Brunswick-College Parkette Design Competition

Competition Background

Competition closed!! See submissions and winners here.

In developing this competition a number of initial design ideas have been considered:

• Lowering of the chest-high bunker wall on Kensington Health Centre property to bench height, to allow seating (but not sleeping) space all around it, on the wall’s upper and lower levels. This will necessitate removal of the five garbage-trapping iron benches that are currently attached to the wall’s upper level – an action that will effectively enlarge the parkette on its west, city-owned, side.

• Improvement of seating in the city-owned portion of the parkette, outside the bunker wall. (This might include the installation of more elegant benches than those installed at present, as well as concrete chess tables, in addition to the extensive sitting space that would be produced by lowering the bunker wall to bench height.)

• Re-planting of the space between the upper and lower levels of the lowered double bunker wall with drought-resistant, easy to maintain perennial vegetation that is less liable to trap garbage than what is planted at present.

• Fencing of the ventilation grates to the Kensington Health Centre parking garage vaults, to prevent their being slept upon in winter (which prevents their serving their designed purpose – the provision of essential venting and ventilation.)

• Placement of ‘something striking’, a large rock or a piece of sculpture, perhaps, at the centre of the parkette, with due regard to considerations of safety, attraction of garbage, and resistance to vandalism and graffiti. (This will be possible only if funding is available.)

• Conversion of the ground floor at the west end of Kensington Health Centre to as many as three non-medical, retail, café/restaurant or social uses that will attract a greater number and a greater diversity of users to the parkette. (Suggestions welcome!)

Competition Dates and Deadlines

Competition Opening:
January 4th, 2011

Deadline for Submission:
midnight , March 31st, 2011

Review Process:
April 15th-May 14th, 2011

Judging and announcement of results:
Sunday, May 15th, 2011

Jury Process and Prizes

Entries will be distributed for public display and neighbourhood response by co-operating local businesses and institutions on College and Harbord Streets, between Spadina and Bathurst. Prior to judging, entries will be gathered for display and judging in the meeting room of Kensington Gardens longterm care facility, 25 Brunswick Avenue (just north of the parkette).

Judging will be by members of the local architecture and environmental-design communities, as well as by representatives of local businesses, Kensington Health Centre and Kensington Gardens and Harbord Village Residents’ Association.

Awards

Prizes of $200, $100 and $50 will be awarded to first, second and third place winners. Prizes will also be awarded to junior entrants.  In addition to cash prizes, entrants whose ideas are incorporated into the renovation of Brunswick-College parkette will be named on a plaque that will be placed in prominent view at the site when reconstruction is complete. 

Competition Criteria

Emphasis will be given to aesthetics, accessibility, safety, ease of cleaning and maintenance and conformity with Toronto Parks guidelines, as well as practicality, affordability and potential for service to all members of the community. (Which does not mean that the competition’s judges will not be looking for designs that are innovative and spectacular, as well as inviting to all who would enjoy using a redesigned Brunswick-College Parkette.)

How to Participate?

The Brunswick-College Parkette Design Competition is open to everyone and anyone, from professionals and students of architecture and environmental design to children and adults of any age or design experience. Visit the Submissions overview webpage on this website for more information.