Mizrahi Developments celebrated the start of construction on the retail portion of The One with a ribbon cutting ceremony featuring Toronto Mayor John Tory. The mixed-use development, located at One Bloor West, was designed by Foster + Partners and will stand 1,005 feet tall, making it the tallest building in Canada.
The 85-storey development was designed to highlight its height and slender shape, using the building’s structural frame as its defining characteristic. It will feature eight mega-columns and a hanger frame to create a distinctive, triangulated form to distinguish the building’s exterior.
The One’s elevators and movement of people will be located in a separate core from the 8,500 square foot base of the tower, which will feature ground-level retail and, according to lead project architect Giles Robinson, will be unlike anything else in the city due to its design that will make the building appear open and seemingly structure-free.
“What you will experience is a grand space, an urban room, with 33-foot ceilings, unimpeded sightlines and extensive transparency,” said Robinson, in a press release. “The space will be truly remarkable in terms of its scale and interaction with the streetscape.”
Residences at The One begin 100 feet above ground level, with a sky-lobby that is accessible via private elevators. A bell-hop and concierge will greet residents as they enter the lobby-level, which also features most of the building’s residential amenities, including a 2,000-square-foot rooftop swimming pool and adjoining garden terrace that will be heated for use year-round, as well as a private gym and spa.
Despite the building’s height, it will only feature 416 units – a nod to the city’s area code – to keep suites spacious. Suites will range in size from 591 to 8,000 square feet. Unit interiors were also designed by Foster + Partners to offer a seamless design throughout the condominium.
“The expressive, structural frame that characterizes the exterior of the building is echoed internally within the apartments as well,” said Robinson. “You have striking diagonal lines clad in bronze alloy that cut through the glazing. We’ve also introduced integrated benches around the perimeter of the units to invite residents to sit up close by the windows and enjoy the unmatched views.”
The exterior of the building will feature a state-of-the-art LED lighting system sourced from Japan. It can be used to produce different colours to reflect the mood of the city, and the infrastructure will be hidden within the construction of the building, allowing the light to appear as a glow.
“If you’re lucky, you get one opportunity in life to contribute to a project like The One,” said Sam Mizrahi, developer. “Yonge and Bloor is one of the most iconic intersections in the city and arguably the country. Mizrahi Developments has a responsibility to deliver something Canada hasn’t seen before and we’re grateful and excited to get started.”
