A new alternative in residential accommodation, Camden Lofts fills a former parking lot in Toronto’s “Fashion District.” The project provides 59 live/work units in an eight-storey, mid-rise building, realizing the promise of the City of Toronto’s Reinvestment Area initiative in the King/Spadina area.

Although the building is all new construction, it has many of the attributes of loft-type buildings originally constructed in the area for the garment industry, including high ceilings (10 feet), open plans (partitions at seven-foot height, open above, large sliding doors between rooms), and large, operable windows. Exposed concrete floors, walls, and ceilings provide flexibility and durability within the units, which are accented by industrial details (lighting, trim, fixtures, etc.).

The street facade is clad in brick complementing adjacent structures along the street. The top is articulated by set back floors, which provide exterior terraces for two-storey penthouse units. The circulation corridor is asymmetrically positioned on typical floors, with more (deeper) units facing the street, and fewer (shallower) units facing the mid-block courtyard.

Camden Lofts is an important prototype for mid-scale infill, that strengthens and reinforces the urban fabric and demonstrates the effect of enlightened planning and zoning policies in the King/Spadina area. The project is an alternative model for apartments for the live/work market.

David Oleson