Add To Collection
Add to Collection
Park Lawn Lantern
Park Lawn Lantern
Toronto, Canada
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
Park Lawn Lantern
Toronto, Canada
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2023
SIZE
1000 sqft - 3000 sqft
BUDGET
$100K - 500K
The western edge of the City of Toronto is undergoing a significant transformation. Humber Bay Shores, once defined by industrial sprawl, a busy highway corridor, and a seedy motel strip, is now in the midst of evolving into a complete residential community.
Located immediately adjacent to a major highway, this project seeks to transform a nondescript, single-storey, dimly lit printing plant into a vibrant, daylit office environment. The client’s ambition was to renovate the building in a manner that acknowledges its industrial past while introducing a contemporary workplace where local small businesses can coexist and potentially collaborate under one roof. A key design criterion was the integration of sustainable and accessible design strategies to enhance overall accessibility and occupant well-being.
The building previously housed a local printing company specializing in screen, digital, and large-format production. Its footprint followed a typical industrial arrangement, with corporate offices facing the street and a large, cavernous production space at the rear, serviced by loading doors at both the front and back of the building. The new program called for the creation of a hub for local businesses, organized as a series of small office suites internally connected by a new central circulation corridor. Existing entrances were retained for individual tenants, while two new entry points were introduced to connect to the corridor. The client directed that demolition be kept to a minimum and that no expansion of the building footprint occur. As a result, the new entries utilize existing openings, employ a design language respectful of the building’s heritage, and improve accessibility without disrupting established site circulation patterns.
The design team proposed dividing the floor plate into three blocks, each comprising individual suites of varying sizes, stitched together by a long, T-shaped corridor capped at either end by new vestibules. Measuring approximately 220 square metres, the new corridor and entry sequence transform what was once a dark and disorienting interior zone into a welcoming pedestrian spine. An existing double-door loading dock was reconfigured as the new primary entrance, while a former rear overhead door was adapted as a secondary entry. Each vestibule is defined by a slatted steel canopy inspired by the building’s existing steel structure. The orientation of the slats provides summer shading while allowing winter sunlight to penetrate the entry spaces.
The original building was characterized by stained brickwork, deteriorated steel-frame windows, and rusted metal elements. The brick was cleaned and repointed, metal trim panels were replaced with Corten steel, and the drafty windows were upgraded to new operable, energy-efficient units, offering occupants greater control over their indoor environments. Along the sides and rear, layers of patchwork cladding and boarded-up openings were removed to reveal the original fenestration, which was similarly retrofitted. Reopening these apertures floods the formerly dark interior perimeter with natural light on all sides.
Central to the project is the new circulation corridor. While perimeter windows provide daylight to adjacent spaces, the depth of the building left much of the interior disconnected from natural light. The client emphasized a democratic approach to daylight access, requiring that all occupants be within close proximity to a natural light source. Rather than introducing scattered skylights, the design team proposed a raised glazed “lantern” spanning nearly the full length of the corridor, with glazing on two sides. This intervention transforms what would have been a long, artificially lit passage into a warm, luminous interior street. Its height and volume establish a continuous visual connection to the sky, delivering daylight deep into the plan and supporting work and gathering spaces throughout the building.
Transforming the former printing facility into a welcoming home for local businesses required prioritizing design strategies that directly benefit occupants. The owner requested that the building be fully accessible and that biophilic design principles be incorporated wherever possible. In a car-dependent neighbourhood with limited transit options, the site was reorganized to improve barrier-free parking and provide generous bicycle facilities. Inside, washrooms were designed as gender-neutral and consolidated along the central corridor to ensure equal access for all users.
Biophilic strategies include maximizing access to natural light throughout the day, providing operable windows for natural ventilation and individual environmental control, and introducing vegetation within common areas to improve indoor air quality and reduce occupant stress.
Through a series of thoughtful and restrained interventions, the design team sought to breathe new life into a previously unremarkable building. Park Lawn Lantern demonstrates how modest, small-scale adaptations to existing building stock can have a meaningful impact within an evolving urban context.
Located immediately adjacent to a major highway, this project seeks to transform a nondescript, single-storey, dimly lit printing plant into a vibrant, daylit office environment. The client’s ambition was to renovate the building in a manner that acknowledges its industrial past while introducing a contemporary workplace where local small businesses can coexist and potentially collaborate under one roof. A key design criterion was the integration of sustainable and accessible design strategies to enhance overall accessibility and occupant well-being.
The building previously housed a local printing company specializing in screen, digital, and large-format production. Its footprint followed a typical industrial arrangement, with corporate offices facing the street and a large, cavernous production space at the rear, serviced by loading doors at both the front and back of the building. The new program called for the creation of a hub for local businesses, organized as a series of small office suites internally connected by a new central circulation corridor. Existing entrances were retained for individual tenants, while two new entry points were introduced to connect to the corridor. The client directed that demolition be kept to a minimum and that no expansion of the building footprint occur. As a result, the new entries utilize existing openings, employ a design language respectful of the building’s heritage, and improve accessibility without disrupting established site circulation patterns.
The design team proposed dividing the floor plate into three blocks, each comprising individual suites of varying sizes, stitched together by a long, T-shaped corridor capped at either end by new vestibules. Measuring approximately 220 square metres, the new corridor and entry sequence transform what was once a dark and disorienting interior zone into a welcoming pedestrian spine. An existing double-door loading dock was reconfigured as the new primary entrance, while a former rear overhead door was adapted as a secondary entry. Each vestibule is defined by a slatted steel canopy inspired by the building’s existing steel structure. The orientation of the slats provides summer shading while allowing winter sunlight to penetrate the entry spaces.
The original building was characterized by stained brickwork, deteriorated steel-frame windows, and rusted metal elements. The brick was cleaned and repointed, metal trim panels were replaced with Corten steel, and the drafty windows were upgraded to new operable, energy-efficient units, offering occupants greater control over their indoor environments. Along the sides and rear, layers of patchwork cladding and boarded-up openings were removed to reveal the original fenestration, which was similarly retrofitted. Reopening these apertures floods the formerly dark interior perimeter with natural light on all sides.
Central to the project is the new circulation corridor. While perimeter windows provide daylight to adjacent spaces, the depth of the building left much of the interior disconnected from natural light. The client emphasized a democratic approach to daylight access, requiring that all occupants be within close proximity to a natural light source. Rather than introducing scattered skylights, the design team proposed a raised glazed “lantern” spanning nearly the full length of the corridor, with glazing on two sides. This intervention transforms what would have been a long, artificially lit passage into a warm, luminous interior street. Its height and volume establish a continuous visual connection to the sky, delivering daylight deep into the plan and supporting work and gathering spaces throughout the building.
Transforming the former printing facility into a welcoming home for local businesses required prioritizing design strategies that directly benefit occupants. The owner requested that the building be fully accessible and that biophilic design principles be incorporated wherever possible. In a car-dependent neighbourhood with limited transit options, the site was reorganized to improve barrier-free parking and provide generous bicycle facilities. Inside, washrooms were designed as gender-neutral and consolidated along the central corridor to ensure equal access for all users.
Biophilic strategies include maximizing access to natural light throughout the day, providing operable windows for natural ventilation and individual environmental control, and introducing vegetation within common areas to improve indoor air quality and reduce occupant stress.
Through a series of thoughtful and restrained interventions, the design team sought to breathe new life into a previously unremarkable building. Park Lawn Lantern demonstrates how modest, small-scale adaptations to existing building stock can have a meaningful impact within an evolving urban context.
Product Spec Sheet
Were your products used?
Join as a manufacturer to add your products.