Architecture office Partisans have recently revealed the design of a new high-rise planned for downtown Toronto, on 15-17 Elm Street. The shape of the tower takes inspiration from the process of cloud formation, more specifically from the cirrocumulus, a meteorological term describing the curl-like shapes that form cloud systems. The 32-storey building will accommodate 174 residential units equipped with personal balconies and necessary amenities.
The formal expression of the building is inspired by a natural phenomenon as a way of representing a sense of tranquility and vastness, according to the architects. However, the building id defined by three sections, which all reinterpret the original idea of cloud-like shapes. By varying the pattern of the wavey façade pattern, the organic shape of the cloud is gradually transformed into the more geometric shape of a revision cloud, often used in technical drawings, transforming the concept into an architectural pun.
According to the architects, they are considering using glass-fiber reinforced concrete to create the organically shaped façade. The oval openings in the façade provide private balconies to ensure that every residential unit includes outdoor spaces. The shape of the building also allows it to accommodate amenities on the ground floor and on the floors where the tower has setbacks, thus taking full advantage of the additional terrace space generated.
Partisans is a Toronto-based architecture office developing projects varying in scale and function. Their portfolio includes a train station designed for The Orbit, Canada’s city of the future, and a master plan for a cutting-edge community in a small town in Canada. They have also designed the Gusto 501 Restaurant and the Fold House, both in Canada.
