Graziani + Corazza Architects innovative vision in partnerships with Canderel challenged Toronto's downtown core by building Canada's tallest residential structure. This mixed use development is located on 1.6 acres of land adjacent to a 3 acre park at the northwest corner of Yonge and Gerrard Street. The tower expresses a unique sculpted form, beginning with its rectilinear lower level massing and topping off with its distinctive crown at the top of the tower being created by reversing the curved tower profile from plan to elevation, a form that is both visible and identifiable from varying vantage points throughout the city.
The stand out feature of the Aura would be its lighting designs intent which was to accentuate and celebrate, extending the visibility of the development beyond the daylight hours. The lighting was designed to create a strong visual identity, encourage pedestrians and residents to utilize the lighting as a marker in the sky, and create an official landmark in the downtown core of Toronto. The unique lighting design has quickly become an exciting point of discussion and focus for both residents and visitors of the city.
The parameters of the lighting concept incorporated a customized window mullion design permitting the LED lights to be embedded, directing the lighting outwards. This control of the light source ensures the light would not impact the residences, as it produces an outward, directional, controlled effect. Due to the complex nature of the installation, it took 9 months to install the LED strips into the curtain wall. The illumination the projects from Aura compliments the architectural form, and provide a sustainable solution for environmental and economic performance. Our implementation of LED lighting allow for reduced operational and maintenance costs, lowering the overall carbon footprint of the development.
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