In April 2020, a penthouse at KING Toronto sold for $16 million, the highest condo sale in Toronto that year or the year after. In recent weeks, developers Westbank and Allied released KING Toronto’s final set of penthouses.
On Toronto’s King Street West, KING Toronto, a mixed-use development now under construction, stacks terraced units into four “mountain peaks” that overlook a central courtyard. Each unit faces out at a 45-degree angle, creating an undulating appearance that contrasts with typical flat building facades. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and inspired by Moshe Safdie’s Habitat ’67 and Pierre Chareau’s Maison de Verre, KING Toronto offers downtown Toronto a distinctly different architectural style.
KING Toronto’s six penthouses sit atop its four peaks. The name of each penthouse reflects the custom designs by BIG. Treehouse features an indoor mature planted tree, for instance, while Bibliothèque has a two-floor library. The final two penthouses are the Glass House and the Sanctuary.
The Glass House is a 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath unit with 2,919 interior square feet and 640 exterior square feet. A gray marble fireplace forms the centerpiece of the main double-height living room. Dark steel elements include a staircase and floor-to-ceiling wine storage. The Glass House also includes a library, in addition to a series of terraces and balconies.
The Sanctuary is a 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath unit with 2,026 interior square feet and 516 exterior square feet. It keeps with the modern industrial theme of its neighbor, the Glass House. Likewise light-filled and open, the Sanctuary also has multiple glass-block walls and features a floating fireplace in blackened steel and a staircase of deep black oak.
When complete, KING Toronto will include 440 residential homes and 150,000 square feet of workspace and retail.
Building Team:
Architect of record: Diamond Schmitt
Mechanical engineer: Reinbold Engineering Group
Electrical engineer: Nemetz (S/A) & Associates Ltd.
Structural engineer: RJC Engineers
General contractor/construction manager: EllisDon
Related Stories
Coronavirus | May 20, 2022
Center for Green Schools says U.S. schools need more support to fight COVID-19
The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council released a new report detailing how school districts around the country have managed air quality within their buildings during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Regulations | May 20, 2022
Biden’s Clean Air in Buildings Challenge aims to reduce COVID-19 spread
The Biden Administration recently launched the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge that calls on all building owners and operators, schools, colleges and universities, and organizations to adopt strategies to improve indoor air quality in their buildings and reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Building Team | May 20, 2022
Caltech breaks ground on a new center to study climate and sustainability
The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) recently broke ground on its Resnick Sustainability Resource Center.
Laboratories | May 20, 2022
Brutalist former Berkeley Art Museum transformed into modern life science lab
After extensive renovation and an addition, the former Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive at the University of California, Berkeley campus reopened in May 2022 as a modern life science lab building.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | May 19, 2022
Northern Arizona University opens a new training center for its student athletes
In Flagstaff, Ariz. Northern Arizona University (NAU) has opened its new Student-Athlete High Performance Center.
Energy-Efficient Design | May 19, 2022
Shipping containers used to build Research Triangle Park’s first community gathering space
Shipping containers were the prominent building material used to construct Boxyard RTP, the first public community and gathering place in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park (RTP).
Mixed-Use | May 19, 2022
Seattle-area project will turn mall into residential neighborhood
A recently unveiled plan will transform a 463,000 sf mall into a mixed-use destination site in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue, Wash.
Codes and Standards | May 19, 2022
JLL launches non-profit aiming to mitigate climate change
Real estate and investment management firm JLL recently launched JLL Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to making a long-term impact on environmental sustainability.
Office Buildings | May 19, 2022
JLL releases its 2022 Office Fit Out Guide
JLL’s 2022 Office Fit Out Guide report provides benchmark costs to build out a range of office types across major markets in the United States and Canada.
Biophilic Design | May 18, 2022
Horticulturalists conduct research study to understand the value of biophilic design
Benholm Group, horticulturalists that have pioneered the use of plants for interiors over the past 27 years, are collaborating on a research study to understand the value of biophilic design, according to a news release.
