Nathan Phillips Square Peace Garden in Toronto, Canada by PLANT Architect Inc

Article source: PLANT Architect Inc

The Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) has announced the National winners of its annual Awards of Excellence. The Peace Garden at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto is one of 11 projects to receive a CSLA National Award this year. The new, half-acre Peace Garden is part of the 13-acre Nathan Phillips Square Revitalization at Toronto City Hall, which was completed in 2015 by PLANT Architect Inc. | Perkins+Will Canada in Joint Venture, with HoerrSchaudt Landscape Architecture and Adrian Blackwell Urban Projects.

The garden at night, Image Courtesy © Steven Evans / © PLANT Architect Inc.

• Architects: PLANT Architect Inc, Perkins+Will
• Project: Nathan Phillips Square Peace Garden
• Location: Toronto, Canada
• Photography: Steven Evans / © PLANT Architect Inc.

Looking towards City Hall from the south threshold, Image Courtesy © Steven Evans / © PLANT Architect Inc.

Echoing the form of cupped hands, and incorporating seating, stepped planting planes bracket the Peace Garden to the east and west, framing a lush garden focused on the ‘project of peace’. The tipped plane to the east also conceals and acoustically tempers a parking lot exhaust. Other elements in the garden include a reflecting pool and the relocated and restored Peace Pavilion that was added to the mid-1960s Square in 1984. The Peace Garden provides space for activities ranging from quiet contemplation to protest rallies. As a whole, the Nathan Phillips Square Revitalization strategically and respectfully rethinks Toronto City Hall’s ViljoRevell-designed civic plaza to enhance connectedness between its parts and to the city, and transform it into an exemplary 21st-century public space.

Looking across the bridge to the Law Society, Image Courtesy © Steven Evans / © PLANT Architect Inc.

The western planter and birch grove, Image Courtesy © Steven Evans / © PLANT Architect Inc.

Selected as “preeminent examples of Canadian landscape architecture” by a jury of the nation’s leading practitioners, projects that win CSLA Awards of Excellence demonstrate the CSLA’s vision of advancing the art, science and practice of the profession.

View looking at the Pavilion and pool from the north, Image Courtesy © Steven Evans / © PLANT Architect Inc.

Image Courtesy © Steven Evans / © PLANT Architect Inc.

City staff enjoying the garden, Image Courtesy © Steven Evans / © PLANT Architect Inc.

Looking through the garden towards the Theatre, Image Courtesy © Steven Evans / © PLANT Architect Inc.

Looking south through the Pavilion, Image Courtesy © Steven Evans / © PLANT Architect Inc.

Looking up at the bridge from the Theatre back-of-house area, Image Courtesy © Steven Evans / © PLANT Architect Inc.

The west planters looking north, Image Courtesy © Steven Evans / © PLANT Architect Inc.

Detail view of the planting and bollard lights, Image Courtesy © Steven Evans / © PLANT Architect Inc.

The planter screen at twilight, Image Courtesy © Steven Evans / © PLANT Architect Inc.

This hawk took up residence last fall, enjoying the other fauna that occupy the Square. As snacks, Image Courtesy © Steven Evans / © PLANT Architect Inc.

ABOUT PLANT ARCHITECT

PLANT Architect Inc. is an award-winning practice that branches into architecture, landscape, and design. The studio’s areas of specialty include institutional and residential architecture and landscape architecture, urban infrastructure, public space, feasibility studies, and master planning. PLANT has won two previous CSLA National Awards of Excellence and four CSLA Regional Awards; one of the latter, in 2011, was for the Podium Roof Garden at Nathan Phillips Square. Awards for the entire Nathan Phillips Square Revitalization at the planning stage include a Canadian Architect Award and a Toronto Urban Design Award (both in 2007).

Tags: Canada, Toronto

Category: Garden

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