Everflow Belvedere

Project idea

Remediation of a decommissioned steel vessel acting as a breakwater for the Queen City Yacht Club's inner harbour on the Toronto Islands, transforming it into a rip-rap breakwater with a flat, usable surface featuring a series of increasing canopies culminating at a main pavilion. The design’s primary function is to promote QCYC community interactions by guiding users through the design and providing a flexible space for users to gather, with emphasis on functioning as a wedding ceremony space. The design’s main objectives are to enhance the views of the Toronto skyline, integrate well with the island visually, provide adequate illumination, and be reconfigurable to accommodate multiple types of events. Additionally, the design will not exceed the height of the QCYC nor reduce the effectiveness of the current breakwater. It must also be safe to maintain and for pedestrians to use, while also abiding by all building codes.

Project description

Everflow Belvedere is characterized by a series of increasing canopies that terminate at the main pavilion, atop the bow of the existing breakwater. Its primary function is to host weddings, but it serves as a multifunctional community space, allowing for dining and communal use. Each canopy faces the Toronto skyline, and the main pavilion is angled to focus its backdrop as the skyline. The path is the first act of ceremony, lined with seating and lighting to guide users towards the main pavilion, building anticipation.

Technical information

The combination of rotatable wooden panel (1st layer), ETFE panel (2nd layer), and douglas fir wood supporting members blocks most wind in the northwest/southwest direction. The designed structure in the main occupied area minimizes wind-induced discomfort by ensuring wind speeds exceeding 2.5 m/s should not occur more than 5% of the time during operating hours according to Autodesk Forma and analysis based on Lawson wind comfort criteria. Structural analysis of each materials of the pavilion was also conducted by engineering students to ensure the the roof and column will be load-bearing for snow and rain. In addition, gutters are also installed along the central column of the main pavilion and the side pavilion to catch rainwater runoff.

Documentation

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