Building Bridges
+ Exhibited in the City of Cambridge
Location Cambridge, ON, Canada
Program Mixed-use
Course 3A Design Studio (Winter 2022)
Supervisor David Fortin
Collaborator Audrey Chen
Located five minutes walking distance from the upcoming Preston LRT station is Building Bridges, a proposal for a mixed-use block that seeks to integrate retail, services, a community centre, multipurpose spaces and social housing for both older adults (focus of the proposal) and families. Meticulously responding to its surrounding context, the project aims to bridge three specific elements of equitable and inclusive social life: community, intergenerational and urban.
Building Bridges was envisioned as part of a Preston masterplan developed earlier on in the semester. The hatched buildings showcase building additions within the 500m MTSA radius. The urban strategy was incredibly important in the project. The set of buildings play a huge role in revitalizing the downtown core and adding a node of activity and entertainment.
It was pivotal for Building Bridges to seamlessly tie into Preston’s urban fabric. Argyle St. was proposed to transform into a pedestrian street, connecting the building to Preston’s Central Park. In addition, brick from the existing site is reused in the new façade, creating a gradient effect.
