DesignAgency's multi-level amenities plan for 1 Yorkville
Four floors of fun and fancy
Rendering of the 4th floor lounge at 1 Yorkville. Allen Chan, a partner in Toronto’s DesignAgency, was brought on to plan the amenities for 1 Yorkville, a $450-million, 58-storey condominium project at Yorkville and Yonge Street in downtown Toronto. He says he wanted a scheme that would fit smoothly into the culture of the Yonge-Bloor neighbourhood, which contains some of the highest-end retail shops in Canada. They wanted, not swank, but chic.
Rendering, 4th floor stiars. 'We started out with two floors of amenities, then we expanded to three,’ says Mr. Chan, ‘which adds up to quite a monstrous amount of amenity space.'
The most out-of-the-ordinary place in the building will be the 14,000-square-foot expanse, close to the ground, devoted to the spa and open-air pool and hot tub. “It is really the only hot and cold plunge pool area in the city that is unisex,” Mr. Chan says. “You have Body Blitz for women, but there’s really nothing out there for men. So we decided to develop this wellness centre focused on water treatment. It has water massage tables, as well as a sauna, steam room and an indoor-outdoor relaxation space. … That floor is really about relaxing and wellness and water.”
The plunge pool. On the 5,000-square-foot 'physical activity level,' will be a spacious, fully equipped gym and a studio set aside for the high-intensity workout regime known as CrossFit.
On the tower’s roof, is a 7,800-square-foot facility that Mr. Chan is particularly proud of. 'What’s unique about this rooftop,' he said, 'is the number of small niches that allow for intimate conversations as well as larger gatherings. It’s a diversely programmed area. We’re trying to create a connection to the city. You open the sliding doors of the party room and you get a city view, a city breeze – one of the best views in the city.'
The most novel item in the rooftop ensemble is the outdoor screening facility, which has its own bank of tiered seating. Residents will be able to book the screen, which will give them a key to the inputs.