tall-buildings

GLOSSARY | TALL BUILDING DESIGN GUIDELINES
Separation Distance: the horizontal distance between
buildings or building components, such as tall building towers,
measured from the exterior wall of the building or building
component, but excluding balconies.
Setback: a horizontal distance measured at a right angle from
any lot line to the nearest part of the main wall of a building or
structure.
Sidewalk Zone: the space between the roadway curb and
property line. The sidewalk zone may be expanded when a
building is setback from the property line.
Tall Building Form: generally a three-part building
composition, consisting of a Base Building, Middle (Tower) and
Top.
Top: the uppermost portion of a tall building, designed to
contribute to the skyline character and integrate any roof-top
mechanical or telecommunications equipment, signage, and
amenity space.
Tower Floor Plate: the total built area within a tall building
tower above the base building, measured from the exterior of
the main walls at each floor, but excluding balconies.
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Sky View: the measurable amount of sky seen from a street,
park, or other open space above and in between building
masses.
Soft Landscaping: vegetation such as grass, trees, shrubs,
flowers or other plants growing in an open unobstructed area
that permits water infiltration into the ground.
Stepback: the setting back of the upper storeys of a base
building or of a tower from the face of a base building.
Streetscape: the distinguishing elements and character of a
particular street as created by its width, degree of curvature,
paving materials, design and placement of street furniture,
trees, landscaping, lighting and other pedestrian amenities, as
well as the setback and form of surrounding buildings.
Streetwall: the condition of enclosure along a street whereby
the fronts of buildings align and the façades visually and
physically join together to create a continuous defining edge for
the street.
Street Proportion: the ratio of the height of buildings along
the edges of a street and the width of the space between the
building faces on each side of the street (includes setbacks).
Tall Building: (also referred to as a High-rise Building) a
building that is generally taller than the width of the adjacent
street right-of-way, or the wider of two streets if located at an
intersection.
Universal Access: refers to built environments, buildings,
facilities, accommodation, services and products that are
inherently accessible to all people regardless of their abilities.
Incorporating universal access and accessible facilities into
the design and site layout of new development contributes to
making Toronto's built environment "barrier free," enabling
people of all abilities to move about freely and safely, participate
fully in society and experience a better quality of life.
Urban Garden: a landscaped space, usually of intimate
scale, open to a public street, located and oriented to provide
maximum sunlight during midday.
Walkability: the extent to which the built environment
promotes safe, comfortable and convenient conditions for
pedestrian travel. Generally measured and evaluated within a
500 metre radius (10 minute walk) of a site.
Walkway: an exterior public pedestrian route at street level,
usually providing connection through the block.
Weather Protection Systems: continuous canopies,
overhangs, or other permanent building features which are
sized and positioned to effectively shield pedestrians from
inclement weather at-grade. Such systems are a priority:
• on streets with active retail or commercial uses at
grade
• along Avenues
• within the Downtown Financial District
• at locations adjacent to transit stops
• in all other areas with significant pedestrian flow
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