City of Toronto

June 2006
Table of Contents

Page

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY 2

DEFINITIONS 4

DESIGN CRITERIA 5
Introduction to Design Criteria 6
Tall Building Form 8

SITE CONTEXT 1.0 11

Master Plan for Larger Sites 1.1 12
Transition in Scale 1.2 14
Prominent Sites,Views and Vistas 1.3 16

SITE ORGANIZATION 2.0 19

Building Placement and Orientation 2.1 20
Tall Building Address 2.2 22
Site Servicing and Parking 2.3 24
Open Space 2.4 26
Heritage Buildings 2.5 28

TALL BUILDING MASSING 3.0 31

Scale of the Base Building 3.1 32
Tall Building Floor Plates - Articulation, Size and Orientation 3.2 34
Spatial Separation - Light and Privacy 3.3 36

PEDESTRIAN REALM 4.0 39

Streetscape and Landscape 4.1 40
Weather Protection 4.2 42
Sun, Shadow and Sky View 4.3 44
Pedestrian Level Wind Effects 4.4 46

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN 5.0 49

Page 1
Purpose of the Study
The City of Toronto retained Urbana Architects/HOK Canada in October, 2003 to assist in
the development of planning and urban design criteria for the review of planning applications
involving tall buildings. The purpose of the Urbana/HOK Canada study is to elaborate on the
built form policies of the new Official Plan (November, 2002) by providing a common set of
measurable criteria and other qualitative indicators to assist City staff in the review of tall building
development applications. By this means the study will advance the Plan’s goal of improving
the quality of urban design and architecture in Toronto. In particular, there is a focus on the tall
building policies of Section 3.1.3 of the Official Plan.

The terms of reference for the study confined attention to the design of tall buildings on a site.
The broader issues related to their appropriate location within the City were not addressed. This
study brings forward urban design criteria that will help the evaluation of tall building proposals.
The study is not intended to recommend changes to the City’s zoning by-laws. However, the study
findings may contribute, in the longer term, to the on-going work of the New Zoning By-law
Project.

The study adopts an operational definition of a tall building as one whose height is greater than
the width of the right of way of the principal street on which it is located. This threshold of a
1:1 ratio of building height to street width will be used to engage the design criteria within this
booklet. Buildings that exceed this limit trigger a number of urban design concerns regarding fit
and impact on the surrounding urban fabric, including the local pedestrian environment. As the
Official Plan recognizes, tall buildings “ … come with larger civic responsibilities and objectives than
other buildings” and require additional built form principles to be applied to their design.

Typical arterial street allowances in the City range from 20 to 36 meters. Based on the above
definition, buildings generally greater than 6 to 10 stories in height would invoke the application of
the tall buildings policies and design criteria. This definition of “tall” should also recognize that any
building which rises significantly above its existing or planned context should be considered tall.
Under this expanded and more flexible definition, the more rigid 6 to 10 stories limit might be
seen in certain situations to be either too high or too low a cut-off point depending on the local
context.

Although tall buildings have their origins in North America, they have become increasingly
common throughout the urbanized world. Most cities in Europe and North America have
tailored features of their development approval process to deal specifically with issues related to
tall building design. Each city has a different set of parameters with differing implications for the
development of tall buildings within their fabric.

Page 2
In general terms, North American cities, such as New York, Chicago and Vancouver exercise
a relatively high degree of control over the design of tall buildings, particularly at the local or
site-specific level. By contrast, certain European cities, such as Frankfurt and Rotterdam, tend to
apply regulations in the pursuit of more strategic objectives at a broader scale. In both cases,
the development control process can be a mixture of regulations and incentives applied by
statutory or advisory authorities. However, the more prescriptive approach to tall building design
practiced in North America leads to a more standardized development typology, whereas the
more discretionary system employed in Europe has a better capacity to address the much greater
diversity of environmental character found there.

Regulatory systems can, therefore, be viewed as tending either towards a more rigid, prescriptive
framework or a more flexible, negotiated system. The employment of Design Review Panels,
typically made-up of respected design professionals, can sometimes blend these two regulatory
approaches to maximum effect, significantly raising the bar on urban design and architectural
quality of tall building development. While the Design Review Panel approach would be our
recommendation in the long term, it is not practical to expect the City to implement new and
separate approval process for tall buildings in the short term. The most practical route forward
for Toronto at this time is to work within the existing regulatory framework to make it more
effective. Consequently, this study identifies and compiles the key urban design criteria that
should be brought to bear in the evaluation of tall building applications, and specifies how the
applicant will demonstrate that these criteria have been satisfactorily addressed. By and large,
applicants will be directed to provide additional information as a supplement to the standard
application submission process, not as a separate process.

The study organizes the tall building design criteria under four principal headings: Site Context;
Site Organization; Building Massing, and Pedestrian Realm. Clearly, many of the criteria
are inter-related and, although each section or chapter can be read on its own, the report should
be viewed as a whole to fully appreciate how the criteria work in combination to enhance the
design of tall buildings. The criteria are succinctly presented in a standard two-page lay-out, with
photos, text (including applicable Official Plan policy references) and illustrations, that create an
easy to follow workbook and checklist for applicants and City staff alike. Applying the design
criteria and recommended application submission requirements will help implement the objective
of the Official Plan “to ensure that tall buildings fit within their context and minimize their impacts”.

Page 3 Design Criteria for

Review of Tall Building Proposals
Definitions Text in quotation marks denotes an extract
from the City of Toronto Official Plan

Articulation - the layout or pattern of building elements including walls, doors, roofs, windows and decorative
elements including cornices and belt courses.
Base Building - lower portion of a tall building, designed to “provide definition and support at an appropriate scale
for adjacent streets, parks and open spaces, integrate with adjacent buildings, minimize the impact of
parking and servicing uses.”
Existing and Planned Context - “The existing context of any given area refers to what is there now. The
planned context refers to what is intended in the future. In stable areas, such as Neighbourhoods and
Apartment Neighbourhoods, the planned context typically reinforces the existing context. In growth
areas, such as Centres and Avenues, the planned context generally anticipates change.
Height and density aspects of the planned context of new development will be assessed on the basis
of the Plan’s policies, including Secondary Plans and site and area specific policies. Where there are
no height and density limits in the Plan, height and density limits of area zoning that implements
the Plan will be a benchmark for assessment of those aspects of the planned context. Where there
are no height and density limits in the Plan and no area zoning implementing the Plan, height and
density aspects of the planned context will be determined on the basis of an area review such
as that undertaken to implement Sub-section 2.2.3.3 b) of the Plan. In this case, in determining
an application, Council will have due regard for the existing and planned contexts. In instances of
apparent inconsistency between existing and planned contexts when interpreting the built form
policies as they relate height and density, the planned context will prevail.”
Good Street Proportion - “Good street proportion is subject to study on a district and street basis. Good
street proportion will be determined by studying the existing conditions, street and open space
width, existing building heights and the planned intensity of development and expectations for the
character and quality of the streets and open spaces in the future.”
Gross Floor Construction Area - total aggregate floor area of the largest typical floor plate of a building,
measured from the exterior face of all exterior walls.
Master Plan for Larger Sites - required for:
• Development sites larger than 2.0 hectares
• Developments with two or more construction phases
• Sites with more than one building
• Sites with shared servicing
• Sites with a new street and/or park
Middle (Shaft) - mid portion of tall building with the “floor plate size and shape with appropriate dimensions
for the site, locate and orient it on the site and in relationship to the base building and adjacent
buildings.”
Pedestrian Amenity - architectural and landscape elements including, lighting, trees, decorative paving, seating,
water features, etc. that promote the safe and comfortable use of streets and open spaces.
Point Tower - tall building with a typical Gross Floor Construction Area not exceeding 8,000 SF (743m2).
Street proportion - the ratio of height of buildings along the edges of the street and the width of the space
between the buildings.
Tall Building - generally, a building whose height is greater than the width of the right of way of the principal street
on which it is located or the wider of two principal streets if located on an important intersection.
Tall Building Form - three part building design consisting of Base Building, Middle (Shaft) and Top.
Top - the uppermost part of tall building, designed “to contribute to the skyline character and integrate roof top
mechanical systems into the design.”
Weather Protection Systems - continuous pedestrian weather protection in form of canopies, overhangs
or colonnades along the base of tall building located on or at:
• Streets with retail or commercial uses at grade
• Avenues
• Streets in the Downtown Financial District
• Adjacent to transit stops

