The Senior Vice President of Development at Northcrest Developments discusses her ambitions for the contest to reimagine the future of the runway at Torontos disused Downsview AirportKristy ShortallWhy are you holding an international contest to reimagine a 2km former airstrip in Toronto?YZD, the former site of Torontos Downsview Airport, will be transformed into seven mixed-use communities over the next 30 years. Its among the largest and most ambitious urban developments in North America and The Runway is the heart of the entire 370 acres.Maintaining and reimagining the sites existing airport infrastructure is central to our vision. The Runway is not only an opportunity to create a pedestrian spine and public amenity, but its an incredibly unique opportunity to imbue these communities with a distinct identity and sense of place.An international contest allows us to tap the top minds in urban design, architecture, placemaking, and placekeeping. We expect YZD will one day be an international example of city building done right. To get there, its critical that we have partners with the creativity, expertise, and vision required by a project of such scale and ambition.What is your vision for how this unique piece of the city could be transformed?The Runway is envisioned as a fully pedestrianized space that runs through the centre of YZD. It will anchor all seven mixed-use communities, while functioning as a welcoming, pedestrian-focused public amenity, animated with community uses and recreation opportunities.YZD itself is a city within a city. Once completed, it will include 2 million m2 of homes, 600,000m2 of commercial and cultural spaces, and nearly 74 acres of parks and green spaces. Over 55,000 residents and 23,000 workers will occupy it. All seven neighbourhoods are aligned to our focus on responsible development. They will prioritize walkability, transit connectivity, and sustainability as cornerstones of their design and development.What sort of teams would you like to see step forward for this unique opportunity?Our competition document states that teams are ideally led by a landscape architect; however, we are open to proposals from teams of different compositions and structures.We are looking for partners that understand the scale of our ambitions and will bring their unique perspective and expertise to the table. Our work is responsive to the needs and wants of local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and stakeholders; it is important that the winning team be willing and able to work alongside these important groups and thoughtfully integrate their feedback.The Runway is an exceptional opportunity for both local and global designers. There are few, if any, projects of this scale and type in North America. We fully expect that YZD, once completed, will emerge as a global example of creative placemaking and how industrial infrastructure can be imaginatively repurposed. To that end, we want to work with the best of the best. The future of YZD requires the creativity, capacity, and ambition of the worlds best designers and thinkers.2024-10-28Merlin Fulcher Share