Toronto, (ON) Canada
Client: Toronto Community Housing
Project start: 2023
Status: Completed, 2024
Gross floor area: 324m²
Architect: AXIA Design Associates
Project team:Chris Wong, Taymoore Balbaa, Michael Good, Leisdania Reynoso, Justine Houseley
Structural engineer: Moses Structural Engineers
MEP engineer: HJ Consulting Engineering,
Ultimate Design Engineering
TCHC has engaged AXIA to provide full-service retrofits for three locations from its existing building portfolio in the GTA. These gymnasiums, located on the ground or basement floors of the existing 1980s and 90s apartment complexes, have suffered various degrees of disrepair throughout the years. These revitalizations are intended to condense and optimize these existing public spaces to create safe and inviting amenity areas for the buildings’ communities. The project scope includes general building repair, spatial reorganization, mechanical and electrical systems upgrade, and completely refurbished interiors. With refreshed material palettes, the designs aim to cultivate a sense of community identity in each building. As part of the community housing program, even though our designs prioritize the practicality and durability of these gymnasiums, we aim to create a renewed sense of warmth and invitation to these often-underutilized areas.
All three sub-projects share similar design scopes and goals, and their renewals are defined by requirements established through different stakeholder and tenant engagement meetings, resulting in a unique design approach and applications within each building.