Page 4
DESIGN CRITERIA
Introduction to Design Criteria
The tall building has been a part of the make up of Toronto since the turn of the century when
the steel frame of the Bank of Toronto rose to 14 storeys at Yonge St. and King St. to be the tallest
building in the British Commonwealth. The form of tall buildings has continued to evolve with
changing technical improvements, the market demand for space, the economics of development
and planning controls addressing where tall buildings are allowed and how they fit into the city.

Initially, tall buildings were built on the

lot and block framework of nineteenth
century Toronto. Small plate commercial
developments, such as the first tall buildings
at Yonge Street and King Street and along
Bay Street, were constructed in the 1920s
on large single lots. Later, in the 1950’s, eight
to ten storey concrete frame apartments
were built on single lots on streets such as
Jarvis Street, Dunn Avenue and St George
Street. In each of these cases, small rear
and side yard setbacks that had provided
adequate light, view and privacy for low
buildings, did not work successfully with
taller structures. Little or no parking was
provided with these early tall buildings.

In the 1960’s, changes in construction

technology and new ideas about the
city created new forms of tall buildings.
These tall buildings, whether commercial
or residential, used large single lots or
consolidated lots to provide space for
adequate underground parking and
increased spaces for light, views and privacy
between the buildings. The tall buildings
were placed in the middle of the block
with large landscaped open spaces between
them. Commercial developments based on
this model, like the downtown TD Centre,
became the symbols of the new economic
power of Toronto. Residential towers were
inserted into the existing city blocks by the
consolidation of smaller lots and demolition
of existing neighbourhoods such as at
Danforth Avenue and Cambridge Avenue, or
in the blocks east of Yonge Street and south
of Davisville Avenue.

Page 6
Outside of the built up City, new subdivisions such as Flemingdon Park and Parkway Forest were
planned, using tower in the park design principles. While providing needed apartments and office
space, in general, these buildings did not fit within the existing city built form context and were
disruptive to its scale and texture. The buildings did not support streets and open spaces with the
porches, stoops and retail that the traditional forms of urban buildings had. Their large floor plates
cast long shadows and created windy conditions at grade. Often the promised landscapes of the
“Tower in the Park” became in reality the “Tower in the Parking Lot.”

In the late 1980’s a new approach to tall

buildings began to take hold in Toronto.
These tall buildings were more careful to
fit within the existing urban fabric, defining
the edges of streets and small open spaces
in a traditional way with base buildings,
townhouses, or lower scale buildings. These
new tall buildings were often mixed-use, had
smaller floor plates and were located to
minimize shadow and wind impacts.

The policy framework for the new Official

Plan reinforces and elaborates these ideas
about tall buildings. Tall building development
should define and support adjacent streets
and open space, integrate with the other
buildings and open spaces on the block and
in the area, including heritage features, and
provide high quality pedestrian amenity and
enhance the public realm.

To facilitate this, the new Official Plan calls for the design of tall buildings to be considered in
three distinct parts, base, middle (shaft) and top, each with its particular role in creating a single,
integrated structure. These design criteria are intended to provide guidance to the form of
development that will achieve the joint goals of enhancing the public realm and fitting in with
neighbouring development.

Page 7 Design Criteria for

Review of Tall Building Proposals
Tall Building Form
Policy
The design of tall buildings will be designed to consist of three parts, carefully integrated into a
single whole:
• base building – provide definition and support at an appropriate scale for adjacent streets,
parks and open spaces, integrate with adjacent buildings, minimize the impact of parking and
servicing uses,
• middle (shaft) – design the floor plate size and shape with appropriate dimensions for the
site, locate and orient it on the site and in relationship to the base building in a manner that
satisfies the provisions of this section, and
• top – design the top of tall buildings to contribute to the skyline character and integrate
roof top mechanical systems into their design. Official Plan 3.1.3(1a,b,c)

Top

Middle (Shaft)

Base

The vertical proportions and articulation

of tall buildings will have a dramatic impact
on how they are viewed both at street level
and on the skyline of the City.
Three part building example.

Page 8
 Design
Criteria

New tall buildings will have regard for the

Built Form Policies of the Official Plan and
will be designed to:
• Avoid free standing towers without
bases.
• Avoid big boxy, dominant massing of
new tall buildings.
• Design the walls and step back the
building mass to maintain an appropriate
scale at street level.
• Design the uppermost floors of tall
Sketch 1 Avoid free standing tall buildings.
buildings to achieve a distinctive profile
and integrating mechanical penthouse
functions into the total building design.

Sketch 2 Avoid big boxy massing and create an appropriate

scale at street level.

Sketch 4 A generic example of how to use

Sketch 3 Move away from the approach that all tall
buildings should look the same.
vertical emphasis with setbacks to achieve a
proportioned tall building. Base is defined in
support of pedestrian realm, middle (shaft) is
shaped to minimize shadows and increase sky
view from street level and the top is sculpted to
contribute to the skyline character.

Applicants will illustrate and describe how the massing of the proposed tall building is
integrated into surrounding development, how it creates an elegant rather than bulky
form, and how its design quality makes a positive contribution to the city’s public realm,
urban form and skyline.

Page 9 Design Criteria for

Review of Tall Building Proposals
SITE CONTEXT 1.0
Master Plan for Large Sites 1.1
Transition in Scale 1.2
Prominent Sites,Views and Vistas 1.3
Master Plan for Larger Sites
The site plan approval process for larger sites with potential multiple tall buildings and/or new
internal streets will require a Master Plan for the proposed development. This study has identified
that the master planning of larger sites is critical to the success of tall building designs for these
developments.

Larger sites have certain opportunities and constraints when being designed as places for tall
buildings. The integration of larger sites with adjacent areas is important, especially in light of
the Official Plan policies calling for the provision of new roads, parks, pedestrian paths and open
spaces that extend into and complement the existing surrounding neighbourhoods and help knit
the public realm into a single, cohesive whole. Larger sites enable tall buildings to be sited and
organized in a way that provides desirable transition to adjacent neighbourhoods and ensures
appropriate spatial separation between tall buildings.

The larger site allows for the design of base buildings that will define new streets and open
spaces at the right scale, as well as provide the correct fit of scale with adjacent sites. On larger
sites it is possible to co-ordinate servicing, parking access and utilities to ensure that they do not
have negative impacts on neighbours, or on the new public realm within the project. To achieve
all these important objectives for larger sites, it is important to develop a Master Plan that will
consider and analyze each of the issues described within these guidelines at an appropriate scale.

Illustrative Neighbourhood or District Scale Context Plan of the Railway Lands West.

SITE CONTEXT Page 12

 Design
Criteria 1.1
A Master Plan for larger sites is to be
provided at two scales, Neighbourhood or
District Scale and the Site or Block Scale.

