Metrolinx opens design competition for joint corridor
Metrolinx has launched a design competition to encourage teams to submit urban design and landscape architecture solutions for the Ontario Line infrastructure that will be built around the existing rail corridor extending from Eastern Avenue to Gerrard Street in Toronto.
The objective of the competition is to solicit creative design solutions to challenge of integrating new transit infrastructure into established neighbourhoods.
The site of the competition runs along both sides of a two-kilometre stretch of rail corridor that will accommodate both the new Ontario Line and the expansion of GO Transit. So close together, the two lines could make for an urban eyesore. Metrolinx is therefore looking for proposals that would transform these interfaces into an urban environment that enhances the adjacent neighbourhoods, commercial streets and park lands.
The scope of the design competition includes the rail corridor to retaining walls, abutments, bridge underpasses, station plazas, aesthetic lighting, murals and other landscape items within four community zones identified along the joint corridor.
The goal for the competition is to achieve an innovative, integrated, context sensitive design solution that is implementable. Embedded within the proposals there should be a focus on ecological performance and biodiversity.
The Ontario Line is a planned 15.6 km, 15-stop rapid transit line in Toronto connecting Exhibition Place, through downtown, to the Ontario Science Centre. The delivery of the line requires a unified integration of new architectural, civic and landscape components.
The Ontario Line’s proposed joint corridor is the area of this design competition. The corridor is the stretch where two rail expansion projects overlap – Ontario Line two tracks on the west side and an additional new GO rail track on the east side of the rail corridor. The Joint Corridor area for this competition will run above ground from north of Eastern Avenue to south of Pape Avenue.
The Riverside and Leslieville neighbourhoods have developed in close proximity to the historic GO Transit rail corridor. To accommodate the additional volume of the Ontario Line plus the GO Transit electrification expansion, the rail corridor will be raised, widened and bridges will be replaced.
The winning team from the competition will receive a $100,000 honorarium for their design concept. The three shortlisted teams will receive honoraria of $25,000 each. The winning design concepts will be translated into tender documents by the Ontario Line Technical Advisor, contracted to Metrolinx.
The formal request document and design brief are available at https://www.metrolinx.merx.com