KING Toronto is the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)-designed redevelopment of 485 through 539 King Street West for Westbank Corp and Allied Properties REIT, integrating a residential community with heritage commercial properties on the site. In a series of unconventional exhibits and installations at different locations (including exterior locations) throughout the city, we tell the story and culture of a neighbourhood being reinvented and the design thinking behind it.
The KING exhibit takes us on a deeper exploration of the proposed building concept and showcases the inspiration behind the development’s urban design, architecture, interior design, and its future relationship to the community and ongoing history of the King Street West locale.
The pop-up, temporary, KING exhibit was designed to fill the lobby at 134 Peter St, near the future KING site. In collaboration with BIG and Westbank, we designed the exhibit to take advantage of the light and spaciousness of the atrium in which it is situated. The shape of the exhibit (and the display platforms) mimic the pixels of BIG’s architecture. Simple, raw materials draw on the ideals of biophilic design and evoke the right brand feel while ensuring ease of fabrication, installation, and tear-down.
The project was aimed at potential home buyers but also Torontonians and visitors in general who are curious to know how international-inspired design is reshaping this dynamic urban neighbourhood. The exhibit is distinctive in its aesthetic and naturally evokes curiosity, naturally drawing people in to learn more.
The spatial configurations and inventive ways in which content (both static and digital) is displayed makes the experience accessible to all audiences. Graphics at various heights including on the floor, models, product and touchables on displays, and video with emotive and inspiring content make for a dynamic experience in a non-traditional setting.
See our work on Unzipped in the Serpentine Pavillion here.