The intent of the Neighbourhood

Illustrative Site/Block Plan of proposed development.
Highlighted in colour: •street edge to be defined,
•view corridors and view termini
•points of entry
•internal service court
•important green buffers.
A Master Plan for larger sites is required for:
• Development sites larger than 2.0 hectares
• Developments with two or more
construction phases
• Sites with more than one building
• Sites with shared servicing
• Sites with a new street and/or park
or District Scale Context Plan is
to demonstrate how the proposed
development fits into and reinforces the
existing neighbourhood context. In addition
to the criteria outlined below, the plan
should indicate five and ten minute walking
radii and label area amenities including:
public transit and stops, community parks
and centres, ravines and trails, libraries,
schools, retail areas, etc..
The intent of a Site/Block Plan is to ensure
that issues such as internal site circulation
and servicing, parcelization of the land, phase
implementation, adequate spacing between
buildings, entrance locations, ground floor
land use, the appropriate location of parks
and public spaces, general location of base
and middle(shaft) and efficient land use have
been taken into account.

Applicants will provide a Master Plan for large sites that will describe in drawings and
words for the site and its context the following issues:
• the location and dimensions of public streets, parks and accessible open spaces
• general location and dimensions of pedestrian circulation and relationship to
pedestrian sidewalks and paths,TTC stops and shelters
• general location of building footprints - base buildings and taller buildings
• general layout and dimensions of setbacks from streets, parks and open spaces, as
well as dimensions between base and tall buildings on the same site
• general location of building entrances for each building
• general location and dimensions of site access, service areas, ramps, drop-off and
parking for each building
• phasing plan and schedule
• perspective(s) showing important views

Page 13 Design Criteria for

Review of Tall Building Proposals
Transition in Scale
Policy
New development will be massed to fit harmoniously into its existing planned context. It will
limit its impacts on neighbouring streets, parks, buildings and open space by:
• creating appropriate transitions in scale to neighbouring existing and planned buildings for
the purpose of acheiving the objectives of this Plan. Official Plan 3.1.2(3b)

The Official Plan clarifies transition: 2. Scale of the District

“Appropriate transition in scale can be
achieved with many geometric relationships
and design methods in different combinations
including angular planes, stepping height limits,
appropriate location and orientation of the
building, the use of setbacks, and step backs
of building mass. The larger the difference in
scale of development the greater the need
for transition.”
Transition in scale between tall buildings and
lower scaled buildings or open space and
low-rise neighbourhoods can be thought of
at two scales.
1. Scale of the Block
A transition between lower scaled
neighbouring buildings, open space and tall
buildings on a block or across the street may
be achieved through:
- The creation of a base building at the
appropriate scale with the adjacent
buildings and width of the street.
- Articulation of the base that integrates
with the neighboring building and the street
including appropriate ground floor uses.
- The scale and placement of the taller
building on a site to reduce its visible
impact from streets, open spaces and
neighbouring property, including the
stepback of the taller building from the
base to allow for the reading of the base as
the primary definition of the street.
When considering a tall building(s) on a site
between two land use areas or areas of differing
heights or built form consideration needs to be
given to:
- Providing appropriate horizontal separation
distance between the tall building(s) and lower
scale area.
- The appropriate height for the transition
site to allow for a stepping down of the tall
building(s) towards lower scaled buildings or
adjacent neighbourhoods reducing its impacts
from streets, open spaces and properties.
Within the North York Centre two approaches have been used
that can provide insight as to how a district of tall buildings has
been regulated to ensure an adequate transition to lower scaled
neighbourhoods:
North York Uptown Height Diagram
Height = 70% of the distance from the stable area to ensure that
buildings step up away from the lower scaled neighborhoods at
the edge of the Centre towards a maximum height of 87 metres at
Yonge Street.
North York Downtown Height Diagram
A 75 metre setback from the relevant residential property line
sets a zone with 11 metre high buildings that can integrate with the
adjacent neighbourhood. A first height zone of up to 65 metres is
allowed and then the 100 metre height limit adjacent to Yonge Street.

SITE CONTEXT Page 14


Sketch 2 Maintain the street scale by designing base
building to match height and setback of
neighbouring buildings or planned base building.
Sketch 3 Use angular planes to limit the height of tall
buildings and to achieve appropriate transition
from lower scaled buildings on the block.
An angular plane of 45 degrees from the closest
property line of sites with lower scaled buildings
is often used but may vary to meet other
policies.
Applicants will provide building plans, sections and computer views, illustrating the
design strategy that will successfully integrate the building(s) into its surroundings.
Drawings will clearly indicate existing and proposed building context, showing zoning
envelopes, setbacks, property lines, street widths, building heights, angular planes and
sun/shadow impact.
Page 15
Design
Criteria 1.2
Transition at the Scale of the Block:
On sites adjacent to lower scaled buildings on
the block or across the street:
• Ensure that appropriately scaled base
buildings are put in place.
• Place the taller building shaft on the site
and provide appropriate setback of the tall
building from the base in a manner that
limits its visual impact on the street, open
space and from neighbouring properties
that are lower in scale.
• Consider appropriate setbacks of tall
buildings from neighbouring buildings to
provide areas where buildings at a lower
scale achieve appropriate transition.
• Use angular planes to limit the height of
tall buildings and to ensure that they step
away from the lower scaled neighbouring
buildings. An angular plane of 45 degrees
is often used but may vary to meet other
policies.
Transition at the Scale of the District:
When designing a tall building or group of tall
buildings on a site between two height areas,
land uses, or built form, study and consider the
use of setbacks, stepbacks and an angular plane
to achieve appropriate transition in scale. Each
of these envelope controls may vary according
to the size of the development area, the planned
intensity of use in the redevelopment area, the
size of the low-scaled area, the street widths
and the analysis of impacts on the low-scaled
areas including sunlight and sky view. Not all
sites may be appropriate for a tall building.
Design Criteria for
Review of Tall Building Proposals
Prominent Sites,Views & Vistas
Policy
On a corner site, the development should be located along both adjacent street frontages and
give prominence to the corner. If located at a site that ends a street corridor, development
should acknowledge the prominence of that site. Official Plan 3.1.2(1a)

Prominent sites are defined by their

strategic location and relationship to
adjoining public streets, open spaces and The preserved heritage
façade incorporated
consequently, by their strong visual impact into the base of a tall
building provides a
on the surrounding city. Prominent sites unique street terminus.
include those that terminate a street, are on
street corners or that frames the edge of
a major park or open space. Sites adjacent
to bridges, underpasses, or sites where
changes in land use or scale occur, are also
prominent sites.

In Toronto’s discontinuous grid of streets,

the corners are some of the most
prominent building sites. Historically
buildings of distinctive form, sited at
prominent intersections, provide enduring
visual delight and reinforce the organization
of the city by providing a landmark for
orientation. Tall buildings on prominent sites
should respond to these situations with high
quality design.

Historically, buildings of distinctive form

were located on prominent locations
including city halls, churches, hotels, post
offices, banks or theatres; today these are
admired for their memorable vistas and
quality architecture. Prominent site(s)
neither require tall buildings to make them
special, nor should they be a reason for a
tall building or an increase in height.

The clock tower of this prominent public building acts as a terminus

of the vista.

SITE CONTEXT Page 16

 Design
Criteria 1.3
Tall buildings on prominent sites will be
designed and organized to:
• Enhance the landmark site and integrate
with context.
• Complement and enhance, not
compromise, strategic views and
important vistas in the city.
• Provide an appropriate design that
acknowledges the land shape and
architectural context of the prominent
Sketch 1 Acknowledge the street terminus with distinctive
architectural features.
site area.
• Provide a high level of architectural
treatment to all frontages that are
visible and prominent.
• Display a high quality design.
• Tall buildings should not be located
on sites where they create negative
visual impact on sensitive historic
environments.

