Ookwemin Minising

Located on Toronto’s newly naturalised waterfront, Ookwemin Minising (formerly Villiers Island) is a mixed-use masterplan that transforms an industrial precinct into a vibrant new community.

The design breaks from conventional grid-and-podium typologies in favour of an 'Open Block' structure, with small-scale, mid-rise, tall mid-rise and tall buildings carefully located. Density is concentrated in the centre of the site, each block must contain a variety of typologies, and there should be gaps in between the buildings. These three simple rules ensure a sunlit, human-scaled streetscape. Architecture frames public life and contributes to a pedestrian-first public realm with a clear hierarchy of frontages; porous where it meets Biidaasige Naturefront, pedestrianised and on a human scale around the Centre Commons, and tall and formal fronting Keating Channel.

This is a composed and collaborative project informed by meaningful Indigenous engagement. This new piece of Toronto will deliver thousands of homes and a unique public realm, setting a global benchmark for inclusive and resilient waterfront living.