streetscapes for Toronto's New Island Community in the Port Lands - Image 4 of 11\" class=\"thumbs__img b-lazy\" data-nr-picture-id=\"6a16068e093e92018986673a\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1780239348_130_sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands_1.jpg\" height=\"125\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a16068e093e92018986673a-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" title=\"Ookwemin Minising waterfront public space project in Toronto, 2026. Image courtesy of SLA. Image \u00a9 Norm Li\" width=\"125\"\/><\/a><a class=\"thumbs__link\" data-nr-picture-id=\"6a160692093e92018986673b\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a160692093e92018986673b-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" rel=\"attachment nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"SLA Designs Public Spaces and Streetscapes for Toronto's New Island Community in the Port Lands - Image 5 of 11\" class=\"thumbs__img b-lazy\" data-nr-picture-id=\"6a160692093e92018986673b\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands_3.jpg\" height=\"125\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a160692093e92018986673b-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" title=\"Ookwemin Minising waterfront public space project in Toronto, 2026. Image courtesy of SLA. Image \u00a9 Norm Li\" width=\"125\"\/><\/a><a class=\"gallery-link afd-desktop-e\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a160690d7d6cc0180bd11c5-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"SLA Designs Public Spaces and Streetscapes for Toronto's New Island Community in the Port Lands - More Images\" class=\"thumbs__img b-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands_1.jpg\" itemprop=\"image\" bad-src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAUEBAAAACwAAAAAAQABAAACAkQBADs=\"\/>+ 6<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a1607f3fd529207909d2836-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-image\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"SLA Designs Public Spaces and Streetscapes for Toronto's New Island Community in the Port Lands - Image 2 of 11\" data-nr-picture-id=\"6a1607f3fd529207909d2836\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a1607f3fd529207909d2836-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1780239350_31_sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands_5.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Aerial photo with project area outline. Ookwemin Minising waterfront public space project in Toronto, 2026. Image Courtesy of Waterfront Toronto<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Ookwemin Minising means &#8220;place of the black cherry trees&#8221; in Anishinaabemowin\/Ojibwemowin. Formerly known as Villiers Island, it is set to be the first new community developed in the Port Lands, one of several new districts identified in the City of Toronto&#8217;s Port Lands Planning Framework. The regeneration project grew from an initiative for flood protection and river restoration, with the aim of creating a new waterfront community that integrates parks, public spaces, and ecological features resulting from the naturalization of the mouth of the Don River into the existing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/industrial\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">industrial<\/a> landscape. The site spans 39.8 hectares of mixed-use development designed to support approximately 21,000 residents and 2,900 jobs.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a16068ffd529207909d2835-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"SLA Designs Public Spaces and Streetscapes for Toronto's New Island Community in the Port Lands - Image 3 of 11\" data-nr-picture-id=\"6a16068ffd529207909d2835\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a16068ffd529207909d2835-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1780239350_336_sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands_2.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Ookwemin Minising waterfront public space project in Toronto, 2026. Image courtesy of SLA. Image \u00a9 Norm Li<\/a><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a160692093e92018986673b-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"SLA Designs Public Spaces and Streetscapes for Toronto's New Island Community in the Port Lands - Image 5 of 11\" data-nr-picture-id=\"6a160692093e92018986673b\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a160692093e92018986673b-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1780239351_106_sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands_3.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Ookwemin Minising waterfront public space project in Toronto, 2026. Image courtesy of SLA. Image \u00a9 Norm Li<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The new community is expected to become a model for dense, green, and livable urban development, comparable in scale to downtown Toronto, yet nature-based. A multidisciplinary team was commissioned by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.waterfrontoronto.ca\/our-projects\/scope-scale\/port-lands?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=archdaily.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Waterfront Toronto<\/a> to define a new benchmark for nature-led public space design on the formerly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/industrial\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">industrial<\/a> shores of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/lake\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lake<\/a> Ontario, comprising GHD for engineering and administration, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/office\/sla\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">SLA <\/a>as design lead for the urban realm and landscape, Trophic Design for Indigenous landscape design and knowledge, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/office\/allies-and-morrison\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Allies and Morrison<\/a> for architecture and massing, Transsolar for low-carbon infrastructure systems, Monumental Projects for public engagement and community outreach, and Level Playing Field for accessibility services.<\/p>\n<p>  Related Article <a class=\"rel-article__link\" data-insights-category=\"related-article\" data-insights-label=\"3\" data-insights-value=\"1041869\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1032756\/why-sit-by-the-dock-of-the-bay-designing-thresholds-to-the-water?ad_medium=widget&amp;ad_name=related-article&amp;ad_content=1041869\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Why Sit by the Dock of the Bay? Designing Thresholds to the Water<\/a>  <\/p>\n<p>SLA and GHD have developed a design based on the concept of &#8220;Growing Streets,&#8221; meaning the design begins with streets and public spaces, not only in terms of spatial distribution but also in how green infrastructure can take root and evolve. Streets are imagined as living systems, designed to function as infrastructure for stormwater management, urban heat reduction, and biodiversity support. The street design integrates the capture, filtration, and reuse of rainwater through embedded systems, while planting strategies are selected to create habitats for local species and improve microclimate comfort year-round. In terms of mobility, streets prioritise walking, cycling, and soft mobility, weaving green infrastructure, planting, water, and social spaces into everyday urban experience.