Sketch 2 Prominent sites: 1. Terminating Sites

2. Corner Sites
3. Sites framing open spaces

Applicants for developments on prominent sites will provide an evaluation of the

potential visual impact of the proposed development on the surrounding urban
context, illustrated through computer visualization from a pedestrian point of view,
photomontage techniques, aerial photographs, and/or a physical model. Applicants will
also provide an analysis of surrounding areas that outlines the positive and negative
impacts that the proposed tall building makes to the visual quality of the area.

Page 17 Design Criteria for

Review of Tall Building Proposals
SITE ORGANIZATION 2.0
Building Placement and Orientation 2.1
Tall Building Address 2.2
Site Servicing and Parking 2.3
Open Space 2.4
Heritage Buildings 2.5
Building Placement & Orientation
Policy
New development will:
• Generally, locate buildings parallel to the street or along the edge of a park or open space
with a consistent front yard setback. Official Plan 3.1.2(1a)

Toronto’s traditional urban pattern is of

buildings aligned parallel to the street with a
consistent setback from the front property
line. This pattern clearly defines the street
edges, reinforces the public street and
provides a seamless edge of public activity.
Spaces for planting street trees and gardens
between the public sidewalks and the
front of the buildings are provided, where Base building infill
defines street at
appropriate. the alignment of
adjacent buildings.

There will be situations however, especially

on a larger site, on block-long development
or multi-block development, that break
the consistent pattern and provide an
opportunity for an attractive forecourt,
urban plaza, garden or other publicly
accessible amenities.

New development will be located and

organized to fit with its existing and planned
context. New base buildings will frame and
support adjacent streets, parks, and open
spaces by, in general, being placed parallel
to the street, aligning with neighbouring
buildings to create a pattern of continuous
building facade.

The tall building middle (shaft) may orient

itself differently from the base building
when it is demonstrated that the proposed
orientation minimizes the shadow impact Buildings consistently setback to provide additional pedestrian
and loss of light and skyview or improves space and amenity.
wind conditions and sustainable design
features.

SITE ORGANIZATION Page 20

 Design
Criteria 2.1
When siting the base of a tall building:
• Site the primary facade of base building
parallel to the street and front property
line. (a) (b) (c) (d)
• Where the setbacks of the adjacent
buildings are the same, align the front
facade of the base building consistent
with adjacent building facades. (c)
• Where the setbacks of existing buildings
on either side of the development site
have differing setbacks from the street,
resolve the difference through the
design of the new base building. (a)
• On corner sites, respect the appropriate
alignment and building setbacks of both
streets and necessary transition to both
edges. (d)
• Where a consistent building setback
pattern does not exist on a block, locate
the base building parallel and adjacent to
Sketch 1 Locate buildings parallel to the street and the street and:
provide public streetscape improvements. • Setback new development on
streets with narrow sidewalks
to provide additional space for
pedestrian activities and tree
planting.
• Provide landscaped setbacks on
residential streets for landscaping
and privacy.
• On larger sites, provide additional
open space along street frontages
in the form of landscaped setbacks,
plazas, forecourts, or gardens.

Sketch 2 Express corners and provide pedestrian amenity

adjacent to the public sidewalk.

Applicants will explain through annotations, diagrams and text, the design strategy for
the placement and orientation of the base building.The illustration will show enough of
the surrounding context to illustrate the “fit” of the proposed new base building into its
neighbouring context.

Page 21 Design Criteria for

Review of Tall Building Proposals
Tall Building Address
Policy
New development will:
• locate main building entrances so that they are clearly visible and directly accessible from
the public sidewalk, and
• provide ground floor uses that have views into and, where possible, access to, adjacent
streets, parks and open spaces.
Official Plan 3.1.2(1b,c)

A well designed building entrance, directly A dramatic galleria

entrance provides
accessible from the street, provides a clear address for mid-block
development.
and visible identity for the building acting as
a threshold between the public realm and
the private realm of the building interior.

Entrances not visible or easily accessible

from the public sidewalk, including
entrances behind parking areas, from long
driveways, from interior malls and exterior
walkway circulation systems, take away
from the importance of the street and are
inappropriate as entrances to tall buildings.

Direct, visible and accessible public

entrances to buildings help promote safe,
vibrant public streets and sidewalks.

Typically, the most vital and interesting

streets, whether lined with residential
or commercial uses, have a fine grain of
entrances along the street edge.

Base building has a two-storey glazed lobby at the corner and a fine
grain of retail entrances along commercial street.

SITE ORGANIZATION Page 22


Sketch 1 A fine grain of entrances along the edge of public
streets is encouraged to support the safe and
active use of the public sidewalk.
Sketch 2 Provide clear and visible identity for building
entrances located at mid block and corner.
Sketch 3 Provide clear, visible and safe link between
sidewalk and tower entrance at block interior.
Applicants will provide an illustration of primary and secondary entrances showing how
the addresses are readily identifiable from the street.
Page 23
Design
Criteria 2.2
When designing building entrances:
• Locate primary entrances to buildings at
grade and on the public street frontage.
• If setback from the public sidewalk,
maintain clear sight lines and accessible
grades from the public sidewalk to the
primary building entrance.
• Use a high level of architectural and,
where appropriate, landscape treatment
to emphasize the primary entrance.
• Differentiate architecturally between
the residential and commercial
entrances in mixed use buildings.
• Organize automobile drop-offs at the
side and rear of development sites.
• Use lobbies with multiple access points
where appropriate.
• Articulate the base building at the
primary entrance to allow the middle
(shaft) of a tall building to meet the
street in order to achieve a clear and
visible address.
Design Criteria for
Review of Tall Building Proposals
Site Servicing and Parking
Policy
New development will locate and organize vehicle parking, vehicular access, service areas and
utilities to minimize their impact on the property and on surrounding properties and to im-
prove the safety and attractiveness of adjacent streets, parks and open spaces.
Official Plan 3.1.2(2)

All buildings and developments should be A dramatic archway

frames access to the mid-
designed to accommodate “front of house” block landscaped auto
and “back of house” functions and activities. court that provides drop
off and access to parking
ramps and servicing.
Areas for garbage storage and collection,
loading docks, auto parking, ramps to
underground parking, vents, meters and
transformers are essential to the efficient
function of any new development but are
specifically “back of house” activities. Safety,
physical, visual and noise impacts on the
street and adjacent property are the key
considerations when designing and locating
these functions.

Transformers, meters, vents and exit stairs

should be integrated within the building
mass. If located outside of the building, they A mid-block landscaped courtyard provides for automobile drop-off,
parking ramp access and other servicing.
should be organized away from areas visible
or accessible to the public, or screened
from view and integrated into planting
and/or architectural treatment.

A shared rear driveway provides access to a flanking auto drop-off,

as well as servicing and parking access.

