3131 Highway 7 Vaughan, Ontario master plan design, WZMH Architects Canadian architecture
3131 Highway 7 Vaughan, Ontario
November 20, 2024
Design: WZMH Architects
Location: 3131 Highway 7, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada
The Future of Urban Density: An Ambitious Redevelopment Shaping the Greater Toronto Area
image courtesy of WZMH Architects
3131 Highway 7 Vaughan, ON, Canada
This is a landmark mixed-use development in the heart of the City of Vaughan, ON, set to transform the city into a dynamic urban hub and establish a new standard for a sustainable, high-density living.
Located at 3131 Highway 7, Vaughan, ON, this 27-acre master plan is a cornerstone of Vaughan’s long-term urban strategy, aligning with the city’s efforts to create a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly, and transit-connected community.
With architectural design by WZMH Architects, the 3131 Highway 7 master plan creates new housing options to meet growing demand, raises living standards thanks to thoughtfully considered architectural details and promotes community well-being by integrating extensive public green spaces and parks:
• The redevelopment brings 10,000 new residential units of various types and sizes to Vaughan, making a significant contribution to easing the housing demand. Additional population growth in the VMC will support new and existing businesses and activate the public realm with new users.
• Transit-oriented and walkable, the project aims to reduce car dependency, and is situated near the VMC subway station, so residents and guests can benefit from unmatched transit connectivity.
• In addition to housing, the redevelopment introduces a mixture of commercial and retail spaces — offices, a hotel, daycare, retail, a 3,554 square metre grocery store, among others — and will create long-term economic benefits for Vaughan. The project is expected to generate construction jobs, support permanent employment in the commercial sectors, and is poised to become a hub for business, contributing to the city’s expanding commercial landscape.
• The redevelopment is designed with sustainability at its core. Green roofs, new parks, public gardens, green spaces, pedestrian walkways, community gathering areas are central to the design. These open spaces are designed to encourage outdoor activities and social interaction, contributing to a healthier and more connected community.
• The centrepiece of the development are two signature 69 and 74-storey towers, which will be the tallest buildings in Vaughan, and will signify a “centre” for the VMC and symbolize the city’s ambitious growth trajectory.
The concept of apple baskets, inspired by Vaughan’s agricultural heritage, has been seamlessly integrated into the landscape design. Echoing the orchard patterns seen in the historical aerial imagery, the design envisions green spaces that pay homage to the area’s farming roots, bringing a sense of tradition into the modern urban context.
3131 Highway 7 Vaughan, Ontario Buildings
Additional Project Details
• All buildings have been designed to maximize active uses at grade. Some of the areas within the development blocks will have a more residential character, with at-grade units, amenity space, and lobbies providing activity and overlook onto public streets and spaces within the blocks. Other areas, particularly along key street frontages and the Millway Linear Park will provide non-residential spaces that are envisioned to contain a variety of uses to support a bustling and vibrant public realm in the heart of the VMC. To ensure a vibrant public realm throughout the year, built form impacts including shadowing and wind impacts were evaluated to ensure a comfortable outdoor environment and to encourage all-season use of outdoor spaces.
• The proposed development will provide a direct underground connection from Block A. Block A contains over 7,000 square metres of office space as well as a proposed hotel, and the underground connection will allow easier connections for workers and guests, in addition to the residents of the Block. For pedestrians to move through the site towards the transit hub in an efficient and comfortable manner, the public realm, including public streets, parks, and midblock connections, has been designed to introduce greater porosity to the site and particularly to connect northward to the transit hub.
• The proposed development has been focused around two substantial parks: the Millway Linear Park and the Central Park. Taken together, the new park blocks represent 15% of the gross site area. Both parks will be designed to be larger community focal points for the broader neighbourhood to gather for both leisure and programmed activities. In addition to the public parkland, landscaped open space areas within each development block will provide more intimate open space areas.
• The Master Plan has been thoughtfully designed to achieve a variety of architectural and city building objectives. In particular, the new buildings will contribute to the emerging skyline of the VMC, while also contributing to an active and pedestrian-oriented public realm. From an urban structure perspective, the proposed development will contribute landmark buildings to the VMC skyline. The design provides a range of heights, tower orientations, and architectural expressions to create variation, while also providing a cohesive architectural vision for the subject site.
• The subject site prioritizes pedestrian mobility and permeability. The DPOS will create four new development blocks structured upon a network of public streets as envisioned in the VMC Secondary Plan. The new streets (Celebration Avenue, Doughton Road, Toromont Trail, and the extension of Millway Avenue) will be designed as complete streets with landscaping, street trees, and sidewalks on both sides of all streets. The public realm of the existing streets will be improved through an attractive landscape design. To support pedestrian safety and comfort, curb cuts have been consolidated where possible.
3131 Highway 7 Vaughan, Ontario master plan, Canada images / information received 201124
Location: 3131 Highway 7, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, North America
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Comments / photos for the 3131 Highway 7 Vaughan, Ontario master plan, Canada design by WZMH Architects page welcome.