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a160839fd529207909d2838-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"SLA Designs Public Spaces and Streetscapes for Toronto's New Island Community in the Port Lands - Image 6 of 11\" data-nr-picture-id=\"6a160839fd529207909d2838\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a160839fd529207909d2838-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands_8.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Green infrastructure diagram. Ookwemin Minising waterfront public space project in Toronto, 2026. Image \u00a9 SLA<\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"12\">\n<p>This project demonstrates how infrastructure and public space can work as one integrated system. By embedding climate resilience, water management, and low-carbon strategies directly into the streetscape, we&#8217;re creating infrastructure that not only performs at a high level, but also enhances everyday life and supports long-term sustainability. &#8211;\u00a0 Chris Hunter from GHD\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a160839fd529207909d2839-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"SLA Designs Public Spaces and Streetscapes for Toronto's New Island Community in the Port Lands - Image 7 of 11\" data-nr-picture-id=\"6a160839fd529207909d2839\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a160839fd529207909d2839-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands_6.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>&#8216;Growing Streets&#8217; concept by SLA + GHD. Ookwemin Minising waterfront public space project in Toronto, 2026. Image \u00a9 SLA<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The design is structured around five site-wide strategies: Living Legacy, Local Character, Prioritise Nature, Strategic Density, and Everyday Mobility, expressed through six distinct character areas. At the center of the vision lies Centre Commons, a 760-metre-long, fully pedestrianised public space conceived as Canada&#8217;s longest year-round car-free area. Centre Commons incorporates around 400 trees and is designed as the social and ecological spine of the new neighbourhood, running east\u2013west across the island. The massing strategy developed by Allies and Morrison has increased density by 27% compared to previous plans, supporting a total of 12,000 housing units, 3,000 of which are designated as affordable. The master plan was developed in collaboration with Indigenous co-designers Trophic Design to define the &#8220;Living Legacy&#8221; approach, reflected in Ookwemin Street and The Sandbar Trail, which trace the historic shoreline and Carrying Place Trail through materiality, alignment, and landscape. Memory is woven into the design through stone inlays, planting strategies, and interpretive elements.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a160838fd529207909d2837-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"SLA Designs Public Spaces and Streetscapes for Toronto's New Island Community in the Port Lands - Image 8 of 11\" data-nr-picture-id=\"6a160838fd529207909d2837\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041869\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands\/6a160838fd529207909d2837-sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/sla-designs-public-spaces-and-streetscapes-for-torontos-new-island-community-in-the-port-lands_7.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Five masterplan layers. Ookwemin Minising waterfront public space project in Toronto, 2026. Image \u00a9 SLA<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Transformation has been at the centre of several recently announced urban design and large-scale architecture projects. In Rome, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041854\/stefano-boeri-architetti-converts-former-rome-transit-depot-into-multifunctional-civic-space\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Stefano Boeri Architetti presented a proposal to convert a former transit depot into a multifunctional civic space<\/a>, while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041548\/mvrdv-and-ooda-reveal-landscape-led-masterplan-for-lisbons-marvila-riverfront-regeneration\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">MVRDV and OODA recently revealed a landscape-led masterplan for Lisbon&#8217;s Marvila riverfront regeneration<\/a>. Adaptive reuse projects include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041166\/cobe-to-transform-former-ikea-warehouse-into-a-new-site-for-the-museum-of-furniture-studies-in-almhult-sweden\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Cobe&#8217;s transformation of an IKEA warehouse into a new home for the Museum of Furniture Studies<\/a> in \u00c4lmhult, Sweden, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1041070\/minoru-yamasakis-northwestern-national-life-building-in-minneapolis-to-be-converted-into-hotel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">the conversion of a building designed by Minoru Yamasaki<\/a> in downtown Minneapolis, vacant since 2023, into a hotel.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ookwemin Minising waterfront public space project in Toronto, 2026. Image \u00a9 Allies and Morrison Share Share Facebook Twitter&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":511809,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[267],"tags":[129945,367,365,362,363,364,995,366,18,117,19,32267,181624,17,44499,374,52809,87891,4915,399,221880,15935,7272,77541,77542,77543],"class_list":["post-511808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-allies-morrison","tag-architecture","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-artsdesign","tag-canada","tag-design","tag-eire","tag-entertainment","tag-ie","tag-industrial","tag-industrial-area","tag-ireland","tag-lake","tag-landscape","tag-landscape-design","tag-public-space","tag-public-spaces","tag-sla","tag-sla-architects","tag-toronto","tag-urban-design","tag-waterfront","tag-waterfront-architecture","tag-waterfront-design"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116669776035492440","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/511808","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=511808"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/511808\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/511809"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=511808"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=511808"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=511808"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}