Church & Gerrard – Student Apartments

This twelve storey apartment building was conceived to address the housing shortage for Ryerson University students. The prime location at Church and Gerrard presented an opportunity to upgrade this area of blight (old decaying building and surface parking lot) to the benefit of the neighbourhood while providing an affordable and much needed housing option for the student population.

The design pays homage to the heritage designated building at the north-west corner of Church and Gerrard Streets by wrapping around it, and by taking cues for materiality from the historic yellow brick of the existing structure. There is also a datum reference from the three-story building to complete what has been to date a noticeable “gap” in the streetscapes along both streets. This reference line is delineated and made conspicuous by the change in material to red brick. Horizontal bands of glass as well as recesses in the building facades serve to break down the massing. The result is a building that is sensitive to its context and sits harmoniously next to its historic neighbours.