Ontario, Canada
Category: Residential Towers
Year: 2022
Architects: BDP Quadrangle
Design Team: Heather Rolleston, Lisa Spensieri, Jessica Goldberg, Sunhwa Kim, Emily Turchi, and Frances Hahn
Landscape Architects: PMA Landscape Architects Design
Urban Planners: Urban Strategies Inc.
General Contractor: Bluescape Construction Management
Clients: Urban Capital Property Group and Spotlight Developments Inc.
Photographers: Riley Snelling
Reina, a mid-rise residential building located in Etobicoke, is designed, developed, engineered, and constructed by an all-woman-driven team. Featuring an especially robust set of amenities that is 25% larger than required by the City, the design has a feminine flair and is a family-friendly addition to the area. A neighbourhood in transition, Reina is a precedent building in this area, setting the standard for future developments.
Every aspect of Reina has been run by a woman in a leadership role with the goal of drawing awareness to the significant gender imbalance that exists in real estate development and providing role models to encourage more women to enter these fields. Reina is innovative in its approach to condo design by deliberately setting out to exceed expectations and address the pain points of condo living.
Recognizing that more and more families will raise children in condos, the design exceeds standards from the City of Toronto’s “Growing up Urban” Design Guidelines by incorporating three-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans at a larger size than required. The amenity space was also designed to be 25% larger than what the City requires.
Early on, the team hosted an open house of hour-long community sessions to bring the community into the design and development process, which was later augmented with results from an online survey. The development team, other female industry leaders, 140 industry professionals, community members, and interested purchasers spread across 14 tables to participate in a facilitated workshop. This first-of-its-kind design consultation helped gather public insights on how to improve condo living.
Feedback ranged from how to engage multiple generations through amenity spaces to addressing security and vulnerability in areas such as elevators, zig-zagging corridors or late-night walks through parking garages. Another big topic was accommodating the needs of parents with children by thinking about how families will interact within a unit.
Situated on Etobicoke’s bustling Queensway artery, the location is key. Etobicoke has lots of young families looking for good homes, and the site will provide homes within a reasonable price range. The site selection also reflects an investment in a transforming neighbourhood with great growth potential.
With architecture and interiors by BDP Quadrangle, Reina articulates a softer, lighter presence on the Queensway, proving you don’t have to be loud to transform a streetscape. A white brick exterior façade features a “quilted” effect, with soft curves and rounded corners, offering generous setbacks on the east and west. A series of picketed balconies wrap around Reina, with incredible south-facing views overlooking the oasis-like exterior courtyard.
Reina’s community-focused point of view was honed throughout the consultation process and informed the project’s robust amenity program. The team strived to elevate Reina’s amenities above standard offerings by viewing amenities through a holistic, community-focused lens.
The amenities are extensive and strategic. For example, a kids’ playroom is purposefully placed adjacent to the gym and yoga studio and given windows so parents can keep an eye on children while working on their fitness goals. There is also a “messy” hobby room where residents are invited to unleash their inner artist and get lost in creating; a snack shack that serves as a one-stop spot for staple items like healthy snacks, juice, and everyday essentials like toilet paper; and a soundproofed room that can be used for music lessons, meditation, or to host a karaoke party.
Additional amenities include a library, a parcel room, a games room, and a community room for all hosting needs. To ensure a genuine sense of community is achieved, a Property Manager will be tasked with animating and programming amenities with activities suitable for all ages.
The amenities extend outside with a 6,500 sq ft south-facing exterior courtyard, offering a multi-purpose space where residents can revel in the beauty of the outdoors. The courtyard further underscores Reina’s emphasis on community, with a series of barbecues, dining “harvest tables,” shared outdoor workstations and a children’s play area.
The development significantly improves the site and integrates with the surrounding area. A new linear walkway by PMA Landscape Architects connects Penhurst and Wesley Streets behind the building to serve the wider community, offering a safe and whimsical passageway for residents and children who attend nearby schools.
