After Parliament Hill, Union Station is the most important heritage structure in Canada and one of the finest examples of Beaux-Arts architecture in the country. The revitalization of Union Station is a story of historic collaboration and cooperation to achieve one of the most complex, multi-phase civic infrastructure retrofit projects the city has ever seen. Our team helped articulate an integrated cultural, commercial, and architectural argument for how to leverage Union’s identity as a major transit hub and transform it into “a fluid stage for Toronto’s most ambitious culinary, cultural, design, and retail offerings.” PARTISANS was required to troubleshoot how a heritage building, with all its unique assets and challenges, could be redesigned to accommodate diverse and complex retail and programmatic elements.
The Union Food Court opened in December 2018, creating a new contemporary landmark within the historic station. The 25,000 square foot lower level concourse offers over 600 seats and 10 new food retailers to the thousands of people streaming through Union Station daily. PARTISANS designed everything from the retail layout to the public furniture. The space is notably marked by a floating canopy of 210 cloud-like PODS: a new unprecedented ceiling product that combines HVAC, lighting, and sprinklers to regain ceiling height, optimize maintenance, and create a memorable aesthetic experience that turns infrastructure into art. PARTISANS’ furniture design draws inspiration from the functional geometries and industrial materials used to build railroads. The choice of aluminum for the high tables and waste bins honours a robust tradition of industrial design, while introducing an elegant twist. Inspired by movement, the furniture features sinuous curves and fluid, ribbon-like shapes.
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