In The News

The most recent issue of Landscape Architecture ran a 10-page feature on the architectural and public space merits of one of Toronto's newest pieces of public infrastructure: the wavedecks. The wave-shaped paths constructed of wooden planks are the work of architectural firms West 8 of Rotterdam and du Toit Allsopp Hillier (DTAH) of Toronto.  The firms' design for the four wavedecks located along the edge of lake Ontario (at Spadina, Reese, Simcoe and Parliament) won the Toronto Central Waterfront Innovative Design Competition in 2007.

"When the landscape architecture firms from West 8 of Rotterdam and du Toit Allsopp Hillier (DTAH) of Toronto, as part of their winning competition entry for Toronto's central waterfront in 2007, rendered a series of crazily undulating wooden decks spanning harbour boat slips, it honestly seemed a bit unlikely they would ever get built. How would people walk on those plank roller coaster? Wouldn't the liability exposure be extraordinary? How do you make wood do that? Today, three so-called wavedecks are in place and open to the public. As fantastical as the wavedecks are, they provide public space that is both engaging and relaxing--not an easy combination to pull off�the story of the wavedecks--how they deal with accessibly and safety, how they create both public space and natural space is the story of how crazy ideas get built."

find a preview of the story here
original source Landscape Architecture