The Gardiner Expressway, though a key piece of transit infrastructure, has created a 6 kilometre physical and psychological barrier between the City and Lake Ontario. The competition asks us to re-imagine the experience of the Gardiner at grade in order to re-establish this connection. Via short term urban interventions, we can transition this perceived car-centric obstacle into a public space that actively engages and invites new interactions and experiences.

Since opening in 2018, the Bentway has offered year-round programming from diverse perspectives including public art installations, exhibitions, festivals, performances, recreational activities and more. It’s success has proven that unconventional, underutilized spaces can be re-positioned into vibrant destinations that inspire, connect and energize.

Collaborating with Sans façon, an award-winning art practice, our team reflects a shared approach in fostering social engagement within the urban experience. For over twenty years, Sans façon has implemented work ranging from temporary installations to city-wide strategies exploring the poetic response to people’s relationship to our environment.

We have been collaborating with Sans façon since 2019 on a series of proposals and studies focused on creatively rethinking public spaces and urban life. Our team collectively master planned the City of Calgary Fire Hall No.1 and the North West Travellers Lodge, both downtown vacant heritage buildings rethought as cultural destinations. Our ReConnect competition team is led by Tristan Surtees and Charles Blanc of Sans façon and Sukhpreet Kaur, Partrick Li and James Brown of Zeidler.

The competition is co-sponsored by the Waterfront Business Improvement Area, the Toronto Downtown West Business Improvement Area, the City of Toronto, and The Bentway Conservancy.

Learn more about the Bentway competition and current programming here.