SITE ORGANIZATION Page 24


Sketch 1 Consolidate servicing by using shared driveways
and service courts.
Sketch 2 Screen parking structure in the base building by
providing commercial, retail or residential
activities along street facade on all floors.
Design
Criteria 2.3
Tall building developments will organize site
access and servicing to:
• Screen, to the maximum extent possible,
“back of house” uses from public view.
• Use shared service areas where possible
within development blocks, including
public and private lanes, driveways and
service courts.
• Consolidate and minimize the width
of driveways and curb cuts across the
public sidewalk.
• Organize automobile drop-off areas into
the side and rear of development sites
and provide through lobbies with access
to the street and auto drop-off areas.
• Integrate services and utility functions
within buildings where possible.
• Minimize the size of service, garage
doors and openings visible from public
streets and open spaces.
• Provide underground parking where
appropriate.
• Eliminate surface parking between the
front face of a building and the public
street or sidewalk.
• Eliminate lay-bys on public streets.
• Where permitted or appropriate,
integrate above-ground parking
structures with building design and
have usable building space, rather than
parking, face adjacent streets, parks and
open spaces.

Applicants will provide a site plan and section with annotations to explain the systems
of parking, access and egress for all vehicular movements and the appropriate location
of areas allocated for garbage storage and collection, loading areas, underground
ventilation shaft/gratings, service metres and transformer vaults.
Applicants will also describe which, if any, existing public transportation services are
within walking distance and demonstrate the project’s commitment to reducing private
vehicle use and improving public transportation.

Page 25 Design Criteria for

Review of Tall Building Proposals
Open Space
Policy
New development will provide amenity for adjacent streets and open spaces to make these
areas attractive, interesting, comfortable and functional for pedestrians by providing landscaped
open space within the development site. Official Plan 3.1.2(5d)

The Official Plan outlines objectives for

the provision of open space within new
developments to extend, enhance and
complement the system of public streets
and parks.
An intimate urban
garden adjacent to a
New tall building developments should city street.
strive to provide occupants and neighbours
with high quality, accessible and safe open
space on their sites.

Open space on a site can take a number

of different forms depending on the
building programme, its site and planning
expectations for development. Exclusive use
amenities for the individual owner or tenant
in a building may be provided through
balconies, gardens at grade or on a roof
terrace, while shared amenities for the use
of residents and tenants may take the form
of indoor and outdoor space at grade, or on
roof terraces. Plaza displaying high quality of architectural features including
fountains, public art, quality paving, street furniture and planting.

Publicly accessible open spaces are those

parts of private developments that are
visually and physically accessible to the
general public. The location within the block,
along with the form and scale of these open
spaces may vary, as does their intended use.
Furnishing, landscaping, lighting, public art
and connections to public streets and other
open spaces need to be considered when
locating and designing new open spaces.

Landscaped mid-block park provides tranquil retreat in densely

developed area.

SITE ORGANIZATION Page 26


Sketch 1 Design walkways with public uses along
the base building edges and a rhythmic
repetition of architectural and landscaping
elements.
Sketch 2 Define public open spaces by appropriate massing
and articulation of base buildings.
Applicants will demonstrate through illustration(s) the open space features that create
and enhance pedestrian amenity. The illustrations should further demonstrate how the
design of the building and associated open space(s) will relate to its context by providing
pedestrian level perspective sketches.
Page 27
Design
Criteria 2.4
The former City of Toronto Urban Design
Handbook provides formal definitions and
design criteria for a number of recuring
public open space types. Guidelines on the
location and layout of the following five
open space types, usually associated with
tall building development, can be found on
pages 44 and 45 of that publication:
• forecourt, an open space between the
public sidewalk and the main entrance
of the building;
• walkway, an exterior public pedestrian
way at street level, usually providing
connection through the block;
• urban garden, a landscaped open space,
usually of intimate scale, located and
oriented to provide maximum sunlight
during midday;
• plaza, an animated gathering place with
landscape features flanking a public
street; and
• courtyard, a landscaped open space,
located in the centre of a single or
consolidated block with no direct street
frontage.
For more information on:
Public Art Program refer to Percent for Public
Art Program Guidelines, City of Toronto 2006.
Open Space and Pedestrian Amenity issues refer
to the Urban Design Handbook, City of
Toronto,1997.
Design Criteria for
Review of Tall Building Proposals
Heritage Buildings
Policy
Significant heritage resources will be conserved by designating areas with a concentration of
heritage resources as Heritage Conservation Districts and adopting conservation and design
guidelines to maintain and improve their character. Official Plan 3.1.5(1b)

The history of any city is best told through An example of a

heritage façade
its streets, parks and architecture. The City integrated into
the base of new
of Toronto values its heritage properties and development.
therefore requires that they be protected
and integrated into new development
in a manner that preserves their setting,
character and integrity consistent with
accepted principles of good heritage
conservation.

The historic legacy of the city can co-exist

with new development. Development
should strive for the long term protection,
integration and re-use of heritage resources.

The conservation of heritage resources

must be taken into consideration at each
phase of the planning and decision making Scale and materials of the new base building
process. complement the preserved heritage building.

Carefully scaled base building and stepbacks reinforce the

prominence of a significant historic building.

SITE ORGANIZATION Page 28

 Design
Criteria 2.5
With respect to heritage buildings or
sites either within or adjacent to the
development site:
• New tall buildings will not visually
impede the setting of listed/designated
buildings nor block important views
into areas designated as Heritage
Conservation Districts.
• Where heritage buildings are low-scaled,
the base building of the tall building will
respect and reflect the unique urban
grain and scale, visual relationships,
topography and materials of the
surrounding historic buildings.
• Any new tall building proposal affecting
the setting of a listed/designated building
should satisfy all requirements of the
Official Plan and should demonstrate
that the area’s character and the
appearance of the setting of a listed/
designated buildings will be preserved
and enhanced.

Sketch 1 Maximize spatial separation between heritage

building and new tall building development.

Sketch 2 Stepback beyond base and maintain the views

of heritage buildings.

Applicants will provide drawings and a description demonstrating how the proposed
project works to maintain, support, reinforce and enhance any historic buildings or sites,
either within, or adjacent to the applicant’s property.

Page 29 Design Criteria for

Review of Tall Building Proposals
TALL BUILDING MASSING 3.0
Scale of the Base Building 3.1
Tall Building Floor Plates - Articulation, Size and Orientation 3.2
Spatial Separation - Light,View and Privacy 3.3
Scale of the Base Building
Policy
The base building will provide definition and support at an appropriate scale for adjacent
streets, parks and open spaces, integrate with adjacent buildings, minimize the impact of parking
and servicing uses. Official Plan 3.1.3(1a)

In new tall building development it is important

that the base buildings recognize and integrate
with the prevailing and planned context of
building massing and the characteristics of the
street. The new development
complements the
historic scale of the
Appropriate base building height depends on street by providing a
the scale of the existing and planned context. base building at the
context height and by
Existing and Planned Context is a term defined significantly steping
back the taller building.
in the Official Plan (see Definitions p.4).

Street proportion is the ratio of the height of

buildings along the edges of the street and the
width of the space between the buildings. Street
proportion gives a measure to certain qualities
of the street including its access to sunlight and
sky view and the scale of building walls that
form the edge of the street.

“Good street proportion is subject to study on

a district and street basis. Appropriate street
proportion will be determined by studying the
existing conditions, street and open space
width, existing building heights and the planned
intensity of development and expectations for
the character and quality of the streets and
open spaces in the future”. (Official Plan pg. 42)

The base building provides definition for the street at an

appropriate scale.

