tall-buildings

SITE CONTEXT | TALL BUILDING DESIGN GUIDELINES
CITY OF TORONTO
MAY 2013
14
1.1 CONTEXT ANALYSIS
Evaluate the existing and planned context and demonstrate how
the proposed tall building responds to the patterns, opportunities,
and challenges within the surrounding area.
a. As part of the Planning Rationale, include a “Walkable”
context analysis, showing the tall building proposal, and
illustrating through text and graphics at an appropriate
scale:
• 250m and 500m "walkability" radii from the site;
• planning area boundaries (e.g. secondary plans);
• land uses and designations;
• major streets and blocks (patterns, size, location);
• pedestrian/cycling routes and connections;
• transit routes, stations, and stops (including distance to
rapid transit nodes);
• open space networks (parks, open space, natural
features);
• existing or potential heritage properties and Heritage
Conservation Districts;
• area amenities and destinations (community centres,
trails, libraries, schools, retail areas, etc.);
• topographical information (where significant).
b. As part of the Planning Rationale, include a “Block” context
analysis, showing the tall building proposal and illustrating
through text and graphics at an appropriate scale:
• size of blocks and arrangement of parcels or lots;
• location, size, and organization of public streets,
laneways, sidewalks, transit stops, and other pedestrian
or cycling routes and connections;
• location and size of parks and open space;
• adjacent and on-site heritage properties;
• important or identified views from the public realm;
• existing and planned building footprints;
• ground floor uses, setback patterns, and general location
of building entrances, street trees and site circulation/
servicing on adjacent sites and blocks;
• existing and planned building heights, including the
height of context buildings, other tall building towers
and base buildings, to demonstrate how the proposed
tall building relates to surrounding buildings, particularly
within the same block and across streets and open
space (see also 1.3 Fit and Transition in Scale and 3.2.3
Separation Distances).
RATIONALE
Context refers to the setting of a development, including both
the existing physical surroundings and the planned vision
for the future of an area. The intent of the context analysis
is to identify patterns, opportunities, and challenges, and
demonstrate how the proposed tall building will fit with and
respond appropriately to the surrounding area.
The context analysis should inform many key design decisions,
including the placement, height and character of base buildings,
the location, shape, general height, and spacing of towers,
as well as the relationship in scale between tall building
components and to neighbours.
The context analysis may also be used to determine what
amenities and community facilities are present and which ones
may need to be provided around or within the tall building
site to achieve a high-quality living and working environment.
Important considerations may include public open space,
community centres, schools, grocers and markets, other active
commercial uses, community energy systems, transit, cycling
and pedestrian connections, generous sidewalks, and street
trees.
A 500 metre radius is a generally accepted measure for
“walkability” and is roughly equivalent to a 10 minute walk.
The intent of the context analysis at a "walkable" scale is to
demonstrate how the proposed tall building development
reinforces existing or planned built form patterns, responds
appropriately to changes in land use and scale, and makes
connections to important area amenities, such as transit, public
open space, and living and working destinations.
The block scale analysis allows for a closer examination
of the immediate context, including buildings on the same
block and across the street on adjacent blocks. This analysis
should evaluate setback patterns, building heights, proximity
to open space, ground floor uses, relationship to other tall