RioCan Living launches smart, mixed-use Verge Condominiums on The Queensway

Verge Condominiums leverages market-leading data to identify post-pandemic needs, including a video-ready Content Studio and creative work from home spaces.

RioCan Living continues to expand its residential portfolio, with the launch of Verge in Etobicoke. Conveniently located at the southwest corner of Islington Avenue and The Queensway, the new mixed-use residential condominium community reimagines parts of a sprawling parking lot into 545 new residences split between two buildings. The two mixed-use buildings will be 11 and 17 storeys, respectively, and will include more than 30,000 sq. ft. of retail space, a new public park, and a new service road on the south side of the property.

Contextual design

“With Verge, the RioCan Living team continues to deliver on the principals that inform each of our residential developments, including contextual design in connected locations, best in class communal amenities that cater to future residents, and easy access to major commuter routes,” says RioCan Living’s assistant vice-president, Kalliopi Karkas.

“Verge is nearly equal distance to downtown Toronto and downtown Mississauga, offering incredible access to two of Canada’s largest cities. It’s also a 15-minute drive to Pearson Airport and offers a range of amenity spaces that were informed by our extensive market research.”

In an effort to optimize future amenity uses, RioCan Living leveraged extensive portfolio data, as well as additional research to tailor and optimize interior spaces for future residents. This research led to a focus on smart living, wellness and creative work from home spaces, including home offices, meeting rooms, soundproof phone booths and a fully-equipped, video-ready content studio with pull-down backdrops and green screens, as well as an audio-recording studio for podcasts and other presentations.

Award-winning design studio

RioCan Living tapped award-winning international design studio DesignAgency to craft the interiors based on the research provided. With extensive experience in local and international hospitality spaces, including The St. Regis Toronto, Momofuku Toronto and The Dalmar Fort Lauderdale, DesignAgency sought to draw inspiration from the design strategies cultivated for boutique hotels and notable restaurants into the interiors of Verge.

“As creators and designers, our surroundings are a key source of inspiration,” says Anwar Mekhayech, founding partner, DesignAgency. “We wanted to acknowledge how important our homes have become over the last year by bringing unique moments and distinct character to each area of Verge.”

“Wellness remains incredibly important in providing moments of respite, but we also need to support and design to how our work-life habits are evolving,” Mekhayech adds. “The Co-Working Space and Content Studio at Verge are a practical response to the increased importance of capturing video and audio, and a reflection of new, hybrid work models. And they can easily double as a space for creating fun, social content or having fun with friends. It’s about flexibility and inspiration.”

The materials, textures and patterns used throughout the development are a play on being “On The Verge,” with DesignAgency constantly playing with the relationship between two elements: Light and shadow, dynamic yet refined, calming yet energizing, bold yet welcoming. Warm wood tones and a modern colour palette are used throughout the amenities and suites. The comprehensive amenity offering also includes a fitness centre, yoga/meditation studio, pet spa, party room, cocktail lounge and an expansive outdoor terrace with barbecues, chess and shuffleboard games, and an outdoor lounge offering south-facing views.

Seamless mix

During the design of the project, local award-winning architecture firm Turner Fleischer was inspired by the eclectic and existing nature of The Queensway, where residential and commercial activities seamlessly mix into polyhedric architectural expressions. Verge aims to create a balance between exquisitely crafted volumes and the duplicity of the facade design. Dynamic as the nature of the street and its mixed-use destinations, the building mass and their architectural expression are organized as a series of stacked individual volumes with façades that dynamically respond to their immediate surroundings.

“Verge aims to transform The Queensway-Islington corner through strong design principles,” says Raza Mehdi, associate at Turner Fleischer. “While two separate buildings, our goal was to establish a rhythm and create a dialogue between the developments to add a striking visual dimension for residents and users to enjoy. With a new park separating the two buildings and retail uses at grade, the focus was to inject an animated streetscape along this segment of The Queensway.”

RioCan REIT launched RioCan Living in 2018 as the company’s official entry into the residential market. The RioCan Living portfolio has grown to more than 2,000 units in seven completed rental residential and condominium developments, including marquee Toronto-based condominium projects Kingly Condos and eCondos. Other notable condominium developments either on sale or under construction include Queen & Ashbridge, U.C. Towers and 11YV.

The latter received the Gold Award for Best Multi-Family Community of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders in 2020. Verge marks the latest RioCan Living launch and the first independent condo launch under the RioCan Living banner.

The two-phased community launched this summer, and features 545 residential suites ranging from 430 to 1,060 sq. ft. To register and for further information, visit the website. vergecondos.com