TALL BUILDING MASSING Page 32


Sketch 1 Different street proportions in different locations.
A - Urban Street-Financial District
B - Residential Street
C - Mixed use Residential/Commercial Street
Sketch 2 Design base building at the street proportion or
context height.
Sketch 3 Step back from the base for a minimum of 5
metres.
Applicants will provide annotated street elevations, sections and pedestrian level
perspective views showing the massing relationship between base building and taller
building parts, and illustrating how the base integrates with the adjacent buildings and
defines a well proportioned street. A 1:50 elevation drawing, with materials labelled, of a
portion of the base will also be provided.
Page 33
Design
Criteria 3.1
The massing and height of base buildings
will always be considered within the zoning
envelope. Within that zoning envelope the
massing of new development will:
• Where height limits are taller than the
existing street proportion and adjacent
historical context, the building massing
will include a base building at the street
proportion described in sketch 2
or context height. The minimum base
building height will be 11 metres or
three storeys.
• In the absence of an historical building
context, the massing of the base building
will be within a 45 degree angular plane,
taken from the curb on the opposite
side of the street.
• On a corner site, the base building will
be massed to respect the prevailing
height of the base building and setback
on both streets, but the higher height
limit will govern in order to give the
building a degree of prominence.
• The appropriate scale of the stepback
from the base building for taller
building elements is determined by
the relationship of the scale of the
taller building to the base. The taller
the building in relationship to the base,
the larger the stepback to reduce the
negative impact of the taller element on
the street proportion and context. The
minimum stepback of the taller building
parts from the street edge of the base
building will be 5 metres.
Design Criteria for
Review of Tall Building Proposals
Tall Building Floor Plates
Policy
New development will be massed to fit harmoniously into its existing and/or planned context,
and will limit its impacts on neighbouring streets, parks, open spaces and properties by:
c) providing for adequate light and privacy;
d) adequately limiting any resulting shadowing of, and uncomfortable wind conditions on,
neighbouring streets, properties and open spaces, having regard for the varied nature of such
areas; and
e) minimizing any additional shadowing and uncomfortable wind conditions on neighbouring
parks as necessary to preserve their utility. Official Plan 3.1.2(3)

New development will be massed to define the edges of streets, parks and open spaces at
good proportion. Taller buildings will be located to ensure adequate access to sky view for the
proposed and future use of these areas. Official Plan 3.1.2(4)

Design the floor plate size and shape with appropriate dimensions for the site, locate and
orient it on the site and in relationship to the base building and adjacent buildings in a manner
that satisfies the provisions of this section. Official Plan 3.1.3(1b)

Articulation and Size

The size and articulation of the floor plate
in the shaft (middle) of the tall building is Tower with narrow floor plates,
shaped to maximize views to
instrumental in the perception of the overall the Waterfront, creates
dramatic skyline silhouette.
three dimensional massing of the building and
its visual and physical impact on adjacent areas.

The use of properly located small floor plates

is encouraged since they result in slender
buildings which cast smaller shadows, may
improve skyviews, and permit better views
between buildings and through the site. Such
developments also promote sustainability by
providing opportunity for increased daylight
catchment and more efficient climate control
within the building.

Orientation
Larger sites have greater flexibility when
designing and orienting the middle (shaft)
of the building. Taller buildings located to
the south and east side of a block have less
negative impact on the adjacent streets, as a
greater proportion of the shadows cast from Articulated square shaped
their taller parts fall within the development floor plates provide a variey of
balcony fronts and terraces.
block itself.

TALL BUILDING MASSING Page 34

 Design
Criteria 3.2
With respect to the size and massing of tall
buildings:
• Point tower form is preferred.
(See definition p.4)
• Middle (shafts) will be located to
minimize the shadowing of adjacent
streets, open spaces and buildings.
• Middle (shafts) that have small floor
plates are encouraged since they have
the least impact on shadowing, winds
and views.
• When siting tall buildings that have
elongated slab floor plates that
cast biggest shadows, North-South
orientation is preferred.
• East-West buildings cast the largest
shadows, therefore locate them on
south side of a block so the shadows
will fall within the block rather than on
the adjacent street.
• Articulate large floor plates to break
Sketch 1 Design articulated, square shaped plates that
reduce building bulk and shadowing, and set up down the mass of the building and to
view and balcony opportunities. create “street interest” and enhance sky
line character.
• Articulate the uppermost floors of tall
buildings to achieve a distinctive skyline
profile.
• Residential floor plates larger than
8,000 SF (743 m2) and commercial
floor plates exceeding 20,000 SF (1860
m2) of Gross Floor Construction Area
will be articulated architecturally to
minimize shadows, loss of sky view and
wind conditions in adjacent open space.
Sketch 2 Avoid bulky, elongated slab floor plates in dense
urban context. Gross Floor Construction Area is defined as the
total aggregate floor area of the largest typical floor
plate of a building, measured from the exterior face of
all exterior walls.

The applicants will illustrate and highlight the strategy for shaping and planning the tall
building floor plate. References to any regulations such as the Ontario Building Code
which affect the layout should be annotated.

Page 35 Design Criteria for

Review of Tall Building Proposals
Spatial Separation
Policy
New development will be massed to fit harmoniously into its existing and/or planned context,
and will limit its impacts on neighbouring streets, parks, open spaces and properties by:
c) providing for adequate light and privacy;
d) adequately limiting any resulting shadowing of, and uncomfortable wind conditions on,
neighbouring streets, properties and open spaces, having regard for the varied nature of such
areas; and
e) minimizing any additional shadowing and uncomfortable wind conditions on neighbouring
parks as necessary to preserve their utility. Official Plan 3.1.2

New development will be massed to define the edges of streets, parks and open spaces at
good proportion. Taller buildings will be located to ensure adequate access to sky view for the
proposed and future use of these areas. Official Plan 3.1.2(4)

Appropriate space between towers allows

for appropriate light and privacy for new
and existing buildings as well as allowing Smaller separation
distances are improved
appropriate sunlight, wind and skyview to by the use of curved
façade.
the adjacent streets, parks, open spaces
and properties. Light and privacy are
two separate, but inter-related issues
that are influenced by the orientation,
site characteristics, heights and distances
between adjacent buildings.

An adequate condition of privacy is

achieved when orientation, facing distances
or space exists to mitigate overlooks
between the residential windows and Greater than
balconies of one building and the residential 30 m
windows and balconies of another.

An adequate level of natural light into a

dwelling can be said to be achieved when
the orientation, facing distance and space
between building walls and windows is
sufficient to allow daylight for part of the 30 m
day to enter through the windows into the
main living space.

These conditions vary depending on the

urban context and intensity of planned An example of how facing distances between the towers are
development. increased relative to height.

TALL BUILDING MASSING Page 36

 Design
Criteria 3.3
Conditions beyond the required By-law
minimums are often necessary to achieve
light, view and privacy.

• The minimum spacing between the

shafts of two tall buildings will equal
the widest tower width measured
perpendicularly to building face, but it
will be no less than 25 metres.
• The taller the building, the greater
the facing distance between the
buildings should be in order to achieve
appropriate light and privacy.
• Similarly, on compact urban sites where
a tall building is proposed the shaft
of the tall building must be located
Sketch 1 a minimum of 12.5m away from the
property line.
• The taller the building, the greater
the distance to the property line and
neighbouring buildings on a site should
be in order to achieve appropriate light
and privacy.

Sketch 2

Applicants will provide building plans and sections that illustrate the design strategy for
resolving light, view and privacy issues. Drawings will clearly indicate zoning envelopes,
setbacks, property lines, and building heights, as well as arrow annotations showing view
angles and access to light at different times of the day and year.

Page 37 Design Criteria for

Review of Tall Building Proposals
PEDESTRIAN REALM 4.0
Streetscape and Landscape 4.1
Weather Protection 4.2
Sun, Shadow and Sky View 4.3
Pedestrian Level Wind Effects 4.4
Streetscape & Landscape
Policy
New development will provide amenity for adjacent streets and open spaces to make these
areas attractive, interesting, comfortable and functional for pedestrians by providing:
• improvements to adjacent boulevards and sidewalks including street trees, lighting and
other street furniture
• coordinated landscape improvements in setbacks to create attractive transition from
private to public realm
• landscaped open space within the development site
Official Plan 3.1.2(5a,b,d)

New tall buildings will integrate with and

enhance their surrounding context. High quality
streetscape and landscape design elements will
be used between the building and the street.

