Six50 King West was conceived to address the multiple goals and challenges of the developer and the concerns of the City and of local residents.
Inspired by LEED energy efficiency and the back-to-nature aesthetic of the green movement, Six50 King is 10 storey, 233 unit "L-shaped" two building complex that’s alive with green, with terraces and balconies wrapped in boxwood hedge planters. This LEED registered project also features a green roof and a private landscaped amenity courtyard connecting the two towers.
Accommodating the Heritage building and the limited access presented unique concerns for CORE during the design process but an elegant yet efficient solution was achieved. The Developer wished to present a “Green” high-rise residence, LEED certified, that embodied light and glass and transparency, the antithesis of the perception of energy efficient homes. The architectural nomenclature addresses two unique streetscapes and each other.
Six50 King is a "Jenga" inspired stacking of glazed cubes, a series of sharply articulated boxes, the grey brick and dark spandrel used for the project creates the opportunities for the planted terraces. The remainder of the exterior is clad in a dark charcoal brick, recognizing the masonry character of the neighbourhood. Although the choice of materials stands in contrast to the red brick of the area’s historic properties, the robust proportions of the new development echo those of the surrounding older properties.
Green and growing horizontal details of hedging throughout the height of the buildings accent the modern clean character that this LEED Registered building adds to this corner of older Toronto.