From 25 June to 1 July, Quadrangle participated as a sponsor and exhibitor in the third edition of Toronto of the Future, a unique architectural and real estate showcase. This free exhibition at the Metro Hall rotunda featured innovative ideas for industrial, commercial and residential developments as well as state-of-the-art urban infrastructure and transportation projects set to shape Toronto in the near future.

Our exhibition showcased how Quadrangle is future-proofing Toronto and explored how themes of sustainability, collaboration and universal design are driving the city’s growth.

The future of work lies in collaboration.

A recent study from Intuit Quickbooks stated that 45% of Canadians will be self-employed in the next two years. We addressed the evolving nature of work by designing a co-working space to help this growing group of entrepreneurs launch their creative businesses. With Artscape Daniels Launchpad, self-employed creatives have affordable access to a shared workspace with over 90 rooms designed for makers of all disciplines including woodworkers, photographers, content creators, and designers.

The future of sustainable city building is wood construction.

Data from Toronto Public Health says air pollution in Toronto leads to 1,300 premature deaths and 3,550 hospitalizations annually. With 45% of Toronto’s greenhouse gas emissions coming from buildings, it’s imperative that we as architects and designers do our part to create sustainable buildings. Quadrangle is currently working on 80 Atlantic Avenue, the first new five-storey heavy timber building Toronto has seen in a century. By embracing mass timber, 80 Atlantic contains half the amount of embodied carbon than it would if it had been built with concrete.

The future of design is universal design.

Spaces need to be functional, regardless of the abilities of the end-user. Data from the Ontario Government says that by 2036 people with disabilities and the aging population will represent 40% of Ontario’s total income. It’s time to embrace best practices in accessible design in all new development projects. Quadrangle, with Human Space acting as the accessibility consultant, designed a suite that proves great accessible design is simply great design.