The space between the building façade and the

public sidewalk is an integral part of the image
and character of the public street. This is the
zone that accommodates sidewalk cafes and Hard surface
retail displays, corporate or residential building streetscape
complements
entrances, front gardens to residential units, or commercial street
frontages.
connections to arcades and other open spaces.
It is this zone that usually contains canopies and
awnings, signage, special lighting, landscaping and
outdoor furniture.

There are two design approaches to treating the

transition space between the private and public
realms. The first promotes interaction between
the ground floor uses and the public sidewalk
and has a primarily hard or paved character to
accommodate commercial/pedestrian activities.
The other approach provides privacy for
On residential streets, green privacy buffers and mature trees
the ground floor uses and usually has a soft, create transition from the private to the public realms.
landscaped character for residential activities.

PEDESTRIAN REALM Page 40

 Design
Criteria 4.1
The new tall building development will:
• Contribute positively to the streetscape
by providing active frontages, legible
entrances and views to the street for
security.
• Provide a new high quality streetscape
on each frontage to City standards.
• On streets characterized by setbacks
of primarily hard landscaping, tall
building developments with retail and/or
commercial uses at grade, will provide
appropriate setback between the base
building face and the public sidewalk.
The design of the space will be an
extension of the materials, levels and
the character of the public streetscape.
Where appropriate, introduce soft
Sketch 1 Extend hard surface character along commercial landscaping, street furniture and public
frontages and where appropriate provide canopies,
awnings, planters, art, lighting and street furniture.
art.
• On streets characterized by setbacks
with a soft landscaped character and
where ground floor uses require more
privacy from the adjacent sidewalk,
additional landscaping and amenity will
be provided between the building face
and the public sidewalk. This landscaping
treatment may include tree and shrub
planting, water features, railings, curbs,
low walls, fences and public art.
• On residential streets provide additional
lighting, seating and planting, as well as
change of grade level (up to 90 cm)
between ground floor residential and
public sidewalks for privacy.
For more information on
Streetscape & Landscape refer to the
Urban Design Handbook,
Sketch 2 Introduce soft surface landscape for privacy City of Toronto,1997.
adjacent to residential uses.

Applicants will demonstrate how the new proposal contributes to the streetscape
enhancement by providing active frontages, legible entrances and views to the street
for security.They will also provide landscape plans showing paving, artwork, exterior
furniture and planting.

Page 41 Design Criteria for

Review of Tall Building Proposals
Weather Protection
Policy
New development will provide amenity for adjacent streets and open spaces to make these
areas attractive, interesting, comfortable and functional for pedestrians by providing weather
protection such as canopies and awnings. Official Plan 3.1.2(5c)

Toronto is a city with a climate of extreme

weather conditions. In such a climate use
of continuous canopies and awnings along
the edge of buildings can greatly enhance
the enjoyment of public streets and open
spaces.

While primarily provided to assist in the

environmental comfort of pedestrians,
weather protection systems play an A continuous canopy along sidewalk. Well proportioned and
important role in framing and shaping detailed colonnade.

our visual urban experience. Canopies,

awnings and colonnades work together
with street trees to enclose the street and
define its edge. They change and redefine
building proportions at the street level,
articulate entrances, animate the base
building and enhance the character of the
neighbourhood.

To be effective, weather protection should

be well integrated into building design,
carefully proportioned and easily maintained.

Where base buildings form a continuous

street façade , the coordinated and
uninterrupted weather protection elements
may allow pedestrians to walk comfortably
throughout whole districts in all seasons. Coordinated canopies over entrances and store fronts.

PEDESTRIAN REALM Page 42

 Design
Criteria 4.2
New tall building developments will:
• Provide continuous pedestrian weather
protection along the base of tall building
located on or at:
• Streets with retail or commercial
uses at grade
• Avenues
• Streets in the Downtown Financial
District
• Adjacent to transit stops
• Coordinate pedestrian weather
protection between developments on
Sketch 1 Weather protection may take form of an adjacent street frontages to ensure
overhang, a colonnade or an awning/canopy.
that the shelter is continuous and the
designs are compatible in scale.
• Design awnings or canopies to protect
main entrances to tall buildings.
• Proportion columns for colonnades to
maintain clear view of the uses behind
and to allow for easy pedestrian flow
and visibility from the street. The ratio
of width to height of the sheltered
space will be approximately 1:1.5, with
the minimum clear width of 2.5 metres.
• Integrate lighting, signage and street
Sketch 2 Introduce canopies/awnings to protect entrances
numbering into canopy or arcade design
and/or provide continuous weather protection for clear viewing and easy maintenance.
along the base building. Where space and lighting levels permit,
planting will be encouraged as well.

3.75
mm

Sketch 3 Design well proportioned colonnades.

Applicants will provide diagrams in plan, section or axonometric to illustrate the design
of pedestrian weather protection features.

Page 43 Design Criteria for

Review of Tall Building Proposals
Sun, Shadow and Sky View
Policy
New development will be massed to fit harmoniously into its existing and/or planned context,
and will limit its impacts on neighbouring streets, parks, open spaces and properties by:
d) adequately limiting any resulting shadowing of, and uncomfortable wind conditions on,
neighbouring streets, properties and open spaces, having regard for the varied nature of such
areas; and
e) minimizing any additional shadowing and uncomfortable wind conditions on neighbouring
parks as necessary to preserve their utility. Official Plan 3.1.2(3)

New development will be massed to define the edges of streets, parks and open spaces at
good proportion. Taller buildings will be located to ensure adequate access to sky view for the
proposed and future use of these areas. Official Plan 3.1.2(4)

Tall buildings can adversely affect the The sun traverses the sky from east to west at
environmental quality of surrounding various angles, depending on the time of day and
areas through the loss of sky view and by year. To understand the impacts of building siting
the overshadowing of adjacent public and and height on shadowing, knowledge of sun angle
private open spaces. and the orientation of Toronto streets is essential.
Sky view is the measurable amount of sky The Toronto street grid is generally rotated by
seen from a street, park or open space sixteen degrees to the west of north.
above and in between the building mass. Given this street and block orientation, taller
Sky view is important as it has direct impact buildings on the south side of a street or park
on the character of streets and open space will have a larger impact on the amount of direct
around a building. Adequate sky view sunlight reaching those spaces than buildings on
improves the usability and quality of open the north side of the street. Tall buildings placed
spaces and the buildings that face them, on the east side of the street will cast shadows in
even though it may not be a source of direct the morning, and those on the west side will cast
sunlight. shadows in the afternoon.
The access to direct sunlight is another
measurable quality of a space. Access to
direct sunlight improves the usability of the
space and the quality of rooms in buildings
that face that space. In the Toronto climate,
access to direct sunlight is important in
order to extend the season during which
the pedestrians can comfortably use an
open space.
Tall building developments need to consider
how their massing will affect both direct
access to sunlight and sky view when
designing the building.
Base building stepping back under an angular plane maximizes sun
penetration into the park.

