Since 1989, the Cambridge Suites Hotel has been an integral part of Toronto's financial district. Located on the corner of Richmond and Victoria streets, it is well known as an extended stay destination for business executives and is easily recognizable by its dated but distinctive postmodern green glass façade.
A new adaptive reuse development, now led by WZMH Architects, will transform the 21-storey hotel into a 71-storey mixed-use residential building with a slender pencil tower containing 50 additional floors. All designed with the latest green building features.
The OPA and ZBA filed with the city propose 560 condominiums with a total living space of 40,557 m² and 126 m² of living space. Class m retail space. The new part, which includes 48 residential floors plus two mechanical levels, sits on a 23-storey podium and takes the form of a narrow spire covering 540 square meters instead of the traditional 750. This works fine to reduce the shadows of nearby Moss Park and Nathan Phillips Square to the southeast and northwest of the site.
Green improvements include a thermal façade replacing the current glass to better prevent heat loss. The old electrical and mechanical engineering will be fully modernized and mechanical penthouses will be integrated into the structure to maintain the character of the area's skyline.
The 41 sqm exterior space has a green roof and all glass elements above the middle floor have a bird-friendly view to prevent bird strikes.Total 571 bike parking spaces and from Victoria Street With an accessible bike lift, the location strongly promotes the pedestrian-friendly nature of the area within walking distance of six TTC stations. The building is also directly connected to PATH via one of the three basement floors. Although no longer a hotel, the renovation will actually turn the building into a former condominium, said WZMH Director Len Abelmann. The architectural firm behind Cambridge's original design was commissioned by its owners for an overhaul, with the intention of transforming the 90s aesthetic into something timeless.“Many years later, I am often invited to renovate these existing buildings designed by previous generations of architects,” Abelman tells STOREYS. “The original building is actually in the postmodern style, the architectural style used in the 90s, with a mix of various historical references. are from different periods in history."
WZMH approached the project with the intention of simplifying many architectural attributes while preserving the existing building as much as possible. Her plan is to remove the façade and pitched roof down to her concrete base before adding new columns and structures. She worked closely with a structural engineer to reinforce the core of the building and provide a strong foundation for adding 50 floors. This is no small feat. Abelman said one of the main reasons the building was converted into a residential building is its original eight-foot ceilings, which puts it at a disadvantage compared to newer hotels with higher ceiling clearances. Another unique feature of the site is the taller than average podium element typical of 1990s buildings.
“If you look at more classical buildings, the element of this podium is always high, and what we are trying to do is keep the original height of the building and represent the base separately from the upper part. , we're trying to blend with what's already there... related to the Richmond cityscape," he says. "It really helped convey the aesthetic of how we proportioned it."
"Overall, it's an attempt to create something timeless and fit into the fabric of the city."