PEDESTRIAN REALM Page 44

 Design
Criteria 4.3
Alternative massing for individual sites and blocks should always be prepared and analyzed to
evaluate the impact on sunlight and sky view in adjacent streets, parks, buildings and spaces.
This will include:
• Placing the appropriate amount of
building mass in the base building. The
appropriate amount of mass considers
the existing and planned context for the
site.
• Designing a small floor plate that
allows for more sunlight and sky view.
Evaluations need to be made between
the impacts of taller thin buildings and
lower thick buildings.
Sketch 1 Plan view illustrates shadow patterns on • Placing the taller part of the building
horizontal surfaces. Suitable technique where (the shaft) away from the street or
ground plane and roof surfaces are of interest. affected open spaces. This reduces the
amount of shadow cast and increases
the sky view. Balance this with the need
to maintain adequate spacing between
buildings on a block for light, view and
privacy.

Sky view can be measured by creating

Sketch 2 Oblique view illustrates shadow patterns on
vertical and horizontal surfaces. Suitable technique
where building facades and roof surfaces are of box.
interest.
For more information on sun and shadow refer to
Sun, Wind and Pedestrian Comfort
by P. Bosselmann/E. Arens and K.Dunker/R.Wright,
City of Toronto, 1990
For sun and shadow analysis refer to
Building Toronto Together, A Development Guide
City of Toronto, January 2004
an imaginary box floating above the site
between the height of the base and the
maximum building height. The sky view will
be the percentage of the space left after the
building mass has been subtracted from this
Computer programs have made the
evaluation of the shadow impacts of
development on adjacent spaces easy to
calculate. The Building Toronto Together
Development Guide sets standards for
applications and should be followed.

Engineering input by RWDI

Applicants will, through use of site sections and perspective views, demonstrate that the
proposed tall building maximizes the sky views and minimizes its shadow impacts on
public streets, parks or adjacent open spaces and buildings. Sun shadow analysis should
be provided as per the Building Toronto Together Development Guide.

Page 45 Design Criteria for

Review of Tall Building Proposals
Pedestrian Level Wind Effects
Policy
New development will be massed to fit harmoniously into its existing and/or planned context,
and will limit its impacts on neighbouring streets, parks, open spaces and properties by:
d) adequately limiting any resulting shadowing of, and uncomfortable wind conditions on,
neighbouring streets, properties and open spaces, having regard for the varied nature of such
areas; and
e) minimizing any additional shadowing and uncomfortable wind conditions on neighbouring
parks as necessary to preserve their utility. Official Plan 3.1.2(3d,e)

The position, mass and height of buildings

that surround a study site are key factors
that affect local wind patterns and
pedestrian and cyclist wind comfort.

Down drafts off buildings or accelerated

winds through tunnelling of wind between
buildings are well known to be a hazard.
These conditions can be mitigated through
good design and sensitive siting of a new
building, through appropriate scale of the
base building and the step back of the Wind sensors and modelled landscaping.
middle (shaft) portion.

The use of architectural devices such as

screens, terraces, overhangs and awnings
can also be adopted to minimize the effects
of high speed wind around the base building
and to further enhance pedestrian and
cyclist comfort at the street level.

Predicting the influence of a building’s mass

on local wind flow patterns and determining
pedestrian and cyclist comfort conditions
is a complex task best established through
the wind tunnel testing of a scale model.
At a preliminary design stage, however, the
basic aerodynamic issues, illustrated in the
following diagrams, as well as the guidelines
of this book, can help to provide design Pedestrian wind comfort study model on wind tunnel turntable.
direction to limit uncomfortable wind
conditions. For more information on pedestrian level wind effects refer to
Sun, Wind and Pedestrian Comfort
by P. Bosselmann/E. Arens and K.Dunker/R.Wright,
City of Toronto, 1990

Engineering input by RWDI

PEDESTRIAN REALM Page 46

 Design
Criteria 4.4
Problems Preferred

• When wind meets a • Colonnaded base buildings

building, wind that flows can be used on windward
down the face, causes facades to control
accelerated wind speeds downward wind flows.
near the windward corners. • Colonnades provide
• Tall and wide facades that pedestrians a choice of calm
face the prevailing winds are or windy areas (breezes are
often undesirable. welcome on hot days).

• Buildings create a low wind • Base building roof areas

pressure area immediately that are inaccessible to
downwind. pedestrians can be used to
• A low building upwind of a mitigate against downward
tall building increases the wind flows and improve
downward flow of wind, conditions at grade.
causing accelerated winds • Landscaped base building roof
near the windward corners areas can further reduce
of the tall building. wind speeds at grade.

• Wind is funneled between • The use of horizontal

two buildings causing canopies on the windward
accelerated winds between face of base buildings is
them (wind canyon effect). beneficial.
• The height, spacing and • Parapet walls can increase
orientation of the buildings the canopy’s effectiveness.
affects intensity of wind • Sloped canopies only
acceleration. partially deflect downward
wind conditions.

• Base buildings that stepback

can be used to reduce
undesirable downward wind
flows.
• The proportion of base
building stepbacks and their
influence on the wind is
affected by the height of the
surroundings.

Applicants will provide a pedestrian wind tunnel model analysis to demonstrate how
pedestrian and cyclist comfort levels has been achieved in open spaces around the site
that are appropriate for intended or future uses.

Page 47 Design Criteria for

Review of Tall Building Proposals
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN 5.0
Sustainable Design
Today, there are many reasons for building tall: cultural, demographic, environmental and
economic. Two vital factors are global population growth and the increasing rate of urbanization.
Globally, cities are being challenged to accommodate more people at greater densities and to
relax pressure on finite resources, including arable land. The result is intensification of our cities,
both in plan and in height.

An increased public awareness of environ-

mental issues, such as energy consumption
and atmospheric pollution, advancements in
construction technology and a raised aware-
ness of design in general have paved the way
for sustainability to be recognized as an im-
portant element in the future planning of all
developments, and especially those featuring
tall buildings.

Sustainable Design encourages denser

buildings, some of which can be tall buildings
by ensuring measurable efforts are made
to mitigate their impact on the city’s
environment and infrastructure. Sustainable design features:
building orientation, green
roof, slim floor plate, high
The City of Toronto encourages performance envelope, day
lighting, sunshades.
developments to make significant sustainable
design contributions. There are also
voluntary, private sector “green building”
programs. For example, since 1998, the
LEED® 1 (The Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design), Green Building Rating System has
been used for evaluating environmental
performance from a whole-building
perspective.

____________________
1. For the LEED® Green Buidling Rating System please see Leed® Reference Guide For New Construction and Major
Renovations LEED® Canada - NC Version 1.0 by the Canada Green Building Council www.cagbc.org
Copyright - 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, published in Canada.

Page 50
 Design
Criteria 5.0
The overall, on-going energy consumption
and natural resource requirements of a
building will be most dramatically impacted
by the design decisions made at the
project’s initial or site planning stage.
Key factors that are typically considered
in the sustainable design of tall buildings
include:
• building orientation
• new open space creation
• sustainable landscape design
• urban heat island mitigation
• storm water management
• alternative transportation
• renewable energy
• green roofs
• high performance envelope
• natural ventilation
• daylight harvesting and views
Design Optimization: Stormwater Management • illumination pollution reduction
• waste management
• water use reduction + waste water
technology

Sustainable features: high performance glazing, sunshades,

daylighting, natural ventilation with operable windows.

Green roofs can radically reduce energy consumption and improve

the use of rain water.

Page 51 Design Criteria for

Review of Tall Building Proposals
 Design Criteria for
Review of Tall Building Proposals

HOK Architects Corporations

720 King Street West, Suite 505
Toronto, Ontario M5V 2T3
Tel 1 416 203 9993
Fax 1 416 203 9992

www.hok.com

HOK ARCHITECTS CORPORATION